The low-burning lanternlight trembles across the lacquered tables, casting the teahouse into an almost intimate penumbra. Kenae sits on a low divan, her back straight as a blade. Her laughter softens the air around her like the fragrance of cherry blossoms after the snow.

"That's the boy," whispers Enea, pointing at a mountain of muscles sitting beside Kenae, his back towards us.

I blink, almost missing a step. "Boy?"

"Yeah, boy. He may seem big, but he is your age, I think. A second-year student."

Apart from the size, the boy is unremarkable, dressed in the standard school robes like most of the students. There is something about him that seems familiar. He leans over to Kenae as if they were old friends, as if to gossip, to tell her a secret.

Their sleeves brush. Kenae blushes. Does she like him?

We walk closer. The air of the teahouse is thick with a tapestry of scents, layered as carefully as calligraphy on parchment. First comes a deep, roasted fragrance of dark semi-fermented tea leaves steeping in clay pots, their earthy warmth curling into the nostrils, carrying a waft of mana like a whispered secret. Beneath that lingers the sharper bite of green tea, bright and grassy, as if someone has captured spring and coaxed it into steam.

Do seasons exist here? I should find out. Another stupid question that could give me away as an outsider.

I shake my head. The air shifts with the faint metallic tang of heated iron kettles, reminding us that all this refinement is born of something as common as fire. I take in a deep breath of the intoxicating blend, enough to lull my heart into stillness, yet sharp enough to pull me out of my thoughts and anchor me in the here and now.

"Minae! Enea!" calls Kenae, finally aware of our presence, still slightly blushing. "Come, come, sit down." She points toward the boy. "This is the boy I told you about, Han Yuan."

A Han? Interesting. The restaurant noise fades, and the world narrows to the tilt of the stranger's smile. He cast me a measured gaze, as if seizing me up, pondering if the girl before him is prey or a predator. Kenae says something, but her words are only gibberish to my distracted mind.

I look away, hesitating, then kneel onto one of the low cushions around the table. "Sorry, what?"

"I said that he is Han Ke's nephew. Doesn't he look exactly like a younger version of our physical trainer?"

I glance at the boy. Not really. Apart from his size, there is nothing similar between them. He doesn't even look close with his puffy baby face. Maybe the eyes. The boy may resemble an overgrown child, but his dark eyes glint with intelligence.

"So, you are the one my cousin can't stop talking about," he comments with a grin.

My stomach tenses. "Who? Me? What cousin?"

"Yeah. Linea, of course. She can't stop whining about that girl who is trying to steal her spotlight by beating up some loser to get into the rankings early."

"Oh, yeah. I didn't mean to. It just happened."

"Don't apologize," he grins wider. "It made my day seeing that spoiled brat brought down a peg." He laughs.

Kenae opens her mouth as if to shush him, then closes it again without saying anything and glances anxiously over her shoulder. I share a look with Enea, who shrugs. What is this? Some family feud? Will sitting with this boy close the doors to becoming friends with Han Linea? What has Kenae gotten us into?

I tilt my head, glancing at the boy. How high is he in the clan's hierarchy? Maybe he could be another way into their compound. I need more information. To be more vigilant of everything that happens around me, not to get blindsided again.

"You girls want some tea?" asks Kenae.

"Sure," answers Enea in a low murmur, nibbling on a honey cake. I watch the golden sweetness dripping along her fingers. She licks them dry, then glances at us and gasps, as if embarrassed. But I'm the only one who seems to have seen here.

"So you are a Han?" I ask the boy, watching Kenae serve a steaming, coppery colored liquid into our cups. "How was it growing up in such an important clan compound? Are you friends with Linea?"

"With Linea?" he snorts as if amused. "No, no. That girl has no friends. She only has underlings and sycophants." Kenae flinches, almost spilling tea over the table before she catches herself. "And living there is like living in any other clan, except that everybody only has eyes for Linea. Nobody remembers that the rest of us exist. Nobody invests in us. We are poor. We are barely treated better than the servants."

"Really?" I narrow my eyes. Is he serious?

I bite into a sesame pastry. Its golden crust sheds a faint caramel note that mingles with the darker perfume of sandalwood smoldering in bronze burners, clinging to hair and robes alike.

"Well, I guess we do have access to good trainers," admits the boy. "And techniques. That's why I'm so buffed." He says, flexing his head-sized biceps.

"Yeah, I can see that." I acknowledge, sharing another look with Enea, who suppresses a giggle behind her steaming teacup.

I take a sip myself. It's stronger than I expected, but once the tannins dissipate, the aftertaste that remains is faintly sweet, like the ghost of honey dissolved into rainwater. Once that leaves, too, what remains is a floral whisper, rose petals, I think. It's like breathing in a garden at dusk, when the roses have surrendered their perfume to the air, but the stems still hold the green bite. Beneath the perfume lingers a subtle bitterness. Beauty carries thorns, even in liquid form.

