Chapter 309
Chapter 309
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 309
Chapter Title: Millia's Confusion & Han Cheon-seong's Realization
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***
Just as Luna conceded defeat, her mana overload subsided, and her body began to slowly tilt.
Cheon-seong had just completely shattered and neutralized Luna's magic, leaving him no choice but to catch her.
And as the concepts overlapped, momentarily overloading him, Cheon-seong felt not a physical, but a mental limit.
The skill he had perfected. The realization that [Pierce and Twist a Single Point], which he had thought was a subordinate concept to the Asura Spiral Spear, was in fact not, made Cheon-seong’s head throb as if it would split.
And so, as Cheon-seong staggered and collapsed to the ground with Luna.
Thud.
In the aftermath, a strange silence fell not only between the two of them, but across the entire training ground where others had been watching the duel.
The peculiar sight of the two, which had first inspired a sense of awe in the onlookers, suddenly shifted to exude a strange atmosphere between a man and a woman.
-Oh my….
Wow.
What's with those two…?
So those old rumors... weren't completely baseless after all?
Just as hushed whispers began to spread among the students.
There was someone who was even more shocked.
Blinking blankly, Millia’s heart was in turmoil.
“...”
Her lips parted, but no words escaped.
She could only stare.
She had seen Han Cheon-seong catch Luna the moment she was released from her mana overload.
But when Han Cheon-seong also lost his balance while catching her and fell, their bodies ended up overlapping, as if by chance.
...It was as if Luna had pounced on Han Cheon-seong, and I could do nothing but stare blankly.
And... a question arose.
‘Why…’
Why weren't they getting up right away?
Why wasn't Luna moving off of Han Cheon-seong? And why wasn't Han Cheon-seong pushing her away?
They both seemed strange.
The sight of Han Cheon-seong breathing heavily as if exhausted and Luna just blinking blankly was utterly bizarre.
“Alright, everyone, that’s enough. Return to your spots and focus on your training. The two students who just dueled are simply exhausted, which led to this situation. Let’s not create any bigger rumors or confusion with needless talk.”
As Instructor Ludmina approached the pair to resolve the situation, the whispering quickly died down.
While the other students dispersed as if their interest had waned, I found myself unable to take a single step.
‘Something…’
I felt strange.
I knew it couldn't be true.
I knew better than anyone that neither Han Cheon-seong nor Luna had the slightest interest in each other.
After all, I was the one who had forced their relationship back to normal when it had nearly been ruined in the past.
So I knew better.
What I was seeing was just a coincidence.
...Just a momentary accident, with no other meaning behind it.
“Student Luna, you can’t muster any strength in your body right now, can you?”
“…Yes.”
As Instructor Ludmina carefully helped Luna off of Han Cheon-seong, Luna spoke weakly.
Her face was completely flushed red, her exhaustion palpable.
She was practically pulled to her feet by the instructor’s gesture, and I could clearly see that she was struggling to even stand properly.
‘Right…’
Luna definitely didn't mean for that to happen.
Slightly relieved by the series of events, I belatedly let out a breath.
“Haa…”
Only then did I realize I had been holding my breath.
As the sensation of blood rushing through my body returned, my eyes suddenly met Luna’s.
“...”
“...”
I managed a smile as I looked at her, and I saw Luna awkwardly smile back.
Despite my initial attempts to dissuade her, she had gone ahead with the duel against Han Cheon-seong, and in doing so, had proven her worth before everyone.
She had put up such a fight against Han Cheon-seong, who was known as the undisputed strongest student.
A flicker.
But when Luna quickly and unnaturally averted her gaze, I felt my smile falter.
I couldn't understand.
It was just a series of coincidences, and what happened a moment ago was an accident.
But…
‘Luna…?’
Why are you avoiding my gaze right now?
You promised to cheer for me.
You knew how I felt, and you told me so many times that you would help me, that you would be my strength…
Click.
'Why….'
...Even as I walked away, my heart felt strange.
A strange thought kept echoing inside me.
It was a truly… strange thought.
Luna would never do that. She's my best friend, the person I trust the most…
Clearly... something must be wrong with my head.
‘There’s no way Luna would fall for Han Cheon-seong…’
***
The duel with Luna was over.
The duel, shocking in more ways than one, had left an even deeper mark on Cheon-seong.
Clatter.
Time had passed, and even now, as he ate dinner in the student cafeteria, his mind was blank.
It felt as if his consciousness was elsewhere.
Munch.
