'The fact that the three evolved versions of Swordsmanship Mastery can be categorized into my "past," "present," and "future" is honestly terrifying,' he thought, a chill running down his spine.
'Moments like these remind me of just how powerful the Records are. It's truly ridiculous. But I shouldn't overthink it—there's no reason the Records would care about someone like me. I'm just a weak human. So please, Records, forget I exist. I'd be perfectly happy with that.'
'I got lost in my thoughts for a moment, but now I should go see Kiara. She'll be happy to see me—after all, I'm pretty sure she's a yandere. I told her I wouldn't visit for a month, but it's only been, what, eight days? It'll be a nice surprise.'
After snapping out of his thoughts, Mikael left his apartment and appeared in the training room where Kiara resided. This time, however, he entered without paying anything. He had after all discovered he wasn't actually required to pay to access the training room…
As he appeared in the training room, Mikael gave his surroundings a quick glance but didn't see Kiara. He concluded she must be in her room. Just as he approached Kiara's room, he heard some loud words.
"This motherfucker! Stop feeding the other team!"
Hearing Kiara's angry curses, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. 'Did she become a true gamer while I was away?' he thought, a small smirk playing on his lips at the amusing situation.
Without dwelling on it further, he entered her room. The door didn't creak, allowing him to slip inside without alerting her.
Kiara was seated on a gaming chair, fully focused on the screen in front of her. She was completely absorbed in her game, but what truly caught Mikael's attention was how she was dressed.
Gone were her usual clothes—a mix of medieval armor and dresses. Instead, she wore a tight white T-shirt that highlighted her perky breasts. The fabric was slightly translucent, revealing her black bra underneath. She paired it with short denim shorts that accentuated her thighs. Combined with the intense expression she wore as she stared at the screen, Mikael found himself momentarily stunned.
Shaking off his daze, Mikael approached her, curious about what she was playing. She was immersed in a popular MOBA game, so focused that she didn't notice him even as he stood only a few meters behind her.
'Did I create a gamer?' he wondered, his eyes briefly lingering on her hourglass figure. 'A beautiful gamer…'
Deciding not to disturb her, Mikael sat on the futon at the back of the room, waiting for her to finish her game. A short while later, Kiara pulled off her headset, cursing under her breath.
"Ahh, this game is so frustrating! I can't play anymore. Let's do some physical activities to clear my mind!"
As she spun her chair around, her eyes landed on Mikael sitting on the futon. She blinked in disbelief, rubbed her eyes, and then suddenly leaped out of her chair with a shout.
"Mikael!"
He felt her soft body collide with his as she threw herself onto him, pushing him further back onto the futon. She hugged him tightly, murmuring his name softly.
Seeing her like this, Mikael couldn't help but smile wryly. 'I really should give her more attention. She's clearly crazy about me, and honestly…while I'm not in love yet, I do like her, and I'm willing to let myself fall for her.'
Wrapping his arms around her, he began to gently caress her back. Kiara melted under his touch, her murmurs fading into silence as she relaxed completely. They stayed like that for a while before Mikael gently pulled her away from his chest.
Kiara looked up at him with questioning eyes, which Mikael answered by leaning in and kissing her. She froze in surprise for a moment but quickly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss with an even greater intensity.
"Mmmh," she moaned softly, the sound muffled by their kiss. When they finally broke apart, Mikael found himself entranced by her beauty. She was always stunning, but today—with a deep blush coloring her cheeks and a shy, vulnerable expression—she looked irresistible.
Still, he managed to restrain himself. He held her close and fell back onto the futon, taking her with him. Kiara rested her head on his chest, and they lay there comfortably.
"Glad to see you," Mikael murmured, gazing down at her.
Hearing his words, Kiara's face lit up with a radiant smile. "I'm happier than you can imagine to hear that!" she replied. Her expression turned uncertain as she continued. "But…weren't you supposed to stay in that world you're exploring for at least a month? That's what the message I received said."
Mikael began to play with her hair, prompting her to close her eyes and relax again. "Yes, I was supposed to stay in Dirarnia for at least a month, but I missed you, so I decided to come back for a visit."
"You missed me?" she murmured her eyes still closed, a mix of tenderness and something darker creeping into her smile.
Mikael gave a self-deprecating smile that Kiara didn't notice. "Yeah… Last time we talked, we'd just started our relationship, and then I left for another world right after. That was inconsiderate of me. I'm sorry."
At his apology, Kiara's smile widened to an unsettling degree. "Don't worry, darling. If it's you who hurts me, I can endure anything." She opened her eyes and met his gaze, her voice firm. "Anything."
Seeing this remarkable woman, Mikael felt a pang in his chest. 'How could I have been so thoughtless? I'm not used to caring about people so I wrongly acted, and I hurt her…'
He leaned down to place a tender kiss on her forehead. "I'm really lucky to have you," he said sincerely. Looking into her eyes, he added, "I can stay with you for the next few hours before I need to return to Dirarnia. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, just let me know."
A pensive expression crossed her face before she spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "C-Can we stay like this and just use this time to cuddle and talk?" She looked up at him with an expectant gaze.
