Chapter 363 - Acceptance
As the girl who kidnapped Irina was fighting with Astron and keeping her life on the line, naturally, she wasn't able to keep the restrictions that sealed Irina's mana.
And because of that, even while Irina was unconscious, her body gradually recovered the mana it lacked. After all, before everything, Irina was a member of the Emberheart Household, and she was a prominent mage.
Her body had the innate abilities that were related to mana. Starting from mana recovery to mana integration, everything was engraved in her genes to some point.
Therefore, she easily recovered from the state of mana exhaustion, and her body returned to its supernatural nature.
And because of her fast recovery speed, Irina was able to wake up from her unconscious state thanks to the loud voices of things exploding and clashing.
After all, even though she was yet to be completely aware, she was in the fighting stage.
"It is such a pity….But don't worry, you will make a fine meal for dogs."
Then she heard a chilly, cold voice entering her ears. The voice was familiar, a voice that she had heard a lot of times after entering the academy. The voice that she somehow grew fond of, even if she wanted to refuse.
–SPURT!
"AAAAAAARGHK!"
However, that same voice was accompanied by a voice of something exploding, seemingly a fleshy texture. Though Irina was not a close combatant and she rather burned things, she had witnessed different students fighting with monsters. Thus, her brain naturally registered the voice as flesh exploding.
However, she was still feeling a little stiff. It was like her brain wasn't completely awake, which was to be expected from her previous state since her body was deprived of mana for a while, and she was about to be subjected to a ritual.
"Hmm….Astron?"
Thus, with effort, Irina tried to rise from her prone position, but her muscles felt heavy and unresponsive. But as she struggled to push herself up, her body betrayed her, and she staggered, her limbs trembling with exhaustion.
THUD!
"Ouch!"
The room spun around her, and she felt herself losing her balance. With a cry of frustration, Irina collapsed back onto the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she fought to overcome the weakness that threatened to consume her.
At that moment, a slightly metallic smell entered her nose. A metallic smell that she had already accustomed to. She had been forced to become accustomed to what would be a correct evaluation.
"Blood?"
Then, her eyes were opened wide from the instant stimuli. Her body and mind, as she had been trained in the Hunter Academy, instantly responded to the situation. The smell of blood, as well as the previous situation she was in, made her alert.
Though it was a bit late for a possibly fatal situation, she couldn't help it since her mind was still disoriented.
With a surge of adrenaline, Irina forced herself to stand despite the weakness coursing through her body. The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, heightening her senses and sharpening her focus.
Panic gnawed at her insides as she frantically searched for any sign of Astron.
"Astron!" she called out, her voice trembling with urgency. But to her dismay, there was no response. Dread crept into her heart as she considered the possibility that something had happened to him in the midst of the chaos.
Before she could dwell on her fears, a voice suddenly spoke from the shadows, cutting through the tension like a knife.
"Why are you shouting out of nowhere?" the same familiar voice said, its tone flat but somehow sounding warm now.
Irina's head snapped in the direction of the voice, her eyes widening in surprise and then returning to their normal state.
As Irina's gaze darted toward the source of the voice, her eyes caught sight of Astron standing in the shadows; his figure illuminated faintly by the dim light filtering into the room. He leaned casually against the wall, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp and alert, fixed on her with his characteristic gaze.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Irina took in the sight of Astron, his presence both reassuring and disconcerting at the same time. Despite the chaos and danger that had just been surrounding them, he remained calm and composed, exuding an air of quiet confidence that Irina found oddly comforting.
'So, he finished her already.'
It was evident that, with how leisurely he was acting, the blood didn't belong to him, and that meant the fight was over.
'That was expected from him, I guess? But, still this bastard…..He is getting on my nerves with this look.'
Yet she was annoyed. Even if he came to her when she needed him or even if she dealt with whoever this demon contractor was, she was annoyed with him.
The things he said were still lingering in her head after all, and she had no intention of forgetting them.
"It seems thinking about your safety was wrong, my bad," Irina retorted, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Next time, I won't care about you."
Her words carried a sharp edge laced with a hint of resentment. Despite her attempt to mask her true feelings, she couldn't help but let her frustration seep through.
After all, Astron's cavalier attitude and dismissive remarks had left a bitter taste in her mouth, and she was not about to let him off the hook so easily.
Astron's gaze remained steady as he met Irina's defiant stare, his expression unreadable as he listened to her biting retort. Despite her attempt to mask her frustration, Astron could sense the underlying tension in her words, the bitterness that lingered beneath the surface.
"Perhaps you should worry less about me and focus on your own safety," Astron countered, his voice calm but tinged with a hint of mockery. "After all, it was you who got captured by a demon follower and sent a rescue signal, not me."
His words hung in the air, carrying a weight of truth that Irina couldn't deny. Astron's pointed reminder served as a stark reminder of her own vulnerability, a fact that she was reluctant to acknowledge.
Irina fell silent at Astron's words, her retort dying on her lips as she grappled with the uncomfortable truth they contained.
'He….He is right…'
Despite her pride and stubbornness, she couldn't deny the validity of Astron's words. He was right—she had been reckless, and it had nearly cost her dearly.
'I shouldn't have been careless.'
For a moment, Irina wrestled with her pride and her desire to save face, but ultimately, she knew that Astron's words held merit.
She really knew that she needed to concede defeat, yet she didn't want to.
