Chapter 81

“`html

“…Delia Arpen?”

Ivella’s tone turned stiff.

Her voice, as cold as her glacial gaze.

But it wasn’t just her that changed.

“…”

As soon as Delia registered Ivella’s presence, she suddenly clammed up too.

A heavy silence followed.

Is something off? Noa’s bright blue eyes rolled around in confusion.

‘Huh?’

What’s going on? Why’s the atmosphere suddenly so tense?

They had merely run into each other by chance, yet neither said a word, just stared at each other quietly.

It was beyond awkward; a chill had crept into the air.

Just when the cold silence lingered on.

“Ah, right.”

Out of nowhere, Ivella spoke up, as if she suddenly remembered something.

“By the way, didn’t you say you’d be discharged today?”

It was the news Ulan had mentioned earlier.

This made Delia narrow her eyes.

As if to question how she knew that. Ivella, on the other hand, met her gaze with a smug smile.

“I heard it from Ulan.”

“Ulan…?”

“Yeah. A ‘friend’ from the same class said she’d be discharged tonight.”

The emphasis on the word ‘friend’ did not go unnoticed, but only Delia caught it, as evidenced by the twitch of her silver eyebrows.

“We’ve been talking frequently lately, so I get to hear a lot of things.”

“…”

Talking frequently.

At this, Delia’s eyes narrowed again.

Her expression shifted to one of discomfort.

But momentarily, she suddenly switched to a calm tone as if nothing had happened.

“Well, I’ve been doing the same.”

“What?”

“I’ve been having daily conversations, too.”

Delia cupped her cheeks with her hands.

Then, with a beaming smile, she said, “Honestly, I kept telling him he didn’t have to, but he still came to visit me every day.”

This was a blatant lie.

She never said he didn’t have to come. Quite the opposite; it was Delia who begged him to come daily because she was bored. But it was true that he came every day, so it was alright, she thought.

“…”

Meanwhile, Ivella’s expression soured.

Her eyes burned quietly, resembling flames kindled by jealousy. However, those flames soon extinguished.

“Well, Ulan is very considerate.”

Ivella chuckled lightly, shrugging her shoulders as if to agree with Delia.

Then her eyes sparkled sharply, as if she had caught a chance for a counterattack.

“I’ve been working out with Ulan every morning, and he always sees me back to the girls’ dorm when it’s time to go.”

To be precise, that wasn’t entirely true.

It was just that after the workout, the girls’ dorm happened to be on the way back.

Still, technically speaking, it wouldn’t be a lie to say he walks her back.

That was how Ivella saw it.

“…Just the two of you?”

This time, Delia’s expression hardened.

She looked quite displeased, as if the idea of them being alone together didn’t sit well with her.

Now, from a distance, Noa was watching their conversation unfold and suddenly felt a curious sensation.

‘Huh, what’s this?’

They seemed to be exchanging normal banter, but the tension seemed to be escalating? It was an inexplicable feeling.

‘And somehow…’

Looking at Ivella and Delia, it felt like they were competing over who was more special to Ulan.

Seriously, why?

Noa cocked her head in confusion.

As she puzzled over it,

“Noa.”

“…Huh?”

“I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

Ivella grabbed Noa’s hand, her stiff expression suggesting she didn’t want to talk to Delia anymore.

“Uh-huh, sure.”

Knodding absent-mindedly, Noa tried to follow Ivella, but at that moment, a tiny palm snatched her wrist.

“Not yet.”

The tone was choppy.

It was Delia. She held onto Noa’s wrist tightly and continued.

“We haven’t finished our conversation.”

That was true. Noa still hadn’t answered Delia’s question.

So, with Noa caught in the middle, the two glared at each other, as if a strange tension hung between them.

‘Somehow, it feels like the protagonists of a love triangle.’

Yet it wasn’t a pleasant feeling at all.

Whatever choice she made, it seemed one of them would end up upset. Plus, the suffocating atmosphere was just the cherry on top.

“Leave her and let’s go.”

“I want to talk a bit more.”

Both spoke at the same time.

Two sets of gazes turned toward Noa.

As if to urge her to make a quick choice, Noa internally sulked and fidgeted.

Just then, a voice of salvation echoed.

“What are you doing here?”

A deep, calm tone.

It was Ulan standing there, backlit by the sunset.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

“…!”

“Ulan!”

