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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 71
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"...Instructor, excuse me for a moment. I need to have a word with someone."
"No need to apologize. It seems someone came specifically to see Cadet Han Cheonsung."
At Kali's voice, which was distinctly colder than before, I immediately moved.
*Thud, thud.*
Even as I approached Glacia, who was watching me from outside the classroom, I wondered.
'Why did she come?'
This wasn't our scheduled time, and my classroom certainly wasn't our meeting place.
Stepping out of the classroom, I faced Glacia.
"Glacia. What's wrong? Why did you come looking for me directly like this?"
When I spoke first, Glacia simply stared at me blankly.
Her expression suggested my words were strange.
"Am I... not allowed to come see you?"
And as she countered with an odd question, I could feel the cadets passing by momentarily pause.
...At that, for a moment, I gave an awkward laugh and shook my head.
"No, it's not that you can't come see me, but rather, if others see us, they might get confused."
Strictly speaking, Glacia and I were not in any kind of romantic relationship.
The day we spent together last Sunday. Glacia's words at the end of it had caused me great confusion, but I'd simply dismissed it, thinking it was just Glacia's odd way of speaking.
But now, I felt it again.
Glacia's way of speaking was easily misunderstood by anyone.
"Why would others get confused if I'm with you?"
It seemed best not to prolong this conversation with Glacia, who was now questioning me with such clear eyes.
I instinctively felt it.
"It's just that others might misunderstand the relationship between you and me. To put it bluntly, there's a strong chance they'd see us as a couple, or something similar."
This time, I was very direct with Glacia.
I told her that if she kept talking like that, others might mistake us for a couple.
It was also a time when I felt the need to properly respond to Glacia's way of speaking.
'And this might actually be okay.'
Even though I'd left the classroom, I could feel Kali's gaze on me.
So, wouldn't it be okay to properly define my relationship with Glacia at this very moment, while she's watching me?
If I entered the training room with Kali today, she would definitely question me about my relationship with Glacia.
Given that Kali practically despises romance between cadets, it was almost 100% certain.
"Han Cheonsung. But you and I... aren't... lovers, are we?"
Glacia replied, a little flustered, and I naturally nodded.
"Right. We're not in a romantic relationship. We're just friends."
Even as I said it, I felt a little embarrassed.
—Friends.
Hadn't my relationship with Glacia become one that could now be called friendship? Of course, we met because our interests were intertwined, but I thought we could call ourselves friends now.
"..."
Glacia blinked blankly, staring at me.
She reacted as if my words had greatly surprised her, making me wonder if I'd said something so strange.
"Glacia?"
"...Yes."
Her reply was noticeably slower than before. For a moment, I worried she might deny that we were friends, so I quickly asked.
"So, why did you come looking for me directly like this? Is it urgent?"
First, I needed to understand why she had come.
"It's not urgent. It's just that today's the day I meet you. As soon as class ended... I came to see you because I was thinking of you."
"You came to see me because you were thinking of me..."
This time, it was my turn to be surprised by her words.
'Seriously... is she completely unaware of what her words imply?'
I had clearly defined my relationship with Glacia. —That we were friends.
Yet, Glacia's way of speaking to me hadn't changed in the slightest.
To the point where I genuinely wondered if Glacia truly couldn't perceive how I would feel when she spoke like that...
"...Wow. That's really direct."
"Indeed."
Even now, a female cadet passing by us clearly seemed to have misunderstood. I let out a small sigh and looked at Glacia.
"I'm really grateful you came to see me like this. But I'm sorry, I can't. I already have plans today. I absolutely have to spend time with Instructor Kali..."
I didn't know why I felt a pang of guilt rejecting Glacia, who had come to see me.
I hadn't done anything wrong to her, yet I felt apologetic as I spoke.
"Oh, really? If you have prior plans, I understand. I did come suddenly. So... we'll still meet at 6, right?"
Glacia spoke with a blank expression in response to my words... and seeing her like that only made me feel more apologetic.
Her face clearly showed her emotions. Her eyes seemed to express disappointment and regret that I couldn't spend time with her.
