Chapter 201
Chapter 201
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 201
Chapter Title: A Heart Without Regret
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Three days had already passed since the incident on Thursday.
It was Sunday, the end of the weekend.
I was still staying in the infirmary.
Although my body had recovered enough for daily life, I couldn't bring myself to leave.
…
“For the time being, classes have been suspended to reorganize the academy’s facilities and security measures. The suspension is scheduled to last until at least next Wednesday, but I think this time will feel completely different. It’s a period to firmly establish our defenses so that an incident like this never happens again.”
*Clink.*
I watched Adelia as she gently set down her teacup and explained, nodding calmly.
"I see."
Stroking the teacup, feeling its gentle warmth, I found my gaze unconsciously resting on Adelia.
Her neat appearance stood out amidst her emerald hair. There was no trace of her former playfulness. And so, no other thoughts crossed my mind either.
Since that day last week with its strange emotional exchange, I had pushed aside the fact that she held feelings for me.
‘I can’t afford to entertain such emotions at a time like this.’
The time I had spent agonizing over how to accept her now felt futile; we had no such luxury at the moment.
“Instructor Adelia… I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
“I just did what I had to do. It’s my job to treat injured cadets. So, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, just focus on steadying your heart and moving forward. I ask for nothing more.”
Her gentle voice seemed to warm my heart just a little.
“…”
As I took a sip of tea, the bitterness that flowed through my mouth felt like it was sharpening my senses.
‘So, I have just over a week left.’
After facing the apostle a few days ago, I was once again out of time.
Separate from overcoming the foreseen crisis, I had to assume that the incident destined to happen to Leonhardt would still occur as planned.
And I would have to be the one to prevent that crisis in his stead.
I glanced at the bed beside me.
My heart ached as I looked at Leonhardt, who had been sleeping much more since the incident.
“Instructor Adelia… what will happen to Leonhardt now?”
The Trait Leonhardt possessed had vanished due to the apostle’s power. In that process, his achievements likely hadn’t been completely erased.
However, I was curious about what would become of him.
“…Most likely, Cadet Leonhardt will focus on his recovery for the time being. To be more precise, it wouldn’t be wrong to say he’ll be healing his ‘heart.’ Besides myself, other distinguished individuals have promised to visit the academy. All of them are coming to check on Cadet Leonhardt’s condition. Furthermore, the academy has officially stated that it will take full responsibility for this incident. I believe they will be lenient with him.”
“Lenient, you say…?”
“It means that even in the worst-case scenario, he won’t be immediately expelled or cast out by the academy. No matter how much the academy values ability, he suffered such a terrible incident on its grounds, so they intend to at least show their willingness to take responsibility and treat him somehow.”
Her calm words left me speechless.
‘Expulsion…’
I had simply wondered what would happen next, but I only now realized that expulsion was even a possibility.
In this world, there was no one without a Trait. And in an academy that discriminated based on talent and prioritized growth… Leonhardt had now become a completely different kind of existence.
However, hearing that it wouldn't come to that brought me a small measure of relief.
“That’s a real relief. I never even considered that was a possibility.”
“To be honest, I’m quite bewildered myself. There’s never been an incident where a cadet lost their Trait before. We don’t know what the apostle’s purpose was in erasing it, but… *sigh*. Still, we must do whatever we can to help Cadet Leonhardt regain his spirits.”
Her words, hinting at so many things, made me let out a faint sigh.
-The apostle’s purpose in erasing the Trait.
-Leonhardt, who suffered an unprecedented incident.
-The situation that would unfold from now on.
It was bad in many ways. But I couldn't avoid facing reality.
After a moment of collecting my thoughts, I spoke.
“……Still, I believe Leonhardt will definitely get back on his feet.”
I said it with conviction.
“Cadet Han Cheon-seong, you seem to have a lot of faith in Cadet Leonhardt, don’t you?”
I nodded without hesitation at Adelia’s bright tone.
“The way I see it, Leonhardt… is a genius more brilliant than anyone else. His talent is one thing, but of all the people I’ve seen, no one has a stronger heart than him.”
I was sincere when I said I believed in him.
In the distant future, Leonhardt was destined to become a pillar supporting the world, like a beacon of hope. He absolutely could not break here and now.
‘And for that to happen, I need to handle things better.’
Even if I couldn't directly be a great source of strength for him, I intended to do my absolute best.
"For you to go that far, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, I'm actually a little surprised."
At Adelia’s words, I just smiled faintly.
The one who would become stronger than anyone in this world.
The one who would grow to be that person was Leonhardt Rorient.
It was his ‘heart.’
He held onto hope in the face of any crisis.
In a world where a strong heart manifested the greatest power, he could become stronger than any other being.
Therefore, I didn't believe it was impossible for him to recover his strength.
***
Afternoon, as the sun began to set.
A deep silence lingered in the infirmary, where visitors were strictly restricted due to the incident.
And in that silence, Leonhardt, now conscious, was leaning blankly against the window, gazing at the sky outside.
“……”
The once-blue sky was now stained red by the setting sun.
Even while looking at the beautiful sky…
*Clench.* Leonhardt dazedly clenched his own hand.
He still couldn't feel even a sliver of power.
He was once again reminded that he felt absolutely nothing.
The energy of the Sword of the Azure Sky no longer dwelled within his body…
“Leonhardt.”
At the voice from his side, Leonhardt blankly turned his head.
*Rustle.*
His brilliant blond hair was dyed red by the sunset. With eyes calmer than usual, Leonhardt took in the person before him.
Amidst the black hair stained red by the sunset, he could clearly see eyes filled with concern.
