Chapter 108: Opportunity (3) |
Even after receiving a somewhat promise from Luna, time marched on.
Weekends are notorious for flying by quickly, especially when one is cooped up in a room. During that time, I engaged in idle chatter with Rize or read books, making sure not to neglect broadening my knowledge.
A message came through in the middle of it all, indicating the end of my confinement, but it was already evening, so it hardly mattered.
‘I wonder if this will just slide?'
As soon as morning arrived, I finished all my class preparations and headed to the lecture hall.
The familiar scenery and situation made me doubt if such an incident had even occurred, given the peace that surrounded me.
Would Grace attend the class? The mental shock from almost becoming a victim of a dangerous incident was not minor.
Missing class would be a perfectly valid excuse given the circumstances, not to mention the ripple effects.
Despite everything, Grace is a high-ranking noble's child. She was bound to be the subject of rumors.
Being the subject of rumors, especially in a negative light, is bound to be nerve-wracking.
In Soul World, Grace's mental fortitude isn't particularly strong. She's just an average person.
You might wonder why a ducal heiress would have an average mentality, but that's in ‘politics.' As a ‘person,' she's average.
She can handle her name being tossed around in political issues, but personal ones are a different story.
‘I hope she finds the strength to bounce back.'
Thankfully, once she's up, she's all in. Her recovery speed is quite fast, given her fragile mentality.
My role is simply to escort her until then. Probably, I'll explain the escort situation to her after today's classes.
Grace is too good a character to exit the stage just yet. She plays a significant role in future events.
Ultimately, her recovery is entirely up to her. Scars may remain, but she'll steadfastly endure.
*Click*
As I pondered over Grace, I arrived at the lecture hall.
The moment I opened the door, the slightly noisy classroom fell silent. The attention turned to me was expected.
I ignored all the reactions, my focus solely on one person.
‘What will Kara say?'
It was Kara. She waved happily at me the moment she saw me.
Despite her typically sullen expression, she seemed genuinely pleased to see me.
Honestly, apart from Luna and me, she hardly interacts with anyone else. My arrival probably brightened her day.
I waved back as I walked over to her, feeling the weight of numerous gazes on me.
"You're back already? I heard you were under confinement."
"Yeah, it ended today."
"It must be the Berche family at work. There were rumors about suspension and all."
"I wouldn't know."
That's beyond me. Probably just one of the many rumors floating around.
The confinement, if you could call it that, was hardly significant, falling over a weekend. It's doubtful if it even went on my record.
Losing points didn't matter to me. At my level, gaining them back is easy.
"And Delphoi, that guy, is he really castrated now? I heard his teeth and jaw were so damaged he'd have to live on soup for life."
"Um… good for him?"
My casual response made Kara chuckle. She seemed to approve of the outcome.
Then, she lightly patted my shoulder in praise.
"Well done. He deserved it. But remember, violence isn’t always the answer. Got it?"
I looked at her, surprised to hear such words from her. Normally, one would expect her to advocate for beating the culprits senseless.
This sort of talk usually comes from someone who's experienced some growth.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Kara seemed oblivious to my thoughts. Blinking her green eyes, she expressed her confusion.
Her mental growth was indeed a positive development. This would likely improve her relationship with Hector.
I guess a response was due. After staring at her for a moment, I finally spoke.
"No."
"Then why were you staring?"
"Just because."
"Typical."
Kara snorted a laugh and pinched my cheek, a sign of familiarity.
Soon after, the door opened, revealing a familiar face. Luna, with her distinctive blonde hair, entered.
She looked the same as always but somehow off. Nothing appeared changed, yet her posture was awkward, possibly from severe muscle soreness.
"Ugh…"
Luna collapsed next to me as if she had just fallen. Similar to last week, yet different.
Kara noticed the change and asked with a puzzled voice.
"Are you okay? You seem worse than last time."
"…"
At Kara's inquiry, Luna slowly lifted her head and shot me a resentful look.
I couldn't help but feel guilty. After all, I had played a prank on her under the guise of improving her flexibility, stretching her legs beyond comfort, and even pushing her back while she was split.
It seems the aftermath was still affecting her today. I'd have to apologize later.
"It's because of Sivar."
"Sivar? What did he do?"
"He's quite mischievous, you know."
"What exactly did he do?"
Kara still looked confused, so I decided to be forthright.
"Exercise."
"Exercise?"
