episode_0201

Chapter 201 – Reconciliation

Late in the afternoon, as I was returning to the dorm after finishing intense training, Abel came to find me.

“Ruan!”

“Huh? What is it? You’re coming to find me at this hour.”

“Did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“Alisa is getting married tomorrow! And I heard the groom is a sixty-year-old man? Do you happen to know what’s going on?”

Abel couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Indeed, it’s understandable they’d be surprised, considering they only heard he was a middle-aged noble.

Moreover, weren’t they supposed to attend the wedding?

The fact that Alisa said she’d invite them, yet the invitation hadn’t arrived even on the day before the wedding, must have added to their confusion.

He probably thought I might know something, but unfortunately, his guess was wrong.

Because I had intentionally been avoiding this matter.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know either. I just found out today is the wedding.”

“Really? Ugh… What should I do?”

Abel couldn’t calm down and stomped his feet in agitation.

Seeing that, I was a bit puzzled. I wondered if it was really necessary to go that far, even for a close friend. I knew he had a meddlesome personality, but he seemed too desperate.

‘Does he perhaps like Alisa?’

Now that I think about it, there isn’t much reason for Abel not to like Alisa.

Although many events disappeared because of me, Alisa was pretty enough to naturally attract affection even without such special events.

Perhaps that’s why he hasn’t confessed to Uni yet?

I can’t stand it any longer.

I decided to ask him.

“Abel. I’m just asking, but do you like Alisa?”

“What should I… Huh? Wh-what did you say?”

“I asked if you like Alisa.”

“Wh-what are you talking about? N-no!”

Abel was noticeably flustered.

Seeing him react so intensely only made me more suspicious.

“Really? You seem too interested for that to be true.”

“W-well, because she’s a friend…”

“Hmm… Is that so? Well, if you say so, then it must be. Anyway, I don’t know anything, so ask someone else.”

“Yeah. I guess I have to. Who else is there?”

Abel, who was touching his lips as if in thought, suddenly asked as if something occurred to him.

“Ruan. Deborah would know, right?”

“…Deborah?”

“Yeah! She’s the Archmage of Gray’s apprentice. Wouldn’t she have gathered a significant amount of information just from the rumors floating around?”

“…She probably would.”

Among the mages, there would be those invited to the wedding, and above all, this matter had so much gossip surrounding it that even unrelated people would be watching it with interest.

Moreover, Deborah has met Alisa before, so even in her current state of being hurt by me and holed up in her room, she would probably have a general grasp of the situation.

With a bitter feeling, I clicked my tongue lightly.

“Alright! I’ll go find her right away! Ruan, do you want to come with me?”

“No, I have something to do. Go with the others.”

“Got it! See you later!”

As if he had no time to waste, Abel quickly ran out without trying to persuade me.

I watched his retreating figure until he completely disappeared, then turned my back.

“Let’s eat and then train again.”

There’s no time to be distracted.

*

Early in the morning, a silent meal was underway on the top floor of the Magic Tower.

Roxana, who thoroughly chewed and swallowed her bread, subtly glanced at the opposite side.

There, Deborah, with eyes swollen from crying, was gloomily picking at her food.

The way she was aimlessly fiddling with her food, neither truly eating nor stopping, was enough that in an ordinary household, a smack on the back would have instantly flown her way.

But Roxana couldn’t bring herself to utter even a peep to Deborah.

Because she knew painfully well why her beloved apprentice was like that.

It was then.

“Hic…”

Unsure what was wrong, Deborah suddenly frowned and began to sob.

She quickly rose from her chair.

“T-Teacher-nim. I’m sorry. I’ll just go to the restroom for a moment.”

“…Yes. Go ahead.”

Thump-thump-thump!

Behind the disappearing Deborah, tiny drops of water sparkled as they scattered.

Roxana, left alone, sighed.

“Haa… What should I do?”

Honestly, being cooped up in her room for a day or two is one thing, but I thought she’d be fine quickly. Yet, even after a week, Deborah still can’t escape her sadness.

