Chapter 125: She Still Believes

“Professor! Please don’t start slipping in words of wisdom at a gathering meant for fun!”

“Y-yes, that’s right!”

Blida-sunbae and Elska-sunbae protested to Professor Radvisin.

Judging by their playful tone, I wondered if they were deliberately acting up so the mood wouldn’t sink.

Given those two’s lousy acting skills, it seemed half genuine as well.

Anyway, the seniors played their role as mood makers perfectly.

Thanks to them, the lively atmosphere lasted until all the cake and snacks were gone.

‘I’ve filled up on treats, and it’s still too early for dinner… Once we wrap up, will we be going straight into training to improve our Sky-Blue Aether control?’

Contrary to my expectations, Professor Radvisin kicked me, Yor, and Skadi out of the Classroom.

He said since this Classroom was his responsibility, he would clean up with the research students.

But that was clearly just an excuse.

No doubt, Professor Radvisin wanted Skadi and me to have a frank conversation right away, so we could fix our relationship as soon as possible.

I didn’t misunderstand his intentions.

But… ‘Why go this far?’

We already had a one-on-one training session scheduled for Monday afternoon; did we really need to go through all this?

Did he judge that if he didn’t set the stage this blatantly, we’d muddle through and reach the end of the semester without changing a thing?

If so―

‘He’s really sharp…’

There’s truly not much time left until the Graduation Ceremony. With one of those weeks taken up by exams, the days will fly by even faster.

I was planning to keep things awkward with Skadi until then.

After all, just like Reysir, she wouldn’t be at the Academy next semester anyway, so if I just dragged it out a bit longer…

“Um, Karbaldr…? Could we maybe sit and talk for a bit~??”

The words ‘No’ circled my mouth, but I couldn’t let them out.

She’d surely ask why, and there was no way I could answer, ‘Because I don’t want to fix our relationship.’

I couldn’t even use the excuse of having urgent plans.

Saturdays were always spent training with Professor Radvisin and then having dinner together, as per my usual schedule.

“…Yes, all right.”

I had no choice but to answer like that.

And so, a few minutes later.

We moved to the Dagger Arts Classroom.

“Sorry about the setting… If I could leave the Academy, I would have taken you to a café and bought you a drink while we talked…”

Skadi unfolded two folding chairs she’d brought from the supply room and offered me a seat.

Judging by the genuine regret on her face and in her voice, she wasn’t just saying it.

“It’s fine. I’m used to this place, so I’m more comfortable here.”

“Really~? That’s a relief~! I thought maybe we should go to the professor’s office in the Combat Wing? But I haven’t used that place in so long, it’s not organized at all. Sooo…”

Was she trying to lighten the mood?

Or was she just rambling to avoid getting to the main point because she was hesitant?

Skadi went on and on about things I hadn’t even asked.

‘If she’d just keep talking about whatever, it’d get late and we could put off the conversation!’

I stroked Yor, quietly listening to Skadi’s chatter with that hope in mind.

But my wish didn’t come true.

Her rambling stopped all at once, and a shadow fell over Skadi’s face.

“Um… I’m sorry…”

Instead of demanding to know if I was still mad, or if that’s why I was putting up walls with her.

Skadi just wore a face weighed down with guilt and apologized to me.

It wasn’t an entirely unexpected turn, but it did make me wonder.

‘Why? If it’s about getting angry at me in Chapter 12, she already apologized and genuinely reflected on it. Is she asking for forgiveness because I’m still holding onto it?’

As you readers know, I don’t bear any grudge against Skadi.

Sure, I felt wronged at the time, but that was just the thought of, ‘Why do I have to pay for the original host’s sins?’

I never thought Skadi did anything terribly wrong to me.

‘If anything, I understand her feelings better than most!’

And yet I’ve been awkward with her lately, unintentionally getting back at her for no reason.

All the while taking her time to learn Whip Technique.

If anything, I should be the one apologizing to Skadi.

“Ah, was that too out of nowhere..? I should have explained what I’m apologizing for, but I was in too much of a hurry…”

As I hesitated, unsure of how to respond, she continued.

She must have thought I didn’t react because I couldn’t guess why she was apologizing.

“…?”

“You know, Reysir… was it? The black-haired boy who came here during the last exam period…”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

At the sudden mention of the original protagonist, I nearly tensed up.

So, in my mind, I muttered, ‘Next year he’ll be 19. Technically an adult, so why call him a boy!’ trying to shake off the tension.

It didn’t help much, of course.

“From what I saw then and what I heard today~. It seems like he doesn’t hate you? Or rather, maybe he actually likes you~??”

“…Why are you suddenly bringing him up?”

