Chapter 440

During the second week of the training camp, halfway through the program, in the evening, the students gathered in groups, excitedly chatting about their progress for the day.

"Look! I can deploy magic a little faster now!" Eliana shrieked excitedly as she stretched out her hand, activating her specialty light magic. "Hmph! At this rate, I might finally overcome my greatest weakness, my slow chant speed!"

Smugly stroking her chin, she grinned in satisfaction.

However, Chelsea, watching with an unimpressed look, tilted her head. "Eliana, your slow chanting speed was just because you neglected your theoretical studies."

"No, it wasn't! Do you have any idea how hard it is for a magic swordsman like me to chant spells while moving at high speed? Do you even understand the struggles of someone who has to wield both aura and mana at the same time?!"

"The fact remains that you neglected your studies," Chelsea remarked indifferently.

Eliana flinched. Then, as if struck by a revelation, she suddenly let out an "Aha!" and sprang to her feet.

Crossing her arms confidently, she declared, "You're afraid that I'll catch up to your specialty in high-speed chanting, aren't you? Haha! You're jealous!"

Whoosh—!

"Kyaaah!"

A powerful gust of wind magic sent Eliana flying.

Watching the scene unfold, Carl chewed on a piece of jerky and muttered, "Chelsea, it feels like your chant speed has gotten even faster."

Chelsea beamed with pride. "Yeah! I think All thanks to Instructor Akan's training!"

Nella, observing from the side, looked puzzled. "But I heard that he doesn't know much about magic?"

"That's right. He doesn't. But he taught me a lot about combat techniques, how to increase my focus, and other useful things!" Chelsea shouted, her excitement evident.

Nella smiled warmly and reached out to pat her head.

Tade, overhearing, murmured to himself, "The knight department students must be in shambles. They already call Chelsea the Knight Hunter out of fear."

As the strongest close-combat fighter in the second-year magic department, Chelsea had become a nightmare for the knight department students. Among them, she was infamous as the Knight Hunter.

Chelsea flashed a victorious V-sign with her fingers.

At that moment…

"Oh! It's Instructor Akan!"

"Instructor Akan! Have you had dinner?!"

A commotion broke out at the campsite as the students turned their heads toward Akan.

"He's really popular," Nella murmured.

"Compared to the seniors who graduated, he's practically an angel," Eliana added, having just staggered back from being blasted by Chelsea's wind spell.

"And he's handsome too!"

Tade smirked. "You really can't resist a good-looking face, can you… Kugh!"

Eliana stomped his foot. As he rolled on the ground, clutching his injury, she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"There's just something about him."

"Yeah, unlike most beastmen who are rough and wild, Instructor Akan is gentle," Nella said.

"And he's incredibly skilled, right? I heard he didn't even graduate from Azonia. I wish he'd become a professor here."

Excitedly, Nella and Eliana continued their chatter, eyes fixed on Aaron.

Meanwhile, Aaron, surrounded by a group of female students, smiled gently.

The girls gasped in admiration.

"At first, I thought he looked like Aaron but seemed kind of weak, so I wasn't interested…"

"You thought that too? I did as well. But somehow, this side of him is nice too."

"Yeah. He's charming. He gives off this feeling that makes you want to protect him."

The Azonia female students murmured with dreamy expressions.

"Hmph!" With a snort, Borman stepped between girls and Aaron. "Instructor Akan is certainly strong, but a true beastman should be powerful and wild!"

With fierce eyes, he turned to the side. "Isn't that right, Dion?!"

"If you're talking about strength and wildness, Dion is the only one who has it."

"You're just a musclebrain."

The Azonia female students reacted instantly, their words sharp.

Borman puffed out his chest and shouted, "Don't you find my bold presence in battle impressive?"

"It is impressive, in a way."

"Yeah, in the sense that you're an idiot. The one who's really impressive is our boss cat!"

"That's right! Aru is way more dignified and cool than you!"

Borman squinted at Aru, following their gazes.

"Water is scary. Water is scary. Water is scary," Aru muttered, curled up by the campfire with her knees pulled to her chest.

She looked anything but dignified or cool.

The Azonia students exchanged puzzled glances. Then, as if coming to the same realization at the same time, two of them suddenly shouted…

"But that's cute too!"

"She's like a moping cat!"

Their enthusiasm only grew.

Borman grumbled under his breath. "I will never understand women."

"No matter who you compare, anyone is more impressive than a brute like you," Ruwen cut in.

"Why are you picking a fight now, fox?"

As the Azonia students bickered, Aaron quietly made his way toward the Seiren students. Unlike the others, the Seiren students weren't the type to make a fuss, and their reaction to Aaron was more subdued.

"Eiran." Aaron smiled and pulled out some snacks from his pocket. "Here, take these."

"Ah, thank you." Eiran, who had been secretly reading a book in the corner, brightened as Aaron handed her the snacks.

"What are you reading?"

"A book."