Seeing her like this, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. "Sure," he replied with a gentle smile.
Kiara's face lit up with happiness as she rested her head against his chest, her expression radiating contentment.
Mikael couldn't help but notice how captivating she looked, especially as she lay on him, her soft, voluptuous figure pressed against his chest. Yet, he controlled himself, choosing instead to wrap his arms around her and engage in lighthearted conversation.
Hours slipped by unnoticed. The time spent together brought them closer, easing the sense of urgency that had previously defined their relationship. Mikael now found himself gently stroking Kiara's hair as she dozed off on his chest, a serene smile gracing her face even in her sleep.
"Beep, beep."
The sharp, intrusive alert sounded directly in his mind, pulling him out of his peaceful moment. He winced at the annoyance, recognizing it as a notification from the System. It was time for him to return to the Academy.
He glanced down at Kiara, who was sleeping so peacefully, and hesitated. He didn't want to wake her, but he had no choice. Gently, he shook her awake.
Kiara groaned softly and swatted at his hand in a half-asleep protest, clearly wanting to continue her nap.
Her reaction made him chuckle, but he couldn't let her stay asleep. He leaned closer and spoke tenderly. "Kiara, love, I need to leave."
Her eyes snapped open, and she jolted upright. "Leave? Why do you have to go? Why can't we stay here together forever and ever?" As she spoke, her smile wavered and twisted into something unsettling.
Noticing her shift, Mikael couldn't help but think she was endearingly yandere. Smiling, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
"Mwah."
Their tongues intertwined in an intense kiss before they finally broke apart, breathless.
Mikael gave her a soft, teasing lecture. "You know I need to leave for the Central Academy. I explained this to you yesterday."
Kiara pouted adorably. "I know..."
He hugged her tightly. "I won't be gone long. I'll come back to see you soon, I promise."
She let out a dejected sigh but nodded in reluctant acceptance.
Seeing her disheartened expression, Mikael struggled to find the right words to comfort her. Instead, he tightened his embrace. This was, after all, his first real romantic relationship, and he was still learning how to navigate it.
After a few moments, he reluctantly ended the hug, knowing he couldn't delay any longer. Under Kiara's wistful gaze, he exited the training room.
Once outside, he found himself in the Hub and prepared to re-enter the Dirarnia world.
As Mikael entered his dormitory, he scanned his surroundings and felt relieved to see that nothing had changed during his absence. This reassured him that no one had intruded while he was away.
Satisfied with this conclusion, he strapped on his bracelets and left his dormitory, ready for the classes he had scheduled for the day. 'Today I've got my two mage courses: Mage Foundations this morning and Mage Specialization: Wind this afternoon. I'm in a great mood and excited. Last night with Kiara was so relaxing, and now I get to learn magic. How could this not be a good day?'
He continued walking through the magnificent Academy grounds. Despite the number of students around him, the vast size of the Academy ensured it never felt crowded. As he walked, he caught snippets of nearby conversations mentioning him, though far less frequently than yesterday. After all, while the news of a commoner winning the entrance test, which focused on battle prowess, was noteworthy, it wasn't that impossible and eventually, the novelty would wear off.
As Mikael strolled, a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Excuse me, can I talk to you?"
He turned around, surprised to see Amelia addressing him. "Sure. What's this about?" he asked, uncertain of her intent.
The nearby students immediately noticed the interaction. Not only was Amelia stunningly beautiful, but her calm and composed aura, coupled with her status as the heiress of a duke's family, made her practically a goddess in the eyes of male students.
"Why is that guy talking to our goddess?"
"Kill that bastard!"
Hearing the murmurs, Amelia felt a twinge of irritation but maintained her serene demeanor. "Can we go somewhere quieter to talk?" she asked, glancing pointedly at the gawking students around them.
Mikael was intrigued. He and Amelia weren't particularly close, so her request piqued his curiosity. "Alright, but I don't have much time," he replied, glancing at his bracelet. "I've got a class that will soon start."
Amelia's expression shifted briefly to surprise. She was accustomed to men bending over backward for her attention—even her best friend's fiancé wasn't an exception. Seeing someone prioritize his schedule over her was a novel experience.
Her composure quickly returned, and she said calmly, "Don't worry, this won't take long."
Mikael nodded and followed her. The two began walking away, leaving the students behind in a state of shock.
"No way! Amelia's going somewhere private with a guy?"
"That bastard needs to die!" someone exclaimed angrily.
A few nearby boys nodded in furious agreement, but their outburst earned disdainful looks from a group of nearby girls. One of the girls rolled her eyes and snapped, "You're just jealous because Mikael is more handsome than you. With a face like yours, Amelia wouldn't even look at you."
"Typical fangirl behavior," one of the boys muttered bitterly.
The girls, however, weren't buying it. Another retorted, "And what you're doing isn't simping for Amelia just because you can't handle the fact that Mikael is better-looking?"
As the students argued among themselves, Mikael and Amelia reached a quiet spot, entirely unaware—or perhaps indifferent—to the commotion their departure had caused.