Breakfast and the Breeze

Autumn was deepening, and the early morning at Ernst Institute was filled with a chilly mist. Lin Qin finished his morning training and walked into the cafeteria, his body radiating a faint warmth and a light sheen of sweat. He headed toward his usual corner seat as always, only to find someone already sitting there.

It was Aileen, the female student he had inadvertently shielded from "stray fire" during the Earth Wall Technique class. She sat alone, nibbling on a piece of bread while a magic notebook lay open before her, her eyes fixed on the pages in deep concentration.

Lin Qin paused for a moment, intending to find another seat, but Aileen happened to look up. Upon seeing him, she was slightly startled, then a faint, somewhat embarrassed smile appeared on her face as she gave a gentle nod.

Lin Qin returned the nod and took the empty seat beside her. The two did not speak, eating quietly in their own worlds. The noisy chatter of the cafeteria seemed to be shut out, leaving a strange, peaceful silence between them.

Lin Qin ate quickly, focused on replenishing his energy. Aileen, on the other hand, ate slowly and methodically, occasionally stealing a glance at the boy beside her who was rumored to be obsessed with training. He looked no different from any other student, save for the exceptionally calm look in his eyes and the crisp, powerful efficiency in his movements. Recalling the Small Earth Shield he had instantly conjured in class, Aileen still felt a mix of gratitude and curiosity.

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Just as Lin Qin was finishing his meal and preparing to stand up, Aileen seemed to muster her courage and spoke softly: "Um... Lin Qin, thank you for what happened in the practical magic class."

Her voice was very light, like a feather brushing past.

Lin Qin paused, looked at her, and replied calmly: "No need to thank me, it was just a small effort."

"It might have been a small effort for you," Aileen bit her lip slightly, her voice remaining soft, "but it was very important to me. I... I paid special attention to my control when practicing the Earth Wall Technique and Earth Spike Spear afterward, and it felt much better than before." She seemed to be looking for a topic to keep the conversation from ending there.

Lin Qin nodded, finding common ground: "Control is the foundation; you will improve with more practice." This was the creed he believed in most firmly.

"Mm," Aileen responded. She hesitated for a moment before asking, "I see you often come to train very early and return to the dormitory very late... don't you find it too exhausting?"

Many people had asked this question, and Lin Qin usually gave a simple response. But at this moment, in the quiet corner of the morning, facing the girl's gaze filled with genuine curiosity (and perhaps a hint of concern), he spoke a few more words than usual: "I'm used to it. Besides, being able to feel myself getting stronger bit by bit makes it not feel like a hardship."

His tone was very flat, yet carried an unquestionable certainty.

Aileen looked at the pure and firm light in his eyes and was momentarily dazed. She had seen many hardworking people, but someone like Lin Qin, who viewed the effort itself as a routine or even an enjoyment, was rare.

"That's amazing," she said sincerely.

At this point, Lin Qin had finished the last bite of his food, picked up his tray, and stood up: "I'm leaving now."

"Mm, goodbye," Aileen replied softly.

Lin Qin nodded and turned to leave. His pace remained steady and swift, without a hint of lingering. To him, this was just an ordinary, slightly unexpected breakfast interlude.

Aileen watched his back disappear through the cafeteria entrance before withdrawing her gaze. She continued to nibble on her now-lukewarm bread, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. This student named Lin Qin didn't seem as unapproachable as he appeared.

During the morning Wind Magic Basics class, the instructor explained the flow and light characteristics of wind elements. Lin Qin listened attentively; although his elemental affinity was primarily earth-based, understanding wind would help him grasp the trajectory of the black shadow he had seen at the training grounds, as well as provide a more comprehensive understanding of the elements of heaven and earth.

After the class ended, he followed the flow of students out of the teaching building. An autumn breeze blew by, swirling the golden fallen leaves on the ground into the air.

Lin Qin subconsciously reached out, and a sycamore leaf happened to land in his palm. He stopped in his tracks, not brushing it away immediately, but carefully feeling the light texture of the leaf and the invisible force of the wind supporting it and altering its trajectory.

This was completely different from the heaviness and stability of the earth. Wind was free, changing, and pervasive.

He closed his eyes, his mental energy spreading out slightly. Instead of "bearing weight" as he did when sensing the earth, he tried to "capture" the trajectory of the wind, feeling its subtle flow and changes as it brushed against his cheeks and wound around the buildings.

This realization was vague, far less clear than his connection to the earth, but it was indeed there. His "Heaven Rewards Diligence" talent seemed to be reacting to this new direction of "effort," making his perception of the wind a fraction sharper than that of an ordinary person.

"Lin Qin?" A familiar voice rang out beside him.

Lin Qin opened his eyes to see Aileen standing with a female friend, both looking at him with curiosity as he held the fallen leaf and stood in silent contemplation.

"Are you... sensing the wind?" Aileen asked, her eyes filled with inquiry.

"Mm," Lin Qin admitted frankly, gently releasing the leaf in his hand and watching it be carried away by the wind again. "The feeling of wind and earth is very different."

Aileen nodded, half-understanding. Her friend looked at Lin Qin with curiosity, clearly intrigued by the name she had occasionally heard from Aileen recently.

"We're going to the library, so we'll head off now," Aileen said to Lin Qin, her tone much more natural than it had been at breakfast.

"Goodbye," Lin Qin replied.

Watching the two girls walk away side by side, Lin Qin withdrew his gaze and continued toward the Warrior Division training grounds. His brief insight into the wind had given him new ideas about speed and control; perhaps he could try to incorporate some understanding of air resistance into his sword swings today.