Silas slung the briefcase over his shoulder, its weight oddly comforting now. His smile lingered—not just at the ridiculousness of being pelted by a flying case, but at how Victoria had somehow managed to feel familiar in such a short span. Like someone he'd known far longer.
"Do you always get that comfortable with strangers?"
He asked, glancing sideways as they began walking together again. Victoria fell into step beside him on his left, now sporting a sleek handbag that hadn't been there moments ago—likely conjured with the same casual flair she used for tossing briefcases.
"Where do you live, anyways?"
She tilted her head, crimson eyes curious as they tracked his expression. The afternoon sun spilled through the tall arched windows, casting golden rectangles along the marble floor beneath their feet, slowly dimming as the day crept toward evening.
"That's the neat part—I don't know."
Silas said with a grin, voice light, but his words earned a raised eyebrow from Victoria.
"And here I thought you were the know-it-all typa guy."
She smirked, mischievous, watching him like she was waiting for the punchline.
Silas only grinned wider before flicking her forehead again with swift precision. A slight wince flickered across his face from the repetitive sting on his finger, but he waved it off casually.
"Not my fault my new butler just teleported me straight to the academy."
Victoria tilted her head even more, the silver strands of her hair catching the soft light, before straightening with a sudden realization.
"Oh! You're talking about Lance! That butler who looks like a bodybuilder!"
She snapped her fingers with amusement, eyes sparkling.
"Big fan of his character. Seriously. Guy looks like he could bench-press a wyvern."
She nodded proudly, eyes closed for emphasis, a smug grin tugging at her lips.
"Funnily enough, that background character is far more important than you. I don't think the guy you transmigrated into even shows up in the novel…"
Silas's expression flattened into a deadpan glare, but instead of arguing, he retaliated by roughly ruffling her hair with one hand, mussing up her carefully styled silver locks.
"You annoying brat. You're lucky you got to be the villainess."
Their shared laughter echoed down the wide corridor, bouncing gently off the tall walls and stained-glass windows. The sound felt natural between them—unforced, honest. Just two out-of-place people finding a pocket of normal.
They walked for several more minutes, side by side in easy rhythm, before finally reaching the grand exit of the academy. Some students still lingered just beyond the gates—waiting for carriages, talking in small groups, or simply enjoying the end of the day under the waning light.
"Oh yeah… that reminds me," Victoria said suddenly, skipping forward a few steps, her skirt fluttering behind her. "How are you supposed to go home without even knowing where you live?"
She twirled once as she reached the boundary between academy and world beyond, her silhouette framed by the golden backdrop of the setting sun. It painted her hair in soft firelight, her eyes glinting like rubies.
"I'm not sure if you're doing this on purpose," Silas muttered, squinting slightly as he approached her, "but everything you do is way too cinematic."
He scratched the back of his head, mulling over her question with a sheepish smile.
"To be honest… I don't know."
It wasn't exactly a lie—but it wasn't the whole truth either. He didn't want to roam around a strange city like a lost puppy. Not after the kind of day he'd had.
Victoria let out an exaggerated sigh, slumping slightly as her head drooped.
"You're dumber than you look, you know…?"
She muttered, clearly exasperated.
With a swift flick of her wrist, she tossed him a smooth, palm-sized crystal etched in delicate arcane runes. Silas caught it effortlessly, holding it up to the light. The engraving glimmered faintly, the words shimmering in deep sapphire script:
Space and Comfort.
"What's this for?"
He asked, turning it over in his hand.
Victoria's face twisted in visible disbelief.
She let out a loud, incredulous "Ha?" as if he'd just asked what a spoon was.
"It's a spell to transport you home, idiot..."
She gave him a deadpan look, hands on her hips.
"As for me, I'll wait for my carriage. So you go off without me."
Silas chuckled, lightly imbuing mana into the crystal, watching it glow in response. Just before the spell fully activated, he glanced up at her, voice laced with a teasing edge.
"You sure you won't be lonely without me?"
Victoria recoiled like she'd been physically slapped by the suggestion, narrowing her eyes in mock horror.
"As if!"
She laughed, shaking her head.
The setting sun kissed the side of her face again, catching in her lashes and casting long shadows across her features. In that moment, she looked too bright—too striking—for Silas to look away.
"Creep…"
She added, softly—though the smile tugging at her lips said otherwise. Her tone was casual, teasing. But when she caught him staring again, her smile widened knowingly.
"Huh...? I'm not a—"
Silas began to protest, but the crystal flared suddenly in his hand—blue light erupting in a shimmer of sparks as his mana overflowed. The teleportation spell triggered prematurely, cutting him off mid-sentence as he vanished into thin air with a soft pop.
Only the fading sparkle of magic remained.
Victoria blinked, lips parting in bemusement before a small, triumphant smirk returned to her face.
Dammit…
Silas's voice echoed faintly, like a thought caught between dimensions, just before he vanished in a burst of shimmering blue light.
Victoria stood still, arms crossed as the last sparkles of magic drifted to the ground. The breeze tugged gently at her hair, strands lifting and falling like silk threads in the fading light.
Alone now, she let out a quiet, amused huff.
"Serves you right."
She smirked to herself, eyes lingering on the spot where he'd been—longer than she meant to. Then she turned away, brushing hair behind her ear like it mattered.