Combat class with Professor Verona. Once again, it was his turn to fight. He was starting to think he was her favorite or something.

  The fight was decided quickly, and in his favor, no less. Even so, Vincent didn't feel satisfied because the fight had been with Erika. There was no way it could have ended so quickly, so easily.

  The professor's praise and the polite applause from the audience—with only Ayame and Tara clapping enthusiastically, of course—fell on deaf ears; they sounded hollow, distorted, because Vincent knew it hadn't been a real fight, that he didn't deserve it.

  He couldn't talk to Erika for the rest of the class. After all, they didn't sit very close, but as soon as the class ended, he cornered her in the hallway, grabbing her by the wrist.

  "Erika, wait," he said.

  Ayame and Tara weren't far behind him, of course.

  "You let me win, didn't you?" It wasn't a question.

  "Yes," Erika admitted, without a problem.

  "Why?"

  "Look, I'm not stupid. I'm perfectly aware that if I beat you publicly, the assholes who are keeping their distance now because they think you're a more or less untouchable opponent would bring out their claws. And I don't want to do that to you, or to Ayame, because I'm not an asshole. It's that simple," she shrugged.

  Vincent let go of her, dropping his hand.

  "Thanks."

  "You don't have to thank me. We're friends, aren't we?"

  She said it with a breathtakingly natural air. As if it were that simple. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. They had fought more than once, and she had helped him feel better. But he would never have believed the girl considered him her friend. That considered

  her friend. Maybe she was the type who made friends easily, but he felt flattered anyway.

  "Well, I'll see you around."

  "Maybe in the field study."

  "Yeah, maybe."

  He watched her as she walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Then, Ayame and Tara moved closer.

  "Did it bother you that much?" Ayame asked.

  "Yeah, I guess I'm competitive by nature. I want to crush her in combat class, but for real."

  Vincent turned around. Just in time to see Ayame nodding.

  "We'll train hard. It's not like she's that much stronger than you. I'm sure you'll be able to beat her in no time."

  He supposed Ayame meant it, not just to make him feel better. But, in reality, he didn't care. Had it actually made him feel better? It was an ego problem or a fear problem. Fear that his secret would be discovered, that the illusion would shatter. He couldn't even tell himself. Maybe it was both.

  They started on their way back to their room. They could and were free to do anything. Today, that is, Wednesday, combat class was the last of the day. But first things first. They had to go to their room to refuel, so to speak.

  "Do you think we'll go on the field study soon?" Tara asked, just to pass the time. "And how do you think we'll do?"

  "I hope it's soon," Ayame said. "I'm looking forward to... well, a change of scenery, I guess. And we'll do well."

  "Of course we will," Vincent said. "We'd better do well, I mean."

  All eyes were on the two of them, as usual. There were three of them, now and always. But well, Tara was Tara. She wasn't the eye of the storm. She had just gotten caught in the middle.

  "I'm sure we'll be fine," Tara said. "I mean, I'm not very objective, but I think we're the best team this year. And not because Ayame is a very strong vampire and you took down a dragon. I mean, the way we work as a team. Don't you get that feeling? Like we're the only real team. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little."

  "No," she said, shaking her head. "I feel it too."

  "Okay, good to know. What about you, Vincent?"

  Vincent thought about it. More to figure out how to say it than what to say. He was already clear on that.

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  "I guess you're right. At least we're more real than the others. That's good. It feels like they'd stab each other in the back at the first opportunity."

  "Relationships of convenience," Ayame said, "not alliances."

  "Yeah, exactly."

  "Whatever the reason, we're the best," Tara said.

  Vincent smiled. It wasn't that he disagreed. Still, he was worried about the field study: what it was exactly, because Verona hadn't given any details, whether they would be up to the task, if it wouldn't be too dangerous. Ayame had almost died and they hadn't even left the academy. They could be the best, but that didn't mean things couldn't go wrong. That they couldn't die like anyone else. Especially when the team depended so much on a blacksmith, not a knight.

  Vincent swallowed. The weight on his shoulders grew heavier every day. And the day they would be chosen for the field study, something they couldn't refuse, was close. Very close. Even if they weren't the first, even if they were spared the first round, they would be chosen soon enough. They could only train hard and grow a pair.

  It turned out he was right, of course. They were spared the first time. But it didn't last long. Two days later, just two days, it was their turn. About twenty students divided into several carriages. They weren't heading to Viewpoint, but to a city much farther away.

  Professor Verona rode with them in the carriage.

  "However, I prefer not to repeat the same thing three times and give some of you a head start over others. We'll talk about it when we stop."

