Sculpture

I had a strange dream because I slept in late on the weekend.

Perhaps because it was a nightmare, unlike ordinary dreams, vivid memories remained.

The corrupted artifact has already been destroyed.

I told myself that just because something that won’t happen appears in a dream, there’s no reason to be shaken… and steeled my heart.

I washed my sweat-soaked body and headed to [Plains] on the 5th floor of the main building, right on time for the team practice we had promised.

Most of the members were already sitting at the table.

Even though I arrived 5 minutes early, thinking I was the most junior, everyone is at the top of their departments, so they seem quite diligent.

I obediently sat next to Ellie, who spotted me and gestured for me to come over.

Ellie and I are going to be on the same team from now on. I can’t just ignore her and walk past like before.

Humans are social animals. I should be able to maintain a business relationship like an adult.

A cool breeze swept across the Plains, and the sweet scent of strawberries brushed past my nose.

Surprisingly, I didn’t feel nauseous like usual.

Suddenly, I heard suppressed laughter in my ear.

,I never imagined I’d be participating in the triathlon with Ross.”

I didn’t respond to Ellie’s words. I don’t care about Ross’s past anymore.

Recalling Ross from those days, when he was depressed and only felt inferior, is no different from tearing off a hardened scab and bleeding again, a self-inflicted wound.

Now, Ross’s story is being rewritten. It’s filled with more love than the previous story, and it smells like people.

It’s a story where memories worth cherishing are 쌓이고, and pleasant days pass.

Ellie had no role in that story.

When I didn’t answer, Ellie said with a pout.

,It’s too much not to answer.”

,…Because you’re saying useless things.”

I said it curtly, but Ellie smiled, as if she was happy just to hear a response.

,Okay, everyone’s here, right?”

The student council president and top student of the 4th grade, Edward, appeared.

Edward, tall and with a mature appearance, was carrying a large box.

,First, before the team practice, we’ll have a simple practice for each grade.”

Edward opened the box he had placed on the table and took something out.

I recognized it as a shock-absorbing artifact with a familiar design, the same one used in the survival exam.

,I requested these in advance for practice. You have to return them, so please put them back in the box after practice.”

Everyone put on the shock-absorbing artifacts on their chests.

,First, we’ll skip the battle royale, the first grade-level match. We don’t know what the terrain will be, and in the end, the only thing we can do is to work together. Let’s practice one-on-one separately.”

Everyone nodded with serious faces at Edward’s words.

,What we’ll practice is the maze exploration, the second grade-level match, and the capture, the final team match.”

The maze exploration was a grade-level match, but it had a big impact on the final team match.

If the first match was a light warm-up, the second match was the start of true competition.

Edward continued.

,For those who are doing the maze exploration for the first time, let me briefly explain. Like the first match, you’ll start in random places in the maze with just your bodies.”

Edward bent down and took out a piece of paper from the box.

,There are disposable artifacts hidden in the maze that can be used in the team match. You can use them in the maze, or you can put them in your pocket and use them in the team match. You can get 3 artifacts per person, and duplicates are possible.”

The paper Edward handed out had simple drawings of the artifacts that had appeared in the triathlon so far.

,The second match is a prelude to the final team match. We’re going to decide on the priority of which artifacts to acquire in advance for the team match.”

The Academy Competition was an official event organized by the Imperial Family.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators who came to the capital to watch the games, gamblers looking for a chance to turn their lives around, and merchants targeting customers who easily open their wallets in the excited atmosphere flock to the capital.

Even remote provinces far from the capital could watch the broadcast from the city center in a few hours.

It was natural for each Magic Tower to spare no expense in a place that guaranteed such a huge promotional effect.

Most of the disposable artifacts used in the maze were provided free of charge by the Magic Towers.

,First, let’s look at the first priority, excluding what hasn’t been revealed yet. Let’s talk about the Blue Magic Tower’s Tier 1 artifacts first….”

Suddenly, it felt like class had started. Someone couldn’t help but yawn at the soft, low-pitched voice.

I expected we would be sparring or practicing formations because it was team practice, but we spent nearly an hour discussing which artifacts to prioritize.

Due to the structure of the maze, if you’re unlucky, you might not even find certain artifacts. That’s why we’re setting acquisition priorities.

After finally prioritizing 10 artifacts, we took a short break.

Cassius, who had been yawning incessantly, got up from his seat and stretched greatly.

As I was reaching for a snack on the table, someone carefully approached me.

I turned my head without thinking, and a handsome face was making an embarrassed expression.

It was Roel.

,Hey, Ross… I’m sorry.”

