Chapter 196: The Search for Stella.

Noah walked down another hallway without finding Stella, so he stopped at an intersection and looked both ways, but he saw nothing.

He thought about contacting her by phone, but he didn’t even have her contact, so that complicated things quite a bit.

’I should have thought of that earlier.’

He had talked with Stella, eaten together, and had even been at her house, although that last time it hadn’t really been her, but even so, Noah had never asked for her number.

Under normal circumstances, he probably would have been glad about that, because it meant he hadn’t tried to get too close, but now it was a problem.

He put away the phone and kept walking.

He had already checked the main building, also the cafeteria, the library, the classrooms where he knew Stella had some classes.

He had even passed by the empty classroom where they had eaten together the first time, but there was nothing.

’Where are you?’

Noah slipped a hand into his pocket and discreetly touched the magic object, which was still there.

That reassured him, since he had no intention of losing it.

Much less after discovering that the Great Mother had known beforehand that Stella was close to becoming a magical girl.

The more time that passed, the worse he felt.

Noah quickened his pace, but while crossing another corridor, he saw several students gathered near a window.

Some were talking about Stella, so Noah slowed down.

"They say she came today."

"I heard that too."

"Did you see her?"

"No."

"Maybe she already left."

Noah frowned.

’That information is useless to me.’

He kept walking, but when he turned the corner, he almost bumped into someone, so Noah stepped back.

"Sorry."

The other person stopped as well.

"I-It’s fine."

Noah looked up and went still, since the one who had bumped into him was Ayane.

She recognized him immediately.

"N-Noah!?"

Noah felt his body tense by reflex.

"Ayane."

She was carrying several papers under one arm and seemed to be heading toward another building.

For a few seconds both of them looked at each other and Ayane was the first to speak.

"You look in a hurry."

"Me?"

"Yes, who else?"

Noah smiled.

"Not really."

Ayane looked behind him and then back at him.

"You’re checking every hallway."

Noah stayed silent.

’Since when has she been watching me?’

Ayane tilted her head slightly.

"Are you looking for someone?"

Noah reacted immediately.

"No."

She raised an eyebrow.

"That sounded suspicious."

"I’m just walking."

"You’ve passed through this area twice."

Noah blinked and Ayane continued.

"The first time you went toward the north building."

"Ah."

"And now you came back."

Noah thought quickly.

"I made a mistake."

"About what?"

"The classroom."

Ayane looked at him in silence and Noah knew the explanation was bad, so she raised the papers slightly.

"What class do you have?"

Noah opened his mouth, but then closed it.

’Great.’

He had finished classes and Ayane knew it, and she was watching him more carefully.

"You’re definitely looking for someone."

Noah smiled uncomfortably.

"Maybe."

"Who?"

"It’s not important."

Ayane frowned.

"Noah."

"What?"

"If you’re in trouble..."

"No, it’s not that."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, very sure."

Ayane seemed to relax a little, but not too much.

Noah knew she could insist and the last thing he needed was for Ayane to find out he was looking for Stella.

Although Ayane had helped him in the past, now the Great Mother was interested in Stella, so he wasn’t going to take the risk.

Ayane asked again.

"So, who are you looking for?"

Noah looked around, since he needed to get out of there.

"Actually..."

Ayane waited and Noah pointed behind her.

"Is that Reina?"

Ayane turned immediately.

"Where?"

There was no one and Noah started walking.

"See you."

Ayane reacted.

"Noah."

He sped up while behind him Ayane called out.

"Noah, wait!"

"I’m busy."

"Reina wasn’t there!"

"I was wrong."

Ayane started following him and Noah turned down another hallway.

"Wait!"

’I’m sorry, but no.’

He increased his pace without exactly running, but he was very close to it while Ayane called him again.

"Noah, what are you doing?"

"Nothing!"

"This doesn’t look like nothing!"

Noah saw some stairs and went down quickly, but he heard Ayane’s footsteps behind him.

’Why is she following me?’

He reached the lower floor and saw a large group of students entering through a door.

’Perfect.’

Noah mixed in among them, advanced a few meters, then turned toward another exit, went up different stairs and waited a few seconds.

He didn’t hear Ayane, so he looked behind and there was no one, so he sighed.

"Good."

He leaned against the wall.

’I lost her.’

He wasn’t proud.

Ayane would probably get mad when she saw him again, but it was better than explaining the truth.

Noah took a breath.

"Now..."

He looked around.

"...Stella."

He continued searching.

Another fifteen minutes passed, then twenty.

Noah was already starting to consider sending a message to Aria and asking her to use her contacts when he heard a voice at the end of the hallway.

"Thank you."

Noah stopped, since he knew that voice, so he peeked and a girl was talking with a teacher.

Perfectly arranged hair with elegant clothes, though much simpler than the ones she used during public events.

It was Stella and Noah felt relief at finding her.

’Finally.’

He waited until the teacher left and then approached.

"Stella."

She turned and her expression changed when she recognized him.

"Noah."

She smiled at him.

"We meet again."

Noah stopped in front of her.

"That’s right."

Stella looked around.

"Were you looking for me by any chance?"

Noah blinked.

"How do you know?"

"You look like you’ve been running."

Noah touched his hair, since it was probably a little messy.

"A bit."

Stella let out a small laugh.

"Did something happen?"

Noah observed her.

The smile, the voice, the gestures, everything seemed normal, but that wasn’t enough, since he remembered what had happened the day before and he couldn’t afford to make the same mistake.

"Noah."

Stella raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

He took a deep breath.

"Before we talk..."

"Yes?"

"I need to check something."

Stella looked at him confused.

"That sounds strange."

"I know."

Noah thought about the best way to do it.

He couldn’t ask a question that was too easy, but neither one that the Great Mother could answer if she knew general information.

He needed something related to their private conversation.

"When we ate together..."

Stella went still and Noah continued.

"What was it that you told me about your characters?"

She frowned slightly.

"Is this a test?"

"Something like that."

Stella observed him for a few seconds and then answered.

"That I like performing them."

Noah waited.

"But it bothers me that some people act as if I were those characters outside of work."

Noah nodded slowly and Stella continued.

"And I also told you that it was nice talking with someone who wasn’t trying to treat me like a man."

Noah felt some relief, since that was correct, but he wanted one more proof.

"Where were we?"

Stella crossed her arms.

"In an empty classroom."

"Why?"

"Because I was hiding."

"From who?"

"From a group of students."

Noah nodded and Stella looked at him.

"Are you done?"

"One more."

She sighed.

"Go ahead."

Noah thought.

"What did you tell me before you left?"

Stella stayed silent for a few seconds and then smiled.

"That I hoped to see you again."

Noah finally relaxed his shoulders.

"It’s fine."

Stella raised both hands.

"Did I pass?"

"Yes, with a perfect score."

"Can I know what I just passed?"

Noah looked around, but there were several people nearby.

"We need a private place."

Stella frowned.

"Everything you say makes this more suspicious."

"I know."

"Are you getting me into some kind of trouble?"

"Probably."

She looked at him and Noah corrected himself.

"I mean, no."

Stella smiled slightly.

"That was convincing."

Finally, they found an empty classroom where Noah closed the door and Stella remained standing in front of him.

"Alright."

"Are you going to explain now?"

"That’s right."