After they left the training grounds, Ethan led Astron to their destination. After walking for a little while, they reached the place.
Outside, the restaurant stood nestled amidst a cluster of trees, its rustic wooden facade blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings at the edge of the Academy Forest.
A quaint sign hung above the entrance, bearing the name of the establishment in elegant script.
[Whispering Oaks]
Soft lanterns adorned the exterior, casting a warm glow that illuminated the path leading up to the entrance.
DING!
The door opened, with the bell ringing. As Ethan and Astron entered the restaurant, they were greeted by the tantalizing aroma of freshly cooked food and the gentle hum of slow music.
Unlike the opulent establishment they had visited before, this restaurant had a more laid-back atmosphere, with wooden tables and chairs arranged in a cozy arrangement.
‘Yeah….This place never disappoints….’
Taking in the sights and sounds around them, Ethan couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity wash over him. He had frequented this restaurant numerous times in the past, often grabbing a quick meal between training sessions or classes.
Turning to Astron, Ethan raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Have you ever been here before?” he asked, gesturing to their surroundings.
Astron shook his head, his expression neutral. “No, I haven’t,” he replied simply.
Ethan’s mouth fell open in surprise. “Really? You’ve never been here?” he exclaimed, unable to hide his astonishment.
This place might seem like it was now deserted, but the time was not normal to begin with. After all, it was still early in the morning, and many students skipped breakfast to make it to the morning lessons, let alone come into such a place.
But that didn’t mean this was the case normally. When it was noon or slightly late evening, this place would be filled with students.
Astron nodded in confirmation. “I didn’t even know this place existed,” he admitted, his tone matter-of-fact.
‘There wasn’t a place like this in the game.’
Most of his knowledge of the academy, in fact, stemmed from the game, as he never intended to explore the campus. For him, things like these were a waste of time, after all, as he would rather train or do something else in that said time. He knew where the important locations for his goal were, but aside from that, he wasn’t interested in anything else.
Ethan couldn’t help but chuckle at Astron’s response, finding it amusing that someone as observant and perceptive as him could overlook such a prominent location on campus.
“Well, consider this your lucky day then,” Ethan said with a grin, leading the way to an empty table. “I’ll show you the ropes and introduce you to some of the best dishes on the menu.”
“What makes you think that I trust your judgment?” he asked, his tone neutral.
Ethan’s expression turned deadpan, caught off guard by the question. He wasn’t even expecting such a response from Astron. “Well, I, uh… I guess I assumed,” Ethan stuttered, trying to come up with a suitable reply.
Astron simply nodded in response before saying, “I’ll choose my own food.”
With that settled, Astron took a seat by the window, his gaze fixed on the forest outside.
“Hahaha….”
Ethan followed Astron’s movements, but before he could speak, a familiar chuckle caught his attention.
Turning his head towards the entrance, Ethan’s eyes widened in surprise as he spotted his fiery-haired friend, Irina, standing at the door.
Ethan’s surprise was evident as he watched Irina enter the restaurant, a warm smile spreading across his face. “Irina! What are you doing here?” he exclaimed, waving her over to their table.
Irina’s cheeks flushed slightly as she remembered just what happened before coming here. The words spoken by that girl, Lillick or whatever, somehow sounded more embarrassing than annoying now.
She made her way over to them, her gaze momentarily flickering away before meeting with his classic look.
“Oh, uh… I just happened to be passing by,” she replied, her tone casual as she tried to brush off any suspicion.
“Passing by? In the middle of the forest?” Astron was the one to open his mouth as he seized her up. “Your clothes, your sweat, and the size of your irises don’t say so.” His demeanor was calm and aloof, yet for Irina, it felt like he knew what she was doing.
‘Tch….That’s why dealing with this bastard is tiring.’
Sometimes, his quick way of grasping things was certainly helpful, especially if it was directed at something she was searching for as well, but if she was at the receiving end, it was annoying and troublesome to deal with.
Irina released a slight sigh, feeling a twinge of annoyance at Astron’s perceptiveness. “Well, I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to go for a run to clear my head,” she explained, her tone genuine. “And when I was running, I happened to see you two and thought I’d tag along.”
Ethan, on the other hand, looked genuinely curious. “But why didn’t you come in sooner?” he asked, tilting his head slightly in confusion.
Irina shot him an annoyed look before replying, “Because you two were practically speed-walking! I couldn’t catch up with you,” she explained, her irritation evident in her tone. “It’s like you were being chased by something.”
Ethan’s eyes widened in surprise. “That….”
‘It might be because I felt uncomfortable at that time, yeah…That might have been the case.’
“Maybe I was walking a bit fast,” he admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
Contemplating that, he threw a look at Astron.
Astron, classic the indifferent observer, simply shrugged in response. “After leaving, you suddenly sped up, and I just went with the flow,” he remarked casually as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Ethan shook his head helplessly, chuckling at the realization. “Guess I got a bit carried away,” he conceded with a grin.
Irina harrumphed in response, her irritation dissipating slightly as she found herself naturally gravitating towards Astron, taking a seat beside him.
While they perused the menu and placed their orders, Irina couldn’t help but ask curiously, “What were you two doing out this early in the morning?”
Astron’s reply was simple and to the point. “Training,” he stated flatly. Irina, familiar with Astron’s terse way of speaking, understood his implication.
