Sylvie felt a little off. Was she really looking so miserable that even a classmate who barely ever spoke to her decided to approach her today?
Michael hadn't been rude, nor did he make it obvious that he was trying to console her over her brother's death.
He simply acted... friendly. Asked about classes, training—the usual small talk. Not once did he offer sympathy or say anything meant to comfort her.
It felt more like two casual friends spending time together. And even though Sylvie had wanted to be alone, she didn't turn him away. They weren't total strangers, and he was clearly careful not to overstep.
They had lunch together and ended up chatting about her favorite subject—runes.
Michael wasn't good at them, so he asked questions, and eventually even requested her help.
"You know the difficulty of Aegis Trials, right? Could you teach me a bit?" he asked, wearing a sheepish smile.
