Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Meeting
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The darkness that had painted the sky jet-black receded with the passage of time, cautiously yielding its place. Light then filled the empty space, casting a warm glow upon the world.
A bright, warm light.
As the light, seemingly ready to embrace anyone, streamed through the window, Cheon-seong let out a vacant sigh.
“...Haa.”
It was now the next morning in his dormitory.
I had been up almost all night. I knew I needed to sleep to properly follow the lectures, but my mind was so full of thoughts that sleep was impossible.
“I get that Anastasia cherishes Glacia.”
But was she willing to make such a shocking offer to me, a mere student?
Anastasia’s words from last evening kept replaying in my mind.
—What I mean is, I’m willing to help you, Student Han Cheon-seong, if I can. Whether it’s financial support or something else you desire, as long as it doesn’t cross a line, I’m more than willing to listen.
I could still recall her calm voice, word for word.
Her offer contained countless ‘possibilities’ I had never considered.
And for me, right now, it was like a major breakthrough.
“As long as it doesn’t cross a line…”
At the time, I didn’t give her an answer. Nor did I make any specific requests.
Instead, I changed the subject, asking her to give me some time this Thursday to give her my response.
And Anastasia had readily agreed.
As if it was something she wanted as well.
So, ever since we parted ways after dinner, I had been thinking nonstop.
About how I should accept her offer…
“...First, I need to talk to Anastasia to keep her from disappearing, and at the same time, ask for her help.”
After pondering all night, I’d reached two conclusions.
First, I had to give Anastasia a sufficient warning so she wouldn’t disappear.
I didn’t know the exact timing of her disappearance in the original story, but I remembered it was sometime this month.
I had to tell her what she needed to hear to avoid going missing as she did in the story, and at the same time, I needed her to save my life.
The Path Forward section of the status window in my vision stated that two of the Apostles, beings of absolute power, would pose a threat to me.
-[Escape Death!]
Two of the nine Apostles, wielders of absolute power, have begun to act. You must first survive this great peril.
“There’s no way I can face two Apostles on my own.”
Just facing Leteia’s clone had nearly cost me my life. If two Apostles were now after me, I had no choice but to ask for help this time.
At first, I had considered Kalli, but the situation had changed.
Asking Anastasia for help, who could be called the strongest being, would be far more reassuring.
She had even given me a justification for it. Right now, it seemed like the most logical course of action.
Having made up my mind, I got up.
I was exhausted from the lack of sleep, but it was time to get ready to leave the dormitory.
***
C1-Class classroom.
“Even if your Trait isn’t directly related to your physique, physical training is essential for all students. A stronger body can be said to have an indirect influence on the manifestation of your Trait…”
The morning lecture was in full swing.
Millia glanced to her side. There, Luna was focused on the lecture.
Luna had been acting a little strange lately.
She had changed.
To Millia, Luna’s attitude seemed so different that it was bewildering.
And for good reason…
A furtive glance.
Luna’s gaze once again shifted in a particular direction.
Millia’s eyes followed her gaze, and her expression wavered intensely.
"..."
In the direction of Luna’s gaze was a student. Someone with distinctive black hair, diligently taking notes as if engrossed in the lecture.
It was Han Cheon-seong.
The fact that Luna was looking at Han Cheon-seong struck Millia as unusually significant.
Why was Luna looking at Han Cheon-seong? With that question in mind, Millia recalled the past week.
During the week Han Cheon-seong had been absent, Millia herself had undergone significant changes.
Reaching Level 2 in her Trait and being able to communicate more deeply with her spirit, ‘Sesi,’ was a major change. And while she had become more resolute, Luna’s behavior continued to bother her.
Because during that time, Luna had often stared at Han Cheon-seong’s empty seat, just as she was doing now.
“Haa.”
Then, as Luna let out a deep sigh and straightened her posture, Millia quickly composed herself.
But she was a little too late.
“Millia, were you watching me?”
Luna spoke, seeming to have noticed her gaze, and Millia smiled awkwardly.
“Ah, I just happened to glance over…”
“Really? It’s nothing much for me either. Just something on my mind.”
Millia nodded in relief as Luna responded casually, but a part of her felt conflicted.
‘Why is she looking at Han Cheon-seong?’
From what she could tell, Luna had never shown much interest in Han Cheon-seong. In fact, she rarely seemed to think well of him, to the point one might say she held negative feelings toward him.
But that had changed recently.
After Han Cheon-seong returned to the classroom, she looked at him even more frequently. And Millia couldn’t for the life of her figure out why her gaze no longer held the hostility it once did.