"Yeah. We worked on flexibility. Did leg splits."
"Ah. Flexibility? That's not a bad thing to work on…"
Kara paused mid-sentence and furrowed her brows.
Then, her voice dropped slightly as she asked another question.
"How did you two end up together, anyway? Weren't you under confinement?"
"Saintess Rize allowed it. I had arranged to receive personal training."
"That's well and good, but is it really okay?"
"It seemed okay?"
Luna's clear response implied there was no issue.
Kara appeared slightly annoyed and muttered under her breath.
"So it's come to this…"
It seemed best to let it slide. Getting involved in complicated matters was the last thing I wanted.
Probing further would be rude. I took out a candy from my pocket and popped it into my mouth.
This time, the flavor was grape, courtesy of Kara.
*Click*
As I savored the candy, the door opened again.
Normally, I would have ignored it and lost myself in thought, but something felt off. The atmosphere changed.
My gaze naturally drifted towards the door, and I realized why the mood had shifted.
"Look, over there."
"Oh? She’s here?"
"Really, who else would it be?"
"Is she okay…"
The person everyone was whispering about had long purple hair and a distinctively confident demeanor, sharp eyes adding to her assertive presence.
The main victim and point of interest of the recent incident, Grace, had shown up.
I had assumed she would skip today's class, so her presence was unexpected.
"…"
Despite the hushed room, Grace walked in confidently, her self-assuredness unaffected by her near-victim status in the recent dangerous event.
Soon, she naturally took a seat next to Luna, greeting her with a bright smile.
"Hello, Luna. How was your weekend?"
"Uh… Yes. And yours, Grace…"
Luna started to respond but stopped herself, her expression like someone who had stepped on a landmine.
But Grace, undeterred by the silence, continued to smile and spoke.
"I've been well, thanks to people who've been supportive."
"That's… good to hear."
"Anyway…"
Grace then turned her gaze to me. I met her eyes head-on.
In Soul World, it usually takes her a while to recover her spirits. But right now, she seemed just like the Grace I knew.
Confident and somewhat imperious. What exactly boosted her spirits?
As I harbored such questions, Grace smiled more warmly at me and asked.
"My knight… no, my escort, how did you spend your weekend?"
"What?"
"Escort?"
Both Kara and Luna reacted to Grace's comment. Not just them, but murmurs started around the room as well.
It seemed my role as Grace's escort was still a secret.
This was understandable since it was a personal discussion with Arthur.
"Oh, haven't you heard? Sivar will be my escort for about a month. We've already agreed on this."
"Sivar, is that true?"
"Yeah."
I confirmed simply to Kara's inquiry. Honestly, there was no harm in telling.
This led to mixed reactions from the crowd, clearly baffled by the situation.
"Shouldn't your family provide an escort? Why Sivar?"
Kara was quick to catch on, her voice and expression full of disbelief.
Typically, in such situations, the family would assign a knight. But Grace and the Berche family chose differently, opting for me.
This was far from conventional. I agreed without much thought, but it must seem odd to others.
"There were reasons. Let's just say there were discussions with the Berche family."
"What kind of discussions? You didn't threaten him, did you?"
Was she worried I might have been coerced? Kara looked ready to confront anyone, her expression grim.
If necessary, she seemed prepared to step in, which was somewhat touching.
But contrary to her fears, no coercion was involved. Arthur had only shown commendable behavior.
"It's an interesting notion. But let me ask, what kind of threats do you think would work on Sivar?"
"…"
"Grace and the Berche family proposed the idea, and Sivar accepted. He will also receive training as my escort."
Training was news to me. Moreover, the whole arrangement felt like a dubious contract.
It wasn't just me sensing this; Kara questioned Grace in disbelief.
"Isn't this a bit much? Sivar doesn't know anything. You probably made a request, and he agreed without hesitation, right?"
"Psychological stability was also a factor. You know what happened to me, Kara."
"That's…"
"And Sivar saved me from a crisis. During his time as my escort, he will be compensated while finding solace."
"…"
Every word was indisputable. Kara couldn't protest further after hearing the psychological stability argument.
As a fellow woman, she could empathize with enduring such a horrific ordeal. Pressing further would prick her conscience.
Plus, Kara must understand the magnitude of psychological trauma.
"Alright. A month should be fine. Just don't take away all his personal time, okay?"
"No need to worry. We'll manage."
Grace likely realized making me a true escort would be challenging.
