Chrono Requiem— A Death Song for Time

8. Room D2

“Do you want to go together?” Rivan asked his roommate, Noah.

Noah only glanced at him briefly before looking away. The earring in his left ear swayed with the turn of his head.

Without responding, Noah walked off.

"...Maybe not," Rivan murmured quietly.

A faint, heavy sigh escaped him as he closed the door and made his way to class.

For the past three days, since he first met Noah, Rivan had tried every possible way to get closer to him.

Throughout these three days, Noah had never been seen during the day. He only returned at night. Not that Rivan cared.

He simply didn’t want to spend four years of school in an awkward atmosphere.

Room D2.

Rivan paused for a moment, staring at the sign. This would be his classroom for the next four years. Unlike ordinary schools, Aegis Academy divided its classes into several categories:

Room A was for geniuses.

Room B was for Resions with notable potential.

Room C was for ordinary Resions.

Room D was for Resions with unique abilities—or rather, those whose powers were considered uncertain and unpromising.

Rivan had no idea why he was placed in Room D; his ability was Arcane, one of the rarest types.

Without wanting to sound arrogant, Rivan knew how strong his ability was. Even Sera, a former member of the Aegis Division, had acknowledged it.

Inside Room D2, at the front of the room, a girl with cotton candy–like hair stood before a small crowd of students. Her blue eyes sparkled as she spoke with overflowing enthusiasm.

"Of course! My arrow can pierce an Echo’s scales.”

Beside her, a girl wearing a large hat quietly read her book.

Rivan's gaze shifted to the back seat. A boy with fiery red hair instantly caught his attention. His green eyes gleamed with boredom. His presence radiated a silent message: Don’t come near me.

Rivan, being a good person, naturally wouldn’t ignore his lonely roommate.

He smiled brightly, walked over to Noah, and sat beside him.

"We meet again, friend," he said enthusiastically.

Noah didn’t answer, still staring out the window with a bored expression.

Rivan wondered if Noah had ever had a friend. He couldn't even respond to a simple greeting. How pitiful.

“If I had known we were in the same room, we could have gone together earlier.”

A lack of response never discouraged him.

"That earring suits you, by the way. Where did you buy it?”

Still no answer. Yet, Rivan noticed a faint smile tugging at Noah’s lips.

Oh? He really liked his earring. One of Rivan’s eyebrows rose in pleasure at finally getting a reaction from this arrogant young master.

"Shut up, stalker. You’re annoying,” Noah muttered.

Rivan blinked several times, his brows furrowing. His voice rose slightly as he complained, "How many times do I have to tell you? I was there first! It’s not fair if you keep calling me that.”

“I don’t care,” Noah replied. He rolled his eyes at Rivan’s accusatory stare. “Acting like a puppy won’t change anything, stalker.”

“Hah!” Rivan’s eyes widened in disbelief. "First you call me a stalker, and now a puppy? That’s rude!”

Annoying. For the past three days, he hasn't stopped talking and has been cooking mushrooms in the dorm. Noah turned away, unwilling to continue communicating with the person beside him.

Noah folded his arms on the desk and buried his head in them.

Rivan puckered his lips in irritation, frustrated at being ignored again.

Resting his cheeks in his hands, he watched the pink-haired girl, who was still excitedly showing off her bow.

She lifted her bow, and an arrow appeared instantly. With confidence, she pulled the bowstring, and the arrow sliced through the air, shooting straight toward Rivan.

Rivan’s pupils shrank. The arrow was fast. One more split second and it would have pierced his forehead.

“Stop!” Rivan shouted.

The arrow froze just a few centimeters from his brow, suspended in the air.

His breath hitched and cold sweat dampened his back and temples.

The pink-haired girl rushed over to him quickly, fear and worry clouding her pretty face.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay? I’m so sorry.” Her voice trembled and her blue eyes glistened with worry.

All eyes turned toward Rivan—some in disbelief, some frightened, and some amazed. Even Noah and the girl with the large hat were staring.

Most were captivated by the arrow hovering in midair.

“Can his ability make arrows do that?”

"I'm sure it's Arcane!"

"If that's true, why is an Arcane in this room?"

Whispers of curiosity filled the room, barely hidden at all.

"I'm really sorry. Please forgive me," the pink-haired girl repeated, her head bowed and her voice trembling on the verge of tears.