The moment they spotted him, the girls’ expressions brightened instantly.

Without a moment’s hesitation, they rushed over to Ulan, completely ignoring Noa. Ivella was the first to speak.

“Did everything go well with what you were called in for earlier?”

“Yeah, it was nothing big.”

“Can I ask what it was about?”

“I just took an exam for a re-test.”

“Huh? A re-test?”

“I couldn’t take the test for one of the subjects. So I’m on my way back from the re-exam.”

Magic Battle and Pursuit Techniques.

Ulan briefly explained the reasons and process of his re-exam. After a moment, Ivella nodded, as if she understood.

“I see. How did the exam go?”

“I got S-rank in both.”

“Wow, really?”

Ivella’s eyes widened in surprise.

It was understandable.

Getting S-rank wasn’t something you could just casually pull off.

Each semester, only one person per class could achieve that grade—a mark reserved for the top student.

“Just like Ulan. That’s impressive.”

Ivella couldn’t stop complimenting him.

Just then, a brief lull in the conversation allowed someone to seize the moment.

Knock, knock!

A slender finger prodded Ulan’s side. It was Delia.

“What’s up?”

“I’m discharged now.”

“That’s how it seems.”

“…Nothing else to say?”

Delia wore a sulky face, as if she didn’t appreciate his indifferent response.

But before long, Ulan picked up the questioning again.

“Is your health better?”

“Yeah, I’m fine now.”

“Headaches?”

“Those are much better, too.”

The questions continued.

It was just small talk regarding health, but Delia’s mood noticeably brightened. That meant Ulan actually cared about her.

Meanwhile, Noa was sporting a confused expression.

‘Huh?’

She was suddenly caught off guard by the shifting expressions on the two girls’ faces.

As Delia smiled more, Ivella’s visage turned to stone. Whenever Ivella grinned, Delia appeared quite displeased.

‘What’s this? The vibe seems…’

They looked like they were keeping their distance.

Then it struck her like a bolt of lightning.

It felt as though they were vying for Ulan’s affection as rivals.

But Noa chuckled lightly.

‘Nah, can’t be. Just a misunderstanding.’

After all, it was Ulan they were talking about.

A barbarian warrior who knew only how to fight.

There was nothing romantically interesting about him for either Ivella or Delia.

‘Well, maybe Ivella could feel something.’

Ulan and Ivella’s relationship was family-like, but they shared a bond that went beyond mere comrades. She openly spoke of Ulan as her most trusted ally too.

Plus, given Ulan’s physique, and the considerable help he’d given her this time, it wouldn’t be strange for her to have a crush.

‘But Delia…?’

There was almost no connection between Delia and Ulan.

After all, it had never been revealed in the original story who she was attracted to. In fact, so far in fan creations, she was often paired with Ivella.

So, Noa concluded.

It couldn’t possibly be a love rival situation.

Just as she made this hasty judgment, a loud rumble erupted from Ulan’s stomach.

It was a call for food.

Upon hearing this, Ivella and Delia, almost in unison, spoke up.

“Ah, you’re hungry, right? Let’s hurry and eat.”

“I ordered food in advance.”

Immediately after they spoke at the same time, two gazes clashed in the air.

But no real conversation passed between them. Instead, they turned their attention back to Ulan.

“Ulan, you like roast turkey, don’t you?”

“Honey spider stew is even better, right?”

A secondary clash unfolded.

Two different gazes gleamed fiercely. Before long they both looked up at Ulan and asked,

“What are you going to eat, Ulan?”

“Which one do you prefer, Ulan?”

What dish would he choose?

It was just a simple question, yet an inexplicable tension oozed from the girls’ glances.

Then Ulan broke the silence.

“Well, there’s no need to worry about that.”

“…!”

His response came without a hint of hesitation, sounding as if he had made his decision long ago, causing both girls to swallow hard. While they eagerly awaited his answer,

Ulan smiled and said,

“We can just eat both.”

It was a refreshingly simple response.

In contrast, the girls were left dumbfounded, clearly not expecting such an answer.

“Uh, well, that’s…”

“That’s true, but…”

He could definitely manage it.

In fact, he could potentially finish off both and still be unsatisfied. Yet it wasn’t the answer they wanted, causing their expressions to sour.

But that didn’t last long.

Ivella and Delia’s eyes widened.

“…!?”

“U-Ulan, your hand…”

Ulan had suddenly grabbed their hands.

