Ti continues to pass swiftly.
Before long, the midterms were right around the corner.
Kraush focused on training while occasionally checking for updates about Felray.
As Kraush had asked, Felray confronted the nobles who had been harassing Jenikalen.
Felray’s nature made it impossible for him to overlook injustice.
Thus, his actions were hardly surprising to anyone who knew him.
Thanks to this, Felray beca embroiled in quite a commotion.
The noble magicians who had been bullying Jenikalen found Felray insufferable and picked a fight with him.
But their opponent was Felray.
They were no match for him.
After all, Felray was not part of the Skyborne Generation without reason.
Kraush was satisfied that the issue had been resolved without his intervention.
However, the grudge lingering in Jenikalen’s eyes seed far from erased.
‘The seeds have been sown.’
This matter could be left to Felray with just a hint from Kraush.
“Hey, this ti it’s certain!”
anwhile, Vioren’s research on barriers was steadily progressing.
With every iteration, the barrier was undoubtedly improving.
Still, it seed like it would take more ti.
So Kraush sent her off with a disgruntled expression.
At night, Kraush resud intensive research on the Poison Blood Codex.
Borrowing curses from Dorma, he repeatedly conducted experints on his own body.
Thanks to Ignis, the effects of the curses were not a concern.
If they proved too dangerous, he could simply burn them away.
On top of that, he tested the second version of the instant-enhancent potion.
Its performance was significantly improved compared to before.
It was undoubtedly a masterful creation from Darlene.
Thus, the days passed as Kraush carved out ti from his sleep to repeat these efforts.
“Why does your face look like that?!”
For so reason, Kraush found himself being scolded.
The one reprimanding him was none other than the saintess, Astria.
It happened when they ran into each other on the way to the dining hall.
As usual, Astria was carrying an enormous amount of food.
She let out a scream without warning.
There was only one reason for her outburst.
Kraush’s face was so deeply etched with fatigue that he looked as if he might collapse and die at any mont.
Kraush had been tirelessly running around every day, balancing training and resolving tasks.
Naturally, he had no ti to recover, and the state he was in was an inevitable result.
In the end, Kraush was dragged to the infirmary by Astria and forcibly laid down on a hospital bed.
“Astria, I’m fine.”
“Fine? Do you even know what you look like right now? If you were to collapse and die on the spot, everyone would accept it without question!”
Today, Astria was especially fuming, almost trembling with anger.
Was it really sothing to get this upset about?
Kraush glanced at his reflection in a nearby mirror.
Indeed, his dark circles had sunk so low they seed to greet his jawline.
Now that he thought about it, it had been ages since he had slept properly.
Imrsed in his Poison Blood Codex research, he had been pulling all-nighters.
Actually, it wasn’t just recent—it was safe to say he hadn’t truly rested unless he passed out from exhaustion.
Since he hadn’t collapsed recently, he hadn’t rested at all, repeating this cycle of overexertion day after day.
‘Needing to pass out just to get so rest. What kind of madness is this?’
He had no excuse for himself.
“Eat this, and close your eyes imdiately.”
At that mont, Astria appeared, holding water and a set of nutrients.
Because of his position, Kraush could only see half of her face as she approached, so he sat up.
“Can’t you just heal with your divine power?”
“Do you think divine power is so kind of cure-all? It can alleviate physical fatigue, but ntal exhaustion is another matter entirely. For that, sleep is the only answer.”
Unable to refute her logic, Kraush obediently took the supplents and swallowed them with water.
He noticed Astria watching him intently.
Her eyes were filled with worry.
“That face of yours…”
Co to think of it, this girl was a sucker for appearances.
Perhaps her anger was partly because she was sensitive about his face.
“Lie down as soon as you’re done.”
Astria snatched the glass from Kraush and firmly pushed him back onto the bed.
When Kraush lay down quietly on the bed, Astria placed the water cup aside and sat down next to him.
“Are you just going to sit there and watch?”
“If I leave, you’ll just get right back up and head out again.”
Sharp as ever.
Kraush couldn’t deny it, so he obediently closed his eyes.
The infirmary grew silent.
In the stillness, Kraush could hear Astria’s soft breathing.
“…Why do you push yourself so hard?”
Her voice suddenly broke the silence.
“Trying to sleep.”
“I’m talking to myself.”
She made sure her “self-talk” was loud enough for him to hear.
Kraush remained silent for a mont.
As Astria had pointed out, his daily schedule was punishing.
In fact, the word “exertion” practically defined his life.
It had been so long since he’d truly rested that he barely rembered what it ant.
For so reason, Arthur ca to mind.
Arthur always seed on edge, teetering on the brink.
Kraush often noticed how Arthur’s frantic thoughts would sotis falter.
Perhaps, unknowingly, Kraush was following a similar path.
Suddenly, a warm sensation spread across his forehead.
The gentle touch made it clear that it was Astria’s hand.
“Don’t open your eyes. I’m just helping your body recover.”
He knew full well she could do this without touching him.
But Kraush didn’t object.
Her touch was soothing, and it was true that his body felt more relaxed.
“Can’t I beco soone you can lean on?”
Another “self-talk,” perhaps?
“You already are.”
“You know I’m not talking about my divine power.”
