By Zephyria 
When the sunlight tickled my eyelids, I naturally opened my eyes. It was morning. I must have fallen asleep without realizing it last night. I stirred for a moment before getting up. A thick blanket was covering my body, as if someone had put it over me.
“……”
I pushed the blanket, which had fallen below my shoulders, a little further to the side and got out of bed.
When I opened the window, a refreshing breeze blew in and touched my cheeks. I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the tranquil atmosphere of the morning. Another new day was about to begin.
It was when I had finished a late breakfast that day and returned to my room. I was in a pretty good mood because I had slept well, but that mood didn’t last long.
It was because the Communication Orb I had placed on the table was emitting light, indicating that I had received a call from someone, and when I answered it, I saw Ardian’s face.
As soon as I saw his face, I frowned deeply.
“…How did you find out my Video Orb coordinates?”
-Tom told me.
“I don’t want to see your face even when I come out to rest.”
-Yeah. What were you doing?
He didn’t even pretend to listen to my scolding and just said what he wanted to say. He was a very hateful human. I stared at him with narrowed eyes. As if unable to withstand my sharp gaze, Ardian on the other side of the Video Orb offered an excuse that wasn’t really an excuse.
-I couldn’t help it. I wanted to see you… how could I endure not contacting you even once? You’ll never contact me first.
He seemed to know that he and I weren’t on terms to exchange private contacts.
I raised my eyebrows and eventually let out a sigh before sitting on the edge of the bed.
“What reason do you have for contacting me? Get to the point.”
-The point….
When I pressed him, Ardian lowered his eyes slightly and trailed off. I wondered if he had some ulterior motive, so I glanced at the Video Orb, and after a brief pause, Ardian continued.
-I don’t.
Then he curved his eyes like a bow and smiled. It was a word that suddenly poured cold water on the atmosphere that had been tense with tension.
“What?”
-Can’t I just contact you because I wanted to see you?
I was at a loss for words at his whining question. Can’t he just contact me because he wanted to see me? Why would he want to see me in the first place?
-Because I like you.
At that moment, the phrase from the note he had given me seemed to answer my question. That one sentence became his voice and seemed to whisper in my ear.
“……”
I knew it was all nonsense, but I kept coming back to it. I felt like I was being swayed by this guy more than I realized.
That even without using Brainwashing Magic, you can always use your tongue to play with your opponent and drag them into hell….
Realizing that fact anew, my spine tingled.
Feeling disturbed, I glared at him for no reason and reached out to the Video Orb to cut off the call, offering a word of advice.
“Don’t contact me again.”
The call was cut off without hesitation.
After that, in order to clear my mind, I sat cross-legged and diligently stored Mana, spending the remaining leisure time. Whether he was listening well or just lost interest… Ardian really didn’t contact me anymore during the remaining holidays.
Then came the day when the joint training began.
This body’s family gathered in the living room to see me off. It was a situation reminiscent of the entrance ceremony.
“I heard the joint training is held outside the academy? Be careful.”
Luciel hugged me affectionately and patted me. The others also offered words of farewell, their faces full of regret at parting.
“Then… I’ll be going now.”
I appropriately accepted their affection and turned around, taking out my student ID without hesitation. When I infused Mana and activated the Magic to move to the registered coordinates, a bright light momentarily consumed my vision before disappearing.
After the light faded, I slowly raised my head.
I had safely returned to the academy.
“Oh, Raymond! Long time no see?”
“Hello, good morning. Raymond.”
Melicsa and Clona, who were closest to me, recognized me and greeted me.
As if hearing their voices, the followers who had been gathered there also turned to look at me and approached in an instant.
There was one foreign guy mixed in with that group. Who was foreign? Of course, it was Ardian. At some point, he had naturally blended in with the followers, acting like he was part of the group.
Thinking about it now, I wondered if he had deliberately targeted those around me in order to stick by my side without trouble. He still wasn’t on good terms with Herman, but he certainly wasn’t clashing as much as before.
“You’re a little late. Is your family doing well?”
