Overwhelming Emotions

The next morning rose with a gentle warmth, the sun casting its golden light over the imperial capital. A cool breeze swept through the streets, bringing a refreshing contrast to the heat of the day. It was the final day of the festival, and the air was buzzing with excitement. The top ten magical and scientific innovations of the year would be displayed and ranked in the royal colosseum. It was an event not to be missed—every inventor, scholar, and noble was eager to witness the best the empire had to offer.

Nolan woke up with a sense of anticipation. His thoughts drifted to the possibility of seeing Nova again. He had spent the previous day with his siblings, exploring the floating stalls, but Nova had been on and off his mind the entire time. Today, however, was different. Today, they would all be seated in the grand colosseum, and Nolan found himself hoping—wishing—that he might get to see Nova around since he won't be trapped in car full of nobles. The mere thought of it made his heart race.

What Nolan didn't know was that Nova had the same wish, but he was one to take action. After the formalities of the ball and the tension of the terrorist attack, Nova had quietly asked the event organizers to reserve a seat next to the Anderson family ('specifically next to Nolan', is what he thought). The idea of sitting near him, even in a massive arena filled with thousands of people, brought an unexpected sense of comfort to Nova.

Two of them were lost in each other's thoughts with knowing, but still hoping for it to become their reality.

As Nolan and his siblings made their way to the royal colosseum, the structure loomed ahead—its towering stone walls and intricate arches a testament to the empire's architectural prowess. The massive amphitheater could hold tens of thousands of spectators, and today, it was filled to capacity. People of all statuses, from high nobles to commoners, were seated in the grandstands, waiting for the Emperor's speech and the unveiling of the year's greatest innovations.

Nolan's family was given a special section reserved for high-ranking nobles. As they approached their seats, Nolan's eyes scanned the area, and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest when he spotted Nova sitting next to his family—his family, not the Brights. For a moment, Nolan couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Nova, well known for his stoic and emotionally reserved personality, had chosen to sit with the Andersons. It felt almost unreal. Nolan's feet moved on their own, carrying him toward the row of seats where his siblings and Nova were. His heart pounded in his chest, and he couldn't stop the grin spreading across his face. He was about to sit next to Nova, to finally have the chance to speak to him without the weight of their formalities or the pressure of their families.

But just as Nolan approached, lost in his thoughts, his siblings moved past him in a blur. Juno, with his usual composed demeanor, slid into the seat right next to Nova. Eloise and Elspeth quickly followed, taking the next two seats beside Juno. In an instant, all the seats next to Nova were taken.

Nolan froze, his smile faltering as he stared at the scene before him. Nova's gaze had been fixed on him, just as hopeful, but now both of them stood there, unable to do anything but watch as the moment slipped away. Nova's face, usually so composed, betrayed a brief flicker of disappointment before he quickly masked it again.

Nolan, meanwhile, felt his entire aura dim. It was as if an invisible weight had been dropped on his shoulders. He couldn't help but picture himself as a dog with slumped ears and tail, dejected and forlorn. To make matters worse, he caught a glimpse of Nova trying—and failing—to stifle a small chuckle looking at him. The sight of Nolan's imaginary dog-like expression had apparently amused him.

Juno, seated next to Nova, raised an eyebrow in surprise. He had known Nova to be emotionally reserved to the point of not showing anything more than a slight smile on the usual expressionless face to be polite, much like the rest of his family, but the chuckle was something out of character. Juno glanced around, but no one else seemed to notice the unusual moment between the young noble and his brother.

To Nolan's surprise, someone else called out to him from the row behind. "Nolan! Over here!" It was Lady Vivian, waving with a playful and mischievous grin. She gestured to the empty seat beside her, beckoning him to join her. Nolan hesitated for a second, then sighed and made his way to her.

As he sat down beside Vivian, he couldn't help but steal a glance at Nova. But Nolan was not the only one dissatisfied as Nova's eyes followed him for a moment before he turned back to face Juno. There was a tension in the air between them, something unspoken but undeniable.

Lady Vivian leaned in with a teasing smile. "You seemed awfully excited to see Nova," she whispered, her voice low enough that only Nolan could hear. "What's going on between you two?"