'Even if that is the case, it was because I was angry at this bastard. If not for him, I wouldn't do such a thing.'
Even though she knew she was being unreasonable, so what? Who was he to tell her that she was in the wrong? After all, wasn't she, in his eyes, someone who acted rashly without any thought? Why would he care?
"Whose fault do you think that is?" she shot back, her tone laced with a mixture of frustration and resignation.
Without missing a beat, Astron replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "Of course, it's your own fault," he stated bluntly, his words carrying a hint of reproach. "You got beaten by a rat demon contractor, and then you were captured."
"Ha? If not for the fact that I had exhausted my mana to the maximum, that bitch wouldn't even be able to raise her hand before me. There is no way I would lose."
"See, you are proving exactly my point. You were careless and got yourself captured by a rat demon contractor. There's no one else to blame but yourself."
"Grr..."
In the face of absolute logic, Irina couldn't help but shrink back. She felt like she had been played by him once again. But this time, there was something different. She would normally swayed by this conversation, and then she would lose herself in it, constantly talking.
Even now, she was just about to do that. Considering that she was ready to retort. But, this time, she didn't want to be swayed by him.
Since the knot in her heart grew more and more in his presence. Another thought wormed its way into her mind—a memory she had tried to push aside, but one that now resurfaced with startling clarity.
It was the conversation she had overheard between Astron and Seraphine, the words they had exchanged ringing in her ears like an unwelcome echo.
'He just approached me because I'm the heir of the Emberheart Family, and he is no different than others. It was the stupid me who thought otherwise.'
She thought inwardly, and she couldn't help but feel resentful. This guy, whom she thought knew about her well, was the same as others.
"Why do you care?" So she couldn't contain the anger inside her heart.
"What?"
"I said, why do you care?" Irina repeated the question, her voice slightly shaky. "I am reckless, impulsive, and often act without considering the consequences. My arrogance knows no bounds, and I am quick to dismiss others' opinions if they don't align with my own. Wasn't that true?"
She repeated the same things that he had said to Seraphina about her. At this point, she didn't even want to hide the fact that she was listening to a conversation between him and Seraphina at all.
"Aren't you just looking after me so that you can just keep an eye on me? Wasn't that the reason you approached me?"
At this point, her mana was twirling around her, thanks to her emotions. The penthouse that had just witnessed an intense fight between an academy student and a demon follower was now witnessing the emotional turmoil of one of the strongest freshmen.
With her fists clenched at her sides, Irina approached Astron, her gaze fixed on him with a mixture of defiance and vulnerability. She felt exposed and laid bare before him as she confronted him with her deepest fears and insecurities.
"For you, wasn't I just the heir of Emberhearts, just like for everybody else?" she demanded, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. "Someone you can use?"
As she appeared right before his face, she looked into his eyes. The same purple eyes that always felt like they contained the skies.
The tranquility of the morning sky, sometimes the fieriness of the dawn, and most of the time, the emptiness of the night sky.
She always thought those eyes resembled the cosmos, yet now, as she looked into those eyes, she was unable to get the reaction she had wanted.
"Isn't t-that….true?" Her voice shook in his presence, with her fists slightly reaching down to his chest, pounding it lightly. She didn't know why, yet she couldn't muster any strength at all.
"So what?"
Chapter 364 - Acceptance (2)
There are times when a person may not remember their actions as they were supposed to be. And there is a really simple explanation for that.
We judge other people by their actions, but we judge ourselves with our intentions.
After all, a person would have no way of knowing what their counterpart is thinking since, in general, they don't possess the powers of mind reading. Therefore, they can only see their actions as reference material.
But is it the same for themselves? What does one think when looking at themselves? How do we judge ourselves? The answer to this question itself is a revelation to the human psyche. Most of the criminals don't think they are criminals at all.
A child who is hungry and only wants to fill their stomach wouldn't necessarily think that their actions are stealing when they or they secretly grabs bread from a bakery and runs away. However, in the eyes of an objective observer, those actions are nothing but stealing, even if the world forces them to do the deed.
Therefore, it had always been pretty easy for humans to ignore their own actions and deem themselves as right.
"For you, wasn't I just the heir of Emberhearts, just like for everybody else?"
As Irina asked him this question, those thoughts passed through Astron's head in a split second.
"Someone you can use?"
"Isn't t-that….true?"
Irina was punching his chest, and even if there was no force behind her fists, it was an act of silent protest. She was pouring the resentment she had felt for the whole day; the accumulated feelings needed something to go away.
"So what?"
After a moment of silence, Astron spoke. Somehow, his words contained a slight anger.
"Huh?"
"So what if it was true? What if I had approached you with the intention of using you? Is it wrong?"
The words suddenly spilled out of his mouth, and Irina couldn't raise her head. His eyes now contained a strange emotion that she had never felt from him.
"T-that…."
"Are you any different? Do you remember the first time we entered a dungeon? The time when I was ranked last."
Hearing that, the memory fragments of that time suddenly appeared. Though it wasn't too long ago, somehow, in this short time, she felt like countless different things happened.
"….."
"The time when you thought that I was the weakest, someone who didn't deserve to be on your team? Hadn't you ignored me back then when I showed the intention to talk to you?"
Then, Irina remembered the time when she first saw him.
'Ah...I did that….'
At that time, Irina was a lot more different than now. She got irritated more easily, and she was a lot more fiery than she is now. She also thought highly of herself, thinking that the world needed to serve her. She disliked weak people around her, thinking that they would drag her down.
