"You two finally made it," Kozu said courteously, stepping aside to let the two of them in. "Mister Flau, Bruce is waiting for you in that room over there. Aida, if you don't mind, please step this way..."

  Bemused, Aida followed Kozu into the same back room where she had her conversation with Kozu back when the teachers—it was more Havi, honestly—were looking to discipline her for losing her cool and kicking Pritchard in a very rude spot.

  Fortunately, or unfortunately, this conversation seemed to take a different tone. Gemma was also in the small room, already seated. She indicated for Aida to sit down in the chair facing away from the door, leaving Kozu to take the third seat so that they were all sitting equidistant away from each other.

  Aida supposed it was a good sign that they weren't sitting directly across from her, as if they were going to take her to task for...what, interrupting the match? Risking additional lives to save her when she so thoughtlessly ran into what was going to be something as destructive as an eel?

  Or was it about her using Confusion? Healer Luk had already warned her why that was bad—why would that warrant two additional professors insisting on speaking to her? Were they concerned about her mental health, after using Confusion two days in a row?

  "I suppose there's no other way to say it," Gemma said bluntly. "What was your reasoning in running towards Mister Flau when he cast Liquefaction?"

  This? Aida quailed at the question. She still hadn't come up with a satisfactory answer, and it wasn't even five minutes ago that Dev had asked her that same question.

  "I don't know," Aida said truthfully. "I wasn't thinking."

  Gemma and Kozu exchanged glances, worry creasing their brows.

  "Is it important?" Aida asked cautiously, not liking the silence that hung between them.

  "Perhaps," Kozu said vaguely. "We hope we are overthinking it."

  "Eat your lunch," Gemma said, reminding Aida of the plate of food she had brought in—even though Aida wasn't in the mood to eat. "You recall the conversation Professor Bruce had with you and Devinne when you two first returned from North Ocean Village?"

  "Yes, but what does that have to do with..." Aida trailed off at the serious expressions on their faces. Oh no. "But I don't feel—" she cut herself off, unable to even lie about that. Oh no.

  It was silly, but the whole time Aida had been resisting her feelings for Dev, she had been fighting from the perspective of feeling like she was betraying Ezra, as opposed to fighting against an external power that was demanding she obey her duty, or whatever.

  As daunted as she was by the thought that she didn't have any say over her feelings, she also felt irritated: were her feelings no longer even her own? Was it because she was a minor side character, so she was forced to follow along with the plot, her own actual desires irrelevant?

  Was this punishment for acting out of character? She wasn't supposed to fight her way up from her pitiful, lowest-ranked, constantly disrespected role, so the game was trying to reign her in by showing her that even if she broke free of the preliminary constraints imposed on her, she was still subject to the whims of the game?

  "Aida, what are you thinking?" Kozu asked gently, interrupting the spiral Aida had started going down.

  "I don't like it," Aida said abruptly. The resentment was simmering in her, and saying it out loud seemed to fuel the fire.

  "What don't you like?"

  Aida struggled to explain without revealing too much, but couldn’t come up with a coherent explanation that didn’t mention anything about a game world. She settled for probing for information instead. "Is there a way to verify my feelings are false?"

  She watched Kozu and Gemma carefully as they exchanged glances. "I don't believe the question is whether your feelings are false or wrong," Gemma said carefully. "Because, for lack of a better word, your feelings are valid, and nobody is in a position to judge your feelings better than yourself."

  "Then what am I supposed to do?" Aida could hear the belligerence in her voice. "Professor Bruce warned us that we might get attached to each other, and that if we did, to let the teachers know. So, what's the solution to that happening—if it really has happened?" Aida added crossly.

  "Well, if you two really did become attached," Kozu said calmly, as if he was merely discussing something as inconsequential as what her graduation outfit should be instead of discussing her lack of agency, "Then it's not the end of the world. The primary concern with that happening is that you two would..." Kozu trailed off, his finger tracing a shapeless path through the air. "...become distracted."

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  "That's right," Gemma nodded. "Under normal circumstances, nobody would fundamentally oppose a union based on optimal compatibility. However, the complications arise from the fact that you and Devinne, as Maglica graduates, are very important contributors to the future of Wyndia...so our goal, as callous as it may sound, is to ensure you two are still productive members of society."

  "Correct. And our sense of responsibility, when it comes to fostering solutions, is geared towards making sure the two of you are as happy, or content, as possible—without completely losing your abilities. However that may look."

  Aida stared at the two of them, noting how serious their expressions were.

