Chapter 200: Teacher (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 200: Teacher (4)
It happened immediately after Isaac successfully cast the 7-star ice spell, [Icebolt], and collapsed from exhaustion.
Professor Fernando Frost departed in a carriage, while Aria told Luce to "get some sleep and come to my lab tomorrow morning" before making her own exit.
Left alone with the unconscious Isaac, Luce breathed in the cool evening air before summoning her Thunderbird, Galia. She needed the familiar to carry him.
"Heave-ho…"
With Galia’s help, Luce took the elevator down to the 14th floor.
The tower housed guest accommodations. While most towers maintained separate dormitories, this place was unique, with living quarters integrated directly into the structure itself.
"Over here, Galia."
Luce led the Thunderbird into the room Aria had designated. Though they had used the bathroom here before, this was the first time they would actually be staying the night. Luce had been so intent on staying by Isaac’s side that she’d been relegated to taking naps in the lab where he worked.
The room was cozy, though it notably contained only a single bed. While Luce sensed Aria’s ulterior motives, she didn't find herself particularly displeased by the arrangement.
"Careful now."
Luce guided Galia as the bird gently laid Isaac onto the bed.
Silence filled the room. Luce leaned over, her gaze fixed intently on Isaac’s sleeping face.
He had a distinct, masculine scent. Since this was a rare opportunity, Luce closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, a satisfied smile spreading across her lips.
[You must be exhausted, Isaac.]
"Skipping sleep, meals, and even showers just to focus on the construction of [Icebolt]…"
Luce was constantly amazed by Isaac’s sheer tenacity.
"Your clothes… they should be in here."
Luce took the magic pouch from Isaac’s belt and searched through it. She found a fresh change of clothes. While she was at it, she took a sneaky look for any cloaks of disguise… but she found nothing.
Galia gently lifted Isaac’s upper body with his beak. Luce carefully removed his shirt and draped it over a desk chair.
Suddenly, Luce froze, as if time itself had stopped.
She stared at Isaac’s body. His muscles were lean and well-defined, his veins pulsing beneath his skin. It wasn't as noticeable when he was fully clothed, but seeing his unexpectedly toned physique made her involuntarily swallow.
Heat rushed to her face, and the corners of her mouth twitched. She was vividly aware of her own biological response to the sight of his bare skin.
As if her instincts had hijacked her body, Luce’s hand began to reach out toward his chest.
She snapped back to her senses just in time, using her other hand to physically restrain herself.
She couldn't just stand there like a fool, ogling him. After quickly dressing his upper body in a clean shirt, she laid him back down and carefully moved on to his pants.
Sneaking a quick glance toward his lap, Luce nodded to herself, her face flushing a deep crimson. She deliberately averted her eyes from his underwear as she pulled the fresh trousers onto him.
Finally, after tucking him under the blanket, Luce looked at him with pure affection.
Then, she lifted the edge of the covers, slid inside, and pulled him into an embrace.
[…!]
Galia’s eyes widened in shock.
The Thunderbird, sensing he was now a third wheel, promptly unsummoned himself. He had no desire to disturb the two of them.
"Galia?"
Luce didn't quite understand why the Thunderbird had vanished, but it didn't matter. His job was done.
"Mmm."
For now, she simply wanted to savor the sensation of lying next to Isaac.
His scent was intoxicating. The warmth of his body made her want to stay like this forever, even as her heart raced with excitement. It felt as though her very instincts were cheering.
"Why are you so cute…?" Luce whispered softly, resting her head on the same pillow as his. Just looking at him made her beam with joy.
Luce had watched Isaac’s grueling efforts in the Hegel Tower from the front row. She celebrated his achievements as if they were her own.
However, a fundamental question still lingered in her mind.
Why is he working so hard?
Luce speculated that Isaac’s desperate effort might be tied to the reason why the Nameless Hero, Greung, hid his identity. She had long suspected—with near certainty—that Isaac and Greung were the same person.
But if that were true, why was there such a massive discrepancy in power between Isaac and the hero?
It didn't make sense for Isaac to work this hard just to maintain a cover. That led her to a different hypothesis…
What if Greung can only unleash his true power under specific conditions?
It seemed far-fetched at first, but the more she thought about it, the more it resolved the contradictions. For instance, much like a fairy bestowing mystical powers, it was possible to gain conditional strength through a contract. Even if it wasn't a fairy, there might be other beings of similar stature.
If that hypothesis held true, what were the conditions for Isaac’s abilities?
Immense strength… but limited to demons…
The more Luce pondered, the more the thought took root. What a ridiculous, specialized ability that would be.
Greung was undoubtedly a mysterious entity. However, there was a high probability he was an academy student using a cloak of disguise. Assuming that was true, he would appear to be a normal student under ordinary circumstances.
Luce recalled the events of the Grand Festival. She had been aware of Isaac’s plan.
Given that Greung had always gone to great lengths to hide his identity, standing atop the clock tower while a white dragon drew everyone's attention was something he would usually avoid at all costs.
In other words, that display must have been intentional.
To hide his true identity.
The only person who benefited from Greung appearing elsewhere was Isaac, who was busy fighting the Priestess at the time.
Scholars argued that "if Isaac were the Nameless Hero, he wouldn't have been injured and knocked unconscious during his fight against the Priestess."