It felt like the voice I heard in my dream overlapped.

The difference was that Roel in the dream was crying.

The similarity was that they were both sincerely apologizing to me.

I put the snack I was holding on the plate in front of me and let out a short sigh.

,No, you don’t need to apologize. It’s because I misunderstood on my own. Rather, I should apologize.”

,Still….”

,It’s really okay, so don’t worry about it.”

If I receive an apology for something that’s nothing, it takes on a certain meaning.

I didn’t want to see Roel and Luna involved in any way.

Roel nodded with a relieved expression.

When I focused on eating the snack with an expression that I didn’t want to talk anymore, Roel, who had been standing awkwardly, scratched his head and went back to his seat.

,Why does Roel always give in to Ross?”

Ellie, who was sitting next to me, glanced at me and added.

,Do you think he’s pitying you?”

When I didn’t answer, Ellie suddenly moved closer to me.

A sweet fragrance wafted over.

Ellie brought her face close to mine and stared at me without moving.

I could feel the gazes of the people around me on that action.

Even Roel, who had returned to his seat, was looking at me.

When I had no choice but to turn my head, I saw eyes that resembled obsidian, filled with me.

With a soft smile, Ellie asked in a coquettish voice, as if she was being spoiled.

,Heung, aren’t you going to answer me?”

I frowned and glared at Ellie, meeting her gaze.

It was a look containing a warning not to bother me anymore, but Ellie just pouted with a nonchalant expression.

,If it’s not pity, what other reason do you think there is?”

Seeing that Ellie didn’t seem to have any intention of returning her leaning upper body, I finally sighed and said.

,I don’t know, I don’t care.”

When I answered blankly, Ellie nodded slightly and returned her leaning upper body.

I didn’t miss it. Ellie muttered, ,Liar,” softly.

*

After the team practice was over, I immediately left [Plains]. Today is Saturday evening.

I was planning to have a weekend evening date with Luna, but as soon as I opened the door and went out, someone called out to me as if they had been waiting.

,R-Ross….”

I could tell it was Estelle without looking, from the small voice that stammered and seemed to be sobbing.

When I turned my head in the direction of the voice, Estelle, who had been hiding behind a corner pillar in the hallway, gestured enthusiastically for me to come closer.

I felt a little uneasy at Estelle’s anxious expression.

,Is something wrong?”

,I-It’s urgent. M-Meet me there.”

As I watched Estelle’s retreating figure after leaving those words, I heard someone’s footsteps approaching.

,Is that someone you know?”

Ellie’s face, asking that while looking at Estelle’s receding figure, was somehow coldly hardened.

,That’s Estelle-senpai from the Combat Department.”

Ellie, who was looking at me as if observing me with a persistently felt gaze, soon twisted one corner of her mouth as if sneering.

,Luna will be jealous if you get close to other girls.”

I answered in a calm voice.

,That’s right, that’s why I don’t want to have useless conversations with you.”

Having said that, I didn’t care about Ellie.

I moved my steps to Modest, sighing in disappointment that my weekend evening date with Luna had been postponed.

***

,I’ll return it on my way, so Ophelia, you can go first.”

At Edward’s kind words, Ophelia, who was a classmate in the 4th grade and the second-ranked student in the grade, thanked him repeatedly and left.

She must be happy to be thinking about a weekend date with her boyfriend. Edward sighed and left [Plains] with the box he had brought.

As he passed through the hallway, he heard someone talking. It was a familiar voice. It was the 1st grade duo he was expecting good results from.

,Luna will be jealous if you get close to other girls.”

Feeling that it would be an awkward situation if he showed himself unnecessarily, Edward instinctively hid behind a pillar.

,That’s right, that’s why I don’t want to have useless conversations with you.”

He thought it was a cold voice. It was a voice that clearly drew a line, telling him not to approach.

Based on what happened during practice and the current situation, it seemed that Ross was rejecting Ellie, who was showing interest.

As the footsteps moved away, Edward thought he had hidden well and came out from behind the pillar.

Before he could even take a step, Edward, who met Ellie’s gaze as she stood still in that spot, made a flustered expression.

He hadn’t noticed that there was only one set of receding footsteps.

Ellie said with a sad smile.

,You’re working hard, senpai-nim.”

,Ah, yeah. I’m on my way, so….”

,Then, please take care.”

Saying that, Ellie glanced once in the direction Ross had disappeared and passed by Edward with a bitter expression.

But Edward didn’t miss it. What he saw in that instant, before Ellie met his gaze and changed her expression.

A twisted sneer, as if watching a child’s tantrum.

Edward thought that that smile might be Ellie’s true feelings.