Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine

The academy was awash in festivity—today marked the farewell celebration. The third-year students would soon graduate, and as tradition dictated, the teachers had organized a send-off in their honor.

The campus, however, felt emptier than usual. Nearly one-third of the student body had already departed after receiving their mentor assignments. Some had even begun working in their respective fields.

The final exam wasn't mandatory for everyone—students could skip the written assessment if they had already achieved something noteworthy in their domain.

A few had left following the Spiritual User's attack, citing safety concerns. The tragedy of that day, especially the loss of several teachers, had shaken their trust in the academy's security.

Although no students were harmed, considering the strongest students of the academy didn't come out unscathed from that attack, they felt they would not get a chance to fight back if something like that attacks again.

Yet, despite everything, around two hundred students were attending today's farewell.

The venue was the indoor gymnasium, now transformed with decorations—balloons, ribbons, and soft lighting gave the place a celebratory warmth. Students from other years had been invited as well, though few were expected to attend, given that final exams were right around the corner.

Inside the gym, teachers mingled with students, enjoying a rare day free from lessons, lectures, and responsibilities—a fleeting moment of leisure in their otherwise demanding routines.

"It's quite surprising to find you here, Miss Melissa."

At the sound of the voice, the school nurse turned. It was the Headmaster.

"I... thought today was a rest day?" she said, a little uncertain.

Hector chuckled as he came to stand beside her. "It is a rest day. That's exactly why I'm surprised to see you here—I can't recall the last time you took one for yourself."

Melissa exhaled softly, a mixture of fatigue and relief in her breath. "Thankfully, the students this year are a bit more sensible. They don't push themselves too hard or get injured during every spar."

Hector gave a small nod, but her words stirred up memories of both the current and previous batches.

"I remember students like Aiden, Ark, Edric... and now Alex. They've certainly kept you on your toes."

Melissa's expression darkened slightly. "Not just kept me on my toes—they've been a complete nuisance. I warned them repeatedly not to overdo it, but every sparring match, every training session, someone ends up in the infirmary."

The frustration in her tone was unmistakable. It wasn't just about the extra work—it was the concern behind it. Especially when it came to Alex. She couldn't remember ever having the same student so many times in just a few weeks.

Hector smiled a hint of glee in his eyes. "Since they had you around, they never hesitated to take risks during training. They knew you'd always be there to patch them up."

Melissa's irritation melted into flustered embarrassment. She looked away, trying to hide the subtle flush on her cheeks. Praise, especially from someone like the Headmaster, always caught her off guard.

"Hmm?" Hector's eyes drifted toward the entrance. His brow furrowed slightly. "Looks like there's a crowd forming over there… mostly first-years."

Melissa followed his gaze. A group of younger students had gathered, murmuring excitedly and shifting restlessly, trying to get a better spot for themselves.

"They're swarming all of a sudden… what's going on?" she asked, puzzled.

Hector didn't respond to her and waved to the nearest teacher, "Mark, what is this all about?"

The newly recruited teacher for the first year, Mark, informed the duo, "Student Alex and Student Edric were spotted a few minutes ago. The news spread and everyone decided to show up."

Hector was taken aback...weren't they in the Blood Domain, training for the trials? Why did they return all of a sudden?

"I think they wanted to join the celebration," Melissa spoke with a shake of her head. Despite how much reputation they have gained, they still were school students who didn't want to miss these special moments of life.

Hector chuckled as he said, "Now this looks more like a celebration."

°°°°°°°°°

Inside the room, Celestria and Alex were supposed to be getting ready for the party.

They would've been done by now—if it weren't for the way stress clung to Celestria. It wasn't just in her voice or her movements, but in the way her dress fit a little too perfectly. And for Alex… that was all it took to lose control.

Which, of course, explained why they were late.

"That dress wasn't even that revealing," she muttered, pouting as she adjusted the fabric.

"I know…" Alex scratched the back of his neck, smiling a little guiltily. "Teenage hormones. Tough to fight. Especially with you… in my room… looking like that."

Celestria sighed and looked away. "I nearly passed out. You almost had to go alone."

Alex chuckled and stepped closer, gently wrapping an arm around her waist. "I know how to keep you awake," he whispered against her ear.

Her body tensed, a little shiver running down her spine, and her face turned warm. She didn't respond—but he could feel her pulse quicken.

Then came a knock.

Knock

"You guys not done yet?" Edric's voice came from the other side of the door.

Alex glanced toward the door and called back, "Just a moment!" Then he turned to Celestria, smoothing the creases of her dress while she fixed his hair in return.

They looked at each other for a moment—matching shades of blue bringing out something quiet between them.

Alex wore a sharp blue three-piece suit with a crisp white shirt underneath. His dark brown shoes were polished, his hair neatly combed, and a small black stud in his ear gave him a touch of charm that made him look older than he was.

Celestria wore a flowing one-piece dress that brushed against her ankles. A slit on the right side ran up to her thigh, revealing just enough without trying to. The dress hugged her softly, showing her beauty in a way that felt elegant—not loud.

She wore blue earrings that swayed gently with every movement and white, shining heels that gave her just enough height to match Alex. Her golden hair was tied up in a neat bun, held together with a delicate hairpin, though a few soft strands had slipped loose, falling across her forehead. They framed her face in a way that made her even more captivating.

She looked stunning. And standing beside her, Alex couldn't help but feel a quiet pride—like somehow, he'd done something right to deserve this moment.

Once they were ready, Alex walked over and opened the door.

Outside stood Edric and Amanda, both dressed to match—clearly having planned this together.

Edric wore a clean black shirt tucked into black pants, paired with an olive green coat that brought out the sharpness in his features. Beside him, Amanda wore a green spaghetti strap dress that hugged her figure and ended just at her knees. Her confidence gave the dress even more presence than it already had.

Together, they looked like a pair out of a magazine—a strong man and a graceful woman, complementing each other in a way that made heads turn.

"Wait, why did you change your dress? Weren't you going to wear that skirt?" Amanda asked, eyeing Celestria's outfit with surprise.

Alex quickly looked away, pretending he had nothing to do with it. Meanwhile, Celestria smiled and offered a casual excuse. "It was a little uncomfortable. I didn't feel like dealing with it tonight." Then she shifted the focus. "Anyway, you look gorgeous. Are those the new earrings you bought?"

Amanda brightened. "Yes! I actually got a couple more pairs too…"

As the two girls began exchanging compliments about their makeup and accessories, their voices soft and full of warmth, Edric leaned closer to Alex and said under his breath, "So… should we compliment each other too?"

Alex raised a brow. "…That sounds so sus, man."

Edric went quiet, then gave up. "...Yeah. Forget I said anything."

Thankfully, the small talk didn't last long, and before they knew it, the four of them were on their way to the celebration venue.

"Where's Professor Jullie?" Amanda asked while walking. They had seen her earlier in the day, but it didn't seem like she was coming along.

Alex answered, "She said she'd stay in Celestria's room for now. Maybe she'll join us later."

Edric let out a soft sigh. "I just hope she stops doubting herself so much. Honestly, she doesn't seem that different from us."

Celestria nodded, her voice calm but certain. "She'll get through it. She just needs time."

Jullie has went through quite many phases in these few days, so surely it would take her some time to become brave enough to face her old comrades again.

Soon they reached the venue where the celebration was taking place.

And the moment they stepped inside, the whole venue turned silent.

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- I hope you all liked the chapter. I think I should try generating Celestria's image using AI.

Thanks for reading.