Chapter 81
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Changing Future
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(5)
7.
"...Dilia Arpen?"
Ivela's tone stiffened rigidly.
Her voice grew as cold as her icy gaze.
But she wasn't the only one who changed.
"... "
The moment she noticed Ivela, Dilia abruptly clamped her mouth shut.
A heavy silence followed.
Was it the ominous atmosphere? Noa rolled her bright blue eyes around.
'Huh?'
What's going on? Why did the mood suddenly turn like this?
They'd just bumped into each other by chance, but neither said a word, merely staring at each other intently.
It went beyond awkward; you could call it a chill in the air.
As the cold silence stretched on...
"Ah, right."
Ivela suddenly spoke up, as if remembering something she'd forgotten.
"You said you were getting discharged today, right?"
It was the news Ullan had mentioned earlier that day.
Dilia's eyes narrowed at that.
As if to ask how she knew. Meeting her gaze, Ivela replied with a bright smile.
"I heard it from Ullan."
"From Ullan...?"
"Yeah. He said his 'friend' from the same lectures was getting discharged this evening."
She put extra emphasis on the word "friend."
Only Dilia caught it, judging by the twitch of her silver eyebrows.
"I've been talking with Ullan a lot lately, so I end up hearing all sorts of things."
"... "
Talking a lot.
Dilia's eyes narrowed again.
Her expression showed clear displeasure.
But it was fleeting. Soon, she spoke in a calm tone, as if nothing had happened.
"Same, here, for me."
"What?"
"I've been, talking, with him, every day, too."
Dilia cupped her cheek in her palm.
Then she beamed and said,
"I even told him, he didn't, have to come, but he visited, me, every day."
It was actually a lie.
She'd never said he didn't have to come.
Quite the opposite, in fact. Dilia had begged him to visit every day because she was bored. Still, the part about him coming every day was true, so it was fine.
Or so Dilia thought.
"... "
Ivela's expression soured.
Her eyes burned quietly, like flames sparked by jealousy. But the fire faded quickly.
"Well, Ullan's just that considerate."
Ivela chuckled and shrugged, seemingly acknowledging Dilia's words.
Then her eyes flashed sharply, as if seizing a chance to counterattack.
"Lately, we've been exercising alone together every morning, and he always walks me right to the women's dorm when it's time to head back."
Strictly speaking, it wasn't entirely true.
The exercise route just happened to pass the women's dorm first on the way back.
But in form, it looked like he was seeing her home, so it wasn't a lie.
Or so Ivela thought.
"...Alone?"
This time, Dilia's face hardened.
She looked displeased, as if the idea of them doing something alone rubbed her the wrong way.
Meanwhile...
Noa, watching their exchange from a step away, suddenly felt something peculiar.
'What is this...?'
They're having a normal conversation, but the atmosphere is getting hostile? She couldn't quite put it into words, but that's how it felt.
'And somehow...'
Looking at Ivela and Dilia now, it seemed like they were competing over who was more special to Ullan.
Why, though?
Noa tilted her head.
As she wore a puzzled expression...
"Noa."
"...Huh?"
"I'm hungry. Let's go eat."
Ivela grabbed Noa's hand and pulled.
Her stiff face suggested she didn't want to talk to Dilia anymore.
"Uh, yeah. Sure."
Noa nodded reflexively.
She started to follow Ivela, but then a small hand snatched her wrist.
"Not, yet."
The clipped tone belonged to Dilia. Gripping Noa's wrist tightly, she continued.
"We haven't, finished, our talk."
That was true. Noa still hadn't answered Dilia's question.
With Noa caught between them...
The two glared at each other, exchanging a subtle battle of wills.
'I feel like the heroine in a love triangle.'
But it wasn't amusing.
Whichever she chose, it felt like it'd strain her relationship with one of them. And the stifling atmosphere only added to it.
"Let's leave her and go."
"I want, to talk, more, together."
Both spoke at once.
Their eyes turned to her, urging a choice. Noa stomped her feet inwardly, grimacing.
At that moment...
A saving voice rang out.
"What are you doing here?"
A low, resonant baritone.
A massive man stood with the sunset at his back.
Ullan.
"Not going in?"
"...!"
"Ullan!"
The moment they spotted him, the two girls' faces lit up.
They hurried to his side without a second thought, ignoring Noa. Ivela spoke first.
"Did the thing you got called in for earlier go okay?"
"Yeah, no big deal."
"Can I ask what it was?"
"Just took a retake."
"Huh? Retake?"
"There was a class I missed the exam for, so I was on my way back from that."
Magic Warfare and Pursuit Arts.
Ullan briefly explained the reason and process. Moments later, Ivela nodded in understanding.
"I see. How'd you do?"
"S-rank on both."
"Whoa, really?"
