“At least you showed up,” Julius remarked, his tone casual but pointed. “I half-expected you to ditch me, given how much effort you’ve put into avoiding me.”

Reese froze in place, her hand still resting on the door handle. So he knew! He had been aware all along that she was deliberately staying out of his path.

“What now?” Julius asked, raising an eyebrow with a smirk. “Planning to make a run for it again?”

He snapped the book shut with a sharp thud, the sound echoing in the quiet library.

Reese let out a nervous chuckle, glancing around as if there might be an escape route. “Is that option still on the table?”

Julius leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, eyeing her like a cat with a trapped mouse. “I’m not so sure about that. But what I do know is, this time, I won’t forget to report someone to the professor.” His head tilted slightly, studying her reaction.

Reese exhaled deeply, resigning herself to the inevitable. She had to face this head-on. There was no point in running anymore. Taking a step forward she closed the door softly behind her. Then slowly, she made her way toward the table, her footsteps echoing in the quiet library, placing her materials down carefully on the table.

“So…” she cleared her throat, forcing a steady voice. “You’re not actually going to report me, are you?”

Julius didn’t answer immediately. His gaze rested on her, calm and unreadable. The silence hung between them, thick with unspoken tension.

Reese felt the silence pressing down, so she continued. " I mean, if you do… I don’t really mind accepting the punishment that might come my way. But if I get involved with the disciplinary committee over something like this, it’ll cause trouble for Sister Valentine. And I’d rather not cause her any problems. You wouldn’t want that either, would you? You are her cousin, after all."

Still silent, Julius studied her for a moment longer before he straightened his posture, sitting up in his chair. “Sit,” he said, gesturing to the seat across from him.

Reese hesitated. “Promise me you won’t report me,” she insisted, her voice softening as she leaned slightly closer, trying to gauge his reaction.

Julius flipped open one of the books in front of him, casually scanning the pages. “That depends,” he said, not looking up. “On how well you behave from now on.”

His words weren’t exactly reassuring, but there was something in his tone that made Reese feel like the threat wasn’t entirely serious. Rather, it somehow put her a little more at ease. She smiled as she pulled out the chair and sat down across from him, relieved.

Maybe, just maybe, Senior Julius wasn’t as strict as she had feared.

...

Surprisingly, Julius’s tutoring exceeded Reese’s expectations. His explanations were not only clear but even better than the professors’, at least that’s how it felt to her. He broke down complex concepts with such ease that she understood everything on the first try. Of course, Reese had always been a fast learner, but Julius’s teaching style allowed her to grasp things even more quickly. His handwriting, too, was precise and immaculate—almost like elegant calligraphy. Reese couldn’t help be amazed— How does he manage to write so fast and neatly at the same time? No wonder he's an honor student!

“You’re a lot more committed than I imagined,” Julius remarked, watching her closely as she paid full attention to his lesson. “I didn’t think you’d be the type to focus so intently on your studies.”

“Oh? Did you think I’d slack off?” Reese asked, raising an eyebrow as she glanced up from her notes.

“To be honest… yes,” he replied with a faint chuckle.

She laughed in response. “Seems like you have quite the bad impression of me.”

Julius didn’t respond to that, instead turning back to the book in front of him.

“I’m actually a pretty attentive student,” Reese added with a small shrug. “At least, that’s what my mentor used to say. I always try to fully focus on what I’m being taught, especially in areas where I’m lacking.”

Julius gave a small nod of approval. “I see.” He flipped to a new page in the magic equation book. “Try solving this one,” he said, sliding the book toward her.

“Sure.” Reese leaned over the table and began working through the problem.

Magic was a complex field—rune magic, spellcasting, and drawing magical signals all these things require precise execution, much like solving a math problem. It involved critical geometric structures, mathematical functions, and equations that needed to be applied accurately and efficiently. The challenge was that these magical equations could often be solved in multiple ways, but the faster you could solve them, the quicker you could cast a spell or activate a signal. Thus the speed at which one can solve these formulas directly impacted on one's magic performance. Even if a solution is correct but if it takes too long, it became inefficient. Mages and scholars were constantly seeking new, faster methods to solve these equations till date.

After some time, Reese passed the paper containing her answer back to Julius. “Is this correct?” she asked, a little uncertain.

