Chapter 55: Night of New Lights

Chapter 55: Night of New LightsEratz and Mercury moved from spot to spot, the night unfolding like a series of quick adventures.

The city felt different at night, and for Eratz, this was something new. It was the first time they hung out this late, and Mercury seemed like a completely different person.

She was more vibrant, more carefree. She had always been the responsible one, calm and focused, but tonight, she was lightened and joyful.

There was a certain charm to her laughter, echoing under the city lights, that Eratz hadn't noticed before.

First, they visited a bustling street food market. Mercury led the way, her eyes lighting up at the sight of different foods. She picked out iced drinks while Eratz grabbed skewers.

They found a spot at a standing table, and as they ate, Mercury joked about Eratz's sweet tooth, teasing him for always picking the sugary treats. He shook his head with a grin, throwing a playful comment back about how her love for spicy food could influence Milo and he would be roasted.

Their next stop was a small arcade. The flashing lights, loud music, and clattering tokens created a lively atmosphere.

Eratz watched as Mercury jumped from one game to another with a gleeful energy he had never seen before.

They had money to do everything, and this everything triggered another of their bad habits: their competitiveness.

They processed to beat beat each other narrowly, and after having tripled the daily income of the arcade, they ended up at a riverbank.

The breeze was cool, carrying away the day's heat. They leaned against the railing, watching the reflection of the city lights ripple across the water.

Mercury picked up a stone, attempting to skip it across the surface, but it plopped right in.

Eratz couldn't help but laugh, taking another stone and showing her how to do it properly. The result was a missile threatening the life of the marine wildlife.

Eratz also noticed something else tonight, Mercury's passion for fashion. She always dressed casually in the agency, but tonight her style stood out even more under the neon lights and the glow of the city.

Her outfit was a mix of casual and chic, perfectly balancing comfort and elegance.

It was something he hadn't paid much attention to before, but now he realized how much thought she put into every detail.

Their final stop was a nightclub, the neon lights casting a colorful glow across the bustling room. The music thumped loudly, a heavy bass vibrating through the walls.

Mercury, energized by the night, moved to the dance floor among a group of girls, her body flowing smoothly to the rhythm. She danced with an effortless joy, her movements full of confidence and life.

Eratz stood back, leaning on the bar as he watched. He held a drink in his hand, the cold condensation dripping between his fingers, but he hardly paid attention to it.

His eyes were locked on Mercury, seeing her in a completely new light. She was so different tonight, free-spirited and carefree, a side of her he never imagined existed.

Mercury seemed like a young woman embracing life to its fullest, her smile radiant, her laughter infectious. She truly looked like a girl their age, enjoying a moment without worry.

Meanwhile, back at Genova Academy, Rowan was sprinting through the hallway, rushing towards the director's office. His footsteps echoed, and just as he rounded a corner, he nearly bumped into Eliza, who was also hurrying in the same direction.

"I need to talk to the director!"

"No, I need to talk to her first!"

Rowan narrowed his eyes.

"Move aside, Eliza. This is urgent."

Eliza shot back.

"Like yours is more important than mine? It's past bedtime, go to sleep."

"You always think you're so important."

"Because I am, step aside!"

"I've got big ne-"

"I've got something big t-"

"I swear, if you get in my way..."

"Oh, don't be such a drama queen, Rowan!"

Finally, the door swung open. The director stood there, her hair disheveled, wearing pajamas.

She frowned at the sight of the two of them.

"I certainly hope you have a good reason to make noise at my door this late."

Rowan and Eliza exchanged a look, then burst out simultaneously.

"I've found him!"

In the hall of the academy, Crystal walked absentmindedly, her gaze unfocused as she

thought about Kenny.

Lately, he'd been ditching their group to chase after another girl, and it stung more than she wanted to admit.

She looked out a window, wondering why she kept putting up with it.

Suddenly, she noticed a group of students gathering outside.

There was an unusual buzz in the air, but Crystal didn't really care, not until a few girls

approached her, concern in their eyes.

"Crystal, are you alright?"

She blinked, confused by the question.

"Don't worry, I'm used to it, I'm fine," she muttered, trying to brush them off.