Then, without realizing it, Millia also found herself looking at Han Cheon-seong.
She hadn’t spoken to him separately since his return.
She hadn’t found the right opportunity, as there never seemed to be a good time.
During breaks, Han Cheon-seong was always focused on his studies, as if reviewing the lecture, and at other times he was talking with David, making it hard to find a moment to approach him.
But now.
Millia looked at Han Cheon-seong and nodded to herself.
‘Today, for sure…’
She had to approach him.
Millia was even feeling a great sense of crisis.
The fact that Luna had suddenly taken an interest in Han Cheon-seong… it was a clear sign that she needed to get closer to him herself…
***
During a short break.
I was reviewing the lecture notes David had organized for me.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over my textbook.
“...?”
Belatedly realizing someone had approached, I looked up.
“Han Cheon-seong.”
“...Oh. Millia.”
Standing there was someone completely unexpected.
I was taken aback for a moment when I realized it was Millia.
“Do you… think you could spare some time today?”
To top it all off, as I watched Millia speak to me so cautiously, I found myself nodding blankly.
“I can.”
As I answered, my gaze drifted to another part of the room.
I was flustered by Millia’s approach, but a short distance away, I could see Luna staring at me in surprise.
I was even more surprised that Millia had come to me alone, and I wondered what she wanted.
“Then I’ll wait for you at ‘Park C’ after classes are over.”
“...Alright.”
As Millia finished speaking and walked away, I found myself watching her leave.
...My eyes lingered for a moment on the sway of her skirt. I couldn’t figure out why she had approached me.
‘Did I do something?’
I couldn’t recall anything specific. Since returning to class, I had been almost entirely focused on catching up on the lectures I’d missed.
Besides that, I was preoccupied with thoughts of Anastasia and Glacia, leaving me no time for anything else.
I suspected there had to be a reason for Millia’s sudden approach, but I still felt bewildered.
“Wow. What did I just see?”
“...What do you mean, ‘what’?”
David gave me a playful look, and I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.
“David. I’m warning you, don’t say anything weird.”
“What would I say? I haven’t said a thing yet.”
I looked at his teasing expression and cut him off.
“I’ll buy you lunch. So just drop it.”
“Well, I’d appreciate that, but I really wasn’t going to say anything.”
I decided to just go along with his feigned innocence, but the feeling remained strange.
‘Come to think of it, Luna has been looking at me a lot lately, too.’
I started to wonder if Millia’s approach had something to do with Luna.
Perhaps the strange misunderstanding from before was still having an effect, because Luna had been giving me some very odd looks.
“Everyone, please take your seats.”
At Kalli’s calm voice, I settled my mind and prepared for the next lecture.
‘I’ll find out when I meet her.’
I wasn’t too worried about it.
…
Park C.
The various parks within the academy each had simple names. Arriving at the entrance to Park C, I took a moment to straighten my clothes.
I brushed off my clothes, smoothing out the wrinkles, and tried to keep my thoughts light.
“...Haa.”
As I entered the park, which was laid out in a large circle, I could see several people around.
And when I spotted Millia sitting on one of the benches, I slowly made my way toward her.
*Step…*
Until now, my encounters with Millia had never been anything significant.
To be precise, we had never met by ‘appointment’ like this before.
That’s why meeting her now, after arranging it beforehand, felt so unfamiliar.
“...”
Her short black hair and cute features were visible even from a distance, and my heart fluttered a little.
‘Her looks really are my ideal type.’
But ever since I considered Luna’s Trait, I had erased any intention of getting closer to Millia.
My current situation was far from ideal for developing romantic feelings for anyone; I simply didn’t have the luxury.
Then, a thought occurred to me.
I remembered telling her I would do anything for her after she helped me out.
The memory came back to me belatedly.
‘Maybe she wants something from me?’
Just as that seemed plausible, I arrived in front of her.
“...Millia.”
I called her name gently, and Millia looked up with a blank expression.
“Ah, Han Cheon-seong…”
Seeing her genuinely soft smile, I felt a warmth spread through my own heart.
"I’ll sit next to you."
"Okay. That’s fine."
As I sat down beside her, I naturally grew tense.
What on earth did Millia call me here for?
"Han Cheon-seong, um... the reason I asked you here is..."
"You can speak freely."
Her voice sounded as nervous as I felt, so I replied with a small smile. Millia nodded awkwardly.
"Okay. Actually... there’s something I want to ask you."
"A favor?"