Chapter 28 – Let's Go Home
The sun had barely begun to rise when Lana quietly slipped out of Phyro's arms.
She blinked away her sleepiness, glancing at his peaceful face—his usually sharp crimson eyes soft and relaxed in slumber.
A small smile tugged at her lips.
As much as she wanted to stay longer, she needed to get back to her dorm and get ready for the day.
With a final glance, she tiptoed out of the room, her cheeks still slightly warm from last night.
Not long after, Phyro woke up to the sound of Klein getting dressed.
"…You're finally up," Klein said, pulling on his uniform.
Phyro stretched before getting out of bed, his mind still lingering on the warmth of last night.
Then, before Klein could react, Phyro suddenly hugged him.
"Thanks, bro," Phyro mumbled.
Klein blinked. "Huh?"
"For helping me out," Phyro said.
Klein smirked and ruffled his younger brother's hair. "No problem, lil' bro."
The moment was short, but it meant a lot.
After getting ready, they headed to class together.
When they arrived, they spotted Lana standing near the entrance.
Her gaze briefly met Phyro's, and for a split second, her face turned pink.
She quickly walked into the classroom.
Klein and Phyro followed, taking their seats.
Yenta, already at his desk, immediately narrowed his eyes at them.
"You guys are later than usual," he said suspiciously.
Klein smirked. "Oh, you know. Phyro and Lana stayed up late doing who knows what… alone in the room."
Lana froze.
Her entire face turned a deep shade of red.
"W-WHAT!?" she stammered. "THAT'S NOT—"
Yenta's eyes widened. "Oh?" His smirk grew. "So that's why you both looked so refreshed this morning."
Phyro just leaned back in his chair, a smug grin on his face.
Lana buried her burning face in her hands.
Klein is the worst. Yenta is even worse. And Phyro…
She peeked at him.
He was still smirking.
She hated how much she liked that look on him.
Before she could recover, their teacher walked in.
"Alright, listen up," he said, clapping his hands. "I have an announcement."
The class quieted down.
"As part of your practical combat training, we will be exploring a dungeon."
Instantly, the class broke into murmurs.
One of the weaker students hesitantly raised their hand.
"Isn't that… dangerous?"
"Yes," the teacher said bluntly. "That's why you don't have to attend if you don't want to. Participation is optional, and you'll need permission slips signed by your parents."
The class buzzed with excitement and nervousness.
Yenta grinned. "A dungeon, huh? Finally, something fun."
Jai Gashi, always competitive, smirked. "Let's see who shines the most in there."
Klein crossed his arms. "Well, this is gonna be interesting."
Phyro, on the other hand, was more excited about something else.
"If we need permission slips…" he muttered.
"…That means we get to go home for the day."
Klein's eyes widened as the realization hit him.
Their mother. Their family.
A real home-cooked meal.
The two brothers looked at each other, grinning.
They were going home.
"The school is providing carriages to take students home," the teacher continued. "Your permission slips must be signed by tomorrow if you want to participate."
Phyro and Klein shared a look.
Lana, still recovering from earlier, sighed. "I guess I should go home too."
Yenta stretched. "Same. Haven't seen my family in a while."
Jude yawned. "Well, I'm definitely not missing out on a dungeon dive. Count me in."
As the class ended, students chatted excitedly about the upcoming trip.
But for Phyro and Klein…
Tonight, they'd finally be back with their family.
End of Chapter