A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 5

Just as they were about to enter the reading room, still laughing and chatting—

“Oh, right!” Judy clapped her hands as if she had just remembered something. “I got it!”

“Got what?”

“You know, that thing everyone’s taking these days. I told you about it before.”

Judy, who was a head shorter than Tilia, looked up at her with bright eyes.

“When I kept whining that I wouldn’t pass the first graduation exam, my dad brought it for me. Let’s go back to the dorm and share it.”

What Judy was referring to was something Tilia knew all too well—’that thing.’

A small bottle, barely the size of a palm, and yet it cost more than three months of Tilia’s living expenses. It was holy water, filled with divine power.

As money became the new source of power, even the temples had fallen into corruption. Holy water, which had originally been supplied to knights fighting against monsters, was now secretly available to the children of wealthy nobles.

“My brother said it’s practically like a stimulant. Once you take it, it feels like you’ve had ten hours of sleep, and your focus and memory improve dramatically.”

Judy was beaming as she spoke, but Tilia, who had been listening quietly, shook her head. “No, thanks. You can drink it yourself.”

“Why? I brought some for you too! It even comes with a certificate from a real priest!”

“I really don’t need it.”

The truth was, she was afraid that once she experienced its effects, she’d crave it again. Once you’ve felt yourself in a better state, it’s hard not to feel dissatisfied with your current condition.

“I don’t want to rely on something like that.”

She couldn’t afford to become dependent on something she couldn’t attain on her own, especially if it was merely a favor granted by others, which could disappear at any moment.

“And you know, I’ve done just fine without any extra help up to this point.”

“Wow.” Judy’s mouth fell open at Tilia’s confident words. “Of course, what do you have to worry about? You’ve been second in your class for four straight years! You’re on a whole different level from someone like me, who’s shaking in fear over the graduation exam!”

Judy teased Tilia in a voice that was half envy, half playfulness, then tilted her head in thought. “But listening to you now, I’m starting to worry. My brother warned me to be careful with it.”

“Why?”

“Well, holy water was originally made for knights, right? So for ordinary people like us, if you don’t follow the prescribed dosage, your bodily functions could become overly activated.”

“And that’s a bad thing? Isn’t that good?”

“No! When your senses become overly sensitive…”

“And?”

Judy glanced around, then motioned for Tilia to come closer. Lowering herself, Tilia listened as Judy whispered as if sharing a great secret.

“You’ll turn into an animal, driven only by instinct. They say you can’t control yourself unless you… you know… do it with someone. You need another person’s energy to return to normal.”

Tilia’s brows furrowed in disgust. “Is that even possible? It’s holy water, after all.”

“Well, since it’s designed to enhance physical functions, I guess that’s why. And the temples aren’t what they used to be these days. The same goes for the divine power. If it were made by a real priest, the side effects wouldn’t be as bad, but how many of those are left?”

Judy, the youngest daughter of a family of knights, shook her head knowingly.

“So don’t drink water carelessly. My brother says things have gotten pretty bad recently. You know how the social scene is filled with rich but low-class types, right? You never know what might be slipped into your drink. Don’t drink anything.”

“But isn’t it dangerous to take something like that before an exam?” Tilia looked at her friend with concern. “If you end up needing to sleep with someone just to cope, that’s a huge side effect, don’t you think? How would you even take the exam properly in that state?”

“That’s true, but…” Judy’s face darkened at Tilia’s words.

The once cheerful Judy now looked despondent. “For me, passing the first exam is the most important thing… And this one is certified to be free of side effects…”

“Tilia, you’re going to pass the exam on your first try, right? Of course, you will.”

“I’ll have to, right? There’s no scholarship for an extra semester.”

“Then I’ll be left here… all alone… without you for another year…”

Pale with dread, Judy mumbled something incoherent before grabbing Tilia’s arm and pulling her toward the reading room.

“Let’s go, Tilia. I need to study more!”

***

Despite her determination to pass, Judy was nodding off not long after midnight. Eventually, Tilia, who couldn’t bear to watch her struggle any longer, woke her up.

“Who are you…? What are you doing in my room…?” Judy, with study notes stuck to her cheek, muttered in her sleep.

“Just go to bed. I’ll show you my summary notes tomorrow.”

Smiling gently, Tilia packed up Judy’s things with a sympathetic look on her face.

“Go get some sleep for now, and we can study more in the morning.”

After some hesitation, Judy finally agreed and promised to wake up early before heading back to the dorm.

Once her roommate left, Tilia remained at her desk, but by the time five o’clock rolled around, the letters on the page were starting to blur.

Should I go now? There’s morning class tomorrow anyway.

Yawning deeply, Tilia stood and stretched.

“Brr, it’s cold.”

Outside the library, the air was already thick with the chilly dawn breeze. Her nose tingled from the sudden cold as she hurried down the stairs, huddled in her thin school jacket.

It was a relief that the academy, rich as it was, had gas lamps lighting the path at every corner.

‘Get back, wash up, and sleep. I’ll review my notes once more before bed, and leave my theology notes on Judy’s desk…’

As she mentally listed the things she needed to do, Tilia spotted someone standing alone under a streetlamp at the bottom of the stairs.

What’s he doing there?

Recognizing him immediately, Tilia’s eyes narrowed.

Even from a distance, it was easy to tell. There was only one person at the academy who could cast a silhouette like that.

The man standing under the bright gas lamp in the otherwise deserted campus was so prominent that even his shadow seemed to extend outward like spiderwebs, reaching across the ground with a sharp nose and high cheekbones.

Her gaze traveled up those long legs until she saw a man bathed in the lamplight, as if displayed under the spotlight of a jewelry case. His tousled blond hair hung loosely, his long eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks, while his defined jawline was emphasized by the soft shadows of the night.

Why is Ilex Davenport standing in front of the library clock tower? And at this hour?

Tilia narrowed her eyes as she observed her rival.

‘Could he be studying in secret?’

Seeing the tired look on Ilex’s face, Tilia bit her lip.

Even the top student must be feeling the pressure of graduation exams.

As she walked down the stairs, occasionally sneaking glances at her rival, Ilex, who had his eyes closed as if dozing off, turned his head toward her. Their eyes met—his blue-gray, as if still in a daze, and hers, sharp with suspicion.

Tilia clutched her summary notes tightly to her chest, glaring at him. Ilex, in turn, didn’t look away but stared back at her in silence.

‘Where’s his book? Did he leave it in the library?’

Even as she descended the stairs, Tilia’s mind raced with thoughts about her competitor.

‘Leaving his book behind must mean he plans to study more…’

The stairs leading up to the central library were so steep and tall that they were known as the “Stairs of Struggle.”

But caught up in her competitive spirit, Tilia barely noticed the height.

‘Alright, I’ll stay up all night studying too.’

Just as Tilia resolved to drastically cut back on her sleep starting that night, a sharp breeze swept past her legs. Her gray school skirt fluttered in the wind, the cold seeping all the way up to her thighs.

At that exact moment, Ilex, who had been quietly engaged in their subtle standoff, abruptly turned his head in the opposite direction.

It was an unnatural movement, as though an invisible force had twisted his face away.

‘What’s going on?’

Tilia raised an eyebrow at Ilex’s strange behavior.

‘Why is he suddenly avoiding eye contact…?’

While Tilia was wondering about his odd actions, she heard a familiar voice from nearby.

“Ilex.”

The click of high heels echoed through the empty square, accompanied by the voice’s cheerful tone.

“Did you come to pick me up? This isn’t where I asked you to meet me.”

The owner of the voice, brimming with delight, was none other than Cecilia Clayton, the Red Rose of the Academy.