Chapter 123: Connected (8)
Seria felt a tremor of intense emotion ripple through her.
'...I've found him.'
It had been just three days since she last saw him on Sunday—a surprisingly quick reunion.
'Who would've thought that he was a student of the Hero Department and from the Waldeurk family at that...'
From the moment she first saw Theo, she felt something was off.
Until now, no one had ever ignored her greeting.
Everyone, from students to faculty, including professors, had always tried to curry favor with her.
And yet, that man, acting as if he were bestowing her the honor of his acknowledgment, felt strange, even if he was from the esteemed Waldeurk family.
And then there was her match against him.
He immediately dispelled her debuff magic.
She had enhanced that spell after it had been so easily dispelled by him previously.
She never imagined he'd break through it again so effortlessly.
Then there was that one feature she recognized: his jawline—a perfect blend of femininity and masculinity.
...Theo Lyn Waldeurk.
'What should I say to him?'
Although she had always looked forward to meeting him after finding his identity, she couldn't think of the right words now that the time had come.
So, she decided to go with the flow, letting her instincts guide her, feeling there was a certain charm to that approach.
But as she tried to get up,
"Ah... Ahh!"
Pain shot through her abdomen, where she'd been struck by the training sword.
While she was down on both knees.
Step, step.
Theo, with determined strides, approached.
No longer that mysterious figure but the very real Theo.
He extended his hand to her.
...
He remained silent.
Simply extending his fair and straight hand, he looked down at her with an indifferent expression.
'So that's what Theo's hand looks like.'
She hadn't noticed before since he always wore gloves when he was in disguise.
Every little detail felt special as she got to know him.
"Thank you, Theo."
Smiling softly, Seria took Theo's hand and rose to her feet.
A boy, every bit the aristocrat, showed impeccable manners to a girl who was equally as noble.
The previously hushed arena erupted once again at this scene.
"Kyaaa~ So cool. The aura around them is no joke. Seriously, just look at them. But wait, didn't they say Theo despised her?"
"Yeah, but I never saw it myself... Maybe it's just a bad rumor?"
"Hey, hey, hey... Let go of her hand, you jerk!"
"Such parasites. Makes me want to slap them."
Reactions of all sorts poured from the students in the stands.
Most of the comments were positive.
Although a few jeered, they quickly shut their mouths when about fifty imposing orcs turned to glare at them all at once.
'Heh, with so many people looking... such a bold move.'
A rush of excitement washed over her as she gazed up at Theo.
Silvery, flowing hair.
Pale yet elastic skin.
A stature surpassing 180 cm, and a smoothly toned body.
Broad shoulders, a slender waist...
'Heh, I've seen that body numerous times.'
She had seen it often when she was replenishing his mana using [Mana Injection].
Every time she saw that well-carved, statue-like body, she'd let her imagination wander, wondering what he truly looked like.
'He's even more magnificent than I imagined.'
Without realizing it, an elated smile crept across Seria's face.
Yet, Theo remained silent.
'There must be a reason he's so guarded about his identity.'
Flashing a playful grin, Seria reached out her hand to Theo.
"It was truly an amazing match, Theo. You've reminded someone like me, someone who focuses primarily on research, about the importance of practical application."
"..."
Theo calmly took Seria's extended hand.
"Heh."
Trying to etch his face into her memory, Seria fixed her eyes on him.
Still, Theo's expression was unreadable.
She didn't quite understand him, but she was determined to try.
"Then, as the loser, I'll take my leave."
She said gracefully.
"After all, all these cheers should belong solely to the victor."
But she had one last thing to say.
In a whisper meant only for Theo, she said,
"Until we meet again, Theo. You're far more impressive than I'd imagined."
With those parting words, Seria turned away.
Her smile was brighter than even that of the victor, Irene.
After the match, I headed straight to the waiting room.
"Whew..."
I felt somewhat drained.
Using Overload briefly during my surprise attack on Jamie was the reason.
But more than the physical exhaustion, my spirit felt heavier.
The words Seria spoke after the match keep replaying in my mind.
'You're far more impressive than I'd imagined.'
Even a fool would understand the implications of that statement.
'Seria has figured it out.'
I remembered the first time I approached her to input magic into [Magic Cartridge].
She tried to take off my mask by using [Bind], but I countered it with [Magic Nullification].
Considering everything, it's surprising she didn't recognize me earlier.
She's familiar with my physique.
I've undressed in front of her multiple times; she knows my skin tone all too well.
I never intended to keep it a secret forever.
But I feel like I've been discovered too soon.
'Damn it.'
In the game, Seria is known for her intense obsession with things or people she takes a liking to.
It's a well-acknowledged fact even among the developers.
If Siena's madness is like an uncontrollable 8-ton truck, Seria's is a refined, calculated kind of madness.
Unlike the impulsive Siena, Seria operates with meticulous planning.
During Neike's birthday in the original storyline, she cast a perception-distorting barrier around the entire party venue, all just to ensure no other heroines could approach – quite an over-the-top move.
To achieve my goals, I portrayed the exact image she's drawn to: mysterious, enigmatic, thoroughness, and most importantly, someone she can't fully control.
There's a high likelihood she'll become obsessively attached to me.
'Damn.'
For a moment, my expression darkened, but I quickly regained my composure.
...What's done is done, and regretting it won't change anything.
I need to focus on navigating what comes next; that's what will truly help.
Fortunately, Seria isn't the type to blabber about my [Magic Cartridge] to other people.
Plus, after the match, I helped her up from the ground.
'That should've left a good impression.'
It wasn't intentional, but my body, having been disciplined by [Twisted Noble's Dignity] over time, naturally moved in a courteous manner.
I thought of the [Bind] spell Seria hit me with during the match.
'Was it always that strong?'
It was at least 1.5 times stronger than the previous [Bind] I remembered.
'Even if Seria is a named character, her growth rate is too fast.'
Back then, the spell made me feel as if my breath had stopped.
It's not just Seria; it's the same with Irene, Aisha, and Siena.
They're all growing incredibly fast.
"Theo, is something bothering you?"
Sitting beside me, Irene looked at me with a worried expression.
"No, it's nothing."
"Thank goodness. By the way, were you acquainted with Seria?"
Irene narrowed her eyes slightly.
"We talked a little due to an assignment."
"Really? But why didn't you say anything when you greeted her earlier? And Theo, you seemed a bit flustered after..."
Irene, channeling her inner Conan*, started deducing.
And she was drawing conclusions based on little hints and clues.
In a very logical manner.
This isn't good; I need to change the subject!
After confirming the enhancement of my [Twisted Noble's Dignity] trait, I spoke up.
"I made a mistake. As you know, Irene, I'll need to recruit an Aide soon and I've been considering her. I'm planning to apologize later."
"Is that so? But why was she smiling so brightly... I also heard her say you were more impressive than she imagined. Anyway, understood. Let's discuss this later and prepare for the next match."
Irene, still looking a tad skeptical, decided to let the matter go for now.
That was a relief.
If she had pressed further, I might have been in a real bind.
"That's a good idea, Rin. Let's keep an eye on the next match. They are our potential opponents in the round of 16. You know them – it's the team with Noctar."
All matches for the round of 32 have concluded.
As I expected, the teams of Neike, Aisha & Julia, Andrew & Sally, and Noctar all emerged victorious.
"Theo, this time it's a fight between swords and axes... Can we win? They looked unstoppable."
"Of course, Rin. As long as we stick to my strategy, we can win."
With that, Irene and I left the waiting room and made our way to the arena.
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