Chương 129: Mirella and Elara’s Saturday

Mirella spent most of the morning in meetings. It wasn't anything truly urgent — schedule organization, review of practice reports, small complaints from instructors about 1st Year students — but enough to take up time. The administrative building was quieter on Saturdays, and that made any conversation longer than it needed to be. When the last meeting ended, she left through the side corridor cracking her neck. That was when she found Elara.

The other was standing near a window, looking at the courtyard with her arms crossed, the usual calm and attentive expression. — Did you also see them leaving? — Mirella asked. — I did — Elara answered. — Early, and together. — I figured. — They went to the capital, probably. — Probably. — Did you try asking anyone? — I asked a 1st Year student. He only saw the group leaving. No clear destination. — Of course. Because it would be too easy if someone knew. Mirella leaned her shoulder against the wall.

— Lysithea must already be stewing over this. — She is. But she's holding on. — And Graciela? — Grumbling in the kitchen. So she's normal. Mirella let out a short laugh. — At least they don't change. Elara looked sideways. — You're not worried? — I am. A little. But we already know how they are. If something serious was going to happen, it probably would have happened before. — That's a strange way to stay calm. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

— It's the way that works. — It works for you. — And for you it doesn't? Elara took a second. — It works less than I'd like to admit. Mirella shrugged. — Then we admit it and continue the day. Elara didn't disagree.

Closer to midday, the two of them ended up finding Lysithea and Graciela behind the kitchen. Graciela was sitting on a bench with a simple plate in her hands and the face of someone who had already yelled at at least three people. Lysithea was eating beside her, clearly quieter than usual. — So this is where you were hiding — Mirella said, approaching. — We're not hiding — Graciela answered. — We're surviving. Elara stopped beside the bench. — You also noticed the group disappeared early?

— I noticed — Lysithea said. — They left together. — I asked a 1st Year student — Mirella commented. — He only saw them heading toward the academy exit. Nothing more. — Of course — Graciela murmured. — Because if it were easy to track, it wouldn't be them. — I don't like this — Elara said. — None of us likes it — Lysithea answered. — But… it's Saturday. They need space. — Space with that group is never just space — Mirella said. — It always ends in something.

Lysithea looked toward the gates, even without being able to see much beyond. — I just want them to come back in one piece. Graciela poked the empty plate with her fork. — If they don't come back, I'll go after them myself. And then someone is going to regret it. — That's it — Mirella said. — Now you spoke like a person. Elara didn't smile. But she also didn't disagree. The four stayed there for a few more minutes, talking quietly, mixing worry with common academy complaints.

Afterward, each one ended up returning to their own rhythm of the day.

The rest of the afternoon passed with more normality than drama. Mirella returned to the practice area, reviewing equipment, talking with other instructors and solving things that really needed to be solved. Every now and then her mind went to the group… and then returned to what she was doing. Elara divided her time between the companions' building and the auxiliary library. She answered questions, organized some materials and, occasionally, looked toward the gates. Not with urgency. Just out of habit.

Near mid-afternoon, the two of them ended up meeting again in the corridor. — Still nothing? — Mirella asked. — Still nothing — Elara confirmed. — Another student confirmed the same thing. They left toward the capital. That's all. — Then they must be pulling something off. — Or just eating out. With this group you never know. — Do you really believe the food option? — I believe both things can happen on the same day. Mirella laughed through her nose. — Fair. The two started walking slowly down the corridor.

The distant noise of the academy filled the silence between them. — Sometimes I forget — Elara commented suddenly — that you and Graciela already lived through much worse than this. Mirella looked sideways. — Most people forget too. — You two were high-rank adventurers, weren't you? — We were — Mirella confirmed. — Not the kind of names that fill history books… but high enough to take missions that killed unprepared groups. — How high?

— High enough that I don't need to prove anything to most of the people in this academy. Elara raised an eyebrow, almost amused. — That sounded arrogant. — It sounded true. — And even so you retired. — We got tired. Simple as that. After too much time on the road, the idea of a quiet place started to seem better than another hunt. — Graciela too? — Especially Graciela. She says it was because of the kitchen. I think it was because even she got tired of sleeping on cold ground. Elara stayed silent for a moment.

— And then came the blood moon night. Mirella let out a breath through her nose, without humor. — Then it came. — You lost because you were rusty. — In part — she admitted. — Years of quiet life leave the body slow and the head too confident. We still knew how to fight. We just weren't at the same level as before. And that night… that weighed. — You talk about it with a strange calm. — Because it already happened. There's no point biting the past now. What matters is that the children survived.

And that we're still here to grumble because of them. Elara almost smiled. — That sounds like something Graciela would say. — She would say it with more cursing. — True. — And with some threat involving a pan. — Also true. The two stopped near a window. Down below, the courtyard continued its Saturday rhythm. No sign of the group. — They'll come back — Mirella said. — I know. — In one piece, probably. — I know that too. — But even so we keep waiting. — That — Elara murmured. — That we do.

— Are you going to keep looking at this window until they appear? — No. Just a little more. — Lie. — A little lie. Mirella shook her head, unable to avoid a short smile. — Go get some air. Or you'll end up piercing the glass with your eyes. — If I pierce it, I'll blame Joker. — Fair. The sun was already tilting toward the end of the afternoon. Saturday kept moving, indifferent to the contained worry of the two. And, at least for now, all Mirella and Elara could do…

was continue their own day and wait for their return. End of Chapter 129