I placed my hand on the paper and slowly shifted it back across the table.
"I can't."
"What...?" Wren seed incredibly confused and shocked by my unexpected response for so reason.
"I can't drop out. I won't. I can't give up either." Slowly, I shook my head resolutely.
Wren's gaze beca fiercer at my resistance, it felt like she would eat alive!
"Do you have any idea what you are saying or doing to yourself?" Her flat tone grew sharper, laced with an evident chill that could make one hold their breaths.
But.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. You may be right."
My mind was calm, my heart was settled. I was unfazed at the end of it all.
Wren's expression flickered as if she hadn't been expecting to give an actual reply. All this while I had lowered my gaze to prevent eting directly with her eyes since she showed the paper.
But this ti, I slowly raised my head and calmly t her gaze.
"Yes, maybe I'm making a mistake. But I can't give up or drop out. Those two are out of the options. If I give up on even myself, what more is there for in this life?"
I wasn't just bullshititng this ti around. In the end, there was so level of truth in what I was saying.
I knew better than others that my evaluation was dead wrong. But even then, that didn't an I could do anything during the Calamity or when the Demon King arrives.
I wasn't even confident that if I beca Candela rank, I could survive.
In the face of it all, I was weak, ager and insignificant. Just like how Wren is making out to seem.
The only difference is, Wrenna and I,
Both our realities were different.
To her, I was a stupid, pitiful, and untalented student, who's effort would lead him nowhere without whatsoever talent.
To , I was an unfortunate transmigrator who's only chance at redemption depended on my survival of an impending world threatening doom.
I had no one to seek out and burden with this.
I had no one I could rely on.
Even still, I didn't want to succumb and bend the knee this ti, like on Earth.
I felt a lump in my throat, and a haunting sense of emptiness in my gut all of a sudden.
I leaned up straight and smiled subtly at Wren.
"If I gave up on myself, then there'll be no one else I could trust in. That kind of thing, I guess."
It probably looked like a stupid smile, and in her eyes I was the epito of child-like naivety right now.
I couldn't give up on myself, regardless of wether I wanted to or not.
But Wren has no way of knowing that.
She has no need to know of it.
"Yes. I'll work hard. Talent doesn't define everything. Effort... You said so yourself, Aegis rewards effort. That ans, if I work hard, then maybe I have a chance, isn't that right, Instructor?"
Wren was silent.
I knew she wasn't saying all this to mock or dismiss .
It was quite frankly, the direct opposite.
The truth was, I already knew a bit about Wrenna Marlowe from Adrianne my sister. She wasn't also her horoom teacher or anything, but Wren had a kind of notoriety or popularity.
She was incredibly harsh and cold, but it was simply her way of showing attention, and affection to her students.
To Wren, she probably doesn't want to see another young youth like myself, who seemingly has their life's priorities displaced.
If I had no talent, then there was no point in this Field. I should just quit and find sothing better to do.
Sothing more fulfilling.
For the path I was working,
Will be filled with nothing but thorns, hardships, disappointnts and failure.
That was they way she was looking at .
An Awakened's talent not only determined their future prospects, but also their status and standing in the world of Awakened.
A 'no talent' hero like saw no hope in this world. I really could die too.
So Wren was trying to dissuade and get to quit before it was too late.
Instructor Wren seed genuinely flustered up by my stupifying response. Her eyes were wide end and sharpened and her facial muscles and expressions had turned as rigid as stone.
Wren gazed at silently for a mont before reverting to her usual dean. Sohow, she felt even colder and aloof this ti around as her eyes flashed with ill-hidden pity and contempt.
"... You're sister was smart."
In the end, those were all Wren said to . I wasn't surprised Instructor Wren knew about my sister, the aning of her words were sharp and clear.
If she said that, I an, what kind of face was she expecting to make...
Sheepishly, I stared back at Wren.
Ah.
The look she's giving .
Staring at it, call it instincts or whatever, but I knew.
"Ah.... Yup."
From that mont on.
I was blacklisted on Wren's notebook.
***
With all that said, Wren had nothing else to say to , so the little discussion was over and I was free to leave.
I walked out of the teacher's faculty with a deep and exhausted sigh.
First day and I already have a teacher who doesn't like .
I didn't need anyone to tell I've left an unfavourable impression on Wren. It was also, perhaps a disappointnt considering she knew my sister, Adrianne and how insanely talented and promising she was.
So soone like with absolutely no talent, and extrely naive, and needlessly stubborn was a big let down in pale comparison.
In the end Wren was only looking out for in her own manner. But it was like I had shalessly turned down her good will, with cringe worthy and stupid lines.
Thinking back, maybe I got a little carried away? Rather than being detached, I let a portion of my real feelings mix with the situation.
'Oh well.' I shurgged as I casually made my way down the hallway.
In the end, it wasn't that Wren would hate now. She just held an obvious unfavorable impression and averseness for .
From this, I could more or less understand that, from now on, Wren will not be actively or directly involved with .
She'll beco more aloof and indifferent towards in particular. But on the surface, of course she'd still do her duties as our ho room instructor.
But I can expect that, Wrenna Marlowe would hold no amount of expectations for .
To her I was a lost cause.
But this matter has helped to bring forward and reaffird an issue that was already looming over my head like a shadow.
'My no talent assessnt will be a more bigger issue than I thought.'
My thoughts were almost fleeting when all of a sudden, I arrived at a small ongoing commotion down the hallway.
"What's happening...?"
For a short mont, I halted my steps and stared from the sidelines.
There were a large group of students buzzing amongst themselves before a wall. I also noticed the presence of a wide board hung on it.
From a glance, it was clear that whatever was the source of the commotion that was ongoing.
Since it was still quite early in the day, there were still a good number of students roaming about. So, like , watched curiously and quietly from the sidelines. While others took the initiative to go through the crowd.
"Hey, I hear the Academy released all of the First years' assessnt to the public..."
"Ehh? For real?! You an my results are on display...!!"
Inadvertently I could hear a few whispers and more or less got a general idea about what's happening.
And as soon as I did, I wanted to cry.
Aegis... Aegis is brutal...
I an... I knew it but...
Even going as far as displaying each of the cadets assesnt results...
It's like the whole institution is after !
Of course, following this developnt...
-Thud!
"Woah, there. Watch where you're going, you bastard." Soone suddenly ran into my right shoulder, and the sinister chuckle brought out my thoughts.
Sigh.
In the end...
I looked impassively at him. A guy with short black hair and brown eyes, and a face that literally scread delinquent on various keys was grinning ominously at .
Flanking his sides were two of his peers as their shoulders trembled while they chuckled. Slowly, imperceptibly, I noticed them entrap in a corner.
It was already bad since I was already standing against a wall behind .
Glancing at the faces of the three bast- I an individuals, my heart slowly began to race darkly.
No way. Is this... Is this what I think is happening...?
"Uh, dude, I was literally standing in place when you bumped into ."
Is he and idiot, was the kind of look I was giving him.
The black haired guy snickered and leaned closer to . Then he uttered lowly. His voice like a dark growl.
"What did you just say to ..."
"...you no talent punk."
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