“Sola.”
“Yes?”
“I have something I’m curious about.”
“Hmm? What is it? What are you curious about?”
It was as if question marks were floating above An Sol’s head. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me, and I met her gaze with a gentle smile. We stared at each other for a moment, and just as her cheeks began to flush, I spoke.
“Do you remember what you said to me in front of the warp gate back then?”
“Yes? Yes, I do…”
“And how about now? Are you still feeling uneasy?”
An Sol nodded silently, then spoke with a hint of dejection.
“Even so, you believed me and told me not to worry. If I keep showing that side of me, I feel like I’m just causing you unnecessary concern…”
Watching her speak hesitantly, I couldn’t help but feel a warm affection welling up inside me. So this is why fathers find their daughters so endearing. I reached out and gently ruffled her hair, and she responded with a shy smile.
“Of course. I always believe in what you say. In fact, trusting you has helped me out more times than I can count.”
“Hehe, no, really. I feel like I’m just a burden…”
“Not at all. Anyway, I was hoping you could help me out again this time.”
“Help? Me?”
Her eyes widened in surprise. I nodded, trying to look as serious as possible. She never understood if I skipped steps, so I needed to guide her through it slowly. (I learned this method back when I raised An Sol’s luck to 101.)
“Things at the academy haven’t been going as smoothly as I’d hoped.”
“Oh…”
“I have a feeling you could help me break through this frustration.”
“But… I don’t really know much about academy work… And how could I possibly…”
“Haha, I’m not asking you to help with instructor duties. It’s something else, and it’s quite simple.”
An Sol seemed to misunderstand my words, shaking her head anxiously. I chuckled softly and reassured her that it wasn’t difficult. I added that only she could help, which seemed to calm her down a bit.
After comforting her for a while, I stood up. She followed suit, looking puzzled. The sudden trust I placed in her seemed to make her uneasy. She had come to me hoping I could help her, but now that I was giving her the chance, she hesitated.
‘It’s a bit strange to call it a simple misunderstanding. Maybe she thought I’d somehow take care of everything once she got here?’
An Sol was sensitive to the atmosphere. It was better to coax her gently and let her shine in her own way. So, I decided to lighten the mood with a playful grin.
“Don’t worry. Just do as I say.”
“Oh, just do as you say? Alright. I’m not sure I get it, but… I just have to trust you, right?”
“Exactly. You trust me, don’t you?”
I was about to make a joke about just holding hands, but seeing the earnest look in her eyes, I decided against it. She nodded vigorously, agreeing. Now, all that was left was to test An Sol’s luck ability. I was eager to see how she would help me resolve my frustrations. What kind of answer would she bring me after activating her ability?
With anticipation, I set off on an Easter Egg hunt.
I had many thoughts, but the first plan was to let An Sol wander as she pleased. I encouraged her to shake off all her worries and walked with her to the front of the main building.
“Alright. Go wherever you want to go.”
“Wherever I want to go?”
“Yes. Don’t think too much about it. Imagine you’re at a zoo, wanting to visit all sorts of places. Just follow your heart to wherever it leads you. Don’t worry.”
“Okay…”
One of An Sol’s strengths was how well she followed my words. She tilted her head in thought for a moment, then started walking with newfound determination. I followed her, curious if she had already sensed something.
The first time we went on an Easter Egg hunt, she looked around in wonder, but this time, she didn’t even glance at her surroundings. It meant there was truly a place calling to her. I followed her with a mix of excitement and curiosity.
But that excitement didn’t last long. The more we walked, the more familiar the scenery became, and with each familiar sight, my unease grew. This was the path I always took in the morning…
“Brother, brother! I want to go in there.”
An Sol pointed to a direction, whining. When I followed her finger, I was taken aback.
“S-Sola, not there.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“Just trust me, you can’t go in there. If you do, a scary man will scold you. So come back here.”
“No, I want to go in.”
The place she wanted to enter was none other than my private instructor’s quarters. A quick check revealed, thankfully, nothing was amiss. However, since Kim Hanbyul also stayed there, her belongings were scattered around, including the closely placed beds. Even if An Sol was a bit naive, she was still a girl, and it wouldn’t take much for her to notice.
Seeing my reaction, An Sol narrowed her eyes and dashed forward. But I wasn’t going to let her. With a significant difference in agility, catching her was easy. I lifted her off the ground, and she flailed her arms and legs in the air, determined to get inside.
“I’m going in! Let me go!”
“There, there. Be a good girl and listen to your brother.”
