The days at Aetherium Academy had been going relatively smooth for Reese. Ever since the dramatic fountain incident with Beatrice, the academy’s halls were blessedly quiet in comparison. For the past few days, there had been no major incidents to speak of, except for Beatrice’s constant, yet futile, attempts to stir up trouble. Beatrice seemed determined to regain some of the dignity she had lost, but every time she plotted something against Reese, the outcome backfired spectacularly. Whether it was slipping on her own sabotaged floor wax or spilling ink on her own dress while trying to ruin Reese's work, Beatrice seemed to be her own worst enemy lately. Reese could almost sympathize with her.

Also noticed that she hadn’t gathered the courage to report the fountain incident to the authorities against Reese, as she had threatened. That fact alone made Reese smirk. She figured that Beatrice knew if she did that then surely the truth would have been revealed—that she had been the one to provoke the incident in the first place. Despite the girl’s delusions of grandeur, even Beatrice knew when to retreat, as it seemed at least for now.

But perhaps, there was something that happened-an encounter that might be worth mentioning.

It occurred during one of her trips to the city market. The bustling marketplace, with its lively atmosphere and the smell of spices, freshly baked bread, and roasting meat, was a welcome break from the academy’s regimented lifestyle. Reese had always enjoyed the market’s vibrancy, the way merchants called out to potential customers with a practiced cheerfulness, the hum of conversations that buzzed like an orchestra of voices around her. She had been browsing quietly, her mind occupied by thoughts of upcoming assignments, when a voice called her name—loud, enthusiastic, and entirely unexpected.

“Reese!”

A firm hand landed on her shoulder, firm but friendly, as though they were old pals. Reese spun around immediately to face a man she didn’t recognize at all. She shot him a elaborate look, taking in the man’s appearance and measuring him from head to toe.

Tall and lean, the man had long hair that spilled past his shoulders, some of it tucked beneath a hood that only partially covered his head. His clothes were very simple with no speciality. But there was an odd charm in his carefree demeanor.

Reese folded her arms, eyeing him suspiciously. It wasn’t often that a stranger dared to act like this. Normally, such boldness from an unknown person would have been rude—especially toward a lady—but something about his demeanor made her hesitate. He didn’t seem threatening—just... eccentric.

“How does he know my name?” she thought, her eyes narrowing slightly. Aetherium had its fair share of oddballs, but this man didn’t seem like a student. He looked older, may be in his mid-twenties, and there was a certain maturity in his features that didn’t match the youthful energy radiating off him.

“Yes?” Reese asked, her tone edged with curiosity.

“Woah! I knew it! I recognized you from miles away!” the man exclaimed, grinning broadly as if he had just won a prize.

Reese blinked, utterly perplexed by his excitement. “Wait, who are you? And how do you know me?” she demanded, her voice a mix of confusion and annoyance.

The man’s grin widened. “Take a guess,” he said, as if this was all part of some elaborate game.

“I wouldn’t be asking if I knew,” Reese shot back, folding her arms. Her patience thinning. She was in no mood for riddles.

The man chuckled, clearly amused by her no-nonsense attitude. “I’m just an ordinary guy. Name’s Cassian.”

“Cassian?” Reese repeated, tilting her head slightly. The name didn’t ring any bells. “Okay... but that doesn’t explain how you know me.”

Cassian’s voice laced with admiration as she spoke. “I saw your face in the newspaper,” he said, as if that answered everything.

“Newspaper?” Reese echoed, confusion deepening. “What are you talking about?”

Cassian raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by her ignorance. “You didn’t see it? There was an article about you! It was all over the papers—the one that said about you defeating four of Aetherium’s third-year honor students in swordsmanship duel. They even printed your face. Pretty impressive.” His eyes lit up as he explained

Reese blinked, caught off guard. She hadn’t been aware of any such article on newspaper. Between her rigorous training and demanding studies, she barely had time to glance at a newspaper, let alone read one. “Oh... I see,” she murmured, trying to process the information.

