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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
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A refreshing morning.
It was truly the first time I'd ever woken up to such a refreshing morning in the dorm.
As I stretched widely, a smile involuntarily bloomed on my face.
Both my mind and body felt incredibly refreshed, with no trace of fatigue.
I had sparred with Luna yesterday, but hadn't overexerted myself afterward. It was almost strange how refreshing it felt to wake up this morning.
"..."
Then, I suddenly noticed a coin on the table, radiating a brilliant light.
Bathed in the morning sun, its brilliant golden hue captivated my gaze. As I naturally picked up the gold coin, another sense of satisfaction filled my heart.
"This is truly a windfall."
I'd received five months' worth of salary all at once. And so easily at that. People often say that happiness easily gained isn't as joyous, but in my opinion, that was utter rubbish.
Even if it was easily gained, joy was still joy.
Why wouldn't I be happy if a large sum of money suddenly appeared? I couldn't help but smile as I looked at the gold coin, shining even more brilliantly in the sunlight.
"I should eat something tasty for lunch today."
When dormitory life began, students received their academy living expenses preferentially in the first month. As a C-Class student, I had also received 20 silver.
The money I'd saved outside the academy over several months was barely more than 10 silver. Considering expenses like the trait examination and inn fees, I hadn't been able to save much at all.
That's why I couldn't easily spend even that money.
To advance to the next class, B, as quickly as possible, good equipment was essential. I believed I needed to acquire better spears and gear to strengthen myself, which was why I had diligently saved my silver.
For me, the 1 gold coin Glacia had readily offered was truly an enormous sum of money.
So much so that I felt not just financially comfortable, but my heart felt rich as well.
"...By the way, how much money does she have to give away gold so casually?"
Casually, the words Glacia had spoken to me last night came to mind.
"—How much would it take…?"
"—Han Cheonseong. I want to buy your time."
"—Please, I beg you. Han Cheonseong... stay with me. I'll pay any amount of money."
As I recalled each word she had spoken, I unconsciously ran a hand over my face.
Just recalling her words made my heart waver for a moment.
Remembering Glacia approaching me, pleading so earnestly, made my heart flutter a little again.
Then, an empty laugh escaped me.
"Seriously, just thinking about her words... it's like she was confessing to me."
She had said she would buy my heart even with money, and repeatedly told me she wanted to stay with me.
It was almost as if Glacia was clinging to me. And I couldn't deny that I felt that way myself.
In truth, thinking about it, that really was the case... but.
"The problem is, it wasn't romantic affection."
If I had seen affection or romantic feelings in Glacia's eyes yesterday... perhaps my heart would have wavered even more.
But the more we talked, the more I felt Glacia's boundless desire for improvement.
A desperate yet intense will to somehow move forward, even while pushing her body to its limits.
How could I foolishly keep my heart fluttering while looking at someone like her?
My heart's pounding slowly subsided as well.
"...Let's stop thinking about it."
I shook my head and got ready to go to the academy.
Even as I quickly finished showering and changed into my student uniform, the feel of the gold coin in my hand... it was special.
Glacia had given it to me casually, as if it were nothing, as a reward...
But for me, it was a large sum of money with quite a special meaning.
***
"Well, well. Look who it is. Isn't this the man of the hour?"
As soon as I sat next to David, he spoke, and I involuntarily shook my head.
"Man of the hour, my foot."
"So how did that happen yesterday? You sparred with Luna, right?"
"...That rumor's already spread?"
"Of course. There wasn't a single student in the classroom who didn't know. So many stories about you were going around, I couldn't help but hear them all, even if I didn't want to."
At David's words, I let out a small sigh.
I had thought perhaps the rumor of my spar with Leonhardt had spread wider, drawing more attention. But in fact, the reason lay elsewhere.
'...Luna Belmont.'
It was the spar between Luna and me, which had taken place at the front of the classroom. No, more accurately, it was what happened afterward that had caused the rumors to spread again.
"David. Whatever you're thinking, it's not true."
"...Pfft. Han Cheonseong, what do you think I was thinking?"
"You're obviously thinking something weird about Luna and me, aren't you?"
Just looking at his mischievous smile, I could tell exactly what he was thinking.
He must have thought there were some strange feelings between Luna and me.
Besides David, the way other students around me kept glancing at me also made me feel strange.
—Zero confessions, one rejection.
From afar, it might have seemed like a comedy, but up close... no, experiencing it myself, it was a preposterous situation that left me flustered and unable to even think straight.
"Han Cheonseong. Is it really not true? You don't have even a little personal interest in Luna?"
"Nope. There's really nothing like that."
"Really? I think it's perfectly possible with someone like Luna, she's really pretty, you know."
At David's words, which seemed to confirm that I liked Luna, another sigh escaped me.
'How on earth am I supposed to clear up this misunderstanding?'
If even David, who had no preconceptions about me at our first meeting, thought this way, it was practically obvious how others would perceive it.
"Do you... really think I like Luna?"
