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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 97
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97. What One Desires From Another
***
—Rest.
The concept of rest was appealing to most people.
A long-awaited rest, a welcome reprieve from the demands of busy lives and exhausting days. It was a time to rejuvenate both body and mind, whether by simply relaxing without a single thought or by planning what to do during the break.
Just as a machine that runs endlessly and overheats will eventually break down, so too are humans, who are even more delicate beings.
Thus, rest was a necessary time for everyone, regardless of who they were. It was a truth so obvious it barely needed stating.
Yet, there were also those for whom such rest felt utterly foreign.
They spent their days without even realizing how the hours slipped by, and by the time night fell, signaling the day's end, they were already preparing for the next.
And so, when the next day dawned, they would resume their duties once more.
"..."
Cheon Seong reflected on his own situation, and a sudden laugh escaped him.
'I've certainly lived a busy life.'
But today, since waking, he hadn't once left his private quarters.
To be precise, now that Kali had all but forcibly ordered him to rest, as he complied, he vaguely sensed it himself.
That Kali had genuinely spoken out of concern for him.
And that his body yearned for rest, wishing to do absolutely nothing... he knew that better than anyone else.
But when he actually tried to rest like this, he felt a strange sense of emptiness.
"Even if I rest... I don't know what to do."
He mumbled blankly, truly feeling that way.
He was resting, but he didn't actually know *how* to rest.
Until now, 'rest' for him meant catching his breath, or simply collapsing into sleep from exhaustion at night.
Because then, the next day would arrive in a flash.
Though he had taken a full day off last weekend, even then, he'd found himself heading to the training grounds.
As if he couldn't simply rest aimlessly.
"..."
He slowly surveyed the private quarters where he was left alone, then his gaze drifted to his hand.
[Erin Geshwald]
In his hand lay a book with an unusual title.
The book, bound in a red-tinged hardcover, gave the impression of an expensive tome to anyone who saw it, yet in reality, it was merely a 'novel' meant for entertainment.
Novels certainly existed in this world too. They generally featured protagonists who performed great feats on the battlefield, saving the empire from crisis and ushering in peace. To him, it felt quite peculiar.
It was a novel Kali had given him to read while she was briefly away, but after reading about forty pages, he couldn't bring himself to continue.
"The more I read it, the more it feels like it's subtly urging me to enlist."
It depicts urgent situations unfolding on the battlefield, a brutal reality, and the camaraderie between officers and soldiers.
Moreover, since it so starkly portrayed the Empire's current situation, even while reading the novel, it didn't feel like someone else's problem.
Because in this world, that *was* 'reality'.
Furthermore, the Kali he knew was scheduled to temporarily stay as an academy instructor before returning to the battlefield. At least, that's how the story of *Groa* progressed.
He still vividly remembered the part in the latter half where Leonhardt re-encountered Kali on the battlefield and her presence was re-highlighted.
The pillar of the Empire. The Crimson Dawn. How overwhelmingly powerful the supernatural characteristic of Vibration was—her true worth was finally revealed then.
—...This isn't a war. It's a massacre.
He remembered even the monologue uttered by Leonhardt, who had grown incomparably stronger than his current self in the story, without a single word out of place.
At that time, Leonhardt had surpassed Characteristic Level 7 and was virtually at Level 8. His combat power had exceeded that of most officers, making it clear why he was considered the protagonist.
But even to Leonhardt, who possessed such incredible talent, Kali was seen as a 'genius' with monstrous characteristics.
Because it showed again why officers were treated with such respect, and why academy instructors held a status akin to the heavens.
"....."
As he thought blankly, he suddenly felt again how absurd this current situation was.
'Such an amazing Kali...'
Is dedicating her time to me.
She brought him to her mansion, intending to look after his comfort, and she was showing him so much care. Time that was originally almost never given even to Leonhardt...
Was being given to *him*.
"The more I think about it, the more precious this time feels."
That's why he felt even more regret.
If the time he could spend with Kali like this was akin to the future, less than a year remained.
And he didn't think he would ever meet someone like her again after that. How many instructors would dedicate their time to help him?
Click.
As the door opened amidst his thoughts, his gaze went blank.
"Student Han Cheon Seong. My apologies, something suddenly came up for a moment."
"It's quite alright, Instructor."
Even as he watched Kali approach him, he found himself looking at her again.
A woman who, despite her beautiful appearance, held immense power capable of holding a front line by herself. Then, he noticed a red-tinged box in her hand, wondering what it could be.
"Are you curious what's in this box?"
"Yes, I am. Is it related to me, by any chance?"
When he asked for confirmation, Kali smiled faintly. She suddenly held out the box to him.
"Open it yourself."
"...Am I allowed to?"
"I brought it specifically for you, Student Han Cheon Seong."