"Did you not judge me based on the value I would present at that time? Seeing my rank, you just chose to ignore me."
"…."
Irina couldn't retort back against his words, as they were all true. At that time, she really thought he was useless and deemed him not worthy of her attention. This was her own justification since nobody said she needed to talk to him.
"And then, somehow, your perception of me changed because I revealed my talents slowly. You saw how I was able to see in the dark, how I could see the weakness of the monsters. And then, you saw I had a talent for leading. Because I revealed my strength, you didn't have any choice but to acknowledge me."
The more she spoke, the more Irina remembered the past. At that time, she knew she made a mistake while leading, and her decision-making skills weren't enough to be a leader. She was acting rashly and rather moved with her emotions.
Since she had always been strong, she never had the need to think about strategies against enemies, but Salamander was the first time that her strength failed, and she understood the importance of cooperation as a team.
And this guy was the one to show that to her.
'I can't refute him.'
"After that, we did many assignments together, and at the end of the day, you saw my merits more and were moved by that."
Astron said, looking deep into Irina's eyes.
"Do you think we would still be here together if I didn't do all these things? Or, if I didn't have all those talents with me? Do you think you would be talking to me like this right now, or would I be another stranger to you?"
Astron's words hung heavy in the air, each one piercing Irina's defenses and laying bare the truth she had been reluctant to confront. As he spoke, memories of their past interactions flooded her mind, each one a testament to the evolution of their relationship from indifference to reluctant respect.
She couldn't deny the validity of his words, nor could she find any rebuttal to his accusations.
Everything he said was true, and each admission only served to deepen the knot of guilt and shame that twisted within her.
"In any case, I don't want to talk anymore. You can think whatever you want." Astron mumbled as he raised his hand, channeling his mana. Now that he had killed Danielle, things had a chance to get ugly, and Astron would rather prefer that this accident was buried in history.
Thus, he was about to clean the scene.
Unable to meet his gaze, Irina shrank back before his presence, her fists unclenching as the weight of his words pressed down upon her. At that moment, she felt small and insignificant, dwarfed by the magnitude of her own shortcomings.
For the first time, she saw herself through Astron's eyes, and the reflection she saw was not one she was proud of.
She had judged him based on his perceived weaknesses, dismissed him without a second thought, and only deigned to acknowledge him once he had proven his worth.
Though that was her past actions, and she had changed considerably compared to that same past, couldn't he say the same thing?
'He could.'
Maybe he approached her since she was an Emberheart, but now, wasn't he the one who somehow understood her? Who somehow was on her side when she needed it?
'He was.'
When her life was in danger, who came to her side?
'He did. Not once but twice.'
What did he gain from all these things? Even if he approached her because she was the heir of Emberheart, wasn't he different from all other people who did the same?
'He is different.'
Didn't people who approached them with those intentions weren't able to tolerate her personality, and all left her for better people while he didn't do the same?
'He stayed while others left.'
When she was unsure of what she needed to do, who did she think of? Who did she think as an example? Who was the person in the question 'What would he do if he were me?'?
'It was him.'
When they bickered, didn't she enjoy it?
'I did, and I still do.'
When he was hurt, didn't she somehow get agitated? When they did things together, didn't she like his presence? Didn't she find comfort when she was on his side?
'I do. I like to be in his presence. I like to listen to him, and I enjoy it when he somehow speaks in a manner that makes me think he is a philosopher.'
Why did she need to think about the reason why he approached her? Had he once ever shown her that the reason he approached her was because she was an Emberheart?
'He didn't. Even if I didn't hear the words he spoke at that time, I would have never known.'
Irina knew the answer to all those questions that she had asked herself.
But then, another important question suddenly appeared in her mind.
Would all these moments they had spent can be thrown off just by mere words? Could she really do it? Did she have the right to do so? Wouldn't it be unfair?
"You must never judge people based on their words, but based on their actions. Actions always speak louder than mere words."
Even if she hated 'that woman,' Irina knew there was wisdom in her words. As she looked at him efficiently cleaning the penthouse with his 「Telekinesis」, her heart tightened.
At that moment, after asking all these questions to herself, Irina knew one thing.
'I like him. I like this bastard...'
There was no coming back from that.
'No matter what, I can't let go of him at all.'
She knew why her heart tightened this much, even at the thought of letting him go. She knew why his words hurt so much to the extent that she couldn't even breathe.
'Inwardly, I feared that he would really go to Seraphina. Inwardly, I thought she was better than me, and I was scared that I would lose another one once again.'
As she looked at his back, she couldn't help but realize she needed to act.
After all this time they had spent together, Irina was very well aware of what kind of person he was.
Even if there was a possibility that he was using her and he had ulterior motives, to Irina, he had already become an existence that couldn't be given up.
'That is right.'
And, if she knew her well, once he left, things would never return to being the same. Knowing him, he would put the distance between them.
He would get away like a scared cat.
Even if these things hadn't happened, Irina somehow felt like so.
Therefore, Irina knew there was only one thing she needed to do.
TUCK!
Her hand moved in the dimly lit darkness of the penthouse.
With trembling hands, Irina reached out, her fingers brushing against the fabric of his clothes as she summoned the courage to speak. Her voice was barely a whisper, a mere echo in the vast emptiness of the room.
