Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: A Peculiar Atmosphere
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***
“Cadet Jerad. You will be given demerits later. Accept them humbly. I will not entertain any objections.”
“...Yes.”
Jerad accepted with a sullen expression at Kalli’s frigid tone.
A flicker of her gaze.
Immediately after, Kalli’s gaze turned to me. Though surprised by its utter coldness, I didn’t hesitate to meet her eyes.
‘Don't tell me...’
I worried that I might get demerits too. I had struck Jerad’s hand as he tried to grab my collar, and I’d also given him a slight push at the end. It was weighing on my mind.
“Huu…”
Contrary to my worries, Kalli simply gave me a deep look before turning her head away.
“...That will be all for today. You all worked hard on the midterm evaluation. Since we finished later than usual, you are dismissed.”
With Kalli’s calm voice, the midterm evaluation came to a complete end.
*Thud. Clack…*
The class had ended later than usual, and Kalli’s cold demeanor left the cadets feeling awkward. I calmly looked at Millia.
“Millia, you worked hard today.”
“Not at all. You worked harder than I did, Han Cheon-seong.”
Looking at Millia’s bright smile, I thought we could wrap things up as well.
“Millia~~~”
“Ah, Luna.”
Luna quickly found her way to Millia.
*Latch.*
A laugh escaped me as I watched Luna cling to Millia as if hugging her.
When Luna’s gaze fell on me, I spoke casually.
“Still, I’m glad the test ended well.”
Even as I spoke, I was a little surprised.
‘To think Luna would defend me.’
Considering her usual personality, I never expected her to admit I helped her. But because she surprisingly did, the strange situation ended immediately.
It was truly unexpected help.
“Right, that... advice you gave... thanks.”
As Luna replied hesitantly, I could clearly feel that she was different from the Luna in the original story.
“It was nothing. I should get going now.”
I replied lightly and was about to head toward David when...
“Wait, just a moment. Han Cheon-seong.”
Luna’s voice stopped me in my tracks.
As I turned to look at Luna again.
“...”
Strangely, before I even saw Luna who had stopped me, my eyes were drawn to Millia, whose gaze was wavering intensely.
“...Yeah?”
Seeing Millia’s strange expression, my reply came a beat too late.
Despite my answer, Luna hesitated, her lips wavering.
Then, as if she had made a great resolution, she met my eyes.
“Han Cheon-seong. How did you know... that I was pushing myself too hard? I was preparing a higher-level spell... and honestly, it was a close call...”
She asked with genuine curiosity, and I felt a little deflated.
I thought she was going to ask something important, but it was nothing special.
“I could just tell by looking at you.”
“By looking at me, you could tell...”
“I could see your eyes kept wavering. That’s why I felt you needed a proper reminder of what the midterm evaluation was about. There was no other meaning behind it.”
When Luna started casting her spell, my eyes were naturally drawn to her. And because I knew the signs of her failure from the story, I was able to give her advice.
It was truly nothing more and nothing less than that.
“I-I see... Then, that's all.”
I nodded at Luna’s hesitant response, an amused smile escaping my lips.
‘Man... you really never know how human relationships will turn out.’
My relationship with Luna, whose first impression was absolutely the worst, had improved to the point where we could converse casually. It was surprising to experience it firsthand.
“Well then, you and Millia, I’ll see you next time.”
“Ah, yes... Goodbye.”
When I said my goodbyes to Millia, her look of surprise seemed nothing but cute to me.
*Thud.*
After parting with them, I looked toward David and saw him clicking his tongue at me.
“Why are you clicking your tongue at me?”
I approached David and spoke without hesitation. He twisted his lips into a crooked smile.
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just something I feel when I watch you sometimes... You’re truly marvelous, in a way.”
“...Marvelous?”
“Yeah. I’m starting to get genuinely curious about what your future will be like.”
As he burst out laughing and said something incomprehensible, I could only tilt my head in confusion.
‘My future, huh...’
Would it really be that different?
Right now, I'm in a position where I have to worry about life and death. If I’m still alive in the future, I figured I must be doing pretty well for myself.
It would mean I had overcome the immediate crises facing me.
***
*Thud. Thud…*
Amidst the slowly dispersing cadets.
Jerad watched a few of them, his eyes dark and sunken.
“I really don’t think I can live without you, Millia. So, you have to hang out with me for the rest of the day, okay?”
“Alright. I will. I’ll even buy dessert.”
Luna approaching Millia, chattering with a cheerful expression... Jerad could have let that slide.
However, the scene that had unfolded just moments before was more than enough to sink his heart.
‘Han Cheon-seong…’
The problem was that guy, now disappearing from his sight.
Things never went right because of him.
All the attention should have been on him, but because of that commoner, things never went as they should.
Even this midterm evaluation…
*Gnash.*
Jerad gritted his teeth, his anger boiling over.