I glance up in surprise. This shit must be expensive. I wonder who bought it. I don't think it was Kenae. If this boy is treating us, he isn't as poor as he is trying to make us believe. Or maybe he has different standards.

"Han Yuan is on a knight path," comments Kenae.

"Please! I told you to call me Yuan," interjects the boy. "All of you girls should call me Yuan." He says, winking at Enea for some reason, who chokes mid-sip. "We are going to be teammates after all." He claps the small girl on the shoulder as if she were a child. Her eyes widen, her body tense. She stares at me, as if asking for help, until she stops coughing and the boy forgets about her. "You should be more careful, girl. Take small sips," he says, nodding to himself. Then he looks up at me. "Like Kenae said, I'm a knight. I'm slow, but I can soak up a lot of damage without flinching, and I have both a taunting and a self-healing technique. So, when we go dungeon-delving, you can let all the monsters focus on me without worrying. Meanwhile, the three of you can slaughter them from behind," he explains, puffing his chest like a peacock. "Easy."

"I see," I say. There are techniques like that. It sounds like a must-have if I want to travel on my own and continue getting into fights I didn't ask for. I wonder what meridians they use. I hope there is something similar for my path and that it isn't exclusive to knights.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Exactly!" comments Kenae, clapping her hands together. "You don't know what an advantage it is to have a self-healing knight in our team. There are only a handful of them in the whole academy. It's almost as good as having a healer. We are going to blast away the competition." Her babbles sound increasingly excited the more she speaks. "We are so lucky to have him! Thanks for taking up the offer to join us."

"It's nothing." The boy waves her off, which looks almost comical with his massive paws. "The other guys that offered were all untalented jerks."

"I see," I mumble.

I take another sip, glancing at the boy over the rim of my cup in suspicion. Is it luck, though, or does he have another motive to join us? Whatever it may be. Kenae is right. From what I have been able to learn these days, having something else apart from only sneaky damage-dealers in your team is a great advantage.

"When can we start delving?" asks Enea, her eyes darting between the boy and Kenae. "I would like to start getting some contribution points soon."

"Whenever we want," answers Kenae. "We already went to register our team and signed both of you up with us."

I raise my eyebrows. Can they do that without us even being there? And the registrar, who hates me, didn't give them problems? I glance at the boy. I guess that having a Han in your team comes with unexpected privileges, even if it's just some random guy and not the heir.

"We could go tomorrow," proposes the boy. "I mean, if you haven't made plans for the weekend yet."

"To… Tomorrow?" stammers Enea. "Isn't that too soon?"

"I thought you wanted to get contribution points?" laughs the boy.

"Yeah, but…"

"Don't worry, the first dungeons they let us delve into are easy. I could finish them alone, half-asleep," boasts the boy. "And the sooner we show them that we can handle those, the sooner they let us tackle the juicy ones. The early bird catches the fattest worms, and all that."

I tilt my head. What does he mean by that? I thought dungeons replenish themselves over time. Maybe it's just nonsense. Or the spots for the best dungeons are limited. First-come, first-served. They love their little competitions at this place after all.

"Okay," says Enea, looking like a fish out of the water, desperately grasping for air. "But, but I don't think tomorrow will be possible. Minae needs to find someone to take care of Kylo while we are gone."

The boy stares at me. "Who is Kylo?"

"My cat," I answer. I glance at Enea, hesitating. Should I tell them? I feel sorry about her. I know she wanted to use it as an excuse for delaying the delve, but… "Actually, ehm. I had thought we could take him with us.

Kenae and Enea stare at me, mouth half-open.

"You want to take your cat into a dungeon?" asks Kenae.

"Yeah?" I scratch my neck. "Isn't that possible?"

"It is," comments Yuan. "Other people bring their battle-pets too. One idiot from the Kanu clan can't stop bragging about how much his hellhound helps him to track and hunt down stragglers."

"But Kylo is a cat," protests Enea. "Not a battle-pet."

I hold back the laughter that threatens to surge in my belly. You have no idea about what Kylo can do, girl. I don't think he would even like getting compared to a mere pet.

"Don't worry," I say. "It's not like I want to take Kylo to fight monsters. He knows how to remain unseen. And he can defend himself, in a pinch."

"Still," mumbles Enea.

Both girls look at me as if I'm crazy. Yuan looks intrigued.

"Where is he, by the way?" asks Kenae. "I haven't seen him in a while."

"I don't know," I answer. "He went for a stroll."

"You let your cat just stroll across the campus with all those crazy teenagers lurking and fighting around at the barest provocation?" asks Yuan. His eyes glint, as if trying to pry into my secrets. He doesn't fool me. He may play the goofy musclehead, but there is more to him than meets the eye at first glance.

"Yeah? As I said, he knows how to remain hidden and stay out of trouble." I comment. What can I tell them that would make him seem less impressive? "I'm almost sure that he has a stealth technique."

The boy claps his hands. "Awesome. Don't worry about bringing him then. If he can survive campus, he can survive a dungeon," he jokes.

