Chapter 442: Chapter 441 - A Small Reminder!

Morning sunlight spread gently across the academy training grounds, painting the open field in shades of gold while the cool air still carried traces of the night’s lingering freshness. The grounds were already partially occupied despite the early hour, a few dedicated students practicing techniques in the distance while others completed laps around the field with varying levels of exhaustion written across their faces.

Among them—

Luca continued running steadily around the outer track.

His white training clothes clung lightly against his body from sweat, strands of violet hair falling loosely over his forehead while the rhythm of his breathing remained surprisingly calm despite the intensity of his pace. Lap after lap passed beneath his feet, yet his movements showed no signs of slowing, his body carrying itself with far greater efficiency ever since his breakthrough into Core Compression.

Finally, after completing two more laps around the field, Luca gradually slowed before coming to a stop near the center of the training grounds.

A slow breath escaped him.

Then—

Without wasting time—

He reached for the twin sabers resting nearby.

The black and white blades slid free smoothly as he stepped forward once more, his body moving almost instinctively into motion. The sabers cut through the morning air in clean arcs, sharp flashes of steel dancing beneath the sunlight while each movement flowed naturally into the next without pause.

Step.

Turn.

Slash.

The blades hummed softly through the air as Luca practiced continuously, refining balance, precision, and rhythm rather than raw force.

At the same time—

His thoughts wandered elsewhere.

The club...

A faint crease formed between his brows as he continued swinging the sabers fluidly.

I really did almost forget about it.

Thinking back, there truly had not been much activity involving the club recently. Between missions, training, lectures, breakthroughs, awkward relationships, mysterious women, appearances beside lakes, and whatever chaos his life had become lately, the club had somehow drifted completely into the back of his mind.

The realization almost made him laugh.

"...Guess Eric had a reason to look offended for once," he muttered quietly beneath his breath while continuing his forms.

The twin sabers spun again, one blade flowing beneath the other before both swept outward simultaneously.

The movements remained sharp.

Controlled.

Yet his thoughts continued drifting.

Come to think of it....Lilliane is part of the club too...

He paused briefly before transitioning smoothly into another stance.

Does she even know we have activities today?

Considering how withdrawn she still occasionally became despite improving little by little lately, there was a very real possibility she might have forgotten about it entirely.

Luca exhaled lightly.

Well...

The sabers crossed before separating once more in a smooth motion.

I’ll just remind her during class.

The thought settled easily within his mind as he continued practicing for several more minutes, the steady rhythm of movement gradually clearing away the lingering clutter in his head.

Eventually—

He stopped.

The blades lowered slowly before he returned them to their sheaths, his chest rising faintly from exertion while the cool morning breeze brushed against his sweat-covered skin.

Then Luca quietly sat down upon the grass.

Cross-legged.

Closing his eyes.

A slow breath entered his lungs as he began circulating mana through his body, guiding the flow calmly through every pathway with practiced familiarity. Almost immediately, the noise within his thoughts began quieting beneath the steady rhythm of circulation.

The world around him faded.

The distant sounds of training.

The wind.

The voices.

Everything softened.

Mana flowed smoothly through him, cleaner and lighter than ever before after his breakthrough, the compressed energy within his core responding naturally to his control while the tension lingering inside his body gradually dissolved away.

And little by little—

His thoughts calmed completely.

Half an hour passed quietly like that.

Only when Luca finally opened his eyes again did the world return fully around him, the sunlight now slightly brighter overhead while the heaviness within his body had vanished almost entirely.

He stood slowly, stretching his shoulders and arms lightly before exhaling one final relaxed breath.

"...Alright," he muttered casually to himself.

Then, turning toward the dormitory buildings in the distance, he scratched the back of his head faintly before speaking once more.

"Let’s go take a shower then."

After leaving the training grounds, Luca eventually returned to his dormitory, the early morning quiet still lingering through the halls as most students had only recently begun preparing for classes. He walked up the stairs lazily, pushing open the door to his room before immediately heading toward the bathroom without wasting another moment.

Soon—

Cold water streamed down his body.

Droplets slid slowly across his skin and down his back while steam faintly rose around him from the contrast between his heated body and the cool water. Luca rested one hand against the tiled wall, lowering his forehead against it as he closed his eyes briefly, allowing the tension remaining from training to gradually melt away beneath the steady flow.

For a few peaceful moments—

He simply stood there.

Breathing calmly.

Enjoying the rare quietness before another academy day truly began.

Eventually, however, he turned the water off and stepped out, drying himself before changing into his black academy uniform trimmed with gold. The familiar attire settled comfortably against his body now, almost becoming second nature after so much time within Arcadia Academy.

Once ready, Luca grabbed his things and left the dormitory.

The academy pathways were already bustling by then, students filling the grounds in lively groups while conversations drifted through the morning air. Some rushed toward classrooms in panic while others walked leisurely with friends, carrying books, training weapons, or breakfast bought from nearby stalls.

