Chapter 222
Chapter 222
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 222
Chapter Title: Endless Rumors
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***
Time flowed on with a lofty air.
While some spent their days in peace at the academy, others faced fierce and urgent battles, defending the empire's front lines.
But to time itself, their days were no different.
Before long, it was Thursday.
….
Early that morning, after nearly a week of the academy being closed, the main thoroughfare was once again bustling with the footsteps of cadets heading to class.
And among them, Han Cheon-seong was not much different from the others.
“Haaah…”
He covered his mouth as he yawned, his eyes narrowing.
Now, heading to the academy alone without David, he was once again reminded of what it felt like to be the center of countless cadets’ gazes.
Whisper, whisper…
Whether they thought he couldn't hear or simply didn't care if he did, the topics of conversation among the surrounding cadets were all quite unsettling.
-Questions about me being with Anastasia during the incident.
-Claims of seeing me being affectionate with Glacia.
-Rumors of a strange relationship with Ariya, the Master of the Magic Tower…
A mix of truth and lies reached his ears.
Hearing even the things he shouldn't was, in a different sense, quite painful.
Just by listening to the cadets' conversations, he could vaguely piece together what he had done after the school closure was announced.
-Just how much of a womanizer is Han Cheon-seong...? Does he like any girl as long as she's a girl?
-He really might be.
“…”
His brow furrowed at the words he heard.
He glanced over.
Unable to simply ignore it, he turned his gaze directly to the cadets who had been talking. They flinched, turning their heads and feigning ignorance, but honestly, it left a bad taste in his mouth.
‘If you don't have the guts to say it to my face, then don't whisper about it in the first place.’
He let out a deep sigh. The rumors about him were so endless that it made him reflect on himself.
Just…
‘How did my image get like this?’
In his own opinion, he felt he had lived quite diligently up until now.
He had paid close attention during lectures and had never neglected his personal training. If anything, he had done more than others, never less.
And he hadn't spent that time solely for himself.
He had pushed himself to the brink, to the point of breaking his own body, to save others.
And yet…
The only rumors circulating about him were that he was a womanizer, a man who couldn't live a single day without seeing a woman... completely absurd tales.
The thought made him let out a hollow laugh.
‘Really...’
If he had truly been crazy about women, there was no way he could have achieved what he had now.
He thought this inwardly, but outwardly, only a small sigh escaped.
He could refute everything they were whispering about, but it wasn't as if he could go up to each and every one of them to explain and clarify.
Walking among the many cadets, he felt it was futile to even care about the rumors.
-So, do you think I have a chance?
-What?
-I mean... if Han Cheon-seong really accepts any girl, I was wondering if I could too...
-You're being ridiculous. Why would you say something so absurd?
The conversation he happened to overhear was simply dumbfounding.
‘Anyone hearing this would think…’
He wondered if he really seemed like someone who would accept just anyone.
The women he had spent time with all had their reasons for being with him, yet the rumors painted him as someone who liked any girl, no matter who.
‘It's not like I've ever met someone with ulterior motives in the first place.’
“…”
His thoughts trailed off. He slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.
He shook off the negative, intrusive thoughts that kept surfacing with every new sound.
‘This will probably blow over in a few days anyway.’
With a renewed mindset, he decided to stop thinking about the rumors altogether.
Trying to correct the gossip circulating about him now would be useless. Hadn't he learned that painfully over the past few weeks?
In a few more days, another new rumor about him would surely start.
In that case, caring about these rumors and reacting to each one was a loss for him.
***
C1 Lecture Hall.
As it was the first lecture in days after the school closure, a somewhat restless atmosphere lingered in the hall.
“You should all know the basics of how traits have complementary and conflicting relationships based on their properties. And there are cases where the superiority of a trait can be reversed depending on the situation, so you shouldn't blindly trust…”
But the calm voice of Kalli that echoed through the hall was not as cold as before.
Rather, it was gentle and simple.
Yet, her clear voice was so captivating that most cadets found themselves naturally listening in.
