Chapter 140 - 139: Quiet Sparks

Chapter 140: Chapter 139: Quiet Sparks Lumberling arrived at the door and knocked. A familiar, velvety voice floated from within. "Who is it?" "It’s me. Lumberling," he said, keeping his tone casual. There was a pause, just a second too long. "...Come in." He pushed the door open slowly. The room had a faint herbal scent, the air gently stirred by floating motes of mana-light. At the far end sat Vaenyra, her long, braided blue hair cascading down like silk ropes to her thighs. She was as poised and composed as ever, but as always, there was something distant in her gaze, like a moon reflecting in still water. Beside her sat Sylra, curled on a couch with a cup of tea in her hands. The scars that once marred her skin had faded. Her aura still carried quiet weight, but the suffocating sorrow that once clung to her had lightened. She looked at peace, or something close to it. Lumberling offered her a soft nod. "How’s she doing?" Vaenyra glanced at Sylra with a rare softness, a genuine warmth in her emerald eyes. "She’s... healing." "Indeed, she is," he said, matching her quiet tone. The moment hung in the air before Vaenyra turned her gaze fully to him. Her softness evaporated like mist in the sun, replaced by her familiar cool composure. "If you came here to resume training," she said, "Aurelya’s more than capable these days. You’ve made quite the progress with her." Her words were measured, but there was a hint of something sharper beneath them. It wasn’t accusation. Not quite. But it wasn’t just formality either. "That’s not why I came," he said, stepping closer. "I wanted to talk." Her head tilted slightly, intrigued but guarded. "Oh? About what?" "Are you upset?" he asked bluntly. Vaenyra blinked once, then narrowed her eyes. "Upset about what, exactly?" "That it’s been Aurelya training me instead of you. I didn’t plan it that way, it just sort of happened," he said. "But I heard you weren’t exactly thrilled." "I see," she said slowly. Her voice was light, almost amused. "And who, pray tell, reported this scandalous revelation?" "Jen," he said, unapologetically. Vaenyra’s lips twitched, but didn’t form a smile. "That child talks too much." She muttered, almost fondly. "I think she inherited that from you all," he said with a half-shrug. There was a brief silence. "If you really wanted to," he added after a beat, "you could still teach me. No one’s holding you back." Her expression didn’t change, but her eyes did, just for a moment. A flicker of something unreadable passed through them. "I’m not upset," she said, suddenly. He lifted a brow, unconvinced. "Right. Of course. My mistake then." He turned to leave, hand on the doorknob, when her voice rang again. "...I’ll join you in your next session." He turned back, brow raised. "Oh?" "It’s been a while," she said, her tone light but not quite casual. "I want to see how far you’ve come." "Always happy to have another beautiful teacher," he said with a cheeky smile. Vaenyra didn’t smile back. But her silence wasn’t cold. Instead, she said nothing, letting the words hang. Lumberling tilted his head, studying her. "You sure you’re not upset?" he teased, voice low. "Would you like me to be?" she replied dryly, finally letting a ghost of a smile tug at the corner of her lips. "I thought maybe you were just too busy or..." "Too boring compared to Aurelya?" she cut in, her tone light but with a subtle edge. "I never said that." He met her gaze directly. "Do you think I’d find you boring?" She didn’t answer, but her eyes held his a moment longer. "I enjoy your company," he added, voice steady with quiet sincerity. Vaenyra remained still, watching him, searching, perhaps, for cracks in his words. But there were none. "I’m just stating the truth," he said with a faint shrug. That finally drew something from her, a soft, fleeting smile, the kind that slipped out before she could stop it. He turned to leave, but her voice caught him at the door. "...Thank you." He glanced back, eyebrows raised slightly. "For coming to talk," she said, a bit more gently this time. He gave a simple nod, no words needed. And when the door closed behind him, her smile, small and quiet, lingered. Longer this time. .... As the door clicked shut, silence settled again. Vaenyra remained seated, hands resting on her lap. Her smile faded, but its ghost still clung to the corner of her lips. She glanced toward the door. "He actually came," she murmured. Sylra, quiet beside her, said nothing. But Vaenyra could feel the girl’s