Chapter 95 - Social Distancing (1)

Finally, all the lectures at Archenia Academy had ended, and the first semester came to a close, marking the start of the break…… but not much had really changed.

The only difference was that the time I used to spend in lectures had now become my self-training time.

And that a significant number of students in the academy had gone back to their respective hometowns?

Well, they were talents gathered from all over the empire. It was understandable they would want to breathe the air of their hometowns during the break.

Even if they were academy cadets, they were still students in their mid-to-late teens.

Anyway, the academy was somewhat quieter compared to during the semester…… but from my personal perspective, nothing much changed just because the semester ended.

Even if the semester was over, I didn't have time to play around.

I just started my day as usual and continued my usual routine.

The daily routine I had in mind was something like this. Do physical training, and when I hit my limit, switch to magic training.

‘It’s a good situation to be able to train my combat power either way.’

Since my magic stat was close to crippled before, I couldn't train in magic, and because of that, I had to train while considering my body's fatigue.

But now, without such worries, I could just train in magic if my body felt strained.

In short, a perpetual motion of training was completed.

……I told this to Elwin and Khan, who were training with me in the morning, and their expressions were somewhat ambiguous.

“……You do that all day?”

“Yes.”

When I answered so coolly, the expression they showed even seemed a bit horrified.

“That’s amazing……”

“Hmm.”

Hmm.

In the original work, there was a mention that both of them were hard workers to the extent that others couldn't keep up with their training amount, so this is a bit strange.

Was it not as much as I thought?

Well, anyway. I had thought that other than the changed training method, nothing would dramatically change, but…….

“……More importantly, Rain-ssi. There's something I'd like to advise you on, or rather, suggest.”

Due to Elwin, who fixed his expression and began to speak with a rather serious face, my life during the break was completely turned upside down.

***

“……More importantly, Rain-ssi. There's something I'd like to advise you on, or rather, suggest.”

With a cough, Elwin fixed his expression to look quite plausible and started talking.

And I, frankly, couldn't help but feel tense at his appearance.

‘What is he going to talk about?’

The person named Elwin preferred informality, so he wasn't someone who would act serious without reason.

But seeing him create such an atmosphere, I couldn't help but feel that he was about to bring up a very important topic.

“Please speak.”

I swallowed dryly once and focused on his words.

And what came out was…….

“Rain-ssi's history with women…… oops, that’s not it, I was going to talk about what to do about those rumors.”

“……”

Hey.

I wanted to shout, Give me back my tension, you bastard, but I barely held it in.

I looked towards Khan with eyes that had completely cooled down. Of course, those eyes probably didn't look much different from my usual eyes.

“Hmm.”

However, Khan also nodded with a rather serious expression.

As if he deeply agreed.

“……Let's hear it first.”

……Alright, well, let's just hear it. I still wondered if this was a topic to be discussed so seriously, but well.

To be honest, I did feel a bit of a crisis myself.

When I answered, Elwin nodded and opened his mouth.

“You're aware of the recent rumors, of course.”

“Of course.”

I couldn't not know even if I wanted to. Those bizarre rumors.

“I know you have many unfair parts, but rumors don't exactly go around considering what's justified.”

The rumors spread by Milo in the past were reproduced and magnified, and among them, one of the most exaggerated was the bizarre rumors about my relationships with the opposite sex.

As Theodore had mentioned in passing before, I was perceived as a complete playboy in this academy.

‘Honestly, in Arien's case, it was my fault for being careless in my management…….’

Well, even considering that, it was a problem.

“Anyway, I was wondering if you could try to quell those rumors during the break.”

“Quell them…… Do you have some brilliant plan?”

Is that something I can do just by wanting to? I wondered, but for now, I asked Elwin that.

And Elwin continued to speak.

“The most certain way would be to, for now, physically distance yourself from your female friends.”

“Physically distance myself……”

It was a straightforward answer without any room for alternatives. It was the most intuitive method.

“That would be the most suitable way to shed the stigma of being a playboy. It's important to show people that you're not obsessed with women.”

And Khan, who had been listening quietly, also added a word.

“In addition, it would be important to show yourself hanging out with male classmates.”

“I see……”

Hmm. Indeed.

I had thought about it from time to time before, but looking back, it seemed I had hung out too much with the female cast.

Of course, with Elwin, I had deliberately not approached him too much because of future contact points, and in the case of Arien and Yuna, I had to try to get closer because their spotlight moments were ahead.

As for Serene…… honestly, I got close to her for reasons I hadn't expected, and Regina too, I had made contact with her because she was an essential character for me to change the story of .

However, I hadn't thought about how these actions would be perceived by others, and that seemed to have been my blind spot.

“You’re not wrong.”

I had no choice but to agree with what Elwin and Khan were saying overall. Well, they were right.

I was also aware that those ridiculous rumors had reached a dangerous level.

