Kyle let out a dismissive snort and crossed his arms. With a sharp turn of his head, he deliberately looked away from Adrian and Mikhail, facing the wall instead as he opened his mouth.
“What, you gonna make excuses? Go ahead, try. Not that it’ll change anything.”
His tone was curt, but Adrian caught a flicker of hope in Kyle’s words. Wait… if I just say the right thing here, maybe I can pull this off? the thought sparked in his mind.
“I was the one who left the dorm first.”
Seizing the opportunity Kyle had inadvertently given him, Adrian quickly began to explain. If he just told the truth, there was nothing Kyle would lose by hearing him out. He had confirmed that the memo he read on the bulletin board had indeed been referring to black mana. On top of that, he had even told Mikhail how to deal with the monster. That information could be crucial if something similar happened again.
Adrian gave Mikhail, who sat beside him, a subtle glance.
“But then Mikhail followed me out, saying I was in danger.”
“And the thought of coming straight to me didn’t cross your mind?”
“No. Because I lied to Mikhail and told him I was just going out for a walk.”
Adrian gave a small shrug as he answered. If Mikhail did anything wrong, it was probably just being worried about me, right?
“I pretended to go for a stroll and headed into the forest instead. I was trying to verify the black mana when we ran into the monster, and Mikhail took care of it. In the end, everything worked out fine, didn’t it?”
As Adrian said nothing more, Kyle flashed a sharp smile. That final line—‘In the end, everything worked out fine’—was enough to solidify his resolve on just how he was going to deal with these reckless underclassmen.
“That’s your excuse?”
“…Yes.”
Was that not enough? Adrian gave a reluctant nod, his expression sour. Mikhail watched him carefully from beside him, then let out a faint sigh.
“Are you kidding me? That’s not an excuse. You just listed facts.”
“May I continue the explanation?”
Kyle was already getting up from the sofa in frustration when Mikhail, who had been quietly listening this whole time, finally spoke.
“If we hadn’t taken care of the monster today, there’s no telling when it might’ve attacked Tamahild Village.”
Mikhail recalled the massive creature they had encountered in the dark forest. When he struck it without using aura, the wound closed almost instantly, as if nothing had happened, and it charged at them again. If it had been a regular villager who entered the woods, they wouldn’t have stood a chance.
“So we couldn’t just run. We had to do something.”
“…And what if you hadn’t succeeded? Mikhail, no matter the situation, you’re still not a Sword Master. You don’t even have full control over your aura yet. Charging in without a second thought was a huge mistake.”
“Now that I think about it, there probably were better ways to handle it… but at the time, I panicked…”
Mikhail glanced sideways at Adrian with a faintly melancholic look. Huh? Adrian furrowed his brows, trying to make sense of what was happening—Kyle’s demeanor had noticeably softened during Mikhail’s explanation, a stark contrast to earlier.
Mikhail continued, his voice subdued. His sincerity was clear in the way he spoke.
“You’re right, sunbae. It was a huge mistake. Adrian ended up getting seriously hurt. That’s on me. I’m the one to blame.”
“…As long as you understand that.”
Kyle was helpless against that kind of honesty. Seeing Mikhail humble himself and reflect genuinely struck a chord with him. And the two hadn’t made their choice out of selfishness, either. Sure, it was reckless for just the two of them to enter the forest at night without telling anyone—but in the end, they had stood their ground and fought the monster for the sake of the village residents.
Haa… Kyle let out a short sigh and nodded. What was that sigh supposed to mean? Adrian and Mikhail exchanged puzzled looks, trying to decipher Kyle’s reaction. He continued immediately afterward.
“Alright. Be in the lobby tomorrow at seven a.m. sharp. Adrian, I’m not pulling you from the survey trip.”
Adrian’s eyes widened at Kyle’s words. He turned his head to Mikhail, and the two exchanged bright-eyed, relieved glances.
“Just so you know—it’s thanks to Mikhail. I’m letting it slide because at least one of you seems genuinely remorseful. Got it?”
“Yes!”
