The Student Club petition lit into two days. On day ohey had the Solo Arena petition battles, and then the Exhibitioer the same day. On the following day, they had the Student Club Field Battle, which was scheduled for the whole day. It made seo do it that way, of course. The Field Battle petition was the mai. It was only natural to give it so much attention.

  The Solo Arena battles usually received a lot of attention as well. Pushing themselves, and showing off individual abilities motivated the students to do their best. In addition, if you performed well, it would give you a good opportunity to be scouted by bigger clubs, or attraembers for your own club for that matter.

  For the Exhibitio, every participating student club would get a spot to set up a booth, a table, or whatever they wao shht outside the arena. The venue was built so it was easy to access right after the arena battles ended. Of course, drink and food stalls to keep the bellies of the hungry students full were set up in advance.

  However, the Exhibitio had one important aspect. The students couldn’t simply put on a performance, or some sort of show, like they did during the Student Recruitment Day. No, whatever they were presenting in the exhibition, it had to be a physical thing. Something that people could look at, i, or even use, if the dispyed item allowed it to do so.

  Of course, magic wasn’t forbidden at all. If a club had created a magic item which could boost one’s magic powers, like improve your fire affinity for example, it was a valid item to be put on dispy in the Exhibition.

  However, you couldn’t go out to the shop, buy something, and show it off as if it was your club’s creation. Anyone could do that. However, that’s not to say the student club couldn’t have had something made with the help of a crafter. If it was a uem that wasn’t sold in any shop, it qualified to be dispyed in the Exhibition. That’s why the Fitraining Equipment, which was made for Narias’ club, was a good fit for it.

  Even if the Exhibitio wasn’t as popur as the arena battles, it still attracted a det crowd of curious eyes from students and teachers alike. There were plenty of students who were creative enough to build something unique and valuable. In addition, the student clubs could get extra credits, or perks, for participating, so majority of the clubs would usually put something up for dispy.

  Narias, Ileena, and Nicky went to rex at the student diner after they had setup their booth to show off their new Fitraining Equipment. The csses were cut short that day due to the petition starting tomorrow. It was done so the students had some extra time to prepare for petition.

  “Phew, I’m so tired,” Nicky pined after they had sat down.

  “What are you talking about? It was Narias who did most of the work carrying the equipment,” Ileena ented.

  “But I helped as well, a little,” the tiny girl smiled with a chuckle.

  “It was a long week. With the petition ing, everyone was on the edge to prepare for it. I think everyone is more tired than they would normally be,” said Narias thoughtfully.

  “Hey, hey. Do you guys know which bracket in the Arena petition you two are in?” Nicky wao know.

  “Yes. I’m in the D bracket,” said Narias.

  “I am in the A bracket,” added Ileena.

  “A and D, I see. That’s good, isn’t it?” the tiny girl with cute pigtails cpped her hands. “This way you won’t have to fight against each other. I mean, it would be bad for a couple to fight between themselves, wouldn’t it?”

  “N… Nicky,” Ileena adjusted her gsses with a blush.

  “Yeah, I guess. Ha… haha,” Narias half ughed about it.

  “Teehee,” Nicky chuckled. “Anyway, I am holy looking forward to Ileena bsting her oppos away with her new spell. It also has su appropriate name.”

  “It’s not that kind of the spell, you know,” Ileena said in her usual tone. “Besides, I ’t use it more than a few times before I get tired. I still o work on it.”

  “But even so, I think it’s amazing how you’ve learnt a pletely new spell in such a short time,” Nicky expressed her amazement.

  “Yeah, Nicky is right. You’ve made a great progress, Ileena,” Narias added.

  “Well… if you say so,” the girl with the dark, e striped hair took another sip of her drink, pretending it wasn’t a big deal.

  “Hmm…” Nicky stared at Ileena with a wide smile.

  “What are you smiling about?” her friend became unfortable.

  “Oh nothing, nothing at all,” the little girl answered. “You know what, I’ll be going now.”

