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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 88
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Thump. Thump.
My steps were hurried between the academy buildings.
Even so, Kali, whom I had just faced, lingered in my mind's eye.
"If you have a prior engagement, I think we can postpone it. But then again, Han Cheon-seong, you've already found a clue about your skill, so I fully understand how excited you must be. So... alright, let's meet on Saturday night."
Kali paused for a moment before responding to my words. And so, I made plans to train with Kali at '9 PM on Saturday evening.'
And even now, I couldn't stop my hurried steps.
'I'm late.'
Though I wanted to run, my body wasn't fully recovered, so I couldn't bring myself to. It felt like I'd just collapse if I ran. So, I was walking as fast as I could, heading for the park.
...
Footsteps.
"...Hah,"
I exhaled a ragged breath, but still managed to arrive at the park not too late.
And I could see her. Glecia, sitting on a bench, seemingly waiting quietly for me.
Looking at her back, my mouth idly opened.
"...This can't go on."
Truly...
There was no room in my heart. Meeting someone regularly in this situation felt like too great a burden.
It wasn't that meeting Glecia was a burden; it was just that I was too exhausted.
I simply didn't have the luxury of meeting anyone else; just thinking about next week's events and my skill made my head feel like it would explode.
Footsteps.
I approached slowly, taking a deep breath.
"Glecia."
As I cautiously called her name, I saw her turn her body towards me.
Swish.
Her distinctive dark blue hair swayed as she looked directly at me, and Glecia's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're late."
"...My apologies. I didn't want to be late."
As I spoke, only an awkward laugh escaped me.
Checking the time, it was past 6 PM. Even if it was only two minutes, being late was still being late.
I naturally took a seat beside her, meeting her gaze.
"Sorry for making you wait again."
"...It's fine. At least you came, so that's a relief."
"A relief?"
"I heard you lost consciousness. So, even if you couldn't make it to our appointment today, I was prepared to accept that."
...Glecia spoke, lowering her eyes as if she had never narrowed them in the first place.
At her words, I found myself asking inadvertently.
"The rumors spread already?"
"We're on different floors, but essentially in the same building, you know. When rumors start, they spread incredibly fast. Plus, Han Cheon-seong, it's not just me; other students are interested in you too. So they spread even faster."
I nodded at her words, but then a moment of dissonance hit me regarding something she'd said.
Her words about being prepared to accept it even if I didn't come.
That was a little strange.
"I see. But Glecia, were you planning to keep waiting in the park even if I hadn't come?"
"I was just going to wait in the park to clear my head. And actually, I went to the infirmary to look for you, but you weren't there anymore."
At her calm words, I realized we had missed each other. I didn't know when Glecia had visited the infirmary, but her words alone made me grateful.
"Still, thank you. You came looking for me because you were worried, didn't you?"
"...Worried?"
"Yeah. You came all the way to the infirmary because you were worried about me, right?"
A small laugh escaped me as I spoke.
If she went so far as to seek me out herself, it meant she had to be worried. And Glecia's concern felt pleasant to hear.
"That's... right. Maybe I was worried about you too. We're friends, after all."
"Right. We're friends."
"Yeah. You and I are friends now."
It was amusing, the way we kept repeating the same words to each other.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.
'Friends,' I mused.
If we truly were friends, I needed to properly convey my thoughts.
"Glecia, since we're truly friends, I have to say this. We've been meeting regularly, haven't we? That's our arrangement."
"Yes. Why?"
"It's just... I'd like to make it a bit more flexible. I'm sure you feel the same, but I'm finding that setting aside regular time for this leaves me feeling like I don't have enough time."
Rather than neglecting Glecia, this was simply a period where I needed to focus intently.
Just focusing on Karitte and my own growth left me no leeway to pay attention to anything else.
Even today, I had completely forgotten about Glecia. And there was no guarantee it wouldn't happen again.
"..."
I looked at Glecia, who remained silent at my words, and cautiously spoke again.
"So, for the time being, let's just meet when we want to see each other. Of course, meeting regularly is good, but frankly, I just don't have enough free time right now."
"...How little free time do you have?"
"There's someone I need to meet soon, and more importantly, I feel like I'm at a crucial crossroads in my growth. Actually, the rumor about me losing consciousness yesterday? That happened while I was training."
I didn't offer any other explanations to Glecia's question.
Just as I had said before, and as Glecia had just confirmed, we had clearly established our relationship as friends.
If that were the case, rather than hiding something or making excuses, I wanted to explain the situation as it was.
"Han Cheon-seong. Just... how devoted are you to your training?"
To her question, which implied she still didn't understand my words, I simply told her the truth.
"The truth is, recently... I've found a clue about a skill."
Given how quickly rumors about me spread, my appearance in the training ground today would also spread rapidly. So there was no point in trying to hide it.
