Chapter 244 Chapter 56.2 - No title
"Sigh…..What is this assignment now?"
Inside the room of a small coffee shop, three girls sat. Jasmine was the first one to open her mouth as she looked flustered.
"We didn't even catch that many magical formulas with us." She mumbled, grabbing her coffee.
"We are not that different," Danielle added. She had some black circles under her eyes, indicating her countless different sleepless nights. After all, that didn't contradict her ways since she was rather a gal type who went around at night and played with the boys.
"….."
However, one of them seemed to not enter the talk. Sylvie, who had been rather focused on something, was now thinking to herself.
"Hey….Look at her; she is not even here."
Jasmine chuckled at Sylvie's serious expression as she seemed lost in thought. She playfully nudged her friend's shoulder. "Sylvie, are you trying to solve the mysteries of the universe over there?"
Sylvie blinked, returning to the conversation at hand. "Huh? Oh, no, sorry. I was just thinking about something."
Danielle, leaning back in her chair, raised an eyebrow. "Something intriguing, I assume? Don't leave us in suspense. What's going on in that head of yours?"
Even though she said those words with a smile, Sylvie didn't miss that black color emanating from her. Nowadays, compared to the past, the color of black is getting stronger and stronger with each second.
Sylvie knew inwardly that Danielle was changing, and the direction wasn't on the good side.
'Should I talk to him? No. I need to do things on my own. I can't always rely on him.'
Sylvie gave a small smile, her thoughts lingering about whether she should mention this to him.
However, she instantly dismissed the idea.
"Just personal stuff, nothing major. Anyway, what were we talking about? The assignment?"
Jasmine nodded, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Yeah, we're discussing our next assignment. Got any brilliant ideas, Sylvie?"
Hearing that, Sylvie remembered how they had solved the formulas themselves. Well, it was more like he solved it, but undoubtedly, they at least played a role.
'Though, I can't reveal it.'
After the lesson had ended, all of them were called to Professor Eleanor's office and were warned that they should never mention anything about the answer. If it was known, they would get zero marks from this assignment.
Sylvie thought for a moment before suggesting implicitly, "How about focusing on gathering intel about magical anomalies? We've been dealing with a lot of unexpected situations lately, and knowing more about them could be beneficial."
Jasmine and Danielle exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. "That sounds reasonable," Danielle remarked. "After all, there is no way the school would send us anywhere normal."
"Yeah, I agree. Do you have anything in your mind, though?" Jasmine looked at Sylvie and asked.
Sylvie hesitated for a moment, torn between not wanting to lie and the need to contribute to the discussion. "I... um, I don't have any specific ideas at the moment," she admitted. "We could maybe look into recent magical occurrences and see if there are any patterns or common factors."
Jasmine nodded, seemingly satisfied with the general direction. "Alright, that sounds like a plan. We'll need to gather information discreetly, maybe visit some of the areas where these anomalies occurred."
Danielle, still looking a bit drained, added, "And we should consider reaching out to any magical experts or professors who might have insights. They could provide valuable guidance."
Sylvie nodded along, trying to keep her expression neutral. She couldn't share the details about Astron's involvement without risking the consequences outlined by Professor Eleanor.
'Thanks to the lord that they didn't ask for anything more.'
As the conversation shifted to practicality, Sylvie found herself grateful that Jasmine and Danielle didn't press further on her vague suggestion.
'Hmm?'
At that moment, while the group continued their discussion, Sylvie's attention was momentarily drawn to the window.
There, she saw the familiar figures of a boy with black hair and purple eyes and a girl with pink hair and blue eyes. The girl seemed to be talking animatedly, her smile reaching from ear to ear, while the boy listened attentively without saying much.
'Astron and Senior Maya?'
She immediately realized the identity of the two. After all, one of them was the person that she had spent quite a time training, and the other one was her senior from the club whom she had searched for.
'When did they get this close?'
She asked herself. For a moment, she felt a strange twinge in her chest, an inexplicable sensation that made her slightly uncomfortable.
'What is this?'
As Sylvie observed them from afar, an unfamiliar feeling crept over her. It was as if something was suffocating her inside, a strange mix of restlessness and unease.
The sight of Maya's vibrant smile while talking to Astron stirred an odd discomfort within Sylvie, one she couldn't quite put into words.
There was also the fact that she was able to see the emotional palette of both Maya and Astron. In the case of Maya, there was a color that she hadn't seen before. And as for Astron, the fact that he didn't feel uncomfortable but rather liked being close to her….
'Why does it bother me?'
She tried to brush off the feeling, attributing it to mere curiosity about their sudden closeness. Yet, deep down, a subtle twinge of feeling that wouldn't belong to future Saintess lingered beneath the surface.
"Sylve, what are you looking at?" Danielle's words brought her back to reality immediately.
"Ah, it is nothing. I just thought I saw someone."
Sylvie quickly averted her gaze, refocusing on the discussion at hand, but the lingering unease remained like a subtle shadow in the recesses of her thoughts.
*******
After the initial notice from Eleanor, all of the students were dispersed from the classroom. Since our group had already finished this part of the assignment, we didn't need to come together and study more, so I made my way to the training grounds once again.
