By the time their conversation ended, the sky had long since shifted from deep blue to inky black. Truth City's brilliant lights wound beneath the clouds like streams, while the Milky Way stretched across the heavens overhead.
After politely declining Tertia's offer to stay the night in the Sky Realm, Ivette transformed into a gentle breeze, glided lightly over the sea of clouds, and returned to Scholar's Haven Apartments on Flowering Street.
Lucia was sitting cross-legged on her bed in meditation. Ivette's entrance through the window startled her so badly that she leaped off the bed and instinctively began to cast a defensive spell. Only when bright firelight illuminated the visitor's face did she let out a sound of realization and say in surprise, "T-Teacher?" After a pause, fear appeared on her face. "Isn't it not time for class yet?"
"I'm not here to teach you in your dreams. I'm back." Ivette was somewhat dissatisfied with her reaction, her slender brows knitting slightly.
"Ah!" Only then did Lucia reveal a delighted expression. She pounced forward and gave Ivette a huge hug. "Long time no see, Teacher!"
It had not really been that long. Did one year count as a long time? Well, perhaps it did count as a little long—Ivette thought. Then her entire face was buried in a warm softness. Smelling the faint fragrance, she belatedly realized that the young girl seemed to have grown quite a bit. From her height to other aspects, Lucia had already surpassed her across the board.
Of course, she did not think it was anything worth caring about. After all, she did not identify as a woman. It merely served as an anchor that let her sense traces of time passing.
After Lucia let go, Ivette listened as Lucia chattered about everything that