HSTAV 31

Chapter 31

It was vacation after the end of the second semester, but most of the students weren’t just resting. Instead, they were busy making plans for the next semester.

Elaine, who had taken the Dungeon Studies final exam together with Chelsea, was also moving around to set her plans for what was ahead.

“So, what are you going to take next semester, Chelsea?”

“Well… I haven’t decided yet.”

Since she was a mage and Chelsea was a swordswoman, the higher their grade year went, the fewer classes they would share.

Elaine, who wanted to spend as much time as possible with her best friend, hoped to take as many classes with Chelsea as she could, at least while they were still first-years.

“I want to take the same classes as you, Chelsea. Can you tell me right away when you decide?”

“Sure, then me too! I want to take them too!”

At Elaine’s words, Melin suddenly butted in with a loud voice.

“…Fine, fine. Calm down, both of you. I’ll show you my schedule as soon as I make it.”

Chelsea answered with a faint smile, and Elaine, just as brightly, nodded her head.

“Okay, deal. You have to show us.”

“Next semester, we’re all taking classes together no matter what!”

Melin shouted, grinning from ear to ear, apparently having the same thought as Elaine.

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. Let’s all take them together. I want to be in your classes too.”

Chelsea murmured happily, her eyes soft with affection at her friends’ enthusiasm.

And then—

“Chelsea Artin.”

A voice called out from somewhere, one all too familiar.

And standing there was someone she had no desire to ever see again.

“Ca… Camon?”

“What the hell? Camon? Why are you here?”

After Elaine’s startled reaction, Melin immediately snapped, her voice sharp and defensive.

But Camon, standing before them, ignored both Elaine and Melin. His gaze was fixed on only one person as he spoke again.

“Chelsea, can we talk for a moment?”

“What?”

Melin exploded in disbelief at Camon’s sudden demand.

“Are you kidding me? Why would Chelsea talk to you?”

“I asked Chelsea. Not you.”

Camon’s cold voice cut straight at Melin, and in an instant, the atmosphere froze.

“Um…”

Elaine hurriedly tried to smooth things over, but Melin’s temper got there first.

“What, you trying to pick a fight? What, planning to hit someone? You do know commoners aren’t allowed to strike nobles—”

“Sure, let’s talk.”

“Huh?”

Melin’s words stopped dead. She turned stiffly toward Chelsea, stunned by the response she hadn’t expected.

“Ch-Chelsea?”

Chelsea’s eyes were deeper, darker than ever before, fixed straight on Camon.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“It’s kind of sensitive… I’d prefer if we spoke alone. Is that okay?”

Camon made yet another unreasonable request. This time Elaine intervened.

“W-wait, that’s a bit too—”

But—

“Fine.”

Chelsea nodded and quietly stepped toward Camon.

“I’ll be back in a bit.”

Elaine and Melin were left staring blankly, as if watching their dearest friend being dragged away by the worst villain imaginable.

Before long, Chelsea and Camon had gone some distance away.

“So, what is it you wanted to say that had to be in private?”

Chelsea asked directly. Camon’s eyes narrowed strangely, as if trying to pierce through her entirely. His stare left her feeling unsettled.

Then, suddenly—

“Jamie Hasselion.”

“What?”

At the completely unexpected name that left Camon’s mouth, Chelsea froze in shock.

“You know that person, don’t you? Where are they? Are they here at the Academy?”

“…”

The barrage of questions left Chelsea speechless. Her mind felt like a bomb had gone off, exploding with confusion.

What? How? And why?

It wasn’t strange that Camon knew of Jamie Hasselion. That person was famous—legendary even.

But—

How could Camon possibly know Jamie is here, at the Academy?

Suspicion toward Camon only grew stronger, amplifying the questions she had been holding back for so long.

But outwardly, Chelsea answered in a calm, low tone.

“What are you talking about?”

“I already know. Just tell me openly. Jamie—he’s here, isn’t he?”

“…”

Chelsea stayed silent, staring at him without a word.

“Chelsea, you know, don’t you?”

“What?”

“That I can’t use magic right now. That’s why I need his help.”

Camon laid out his secret, his weakness, without hesitation. Chelsea’s lips trembled.

Again?

Of course, she wanted to doubt him.

But—

Those eyes… that expression… could that really be fake?

Camon’s desperate gaze clouded her mind again.

“…”

After a long silence, Chelsea finally nodded.

“Yes. He is here.”

