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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 54
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My vision was awash in blue.
Leaning back on a park bench, gazing blankly up at the sky, I found it hard to tear my eyes away from the azure expanse.
'Perhaps I should ease up on my training.'
The thought suddenly popped into my head.
I'd fully intended to rest on Saturday, but I ended up back at the training grounds, spear in hand.
And as a result, Saturday was simply erased. I'd woken up late for a change, felt a bit bored, and just trained for a while, only for the entire day to vanish.
Now, it was already just past Sunday lunch.
Here in the park, waiting to meet Glacia as planned, my mood felt peculiar.
"...It feels like I'm slowly turning into an idiot when I'm not holding a spear."
Only a week had passed since the entrance ceremony, yet it felt like an overwhelming amount had happened in such a short time.
Certainly, many good things had happened to me, but they'd occurred so simultaneously that my mind struggled to keep pace.
The sheer number of people I'd connected with was a testament to that.
Leonhardt, Yumia, David, Kali, Luna, Millia, Glacia, and even the imperial family members, Dersen and Rachel...
Among them, some I'd grown close to, others I felt an affinity for, and even those with whom I shared a delicate or ambiguous connection. The sheer number felt overwhelming.
"Can I truly handle all of them?"
That was the first thought that came to mind.
When I held a spear, my thoughts simplified, becoming intuitive. All I needed to consider was moving forward, and my mind felt surprisingly stable.
But human relationships were far from simple.
Maintaining these connections required my consistent attention; neglect, even for a moment, would cause us to drift apart.
I couldn't afford to take that lightly.
Meaningful relationships endured only when people showed genuine interest in one another.
'Growth and human relationships, then...'
While I'd gained momentum in my growth, I couldn't afford to focus solely on it. That meant I had to foster growth while simultaneously nurturing my relationships with them.
"It's difficult," I murmured.
As I exhaled the words like a sigh, my gaze drifted back to the blue sky filling my vision.
Like the clear, cloudless blue sky, I wished I could think simply, without complex thoughts weighing me down.
Thump.
Then, suddenly, another shade of blue entered my vision.
Unlike the sky's hue, this was the bright blue of hair. It was Glacia, who had approached without a sound.
"What's so difficult?"
She stared down at me from above, and I instinctively lowered my head, feeling a bit dazed.
"...It's just something like that."
I replied awkwardly, feeling a sudden flush of embarrassment, and wondered when she had even approached.
"What kind of 'something'?"
Glacia naturally settled beside me, and I shook my head lightly.
"It's nothing much. If I had to put a name to it, it was a concern about relationships."
"Relationships... so, about people."
"Exactly."
"Then I probably don't have much to say. I'm quite clumsy when it comes to relationships with others, too."
Her sudden admission of clumsiness made me truly see Glacia in a new light.
Unadorned and sincere.
She spoke with such transparency that I wondered if she'd ever lied in her life; it was rather remarkable.
'Should I call this unique, or perhaps special?'
A laugh escaped me as I thought about it.
"What if you're clumsy now? You can always improve in the future."
Facing Glacia, my earlier thoughts suddenly seemed truly ridiculous.
Just a moment's thought was enough to realize how peculiar her interactions with other cadets must be.
Anyone could see she was awkward with people. How odd must it have seemed that I was discussing such concerns myself?
Thinking about it, there was no need to take it so seriously. I could just meet people as opportunities arose and spend time with them.
"...It'll get better. That sounds right."
"Exactly. Things will improve little by little."
I continued my light reply, meeting her gaze once more.
She neither avoided my gaze nor hesitated.
That sight reaffirmed my feeling.
Clearly, there were no romantic feelings between Glacia and me.
Even though we made time to meet on a weekend, neither of us seemed to think much of it.
If there were any feelings involved, we couldn't possibly be meeting so casually.
"Glacia."
"Hmm?"
Watching Glacia calmly respond, I suddenly felt like spending today a little differently.
"Do you happen to have any plans in mind? Like somewhere you'd like to go with me, or something you'd like to do?"
Still, as I asked for her preference first, Glacia simply stared at me without a word.
Her transparent gaze seemed to speak volumes.
'Do I look like the kind of person who'd have something like that planned?'
As she met my gaze so directly, I, too, didn't expect much.
"As I thought, you don't have anything in mind, do you?"
"Nope. Nothing."
Her immediate reply to my words made me chuckle again.
"Alright. Then that works out even better."
In fact, I was more comfortable with that arrangement myself.
It was only right for me to take the lead, and Glacia would likely feel more comfortable with that.
"Oh, and let me say this upfront: I won't be training today."
"Then...?"
"Today, we'll just wander around together. A cafe would be nice, or perhaps some other facility, anything works. We'll just spend time. You don't necessarily have to train to understand me, do you?"
As I addressed the point Glacia was likely most concerned about, she finally wore an expression of understanding.
"That's true. That makes a lot of sense."
"Right? And when you're with me, you explicitly said you'd cover all expenses, didn't you? I wouldn't mind being treated by you for a change."
When I playfully brought up the expenses, the corners of her mouth curved upwards—a clear smile.
