Chapter 71

Chloe struggled to open her eyes.

Sweat dripped from her forehead, constantly stinging her eyes. Her rough breathing escaped her lips.

“Gah… Hah…”

In her desperate attempt to aim her staff, a student lay motionless on the floor before her.

Is it over? Within Chloe, hope cautiously raised its head.

‘…No. Let’s not let our guard down.’

No matter what anyone said, the opponent was a student from Class A, just like Chloe. Letting her guard down was absolutely forbidden. The only reason she was able to take them down was due to her utmost effort.

Chloe moved her trembling hand to slowly draw a magic circle in the air. However, her hands were suffering from exhaustion and pain, causing her to distort the magic circle repeatedly; she had to keep redrawing the same magic circle.

– Due to the opponent’s incapacitation, Student Chloe proceeds to the next match!

With familiar shouts, the applause and cheers from the students filling the practice field finally reached Chloe’s ears.

“Hah…”

Chloe lowered her shaking arm. The magic circle she had drawn in the air scattered without replenished mana.

Chloe wiped her forehead with her sleeve. The amount of sweat pouring out showed just how tense she had been.

‘I…’

Even in this match, Chloe hadn’t been able to use the fire element magic she had practiced hard on. It wasn’t for lack of self-confidence, but rather because the ice magic and material manipulation magic she was using were still effective.

Yes, for now, she could somehow manage with the magic she primarily used. But Chloe understood.

“If it continues like this…”

If it continued like this, she couldn’t be sure how long she would remain in Class A.

Also, she couldn’t guarantee that she would be able to keep her scholarship.

Even as she left the practice field, Chloe walked forward deeply lost in thought.

“Student Chloe.”

That was until a rough, large hand grabbed her shoulder.

Chloe stared blankly at the hand on her shoulder before looking up.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Where her gaze landed was on the stoic man who always taught students in Class A.

“Ah, Professor Antorelli…”

Professor Antorelli was standing there.

With his stoic expression, Professor Antorelli looked at Chloe. However, for some reason, she could read something from that expression.

‘This is…’

It was a warm kind of emotion such as concern, relief, and altruism.

“Student Chloe?”

But just as Professor Antorelli called her name again, that warm sentiment vanished completely.

She didn’t know why she suddenly read that, but Chloe could at least clearly sense one thing.

‘He’s worried about me.’

Even though his expression looked so cold, the fact that he genuinely cared for her.

And the fact that Professor Antorelli was still gazing at her quietly.

Under that silent gaze, Chloe opened her mouth in a flustered manner.

“Aah, um…! I-I’m fine!”

Feeling pressured by Professor Antorelli’s gaze, she stumbled over her words. Unbeknownst to her, Chloe almost teared up.

To her, the following remark came.

“I’m glad.”

With that remark, Professor Antorelli turned and headed toward the infirmary. He was going to take care of the student who had fought Chloe.

Of course, Chloe, who didn’t understand the professor’s last words, stared blankly at his retreating figure.

“G-good…?”

She muttered in a daze.

* * * * *

The third day of battles had finally concluded.

That meant there were only the semifinals and finals left. After finishing dinner like yesterday, I sat on the sofa in the dormitory.

I felt exhausted. Compared to the first and second days of battles, the number of injured students was significantly lower, but using divine power was still grueling. I gazed out over the balcony.

Today, too, the sun was setting beyond the horizon. Just like yesterday and the day before. And it would continue to do so.

It was a pitiful sight, an unchanging scene as though stuck in a revolving wheel. It felt like looking at myself, a self-deprecating smile slipped out.

I couldn’t laugh more than that. I didn’t even remember the last time I had laughed to the point of my stomach hurting.

When was it? The time I lost my ability to smile like this.

While I thought about it, the sunset was being swallowed up by the shimmering sea in a final struggle.

Eventually, when the sun was engulfed deep beneath the sea, darkness would come next. I imagined that and fell into thought.

‘It’s now mid-June.’

‘That day’ was slowly approaching. Not long ago, it felt like I had just attended the Academy’s entrance ceremony, yet I was already passing through the height of summer.

Recalling that fact, I didn’t feel all that good. I bit my lip and sighed.

Suddenly, I glanced at the clock.

The hands had already passed twelve o’clock and were moving toward the period of silence known as dawn. Silence enveloped the darkened dormitory.

Sofia, who had been sitting next to me drinking tea, seemed to have already gone to sleep. I was still sitting on the sofa in the living room.

I didn’t even realize how much time had passed. I gazed around the living room blankly before slowly rising from my place.

My throat felt dry. Just as I was about to head to the kitchen for a drink of water—

– Click.

