"Just don''t discount all possibilities with excuses like those." June heard him say and sighed. "Just say you don''t like me, which I would understand."


    "It''s not excuses," she replied.


    "So you do like me?" Warden grinned at her and all the seriousness was gone.


    "Do you recognize how insufferable you can be at times?" she said, shaking her head.


    "I take it as my charm," he said, still grinning. "Don''t worry, it''ll rub off on you."


    June snorted. "I''m not someone who''s looking for a casual rtionship."


    "What a surprise, that''s exactly my mindset," Warden said. "I don''t do flimsy casual rtionships either. I''m in for the full emotions-imbued, responsibility-induced rtionship."


    June spared him a look.


    "What, you don''t believe me?" he looked bbergasted at that notion.


    "I can''t tell when you''re serious and when you''re not," June said, focusing on her food.


    "Do you think I''m someone who''ll jump after every lovely girl he sees?" he asked, shaking his head.


    "That''s the problem, Warden," June said. "I don''t know you, and you don''t know me."


    They had known each other for less than four days. Although their initial encounter had been somewhat rough and weird, they had grown on each other, discovering how each of them considered the importance of life. But it simply wasn''t enough to start a rtionship. Not for June; she wanted more.


    "Just because I talk casually doesn''t mean I''m not serious," he said while chewing food, making it even more difficult to believe he was serious. "Besides, are you not a mind mage? Don''t you have some empathic power or something to tell if I''m serious or flimsy?"


    June bit her lip in a grimace. "I don''t read others'' emotions or minds," she said matter-of-factly.


    "You should do it now," Warden said. "You''ll know how serious I am."


    "No," June replied with an edge to her voice that made it clear she wouldn''t.


    Warden sighed and focused on his food. He praised the cooking and asked about the ingredients a couple of times, not pushing the matter of their rtionship further, for which June was grateful.


    June was simply too young to think about all these matters seriously.


    Warden finished filling his stomach, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and said, "Thank you for the food and all the hospitality," as he turned to leave. Halfway out of the room, he paused, a contemtive look in his eyes.


    "Hey, June, if I ever make you ufortable in a way you didn''t like, or didn''t..." he sighed, lips curved in a weak smile. "Just tell me about it, I''ll never do it again."


    His voice was soft, but June found him to be most serious as far as she knew him. He had been serious during their battle, but there was a mad intensity back then. Although his eyescked that now, she was certain he''d do what he said. She didn''t need to unseal her empathic power to know it.


    June was contemting in her seat for some time and found him returning with an awkward smile on his lips.


    "Where is this ce exactly?" he asked. "How do I get out of here?"


    "You don''t have to leave," June told him. "You can stay the night in the guest room. Your mock ss is early tomorrow."


    He seemed to think deeply about it and nodded. "Okay," he said. "Do you need any help in cleaning?"


    Even though he asked, he joined to work with her to clean the table and wash the dishes.


    ***


    Tam had enrolled in the Third Arcane Academy for about a week, and so far, he had only been disappointed. True, the new academic year had just begun, and there was much more to explore. Of course, he wasn''t really in for the lectures or the instructions all that much—thankfully, most of them weren''tpulsory.


    Tam was looking forward to using all those training facilities he had heard so much about. That reminded him of the Virtual World battles; those had been fun. With a sigh, he brought out his Provisional Ranker badge and checked the Arcane credits.


    His expression soured as he found only 27 points left. He couldn''t even spend two hours in the virtual world with this many credits, and the Virtual World was one of the cheapest facilities.


    "Why are you sulking so early in the morning?" a feminine voice asked from behind.


    Tam turned to find Ars and a couple of others from his ss in the form-fitting uniform of the academy, probably on their way to some ss he had no idea about. He returned his attention to the girl. Ars was fifteen, half a head shorter than him, which was quite tall for girls.


    She was thin with a sharp look; unfortunately, she wasn''t well-endowed in the parts he would consider as a prime prospect.


    Still, personality-wise, she was better than most he''d met aftering to the academy.


    "Where are you all going?" he asked. "I don''t remember having any ss today."


    "Do you even check the noticeboard?" Ars snorted. "Don''t you know about thebat sses with the newly interned instructors?"


    Tam shrugged. It was the first time he was hearing about it. "If it''s not apulsory ss, I ain''t going," he said. Althoughbat sses were something he was looking forward to, some intern instructors didn''t interest him.


    For one thing, they were merely Iron rankers, barely a few years older than them to have imparted anything. Not to mention, their main duty was to help the students in dungeon diving. Tam didn''t think he would be losing anything by missing a ss.


    "Well, it''s your loss," Ars said. "I heard everyone will get 10 credits just for attending the sses, but I guess you don''t need it."


    "Just for attending?" Tam''s back straightened. Though 10 credits weren''t that much, it was a substantial amount for just a ss thatsted for an hour or so.


    "Apparently, the academy needed to make sure the intern instructors at least have some students to teach," Ars said. "Through these sses, the elders and professors will decide whether the interns deserve the job ofbat instructor or not."