Luca walked among them casually, hands in his pockets as the sunlight filtered softly through the trees overhead.

Soon enough—

He reached the classroom building.

Pushing open the door, Luca stepped inside while his crimson eyes instinctively swept across the room.

Then he paused slightly.

"...Lilliane isn’t here," he muttered quietly beneath his breath.

His gaze lingered briefly on her usual seat before he shrugged faintly.

Guess I’ll just tell her after class then.

Without thinking much further about it, Luca walked toward the last row and dropped into his usual seat lazily, leaning back while the classroom slowly filled around him.

Only a short while later—

Eric arrived.

The moment he sat down beside Luca, he immediately narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"You haven’t forgotten, right?" he asked seriously.

Luca blinked once before putting on a perfectly puzzled expression.

"...Forgotten what?"

Eric stared at him in complete disbelief.

Then suddenly laughed.

"You definitely forgot again, didn’t you?"

Luca finally broke into laughter as well, unable to maintain the act any longer.

"Relax," he said while waving a hand lightly. "I remember now."

Eric shook his head dramatically.

"One day I’m genuinely going to leave you behind on purpose."

"You wouldn’t survive without me."

"That’s exactly why I’m suffering."

Both of them laughed quietly just as the atmosphere inside the classroom shifted.

The door opened.

Seraphina entered.

Almost instantly, the chatter throughout the room lowered as students returned to their seats properly while Seraphina calmly stepped toward the front of the classroom, her blue hair tied neatly while her composed gaze swept briefly across the students before beginning the lecture.

And just like that—

Class started.

By now, something else had quietly become normal as well.

Luca paying attention.

At some point over the past days, what had originally started as an intentional effort had slowly become habit. Though he still occasionally drifted into thought, he no longer spent entire lectures sleeping shamelessly against the desk.

And Seraphina—

Had also become accustomed to it.

No longer flustered every few minutes by his attention, no longer losing her rhythm beneath his gaze. Their strange awkwardness still existed quietly beneath the surface, but both of them had gradually learned how to exist around it without collapsing into tension every moment.

So today—

Nothing unusual happened.

The lecture progressed smoothly, Seraphina explaining combat synchronization and layered mana structures while students listened attentively and Luca, surprisingly enough, genuinely followed along without too much difficulty.

Time passed steadily like that until eventually the lecture finally came to an end.

The moment Seraphina dismissed the class, a collective release spread throughout the room as students relaxed almost immediately, conversations returning while chairs scraped softly against the floor.

Beside Luca—

Eric leaned back dramatically before exhaling like a man who had just survived torture.

"...Finally," he muttered tiredly. "It’s over."

Then he immediately stood up and looked toward Luca.

"Come on," he said. "Let’s go now."

Luca had barely begun standing up from his seat when a thought suddenly crossed his mind, causing him to pause midway before looking toward Eric.

"Wait a minute," he said while adjusting the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "We still need to tell Lilliane about the club meeting. We’re not even sure if she remembers it."

The moment those words left his mouth—

Eric stared at him.

Then slowly narrowed his eyes.

"...Do you genuinely think everyone’s memory is as terrible as yours?" he asked, sounding almost impressed by the possibility.

Luca immediately let out a dry, completely unconvincing laugh.

"Ha... ha... ha..."

Eric nearly lost control right there, visibly struggling not to burst into laughter as he shook his head dramatically.

"You actually forgot until yesterday," he muttered beneath his breath.

"That’s not important."

"That is literally the entire point."

Ignoring Eric’s increasingly amused expression, Luca simply sighed and began walking toward the front rows of the classroom where Lilliane and Sylthara were already preparing to leave along with the other students.

The classroom around them remained lively, chairs scraping softly while conversations filled the air as groups gradually exited into the corridor outside.

Lilliane stood near her desk quietly organizing her things while Sylthara waited beside her with her usual calm composure.

Just as the two girls turned slightly toward the exit—

Luca called out.

"Lilliane."

The silver-haired girl paused immediately before turning back toward him, her long hair shifting lightly behind her as her eyes settled upon Luca.

"Yes?" she asked softly.

Luca stopped in front of her before speaking casually.

"We have a club meeting today."

For exactly one second—

Silence.

Then Lilliane blinked once before replying calmly,

"I know."

Beside Luca—

Eric visibly trembled.

The laughter he had been suppressing nearly escaped right there as he immediately turned his face away, shoulders shaking slightly while trying not to humiliate Luca openly.

Luca, meanwhile, stared blankly for half a second before slowly nodding as though nothing embarrassing had just happened.

"...Right," he said calmly.

Eric almost choked.

Sylthara quietly looked away as well, though the faintest trace of amusement appeared within her expression too.

Luca ignored all of them with the dignity of a man desperately pretending he still possessed some.

Then—

Lilliane hesitated slightly.

Her fingers tightened faintly around the books she was holding as she lowered her gaze for a brief moment before speaking again, this time more quietly.

"Umm..." she began softly.

"There is something..."