?“Are you sure you’re okay?” Anastasia asked, taking the lead as they walked through the corridor toward the courtyard, per Roland's suggestion.

  ?“Yeah. I’m okay.” Soliana walked more slowly. “I’m just… it's just… more than I thought.”

  ?“Really? It wasn’t hard for me. I understood everything!” Anastasia puffed out her chest and smiled.

  ?Roland raised an eyebrow. “So you won’t need me to do your work later on, then?”

  ?“Of course you still have to!” Anastasia turned her head to face Roland, then gave a smile too devious to deny. “Or else I’ll tell Soliana about our secret.”

  ?Roland quickened his pace to catch up to her. He pointed his finger and stared straight into her eyes.

  ?“Don’t you dare.”

  ?This made Anastasia’s smile grow even wider.

  ?“Or what? Special. Friend.” She winked.

  ?“Stop it.”

  ?Anastasia ran backward, light on her feet, while Roland matched her pace, still trying to cover her mouth.

  ?Soliana didn’t catch up. She simply walked at her own pace, her head down, seemingly looking at nothing in particular.

  ?“Overwhelmed?” Eric asked from behind her, breaking her out of her trance.

  ?“No,” she quietly mumbled.

  ?Eric barely heard her response. “You sure?” he asked again.

  ?“…”

  ?“…”

  ?After a second, she raised her head and looked forward. Only her back was visible to him; her expression remained unknown.

  ?“…No… definitely not… That was not the only thing I have to learn, right?”

  ?Eric frowned. As much as he wanted to tell her it was, he had to tell the truth.

  ?“No. Besides basic knowledge and overall competence, the nation also values efficiency—specifically, efficiency in combat.”

  ?Soliana turned her head to look at him. Eric met her eyes and explained.

  ?“Inferna is a country that is always at war against the undead. To ensure the nation doesn’t fall, it has become a necessity for servants to learn basic combat. 'Efficiency' is what we call it, but it also covers other aspects of life.” He paused to catch his breath. “Wasting resources, time, and choices is how you waste lives. Combat is simply one of the most direct aspects the testers cover.”

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  ?Soliana blinked. “I didn’t ask you to elaborate.”

  ?“Oh.” Eric scratched his cheek, his gaze meeting the floor. “My bad.”

  ?Soliana looked at her newest friend—someone she didn’t think would help her get this far, and someone she didn’t expect to still be walking with her after she had helped him only once.

  ?Soliana’s frown turned into a smile, then a small giggle.

  ?“That’s okay,” she joked. “So? Where can I find someone who can teach me about Efficiency?”

  ?“That’s easy.” His footsteps quickened.

  ?Before he could continue, a hand grabbed his shoulder. It wasn’t a gentle grab; it was a grip so hard Eric could hear his metal shoulder pad creaking.

  ?“Sir Eric.” A voice came from behind him. “Your break ended hours ago. Why are you not back yet?”

  ?Eric immediately recognized that voice. How could he not? It was the exact voice that tortured him every day and called it training—a voice so young yet so steady that it could only belong to one person. The only difference now was that the words seemed a bit too gritted, as if the speaker were grinding his teeth.

  ?Eric turned around, straightening his back fully, and placed his clenched hand to his chest in a salute.

  ?“Sir Leon. I—”

  ?“No buts.” Leon tightened his grip, the metal shoulder pad creaking even louder. “On the grounds of you abandoning your training, I’m going to give you a new routine. A very special one, just for you.”

  ?Eric might have been imagining it, but as he looked closer, Leon’s left cheek looked red. Really red. There was a vague shape to it. Almost like—

  ?Did he get slapped? By who?

  ?“Let’s go.” Leon dragged him away, the iron grip snapping Eric out of his thoughts.

  ?I’m dead.

  ?“Leon, wait!” Soliana interrupted, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them.

  ?Leon stopped in his tracks.

  ?“What?” he said. No wasted words. No sign of acknowledgment.

  ?“I,” she paused, then continued, “I really need him right now.”

  ?“For what?” Leon loosened his grip slightly.

  ?“I, uh…” Soliana briefly explained her situation.

  ?“I see.” He gazed at the ground, then looked back at her and nodded slowly. “Learning the three basic values of Inferna is a good move, but it is a hard task.”

  ?“I—I really need him.” She leaned forward, then back.

  ?“Yeah, she needs me,” Eric intervened, but his voice was too quiet to be heard.

  ?Leon stayed where he was standing, his thoughts unknown. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke.

  ?“Alright, then. I think I can help you.”

  ?“What?” Soliana blinked.

  ?“I said I’ll help you. If you are bound to learn about Efficiency, you won’t find a better teacher than me.”

  ?“But… why?”

  ?“Why what?”

  ?“Why help me?”

  ?Leon paused for a moment, then smiled. “Let’s just say I’m feeling generous, okay?”

  ?“That’s…” Soliana tried to form a sentence, but she couldn’t find the right words to respond.

  ?“Ummm, Sir Leon?” Eric finally called out, tears welling in his eyes. “Can you, uh, let me go now, sir?”

  ?Leon bent down to meet him at eye level. His smile grew even wider, but Eric could tell it was with a different intent.

  ?“Oh, no. You’re coming with us. No—with me. There is no escape.”

  ?“Hey, where were you guys?” Anastasia asked as she returned with Roland. “We thought you were following us!”

  ?Leon’s smile softened as he straightened back up. He placed his hand to his chest, performing the Infernian gesture.

  ?“It seems you two are getting along quite well.”

  ?Leon immediately met Roland’s gaze, who in turn looked away instantly. Leon’s smile didn’t change.

  ?“I assume both of you have come to terms with the news?” he teased.

  ?“Yeah!” Anastasia raised both hands in the air. “Still don’t know what it means, though.”

  ?Roland stayed silent.

  ?“I see.” Leon nodded. “I’m about to give combat lessons to these two today. Would you like to watch?”

  ?“Sure!”

  ?“…Sure.”