At her obvious reply, he set the book he was holding on the side of the bed and, somewhat bewildered, took the box.
A pristine white ribbon was elegantly tied around it, making it look somewhat like a gift box.
Rustle. Rustle.
As he untied the knot and opened the box, he blinked at what lay within.
What he saw was a mineral shining like a jewel.
It was a subtle yet transparent pristine white light that first caught his eye. It looked like 'silver', but based on his experience of seeing actual silver, he could tell this wasn't silver.
"Instructor Kali. This...?"
When he looked at Kali and asked, she curled up the corners of her mouth and let out a chuckle.
"Judging by your reaction, it seems you've never seen it before?"
"Yes. It's my first time seeing it."
He hadn't had many opportunities to encounter minerals in the first place, but he had at least seen gold and silver. But it was clear this wasn't either of them.
"Before I answer, let me ask first: you don't remember what happened yesterday, do you, Student Han Cheon Seong?"
"Not at all, but did I cause any trouble?"
He wondered if he had done something wrong while unconscious, but Kali smiled slightly and shook her head.
"You didn't cause any trouble. It's just that the aftermath was quite significant."
"Aftermath...?"
"The spear you were holding, Student Han Cheon Seong, shattered completely."
At her next words, his mouth fell open.
'How much did I pay for that spear?'
Though it was before he entered the academy, he had bought the most expensive spear among those he owned. It was a spear that cost him most of his money.
Then, belatedly, his gaze went to the mineral Kali had handed him.
'So the meaning of this mineral is...'
"Since you said it's your first time seeing it, let me explain: what I gave you is a mineral called Mithril."
"Mithril!?"
He found himself raising his voice without realizing it.
Mithril, so suddenly. He couldn't help but be truly surprised.
"Yes. Your spear broke during training with me yesterday, so I thought I should give you a gift of that caliber. And Mithril seemed like the most reasonable gift."
At the word 'reasonable', his opened mouth remained agape.
Mithril was a mineral he wondered how much money one would have to save at the academy to buy.
He thought it would easily cost several gold coins at the very least. Yet Kali was handing it to him so casually now.
"...But, yesterday's training wasn't your fault, Instructor."
He felt uneasy accepting it like this.
It was clear that breaking the spear during last night's training wasn't Kali's fault. He had forcefully tried to imbue the spearhead with energy.
Unable to properly control his strength, he had simply been too eager.
"Student Han Cheon Seong. That's not something you can call a mistake."
As Kali continued speaking calmly, he blankly gazed into her eyes.
"Yesterday, I vaguely taught you the concept of skills, Student Han Cheon Seong. I didn't specifically tell you how to control your strength or how to imbue it with energy. I thought you weren't at that stage yet. But thinking about it now, that was my misjudgment. So, your putting too much strength into it is also partly my fault."
"Instructor. You don't have to say that."
"No, it's clearly my fault too. I'm not saying this to be considerate of you, Student Han Cheon Seong; I truly feel that way."
He couldn't say anything in response to her continuous immediate replies.
If she knew better than him, she simply knew better; he was not at a level to say whether she was right or wrong.
However, her statement that she wasn't being considerate of him was a lie.
'Mithril isn't something one can just give away so simply.'
Handing a rare mineral like Mithril to a mere student was clearly excessive to anyone.
...Even now, seeing the mineral faintly glowing, a great conflict arose within his heart.
'I haven't done anything for Kali. Can I really accept Mithril?'
He had received help with the training room and magical engineering items, but he had truly done nothing for her.
"Is it that hard to accept?"
At the sound of her voice, he found himself nodding without realizing it.
"Even if it's out of goodwill, to accept Mithril... I haven't done anything for you, Instructor."
"Then I'll mark this Mithril down as a debt."
"A debt...?"
As he replied and took his eyes off the Mithril, Kali, resting her chin on the table and looking at him, faced him as if looking at a strange creature.
"Yes. This Mithril is a debt I'm placing on you, Student Han Cheon Seong. A debt I'm placing in the hope that you will continue to develop and move forward as you are now, and also a kind of gift hoping you'll listen to me more carefully. So, don't refuse it anymore and take it. Understood?"
At her repeated words, he finally nodded his head.
"Yes. I will remember it as a great debt."
"A great debt, huh. Well, since you've answered that way, you'll have to listen to me even better today, won't you?"
As she spoke in a peculiar tone, he paused, but a small laugh escaped him.
'Truly...'
Her consideration for him, even while giving him a gift, was dazzling.
"If there's anything you wish for, Instructor, I will do anything."
"...Anything?"
"Yes. Anything."
He replied that he would do anything he could, but as Kali hesitated, he blinked.
"By any chance, is there something you wish from me?"
He asked again, wondering if she had a wish for him.