She would stare blankly into space all day, and often burst into sudden tears just like now…

Currently, Roxana had been deep in thought for several days.

“Should I just tell her everything?”

The reason this whole mess happened is all because of the deal between Ruan and herself.

If it hadn’t been for that, wouldn’t Deborah have started dating Ruan by now and be living every day in happiness?

Recalling that sight made her heart feel conflicted.

She doubted if it was truly right to make Deborah sad because of her own greed.

Her evaluation of Ruan still hadn’t changed.

He was a transmigrator and a criminal who habitually committed rape.

But at the same time, he cherished Deborah and possessed the resolve to willingly give up to avoid harming her.

The scales in her heart swayed wildly.

‘Is truly telling her the best option? Will it lead to an even greater disaster later? What if the fact that he’s a transmigrator is revealed to others? But with my power, couldn’t I hide it sufficiently?’

Presenting various hypotheses and refuting them herself, she continued to ponder and finally made a decision.

“First, I’ll reveal it. I’ll apologize to Deborah.”

Deborah already knew Ruan’s true identity.

Even knowing that, how could she forcibly separate such a loving heart?

If things continued like this, she might fall ill from lovesickness, waste away day by day, and then collapse.

No sooner had she made up her mind than Deborah appeared, her eyes even more swollen.

“I’m sorry. I took too long, didn’t I? The food must have gotten cold.”

Deborah forced a smile and threw out a joke.

At that pitiful sight, Roxana, who erased her last hesitation, opened her mouth to speak.

“Deborah. There’s something important I need to tell you.”

“Yes? Something to say?”

“Yes. And it’s related to why you’re sad right now.”

Deborah’s eyes widened.

She was startled and flustered, but then quickly nodded as if it were obvious.

“Did you hear from Ruan?”

“Yes. You confessed, didn’t you?”

“…Yes. I’m sorry.”

Deborah shrank back even further.

Roxana, who had spoken lightly, became even more cautious at that reaction.

“No. What’s there to be sorry about? You can confess.”

“…Teacher-nim, aren’t you bothered?”

“Me? I’m fine. What would there be to be upset about in the first place?”

Roxana shrugged her shoulders lightly.

She never imagined Deborah would mistake her and Ruan for lovers.

To Deborah, her words only felt like consideration. Her eyes, which had barely dried, became moist with tears again.

“Hiiing… Teacher-nimmm…”

“Why, why are you crying? Stop it! Huh? Stop it!”

“Hiiieeng… I was wrong! Wahhh!”

Deborah threw herself into Roxana’s arms just like that.

At the sudden loud wailing, Roxana sweated profusely as she patted Deborah’s back.

“Deborah. It’s okay. So don’t cry. Hmm?”

“Uuuugh… I’m sorry! I did it on purpose! Even though I knew Teacher-nim and Ruan were seeing each other, I pretended not to know on purpose! That way, even if I confessed, it could be passed off as a mere happenstance! Because there would be no harm to me, I acted cowardly! I’m really sorry! Wahhh!”

Deborah thoroughly reported all her inner thoughts and begged for forgiveness.

Roxana was truly flustered.

‘Wh-what is she talking about?’

She clearly heard it with her ears, but her brain refused to understand the meaning.

In the end, Roxana, who slowly interpreted her words, realized one fact.

‘She’s misunderstanding!’

She didn’t know the exact reason, but Deborah was assuming that she and Ruan were in “that kind of” relationship.

Where should I begin to explain?

Roxana, who was pondering, first calmed Deborah, who was on the verge of hyperventilating.

“Deborah! P-Please, just listen to me first!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Wahhh!”

“Th-that’s not it! Ruan and I are nothing! You’re misunderstanding!”

The moment the shout spread, Deborah froze.

It wasn’t just that her body stopped; even the tears that had been streaming down her cheeks like highways suddenly stopped.

