The evening air was cool and crisp as Fie and Laura stood together just outside the Class VII dorm. The faint light from the nearby lamppost cast a gentle glow over them as they leaned closer to one another. Fie's cheeks were tinged with a soft pink, but her smirk was confident as usual.

"You know," Fie murmured, her voice teasing but warm, "you're pretty hard to resist sometimes."

Laura chuckled, her tone light but sincere. "And you're entirely too charming for your own good."

"Oh yeah? Alright, I'm not holding back anymore." Fie whispered.

Laura's hand slowly began trailing down Fie's back, her expression faintly pink. She swallowed, as if resolved to follow through. Her hand inched closer to Fie's bottom.

Fie's lips were inches away from Laura, her tongue ready. Just as they were about to kiss—

"Oh my!" a voice exclaimed nearby.

Both of them froze, turning in unison toward the source. There, just a short distance away, stood Princess Alfin. She had one hand delicately covering her mouth, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I'm so sorry to intrude," Alfin said with an exaggerated air of apology. "Please, pay me no mind and continue."

Fie groaned, pulling back slightly as her face turned red. "Ah, geez..." she muttered, rubbing the back of her neck.

Laura, ever composed, gracefully greeted the princess with a slight bow. "Your Highness, it's always a pleasure to see you. Welcome."

Fie blinked at Laura and quickly straightened up, following her lead. "Hi, Alfin. What brings you here?"

Alfin clasped her hands in front of her and offered a radiant smile. "Good evening to you both. I happened to be visiting Trista today and thought I'd stop by to see all of you. And," she added with a playful tilt of her head, "I also wanted to discuss an idea for a little celebration we could hold for Class VII in a few months when you all graduate."

Laura raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A celebration?"

Fie crossed her arms, leaning back slightly. "That sounds like something Rean would organize, but I guess it's no surprise you'd want to make it more, I don't know, fancy."

Alfin laughed lightly. "Not necessarily fancy, Fie, but meaningful. I was thinking of a gathering where you could all reflect on your time together and celebrate your accomplishments. Perhaps a small ball. Of course, I would love to hear your thoughts on it."

Laura smiled warmly. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Your Highness. Class VII has been through so much together—it would be fitting to honor those experiences before we all go our separate ways."

"That actually sounds really nice. Thanks for going to the trouble for us," Fie said.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all!" Alfin beamed. "Well, I won't keep you two any longer—I know when I've interrupted a moment."

Fie let out a small groan again, but her lips twitched into a smile. "Alright, alright. Thanks for stopping by, Alfin."

"Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help with the planning," Laura said.

"Of course! Goodnight, you two," Alfin said with a playful wave before walking off, her laughter faint but audible.

As soon as she was out of sight, Fie cupped Laura's cheeks and gave her a deep kiss, mingling her tongue around. Startled, Laura hand gave Fie's bottom a pat, then quickly retreated. Fie pulled back and chuckled while Laura shyly kept her gaze downward.

A few days later, the Class VII dorm was filled with its usual warmth and camaraderie when Rean brought Altina Orion inside. The young girl stood in the entryway, her posture stiff and eyes slightly downcast as if uncertain how to proceed. Her black uniform gave her a stoic air, but her tightly clasped hands betrayed a hint of nervousness.

"Everyone, you all remember Altina," Rean said, his voice kind. "She's been assisting me with my duties as the Ashen Chevalier. I thought it might be nice for her to visit."

"Good day," Altina said with a slight nod.

Laura stepped forward with her usual grace, offering a reassuring smile. "You don't need to be so formal, Altina. Please, relax. We're glad to have you here."

Altina hesitated, her violet eyes darting around the room. "Thank you. I will attempt to do so."

Fie, lounging on the couch, tilted her head and watched Altina with a curious expression. Before she could say anything, however, the door burst open, and Millium Orion bounded in with her trademark exuberance.

"There you are, little sis!" Millium exclaimed, making a beeline for Altina. She flung her arms around the younger girl in a dramatic hug. "I've been waiting for you! You're so cute, I just wanna squish you!"

Altina stiffened in Millium's embrace, her brows furrowing. "M-Millium, please refrain from such behavior. It is unnecessary."

"Nah, you love it!" Millium said, grinning ear to ear as she ruffled Altina's hair. "Look at you, top ranked cutie pie!"

Altina sighed, her expression caught between exasperation and helplessness. "I also do not understand why you insist on calling me 'little sis.' We are not related."

"Doesn't matter!" Millium chirped. "You're part of the same project as me, so you're basically my sibling. And it's my job to dote on you!"

Altina looked to Rean for help, but he merely chuckled.

Meanwhile, Fie leaned closer to Laura, her voice low. "Look at her. So small and cute. She acts all mellow, but she gets bashful easier than you'd think. I just wanna give her a hug, you know?"

"Yes, I often feel that way about you," Laura said with a smile.

"Ugh, whatever," Fie said with a playful groan.

As Altina managed to gently peel Millium off her shoulders, the room filled with laughter and conversation. Bit by bit, Altina's stiff posture began to relax.