Peroncerea's Morning

The sun filtered gently through the half-opened window slats of the log cabin perched on the small hilltop. A soft groan echoed from under the sheets.

Peroncerea Ceres blinked her eyes open, greeted first by the speckled shadows of tree leaves dancing across the wooden ceiling, then by the annoyingly perky chirps of morning birds already wide awake outside.

"Ugh… morning again."

She muttered sleepily, the corners of her mouth twitching in mild disdain.

A few seconds later, she groaned again and reluctantly sat up. Her shoulder-length black hair, tousled and tangled from sleep, fell around her face like an unbrushed veil. Her demonic ram horns, short and slightly curved back like slick black crescents, peeked proudly out of her hair, always cold to the touch. She rubbed her eyes, yawned and with a sluggish sigh, swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.

Stretching her arms above her head, she channeled a quiet pulse of her Demonic Energy and whispered.

"Cleanse."

A glowing crimson Seventh Star Demonic Clean Mystic Circle instantly materialized beneath her feet. In one quiet surge of refined energy, the circle activated. In a blink, any grime or sweat on her body vanished, her breath freshened, her hair smoothed, and even the soft fabric of her tunic was crisp and straightened as though she'd just donned it.

"Whew. Best spell ever invented."

She padded barefoot down the creaky steps of her cabin and peeked into the living room, empty as always.

The space was modest but cozy with a stone fireplace, a couple mismatched chairs, an old bookshelf stacked with training manuals and some weird romance novels she insisted weren't hers, and a handmade rug crafted by one of the tailoring students during their first year on the island.

The scent of pine and yesterday's ash still lingered. She yawned again as she made her way to the front door, pausing only to stare out the wide window.

And it was perfect.

A soft wind rippled through the fields, brushing through the grass with whispers. The sky was open and cloudless with a sheet of calm blue that seemed almost too peaceful, especially given what they'd all lived through before this...

This little prison paradise.

Her boots clicked softly as she stepped outside and from where her cabin sat—atop a humble but proud hill—she could see the stretch of log homes spiraling downwards into the larger village below. Smoke plumed gently from a few chimneys. The scent of cooked grain and heated food drifted up the slope lazily.

Peroncerea adjusted the belt around her simple tunic and sighed again.

"Alright, here we go."

She descended the cobbled trail leading down the hill. She hadn't even gone ten steps before a student spotted her.

"Lady Peroncerea!"

A young boy—maybe Fifth Enlightenment—waved from the side of a shed where he and a girl were stacking bundles of dried wood. The girl elbowed the boy quickly and bowed her head.

Peroncerea lifted a hand and waved back casually, offering a friendly grin.

"Morning you two. Keep stacking alright? That firewood's for the next cabins."

"Yes, ma'am!"

She passed a few more cabins, many with windows open and students bustling inside or out. Some waved, others gave formal nods. One girl, juggling three baskets of vegetables, paused just to bow, nearly toppling her entire harvest. Peroncerea had to rush and steady her.

"Careful, Serra. I know these soils grow miracles but if you break half your haul, they're not gonna walk themselves to the kitchens."

Serra flushed, nodded quickly, and darted off with an embarrassed laugh.

As Peroncerea kept walking through the rows of log homes and dirt paths, she paused now and then to address minor issues. One student was asking about patrol rotation timings, another mentioning a broken armrest in the east meditation lodge.

One kid even gave her a handwoven bracelet and scurried off without a word.

"Okay, that was adorable," she chuckled, tying it loosely around her wrist.

Then came her favorite part of the morning.

"Here, Lady Ceres!" Said an older boy, Sixth Enlightenment rank by the looks of his aura, extending a still-steaming piece of fresh bread. "Figured you'd be running late again."

Peroncerea took it without hesitation and bit into the warm crust. It was thick, soft, and just a little sweet, baked with honeyed root and salted glaze. She hummed in delight.

"Bless these stupid fertile soils…"

Finally, she reached the communal hall. And gods above, it was a sight.

It was a wide, sprawling wooden structure easily three stories high, built by dozens of hardworking hands over months. Polished stone framed the entrances and thick doors opened into an interior bustling with warmth and echoes. Tables lined the ground floor, built long and wide to accommodate thousands of students at once. Food trays, half-cleared dishes and the distant clatter of the kitchen crew made it feel like the old Minafallen mess halls, only with much, much better produce.

But she wasn't heading for the ground level. She scaled the stairs to the first floor, reserved only for the elite. Sixth and Seventh Enlightenment students trained, ate, and discussed tactics there. Though, right now, it was dead quiet.

And of course it was. Most had already eaten and moved out for their assigned duties. Xander and Farrynelle? Gone before dawn. Adelasta? Still in Halo Islands, managing the eerie ruins and the Obsidian Spire. The Angel and Devil Twins, Denisia and Natalis? Only showed up twice or thrice a week for exploration reports.

