episode_0081

“Why does our club room look like this?”

Returning to the club room after a long time, something seemed off about it.

The exterior walls of the building gave off an overall neat impression?

So, there was this indescribable sense of unfamiliarity.

Feeling uneasy, I unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Upon entering, I could finally identify the source of my unease.

“Did they renovate while I was away?”

But wait, I never requested any renovations?

It costs a lot of money, not to mention having to live like a homeless person during the construction.

I was gradually trying to fix things up here little by little… What’s going on?

From the floor to the walls, windows, and even the ceiling… Everything seemed to have been replaced with new materials.

“This is almost like a newly built place.”

The ceiling, which seemed like it would collapse at any moment, was now securely fixed, and the creaky floor had been replaced with a clean wooden surface.

Moreover, it looked like the old windows and interior walls had all been completely changed.

“With this, maybe I should bring slippers here. Now that the floor is clean, it seems like I don’t need to wear shoes.”

I took off my shoes and walked into the living room.

All my belongings were still neatly arranged in their places, and I approached the table where something was placed.

A small piece of paper lay on the table, stating that as an apology for the recent vampire attack and the previous assault by a member of Requiem, a small gift had been prepared.

Perhaps this gift was for the renovation of this club room.

“By the way, is this paper left by the principal?”

Judging by the handwriting, it seemed likely that the person who left this paper was the principal.

But why does this person keep communicating through notes instead of speaking directly?

Anyway, it’s a win-win situation for me.

It’s a saving of both money and time.

“Well then… Let’s wash up and rest for now. We have to start attending school again tomorrow, so it’s best to prepare from now on.”

I took out clothes to change into and headed to the bathroom.

The bathroom I entered was extremely pleasant.

Yes, it had indeed transformed into an incredibly clean and pleasant bathroom.

Gone were the times when no matter how hard I tried to clean, it wouldn’t go away, and the eerie feeling reminiscent of a horror movie… Where did that go? Is this really a clean bathroom?

“At this rate, it’s not much different from the dormitory.”

I didn’t expect the bathroom to be completely renovated as well.

Nevertheless, was the construction finished in less than a week?

Indeed, with magic involved, even renovations are completed quickly.

Anyway, let’s hurry up and take a shower.

Turning the faucet, warm water started flowing.

“…”

I couldn’t believe it, warm water too.

“Now, there’s really no reason to go back to the dorm. I could just live here.”

Still, there are many things I need and many things to buy.

It may not be perfect, but this level of comfort is more than enough for me right now.

After showering with warm water and drying my damp hair with a towel, I returned to the living room.

As I did, a cool breeze started coming in through the open window.

I sat on the chair next to the window, feeling the refreshing breeze.

My black hair swayed gently in front of me, and I gazed at the sky filled with stars.

The dazzling stars and the faint moonlight began to envelop my body, and I leaned against the window, simply… continuing to gaze at the sky.

The sky was always the same, so when I looked at it during tough times… Somehow, it felt like even my weary heart was being healed.

That’s why I loved looking at the sky so much.

Because the sky was always constant.

Well, the sky doesn’t always display a clear and beautiful scenery.

There are days when it rains and becomes cloudy, and surely there are days when the sun is hidden behind thick clouds.

But after the cloudy days pass, it will return to a clear sky.

That’s why I love the sky.

Certainly, there will be tough days.

But soon enough, it will embrace us with a bright face.

I find joy in looking at the sky.

Lost in deep thoughts while gazing up at the sky, I pondered, “Maybe I should go for a run tomorrow. I’ve been lying down for the past few days, and my body feels a bit stiff.”

From tomorrow on, I must start running again.

It’s already too far to stop here.

So, I’ll start from the beginning again.

Let’s start with running again.

…

A cold wind brushed past me.

Looking up at the sky, the pre-dawn sky that hadn’t seen the sunrise displayed a deep blue hue.

After briefly gazing at the sky, I resumed running.

“Hoo, hoo…”

Today, I woke up earlier than usual and had been running in the park since early dawn.

I don’t know why, but I couldn’t sleep well last night and ended up coming out early, even though it was a bit early.

With no sleep and nothing to do, time seemed to slip away.

So, to clear my mind of random thoughts, I came out to run.

Well, it seemed like a good choice.

Indeed, the air was fresh, and the weather wasn’t bad when I came out early in the morning.

Thus, I first circled the field near the club room, and now I was running around the park near the dormitory.

Continuing to run without stopping, someone else started running alongside me on the same course.

Actually, she had been running on the same course as me for quite some time…

Anyway, as we ran the course together, looking at the person next to me, she was wearing a black hoodie, pants, and a baseball cap.

As we continued to run, her blue hair peeking out through the baseball cap began to flutter in the wind.

However, she didn’t seem to care and kept running.

How long had it been since we started running together?

The distance between her and me started to widen little by little.

I thought I was maintaining my pace to match hers and keep my breathing steady, but before I knew it, she was quite far ahead, running.

Driven by an inexplicable competitive spirit, I kept running, but the gap didn’t narrow; instead, it widened.

And so, how far did we run?

Finally, I was able to catch up with her.

She took off her tightly pressed cap, wiped the sweat off her forehead, drank some water, and then her face was revealed as her thick blue hair fluttered in the wind.

Her densely packed features and deep blue eyes.

An unforgettable face once you see it.

Originally, she was taller than the average high school girl.

The name of the guy who had been running with me all this time is Lynn Cordelia.

The eldest daughter of the Cordelia family.

“….”

“….”

We faced each other, maintaining silence without exchanging any words.

It was natural given that apart from last week’s dungeon exploration, we had no other interaction… So, it was only natural for an awkward atmosphere to linger.

By the way, isn’t she finding this easy?

She ran continuously for tens of minutes without taking a break, yet there was no sign of exhaustion.

Indeed, she seems to have really good stamina.

“Hoo….”

But, it’s really tiring, though.

I thought my stamina had improved quite a bit lately, but it seems like I’m still far from being ‘really’ fit.

Breathing heavily, I try to catch my breath and regulate it.

Lynn, who was standing awkwardly, slowly approached me and said,

“Drink some water.”

“….”

She handed me the water bottle she was holding.

“….”

“….”

Lynn kept looking into my eyes and urged me to drink the water.

Feeling some kind of pressure, I decided to take the water she offered.

The water tastes very refreshing.

“Thank you.”

I handed her back the water bottle, expressing my gratitude.

“….”

She didn’t respond, just nodded her head.

“”…..””

Once again, an awkward atmosphere settled between us.

Curious, I asked her a question.

“By the way, Lynn.”

“…?”

“Do you run like this every morning?”

“Not every day.”

“I see.”

“….”

“….”

Well, the conversation doesn’t seem to be flowing.

But then again, Lynn isn’t the type to talk much until we get closer… I understand.

Seems like she might be someone who’s naturally quiet.

Well, maybe we can have a normal conversation once we get to know each other better.

Anyway.

“Are you planning to run tomorrow too?”

“….”

Once again, Lynn nodded without saying anything and then bowed at a 90-degree angle, offering a formal farewell gesture with her hat in her left hand, before leaving.

“Why is she… bowing like a gentleman?”

And her posture seemed off, something… something…

I don’t know where I’ve seen that before, but it feels out of place.

Maybe she’s read too many novels or something.

It’s strange, but it’s intriguing.

Well, he was a bit of a jester even in games, so… I get it.

“Well, I should head back too.”

I need to return to the club room and get ready for school.

The sun has started to rise now.

The sky, tinged with a deep blue, has gradually begun to light up with a beautiful pink hue.