Anomaly of Fate
Chapter 97: A Sudden Proposal

Chapter 97: A Sudden Proposal

Three days had passed. Three long, restless days.

Velren sat at his desk, staring blankly at the open Codex projection before him. The words blurred together, an incomprehensible mess of text that should have been easy to process. And yet, his mind felt slow, distant—just like his body.

Ever since that night in the training hall, sleep had eluded him. It wasn’t just the nightmares, though they came in fragments—pain, static-riddled messages, the weight of something pressing down on his very existence. No, it was something deeper, something more insidious. His body felt... cold. Not physically, but as if a part of him was untethered, wavering like a candle’s dying flame.

He exhaled quietly, rubbing his temples as the lecturer continued speaking. It wasn’t even that he didn’t want to listen—he just couldn’t focus. The faint hum of magic from the instructional glyphs, the scratching of pens on parchment, even the occasional cough from a fellow student—everything felt distant, like he was observing from just outside himself.

And then there was the wakizashi. He had left it in his dorm room since that night. Just the thought of strapping it to his waist made his stomach churn. Even looking at it felt like inviting something back into himself that he wasn’t ready to face.

A sharp breath. He straightened slightly, attempting to shake off the creeping sensation of weight pressing on his thoughts.

"You don’t look so good."

Velren blinked.

He turned his head slightly to the side at the sudden voice, finding Eterna beside him, book in hand. Her eyes, calm yet observant, didn’t waver from the pages, but he could tell she was studying him in that subtle way of hers.

She was always like this—keenly perceptive in a way that was almost unnerving. It was difficult to tell whether she actually sensed something off about him or if he just looked that terrible. Either way, it was enough to be noticed.

He let out a breath and shrugged, offering the most nonchalant response he could muster.

"Just one of those days."

Eterna didn’t respond immediately, merely turning a page. But the way her gaze flicked toward him briefly, as if weighing his words, told him she didn’t buy it.

And honestly, neither did he.

***

The cafeteria was lively as usual—students gathered in clusters, some chatting over their meals, others absorbed in their own world of books or notes. The clatter of trays, the murmur of conversations, and the occasional laughter formed a steady hum in the background. The scent of freshly baked bread and simmering stew hung in the air, mingling with the sharper tang of brewed tea and roasted coffee.

Velren, however, barely noticed any of it.

He sat at his usual spot, with a tray of untouched food before him, as his appetite was nonexistent. He idly tapped his fingers against the table, his mind distant. Cold. It wasn’t just fatigue anymore—something in him felt... off. As if he were a step removed from his own body, from everything around him. Ever since that day in the training hall, the sensation hadn’t faded. No matter how much he rested, it clung to him, a subtle yet persistent wrongness that refused to be shaken off.

"Hey, you okay?"

Velren blinked, snapping back to reality. Across from him sat Kael, eyeing him with mild concern.

"I’m... fine," Velren muttered, shifting slightly.

Kael didn’t look convinced.

"You don’t look fine. If you’re feeling off, you should head to the infirmary. If you’re sick or something, pushing through isn’t gonna help."

"I’m good," Velren replied, a little too quickly.

In truth, he doubted this was something a simple remedy could fix. Medicine wouldn’t help—not for whatever this was. Magic, maybe? Some kind of healing spell? He almost laughed at the thought. Somehow, he doubted even that would work. Maybe it wasn’t pain that lingered, but something worse—something deeper, something wrong.

And yet, no one else seemed to notice.

No one except—

"Excuse me..."

A voice interrupted his thoughts. Soft, yet composed. Both he and Kael turned, only to find Princess Solenne standing beside them with a tray in hand.

Velren blinked. What business did the princess have here? Surely, she needed Kael’s assistance. Given his position as an assistant, that made the most sense.

"I apologize, Sir Kael," she said, offering a polite nod before shifting her gaze to Velren. "I’d like a moment alone with him."

’...What?’

Kael, caught off guard, hesitated for only a second before quickly standing.

"Of course, Your Highness." His tone was formal—almost too formal. Wasn’t he older than her? Yet, the way he acted, you’d think the age gap didn’t matter in the slightest.

Before leaving, Kael shot Velren a wink.

’The hell does that even mean?’

Velren barely had time to glare before Kael disappeared, leaving him alone with the princess. Solenne then turned to him.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing toward the seat across from him.

Velren sighed, briefly flicking his gaze toward the cafeteria. Strangely enough, no one seemed to be paying them much attention. Maybe her presence was too much for them—too distant, too untouchable for anyone to pry.

Either way, it wasn’t like he could refuse.

He nodded.

The princess sat with a quiet grace, setting her tray down without so much as a clatter. Even in something as mundane as this, there was a poised elegance to her movements, as if every action was measured, intentional. She folded her hands neatly over the table.

Then, after a brief pause, she spoke.

"I never got the chance to properly thank you," her voice was even, yet sincere.

Velren blinked. His fingers, which had been idly toying with the edge of his plate, stilled.

Was she talking about when they were kids? Or during the Dominion Clash?

Wait, why does that even mattered?

He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly.

"I was just in the right place at the right time."

What he said wasn’t wrong. It had never been about heroism or duty—just circumstance. Whether it was years ago or during the exam, he had simply acted. Nothing more, nothing less.

But for some reason, the princess didn’t seem fully satisfied with that answer. She studied him for a moment, as if considering her next words carefully. Then, setting her hands neatly on the table, she spoke again:

"Velren... There’s a diplomatic summit in a few days. Representatives from other kingdoms will be attending... and I’d like you to come with me."

"A what now?"