Chapter 314
Chapter 314
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 314
Chapter Title: Time with Luna
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***
“Han Cheon-seong said he has something to tell you.”
As her voice echoed through the cold air around her, Cheon-seong, who was watching them, felt flustered.
‘Did I say something I shouldn't have?’
The reason I approached Luna was because I felt the need to close the distance between us a little more.
"Millia…?"
Even at Luna's flustered tone, Millia's attitude was different from usual.
“If you have prior plans... I understand. What I have to say isn't urgent anyway.”
“No, Han Cheon-seong. I'm really fine, so if you have something you want to say to Luna, you can go ahead.”
When Millia answered despite my words, my gaze unconsciously shifted to her.
‘This is too strange.’
Millia was acting strange today.
...Just yesterday, Millia wasn't much different from her usual self. I was so relieved that she seemed perfectly fine, but today was completely different.
An atmosphere so cold it felt chilling.
“Then I'll be on my way.”
As Millia stood up to leave, I had a strange feeling.
The change in her aura. She was so cold that I couldn't bring myself to speak to her carelessly.
*Click, clack.*
Watching Millia walk away from us, I could only feel bewildered.
‘She seems quite angry...’
Wondering if something had happened with Luna, I turned my head, only to freeze unconsciously.
“...”
Luna was glaring at me fiercely.
I couldn't help but be surprised by her expression, as if she were biting her lip to suppress her anger.
“Haa... Fine. So, what is it you wanted to tell me?”
As she asked with a deep sigh, I couldn't help but give an awkward laugh.
“It might take a while to explain, so how about we go to a café first...? I'm sure it'll be helpful for you.”
Millia leaving was bothering me too, but... I had to tell Luna what I needed to say first.
…….
*Ting.*
As I opened the café door, the distinctive chime of a bell rang out, and I could see several people inside.
Soon after, having ordered at the counter, we took a seat at a window table with a tray holding our drinks and desserts... and I inwardly regretted it.
‘Maybe I should have waited a bit.’
Luna was clearly not in a good mood.
I was sure it was related to Millia being angry, but I decided to change my approach.
“First, Luna. Before I say what I need to, is there... anything I can do to help regarding Millia?”
I felt that I needed to resolve the root cause of Luna's bad mood for my words to get through properly.
“...Haa.”
As Luna sighed and glared at me again, this time I met her gaze calmly.
I understood that Luna was angry because I had interrupted her time to reconcile with Millia.
But just being angry wouldn't solve anything. It was only meaningful if we addressed the root cause.
“If there's anything I can do, just tell me. I don't know why Millia is so down, but maybe I can help.”
As I spoke to her in an even gentler tone.
Luna finally stopped glaring at me.
“.....”
When she hesitated, her lips wavering, I waited silently for her to speak.
In times like these, rather than trying to act first, sometimes the problem can be easily solved just by listening.
However.
Contrary to my thoughts, Luna's reaction was different.
“No, it's fine... This isn't something you need to help with. It's a problem between me and Millia. And it's ridiculous for me to be angry at you, anyway.”
She shook her head with a resigned expression... I wondered if it was really okay, feeling a sense of doubt.
‘This never happened in the original story.’
In the story, there was never a case where Luna and Millia's relationship soured.
The two were always on good terms, without any notable trouble between them; for the most part, Luna and Millia had a relationship where they accepted each other well.
From a third party's perspective, it might look like Millia was good at indulging Luna's whims, but behind the scenes, Luna also cherished Millia greatly, so in a way, scenes where Luna tried to accommodate Millia often appeared.
For now, I nodded and decided to set the matter with Millia aside.
“In that case... alright. I hope you two work it out.”
“...Yeah. Okay. So, what was it you wanted to tell me?”
Seeing Luna's slightly softened expression, I carefully began to speak.
“It's about mana. I thought you'd definitely be interested, so I wanted to talk about it.”
“Mana? You're going to talk to me about mana?”
There wasn't a hint of malice in the way Luna blinked her eyes in pure surprise.
‘Well, it makes sense.’
When it came to mana, Luna was practically unrivaled. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that no other student could keep up with her.
So, from Luna's perspective, it would be hard to understand why I wanted to talk about mana.
“Here, take my hand. You should be able to feel it right away.”
So, without hesitation, I held out my hand to her.
It would be faster for her to feel it herself.
With Ariya's mana still lingering in my body, I instinctively knew that a magic user would feel something special from it.
Even if I couldn't properly understand it, someone as skilled with mana as Luna would perceive Ariya's mana as something completely different.
“......”
But despite my words, Luna didn't take my hand.
She stared at me blankly for a moment, then suddenly narrowed her eyes.
“You really... just tell people to take your hand so casually. Do you think I have to take it just because you said so?”