Deborah lifted her head.

“…Wh-what are you saying? ‘Nothing’? You’re not saying that because of me, are you? To yield Ruan? Hiiing… Teacher-nimmm…”

But she willfully misinterpreted Roxana’s words and started sobbing again.

Roxana ended up frowning.

By now, she should be starting to understand, but her normally intelligent apprentice was only choosing to do foolish things.

Above all, the very fact that she was being misunderstood as being in “that kind of” relationship with Ruan was irritating.

She sharply cried out.

“I told you it’s not! Why aren’t you listening to me? Ruan and I are nothing! You’re misunderstanding! Understand?”

“…Really?”

“Yes! I have no idea why you misunderstood so much.”

When Roxana genuinely got angry, only then did Deborah also escape the swamp of misunderstanding and face reality.

She pouted as if she felt wronged.

“But Teacher-nim went on a date with Ruan at the festival.”

“A date? No, that was… But how did you know it was me? I was clearly in disguise.”

“Even if your face was different, your demeanor was exactly the same, wasn’t it? There’s no way I wouldn’t recognize Teacher-nim.”

“Oh, oh my? So that’s how it was…”

At the implication that she understood not just her outward appearance but her inner self deeply, Roxana was slightly moved.

However, the conversation wasn’t over yet.

“Teacher-nim. You really are nothing to Ruan, right?”

“I told you that already.”

“Then what was that recording chip Ruan gave you last time? When I played it, I heard moaning.”

“Uh, huh? Moaning? Ah! That? That’s the sound I make when I do yoga. But didn’t you see the screen?”

“No. The screen in the AV room was broken then. So that’s what it was. It was yoga…”

Deborah had a somewhat deflated expression.

Just by not giving up her love for Ruan, she had felt guilty for betraying her Teacher-nim, but to think it was all an illusion.

As she sighed softly, Roxana cautiously spoke.

“But Deborah. There’s something more important I need to tell you besides this.”

“Important talk?”

“Yes. Actually… after I saved him at the arena, you see…”

Roxana relayed everything without omission about the deal she made with Ruan in the laboratory.

Deborah, who was puzzled at first, changed her expression moment by moment as the story continued, and at the end, she had an exaggerated pout.

Sobbing, she glared at Roxana.

“I hate you, Teacher-nim.”

“Ugh! I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know you liked him this much. I thought you’d forget him quickly…”

“Don’t make excuses.”

“Uh, yeah. I’m sorry.”

Roxana bowed her head deeply.

By causing a misunderstanding with an unnecessary action, causing her emotional distress, and even inflicting a great wound, there was no way she could face her.

Her dignity as a teacher was in tatters.

Deborah was silent for a moment, as if processing the situation, then asked.

“Anyway, Teacher-nim, you’re saying Ruan doesn’t hate me, right?”

“Yes. That’s right. On the contrary. He pushed you away because you’re too precious and he wanted to protect you. I don’t know what he said, but it couldn’t have been his true feelings.”

“Ruan… me…”

As she gave her reassurance, Deborah’s deeply sullen cheeks flushed crimson.

She then stood up with a determined gaze.

“Teacher-nim. You clearly said Alisa’s wedding was at lunchtime, didn’t you?”

“Huh? Oh, that’s right, isn’t it? I heard it’s being held in Count Geto’s Naone territory?”

“……Alright. Then I’m going to go meet Ruan. I might not come back today!”

Deborah, proudly declaring she would stay out overnight with a man. Roxana belatedly acknowledged the fact that her apprentice had become an adult.

“Do as you please. Just make sure you use contraception properly, okay?”

“Th-that’s something I’ve been doing all along, you know?”

“Is that so? That’s a relief. Go quickly. Ruan must be waiting too.”

“Yes! I’ll be back!”

Deborah quickly ran out without even wiping away her tear stains.

Roxana smiled as she watched her retreating figure.

“Ah, youth. Such youth.”

It felt like spring had arrived too early this year.