Chapter 646: Doing nothing in the park [2]

"I’m serious! They gave us three assignments in two days," Dhayun grumbled, holding her drink between both hands.

"And when I asked for an extension, the instructor told me I should have managed my time better. What time? I barely had time to sleep!"

Eira gave her a sideways glance "You spent almost four hours playing games yesterday."

"That was different. I needed to relax."

"You were relaxing the day before that too."

"Eira, whose side are you on?"

Yverine laughed softly "She’s got a point, Dhayun. You were complaining about the assignments yesterday while doing absolutely nothing about them."

Dhayun opened her mouth to defend herself, but Brandon interrupted with a quiet chuckle. "You could always ask Selene to help you. She’s pretty good at studying."

Dhayun immediately turned toward him. "Really?"

"Yeah. She’s had plenty of time to learn things."

Eira slowly turned her head toward Brandon. "You’re talking about your daughter who’s several centuries old, aren’t you?"

Brandon smiled. "Experience is experience."

"That’s cheating!" Dhayun protested, although her expression suggested she was already considering the idea.

Their conversation continued for another few minutes, with Eira occasionally laughing at Dhayun’s excuses while Yverine spoke just enough to make things worse for her.

A short distance away, however, someone noticed the four of them.

Clarisse De Valiene was walking along one of the pathways connecting the academy’s administrative building to the training grounds.

She originally intended to return directly to the Council’s room, but the sight of a familiar group beneath one of the trees made her slow her steps.

Her gaze settled on the young man sitting between Eira and Dhayun.

’Brandon Kael?’

Clarisse stopped for a moment, looking at him from a distance.

It has been some time since she last saw him, and considering he suddenly disappeared during the tournament, she was wondering when he would finally return to the academy.

News involving the academy’s first male awakener had a habit of spreading remarkably quickly, regardless of whether Brandon himself wanted the attention.

Still, she didn’t expect to find him casually sitting in the park as though nothing had happened.

After a moment, Clarisse adjusted the folder beneath her arm and began walking toward them.

Eira noticed her first.

Her eyes shifted toward the approaching figure, and after recognizing Clarisse, she straightened slightly.

"Brandon," she murmured, nudging his arm.

"Hm?"

"President Clarisse is coming."

Brandon followed her gaze and spotted Clarisse approaching along the pathway.

Before he could say anything, Eira leaned a little closer and whispered, "Your face. Change it back."

Brandon blinked. "What?"

"Your appearance," Eira clarified, glancing toward Clarisse before looking back at him.

"Use Camille’s illusion. You can’t just walk around the academy looking like you’ve aged ten years."

Brandon stared at her for a moment before a small smile appeared on his face.

"Eira, I’ve already been using the illusion since we entered the academy."

Eira froze.

"...Huh?"

"It’s been active this whole time."

Dhayun, who had been listening to their conversation, immediately leaned forward. "Wait, seriously?"

Brandon nodded "The three of you are the only ones here who can see through it. I adjusted it so you wouldn’t be affected."

Eira stared at him, then slowly looked toward his face again.

To her, he still had the same mature features and long hair he had returned with.

"...You could have told me that earlier," she muttered.

"You didn’t ask, dear."

Eira gave him a thoroughly unimpressed look.

Yverine covered her mouth as a quiet laugh escaped her. "He does have a point."

"No, he doesn’t."

Dhayun tilted her head, "So everyone else is seeing your old face right now?"

"Pretty much."

She glanced toward Clarisse, who was now only a short distance away, before whispering, "That’s actually kind of creepy when you think about it."

Brandon raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"Because I’m looking at an old man, but everyone else thinks he’s a student."

"Dhayun."

"What? I’m just saying!"

Eira quickly nudged her again as Clarisse stepped close enough to hear them.

"Behave."

Clarisse approached the bench with her usual composed smiled and her gaze briefly passed over the three women before settling on Brandon.

"Brandon Kael."

Hearing his name, Brandon looked up and smiled.

"President."

He stood up from the bench, brushing a few stray leaves from his pants before turning toward her properly.

Clarisse stopped in front of him and offered her hand.

"It’s been a while."

Brandon accepted it, giving her hand a firm shake.

"It has. How have you been?"

"Busy, unfortunately." Clarisse smiled faintly as they released their hands.

"The Council has been dealing with the continuation of the tournament, along with several other matters. I was beginning to wonder... when will you come back."

Brandon chuckled. "Was my absence that noticeable?"

Clarisse raised an eyebrow "You’re the academy’s first male awakener, Brandon. Your absence is considerably more noticeable than you seem to think."

"Fair enough."

"And considering how much attention you attracted during the tournament... it’s expected."

Meanwhile, the three women sitting nearby were watching the exchange with growing interest.

Dhayun leaned slightly toward Eira, lowering her voice "...They seem pretty familiar with each other."

Eira glanced at her. "They’ve met before, Dhayun."

"I know that. I’m talking about how they’re talking."

Yverine looked up from the grass, "They’re just having a normal conversation."

Dhayun narrowed her eyes thoughtfully "Uh huh. That’s suspicious."

Eira slowly turned toward her "...How is a normal conversation suspicious?"

"Because it’s Brandon."

Yverine let out a small laugh.

Eira pressed her lips together, trying not to smile. "That’s a terrible explanation."

"Tell me I’m wrong."

Eira opened her mouth, then paused.

Her gaze drifted back toward Brandon, who was listening attentively as Clarisse explained something about the tournament’s results.

"...Well."

Dhayun immediately pointed at her.

"See?"

"Don’t start."

Yverine shook her head with an amused smile. "You two are unbelievable."

Dhayun leaned a little closer to Yverine "Come on, Yve. Look at her. She’s pretty, she’s strong, she’s the Council President, and she’s talking to Brandon like they’ve known each other for years."

Meanwhile, Clarisse continued speaking with Brandon, seemingly unaware of the quiet discussion taking place only a few steps away.

Her smile widened slightly at something he said.

From the bench, Dhayun watched the exchange with a faint smile on her lips "She smiled."

Eira sighed. "People smile, Dhayun."

"At him."

"She’s being polite."

"That’s what you said about half the women in this house."

Yverine suddenly burst into laughter, quickly covering her mouth when Clarisse briefly glanced in their direction.