Maria glanced between the two of them with concern—oblivious on the surface, but not entirely blind to the tension that hung in the air like static. Her brows furrowed slightly as she exhaled a soft sigh.
"You don't need to answer that," she said gently, offering a small, knowing smile. "I don't think you want to anyways."
She chuckled as she rose to her feet, gathering the pile of books into her arms. Her chair scraped softly against the polished marble floor, the sound echoing faintly in the quiet corner of the library.
"I'll give you two some alone time to… sort out whatever this is," she added playfully, her voice light and teasing—though tinged with an undertone of curiosity.
"I'll borrow these books in the meantime. The line's probably insane by now, especially with the rest of the classes just finishing up."
With a polite, practiced bow, she turned and began to walk off—her golden hair catching the library's amber light as she moved toward the center. There, nestled among shelves and soft arcane glows, sat a middle-aged professor at a small open office desk. Magical artifacts, scrolls, and weathered tomes were scattered around him like fragments of a carefully controlled storm. His expression was stern but not unkind, reading glasses perched on his nose with scholarly precision as he reviewed something with focused detachment.
Silas's gaze lingered on the man's face, his mind beginning to drift into idle analysis of the professor's features—how ordinary he looked amidst the mystical surroundings.
But before he could disappear into that thought, Victoria's voice sliced through his wandering attention like a blade, sharp and sudden.
"Come on! You're from Earth too, aren't you?!"
Silas blinked, startled—just in time to see Victoria grabbing both of his hands with unexpected urgency. Her touch was warm, insistent. He stiffened at the contact.
"What the…?"
As he turned to look at her properly, the intensity in her expression hit him full force. It was the same familiar persistence—the one that had cornered him earlier—but now, there was something else behind it. A trace of vulnerability crept through her usually steeled features. A light sheen of sweat glistened on her flushed cheeks, her crimson eyes wide, not with suspicion anymore, but with hope. Hesitant, trembling hope.
Silas sighed quietly through his nose, heart sinking just a little. This was either going to be his biggest regret… or the smartest move he could make.
It's literally the first day… and I already blew my cover.
Still… maybe it's fine. Maybe this won't be a total disaster…?
Right…?
His shoulders dropped slightly in defeat as he opened his mouth to speak. A crooked, twitching smile tugged at his lips—half amused, half exhausted—as he stared off past her shoulder, resigned.
"Uhhh… surprise…?"
But he didn't have time to brace for what came next.
Without warning, Victoria closed the last sliver of distance between them and pulled him into a tight hug. Her arms wrapped around him without hesitation, pressing her face against his shoulder, her breath trembling as she let out a long, relieved sigh.
What the hell…? Silas froze. What's she doing?!
Victoria clung to him with unfiltered emotion, her voice breaking slightly as she exhaled against him—dramatic, raw, and unexpectedly soft.
"Thank god… I thought I was alone here!"
There was no rage, no interrogation in her tone now. Just pure, disarmed relief. She didn't mind being stuck in this world—not exactly—but the weight of isolation had clearly been pressing down on her. Having someone, anyone, from her world… it changed everything.
Silas squirmed in her embrace, hands pushing gently but firmly against her shoulders.
"Get… off me!"
She tightened her grip stubbornly, hugging him like he was the last piece of home she'd been clinging to.
"Don't wanna!"
Then came the outburst—half confession, half complaint—as she buried her face against his shoulder with a small groan.
"Do you know how hard it is acting like Victoria this whole time!?"
Her voice cracked again, frustration bleeding through the words.
Silas stared at her in disbelief, scanning their surroundings in a panic. His head turned quickly—bookshelves, reading students, corners where curious eyes might be watching.
"We'll be the main topic of a scandal at this point!"
He hissed under his breath, trying to pry her off without making a scene.