Chương 52: Three Days of Peace

Ch 52 - Three Days of Peace The past two months had been nothing short of insane for Zeph. Ever since he first arrived at the academy until today, he had gone through an unbelievable transformation. It wasn't because his level had increased dramatically. In fact, it had only gone up once, and he was now Level 17. [Level 17] The biggest change was everything he had managed to learn during those two months.

He had absorbed an incredible amount of knowledge, while his physical condition had improved at an astonishing rate.

On top of that, his understanding of sigils and many other subjects had grown much deeper than before. Zeph had also just completed the challenge Instructor Elaine had given him. He had finally managed to finish the morning marathon in under two hours. Combined with the remaining physical exercises that took another fifteen minutes, his entire training routine was completed in just over two hours. Even so, he had barely taken a single break throughout those two months.

He truly had not rested at all, except for the one time he had passed out when he first began learning swordsmanship under Instructor Elaine. He still trained regularly with Meriel and continued spending time at the Blacksmith Club. Even though he had not yet been given another chance to test whether he could finally land a hit on Instructor Elaine, he never stopped preparing for that moment. He continued working tirelessly toward that goal. The next time the opportunity came, he intended to succeed.

That particular day, however, was different. The academy had announced a three-day holiday because the city was holding a grand festival. Most of the students used the break to return home and spend time with their families, while others, like Madou, had left the academy to take on a small mission. Zeph and Lena, on the other hand, had nowhere to go, so they decided to visit the city together and enjoy the celebration.

By seven o'clock that morning, Zeph was already sitting on a bench in the academy garden, quietly waiting. A few moments later, a young woman with shoulder-length blonde hair approached him. Lena's hair had grown noticeably longer than before. She was wearing a cute cream-colored blouse with soft puffed sleeves, paired with a light blue skirt that reached just above her knees. A small ribbon decorated the collar of her blouse, while simple white shoes completed the outfit.

The gentle colors suited her perfectly, giving her a bright and cheerful appearance.

"Hi, Zeph. I hope you haven't been waiting too long," she said with her usual warm smile. Zeph stood up, his eyes lingering on her for a brief moment as he admired her appearance.

"That outfit really suits you, Lena. You look beautiful wearing it." Lena let out a soft laugh, a faint blush appearing across her cheeks.

"Ever since you've been spending so much time with Senior Meriel, you've gotten much better at complimenting girls. No wonder Suki gets annoyed whenever you say things like that." Without waiting for his response, Lena reached for his right hand and gently pulled him forward.

"Come on, let's get going. The city festival only comes around once a year. There will be all kinds of performances, games, food stalls, and plenty of interesting things to see. We shouldn't waste the day." Zeph simply nodded and followed beside her. He knew that taking a day or two away from training would not ruin everything he had worked so hard to achieve. Whether he liked it or not, he was still human. Even if he could return from death, his mind still needed time to recover.

Training without giving himself even the smallest break would eventually wear down his mental strength as well. They left the academy grounds and made their way toward the city on foot since it was only a short walk away. As usual, Lena carried most of the conversation during the trip, while Zeph simply listened, speaking only when he felt there was something worth saying.

"I'm really struggling to keep up with the lessons. Honestly, skipping straight into the second year was a little too much. It feels like we're constantly trying to catch up," she said with a helpless sigh. It was during moments like this that Zeph realized how rarely they had the chance to talk alone anymore. Back when they had been staying at Madou's inn, they would spend almost every evening chatting for hours before going to bed.

Now, between classes, training, and everything else, those quiet conversations had almost disappeared.

"Even Madou looks exhausted sometimes. But he's even worse than I am," Lena said with a laugh.

"He always says, 'Forget the theory. If you can survive out there, you'll learn what really matters.' That's exactly how he thinks."

"So, how's your training going, Zeph?" she asked, glancing at him with a warm smile.

"We barely get the chance to talk anymore." She let out a quiet laugh before continuing.

"You always come back to the room completely exhausted, then fall asleep almost right away. The next morning, you're already gone before anyone else is awake. Even at lunchtime, you hardly ever eat with the rest of us." This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Zeph let out an awkward grin at the question.

"Yeah. Instructor Elaine gave me a challenge."

"If even you have to work that hard, then it must be a really difficult challenge." She looked at him with a gentle expression.

"Still, you seem like you're enjoying it. You're doing okay, right? I get worried sometimes. You come back covered in cuts and bruises, or looking like you're about to collapse."

"Sorry for making you worry." She shook her head.

"You don't have to apologize. Just let us know if you ever need help, okay? We all came to this academy together." Her smile softened.

"We've already been through something far worse than this back in the Rift. I know you can get through this too, Zeph. You're one of the strongest and most determined people I know."

"Yeah." Zeph gave a small nod.

"I won't leave you guys out of it if something comes up," he said quietly. Before long, they reached the busiest part of the city. Vendors lined both sides of the streets, their colorful stalls packed with food, handmade crafts, toys, and festival souvenirs. Since the main road had been closed to traffic for the celebration, people freely wandered from one side to the other, filling the streets with cheerful conversation and laughter.