In essence, I was more of a symbolic shield for mental comfort. Besides, there aren't significant events until the finals, barring the occasional hunt for demonic traces. In that case, I could always seek understanding, or Luna might find them herself.
"Uh…"
As the discussion about my escort duties progressed, Luna timidly spoke up.
She had been sidelined, her mouth shut tight until now. As she spoke, all eyes turned her way.
"Does Sivar really need to be by your side?"
Her question was unexpected and out of the blue.
Grace looked puzzled for a moment before kindly explaining.
"Luna, Sivar is my escort. That means he needs to stay by my side for a while."
"But I made a promise with Sivar…"
"What promise?"
Grace's question made Luna turn to me, her expression asking, ‘What's going on?'
But my expression couldn't offer her any answers. She had no idea what I was thinking.
Eventually, Luna clarified the situation with an uneasy look, unlike Grace's composure.
"A promise to learn more about each other?"
"…"
"Anyway, we made that promise."
It wasn't just a bomb; she had detonated a napalm. How could she speak so directly?
Luna wasn't lying. It was just her brutally honest way of speaking.
"That's… I didn't expect this…"
Grace seemed genuinely taken aback. The confidence she radiated had vanished.
Her purple eyes trembled as if shaken by an earthquake, her complexion turning pale. It was pitiable to watch.
"Luna."
"Yes, yes?"
"Explain. In detail. Learning about each other? When?"
Kara wasn't letting it go easily. She looked as if she was about to explode.
She gave off the vibe of being ready to lash out. Luna's eyes widened, and she became increasingly perplexed.
‘She really has a problem with her mouth.'
She's been catching flak left and right. It was time to choose her words carefully.
Otherwise, relations with both Grace and Kara could drastically sour. There was nothing I could do to help.
Clearing up the misunderstanding would require revealing some of their secrets, while leaving it be could lead to trouble.
What would Luna say? I quietly observed, waiting for her to speak.
[Your faith increases!]
Let's ignore the deity munching popcorn for now.
After a tense atmosphere had lingered for a while, Luna blurted out in desperation.
"My parents!"
"What?"
"Huh?"
"I decided to help Sivar find his parents!"
Luna unexpectedly brought up my parents. My parents are doing just fine on Earth, as far as I know.
Just like my confusion, others shared similar reactions. Everyone seemed puzzled by her statement.
"Sivar has been living alone in the wild, but we think he has parents… When we first met, there were no clues about his parents…"
"So, finding his parents was the agreement? And getting to know Sivar in the process?"
"Yes, yes!"
"Hmm."
Kara eyed Luna's not-quite-an-excuse with suspicion. She seemed to be checking for the truth.
Though not entirely accurate, Luna wasn't entirely lying either. For a quick response, it was impressive.
"Alright. I'll trust you for now."
"Well, it's a logical explanation. I've been curious about Sivar's origins too."
"Phew…"
Seeing the mood seemingly pass over, Luna sighed in relief.
Doubts hadn't entirely dissipated. They would likely keep an eye on the situation.
‘It seems a bit of an overreaction.'
I decided to stay back and just observe. Getting involved would only invite unnecessary complications.
"Sivar."
"?"
Grace called out to me. I turned towards her, filled with questions.
She extended her index finger in a gesture of caution.
"As you saw, double agreements are strictly forbidden. They can break trust and lead to awkward situations. Promises, especially contracts, are very important in civilized society."
"She's right. It's a good time to learn. Careless agreements can lead to trouble."
Following Grace, Kara spoke up. She smirked, then casually draped an arm around my shoulder.
Leaning in, she shared her advice with warmth.
"I mentioned before, but if you ever get scammed, come to me. I'll set them straight."
"Scammed?"
"Yeah. Scam. Deceiving or tricking you, that kind of thing."
A beating should suffice, I thought.
"Don't think about beating them up. That kind of approach only backfires."
"How did you know?"
"There are ways to find out."
Kara responded to my surprised question with a grin, pinching my cheek. Her smile was always refreshing.
"Kara? In cases like scams, we can intervene first."
"Trying to meddle in personal matters? He should learn to stand on his own."
"The Berche family officially named him as my escort. If that happens…"
Again they argue. I just quietly watched from a distance.
As for Luna… well, she was face-down on the desk. Physically and mentally exhausted, no doubt.
"I want to go home…"
Seeing her struggle, I patted her back in consolation.
