Chapter 154 — The Best Way to Overcome Fear

1

Kael was on her way back from meeting Alano.

The student council president had stopped her from going to the Chairman’s office.

Alano had calmed the anxious Kael with gentle words.

She assured her that Manus had a plan and that, even in the worst-case scenario, the Chairman would intervene.

[So don’t waver and believe in him, just like you always have.]

Alano’s gaze was unwavering.

Just a one-year difference.

How could she be so calm and confident with only a short time difference between them?

Kael suddenly felt a strange emotion.

The realization that there were people better than her.

The feeling that they knew Manus better than she did.

She bit her lip and nodded.

Then, as she was weakly making her way back to class…

“-Senior?”

She spotted a tall figure with sculpted features walking straight toward her from afar.

As soon as she saw Manus, a whirlwind of emotions surged within her.

She didn’t know what to say or how to act, leaving her feeling confused.

So, she decided to approach him.

After the incident with Anais and various other events, she had learned something.

Facing someone directly and sharing emotions was the only way to resolve issues.

Only by honestly expressing her feelings could she get a reaction from the other person.

“Senior, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Manus appeared completely composed.

As if questioning why she was so worried, his eyes were calm and serene.

The deep blue eyes, which seemed to have cast his emotions aside, had a calming effect on Kael’s trembling heart.

Manus looked at Kael and quietly began to speak.

He didn’t know what emotions she was harboring.

She wasn’t just a game character, a protagonist who clicked forward and fought silently.

She was someone who could think and feel for herself.

“You’re not going anywhere, right? Right?”

“I can’t leave; there are still many things I need to do. And… there’s still much I need to teach you all.”

“Everyone’s anxious. So am I—”

Manus’s voice softened further.

He spoke to Kael as if reassuring a child.

“I’m not going anywhere. Trust me.”

“…”

Kael didn’t respond but nodded.

It was truly remarkable.

Just facing him calmed her trembling heart.

It was no exaggeration to say that he had a magical charm.

The smile that followed was one she had never seen him show to anyone else.

Kael could tell he was trying not to burden them.

That made her chest feel even tighter.

“Don’t be foolish and hold back your talents and abilities because of me.”

His voice was gentle but with a hint of sternness.

Manus had accurately grasped Kael’s inner thoughts.

He needed to tell the other first-years the same thing.

It was foolish to let the atmosphere, surrounding eyes, or rumors keep you from showing your talents.

Those with abundant talent had the right to shine brilliantly, no matter what.

At least, that’s what Manus believed.

“I came to tell you not to worry about me. Always stay strong and move forward.”

“…Okay. I’ll do that.”

“I wonder when you’ll stop worrying—”

“Ugh, but how can I not worry?”

Kael’s ears turned slightly red.

There are two things that people can never hide: sneezes and feelings, or so they say.

Although she didn’t fully understand it yet, her genuine concern for Manus was evident.

Perhaps because she was still young, she wasn’t skilled at hiding her emotions.

To her, Manus was like a new pillar.

A solid and upright figure who seemed like he would never crumble.

Someone who made her believe he would always guide her down the right path.

“I appreciate your concern. But you still need to do well on the evaluation.”

“Yes. I’ll definitely do well.”

Kael, who used to wander around absentmindedly, now wanted to be like Manus.

Her eyes, once filled with uncertainty, now sparkled with determination, making her look more like the protagonist of the story.

Kael remembered something Manus had said before.

[I’ve never met someone I could really trust.]

“I want to be your first.”

“…What?”

What is she suddenly talking about?

Manus visibly hesitated, taken aback.

Such a sudden and potentially misleading statement—

He was wondering how to respond when Kael quickly clarified.

“You said before that you’ve never met someone good.”

“Oh.”

So that’s what she meant.

Manus let out a sigh of relief and nodded.

What could he say—dating someone so young with his 30-year-old mindset was too far-fetched.

They were all incredibly beautiful, but at least until the original story concluded, he had no intention of getting involved with anyone.

In that sense, Kael was making a very wise decision.

“I want to be someone good for you. Someone you can trust, no matter what happens… that’s the kind of person I want to be.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Manus smiled sincerely.

It wasn’t bad having someone say something like that to him.

Kael stared blankly at his smile.

Had she ever seen such a beautiful smile?

It was breathtakingly mesmerizing, almost as if she could get lost in it.

His blue eyes vanished into crescent moons as he smiled, and his face was more perfect than any work of art.

Kael found herself gazing at him in awe.

“T-this…”

“Hmm?”

“This… you shouldn’t show this to anyone else.”

Manus returned to his usual expression and turned away without replying.

