"By the way, what are you doing all the way out here?"

  "Oh... I thought this was the perfect location for meditation."

  "Meditation?"

  "It's a way of relaxing."

  "Something one of those Linxueian masters you compared me to taught you?"

  "Wait. You do remember our first meeting! Why'd you pretend not to know me back at the schoolhouse?"

  "Never mind that. So, what does this 'meditation' entail? I could do with some relaxation myself."

  Heaving out a sigh, Thomas shifted his position and gestured for Nia to sit properly and mirror his cross-legged stance. "Meditation is about clearing your mind and finding a sense of balance," he began, tone slipping into that of an instructor. "The idea is to focus on your breathing and let go of distractions. It helps with clarity and, well... patience. Both of which I could use more of, especially with pupils like you."

  Nia smirked but said nothing, following his instructions without question. Folding her legs, she straightened her back and lightly rested her hands on her knees.

  "Now close your eyes," the man continued, "and take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for a bit, and then let it out slowly through your mouth."

  And he observed as the elf obeyed, breathing in and out in measured rhythm; the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze and the bustle of the academy disappeared, replaced by a tranquil stillness between them. While initially, silence reigned, Thomas noticed a flicker in her eyelids and a furrow in her brows. Strangely, she appeared unsettled. Ears still quivering, Nia opened her eyes. "As expected, I just can't relax," the elf uttered, voice scarcely louder than a whisper.

  "I-is that so?"

  With a fluid grace, Nia rose to her feet and brushed stray grass from her robes.

  "Thank you for the lesson, Professor. But I should get going now. Gretch and Lily are probably wondering where I am." And another unnatural smile played on her beautiful countenance.

  Before the man could press further, the elf swung around and trod away, her slender frame soon disappearing behind the slope of the hill. And he stayed seated in place, staring after her, the brief glimpse of vulnerability in her violet eyes lingering in his mind. "What was that about?"

  Shaking off his musings, however, he resumed his meditation until the sun had almost dipped below the horizon. When the sky and landscape were eventually bathed in amber, Thomas was reminded of Mirabelle's summons; the courtyard awaited, and so did whatever pressing matter she had to discuss. Rising to his feet, he dusted himself off and made his way across the campus grounds to the school building.

  Students had thinned out, and the once lively chatter had quieted into the occasional giggle or distant footstep. At the centre of the quadrangle, underneath swaying branches and irregular speckles of evening light, Mirabelle sat waiting at their usual meeting spot. As Thomas approached her, she locked gazes with him, her characteristic stoicism intact. "Hey, Mirabelle. Did I keep you waiting for long?"

  "Not too long. I just got here."

  "Oh, thank goodness." And the man settled next to her, slumping against the bench. "Man, this week has been one heck of a ride—let me tell you something!"

  "I can imagine."

  "No, seriously! Listen to this: those problem magi were actually holed up in the abandoned schoolhouse up north! When I went in, lo and behold, it was being guarded by a severed head! But it wasn't actually a severed head; it was an illusion spell! Isn't that crazy?"

  "Quite."

  "Obviously, that's when I figured something was up, so I went upstairs and there I found a rundown classroom repurposed as a hideout. Inside? You guessed it: the three girls! And a bunch of stolen stuff, including those sweets I brought from Linxuei, remember?"

  "Indeed, I do."

  "Anyway, that's when I told them to stop what they were doing. Of course, they didn't listen, but when I challenged them to a game and wagered the entire stash of Linxueian sweets and my resignation, they couldn't resist!"

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  "Mm."

  "So, the next day, we have this fight where they have to knock me off my feet to win, and they pulled out all the stops! I'm talking suits of earth, divebombing paper aeroplanes hooked up with magick circles, and here's the kicker: every element all at once! Including this huge ball of light that smashed into me—which was what caused the tremors, by the way!"

  "Mm..."

  "Then, Nia fell to the ground, forcing me to catch her, and made me fall over in the process. But here's the thing: that girl wasn't out of mana! Apparently, though, she'd given up, so technically, it was a tie. Long story short, she got her friends to join classes alongside her, and everything is okay... for now. I still have no idea what element Nia's Gift is, though..."