Which meant only she and Eldrigan remained on the daily, consistent leadership grind.

She entered the spacious first-floor chamber, where rounded tables were spaced far apart, and a wide fireplace burned in the corner. And there he was, Eldrigan Hanabas.

The heir of Dynasty Hanabas, sitting with his usual quiet posture, long dark hair half-tied, reading something on a scroll-like screen etched with glowing runic text. Plates of food were still untouched beside him, well-kept and clearly protected from warmth loss with a small seal enchantment.

She smiled, biting back the warmth rising in her chest.

"You kept my food safe again," she said, plopping down beside him.

Eldrigan looked up, his eyes calm as ever.

"Of course. You'd have made me regret it if I didn't."

"Too right."

Then she took her food and began eating like someone who didn't give a damn about decorum. He turned back to his scroll for a bit, then after a moment, spoke again without looking up.

"Patrol reports came in. The southern orchard's protected. Still no sightings of Krepsunas this week."

She nodded, mouth full.

"Mhm. I'll go check on the guard tower shifts after this. Also, one of the meditation chairs broke again. Third time this month."

"You should stop sitting on them backwards."

"Hey, that was once. Maybe twice."

Their banter was soft, natural and easy. And all the while, as she ate beside him, the soft golden light of the Erna Isles bathed the wooden floors and walls in a muted morning glow. She snuck a glance at him, at the way his fingers moved over the scroll, the calm intensity in his gaze, the way his presence felt solid and comforting even in silence.

She sighed again, this time softer, almost wistful.

Yep. She definitely had a crush for him. But she'd never say it out loud. Not yet.

Maybe once all 5,100 students didn't rely on her and Eldrigan every single day to keep this weird little corner of peace running smoothly, she would admit it. Or maybe once they were all free from this paradise-prison.

But for now... she was happy to sit beside him, eat the best bread in all of Erna Isles, and pretend, just for a little while, that this strange new life of theirs wasn't so bad.

Peroncerea was halfway through stealing a second slice of Eldrigan's fruits because hers was already gone and she swore his always tasted sweeter when he lowered the scroll he'd been skimming and spoke.

"Tomorrow, we're leaving the island."

Her chewing slowed and she glanced at him, one brow cocked.

"What do you mean 'leaving'?"

Eldrigan looked at her fully now.

"There's a celebration. It's been forty-two months since the students were sent to Erna Isles."

Peroncerea blinked. She hadn't even been counting.

"Forty-two already? Damn…"

"And since forty-two is the sacred number of the gods of Mopheria, each one representing a divine principle, Phaenora and Adelasta planned something… fitting. The celebration's tomorrow and it'll be held at Halo Islands."

Peroncerea froze mid-bite, the fruit slice in her hand slipping a little.

"Wait, wait. Halo Islands? You serious?"

Eldrigan gave a ghost of a smirk.

"Dead serious. The two of them are handling everything, according to Natalis and Denisia."

Peroncerea slowly set her half-eaten fruit down and leaned back into the bench, the wood creaking under her slight motion. She stared out the wide hall window for a moment, gaze drifting toward the forested edge where the hills dropped toward the beaches. She exhaled.

"Wow. So… we're finally going. I mean we're the only two who haven't stepped foot on Halo Islands yet. And honestly? I think we could use it. Everyone needs a break. We've been running Imperfecta Magistra like we're headmasters."

Eldrigan shrugged with that same composed, near-placid ease he always carried, but there was a flicker of warmth in his eyes.

"It'll be good for us. You especially."

Peroncerea scoffed. "Why especially me?"

"You've been acting like you hate sunshine less and less lately. It's not a clear sign of progress."

She grinned and leaned closer to elbow him lightly, of course, but he caught her arm midway, palm brushing hers before letting go.

Then he stood up, dusting the crumbs off his tunic and turning toward the back of the hall. He paused just before the archway, glancing over his shoulder.

"Finish your food. Afterward, come with me. I found something last night. Thought you'd want to see it."

Her interest sparked instantly.

"Is it a relic? A creature? A dungeon? Don't tell me it's another one of those weird floating light tears again. Last time one exploded in my face."

"You'll see," he said simply, and then just like that, he disappeared past the doorframe, his calm steps echoing faintly against the polished wood.

Peroncerea stared after him for a few seconds, lips pursed in amused suspicion.

"…He's totally baiting me," she muttered, grabbing another fruit and tossing it into her mouth as she stood. "But whatever it is, I'm not missing it."

She glanced out the window once more, eyes trailing up to the distant sky where the curved silhouette of the Halo Islands barely shimmered through the morning haze like a celestial mirage.

Tomorrow, they'd be there. Finally.

But for now, she had a mystery to chase and a boy to follow. And honestly?

That was way more exciting.