Tomorrow, the students were set to depart for the venue where the grand contest would be held.

The venue, as always, was on the island next to the one where the Great Hall's headquarters stood.

Every island in that region belonged to the Great Hall—used for watchposts, storage, and as homes for the families of martyrs who had died in service to them.

The Great Hall wasn't just an organization of the strong and talented—it was a pillar that stood firm between humanity and the darkness that threatened it.

So, by tomorrow evening, all students were expected to arrive at the venue. Early in the morning, the students of Ardentia Academy would already be leaving in carriages, their hearts surely would be heavy with excitement and worry alike.

The opening ceremony and the first test were usually held in private, attended only by teachers and council members.

But on the final day, the Great Hall would open the venue's gates to all—students from every academy and the families of the Chosen Ones.

Tomorrow marked the beginning of a contest that would decide many fates.

Most students were likely too nervous to even think of sleeping tonight.

And the same went for William.

However, his sleeplessness wasn't due to nerves about the contest. No, it was something else entirely.

The real reason behind his unease was the pair of piercing blue eyes fixed on him.

He had been brought here six hours ago. The nurses had treated his injuries, bandaged his wounds, and urged him to rest as much as he could—even though they all knew that by dawn, he'd be traveling again with the others.

For six straight hours, she had been standing there—still as a statue, doing nothing but staring at him.

He had tried calling her name a few times, but she didn't respond. It was as if she had turned to stone.

William didn't dare risk reading her mind; he knew it would only make things worse.

Finally, he let out a long sigh.

"It's more awful to stay silent and not say anything than to shout at me… Would you please stop being so quiet and just say something already?"

He was tempted to use telekinesis to pull her closer, but he knew better than to act on impulse now.

Emma's aura was heavy—ominous even. And when she finally parted her lips to speak, it became clear that she was far from calm.

"Do you really want to hear something from me? Would you like to know what's going through my head right now? Can William Delimore actually handle that much ranting?"

William let out a weary sigh and slowly tried to sit up, but before he could, Emma rushed to him and pressed her hand against his chest.

"Why are you suddenly getting up? Didn't you hear what the head nurse said?"

He gently took her hand in his, his voice soft.

"But… I wanted to touch you. And you wouldn't have come closer otherwise."

Emma frowned, her brows drawing together—but the quick flutter in her chest betrayed her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop that warmth from spreading.

William clasped her hand between both of his and spoke quietly, "I know I was reckless, Emma… but I've always been like this. I never practice a technique to use it later in battle. Every spell I've ever made came out in the heat of combat. I know I've worried you, but that's just how I work."

It was true—William's drive to test new limits, to explore his own power, only ever surfaced when he was fighting. Whether it came from curiosity, thrill, or desperation, it always happened amidst the chaos of battle.

The spell **<Neurolink>** was one such creation—born not from calm study, but from the storm of a fight against his second combat instructor, a man who also happened to be his father's old friend.

William had always been pushed to the edge during those duels. And it wasn't because he was weak—it was because that man never went easy on him. Every match ended with William flat on the ground, battered and aching. But he never hated it. If anything, he wanted his instructor to fight seriously, to push him harder, to make him learn.

And so, cornered and desperate, William came up with <Neurolink>—a spell that connected his mind with his opponent's. Through that link, he could read the faint sparks of thought, the flickers of intent, before a strike was even made.

A spell born from necessity… and from the will to survive.

Lowering his gaze, he murmured, "I can't promise I'll never do something like that again… but next time, I'll take precautions. I'll make sure I'm safe."

Emma's shoulders eased, the tension finally slipping away. She sat down beside him on the bed and gently brought his hand to her face.

William cupped her warm, soft cheek, his thumb tracing the curve of it as she whispered, her voice trembling, "My heart nearly stopped when I heard that explosion. It was so close to where you were. I've never been that scared in my entire life, William. I swear… nothing has ever terrified me like what I saw today."

A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the faint sound of their breathing. William's chest tightened, guilt twisting inside him.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I… never had anyone worry about me before. That's why I never thought much about the risks. Even the idea of dying during one of those experiments never scared me."

He rubbed his thumb gently along her cheek, his tone softening.

"But now… it does. Now I'm scared of dying—because for the first time, there's something I don't want to lose."

He looked into her eyes, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Something very precious to me."

Emma couldn't stop herself from smiling at that.

William also smiled in response before he pulled Emma beside him, hugging her close in his arms.

"Someone…will come…" Emma quietly said, though she snuggled closer it was apparent she didn't want to let go.

William chuckled, "I will know if someone is coming. And if someone comes by—" he draped the sheet over them, covering both of them.

Under the dimness, they felt a lot closer. Their breath mingled. Their body heat becoming one as he voiced,

"—then I will just hide you like this."

Emma giggled, "You are being too bold these days."

William grinned, "You don't like it here?"

Emma leaned closer, her face close to his chest as she faintly mumbled, "I can live here for the rest of my life."

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.