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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 96
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96. I Guess I Really Do Like It.
***
After that series of exchanges, no further conversation followed.
"..."
"..."
A strange silence lingered between them, with only the faint clinking sound of spoons scooping stew echoing softly.
Their eating pace was incredibly slow, and Kali's heart wasn't at ease watching Cheonseong.
'Why does he try so hard?'
Effort, will, perseverance... they were all truly good words. They were also the most necessary mindsets for a cadet in their prime growth period.
But right now, it felt excessive.
For the first time, she was thinking that someone else's effort was *too* much.
Among the countless cadets who entered the academy, there were innumerable who dedicated themselves to training. But even among them, Cadet Han Cheonseong was exceptionally peculiar.
He burned with an intense will to train. The gaze of Cadet Han Cheonseong, absorbed in his training, went beyond mere aspiration or the will to progress; now, it even held a sense of 'resolve'.
To say he was strengthening his will for self-improvement... it was a gaze too serious to believe.
Clink.
Even now, as he scooped up stew, the cadet's eyes, meeting hers fleetingly, showed a deep concern.
"This beef stew is really delicious."
As Cadet Han Cheonseong awkwardly broke the silence, Kali calmly responded.
"It was made by a chef from my family."
The Ishtar family had personally brought a favored chef to the mansion, so the quality was certainly higher, not lower, than that of the instructors' mess hall cooks.
"I... see."
Even as she saw the cadet's surprised expression, a thought momentarily arose.
She believed there must be a clear reason why Cadet Han Cheonseong was trying so hard.
'What exactly is he looking at that allows him to burn with such resolve?'
Last year, even on battlefields where lives hung in the balance, she barely recalled anyone burning with such will as Cadet Han Cheonseong.
Instead, only the faces of officers and soldiers whose will was chipped away just by enduring a day on the harsh battlefield came to mind.
"Cadet Han Cheonseong. Just listen casually while you eat."
"Yes, Instructor. I understand."
Seeing him respond so obediently, she knew she first needed to calm Cadet Han Cheonseong's mind.
"I think it's perfectly fine to take your time and progress slowly. Cadet Han Cheonseong, you're already progressing quickly enough. If you can awaken a skill, it's no exaggeration to say you'll be years ahead of other cadets. No, it's not just being ahead; you might even gain a skill that some people can never reach, even with a lifetime of effort. So, when it comes to skills, even if it takes years, your growth wouldn't be considered slow at all. Rather, it would be remarkably fast."
As she calmly conveyed her words, she, too, was able to look at the current situation more dispassionately.
It had only been two weeks since his admission to the academy; tomorrow would mark the start of the third week.
Yet, Cadet Han Cheonseong had already reached Attribute Level 4, and incredibly, had even grasped a clue about a skill.
Those achievements alone represented an astonishing rate of growth, one for which no precedent could be found, and facing Cadet Han Cheonseong now, she realized it once more.
'He truly is a genius.'
And not just any genius, but an unparalleled one stood before her.
His talent was so unique that the Common Attribute could no longer conceal Cadet Han Cheonseong's true potential. And Cadet Han Cheonseong possessed a will that surpassed even that talent.
She could assert that no one, during their cadet days, could possibly burn with such resolve as Cadet Han Cheonseong did now.
Without any special catalyst or even a crisis to warrant it, Cadet Han Cheonseong had grown this much in such an early stage.
He was already proving, with his body and his mental fortitude, just how strong he could become.
Watching Cadet Han Cheonseong calmly accept her words... she ended up adding one more.
"Why... why are you so intent on training to such an extreme?"
Seeing him speechless for a moment, she spoke again.
"Again, I don't think Cadet Han Cheonseong has any reason to rush. In fact, I think it's fine to take things a bit slower. Take your time, progress little by little. I can guarantee it. Even if you decide to do that, Cadet Han Cheonseong, you'll still progress quickly enough."
Cadet Han Cheonseong, who had been glancing at her eyes moments ago, didn't seem to have given up his will to train.
It was clear as day that if she weren't there, he would probably have tried to train his skill again.
That was also one of the reasons she had brought Cadet Han Cheonseong to her private residence instead of the infirmary.
Because she absolutely had to prevent Cadet Han Cheonseong from overexerting himself further.
"..."
Watching Cadet Han Cheonseong seemingly ponder her words, she now waited for him to calmly collect his thoughts.
What he needed most right now was 'leisure'. The leisure to calmly reflect on himself, to stop and recuperate rather than pushing forward relentlessly.
Not long after, Cadet Han Cheonseong slowly gave her his answer.
"Even if I were to explain why I'm so devoted to training... there's no grand reason. It's just that I feel too weak."
With a faint smile and a resigned tone... she couldn't understand for a moment.
"Why do you think you're weak?"
"I don't know that myself. Maybe I'm aiming for too high a standard, but when I think of the goal I'm striving for, I feel like I'm still very lacking."
As his gaze fixed directly on her, she was momentarily speechless.
"..."
His distinctive dark eyes gazed at her, as if captivating her gaze.
It was as if the goal he spoke of... was her.
Naturally, last night came to mind.
The moment she unfolded and materialized her concept, Cadet Han Cheonseong had fixed his gaze on her.
And as if recalling something, he appeared to be agonizing over it himself.
