Chapter 55 Chapter 14.3 - Archery Club
"Haaah….Haaah….This is certainly working." I mumbled to myself, breathing heavily.
Then, I took a look around me as I walked outside of the training room. Arrows had stabbed the walls as the signs of battle could be seen.
The place I was in was the Archery Club facilities, that was different from the training grounds provided by the academy.
This one had rather better simulations and better monsters for one to train. As you might be expected, the training rooms didn't create a monster, but they created their simulations and holograms, but at the end of the day, they were Artificial Beings created by technology.
Therefore, the more advanced the technology used was, the better the efficiency. Of course, being arguably the best academy in the world, Arcadia Hunter Academy had access to the best facilities.
The problem lay in them only being accessible to high-ranking students. Capitalism was it.
In any case, thanks to the better facilities provided by the club room, I could focus on my training, and I can easily say now that I have improved.
And I had been training non-stop for the rest of the evening.
'It is 1 AM. I guess I should head back.' With that thought, I got out of the training rooms and entered the general hall.
SWOOSH
A small wind blew through my face. The sound of the wind was accompanied by a captivating sight. There, amidst the quiet intensity of the training hall, Lilia stood gracefully.
Her distinctive green hair and piercing red eyes gave her an almost ethereal aura. She moved with an innate elegance as she expertly handled her bow, her form a harmonious blend of fluidity and precision.
Looking at her like that, I could easily see why she was revered as a Campus Belle. Her face was perfectly beautiful, and it was satisfying to watch from an aesthetic perspective. But that was it.
'Though, I wish it was the same for her character and ego.' I mused as I observed her.
What truly caught my attention, however, was her exceptional mana control. The way she seamlessly imbued her arrows with mana, manipulating their properties with finesse, was nothing short of remarkable.
'As a first-year, her mana control is certainly of the rooks. As expected from the fourth-ranked student.' I thought.
Caught in the midst of her training, Lilia seemed unaware of her surroundings.
But as she completed her current set, her gaze shifted, and our eyes met briefly. There was a flicker of recognition in her crimson eyes, but it quickly turned into a dismissive indifference.
I knew what that recognition meant. It was her type of remembering people that offended her.
Without a word or a hint of acknowledgment, she resumed her training, leaving me standing there, an unnoticed presence. It was a stark reminder of the distance that separated us, not just physically but also in terms of our lineage and social standings.
Well, that was to be expected, and I didn't have anything to see more; thus, I simply left and made my way toward my room.
It is not like that was something important anyway.
******
RUSTLE RUSTLE
As the swift breeze of the next day passed me, I kept running, improving my physical aspects.
It was Saturday. Therefore, not many people were around aside from those who really wished to improve themselves. Those diligent ones that I could see.
I made morning runs my routine, as I was running at least one hour before beginning my day. It was good for both my physical aspects and my mental health as I could get time to think to myself.
SWOOSH
But, just at that moment, I felt something passing me at a rapid speed.
"Hey, Julia, slow down."
And behind me, a voice that I was familiar with came.
'Ethan.'
"Huff….Hufff…."
It was our protagonist who was running while breathing heavily. His blue hair was messed up, and his hazel eyes were determined.
"Heh…Don't tell me you are going to stop now!" The girl who just went passed me like a bullet shouted with a smile. "If you're throwing in the towel, just admit it!"
Though her words were aimed at Ethan, her attention remained on him even as she kept her distance. Her ivory-white hair remained pristine, untouched by perspiration. There was a certain tomboyish charm in her arrogant yet cheeky grin.
"Sigh….Okay, okay. I give up. Just slow down, okay?" Ethan, who had already reached us, said as he made waved his hand. "Today's dinner is on me." With a defeated expression, Ethan said.
'It seems they made a bet.' I thought. 'This is a very Julia-like thing.'
"Oh, Astron. Good morning." However, it seems our protagonist could see me under my hood."
"Don't talk to me."
But I had no interest in talking to them. My focus was momentarily shifted by the bullet-like phenomenon that had breezed past me, but now that I identified it as Julia, I resumed my pace without further ado.
"As cold as always." Ethan's remark trailed after me as I propelled myself forward, a lone figure against the morning backdrop.
A faint smile from Julia accompanied my pass-by, but I paid it no heed, allowing the steady rhythm of my run to carry me further.
******
After Astron left, Julia approached Ethan, who looked at the departing figure with a smile.
SMACK
"Why are you smiling like an idiot?" She asked as she smacked him on his back.
"Kurgh-" The sudden impact caused him to let out a surprised, slightly pained noise, and he coughed as the water he had just consumed went down the wrong way. "What the hell? What are you doing?" Ethan asked, clearly perplexed by her unexpected actions.