But Luce had been convinced Isaac was Greung ever since the end-of-semester evaluation last year. She was the only one who had noticed that Greung’s hands and Isaac’s hands were identical.
So, why would Greung hide his identity so fiercely? Likely because revealing it would lead to disastrous consequences.
If her theory about his power being conditional was correct, the reason was clear:
Revealing his identity would put him in danger because he is weak under normal circumstances.
There might be someone at the academy who would harm him if they knew the truth. This theory was bolstered by the known existence of an "informant." Greung was likely wary of that informant.
Still, it didn't explain how he knew exactly when and where demons would appear.
Luce’s theories were still just hypotheses; much about Greung remained a mystery. But of one thing she was certain: Greung was the boy lying right in front of her. All she needed now was the smoking gun.
Luce lightly tapped Isaac’s cheek.
As she did, she found him so incredibly charming that it hurt. It was a stark reminder of just how deep her romantic feelings for him ran.
"…Haa."
Suddenly, Luce’s expression hardened, and she pulled her hand away.
A vague sense of dread washed over her.
Regardless of her feelings, she and Isaac were currently just friends. Even if she confessed, there was no guarantee he would feel the same. The worst-case scenario was that Isaac would start avoiding her.
Isaac was decisive. He wasn't the type to string someone along or take advantage of their affection.
If the only person she had ever truly opened her heart to became distant—especially since he was her first love—the mere thought made her heart ache.
Yet, staying passive was equally terrifying. If a girl like Dorothy snatched Isaac away while she hesitated, Luce knew she would be left writhing in agony, weeping tears of blood.
She wanted Isaac to look only at her. Sometimes, she even had dark fantasies of locking him in a beautiful birdcage where his gaze could never wander.
But… that would break the promise she had made to him.
Luce raised her left hand and stared at the ring on her finger. It was the symbol of their promise—a commitment to achieve their dreams together and stay by each other's side. To her, it felt like a proposal. Looking at it always brought her a sense of peace.
In the end, she pushed aside the childish fantasy of caging him.
Luce lowered her arm and looked at Isaac again.
"Isaac, you have to stay by my side forever, okay? If you leave me… I might just break."
She whispered the words to the empty room. The future she envisioned always included Isaac; she literally couldn't imagine a life without him.
And then, it happened.
Isaac suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, gasping for air. He looked like he was in pain.
"Isaac? What’s wrong?"
Startled, Luce sat up abruptly, her voice laced with worry. But Isaac remained deep in sleep.
Is he having a nightmare?
Considering how he’d sacrificed sleep to train, it seemed cruel for him to be tormented by nightmares now that he finally had a chance to rest.
Luce laid back down and pulled Isaac’s head into her embrace. She whispered soothing words, gently stroking his hair.
Don’t worry, I’m here.
It’s okay, Isaac. Everything is okay…
*
"…Are you going to sleep all day?"
Shaking off the memories of the night before, Luce looked toward the bed. Isaac, now wrapped in a bathrobe, was fast asleep.
Luce chuckled softly and set her teacup on the desk. She placed the shade over the lamp, plunging the room into darkness, save for the silver moonlight streaming through the window.
Climbing into bed beside him, Luce pulled the blanket over them both. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the dark, wanting one last look at his face.
Once his features became clear, Luce smiled gently.
"Goodnight, Isaac."
The covers rustled as Luce pulled him close. Thinking there might not be another chance like this for a long time, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
Then, she closed her eyes. Finally, she allowed the exhaustion to take her.
The light was blinding.
When I woke up, the first thing I saw was the bright ceiling. It was morning.
I lay there for a moment, dazed. It had been a long time since I’d slept that soundly.
I turned my head. Luce was fast asleep, hugging me like a teddy bear and breathing softly. She must have fallen asleep while holding me to keep the nightmares away.
She’s so pretty.
Thanks to her, I felt more rested than I had in weeks. I turned toward her and gently stroked her hair.
Today was the day we were scheduled to depart from the Hegel Magic Tower.
After washing up and getting dressed, Luce and I headed to the top floor and entered the lab. Aria Lilias, dressed in her formal wizard robes, was there to greet us.
"Good morning, Tower Master!"
"We will conduct individual interviews now."
"…What?"
Individual interviews? Where did this come from?
"Isaac, you go first."
"Ah, yes."
Aria led me to a door on the opposite side of the lab entrance. Since it was a private session, she told Luce to wait outside.
Behind the door was a private office. Aria closed the door behind us and walked toward a bookshelf.
What is this about? Am I getting a final evaluation or something?
Aria walked over to a desk overflowing with documents. She sat down and looked at me with her usual sleepy, drooping eyes.
"Isaac."
"Yes."
"I didn't expect you to master [Icebolt] so quickly. There is nothing more I can teach you. Any further instruction from me would only stifle your talent."
Aria started on a high note. It felt like a warm, professional conclusion to our time here, and my mood brightened.
I adjusted my glasses and replied with a smile.
"That’s not true. Your guidance has been an immense help from the very start. I’m truly grateful. Thanks to you—"
"Well, those are just empty words."
"Pardon?"
"This room is completely soundproof, so don't worry. I’m going to ask you something directly, so listen carefully."
A morning breeze fluttered the curtains.
After a brief, heavy silence, Aria looked me dead in the eye and spoke calmly.
"Tell me why you’re hiding your identity, Nameless Hero."