Cassian, however, seemed delighted. “I really wanted to meet you after reading that. I mean, a girl who can take down honor students all by herself? That’s something special and extraordinary!" He beamed at her. "Is this your first time in the market?” he asked, changing the subject without waiting for a response.

Reese nodded, still somewhat dazed by the attitude of this weird guy and this bizarre conversation.

“Great!” he exclaimed, clearly pleased. Without warning, he grabbed her hand, tugging her along as if they had known each other for years. “Let me show you around!”

Reese barely had time to protest. “What on earth—” she began, but Cassian was already leading her through the bustling crowd, weaving through the market stalls with an energy that was both overwhelming and contagious.

As they passed vendor after vendor, Cassian pointed out various shops and stands with a boyish enthusiasm. “That’s the best place to get fresh fish cakes,” he said, nodding toward a food stall. “And over there, they sell the best herbs—straight from the Eastern Plains! You have to try them!”

Reese found herself both amused and bewildered. No nobleman would behave like this. “What a strange man...," She thought, shaking her head. Cassian’s complete disregard for etiquette was baffling, but his genuine enthusiasm and bustling energy, while exhausting, was not entirely unpleasant. His carefree nature and constant chatter were hard to ignore. He was clearly a commoner, but despite his lack of manners, he wasn’t all that bad. She hadn’t expected to find herself being dragged around the market by a stranger, but here she was.

As they passed a vendor selling hot fish cakes, Cassian suddenly stopped, grabbing two of the piping-hot pastries and offering one to Reese. “Here, try this. It’s on me,” he said, flashing a grin.

Reese eyed the fish cake warily but accepted it. She hadn’t eaten since early that morning, and the smell was tempting. She took a tentative bite, and to her surprise, it was delicious. The crispy exterior gave way to a soft, flavorful filling. “It’s good,” she admitted.

Cassian grinned, clearly satisfied. “Told you.”

As they continued wandering, Cassian turned to her with a soft glint in his eyes. “You know, you should call me ‘big brother’ from now on,” he said, entirely out of the blue.

Reese stopped in her tracks, staring at him as if he had just sprouted a second head. “What?”

“Big brother,” Cassian repeated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Why would I call you that?"

“You know, since I’m older. It suits for you to refer me by that, don’t you think?” He strugged, as if that was the most obvious thing to do.

"We barely know each other. In fact, we might never see each other again.” Reese shot him a skeptical look.

Cassian waved her off with a laugh. “Oh, we’ll see each other again soon, don’t worry. I’m joining the academy.”

Reese raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “You? Being a student at Aetherium?”

“Not a student,” Cassian corrected, taking another bite of his fish cake. “A professor.”

Reese rolled her eyes, thoroughly unimpressed. “Nice joke."

"Why not?" Cassian laughed. "Don’t you think I’d make a good professor?"

“Sure you are. You don’t give the vibe kf a professor in any way. More like a weirdo with too much energy to spare.”

“Harsh,” Cassian said, pouting dramatically, though his grin quickly returned.

Realizing the day was slipping away, Reese sighed. "I should head back now," she said, finally pulling her hand away from his grasp.

Cassian’s expression fell slightly, as if genuinely disappointed. “Alright, but next time, you’ll call me ‘big brother,’ right?” he demanded again, giving her a playful wink.

“I doubt it,” Reese replied, waving him off.

“Aww... that hurts,” Cassian said with mock sadness. Without warning, he pulled Reese into a hug, catching her completely off guard.

“What are you doing?!” Reese exclaimed, her eyes wide in shock.

Cassian released her, smiling innocently. “Take care, lil’ sister.”

Still bewildered, Reese watched as the mysterious man disappeared into the crowd, his tall figure blending into the sea of people. She stood there for a moment, trying to process the strange encounter. Who was this man? And why did he seem so familiar, despite her certainty that they had never met before?

As she made her way back to the academy, her thoughts lingered on Cassian. His carefree nature, had left an odd warmth in her chest. Despite his strange and mysterious behavior, something about him had undeniably presented her with a sense of happiness.

---

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