The evening air was cool when Arios left his dorm. The sun had already dropped low, leaving the sky painted in shades of grey and faint orange. Lanterns were being lit across the academy grounds, carried by attendants or mounted on poles, each one spreading a soft glow to keep the walkways visible. Students moved in groups, some heading back from training, others heading toward the market district just beyond the academy gates.

Lucy and Liza were waiting for him outside the dormitory entrance. Lucy wore a light jacket over her uniform and carried a small pouch tied at her waist. Liza had her sleeves rolled up, a grin on her face, and a large bag slung over her shoulder, as if she were already preparing to stuff it with whatever she planned to buy.

"You're late," Liza said the moment she saw him.

"I'm on time," Arios replied.

"You're late to me," she shot back.

Lucy sighed. "It doesn't matter. Let's go before the shops start closing."

They left the dorms together, joining the steady flow of students toward the outer market street. This part of town was lively in the evenings. Stalls were set up outside permanent shops, offering food, trinkets, clothing, charms, and even basic weapons. Merchants shouted to attract attention, and the smell of fried food mixed with the scent of roasted nuts and fresh bread.

Liza immediately pulled Arios's sleeve and dragged him toward the first stall she saw, one that sold fried skewers of meat.

"Look at this! Smells good, right?" she said.

The vendor grinned and held one out. "Two copper each."

Liza shoved a coin into his hand without hesitation and bit into the skewer. She let out a satisfied noise, chewing quickly before pointing at Arios. "Here, you need to try this too."

"I'm fine," Arios said.

"You're not fine, you're boring," she countered, thrusting the half-eaten skewer into his hand anyway. "Eat."

Arios looked at the food, then at her, then simply took a small bite to get her to stop.

Lucy shook her head. "You two are impossible. If you eat everything now, how are we supposed to make it through the rest of the shopping?"

Liza just grinned, not bothered at all. "That's why we buy more."

They walked further down the street, stopping at different stalls. Liza bought a cheap bracelet with a dangling gem and put it on immediately, holding her hand up like it was priceless jewelry. Lucy lingered at a stand selling paper charms, carefully inspecting them, though Arios noticed she didn't buy any.

The conversations around them were casual and light, but Arios's mind kept drifting elsewhere. Every time he glanced at the faces in the crowd, he thought about Amelia. The rumors surrounding her were still spreading across the academy like wildfire, each retelling more exaggerated than the last. And though Arios knew Amelia wasn't guilty—not from what he had seen in her eyes, and not from the investigation he had done—he also knew that most people didn't care about the truth. They cared about appearances, about gossip, about the thrill of tearing someone down.

"Hey," Liza said suddenly, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "You're spacing out again. Don't tell me you're thinking about boring training drills at a time like this."

Arios shook his head. "Not training."

"Then what?" she pressed.

"Nothing important," he said.

Lucy gave him a look, the kind that said she didn't believe him but wasn't going to press further in front of Liza. She turned back to the charm stand and carefully put one of the slips back into its basket.

They moved on again. A shop with lanterns in different shapes caught Liza's eye. She dragged Arios inside, forcing him to look at every single design. "This one would look great in your dorm," she said, pointing at a fox-shaped lantern.

"I don't need a lantern," Arios said.

"You don't need, but it'd be cute," she replied.

Lucy walked over and picked up a plain round lantern. "This one's better," she said. "Simple, not distracting. Easy to use."

"Boring," Liza said immediately.

"Practical," Lucy countered.

Arios stayed silent, letting them argue over lanterns as if it was the most important decision in the world. His mind, however, returned again to Amelia. He imagined her sitting in her room alone while rumors spread unchecked. He imagined the looks she must be getting from students who had once respected her. He imagined the isolation, the silence that followed her in the hallways.

He clenched his fist in his pocket without realizing it.

Lucy eventually put the lantern back, and Liza gave up after Arios refused to buy the fox-shaped one. They continued through the market, this time stopping at a clothing stall.

Liza held up a scarf and wrapped it around Arios's neck before he could react. "Perfect. Now you look less like a boring soldier and more like someone who actually belongs in public."

"It's itchy," Arios said flatly.

"That means it's good quality," she shot back.

Lucy chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. "It does suit you, though."

Arios gave them both a blank look before pulling the scarf off and handing it back to the vendor. "No."

They moved again. A toy stall caught Liza's attention, and she immediately began poking at wooden puzzles and small carved animals. Lucy stayed beside Arios this time, her voice low.

"You've been quiet all evening," she said. "Is it about Amelia?"

Arios glanced at her. She had seen through him easily.

"Yes," he admitted.

Lucy lowered her eyes for a moment. "I figured. I heard more second-years talking about her today. It's getting worse."

"I know," Arios said.

"We can't fix rumors," she said quietly.

"Maybe not," Arios replied. "But I can find proof."

Lucy didn't respond, but he could see the tension in her shoulders. She was worried, maybe for him, maybe for Amelia. Maybe both.

Before the silence could stretch too long, Liza came running back with two puzzles in her hands. "Race me," she declared, shoving one at Arios. "Whoever finishes first gets the last skewer on the way back."

"I didn't agree to this," Arios said.

"You agreed by existing near me," Liza countered, already dumping the puzzle pieces onto the nearest table.

Lucy sighed, but a faint smile touched her lips. "You two really are like children sometimes."

"You'll see me win," Liza said confidently, already assembling the pieces.

Arios sat down and started his puzzle silently. The market noises continued around them, vendors shouting, customers bargaining, the smell of food drifting through the air. It was normal, almost peaceful, yet Arios couldn't shake the thought that this peace was fragile.

They spent another hour wandering, buying small things here and there. Lucy picked up a few practical items: sewing needles, a small notebook, some soap. Liza bought almost anything that caught her eye, stuffing her bag until it bulged. Arios only carried the things Lucy handed him, refusing to buy anything himself.

By the time they returned to the dorms, the sky was fully dark. Lanterns lit the paths, and the crowds had thinned. Lucy stopped at her dorm entrance, holding her bag close.

"Thanks for coming with me," she said softly.

Liza grinned. "Next time we'll drag you out again. Don't think you can hide in your room forever."

Arios gave a small nod. "See you tomorrow."

Lucy hesitated, then smiled faintly before disappearing inside. Liza stretched her arms overhead.

"That was fun," she said. "Even if you were gloomy the whole time."

"I wasn't gloomy," Arios said.

"You were," she insisted, poking his arm. "But I'll let it slide. Next time, no thinking about instructors while we're shopping."

Arios didn't reply. He simply walked with her back toward his dorm, his mind still heavy with Amelia's situation.

The evening had been filled with laughter and teasing, but underneath it all, the weight of the truth pressed harder against him. The rumors weren't slowing down, and Amelia's isolation was only deepening. He had found threads of evidence, but they weren't enough yet. Not enough to stop the tide. Not enough to clear her name.

And so, as he entered his dorm room and set down the things Lucy had bought, Arios promised himself silently: he would keep digging, no matter how many rumors spread, no matter how much resistance he faced. Because Amelia didn't deserve to be destroyed by lies.

****

New Book alert!

My new book, 'Wait, I'm Not Even the King? Guess I'll Just Build a Harem Anyway!' I will appreciate it if you guys can have a look at it, it's my entry to WPC SEPT 2025, it's about a high schooler summoned to another world and immediately tasked with being it first elected president, but he doesn't want that life, he just want to use this opportunity to live his harem fantasies, but he hasn't forgotten his task to run a freakin nation, a nation filled with swords and magic, monsters and many more threats.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.