Chapter 69

### Chapter 69: Star (1)

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#1

“Hector.”

I called out to Hector as he walked out of the elevator.

“...What is it?”

Hector turned to look at me, his face slightly weary. He ran his hand through his hair, which was parted 70-30, and his voice, thick with fatigue, carried a deep sense of tiredness.

“The group meeting time for the Mana Control class project has been set. I wanted to let you know.”

“...Oh, is that so?”

Hector nodded. Unlike his usual self, he didn’t click his tongue at me, nor did he glare at me with disapproval. He just turned and looked at me, as if urging me to hurry up and speak.

“We’re meeting at the Ordos Class station in the Third Academic District at exactly 10 AM tomorrow. Just make sure to be on time.”

“Meeting so early.”

“It can’t be helped. This isn’t a project that can be done in a day or two.”

“...Well, yeah. Got it.”

Hector, who had been running his hand through his hair, turned to leave, but I stopped him.

“And, he’s not coming tomorrow. Yusefil Deria.”

“...”

He stopped in his tracks.

“...Why not?”

He asked.

“Based on my judgment as the group leader, I temporarily expelled him from our group. He showed no intention of properly engaging with the project. There are various detailed reasons, but that’s how it is.”

“...How do you know if he’s willing or not? You’re just being arbitrary, aren’t you?”

Hector’s reaction was surprisingly unexpected.

Recalling the fierce argument he had with Yusefil in the lecture room, I thought he must have really disliked her. But it seemed he was actually reacting against my decision to arbitrarily expel her from the group.

This was a win for Hector, wasn’t it? Or, at least, I thought he would just be glad to see someone he disliked disappear from his sight.

Hector didn’t show any particular aversion to me, but he ran his hand through his hair again.

“If you’re willing to take full responsibility for any problems that arise from excluding that vulgar woman from the group, I have nothing more to say. Just keep that in mind. Is that all?”

He sighed.

Sasha was hiding behind me, her small frame completely hidden by my body.

She was clutching the hem of my cardigan, shivering exaggeratedly, but if I focused, I could see her burying her nose in my cardigan and sniffing it. What are you doing, girl?

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Alright.”

Thud, thud.

Hector, who had been heading in the opposite direction, suddenly changed course and slowly walked towards me.

“Eek.”

Sasha flinched and moved to the side.

Hector, on the other hand, seemed to completely ignore her presence. Thud, thud. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the quiet corridor. As he slowly approached, he suddenly raised his hand.

...Chin.

It landed on my shoulder.

As he passed by, Hector lowered his voice and muttered. The barely audible, low voice struck my ear softly but powerfully.

“Idrate Kranil. The blood of a coward who threw away the burden a noble should bear and ran away. I hope you turn out to be different.”

“—!”

My body trembled as if in a spasm at the small whisper.

“What did you just say?”

I turned to him hurriedly.

Hector, as if nothing had happened, was already past me, heading towards the main entrance of Building 3. The creaking sound of the door echoed.

Through the glass, Hector’s back gradually moved away from me. I couldn’t take my eyes off his retreating figure for a long time.

“...Sasha, don’t you dislike him?”

Sasha, who had peeked out from behind me, said.

“Not just you, right? Right?”

Then she turned to me, her innocent face asking for agreement. It didn’t seem like anything had happened between them. It looked like Sasha just found Hector difficult to deal with. Of course, I had no way of knowing the exact situation.

Hector de Alcantara.

The male student who received Epic Class 8.

I had a vague idea why he had never liked me from the beginning, but...

‘...I don’t really want to get close to him.’

I didn’t want to understand him.

#2

“Here, catch.”

“Thanks.”

It felt like a déjà vu from some time ago.

There were a few differences, though. It was late at night, and the clock was already approaching 11 PM. It was quite chilly outside. The most significant difference was that I had thrown the iced coffee I bought to Gabriel, who was sitting loosely on the bench.

Plop. After a vigorous workout, he inserted the straw with trembling hands.

As he drank it down, a refreshing chill spread through his mouth, like his brain was being doused with cold ice. The lingering bitter taste was a bonus.

