After cutting and washing the meat, Ronan and Darius packed some of it into a container. As Ronan tightened the lid, he said, "I'll be back in a moment. I'm going to deliver this to Mr. Alden."
He dashed out of the kitchen, only to nearly collide with Mr. Alden himself. Stumbling to a halt, Ronan gave an awkward chuckle.
"Why the rush, boy?" Mr. Alden asked, grabbing Ronan by the shoulder to steady him.
With a sheepish grin, Ronan extended the container. "Sir, this is for you. Fresh meat. We hunted a big one."
Mr. Alden's face lit up as he took the container. "Now that's my student. Very considerate."
Ronan scratched the back of his head, grinning nervously. But Mr. Alden's expression soon turned serious.
"I informed Ms. Amara to prepare some items to help with your soul injury," he said, tapping Ronan lightly on the chest. His gaze softened with sympathy, though a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "I just hope you survive her fury. Best of luck, kid."
Ronan's face fell. He looked on the verge of tears. "Then I should enjoy my last meal while I can."
Mr. Alden chuckled and turned toward Mr. Valmire, Mr. Alaric, and Mr. Mordek. "I'll take my leave now," he said, before glancing back at Ronan. "And don't cause trouble for Mr. Alaric or Sir Valmire. Understood?"
Ronan straightened and saluted playfully. "Yes, sir."
With a bow to Sir Valmire, Alden jumped off the magical flying boat, descending smoothly through the air.
The boat began to glide back toward the academy, sailing effortlessly at optimal speed. By seven in the evening, the deck was transformed. Ronan, Kael, and Darius had decorated a long table, now filled with food.
Three grills sizzled at the centre, surrounded by small bowls of various sauces. There were freshly sliced meats, square chunks, skewers with meat and vegetables, and some with just meat and onion. Unused skewer sticks lay in neat piles. Eleven white plates and one soup bowl were arranged around the table, each with a tong beside it.
In the centre, a steaming pot of soup—prepared by Sylphie—was proudly placed.
To Ronan's right sat Kael, and on his left, Sylphie. Across from him were Darius and Garrick. Sylphie's left side seated Lirith, then Vexara, and finally Gorvath. On Darius's right were Mr. Alaric, Mr. Valmire, and Mr. Mordek.
As they dug in, compliments filled the air.
"Sylphie, this soup is incredible," said Mr. Valmire, nodding in approval.
"Truly wonderful," added Mr. Alaric.
Sylphie smiled, cheeks tinged with pink. "Thank you, but Vexara and Lirith helped a lot. We made it together."
Meanwhile, Darius and Ronan were fully in their element—grinning, joking, and endlessly grilling. They kept creating new combinations, like skewers with only meat, or meat paired only with onion. They even concocted their own sauces: sweet and sour, extremely hot, overly sweet, and sharply sour.
Lirith kept curiously sampling the sauces until Sylphie firmly blocked her from trying the extremely hot one. "No, Lirith. That one's basically fire in a bottle."
Mr. Valmire tried most of the sauces, except the hot one. Kael, however, was feeling bold.
"I'll give it a try," Kael said, dipping a skewer into the molten-red sauce. He took a confident bite.
A moment later, sweat poured down his face.
"Man... how do you two eat such a thing?!" he gasped, mouth wide as he fanned himself.
Ronan and Darius both bit into heavily coated skewers without flinching. Darius chuckled and handed Kael a small bottle of milk. "Here. This'll help with the fire in your soul."
Kael gratefully chugged the milk while the others burst into laughter.
The table buzzed with conversation, laughter, and clinking utensils. Even the usually reserved Mr. Mordek cracked a smile at one of Darius's meat-only skewer jokes.
As the night sky darkened, stars twinkling above the flying boat, the group slowly leaned back in their seats, full and content.
"Alright, everyone," said Mr. Alaric, rising with a stretch, "let's clean up together."
After several continuous days aboard the flying boat, the group finally neared Serenwyn Town. The mid-morning sun hung high—it was nearly ten in the morning—casting golden rays over the rooftops below.
Ronan approached Mr. Alaric, his tone respectful but eager. "Sir, could you drop us off in town? We have a few things to take care of."
