episode_0071

Chloe struggled to open her eyes.

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The beads of sweat running down my forehead kept getting into my eyes and stinging me. Rough breath leaking out of my mouth was a bonus.

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“Gasp… . Huh… .”

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Where Chloe, panting for breath, desperately aimed her wand, there was a student lying on the floor, motionless.

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Is it over? Hope slowly rose inside Chloe.

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‘… No. Let’s not let our guard down.’

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No matter what anyone says, the opponent is a student from Class A, just like Chloe. You absolutely cannot let your guard down. Even just now, Chloe was able to defeat him because she really put all her effort into it.

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Chloe moved her trembling hands and slowly drew a magic circle in the air. Her tired and sore hands kept scattering the magic circle, so Chloe had to draw the same magic circle over and over again.

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– With her sparring opponent out of action, Chloe advances to the next sparring match!

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The familiar shouts, applause and cheers from the students filling the training hall finally reached Chloe’s ears.

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“Sigh… .”

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Chloe lowered her trembling arms. The magic circle drawn in the air dispersed in the air without receiving any magical power.

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Chloe wiped her forehead with her sleeve. The sweat dripping down her face was a clear indication of how nervous she was.

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‘I am….’

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In this duel, Chloe was unable to use the fire elemental magic she had practiced so diligently. This was because she had no confidence in herself, and her cold magic and material manipulation magic were still effective.

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Yeah, she could still somehow get by with the magic she mainly used. But, Chloe could tell.

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“If it goes on like this… .”

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If things continue like this, I can’t be sure if I’ll be able to stay in Class A forever.

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Also, there is no guarantee that you will be able to maintain your scholarship position.

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Even as she left the training ground, Chloe simply walked forward, deep in thought.

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“Chloe Student.”

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That is, until a rough, large hand grabbed her shoulder.

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Chloe stared blankly at the hand on her shoulder, then quickly raised her head.

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“Are you hurt anywhere?”

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At the end of her gaze, there was a blunt man who always taught the students of Class A.

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“Ah, Professor Antonelli… .”

Professor Antonelli was standing.

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Professor Antonelli was looking at Chloe with a blunt face. However, Chloe was somehow able to read something from his expression.

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‘This is….’

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They were all warm kinds of emotions, like worry, relief, and altruism.

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“Chloe student?”

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However, the moment Professor Antonelli called her name again, that warm something completely disappeared.

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I don’t know why I suddenly read these things, but Chloe was able to tell at least one thing for sure.

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‘You’re worried about me.’

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Even though his expression may seem cold, he is truly worried about you.

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And the fact that Professor Antonelli was still staring at him.

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At the gaze that just silently stared at her, Chloe opened her mouth flusteredly with a look of bewilderment.

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“Ah, that…! Oh, that’s okay!”

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Under the pressure of Professor Antonelli’s gaze, she bit her tongue at the end and her pronunciation became garbled. Chloe unconsciously frowned.

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Towards her, a few words follow.

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“Thank goodness.”

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With those words, Professor Antonelli turned and headed to the infirmary. He was going to take care of the student who had been sparring with Chloe.

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Of course, Chloe didn’t understand Professor Antonelli’s last words.

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“That’s fortunate… ?”

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I just made a stupid sound and stared blankly at his back.

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* * * * *

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The sparring on the third day is all over.

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That also meant that only the semifinals and finals remained. After finishing dinner like yesterday, I sat on the sofa in the dormitory.

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I felt my body was tired. Compared to the first and second days of training, there were far fewer injured students, but using divine power was still hard work. I looked out over the balcony.

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Today, the sun was setting beyond the horizon. It was like that yesterday, and the day before. And it will be like that again.

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It was sad to see the same unchanging appearance, like a hamster wheel going round and round. It was as if it was looking at me, so I let out a self-deprecating laugh.

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I couldn’t laugh any harder than that. I can’t even remember when I last laughed so hard my stomach hurt.

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When was it that I lost my smile like this?

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Meanwhile, the sunset was struggling for the last time and was being swallowed up by the sparkling sea.

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When the sun is finally swallowed up by the deep sea, darkness will come next. I imagined it and became lost in thought.

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‘It’s mid-June now.’

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‘That day’ was slowly approaching. It seemed like it was only a short while ago that I attended the Academy’s entrance ceremony, but now it was already the middle of summer.

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When I recalled that fact, I didn’t feel so good. I bit my lip and sighed.

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Suddenly, I looked at my watch.

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The clock had already passed twelve o’clock and was running towards the silent hour known as dawn. Silence was falling over the dormitory as darkness fell.

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Deacon Sophia, who had been sitting next to me and drinking tea with me, seemed to have already gone to sleep. I was still sitting on the sofa in the living room.

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I don’t know how time passed so quickly. I looked around the living room blankly, then slowly got up from my seat.

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My throat was burning. I was about to head to the dormitory kitchen to get a drink of water.

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– Click.

