The Extra's Rise - Chapter 415

Chapter 415: Prelude to Exchange Program (5)
Morning came with gentle insistence, sunlight spilling through the windows to paint patterns across the bed. I woke to find Seraphina already alert, propped up on one elbow, studying me with her usual intensity.

“Good morning,” I said, voice rough with sleep.

“Your sleep cycles appear restful,” she observed by way of greeting. “No evident nightmares or stress responses.”

I smiled. “Good morning to you too.”

A slight smile curved her lips. “Morning,” she conceded, leaning down to press a brief kiss to my lips. “We should leave within two hours to return to the Academy at an appropriate time.”

Always practical, always planning—even in moments like this. It was oddly endearing.

“We have time for breakfast, then?” I asked, stretching carefully beneath her watchful gaze.

“Yes. I’ve already instructed the chefs to prepare something.”

We ate on the terrace, watching the morning sun sparkle on the ocean. Seraphina was quieter than usual, seemingly absorbed in her own thoughts.

“Regrets?” I asked finally, when the silence had stretched long enough to become concerning.

Her head snapped up, ice-blue eyes focusing sharply on mine. “No,” she stated firmly. “None.”

“You’re quiet.”

“I’m processing,” she corrected. “Last night was…” She paused, searching for the right word. “Significant.”

Coming from Seraphina, this was equivalent to a passionate declaration. I reached across the table, taking her hand in mine.

“For me too,” I assured her.

She nodded, apparently satisfied with this mutual understanding. “We should prepare to leave.”

The return journey was the reverse of our arrival—a brief warp travel that compressed space and time, depositing us back at Mythos Academy’s Warp Gate 13 by mid-morning. As we stepped off the platform, it was like reentering a different world—one of responsibilities, rivalries, and impending challenges.

As we walked back toward the dormitories, Seraphina’s hand brushed against mine—a subtle gesture that might have seemed accidental to anyone observing, but which I recognized as deliberately seeking connection.

I caught her fingers with mine, giving a brief, reassuring squeeze before letting go.

After we reached Ophelia dormitory, we parted ways, heading to our respective floors. A glance at the clock told me we were running a little late, so I changed into my uniform quickly—black jacket, white shirt, black pants, golden trim glinting faintly under the ceiling lights. I combed my hair back with my fingers, grabbed my satchel, and made my way out.

Classes were more or less what I expected—similar to last year, only tuned to a sharper, harder edge. Higher level spell theory, enhanced combat analysis, mandatory mock battle simulations. Mythos Academy wasn’t in the business of raising average students after all. It was a grind, but a familiar one, and I slipped back into the rhythm without much trouble.

By the time the final class ended and the halls began to thin out, I felt my phone buzz against my thigh.

I pulled it out, half expecting another reminder from Nero or some academy-wide alert.

Instead, it was a text.

Just one word.

Coffee.

Starlight Brew.

It was from Clara.

I stared at the screen for a moment longer than necessary, the corners of my lips tugging upwards despite myself. I tucked the phone away and headed towards the cafe she mentioned.

Starlight Brew was nestled in one of the newer wings of the Academy grounds, tucked between a sleek bookshop and a tech-enhancement store. The cafe had wide glass walls, letting the late afternoon sun pour inside, casting the polished floors and metal-and-wood tables in a warm glow. Soft, lazy music drifted through the air, blending with the scent of roasted coffee beans and sweet pastries.

I pushed open the door, the tiny bell above it chiming softly.

There she was.

Slumped over a table near the window, chin resting on her arms, Clara Lopez looked exactly like she always did. Drowsy. Half-asleep. Entirely too relaxed for someone sitting in public.

Her soft navy blue hair was tied messily to the side, strands slipping free. Her violet eyes, heavy-lidded and almost stubbornly half-shut, shifted lazily toward me as I approached.

“Yo,” she said, lifting a single hand in a half-hearted wave.

I sat down opposite her, raising an eyebrow. “Good to see you’re as energetic as ever.”

“Shhh,” she muttered, sliding a coffee cup toward me with her other hand like a bribe. “You’ll ruin the cafe’s vibe.”

I chuckled, taking the cup without protest. I took a sip. Rich, strong. She remembered what I liked.

“I didn’t know you missed me enough to drag yourself out of hibernation,” I teased.

She made a noncommittal noise, something between a hum and a scoff.

“You were gone for, like, a year,” she said after a moment, voice a little less sleepy now. “And not even a single text. Or call. Or psychic message.”

“I wasn’t dead,” I pointed out, setting the cup down. “Just… busy.”

“Busy almost dying,” she corrected, peeking at me from under the curtain of her hair.

I scratched the back of my head. “Minor details.”

Clara just sighed—a long, suffering sigh—as if I was personally exhausting her just by existing.

“You’re a dumbass,” she muttered. “But… glad you’re back.”

It was simple. Clumsy. Exactly the kind of thing Clara would say without dressing it up in anything fancy.

“Yeah,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “It’s good to be back.”

For a while, we just sat there. No rush to fill the silence. No need to impress or explain. The sun dipped lower outside the window, casting golden streaks across her hair.

She wasn’t the type to nag or demand attention. She was just… there. A steady, sleepy presence. Always had been.

And somehow, that made it easier to breathe.

“You know,” she said eventually, lifting her head slightly, “you missed a lot of boring crap while you were gone.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Meetings. Mandatory lectures. Some group projects. One guy even tried to declare himself new Rank 1.” She yawned. “It was hilarious. He got bodied by Lucifer in, like, thirty seconds.”

I laughed, the sound easing out of me naturally.

“Sounds like I missed all the fun.”

“You did,” she said, her smile slow and genuine. “But it’s fine. You’re here now.”

I took another sip of coffee, savoring the moment.

Yeah.

I was here now.

And not everything in the world was broken yet.

“You better stick around this time,” Clara said, her voice drifting toward sleep again.

I glanced out the window, where the stars were just beginning to peek out from the evening sky.

“I’ll try,” I said softly.

Across from me, Clara’s head dipped forward slightly as she dozed off at the table, her coffee untouched.

Typical.

I leaned back, closing my eyes for a moment.

And for the first time in a long while, it felt like things might just be okay.