“Am I… disturbing you two?”
A voice as gentle as a spring breeze brushing over a lake, tinged with just the right amount of apology, drifted in from the doorway.
Lisbeth, like a startled cat, sprang off Mia in a sudden leap so swift it stirred up a breeze.
Flustered, she hurriedly straightened her somewhat rumpled clothes, the heat on her cheeks refusing to subside for a long time, not daring even to glance back at the person by the door.
Still lying on the floor, Mia found whatever budding feelings she had completely blown away by the abrupt interruption.
She scrambled to her feet, tugging down her raised hem and pushing her crooked glasses up her nose, doing her best to appear less disheveled.
Only then did the two finally turn toward the doorway.
There stood a girl with long, silky green hair, as fresh as newly sprouted vines, quietly watching them.
Her luggage was minimal; she held only a simple wooden staff in her hand.
Yet after saying those apologetic words, she made no move to retreat or turn away.
Seraphina Valerius just stood there silently at the entrance.
Her face bore a flawless, gentle smile, and her light brown eyes were as clear as a woodland stream.
With interest, she took in the “disaster zone” before her—a floor littered with books, a silver-haired girl blushing furiously, and a flustered chestnut-haired girl.
She neither spoke nor left; she simply kept smiling, yet an invisible pressure seemed to fill the room like the spreading glow of candlelight.
Lisbeth felt her cheeks grow even hotter, acutely aware of the girl’s gaze sweeping back and forth between her and Mia.
That gaze appeared innocent, yet was sharp as a scanner, laying bare their awkwardness and the ambiguous air between them.
“Um… we… we were just…” Mia stammered, trying to explain, only to dig herself deeper.
“Was this a unique welcome ceremony between freshmen?” Seraphina finally spoke again, tilting her head, her smile deepening, her tone so sincere it was as if she truly believed the flimsy excuse. “It looked very… passionate.”
Hmm… Is the first day of school always this thrilling?
One is a little too enthusiastic, the other cold as ice—what an interesting combination.
Her mind racing, she finally stepped inside, as if that half minute of “silent pressure” had never happened.
“Hello,” she didn’t pursue what had just happened, her voice gentle, “I’m Seraphina Valerius. If I’m not mistaken, this should be Room 301.”
Her voice was soft and her manners refined, like a fresh breeze sweeping away the awkwardness that had lingered in the air.
“Ah! Yes, yes, you’re in the right place!” Mia, as if receiving a royal pardon, greeted her warmly. “Hello, hello! I’m Mia Field! This is Lisbeth!”
She grabbed the still-silent Lisbeth, who was at a loss for words, and forcefully pushed her forward to introduce her.
Mia Field, the rumored tireless genius of Potionology, truly lived up to her name—like a big puppy off its leash.
As for this one…
Seraphina’s gaze landed on Lisbeth, a sharp glint flickering in her eyes.
…Lisbeth, the monster rookie who caused a stir during the test with her 99% Wood Element Affinity.
Even more beautiful and colder in person than the rumors suggested.
She looked hard to approach, but seemed… easily swayed by that fool Mia.
In her heart, Seraphina completed a quick profile of her new roommates, her gentle smile growing even deeper.
She nodded slightly to Lisbeth and said softly, “Lisbeth. That’s a lovely name. I look forward to getting to know you.”
Lisbeth nodded in response.
Seraphina’s gentle and kind aura quietly radiated from her, helping Lisbeth’s taut nerves relax a little.
Seraphina glanced at the mess covering the floor and then at the two girls, still awkward and uneasy, the smile at her lips deepening. She took the initiative: “If you don’t mind, shall I help clean up? We can get to know each other as we tidy up.”
With that, she naturally bent down and picked up the nearest book—High-level Potion Analysis.
“Ah! No, no! You don’t need to! We couldn’t trouble you!” Mia quickly waved her hands.
“It’s no trouble,” Seraphina handed the book to Mia and picked up a loose page from the floor. “We’ll be living together for a long time, won’t we? It’s only right to help each other.”
There was something irresistible about her words. Lisbeth silently squatted down to help gather the books scattered on the ground.
“Mia, you’re Mentor Claudia’s student, right? Specializing in Potionology—that’s impressive.” As she sorted the books, Seraphina casually started a conversation.
“Yes, yes! Lisbeth is, too!” Mia quickly found common ground, her excitement obvious.
“And you, Lisbeth? Besides your incredible Wood Element Affinity, are there any other fields you’re good at?” Seraphina looked at Lisbeth, her eyes clear and filled with sincere curiosity.
Lisbeth shook her head. “I don’t know.”
You don’t know? Is that modesty, or does she truly have no self-awareness? Interesting.
Seraphina mused to herself but offered an encouraging smile. “That’s all right. Academy life is long—we’ll have plenty of time to discover your strengths.”
She brushed the dust from her hands, then turned and leaned against the bookshelf, looking at the other two with a half-joking tone: “Since we’ll be living together as roommates, let’s agree now to take turns cleaning the common areas. How about it?”
“Otherwise, with scenes like today’s ‘grand event,’ I can’t guarantee I’ll always arrive in time to ‘save the day,’ you know.”
Her words carried a playful teasing, breaking the awkwardness—if one overlooked that much of it stemmed from her own unrestrained gaze.
Mia nodded vigorously, and Lisbeth gave another nod of agreement.
Watching this scene unfold before her, Seraphina’s smile deepened, a look of understanding and anticipation flashing in her light brown eyes.
An energetic fool, a powerful ice queen… and a mysterious princess who had yet to appear.
BANG—KABOOM—CRASH!
The dormitory door, already on its last legs after enduring Mia’s “knowledge collision” and Lisbeth’s “self-sacrificing leap,” finally gave its final metallic groan on its third intimate encounter.
With a decisive snap, the hinges broke, and the whole door toppled heroically to the ground.
A cloud of dust rose, sending loose papers swirling about the room in a brief flurry like a shower of confetti.
Standing in the doorway was a tall figure, her silhouette lithe and well-proportioned.
Her long pink hair was tied high in a sleek ponytail, with elegant bangs framing her face and two locks falling gracefully at her temples.
She looked neat and capable, her standard-issue knight’s uniform lending her a touch of authority.
It was none other than Isabella, the one who had staged a little performance with Tulia earlier.
As the Attendant Knight of the Third Imperial Princess, Alyssa, her task was to preemptively eliminate any potential danger and clarify all circumstances.
And yet, the current situation was that she had just personally dismantled Her Highness the Princess’s dormitory door.
Even for a well-trained knight, Isabella couldn’t keep her usually stern face from faltering when she saw the door completely ruined by her own hand.
Lisbeth’s gaze slowly turned to Mia. “She… broke the door.”
“Broke it clean through! Even more than when I crashed into it earlier! Is this some new kind of greeting?”
“Shh, friends. Quiet. Let’s see how this plays out.”
Though they had only just met, the three seemed to share a silent understanding, exchanging a wordless conversation with only their eyes.
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