Chapter 25: Rumors

Chapter 25: Rumors

Morning came and Sevi stretched and got out of bed, beginning his morning routine. After a quick shower and breakfast, he dressed in his usual attire and gathered his things for class.

'I hope Noemi's in class today,' Sevi thought as he glanced over his crystal ball.

Sevi then headed to class. As he entered the room, he felt a wave of relief when he saw Noemi in her usual seat.

She looked composed and stoic, the same as usual.

'Glad to see that she's looks better,'

Sevi arrived at his seat beside Noemi and gave her a friendly smile. 

"Good morning, Noemi. You're looking better."

"Morning, Sevi." Noemi replied as she looked up from her notes and offered a small smile.

Sevi settled into his seat beside Noemi, feeling a sense of relief.

"Oh yeah, about my promise." Noemi said as she focused on her notes.

Sevi confused, turned towards her, "What promise?"

"The training. Let's do it tomorrow,"

 "Really? No cap?" Sevi exclaimed as his face lit up with excitement.

Noemi looked at him, her brows furrowing in confusion. "No cap?"

'Ohh.. Wrong word. I forgot this is not Earth.'

Sevi chuckled, "Sorry, it's kind of a slang. Like it means 'You're serious?' or 'no lie?'."

"Anyway, you're serious about the training?"

 "Ah, I see. Yes, I'm serious. Let's do it tomorrow." Noemi said as her expression softened with understanding.

"So, where should we train?" Sevi asked, leaning closer to Noemi.

Noemi paused for a moment, thinking. 

"There's a spot in the woods behind the academy. It's open and quiet, perfect for training. I've used it a few times before."

Sevi's eyes widened in surprise and curiosity.

"The woods behind the academy? I didn't even know there was a spot like that."

Noemi gave a small smile. "It's a bit hidden, but it's a great place. We can go there tomorrow after class. I'll show you the way."

"Sounds perfect," Sevi said, his excitement evident.

"I can't wait."

"Thank you Noemi, really." Sevi said in a genuine manner.

"No problem." Noemi nodded, returning to her notes.

As Sir Varric entered the room and began the discussion, the students quickly settled down. 

Sevi tried to focus on the lecture, but his mind occasionally wandered to thoughts of the training session with Noemi.

Despite his anticipation, Sevi managed to stay engaged throughout the class. When the lecture finally ended, he gathered his things and turned to Noemi.

"Wanna have lunch together?" Sevi asked.

Noemi looked up, slightly surprised by the invitation.

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, why not."

'If this was before, she would definitely turned it down.'

Sevi smiled, pleased.

The two of them made their way to the cafeteria, chatting lightly about the lecture and other classes. Sevi couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment for getting to spend more time with Noemi.

Once they reached the cafeteria, they picked up their food and found a quiet corner to sit. Sevi took a bite of his sandwich, then looked at Noemi. 

"So, do you usually train alone in that spot?"

 "Yeah, it's a peaceful place." Noemi nodded as she sipped her water.

"I'm glad you finally accepted me," Sevi said, genuinely. 

"...I owe you one so it's fair." Noemi said as she sipped down her soup.

As they continued their conversation, a classmate of theirs, who was sitting a few tables away, overheard bits and pieces of their discussion. 

'Whaaatt? So they're actually dating?"

Misinterpreting the context, Her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly leaned over to whisper to her friend.

By the end of lunch, Sevi and Noemi headed to their next class together. As they walked down the hallway, they noticed a few students giving them curious looks and whispering among themselves. 

Sevi furrowed his brow in confusion but shrugged it off.

Later in the day, Sevi was approached by Kane, the arrogant bulky classmate that Sevi fought on the first day.

 "Hey, Sevi," Kane said with a grin. 

"I heard an interesting rumor. Is it true you're dating that dirty blood?"

'Dirty blood? this fvcker really..!!'

 "What did you just say?" Sevi's eyes narrowed, anger flashing across his face.

'Why do all people here treat half-beastmen like they're lower class? It's frustrating.' 

Kane's grin widened. "You heard me. Is it true you're dating Noemi? Or are you just hanging around her for some other reason?"

Sevi took a step closer to Kane, his voice low and controlled.

"First of all, you don't get to talk about Noemi like that. And second, our relationship is none of your business."

Kane chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction he was provoking.

"Touchy, touchy. Just thought I'd ask, since everyone's talking about it."

Before Sevi could respond, Noemi appeared beside him, her eyes cold as she glared at Kane.

"Is there a problem here?"

Kane's smirk faltered slightly under Noemi's intense gaze. "N-No problem. Just curious about the new couple in class."

"Noemi and I are just friends." Sevi stated firmly. 

"So if you have any more questions, keep them to yourself."

Kane scoffed but didn't press further. "Whatever you say. See you around, Sevi."

As Kane walked away, Noemi turned to Sevi, "What was that all about?" 

Sevi sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Apparently, there's a rumor going around that we're dating. Kane was just trying to stir things up."

"I see. He's always been like that, causing trouble for no reason." Noemi said as her expression darkened.

"But let's focus on the positive. We have training tomorrow!" Sevi exclaimed.

Noemi gave a slight chuckle, "Yeah, yeah. You battle addict."

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