episode_0060

“Was there anything interesting yesterday while I was gone?”

Even though I knew about the events that would unfold, the future could always change.

That’s why I couldn’t miss even the slightest alteration.

“Interesting? Not at all. It was just like any other day.”

Sepia said, touching her pink hair.

Fortunately, it seemed nothing had happened while I was away.

“Hmm, I see. You must have been very bored yesterday without me, Sepia.”

I nodded and said.

“Are you even listening to me?”

Of course, I was listening perfectly.

“Of course. How could I forget that Sepia said I was handsome?”

“When did I ever say that!”

Sepia shouted, huffing and puffing, then walked past me with quick steps.

“Hmm. I don’t know why she’s angry. But I guess I should follow her?”

I spoke to the spirits who had climbed onto my shoulder without me noticing.

The spirits tugged at my collar as if telling me to hurry.

“Everyone, please continue to look after Sepia for us.”

[Chirp!]

I said, stroking the spirits, and they rubbed their bodies against my hand, responding.

“Why ‘us’? Don’t say weird things and just hurry up! And you two, don’t stay on Loki’s shoulder, come to me!”

“Yes!”

[Chirp!]

I ran after Sepia, thinking.

The necromancer who killed Sepia was Betzdo, rank 10 of Death Heaven.

Sepia would awaken during her fight with Betzdo and push him back, but ultimately die.

Stopping Sepia’s death was simple.

I just had to prevent Sepia from fighting Betzdo.

“Why aren’t you hurrying?”

“I’m coming now.”

But it wasn’t easy.

How could I tell Sepia, who had lost her family to Betzdo, not to fight him?

***

“Good morning, everyone!”

I opened the Special Class door as usual and greeted loudly.

Normally, everyone would be sitting in their seats, waving and returning my greeting.

But today was different.

“Loki!”

“Why didn’t you come yesterday?”

I heard from Sepia that Professor-nim Alicia had said I couldn’t come due to personal reasons yesterday.

That’s why everyone was worried like this, I suppose.

“Ahaha, nothing major happened. I’m so energized by how many people are worried about me.”

I told everyone the same thing I told Sepia – that I couldn’t come because I had a cold.

After finishing conversations with each and every one, I approached the one person I hadn’t spoken to yet.

“Clara, good morning!”

Clara glanced at me once and handed me a small bottle.

Inside the bottle was a blue liquid.

“What is this?”

I received the bottle and asked Clara.

Clara spoke briefly.

“It’s cold medicine. Take it just in case.”

“Did you bring it just for me? I’m so touched right now, I feel like crying. Hic.”

“Don’t be dramatic. How would I know you were sick and bring cold medicine? I just had it.”

Clara said, turning her gaze back to her book.

While it was an exaggeration to say tears would come, being touched was not a lie.

“Excuse me…”

“No need for thanks. I just gave it to you so you wouldn’t give it to me.”

Clara cut me off.

She was right that I was about to express gratitude, but her cutting me off like that made me want to tease her.

“No, it’s not that, what does this taste like? I don’t like bitter things.”

“…Ugh! Give it back.”

Clara, perhaps embarrassed, reached for the bottle in my hand with a flushed face.

“Haha! Just kidding. I’ll drink it gratefully.”

I moved my hand back, avoiding Clara’s white hand, and chugged the medicine in the bottle.

“Hmm, I feel healthier already, actually? Maybe the medicine works better because Clara-nim gave it to me.”

“…I told you not to be dramatic.”

The taste of the medicine…

It was incredibly bitter.

It was summer.

***

*Boom!*

As Professor-nim Alicia’s fist struck the air, there was a sound like the air exploding.

“Hmm?”

When I dodged the punch, Professor-nim Alicia made a sound of surprise.

“Eh?”

Incidentally, I was surprised too, having dodged it.

The punch Professor-nim Alicia had just thrown was one I shouldn’t have been able to avoid.

Could it be because I saw the Shadow Step skill book yesterday?

‘No, that’s definitely not it.’

It was true that I dodged Professor-nim Alicia’s punch with Shadow Step, but I used Shadow Step regularly.

‘Ah, right.’

I realized how I was able to dodge Professor-nim Alicia’s punch.

‘I drank three elixirs.’

Two before entering the sewer.

One this morning.

One was a high-grade elixir, but the other two were top-grade elixirs personally given by the Emperor.

It would be stranger if I hadn’t gotten stronger after drinking three of those.

“……………”

The other Special Class students looked at me with surprised eyes.

But for me, who knew their final growth forms, it didn’t feel very real.

“Loki, you didn’t come yesterday, so today I’ll focus on you.”

But Professor-nim Alicia seemed to be an exception.

Professor-nim Alicia said that and rushed towards the other Special Class students, excluding me.

