Chapter 183 Chapter 41.1 - Change of Hearts
"Please, teach me how to fight."
Standing before me was the girl whom I wasn't expecting, in the middle of the whole classroom.
'Sigh…..What a hassle.'
And I, who was now in the pinpoint of the whole classroom's attention, was looking at her with a deadpan expression.
'How it came to this?'
********
'Interesting.'
The moment Astron knocked the archer girl down, the fight of the mages on the sideline also reached its end.
"This fight is now pointless," Seraphina declared calmly, her hand effortlessly dispelling the fiery onslaught Irina had unleashed. She eyed Irina with a cool detachment, assessing the situation.
'It didn't go the way I wanted.'
And immediately came to a conclusion.
SWOOSH!
Irina, however, was not ready to relent. The fire in her eyes burned brighter, and her stance remained defiant. "Pointless? You came into my group, provoked us, and now you want to back off? We're not finished."
SWIRL!
And, with those words, she also released another attack, pointed right at Seraphina.
"Was it him?"
However, the words that came out of Seraphina's mouth made them stop for a second.
"What?"
That brief second somehow was enough for Seraphina to understand what she was looking for.
'It is indeed him, how interesting….'
"Your reaction says it all," Seraphina remarked, her tone filled with a subtle amusement. She effortlessly sidestepped the incoming flames, her composure as graceful as ever. "It seems things will get interesting from now on."
However, Irina didn't seem to understand her words. "You foxlike bitch. Say what you want to say directly."
"Hmm~ It is up to you to understand what I am saying." She said with a teasing smile as she turned her back.
"You!" Irina wanted to attack once again, but Seraphina grabbed a small sphere object from her pocket.
"Here. It is your price for winning." And she put it on the ground. It was the device given by the academy to record the magic formulas, and her putting it down meant she accepted the defeat.
'Things I learned are far more valuable than a bunch of points.' She thought inwardly, looking at the two other members of Irina's team.
'Especially that girl…..As expected, the chairman really had a reason to test her. That guy is not normal either.'
After that, her attention naturally turned to two unconscious students.
'Another useless bunch.'
The small wave of a smile on her face and her eyes turned cold as she looked at her team for a second.
'Trash.'
Since her team was defeated, and she sensed it, she needed to concede. It wasn't because she was scared of Irina, but with the other three entering the equation, things might possibly get messy.
Irina's fiery gaze shifted from Seraphina to the small sphere on the ground. She hesitated for a moment, the remnants of her frustration still evident in her clenched fists. However, with a begrudging acknowledgment, she walked over to the device and picked it up.
"Fine," Irina muttered, her tone still holding a hint of irritation. She looked back at Seraphina, the tension between them lingering. "We're done for now."
"….." Seraphina looked at Irina for a second, and then she nodded her head.
'She changed.'
The Irina she knew wasn't someone to accept such an offer, and she would pursue what she wanted until the end, losing the profits she could possibly make. That was why she was known as Fiery Demoness in the upper society since she never backed down from any challenge.
However, now, her response was clearly logical and different. She passed the test Seraphina threw at her, and that was something Seraphina immediately took note of.
'As expected….I should investigate him.'
And there was only one person who was different in this girl's life after she entered the academy—a random guy who normally would never even be able to see such a figure.
Just like Irina had studied the important people in the academy, Seraphina was also constantly keeping tabs on those people's lives.
That was especially the case with her rival, Irina. Most of the time, whenever she did something, or she made some changes, Seraphina would be informed.
Bribing some of Irina's former teammates for information was not a hard thing to do, after all.
That was the way of an heir from a high-ranking mage family, and information was the key for such people.
And from such information, she knew this dynamic between the two was far from normal.
As Seraphina turned to leave, she threw one last glance back at the group. It seemed that the guy had also been looking at her since their eyes met.
Seraphina's icy gaze locked onto Astron's purple eyes, and then a faint smile graced her lips.
His aura was not strong, and her trait showed that his overall parameters were indeed weak. But even then, there was a small portion that her trait wasn't able to see, which rarely happened, and whenever it happened, she knew the said person was important.
'Maybe I should just take him away.'
Comparing Irina's unconscious reaction, she imagined how she could feel if she did such a thing.
'That would be interesting.'
She mused internally. Her curiosity about the seemingly unremarkable boy heightened. There was more to him than met the eye, and the fact that he played a role in changing Irina's approach intrigued Seraphina. She wondered how someone like him could influence a girl known for her fiery determination.