"It is fine, it is fine," Julia said, her face containing a mischievous smile.
Ethan cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "You really need to warn a guy before you do that."
Julia shrugged casually. "Where's the fun in that?"
Ethan chuckled, rubbing the spot on his back that had taken the brunt of her playful attack. "Fair enough."
They exchanged an amused glance before turning their attention back to Astron's departed figure.
"He's as mysterious as ever," Ethan mused, his smile softening into a thoughtful expression.
Julia raised an eyebrow. "You're interested in him, aren't you?"
"Well, he is certainly interesting. Whenever I talk to him, he always cuts me off." Ethan said as he shook his head.
"It is the first time I am seeing someone getting interested in others because that someone cut them off," Julia said, her gaze squinting. "Don't tell me. Are you into this?"
"Pfffft…." Innocent Ethan, who just wanted to drink his water, spurted everything out once again as he looked at Julia in bewilderment. "Where did you get it from?" He asked, looking at her blankly.
'These two twins are certainly good at teasing.' Ethan thought. It seemed Julia and Lucas shared this same prospect when it came to teasing.
"AHAHHAHA! Look at his reaction; it's priceless," Julia exclaimed, her grin widening. Her hair, pure white as snow, glowed in the morning sunlight. Despite her angelic appearance, her playful behavior often overshadowed her feminine side.
"Sigh…. You're thoroughly enjoying this, aren't you?" Ethan said, his tone resigned. Despite her teasing, he found comfort in her lightheartedness. Hanging out with her was just easier than dealing with the likes of Lilia or other girls.
"Wow, Sherlock. Isn't it obvious?" Julia replied, her playful smile persisting.
"…."
"I thought as much."
"Sigh…."
"Anyway, spill it. Why are you so interested in him?" Julia's expression grew serious. "He doesn't seem worth your attention. No strength, no connections."
Even though Julia was rather tomboyish and dumb, she lived in a world where strength mattered, and she knew how important one's strength and standing were.
And Astron had neither of them. Neither did he have any connections, nor he had any individual strength to stand on his own.
Ethan took a moment before answering, his gaze distant. "It's intuition, I suppose. There's just something about him that piques my curiosity. And you know how my intuition has always worked."
If Astron was there, he would certainly say it was the intuition of the protagonist.
Julia's eyebrows raised, a knowing smile curving her lips. "Oh, I definitely know. Your 'intuition' is usually scarily accurate."
Ethan scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, well, you've seen it in action. It's like a gut feeling, and it's never let me down before."
Julia's grin widened. "Remember the time you 'intuitively' found that rare artifact in the game we played? Everyone thought you were crazy until you actually dug it up."
Ethan chuckled, the memory clear in his mind. "Yeah, that was something."
Julia bumped her shoulder against his playfully. "I've always said you've got some sort of sixth sense."
Ethan chuckled again, nudging her back. "Maybe I do. But in this case, I'm not sure what it's telling me about Astron."
Julia's playful demeanor softened, a more serious look in her eyes. "Just be careful, okay? Intuition or not, not everyone is what they seem. Just like you, I am also getting a weird feeling from him." Julia said.
Even though it was not as strong as Ethan's, Julia was also a warrior and swordsman. Thus, she also felt something was amiss with Astron.
Ethan nodded thoughtfully. "I get that feeling, too, honestly. But I don't think he's a bad guy. He's just… different. Maybe a bit edgy, but not necessarily malicious."
Julia crossed her arms, looking at Ethan with a skeptical expression. "Edgy? Is that your professional analysis?"
Ethan chuckled. "Hey, it's the best I can come up with at the moment. There's more to him than meets the eye, that's for sure."
Julia sighed, her gaze softening as she looked at Ethan. "Just promise me you won't get too involved if things start getting strange."
Ethan placed a hand over his heart in mock sincerity. "I solemnly swear I won't dive headfirst into trouble."
Julia rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. "I'm holding you to that."
SMACK
But suddenly, another smack fell onto the back of Ethan, making him stagger.
"What now?" He looked at Julia with annoyance this time as her joke was getting off the chart.
She smiled warmly, her hand ruffling his hair. "Now, come on, let's get some breakfast. You owe me after losing that race."
Ethan rolled his eyes, but a grin tugged at his lips. "Fine, fine. But one day, I'll win, mark my words."
As they walked away, their laughter echoed through the academy grounds, a testament to the bond between childhood friends who knew each other better than anyone else.
However, in the back of her head, Julia made a mental note about the boy whom her friend was interested in. Though, she forgot it instantly….
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