It was about time for him to head upstairs; he couldn’t afford to be late.

“Do well on your evaluation.”

“…Yes, Senior, you too.”

Kael stood there, staring blankly at Manus’s retreating figure.

She remained there, rooted to the spot, until Manus disappeared from view.

She looked like someone savoring a sweet fruit to quench their thirst.

[Interference has been detected.]

[Reward: Your comrades’ trust will not waver easily.]

[Reward: Your comrades’ unique skills will become stronger.]

[All unique skill acquisition times reduced by 30%.]

Manus received a reward that left him quite satisfied.

2

The April evaluation turned out to be quite challenging.

Even Manus found himself puzzled by a few questions.

The history section included detailed questions and others that required precise knowledge application.

For Manus, it was difficult enough, but not impossible.

Professor Trevor’s lectures were interesting, and Manus had listened to them attentively.

He wrote down the necessary equations for the final magic problem.

‘Changing the timeline recklessly is something to avoid—’

The magic he had created to test his abilities was gaining momentum and turning into a huge wave.

The idea of hosting an academic conference on installation magic was exhausting.

When Manus submitted his test paper, the proctor looked at him with eager eyes.

A gaze that seemed to ask, “Is there anything special this time?”

Ignoring the burdensome stare, Manus moved on to the next evaluation.

Outside the exam hall, Elena was waiting, ready to walk with him.

“Manus, are you okay?”

“I won’t be causing any trouble.”

“…That’s not what I meant.”

“I’m fine.”

His response was so curt that Elena could only nod.

He had always been like that, but lately, the distance between them felt greater.

It was only natural that he’d become more sensitive after what had happened.

Elena regretted bringing it up and crossed her arms, following him.

Why did she have to be so careful around a junior…

Regardless, she resolved not to provoke him any further.

“Let’s save the anger for the evaluation.”

Manus didn’t respond and just kept walking.

There was a one-on-one evaluation and one against monsters coming up.

[Third-year students, please prepare for the match.]

The evaluation announcement echoed through the broadcast system, amplified by wide-area magic.

Three matches were scheduled for today.

They were events that were highly valued in the Mythos League.

Manus checked his mana.

Despite being exposed to various stresses, his condition was excellent, as if mocking those stresses.

Maybe, as Elena suggested, he could relieve his stress through combat and monster hunting.

After releasing his magic, he might be able to think more clearly.

“Hey, did you do well on the test? Let’s hurry up.”

“Don’t talk to him; he’s not in a good mood right now.”

“Really? But you still need to do well on the test. Nothing is certain yet, right?”

For once, Aden said something sensible.

Elena looked at him with newfound respect.

Even Manus, who had been quiet, added his voice.

“You won’t suffer any consequences because of me.”

If anything, you should worry about it ending too quickly.

He wasn’t in a particularly good mood.

As they climbed onto the stage, the seniors who had always been eager to defeat Manus appeared.

With flushed faces, they stepped onto the stage, clearly intending to taunt him.

The proctor was the familiar Assistant Chesthip.

As soon as they saw Manus, their opponents opened their mouths.

“If you wanted to beat the seniors that badly, you should’ve tried harder.”

“Right. Does it feel good to beat the third-years by cheating?”

Manus simply stared at them silently.

The assistant, noticing this, intentionally dragged out the time, pretending to be preoccupied.

He was probably hoping that Manus would lose his temper and do something reckless.

That would create the perfect scenario.

A story about how the scion of a great family who used illegal drugs went on a rampage.

“What’s the point of being from a great family if you have no honor?”

“Ah, this is so unfair. I bet you didn’t take anything this time, right? Can you even beat us?”

As the constant jeering continued, Elena, unable to hold back, stepped forward.

She couldn’t stand to watch any longer.

Their remarks were unbecoming of students of Mythos Academy and made her blood boil.

“Those bastards really—”

“Hey, hold back.”

Using violence unofficially was strictly forbidden.

If they made a wrong move, they could lose by default before even starting.

Aden assessed the situation calmly and realized it wasn’t time to act yet.

“If we go head-to-head, we’ll win. So let’s just let them talk for now.”

“You too. Are you really trying to boost your scores by going after a junior?”

“Yeah, it’s illegal anyway.”

Manus, who had been silently watching, spoke up, addressing Assistant Chesthip.

“Proctor. When will it start?”

“I was just about to begin.”

“Good. The noise from these pests was getting irritating.”

Manus smirked.

Pests? Was he referring to them?

Seeing the dumbfounded expressions on the seniors’ faces was almost amusing.

So he spoke again.

“For things that don’t know their place, a beating is the best remedy.”

The other side’s faces turned beet red.

–TL Notes–
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