I heard someone cautiously open the door. My head turned instinctively toward the sound.

The door opened to the bedroom used by Chloe, Elin, and the other female students, as well as Sofia. From the slightly ajar door, a shadow slipped through stealthily that I couldn’t properly identify.

I quietly watched the figure. Someone stealthily emerged from the bedroom on tiptoes, as if they were trying not to wake anyone. They glanced around before finally making eye contact with me.

“…”

“…”

We just stared at each other for a while. After about ten seconds passed, the shadow cloaked in darkness jumped in surprise and let out a deflated sound.

“…Wha—?!”

“…Student Chloe?”

Emerging from the bedroom was none other than Chloe.

* * * * *

The sound of waves from the sea created a serene atmosphere. Chloe watched the view and slowly took creaky steps as if she were a wooden puppet.

“The sea… the sea is really beautiful. Even at night, it’s pretty… wouldn’t you say?”

“…”

“Hahaha…”

Professor Antorelli, walking beside Chloe, simply looked at the night sea in silence, following where she pointed.

Seeing him, Chloe shyly smiled, lowering her head to reveal her confused expression. Chloe found it hard to keep up with her situation.

Thinking about the last battle, she was so tense that she couldn’t sleep and kept tossing and turning in bed.

To calm the chaotic thoughts in her head, she stepped out to drink cold water, only to discover—

‘Why were you still awake at this hour…?!’

She never imagined that Professor Antorelli would be staring at her from the living room.

She almost let out a shriek, but she was so shocked that she couldn’t even make a proper sound. It was a relief that Chloe’s heart didn’t leap out of her mouth.

Professor Antorelli, watching Chloe, suggested going for a night walk, taking her outside the dormitory.

That was the reason Chloe was walking along the quiet beach with Professor Antorelli at this late hour.

‘Why the sudden suggestion to walk…?’

As soon as Chloe wondered internally, Professor Antorelli spoke.

“Student Chloe.”

“Uh, um! Yes!”

“…Calm down.”

“Ugh, y-yes…”

Chloe took a slow deep breath. Previously, she had been so surprised that her words kept tripping over themselves, but now she was composed.

“Um, why did you call for me…?”

After settling down somewhat, Chloe cautiously asked, and Professor Antorelli continued speaking, still gazing at the night sea.

“Are you unable to sleep?”

“…Yes.”

“Hmm.”

That was the end of that. Professor Antorelli closed his mouth like he had simply asked out of courtesy. Chloe’s lips began to puff out with disappointment.

“Um… may I ask why?”

Professor Antorelli opened his mouth once more as they walked about ten steps. Chloe lowered her gaze.

The reason she couldn’t sleep. The reason she hadn’t been able to sleep until this hour. She knew that reason all too well.

‘Because I lack confidence…’

The lack of self-confidence she had in herself.

Does everyone possess talent?

Chloe wanted to believe it. No, it must be true.

If she didn’t think that way, she felt like she would be blinded by the shimmering talents of the many Class A students she would soon face.

The thought that only they had the foundation to rise higher threatened to burst her heart.

And so, that belief began to crack little by little.

It was past midnight, and the final match was only hours away. However, Chloe was harboring strong doubts about her abilities.

– Chloe. Try practicing fire element magic this time. You have potential. I’m serious.

The advice Elin had given her came to mind. Chloe pondered over those words.

‘Elin and the fire spirit clearly said I have talent in fire magic.’

It wasn’t just anyone; it was a fire spirit, essentially a manifestation of fire. No one in the world would doubt that fact.

Chloe did not doubt Elin’s words. The being she doubted was none other than herself.

Every time Chloe attempted fire magic, those attempts always ended in failure. While she had always successfully constructed the magic circle for fire magic she learned at the Academy, the deployed magic circle would constantly shatter before her eyes.

Every magician has affinities, where they excel at specific elemental magic while frequently failing at others.

Chloe had always thought that she had a talent for ice magic. But that was only a talent viewed from the perspective of an ordinary person.

Chloe had already witnessed an overwhelming perfect upper-grade ice magician right before her eyes.

Laura von Adelheit. The way she had used blizzard magic was still vivid in Chloe’s memory—the icy pieces like blades sweeping past her at an invisible speed, as if they would freeze her to the bone.

After that day, Chloe’s talent lost its shine. It was a bitter loss.

‘I need to find another path. My path is one I carve out for myself.’

However, Chloe did not feel discouraged. On the contrary, she was filled with the expectation that she might show greater talent in a different field.

But as that failure continued to repeat itself, and the day of reckoning approached,

‘…Maybe I have no talent at all.’