“I knew it! Then where? Can you tell me?”

Camon’s eyes lit up with excitement as he pressed on.

Chelsea only looked at him quietly, saying nothing more.

Meanwhile, I was at the library, studying various magical tomes.

Whether I managed to meet Jamie Hasselion or not, I at least had to know what magic I was supposed to demonstrate.

“So in the end, ‘Ring of Fire’ itself isn’t such a difficult spell.”

According to the grimoire, ‘Ring of Fire’ was something any mid-tier or higher mage could cast.

But—

[ …The difficulty increases exponentially with the number of rings. For instance, going from one to two requires more than double the effort and mana. From two to three, it requires more than quadruple. ]

“It scales exponentially? Am I really supposed to cast this?”

The more I read, the more hopeless it seemed. Without insane mana reserves and flawless control, the spell couldn’t even be deployed.

“So, with vacation just starting, I’ve got… maybe two weeks left?”

Within that brutally short time, I had to solve the problem of not being able to cast spells and then master the “Nine Rings of Fire.”

It seemed impossible.

But—

I still have to try.

Even if I failed spectacularly, I couldn’t just give up without attempting it.

At that moment—

“…Hm?”

Something felt off. The air around me seemed frozen.

Looking up, I realized—

“What the…?”

Everything was motionless. Students reading, people chatting, friends walking past—everyone had stopped like statues.

Time… stopped?

Why was I the only one who could move…?

Then I heard it.

Step. Step.

Footsteps, echoing both far and near.

And then—someone else moving through the frozen world appeared before me.

Scrape.

He pulled out a chair, sat right across from me, and asked in a calm voice:

“You’re Camon Bade?”

In that instant, I knew exactly who stood before me.

J-Jamie?

But—

Why a man?

The Jamie Hasselion I knew was a woman.

“Y-you are…?”

“What’s your relationship with Chelsea?”

“Huh?”

The tall, handsome man suddenly asked.

“Are you her boyfriend?”

“Wh-what? No, nothing like that.”

“Hmm. Then why would she go so far as to beg me on your behalf? That’s not like her…”

What…?

How was I supposed to answer that?

Meeting Jamie this fast should have been cause for celebration.

But being asked out of the blue if I was Chelsea’s boyfriend? What was that?

“Boring.”

Jamie’s expression shifted, suddenly disinterested, and I broke into a cold sweat.

Still, I couldn’t lie about that.

So I steadied myself, forcing calm.

“Are you… Jamie Hasselion?”

“That’s right. I’m Jamie.”

“But that appearance—?”

The man smirked at my question, then chuckled.

“Oh, this?”

Snap!

With a flick of his fingers, the handsome man vanished, replaced by a petite girl with green hair.

“That was Jace—a male professor at this Academy.”

She still wore a mischievous smile, looking every bit like a teenage girl.

But the reality around us said otherwise: she had frozen the entire library’s space and time, leaving only herself and me moving.

The entire place was under her control.

Pull yourself together, Kang Hyunsoo. Even if you’re in a tiger’s jaws, if you keep your wits, you might survive.

Politeness, right? That’s the only choice.

“An honor to meet you, Lady Jamie Hasselion.”

“Mm. Sure.”

Jamie tilted her head slightly, accepting the greeting. I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Thank god. Using honorifics was the right move.

“But you…”

She trailed off, then her eyes narrowed sharply.

“How did you know I was here?”

“What?”

“Think carefully before you answer. Your life depends on it.”

Her blunt threat sent my heart racing wildly.

Holy… the pressure’s insane.

Reading it in a novel hadn’t compared. The presence of someone on the level of the world’s strongest was suffocating.

Still—

“…”

I bit my lip and shook my head.

The die is already cast. I knew this was coming.

From the moment I started searching for Jamie, I had known I’d eventually face this. It just happened much sooner than I expected.

But this was my chance. My only chance.

So—

“Does that matter right now?”

“What?”

“More importantly, please… examine my body.”

Damn. My tongue slipped.

“I mean—my whole body. Not my neck, my whole body.”

I quickly corrected myself.

Jamie tilted her head, scanning me up and down.

“And why should I? You don’t exactly look impressive.”

“Not the surface. Look inside. If you do, you’ll understand why I came to find you.”

I spoke firmly, refusing to back down.

Jamie fell silent, staring into me.

“…”

“…Now it’s getting interesting.”

With a faint smile, she raised her hand.

Snap!

And in that instant—

Everything went black.