It was an utterly unexpected move.

No wonder both girls looked flustered.

In contrast, Ulan’s expression remained unchanged.

“I’m hungry. Let’s go.”

If we stay here any longer, the dining hall is going to be packed.

Just like that, Ulan started walking.

And just like that, their conversation ended.

With Ivella and Delia, who had been talking animatedly, now silenced, their heads hung low. Their flushed faces resembled the setting sun.

“Oh! I’m coming too!”

Just then, Noa chimed in late.

There was something important she needed to tell Ulan today. And so, the four of them headed toward the dining hall.

8.

And that night.

After finishing his meal, Ulan returned to his room.

As soon as he stepped in, a cool breeze wafted through. Odd, isn’t it? Just as he thought this, he noticed the half-open window.

“Looks like he went out again.”

He referred to White Wolf.

White Wolf often vanished every night for a stroll. So with a nonchalant face, Ulan flung open the window.

Bang!

Suddenly, a breeze filled with the scent of the woods rushed in.

He leaned against the window and muttered as he patted his sturdy belly.

“Today was an unusually fun time.”

A smile blossomed on his lips.

It was only natural. Tonight’s dinner felt like a precious time for Ulan. The memories from his past life started flooding back.

‘However…’

There was one lingering thought bothering him.

None of the conversations had passed between Ivella and Delia. But he decided it wasn’t worth worrying over.

‘Maybe they just felt awkward.’

They had been like that when they first met, too.

Time would surely ease the discomfort.

Just like it did in his past life.

As he reflected on the earlier events, Ulan’s expression suddenly hardened.

“By the way…”

After finishing dinner, right before he headed back to the dorm, he had heard a cryptic comment from Noa.

“I had a dream about a monster coming out of the Source of Magic. A monster I’ve never seen before.”

At first glance, it seemed like just a dream about a monster. However, the key issue was that it was Noa who had this dream.

This implied it might not be just a dream but a glimpse of the future. Plus, coincidentally, Ulan and Noa were supposed to visit the Source of Magic soon.

‘Understanding and Detection of Magic Flow.’

They were on their way to take the exam overseen by Professor Dirck Ormine. Remembering this, Ulan revisited Noa’s words.

‘A monster never seen before.’

It’s likely an Abyssal Monster.

The Source of Magic was the closest place to the Abyss. Not to mention, he had actually seen an Abyssal Monster in the Northern Forest not long ago.

But there was no need to worry.

Confronting an Abyssal Monster was one of Ulan’s specialties.

‘Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter.’

In his past life, he had taken down countless monsters, skulls scattered like marbles. He could just repeat that same behavior this time.

So, he wasn’t really concerned.

Most importantly, there were more pressing matters to address than worrying about a future that had yet to happen.

“…”

His gaze rested on a thick book.

This tome was over five hundred pages long and was the textbook for “Understanding and Detection of Magic Flow.”

Moreover, this subject was the only one that included a written exam in the midterms.

There was no need to read it all.

Thanks to Noa summarizing the key points for him, but even then, it still came to over seventy pages.

‘There are about ten days left.’

To make it, he needed to read seven pages a day just to get through it once. Ulan took a deep breath and sat at his desk, wearing a serious face.

“…It’s going to be an intense fight.”

Ulan was a warrior. He never shied away from a fight, regardless of the type.

Thus, he stood ready for battle once more.

Moreover, with a resolute determination in his heart, he flipped to the next page of the textbook.

To begin the bloodbath.

9.

Meanwhile, at that very moment.

While Ulan waged war against his textbook, the Northern Forest was steeped in a troubled atmosphere.

It made perfect sense.

Due to the casualties from the Abyss Worshippers’ attack, the investigation team from Arsen Academy had turned the entire forest upside down.

The Darkness of the Night settled heavily on the forest path.

Suddenly, a visitor arrived in the forest.

Stomp, stomp!

A girl with apricot-colored hair strode confidently. She was none other than Diplyn Cernio, the leader of this investigation team.

After wandering for some time, Diplyn finally came to a halt.

The place she arrived at was the edge of the northern outskirts.

“You can come out now.”

Diplyn spoke as if addressing someone.

Shortly after, she was met with the sound of rustling wings, and a crow appeared.

“It’s been a while, Cernio.”

A deep voice rang out.

It was distinctly human speech.