"I-I am sorry," she mumbled, her words barely audible even to herself. "I was stupid and rash... I judged you based on... things I shouldn't have."
Her apology was late. Far later than how it should have been. But it was an apology.
At that moment, Irina felt small and vulnerable; her pride was stripped away by the raw honesty of her confession.
TIGHTEN!
Her hands, grabbing his clothes, tightened.
For a brief moment, there was silence between them, broken only by the sound of Astron's telekinetic abilities at work. Irina's heart pounded in her chest as she waited for his response. Her breath caught in her throat, and she braced herself for whatever came next.
But then, something unexpected happened. Astron paused in his task, turning to face her with an unreadable expression in his eyes. There was a flicker of surprise in his gaze as if he hadn't expected her to apologize.
"You…." He mumbled. "I never thought the Irina Emberheart would do that."
Irina continued to look deep into his eyes, feeling a little lost in them.
"The Irina of the past wouldn't do that. But, I did change."
'You changed me. It was all thanks to you, all because of you who showed me my own shortcomings, who understood me more than my own family, my own friends.'
Hearing this, Astron nodded.
"You really did."
There was a serenity in his eyes. Somehow, his words sent a shiver down her spine as her face turned red. Yet, Irina, who was feeling like this for the first time in her life, didn't know what to do.
"It is not like I did this because of you or anything."
She could only act like how she always did.
Chapter 365 - Acceptance (3)
"You really did."
As soon as the words left his lips, Irina felt a surge of embarrassment wash over her.
It was as if a veil had been lifted, and she suddenly found herself exposed, her vulnerability laid bare for Astron to see.
Quickly regaining her composure, Irina straightened her posture and smoothed out the creases in her clothes. She couldn't afford to appear weak or vulnerable, not now, not in front of him.
"It's not like I did this because of you or anything," she muttered, her tone defensive as she retreated back into her usual confident facade.
But even as she spoke, Irina couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort that lingered in the pit of her stomach. It was as if a seed had been planted, one that threatened to take root and grow into something much larger.
"….You really are something…." Astron mumbled, shaking his head.
'It is just like Irina's thing to say.' He muttered inwardly.
With a sudden clarity of moment, Irina remembered the words Astron had spoken to Seraphina about her, the doubts and insecurities he had voiced.
-Irina and I have a history, but that doesn't mean I condone her actions. Sometimes, it's easier to keep someone close to keep an eye on them rather than risk them causing trouble elsewhere.
'You bastard…Do you think you can keep an eye on me with your skills? This punk thinks I am some sort of pushover because he is smart? Do you think I am the same as those other people you see across the academy, huh?'
This time, instead of feeling hurt or betrayed by his words, Irina felt something else stir within her—a sense of determination and a desire to prove him wrong.
Whether this was because she had already resolved the insecurities in her heart or because she had resolved this feeling inside her, she didn't know the answer. But one thing was clear.
From now on, she will need to be active. She couldn't keep getting pushed around by him.
'And that time with Sylvie….'
Remembering the time when they were doing the assignment together, Irina narrowed her eyes.
With renewed purpose, Irina met Astron's gaze head-on, her eyes flashing with a newfound determination. She may have apologized for her past actions, but she refused to let them define her any longer.
"Hey."
"What?"
"Do you remember what you said?"
"What do you mean?"
"The fact that you are looking after me like I am some sort of a child?"
"Isn't it what I exactly do? Aren't you basically a problem child who wants to burn everything?"
"Tsk. Do you think you have the capabilities to say that?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"I mean what I said, you punk. What makes you think that you have the capability to look after me like I am a child?"
"…."
As Astron fell silent, Irina's words hung in the air like a challenge, daring him to respond. She could feel the tension crackling between them, a silent battle of wills playing out in the dimly lit penthouse.
For a moment, Astron seemed taken aback by her boldness, his expression unreadable as he processed her words. But then, a flicker of amusement danced in his eyes. Irina, with her family with him, could differentiate that little spark since this guy never revealed excessive facial expressions.
"Are you questioning my capabilities, Irina Emberheart?" he retorted, his voice tinged with mock offense. "Last time I checked, I've managed to keep you out of trouble, haven't I?"
Irina's eyes narrowed at his response, a defiant spark igniting within her. She refused to back down, not now, not ever.
"Keeping me out of trouble?" she scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "More like getting in the way of my plans and slowing me down."
Astron scoffed, his gaze never leaving hers as they engaged in their familiar banter.
Despite the tension between them, there was a sense of camaraderie underlying their verbal sparring, a mutual understanding that transcended their differences.
"Do you think I am holding you back?"
"You are not?"
"Do you have a fish memory or something? Did you forget that I was the one who brought us the extra point in the Phantom's Land assignment?"
"I do. But I could do it without you; it was just that you found it earlier than me, so I didn't have the chance to do so."
To be frank, Irina was very well aware that it was thanks to him that they were able to find the location, but she would most likely have been unable to find the correct answer. But, whatever the case was, right now, she wanted to pick upon him.
After all, even if she had sorted her thoughts, the resentment of him talking behind her back like that still lingered.
Astron narrowed his eyes at Irina's retort, a hint of exasperation creeping into his expression. "You're delusional," he stated bluntly, his voice tinged with annoyance.
Irina's jaw clenched at his words, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. She refused to let him dismiss her so easily. "Delusional or not, we have no way of confirming it," she shot back, her tone defiant. "So, it's just your opinion against mine."
