Currently Arthur was sitting inside the glass enclosure at his Team-Fighting Mechanics I class, staring down at half of the students taking part in a large group exercise. The purpose of the exercise was to get from one side of the field to the other without suffering any casualties, while also being attacked by instructors and clearing obstacles. The instructors were clearly holding back, and the protective gear they were wearing was extremely sensitive, going off with only two hits. The students on the other hand were moving through the obstacles in tight formation, only breaking when necessary to clear an obstacle, but making sure they still covered those that had to break off. Arthur couldn't help but be curious about the timing of this lesson, as it would be very useful when he and the others became adventurers over the summer, and figured Claire must have asked Professor Glory to go over this lesson for them. Currently Curtis and Grawder were taking point for the group while Tess was acting as the team leader. Arthur wished they all could have been down there working together, but seeing this unfold also helped Arthur get some insight into the team tactics that would be needed while moving through dungeons with his team specifically. As he watched he could see Curtis and Grawder would occasionally start to pull too far ahead of the team and Tess would have to call for him to slow down. It wasn't that the rest of the team was too slow, but that the size of Grawder's steps was so big. Arthur made a mental note of this as if it continued that would be something that would need a solution before they entered any dungeons.

As Arthur watched how Tess' team responded to an attack while trying to go over a bridge barely wide enough for Grawder, someone stepped right in his way.

"Excuse me, but could you please move? I'm trying to watch," Arthur stated as he tried to look around the persons legs, not bothering to see who it was.

"That was you wasn't it," Clive accused.

"I don't know what you're talking about, can you just move out of my way please," Arthur replied, annoyance coming through clearly in his voice.

"I know it was you. This morning after the meeting. You hit me with a killing intent that brought me down to my knees," Clive continued, as his fists tightened and his whole body shook with anger.

"Wow, brought down just by a killing intent. I wouldn't go around bragging about that if I were you," Arthur taunted. "Also, it's pretty much impossible to determine who did that, so please stop throwing around baseless accusations."

"They aren't baseless, you are one of the very few people at that school who are even capable of that, and the only one who would do that to me," Clive said through this teeth, clearly struggling to contain his anger.

Arthur on the other hand remained cool and calm. "Well you're so smart that you figured it out, congratulations," Arthur replied sarcastically. Arthur's eyes then moved up and looked at Clive for the first time since he blocked Arthur's view. His eyes were cold and threatening. "Also a peace of advise. If Tess ever stops you like that again, maybe you should just take that as a sign to not go after her again. If she doesn't stop you, someone else might."

Clive then grabbed Arthur by the collar of his shirt and lifted him to his feet, completely enraged by Arthur. "Don't you ever fuck'n talk so casually about Tessia. She is so far out of your reach you're lucky to just touch the ground she walks on," Clive spat.

Arthur wiped the spit off of his face from while Clive spoke, than grabbed both of Clive's hands. "First off, Tess and I go way back, further back than you two." Arthur said as he removed one of Clive's hands. His voice so cold that it sent chills down the spines of the students who could hear him. "Second, she doesn't want me, to call her Tessia, or princess, or anything other than Tess." Arthur said as he removed the other hand. "Now I don't care about your problem with me, I'll deal with you however I have to. But if I ever catch you grabbing her, hurting her, or making any unwanted advancement, I will make you wish that I was only using my killing intent to handle you," Arthur threatened as he applied force to Clive's hands, causing his knees to buckle and crash down to one knee as if he was begging for mercy.

"Excuse me!" An angry female voice rang out. Everyone looked to see Professor Glory walking towards them, her eyes narrowed on Arthur and Clive. "What is going on over here?"

"Sorry professor it was my fault," Arthur replied quickly as he released Clive. "Our student council Vice President wanted to play a game of uncle while we waited for our turn, and I guess I went a little too far. Although in my defense, he never did say uncle," Arthur apologized innocently.

"Is this what happened?" Professor Glory asked Clive as her eyes locked on him.