  Amid his silence, the woman handed the man a paper bag.

  "Here."

  And Thomas, as always, graciously accepted it. "O-oh, thank you. Leftovers from lunch again? I actually had a big breakfast this morning, so I'm not really that hungry—"

  "I made them for you."

  Her disclosure hung in the air, and the man took a moment to process it. He then burst into laughter, pleasantly surprised. "A-aw, really? You shouldn't have! What brought this up?"

  "Just felt like it."

  Bringing the bag to his nose, Thomas caught the whiff of something sugary. "Are these not ham sandwiches? They have a different aroma."

  "They're a different kind of sandwich. Closer to a dessert than a main course."

  "That works out, actually. I always have room for dessert!" Mirabelle quietly watched as the man pulled out a sandwich, a glistening layer of orange nestled between the two pillowy slices of bread. "Hoh? What is this? It doesn't look like honey. There are little chunks in it."

  "It's marmalade. A kind of fruit preserve. Consider it a regional delicacy."

  "Marmalade, eh? Never heard of it. Smells fantastic, though."

  As Thomas took a bite, the rye yielded, giving way to the luscious, almost jewel-like texture of the jam. It was not the simple sweetness of sugar but a layered complexity, as though the very essence of an orange grove had been captured and concentrated into a golden spread. Beneath this, a sharper note emerged: the subtle bitterness of the fruit's rind—a zest that cut through the citrus and added depth. His eyes widened as he swallowed, licking his lips as the marmalade coated his throat.

  "W-what is this?! This stuff's the best! It's like—!"

  "Sunshine in liquid form... right?"

  "Yup!" Astonished that the woman had verbatim taken the exact description out of his mouth, the man did a double take. "W-wait, how'd you know I was going to say that?"

  "Because you've said the same thing before."

  "Did I? About marmalade? That can't be right... it's my first time trying it..."

  "It's not, Thomas. You've had it many times before. In fact, it's your favourite flavour of jam."

  "Uh... are you sure you're not mistaking me with someone else, Mirabelle?"

  "Have you really forgotten, Thomas?"

  "Forgotten what?"

  Brushing loose tendrils of hair behind her ear, Mirabelle stared deeply into his eyes, the man's reflection visible in her pupils. "Have you really forgotten about me?"

  And the wind picked up—a howling gust that swirled the fallen leaves scattered throughout the courtyard and swept silky strands of black across Mirabelle's darkened visage. Still bewildered by her words, Thomas rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh... have we met somewhere before?"

  "We have, here in Alondis. Do you still not remember?"

  Fuzzy imagery clouded the man's head as he struggled to conjure up memories of his life before living in Linxuei. Only his brief stay at the academy and the subsequent boat trip to the main continent came to mind. It was like endeavouring to recall a dream long after it'd passed. Unable to remember his meeting with the woman, Thomas returned her sincere gaze with a vacant look. "S-sorry... I don't really have any recollection of my childhood..."

  "I see... that's a shame..."

  "Um... what was I like back then?"

  "That doesn't really matter, now does it?" Promptly, Mirabelle stood up and began walking away. "Well, it was good catching up with you, Thomas."

  Dumbfounded by her sudden departure, the man gawked at her. "L-leaving already?"

  And she ground to a halt, clutching her chest. "I only invited you here to give you those sandwiches. Congratulations on getting your class together, Thomas. I hope you continue your exemplary work as a teacher."

  "A-ah, thank you. See you around, I guess?"

  "Mm... farewell..."

  As the woman disappeared, the man glanced down at his half-eaten marmalade sandwich, the tang of its taste now bittersweet; he was left with a knot in the pit of his stomach. There was an air of finality in her farewell, almost as if she never intended on returning. But as the sun set and the moon took its place in the sky, he again thought to himself whether this was just another instance of him reading too heavily into things.

  Unbeknownst to him, however, that was the last he'd see of her in the coming weeks.