“...”
He chewed and swallowed his food absently, barely tasting it.
It wasn't as if my body was exhausted or anything like that.
After a short rest, my body had recovered. The throbbing headache had subsided and was fine now.
Unlike Luna, who could barely walk, I had no trouble moving.
Though I couldn't deny feeling tired…
“You need not concern yourself with it so much.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’m saying you don’t need to be so shocked by your duel with Student Luna.”
At the voice from across the table, I blankly raised my head.
There sat Sir Isabelle, displaying elegant table manners in her golden armor.
I faltered under her very calm gaze and shook my head.
“Ah. I’m really fine.”
I replied with an awkward laugh.
...The duel was clearly my victory, and while I was shocked, it wasn’t to the point of being consumed by anguish.
Clink.
But despite my words, Sir Isabelle set down her utensils and let out a soft sigh.
“Are you truly alright?”
For some reason, I couldn’t immediately answer her direct question.
I'm fine.
I thought… I thought I was fine, but a doubt began to surface in my mind, suggesting otherwise.
“...”
I could feel the awkward smile on my hesitant lips gradually fading.
“I too have many thoughts regarding Student Luna. Enough to make me naturally understand why the imperial family pays so much attention to the academy.”
“Is… that so.”
“Yes, it is. And even so, that doesn’t mean you are lacking. Student Luna simply possesses an abnormally outstanding aptitude.”
Sir Isabelle’s calm voice held no hesitation.
As if she were stating a fact, something obvious.
...And in reality, that was the case.
I didn't think I was inadequate either. I had never once thought that I was falling behind or lagging compared to the other students.
If anything, I was ahead of most of them, and no one had ever told me otherwise.
And yet, I was realizing something.
—Innate aptitude.
Just how much potential a being with a natural talent for mana could possess.
I felt it to my very bones today, facing Luna.
Despite having only recently reached Trait Level 4, it was no exaggeration to say she had nearly gone toe-to-toe with me.
‘And that was against me, even when I used a skill…’
It's not something one can normally comprehend.
Her destructive power was so incredible that I wondered if even Leonhardt, the original protagonist of this world, could have managed it.
Perhaps... it was more accurate to say that her innate potential had finally begun to truly blossom.
After all, I had seen the signs of it early on.
“I see. You are not alright after all.”
“…I am.”
“You don’t have to force yourself to act fine.”
At how easily Sir Isabelle refuted my words, a laugh escaped me.
It was an utterly empty smile.
I suddenly remembered.
The immense magic Luna had displayed during the previous midterm evaluation. She didn't look like a student at all, deploying magic based on her vast mana reserves, leveraging her strengths rather than close-quarters combat.
Now that Luna had fully committed to the path of magic, her very worth was different.
She no longer treated others with arrogant disdain; her personality had softened somewhat, and it was possible to hold a conversation with her.
Now that I realized the true nature of her aptitude…
As my thoughts continued, my eyes suddenly shot open.
“Ah……”
As I opened my mouth blankly, it felt as if my mind was snapping fully awake.
“What is it?”
“No, it’s nothing…”
Even as I spoke, I wondered why I had been so out of it.
I already knew the ‘method’.
A way to make up for my lack of innate mana aptitude.
Because I was not of this world, I knew the best way to improve my poor mana.
What would allow me to achieve absolute growth without putting an immense strain on my body like Liberation…
I already ‘knew’.
Scrape!
“Sir Isabelle.”
“Yes…”
Seeing Sir Isabelle’s surprised expression as I abruptly stood up, I felt my mind clear.
“You’ll have to accompany me for a little while longer today.”
“You… still have something scheduled?”
“Yes. I do.”
As I answered with confidence, it felt as if all other thoughts had vanished from my mind.
My heart, which had not been fine despite my claims… had finally found the right path forward.
There was no need to be confused by a genius like Luna.
I, too, could improve my mana.
“From this moment, I am going to the Magic Tower.”
As I declared this to her, my steps were unhesitating.
Having found my path, my heart felt like it was burning fiercely.
An emotion so immense it could be called longing, desire, or obsession… seemed to be guiding my body, and before my eyes, the image of a woman shimmered.
A woman with long, dazzling silver hair and a face younger than mine, yet who displayed the mien of an absolute ruler.
—Ariya Schupellent.
She was the woman who would become the great key to my life.
‘Somehow…’
I had to win her affection.
This was no longer a simple wish, but an immense and utterly pure craving that had completely captivated me.