Adrian nodded quickly. Sure, he was the one who got hurt and took most of the scolding… but at least the trip to Hildeke Cliff hadn’t been canceled. That was all that mattered.
“Now get back to your rooms and sleep. If either of you pulls this kind of stunt again, it’s over.”
At Kyle’s final scolding, both Adrian and Mikhail replied in unison with a spirited “Yes!” Kyle let out a resigned chuckle.
“You’re great at answering, I’ll give you that.”
Just then, the lobby’s grandfather clock finally came into Kyle’s line of sight. Realizing it was already two in the morning, he clicked his tongue and started toward his room—but stopped mid-step and turned to glance back at Adrian.
“If you’re heading straight to your room, want me to help you walk?”
Hm. Adrian started to rise from the sofa and tested his bandaged ankle, only to wince from the pain. Naturally, the injury hadn’t fully healed yet, and any movement still hurt. Just then, someone firmly took hold of his arm—it was Mikhail.
“I’ll help him.”
He spoke offhandedly, but his actions told a different story. With surprising care, he reached out and wrapped an arm around Adrian’s shoulders. Adrian glanced at Mikhail’s expression, searching for any ulterior motive, but saw none. Deciding there was nothing to worry about, he let the strength drain from his injured leg and leaned into Mikhail’s support. With that light support, walking was surprisingly manageable.
Kyle watched the two for a moment, then muttered, “…Was I about to butt in where I wasn’t needed?” With an odd expression, he turned and walked into his room ahead of them.
“What do you mean ‘where you weren’t needed’?”
Adrian called after him, confused, but Kyle just waved a hand without answering, a faint laugh escaping his lips.
“…Does it hurt a lot?”
Mikhail, unfazed by Kyle’s comment, looked down at Adrian leaning into him and asked quietly.
“Of course it does.”
Adrian replied bluntly and glanced down at the bandage wrapped around his ankle as they walked.
“Still, it should be fine soon…”
Mikhail tilted his head, curious at Adrian’s vague muttering, but Adrian remained quiet, seemingly lost in thought.
***
Thankfully, the cliff expedition Adrian had been looking forward to wasn’t canceled.
Just as Kyle had repeatedly emphasized, the door opened at exactly seven in the morning. Standing right outside was Mikhail. As Adrian stepped out, Mikhail glanced at his ankle and spoke in a low voice.
“…How’s your leg?”
Adrian lifted his bandaged ankle and gave it a slight shake in the air.
“Well, I can walk on it. More or less.”
It made sense. Before going to bed at dawn, he had healed the wound under the bandage with magic. He had then rewrapped it carelessly, so it still looked the same on the outside. If he just faked a limp now and then, no one would suspect a thing.
“Good to hear.”
Mikhail slowly pulled his gaze away from Adrian’s ankle.
While the two of them were talking, the lobby was already buzzing with activity. Kyle and the inn staff were busy loading the luggage onto the carriage. Most of the preparations for departure seemed complete.
Kyle shot the punctual juniors a wide grin, pleased to see them on time. Their destination was a long way off—they had to leave early in the morning and would be riding the carriage for nearly half the day.
***
After several hours, the fast-moving carriage came to a halt.
They had reached a spot slightly above the mid-slope of Hildeke Mountain. This was as far as the carriage could go—any higher, and it would no longer be usable.
Kyle hopped down and began unloading various exploration tools from the carriage’s storage. He sorted through the gear and picked out only what was absolutely necessary for the climb. When Adrian stepped forward to ask for his own bag, Kyle slowly shook his head.
“I’ll go to the top of Hildeke Mountain on my own. With your leg like that, it’s too much. You stay here with Mikhail.”
Here?
Adrian looked around, scanning the area. It wasn’t quite as high as he had hoped… but the height wouldn’t make a big difference for his real purpose anyway.
“Alright. That’s probably for the best.”
Adrian smiled brightly and nodded. Mikhail tilted his head as he watched him. It wasn’t the reaction he had expected. Adrian had seemed so passionate about the research, yet now he didn’t look even slightly disappointed about being left behind.
It was… strange.
Thanks for the chapters! So excited, we must be getting close to the prologue now!