  “Huh? Where are you going?” Ileena was surprised.

  “Oh, nowhere. I’ll go bay dorm and have a good, long sleep. I’m so tired,” the tiny girl sighed, dropping her shoulders. “Oh well, bye. Don’t stay up too te. You two have a petition to win tomorrow.”

  “Nicky…” Ileena was about to say something but her friend had left the table already.

  “Bye Nicky,” Narias waved, not sure if Nicky had heard him.

  There was a short, awkward sileer Nicky left the two of them alone. Narias and Ileena were yet to finish their food. It wasn’t that te yet, so they didn’t have to rush, or anything. But they ate without talking much. After they left the dihey went for a walk in the campus park.

  Most of the students were busy with the st minute preparations for the uping weekend’s petition, so the campus park was basically empty. Narias and Ileena were enjoying pead quiet for a ge.

  The whole week was a rollercoaster, and a non-stop training till te to improve even a little more before the petition. As a result, they were more tired than usual. As suarias and Ileena didn’t even talk muot that it roblem. They didn’t have to say anything because both of them knew what was oher one’s mind.

  It was still an early evening, so to prolong the time they could spend together, the young couple turowards the boys’ dorms. They’d go around, taking the long way through the park, and then turn back with Narias walking Ileena back to the girls’ dorms.

  “You look a little tired, Ileena,” Narias finally said, right before they were about to reach his dorm.

  “I’m fi’s not such a big deal,” she didn’t want to admit it.

  “Even if you say that,” he knew she was faking it. “How about… how about you e rest a short while in my room? I’ll make you some tea, and then I’ll walk you back to your dorm.”

  “To… to your room?” Ileena suddenly slowed down her pace.

  Eeek… That must’ve e out wrong. – Narias panicked.

  “S… sorry. Th… that’s probably a bad idea. Maybe… we find a benewhere to sit down a?” he started to look around.

  “It’s ok. I… I guess we could take a short rest in your room,” Ileena brushed her hair to the side.

  “Are you sure?” Narias wao make sure he didn’t overstep the limit.

  “Yes, it’s fine,” she answered in her casual tohough her cheeks were slightly red.

  “Ok then. This way,” he said, showihe way.

  “The dorm seems so empty,” Ileena ented when they ehe building.

  “Yeah. I suppose everyone is still out, preparing for the petition,” Narias stopped at his room’s door. “Please, e in.”

  He unlocked his room a Ileeer first. Her rea when she saw the inside of his room wasn’t ued but she wasn’t too surprised about it either. Ileena khat Narias loved to read but she didn’t expect to find a mini library in here.

  “You really… love to read,” the girl in gsses said, after looking around his room.

  “Oh, haha, yeah. Sorry for the mess. I… I fot all about it,” Narias became embarrassed.

  “Where did you get all those books from?” she asked.

  “Most of them I had bought from the shop. Some of them are from the school’s library, and I get a few books every week sent by my parents too,” he expined. “Let me just clear the table quickly. Eeer… do you mind… sitting on the bed for now?”

  Oh man… this is the worst. I have invited her to my room and look at this mess. – Narias hadn’t thought it through beforehand.

  “Thanks. You don’t have to worry about it. I don’t mind,” Ileena wasn’t bothered by the so called mess Narias was so embarrassed about.

  “Right, well… let me take your jacket for you,” he offered. “I’ll get the tea ready right away.”

  Ileena carefully sat down on the side of his bed, and surveyed the first ever boy’s room she had entered in. Even if Narias said it was messy, she had nothing to pare it with. The whole ‘mess’ was all the books stacked oable and the shelves with a very little space for anything else.

  The room itself was tidy and . Everything ut in their pces, the bed was made properly, and Ileena even noticed that the dishes were and put away before she sat down. If anything, she was impressed with how tidy Narias’ room looked. She smiled quietly, remembering how Nicky’s room looked the st time she had visited her.

  “It won’t take long. Sorry, I’ll get it ready soon,” Narias anig in the meantime.