One of the girls exchanged glances with the others, then spoke up hesitantly.

"We were so worried... after everything that happened."

Crystal frowned, puzzled.

"What do you mean? Everything what? Girls, it's ok, I don't mind what he does or who he's

flirting with."

Another girl stepped forward, her voice gentle.

"Maybe you should tell someone, you know? What he did to you... it's not right."

Crystal's confusion deepened, her brows knitting together.

"What are you talking about? Did something happen... He's just following a girl, right? He

didn't commit a crime... did he?"

The first girl looked at her sympathetically.

"Maybe you should tell the newspaper about it. People deserve to know. It's unfair for how he

treated you."

Crystal's heart skipped a beat, a cold feeling washing over her.

"There's no need to go that far," she said, her voice shaky.

The third girl, who had been silent until now, blurted out.

"But he... he assaulted you, right?"

Crystal felt her stomach drop, her mind going blank.

A little while later, Crystal pushed her way through the crowd of students gathered outside.

She shoved her way to the front, grabbing the tablet they were all huddled around.

Her eyes scanned the screen, her breath catching as she saw the headline.

The footage showed him, the rising star of Lugina, the Juggernaut.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched.

The news spread like wildfire among the students, Eratz, the outcast, was now a star.

Later that night, Eratz walked Mercury home. It was nearly midnight, and Eratz looked

around the quiet street, a little uneasy.

"Next time we should really put an alarm... everyone must be so worried."

Mercury waved a hand dismissively, a playful grin on her lips.

"Normally, a real after-party goes till 3 AM, you know. Besides, it'd be easier if we had our

own place."

Eratz raised an eyebrow, his gaze thoughtful. Mercury realized how it sounded, her cheeks

turning pink.

"I mean... separate places! Each of us having our own place!"

Eratz chuckled.

"I know. But I was thinking... if we're going to be competing in different cities, maybe we

should consider moving away from our houses."

Mercury looked at him, her expression softening.

"But what about Milo and Colin? It'd be hard for them. Maybe we can just leave for the

matches and come back afterward? Besides, Milo could probably come along during the Sёarᴄh the ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

holidays."

Eratz nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at her with a small smile.

"Actually, I had an idea. Since my uncle and aunt know about us four training together, maybe

they could help. What's about they keep Milo while we're away."

Mercury looked at him closely, her gaze softening further. A soft laugh escaped her lips.

"Do you even understand what it means to introduce someone to your family?"

"I don't see what's weird. I just want my family to meet the people who are important to me."

Mercury blinked, her heart skipping a beat. She looked down for a moment, her cheeks

growing warmer. She hesitated, then murmured.

"You know, I only hang out like this with my close friends..."

She paused, her voice dropping even lower, "It's the first time that..."

She didn't finish the sentence. Before she could continue, a bright light beamed from one of

the windows upstairs.

She jumped, her eyes widening.

"Damn! Milo! I said no beast inside!"

Milo's small head peeked out of the hole.

"S-Sorry! Monica got mad when the Earth Prince chose the peasant instead of the childhood

friend..."

Mercury groaned, rubbing her temples.

"I'm so sorry, Eratz. I have to quickly fix that... at this hour probably with a drawer... We'll talk

tomorrow."

She looked at Eratz, but the young man had an expression of pure shock.

"The king rejected Kaera... what... what the hell is wrong with that author?" he murmured,

clearly just as invested in the show.

Mercury watched in astonishment then let out a laugh, shaking her head.

"I think I'll accept your offer, you two look so good together. Alright, Goodnight, Eratz. Go

home safe."

"... Yeah... Goodnight, Mercury."

"And me?" Milo shouted from the window.

"Prepare for your future training, I'll teach you to spoil me!"

"Is it a bad time to say that the credits said there's no season 2?"

Eratz fought himself to not show him his honest opinion in front of Mercury, he massaged his

sinus and just waved at Mercury and walked away.

She looked at him for a bit, then entered the house.

Just as he rounded the corner, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the notification, his eyes

widening.

His licence had been promoted to Type C, he could now compete at a higher level.

His smile grew, excitement flowing in his veins.