Just like that, she had left the place and made her way to the academy building to meet with the principal.
However, she hadn't noticed the pair of green eyes looking at her.
*****
The hushed whispers of surprise and curiosity filled the classroom as Sylvie stood in the spotlight, her request echoing through the air.
"Please, teach me how to fight."
As she locked eyes with me, I couldn't help but release a weary sigh. It wasn't the fact that she was seeking combat training that bothered me, but the unexpected attention it brought.
'What a hassle. First Seraphina, and now her.'
The eyes of every student in the room bore into us, and I maintained my deadpan expression, contemplating how we reached this point.
'How did it come to this?'
Of course, I knew why it came to this. It was my own actions that probably brought Sylvie in front of me. Considering the words I spoke, she must have finally decided on what she wanted to do. Also, my words were not necessarily encouraging.
When I am annoyed, I speak rather rudely, and I know it is not a good idea, but habits can't be changed instantly. This was especially the case with the words I had spoken yesterday.
'Well, this might not be that bad.'
I thought Sylvie would rather go to an instructor to learn close combat and know what the academy wanted; they would comply with her request. But, even then, not everyone in the academy could be trusted, especially from the teacher team.
'Well, no use of backing up now.'
Nevertheless, amid the sea of curious gazes, Sylvie stood her ground, determination etched on her face. It was a stark contrast to the Sylvie I first encountered, the one who initially recoiled at the thought of combat.
With a measured nod, I acknowledged Sylvie's request, deciding to accept the responsibility that seemed to have inadvertently fallen into my lap. I tried to keep my face straight, hiding any flicker of annoyance that lingered beneath the surface.
"Fine. I'll teach you," I conceded, my tone serious. "But understand, I won't go easy on you. Are you okay with that?"
If she came to me in order to learn, she would need to accept how I taught. That was my condition.
Sylvie met my gaze with unwavering determination, a stark contrast to the initial reluctance she displayed when combat was first mentioned. "I'll do whatever it takes to become stronger."
'We'll see about that.'
It was weird to see her in such an expression since it was my first time. But, since she looked determined, there was no reason to get annoyed.
"Good."
With that understanding, the decision was set. Sylvie smiled happily, a genuine expression that hadn't graced her face before. "Thank you, Astron."
"….."
Looking at her smile, I was speechless for a second. It made me wonder, 'Is this really something to be happy about?' But, I guess it must have taken a lot of courage for Sylvie to confront her fears.
Sylvie returned to her seat, the lingering attention of the classmates following her every move. As she sat on her seat, I could feel a piercing gaze from the side.
A pair of amber eyes locked onto mine from across the room. Irina was seemingly annoyed, but that wasn't something new for her, so I just shrugged my shoulders and focused on the upcoming lesson that was about to start.
******
TAK! TAK! TAK!
The classroom fell silent as all the students felt the presence of their stern instructor
"Good evening, cadets."
Instructor Eleanor's voice echoed through the silent classroom as she entered, carrying the sphere objects that had been submitted by the students.
She moved purposefully through the rows of desks, returning the spheres to their respective owners of the groups.
Each student's creation was handled with care, and a nod of acknowledgment was given to them individually.
"As you've all completed the task of capturing and analyzing the Mana Formulas, it's time to move on to the next step," Eleanor began, her gaze sweeping across the attentive faces. "You will now be tasked with writing a comprehensive report about the magic formulas you encountered and captured in the forest."
Eleanor placed the spheres on her desk and clasped her hands behind her back. "Your reports should include detailed information about the composition of the Mana Formulas, any unique characteristics they exhibited, and your strategies for capture. Think of it as a reflection on what you've learned during this practical exercise."
As she stopped for a second, Eleanor's stern gaze intensified as she addressed the students. "Now, I want to make it clear that the academy has kept meticulous records of which magic formulas were submitted by each group. Plagiarism will not be tolerated in your reports. Each of you is expected to provide an individual and honest account of your findings. It's an integral part of your growth as Hunters to be able to analyze and articulate your experiences accurately."
After that, she slowly made her way out of the classroom.
"Today's class will serve as a report writing session. You are all free to leave. You may also contact me or the assistant if you encounter any problems with your reports. Good luck."
And just like that, the cadets were left alone in the classroom with their instructor's leave.
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