The sharp scent of herbs and heated glass filled the air as Rein stood alone in the academy's alchemy lab. Rows of flasks bubbled softly in front of him, the amber glow of mana-lamps flickering overhead. For once, the world was quiet. No whispers, no sidelong glances, no bruises forming under his uniform.
Just him, the task at hand, and the looming pressure of the expedition.
Professor Albright had dismissed him early that morning with a rare, approving nod. "You've got more important things to do today, Rein. Go prepare. You'll need your strength."
He still didn't know if that was a compliment or a warning.
Rein leaned over a small cauldron, carefully stirring the pale blue liquid. A healing potion—standard recipe, nothing fancy. But his hands were steady, his measurements exact. If there was one thing he could control, it was this. Potions didn't mock him. They didn't expect him to light up a battlefield. They just needed care.
As he reached for a sprig of dried valerian, a strange wave of heat rose in his chest. His fingers paused midair.
He'd barely slept. After Emilia had left him in the corridor the night before, the feeling hadn't gone away. Confusion. Anger. Guilt. A touch of… something else.
Something that had haunted him all night.
His cheeks flushed slightly as the memory hit again—her warmth, her grip, her breath on his skin. She had been furious, but there was something deeper underneath, like the two of them were balancing on the edge of a forgotten cliff. And somehow, it had stirred something in him he didn't fully understand. Not fear. Not exactly comfort either.
Desire?
He groaned softly and leaned against the table. "What the hell is wrong with me…"
It wasn't like he knew her. Not really. She was still a stranger. Dangerous. Cold. But there had been something familiar in her touch. Something buried too deep for him to name.
The door creaked behind him.
Rein straightened quickly, clearing his throat, willing the color from his face to fade. He turned, and there stood Diana, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
"Oh," he said a little too quickly. "Hey."
She tilted her head. "Are you… okay? You look kind of red."
He turned back to the cauldron, trying to act casual. "It's the heat from the burners."
A pause.
A small lie. But Diana didn't press. She just nodded and quietly joined him, helping line up the glass vials. The silence between them settled in like a third presence—familiar, but slightly uneasy.
The door opened.
Kael walked in, arms crossed, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Rein. "Thought I'd find you here," he said, voice flat. "Figures you'd be the one working with herbs while the rest of us train."
Rein flinched slightly, but didn't respond.
Kael set down a small pack on the counter. "Supplies. For the expedition. Professor said to make sure everyone's prepared."
His tone made it clear: this wasn't for Rein's sake—it was an errand.
"Thanks," Rein muttered.
Kael didn't look at him. "Don't get in the way tomorrow. We can't afford to babysit."
Diana straightened. "Kael—"
But Kael had already turned to leave. "Just saying what we're all thinking."
The door shut behind him with a sharp click.
Silence.
Diana let out a long sigh and looked back at Rein. "Ignore him. He's just…" She trailed off. "He's wrong, okay?"
Rein nodded, barely.
"…Want help bottling those?" she asked.
"Sure," he said, his voice tight.
They worked in silence, the awkwardness still thick in the air.
Rein's hands moved on their own, measuring drops of dried leaf extract into each vial with practiced motions. But his thoughts weren't on the task. They were spinning—caught between the echo of Kael's voice, Diana's concerned glances, and the strange warmth still lingering on his skin from earlier that morning.
Emilia's words haunted him.
You don't remember me, after everything we've been through?
The way she looked at him—furious, desperate, and hurt all at once—dug under his skin like a splinter he couldn't remove.
And Kael... Kael just reminded him of what the rest of the world probably thought. That he was useless. A leftover. A tagalong with no place here.
"Rein?" Diana's voice cut softly through the fog.
He blinked and looked at her.
She was studying him again, brows slightly furrowed. "You spaced out."
"Sorry," he mumbled. "Just… tired."
Diana didn't believe him, but she didn't call him out either. She just offered a quiet nod and slid another empty bottle his way.
Rein took it, but his hands shook a little as he reached for the stopper.
He wasn't sure if it was the nerves… or something else entirely.
Tomorrow, they would begin their journey towards the forest. He was supposed to be ready. But as he stared down at the vials lining the table, all perfectly filled and sealed… he couldn't help but feel like everything inside him was breaking apart.