Chapter 295
Mikhail was staring at the blue sky.
A blue sky filled with white clouds.
A crimson sun rising.
It was the perfect scenery to set aside complicated thoughts.
Because Mikhail's mind was a tangled mess right now.
'Why.'
He felt like everything had gone awry. His desperate sprint for revenge, his desire to appear as a good person to the boy—all of it had turned into illusions.
He had hated so deeply.
And he had thought he could never understand that person...
"Haa..."
He never imagined that person would turn out to be the one he had longed to meet so desperately.
He thought to himself that God was truly cruel.
No, perhaps he was just a fool.
He thought he was stupid for failing to seize countless opportunities and instead driving nails into that person's heart.
Because he hadn't even begun his atonement.
Not even a simple apology spoken with words.
Not even bowing his head to convey his sincerity.
He couldn't bring himself to approach that person under the name "Mikhail." Because of everything he had done so far.
At the Academy.
In the Dungeon.
And in every single moment.
He had always approached that person as his worst self, so now he thought there was no hope left.
His chest felt so suffocating it was driving him insane.
Just seeing that person made his heart jolt.
But now, in a situation where he couldn't even see that person's face, he couldn't shake off his melancholy.
Because everything was a situation he himself had created, not anyone else's fault.
"This is the worst."
When he asked himself the question, 'Why did you do that?' he would end up countering with, 'Was that the best you could do?' Standing at the edge of an inescapable cliff.
"Truly..."
When he closed his eyes, the cruel words he had said to that person echoed vividly in his mind.
-I don't need someone like you.
-You're trash! Trash that can't even be picked up again!
-Why don't you consider the weak? You could easily do it, couldn't you?!
"It's so absurd I can't even speak..."
"Who are you to talk about consideration? The one who showed consideration all this time was someone else."
He didn't know that person's story, and that person would probably keep it hidden until the very end.
Because that was just the kind of person they were.
At the Academy.
In the Slum.
Knowing that this was someone who wouldn't share their sorrow with others, Mikhail couldn't unclench his tightly held fists.
That person already hated him.
Had already been disappointed in him.
Had already despaired because of him.
He found himself wishing that someone, anyone, could just tell him. If only someone could, then he could apologize for everything he'd done wrong. Even though he knew that wouldn't erase the pain.
The thought that he might have driven even more nails into the heart of someone already pierced by thousands made his nose sting with emotion.
'Idiot.'
His mind felt clouded, as though it were filled with fog.
Like being trapped in a maze, where every step forward only led to another dead end. Mikhail couldn't find the way, couldn't discern what was right or wrong.
"Haa..."
How long had he been sitting on the bench, staring blankly at the sky?
-...Yot?!
'Hmm?'
A faint voice reached his ears.
Mikhail slowly turned his head toward the direction of the sound. He was curious about the owner of the startled voice.
'Who is that?'
With that question in mind, he turned his head, and his eyes landed on Shuen, who was busily handing out flyers.
When Shuen saw Mikhail, she began waving her hand with a bright smile.
"Hello-yot!"
"Ah... Shuen."
"That's right-yot! Have you been well-yot?! Commoner?"
"Uh...?"
"Ah, sorry-yot! It's a habit! Ahem! Have you been well-yot, Senior Mikhail?"
Shuen, wearing a bright smile and a blue vest, approached Mikhail and greeted him. Then she held out a stack of flyers toward him.
[SU Convenience Store Super Sale!
♥Buy a Hot Bar♥ and get one more? 1+1 Event!]
"Take one-yot!"
Shuen's face looked more serious than ever, as if she had erased all traces of past pain from her mind.
"There's an event at the convenience store-yot."
"An event...?"
Shuen glanced around before leaning in close to Mikhail's ear and whispering softly.
"The proprietress has gone mad-yot..."
"Oh... really?"
"That's right-yot...!"
Faced with Shuen's serious expression, Mikhail was at a loss for how to respond to her.
After all, he had tried to use her to get closer to Ricardo and had left her with painful scars.
"Well..."
As Shuen leaned in too close for comfort, Mikhail instinctively scooted back on the bench.
"Um, you're a bit too close..."
But Shuen paid no mind to Mikhail's flustered reaction and continued speaking.
"...Have you finally succumbed to my status-yot?!"
"...What?"
"Rest assured, I, Shuen the Commoner, neither oppress nor bully others. And I don't whine about the past, so please don't dwell on it-yot!"
"..."
"I'm going to date a handsome man-yot. And this is a secret-yot."
