CHAPTER 140: TOO EAGER

Meanwhile, in another corner of the campus—far from the boisterous chatter of the boys’ dormitory—the girls’ dormitory stood in quiet elegance, bathed in the silver glow of the moon. The building’s corridors were hushed, the soft creak of floorboards and the distant whisper of the wind through the open windows the only sounds that broke the stillness.

On one of the upper floors, Khione’s room awaited—a perfect reflection of her cold, detached demeanor. The walls were painted a pristine, unbroken white, their smooth surface catching the moonlight in pale silver shades. The furnishings were minimal: a neatly made bed, a small writing desk, a bookshelf holding only a few neatly aligned volumes. The single touch of warmth in the otherwise frosty atmosphere was the large, soft teddy bear resting atop her bed, its presence at once out of place and yet strangely fitting.

Khione herself sat gracefully on the edge of the bed, dressed in a silken pajama set of pale ice-blue, the fabric flowing over her frame like liquid frost. The soft lamplight played along her flawless skin, casting faint shadows that made her already ethereal features appear all the more untouchable. Her long silver hair spilled loosely over her shoulders, its sheen reminiscent of freshly fallen snow beneath the moonlight.

In her hands was the gift Adam had sent earlier, wrapped in neat folds of paper. With slow, deliberate movements, she unwrapped it, revealing the wand within. Her cold, ice-blue eyes narrowed slightly as she examined it, their gaze sharp and discerning. The craftsmanship was impeccable—every line of the silvered wood smooth and exact, faint runic etchings catching the light in delicate patterns.

"Great," she murmured, her tone as flat and controlled as ever. "I will thank him later."

Though her expression remained stoic, the faintest upward curve touched the corner of her lips—a fleeting, almost imperceptible smile. Beneath the layers of composure, satisfaction stirred, and perhaps even a hint of warmth.

She lifted the wand, closing her eyes for a moment before drawing prana from her core. The energy flowed smoothly through her body, gathering at her fingertips before sinking into the wand. At once, it responded—cold rippling outward in a wave so subtle yet so potent that the air itself seemed to sharpen. Frost formed along the edge of her desk, a thin sheet of ice spread across the windowpane, and even the plush teddy bear’s fur took on a faint sheen of frozen mist.

Her Sub Law of Water—Ice—was effortlessly channeled, the power honed and pure. It felt as though the wand had been made for her alone.

Then, with practiced precision, she pulled the power back into herself. The frost receded, the air returned to its normal warmth, and the room shed its momentary chill as though nothing had happened.

The teddy bear sat there in silence, now just a soft, harmless thing once more.

Khione set the wand carefully on her desk, the faint smile gone but the contentment lingering in her eyes, unseen to anyone but herself.

Meanwhile, in the room right next door, the princess Elreth had just finished unwrapping Adam’s gift.

Her crimson eyes lit up the moment the wrapping fell away, revealing the gleaming spear within. The weapon’s polished shaft caught the lamplight, its intricate engravings glinting faintly like veins of molten gold running through steel.

"Hoh! Such a fine spear," she exclaimed, her voice carrying that mix of pride and satisfaction only royalty could manage. "As expected of a dwarf with royal bloodline. You have my thanks, Adam. I’ll properly invite you to drink later."

With a grin tugging at her lips, she spun the weapon once in her hands, the motion swift and confident, before planting her feet and channeling prana from deep within her core. The moment her energy surged into the spear, her Law responded—flames burst forth, wrapping around the weapon in a roaring cascade of crimson fire. The heat swelled instantly, so intense that the air shimmered, and the faint crackle of burning wood could be heard as the edges of her desk began to char. The glow bathed the room in shades of red and gold, the spear blazing like a fragment of the sun itself.

"Oopsie! I almost burned the whole room," she chuckled, her tone light despite the near disaster. With a casual flick of her wrist, she reined her power back in, the flames dying down until the room returned to its ordinary warmth—though the faint scent of smoke still lingered.

Unlike Khione’s stark white chamber, Elreth’s quarters were not overly cluttered but carried an undeniable royal charm. Every surface seemed to hum with her presence. The walls were painted in a deep, rich scarlet; the large, plush bed was draped in red silk sheets that shimmered faintly; even the curtains swayed like rippling banners of flame in the breeze. Her hair—fiery and untamed—blended perfectly into the color scheme, making it seem as if she were part of the room itself. Scattered about were dolls of various kinds, though most were shaped like weapons—miniature spears, swords, and bows—each finely crafted and arranged with care.

She glanced at the spear again, the fire in her eyes almost matching the flames that had wrapped it moments earlier.

"Ah, I want to test this weapon. I can’t wait for tomorrow."

Without hesitation, she set the spear aside for a moment and began changing into her training gear, moving with the eager energy of someone who had already decided that "tomorrow" meant "right now."

Ironically, in the room beside hers, her eternal rival Khione was mirroring the same thought—slipping into her own attire, ready to take her newly acquired wand out for a test under the night sky.

The two stepped out of their rooms at the exact same moment, the doors clicking shut almost in unison. Their eyes locked instantly—a silent collision of wills. Khione’s expression remained as icy and unreadable as ever, but the faint glint in her frosted blue eyes betrayed the truth: the hunger to clash with her rival burned there, sharp and unyielding.