  She almost couldn't believe it; their earnest response was to be helpful. She had been expecting pushback from the instructors, a demand to adhere to what was proper and right, maintain the balance of society—or at minimum, strong words of caution to put aside her feelings so that she wouldn't inadvertently drag Dev away from whatever his fancy destiny was supposed to be. All for the good of society.

  Not an offer to help her—or them—manage their feelings for each other.

  "What does that look like?" Aida asked slowly, as her eyes shifted between Gemma and Kozu's. "How will I—or anyone else—know if I've lost control of myself? Is there a way to mitigate it?"

  Aida winced internally as Kozu and Gemma both blinked; a more well-hidden flinch of their own.

  "There have been case studies done among especially compatible practitioners, though I have to preface that their compatibility is significantly lower than what you and Devinne have displayed," Gemma said, leaning forward on her elbows. She seemed much more calm now that they were discussing factual, historical data, instead of hypotheticals. "Regardless, the studies show that it is possible for two compatible practitioners to successfully live their own lives outside of each other.

  "First, since you two aren't as intertwined yet as you might be, it would be best if you kept your mana interactions to a minimum at the moment. There is evidence from the studies that show the older the two practitioners are before they come together, the easier it is for them to retain their sense of selves.

  "Second, and I personally believe this is good timing: if you two were to focus on building your own lives and livelihoods without the other, that would also help you retain your sense of self. If you two both create something important to yourselves specifically, then it will also make it that much easier for you two to avoid meshing.”

  Gemma tilted her head, considering Aida thoughtfully before shaking her head. "I believe that is enough information to get started."

  "So you think we haven't hit a point of no return yet?" Aida asked. "You still think that, as long as we avoid each other for as long as we can, we won't become mindless automatons who are slaves to our own mana with each other?"

  "That's not—" Gemma started before Kozu raised his hand, interjecting.

  "We understand it's difficult to comprehend," Kozu said gently. "But we truly are looking out for your and Devinne's best interests. There are times when one should absolutely let the flames of passion run rampant in order to achieve their objective, but there are other times when taking a more conservative approach can yield better results in the long term."

  "That's not what I'm asking!" Aida didn't know when she had stood up, her chopsticks clutched in her hand. Kozu and Gemma were both leaning back in their seats, looking up at her with infuriatingly calm and understanding expressions, even though they clearly didn't understand. "Will I always be at the whim of my mana? Always at risk of getting sucked into combining my mana with Dev? Is everything you're prescribing for me—establishing my own life, my own career—just a way to stop me from losing my own will too early, or am I doomed to lose myself no matter what I do?"

  Kozu raised his eyebrows, a hint of a smile curling his lips, while Gemma tilted her head the other way and regarded Aida appraisingly. Aida met their gazes, her chest heaving, before the silence in the room finally made her realize she had been shouting at the professors who had been nothing but kind to her.

  Aida sullenly sat back in her seat and began picking at her cold lunch, avoiding Kozu and Gemma's gazes.

  "Well, that's somewhat reassuring," Kozu said, a hint of mirth in his voice. He coughed as Aida glanced up at him, straightening his composure. He glanced at Gemma, who merely nodded as she sighed and stood up, giving Aida a small smile.

  "I'll let Professor Kozu handle this talk, since he's the one who enjoys philosophical discussions more," she said softly. She squeezed Aida's shoulder briefly, comfortingly, before she exited the room. "Remember who you are."

  Kozu waited as Aida took a few more bites, letting the silence on the other side of the door fully permeate their conference room before he smiled at Aida.

  "Let me see if I understand your concerns correctly. You aren't worried about your feelings being denied; you are instead worried that you have no say in the matter at all, regardless of what your feelings are and how well they align with the logical outcome." He paused, reflecting. "You are wondering if you are in control of your own destiny."

  Aida choked on a spicy sauce-covered vegetable. "Isn't everyone?" she asked when she finally managed to cough out the spice.

  Kozu shrugged. "Most people aren't unlucky enough to stumble upon a path that feels like there is only one way forward."

  One way forward. Aida frowned before Kozu interrupted her. "However, that is not the reason why we're still here. I'd like to address any preconceptions you might have about destiny and free will."

  Aida settled back in her chair and eyed Kozu warily as she continued picking at her food. Even though she respected him, she wasn't sure how reassuring it would be to hear about how she had the free will to decide to make peace with her destiny, or whatever other mental gymnastics she'd have to partake in in order to reconcile the two seemingly contradictory concepts.

  "But first, tell me what happened in your match with Miss Trippe this morning."