Astron nodded. "Funny how most people with delusions tend to use that argument a lot," he remarked. "Several people claim that if they were given the opportunity of the best, they would be the best as well. Yet, with such mentality, they forget they will never be."
Irina bristled at his comment, her cheeks flushing with indignation. "I am not delusional!" she insisted, her voice rising slightly. "I just refuse to accept your narrow-minded perspective."
"If you think I am narrow-minded, you really must have never seen the real world." Astron retorted but then nodded his head. "Well, considering you were raised like a princess, I guess that is the case?"
His mockery was evident, but the conversation had gone in the direction that Irina wanted. Even though, in the corner of her mind, Irina felt like Astron was knowingly going along with it, she didn't have the desire to lose this opportunity.
"Then, should we prove it?"
"Ho? Prove it?"
Irina's eyes gleamed with determination as she met Astron's gaze head-on. "Yes, let's prove it," she declared, her voice steady despite the simmering tension between them. "Let's see who can get a better grade in the finals."
"You want to measure who is better by checking the grades?"
"Yes. Why? Are you scared?"
"….." Astron stopped his movements as his eyes met with Irina.
Seeing that, Irina's heart skipped a beat. Those eyes that she felt like she could lose herself within them had never felt this vast before.
"Do you think I care what you think about me?"
"It is funny how scared people tend to say that a lot," Irina smirked, somehow feeling like she had won using his own words against him.
"….You really don't believe I am scared, do you?"
"From how it looks from here, you seem so?"
"…."
Astron's gaze lingered on Irina for a moment longer before he turned away, his movements fluid and controlled. "You're free to think whatever you want," he replied nonchalantly as he began to walk away.
But Irina wasn't ready to let the conversation end just yet. "Wait," she called out, her voice firm. "Let's make a bet."
Knowing him, Irina was already aware that he wouldn't care about a mere opinion. Therefore, he could only be swayed by materialistic things.
Astron paused, glancing back at her with a curious expression. "A bet?"
Irina nodded, her confidence unwavering. "Yes, a bet. If I get a better grade than you in the finals, you have to comply with my request."
Irina was already aware that the request right she had gotten from him was used when she faced the demon contractor. Even if there was no verbal verification, inside her head it was already used. Her pride wouldn't allow her life to be saved freely.
"What is that request?"
"You are going to follow me for one whole week. You will be my escort."
This was her intention from the start. The moment she had confirmed her feelings, she already knew that she needed to be more proactive, or this guy could get stolen by someone.
Astron's lips twitched hearing this. "And if I get a better grade than you?" he asked, his tone laced with amusement. "It better be equal to one week of my time. I am not a cheap person to hire."
Irina's smirk widened. "I will let you enter our family's armory and get an artifact from there once. And, I will swear that I will never talk about secret matters regarding you, no matter what."
She had already no intention of talking about Astron's secrets. But, knowing him, he would never refuse such a guarantee with his cautious personality.
Therefore, Irina used this to increase his chances of accepting it.
Astron raised an eyebrow, his gaze narrowing slightly as he studied Irina's expression. "Are you telling the truth?" he asked, his voice betraying a hint of skepticism.
Irina met his gaze head-on, her eyes shining with determination. "Of course, I'm telling the truth," she replied, her voice steady. "Do you think being the heir of the family is a joke? I have the authority to enter the family's armory, of course."
Astron raised his head. "You must be really sure that you'll win to propose such a deal," he remarked, a hint of 'admiration' in his tone.
Irina smirked confidently. "Of course," she replied, her voice dripping with confidence.
Astron shook his head, a mixture of amusement and exasperation crossing his features. "Some people really don't know the world," he muttered under his breath.
Taking a step towards Irina, Astron loomed over her slightly, his presence overwhelming.
Despite the difference in their heights, Irina refused to back down, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination.
"Just because I am going easy on others, you seem to think I am weak."
"Everyone can say they are going easy on others. Swindlers do that all the time."
"Then how do you plan to proceed? You should already know that I don't want to stand out too much."
"I know."
"Then?"
"It is pretty simple and sound." Irina looked into his eyes. "Since you were that good last time, we should compete in the hardest test, right? [Introduction to Mana Theory]."
"Deal."
"Heh."
Irina was happy.
Chapter 366 - Acceptance (4)
Everything in this world needs to follow a tradition of reason. But, there are times when one loses that, and then it eventually becomes something that could bite them out.
As Astron had accepted Irina's proposal of competition, the atmosphere returned to normal. Irina, who had just been saved by him, looked at the penthouse.
Because of the explosions that Danielle caused, several things inside the penthouse were blasted off across the place.
Seeing those traces, suddenly Irina realized something.
'Explosions? The academy should be alerted?'
Even though Irina had no idea where they were, she knew that the explosions would alert the authorities. The reason for that?
Because of the death of the girl who kidnapped her, the artifacts that were concealing their presence would also be removed. That was the basic premise. And if that were the case, wouldn't the academy that would be monitoring everything inside be aware of it?
They would. But, well, since they didn't do anything wrong, they wouldn't be accused of something.
"By the way, where are we?" Irina asked, looking around.
As Irina surveyed the place, her eyes fell upon the scattered remnants of the cleaning equipment, now broken and abandoned amidst the aftermath of the chaos. Puddles of spilled liquids shimmered on the floor, evidence of the recent struggle that had taken place.