"Wow, just like that kid. She loved books too."

Eiran, knowing exactly who "that kid" referred to, smiled shyly.

"So, what's it about? That kid never let me see what she was reading either."

"U-Um! Just a magic book! A magic book! It's the Seiren magic class textbook!" Eiran quickly shut the book and laughed awkwardly.

As she did, Lunia, who was passing by, glanced at the cover and narrowed her eyes. "An Examination of Night Sky Constellations and Stellar Magic? Isn't that the first-year textbook? Why are you reading that? Don't tell me you're into something stra—Mmph?!"

"I-It's just revision! Revision! Lunia! Revision is important, isn't it?" Eiran hurriedly covered Lunia's mouth.

Lunia flailed, tapping Eiran's arm in protest.

"If it were martial arts, I could help, but magic isn't my specialty."

"No, no! Instructor Akan's teachings have been a huge help!"

"Is that so?" Aaron ruffled Eiran's hair once before walking away.

Immediately, the Seiren female students huddled around Eiran.

"Eiran! Instructor Akan always seems to dote on you."

"Do you have some kind of special relationship with him?"

Their eyes sparkled with curiosity, but Eiran simply smiled.

"I think he just finds me adorable."

"Gasp! No way!?"

"Well, unlike other beastmen, he does have a refined aura about him, but…"

"It's nothing like that."

The reason Aaron paid attention to Eiran was simple—she was a descendant of his student, Velkia. Aaron had always found Velkia endearing, so it was only natural that he took extra care of Eiran.

As the Seiren students swarmed around Eiran, a passing Rhys remarked, "Eiran, you should check on Lunia. I think she's about to pass out."

"Huh? Oh! Lunia! Stay with me!" Eiran cried out as she saw Lunia rolling her eyes and fainting.

As the once-quiet Seiren students grew lively, Aaron moved toward a more secluded spot, where Chen Xia was meditating with her eyes closed, unaffected by the noise around her.

Watching from a distance, Aaron asked, "Digging deeper isn't always the best choice, is it?"

Chen Xia's eyes fluttered open. She blinked a few times before looking at him with curiosity. "How did you know?"

"I felt your killing intent. I could see the movements you were envisioning."

"That's incredible."

Chen Xia clicked her tongue. As a Shadow, she had been trained to conceal her killing intent. Even in the moment of an assassination, she could suppress it completely.

Yet, Aaron had not only sensed the faint trace of intent she had unconsciously released while training against an imaginary opponent—he had even predicted her movements based on it.

Just how skilled is he…?

Chen Xia marveled at Aaron's skills.

Seeing her reaction, Aaron took out a snack from his pocket and handed it to her.

Chen Xia received it respectfully with both hands. "Thank you for looking out for me. But… why do you pay special attention to me?"

She knew that Aaron, as an instructor, cared for all the students. However, she couldn't help but wonder why he seemed to give her more attention compared to the others.

"You remind me of someone I know," Aaron replied, smiling faintly.

Since she was Kyle's disciple, Aaron knew Bihar as well. He also knew that, for the sake of everyone else, she had stained her hands with blood in the darkness.

She truly respected Kyle from the bottom of her heart.

Aaron had hoped that Bihar would live her life chasing a bright future, so when he learned that she had spent her days in the shadows, using her talents for a life hidden behind history, his heart ached.

She must have had her reasons, but that wasn't the future Aaron had wished for her.

"If you're going to protect someone's back…"

"…?"

"Don't think about sacrificing yourself in their place."

Chen Xia blinked at Aaron's words.

"Don't give up. Keep moving forward."

Hearing those words, Chen Xia realized what he meant. A moment ago, during her meditation, when she envisioned herself in battle, when she lunged into her enemy's arms… exchanging her own life for theirs.

Chen Xia let out a bitter smile at his advice. "The person I follow is an incredible individual, but the path he walks is unimaginably perilous."

She closed her eyes. "That's why I want to stand behind him and protect him. Because he has given me a great kindness."

The moment he reached out his hand and told me I could become a hero, my world was filled with light.

"I'm ready to sacrifice myself for him without hesitation. So please, don't pity me."

"I don't pity you." Aaron smiled faintly. "It's just… the person you stand behind wouldn't want you to die."

He met Chen Xia's gaze and spoke firmly, "The one you want to protect… if you sacrificed yourself for him, he would be furious. That's the kind of person he is."

"You know Sir Leo well?"

"I do." Aaron chuckled. "No matter the situation, he'll never give up. If you truly want to be his strength, then you must never give up either."

"……"

Chen Xia's eyes widened. "Instructor Akan… Have you experienced something similar?"

"I have."

"Did you… never give up?"

"……"

Aaron closed his eyes. Then, with a bitter smile, he said, "No, I gave up. I was a coward."

Chen Xia blinked.

Aaron gently patted her head. "So don't ever be like me. Don't become that kind of foolish friend… that kind of foolish little sister."