Talk with Eva.

After wandering the halls for a bit, the two of you exit the building and walk back into the courtyard. The pathway leads through an array of beautiful flowers. Eventually, you make your way around back where some benches are set up away from the business of the main road. You and Eva take a seat, and look up at the blue sky, and the fluffy clouds above. The sun is already on its way towards the horizon. Not only will it be dinner time soon, but also dusk. You almost forgot about your duel.

You suddenly feel a hand on your shoulder. You turn, and it's Eva.

"It's all right," she says softly. "You'll beat up that guy, we'll find that talisman, and then we'll figure out a way to take down you-know-who. Don't stress about it. Okay?"

"Eva..."

"What is that look for, huh? I can't be sensitive?"

"I didn't even say anyth--"

You notice her face start to fill with colour before she glances away with her arms crossed. There's a long moment of silence. Then, her soft gaze slowly turns back towards you. "Sorry," she whispers. "I'm not very good at expressing my feelings. I only shout because I get embarrassed and I don't know what else to do."

"You said you didn't finish schooling here, right?" you ask. "Can I ask what happened?"

She looks down between her feet. "I guess I never really fit in. Anywhere, actually."

"Eva."

Her eyes move back up to you again. "Until we met."

"I couldn't exactly find a party myself either."

"You didn't trust me. I could tell. And when I started making an ass of myself, you distrusted me even more. But even though all that happened, you never..." She stops in the middle of her sentence, and then you hear her sniffling. Suddenly, she turns to you with watery eyes, and grabs your arm to squeeze it tight. "You never told me to go away."

Where is this coming from?

"You're really dense. Put your arm around her."

I don't need you to tell me that.

You accept Eva's embrace with an arm around her back and another around her front. She squeezes even tighter.

"S-Sorry. I just--"

"It's fine," you say. "I get it."

"She looks like she's been an outcast for so long. You're a really cool guy for accepting her. Even if it's because of her big breasts pressing against your arm right now."

Oh come on. This is a tender moment!

Eva slowly releases your arm. Once away, she scoots closer to sit directly next to you--hip to hip. "Can we stay here for a little bit?" she asks quietly.

"Of course we can," you reply.

The two of you sit in silence. Usually such a thing is impossible with Eva around, but you're starting to see a whole different side of her. You've been intimate with her before. You've definitely seen a lot of her. Though, clothes aren't the same as emotional walls. There's certainly more to her than exhibitionism and yelling. She has a lot of energy, can be childish at times, but she's an intelligent mage that only wants to find a place to belong--a family. You remember her not getting along well with her father. You never wanted to pry further, just in case.

The wind blows across the sea of grass. You turn to Eva, and watch as her lavender locks flow freely in the breeze between her long, fluffy ears.

"Kyle," she says as she returns the gaze. "I'm sorry if I seem like a mess sometimes, especially now. This place is bringing back sad memories."

"I'm sorry. But you came here regardless, to help the party. Right?"

She nods. "I can't let the past completely control me."

"Does it involve your dad too?"

Her eyes lower to stare down at her knees. "Sort of. Did you know the only people who can take classes here are either rich or powerful, or both? You already know my father is part of the Circle. He's a distinguished mage, and of course a noble."

"So you really are nobility then technically?"

"We're not a big, famous house. My mother passed away long ago, and my father was always busy with his studies. I stayed home with the maid, and spent my time reading books. Sometimes it was textbooks, other times it was novels about adventuring. Even after I was alone... he still barely had time for me. It was like he... like he was gone too."

You wrap your arm around Eva's shoulder and hold her close. "It sounds like he was a real ass, but uh. I don't know how to say this, but when he ran into him before, there was a sadness in his eyes. It seemed like he was trying to make a connection."

"It's too late for that. Way too late. And when I went to school, the other kids picked on me."

"Is your house unpopular or something?"

"No... Because I denounced my house. They saw me as a commoner because of it. One that was only there because of a technicality. I was still a noble, but because I didn't see myself as one, neither did anyone else. The worst part is I love the idea of fancy dresses and balls, but the truth about nobility is that they're all a bunch of dicks!"

"What about Rabbit's Foot?"

She pauses for a moment, and then she smiles. "Not all. Sorry."

"It's fine. This place seems to chew people out and spit them out. You have nothing to apologize for."

Eva looks up towards you with pink in her cheeks. You see her subtly bite her lip. Then, you feel a hand move over your leg, and slowly up towards your thigh. Her breathing is heavy. But then you almost jump to the sound of a loud ringing bell that echoes out for the entire academy to hear.

She retreats back and places her hands properly on her legs. "Th-That's dinner, I think. We should go."

You sigh. "Of course it is. Let's get some food then."