gaze, observing, maybe even understanding more than she let on. She exhaled slowly, only then realizing she’d been holding her breath. It was absurd, truly. Sentiment had no place here. She was Vaenyra, leader of their band, an elven tactician, mage, and warrior. And yet... "He said I wasn’t boring," she whispered, almost like she was testing the weight of those words. Her fingers absentmindedly traced a pattern into the fabric of her robe. She hated how warm her ears felt. What was it about that man? That straightforwardness. That utter lack of pretense. No games. No flattery. Just... sincerity. It disarmed her more than any blade could. Vaenyra turned toward the window, looking at the moonlight brushing against the stone path outside. "He’s trouble," she muttered. .... The Next Morning - Training Grounds The sun had barely crested the hills when Lumberling arrived at the training ground. The familiar clang of steel echoed softly in the morning air, and just as he expected, Aurelya was already there, rapier in hand, gracefully weaving through her drills like a dancer mid-duel. The corners of his mouth tugged upward. But as he stepped closer, he heard the unmistakable tone of another voice. "Your form is good," Vaenyra said, standing to the side with arms crossed, her long blue braid catching the sunlight like silk thread. "But you’re over-committing on your lunges again. I warned you about that." Aurelya gave a small huff. "I prefer aggression to tiptoeing." Lumberling blinked. ’Vaenyra?’ Before he could say anything, a familiar cold voice answered his confusion. "And you’re late." He turned. Thessalia stood by the edge of the clearing, arms folded, posture perfect as always. But today, she wasn’t wrapped in her usual layers of scholarly elegance. Instead, she wore fitted training garb in muted charcoal, her platinum hair pulled back in a loose braid that swayed with each step. She looked... dangerous. Not in the theoretical, academic way he was used to. But in the duel-at-dawn, one-stab-finish kind of way. "...Morning," Lumberling muttered, caught slightly off guard. Thessalia arched a brow. "Is this your idea of punctuality?" Before he could muster a reply, Vaenyra offered a small chuckle, barely audible. "He’s surprised," she said, her gaze still fixed on Aurelya. "He thought this would be just another private session." Aurelya gave a shrug but didn’t hide her slight smirk. "I’m not complaining," Lumberling said. "Just wondering if I should feel honored... or ambushed." "You should feel pressured," Thessalia said flatly. "We’re all here to see if you’ve made progress... or if Aurelya’s been slacking off with your training." "Slacking?" Aurelya’s eye twitched. "Would you like to test that claim firsthand?" "Later," Vaenyra interrupted smoothly. "For now, let’s just say we’ve decided to assist in refining your... form." Lumberling narrowed his eyes. "You three planned this?" Vaenyra looked away casually. "Coincidence." "Not at all," Thessalia countered. Aurelya sighed. "I told them I’d be here. They showed up." Lumberling crossed his arms, eyeing all three. "...Should I be worried?" Vaenyra stepped forward, a faint smile curving her lips as she drew her sword with elegant ease. "Worried?" she echoed. "No." Then she pointed the blade at his chest. "Terrified? Maybe." Lumberling raised a brow, but the glint in his eye betrayed his growing interest. "You’re joining too?" "There’s no better way to test someone’s limits," Vaenyra said. Aurelya flourished her rapier with a confident grin. "Don’t think we’ll go easy on you just because you’re the student." Thessalia, already stringing a long, pale arrow to her bow, rolled her shoulders. She wore no expression, but there was a clarity in her posture, like the calm before a precise strike. "Group sparring. We’ll test your defense, awareness, and endurance." Lumberling let out a slow, exaggerated sigh, cracking his neck. "Three-on-one?" "Yes," Vaenyra said plainly. "You three against me." All three froze. "...What?" Aurelya blinked. "You and Thessalia may use magic," Vaenyra continued, glancing at them with cool indifference. "I won’t." The silence that followed was brief, but telling. Aurelya’s smirk faltered for just a breath. Thessalia’s fingers hesitated over the bowstring. Lumberling raised a brow again, a flicker of intrigue sharpening his stance. "You’re serious." Vaenyra didn’t answer. She simply shifted into a ready stance, blade angled low, eyes half-lidded but razor-sharp. And for a moment, the air seemed to tighten.