“Anyway, it would be good to keep your distance from Yuna-ssi, Serene-ssi, Arien-ssi, and even Her Highness the Princess, at least during the break. We need to change people's perception a bit.”

At those words, I readily nodded my head…… but.

One thing came to mind.

“Ah, I made a promise to learn magic from Arien-ssi during the break…… would it be okay to keep that?”

Yes, what came to mind was the promise I made with Arien during the final exam period.

I had promised to learn magic from Arien once the final exams were over and the semester ended.

Arien didn't just leave that promise vague, she even gave me a specific schedule.

‘She was so insistent, so it's a bit awkward to say I'm canceling…… and it's helpful for me too.’

It was funny that the one giving the lesson was the more insistent one.

Anyway, hearing my words, Khan…….

“Haa……”

let out a sigh that seemed to carry a deep sorrow.

“……You've already made another promise……”

Look at this guy's reaction.

What did I do?

***

And so, the policy was set. I would only keep the promises that were already fixed and reduce all other contact as much as possible.

Honestly, the thought that this was a rather cumbersome fuss still lingered in my head, but…… hmm.

It wasn't entirely wrong, and I was also grateful that Khan and Elwin were helping me to this extent, so I didn't have much aversion to it.

‘It’s a thankful thing that they're worrying about my problem to this extent.’

Considering that I was starting to get on stable ground in building friendships with the main characters of , there was no way I could feel bad about it.

Well anyway, what was decided was decided. I had something else I had to do.

And that was the study session with Arien, as mentioned before.

Like any other study session, Arien and I met at our designated spot in the academy's central library and sat at a desk.

And after that, well.

“……”

“……”

Scratch, scratch.

Only the sound of each of us writing in our notebooks echoed in the silence.

It meant that, as usual, a comfortable silence was continuing.

In fact, our study sessions were more like we'd study on our own and if we got stuck on something, we'd talk…… that was the style.

But that silence didn't last long. While we were continuing our studies.

“Rain.”

It was because Arien had whispered and spoken to me.

“Ah, yes. Is there something you wanted to ask?”

I naturally replied like that. I thought that if Arien spoke to me during study time, it would naturally be for that reason.

However.

“No, that's not it. I just wanted to talk a bit.”

“Talk……?”

Frankly, I couldn't help but be inwardly surprised by Arien's words.

And for good reason; this had never happened before while studying with Arien.

Only study during study time. If we chat, it's brief. Wasn't that Arien's ironclad rule, which had been in place since the daily life parts of the original ?

“Haven't you been avoiding me recently, Rain? While you continue to hang out with others.”

Ah.

“……That’s, well, the gazes of those around us……”

“Gazes?”

I tried to explain my reasons, but I had no choice but to falter at Arien's words as she tilted her head as if she had no idea.

Arien was the type who didn't think about how her actions would be perceived by others.

“Hmm……”

As the vague words failed to convey the meaning, I fell into thought for a moment.

Then I'd have to explain my intention directly…….

Yeah, isn't that a bit much?

I deliberately kept my distance because I was worried that you and I would be seen as if we were in a romantic relationship by others.

No, no matter how I think about it…… isn't that a bit much? I thought it would seem like I was, in crude terms, making a fuss or being full of myself.

And while I was hesitating like that, Arien continued to speak.

“Even the usually gentle and warm me is very angry.”

Arien said in her usual calm tone, puffing out her cheeks slightly.

And with an expression that seemed somewhat more exaggerated than usual.

“……”

Hmm.

Somehow…… since it was a situation that was unimaginable in the original work, my brain seemed to have stopped for a moment.

She was never…… a person who would say such things.

‘No, looking back, she could definitely feel that way.’

From Arien's perspective, she had just gotten close to a friend, and for reasons unknown, that friend suddenly started keeping his distance and didn't even explain properly.

Since Arien was clumsy with relationships, I should have explained it clearly. I had been somewhat foolish.

After coming to that conclusion, I immediately bowed my head.

“……I'm sorry. I should have explained properly. It seems I was definitely in the wrong for distancing myself without a word.”

I bowed my head with the worry of whether my apology would be properly conveyed to Arien, but.

“……”

Arien's reaction was somewhat ambiguous.

‘Somehow, she looks uncharacteristically flustered, as if she didn't expect it……?’

And a moment later, Arien opened her mouth.

“……That was a joke just now. Rain.”

“What?”

What?

A joke?

What kind of joke?

While my thoughts were momentarily paused like that, Arien continued to explain that 'joke'.

“Um, it was a joke where the usually blunt and cold me used the expression ‘the gentle and warm me’ to humorously express a minor complaint……”

“……”

That's hard to understand……!

“I…… see.”

Just before the words 'that's hard to understand' like in my previous monologue came out of my mouth, I managed to hold them back and replied appropriately.

……I thought it would probably take some time to get used to Arien's jokes.

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