Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: Midterm Evaluation - Training with Millia
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***
The next day, Thursday afternoon.
The warm afternoon sun shone directly into the classroom.
The sun's warmth was enough to make me drowsy, but I somehow managed to stay focused.
Surprisingly, time passed quickly.
"Alright, that's all for today's lecture."
With a crisp snap, Kalli closed her textbook, signaling the end of class.
“Haaah…”
David let out a huge yawn, as if he’d been struggling to stay awake. I couldn't help but smile as I glanced over at him.
“Careful, you’re going to tear your jaw.”
“My jaw is already torn, isn’t it?”
As he bantered back, he rose from his seat. I started packing my things, a strange feeling washing over me.
“It’s hard to believe the midterms are already tomorrow.”
I wasn’t sure when time had flown by so fast, but it had marched on, reminding me of the reality of the situation.
The midterm evaluation period was already upon us.
“Well, you had over a week to rest up, Han Cheon-seong. Of course it doesn’t feel real to you. Anyway, you said you’re partnering with Millia, right?”
“That’s right. We decided to team up for the midterms.”
“You sure have a knack for it. So, when she asked to meet you yesterday, was it about the midterm evaluation?”
“Yeah. To be honest, I thought it was only right for us to partner up, but things just turned out this way. Did you find a partner?”
“Don’t worry, I already found one during lunch. I’m off to go practice with them.”
David gave a casual wave and left. I stood up as well.
Since the midterms were tomorrow, I had arranged to practice with Millia, even if just for a short while.
I’d probably spend an hour or two with her before meeting Anastasia. Today was another packed day.
‘Every single day is so busy.’
I wasn't sure if time felt like it was flying by because I was constantly scheduling things without a moment's rest.
Lately, it felt like each day just sped by without giving me a chance to think.
I finished packing my things and stood up, looking over in Millia’s direction.
Luna was there, talking to Millia with a gloomy expression. Seeing that made me feel inexplicably uneasy.
Anyone could see it looked like Millia had abandoned Luna, and I felt like I had done something wrong.
‘Am I doing something terrible here?’
Luna and Millia. The two best friends should have naturally paired up, but I felt like I had wedged myself between them.
Honestly, I had a high opinion of Luna’s abilities, so I should have kept my distance from Millia. But now, even that relationship had changed.
I walked toward them, my mindset slightly different than before.
‘It was Millia who asked me directly.’
My current situation didn’t allow me to keep my distance from her. More importantly, she had helped me out in a big way before, so I couldn’t easily refuse.
…In truth, a big part of it was that when Luna had apologized to me last time, I had softened up considerably. My desire to use her had greatly diminished.
As I drew near, a sudden instinct made me step aside.
—!
Then, I saw someone stride past me.
Pale blond hair and a cold expression. Chilling eyes glared at me. It was someone I knew all too well.
‘Jerad?’
If I hadn’t moved, he would have shoved right past me. For a moment, I wondered if the bastard had lost his mind.
“Luna!”
…He approached Luna without a hint of hesitation.
Luna, who had been arguing with Millia, glanced at him and frowned.
“What do you want?”
“It’s about the midterm evaluation tomorrow. I was hoping you’d partner with me. It looks like you’re having trouble finding a partner, right?”
The same Jerad who had just glared coldly at me was now speaking to Luna in a syrupy-sweet voice. I was so dumbfounded I had to look at him again.
‘Has this bastard grown some balls?’
To say that to Luna of all people… his audacity was so surprising that I almost forgot his earlier rudeness.
But when I saw Luna’s expression, I couldn’t help but be puzzled.
‘With Luna's personality, she's hesitating over this?’
I had expected her to reject him flat out, but surprisingly, Luna seemed to be considering Jerad’s offer.
She suddenly looked past Jerad, her cold gaze landing on me, and I flinched.
“...Haaah.”
It was obvious to anyone that her long sigh was directed at me. Reluctantly, she nodded.
“Fine… alright.”
“Really? You’ll really be my partner?”
Without even glancing at Jerad, Luna looked at Millia and muttered in a drained voice.
“I’m telling you now. I don’t think I’ll get a good grade on the midterm. Are you okay with that?”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry! I’ll just have to do better.”
Jerad, looking triumphant, turned to me and spoke with an air of victory. For a second, while I understood Luna's attitude, I had no idea why this bastard was looking at me like that.
‘Does he think I was trying to get close to Luna?’
It felt like he thought he’d beaten me to the punch, but I wasn't approaching Luna with any interest at all.
“Millia. I’ll wait for you outside the classroom.”
I spoke to Millia, sticking to my original purpose. Millia, who was stroking Luna’s shoulder, gave an awkward nod.
“Okay. I’ll be right there. Just wait a bit.”
“Got it.”