"Well, whatever," I mumble. "If we are going tomorrow, I need to search for Kylo, pick him up, and prepare myself." I stand up. "Nice to meet you and to finally have a full team."

"Likewise," answers the boy with a smile.

"Wait!" yells Kenae. I whip my head around toward her. "Err, we haven't decided where to meet tomorrow yet."

"Oh! True."

"We could meet at the first-year refectory at sunrise, to have a nice breakfast before leaving," proposes Yuan, glancing between us.

"Fine by me," I say. "If you decide something else, Enea can tell me later. We are roommates after all." I add, before walking toward the teahouse's exit.

I search for Kylo in our shared dormitory, but he isn't there. I glance out of the window at the courtyard. The air shimmers with the heat of clashing mana as students spar with each other. They dart between shadows and sunlight, their robes snapping like banners in a restless wind. An older boy traces something into the dirt with the point of his spear, explaining it to a girl beside him. Their conversation is lost between laughter, groans, and the steady rhythm of practice. Sweat fills the air, mingling with the dust raised by their steps and the sweet and floral undertone of the flowering jasmine, carried by the soft breeze.

My gaze lingers on the pair. Is the boy tracing runes?

Runes are becoming increasingly popular as more and more rumors about The Mountain Sage's mysterious disciple reach this place. I have even seen some people trying their hand at their own body runes. Even though it earns them scornful looks from their peers and most instructors discourage them from the practice, saying it's a waste of time and that they should focus on proper techniques.

I think the problem they have with it is that runes are visible. Someone with a basic understanding can copy and adapt them. It's hard to sell them for contribution points if that happens.

I could imitate those students who have taken the practice up. I'm missing the versatility my body-runes gave me. I could play it off as a new hobby.

I shake my head. No, it's still too risky, maybe, if it remains popular over time.

I glance at the courtyard again, remembering my task. There is too much hustle and bustle. Kylo wouldn't stay around. But where could he be? If he isn't sleeping in my room, he is probably hunting. Where would he hunt in a city, though?

"Shit!" I exclaim, facepalming. "The sewers!"

I wander across campus with no real plan, scanning the ground for the kind of inconspicuous metal grates most people ignore; the mouths toward the underworld disguised as drains. There!

I kneel next to another pipe hidden behind a bamboo thicket, close to a small brook that has almost dried up and smells of rotten fish.

"Kylo?"

No answer. I wait, ignoring the angry chirping of the disturbed birds, bothered about the safety of their nests. I almost snort. It's not me whom they should fear. There is no safety for you with Kylo lurking around somewhere.

"Kylo?"

Still no answer. Where could that cat be? It's already the third pipe I've tried. Should I give up? Wait for him to come back on his own? It's not like I need to take him to the dungeon with me. He can survive on his own. He might worry about me if he can't find me when he comes back, though. Argh! When did I sign up to become a caretaker?

"Kylo?" I yell again. The echo rebounds along the pipe.

"No yell!" scolds a voice in my head. Kylo appears out of thin air, almost startling me. He gives me a disgruntled look. "What need? Sister bad hunter. Sister scare away all fake bunnies."

"Oh, sorry," I tell him. Then I sigh, rubbing my forehead. He is covered from head to toe in slimy grime again. "I'm going into a dungeon tomorrow with Kenae, Enea, and some boy," I tell him. "Do you want to come?"

He tilts his head. "Is prey in dungeon?"

"Sure, there are monsters," I tell him.

He looks over his shoulder, then at me, before strolling out of the pipe. "Then go dungeon with sister. There no fake bunnies left in this cave anymore."

"What?" I stare at him, gasping. "Did you kill every rat in the sewer?"

He looks up at me, briefly distracted by the birds who have stopped chirping, trying to hide from their mortal enemy. "No, not Kylo," he explains with a snort. "Fake human hunt all fake bunny."

"Fake what?" I blink. "Are you telling me that there are humans, people living down there?"

He shakes his fur. Droplets of grime fly all around him, making me take a step back not to get drenched. "No, not human, fake human."

I glance at the pipe. "What the heck do you mean by that, Kylo!"

He tilts his head again. "Look like human, two leg, two arm, smell strange."

"Smell strange?" I facepalm. "Of course they would smell like sewers down there, Kylo," I explain.

"No, not smell sewers, smell strange." He insists. "Smell strange, talk girrebish. They understand, Kylo not understand."

I stare at the pipe, intrigued. Did whoever Kylo might have seen speak another language? Foreigners? Where from. Now that I think of it, it is a bit strange that the Solarian Kingdom, where I have lived most of my life, shares a language with this empire. So, they must be from even further away. What are they doing in the sewers? Smuggling something?

But would smugglers hunt rats? Probably not.

Should I find out? The pipe is wide enough to crawl through. I look across campus toward the dormitory. No, I don't have time. When we are back from the dungeon, maybe.

I glance at Kylo and sigh. "Come, let's get you washed and catch some sleep. We need to be well rested tomorrow."

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