That was why he felt he had to smile right now.
He couldn't let others worry about him. In fact, Leonhardt felt deeply that he should be thankful just to be alive.
So, he was able to open his mouth, a mouth that wouldn't part.
“This… I’m still not used to my condition.”
“We’ll find a way soon. You need to keep your heart strong, too.”
“Yeah. I was thinking the same thing. Thanks for saying that… Han Cheon-seong.”
After their brief exchange, Leonhardt looked away from Cheon-seong.
The gaze, a mixture of pity, sympathy, and various other emotions… just meeting it made his heart ache.
It was as if it made him realize he had truly lost the power of his Trait.
“……”
He turned his gaze back to the sunset-stained sky outside the window.
Leonhardt blankly lifted his head and stared endlessly at the sky, dyed in the crimson light of dusk.
Cheon-seong, standing beside him, couldn't bring himself to speak.
…….
In the silence-filled infirmary, as days passed, Leonhardt found himself looking at the sky more often.
He himself didn't know why.
The vast blue sky, the sky stained red by sunset, the pitch-black sky shrouded in darkness, and the pale white sky that slowly embraced the light of dawn…
In just a few days, he had taken in every kind of sky.
The vast, sprawling sky he had tried to capture in his sword just a few days ago—
‘Perhaps this, too, is fate.’
…Looking at the sunset-dyed sky, that thought crossed his mind.
The foolish thought that maybe this incident was his destiny.
No matter how many times he replayed that moment from a few days ago when he was struck down by the apostle, it felt like a moment he could not have defied, which only strengthened that feeling.
He felt that even if he had been able to manifest greater power at that moment, it still wouldn't have been enough to match the apostle.
If asked whether he regretted his decision to face the apostle… all he felt now was an extremely strange mix of emotions.
“……”
The sense of foreboding and crisis he had felt that day rippled through his heart again as he looked at the crimson sky.
The moment he sensed the apostle’s presence and sent Yumia away first, he had instinctively felt that he was the target.
‘It seems I don’t regret it after all.’
A contradictory conclusion filled his mind with turmoil.
Even after hearing that he had lost the power of the Sword of the Azure Sky, he did not regret the decision he made in that moment.
If he had tried to leave the park then.
If he had informed an instructor, he might have avoided such a disaster…
“…”
Then, a small laugh escaped his lips.
It was all just speculation anyway.
There was no point in regretting and looking back on the past.
He believed that if he hadn't acted as he did, other cadets in the park would have been hurt, or the damage would have been far greater.
Above all, the fact that Yumia hadn't been caught up in the incident.
…Amidst the dreadful and terrible sense of loss from losing the Sword of the Azure Sky, that fact was a great support for his heart.
'It wasn't the worst-case scenario for me.'
It was a relief above all else that he was the only one involved and that there were no other victims.
"Come to think of it…"
Muttering blankly, he unconsciously glanced to his side.
He saw Han Cheon-seong, still keeping his post. His eyes fell on the bandages wrapped around his left shoulder and right waist.
“Han Cheon-seong. You seem to have some bad luck, too.”
“Me, bad luck? I think I was pretty lucky.”
He shook his head at Han Cheon-seong, who laughed as if his words were absurd.
Following the last apostle’s attack, Han Cheon-seong had once again been caught up with an apostle and was grievously injured.
And yet, it felt even more pronounced now.
—Han Cheon-seong’s immense presence.
It wasn't just because he had lost the power of the Sword of the Azure Sky.
“Looking at you… it really makes me feel how lacking I am.”
He muttered blankly, feeling the difference between himself and Han Cheon-seong.
Compared to him, who had suffered the terrible accident of losing the Sword of the Azure Sky, Han Cheon-seong, who had faced a similar crisis, had escaped with only those injuries.
“What do you mean? Why would you say you’re lacking?”
“Well… you’ve already perfected your power.”
As he spoke, pure admiration filled his heart.
It hadn't even been a week since he had seen him reach Trait Level 5. Yet, Han Cheon-seong had achieved even more unbelievable growth since then.
A laugh even escaped him at the sense that his very level of existence had changed.
“Leonhardt. You can even sense that?”
When asked with a surprised expression, he slowly nodded.
“I know you’ve perfected your skill. That’s all. It just makes me feel how much more I’m lacking.”
Han Cheon-seong had reached Trait Level 5 and had even perfected his skill.
That was why he had been able to overcome the incident.
Unlike him, whose heart had broken under the excruciating pain…
He had possessed the formidable power to endure it.
“…Leonhardt.”
At the extremely cautious tone, he slowly shook his head.
“I haven’t given up yet. So you don’t have to worry so much.”
Even as he said it… he looked at the sky again. It was certain that the Trait of the Sword of the Azure Sky was gone.
The power that had guided him and shown him the way forward, he could no longer feel any of it.
And yet, he steeled his heart.
‘This sky hasn’t disappeared.’
…Amidst the terrible sense of emptiness, he forced himself to straighten his resolve.
That was right. He could still see the blue sky. That meant the principles contained within that sky hadn't vanished completely.
“Leonhardt. I’m sure you can do it. I can guarantee it. The talent you possess is greater than anyone else’s in this world. Don’t you dare think about giving up. Harden your heart even more. There must be a way to recover your Trait.”
A faint laugh escaped him at the voice filled with power.
Slowly, he glanced to the side, unable to understand.
‘Why more than even me…’
Why did it feel like Han Cheon-seong had more faith in him than he did?
It felt too sincere to be mere words of encouragement, and the more he listened, the more he found it strange.