After hearing her reply, I walked right past Jerad.
This time, he moved out of my way with a surprising willingness that I found absurd. I then left the classroom.
…
As I walked with Millia toward the training grounds, I naturally found myself studying her expression.
It was a tangle of complex emotions; she was clearly worried about Luna.
“You’re worried about Luna, aren’t you?”
When I spoke first, Millia looked at me with a startled expression.
“Ah, yeah. A little… When I told her yesterday that I was partnering with you for the midterms, she was really disappointed…”
“I get it. The two of you were inseparable. I understand. Luna probably never even considered having a partner other than you.”
As I spoke, I thought about it again.
The feeling of your best friend ditching you for someone else.
I had experienced it once in the past, and I still remembered how bewildering it was.
Luna was probably feeling deeply hurt by Millia right now.
‘Did I… unintentionally cause this?’
I felt a little sorry for Luna. Millia offered an awkward smile.
“Sorry. Did I make you worry for no reason?”
“No, it’s just… I never thought Luna would team up with Jerad.”
“I didn’t expect that either. Thinking about it now… I think I was too selfish. I should have told Luna properly beforehand. I only told her two days before the midterms.”
Seeing her regret, I offered a slightly different perspective.
“Still, maybe things like this are necessary from now on, right?”
“Huh?”
“Being best friends is a great thing. It shows how close you are. But relying on each other too much can be troublesome at times. You can’t always be together, can you?”
I said it, hoping she would take it a little easier. Millia blinked blankly.
“We can’t always be together…”
It seemed my words had struck a chord with her, so I tried to speak as lightly as possible.
“For example, sometimes you have to take different classes based on your respective abilities. Don’t you think it’s time for Luna to get to know other people, too? She needs to form proper relationships with others.”
“You’re right… that’s true.”
As I watched Millia agree with me, I felt a sense of déjà vu from my own words.
I realized why almost immediately.
‘This is exactly… what Leonhardt says to Luna in the novel.’
During the period when Luna was developing feelings for Leonhardt, he had told her those words, hoping she would broaden her relationships with others.
The fact that I was now saying them unconsciously felt rather ridiculous.
“Thank you for saying that. I think I feel a little more at ease.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
After a little more conversation, we arrived at the training grounds.
We stepped inside and saw students who had already formed groups of twos and threes.
Looking at them, I calmly collected my thoughts.
‘I shouldn’t get too anxious either.’
I was in a situation where I was desperately short on time, but I believed it was right to tackle what was right in front of me first.
Obsessing over leveling up my ability wouldn't necessarily speed up my growth.
In fact, interacting with others like this or trying new training methods might even help me grow.
The most important thing was my upcoming meeting with Anastasia.
I stopped in a suitable spot in a corner of the training ground and looked around.
“This seems like a good place to train. What do you think?”
“I think this place is fine too. Let’s practice here.”
Millia readily agreed.
Watching her, I familiarly picked up a practice spear from a nearby rack.
Since my own spear had been broken, I could only handle one in the training grounds, which made the feeling of gripping it all the more special.
To have a custom spear made at the academy’s workshop, I had to make a reservation, which I had already done for this weekend.
That meant I couldn’t get a new weapon right away.
Gripping the spear, I turned back to Millia. She stood with her hands clasped and her eyes closed.
She seemed to be concentrating on something, so I waited patiently. The change came soon after.
---!!
A blue light, clearly different in nature from mana, gathered and enveloped her hands. The light soon turned to water and began to take shape.
“Wow.”
I couldn't help but marvel at the sight.
It was definitely a water spirit.
The last time I saw it, it had been the size of a small bird, but the water bird now perched on Millia’s arm was twice as big.
The fledgling-like feeling was completely gone… Now, it was like looking at a fully grown blue falcon.
“…What do you think?”
Sensing my gaze, Millia asked cautiously. A smile escaped my lips.
“It’s really cool. The spirit’s name was Sesi, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. You remembered its name.”
She seemed pleased by my words and stepped closer, making the spirit on her arm appear even more vivid.
“Of course I remembered.”
As I spoke, I was so impressed by the magnificent falcon that I instinctively reached out a hand.
It was only the second time I had seen a spirit, but it always felt new and…
Splash!
“Ah.”
Just then, I was startled by the falcon's unexpected peck.
“Sesi?”
Even Millia looked at her spirit with surprised eyes.
“……”
Only then did I see it.
The water spirit in the shape of a falcon named Sesi. Its gaze was strangely hostile toward me…
“Sesi!? What’s wrong? You shouldn’t do that.”
Millia scolded Sesi, looking truly flustered, but the spirit merely gave me a haughty glare.
Soaked by the unexpected splash of water, all I could do was let out an awkward laugh.
‘…I don’t know why, but…’
It seemed the spirit named Sesi hated me.