To an outsider, it might have seemed an odd expression, but to me, it looked like a light smile.
"That's right. I did say I'd cover the expenses, but I haven't actually paid yet, have I? Alright. I'll do it."
The moment Glacia calmly accepted, I immediately rose to my feet.
"Then let's head straight to a cafe."
…
Clink-clink.
The sound of ice cubes clinking together in the glass struck me as surprisingly novel.
As I tilted the glass filled with kiwi pulp, a wave of coldness filled my mouth.
The sweet and tangy kiwi was utterly satisfying.
'Just looking at this cafe, it's practically modern-day quality.'
The world of Groa was clearly set in a medieval fantasy.
It wasn't a world where machinery or scientific civilization had developed significantly.
While it was said that items crafted by alchemists, who could manipulate mana, served to replace modern conveniences... the cafe before my eyes was undeniably on par with any modern cafe.
The interior boasted a sophisticated marble structure, and the overall layout felt remarkably similar.
"Han Cheon-seong."
At the sound of my name, I naturally lowered the glass and replied.
"Hm?"
"Why are people looking at us?"
When Glacia asked, as if something was amiss, I discreetly glanced around.
Being the weekend, we weren't the only ones in the academy's cafe.
No, in fact, it was quite crowded.
Numerous cadets were gathered in small groups, already seemingly close, and occasionally, even instructors could be spotted.
And among them, 'quite' a few gazes were directed our way.
"...They're probably curious."
"Curious?"
"Yeah. Our cadet uniforms are different, after all."
I replied casually, though I understood why others were looking at us.
Glacia was wearing a bright, white-toned cadet uniform, while I, in contrast, was in a black-toned one.
That alone clearly highlighted our difference. Different colors signified different classes, and Glacia and I were not just one, but two ranks apart.
'Plus, the male-female pairing is probably a big factor.'
At this point, it would have been strange if others *weren't* paying attention to us.
Perhaps in a few months, when more cadets began to form romantic relationships, it wouldn't be as noticeable. But now, in the very first week of admission, cadets of opposite genders sitting together were almost non-existent, save for us.
Fingers brushed.
Glacia, who had been idly fiddling with her cadet uniform, suddenly frowned.
"I think your cadet uniform is prettier."
"...Oh, really?"
"And I don't particularly care for white."
Her blunt remark brought another smile to my lips.
Being with me, one might expect her to be conscious of it as a male-female interaction, whether she liked it or not, but Glacia showed absolutely no such inclination.
It was as if she took my words completely literally, simply accepting that others were looking at us.
I wondered if it was beyond innocence, bordering on obliviousness, yet I found Glacia's straightforwardness rather endearing.
'Dating? What's dating even got to do with this...'
I also figured it would be difficult for Glacia and me to ever develop such a relationship, and besides, I didn't have the luxury of focusing on romance right now.
If I were to give my heart to someone, I clearly wouldn't be able to devote myself to my training.
And if a relationship like that of lovers were to be established...
I shook my head, cutting off the thought.
Perhaps after some time had passed, but certainly not now.
So I was able to continue the conversation lightly.
"I've said this before, but I think the A-class cadet uniform you're wearing is prettier."
It wasn't that I disliked black, but it had a rather drab feel to it. Considering that white symbolized the A-class, it actually looked better to me.
"So we're opposites."
"I guess so."
As Glacia carefully scooped a piece of cheesecake, I, too, lifted my spoon.
There were no less than four types of desserts brought to our table.
I'd chosen quite expensive ones, yet Glacia remained perfectly unperturbed.
Swoosh.
As I brought the cheesecake to my mouth, I unconsciously felt a surge of anticipation.
Last time, with Luna and Millia, I'd been too nervous to truly enjoy the dessert, but with Glacia, I felt I could relax and savor it.
Plop.
As the cheesecake reached my mouth, an involuntary exclamation of delight escaped me.
'...Delicious.'
As I savored the taste, I felt a peculiar sensation.
—An intense gaze.
I distinctly felt the sensation of someone staring at me with persistent intensity.
Swoosh.
As I scooped another spoonful of cheesecake that seemed to melt in my mouth, my gaze naturally drifted towards the source of that stare.
...
And the moment I looked at the person, my hand froze.
There, a woman was staring intently at me.
Hair as crimson as a blazing flame.
Her distinctly sharp features.
And the black, suit-like attire that symbolized an instructor...
"Han Cheon-seong?"
"...Hm?"
"Why did you stop scooping?"
As Glacia questioned me, as if finding my behavior odd, only an awkward laugh escaped me.
"...Ah, sorry."
"You don't have to apologize. I just mentioned it because it seemed odd."
At Glacia's words, I retrieved my spoon, but... I paused.
'Wait a minute...'
Now that I thought about it, anyone looking at Glacia and me right now would certainly pay attention.
Yes. Anyone could easily mistake us for a couple, or two people of the opposite sex enjoying a date.
Gulp.
Even as I swallowed, it felt as though I was the one who hadn't fully grasped the reality of the situation.
The other day.
Why Kali had been so disappointed in me...