Clive thought for a second. He knew he could try and use this as an excuse to get Arthur expelled, however there were other students there who probably saw him pick Arthur up by his shirt, and if they were to speak up he'd be the one in trouble instead. "Yes Professor," Clive replied, accepting this was probably his best way to get out of this unscathed.

The professor sighed. "Very well. Just don't hurt each other."

Clive got back to his feet and walked off. After he passed Professor Glory she shook her head as she walked up to Arthur and put a hand on his shoulder. "One month, just one more month and you two will have the whole summer off to beat each other senseless. Can you please hold out at least that long?" Professor Glory asked in an almost pleading tone.

"Sorry Professor, but that's all up to him. My patience can only stretch for so long, and it's been stretched for most of the year already. If he would just stay out of my business then we'd be fine," Arthur replied sympathetically.

"He's the student council Vice President, that's part of his job," Glory replied.

"School business maybe, but not my personal life," Arthur replied as he sat back down.

A sly smirk formed on the professors face as she sat down beside him. "Ahhh, so he doesn't like the friendship, between you and princess Tessia." Professor Glory couldn't understand what it was about Arthur, she knew he was one of her students, but when she spoke with him it felt as if she was talking with one of her old friends from back when she was an adventurer.

"I don't like how your tone made that sound," Arthur replied suspiciously with his eyes narrowed.

"Arthur I hear so much gossip around here it's not even funny. So when I tell you that your relationship with Tessia is a hot topic, believe me it is. Especially this morning. Her feeding you, wow that's bold," Professor Glory said sounding impressed.

"What?! How? Who?" Arthur barely managed to say due to his shock.

"Hahaha, remember gossip travels fast here," Professor Glory laughed.

"But no one was..." Arthur started before his face was struck with realization. "The woman who runs the cafe. She told you didn't she?"

"Kathy is such a sweet old woman, but she loves her gossip just as much as any of the students here. She told me directly when I stopped in this morning," Professor Glory replied with a smile.

Arthur just groaned as he dropped his head down to his knees. "Oh don't worry," Professor Glory said as she slapped his back. "Once summer break hits the gossip should also stop."

"Not soon enough," Arthur replied, his voice muffled by his mouth pressing against his legs.

"You'll live," Professor Glory said as she stood up. "Oh, I almost forgot, here."

Arthur looked up to see Professor Glory handing him a folded paper. "What's this?" Arthur asked as he took the paper and began to unfold it.

"Claire and Tessia told me about the student council and disciplinary committee summer plan. That's a letter from the adventurers guild about some current events in the beast glades. I'd still check the guild hall in Xyrus before you leave, but there's still some information that's pretty good in there, at least enough to start making a plan."

"Thanks, but why are you giving this to me?" Arthur asked as he began to look it over.

"Well I tried to give it to Claire, but she said you'll be helping make the plan and that I should give it to you," Professor Glory replied.

Just then a bell rang out, signaling the first group completing the course.

"Alright, good work team one," Professor Glory announced with a voice projecting artifact. "Ok team two, you're up," she said as she moved the artifact away from her mouth and looked back to the remaining students. "And who will the team leader be?" She asked herself out loud as she looked over the group. The students were all looking to her for the answer as they stood up. Out of the corner of her eye Professor Glory caught some rapid movement, and turned her head to investigate, thinking it was a student volunteering. She raised a confused eyebrow at the sight of Claire Bladeheart standing behind Arthur, waving her arms to catch the Professor's attention, then pointing down at him. "Ok," Professor Glory replied with a shrug. "Arthur you'll be team two leader. Everyone go grab your safety gear."

Clive's eyes darted to Arthur, who appeared to not really care. He didn't like the idea of Arthur giving him orders, even if it was only temporary. He was also worried Arthur would find a way to get him hurt or look bad. Sylvie then jumped off of Arthur's head and curled up into a ball on the bench to take a nap.

"Hey Arthur, isn't your bond going to join us?" A male student asked.