Children ran around carrying brightly colored balloons, performers entertained small crowds with simple tricks, and the delicious smell of grilled meat and sweet pastries drifted through the air. Lena's pace quickened as her eyes lit up with excitement. Every now and then, she grabbed Zeph's hand and pulled him along with an eager smile.

"Come on, Zeph! Let's check that place out first!" Zeph simply nodded and followed after her. To be honest, festivals like this still felt a little unfamiliar to him. It was not that he wasn't enjoying himself. He was. If anything, he was more worried that his naturally reserved expression might make Lena think he was only tagging along out of obligation. As they sampled food from one of the stalls, Zeph accidentally got a bit of sauce on his cheek without noticing. Lena covered her mouth as she laughed.

"Zeph, you've got something on your face." He instinctively wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. When he saw the sauce on his fingers, he couldn't help but laugh at himself.

"You're like a little kid sometimes," Lena said, still giggling.

"It's just food, and you still manage to make a mess." A little while later, they found a place along the side of the main street as people began gathering in neat rows. The festival parade had finally begun. Decorated floats rolled slowly down the road, followed by dancers in vibrant costumes, musicians filling the air with lively melodies, and performers putting on energetic shows for the cheering crowd. Lena looked like she was enjoying every second of the festival.

Every now and then, she turned toward Zeph and pointed excitedly at something that had caught her attention, her face lighting up with childlike excitement.

"Look over there! That clown is hilarious!" she said, pointing eagerly toward the street. Zeph smiled faintly.

"The music is really lively too."

"That's what makes this festival so special," Lena continued.

"To make it feel more authentic, Awakeners aren't allowed to use their abilities during the performances. Everything we're seeing is either done with clever tricks or ordinary technology. That's why people love it so much. Flashy magic doesn't surprise people like us anymore, does it?"

"Yeah. Even a giant skeleton knight doesn't seem that unusual anymore." Lena blinked at him in surprise before bursting into laughter.

"You weren't seriously thinking about the Rift at a time like this, were you?" Zeph simply shook his head. After watching the parade for a few more minutes, Lena reached for his hand again.

"Come on. I know a place you'll probably like. It's much quieter, but we can still enjoy the parade from there." Zeph followed without protest as Lena led him away from the crowded streets. After a short walk, they arrived at a cozy café overlooking the parade route. The building stood three stories tall, and after stepping inside, they climbed to the top floor. Fortunately, a window seat was still available. From there, they had a clear view of the parade below without being surrounded by the noisy crowd.

After ordering a few drinks and some light snacks, they settled into their seats. They continued watching the colorful procession from above. It was a completely different experience from standing among the cheering crowd, yet the lively atmosphere of the festival still reached them through the open window. The relaxed atmosphere continued as the day went on. They settled into their seats to enjoy the food they had ordered.

Sitting across from one another, they talked more comfortably than they had in quite some time. It was only now, in this quieter moment, that Zeph finally found the chance to ask about something that had been on his mind for days. Every time he had tried to bring it up before, Lena had always found a way to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"Lena," Zeph began, "about the expedition you're planning in the next few weeks." Lena fell silent. The cheerful expression on her face gradually faded, and she looked away for a moment. Even without saying anything, her reaction was enough to tell Zeph that he had guessed correctly.

"I heard about it from Madou," Zeph continued.

"You're planning to go somewhere, aren't you? And I'm guessing you weren't planning to tell me." He paused before asking the question that mattered most.

"Does it have something to do with the mana signature connected to your parents again?" Lena tilted her head slightly before letting out a small, helpless smile.

"... Yeah. You've really been paying attention."

"You knew you wouldn't be able to avoid this question if we spent the whole day together, didn't you?" She gave a small nod.

"I knew you'd ask eventually." Her smile weakened.

"But... I don't want to involve you. I have my reasons."

"Then tell me those reasons." Zeph's voice remained calm, but firm.

"I'm not going to pretend everything's fine if you deliberately leave me out. Is this a Rift expedition?" Lena slowly shook her head.

"No. It isn't a Rift expedition." She lowered her gaze to the table.

"But we found another lead, and I'm almost certain it's connected to the same mana signature. It could finally point us toward another clue."

"Who's going?"

"Madou and me." She hesitated for a moment.

"I haven't decided if we'll bring anyone else yet. We still don't know how dangerous this expedition will be."

"Then bring me too." Zeph met her eyes without hesitation.

"Give me one good reason why you didn't even consider including me in this expedition." Lena's hesitation was written all over her face. The change in her expression was impossible to miss, and she did her best to avoid meeting Zeph's eyes. For several long seconds, silence hung between them. Finally, she lowered her gaze and spoke in a quiet voice.

"The last thing that happened..." She paused.

"The Rift evolved from Tier 1 to Tier 2." She fell silent again, as though carefully choosing her next words.

"And..." she continued after a long pause, "... your sigil carries the same mana signature as the Rift where my parents disappeared. It's also the same signature we found in this new lead. I don't know if they're truly connected, but I can't ignore it."

"Night Cavalry." Just as Zeph had suspected.