Chapter 171
Chapter 171
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: Admiration is the Emotion Furthest from Understanding
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***
Blink.
As I groggily opened my eyes, the morning sun shining into the dormitory was dazzling.
Sunday. It was already Sunday.
“……”
Gazing at the sunlight, my body felt exceptionally refreshed. I felt in better condition today than I had in the last several days…
“Hoo.”
But a deep sigh escaped my lips first.
Rustle.
I sat up and ran a hand through my messy hair.
“This is a whole other kind of headache.”
Learning someone’s feelings for you made you much more conscious of them than you’d think. Especially since that someone had feelings for me. And to think that person wasn't a student, but an 'instructor.'
The worries, the countless assumptions, the thoughts that had flooded my mind last night were innumerable.
“…I feel really refreshed.”
As I rolled my shoulders, my arms felt so light they barely seemed my own.
Then, suddenly, I remembered Instructor Adelia’s hands on my shoulders.
Her touch as she had briefly examined my body…
“Surely there wasn’t any ulterior motive in that touch.”
I muttered to myself as a dry laugh escaped.
Still, I thought that couldn't be it. Even if Instructor Adelia had feelings for me, I couldn't imagine she'd satisfy some personal desire or make a subtle move while checking my body.
I shook my head and got up.
Smack!
I slapped my cheeks, trying to shake off the distracting thoughts that filled my head.
“Today, I need to focus on today.”
…There was something else I needed to concentrate on right now.
My appointment for today. And, at the same time, reaching level 5 with my trait.
I had to complete my growth to prepare for the Apostle who would visit the academy next Thursday.
“Status.”
Ding!
As soon as I spoke, numerous items appeared in my vision, but I checked only one.
===
[Spearmanship Lv.4 Growth Rate - 98%]
(Keyword for reaching Trait Level 5: Sacrifice has been met.)
===
“Good. This is going very smoothly.”
A sense of satisfaction washed over me as I checked the growth rate. When Karite’s trait had grown, I too had felt a ‘fragment’ of my own trait’s growth.
As a result, my Spearmanship growth rate had increased by a whole 3%. Only 2% remained until Trait Level 5.
“This is definitely possible.”
There were four days left until next Thursday. I had to reach Trait Level 5 by then.
Swish.
As I lightly flexed my hands, I steeled my resolve. I would reach Trait Level 5 and, with Anastasia’s help, safely overcome the coming crisis.
There were no issues.
That’s why, compared to two weeks ago when I was preparing for Leteia, the Apostle of Sacrifice, my mind was much more at ease now.
“……”
After a light stretch, I began to prepare to go out.
Anastasia was the cornerstone for that, a crucial relationship I had to maintain, and the one who would be of the greatest help to me right now.
…Today was the day of my regular meeting with her family member, Glacia.
“It would be best if I could help Glacia grow as well.”
I muttered, a vague sense of anticipation rising within me.
Perhaps. A faint confidence rose in me that even that might be possible.
***
—Understanding.
There was a saying that admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding.
Someone had said it, and though Glacia couldn't remember where she'd heard it, she felt it made a lot of sense.
The moment you look at someone not objectively, but with the emotion of admiration, you are already far from understanding them.
In that sense, she held great admiration.
"...But that's changed."
What was meant to be time spent with Han Cheon-seong to understand him had somehow strayed from its original purpose of understanding.
And while she had admired her sister and made it her goal to stand by her side, a strange feeling arose, making her wonder if she was even looking at the right path.
…Had I lost my way at some point?
CR-CR-CR-CR-CR-CRACK!!
But that thought was cut short by a massive deluge of cold energy that erupted.
Srrrrk…!
The spectacle of hundreds, no, thousands of ice crystals instantly filling the training ground was beyond magnificent; it was the pinnacle of the surreal.
The training ground was completely frozen over, and at its center, her sister emanated such an overwhelming presence that it was impossible to look away for even a second.
Standing there alone, a scene of absolute power that brought the atmosphere, space, and everything else under her command.
Who would dare approach her sister?
Just witnessing a fragment of the power her sister unleashed was enough to overwhelm her now.
“……”
Her sister, whom she hadn't seen in three years, was completely different from the past.
So even now, as she stood with her mouth agape, no words would come out.
A storm of emotions swirled in her heart—pressure, unease, and at the same time, admiration, respect, and countless other feelings.
‘My sister is truly special.’
She wanted to understand her sister more, but even now, she couldn't.
No, she had never understood her sister, not even once.
Her sister was more special than anyone, and even among those hailed as geniuses, she was undeniably an overwhelming ‘genius.’
Looking at the power her sister, now grown far beyond her past self, was manifesting, it was only natural that she couldn't understand her.