It was with that in mind that I spoke.
"...!"
Seeing Glecia's shock, I wondered if perhaps my thought had been too hasty.
Her wide eyes and dumbfounded expression made it seem as though Glecia was truly astonished.
"...A skill?"
"Yeah. I haven't mastered it yet, and I think it'll take some time, but I've found the clue."
"You really... found a clue about a skill?"
Glecia's eyes, as she repeatedly questioned me, were filled with disbelief, as if she found it impossible to believe.
Even the pure Glecia was pressing me with repeated questions like this. And I knew her reaction was a common one.
Instructor Ludmina had spoken to me today in a rare, excited tone. And Kali, too, had been truly surprised.
'Because the fact that I found a clue about a skill is that unbelievable.'
Even I would have been incredibly surprised if I'd heard Leonhardt found a clue about a skill at Level 4.
"How in the world... how is that even possible?"
"Even if you ask 'how'... honestly, I don't know either. I just desperately wished for it, longed for it, and it feels like heaven's blessing fell upon me."
"...Because you desperately wished for it."
Seeing Glecia speak haltingly, I realized again how absurd it was that I had found a clue about a skill.
Heaven's blessing or a miracle. Whatever you called it, it was truly fitting for a skill. The appearance of a clue for a skill was something even I hadn't anticipated.
"So, Glecia, for the time being, let's put our regular meetings on hold. I want to fully dedicate myself to my training."
I continued to speak with genuine sincerity.
If it was Glecia, who had called me her friend, she would understand me. And I thought she would accept it...
"For the time being..."
But Glecia, suddenly lowering her eyes, showed signs of hesitation.
"Yes, for the time being. Just until I master the skill."
"And when, exactly, is that?"
Watching Glecia's strange insistence on our meetings, I once again found myself unable to understand.
'Why is she like this?'
...I thought she would naturally accept it, now that our relationship had solidified into friendship. But that wasn't the feeling I got.
After a brief moment of contemplation, I opened my mouth.
"For now, until next week."
"Until next week..."
"Yes. I'd like to pause our regular meetings until then. You can understand me perfectly well even after that."
I didn't find Glecia's persistent questioning frustrating.
She was, after all, a naturally pure girl. She wasn't the type to keep her thoughts to herself in the first place. She was a direct person who expressed her feelings as they were and sought answers from others.
...In a way, one could say being too direct was a problem, but I believed it was simply her nature. I knew there were some people who just had to act that way, so I could accept it.
And with my repeated answers, Glecia finally seemed to understand.
"...Alright. I'll do that."
"Thank you, Glecia."
As I spoke, a weight lifted from my own heart.
For me too, weekends were a time for rest. And in my current situation, even if I met someone, my mind would likely remain preoccupied with training.
I couldn't avoid meeting Karitte tomorrow, but to balance it with my training, I needed at least some minimum time.
"Han Cheon-seong."
At the sound of her voice, I inadvertently met her gaze. Glecia was looking at me with a very peculiar expression in her eyes.
Her clear eyes seemed to hold something different than before.
"You're the first for me."
"...The first? The first what?"
My confusion at her characteristic, out-of-the-blue way of speaking lasted only a moment before Glecia calmly exhaled and answered again.
"You're the first person I've ever truly considered a friend. And you're also the first person who's properly accepted me like this, that's what I'm saying."
"So that's what you meant by 'the first.' I appreciate you saying that."
Surprised by her sudden words, I could only nod.
Because her words felt so sincere. I had nothing to say beyond 'thank you'...
"So, actually, there's a lot I'm curious about when it comes to friends."
"What exactly are you curious about? Anything I can answer, I will."
While Glecia wasn't my first friend, I could certainly say she was someone I had grown quite close to.
"I'm curious about what friends usually do together."
"...Friends do?"
"Yes. In that sense, I'd like to try doing things friends do, with you. Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing to say this directly, but I figured I should say it now so I can act more comfortably around you in the future."
Her subsequent words didn't feel like such a difficult request.
After all, being friends wasn't about doing anything grand; it was just about spending time together.
"That's not a difficult request at all. Since we're friends, I can do anything friends do."
"You... really mean that?"
"Yes, I really do."
...As I answered, I suddenly felt a strange sensation.
'Is this really something she needs to ask repeatedly?'
Even as that thought crossed my mind, I realized it was Glecia, so I found myself accepting it again.
"Then, can we start today?"
...Glecia's voice grew increasingly expectant as she asked, and for a moment, I wondered if I was mistaken.
'The concept of 'friend' that I have...'
Is it different from Glecia's concept of 'friend'?
"Uh... yes, you can."
As I answered, I couldn't explain this strange feeling in words.
And then.
Glecia came closer.
Without giving me any time to react at all...
She truly... approached me suddenly.