The image of that guy giving advice to Luna as if he were someone important made a rage he’d never felt before surge within him.
“Hey... Jerad?”
“Even if you get demerits, it won’t be that bad. Don’t worry.”
Melden and Duren, who usually hung out with Jerad, cautiously approached him. Jerad glanced at them and slowly nodded.
“I don’t care about demerits.”
“Haha. Y-You don’t? That’s a relief, then.”
“Let’s go hang out. On days like this, it’s best to just let them pass quickly.”
Even as the two tried to lighten the mood, Jerad’s gaze remained fixed on the slowly retreating figure of Han Cheon-seong.
“You two go on your own today. I have some things to think about.”
“Ah, okay. Duren, let’s go.”
“Uh... yeah.”
Once the two had left, Jerad began to walk, very slowly.
*Thud. Thud…*
“...”
Jerad’s eyes grew darker and more sunken.
A single scene kept replaying in his mind.
Luna had approached Millia, then suddenly stopped Han Cheon-seong, looking at him with a complex and subtle expression she had never shown anyone else.
It was a look she had never given to anyone but Millia.
And that scene had left a deep impression on Jerad.
Even though their families were close and they had known each other for years, Luna had never once looked at him that way, nor spoken to him in such a soft tone.
“...”
Jerad bit his lip and nodded to himself.
‘Somehow…!’
Han Cheon-seong. I will wipe that smirk off his face.
That gloomy desire took a powerful hold in Jerad’s heart. He had no more pride left to lose; he could no longer afford to be picky about his methods.
And so, another storm began to brew.
A peculiar current was forming.
***
After the midterm evaluation ended, I didn’t go straight back to the classroom.
I continued to train a bit longer with David in the training hall.
Even while thinking I was short on time, oddly enough, my mind wasn’t on my own training.
In terms of efficiency, training alone didn’t feel very impactful at this point.
*Thump.*
“...Han Cheon-seong. You’re seriously... like a monster every time we train together.”
Seeing David panting raggedly as if he’d reached his absolute limit, I slowly lowered my spear, a smile escaping me.
“Why am I a monster? I was just training.”
“What kind of training has no end like this? A few more sessions like this and I’ll actually die.”
As if to say he couldn’t train any more, David collapsed onto his back in a spread-eagle pose. Seeing that, I didn’t push him further.
It had been an intense session, lasting a little under two hours.
David’s growth rate wasn’t bad. He seemed to be getting more accustomed to handling his ‘Precision Enhancement’ trait, his progress clearly visible.
“David, let’s call it a day. I have to go train with Instructor Kalli, so I don’t think I can spare any more time.”
I wiped my face with a towel and got myself ready.
It was almost 6 o’clock.
“You’re going to train again... with Instructor Kalli?”
“Yeah. Time is gold, as they say.”
At my light reply, David looked at me as if I were a real monster.
*Pat.*
I gave his shoulder a light pat and turned to leave.
For me, the real training was just beginning.
*
6 PM, on the dot.
*Knock, knock.*
I knocked on the door to Kalli’s training room and spoke cautiously.
“Instructor Kalli. It’s Han Cheon-seong.”
As I announced my arrival,
“Yes. Come in.”
Kalli’s voice came back almost instantly.
I straightened myself up before opening the door and stepping into the training room, only to be taken by surprise.
“...!”
Not far from the entrance, Kalli stood staring intently at me.
...She looked as if she had been waiting for me, so much so that I felt a bit awkward walking in.
“You’re right on time.”
“Ah, yes... I was training in the personal training hall.”
“Is that so? You’re not overdoing it, are you?”
As Kalli asked with narrowed eyes, I felt strangely at ease.
“Not at all. For me, the real training is just beginning.”
“Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease, too. Then come here.”
She gestured for me to approach, as if there was no time to waste, and I walked toward her.
As I approached, I couldn’t shake a strange feeling.
‘...She’s definitely more covered up, but.’
Kalli wasn’t wearing an outfit as suggestive or revealing as the last time we were together. But she wasn’t completely covered up, either.
She was still wearing a training uniform that revealed the contours of her body. Although less skin was showing than before, my gaze was unconsciously drawn to her pale complexion.
*Step.*
When I reached her, Kalli naturally took out Ellimiang’s Consideration.
“Excuse me, then.”
“Yes…”
As usual, I found myself tensing up the moment she went to put on the earring.
*Click.*
As she stepped a little closer, I tried my best to calm my heart.
I steeled myself against any irreverent thoughts and waited patiently.
*Click.*
With the sound of it locking onto my right ear, a familiar pain followed.
I naturally waited for her to put the other earring on, but even after nearly a minute, Kalli didn’t move her hand.
“...?”
Finding this strange, I met her gaze. I was met with Kalli’s dazed expression.
“......”
Her eyes seemed unfocused. She was staring at me with a very peculiar look on her face, and I couldn’t help but speak.
“Instructor Kalli…?”