*Thud! Bang! Thwack!*

The Special Class students had also gotten much stronger than before, but Professor-nim Alicia still knocked them out quickly.

“Professor-nim, this kind of attention is a bit much, isn’t it?”

Professor-nim Alicia pushed off the ground and surged towards me.

*Thud!*

“Compared to when you’re fighting others!”

*Bang!*

“You’re… much!”

*Thud! Bang!*

“Faster, it seems!”

*Thud! Bang! Bang!*

“It’s just my imagination, right?”

“It’s your imagination.”

Professor-nim Alicia said briefly after hearing my barely uttered words.

Imagination, my foot.

She was even picking up speed.

After that, Professor-nim Alicia continued to attack me, steadily increasing her speed.

It was difficult to dodge, but thanks to that, I also realized how much stronger I had become.

“Professor-nim, what do you think the phrase ‘move like a shadow’ means?”

While dodging Professor-nim Alicia’s attacks, I suddenly wondered if she might know and asked.

*Snatch.*

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

Professor-nim Alicia said, easily catching the dagger I had thrown.

“Because the person who teaches me said that if I understood that phrase, I would become stronger!”

To be precise, it was written in a book.

*Snatch.*

“Even if I knew, I don’t think telling you would make you stronger.”

“That’s true too.”

As Professor-nim Alicia said, it only had meaning if I realized it myself.

*Thwack!*

I dodged Professor-nim Alicia’s punch by leaning my head back.

‘Was it a feint?’

What I saw in my vision as I leaned my head back was Professor-nim Alicia’s palm.

*Thud!*

I was slammed directly into the ground and lost consciousness.

The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Professor-nim Alicia smiling with satisfaction.

***

After all classes at the academy ended.

I stood in front of a luxurious-looking carriage with Johanna to go to the Freya Ducal House.

“Long time no see, Young Lady.”

“Yes.”

The person who appeared to be the coachman greeted Johanna.

“…Shall we get in then?”

“Yes!”

After we got into the carriage and some time passed.

As expected of a ducal carriage, even on a bumpy road, there was no feeling of shaking at all.

But something was bothering me.

“Senior?”

“…Mm.”

“Isn’t it normal to sit opposite each other in a carriage?”

I was currently sitting next to Johanna.

The seats in front of Johanna and me were empty.

Our shoulders and bodies touched, then separated, repeatedly.

Every time our bodies touched, I could smell Johanna’s scent.

“…The mask.”

However, Johanna, as if unaware of my thoughts, blurted out something unexpected.

“Yes? What about the mask?”

“The mask… can you take it off?”

Johanna spoke with a trembling voice.

It was a sudden request.

“Yes? Well, that much is fine.”

Although it was an unexpected request, it wasn’t a difficult one, so I took off my mask.

I had already shown my face to Johanna. Showing it twice wasn’t difficult.

*Gasp!*

As I took off my mask, Johanna inhaled sharply and slowly exhaled.

Why was she like that?

“Senior, what’s wrong…?”

I tried to turn my head.

But Johanna blocked my face with her hand.

“Your head! …Don’t turn it.”

“Yes…”

Something really must be wrong.

I couldn’t see, but I could feel it.

Johanna repeatedly bowed her head, paused, then lifted her head again, then bowed and caught her breath.

How many times did she repeat that?

“Is it uncomfortable?”

Johanna asked me.

It was on my mind, but it wasn’t particularly uncomfortable.

“No, it’s fi—”

“Is it uncomfortable?”

Johanna said in a slightly louder voice than before.

I had a feeling I shouldn’t say ‘it’s fine’ here.

“Ah! Now that you mention it, it does feel a little uncomfortable.”

“Right? Then stay like this.”

Johanna gently took my head and placed it on her lap.

And she stroked my face and hair.

“Senior?”

*Flinch!*

When I turned my eyes to look up at Johanna, she let out a strange sound and hurriedly averted her gaze.

“…Is it bad?”

Johanna asked in a sulky voice, without making eye contact.

“No. It feels good.”

Hearing her sulky voice, I answered instantly without realizing it.

“Really? Then stay like this.”

And so, I was stroked by Johanna for a long time.

How much time had passed after that?

“Senior, I think we’ve arrived?”

The carriage stopped moving and remained still.

I put my mask back on.

“Ah…”

Johanna let out a sound of disappointment as I put on my mask.

Just as I was about to lift my face from Johanna’s lap.

“Little sister, I missed you…”

Someone opened the carriage door wide and spoke. The person who opened the door was a woman with the same hair color as Johanna.

“Oh my, oh my!”

“………………..”

Beside her, someone who appeared to be Johanna’s mother gasped, covering her mouth in surprise.

And behind them was Duke Freya, the Imperial Swordsman, with his sword drawn.

Hahaha. Life.