Chapter 124 Citations [ 4 ]

-Asher Frostblade's point of view.

Silence was abundant.

That was practically the most noticeable thing in the atmosphere as the two went without saying a word.

The same could not be said for Gloriana.

Truth be told, Gloriana's invitation to join a dungeon was something Asher had already had in mind from the beginning.

Certainly, the time at the academy was the same as almost every day.

So what happens if you go out and enter the dungeons?

The boredom would disappear immediately, of course.

This was Asher's idea.

He would have the opportunity to improve himself inside the dungeons.

It would be a much better experience than being inside the academy, watching the teachers' explanations and demonstrations that were actually easy to understand. Of course, that couldn't be said for everyone.

However, Asher wanted to go to a dungeon.

What better idea than to use a dungeon as a warm-up?

If it's a grade 9 dungeon, it serves as a warm-up; if it's a grade 8, it would be long fights.

In the case of a grade 7 dungeon, the situation is different.

Certainly, Asher can only handle a grade 8 dungeon and, to a lesser extent, a grade 7 dungeon, the latter being quite difficult at present with his strength.

However, the academy only allows first year cadets to go to grade 9 dungeons and rarely to grade 8 ones.

Gloriana's idea was quite good.

From the beginning, this was Asher's plan, although he thought the others would not want to accompany him.

But Gloriana arranged that for him, and so he quickly agreed to the deal.

What else would he lose?

Besides serving as training and fighting monsters, it was better than being at the academy, where almost nothing in particular was done.

Asher nodded.

He liked the idea.

However, he also had another thought in mind.

Looking at Gloriana, he noticed that she didn't really mean it. In fact, Eliza was about to say it, but she was interrupted by Gloriana, and Asher couldn't figure out Gloriana's true intention.

Still, even though she changed the subject and mentioned about the dungeon, Asher seized on it right away.

"It was quite an appealing idea."

Yes it was.

He couldn't deny it.

He'd had it in mind from the beginning.

The academy manages dungeons of various types.

Among them, dungeons from grade 9 to grade 5.

However, only fifth-years who are fifth-circle mages can enter grade 5 dungeons, and they generally do so in groups of four fifth-circle mages.

They also expect to have healers and a sixth circle teacher in case of emergency.

Everything was very well managed.

So there was no problem. Still, first years are only allowed grade 9 dungeons and, on rare occasions, grade 8, very few cadets who are granted permission.

"I generally like the idea, but do the others agree?"

Asher asked, and then Gloriana answered, though she seemed thoughtful in her words.

"Uh, yes... they agree."

Bullshit.

Asher didn't notice, but Gloriana lied.

This because, actually, she was going to say something else and ended up mentioning about the dungeons.

From now on it would be lies to avoid saying what she really wanted to say.

She simply couldn't say it, least of all with two fairies present.

Asher then pondered for a moment, processing the ideas.

"But I guess this is the first time they've ever entered a dungeon."

Asher has experience in dungeons.

However, he has only entered less than four dungeons over the time he was obtaining the ten knight achievements.

Although most were grade 8 dungeons, he has only entered one grade 7 dungeon, although there was a grade 6 monster actually.

He was confident going into the dungeons.

He was the best at the time and knew how to help others clear a dungeon without losing his life trying.

"Hey."

Asher spoke as he stared at Gloriana.

This time he would put aside thoughts of the dungeon and focus more on the words Eliza had said earlier.

He was curious as to what Gloriana was really going to say.

However, somehow Asher noticed that she changed the subject of the conversation.

Now was the time, after being here with her for a few minutes.

"W-what's wrong?"

"I think you were going to say something else before you mentioned about the dungeon."

"..."

Gloriana's eyes widened, but she tried to look away, avoiding Asher's gaze.

At a time like this, she didn't know what to say or what to make up.

Asher had certainly caught her.

In this case, she had an idea.

"Uh, well, I was going to say...let's take a walk."

"He changed the subject again."

Asher thought as his look turned to one of disappointment.

He definitely wanted to say something to her.

But apparently she couldn't.

Asher didn't force her.

If she didn't want to tell him what she really had to tell him, then she would give him his time and not insist on asking.

There was no need.

It wasn't like it was something really important, was it?

Knowing that, Asher didn't think much of it.

Still, he was curious.

"What did you really want to tell me?"

His curiosity peaked.

Asher tended to have something of an obsession when they didn't tell him something they really had to tell him.

But was it really important?

His look... Gloriana's half clearly said that it was something very important that he should tell her.

So, why don't you say it?

People are usually like that: they want to say something, but they don't end up saying it. This led Asher to become a bit obsessed with wanting to know exactly what they would tell him.

Soon, Elizabeth's words came into his head as he remembered about the bet.

"I guess I lost the bet."

It was impossible to take on the role of trying to romance a girl.

It wasn't something that fit Asher, his thoughts actually had nothing.

He didn't know exactly what to say to her or anything like that.

No matter what, Asher was always someone with no emotions, no feelings and no nothing.

So why did he take the bet if he was going to lose anyway?

What was the point of it?

First of all, it might as well be a bad thing for Gloriana.

