My Family in the Novel?

Chapter 39: Joint Combat Exams 6

Birds chirped as the morning sun began to rise, casting a warm glow into the room.

"Good morning" Adrian greeted Elena softly, his warm breath brushing against her cheek.

"Good mor—"

Elena, still half-asleep, mumbled a reply, her words trailing off as she opened her eyes and found herself staring into Adrian's face just a few inches away from her. Her body was nestled in his tight embrace.

Elena immediately sat up, surprise lingering on her face.

"I-Ian?" she exclaimed; confusion etched across her face.

"Why are you here?"

Adrian couldn't help but chuckle at her bewildered expression.

"What do you mean, why? This is my room, you know."

Elena's eyes darted around the room, her initial shock deepening as she realized that she was indeed in Adrian's room.

"Why am I here?" she wondered aloud, her voice laced with uncertainty.

Adrian smiled, finding the situation rather amusing.

"I should be the one asking you that. You don't know how surprised I was to find a sleeping angel on my bed when I returned last night."

"Last night, I was just—"

Elena's voice trailed off as she suddenly winced, her hand reaching up to grasp her head. A sharp headache descended upon her, causing her to clutch her temples.

Adrian, sitting nearby, immediately sprang into action, concern etched across his face.

"Are you okay?" he inquired, his voice laced with worry.

Elena, still massaging her forehead, reassured him.

"Y-yes, I'm fine, just a headache" She tried to sit up, but before she could make any move, Adrian gently but firmly placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back down onto the bed.

"Sleep some more," he insisted, his concern for her evident. "You're clearly not well."

Protesting against his gentle insistence, Elena tried to argue.

"I'm fine" but her words were interrupted by a sudden and unexpected kiss. Adrian's lips met hers, and their breaths intertwined as their tongues engaged in a passionate dance.

After their intense and lingering kiss, Adrian gazed into Elena's drowsy eyes, his voice a soft and soothing murmur.

"Sleep," he whispered before tenderly planting a kiss on her forehead. An inexplicable sense of comfort and serenity washed over Elena.

It was as if a soothing lullaby had suddenly enveloped her, making her eyelids grow heavy. Her eyes closed, and she drifted back into the peaceful embrace of slumber once again.

….

My gaze remained fixed on the sleeping Elena, a worried furrow on my brow as I couldn't help but express my concern.

"Is she alright?" I inquired, my voice tinged with unease, a testament to the genuine worry I felt for her well-being.

My sister, who was currently concealed within the depths of my own shadow and communicating with me directly through my thoughts, offered a reassuring response.

"Yes, her body is simply going through the process of adapting to my influence and divinity. Given the extent of her exposure to me last night, it's only natural that her reaction would be as it is."

As I continued to watch Elena's serene slumber, I couldn't help but acknowledge a pressing issue. It was becoming clear that time was of the essence.

Elena needed to return to her room before her servants arrived to awaken her.

I couldn't possibly carry her there myself; such a sight would undoubtedly arouse suspicion, and carrying the saintess while my night cloak remained ineffective in daylight would be ill-advised.

With a sly smile, I turned my attention to the shadow cast below me. After a brief moment, my sister's voice finally resounded in my mind.

"Fine, just tell me where her room is" she conceded with a sigh, understanding my intention perfectly. With just a snap of her fingers, she could effortlessly create a portal to transport Elena.

"Thank you, sis" I expressed my gratitude, appreciative of her understanding and willingness to assist in this delicate matter.

…..

Aria made her way to her classroom, clutching a stack of documents her professor had entrusted to her.

While she might not be as magically gifted as her older sister, Lilliana, she possessed a unique and invaluable talent in the world of magic. It was a trait known as magical sensitivity, which allowed her to detect magical fields and mana more directly.

This talent was a fundamental requirement for every mage, and the level of one's magical sensitivity often determined their potential as a magician. Aria had high magical sensitivity, which was a source of pride and frustration.

If only her mana levels could match her sensitivity, ranking among the top 10 magic department students wouldn't be such a distant dream.

As she walked through the halls of Estelle Hall, she overheard hushed conversations about an incident from the previous night.

A rogue monster had appeared in the northwestern forest, causing a significant stir among the students. The news spread like wildfire, and questions were abundant.

"Hey, did you hear about what happened last night?"

"No, why? What's going on?"

"It seems a rogue monster showed up in the northwestern forest."

"What? Isn't that a big problem?"

"Apparently the monster has already been eliminated, but the sad thing is that the one who took it down also died in the process."

"What? Who was it?"