“Because the supposed victim has already gone beyond forgiving you and considers you a precious friend, right? So, as a mere bystander, I’m sorry for bringing up the past and scolding you…”

Should I clarify again that Reysir and I aren’t friends?

That thought crossed my mind, but I let it go this time.

Skadi said he considers me a friend. I couldn’t deny Reysir’s feelings on my own.

“If it’s about that, you’ve already apologized, haven’t you?”

“I thought so too, but thinking about it again, maybe not~?”

“I definitely heard you say sorry.”

“But at the time, I felt more grateful than sorry. I was in a rush to express my gratitude… The sorry I felt was more like self-blame over my shortcomings? It wasn’t real reflection over what I did…”

Does she think I’m not opening up because her apology wasn’t enough?

I’ve already received more than enough apologies.

If she adds a heartfelt one on top of that, it’ll just make me feel more sorry.

Even now, I’m wronging her and can’t apologize.

‘My deliberate coldness, meant as distance, has only triggered Skadi’s guilt and come back around like this?’

There’s no room for excuses.

This guilt I feel now is the consequence of my own actions.

You really don’t have to apologize anymore. It’s all in the past anyway, so—”

“But I still think I have to apologize properly…! Grandpa Ravi said so too…!”

By the way, ‘Grandpa Ravi’ is Skadi’s own nickname for Professor Radvisin.

One day she just started calling him that. Professor Radvisin seemed to quite like the nickname.

I’d always wondered what made them so close, but looking back, maybe it was consulting over matters related to me.

“Even if you apologize, my attitude towards you won’t change.”

“Mm, I guess that can’t be helped…”

Despite my heartless remark, the professor in front of me gave a sheepish smile.

It wasn’t resignation or giving up.

It was a look that said, ‘I understand, so it’s okay.’

“Don’t you think I’m being too much, Professor? I take all the help you give, but keep rejecting you emotionally…”

“So what? Are you feeling sorry for me?”

“That’s not it… Normally, people would be hurt and pull away, but you don’t seem to think that way. I just found it curious.”

“Ah~! So that’s what you meant~?”

Maybe it’s because I never got the ‘Karvaldr tsundere theory’ drilled into me by the original protagonist?

As a supporting character, she took my words at face value rather than as tsundere behavior.

“I’m really not hurt at all~! …Is what I’d like to say, but honestly, I do feel a bit hurt. But I don’t think you’re being too much.”

“Why not?”

“You were scolded by me without any time to prepare, right? And it was over something you’d already worked out with the person involved, so it must have been hard to accept…”

“……”

She was right. It was truly hard to accept.

All the more since it wasn’t even my own deed.

“But then, why didn’t you think I was being too much?”

“Well, you had your reasons, Professor.”

“Mm, that’s true. And I think that’s amazing~! You could’ve thought I was just picking a fight and gotten mad, but instead you wondered if I had my reasons, and in the end you even reached out to help…”

I only noticed Skadi’s situation because I’d read the original story.

I knew she wasn’t the type to pick on students for no reason. Her actions in the very first class contradicted everything else I knew about her.

That contradiction raised a question bigger than my hurt or anger, and that’s why I could act as I did.

So…

“I couldn’t do that.”

It’s only natural that Skadi would say this.

If I hadn’t read the original, I couldn’t have done it either.

But…

“Still, now I know your situation, right? Since you understood my pain and circumstances, it’s only right that I do the same for you…! So, I’m going to try~!!”

What is she even saying?

How could Skadi possibly know that I’ve possessed the villain character in a novel?

As I sat there, baffled, she suddenly said,

“I heard before, was it Tricktrick? Drukdruk? That weirdly named guy betrayed you, right~?”

“…I’m not sure why you brought him up, but it’s Tridric.”

“Right, right~. And not long after that, I betrayed you, didn’t I? So you must have a betrayal trauma, making it hard to open up. Especially to me, since I was the one who hurt you?”

“……?”

I was utterly confused at the sudden leap to this misunderstanding.

How did Skadi even get to that conclusion?

“Since I broke your trust first, I’ll keep trying~! I can wait as long as it takes for your heart to heal! Because I’m an adult!!”

You can’t wait.

Once this semester ends, she’ll be leaving the Academy.

“The tournament’s over for this year, but you’ll keep learning Whip Technique from me, right~?”

“Ah… well… As long as I’m at the Academy, if possible…”

“Just like before, twice a week~?”

“Yes. If possible…”

“Then we’ll have tons and tons of chances to rebuild our trust and get close again, right~? You’ve still got four more years before you graduate, Karvaldr!”

“……”

I almost wonder if I should even be writing this, seeing her so full of hope for the future…

But right now, there’s less than four weeks left until the Graduation Ceremony.

And yet she’s talking about four whole years—what am I supposed to say to that?