A few quiet days passed.
They weren't lazy days, but they were simple, peaceful, the kind of time that slipped by without much notice when no one was rushing and nothing felt urgent.
The house stayed warm, the mornings stayed slow, and the nights were filled with silence that didn't ask questions.
Ethan barely left the house during those days, other than going to the academy for the simulation drills with Sera Valcrest and Mei Ren.
Other than that, he ate well, rested more than usual, and spent his hours either reading, talking with the girls, or watching the sun drift across the windows.
It was the calm before the storm. Everyone knew it.
The college entrance exams were getting closer.
Each morning, the notifications came in—updates, reminders, and timetables. A slow countdown was ticking in the background.
He didn't need to be reminded—he hadn't forgotten.
He just didn't feel nervous.
Not yet.
And then, just like that, the date arrived.
The day of the literary exam.