Julius scrutinized her solution for a moment, his eyes scanning over the paper carefully. “It’s accurate,” he said, after a pause. “But there’s a more efficient amd simpler way to solve it. Let me show you.” He grabbed his pen and began to rework the equation, this time explaining as he went. Reese, seated across from him, was struggling to see the page clearly, though she didn’t say anything. Julius noticed her squinting. Without a word, he stood up and moved beside her, taking a seat to give her a better view.

Reese blinked in surprise but didn’t comment. She realized that it was to help her follow along more easily.

“Use this formula here instead,” Julius explained, his pen moving swiftly across the page, “Then, swap this step with that one… see how it cuts down on the time?”

Reese’s eyes widened as she watched him solve the equation, genuinely impressed. “Wow! I didn’t even think of doing it that way. You’re a genius.”

Julius smiled but waved off the compliment. “It’s not really a big deal. You can do it too with enough practice.”

“Still, it’s amazing,” Reese said, amusement dancing in her voice.

"Let’s call it a day,” Julius said after a while, stretching slightly as he closed the book. “I think we’ve covered enough for today.”

“Agreed.” Reese nodded, starting to gather her things.

As they packed up, Reese glanced around the quiet library. “Do you come here often?” she asked curiously.

“Almost every day, whenever I get the chance,” Julius replied.

“I see,” Reese murmured.

“Most students prefer the main library in the central building, but I like it here. It’s peaceful, a nice escape,” he said, holding up a small set of keys. “I even have my own set of duplicate keys to this library.”

“I understand that. Having a quiet place all to yourself, especially one filled with books—that sounds perfect." Reese smiled. “Sorry if I disrupted your peace by invading your own little space,” Reese added, feeling slightly guilty.

“Not at all. I would've chosen another location for our meeting, if I minded your presence here,” Julius assured her.

Reese moved toward a nearby shelf, her fingers tracing the spines of the books. She closed her eyes briefly, breathing in the distinct scent of old parchment and ink. “The smell of books is so nostalgic,” she said softly. “It’s refreshing.”

Julius watched her. “You really like books, don’t you?”

“I love them,” Reese admitted. “I even had a small library built in the woods just for me. It’s my sanctuary.”

“Is that so?” Julius’s tone softened. "It’s rare to find a genuine book lover nowadays.” He said stepping closer to her.

Reese nodded. Her fingers rested on one book longer than the others. “Wait… is this here!” Her eyes lit up.

“Ah, Echoes of Eternity: Contemplations on Time and Being by Edmund Falkner" Julius noted, tugging the book off the shelf completely. “Have you read it before?”

“Yeah, I’ve read the first three volumes and been searching everywhere for the last two. But I never found them.” Reese said, her voice filled with excitement. “It’s such a brilliant series, like a hidden treasure—almost impossible to find.”

“Probably because not enough people appreciate their true value. So publishers don’t print many copies." Julius said with a small smile. "But here, at the academy, you’ll find all sorts of rare gems..”

He handed her the fourth volume. “Here, you can borrow this one.”

Reese’s face brightened. “Really?!”

"Of course."

Reese accepted the book, practically glowing with happiness.

“The fifth volume is probably in the main library," He added thoughtfully. "But I have my own copy in my room. I’ll bring it for you next time.”

“I would really appreciate that.” Reese bowed deeply, almost at a 90-degree angle. “Thank you so much!”

“Consider it a reward for being a good student,” Julius laughed. “Come on, let’s go.”

They exited the library, and Julius locked the door behind them. The sun had set, and the pathway was lit by soft, glowing lamps.

“Let me walk you to your dorm,” Julius offered.

Reese shook her head. “Oh, no, I’ll be fine. You don’t have to trouble yourself.”

“I’d rather take this trouble than risk you disappearing to who knows where,” Julius teased. “It’s more for my peace of mind than anything else.”

Reese muttered under her breath, “It’s not like this will stop me from sneaking around later.” Though she spoke quietly, Julius caught every word and narrowed his eyes.

“Alright, alright. I’ll behave—for tonight,” Reese conceded with a laugh.

“Only tonight?” Julius raised an eyebrow.

Reese just laughed again.

Julius walked her to her dorm. Before parting ways, Reese turned to him once more. “Again, Thank you, Senior. I really appreciate your help. I’ll be looking forward to our next study sessions.” She said with a sincere expression.

“You’re welcome,” Julius replied, giving a slight nod. “Good night.”

___

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