The next few days blurred together in a haze of training, examinations, and awkward social interactions.
Nox fell into a routine without really meaning to. Dawn brought Elisa and her brutal training sessions, where she systematically dismantled every bad habit he'd developed and replaced them with proper technique. Midmorning belonged to Vexia and her endless questions about his corruption, her diagnostic arrays probing deeper into his mana core each time. Afternoons were his own, spent exploring the sanctuary or sparring with Mela when she wasn't busy integrating with the local scouts. Evenings meant dinner with Serian and her sisters, a formal affair that somehow became slightly less uncomfortable with each repetition.
It was almost normal. Almost peaceful.
He hated how much he liked it.
