.｡.:✧ Chapter 25 ✧:.｡.

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Recently, you quit smoking, didn’t you?”

A female student asked May, who was unwrapping a candy bar. After a brief pause without any response, May bit into the candy and muttered with a mouthful.

“They say it gives off a peculiar stench to non-smokers.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t know.”

“You probably wouldn’t since you smoke.”

“Is that so?”

She recalled the annoyance he felt when Daniel had scolded him to quit smoking with a disgusted expression. To be honest, the reason he quit smoking was simple.

She didn’t want to see that disgusted expression again.

The reason was simple, it was just scary.

Whenever Daniel frowned or showed any signs of discomfort, she would instinctively try to avoid his gaze.

‘So irritating.’

The only silver lining was that, apart from Daniel, there was nothing else that scared her so much anymore.

“Ugh, I should quit too. It’s not only expensive, but it’s also terrible for your health. I heard that Demalico bought some shady stuff because he couldn’t afford it last time, and he ended up hallucinating and holed up in the dormitory for three days.”

“That idiot. We told him not to smoke if he couldn’t afford it because it’s dangerous.”

In fact, as students, they shouldn’t be smoking at all, but cigarettes were originally a luxury item for nobility. Of course, they were nobility themselves, but they weren’t financially well-off enough to buy cigarettes regularly, so they resorted to smoking homemade cigarettes sold by thugs in the city alleys.

However, the dangerous part was that these cigarettes were often laced with drugs to increase addiction or contained harmful substances to be sold at a lower price.

The story of a girl who became infertile after smoking cheap cigarettes a few times was more than just a spooky tale; it was a clear and undeniable fact.

May had been buying cigarettes from a relatively expensive but decent source, but now she had switched to candy bars.

‘It tastes better, and it’s probably better for my health.’

Justifying her actions, May picked up a bat and slung it over her shoulder as she walked away.

Aios Academy was so vast that there were many hiding spots for delinquent students, and this was one of them.

Although it was a classroom used for traveling professor’s classes, it was rarely occupied. When May opened the door, about twenty students were gathered inside.

“Hmm? Isn’t that May?”

“Why is she here?”

“I heard they got beaten up by Senior Fenil, hehe.”

“What is she doing?”

The students behind May were about to say something with a frown, but May raised her hand to stop them, pointing at the male student in the center of the group.

Beldament of Class D.

He was the leader of another delinquent gang in the third grade. Although his family background was unremarkable, he was followed by students because he was exceptionally skilled at using his fists.

And he was May’s first choice of weapon.

“Fenil’s gang is picking a fight, so i’m going to take them on and you will too.”

May spoke firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. Beldament raised his eyebrows and replied.

“It’s crazy, really. I ignored what that senior did to you because I couldn’t be bothered, but what are you doing?”

“Ignored my ass. You were probably cowering in fear.”

Cutting him off with a snort, May continued. Suddenly, Beldament lunged at May, his face contorted with anger, and landed right in front of her.

“This crazy bitch is messing around just because she trusts the dean to have her back!”

Beldament, who had been at the far end of the classroom, suddenly approached May, leaving his gang surprised. But May remained unfazed.

Thunk!

May raised her leg and hit the most important part of the man with precision. Naturally, Beldament hunched forward, covering the vital area with his hands.

Smack!

Using the bat she had been holding, May struck Beldament’s solar plexus accurately, and Beldament collapsed, groaning in agony.

“Did you think I could only use magic and I couldn’t fight?”

Of course, she was already panting after just doing this, but May stood over the fallen Beldament and addressed his gang.

“Go and get those guys!”

Three days after May was beaten up by Fenil Leiros’s gang.

May declared war.

***

“You’re doing better than I thought,”

I observed with a satisfied expression as I watched May effortlessly subdue her opponent from outside the window.

Just in case, I had given her some tips on vulnerable spots and quick ways to win before she went in, and she seemed to have used them quite accurately.

As a fellow male, I felt a tinge of discomfort about it.

When I heard that she had been beaten up by Fenil, I offered to help, but May flatly refused. She even told me to stay out of it.

“Well, she seems to have it under control.”

Since it was now lunchtime, I headed to the cafeteria. Tana and Eve had reserved a table, so I ordered my meal and made my way to their table. On the way there, I noticed Ares and his gang of fish trailing behind him.

They walked in single file, like baby ducks following their mother.

Ares didn’t pay any attention to me and walked past, but the other’s behind him exchanged simple smiles or nodded in greeting.

Sen in particular, made a funny face as she walked by.

And finally, at the very back of the line, as she walked by me, Hayun looked at me, took a deep breath, and…

Gave me a faint smile.

And I replied as she passed by.

“Thirty points.”

“…Your scoring is too harsh.”

“Your smile is too meager; it’s making me thirsty.”

Hayun shot me a stern look and walked away.

Since that day, for the past three days, every time Hayun saw me, she practiced smiling, but she hadn’t made much progress.

Today was the D-Day of our confession plan, and with her smile like that, it seemed unlikely that our plan to change the usual icy atmosphere would work.

***

Late at night.

As I waited with a warm cup of tea in hand, I grew bored and had a sip.

I had bought tea leaves from the city and brewed them for a long time. Surprisingly, it was soothing and had a decent taste.

“I could sell this next to a café.”

