"Eric." I settled into the chair across from his bunk, crossing my arms. "What brings someone of your... elevated status this... dump?"
He was still wearing that insufferable grin, the one that suggested he knew a whole lot that I didn't. Which, knowing Eric, he probably did.
"Pure coincidence," he said, as if that wasn't the most obvious lie he could have chosen.
One of your old acquaintances? The voice in my head sounded curious.
More like an old headache, I thought back.
"Right. Coincidence." I stood and walked to my belongings, pulling out clean clothes. "Because the son of Archduke Orton just randomly ends up in low-rank housing. TRULY A COINCIDENCE."
"You overestimate your importance," Eric chuckled. "Do you really think the emperor has time to worry about someone like you?"
"Probably not," I admitted, heading toward the bathroom. "But that still doesn't explain your presence here. Unless daddy's connections aren't what they used to be?"
"El," he suddenly said.
"Don't call me that."
I paused at the bathroom door.
"Fine." His tone shifted slightly. "Why are you here... Lorelle?"
The walked through the door, then turned on the shower, using the sound to buy myself a moment. "I don't use that name anymore."
"And why should I explain myself to you? Last I checked, this academy wasn't affiliated with Yuphenia. Your jurisdiction ends at the border."
He wouldn't believe the truth anyway. Neither would I, honestly.
Could you not provide commentary right now?
"So you've abandoned your name as well?" Eric's voice carried that edge of amusement that made me want to throw something at him. "Do you understand what that means?"
"It means I'm consistent," I called back over the running water. "No ties to the empire, no plans to forge any."
"I see..." That damn grin was audible in his voice. "Do you remember Eloisa?"
My hands stilled on the soap. Of all the names he could have chosen...
"She's engaged to Prince Allen now."
The water suddenly felt too hot. I closed my eyes, forcing my breathing to remain steady.
Anger? How... predictable.
Really? Now you choose to be unhelpful?
"Can't say I'm surprised," Eric continued, clearly enjoying himself. "Considering what you did to her. Though I suppose turning someone into a cold-hearted woman is quite an accomplishment."
I finished my shower in silence, taking extra time to compose myself. When I emerged, dressed in a simple black tracksuit, Eric was watching me with obvious interest.
"So," I said, meeting his gaze, "are you here to check on my blessing status, or to confirm whether I've thrown in with another empire? Because honestly, I'm not sure which would be more disappointing for you."
"How did you escape house arrest?" His amusement faded, replaced by genuine curiosity.
"Ask your father. I'm sure he has all the details filed away somewhere." I adjusted my sleeve, noting how Eric's eyes tracked the movement. "As for where I went... well, some stories are better left untold."
"What level are you now?" His gaze fixed on my meta-watch with unmistakable interest.
I ignored him, fastening the wristband with deliberate care.
"One?!" The disbelief in his voice was almost worth the embarrassment.
I said nothing. Sometimes silence was the most eloquent response.
"You haven't changed," Eric laughed, moving toward the door. "For a moment, I thought you might actually pose a threat."
"Sorry to disappoint." The words came out drier than I'd intended.
He paused at the door, hand on the knob. "Some advice? Avoid your old friends."
"Why?"
"Because they're not the same people you remember." His grin returned, but it seemed colder now. "People change, Lorelle. Sometimes beyond recognition."
And with that cheerful thought, he was gone.
I stared at the empty doorway, processing the conversation. Eric's visit wasn't coincidence—that much was certain. But it was his intensions that remained unclear.
It's your choice now.
"Yeah," I muttered to the empty room. "It always is."