Gabriel also had a drink. He scrunched up his face and his nostrils flared.

“Heaven. As they say, the best things are those bought by others, right?”

That was true. In the death match I had agreed to with Gabriel, I lost after a two-hour intense struggle.

I massaged my pumped-up arms and sat on the bench. My pride was a bit bruised, but I thought it was inevitable this time. A bit of mental victory. Gabriel seemed to know this deep down, as he spoke as soon as I sat down.

“But, you know. I clearly won, but I feel terrible. It feels like you let me win on purpose.”

“I did my best.”

“Then, it wasn’t on purpose. It was beyond your control.”

Gabriel sucked on the straw.

“So, what’s up?”

“...”

You’re a ghost.

After gulping down half the coffee in one go, I let out a sigh. Gabriel poked my shoulder and said,

“Tell me, bro. Actually, you don’t even need to be told to talk. If we had a drink, you’d spill it all. But we can’t drink here. It’s really a shame...”

“Reckless kid.”

“You’re the conservative one.”

Gabriel chuckled.

“Is it a girl? A girl problem?”

“...”

“...Is it a guy? Damn, seriously...”

“Shut up.”

That’s a creepy thing to say. You’re going to die.

“So, it’s a girl.”

“...”

“Damn. How long have we been here, and you’re already...”

“Shut up.”

Why does Gabriel’s simplistic mind only divide problems into male and female issues? This binary thinking is not good.

But surprisingly, it was accurate.

So, I remained silent.

There’s also the issue with Miu and Rubia, but what Hector casually mentioned earlier was currently the biggest source of my distress.

“Tell me. I can’t give you a solution, but if you keep bottling it up, you’ll suffer.”

That’s true.

I had never talked about such worries to anyone before. Not even to my parents...

Thinking of my parents, I suddenly remembered something. Before entering Frontier, I had gone down to my hometown for the first time in a long while, rested for two days, and then immediately boarded the train to Frontier. Thinking about it, I can’t remember where I had been before that.

Anyway, is it really right for me to carry all these complex issues on my own? Humans are not solitary creatures. Sometimes, it’s necessary to desperately seek help from others.

Of course, it’s not that serious for me, but looking at Miu’s state today, I felt I needed to resolve it quickly.

I turned to Gabriel. His squinted eyes, green hair, smiling face, the imposing presence of a northern warrior hidden under his casual attire, a pitiful guy who likes girls but has no female classmates, and my friend.

He seems trustworthy.

“Never mind. It’s not something I can talk about.”

I looked ahead and muttered.

“No... Just try talking about it?”

“I can’t. I can’t even organize my thoughts.”

That was true. I didn’t know where to start or how to summarize it. It was too long and too complex. The emotions entangled in it were a tangled mess that would be hard for others to understand, no matter how much I tried to explain.

Thinking that sharing my worries would only result in someone else sharing the burden, I chose to say nothing.

“Is it a problem with your classmates?”

“...”

“Ah, right. Right. I won’t ask anymore.”

It seemed he had already asked all he needed to.

Gabriel, as if he had expected this, said,

“Of course. It wasn’t just a casual vibe between some kids. I thought there might be something, but it’s more complicated than I expected. Hmm, hmm. I get it now.”

“Don’t tell anyone.”

“You didn’t even tell me the details. Besides, there’s no one to tell, you jerk. ...Damn, a drink would be perfect for socializing...”

Gabriel said, sounding genuinely disappointed. That’s true. On the other hand, a drink is also perfect for distancing yourself from people.

“Reckless kid.”

“You seem more reckless than me, who’s never had a girlfriend. You’re a deceiver. I don’t even have a girl to worry about.”

Swoosh. Gabriel sucked on the straw again. The amber liquid, which was about a third left, disappeared completely. He shook the now empty cup a few times and then got up from the bench, chuckling.

“I’m going to bed. I’m tired.”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

“What about you?”

“I...”

I glanced around.

“I’ll stay here a bit longer.”

I said.

