Transfer

Gary opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside. As he started reading, he didn't move a muscle. He stood still like a statue, his eyes glued to every word.

Minutes passed, and yet Gary remained motionless. It was as if he were reading the letter over and over again. The longer he stood there, the more evident it became that something was very wrong. His fingers trembled slightly, gripping the paper as if it might slip away and take reality with it.

The atmosphere in the room grew tense, and an unspoken agreement seemed to form among everyone present—they needed to stay silent. The weight of whatever Gary was reading was too heavy to disrupt. Even the usual chatter and background noises of the academy seemed to fade, as though the very walls understood that this was not a moment to be disturbed.

A few more moments passed, and Dan couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey man, are you okay?"

As soon as Dan spoke, Gary dropped the letter and bolted out of the room.

The letter floated through the air before landing right next to Dan, its slow descent only adding to the eerie silence in the room. A few people exchanged glances, uncertain whether they should go after Gary or leave him be.

"It's probably just his girlfriend breaking up with him or something," someone muttered, attempting to lighten the mood.

Everyone gulped. They knew it was serious, and curiosity gnawed at them, but they also wanted to respect Gary's privacy. Everyone, that is, except for Dan.

Dan bent down and picked up the letter from the ground, hesitating for only a moment before unfolding it.

"No!" Monk shouted. "Do you remember what happened last time?"

"What happened last time?" Ray asked, frowning.

Everyone avoided eye contact with him. He had no idea what they were talking about or why they were acting so strangely. 

Ignoring Monk's warning, Dan waved his hand dismissively and began to read the letter. Then, even he froze. Dan was a big talker, almost as much as Kyle, so seeing him speechless meant whatever was in that letter was serious. His fingers clutched the paper tightly, his throat moving as he swallowed hard.

"Well then, what is it?" Martha asked, her voice quieter than usual.

Dan folded up the letter and placed it on the table. "I don't think this is for us to see. Someone should go check on Gary."

This was an unusual sight—Dan showing concern for someone else. Whatever was written in that letter had to be something heavy.

The group split up, searching for Gary in places he might have gone.

Ray, after checking several common areas around the academy, decided to head to the rooftop. When he opened the door, he saw a blond boy standing at the edge, looking out over the city. Slowly, Ray approached, unsure of what to say. The wind rustled through Gary's hair, but he didn't react to it. His posture was rigid, shoulders hunched in a way that spoke of grief far beyond words.

He had hoped he wouldn't be the first to find Gary. If Gary needed comfort, Ray wasn't the best person for that. Sylvia, Martha—heck, even Dan—would have been better choices. But as he got closer, the sound of his footsteps alerted Gary.

When Gary turned around, Ray saw his red, bloodshot eyes. They were swollen and puffy—he had been crying. The sight of it struck something in Ray's chest. Gary was always the strong one, always the first to joke, to take charge. Seeing him like this was unsettling.

Ray walked up and gave him a pat on the back before turning his gaze toward the cityscape. If Gary wanted to talk, Ray would let him be the one to start. There was no need to rush anything.

They stood in silence for a while before Gary finally spoke.

"You want to know about the letter, don't you?"

Ray didn't reply. They were alone, and Gary knew he could hear him.

"Well, you deserve to know as well. The letter—it was about Amy… She's dead."

Images of Ray's first meeting with Amy flashed through his mind. The silly conversations they had, how she used to watch him train for hours on end—it all came rushing back. His chest felt heavy, his heart sinking. The weight of loss settled into his bones, unfamiliar but unmistakable.

"But that's not all!" Gary clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. "They say she died inside Roland Academy. It was a duel with some noble. And what do they do? They offer my family money, as if that will make everything better!" Gary's voice trembled with fury, his breathing coming in short bursts.

Ray clenched his jaw. Money. That was how the powerful settled their problems. A handful of gold, a few words of apology, and they moved on while the victims were left to suffer. 

"I bet he wasn't even punished. After all, he only killed a common girl from a poor village. I swear I will kill the person who did this to my sister."

Anyone else might have tried to calm Gary down, but not Ray. He knew exactly what Gary was feeling. That hatred—burning for someone he hadn't even met—it was the same hatred Ray carried. The sinking feeling in his heart shifted, turning into anger. This wasn't fair. It was never fair.

"Ray, you have to help me." Gary grabbed Ray's shoulders, not even noticing that his bleeding hands were staining Ray's uniform. "You're actually a mage, right? You can summon a beast and even use fire powers—I saw it. Demonstrate your abilities in front of the master knights and get a transfer to Roland Academy. You want to find this person too, right?"

Ray did want to go to Roland Academy. It was rumored to be where the Divine Being resided. Helping Gary would align with his own goals, but there was still much he had to do here. The red door, the Dragon Knights' tomb—were they beings like him? He needed answers before he could leave.

Ray thought about telling Gary the truth. He had been good to him all this time. Without Gary, Ray might have died the other day. If there was anyone who could keep a secret, it was him.

"I can't do that, Gary. My powers… they're not normal." Before Ray could finish, Gary turned away.

"I understand. You don't need to say anything else."

Then an idea struck Ray.

"The tournament. At the All-Kingdom Tournament, people from all different kingdoms and academies will be there. Roland Academy will be too. Maybe we can find some information there."

Gary, who had started walking away, turned back and gave Ray a small smile.

"Thank you, Ray."