Ivela's eyes widened round.
And rightly so.
Getting an S-rank wasn't easy.
It was a grade given to only one student per class per semester—the top scorer.
"Classic Ullan. That's impressive."
Ivela kept marveling.
As the conversation paused, someone seized the opening.
Poke, poke!
A slender finger prodded Ullan's side. Dilia.
"What?"
"I got, discharged."
"Looks that way."
"...Nothing, else, to say?"
Dilia pouted, displeased by his nonchalant response.
But soon...
Ullan resumed questioning.
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah. All, good now."
"Headaches?"
"Those too, much better."
The questions continued.
Just checking on her health, but Dilia's face visibly brightened. It meant Ullan cared about her.
Meanwhile...
Noa looked puzzled.
'Huh?'
Something caught her eye for a moment.
The girls' changing expressions.
As Dilia brightened, Ivela's face turned to stone. When Ivela smiled, Dilia pouted in annoyance.
'It's like...'
They seemed wary of each other.
Then it hit her.
Like rivals eyeing each other with a crush in between.
But Noa chuckled inwardly.
'Nah, no way. Must be my imagination.'
The guy in question was Ullan.
A barbarian warrior who only knew fighting.
There was nothing about him that would romantically attract Ivela or Dilia.
'Well, Ivela maybe.'
In the original story, Ullan and Ivela were more than comrades but less than family. The Sword Princess had openly called him her most trusted comrade.
Plus her muscle fetish, and he'd helped her a lot lately, so some affection wasn't odd.
'But Dilia...'
She had almost no connection to Ullan.
The original never revealed who she liked romantically. That's why fan works paired her with Ivela mostly.
So Noa concluded.
At least, no rival issue here.
As she reached that decision...
Grrrrumble!
Ullan's stomach roared.
A signal for food.
Hearing it, Ivela and Dilia spoke up simultaneously.
"Oh, hungry? Let's go eat."
"I already, ordered, food, ahead."
Their words collided in the air.
No further exchange between them. They just turned back to Ullan.
"You like roast turkey, right Ullan?"
"Honey spider, stew is, tastier, right?"
Another clash.
Their eyes blazed fiercely. Then they looked up at Ullan in unison.
"What're you gonna eat, Ullan?"
"Which one, do you, like more, Ullan?"
Just a question of which dish.
But their eyes held inexplicable tension.
Ullan spoke.
"No need to choose."
"...!"
No hesitation in his answer.
It sounded like he'd decided long ago. They swallowed hard, ears perked for more.
Ullan grinned.
"I'll just eat both."
A perfectly straightforward reply.
The two looked stunned, as if they'd never expected it.
"Uh, well..."
"True, but..."
Ullan could handle it, sure.
He might even want more after. But it wasn't the answer they wanted, so they pouted.
Briefly, though.
Their eyes widened.
"...!?"
"U-Ullan. Your hand..."
Ullan had suddenly grabbed both their hands.
Completely unexpected.
The girls' faces showed clear fluster. Ullan, unfazed, replied.
"I'm starving. Let's go."
Or the cafeteria would be packed.
With that, Ullan started walking.
The conversation ended.
Ivela and Dilia, who had been talking animatedly, now hung their heads, mouths shut. Their ears flushed red like the fading sunset.
"Wait, I'll come too!"
Noa hurried after them.
She had important news for Ullan today. And so the four headed to the cafeteria.
8.
That night.
After dinner, Ullan returned to his room.
As he stepped inside, a cool breeze blew in. Where'd that come from? Then he noticed the half-open window.
"Guess the pup went out."
The pup was Baekrang.
She often vanished for nightly strolls. Unconcerned, Ullan flung the window wide.
Whoosh!
A wind rich with forest scent rushed in.
He leaned against the frame, patting his full belly, and muttered,
"Today's been a nice change of pace."
A smile tugged at his lips.
Naturally. Dinner had evoked fond memories of his past life.
'Though...'
Something nagged at him.
Ivela and Dilia hadn't exchanged a single word. But he dismissed it.
'Probably just awkward.'
They'd been like that at first meeting.
Time would fix it.
Like in his past life.
As he reminisced...
Ullan's eyes sharpened.
"That aside..."
After dinner, on his way back...
Noa had dropped a cryptic line.
"I dreamed of a monster coming out of the Mana Spring. One I'd never seen before."
Alone, it sounded like just a monster dream. But the dreamer was Noa.
Meaning it might not be just a dream—it could be the future. And soon, Ullan and Noa would visit the Mana Spring.
'Understanding and Detecting Mana Flows.'
For Professor Direk Orminu's exam. Recalling that, Ullan pondered Noa's words.
'A monster I'd never seen.'
Likely an Abyss monster.
The Mana Spring was closest to the Abyss. Plus, he'd seen one in the northern forest recently.