  “Don’t worry about it. Take your time,” Ileena said, leaning ba the bed with both hands.

  She followed Narias with her eyes for a while, who was busy in the small kit oher side of the room. Ileena had a simir one in her own room, as did every other student in the academy who lived in the dorm. It had never occurred to her before that watg someone else make a drink for her would be so calming and pleasant.

  Or maybe because it was Narias who was making the drink for her. She was used to not making a big deal out of anything. And besides, she was really tired as well. If she hadn’t knower, Ileena would’ve thought she was dreaming already because she couldn’t hear what Narias was saying to her. If he was saying anything at all.

  Before she k, Ileena pced her head on the pillow. For some reason, she felt fortable enough to do so. Or maybe it was because her body, after feeling the soft bed underh it, forced her to y down to have the so needed rest. The girl with the dark, e striped hair didn’t even notice when her eyes closed and didn’t want to lift up again.

  “Sain. It took a bit longer for the water to…” Narias was about t the cup with the tea to her, only to find Ileena lying on his bed asleep. “Are you… asleep?”

  His st words were so quiet, he could barely hear them himself. Even if he tried asking it, Narias was too careful not to wake her up.

  She must’ve been really tired. – he stared at her for a moment, still holding a cup with the tea in his hand. – I guess I will let her rest a little.

  It wasn’t that te, so Narias thought after a short nap, he could still walk Ileena back to her own dorm. He decided to wait, and opehe unfinished book he started to read st night.

  It was already dark outside when Narias took his eyes from the book he was reading. He was so engrossed in it, he hadn’t noticed when it became so te. It wouldn’t had been a big deal of course, but Ileena was still sleeping in his bed. Narias put the book down, ao che her.

  I should wake her up probably but… - Narias scratched the back of his head. – But it’s so te already and…

  Narias g Ileena one more time. She was sound asleep, with one of her hands carefully pced under her cheek. Her slow, steady breathing was barely noticeable, with only a slight movement of her dark, e striped hair, that was gently c a small part of her face.

  It looked so calm, and so beautiful. He had removed her gsses earlier. They had moved slightly away from their regur positioo Ileena ying down sideways, since he didn’t want the gsses to break, or even injure her in the process. She had her other hand thrown back behind her back, in a seemingly unfortable position. But that’s how it looked from Narias’ point of view only. Ileena seemed very mufortable the way she was.

  Now, the view right below Ileena’s face made Narias feel embarrassed… again. Her school dress was more official looking than any other dress a girl would wear usually, however. Since Ileena was ying down sideways, her rather mature breasts were not feeling so cozy being pressed against each other. Narias could only gulp at the magnifit sight of her bosom, which also might’ve looked bigger than it actually was. Or maybe that was only in his imagination.

  There was more to add to Narias’ embarrassment, though. When Ileena id down on his bed, thinking she wasn’t about to fall asleep, she didn’t cover herself with the b. So, after a few uional movements, her legs became quite exposed. To as high as her thighs, actually. The room was warm enough, maybe too warm, which meant her body didn’t mind if a few extra inches of her skin was out in the open.

  Narias oher hand, wasn’t able not to react upon seeing the heavenly sight. He instantly fot what he was reading about the momeook his eyes of the book he was holding at the time. After a few moments of bnk staring, he quickly took out a b and covered Ileena with it.

  He couldn’t force himself to wake the sleepiy up. Ileena looked absolutely geous while she was asleep. Not knowing what to do, Narias thought he’ll wait a little longer but when another hour had passed, and Ileena was still sleeping, he was in a real pinch.

  For o was really te by then. Having a girl leave your room te at night wasn’t something which would go unnoticed. Another problem was, there was only one bed in the room. Narias thought he could sleep while sitting on the chair, with his head pced somewhere iween the books oable, or he could sleep on the floor instead. Both options weren’t very appealing, sidering he o have a good rest for tomorrow’s petition.

  I guess I have no choice. – he scratched his cheek.

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