I chuckled to myself as I waited, but suddenly, a window on the fourth floor of the dormitory opened, and a black-haired girl slowly sat on the windowsill.

“What is she trying to do now…?”

I panicked and was about to run over, but the girl jumped out of the window. Drawing a sword from her waist and created an eerie wind as she landed safely.

“…..”

“What? Were you already outside?”

Hayun asked, seemingly alarmed by my dumbfounded expression.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

“Swordsmanship is amazing.”

I didn’t feel any mana at all, so what the hell is the principle behind that? I commended myself for striking the deal of helping her and learning about her swordsmanship.

“Let’s go confess. Can you teach me swordsmanship right from tomorrow?”

“It’s possible, but it’s not going to be like this.”

“That’s up to me.”

She said she would only teach me the basics, but in the end, everything starts with the basics. It meant that if I knew the framework, I could transform it to make it easier for me to use.

When I handed her some tea, she took a sip and was startled.

“What is it? It’s delicious.”

“Isn’t it? I’m the tea master.”

“Really?”

Hayun, who was quite interested in tea, seemed like she wanted to ask something more but refrained.

“Let’s hurry. The guards will patrol the area soon.”

“Fine.”

Although she seemed a bit stiff, she complied. We had moved at her request to decorate the grand finale of our confession plan.

Hayun had a unique style of dress, which made her movements a bit cumbersome. Her clothes, made of soft and luxurious fabric, were quite different from what we wore. I had read in books that countries in the East dressed like this.

When I was almost near the tree, I slowly stopped and looked at Hayun, and she also looked at me.

“Smile?”

A grimace.

“Yes, 20 points.”

“Why is your score lower than before?”

“Well, I gave you 20 points because Tana’s done you up and you’re dressed nicely.”

It seemed like she was more tense, and her smile looked even more strained than when I saw her in the cafeteria today. However, I didn’t pay much attention to her smile anymore.

Just like the outfit she’s wearing right now fits perfectly.

She didn’t have a smile, but she still looked good, and I didn’t want to force her to break it.

“I look too stiff, don’t I?”

“…… That’s your charm.”

So I smiled and told her that she was unnecessarily anxious. She looked a little shocked, like she hadn’t expected me to say this.

“I’m sorry I forced you to smile. I saw you wearing that outfit and now I know. You have a look and an expression that suits you.”

“……”

As we approached the giant tree, I saw Ares standing there. Despite the late hour, he had come out at Hayun’s request.

I grabbed her shoulder to give her some encouragement and said,
“If he goes and dump’s you right now, it doesn’t mean you’re not good enough, it just means he’s got a bad eye.”

“…..”

“Right now, you’re at your most beautiful, so I hope you’ll decorate the memories of your first love as beautifully as possible.”

The end of a first love often ended with tears and regrets. Immature self-blame and ultimately being swept away by the passage of time.

It was the only advice I could give, as I blamed myself for being stupid and in the end, I was swept away by the passage of time and even my fond memories were worn out.

“Until one day, long after the fact, all you will remember is that you were beautiful.”

“…Okay, I’ll do my best. I’ll be back.”

Seeming like she gathered her resolve. She handed me her sword, then gave a slight nod and turned away.

I watched her retreating back beneath the giant tree.

‘Is this what it’s like to raise a daughter?’

It felt like watching my grown-up daughter.

For her, this was not just a simple confession to Ares and the end of her first love. It was a declaration of her determination to break free from the constraints of her family that had held her back for so long.

Her determination to break through and move forward was truly admirable.

‘Now it’s time to go.’

I was about to turn away, thinking that I didn’t need to see her confessing, but at that moment, I felt a strange energy.

Without even realizing it, I turned my body, and in the darkness, I saw a familiar face.

“Rin?”

I put back the sword that had been pulled out slightly, and the atmosphere was strange. It was like watching Rin, the former Undead Commander…

“…!”

I was about to pull out the sword again, but my reaction was slightly delayed, and Rin grabbed my wrist.

But I could break free if I used my strength.

Yes, I thought that way, but…

“Gah!”

Rin’s strength was stronger than I had anticipated, but that wasn’t the only issue.

I could have pushed her away if I tried, but she had come so close that her nose almost touched mine, causing me to feel dizzy for a moment. Simultaneously, a sharp pain shot from my chest.

In the end, I couldn’t draw the sword, and I fell backward, with Rin on top of me.

‘Je-…Jeng!’ [T/N: it’s a korean expression, i don’t know what it means :P]

I didn’t expect this to happen.

Of course, I knew that when I saw Rin, I often experienced symptoms like migraines, headaches, and dizziness, but I had assumed it wouldn’t affect me significantly.

However, now that Rin was charging at me with full force, those symptoms became severe.

Although I had far more muscular strength, my hands were trembling so badly that I couldn’t apply my strength properly, while Rin held both my wrists and pinned them to the ground.

I was completely restrained.

‘Am I going to die like this?’

In such a pathetic way?

The more I struggled to find a way out, the more the pain in my chest intensified, and my breathing became irregular.

Even though I refused to admit it in my heart, my head was still ten years away, and I had let my guard down.

In the midst of my desperate attempts to find a solution, I heard Rin’s eerie voice.

“I won’t endure it anymore.”

“Huh! Huh!”

“Alright, then. I’ll take it.”

With her mouth open, Rin slowly approached.

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