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I heard someone carefully opening the door. My head naturally turned towards it.

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The door opened into the bedroom shared by Chloe, Elin, and other female students, as well as Deaconess Sophia. Through the crack in the door that was barely wide enough for one person to slip through, an unidentified figure whose face was barely visible slipped out.

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I stared at the shadow quietly. A mysterious shadow that was walking out of the bedroom, tiptoeing, as if someone was going to wake it up. It looked around for a moment, and then finally met my eyes.

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“… … .”

“… … .”

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We just stared at each other for a while. After about ten seconds, a shadow covered in darkness jumped up and made a deflating sound.

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“… Hueeeek?!”

“… Chloe student?”

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The one who walked out of the bedroom was none other than Chloe.

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* * * * *

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Swish….

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The sound of waves coming from the sea created a peaceful atmosphere. Chloe looked at the scene, slowly moving her creaking steps like a wooden doll.

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“Wow, the sea is really… . The sea at night is also pretty… ! Isn’t it?”

“… … .”

“Ahahaha… .”

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Professor Antonelli, who was walking alongside Chloe, simply followed the direction she pointed and looked out at the night sea in silence.

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Chloe, who had been smiling awkwardly at him, lowered her head and showed a clearly confused expression. Chloe was having a hard time keeping up with the situation she was in.

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She was so nervous thinking about the final duel that she couldn’t sleep and was tossing and turning in bed.

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To calm my complicated and confused mind, I left the bedroom to drink a glass of cold water… .

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‘Why aren’t you asleep yet…?!’

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Professor Antonelli, who she had never imagined would be awake at this hour, was staring blankly at her from the living room.

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She almost screamed, but she was too shocked to even scream properly. It was a good thing Chloe’s heart didn’t burst out of her mouth.

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Professor Antonelli, who was looking at Chloe like that, dragged Chloe out of the dormitory, telling her to go for a night walk.

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That was why, at this late hour, Chloe was walking along the quiet beach with Professor Antonelli.

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‘Why are you suddenly going for a walk…?’

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Just as Chloe was beginning to question herself, Professor Antonelli opened his mouth.

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“Chloe Student.”

“Oh, that. Yep!”

“… Calm down.”

“Ugh, yeah… .”

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Chloe took a slow, deep breath. A moment ago, she had been so shocked that her words kept coming out incoherently, but now she had calmed down.

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“Why did you call me…?”

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When Chloe, who had calmed down to some extent, asked cautiously, Professor Antonelli continued speaking while still looking towards the night sea.

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“Can’t sleep?”

“… Yes.”

“Hmm.”

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Well, that was the end of it. Professor Antonelli closed his mouth again, as if he had asked the question out of politeness. It was natural for Chloe’s lips to protrude slightly.

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“… May I ask why?”

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Professor Antonelli spoke again after walking about ten steps. Chloe lowered her head.

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The reason why she couldn’t sleep. The reason why she couldn’t sleep until this hour. She knew the reason all too well.

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‘I’m not sure…’

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It was because she had no confidence in herself.

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Does talent exist in everyone?

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Chloe wanted to believe that. No, it would be so.

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If I didn’t think that way, I felt like I would be blinded by the sparkling talents of the countless Class A students I would face in the future.

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My heart was about to burst at the thought that only they would have the platform to climb higher.

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So, that belief slowly began to crack.

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It was past twelve o’clock, and the final duel was just a few hours away. However, Chloe had strong doubts about her own talent.

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– Chloe. Take this opportunity to practice some fire magic. It could work. Seriously.

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The advice Ellen had given her came to mind. Chloe thought about it, mulling over her words.

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‘Elin and the fire spirit clearly said that I had a talent for fire magic.’

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These were the words of none other than the spirit of fire, the incarnation of fire itself. No fool in the world would doubt this fact.

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Chloe didn’t doubt Elin’s words. The one she doubted was none other than herself.

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Every time Chloe tried to use flame magic, her attempts always ended in failure. She was always able to link the magic circles of the flame magic she had learned at the Academy, but the linked magic circles would always fail to unfold and break.

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Every wizard has a type of compatibility, and while they are very good at using certain elemental magic that they are talented at, they often have a tendency to not be able to use other elemental magic.

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Chloe had always thought she had a talent for cold magic. However, that was a talent seen from the perspective of a criminal.

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Chloe had already witnessed with her own eyes a perfectly superior ice wizard who overwhelmed her.

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Laura von Adelheid. I still vividly remember her using her blizzard magic. With a bone-chilling cold, shards of ice that swept across the ground at an invisible speed.

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From that day on, Chloe’s talents faded. It was a bitter loss.

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‘I have to find another way. My path is one I have to forge myself.’

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However, Chloe was not discouraged. Rather, she was filled with anticipation that she might be able to develop greater talents in other ways.

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But as the failures continued to repeat, the day of the final battle drew nearer.

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‘… Maybe, I don’t have any talent at all.’