"Apparently, it's a famous senior named William Spearshake."

As Aria continued her journey down the echoing hallways, the persistent rumors about the forest training ground of the academy troubled her.

Although the official story labeled it as a rogue monster attack, something about it didn't sit right with her. She knew, deep down, that there was more to the story, and her instincts told her as much.

Aria clutched her trembling hands, her grip on the professor's documents tightening. She had only sensed it briefly, but the quality of mana she felt last night had jolted her awake.

It had sent shivers down her spine, and her body had responded with heavy breathing.

If not for Analise's presence in her room to calm her down, Aria couldn't begin to imagine the intense reaction she might have experienced.

Something significant and unexplained had happened, and it left her with a lingering sense of unease and foreboding.

Inhaling deeply, Aria exhaled in an effort to calm her frayed nerves. Finally, she reached her destination, the classroom where she was to deliver the documents.

Inside, she spotted the girl her professor had instructed her to approach.

Bella Raiseinler. Bella was the top-ranked first-year student in the magic department, a fact that still left Aria in awe.

Her sheer brilliance and mastery of magic were unparalleled, and her family name, while not particularly renowned, was overshadowed by her immense talent and knowledge of magic.

When it came to magic, Bella's skills could only be described with a single word: 'Perfection.' There were no flaws, no hint of hesitation, or even the slightest delay when Bella cast her magic.

From low-tier spells to the most advanced and complex magical arts, everything she did was executed with a level of precision that left no room for improvement.

Each incantation flowed seamlessly, every movement was graceful, and every manifestation of magic was a testament to her utter mastery of the craft.

It was as if she had taken the very essence of magic and made it her own, transforming it into a work of art that could be nothing but flawless.

In the eyes of the professors, Bella's presence at the academy was somewhat baffling. Her abilities far exceeded those of a typical student, leaving them to question why she even attended in the first place.

Aria couldn't help but wonder what a formidable magician like Bella was doing as a student.

If it were up to the principal, she might go to great lengths to persuade her to become a professor at the academy, an offer that would be difficult to decline given her exceptional talents.

Aria took a deep breath, her heart racing as she approached Bella. She wanted to appear as composed as possible, doing her best to keep her inner fangirl in check.

Although they were classmates, this was the very first time Aria had approached Bella. In fact, she couldn't recall anyone in their class having a conversation with Bella.

During classes, Bella usually kept to herself, often drifting off into sleep or quietly teleporting away after the lesson was over.

She had become somewhat of a loner in the eyes of her peers, though it appeared to be a role she embraced rather than resented.

"Excuse me, Miss Bella," Aria began, her voice steady as she tried to appear composed.

"Professor Dust asked me to give these documents to you."

Bella, her eyes heavy and drowsy, looked at Aria and then at the documents she was carrying. Her response, however, was a simple and unexpected

"No."

Aria was taken aback by the abrupt refusal and asked in confusion, "Uhm, what do you mean?"

Bella elaborated with a direct statement

"Take it back. Tell him I'm not signing it" With that, she covered herself with her hood and proceeded to drift off to sleep.

Aria stood there, unsure of how to react. She stared at the peacefully sleeping Bella, her mind racing. "But class is about to start, though?" she thought inwardly.

Glancing down at the documents she was tasked to deliver, Aria inadvertently caught sight of their contents.

They were documents confirming one's participation in the upcoming Joint Combat Exams. A sense of disappointment washed over her.

It seemed like such a waste that the top student of their department had no interest in representing the magic department during these important exams, particularly as the core of the first-year students.

Uncertain of how to proceed, Aria decided to retreat to her own seat, recognizing the futility of trying to persuade Bella or engage her in casual conversation.

It was evident that Bella's usual tendency to doze off mid-conversation would be a major obstacle in establishing any kind of rapport.

As she made her way back to her seat.

"…Hey"

Aria was surprised when she heard Bella's voice calling out to her. She turned around to face Bella, her curiosity piqued.

"Adrian Vulter Tellus, what is he?" Bella inquired, her voice laced with an unexpected intensity, even though her eyes remained half-lidded, clouded by sleepiness.

"Excuse me?" Aria responded, caught off guard by the peculiar question.

Aria was taken aback by the question, not expecting Bella to express any interest in her brother. While it wasn't a secret that Adrian and Aria were siblings, it was still rather unexpected that Bella would bring him up.

Bella, with a sigh, seemed to dismiss the question as she said.

"Never mind, forget about it" She then went back to her nap, leaving Aria somewhat bewildered by the odd exchange.