thenovelthief Chapter 108: Opportunity (3)
Chapter 108: Opportunity (3)
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.
‘This must be quite stressful for her.'
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?"
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.