Third-person POV

The courtyard, which had been filled with the usual low noise of students talking and moving between classes, shifted almost instantly the moment Electra stepped through the gates. It wasn’t loud at first. It started as whispers, spreading from one group to another like a ripple that grew with every second. Heads turned, conversations slowed, and then stopped completely as more people noticed her presence.

There was no mistaking it. News traveled fast, but seeing her in person was something else entirely. The same girl who had just stood in the middle of a palace and declared herself queen was now walking calmly through the school grounds like nothing had changed, and that alone was enough to make the atmosphere feel strange.

Electra didn’t slow down. She walked at her usual pace, her expression calm, almost indifferent, but her eyes moved slightly, taking in the way people were looking at her. It wasn’t the same as before. The stares weren’t just curious or judgmental anymore, there was something else mixed in now. Awe, fear, disbelief, and something closer to respect, even if it was reluctant. It was clear that whatever had happened in Elmeria had reached Elysium long before she did, and the students here were still trying to process it.

Some of the girls standing closer to the walkway reacted faster than the others. They reached for their phones almost instinctively, lifting them up to record as she passed by, whispering to each other in rushed voices as if they were afraid the moment would disappear if they didn’t capture it. One of them even took a step forward, angling her phone better, her eyes wide with excitement and disbelief, like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing right in front of her.

Irina stopped walking.

The sudden halt made Electra pause as well, though she didn’t say anything immediately. Irina’s hand tightened slightly at her side before she turned her head slowly toward the group of girls, her expression hardening in a way that made it clear she had no patience for what was happening. Her glare alone was enough to make a few of them hesitate, their hands lowering just slightly, but it wasn’t enough.

"If you don’t want to get a serious beating from me," Irina said loudly, her voice cutting through the whispers without effort, "you should all mind your business and start walking."

The words hung in the air for a second, and when no one moved immediately, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Or I’ll make sure you regret not listening."

That did it.

The change was immediate. The phones lowered, the whispers stopped, and the girls stepped back quickly, their earlier excitement replaced with something closer to caution. None of them argued, none of them tried to push further. They knew better, so one by one, they turned away, walking off in different directions like they had suddenly remembered somewhere else they needed to be.

Irina didn’t watch them leave for long. She simply scoffed under her breath before reaching for Electra’s hand, her grip firm as she pulled her forward again, leading her away from the center of attention and toward the dormitory area without another word.

Electra followed without resistance, her gaze drifting briefly over the students who were still watching from a distance before settling ahead again. The silence between them lasted for a few moments, broken only by the faint sounds of footsteps and distant conversations that had slowly started to return now that the initial tension had passed.

Then, without warning, Electra spoke.

"Would you like to be my personal bodyguard?" she asked, her tone calm, almost casual, like she was asking something simple. "When I become queen. Or whatever position would keep you by my side."

Irina didn’t respond immediately. She kept walking for a second longer, her grip on Electra’s hand still firm before she let out a short scoff, shaking her head slightly as if the question itself amused her more than it should have.

"Did you forget something?" she asked, glancing at Electra briefly before looking ahead again. "I belong to another kingdom."

Her voice was steady and matter-of-fact, like she was stating something obvious. "When I graduate," she added, "I go back to where I belong."

The words landed harder than expected.

Electra’s steps slowed just slightly, her expression shifting for the first time since they had entered the school grounds. Her brows pulled together faintly, and there was a brief pause before she spoke again, her voice quieter now, but carrying a hint of something that hadn’t been there before.

"You’re leaving me?"

Irina rolled her eyes almost immediately, though there was no real irritation in the gesture. It was more of a reflex than anything else, something she had done countless times before.

"I can’t be with you forever, Electra," she replied, her tone simple but firm. "At some point, we go our separate ways. That’s just how it is."

She adjusted her grip slightly as they walked, her pace steady, like she had already accepted that reality long ago.

"We belong to different kingdoms," she continued. "We have different paths."

Electra shook her head lightly, her gaze dropping for a brief moment before lifting again, her expression settling into something more stubborn, more certain.

"I don’t care about any of that," she said.

Her voice was calm, but there was something firm underneath it, something that made it clear she wasn’t saying it lightly.

"I don’t want you to leave," she added. "And I’m going to find a way to keep you by my side."

Irina let out a chuckle at that, the sound soft but filled with a kind of familiarity that came from knowing exactly how Electra could be when she decided something.

"Slowly but surely," she said, glancing at her again, "you’re starting to act like your old self."

Electra raised a brow slightly.

"Your clingy self," Irina added, her tone dry. "The one who used to act like she couldn’t live without me."

Electra didn’t hesitate to respond. "I can live without you," she said quickly, her tone steady. "I just don’t want to."

There was no embarrassment in her voice, no attempt to hide what she meant. She said it plainly, like it was the simplest truth she could offer.

"So," she continued, tilting her head slightly as she looked at Irina, "what do you say?"

There was a brief pause as they walked, the dormitory buildings coming into view ahead of them. The path was quieter now, the earlier crowd replaced by a few scattered students who kept their distance, their attention still lingering but less obvious than before.

"Stay by my side," Electra finished. "Be my bodyguard when I become queen."

Irina finally let go of her hand, and when she turned to face Electra fully, the earlier amusement in her expression faded, replaced by something more serious. Something more thoughtful.

"Rather than being your bodyguard," she said, her voice steady, her gaze fixed on Electra’s, "how about I act as your advisor instead?"

There was a brief pause before she added, her tone sharpening just slightly, "Since you clearly lack common sense."