Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Trap?
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Rin stepped out of Daniel's room and stared blankly into space.
The situation made no sense at all, but his cold expression was so sharp that she couldn't even escape into denial.
"You okay?"
Ares asked Rin cautiously. He subtly placed a hand on her shoulder, but she wasn't in the mood to care about that right now.
'We've spent so much time together since we were kids.'
'The closer and dearer someone is, the more they hurt you, and the easier it is to misunderstand over small things.'
'I think it's best for both you and me if we end our relationship here.'
Why?
She wanted to scream and sob, demanding to know why, but for the first time, Rin felt her mind freeze in shock, refusing to process it.
She'd been chased out without uttering a single word, her face frozen in stunned silence.
Rin glanced subtly at Ares.
He looked completely unfazed as he comforted her.
"Are you okay?"
Rin asked him honestly.
They'd always been the inseparable trio from the village, but now it was down to two. From Rin's perspective, it was unacceptable.
"Honestly, I kind of expected Daniel to say something like that."
"What?"
Rin glared, demanding an explanation, and Ares sighed before responding.
"Daniel's not the same guy we knew anymore. He's changed a lot since coming to Aios Academy."
"......"
"I don't know if it's for the better or worse, but if it's what he wants, I think we should respect it."
"What?"
Rin couldn't accept what she'd just heard.
"So you're just gonna cut ties with Daniel? We've always been together!"
"Rin, you tend to see the world too rosily. Life isn't a fairy tale. Partings happen. Just because we've been together since childhood doesn't mean we'll be together forever."
Grip.
Rin clenched her fist, desperate to argue back, but she couldn't. She knew she was being unreasonable right now.
Ares swallowed his frustration as he watched her.
'Why do you always turn like this whenever Daniel's the topic? You're usually so diligent and rational.'
Ares hated that.
There was a subtle difference in how she treated him compared to her childhood friend. In fact, there'd been times when his emotions boiled over because of it, and he couldn't control himself.
But Ares now was different.
He gently took Rin's hand.
"It's okay. Daniel might be gone, but I'll always be by your side."
At those words, Rin bowed her head deeply.
Hidden by her hair, her lip was bleeding from how hard she'd bitten it.
"Ngh."
A refreshing dawn.
Having slept with the window open had aired out last night's food smells, but the early morning air was a bit chilly.
"Right on time."
He changed into workout clothes for his morning exercise and stepped outside. As his body started moving, the cool air turned into a invigorating chill.
"Whoa, you're up early."
"Hm?"
After running for a good while and wiping sweat with a towel, there was Sen—the white-haired girl—drinking the beverage he'd brought for himself.
"That was mine."
He scowled, and she grinned mischievously before offering it back.
"Still some left."
"Fine."
He snatched it and downed the rest. It was barely anything anyway, so he felt a twinge of regret, but Sen flashed a sly smile.
"My lips touched it, though?"
"You're not a kid."
She whistled in surprise at his nonchalant response, clearly not what she'd expected, but she got straight to business.
"I took care of everything you mentioned. Just say the word, and I'll collect it right away."
"Okay, thanks."
"So, about that... could you teach me how to make pie one more time?"
"Nah."
"Aww, come ooon! Elise and Adriana are the only ones who can make it, but they say they're too busy to teach me!"
"Should've kept your mouth shut then."
If it'd just been Sen, he might've helped until she got it right, but she'd blabbed and dragged the others into it.
As he grabbed his towel and water bottle to head inside, Sen launched herself onto his back.
"Hel~p!"
"Quit being annoying and get off."
"Help! Help! I gotta capture Ares's tongue!"
"Enough."
She clung so fiercely that prying her off risked tearing his workout clothes, so he just ignored her and walked inside.
"Huh? This is kinda fun."
Was she really that airheaded?
"So the kids got beaten instead?"
The dean sighed as her niece May showed up in her office first thing.
"......Yes. And the seniors we called were beaten so badly they couldn't even remember getting hit."
"What? They need to go to the infirmary if it's that bad."
A bunch of fourth-years showing up at the infirmary would've triggered a report, but May shook her head.
"They used healing magic to fix all the wounds."
"Huh?"
"So the seniors won't admit they lost. They remember getting hit, but it's all fuzzy..."
"Idiots. That's not amnesia from the beating—it's memory magic."
"Pardon?"
May was flustered because memory magic's difficulty made it unthinkable.
Daniel's magic scores were below average—barely passable—so even using healing magic was suspicious, let alone memory magic.
Ignoring her confused niece, the dean rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought.
'That kid wasn't bluffing about his grades.'
Using memory manipulation magic proved he was hiding his real strength.
The McKlein name wasn't for show, she thought, tapping her desk.
"Call the kids again today and have them go after him."
"Huh? But we can't beat him anyway."
With Daniel skipping the practical exam, his skill level was unknown, and May shrank back at how strong he turned out to be. But the dean just smiled.
"That's exactly what we're aiming for."
"Sigh."
I'd been sitting blankly in the gym when I brushed off my butt and stood. Penil Leiros and his gang—the fourth-years who'd skipped last time—were marching in.
Class E students panicked at the sudden intrusion from the seniors and looked for the professor, but she'd just left after the dean summoned her.
"Daniel, this looks bad..."
Tana, who'd been avoiding my eyes all day for some reason, finally approached me now that things had escalated.
Eve looked worried and started toward me too, but I signaled her to stay back.
"What's going on?"
The Class E class rep stepped forward first, but the seniors brushed her off and came straight to me.
"You Daniel?"
"Thought you chickened out last time since you didn't show."
"No idea what trick you pulled then. Get ready to die for real this time."
"Pardon?"
I had no clue what they were on about, but Penil swung anyway. I could've dodged clean, but I took the hit squarely.
Just in case they claimed I started it—better to get hit in front of everyone.
'But pulling this with so many witnesses?'
The vibe was off.
These guys were here to beat me senseless, plain and simple, but whoever sent them clearly had ulterior motives.
"Doesn't matter."
I knew the situation would end with me winning no matter what, so I counterattacked immediately.
It took exactly five minutes.
"Seniors, you guys need more exercise."
I grinned down at the sprawled seniors, but they were out cold, unable to respond. Wonder if the infirmary had enough beds.
Class E kids were too shocked to approach, but Eve and Tana came over to check if I was hurt.
"Damn, you're seriously strong."
"Hm?"
"I mean, I figured since you're Ares's childhood friend you'd hold your own, but this is insane."
Tana clicked her tongue and prodded the seniors with her foot. I warned her not to do anything stupid, then assured Eve—who was rubbing her wrist from blocking punches—that I was fine.
"Anyway, Tana, you over your funk now?"
Eve, who'd looked disappointed letting go of my wrist, shifted the topic to Tana. She jumped, glancing between us.
"Right, you were acting all distant today outta nowhere."
I'd wondered what was up, but Tana's answer was anticlimactic.
"Eh, had a weird dream and woke up in a bad mood."
"A dream?"
Eve, who loved books and stories, lit up and asked for details, but Tana deftly changed the subject.
A few minutes later, the professor returned.
The next day, summoned to the dean's office, she declared my expulsion.