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Before he could say anything, the person stepping in stopped him in his tracks.

It was Maya.

Despite her quiet, introverted nature, she moved with purpose.

Slowly, cautiously, she approached the bed.

Her face was flushed, cheeks rosy in a way that made her look even more delicate than usual.

She didn\'t say a word at first. Instead, she knelt down by his bedside, her hands resting lightly on her lap as if she wasn\'t sure what to do with them.

Then she bowed her head.

"I\'m sorry," she whispered.

Noah blinked, surprised to see her like this.

Maya, the one who had always kept her distance, now right there, inches away from him. Blushing. Apologizing.

It was cute.

Too cute, even for someone like her.

Noah had seen her fight, had seen her fierce determination during battle. But now, looking at her like this—so small, so soft—he couldn\'t help but marvel.

Her cuteness was almost overwhelming, like a contradiction to the hardened warrior she had become on the battlefield.

"I\'m really sorry," she whispered again, her voice cracking just slightly. "I was supposed to protect you."

She raised her eyes, but they didn\'t meet his.

"I... I failed," she added, her voice almost trembling. "I ran a blade through your chest."

Her words came out in a rush, but her gaze was fixated on the bandages covering Noah\'s chest.

Noah opened his mouth to speak, but the look on her face stopped him.

She looked... lost.

Ashamed.

Her hands were fidgeting now, twisting the hem of her skirt as if she didn\'t know how to stop herself from apologizing.

"I-I\'m so sorry," she repeated. "I didn\'t want to—"

Noah reached out, his hand lightly brushing her shoulder.

"Maya," he said softly.

Her eyes widened, and she looked up at him.

"It\'s okay," Noah said, his voice calm. "You did what needed to be done."

"But—"

"No, really. You saved everyone."

Maya blinked, clearly taken aback.

Her lips trembled slightly, and her blush deepened.

Noah couldn\'t help but smile at the sight.

There was something so innocent about the way she looked at him, her usual quiet demeanor cracking under the weight of her emotions. And yet, even now, she was adorable, her cuteness almost taking his breath away.

She bit her lip, still uncertain.

"But... I hurt you," she whispered, her hands still fidgeting. "I... I was supposed to protect you, not... not do that."

Noah chuckled, the sound low and soft.

"You did exactly what I asked you to do, Maya. It\'s okay."

For a moment, she just stared at him, her eyes wide and her cheeks still burning red.

And then, slowly, she nodded.

Noah leaned back into the pillows, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over him.

Maya\'s cuteness, her vulnerability—it was something he hadn\'t expected to see, but now that he had, it was impossible to ignore.

She was more than just the quiet, introverted girl he had come to know.

***

As Noah walked down the long, quiet hallway, his thoughts drifted back to earlier that day when Maya had visited him in the infirmary.

She\'d been quiet at first, fidgeting slightly as she sat by his bedside, her hands resting gently in her lap.

He had asked her what had happened during the two months he was away, and with a sigh, she began to explain.

The incident with the noble and prestigious families had caused quite a stir.

Several students from powerful families had been brutally murdered, their bodies discovered headless, leaving their families in a state of fury.

The families had demanded action, driving out a suit to the academy and writing a formal law to the king, asking him to cease the academy\'s functions.

Yet, despite the grim deaths and the outcry, there was little they could do.

"As expected...the academy is too valuable, one of the best institutions in the entire continent, and a major source of income..."

Noah muttered.

Closing it down wasn\'t a realistic option, so the noble families were forced to leave with their children\'s bodies in tow, their rage simmering but ultimately powerless.

Noah remembered Maya mentioning that the dormitories had undergone a major change as a result.

Instead of being separated by gender, they were now divided by status.

One dormitory was for the commoners and families of lower power, while the other housed only noble and prestigious families.

Maya had said the dorms now had names to reflect their new hierarchy.

The commoners\' dormitory had been renamed Ironwood Hall, symbolizing strength and resilience.

The noble dormitory, on the other hand, had taken on the name Silvercrest Hall, exuding a sense of prestige and high standing.

"...Maya said she had to go check what dormitory I was assigned...

But then again she couldn\'t be too sure.

There were papers involved and other formal things.

And as someone who has been out for 2 months I\'ll need to visit the Administration Block."

As he continued walking, Noah recalled other changes Maya had spoken about.

The red beam that had shot into the sky during the Starlight Manor incident had left a lasting impact on the academy.

Many students had perished in the aftermath of the demonic summoning, and the academy had responded by tightening its security.

New magical wards had been placed around the entire campus, designed to detect any disturbances in dark magic.

These wards were powered by ancient relics the academy had unearthed from its archives, relics that had once been used to defend the continent from demonic invasions centuries ago.

Another significant change was the restructuring of curriculum and classes.

With the growing threat of dark forces, students were now required to undergo training in anti-demonic combat and defensive magic, even those who weren\'t naturally inclined towards fighting.

The academy had brought in renowned demon hunters and battle-mages to train the students, focusing on practical survival skills.

Classes had become far more intense, and Noah knew that the carefree atmosphere of the academy he remembered was long gone.

As Noah continued down the hall, the memories of Maya\'s quiet voice filled his thoughts.

She had told him all this with a calm and steady tone, but he could feel the weight behind her words.

The academy had changed. Everything had changed.

And though he hadn\'t seen it firsthand, he could sense that things would never be the same again.