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That’s what makes you think that way.

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An ordinary ordinary person. Just a reckless brat who knows a little bit about magic. Maybe that’s all he is.

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Chloe opened her mouth, a trembling voice flowing from her throat.

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“Professor. I… . I still don’t know my talent.”

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As soon as she uttered those words, sadness rose to the tip of her tongue. Chloe sniffled and swallowed her tears.

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“Actually, all the matches that have been held so far have been chaotic, right? If you had luck, anyone could have advanced to the next match… .”

“… … .”

“But when the time comes to show off your true skills… .”

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It was so hard. It felt like I was up against a wall.

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“So, I… . I don’t think I’m a talented person… . I think I just got into class A by luck… . Huh!”

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Although she tried to hold it back, the dam that had been building up her sorrow eventually burst. Moisture formed at the corners of Chloe’s eyes.

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“That’s why… I couldn’t sleep… Hehe!”

“… … .”

“Professor…? Please say something…!”

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And, that sadness was directed at Professor Antonelli for no reason. Chloe began to resent him.

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‘You asked and then…!’

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He didn’t answer or comfort her. He just silently listened to Chloe’s story.

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It’s not like I’m making fun of anyone, what the heck is this? Chloe became even sadder.

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“Hueeeung… !”

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A loud squeak erupted, and Chloe absentmindedly rubbed her face against Professor Antonelli’s forearm. Professor Antonelli’s sleeve, which had stopped in silence, began to get wet.

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As Chloe wiped her tears away on Professor Antonelli’s sleeve, something soft touched her cheek. Chloe looked away with a bewildered expression.

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“Huh… ?”

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It was a pure white handkerchief. Chloe stared at it blankly, then quickly realized that it was Professor Antonelli who had handed it to her, and snatched it up.

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“Black! Hurray… ! Groan… !”

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After shedding a lot of tears and blowing my nose on the handkerchief that Professor Antonelli gave me, I felt as if my mind had cleared up.

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To her, Professor Antonelli’s soft, low voice was heard.

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“Are you feeling a little better now?”

“Hmph… ! What did you say… ?”

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Chloe looked up. Professor Antonelli, with his usual blunt expression, was looking down at her.

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Chloe stared blankly at him for a moment, then looked down at the handkerchief in her hand.

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A handkerchief soaked in tears and snot was screaming in her hand.

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Chloe’s face flushed brightly. She was belatedly overcome with shame at having made such a fool of herself in front of others.

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Professor Antonelli asked her again.

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“Chloe student. Have you calmed down a little?”

“… Yes.”

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Chloe answered in a crawling voice. She didn’t know what kind of expression Professor Antonelli was making, but Chloe didn’t have the confidence to look at his face.

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Professor Antonelli, who had been watching her with his mouth shut for a moment, soon nodded and turned his gaze away.

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“That’s it.”

“… Yes?”

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Chloe raised her head without realizing it. Her swollen eyes were filled with the face of Professor Antonelli, looking out at the night sea.

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“Chloe student. I am almost a layman when it comes to magic. Therefore, it is difficult for me to offer a solution to Chloe student’s worries.”

“Yes… .”

“But I can give you some sympathy and comfort.”

“… … .”

“Actually, I’ve had similar experiences.”

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Chloe stared blankly at Professor Antonelli. She had even forgotten that she had been shedding tears and a runny nose just a moment ago, and just fixed her gaze on Professor Antonelli’s face.

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“I felt lost, lost, and unsure of myself. I think it was one of the three most painful times in my life.”

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Professor Antonelli’s expression, silently gazing at the night sea, did not seem so flat and cold for some reason.

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That expression was a bit more lonely and… a hazy expression. It was an expression that seemed to be missing something desperately.

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“But… Chloe, student. In the end, you can only trust yourself.”

“That’s….”

“If I don’t even believe in myself, then the person who believes in me the most in this world will disappear.”

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Chloe’s eyes opened wide. Professor Antonelli finally turned his head towards her.

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The corners of the lips slightly up, the corners of the eyes slightly down, and the warm gaze.

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Professor Antonelli spoke softly to Chloe, who was looking at that faint, hazy smile.

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“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

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That’s something Professor Antonelli often said during class.

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Upon hearing that, Chloe nodded silently as if possessed by something. Professor Antonelli smiled with satisfaction and turned around.

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“I think it’s time to go back. Chloe, you need to get some rest, at least for tomorrow’s sparring.”

“… Yes.”

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Chloe bowed her head and followed Professor Antonelli, not having the courage to walk alongside him.

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Chloe’s face must have been as red as a beet.

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So, the silence between the two people walking towards the dormitory.

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“Professor, would you like me to return your handkerchief?”

“… Yes.”

“… I’m sorry.”

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It was broken by the handkerchief soaked in tears and snot that Chloe had handed to Professor Antonelli.

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Chloe desperately lowered the corners of her lips, which kept twitching, and walked towards the dormitory.

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