Even at that moment, he clearly seemed to have set her as his goal.
'But... that's absurd...'
The more she thought about it, the more speechless she became.
A cadet shouldn't look up to an instructor in that way. That was just an unreasonable objective that would erode his will. It would only prevent him from progressing.
What he should be looking at wasn't her... but other cadets.
While it's often said that goals and dreams are better the grander and more ambitious they are... there was clearly a 'line'.
Too grand a goal, an unattainable objective, could instead break one's will from the very beginning.
"..."
Even as they met each other's gazes in silence, she found herself lost in thought.
In this world, countless individuals were called geniuses, and no matter how strong one became, they couldn't stand alone at the pinnacle.
Even if one reached an absolute position, like being called 'the Pillar of the Empire,' there was still undeniably another heaven above that heaven.
But for Cadet Han Cheonseong to set her as his objective for progress... it was truly...
It was a notion she couldn't even have conceived herself.
"Instructor Kali, I believe you've understood my words to some extent."
She watched Cadet Han Cheonseong calmly continue speaking, even though she hadn't given any reply.
"Perhaps you think my goal is too ambitious, and even reckless. But I feel like I won't be able to progress further if I don't properly face reality. If this spear I hold is to be futilely broken by someone, if I think I can't possibly face them, then there would be no meaning in me holding or wielding a spear anymore."
Cadet Han Cheonseong, even then, honestly revealed his true intentions.
Why he aimed for her, and why he *had* to.
"But... that will be incredibly... difficult."
Without even realizing it, she had blurted out words she shouldn't have.
As an instructor who should be encouraging and uplifting cadets... telling a cadet their path would be difficult was absurd.
"Instructor Kali."
"...My apologies. What I just said was a mistake, so please don't take it too seriously."
Just as she was belatedly trying to rephrase, Cadet Han Cheonseong lightly shook his head.
"It's alright. I know it's a difficult path. But precisely because it is, I see Instructor Kali even more as my objective."
"Objective…"
"Yes. I've always believed that the spear I wield could one day reach your sword, Instructor."
At his continued words, a faint chuckle escaped her inadvertently.
Truly, he was so straightforward.
'How can he speak with such purity?'
Even those who stood with her on the battlefield feared clashing swords with her. No, there were countless individuals who openly tried to avoid training with her. Because the moment they crossed swords with her, their will felt like it would break.
Therefore, she didn't blame them.
Because she knew the difference in granted attributes, and how much of a gap attributes could create.
But now, a cadet who had only just recently enrolled was telling her this.
That he would try to reach her with his spear.
That he would properly face her sword with his spear...
His confident tone made her feel, for a moment, as if she had received a challenge.
And she knew his words weren't empty boasts.
He was one of the few who, despite being defeated and collapsing dozens of times in their spar, would rise again to face her.
Unlike other officers and soldiers who feared her, he looked at her with an unwavering gaze.
How strong must one's will be for that to be possible?
Even she couldn't guess.
The more she thought, the more she couldn't stop smiling.
Watching the cadet meet her gaze so openly, she naturally nodded.
"I guess I really do like it."
Her true feelings had inadvertently slipped out.
"...Excuse me?"
"I mean, I really like Cadet Han Cheonseong's mindset, this attitude of yours."
Even as she spoke, her heart felt relieved.
At this moment, she simply wanted to convey her feelings.
"If you say so, then I can only be grateful."
"You don't have to be particularly grateful. I'm doing this because I want to. Showing favoritism and looking out for Cadet Han Cheonseong, that's purely because I want to. So, yes, you really don't have to be grateful."
That's why she didn't want the cadet to bow to her like that either.
She hoped he would continue to progress, straightforward and pure, just as he was now. That this radiant appearance would remain unchanged and grow even greater in the future.
'...Seriously.'
She didn't know why Cadet Han Cheonseong seemed so commendable to her.
Perhaps her words were unexpected; seeing his embarrassed expression, she inadvertently reached out a hand.
"...I'm sorry, but could I pat your head a little?"
Rustle.
The moment she spoke, her hand was already on the cadet's head.
"Uh... th-that... Yes. I understand."
Even seeing his visibly flustered expression, a laugh escaped her again.
Every single one of his current actions just seemed adorable.
'I never thought there'd be a day I'd think something like this while looking at a man...'
Rustle, rustle.
As she carefully stroked his hair, she took in the moment of Cadet Han Cheonseong's embarrassment.
"...Instructor?"
"Yes?"
"Then, could I ask you for something too?"
"You can ask for anything."
Even as she replied, she wanted to grant him anything she could.
"After I get enough rest today, I was hoping to train my skill a little tonight…"
"No."
She cut him off coldly, her expression hardening immediately.
The warm and tender feelings were still in her heart, but even so, she couldn't grant that.
"...Instructor."
Her heart momentarily softened at the cadet's desperate gaze looking up at her, but she shook her head again.
That, she could not allow, no matter what he said.
"Cadet Han Cheonseong."
"...Yes, Instructor."
"Forget training; you *must* stay with me for the entire day today. Understood?"
She firmly laid down the law to Cadet Han Cheonseong.
So that he wouldn't even *think* of training while she wasn't around.
She needed to keep a very tight rein on Cadet Han Cheonseong.