"We're in the penthouse," Astron replied, his voice echoing faintly in the silent space.
Of course, it was easy to see with the evidence, but she wasn't asking him the obvious.
"Penthouse? Penthouse of which building?"
"Girl's dormitory."
However, she felt like she heard something wrong.
"….Huh? What did you say?"
"It is one of the girl's dormitory building's penthouse."
This guy said that this place belonged to the girl's dormitories. That meant the demon contractor girl was hiding her acts under the academy's nose.
'How did she manage to even hide everything?'
Irina questioned, but then she remembered another thing.
This bastard was a man. A guy. And if the authorities were alerted, then they would be coming here.
"You! What are you doing, hurry up and leave." Irina shouted, signaling him.
"Why?"
"Because this is a girl's dormitory. Do you want to be labeled as a pervert?"
"…."
Astron fell silent for a second, hearing Irina's words. But then he shook his head with a sigh. "Don't you think it is kind of stupid to say after saying all those things to me and wasting my time here?"
Irina was momentarily left speechless by Astron's response, her mind reeling from his blunt words. But as his reasoning sank in, a surge of frustration coursed through her veins.
"This is exactly why you need to hurry up and leave!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with irritation. "You don't have much time left before someone comes!"
Astron regarded her with a calm expression, his demeanor unwavering despite her agitation. "You're still inexperienced, aren't you?" he remarked, his tone gentle yet firm. "Do you think the academy would respond this late if they were alerted? If they knew, they would have been here already."
Irina's eyes widened as his words struck home, realization dawning upon her like a bolt of lightning. She had been so caught up in her own panic that she had failed to consider the possibility that the academy might not have been aware of the situation at all.
And it was very highly likely that this guy was already prepared for such a case. There was no way he wouldn't after all. He was such a cautious guy.
'But, he could have just told me.'
Feeling a mix of embarrassment and resentment, Irina glanced away, unable to meet Astron's gaze.
"Why not just tell me?"
"I thought you could easily understand this. Aren't you the great Irina Emberheart?"
"You! Wait the next time! I will get you!"
"Yeah, yeah."
Astron waved his hand and then slowly moved toward the place that caught his attention. There was a small black dot on the wall,
As Astron approached the small black dot on the wall, he felt a sense of unease wash over him. Though the dot remained motionless, its presence seemed to emanate an eerie energy that made his heart beat faster, albeit faintly.
He hesitated for a moment, his instincts urging him to tread carefully. Whatever this dot was, it was clear that it held some significance, and Astron couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow connected to the demon contractor.
With a cautious hand, Astron reached out and lightly touched the dot, his fingers brushing against the smooth surface of the wall. But as he made contact, a chill ran down his spine, sending shivers through his body.
"What are you doing?"
"Wait."
'This definitely contains demonic energy. There is no doubt about that. Then, maybe?'
The dot didn't move or react in any way, but Astron knew the method for that.
With a quick judgment, Astron made his way over to where Danielle's lifeless body lay, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew that whatever secrets lay hidden within the penthouse were somehow connected to her, and he knew that she was using this place as an operation base.
SLASH!
Ruthlessly, he drew his dagger and swiftly cut off Danielle's index finger, ignoring the gruesome task at hand. Gripping the severed digit tightly, he returned to the mysterious dot on the wall.
With a steady hand, Astron pushed Danielle's finger into the dot, expecting some kind of reaction. But to his dismay, the dot remained motionless as if mocking his efforts.
But then Astron realized his mistake.
'Yeah, I should have checked better.'
The finger he had chosen was too thin, and he had overlooked the angle of the previous touch. He activated his [Perceptive Insight] and saw the surface of the dot a little better, realizing that the dot was touching the thumb of his left hand.
Without hesitation, Astron returned to Danielle's body and severed her thumb from her other hand, his movements swift and decisive. Clutching the severed digit tightly, he made his way back to the wall, his determination unyielding.
This time, as Astron pushed Danielle's thumb into the dot, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his veins. The dot quivered slightly as if awakening from a slumber before suddenly enveloping Danielle's hand in a pulsating mass of flesh.
Astron watched as the dot expanded, spreading across the entire wall like a living organism.
With a silent roar, the wall crumbled into a lump of flesh on the ground, revealing a hidden segment of the room that had been concealed from view.
"What?" Irina was the first one to react. She had been watching everything from the side, wondering what this guy was doing now. But never had she expected something to happen. She hadn't even noticed the black dot on the wall.
She, Irina Emberheart, the third-ranked student of the academy, a prominent fire mage with strong mana senses, failed to notice that dot. That meant its stealth skills were quite high.
To see that he easily saw this from that distance was remarkable, and Irina once again witnessed how he could find these types of things easily.
It was like he was a living scanner. But aside from that, the fact that he easily found the method of entrance to that was a lot more interesting, though it looked abruptly simple.
"This is…."
However, the scene that had just appeared right before her eyes somehow made her want to vomit.
As the hidden segment of the penthouse revealed itself, the sight that greeted Astron and Irina was nothing short of horrifying. The interior scene was disturbing beyond imagination.
Lumps of flesh were scattered around the room, each one pinned to the wall in a grotesque display. The wall was categorized, with one segment featuring arms, another leg, and so on. It was as if the room itself was a macabre gallery of human anatomy.
Every body part was thin and pale-skinned, unmistakably belonging to girls. The realization sent a shiver down Irina's spine, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
'I would be in the same condition if he hadn't come.'