Rivan exhaled softly. "I'm fine. Look, your arrow didn’t even graze me.”

The girl lifted her head and glanced hesitantly at Rivan’s face. "I—"

Her words were cut off by a woman’s voice from the doorway.

“Sit in your seats! Class is about to begin.”

All the students hurried to sit down, including the girl. She retrieved her frozen arrow from the air and hurried to her seat next to the girl wearing the large hat.

“Today, we will study history,” the woman said. “Does anyone know about the First and Last Emperor? The First Emperor.”

The girl with the large hat raised her hand. The teacher looked at her and said, "Please answer, Miss Solan."

"In the First Age, when the world deteriorated, natural disasters occurred frequently, causing crop failures, famine, and poverty," the girl explained.

She adjusted her hat and continued, "A man appeared out of nowhere and saved the suffering people. The death rate declined ever since, and he was eventually crowned king.”

"But he ended up becoming a tyrant," another student added.

"Yes, but at the start of his reign, the emperor was known to be wise and kind," another student chimed in.

"That's just a rumor. Even now, no one knows if it’s true,” the pink-haired girl replied.

Another student joined in with enthusiasm. "The most thrilling part was when the emperor’s six trusted aides could no longer endure his cruelty. They decided to rebel and, after killing the tyrant emperor, founded the Aegis Division.”

"That means they betrayed their master," Rivan whispered softly.

Though quiet, Noah still heard him. He glanced at Rivan before looking away again.

The discussion continued. Everyone loved the story of the Aegis Division’s founding, including Rivan. Yet, the tale of the Tyrant Emperor always left Rivan uneasy.

Their second class was a capability test. Students spilled out of the classroom toward the field.

The vast field was covered in short grass. A gentle breeze blew through Rivan’s hair.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The cool, crisp air cleared his mind.

“Hi.”

Rivan reflexively turned toward the voice. A pink-haired girl stood beside him, smiling awkwardly.

He returned her smile. "Hi. Do you need something?"

She shook her head quickly and said, "No, I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I’m really sorry!”

“Don’t think too much about it. I should be thanking you, even though I was surprised. Because of that incident, I learned that I can stop arrows in midair.”

Hearing the genuine excitement in Rivan’s voice made the girl sigh in relief.

"Oh, right! I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Isla Lorne,” she said, extending her hand toward him.

“Rivan Aster. Just call me Rivan,” he replied, shaking her hand.

“By the way, Isla, your hair reminds me of cotton candy.”

He pointed at her hair and swallowed, imagining its sweet, sticky taste.

Instinctively, Isla touched her hair. Her blue eyes sparkled instantly. "I agree! Hey, I know a place that sells cotton candy. Want to go get some after class?”

"Of course! I never turn down food," Rivan replied.

They laughed together, two pairs of blue eyes meeting in mutual agreement.

Two heads—one pink, one black—nodded in shared understanding.

That simple conversation made them family.

Elsewhere, Talia glanced at them with mild disbelief. Her black eyes reflected the two of them. She asked the boy beside her, "Don't you want to join them, Young Master?"

Uninterested in her provocation, Noah turned away. "Go socialize yourself if you're jealous."

"That attitude is exactly why you don't have friends," Talia snapped.

Noah rolled his eyes. "As if you have any."

"I don't need such pretenses." Talia turned away and walked off.

Noah scoffed and walked in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, Rivan remained busy discussing the food stall Isla had mentioned.

"One of the seniors I know said that place is known as the Academy's illegal market," Isla said as they walked toward the test area.

“Illegal market?” Rivan asked, confused.

Isla nodded, her gaze turning serious. "You know how students aren't allowed to cook. The Academy provides a cafeteria. But because the food in the cafeteria is too bland, many students secretly sell their own homemade meals in the market.”

"Now, they're selling more than just food. They also sell various goods and services. Although the academy doesn't officially acknowledge it, the market has become an open secret here. That’s why people call it the 'illegal market.'”

Rivan gasped in amazement. “Wow! We’ve only been here for three days, and you already know that much?”

Isla puffed out her chest, proud of her information-gathering skills. "Of course. Never underestimate gossip.”

They laughed again beneath the blue sky and the passing breeze.

—ushering in the beginning of a legendary tale that would be etched into the world forever.