Noah didn't hesitate. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The office was warmly lit, with books stacked in every corner.

Professor Cecilia sat behind her desk, quill in hand and stacks of documents before her, while Professor Oliver stood off to the side, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.

Both pairs of eyes flicked to him the moment the door shut.

Noah met their gazes without flinching.

"I apologize for eavesdropping." His tone was flat, almost stoic, as if it were a matter-of-fact admission and nothing more.

Oliver's brow rose slightly, but Cecilia merely set her quill down, her expression unreadable.

Noah straightened his shoulders. "I wasn't here to pry. I came to inform you that I won't be able to attend our personal training session with the group tomorrow."

Cecilia tilted her head, studying him carefully. "And why is that?"

"I pushed myself too far today." His hand flexed once at his side, the memory of the spell still fresh in his veins. "I spent hours trying to learn a new spell. I… tired myself out."

For the first time, Oliver chuckled. The sound was dry, amused, like the scrape of boots on stone. "So the little reaper finally hit a wall, huh?"

Noah didn't answer, only shifted his gaze briefly towards him before looking back to Cecilia.

"Is that why you missed your Practical Magic class a few hours ago?"

Noah nodded. "I… passed out."

He didn't want to admit weakness of any kind, but if it would help him get out of the group training tomorrow, so be it.

Though, there was no need to tell them this happened yesterday, and he was already recovering.

She nodded slowly, understanding flashing in her golden eyes. "What you're experiencing is called mana fatigue."

Noah raised a brow.

"It happens when there's a constant flow of mana for too long," Cecilia explained. "Your body can't keep up, even if your reserves are intact. It makes you weaker, slower, and unfocused. If you push through it, the consequences could be far worse than a day's exhaustion."

Oliver hummed in agreement, though his smirk said he found the whole situation more entertaining than alarming.

"You'll have the day off," Cecilia said finally. "Rest. You've earned it."

Noah inclined his head. "Thank you."

With nothing more to add, he turned and left the office, the door shutting behind him with a quiet click.

The walk back to his dorm blurred by, his body running on autopilot.

Once inside, he didn't bother to even change his clothes.

He simply collapsed onto his bed, the mattress dipping under his weight, and let the silence swallow him whole.

Sleep claimed him almost instantly.

[][][][][]

The incessant rhythm of knuckles on wood dragged Noah from sleep.

He groaned, rolling onto his back.

His head still felt heavy, but it wasn't the feverish ache of mana fatigue, just the dregs of a night's deep rest.

Blinking at the ceiling, he turned his head toward the window.

Sunlight streamed through, soft and golden, marking the arrival of morning on the fifth day of the week. He'd slept straight through the night without stirring once.

Dragging himself upright, he shuffled across the room and pulled open the door.

Standing there was a second-year student, uniform neatly pressed. He held a brown-wrapped package tucked under his arm. Without a word, he extended it toward Noah.

"For you."

Noah accepted the package with a short nod, then shut the door before the other student could say anything else.

Back at his desk, he ripped open the paper.

Folded neatly inside were clothes he immediately recognized.

The same ones he had bought with Juniper on the day she had disappeared, the same clothes that had been confiscated during the chaos that followed.

On top of them was a folded slip of parchment. Noah picked it up, eyes flicking across the neat scrawl.

"Returned, as promised."

— Rowe.

Noah stared at the note for a moment longer before setting it aside.

His hands smoothed over the familiar fabric, and for a fleeting second, the memory surfaced, replaying in his mind.

Juniper's laughter, her smile as they'd walked those market streets.

He drew in a deep breath, folding the clothes carefully.

Then, an idea occurred to him. He had the day free. No classes. No training session with Cecilia's group. Why waste it?

A smirk slowly bloomed to life on his face.

Turning, he carried the clothes to his wardrobe.

Then, without a moment's hesitation, he strode into the bathroom, twisting the faucet open.

Steam soon fogged the mirror, curling into the air.

Shedding his shirt, he stepped under the stream, letting the water pound over his head and shoulders.

A few minutes later, he stepped out of the bathroom, toweling his hair, his skin still warm from the steam. His headache was gone, his body light again.

Just as he began pulling on his trousers, there was another knock at the door.

He frowned. Twice in one morning.

Crossing the room, he yanked the door open.

Arlo stood there, blindfold in place, a wide grin on his face.

"Heard you were sick yesterday," he said smoothly, leaning against the doorframe. "Just came to check on—"

"I don't have time for you today." Noah's voice was flat.

The door slammed shut in Arlo's face.

From the hallway came a muffled chuckle, followed by Arlo's lazy voice. "Get well soon!"

Noah exhaled, shaking his head. He wasn't sure if Arlo was a nuisance or a shadow he couldn't shake off. Either way, he wasn't entertaining him today.

He turned back to his wardrobe, eyeing the clothes neatly folded from the package.

One set, with dark trousers, a fitted shirt, and a long coat, looked good enough without being ostentatious.

He pulled them on, adjusting the coat at his shoulders. It fit perfectly.

Grabbing his coin pouch, he weighed it in his palm before sliding it into his pocket.

Today wasn't for idle wandering. He had a destination in mind.

Standing in the center of his room, Noah drew a slow breath.

The spell formation for Null Stride shimmered into being above his palm, its lines clear in his mind.

Mana rushed through him, then the familiar sensation of his body unraveling into nothingness.

A soft pop echoed softly in the room, then he was gone.

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