Astria lightly tapped Kraush’s forehead, as if pouting.
Even in that small gesture, he could sense the sorrow in her heart.
“You know, ever since I escaped the Holy Kingdom, this is the first ti I’ve laughed, studied, and spent ti with people my own age.”
Even with the title of saintess creating a certain distance, it was nothing compared to the isolation she’d endured in the Holy Kingdom.
Perhaps because of that, Astria was leading a rather fulfilling life at the academy.
“It’s all so new and enjoyable. I finally understand what it feels like to be a bird freed from its cage.”
Astria’s warm hand once again rested on Kraush’s forehead.
“And it’s all thanks to you. The things you told that day brought here.”
“I didn’t do much. It was all you.”
“No.”
Astria’s voice was resolute.
“It was because of you. I ca to Rahern Academy because I wanted to see you again.”
Even without opening his eyes, Kraush could tell that her face was likely flushed red.
Before the regression, Astria had harbored feelings for him.
Whether it was because of his appearance or for other reasons, Kraush had been aware of her feelings.
And now, this Astria was no different.
Her heart, no matter the circumstances, had once again turned toward Kraush.
Because of that, Kraush could feel Astria’s emotions more vividly than anyone else’s.
“…So I’d like it if you leaned on , even just a little.”
Faced with her sincere yet shy confession, Kraush remained silent.
“Forget it if you don’t want to.”
In typical Astria fashion, she pouted, unable to overco her embarrassnt.
“I already am.”
Kraush had often seen Astria laughing with her peers at the academy.
That sight carried significant aning for him.
It was a sight he would never have witnessed if he hadn’t regressed.
He was reminded ti and again that his efforts were reshaping the world in many ways.
And he hoped that this new direction would be a better one, especially for people like Astria.
After all, he owed her—and others—a great deal.
“I’m leaning on you more than you think, in more ways than one.”
Kraush raised his hand and placed it over Astria’s hand, still resting on his forehead.
“So don’t worry. You’re not the only one, but it’s thanks to you all that I’m holding on.”
For the first ti, Kraush revealed his honest feelings.
The only reason his mind, which had been worn away to the point where there was barely anything left, could still endure was thanks to people like Astria.
Because of that, Kraush could keep running forward.
Even if he disappeared from this world, he wanted to make sure it could continue turning without him.
“……”
Astria remained silent.
Seeing him so uncharacteristically vulnerable and honest today made her heart ache deeply.
And knowing he had shared such a raw side of himself with her made sothing stir inside her, resonating sowhere deep within.
This man always did this to her.
Sotis he would tease her with a playful smile.
Other tis, like now, he’d show that weary smile that tugged painfully at her heartstrings.
Though he usually displayed a tough and indomitable exterior, this fragile honesty he revealed today only amplified the pounding of her heart.
‘Why do I like him for this?’
She was relieved his eyes were closed.
If their gazes had t, she might have fled in embarrassnt right then and there.
Her hand, still resting on his forehead, made her nervous.
It felt like her warmth might betray her feelings and expose the emotions she was trying to hide.
‘Astria, you fool. Is it just because his face is your type? Or because you occasionally see this vulnerable side of him?’
If it were sothing as simple as that, she might have been able to convince herself.
But unfortunately, her racing heart told her otherwise.
At first, his face, which matched her preferences, had drawn her attention.
But now, its importance had faded into the background.
It was Kraush as a person who had steadily taken up residence in her heart.
It didn’t matter if it was his face or anything else—what mattered was that it was him.
Even his occasional mischievousness had beco sothing she secretly found endearing.
How did she end up liking him this much?
She didn’t know.
And sohow, she felt a little annoyed by it.
At tis like this, couldn’t he have said that he was enduring everything just for her?
Instead, he deliberately included others in his statent.
‘Those others probably include that fiancée of his.’
The fiancée he cherished so deeply.
And there were likely a few other won she could imagine as well.
The thought made her slightly angry.
She couldn’t understand why this man seed to have so many won around him.
His personality was nothing but mischievous and an, yet it felt like the number of won near him kept growing every ti she looked.
‘Who am I to judge?’
She scoffed at her own hypocrisy.
After all, wasn’t she the sa?
Feeling exasperated with herself, Astria glanced at Kraush.
His chest rose and fell steadily, accompanied by the soft sound of his breathing.
At so point, he had fallen asleep.
If it had been her, she wouldn’t have been able to sleep at all knowing he was right next to her.
Yet, here he was, dozing off so easily—it annoyed her in a different way.
Still, the fact that he trusted her enough to sleep so soundly made her happy, which only irritated her further.
“…I’m still a woman, you know.”
Astria muttered to herself as her gaze fell to Kraush’s lips.
His red lips seed particularly vivid today.
How far had things progressed between him and his fiancée?
If they hadn’t gone that far yet…
Astria froze at her own thoughts.
She raised her other hand and lightly smacked her own lips.
It was a gesture to snap herself out of it.
“You’re probably the only person who can make a saintess have such improper thoughts.”
She sighed as she spoke, then gently patted Kraush’s forehead.
She prayed silently, hoping that one day this man could smile brightly without carrying any burdens.
With that prayer, Astria resolved to entrust her feelings to the heavens, for now.
Translators note:
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