"..."
"If you buy a spinach lunchbox today, there's a half-price discount-yot."
"I see."
"Isn't it amazing-yot?"
"Uh... yeah."
"Take this coupon-yot."
[♡A Super Lucky Coupon Given in Secret by the Proprietress♡]
Shuen stuffed the flyer into Mikhail's hands, nodding as she declared that if Heaven existed, it must surely be a convenience store.
"Well then, I'll be off-yot. Hanna said if I don't hand all of these out by today, there'll be no leftovers-yot!"
"Uh... Shuen!"
"Yes-yot?!"
"Uh..."
Seeing Mikhail hesitate, Shuen tilted her head in curiosity before breaking into a bright smile.
"Ah...! This...!"
"Hmm?"
"I forgot to give you the coupon-yot."
Mikhail's eyes trembled as he stared at the coupon Shuen had firmly placed in his hand before leaving.
"I still haven't apologized..."
-Take the flyer! You wretched commoners!
Mikhail bowed his head toward Shuen's retreating figure, expressing his gratitude.
*
"Ugh..."
Yuria, sprawled on the ground, looked up at Malik, whose eyes were cold. She couldn't land a single hit, no matter what she tried.
"Monster..."
"If I'm a monster, then that guy must be a god."
"..."
Malik sneered as he looked at Yuria, who was lying on the ground. It was a sneer so vile that even Ricardo would have been shocked.
"If you can't even break through an Expert's Defense, what are you planning to do? How will you dodge a Sword Master's blade?"
"How am I supposed to dodge a Sword Master's blade...!"
"Even I can't dodge a Sword Master's blade."
Malik's calm response, delivered with a straightforward tone, made Yuria let out a hollow laugh as she forced her weakened legs to stand.
"The Friends of Forest ticket...! You have to keep your promise."
"Of course."
"Hyaaaah!"
-Thud!
"Too slow. Even a bear cub from a friend's house would be faster than this."
"Who keeps a bear at home?!"
"...Sometimes, I find it strange too."
Malik observed Yuria, who was staggering. Her determination, unbroken for two weeks straight, was impressive.
While the other students had already given up, only this pink-haired girl remained steadfast, refusing to leave. Malik couldn't help but admire her. Even with vast Divine Power, it was difficult to apply it effectively in martial arts.
Moreover, his fists...
-Thud!
"Argh!"
...showed no mercy, regardless of gender.
'A top cadet is truly a top cadet.'
Though she wasn't aware of it herself, she was using Healing Magic to repair her damaged muscles and even strengthen them.
Malik thought the top cadet of the Healing Department was remarkable for her relentless growth. If he pushed her this hard, even the Swordsmanship Department students would have been left crawling on the ground.
"Impressive. Third-year cadet Yuria."
"Don't compliment me! I don't even have the strength to respond...!"
"Hmm. Then I should talk to you even more."
For the diligent honor student, Malik began explaining the virtues a healer must possess, one by one.
"As someone who's been on the battlefield, let me teach you about the virtues of a healer."
"...Ugh, just let me hit you once!"
"First, you must survive to the very end."
-Thwack...!
"No matter where you are."
-Thwack...!
"Even if an unbeatable enemy stands before you, a healer must survive. Only then will the vanguard risk their lives to protect you."
"...Just let me hit you!!"
Malik lightly caught Yuria's fist and curtly said, "Second."
"Second, a healer must identify the root cause of a wound and heal it. Whether it's poison, disease, curses, or bleeding, you must quickly determine the cause and treat it efficiently."
"You should teach that during class!"
"Learning through experience is the fastest and most lasting method. Now... like this."
Malik lightly swept Yuria's weakened legs, causing her to collapse to the ground. Watching her fall, Malik smiled in satisfaction, but Yuria gritted her teeth as she glared at him.
"Healing isn't just about making the surface look fine. Understood, Cadet Yuria?"
"Grrr!"
"Your determination is admirable."
Yuria pushed herself up with her fists, trembling as she forced her legs to stand. Her resolve now carried the desperation to land at least one hit out of sheer frustration.
"Just let me hit you once!"
Malik replied with a smile.
"No."
Malik was a miser.
*
Time passed.
In Yuria's dreams, a lady appeared, single-handedly sweeping away soldiers.
And there was a moment when she saw herself, soaked in blood, smiling.
-Haa...
Though she couldn't understand the meaning of the dream, Yuria thought as she watched her dream self.
That technique.
-Desolate Aria.
She resolved to make it her own.