Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

On that day, Roseanne got up early to check in at the administration office before handling her enrollment paperwork at the college. The orientation ceremony was scheduled for the next day.

Since Roseanne wasn't staying on campus, she skipped the hustle of moving into a dorm, leaving her afternoon wide open.

She decided to drop by the Computer Science department to see Hans Olson.

"Roseanne? What brings you here?!" Hans' eyes lit up at the sight of her.

"Just checking in on you. Wouldn't want someone to get all pouty for not visiting, then spitefully quiz me, secretly slipping in final exam questions." "Ahem!" Hans coughed lightly, masking his guilt, "I-That's... in the spirit of not wasting resources, making full use of every question!"

After chatting for a while, Roseanne received a call from Madeleine, asking her to come to the office, so she excused herself to leave. "Madeleine called you?"

"Mhm."

Hans huffed, "I knew it was her, acting as if she owns you or something."

Jealous much?

As Roseanne approached Madeleine's office, she heard other voices coming from inside before she even knocked.

a girl, were also there. The guy, Scales, was a local from Lumina City, 22 years old, a recent undergraduate who went straight into grad school. Standing at a good six feet with handsome features, he

his expression was a bit cold, creating

from him, was his complete opposite in demeanor-cheeks rosy, smiling broadly at Roseanne, revealing two

hope you'll work well together for the next three years. not... well,

Roseanne pondered Madeleine's words.

swnov

Madeleine

stop taking getting old, health's declining. I've

grad students."

were Madeleine's last

for Roseanne,

person's energy is finite, especially for someone like Madeleine, pursuing academic

issues and

research. But she had persisted

warm gaze, Roseanne's lips tensed up a

returned too

least she was

to take a call, leaving the newly acquainted trio in an awkward