But the most disturbing sight of all was the heads that hung from the ceiling, suspended by chains. Each head was missing its eyes, the empty sockets staring blankly into the room, devoid of life.
Irina's hand flew to her mouth in horror as she took in the gruesome scene before her. The stench of decay hung heavy in the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood.
"What...what is this?" she whispered, her voice barely above a horrified whisper.
Astron remained silent, his gaze fixed on the macabre display. His mind raced, and after looking at the heads, he put the pieces together in an instant.
At least, he had acted like he made so since Irina was looking at her. However, he was way too long aware of what had happened there.
Slowly, he turned to Irina, his expression grave. "Considering that most demon contractors are twisted individuals, this is not surprising." He mumbled. "They all should be Danielle's previous victims."
'Danielle? Ah, right? This girl was familiar, so it was her.'
Irina found the name unfamiliar at first, but then she remembered who it was. But the main focus wasn't on her identity.
The fact that, there were at least five students whose heads were hanging down from the ceiling made it very disturbing. And what was more disturbing was how easily this demon contractor operated in the academy.
She even had a special operating room on her own, right in the noses of the academy.
"Aliya Shaw."
At that moment, Irina heard Astron mumbling as his gaze was locked on the girl who was missing her eyes now.
"Do you know her?"
"I partially do. She was one of my sparring partners first."
His gaze, looking at the lifeless head, was cold without any emotion. He somehow looked 'used' to it, though Irina dismissed that idea, thinking that her mentality was on the verge of collapsing.
"At the end, we need to report this to the academy."
Astron said, looking at Irina.
"Ah…Right."
And she understood the assignment. After all, this guy wanted to lay low; thus, only she could report what happened here, and naturally, she would be the one who had defeated the demon contractor.
"You should burn the corpse until nothing remains."
"That…."
Even though the act itself felt disturbing to Irina, after seeing the heads hanging from the ceiling and the body parts that were dismantled, she narrowed her eyes.
"I will do it."
After all, if not for Astron, who came to rescue her, she would be sharing the same fate.
'These kinds of people….They don't even deserve a proper burial. They will rather pollute the earth.'
She thought, slowly moving.
FOOSH!
And in the penthouse, the flames swirled.
Chapter 367 - Acceptance [Interlude] (5)
Irina stood before Eleanor, her amber eyes meeting the instructor's gaze with a calm demeanor. Despite the weight of the recent events bearing down on her, she remained composed, ready to navigate the delicate conversation ahead.
Eleanor's piercing gaze seemed to scrutinize Irina, searching for any signs of deception or evasion. The instructor was known for her keen intuition, and Irina knew she had to tread carefully to maintain her facade.
"You seem to be associated with a lot of events recently," Eleanor remarked, her tone measured yet probing.
Irina nodded subtly, acknowledging the observation. "Yes, there have been... unforeseen circumstances that required my attention."
Eleanor raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism evident in her expression. "Unforeseen circumstances?" she repeated, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Irina, I trust you understand the importance of transparency, especially in matters concerning the safety of our academy and its students."
With the recent events that had already shaken the trust in the academy, the policies for the students had been changed.
The students were no longer allowed to leave the campus until the end of the semester, and the curfew times were more stricter now.
Previously, there were some students who would train at night, but this was no longer applicable since the attacks at night.
The entertainment locations were all shut down as well.
Irina maintained her calm exterior, offering a reassuring smile. "Of course, Instructor Eleanor. Allow me to clarify."
With careful precision, Irina began to recount the events that had transpired in the penthouse or the things before that, carefully omitting any mention of Astron's involvement.
She first explained that she had trained herself too hard and put herself into a mana-exhausted state. Then, upon leaving the training grounds, she was captured by the demon contractor and was unable to resist her thanks to the state she was in.
After that, she described how the demon contractor had taken her to a room and attempted to perform a ritual on her, trying to steal her powers. However, the girl overlooked an artifact that was hidden on her body, and by utilizing that artifact, Irina was able to escape the imprisonment of the demon contractor and gain access to her mana once again; she had defeated the demon contractor.
This was the story that she came up with since the academy would clearly see the signs of her getting captured if they checked the footage. Therefore, her story needed to meet the real proofs as well.
After that, she described how she had stumbled upon the hidden segment of the room and discovered the gruesome scene within.
"It was a harrowing experience," Irina admitted, her voice steady. "But I knew I had to act swiftly to ensure the safety of our fellow students, as well as myself."
Eleanor listened intently, her expression unreadable as she absorbed Irina's account. The instructor was known for her astuteness, and Irina could sense the weight of her scrutiny.
"And you were able to handle the situation on your own?" Eleanor inquired, her tone neutral yet probing. She seemed still suspect that Irina was able to escape the state of imprisonment on her own.
After all, according to the story she told, the demon contractor made a grave mistake by not checking her properly, which somehow contradicted how they had never found the traces of that girl.
However, Irina was already expecting that as well, and there was a special card she could play in times like this.
Irina nodded, her confidence unwavering. "Of course, instructor. Do you take the Emberheart Family lightly? I can deal with hundreds of such demon contractors alone."
The card was her lineage, of course. No matter how strong Eleanor was, at the end of the day, in the face of the Emberheart Family, she would need to concede.
