Chapter 81: After the Duel

Chapter 81: After the Duel"I still can’t believe he moved like that." "Did you see the gun tricks?" "He blinked through Serina’s lances. That’s illegal, right?" Inigo kept his eyes closed, arms folded behind his head as he lay stretched across the bench beneath the elm tree. The heat of the duel still radiated faintly in his muscles, but the fatigue hadn’t caught up yet. Not physically. But mentally? He was easing off the throttle. Serina stood nearby, now in a more relaxed posture, cooling off with a chilled water spell gently misting over her shoulders. Her golden staff leaned against the tree beside her, and she glanced toward Inigo every so often with a slight smirk curling her lips. "I’m surprised you don’t have a personal cheering squad already," she said at last, breaking the comfortable silence. Inigo opened one eye and smiled. "Give it a week. I’m thinking about hiring background dancers for when I enter rooms." "Maybe train them to chant ’Burger King’ while tossing enchanted fries?" "Exactly the vibe I’m going for," Inigo said and then continued with a mutter. "Burger King? What a coincidence." Serina chuckled and turned her gaze toward the now-empty dueling field. "You know... I actually thought I had you when I cast the lances." "You did," Inigo said honestly. "If I blinked half a second late, I’d be toast." She didn’t respond right away. Then: "You’re different, Inigo. Not just your gear or your speed. It’s the way you think in a fight. Like you’ve played it in your head a thousand times." "I kind of have," he said. "But it wasn’t magic back where I’m from. It was games." Serina tilted her head. "Games?" Inigo smiled. "Long story. Maybe I’ll tell you over dinner sometime." "Oho," Lyra chimed in from behind them. She was sitting on a nearby stone bench, kicking her legs playfully. "Was that a date request I just heard? Inigo, are you planning on cheating on me?" Inigo shrank. "No, I didn’t mean it by that Lyra, please do not misunderstand." "I won’t do things that will make you mad, Lyra. But if it’s a casual dinner, I can still come right?" Serina asked. "Yeah, so long it’s professional," Lyra confirmed. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her palms. "You two should have your rematch during the next Academy Exhibition. The whole city watches that one." Serina raised an eyebrow. "You’re not even in the dueling division." "Nope," Lyra said brightly. "But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a good spectacle. And I bet any professors would sponsor it. He was watching from the tower." Inigo blinked. "He was?" Lyra nodded. "Yep. I saw his silhouette at the observation deck." "Great," Inigo muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "That means I’m probably going to get summoned for some evaluation. Wait—how are you familiar with the bureaucracies in this academy?" "I’m just familiar," Lyra simply replied. "You make it sound like a bad thing," Serina said to Inigo. "It’s not bad," he admitted. "Just... formal. And boring." "Wouldn’t be the first time someone got fast-tracked through the ranks," Lyra offered. "Your performance today could land you in the Elite Division." Inigo leaned back again. "I’m not really worried about that. I’m not here to climb the ladder. I’m here to grow stronger." Serina sat beside him, her expression softening. "Why?" "Because I have a feeling something big is coming," Inigo said, glancing at the sky. "And when it does, I don’t want to be caught holding just a spatula." Lyra smiled faintly but didn’t pry further. The breeze rustled through the tree branches above, shaking loose a few golden leaves that spiraled gently to the ground. After a while, Serina stood. "I should head back to the chapel dorms. Healing class in the morning." "Don’t blind the instructor," Inigo teased. "No promises." As she walked off, staff in hand, she gave him one last look over her shoulder. "Good match, Inigo." "You too." She vanished into the soft golden light of the setting sun. Lyra stayed a little longer, absently sketching something in a notebook. "You’re not going back to your dorm?" "Nah," Inigo said. "I’m thinking of returning home, I’m tired at this point." "I see, then let’s walk together." "Okay." The two of them walked side by side through the quiet marble halls of the academy, their footsteps echoing faintly in the dimming light. Evening lanterns had already started flickering to life, casting soft blue hues across the polished floor. Outside, the orange glow of dusk painted the courtyard rooftops in warm tones, like a watercolor bleeding across the horizon. Inigo tucked his hands into his pockets, his body still humming with residual adrenaline from the duel. But now, with Lyra beside him, it all felt a little less intense. Calmer. Easier to breathe. Searᴄh the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You were amazing out there," Lyra said without looking at him. "Even if I saw you train for a month, I didn’t expect you to completely dominate someone like Serina." Inigo gave her a sheepish grin. "It wasn’t about dominance. It was about control. I had to test myself against someone who wouldn’t pull punches." Lyra stopped walking for a moment and turned toward him. "Just don’t forget you’re still human. You don’t have to carry every future threat by yourself." He looked at her, surprised. "That obvious, huh?" "Very," she said, softly. "But I’m not saying stop. I’m saying... I’ll be there. When that ’something big’ comes? I’ll stand with you." Inigo blinked. Then he smiled—a real, quiet smile. "Thanks. That means more than you think." They resumed walking again, exiting the academy gates and heading down the lamp-lit cobblestone path that led toward the merchant district where Inigo’s home and burger shop stood. The cool night air had begun to settle, brushing past them with the scent of rain-soaked earth and distant spices from tavern kitchens. As the rooftops of Amber’s Hearth came into view, Lyra gave his arm a playful nudge. "Race you to the gate?" Inigo raised a brow. "You’re challenging the blink-dash king to a race?" "Just don’t blink, cheater." He laughed. "Alright, fine. On three..." "One—two—" "Three!"