Verlyn Academy Student Apartment.

  Jacelin has finished packing all her belongings and is dressed for the long carriage ride ahead. Her eyes sweep over the room one last time.

  "Looks like everything’s done. Okay, time to head back to Karsh! My beloved apartment, we have to part ways today. I hope your next tenant treats you as kindly as I did. Mwah!"

  “Oh, I didn’t expect your relationship to be that intense.”

  Jacelin nearly jumps in shock at the sound of Tseryo’s voice—he’s already standing by the doorway with Vichel.

  “T-T-Tseryo?!”

  The young master Lavrel answers with a warm smile. Jacelin blushes hard in embarrassment—her silly monologue has just become Tseryo’s unexpected source of amusement.

  Vichel doesn’t bother responding and heads straight toward the bathroom.

  “I forgot my toothbrush. I don’t want the new tenant using it to scrub the grime in the corners.”

  Jacelin is left alone with Tseryo in the front room.

  “You’re not planning to escort us all the way to Karsh, are you?” Jacelin tries to brush off her lingering embarrassment from earlier, slipping back into her usual sharp tone with Tseryo.

  As always, Tseryo replies with a composed smile on his calm face.

  “I just stopped by to say goodbye before leaving the academy. Who knows when we’ll meet again.”

  “All right, I wish you a safe and pleasant journey to Elfous, Young Master Lavrel. It’s been a pleasure knowing you during our time at the academy,” Jacelin responds politely.

  “Your words are so sincere—they fill my heart with warmth.”

  Tseryo steps a little closer to Jacelin. “May I make a request?”

  “What kind of request?” Jacelin asks, curiosity piqued.

  “Hearing my first name spoken by Lady Lurca made me feel... a bit closer to you. Could you call me that from now on?”

  Jacelin grows awkward at such a request, even though she’s actually said Tseryo’s first name plenty of times when talking about the young master with Vichel.

  “If you don’t mind, then I guess it’s fine with me too,” she replies, unable to meet Tseryo’s eyes.

  The young master smiles. “In that case, allow me to start calling you by your first name as well.”

  “Y-yeah, of course…”

  Tseryo’s warm smile marks the beginning of their closeness.

  “Thank you, Jacelin.”

  The young master then extends his right hand. Jacelin pauses for a moment, then accepts it. Tseryo bows slightly and politely presses a kiss to the back of her hand.

  “I hope we’ll meet again soon.”

  Even though Jacelin doesn’t particularly like the young man, his gentle manners and warmth still manage to make her heart skip a beat. She quickly exhales, trying to calm herself down.

  Vichel returns from the bathroom just as Tseryo releases Jacelin’s hand.

  “Did you find what you were looking for?”

  “Yeah, all good now.”

  “Vichel, if the atmosphere at your workplace in the capital ever feels unpleasant, come to Elfous. I’d be glad to see you join the Lavrel military.”

  Vichel smiles. “All right, thanks, Tseryo!”

  “Ladies, I’ll take my leave now. I wish you both a safe trip to Loudhe.”

  “You too,” Vichel says, waving her hand.

  Tseryo returns the smile, then glances around the room once more.

  “This apartment really is lovely—it’s no wonder Jacelin fell in love with it.”

  “Ah, please forget about that!” Jacelin exclaims in utter embarrassment.

  .

  The Lavrel carriage departs from the front yard of the apartment building. Jacelin and Vichel remain standing by the roadside, watching it go. Meanwhile, the Lurca coachman begins loading the girls’ luggage into their own carriage’s trunk.

  Once the Lavrel carriage has disappeared from sight, Jacelin finally lets out a long, heavy sigh.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “I can’t help but feel anxious thinking about my future once I’m back in Loudhe.”

  Vichel looks at her friend in surprise as she suddenly starts complaining. “What’s wrong, Jacelin? You seemed fine just a moment ago.”

  “Vichel.” Jacelin looks at her with a mix of seriousness and worry on her face. “You remember when the four of us had lunch together, and Zeff started rambling about me being matched with Tseryo, right?”

  “Yeah, the very thing that caused your argument back then,” Vichel recalls clearly.

  “It’s not just from Zeff—I’ve heard the same rumor from other students from Karsh. They said that after we return from the academy, Tseryo and I are bound to be matched. And that night when you went on a date with Zeff, Tseryo’s attitude toward me was… completely different.”

  “I’m relieved to hear Lady Lurca call the woman who will be matched with me a lucky one, and not a nightmare anymore.”

  “What if, once I get back to Loudhe, my family really has arranged my engagement with Tseryo? Just like what happened with my brother and his wife. My father’s also good friends with Duke Lavrel. There’s a very high chance they’ll match us.” Jacelin starts to panic even more.

  Vichel still looks puzzled. “Then… what’s the problem?”

  “I don’t like Tseryo!” Jacelin says firmly.

  “Why not?” Vichel asks, still not quite understanding.

  “He…” Jacelin struggles to put her tangled thoughts into words. “Ugh, what I mean is… I’m not ready for marriage yet. I want to choose my own path in life. And besides… Tseryo just isn’t my type.”

  Vichel nods in understanding. “Of course—you only like Sir Bernice Thaolz.”

  Jacelin is momentarily speechless at her friend’s innocent remark, but she still feels the need to clarify.

  “Vichel, I just admire Sir Bernice Thaolz, n-not because I want to be h-his partner…” Jacelin stammers, her cheeks flushing pink.