Mr. Alaric nodded with a calm smile. "Of course. Not a problem."
Turning back, Ronan called out to his companions, "Sylphie, Kael, Darius, Garrick—we're getting off here."
They nodded in unison, Sylphie offering a small wave. "Alright."
Before disembarking, Ronan turned to bid farewell. "Take care, Mr. Mordek, Lirith, Vexara, Gorvath. We'll meet again soon."
The others returned his goodbye, though Lirith's expression remained unreadable. Mr. Mordek noticed this and glanced at her subtly. In his mind, he mused, "Anger and fear—that's all she ever shows. Especially when Vexara is in danger. But with Ronan and his group... It's different…"
He studied her quietly, recalling the rare softness in her demeanour when she spoke with Ronan and his group. It struck him—she had seemed at ease, almost as if she were genuinely enjoying their company. The thought lingered, unfamiliar but hopeful. "Was she... enjoying herself?"
Then, aloud, Mr. Mordek asked, "By the way, how can we reach you at the academy if needed?"
Ronan smiled, his tone light but sincere. "If I'm not in class, I'll either be at Ms. Amara's training ground or Mr. Alden's. You can find me there."
Mr. Mordek gave a thoughtful nod. When he looked at Lirith again, he saw it—a flicker of light in her expression. Subtle, almost imperceptible, but real. "Her face… did it light up a little? Could that be happiness? Let's see where this goes."
Just as Ronan and his group prepared to jump, a voice resonated inside his mind, calm and confident voice "Are you afraid the Flamecrest family will come after you?"
Ronan's eyes sharpened. "Sir Valmire?" he responded mentally. "I'm certain they will, sir."
"I can help you," Valmire offered, "if you're with me."
Ronan hesitated, then replied, "That's a generous offer. But Mr. Mordek, Vexara, Gorvath, and Lirith are guests at our academy. It wouldn't be right to drag them into a family conflict."
There was a pause, then a thoughtful response. "You're more perceptive than I expected. Very well. If they don't release you by evening, I'll come to the Flamecrest estate myself."
With a soft smile, Ronan leapt from the flying boat.
Kael looked over, brow raised. "Why drop into town? We could've just gone straight to the academy with them."
Ronan stretched his arms and yawned. "It's about a thirty-minute walk from here. I've been sitting on that boat for too long. Figured I'd loosen up a bit."
The group wandered through town, chatting idly. Time slipped by, unnoticed, until the gates of the academy loomed ahead.
A group of unfamiliar figures stood waiting at the entrance. Darius's brows drew together in suspicion. "What the hell? They're not from the academy."
Kael narrowed his eyes, recognising the uniforms. "That's Flamecrest enforcement. They handle internal and external disputes."
As they drew closer, Kael muttered under his breath, "Oliver? What's he doing here?"
Oliver pointed directly at Ronan. "That's him! That's Ronan!"
Kael stepped forward, demanding, "What's going on?"
Oliver scoffed and turned his head. "Why don't you ask your 'brilliant' teammate?"
Darius stepped forward, anger flashing in his eyes, but Sylphie placed a firm hand on his arm, silently shaking her head. "Don't do anything reckless. Not yet."
A man in the enforcement squad stepped forward, his tone official. "Are you Ronan?"
"Yes," Ronan said calmly.
The man unfurled a scroll and held it up. "You are to be brought in for interrogation. You are the prime suspect in the tampering of Elenor Flamecrest's sword. Please cooperate."
Before Ronan could speak, another guard roughly cuffed his hands behind his back. The metal bit into his wrists.
"Hey!" Garrick shouted. "He's not a criminal! You can't just—"
"He should've thought of that before laying filthy eyes on our young lady," the guard sneered, then punched Ronan across the face.
Darius and Garrick surged forward, fury igniting in their eyes, but Sylphie restrained them both with all her strength.
"Stop! We don't know the full story yet!" she said urgently.
The lead guard looked at Kael. "Young master Kael, you're also to come with us."
Kael clenched his jaw but nodded. "Garrick, Darius, Sylphie—find Ms. Amara. Get Samantha. And go to Mindward Tower. Find Ms. Rose immediately."
Without another word, he was led to the town teleportation array, leaving his friends behind.