“……”
As she experienced the true nature of her sister's manifested trait, she felt absolutely nothing.
It was like witnessing a spectacle of power so far beyond comprehension that it was simply distant.
She had wanted to see her sister's power to follow in her footsteps.
To one day… stand proudly by her side…
But just as in the past, she was once again being overwhelmed.
“Glacia. From this state, I still have two more stages of release left.”
At her sister’s cold, echoing voice, she numbly nodded.
“…I see.”
She couldn't even fathom catching up to the power her sister was displaying now, yet her sister spoke of something beyond it.
That she still had two more stages of power left to release…
“And you are doing well enough right now. It's not bad to aim for me as your goal and try to catch up. But don't be hasty. If you strive to move forward steadfastly, you will surely reach it. Power will find you at some point. You just have to make sure you don't miss that moment.”
…Her sister’s ensuing, vague words.
Though she couldn't understand them in the slightest, she took them to heart.
‘Sister is always right.’
Her sister, whom she respected and admired, had never been wrong and was the family she trusted and loved most in this world.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
As she replied, her eyes were still fixed on her sister.
As her sister began to walk calmly amidst the countless ice walls that seemed unbreakable, the walls parted as if granting her mercy, embracing her.
Shhh…!
The ice walls, which crumbled into white powder wherever her sister's body touched, opened a path as if making an exception just for her, and even that sight was filled with a sense of wonder.
Innumerable ice fragments decorated the air brilliantly. And now, she could feel the power contained within those fragments.
‘If someone had been inside those fragments.’
It was easy to imagine they would have been instantly blown apart, meeting their death.
She could see a durability that was incomparable to the ice walls her sister had created when testing them over the past few days.
And so, she naturally came to realize just how much her sister had been holding back for them.
‘Really… Sister, too.’
A small smile escaped her lips as her sister slowly approached.
Shhhhhh…!
She stared blankly at the sight of the ice walls crumbling as if showing consideration only for her sister.
That sight was always beautiful and mysterious.
A scene far more overwhelming than what she had witnessed years ago.
‘It’s as if the trait is alive.’
She realized that she herself was strange for thinking that. A trait was nothing more than an innate power, so the expression ‘alive’ couldn't apply to it.
Shhh….
But her sister’s trait, ‘Ice Flower,’ always gave her the feeling that it was alive whenever she saw it.
As if the trait were alive and loved her sister. So it tried to protect her sister in any way it could. A feeling of devotion, as if it would give its all for her…
It felt less like she was manifesting the trait and more like it was a strange sensation of it moving according to her sister's will.
So… she even felt a little jealous of the trait.
It was as if the countless ice walls didn't just like her sister, but were considerate of her.
‘Sister is my sister. Our sister…’
Thud.
Her sister stopped walking and suddenly smiled softly.
“Shall we stop here?”
At those words, she inadvertently shook her head.
“Just a little. Sister, let me see the trait a little longer.”
“Really? Alright. If you want to see it, Glacia… this much is fine.”
Her sister spoke gently and sat down, leaning against one of the ice walls.
It looked strangely perfect.
Her sister's flawless form was beautiful no matter when she saw it.
“So, Glacia.”
“Yes…?”
“To be honest, I’m a bit surprised that you’re looking at my trait with such admiration. It was like that in the past, and it’s the same now.”
“Well, it’s because I wanted to see your trait.”
“The fact that you’re purely observing the trait. That in itself is surprising. Most people are so overwhelmed they can't think beyond that.”
Despite her sister’s words, her heart seemed to come alive looking at her trait.
“What I find surprising is that you can have impressions while looking at the trait. Most people, when faced with such a huge gap, either fall into despair or don't want to look at all.”
Looking at her smiling sister, she didn't feel that way at all.
Rather than despair, the more she saw her sister's trait, the more her desire to become stronger grew.
This moment was just one part of a process, a part of her effort to understand her sister…
“Ah…”
Lost in thought, she flinched.
“What’s wrong, Glacia?”
“Sister, I’m sorry. I had an appointment today.”
She immediately gathered herself as she spoke.
“An appointment?”
“Yes. I was supposed to meet with Han Cheon-seong, but I completely forgot. I’m sorry, but let’s meet again tonight. I think I have to go now.”
“…Oh. Okay. I understand.”
As soon as she heard her sister’s reply, she began to walk away hastily.
‘Understanding…’
The man she had started meeting to understand her sister was Han Cheon-seong.
To think she had forgotten her appointment with him was a truly big mistake.
Her heart pounded even harder as she belatedly checked the time.
There were only ten minutes left until the appointment at 11 AM.
‘I’m going to be late.’