"Of course we'll meet at 6. Let's meet at the park where we met last time. I should be done by then."
"Alright. Then I'll... go now. Han Cheonsung, see you then."
I nodded, watching Glacia as she walked past me.
*Click-clack.*
My feelings were strange as I watched Glacia's figure slowly disappear.
That dealing with such an innocent person would evoke such a strange feeling... Even I, experiencing it firsthand, could hardly believe it.
***
Glacia, having passed Han Cheonsung, exited the academy.
Upon reaching a secluded area, she came to an abrupt halt.
*Rustle.*
Leaning against the academy wall, Glacia let out a soft breath.
Beneath her slightly disheveled blue hair, her blue eyes trembled faintly.
And even that seemed like the lingering traces of emotions Glacia was desperately trying to suppress.
"...."
Composing herself was harder than she'd anticipated.
Emotions of surprise, bewilderment, and embarrassment swirled endlessly within her chest.
Yet, mingled within them was a small joy.
"Friend..."
Muttering that single word blankly, she felt strange.
The word 'friend' was such an ordinary, insignificant word, yet it resonated strangely within her heart.
...It wasn't that she hadn't heard similar words before, but this time, the feeling was entirely different.
While it was a pity she couldn't be with Han Cheonsung, who had prior plans with Instructor Kali, it was only natural for Han Cheonsung.
However... the words he'd said kept strangely tickling her heart.
"Han Cheonsung and I... we were friends."
All this time, she had thought her relationship with Han Cheonsung was entirely different, but he had already come to consider her a friend.
And she, too, even though surprised the moment she heard those words... had calmly accepted them.
That Han Cheonsung and she were friends.
This was completely different from those who had merely called her a friend on the surface.
It wasn't a reluctant feeling of 'just putting up with me.' It was a genuine feeling.
Because Han Cheonsung's attitude towards her didn't feel false in the slightest. It truly felt... like a real friend.
"..."
Her lips hesitated, yet a strange warmth tickled a corner of her chest.
The feeling of having made a proper friend for the first time. It wasn't bad... at all.
No, perhaps it was even... good.
***
*Click.*
Stepping into Kali's private training room with her, I felt a renewed sense of anticipation.
Even though I had been here last Friday, Kali's training room had a special feeling.
Whether it was the strange sensation from the magic-engineering artifacts or the certainty that I could grow stronger, I quite liked that feeling.
"Cadet Han Cheonsung. Are you that excited?"
My emotions must have shown on my face, for Kali let out a small laugh and asked, and I, too, smiled as I looked at her.
"Yes. I'm really looking forward to it."
And I didn't hide my feelings.
It seemed the conversation with Glacia had clearly reached Kali's ears, as she was treating me with a much softer attitude.
Now that things had suddenly gone so well, I felt like my heart could soar.
All worries vanished, and being able to comfortably focus on training felt truly refreshing.
"Then, Cadet Han Cheonsung, please wait a moment. I'll bring the magic-engineering artifact right away."
"Yes. Understood."
Watching Kali slowly move to one side of the training room, I recalled our previous conversation.
We had talked a lot on the way here, and we had been able to specifically arrange the training room usage.
The training room usage days were set for Monday and Friday. I could either receive direct help from Kali or be allowed to train alone.
And today could be considered a substitute for Monday.
*Click-clack.*
Before long, Kali turned back towards me.
...And when I saw the familiar pair of ruby earrings in her hand, my heart involuntarily fluttered even more.
'Elimiang's consideration.'
Because I knew from experience how effective magic-engineering artifacts were.
Then, suddenly, the image of Kali personally putting them on me flashed through my mind.
She had touched me at a distance where our breaths could mingle.
*Click-clack. Click-clack.*
Even now, Kali was approaching me just as she had then.
As if it were the most natural thing.
"Cadet Han Cheonsung. Excuse me for a moment."
And at her words, I swallowed, accepting it without protest.
*Rustle...*
Kali's hand, gently brushing my hair, was incredibly soft.