But no need to worry.
Dealing with Abyss monsters was one of his specialties.
'Whatever it is.'
In his past life, he'd cleaved through thousands, tens of thousands. He'd just do the same.
No real concern.
Besides, more pressing matters loomed.
"... "
His gaze fell on a thick book.
Over five hundred pages—the textbook for 'Understanding and Detecting Mana Flows.'
The one class with a written midterm exam.
But he didn't need to read it all.
Noa had summarized the key points. Still, that was over seventy pages.
'Ten days left.'
Seven pages a day to finish once. Ullan exhaled shortly, sat at his desk with grim resolve.
"This'll be a fierce battle."
He was a warrior. He never shied from any fight.
So he took the field.
With iron determination in his chest, he flipped open the textbook without hesitation.
To begin the bloodbath.
9.
Meanwhile...
As Ullan waged war with the textbook...
The northern forest buzzed with unrest.
And for good reason.
The Abyss cultist attack had claimed victims, so Arsen Academy's investigation team had torn through the woods.
Night's silence blanketed the forest path.
Suddenly, a visitor arrived.
Crunch, crunch!
A girl with apricot hair swaying as she walked. Deplin Chernio, leader of this investigation.
How much time passed?
Deplin finally stopped.
At the northern outskirts' edge.
"You can come out now."
She spoke, as if addressing someone.
Moments later, flapping wings announced a crow.
"It's been a while, Chernio."
A deep, human voice.
Deplin showed no surprise, gazing calmly at the crow.
"Skip the greetings. We're not strangers. Explain first."
Her curt reply made the crow bow its head readily.
"My regrets for this incident."
"... "
"But we had no choice. Even a church can't control every cultist."
The crow spoke smoothly, beak working nonstop.
"Especially this 'Quint' mage—they're infamous for defying orders. So even more..."
"If you can't control them, dispose of them fast."
She cut him off.
Her eyes chilled.
"Your negligence nearly cost me my precious student."
"We apologize for that."
"Think that's all? Five subordinates died. You know how much money and time it takes to train mid-tier mages?"
"... "
The crow shut its beak.
He spoke again only after her sharp reprimand paused.
"Understood. We'll compensate."
"Compensate?"
"Yes. What do you want?"
As the crow asked...
Deplin twitched her pointed ears slightly, like she had something in mind. But she replied saucily, hiding it.
"Hmm, honestly, nothing would satisfy me, but top-grade mana stones might change my mind."
"Top-grade mana stones?"
The crow tilted its head.
As if surprised.
"Didn't you buy a bunch already?"
"Eh, circumstances changed."
Deplin frowned, recalling last month's lab accident at the Mana Spring.
But she refocused quickly.
"So, you giving them? Or not?"
"We'll prepare them. Ten enough?"
"Joking? Who's gonna settle for that? At least thirty."
"Too much."
"Not at all. Thirty's cheap for five mid-tier mages."
No yielding in the standoff.
Eventually, the crow surrendered.
"...Fine. We'll get them."
"Good. Then I'll forget this happened."
Deplin smiled sweetly.
But then...
Her eyes changed. She thrust her hand toward the forest.
Fwaaah!
Golden light bloomed brilliantly.
Arrows of light shot out.
Boom! KABOOM!
The forest was devastated amid the racket. Stunned, the crow asked,
"What was that?"
"Hmm, nothing."
"Didn't feel like nothing—reeking of killing intent."
"Thought someone was listening, but guess it was my imagination."
No presence now.
Deplin shrugged. The crow shifted topics.
"How's the 'experiment' progressing?"
"Prep's done. Just execution left."
"Scheduled date?"
"Soon after midterms end, when everyone's relaxed."
Vague answer irked him?
The crow glared.
"Exact date."
"April 30th, Friday."
Firm reply.
Deplin smiled.
"Day midterms end, we start Experiment 5. So send those six top-grade mana stones for it beforehand."
"Got it. As soon as possible."
"Thanks, I'll wait."
"Contact soon."
Conversation wrapped.
The crow's eyes grew solemn.
"For the Abyss and truth."
"Yes, for truth."
With her response...
Crack! Crunch!
The crow's body twisted wildly.
Then it burst like a balloon.
Feathers and flesh scattered. Deplin left the corpse behind and departed.
How much later?
Where she'd blasted magic, hazy mist rose.
Shhhrk!
The mist writhed like a living thing, forming shape. White fur, sharp claws—a white wolf.
Baekrang.
[Grrrrr!]
She growled low at Deplin's direction, menacingly. Then dissolved into mist and vanished.
Soon after...
The northern forest fell silent again.
As if no one had been there.
Time passed.
Midterms' final day dawned.
April 30th morning.
Chapter 22. Changing Future