36 - Making Friends!

Making Friends!

Seraphine sized up Jon with a keen gaze, taking note of his slightly awkward smile. 'Better not push him too hard,' she thought to herself. 'He has intriguing potential; it would be wise to keep an eye on him.' Feeling she had reached the limit of what she could glean from him at that moment, she nodded and dismissed him.

Jon left the room, his footsteps echoing through the ornate hallways of the academy. He was lost in a sea of thoughts, particularly about his recent interaction with Seraphine. 'Maybe I'm not the first talented student with secrets she's come across,' he mused. So engrossed in his thoughts, he barely noticed when he arrived at the cafeteria.

After grabbing a tray of food, Jon chose a secluded table and sat down. He had barely started eating when Nortis, Elija, and Elara appeared. The trio wore expressions of relief and anticipation, as if they had been eagerly awaiting this moment.

Nortis was the first to break the silence. "Man, you had us worried. How did it go with Seraphine?"

"Well, she mainly questioned me about my supposed exceptional skills during the exam," Jon replied, choosing his words carefully. He still didn't fully trust his new classmates and opted to maintain a certain air of mystery, tinged with the typical arrogance of a 15-year-old.

Nortis, clearly intrigued, asked, "And what about after we died in the test? How did you manage to defeat that Lich?"

Jon smiled, a smile that concealed more than it revealed. "It seems the Lich had worn himself out taking us down. By the time I got close, he was already vulnerable. We exchanged a few blows, and in the end, I came out on top."

Elija and Elara exchanged skeptical glances, but Nortis intervened before anyone could probe further. "Well, what matters is we passed the test. And we probably earned some bonus points for it."

Elara, always the most intuitive of the group, sensed it was time to change the subject. "I really enjoyed being part of this makeshift team. Since we don't have classes this afternoon, how about we have a little celebration? It would be a good chance for us to get to know each other better."

Jon's mind wandered to parties. In his previous life on Earth, he had only attended one celebration when his guild reached the top in the VR MMORPG NEXUS. It was a distant memory, almost dreamlike. After his reincarnation in Aeloria, parties became family affairs, occasions to celebrate with his parents. However, a party with friends was still uncharted territory for him.

"That sounds great," he finally responded.

Nortis grinned, a smile radiating a kind of fraternal warmth. "Then it's settled. Let's do it."

Jon noticed Elara's expression light up when he agreed to the party idea. She seemed to have a spark of something more in her eyes, something that Jon, in his emotional naivety, couldn't fully decipher.

"So, where will we do this?" asked Elija, ever the pragmatist of the group.

"How about my room? I'm in Wing B, so we have plenty of space," Elara suggested.

Hearing this, Jon pondered. 'Maybe I should request my reevaluation soon. A little more luxury wouldn't hurt,' he thought, mentally comparing Wing B to his own room in Wing F.

Before they could discuss further details, a notification sound rang out, interrupting the conversation. Everyone grabbed their devices to check the message on the System.

**[Test Results]**

- **Grade S:** 10,000 Points

- **Hidden Mission:** 5,000 Points

- **Survival:** 5,000 Points

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Then, Nortis, Elija, and Elara burst into cheers. "We got an A! Ten thousand points!"

Jon smiled, equally surprised and pleased with his 20,000 points and Grade S. 'This must certainly be due to what I told Seraphine,' he thought.

Seizing the moment, Nortis said, "I'll head to Frostpeak to grab some drinks from my aunt's inn. How about you guys pick up some snacks from the academy's snack bar?"

"Great idea," Elara agreed. "Let's meet at 7:00 PM in my room, then."

Jon nodded, feeling a wave of anticipation. 'Tonight is going to be fun,' he thought, 'maybe I'm starting to understand what it means to have friends here in Aeloria.'

Elara left the cafeteria, a bright smile on her face. 'Tonight is going to be so much fun,' she thought, as she walked through the academy's hallways toward Serena and Gwen's rooms.

First, she went to Serena's room. "Hey, Serena, we're planning a little party to celebrate acing the test. Would you like to come?" Serena accepted the invitation with a shy smile, thanking Elara for including her.

Satisfied, Elara proceeded to Wing S, where Gwen had her room. She knocked on the door and waited. Gwen opened the door, looking somewhat surprised. "Elara, what brings you here?"

Elara entered and sat down, her enthusiasm barely contained. "Gwen, you saw Jon during the test, right? He was simply amazing! The way he wielded the sword and led the group... I've never seen anything like it."

Listening to Elara's enthusiasm, Gwen felt a mix of emotions. 'She has no idea,' Gwen thought, 'I know more than anyone how incredible Jon truly is.' Her face displayed a complex expression, a blend of pride and a twinge of melancholy.

Noticing the subtle melancholy in Gwen, Elara changed the subject. "We're having a party to celebrate, and we'd like you to come. Everyone has already agreed."

Gwen hesitated for a moment but then accepted. "I'd love to. Thank you for inviting me."

"Awesome! It's at 7:00 PM in my room in Wing B. Can't wait!"

Gwen smiled, "See you there, then."

Elara was about to cross the threshold when she stopped and looked at Gwen. "Is Jon really just an acquaintance from your old village?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and perhaps a touch of caution.

Gwen hesitated for a moment, her eyes meeting Elara's. With a somewhat forced smile, she confirmed. "Yes, he is."

Elara seemed to weigh Gwen's words for a moment before continuing. "So... how do I put this... If something happens between the two of us, will we still be friends?"

Gwen let out a sigh and a soft laugh. "Why would that change anything in our friendship, silly?"

Elara smiled, relieved. "You're right. That was a stupid question." She waved briefly and left the room, leaving Gwen alone.

As soon as the door closed behind Elara, Gwen's forced smile vanished. 'What am I doing?' she thought, a swirl of complex emotions flooding her being.