She definitely deserved someone she really loved and not just for a bet.

So, Asher decided.

"I won't make the bet, but..."

He paused to think for a moment, frowning.

Then, he thought once more.

"I suppose I could do something similar, maybe... amuse you, Gloriana."

Indeed, Asher had something on his mind.

The others looked like the fun type.

How hard could that be?

They also seemed to be very close with each other; however, he wasn't with anyone.

This would be an opportunity to be closer to Gloriana, and then to the others.

Simply put, it would be like being best friends.

Something Asher really wished for in his past life.

Of course, Amelia was his best friend and at the same time he considered her as a sister, but Asher never said anything like that to him in his previous life.

Amelia was the only person who opened him up and gave him a second chance in his past life, but in the end she died and to no avail, and Asher couldn't thank her for what she had done for him.

So this time it would be different with his new and first friends.

***

-Change of scene.

It was around 9 o'clock, close to 10 o'clock at night.

At this hour, there were still several cadets walking around the campus while Asher and Gloriana did the same, looking around.

The moon hung in the night sky, and the stars were shining above them.

"How big is this world?"

If Agrona's continent is the same size as Asher's previous world, how many continents will there be? How big are they? Adding it all up, how big is this world really?

Without a doubt, the world in which Asher was reincarnated was incredibly large.

A world whose size could not be measured.

It's even possible that there are places yet to be discovered. Who knows? If this world is so large, there might be a chance of finding unknown places.

As the two of them walked along the vast and long paths, they soon came to an area that resembled a park.

It was lit with several lampposts that emitted a faint yellow light with a white hue at the same time, and there were benches everywhere, as well as tables and gardens.

"This academy really does have everything."

"That's true."

Both of them were impressed.

Simply put, the academy had everything a city usually has.

Anywhere you go, you could find everything you could see in a city.

Although, being an academy, of course, there are no streets, after all, the places where the stores and such were were not too far away.

Still, this academy really has everything.

Soon they came to a bench and then sat down while looking at the sky. However, Asher averted his gaze to Gloriana and thought.

"What could be something funny?"

He thought about it, and several ideas came up.

Rephrasing each idea, he thought again and then....

"Why is the park always so stressed?"

"..."

Gloriana looked at Asher, confused, however, he continued.

"Because it has too many benches."

"..."

There was silence as Gloriana looked at him, but then she opened her eyes, covered her mouth and turned her head away.

"I guess I'm really bad at jokes," Asher thought.

It was the first thing that came to his mind.

They were in a park, well, sort of a park. Actually, it's campus, in an area with coarse trees and benches scattered all over the paths.

Similar to a park, though it's not.

"Hehe..."

"..."

Asher looked in Gloriana's direction.

Was that a laugh?

Then he thought of another joke as he searched through his thoughts, until he found one more.

"Why doesn't the moon ever get lost in the night sky?"

"..."

Again, the atmosphere was hushed, but Asher finished.

"Because it always follows the stars."

"Asher... please..."

"..."

"Ptf... Hahaha..."

She couldn't hold back the laughter and let it out.

Asher looked at Gloriana, who was still laughing.

"So, that counts as me not being bad at funny, right?"

"What bad jokes."

"..."

"Tell me one yourself, then."

Asher looked at Elizabeth, who positioned herself in front of him.

Asher frowned.

She was definitely jealous of his good jokes.

"Ahem... I'm just saying they're bad, doesn't mean I can say something like that."

"Then you shouldn't criticize."

"That's fine."

"Why does the guy who doesn't understand girls' feelings always carry a compass?"

"..."

Asher understood Elizabeth's words, and it wasn't really a joke.

"Because he's an idiot who doesn't know anything about feelings."

"..."

"It was on purpose."

"What are you talking about?"

Sighing, Asher averted his gaze and then looked at Gloriana, who had stopped laughing.

Tears, however, were streaming from her eyes.

"Was it really that good?"

They were not tears of sadness, but of her not holding in the laughter, to the point that tears even welled up in her eyes.

Gloriana wiped away her tears as she looked slightly at Asher, averting her gaze instantly, unable to say anything else.

But she murmured without Asher noticing.

"I like that side of you."

Despite that, Asher didn't listen; his thoughts were focused on something else that might be funny.

But...

"What is this...? I can't think of anything funny."

It was a definite block.

His thoughts were blocked; he couldn't think of anything really funny.

"Haa..."

He sighed bitterly.

"It seems I'm really no good."

He came to a conclusion.

He was definitely no good.

But seeing Gloriana's laughter motivated him to keep looking for good jokes.

At that moment, he only had ideas of good jokes in his head, but.... were they really good or not?

Tap. Tap.

At that moment, Asher and Gloriana looked at each other, then turned their heads and, amidst the shadows of the treetops, saw two cadets.

Both opened their eyes when they saw who they were.

"Julian... Emilia."

"What are they doing at this hour?"

They both asked each other the same question as they looked at the two coming towards them.

"Quick, let's find a place and hide."

"..."

"If you want that, then..."

Asher held Gloriana by the waist as his magic enveloped them, and in the blink of an eye, they had stepped into a shadow....