Herman, who had approached, asked as he casually patted my waist. When I glared at him, he took his hand away as if understanding.
I just nodded in response to his question. There was nothing special to say about questions related to this body’s family.
Then my eyes met Ardian’s in the air. He had been quietly watching me, and when our eyes met, he smiled silently. While I was feeling strangely bothered, Polargehen suddenly appeared in front of me, moving with Space Transition Magic.
The eyes of the children who had been chattering or doing other things turned to him. Polargehen, who seemed to have come in a bit of a hurry, caught his breath and looked at the children, saying.
“It’s a little late. Let’s move right away.”
Then he turned around and created a Magic Circle in the air. The Magic that was activated with the green Mana flowing from him was drawing a complex Formula. Soon, a long crack that had formed in the air split open on both sides, becoming a round Gate.
It was an entrance that connected space and space so that dimensions could be passed through.
The principle is similar to the magic placed on the training ground’s entrance.
If the Imaginary Space Gate I saw before was an entrance to move to an artificial space, then the Gate created this time could be seen as an entrance to compress the space between spaces and move in an instant.
“Follow and cross over before the Gate closes.”
Polargehen left a word and entered the Gate first. Following him, the children disappeared into the Gate one by one.
The scenery beyond the passed Gate is a forest zone or mountainous area similar to the place I entered after passing through the training ground’s entrance during the last practice. However, it was definitely a different place from there. The surrounding terrain was completely different, so the difference could be easily recognized.
“This way!”
Polargehen, who had already gone up the uphill road, shouted at the children who were busy looking around. At that, the Class A students made a fuss and followed Polargehen.
The atmosphere is quite excited.
Anyone would think they were on a picnic.
“Raymond! Let’s go too.”
Zeon, who was following behind the servants, turned to me and suggested. I stared blankly, as if a happy puppy was wagging its tail, and then moved my feet with a small sigh.
“Ray.”
At that time, Ardian, who had subtly approached to match my pace, spoke to me. When I glanced at him, Ardian drew an arc with his eyes. The thick eyelashes fluttering down were like dense bird feathers, naturally drawing my gaze.
“How have you been? Didn’t you miss me?”
“…What nonsense are you talking about.”
“I missed you. A lot. I was sad that you told me not to contact you, but I endured it so I wouldn’t be hated by you.”
“……”
“By the way, your achievement… has it risen even more in the meantime? Amazing. Can I ask why you’re working so hard?”
“It’s none of your business.”
He seems to be talking more than usual today. I frowned and turned my head to the other side with a sigh, and I heard a burst of laughter.
How long did we climb the mountain like that?
“Oh. Look over there!”
Tom, who was chatting with Herman in front, shouted in an excited voice. I raised my head and saw Tom pointing in the front direction. When I cast my gaze further, I could see some parts of a building peeking out over the overgrown trees.
“Professor, what is that building?”
When someone asked about the building, Polargehen, who was walking in the lead, turned around slightly and answered.
“It’s a villa where you’ll be staying during the training camp.”
The children exclaimed as if in unison when they heard that.
Soon, we escaped the forest path and reached near the villa, and an open space appeared. It seemed that logging work had been done near the villa to secure the view.
‘Is there a protective Barrier around this area too?’
I looked around and thought.
We’re far away from the city, in the outskirts of the Empire, but I didn’t feel any signs of Fiends. My impression of this place was the same sense of security I felt in the stage used as a training ground.
Suddenly, something caught my eye, so I turned my head towards the villa.
A tall figure was standing in front of it. The children in front of me also discovered the figure one by one, and their reactions were extraordinary.
“Oh? Is that person…?”
“It’s Cloud Hunter!”
“Cloud Lavendy?”
“Huh. Why is a Black Class Hunter here?”
As I got closer to the villa, I focused and examined the figure. When I heard the name Cloud, I wondered if it could be… and sure enough. That face was familiar to me too.
‘…Cloud Lavendy.’
Hair as black as if melted pitch had been applied, and eyes with a deep yellow color like a jar filled with honey under thick eyebrows.
That man was….
The very person I saw at the Longcrew Library last time.