'Nowadays, I feel like I am being watched quite a lot.'
However, while I was training, this subtle feeling of being watched never left me alone.
"Junior, what are you doing?"
And at the end, one of the people who was the reason for that feeling revealed herself. Though I was sure there were other people, at least one of them, Maya, brought some comfort.
"Senior, as you can see, I am training," I replied while signaling the sweat falling from my body.
"Cough….Cough…"
Maya's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as her eyes unintentionally lingered on the sweat-drenched state of my training attire. She coughed awkwardly, averted her gaze, and seemed momentarily flustered.
"Uh, sorry about that. It's just… you know, the sweat and all." She stammered, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
Considering what she had said last time, it seemed my sweat and other things had an effect on her thirst for blood, and adding her personality, it was normal for her to feel shy.
"It is fine."
I waved my hand to show that I wasn't feeling uncomfortable.
Maya cleared her throat, attempting to regain composure. "Anyway, I was wondering if you're free right now. Maybe we could grab a meal together?"
The sudden invitation caught me off guard. "Meal?"
"Yes, a meal."
"Hmm?"
"Junior, don't tell me?"
"What?"
Maya's expression turned from a playful grin into a serious, grim one. "Junior, don't tell me you've never had a meal with anyone else here in the academy?"
I paused, reflecting on my time in the academy. Surprisingly, Maya's question struck a chord. Had I really never shared a meal with my fellow students before?
'Really?'
Now, seeing it from here, I had always been a loner. The previous Astron himself was already an outcast, and after that fateful day, I didn't put any effort into changing that fact.
"Well, I mean, not really," I admitted, realizing the truth in her statement. "I've been so focused on classes and training that I haven't really thought about it."
Maya's eyes widened, and the playful glint in her gaze softened into one of warmth and understanding as I confessed to my solitary routine, a mixture of sympathy and compassion reflected in her eyes.
"Junior," she began, her voice carrying a gentle tone, "you've been here all this time and never shared a meal with others? Never experienced those simple moments of camaraderie?"
Those words….It felt like they should have stung, but I didn't feel much in any case.
"You don't need to make it look grim. I just don't need people around me."
Maya's expression turned into one of empathy, and she immediately reached out, taking my hand.
I didn't know whether it was because I lowered my guard down or because she was fast, but it happened so quickly that I couldn't even react.
"Come on," she urged, her grip firm yet reassuring. "You should at least experience all those things when you can. The academy isn't just about classes and training. It's about the connections we build, the memories we create."
"..." I couldn't refute those words.
"Brother…..You know, I want to live my life to its fullest when we grow up. I wonder, can we make any schoolmates like in those stories?"
Her words resonated something in my head as if it were a truth I had overlooked for far too long.
As Maya led me toward the cafeteria, her comforting presence reminded me of those times.
'Sigh…..I really can't win against you…'
I even wondered if those words were directed to her or Maya, but who could even now at the end….
******
Just as Maya and Astron walked, the ambiance changed from the lively buzz of the cafeteria to a quieter, more refined atmosphere; the smell of gourmet food wafted through the air, signaling that they were approaching a place not frequented by the average student.
Astron couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. "Senior, isn't this place usually for higher-ranking students?"
After all, he knew what this place was from the game. The place where Ethan would start to visit while making connections with the people of higher ranks.
Maya chuckled a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Well, you know, rules can be a bit flexible when you have the right connections and resources." She gestured subtly toward a discreet entrance, the charm of exclusivity radiating from it.
As they approached, the doors opened smoothly, revealing an elegant interior that was a far cry from the usual student hangouts.
Soft lighting, plush seating, and an air of sophistication greeted them. Maya led the way confidently, as if she owned the place, her blue eyes scanning the room.
"Consider it a perk of having a senior who knows her way around," she said with a sly grin. The restaurant staff, recognizing Maya, immediately guided them to a reserved table, offering a menu that boasted delicacies beyond the usual student fare.
Maya perused the menu with a thoughtful expression, her finger tracing the options. "You know, Junior, they have some special monster meats here that could do wonders for your physical condition. I'll treat you today, and you can repay me later by getting even stronger. How does that sound?"
Astron hesitated, a faint furrow appearing on his forehead. "Senior, you've already done so much. You don't need to go this far."
No matter what happened, his initial nature couldn't be changed instantly. He was accustomed to doing things on his own all the time.
Maya leaned back, her gaze firm. "Consider it an investment in my junior's well-being."
'Sorry for being selfish….'
Inwardly, she apologized for her impure thoughts, but she couldn't help it. Even now, the reason she was able to enjoy these meals was because she had her fill not long ago.
'I need to suppress it….'
Astron couldn't argue further as Maya confidently placed their order. As they enjoyed the exquisite dishes, Maya couldn't help but observe him discreetly.
The subtle changes in his body and the newfound glow in his complexion didn't escape her notice.
'He really is looking more in shape.'
That couldn't be noticed immediately if not looked at directly, but Maya knew how he looked before. It seemed that Starbloom essence worked as it intended.
'Then....Should I introduce him to father…?'
Her mind wandered off...
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