Her voice was more wary than I expected... Perhaps I had been too forward.
“I didn't ask you to hold my hand with any other intention. To explain, it's because the mana of Tower Master Ariya is currently lingering in my body.”
As I explained bluntly, Luna's eyes instantly widened.
“What…?”
“I'm not lying. I met with Tower Master Ariya yesterday.”
*Tap.*
And as I tapped my outstretched hand on the table, Luna stared at it blankly.
*Gulp.*
Her attitude changed so drastically that she even swallowed hard, and a smile escaped my lips.
“For someone as accomplished with mana as you, wouldn't there be meaning in just feeling the Tower Master's mana?”
As I added that last bit, Luna immediately reached out her hand.
*Slowly, slowly.*
...Her hand approached slowly, as if crawling across the table, so I extended my own a little further.
*Grab!*
I took her approaching hand first, and I could clearly see her surprised reaction.
“...!”
Thinking how large Luna's wide-open eyes were, I spoke in a slightly more serious tone.
“Now, try to focus on Tower Master Ariya's mana remaining in my body.”
“...Uh, uh. Okay.”
As the flustered Luna seemed to start concentrating, I simply waited.
The warmth connecting through our hands.
And feeling Luna's soft hand, I unconsciously thought, *as expected of a noble family.*
‘She really hasn't experienced a day of hardship.'
Luna was said to know how to handle various weapons, but her hand felt exceptionally fair and soft compared to others I had held.
“What... this is... unbelievable.”
Soon, Luna spoke in astonishment, and a laugh momentarily escaped me.
“So? Can you feel it?”
“Yeah... There's an unbelievably dense mana. I can tell this is definitely not your mana.”
“Do you really have to put it like that?”
“No, I didn't say it to blame you or anything... It's just a fact.”
When I pointed out her unintentionally malicious words, Luna faltered for a moment but continued to stare intently at my hand.
And seeing that, I thought... *as expected*.
‘The way I feel Ariya's mana and the way Luna feels it must be completely different.’
For me, it was just an impression that Ariya's mana was incredible.
I couldn't realize or learn anything more from the mana lingering in my body. But Luna was showing me a completely astonished expression, as if she were feeling something far beyond that.
*Squeeze...!*
Then she squeezed my hand a little tighter, which surprised me this time. I could clearly see the desire for improvement in Luna's eyes.
"..."
Watching the silently concentrating Luna, I just let her hold my hand.
I was certain this time would remain a very meaningful one for Luna.
‘If only I can pave the way for Luna to grow even more...’
She would definitely achieve brilliant growth in the future. I predicted that by this time next year, she might have grown so much that I would have to look up to her.
“Wow... this is insane.”
….
“How can the structure of mana be like this…?”
….
“Han Cheon-seong, just a little. Let me hold your hand just a little longer.”
….
And so, a full two hours passed at the café.
In between, I heard Luna's pleading voice, and I couldn't bring myself to pull my hand away.
“......”
She was still holding my hand, and my outstretched arm was starting to go numb.
‘I didn't think it would be to this extent.’
I had expected Luna to show great interest in Ariya's mana, but I never imagined it would be this much.
It was understandable. Luna looked completely engrossed.
As if captivated by the mana of Ariya lingering in my body, she had no intention of letting go of my hand.
As time passed, the way she held my hand also changed slightly, which was enough to fluster me.
“Um, Luna…?”
“......Yeah.”
Luna answered with a dazed look, her gaze not fixed on me.
Her eyes were unfocused.
Yet, I could see she was in a state of extreme concentration, so I was careful.
“Can we stop now?”
“......”
Luna scowled, as if displeased by my words.
But it seemed she also knew now.
That quite a lot of time had passed. Indeed, a red sunset was slowly beginning to paint the sky outside the window.
‘It's almost time to train with Kalli.’
Just as I was about to speak again with that thought in mind.
*Slips.*
I could see the strength slowly draining from the hand holding mine.
“Haa. It's such a shame.”
As Luna expressed her disappointment, a hollow laugh escaped me.
“You're really serious about mana.”
“It's not that I'm serious... Any magic user would react the same way. If anyone could feel Tower Master Ariya's mana, they would treasure every single second.”
Watching Luna speak so earnestly, I began to stretch out my retracted arm.
“So, was it helpful?”
“Yeah. I felt... an unbelievable number of things.”
“That's a relief, then.”
I felt a sense of relief as I said it.
...But that, too, was fleeting.
"..."
For a moment, I doubted my eyes.
'Why?'
...Is Millia looking at me?
I could see Millia on one of the academy's main streets outside the window, staring at me with a surprised look.
And then I saw her gaze shift to Luna, who was sitting in front of me.