'...' Nael stared at Mira, taking in her resolute expression, forming a faint smile.
A selfish part of him had been hoping she would choose this path. Not just because he didn't want to lose his only real friend, but because she was his biggest investment. The returns from her growth had already saved his life once. Having her nearby, being able to continue investing in her development... that mattered more than he wanted to admit.
But he was glad she'd made the choice for her own reasons, not just for his.
"Alright then." Rania's smile returned, businesslike but genuine. "I officially welcome both of you to Nebula Academy."
Nael and Mira nodded, gratitude clear in their expressions.
"And I will handle all the arrangements personally," Rania continued, standing up and smoothing her blazer. "Of course, it includes dealing with other recruiters still waiting for you, Miss Mireille. Consider them handled."
"Mm. Thank you!" Mira looked relieved at that. The thought of facing that snake instructor and the others again had been weighing on her.
"And..." Rania turned her attention back to Nael. "You should focus on resting and recovering. Once we depart, I'm going to train you hard along the way. Both of you, actually." She adjusted her spectacles. "We have limited time before the academic year begins, and I intend to make every day count."
"When are we leaving?" Mira asked, a hint of anxiety creeping into her voice. "And... can I bring my family with me? Or..."
She trailed off, clearly torn between her new path and leaving her parents behind so soon after her father's recovery.
Rania's expression softened slightly. "I understand your concerns. But it would be best for them to stay here for now. We need to get you both enrolled first, handle the administrative side of things. Once that's settled and we've secured proper accommodations near the academy, then you can call your family to join you. I'll personally help arrange everything."
"A-Alright." Mira nodded, though Nael could see the reluctance in her eyes. "Thank you."
"Good." Rania glanced between them. "We'll depart in three days. That should give Nael enough time to recover and both of you enough time to say your goodbyes and pack what you need."
"See you in three days," With that, Rania gave a final nod and took her leave.
The room descended into silence.
Mira slowly turned to face Nael, her eyes wide and sparkling with a mixture of shock and disbelief. Her mouth opened slightly, then closed, as if she were trying to process the whirlwind of the last twenty minutes but couldn't find the words. Her expression was a clear, silent question: 'Did that really happen?'
Nael watched her for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh. He gave a small, wry shake of his head.
"It seems like we're really doing this," he said softly, a hint of amusement in his voice despite the weight of what had just transpired. He leaned back against the pillow, feeling the exhaustion from his injuries settle deeper into his bones, but there was something else there too — a cautious sense of relief, maybe even anticipation. "Three days to wrap up our lives here and prepare for... whatever comes next."
"!" Mira's initial shock seemed to melt away at his words, replaced by a steadying resolve. She nodded, her expression firming.
"...Together this time," she added, a quiet promise in her voice.
Nael returned the nod, a sense of solidity settling between them. Just then, a low, audible growl emanated from his abdomen, breaking the serious mood.
'(っ º - º ς)'
Both of them froze for a second before Nael looked at Mira with an awkward, lopsided smile.
'(ᵕ—ᴗ—)'
"It seems," he said, the amusement returning to his tone, "I need to take care of my stomach first, before any grand plans. Um... can you call for the doctors for me—"
"N-No! I mean, yes!" Mira fumbled over her words, already springing into action. She hurried over to the small table where she had placed a covered tray earlier. "I already brought a meal for you this morning. Just wait a moment!" She lifted the lid, revealing a simple but carefully prepared breakfast that had long gone cold. "Oh... It's cold. I'll go find a nurse to heat it up right away!"
"H-Hey! Wa-!" Before Nael could finish, she was already darting out of the room, her earlier awe and anxiety now channeled into the immediate, comforting mission of getting him a warm meal.
"...always so impulsive," Nael finished with a sigh, though a fond smile touched his lips as he stared at the empty doorway. He could still hear the rapid patter of her footsteps fading down the hall. But...
'She didn't notice me using a skill on her...'
He squinted his eyes in confusion. Could it be that Rania was special among the Legendary Class Awakened? Or was it because Mira was still low-level?
His gaze switched to the screen hovering beside him.
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
[Investment Appraisal: Mireille Solen]
Target Assessment:
Name: Mireille
Class: Sun Princess (Legendary)
Level: 10
Current Value: SSS
Potential: Boundless
Growth Trajectory: ?
Current Status: Actively Invested*
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
'Oh,' Nael raised his brows, studying the screen. The difference was stark. Where Rania's appraisal had been a chaotic mess of errors and warnings, Mira's was clean, direct, and overwhelmingly positive.
The "Actively Invested" status was clearly the key — it streamlined the analysis, filtering out the noise to show only the most vital, confirmed data.
And what data it was.
'...SSS Tier Current Value.' The highest possible rating. And... 'Boundless Potential.'
It was one thing to know she was a Legendary Class; it was another to see her worth quantified in such absolute, staggering terms.
Only the 'Growth Trajectory' remained a mystery, marked only by a question mark.
'Is it unpredictable like Rania's? Or is it something my current skill rank can't decipher?' he wondered. But it was far too soon to dwell on that.
He dismissed the screen with a thought. Right now, grand potential and mysterious trajectories were secondary. He had immediate, practical problems to solve: recovering his strength and, more importantly, fully understanding the tools at his disposal. He had barely scratched the surface of his own capabilities before the dungeon incident.
Closing his eyes, he turned his focus inward, reaching for the familiar, ethereal presence of his [Soul Tome].
It was time to pick up where he had left off.