Every part of me ached. I was tired, as Gabriel had said. I had an early appointment tomorrow. Despite all that, I didn’t want to leave this place. I still had some iced coffee left.

My gaze fell on the dark sky.

A gentle, cool breeze blew. My body, which had been pleasantly warm, was now cooled by the cold air. Sitting on a wooden bench in a scenic park, surrounded by colorful flower petals reflecting the dim moonlight, and countless constellations hanging above my bowed head.

The stars were particularly clear tonight.

“...Don’t be so dramatic. Don’t get too emotional. Just go to bed. When you’re tired, the best thing to do is to sleep. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know.”

I waved my hand dismissively at Gabriel, who was ruining the mood.

Then I sucked on the straw, held the liquid in my mouth for a moment, swallowed it, and quietly said,

“Thanks.”

“Sure.”

Gabriel, who had turned his back, waved his hand casually.

#3

The cup wasn’t that big, so I finished it quickly. I opened the lid and shook a couple of ice cubes into my mouth.

I crunched them. My gums felt cold.

—Idrate Kranil. The blood of a coward who threw away the burden a noble should bear and ran away. I hope you turn out to be different.

“...”

My jaw tightened as I crunched the ice. Crack, crunch. The ice broke and melted. The upper and lower teeth clattered together. They were strong, so I wasn’t worried about them breaking, but it still hurt a bit.

“Sigh.”

I scratched my head and sighed.

I didn’t expect Hector to know about my family—my father.

Well, it’s not strange. Nobles knowing each other is normal. I don’t know what the Alcantara family does, but I never cared about other nobles.

‘...What do you know, Hector?’

While it’s true that nobles have certain obligations if they have the power to protect something, my father simply changed what he needed to protect to something more precious.

And, in the end, it was right not to participate in the war. The battlefield my father was originally supposed to go to no longer exists on the continent’s map. It’s completely erased.

What would have changed if he had participated in the war? Just one more innocent victim, probably.

My father was undoubtedly much stronger than someone like me, but I don’t think he would have achieved a glorious victory against the army of demons.

Certainly, it was the right path. The Kranil family wasn’t the only one to decline. I still respect my father.

The stars shine. The northern sky, which I looked up at absentmindedly, is dark but white. Looking at the vast expanse of the heavens, my trivial worries seem insignificant.

A star caught my eye.

I quietly raised my finger. Tracing a faint memory, I pointed to the bright stars one by one.

I muttered to myself.

“Alkaid...”

The seven stars forming a dipper.

The last star of the Big Dipper.

Using it as a guide, I slowly moved my hand.

“Mizar...”

A star caught on my fingertip.

The handle of the dipper. Finding the bend, I pointed to it and gauged the distance from Alkaid.

I multiplied it by five.

I drew a line. A curve.

I connected the stars.

“Arcturus...”

The alpha star of the constellation Boötes, which rises every year when flowers bloom in the mountains and fields. It’s probably correct. Someone said it’s the third brightest star in the sky. It’s true.

I continued the curve. A graceful constellation. It traced a smooth line in the sky like a brush stroke.

I found it.

A dot appeared.

“Spica.”

The alpha star of the constellation Virgo. Thus, the curve connecting Alkaid, Arcturus, and Spica was revealed.

This is the Spring Great Curve.

Done. It connected. I felt a sense of accomplishment.

I was so engrossed in finding the constellations that I couldn’t stop looking up at the twinkling stars in the dark twilight.

I placed the melted cup on the bench. A floating sensation, as if I was being lifted into the sky, gently buoyed my body. It felt good.

“Arcturus... Spica...”

There was a reason I found the Spring Great Curve.

I measured the distance between the two connected stars. Then I moved my gaze slightly to the right.

A bright star caught on my fingertip.

I smiled softly.

And, I moved my lips.

“Dene...”

“—Denebola. It’s really clear tonight.”

A hand covered my extended index finger.

The gaze that followed my finger turned to look at the night sky with me, then turned away indifferently.

“The Spring Triangle. That’s what you were looking for, right?”

Against the backdrop of the Milky Way.

Stella’s smiling face suddenly appeared in front of me.

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