Order
The door creaked open softly.
I turned my head to see Luna stepping back in, carrying a tray.
Her eyes immediately landed on the food box sitting on the desk. She stopped mid-step. Her gaze flicked from the box to me, a silent question forming in her green eyes.
I shrugged weakly. “Felix brought it.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Felix? As in… Felix Vivus? Isn’t he one of Belle’s friends? Why would he do that?”
“Beats me. He just showed up, dropped it off, and left.”
Luna walked over slowly and set her tray on the bedside table. She picked up Felix’s box, examining the crisp wrapping and expensive ribbon.
“This is a Silverleaf Recovery Bento,” she said quietly. “They’re usually given to people wishing for a healthy recovery.”
I groaned. “Ugh. I didn’t know that.”
She hesitated. “So… should I take my food back? Or are you eating that?” She pointed at Felix’s bento.
I shook my head firmly. “You can have it.”
“Huh? You don’t want to eat?”
“Nope. Give me yours instead.”
Luna stared at me for a second, then let out a small laugh. “You’re really something, you know that?”
She swapped the containers without another word, handing me her homemade meal and taking Felix's expensive bento for herself.
I lifted the lid, inside it was warm porridge, thin slices of vegetables and herbs mixed through it.
“…This smells way better,” I muttered.
“Of course it does,” Luna said, sitting beside me. “It’s actually made with care, not money.”
I took a bite. It tasted way better than I expected warm, mild, and soothing.
“…Yeah,” I admitted. “This wins.”
Luna smiled, satisfied, like she’d just passed some unspoken test. She then tried the Felix’s bento.
"Wow," she said after a moment. "This really is expensive. I can taste like... five different medicinal herbs in here."
"Enjoy it then."
After we finished, she stood and gathered the empty containers. "I'll take these back to the Cafeteria’s kitchen. Be right back, okay?"
"Mm."
She paused at the door, glancing back at me with a soft smile. “I’m glad you’re okay, Aria.”
Then she left, closing the door gently behind her.
I leaned back against the pillow, letting out a long breath.
For a moment, everything felt… peaceful.
This is the life. Someone cooks for you, worries about you, and all you have to do is rest.
Then there was a knock at the door.
I frowned. "Luna? Did you forget something?”
The door opened, but it wasn't Luna.
It was one of the academy nurse.
"Miss Fenrir," she said politely. "You have a phone call.”
“Phone call?”
The nurse handed me the receiver, a sleek black comm device.
I stared at it for a long moment.
Then, slowly, I lifted it to my ear.
"Hello?"
There was a silence for a few seconds, then a deep, cold voice answered.
“I heard what happened, Aria.”
My blood ran cold.
“Tomorrow morning, Butler Renwald will pick you up at the academy entrance gate. I’ve already
spoken with your professors about your leave of absence. They agreed.”
A commanding voice talking to Aria like that it couldn’t be none other than…
Aria’s father
“So take that up and come back at the guild.”
For a moment I forgot how to breath. I griped my hands tighter on the receiver, I don’t care if he was
the father of Aria but he surely isn’t mine.
Even though I knew that i don’t know why but my body quivered.
My hands were shaking.
But I forced myself to speak anyway.
“…You didn’t have to do that,” I said, keeping my voice steady by sheer will.
There was silence from the other side for a moment I thought that, the line had gone dead. Then his
voice came back, colder than before.
"What did you say?"
"I said you didn't have to do that," I repeated, forcing the words out. "I'm fine. The academy healers
already treated me. I'll be discharged tomorrow."
"Aria. You are coming back. That's not a request. It's an order."
I gritted my teeth. I don't really like people who fuck with my brain. And this guy was doing exactly
that.
So I took a deep breath and said it loud enough that he could hear it clearly.
"No."
"I'M NOT COMING."
Then I slammed the receiver down.
My hand was shaking as I let go of the phone. My heart pounded in my chest like it was trying to
break free.
Holy shit.
I just hung up on him.
Then I slammed the receiver down.
The nurse stood frozen, eyes wide, clearly baffled.
…is this a normal father-daughter interaction?
Probably not.
Not knowing what to do, she quietly picked up the receiver and left the room without a word.
Regret came a second late.
What if he comes to the academy tomorrow?
My stomach twisted.
There was a very real possibility.
I stared at the ceiling, mind racing. If he showed up personally. he would definitely take me back.
There was no opposing there.
I exhaled slowly.
The door creaked open again.
Luna stepped in, her eyes immediately locking onto my face.
"Aria?" She rushed over. "What happened? I heard you yelling?”
I gave her an awkward smile. "I... I just hung up on my father.”
“You did what!?”
I sighed. “He said I had to come home. That someone’s picking me up tomorrow morning.”
Her face drained of color.
“Aria… I don’t know what’s going to happen. There’s a real possibility he might come himself. Like he
did in middle school.”
“But, I’m going to protect you.”
She grabbed my hand. Her fingers were warm, but trembling, and there was a shadow of fear on her face.
Protect?
What had he done in middle school to scare Luna this much?
And honestly, a scared Luna wasn’t very reassuring. If anything, she was only making my anxiety worse.