  “Oh, I see.”

  “Should I just cancel my return to Loudhe?”

  “Your father will definitely come here to pick you up.”

  “Ah, right… that’s just like him.”

  Jacelin’s expression turns gloomy as she starts walking toward the carriage.

  “Jacelin,” Vichel calls out. Jacelin turns to her. “That’s just an assumption, right? Even if your parents really have arranged a match for you, you can simply explain your reasons for refusing. Like you said, every person is born free. We have the right to choose our own path in life.”

  Like a lantern rising from the depths of a dark sea, Vichel’s words rekindle Jacelin’s resolve—her unwavering belief in freedom.

  A smile forms on her lips, accompanied by a lighter breath.

  “You’re right. Let’s go back to Loudhe!”

  Jacelin no longer feels afraid of whatever awaits her on the road ahead.

  .

  The Lurca carriage rolls along the road within the residential area of Verlyn Academy. Several other carriages are also passing by, the streets bustling with graduates departing the academy that day.

  As the carriage passes in front of the dormitory building, Jacelin spots Zeff standing in the courtyard with Zoi. The Roan carriage is already waiting nearby. Jacelin and Vichel cheer in unison through the window, calling out to them as they pass by.

  Zeff and Zoi are momentarily startled, then quickly respond with smiles and friendly waves.

  “They’re heading back to Karsh, huh? I’m glad we managed to throw a memorable farewell party yesterday,” Zoi murmurs, a trace of longing in her voice.

  “You became friends with Jacelin too late,” Zeff replies. “You two seem to have a lot in common—especially when it comes to complaining.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Zoi snaps, clearly annoyed.

  The girl lets out a heavy sigh. “Well, that’s just my fate. An introvert like me spends too much time buried in research, so the only friends I’ve made at this academy are you and Yanzen.”

  “A wise man once said, when it comes to friendship, quality matters more than quantity.”

  “You’re actually complimenting yourself, aren’t you?”

  Zeff chuckles softly.

  Zoi falls silent for a moment, her thoughts stirring restlessly.

  “This morning, a raven from Yanzen brought a letter. He said Zeff and Vichel don’t have feelings for each other as lovers. Thank goodness—it looks like I still have a chance.”

  “Zeff…” Zoi’s voice comes out hesitant, as if she’s unsure whether to speak. “Can I… go with you?”

  Her sudden request catches Zeff off guard. He stares at her silently, waiting for her to continue.

  “It’s a common thing, right? Intelligence agents usually have a partner—an artificer or an alchemist—to assist them in their work. I’m sure I’d make a reliable partner.”

  “You said you were going to be an instructor at the academy.”

  “I haven’t signed the contract yet, so I can still change my mind.”

  Zeff’s expression turns serious, as if he’s weighing a difficult decision in his mind. Meanwhile, Zoi sincerely hopes she can become Zeff’s work partner—she simply wants to stay by his side.

  “No. This time, I want to work alone.”

  Zeff’s decision instantly dims the hope in Zoi’s eyes. Her expression twists into irritation.

  “You’re probably thinking I’d just be a burden, aren’t you?”

  “That’s a strange thing to say. Being a burden is part of your nature.”

  “You—!” Zoi snaps, fuming with frustration. “Fine then! It’s your loss for turning down the best work partner you could ever have!”

  Zeff gives a faint smile, his gaze soft.

  “You’ll be safer if you stay at the academy.”

  Zoi falls silent. She doesn’t quite understand why he says that, but there’s a hint of genuine concern in his words.

  “I’ll be going now. If you ever want to talk about anything, just send me a letter through a raven.”

  “You think I’ll stay an introverted girl forever? After this, I’m going to make lots of friends to share stories with!”

  “That’s good. But I’m pretty sure I’ll still be the only person who knows your biggest secret.”

  Zoi’s face flushes in a mix of irritation and embarrassment. “Don’t you dare use that to threaten me!”

  Zeff chuckles with a mischievous grin, then continues walking toward the carriage, waving at Zoi as he goes. The girl stays silent, her lips pressed together—her expression clearly showing she’s not ready to part with him.

  Zeff places one foot on the carriage step.

  “Zeff!”

  Zoi’s voice calls out, stopping him mid-step and drawing his gaze to the side.

  “If you ever get a new orb, come to the academy. I’ll upgrade it to the highest level for you.”

  Her words clearly show how much she already misses him, even before they’ve parted ways.

  Suddenly, a memory flashes in Zeff’s mind—Zoi’s drunken confession the night he carried her back to the dorm.

  “Zeff… I like you.”

  Now, Zeff realizes that might not have been just the words of a drunk girl after all.

  Zeff responds once more with a gentle, faint smile.

  “Remember what I said when we first met? You’re my only artificer.”

  The words strike Zoi with a jolt of emotion—Zeff still remembers what he said back when they first met in their second year.

  Zeff waves one last time before stepping into the carriage. The sound of hooves soon follows, carrying the carriage away from the dorm courtyard—leaving Zoi standing alone by the roadside, her heart pounding.

  That day, numerous carriages sped through the main gate of Verlyn Academy. The young generation, having completed their education, now returned to their respective homelands—ready to begin their journey toward the future they dreamed of creating.

  .

  WARLORD LOVE STORY – BOOK#1 – BATTLEMAGE COMPETITION - END