Volume 2: Masquerade—[Urielvernight Arc]
Chapter 58: Caelus
After that moment, Uriel forgot about how she knew information on butterflies so well, since she remembered she didn't study about butterflies or even know that such a butterfly existed in the world; she knew the basic ones, like the orange-colored one with big wings or the white-yellow type.
She was so into the conversation with Aeren that she left the topic to the side to think about later.
They went in separate directions after arriving at their dorms.
After a while, they found themselves together in the grounds, being in the same class. When they both arrived at the place, seeing no entrance, Aeren suggested climbing the wall, and so they did. Uriel couldn't climb the wall, so Aeren helped her climb by putting her on his back.
After they went up the wall, they saw the grounds; it was huge, and in the middle was the instructor.
In a while, two people came from the wall, the same as them, and it was Caelus and Aiven.
Uriel felt something stir in her mind, as if many emotions were colliding together, the same sensation she had experienced when she first felt the gaze of someone after entering the academy. Now, she was feeling the emotion from this person, named Caelus, when he introduced himself.
She doesn't know what this feeling she is feeling is, but there was certainly some sort of connection between them, and she doesn't know what type of connection that is, though.
And even though she doesn't care about others, she just can't ignore it this time for some reason.
Next, instructor Garron put together the four of them in duos because the others didn't pass; they were all told to run around the ground for 100 laps.
[I forgot to change the pov to Uriel from here, I'm sorry.]
And then instructor Garron told us to choose the weapon, and I chose a spear. I don't know why, but I felt attracted to the spear.
Aeren chose a one-sided blade sword; Aiven also chose the same thing, and Caelus chose a Tachi after trying several different weapons, as if trying to choose his compatibility with each of them.
After that, she was grouped with Caelus, but she wanted to be with Aeren. However, fate is often unpredictable and doesn't always follow the plans everyone makes; sometimes it makes them crisscross.
Next, we were told to fight against each other, and I don't know how to do that, which made me nervous, but as a noble, I learned not to show any weakness to others, mainly to strangers, so I didn't show any nervousness outside and calmly greeted Caelus.
And he did the same, but his eyes that are seeing me are making my emotions stir.
And seeing how I am giving an eye to Caelus, he asked the question of why I am looking at him like that, and I asked my question of whether we ever met or have any relationship, like being friends or something, but the answer was no, and it was his first time.
Which made me even more curious about him. I am a person who is very curious about interesting things that are happening around me. I can't hide my curiosity, but as a noble, I should not show it to anyone except the people I trust so much, like my father or Aeren.
If it weren't for my father taking advantage of my curiosity, I wouldn't even have thought of the idea of going to the academy, but if Aeren were to go, I would have too, of course; that is not the main reason, though.
The duel started. I don't know how to fight with a spear, or, to be precise, I don't even know how to fight. Since I was a kid, I was treated as a princess due to my family being noble and having money that could literally buy the whole continent!
But right now, I want to fight, and the reason for that is because I want to live with Aeren, and from what Aeren said, he wants to become the strongest in the world, and to be near him, all I have to do is become stronger. I do not know why Aeren wants to do that, but I love him, and so I am going to have to fight, like how my father used to say, "If you're a lover, you have to be a fighter." Because if you don't fight for your love, what kind of love do you have?" (Keanu Reeves')
And due to that, if I don't fight to become strong, other people will come and push me away from Aeren.
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What is this feeling? I am feeling it; it feels as if I have been using the spear all the time, and I am one with the spear.
The duel continued as I was almost lost, but in the end, as I was about to lose, I felt something suddenly awaken, and I saw everything around me slow down; all the movement felt sluggish. I don't know what was happening using the momentum. I poured every ounce of my reflex into my muscles, twisting my torso and slamming the shaft of my spear exactly into the coming sword's arc.
After that encounter, instructor Garron's voice sounded, and he talked about the passive ability that I have. I didn't get it at that moment, but now I understand that it is called a passive ability, which activates passively at a certain time, and from how exhausted I feel after that feeling, it takes stamina as the source. Since her body was exhausted to the core.
After a two-minute break and drinking water given to me by the instructor, I and Caelus started our duel again, but this time not too extreme; rather, we both started to give pointers to each other by just realizing our mistakes. And this felt so fun to do; despite me not liking any fights, the duel we are having right now is so fun.
Soon, the time was over. Without even knowing how much time had passed, I was so immersed in the duel that I forgot about everything else. Due to my awakening, my stamina recovery and physical strength increased a lot.
If it weren't for those buffs, I would not be able to hold on for even ten minutes with this much intense dueling.
I said my goodbyes to the instructor, and Caelus and Aiven walked with Aeren to lunch, which is in some other place. I am ranked just below 100th place, which is rank 99.
And Aeren ranked 1, and when I asked him why that is, he told me, "I am ranked 1 because I am stronger than anyone else in the academy, the peak stage of rank 1. Though others are also at peak stage rank 1, they are weaker than I am, so I am in first place." Due to that, I decided to get rank 10 at the least so I could live in the top 10 rankers' dorms, and it is not because I want to compete with everyone or nobility, but rather to be near Aeren. I decided to go to the top 10 so I can live close to Aeren.
After that, I had a class about some energy called Leym, and the name felt weird, and I thought they should have used some other name, as it felt like the inventor was bad at names. And at this class I learned how to use this energy and all that stuff, and I successfully got leyline energy inside my core using the method taught to me and my class by the teacher.
I was not in the same class with Aeren, so I felt a bit lonely, and that only made my resolve stronger.
At lunch, I met him again, but we got divided due to differences in ranks, so he went to a different lunch, and I went to a different lunch.
After that I practiced the Leym absorption techniques learned from the class in the chambers given to me, and I successfully increased my energy to rank 1 middle stage, and it felt too easy to me, and this all happened in an hour, and with the remaining time, I tried to peace my mind, since the instructor said it is important to take rest after each breakthrough; otherwise, the mind will have mental instability.
Though I didn't feel it, I still followed the instructions I remembered.
After that, I went to the history class—not particularly a history class, but rather something like that—but it is inside the cathedral rather than in some classroom.
I learned about this world's past, that there were demons popping out of the ground and killing people, and the seven apostles saved humanity. And after the long history lesson, I finally got a break, and luckily, with Aeren being in the same class, we both went for a walk.
And unexpectedly encountered Caelus, the boy I saw in the morning, and something happened when Caelus looked at Aeren, and it caused his body to collapse, and with the head bishop coming up, it was resolved; she removed a marble-like ball from his body and saved him.
After that, I heard something he said about how he would say where he got that from.
Everyone around me, as if time stopped, stood still; it almost felt like when my passive ability was activated.
At that, I heard Caelus say everything about it, and it collapsed my mind, but to not let anyone find out she can hear, she stood still without any movement, and after hearing everything, time came back. I went back with Aeren, but this time I don't feel like being near him as much as previously. I felt like something was wrong here; my memories are showing me that I didn't ever meet Caelus, and Aeren has been my childhood friend all this time, but something is not right...