“Sparring?” she inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Astron nodded in confirmation. “He offered,” he added, his expression neutral. “No, rather he forced. This guy suddenly barged in, demanding a spar out of nowhere.” He looked a bit annoyed, but Irina knew this was how he usually was.
Somehow, she could imagine Ethan doing that, remembering how it was while they were walking and Ethan trying to strike up a conversation.
She nodded knowingly, a small smile playing on her lips. “Sounds like something he learned from Julia,” she remarked, remembering Ethan’s past self and current one – his competitive streak and his tendency to challenge others to improve his skills.
Astron nodded in agreement. “Makes sense,” he conceded with a shrug, his attention returning to the menu.
Somehow, Irina was curious about the spar, as she knew Astron rather disliked showing his skills in general. Even though she didn’t know the extent of his abilities, at the same time, that was the case with Ethan as well.
If Astron was unfathomable because he was hiding himself, Ethan was incomprehensible because of his incredibly rapid pace of improvement. Thus, the outcome of the fight between these two individuals, who were somehow ranked higher than other people in her eyes, was important.
Irina leaned in slightly, her curiosity getting the better of her. “So, who won?” she asked, her eyes flickering between Ethan and Astron.
Astron turned his head to Irina, his expression saying it all – ‘Isn’t it obvious?’ Irina couldn’t help but grin mischievously. “Ah, so Ethan won,” she stated confidently, already picturing the scene in her mind.
Astron simply shrugged his shoulders, his demeanor nonchalant. “You’re free to think whatever you want,” he replied.
“You’re no fun.”
Astron met her gaze with a deadpan expression. “Your sense of humor is just as bad,” he retorted calmly, unfazed by her jest.
Irina couldn’t resist the urge to pinch him in response, but Astron remained stoic and unaffected by her actions. She also knew he wouldn’t say anything since he owed him quite a lot of favors, so she was doing this inherently.
Ethan watched the exchange between Irina and Astron with a mixture of amusement and slight envy. Their familiarity with each other was evident, and he couldn’t help but feel like an outsider witnessing their interaction.
‘These two….Somehow, they seem rather close…I had never seen Irina like this before.’
“You guys…..You look like a”
“Here, the food you ordered.”
For a moment, he considered teasing them about seeming like a couple, but before he could utter a word, the waitress arrived with their food, effectively cutting him off.
With Irina’s gaze now fixed on him, Ethan felt a sudden urge to keep quiet. He shrugged off the thought of making any comments and instead focused on his meal and conversation differently…..
********
Inside the buzzing classroom, the students sat on their seats, waiting for the instructor to show up.
“I wonder, what will today’s assignment be? Any clues?”
“I don’t know. In the mail, it was stated that this one wasn’t going to include much combat but rather an observation, but man, Phantom’s Land was supposed to be an observation assignment as well. Look what happened, though.”
“You are right, but I think this time they will keep it more simple. My mother is a civil servant in the government, and she had already submitted a complaint.”
–CREAK!
Just then, the atmosphere shifted as the door creaked open wide, drawing the attention of every student in the room. In walked the classic stern instructor, Eleanor, her presence commanding respect and silence.
The students fell silent as Eleanor scanned the room with her piercing gaze, seizing the attention of each individual.
“Good morning, cadets,” she announced briskly, her tone leaving no room for chatter or hesitation.
Without wasting any time, Eleanor delved straight into the purpose of their gathering.
“Today’s assignment will take us to the Mana Stone Mine operated by the Blackthorn Family,” Eleanor began, her tone crisp and authoritative. “Our objective is twofold: first, to observe the mining operations firsthand, and second, to analyze the techniques and strategies employed by the miners in extracting mana stones from the earth.”
She paused momentarily, allowing her words to sink in before continuing. “Each of you will be assigned a specific area of the mine to observe closely. Pay attention to the tools and equipment used, the methods of excavation, and any safety protocols in place. Your task is to gather detailed observations and insights into the process of mana stone extraction.”
Eleanor’s gaze swept across the room, ensuring that every student was attentive and focused. “Furthermore, be prepared to analyze the quality of the mana stones unearthed. Note any variations in size, color, or purity, and consider how these factors might impact their usefulness in magical applications.”
“As always,” she concluded, her voice unwavering, “accuracy and attention to detail are paramount. Your observations will form the basis of your evaluation for this assignment. Any questions?”
Her question hung in the air for a moment, but no one dared to speak up. Just as she was about to nod her head, she saw a hand raised.
It was Ethan.
“Instructor, will we enter the mine with our previous groups?”
Eleanor observed the raised hand of Ethan, a glimmer of approval shining in her eyes as she nodded in acknowledgment of his question.
“Yes, Ethan,” she replied, her voice calm and measured. “You will indeed enter the mine in groups, but these groups will be different from those you’ve previously worked with on assignments. The reorganization is intended to encourage collaboration and teamwork among different cadets.”
She paused briefly to allow her words to sink in before continuing. “The specific group assignments will be distributed to you before we enter the mine. Each group will be carefully selected to ensure a balance of skills and expertise.”
Eleanor scanned the room, her gaze lingering for a moment on each student before moving on. “Are there any further questions?”
Silence greeted her inquiry, confirming that her instructions had been understood. With a decisive nod, she gestured for the cadets to prepare for departure.
“Very well. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment and supplies before we depart. We will reconvene outside to board the buses shortly.”
With that, Eleanor turned on her heel and strode out of the classroom, her presence commanding respect and obedience as the students followed suit, their minds already turning to the task ahead.