"No, she doesn't feel like it. Besides if she were to join that would make this too easy," Arthur replied, not wanting to reveal how draining Sylvie's dragon form was on her. Most of the team groaned, as they had hoped she would join and make everything much easier. To be honest Arthur would have enjoyed it too, but instead it would have been to see the expressions of the mages that were supposed to attack them when they saw a dragon walking through.

Arthur lead the group through the course successfully, but not without issue. Unfortunately Clive decided to act on his own, which lead to the mages launching attacks to single him out during a mock ambush. Clive has thought he found an opening that would have allowed him to attack the mages from behind. However Arthur could see this was most likely a trap and refused the plan. When Clive didn't listen and went out anyways, Arthur was proved to be correct as two mages appeared in the opening and began attacking Clive. Clive's amor was on the verge of ringing out, which would have caused them to have to restart the course, when Arthur was forced to break formation to bring him back in. Arthur had literally carried Clive back to the formation with the rest of the team providing cover. When back in the formation Arthur said nothing as he dropped Clive back onto the ground, and retook his position in the formation. Despite Arthur not saying anything plenty of the other students did, as they voiced their frustration about his actions.

Classes were long since over, and the dinning hall was filled with students eating their dinners. Arthur on the other hand was sitting in a carriage going over a map of the beast glades while waiting on two people.

Elsewhere, the two other people just walking out of their dorm building after a brief meeting, and were heading towards Arthur and the carriage.

"So Tess, what's the deal with you and Clive?" Lilia asked as they walked together.

"Nothing why," Tess replied in a sharp cold tone.

"Well kind of like how you just responded. Normally you're authoritative and commanding towards him, more so than to anyone else, but today you seemed more cold and harsh. Did he do something?" Lilia asked.

"He overstepped his bounds with me, that's all," Tess replied quickly, not really wanting to explain.

"It was about you and Arthur wasn't it?" Lilia asked in an almost sad tone.

"No it was," Tess started as she tried to come up with a lie, but couldn't think up one quickly enough, so she relented. "Is it that obvious?"

"We all knew Clive liked you, and the way you and Arthur are can't be easy for him. I'm actually a bit jealous of you," Lilia explained, sounding even more depressed at the end.

"Hey don't worry, I'm sure there's some great guy out there that's in love with you that's just too nervous to come forward and tell you," Tess replied trying to sound reassuring.

"Jarrod was in love with me," Lilia blurted out.

"Wait what?! I had no idea you two were together, I'm so sorry," Tess replied quickly and apologetically as she quickly gave her friend a hug.

"We weren't, I kept rejecting him," Lilia replied as her breathing became unsteady.

"I don't understand, if you didn't love him back, why... I mean, I'm confused. What are you getting at?" Tess asked as she wasn't sure where this was going.

"I rejected his love three times, all because I was in love with someone else, who turned out not to love me back," Lilia replied while at the brink of tears.

"Arthur," Tess breathed out.

Lilia nodded. "I keep wondering if I had accepted Jarrod if he'd still be alive. If the only reason he charged in to save that student was to get my attention, to be more like Arthur." By this point tears were starting to fall from her eyes as she hugged herself.

"No Lilia, you can't blame yourself. What Jarrod did was what he was trained to do as a battle mage," Tess replied consolingly as she hugged her. "I don't know if that thought ever even crossed his mind when he ran in, but you can't think like that. A lot of people died that day, and some of them were students that ran in to help just like Jarrod did. You could have accepted his love and he could have still charged in, there's no way to know." Tess then pushed Lilia back and looked her right in the eyes. "The only thing we know is that Jarrod wouldn't want you to feel guilt like this. He would want you to move on and be happy."

"I know," Lilia said as she took deep breaths to try and calm herself down. "Thank you. I've just been pushing all that down for so long. I feel like I needed that."

"Don't mention it. What are friends for," Tess replied as she pulled a tissue out from her bag and gave it to her.

"I just hope to have what you and Arthur do some day," Lilia said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Tess looked away nervously. "Yeah, no you don't," Tess replied with and slightly hurt look.

"What do you mean? You two seem so happy. I even heard about you feeding him a bite of breakfast, it all screams loving relationship," Lilia questioned.