Such thoughts occurred to her.

An ordinary person. Just a reckless child who could only use a bit of magic. That might be all she amounted to.

Chloe opened her mouth. Her quivering voice dripped forth.

“Professor. I… still don’t know my talent.”

As soon as she spoke those words, sorrow swelled in her throat. Chloe sniffed and swallowed her tears.

“Honestly, all the matches so far have been wild brawls, right? Anyone could advance to the next match if they just got lucky…”

“…”

“And yet, when the time comes to show my real skill…”

It was so difficult. It felt like hitting a wall.

“So, I feel… like I’m someone without talent… like I merely got into Class A by chance… *sniff!*”

Though she tried to hold it back, inevitably, the dam of sorrow burst, and tears welled in Chloe’s eyes.

“So… I couldn’t sleep… *sniff!*”

“…”

“Professor…? Please say something…!”

And that sorrow was unwarrantedly directed toward Professor Antorelli. Chloe felt resentment toward him.

‘You ask but don’t respond…!’

He remained silent, offering no consolation. All he did was quietly listen to what Chloe had to say.

It wasn’t mocking her; what was this? Chloe felt even more sorrowful.

“Wahaa…!”

A whiny sound burst forth as Chloe inadvertently rubbed her face against Professor Antorelli’s arm. The sleeve of the silent Professor Antorelli began to get wet with her tears.

While Chloe wiped her tears on Professor Antorelli’s sleeve, something soft touched her cheek. She turned her head in confusion.

“Wha…?”

It was a white handkerchief. Staring at it blankly, she soon realized it was being offered by Professor Antorelli and quickly snatched it.

“Ugh! *sniff!* Huh…!”

After shedding tears profusely, Chloe blew her nose into the handkerchief Professor Antorelli had handed her, feeling as if her mind was clearing up.

Then, she heard Professor Antorelli’s gentle voice.

“Are you feeling a bit better now?”

“Ugh… What do you mean…?”

Chloe looked up. Professor Antorelli, with his usual stoic expression, was gazing down at her.

For a moment, Chloe stared blankly at him before she looked down at the handkerchief in her hands.

The handkerchief, smeared with tears and snot, was screaming in her hands.

Chloe’s face flushed with embarrassment. The reality that she had displayed such a scene in front of someone else made her feel exposed.

To that, Professor Antorelli asked again.

“Student Chloe. Are you feeling a bit calmer now?”

“…Yes.”

Chloe responded in a barely audible voice. She couldn’t tell what kind of expression Professor Antorelli was making, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at his face.

For a moment, Professor Antorelli silently observed her before he nodded and turned his gaze elsewhere.

“That’s good.”

“…Huh?”

Chloe inadvertently raised her head. The image of her swollen eyes filled her vision as Professor Antorelli looked out at the night sea.

“Student Chloe. I know very little about magic. Therefore, I can hardly offer you a solution to your troubles.”

“Yes…”

“But I can at least empathize with and console you.”

“…”

“In fact, there was a time in my life when I faced similar experiences.”

Chloe stared blankly at Professor Antorelli. She completely forgot that she had just been crying as she fixed her gaze on his face.

“I felt lost, unable to see ahead, lacking confidence in myself. I think it was one of the most painful periods of my life.”

Professor Antorelli’s expression, while gazing quietly at the night sea, did not appear merely blank or cold.

That expression was slightly more lonely… wistful. It was a look that seemed to deeply long for something.

“But…. Student Chloe. In the end, you can only rely on yourself.”

“That means…”

“If even I don’t believe in myself, then the person who believes in me the most in this world will vanish.”

Chloe’s eyes widened. As she realized this, Professor Antorelli finally turned his head toward her.

His mouth curled slightly upwards, his eyes softening. And his warm gaze.

Looking at that faint, mirage-like smile, Professor Antorelli spoke softly to Chloe.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

That was something Professor Antorelli frequently said during lectures.

Upon hearing that, Chloe quietly nodded as if enchanted. Satisfied, Professor Antorelli started to walk back.

“It seems it’s about time we head back. Student Chloe should get plenty of rest for the battle tomorrow.”

“…Yes.”

Chloe lowered her head and followed behind Professor Antorelli. She didn’t have the courage to walk alongside him.

Her face was undoubtedly likely as red as a tomato.

Thus, the silence while walking toward the dormitory was broken.

“Professor. Would you like me to return the handkerchief?”

“…Yes.”

“…Um, I’m sorry.”

Chloe handed Professor Antorelli the tear-stained handkerchief, breaking the silence between them.

Chloe desperately tried to suppress her twitching lips and continued on her way toward the dormitory.

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