Yet Diplyn looked completely unfazed, her expression calm as she regarded the crow.

“Skip the pleasantries; it’s not like we’re strangers. Let’s get straight to the point.”

Her response was somewhat frosty, which prompted the crow to lower its head in response.

“This incident is regrettable.”

“…”

“However, to make excuses, we couldn’t help it. No matter how much we’re part of the Order, we can’t control all our Worshippers.”

The crow spoke with practiced ease.

Its beak clicked repeatedly as it continued.

“Especially since this ‘Quint’ the magician is notorious for not following the organization’s orders. That’s why…”

“If you can’t manage them, you should dispose of them quickly.”

Diplyn interjected just as the crow was finishing its sentence.

Her eyes turned icy.

“Thanks to your negligence, I almost lost my precious student.”

“I sincerely apologize for that.”

“Is that all? My subordinates died—five of them. Do you know how much time and money it takes to train an Intermediate Mage?”

“…”

The crow shut its beak tight.

It wasn’t until Diplyn’s barrage of reprimands subsided that it dared to speak once more.

“I understand. I will make amends.”

“Amends, you say?”

“Yes, what do you desire?”

As the crow posed its question, Diplyn perked up slightly, as if she had something in mind, yet she responded in a rather cheeky tone.

“Well, honestly, nothing I could ask for would ease my anger, but maybe if you could provide me with top-grade Magic Stones, I might reconsider.”

“Top-grade Magic Stones?”

The crow tilted its head, surprised.

“Weren’t they recently purchased in bulk?”

“Ugh, there’s been a bit of trouble.”

Diplyn frowned, recalling the unfortunate incident that took place in the laboratory at the Source of Magic last month.

But she quickly redirected back to the main topic.

“So, are you going to give them to me, or not?”

“I’ll arrange it. Do you need ten?”

“Are you kidding? Who do you think you’re dealing with? At the very least, I need thirty.”

“That’s too much.”

“It’s not too much. For five Intermediate Mages’ lives, thirty might not even be enough.”

Neither side would budge in the tense negotiation.

Eventually, it was the crow who waved the white flag.

“…Alright, I’ll arrange it.”

“Hmm, sounds good. Then I’ll let this matter slip.”

Diplyn smiled brightly.

But that moment, her expression suddenly changed. She quickly stretched her hand toward the forest.

Fwoosh!

A radiant golden light burst forth.

In an instant, arrows of light shot through the air.

Bang! Bang!

With explosive sounds, the forest was quickly reduced to ruins. The crow, taken aback by this sudden display, questioned,

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“That seemed pretty hostile, though?”

“I just thought I heard someone listening, but it seems like it was my imagination.”

Now that she looked again, there was no sign of anyone present.

Diplyn shrugged her shoulders. Meanwhile, the crow shifted the topic elsewhere.

“By the way, what’s the progress of the ‘experiment’?”

“Preparations are finished. We just have to execute it.”

“When’s the scheduled date?”

“Since the exam period is almost over, I was thinking of the day everyone’s nerves will lighten.”

Perhaps the vague answer didn’t sit well with the crow, as it narrowed its eyes dangerously.

“Give me a specific date.”

“April 30th, Friday.”

With a firm reply, Diplyn added with a smile,

“We plan to begin the fifth experiment on the last day of the midterm period. So, I must insist you send me six top-grade Magic Stones before that.”

“Understood. I’ll deliver them as soon as possible.”

“Great, I’ll be waiting.”

“I’ll contact you again soon.”

After concluding their lengthy conversation, a serious glint lit up the crow’s eyes.

“For the Abyss and the Truth.”

“Yes, for the Truth.”

With that final reply from Diplyn,

Whomp! Crack!

The crow’s body twisted violently.

Then it suddenly burst like a balloon.

Feathers and flesh scattered everywhere. Diplyn left the crow’s corpse behind as she departed the forest.

How much time passed?

From the spot Diplyn had unleashed her magic, thick fog suddenly rose.

Swish!

The fog writhed like a living creature until it finally took shape: a white wolf, complete with snowy fur and sharp claws.

It was White Wolf.

[Grrr!]

White Wolf, who had been watching where Diplyn disappeared, growled ominously before turning back into mist and dissipating.

Shortly afterward, the Northern Forest fell silent again.

As if no one had ever been there.

And as time flowed on,

it was soon the final day of their midterms.

The morning of April 30th arrived.

“`

---