"The thing is we're not in a relationship. I don't even know what to call it," Tess replied sounding depressed.

"I still don't understand?" Lilia said sounding confused.

"I told Arthur I loved him a few months ago, but he told me he wasn't ready," Tess' voice trailed off as she looked away from Lilia. "He said he's not interested in any other girls, and that he just needs time."

"For most guys I wouldn't trust that, but with Arthur I would kind of want to give him the benefit of the doubt," Lilia replied.

Tess nodded as a small smile formed on her face. "Since then I overheard him and my father talking. He admitted he liked me, so I'm willing to wait for him, but still...." Tess refused to say that her father had essentially offered up the idea of her and Arthur getting married, although she still felt so happy to know her father also approved of Arthur to such a high degree.

"Well maybe this summer plan is just what we both need," Lilia replied, finally finished recomposing herself.

"What do you mean?" Tess asked.

"I need a distraction, and maybe the excitement of being an adventurer will help. While maybe the dangers of the dungeons and spending all your time together will help Arthur realize he loves you and is ready for a relationship," Lilia explained with a smirk at the end.

"Wait, didn't you say earlier that you loved Arthur? Why are you wanting to help me now?" Tess asked.

"I don't know why, but since the attack I haven't been able to feel anything more than friendship towards him. Seeing him as a brother at most," Lilia replied unsure as to why her feelings had changed.

"Come on. If we're going to get our summer as adventurers and hopefully get what we both need, we first need to get yours and Arthur's parents to agree to it," Tess said as she started to lead Lilia to the carriage to take them to the Helstea Manor.

Despite Tess' control over her beast will improving significantly, her grandfather still wanted Arthur close by incase there was ever an issue. This meant when he went home to visit his family, Tess came along. At first this was a nerve racking experience for her, but in time Tess became more and more comfortable around the Leywins. Although Rey did start teasing Arthur about having a girlfriend now, he did also take on the fatherly role of explaining the birds and the bees to Arthur, leaving Arthur bright red as he tried to retain his composure from the horrific incident, despite being reincarnated and already having learned about this in his previous life. Alice on the other hand had been more calm and mature about things. Even though she loved the idea of Tess and Arthur dating, she wasn't going to give either of them a hard time, and treated them as Arthur described her in the past, best friends.

"Lady Lilia, Lady Tessia," the carriage driver said as he opened the door to let the girls in.

As they entered they were surprised to see Arthur sitting on one of the cushioned benches with several papers around him.

"Arthur what are you doing here? You didn't have to wait for us," Lilia stated as she was first to enter.

"Well I didn't see a point in us arriving separate, besides this gave me the peace and quiet to get some work done," Arthur replied as he picked up his papers.

"Isn't that cute Tess, he's making excuses to wait for his princess," Lilia teased. Resulting in both Arthur and Tess blushing.

"I was just working on a plan for the beast glades," Arthur replied while looking down at his papers to hide his blush.

As Tess entered Lilia nudged her towards Arthur, to try and get her to sit by him while he wasn't looking. Tess bit her bottom lip as she held back a smile and sat down next to Arthur. It wasn't that sitting down next to Arthur was some new thing that caused her to smile, but instead the fact that Lilia seemed to be helping her get closer to Arthur.

"So what have you come up with so far?" Tess asked as she looked down at the papers.

Arthur then pulled out a map of the beast glades and held it out so both she and Lilia could see it. "It's not much of a plan yet, but I've mapped out all of the dungeons I feel like we could reasonably make it to in the time available. I've also crossed out the dungeons we won't be able to do," Arthur explained.

"Why wouldn't we be able to?" Tess asked, as Lilia just watched quietly and allowed the two to talk.

"The ones I've crossed out are all ranked S and SS, which means there is no way we could go anyways unless we all ranked at least AA class adventurers," Arthur replied.

"I don't see that happening. I mean you're at the A rank, so what chance do the rest of us have," Tess replied.

The teens continued to talk a little more about their summer plans as the driver left the school and proceeded to Helstea Manor, to discuss the fate of their plans with their parents.