"Not certain. I just think it's possible, you know. No, I'm not saying you're weird, okay? I'm just saying, wouldn't it be natural to feel that way about a female student as pretty as Luna? You know, right? How everyone pretends not to, but they still look at Luna often as the days go by. Of course, she's so pretty, who wouldn't look? It's only natural for a guy to be interested."
However, contrary to my thoughts, as David spoke calmly, I started to see things a little differently.
He said it was natural to like her, that it was perfectly normal. Amusingly, I found myself agreeing with David's words.
I glanced forward a bit from my seat.
Luna was visible, gently smiling and continuing her conversation with Millia. Honestly, just looking at her appearance, she was undeniably beautiful to anyone.
It wasn't for nothing that she secured her place as a main heroine in the Groa world. Even in reality, she was quite popular.
Of course, the problem was that among the tsundere archetypes, which were considered outdated back then, she was a truly hardcore tsundere, leading to extremely polarized opinions.
'Well, she *is* pretty...'
Yesterday, I had felt Luna's thoughts were childish, which had significantly reduced any lingering resentment, and although I was flustered by the unexpected 'zero confessions, one rejection' situation, my intention to befriend Luna remained unchanged.
Luna's Battle Cure trait was that important.
If only I could save my life... these rumors were worth enduring.
"...Hey. You're looking at Luna like that and still saying no?"
At David's words, I paused and immediately shook my head.
"I'm serious, it's not true. I really don't like Luna. And I don't even know why she thought that about me... My ideal type is someone completely different, actually."
"Completely different? What, is there someone in this classroom who's close to your ideal type right now?"
"Yeah, there is. She's right next to Luna now."
Since I was talking to David, I spoke lightly.
—Millia Eberne.
Even thinking about it again, my ideal type was still closest to her.
She was warmly receiving Luna's lively chatter and smiling. Just looking at her, I could feel her gentle and caring nature.
And her face was cute too. She was truly the ideal type itself.
For now, because of Luna, I couldn't get closer to her, but still...
"Oh. You mean Millia?"
"That's right."
"Millia, huh... Hmm, to me, Luna seems much prettier, and more charming too."
"An ideal type is subjective, isn't it? Even if Luna is prettier, who you like is a different matter entirely."
Just as I was having a light chat with David.
"Tsk... The conversation level of these commoners is truly vulgar."
Suddenly, an extremely cold voice was heard.
My gaze involuntarily went to him.
I saw a student with light blonde hair. Gerard was clearly looking at me, twisting his lips, and for a moment, I was so dumbfounded I couldn't speak.
'Commoner?'
To openly use the word 'commoner' in the academy, not even 'traitless'. Has that bastard lost his mind?
"That's enough, Gerard. They're just flocking together anyway. Why bother yourself? Let's not interfere."
One of the students, who seemed to be with him, led Gerard away as if dissuading him, disappearing to their seats, and for a moment, my heart felt like it plummeted.
Yesterday, he had clearly looked at me with inexplicable malice and hostility.
But if he was going to be so blatant about it now, I had no intention of just enduring it silently.
I was about to stand up and approach him myself.
Grab.
My arm was suddenly grabbed.
"Han Cheonseong. Endure it for now."
"...David."
"Practical sparring classes start next week, don't they? We can properly get back at that guy then. No need to cause a scene now."
David, who had completely shed his previous playful demeanor, had a cold look in his eyes. I let out a shallow breath and nodded.
Just as David said, classes next week would primarily focus on practical application.
There would surely be sparring between students scheduled then.
...There was no need to cause a scene. When the opportunity presented itself. I would thoroughly crush him in front of everyone then.
Just as I managed to calm my seething anger.
Creak.
The classroom door opened.
Click, clack.
As Kali, dressed in a black suit, entered, I straightened my posture and renewed my resolve.
Wasting even a moment caring about trash like Gerard was a waste.
And today was quite an important day.
I needed to have a proper conversation with Kali, and convey my desire to use her personal training room more. I had to properly tell her...
"..."
As I thought, my breath caught.
"Hey. Did you... do something wrong to the instructor yesterday?"
David whispered to me, but I didn't know the reason either.
"..."
Kali's gaze was incredibly sharp. No, perhaps even colder than that. When I submitted my test paper yesterday, her gaze certainly wasn't like this.
'Why now...'
Why is she looking at me so coldly?
...
As soon as Kali entered the classroom, silence enveloped the room.
Thud!
Kali, who had surveyed the students once, naturally placed the teaching materials she had brought onto the desk.
Even though her gaze had long since left me, I continued to feel an inexplicable chill.
I even felt an unwarranted sense of unease.
'This isn't good.'
I absolutely had to have a proper conversation with Kali today.
But her mood seemed quite bad right now.
So much so that I found myself wondering if it was even okay to talk to her...
"Student Han Cheonseong?"
As she called my name, I swallowed hard and opened my mouth.
"...Yes, Instructor Kali."