Nolan froze, his expression completely locking in place. He hadn't expected anyone to notice—especially not Vivian, who had a reputation for being sharp-eyed and quick to read people. His mind raced as he tried to formulate a response, but all that came out was a quiet, "Uh…"

Vivian chuckled, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "You're not very good at hiding your feelings, you know."

"I—uh—there's nothing going on," Nolan stammered, though the heat rising from his cheeks to the back of his neck, suggested otherwise.

"We're just… friends. I think." But he himself wasn't sure about that, since the party was actually the first time they met and that too was just them fighting of the terrorist. Not much talking happened, but he was just pulled towards the handsome guy.

"Friends, huh?" Vivian's voice was dripping with amusement. "Interesting choice of words. I don't think I've ever seen Nova Bright look at anyone the way he was looking at you, moreover he's well known for having associates rather then friends."

Nolan's heart skipped a beat. Was it true? Had Nova really been looking at him that way? He had felt something—some connection—but he had never allowed himself to believe it was mutual.

Before he could respond, the grand colosseum fell silent. A hush spread through the crowd as the Emperor himself took the stage. Clad in resplendent robes of gold and deep crimson, he stood at the center of the arena, a symbol of power and authority. The Emperor's long-winded speech began, extolling the virtues of the empire's scientific and magical advancements, praising the inventors who had brought forth new possibilities for the future.

Nolan barely heard the words. His mind was still stuck on Vivian's question, on the idea that Nova might actually feel something for him, something more than just a associate or camaraderie. He stole another glance at Nova, who was seated just a few feet away but felt a world apart.

The Emperor continued, his voice rising with each grand pronouncement. The orb flying in front of him further amplifying his voice,"Today, we celebrate the brilliance of our empire, the ingenuity of our scholars, and the dedication of those who strive to push the boundaries of what we know. These ten innovations represent the pinnacle of our progress. Let us now bear witness to the future."

The crowd erupted into applause, and the first innovation was brought to the center of the colosseum. It was an enchanted structure—a tower built of magically infused glass that could amplify magical energy, absorb it from the natural sources like stars and store it for later use. The invention was demonstrated with great fanfare, and the crowd marveled at the sheer beauty and functionality of the device.

One by one, the top ten innovations were showcased. Each one was more impressive than the last—magical devices that could heal wounds instantaneously and even generate new limbs in a better shape then ever before, scientific breakthroughs that promised to eliminate disease, and even a prototype for a mana-powered engine that could revolutionize transportation across the empire, and further look into the secrets of outer space.

But Nolan found it hard to focus on any of the presentations. His mind kept wandering back to Nova, to the question Vivian had asked. He had never thought much about his own feelings until recently when thought of giving them a chance, but he was still kind of reserved because his soul age might be oldest among the humans and dating or having a relationship made him feel like p*d*p*ile, but now his emotions and hormones overwhelmed him to the point that they were all he could think about.

As the final innovation was displayed—a fusion of magic and science that allowed for instantaneous teleportation of small non living packages across vast distances—Nolan realized that he hadn't been paying attention at all. He glanced over at Nova once again, and this time, Nova's eyes met his.

For a moment, everything else faded away. The crowd, the inventions, the grandeur of the colosseum—it all disappeared. There was only the two of them, locked in a gaze that felt as if it could go on forever.

Vivian nudged him, pulling him back to reality. "You're staring again," she whispered, a hint of laughter in her voice.

Nolan blinked, flustered, and quickly turned his attention back to the arena. The Emperor had begun his final remarks, preparing to announce the rankings of the top innovations. But Nolan's mind was elsewhere. He had to figure out what all of this meant—what his feelings for Nova truly were, and whether there was something more between them than just friendship.

As the Emperor's voice boomed through the colosseum, declaring the winner of the festival's top innovation, Nolan made a silent decision. He would find a way to talk to Nova, to figure out once and for all what was happening between them.

The festival might be coming to an end, but for Nolan, this was only the beginning and the very first obstacle was coming soon enough, they were to leave for their duchy next day, since the festival is coming to an early end and Nova study's at the Royal University in Capital.