Chapter 24
Preparing for the Forest Training.
"Judging from the remarkable progress you've all made, we've decided to venture deeper into the lush green forest," Oscar announced with a smile, his words t with proud smiles from the class. Initially apprehensive and even fearful, they had witnessed firsthand the fruits of their labor and the astonishing strides they had made in their training. Now, they exuded confidence in their newfound abilities.
"We owe a great deal of gratitude to Oscar and Cecilia for their guidance and support," Jason remarked, flashing a smile towards the instructors. "Your dedication has been invaluable, and we sincerely hope to continue learning from you both."
As Jason's humility washed over the room, I couldn't help but cringe inwardly. His innate charisma, coupled with his genuine appreciation for others, seed to emit an aura of leadership that captivated those around him. In just a month, he had effortlessly assud the role of the unspoken leader among the heroes, garnering the allegiance of the majority of the class.
The sa sentint extended beyond the classroom walls, resonating with the king, knights, and other nobles who viewed Jason with favor. His rumored connection to Princess Adelia only served to enhance his standing, painting him as the epito of the perfect hero they had envisioned.
Yet, despite his seemingly flawless facade, I saw through the veneer to the man beneath. To , Jason was nothing more than a typical classmate with a penchant for attracting the attention of countless admirers. His skill in concealing his true intentions was comndable, but it didn't escape my notice.
Oscar's smile lingered as he stepped aside, revealing an array of weapons and light armors ticulously arranged before us. "We've prepared sturdy armors tailored to fit each of your body sizes, as well as weapons suited to a range of skill levels. It's crucial that you choose equipnt that suits you best. Let's rember not to let greed or arrogance cloud our judgnt in this decision. Lives could very well depend on it."
His cautionary words barely had ti to settle before the class erupted into a frenzy, eagerly scrambling to inspect the offerings like children presented with a trove of new toys.
While the others eagerly dove into the selection process, I hung back, observing from a distance. Only Gwen and Aisha mirrored my restraint, displaying a patience that seed almost out of place amidst the excitent. However, I couldn't ignore the presence of another lingering nearby.
"You shouldn't stay too close to ," I stated without turning to face Courtney.
Since our arrival, Courtney had maintained a cautious distance from , neither drawing near nor straying too far. Her deanor betrayed a level of confusion that exceeded my expectations following our release from our arrangent. Was it due to my luck or the residual effects of Khione's divine energy that now coursed through , prompting Courtney to feel an inexplicable attraction? I couldn't say for certain, but it would undoubtedly raise suspicions if she continued to linger near .
Throughout the past month, it had been common knowledge among our classmates that Courtney harbored no particular fondness for . We had taken pains to avoid each other's company, save for our daily kiss—albeit discreetly—in secluded locations such as the library.
"Y..yes.." Courtney's response ca in a hesitant stutter before she, too, joined the throng to select her armor and weapon.
"You should hurry up, Nathan," a familiar voice chid in from behind .
Recognizing the voice instantly, I turned with a smile. "Professor Carter?"
Alia approached, though she maintained a certain distance, her smile warm but tinged with concern. "Yes, before they leave you with scraps. Are you joining us on the trip this ti? It's not your usual style..."
"Not at all. I've decided to co along this ti," I replied, shaking my head.
Alia's surprise was palpable, her concern evident in her furrowed brow. "I'm not sure this is a good idea, Nathan. You haven't participated in training for the past month, nor have you faced the monsters outside the safety of the classroom. And now, we're venturing even deeper into the forest where the dangers will be heightened. You should be at least level 30 to safely accompany us..."
As our teacher, Alia's concern for my well-being was genuine, but I sensed there was more to her apprehension than t the eye. Her recent avoidance of
hinted at a deeper emotional turmoil, one that mirrored the strange feelings Courtney had begun to experience in my presence. However, unlike Courtney, Alia's preexisting positive feelings towards
seed to amplify the effects of my luck and charm.
Despite my invisible attendance at training sessions, I made a point to appear during al tis in the garden, not only to keep tabs on my classmates' progress and potential threats but also to enjoy solitary monts with my beautiful teacher.
Despite maintaining our teacher-student dynamic, Alia and I had grown closer, our relationship resembling that of close friends, albeit with the sa respectful tone in our conversations. We shared a level of openness that extended beyond the classroom, yet despite her remarkable ntal fortitude, Alia couldn't help but succumb to the distracting allure I seed to exert over her. Eventually, she began to avoid , citing excuses of sickness or lack of appetite.
Despite this, Alia and "that woman" were the individuals with whom I had made the most significant strides.
"What level are you, teacher?" I inquired, spurred by her earlier ntion of levels.
"Forty-one. And you, Nathan?" Alia responded without hesitation, a departure from the usual taboo surrounding discussions of personal levels among classmates. It was a matter of pride and privacy, yet certain individuals, like Jason and Aiden, seed eager to flaunt their accomplishnts, boasting levels well into the fifties.
From my observations, I surmised that only Jason, Aiden, and my stepsister, Sienna, had reached level fifty, with Aisha and Gwen following closely behind. Alia, Siara, and Courtney trailed behind them, all steadily climbing the ranks with each passing day—a feat that elicited shock and awe from the entire castle.
"Level twenty-one," I replied, briefly glancing at my own level before fabricating the number.
"Oh! That's quite impressive, Nathan, considering you haven't been training..." Alia's astonishnt was palpable, her disbelief stemming from the notion that soone like , who rarely engaged in training or monster encounters, could have achieved such a level.
Well, I couldn't just tell her that I had been killing stronger monsters than them since day one and was training in my own way. Just like Aisha.
I glanced at Aisha. Growing closer to Aisha had been a deliberate choice on my part, as I made it a habit to leave at precisely the right ti to coincide with her solo training sessions in the garden. While I could have easily taken an alternate route to avoid encountering her, I purposefully sought out these monts, cherishing them as our little secret. Remarkably, Aisha seed unfazed by my nocturnal excursions, content to ignore my presence as long as I returned on ti. Our interactions during these late-night rendezvous were brief, consisting of little more than greetings and casual conversation.
I couldn't say for certain whether Aisha fully understood the nature of my nightti activities. Perhaps she believed I was genuinely dedicating myself to training alone, oblivious to the fact that I was concealing my true progress from everyone, including Oscar and Cecilia. So I'm quite sure that even Aisha didn't notice the significant strides I was making with each passing day and that fact was sure making her curious and confused about what the hell I could be doing.
Her restraint in refraining from prying into my affairs only added to her endearing qualities, demonstrating a level of respect and trust that I found quite cute.
"I just realized I couldn't afford to remain weak while everyone else is fighting for the future. I'll start now," I explained to the teacher.
"But..." Alia was still concerned.
"Don't worry, Professor, I'll stick close to you so you can protect ," I reassured her with a smile, quickly easing her worries.
"What a lazy student I have," Alia laughed, seemingly mollified by my assurance.
Of course, it was all a lie.
I had no intention of staying behind.
/
/
/
If you like it and want to support
and want more chapters, please support my work with powerstones, comnts and REVIEWS.
It will motivate
to write more! Thanks!
Reviews
All reviews (0)