Before long, the restless atmosphere faded, and everyone was focused on the lecture. It was no different for Luna and Millia, who were sitting on one side of the hall.
Even so, Millia felt a strange sense of incongruity.
“...”
Perhaps it was because she hadn't seen Instructor Kalli in a while, but she seemed even more dazzling today.
She had always thought the instructor was beautiful, but today she felt vastly different.
She exuded a charm that even Millia, as a woman, couldn't help but admire.
She glanced around.
Slyly turning her gaze across the lecture hall, she saw that most of the male cadets couldn't take their eyes off Instructor Kalli. And their reactions were completely understandable.
‘Instructor Kalli. I wonder if something good happened to her.’
She couldn't explain why the instructor seemed so radiant, but it was clear that she had changed.
And even now, that change was subtly visible.
Slowly.
In a truly rare sight, Instructor Kalli's lips curled into a smile mid-lecture.
Her warm gaze swept over the classroom with a gentle, beautiful smile.
It seemed as though she was looking at everyone, but Millia could feel that the instructor's gaze lingered slightly, and more frequently, in one particular direction.
And that place was…
‘Han Cheon-seong?’
Right where Han Cheon-seong was sitting.
“We’ll take a short break now and resume the lecture shortly.”
When a sudden break was announced, Millia blinked but understood.
‘Everyone can feel that Instructor Kalli treats Han Cheon-seong a bit more specially now.’
When she thought about it, it wasn't that strange.
He had the best grades in the class and showed a diligent attitude, always committed to his training. Furthermore, since he was considered the most advanced not just in their class but among all others, it was only natural that the instructor would look upon him favorably.
*Clack.*
*Rustle…*
As she organized her desk while the other cadets got up from their seats, she nodded to herself.
Then, her hands froze.
“…”
Even so, the look in Instructor Kalli's eyes just now had felt very different.
A strange gaze that seemed to hold a deeper meaning…
“Millia~~”
*Thump.*
Her thoughts were cut off by Luna, who casually leaned her head on her shoulder.
“What’s wrong all of a sudden, Luna?”
“I don’t know, it just feels weird being back at the academy after the break... How about you, Millia? Are you adjusting okay?”
“I’m fine. And Luna, I don’t think it’s just you. Everyone seems to feel that way. It’ll get better soon.”
“You think so? Now that you mention it, maybe you’re right... Let me just lean on you for a little bit.”
*Nuzzle, nuzzle.*
As Luna finished speaking, she began to whine softly against her. Millia gently patted her, a small smile escaping her lips.
She supposed she, too, had a tendency to overthink strange things.
‘Instructor Kalli is just an instructor.’
“I really think I would’ve had a hard time without you, Millia.”
“Don’t say that.”
As Luna spoke with a bright smile, Millia met her gaze, but her eyes flickered elsewhere.
To where Han Cheon-seong was sitting.
He was chatting with David, his usual companion, a faint smile on his face. The sight made her heart flutter once more.
‘Still, I’m so glad.’
Above all, she felt at ease just being able to see Han Cheon-seong in the lecture hall as usual.
“Oh, right. And Millia.”
“Yes?”
“I’m thinking of making plans with Cheon-seong for this afternoon. What about you? Are you free?”
“...Plans?”
At the unexpected words, Millia blinked blankly at Luna.
“Yeah. There’s something I want to ask him. I thought it would be good if you were there too. Is that okay?”
“Yes. I… don’t mind.”
She tried her best to feign composure, but Luna's sudden change was utterly confusing.
At first, she had disliked Han Cheon-seong so much, always giving him disapproving looks. Although Millia had mediated between them, their relationship had somehow changed this drastically.
To the point where she could casually say his name and suggest making plans with him.
“Then I’ll go ask him right now.”
*Thump.* Luna lifted her head from Millia's shoulder and stood up. Millia could only nod hesitantly.
*Click-clack.*
As she watched Luna's back walking confidently toward Han Cheon-seong, her heart pounded fiercely.
“Come to think of it…”
This was a first.
Luna approaching someone other than her to casually make plans…
It had never happened before.