  That was all Vincent got when he asked for answers. He knew he wouldn't get anywhere, so he didn't insist. He leaned back in his seat, trying to get comfortable and failing miserably. Field studies. They didn't even know what the mission or missions would be about. They were in the dark, for now, and personally, he didn't think Verona was going to clarify much. They would still be fumbling around, but at least in the right direction. That was the kind of impression he had, for some reason or another.

  A rather short, red-headed boy approached him, trying to look intimidating. Or at least that's what Vincent assumed, without much success. Not just because of his height, by the way, although it definitely didn't help, but also because he just looked too forced. He instantly thought the boy must be acting.

  They were waiting for the professor, standing by the carriages, and then...

  "You don't look like much," said the red-headed shrimp. "I'm going to take you down, all of you."

  "Say that again when you're standing on your tiptoes."

  Tara glanced at him, knowing him.

  "Come on, man, don't be an asshole."

  But honestly, Vincent hadn't planned to say that; it had just slipped out.

  The little guy huffed and turned his back.

  "I'm going to make you eat those words. Soon. And maybe my fist too."

  After that, he walked away, returning to his group.

  "He really is short," Ayame commented.

  "Yeah," said Tara, "but you don't say that to their face."

  "No, I guess not."

  "It slipped out," Vincent said. "Seriously, it was a slip of the tongue."

  He still hadn't learned the red-headed shrimp's name. But in any case, he now wondered if he would end up causing them trouble. Vincent realized he was even dumber than he thought. Of course he would cause them trouble, he had said it directly. And he wasn't going to back down with his tail between his legs, that was for sure. He had other problems, but the red-headed shrimp—once he learned his name—was one, a problem to keep in mind.

  Fortunately, at least, he knew he was traveling in another carriage. This didn't mean they were rid of him, of course. But it would be a pain to have to tiptoe around him with the professor watching. This was much better. Peace and quiet, for however long it lasted.

  To his surprise, they reached the city without any trouble. Davenport.

  He thought they would be attacked by bandits on the way or something like that. But no, nothing of the sort. Refreshing.

  Vincent and his team got out of the carriage. They were at the city gates. Of course, the professor and the remaining students also got out. The driver quickly left, heading back the way they had come.

  Professor Verona took a step forward.

  "The checkpoint is nearby," she said. "Follow me."

  Vincent and the others followed Verona through the streets of Davenport. He felt like a little kid who couldn't leave his mother's side without risking getting lost. To be honest, seeing a new city didn't excite him much. He would have liked to be back home, but well, this was inevitable. Part of his studies.

  "I'm a nervous wreck," Tara muttered. "If only we knew the details. Don't you know?" she asked Ayame. "Haven't you picked up any gossip from the second or third years?"

  "Sure, of course I have. I put my time to good use, but every year is different, like the initiation test."

  "I see," said the vampire. "Inconvenient."

  They reached the meeting point with the others. Idiots. They were among the first to arrive.

  While they waited, Vincent started looking around. He wouldn't remember anything in particular. Just looking, probably. More than looking, his eyes passed through his surroundings. This city was even bigger than Viewpoint, from what he could tell. He, who until recently had never seen so many people together as in the initiation test. It was like entering another world. But he couldn't pay attention to it or anything else.

  Another group arrived. Finally, distracting him from his thoughts and the anxiety that was setting in.

  "Is she going to tell us what the field study is about now?" a boy said.

  He knew—well, he didn't know, but he had heard—everyone's names at the beginning. He didn't remember them anymore. He wasn't good with names. Tara, maybe. But he suspected it was the same for Ayame.

  "I think I was very clear," Verona said. "In class a few days ago, and when we started the trip: not a word until we are all together. Because I'm not going to repeat it."

  "Okay, sorry, Professor."

  Another group arrived in a few minutes, just a few minutes. But it felt quite long.

  "What's all this about?" asked the girl leading the group.

  "All in good time, Cecilia. All in good time."

  The girl didn't protest. She leaned against a wall, crossing her arms and legs, waiting.

  Finally, the third and last group arrived. They were all there; Vincent was pretty sure.

  "Okay, everyone's finally here," Verona said. "I'm glad you all managed not to get lost on the way. Well, you must be wondering what the field study consists of. And when it begins. Well, listen carefully, because I won't repeat it even once. The field study has already begun, and it consists of figuring it out."

  "What the fuck?" Vincent said before he could bite his tongue, before Professor Verona simply vanished. Giving him a real reason to exclaim that.