Eleanor regarded Irina for a moment longer, her gaze lingering thoughtfully. "Very well, Student Irina. I commend your bravery and resourcefulness in the face of danger. It is clear that you are a credit to our academy."
A sense of relief washed over Irina, grateful that her explanation had been accepted without suspicion.
She offered a respectful nod to Eleanor, masking any lingering unease beneath a facade of gratitude.
"Thank you, Instructor Eleanor," Irina replied earnestly. "I am honored to serve our academy in any way I can."
"…." Eleanor didn't reply for a little while, and then she gestured to Irina that everything was finished. "You are dismissed. The academy will contact you back once we finish our investigations."
"Understood, instructor."
As Irina left the office, she smiled heartily as if things had gone smoothly.
TAK!
As the door closed, Eleanor, who had been watching her retreating figure, narrowed her eyes.
"This feeling." She mumbled to herself, looking at the submitted report. "Even though student Irina had said it was thanks to her artifact, we have no records of an artifact that helps one recover from their mana-exhausted state. And most importantly, the fact that she was able to find the hidden segment…"
She muttered to herself, yet she leaned on her back, raising her gaze to the ceiling.
"Sigh….Regardless of how it is, the academy will most likely seal the case with this. Since further doubting the report has the possibility of angering Emberheart, the academy can't afford to lose the support of one of the Pentagon."
Thinking to herself, she closed the hem of the report and dialed a number from her smartwatch.
"Headmaster."
In any case, the consolidation of the parents of the victims was the headmaster's problem, at least.
And she also needed to interrogate the close friends of the culprit. After all, there was a chance that they were also related to demon contractors.
Looking at the two girls shown on the list, she shook her head.
*******
Sylvie and Jasmine had just left the presence of their stern instructor, Eleanor. But what they never expected was the news that they had just heard.
"It is insane," Jasmine mumbled to herself, her eyes still wide with disbelief. "To think that Danielle was a demon contractor all this time."
Sylvie was no different. Her mind also reeled as she tried to process the shocking revelation about Danielle. She glanced at Jasmine, noticing the disbelief etched on her friend's face mirrored her own feelings.
"Yeah….Danielle….Demon Contractor?" Sylvie whispered, her voice barely audible above the hum of the cafeteria.
Even though Sylvie had been getting negative vibes from Danielle for a while since she had awakened her talent, she didn't expect that Danielle was a demon contractor all this time.
A demon contractor and the culprit behind the disappearance of the five girls.
Jasmine shook her head, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. "I can't believe it. We've known her for all semester, and she's been hiding something like this all along?"
Sylvie nodded slowly, her thoughts racing. "But how? And why?"
"I don't know," Jasmine replied, her voice tinged with frustration. "But it explains a lot. Her sudden disappearances, the mysterious meetings... it all makes sense now."
Looking back at it, Danielle had many times invited Jasmine and Sylvie to different places, and somehow, something warned her whenever that happened.
It was an instinctual reaction for her to refuse, but maybe her dormant powers were already warning her from the start.
Sylvie's brow furrowed as she considered the implications of Danielle's secret. "Do you think she was involved in the recent attacks?"
Maybe there was a chance that Danielle was the masked person behind the attacks on Seniors. With her strength as a demon contractor, it looked possible for her to do such a thing.
"It's possible," Jasmine admitted, her tone grim. "But we can't jump to conclusions. We need to find out more before we can assume such a thing. Though, I doubt we can find anything more since she is dead."
Sylvie nodded in agreement, her mind hardly accepting that Danielle was no longer in this world. She had already seen too much for the whole semester, but this was a whole different thing.
After all, she still remembered all the talks they had, all the moments they spent together. Even though Danielle was a bit different, her presence somehow lightened the mood around her.
As Sylvie and Jasmine processed the shocking news about Danielle, a heavy silence settled between them. The weight of the revelation hung in the air, overshadowing their usual banter and camaraderie.
"Yeah… it's hard to believe," Sylvie murmured, her gaze distant as she grappled with the truth.
Jasmine sighed, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "I guess we'll never really know what was going on in her mind."
The realization that Danielle was no longer alive added another layer of complexity to the situation. It was as if a door had been closed, leaving behind unanswered questions and unresolved emotions.
But despite the turmoil swirling within them, Sylvie and Jasmine knew they couldn't afford to dwell on the matter any longer. With final exams looming on the horizon, they needed to focus on their studies and prepare themselves for the challenges ahead.
"We should get back to studying," Jasmine said, her voice firm and determined. "We can't let this distract us. You know the finals are approaching, and not much time is left."
Sylvie nodded in agreement, pushing aside her thoughts about Danielle for the time being. "You're right. Let's head to the library and make the most out of our study session."
As they gathered their belongings and prepared to leave the cafeteria, Jasmine suddenly raised her head, a curious glint in her eyes.
"Hey, Sylvie," she began, her voice tinged with mischief. "Are you going to meet 'him' today as well?"
Sylvie's cheeks flushed a little at the mention of 'him,' her mind racing to catch up with Jasmine's implication. But then, it had returned to its normal state. After all, she had been accustomed to it already.
Today was indeed the day of the week they had planned to train together. Sylvie didn't hide this from her friends either since there was no reason for her to do so.
And somehow, his teaching her close combat proved to be effective; she was even finding it easier to understand the combat-related courses.
With a shared understanding, Sylvie and Jasmine left the cafeteria behind, their thoughts lingering on the events of the day.
******
"Today will be our last training session."