“Why won’t you let me in~.”
An Sol puffed her cheeks in frustration, looking up at me with a pout. I felt a cold sweat trickle down my back. I had told her to go wherever she wanted, but not here. Her luck ability was unpredictable, and I found myself soothing her as she continued to grumble.
Eventually, we both returned to the front of the main building.
“Sola, let’s try something different this time.”
“Different?”
“Yes. Do you remember when we explored outside the city? You pointed in different directions in the Blue Mountains.”
“Yes.”
“Good. Remember what I said earlier? This time, think about those words as you go.”
“Okay, then… huh?”
It was then that An Sol’s response was cut off by a sudden realization. Her expression shifted as if she had just noticed something amiss. She furrowed her brow, and her face took on a sense of urgency. Just as I wondered what was going on, she started walking briskly.
This time, An Sol headed down a side staircase. I hurried after her, trying to figure out where she was going. There were several buildings, but it seemed she had no more business in the main building.
An Sol walked with a sense of urgency, not speaking a word. As we followed the path to the left, we passed groups of new users giggling and chatting. Some were lounging on flat rocks, taking naps. Although it was a designated rest day, the sight made me frown.
I considered intervening but decided against it. An Sol seemed to be in a hurry, and I spotted a supervising instructor laughing among the new users in the distance.
Even if I generously considered it a good thing that they could laugh after just two weeks, the atmosphere felt too relaxed compared to before, leaving me with a sense of unfamiliarity.
As we passed through the groups, more buildings came into view. This area had several annexes, with many narrow paths branching off.
I hadn’t noticed while following her, but when I caught a glimpse of An Sol’s profile, I involuntarily held my breath. Her expression had changed from earlier; the naivety was gone.
She was deeply focused on something. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it felt like she was gradually immersing herself in it. And just as that feeling seemed to reach its peak, An Sol stopped walking again. I quickly spoke to her.
“Sola, why did you stop?”
“I’m sorry, brother.”
“Sorry? What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. I just feel this urgent need. Like I should have gotten there sooner… I keep feeling that way.”
An Sol’s response was quick and sharp. I took the opportunity to study her face closely. Her usual serene expression was gone. Her eyes were narrowed, and she seemed displeased with her surroundings. Then, without a word, she reached for my sleeve.
I wanted to avoid her touch. I preferred to keep my clothes untouched, if possible. But just as I was about to twist away, an inexplicable sense of unease enveloped me. I couldn’t quite identify it. Suddenly, I wondered if the mysterious aura that Go Yeon-ju had once mentioned was seeping into me. In the end, I reluctantly let her take hold of my clothes, and only then did An Sol let out a satisfied sigh.
After surveying the surroundings as if exploring, she led me in a particular direction.
”…”
Finally, the building she had set her sights on began to come into view. It wasn’t the building itself, but rather a path leading between them that we were entering. As we moved forward, I started to feel increasingly tense.
I had a general idea of the academy’s layout, but knowing it in detail was another matter. Even setting aside the fact that I had no connections here in my first year, the campus was vast, with numerous buildings. Moreover, the area Sol was leading me to was a maze of narrow paths densely packed with structures. She was guiding me into a more secluded area.
We walked for a while. It wasn’t just buildings we passed. There were storage units that looked like containers squeezed into gaps, and places where heavy-looking boxes were stacked. In modern times, this would be the perfect spot to skip class and hide.
An Sol stopped again. In front of us, four paths branched out. It wasn’t a neat intersection, but there were paths leading forward, backward, left, and right. She released my clothes and bit her lip, looking deeply contemplative.
“Hmm.”
After a moment of deliberation, Sol turned to me. There was a sharpness to her demeanor, though her gentle appearance and expression gave off a benevolent aura. Yet, there was an air of inaccessibility about her. Yes, this feeling was similar to the one I would later experience from the awakened
After glancing back and forth between the paths, she raised both hands to point left and forward. Then, in a quiet voice, she spoke.
“I think it would be better if you choose here.”
I was momentarily taken aback by her words. She wanted me to choose? But I quickly gathered my thoughts and began to ask questions one by one.
“What do you mean, choose?”
When I asked, An Sol quickly raised her hands again, pointing left and forward. She answered in a low voice.
“For some reason, I can’t decide here. I feel drawn to both paths, but it seems like we can only take one. So, please, you choose one.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
The note for episode 216 is omitted.
Comments for episode 216 will be included in episode 217.
Thank you for your understanding, dear readers.