‘The fact that the three evolved versions of Swordsmanship Mastery be categorized into my “past,” “present,” and “future” is holy terrifying,’ he thought, a chill running down his spine.

  ‘Moments like these remind me of just how powerful the Records are. It’s truly ridiculous. But I shouldn’t overthink it—there’s no reason the Records would care about someone like me. I’m just a weak human. So please, Records, fet I exist. I’d be perfectly happy with that.’

  ‘I got lost in my thoughts for a moment, but now I should go see Kiara. She’ll be happy to see me—after all, I’m pretty sure she’s a yandere. I told her I wouldn’t visit for a month, but it’s only been, what, eight days? It’ll be a nice surprise.’

  After snapping out of his thoughts, Mikael left his apartment and appeared iraining room where Kiara resided. This time, however, he entered without paying anything. He had after all discovered he wasn’t actually required to pay to access the training room…

  As he appeared iraining room, Mikael gave his surroundings a quice but didn’t see Kiara. He cluded she must be in her room. Just as he approached Kiara’s room, he heard some loud words.

  “This motherfucker! Stop feeding the other team!”

  Hearing Kiara’s angry curses, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. ‘Did she bee a true gamer while I was away?’ he thought, a small smirk pying on his lips at the amusing situation.

  Without dwelling on it further, he entered her room. The door didn’t creak, allowing him to slip ihout alerting her.

  Kiara was seated on a gaming chair, fully focused on the s in front of her. She was pletely absorbed in her game, but what truly caught Mikael’s attention was how she was dressed.

  Gone were her usual clothes—a mix of medieval armor and dresses. Instead, she wore a tight white T-shirt that highlighted her perky breasts. The fabric was slightly translut, revealing her bck bra underh. She paired it with short denim shorts that atuated her thighs. bined with the intense expression she wore as she stared at the s, Mikael found himself momentarily stunned.

  Shaking off his daze, Mikael approached her, curious about what she ying. She was immersed in a popur MOBA game, so focused that she didn’t notice him even as he stood only a few meters behind her.

  ‘Did I create a gamer?’ he wondered, his eyes briefly lingering on her hss figure. ‘A beautiful gamer…’

  Deg not to disturb her, Mikael sat oon at the back of the room, waiting for her to finish her game. A short while ter, Kiara pulled off her headset, cursing under her breath.

  “Ahh, this game is so frustrating! I ’t py anymore. Let’s do some physical activities to clear my mind!”

  As she spun her chair around, her eyes nded on Mikael sitting oon. She blinked in disbelief, rubbed her eyes, and then suddenly leaped out of her chair with a shout.

  “Mikael!”

  He felt her soft body collide with his as she threw herself onto him, pushing him further bato the futon. She hugged him tightly, murmuring his name softly.

  Seeing her like this, Mikael couldn’t help but smile wryly. ‘I really should give her more attention. She’s clearly crazy about me, and holy…while I’m not in love yet, I do like her, and I’m willing to let myself fall for her.’

  ing his arms around her, he began to gently caress her back. Kiara melted under his touch, her murmurs fading into silence as she rexed pletely. They stayed like that for a while before Mikael gently pulled her away from his chest.

  Kiara looked up at him with questioning eyes, which Mikael answered by leaning in and kissing her. She froze in surprise for a moment but quickly responded, ing her arms around his ned deepening the kiss with an eveer iy.

  “Mmmh,” she moaned softly, the sound muffled by their kiss. When they finally broke apart, Mikael found himself entranced by her beauty. She was always stunning, but today—with a deep blush c her cheeks and a shy, vulnerable expression—she looked irresistible.

  Still, he mao restrain himself. He held her close and fell bato the futon, taking her with him. Kiara rested her head on his chest, and they y there fortably.

  “Gd to see you,” Mikael murmured, gazing down at her.

  Hearing his words, Kiara’s face lit up with a radiant smile. “I’m happier than you imagio hear that!” she replied. Her expression turned uain as she tinued. “But…weren’t you supposed to stay in that world you’re expl for at least a month? That’s what the message I received said.”

  Mikael began to py with her hair, promptio close her eyes and rex again. “Yes, I was supposed to stay in Dirarnia for at least a month, but I missed you, so I decided to e back for a visit.”

  “You missed me?” she murmured her eyes still closed, a mix of tenderness and something darker creeping into her smile.

  Mikael gave a self-depreg smile that Kiara didn’t notice. “Yeah… Last time we talked, we’d just started our retionship, and then I left for another world right after. That was insiderate of me. I’m sorry.”

  At his apology, Kiara’s smile wideo an uling degree. “Don’t worry, darling. If it’s you who hurts me, I endure anything.” She opened her eyes a his gaze, her voice firm. “Anything.”

  Seeing this remarkable woman, Mikael felt a pang in his chest. ‘How could I have been so thoughtless? I’m not used t about people so I wrongly acted, and I hurt her…’

  He leaned down to pce a tender kiss on her forehead. “I’m really lucky to have you,” he said sincerely. Looking into her eyes, he added, “I stay with you for the few hours before I o return to Dirarnia. If there’s anything I do to make it up to you, just let me know.”

  A pensive expression crossed her face before she spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “ we stay like this and just use this time to cuddle and talk?” She looked up at him with an expet gaze.

  Seeing her like this, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse. “Sure,” he replied with a gentle smile.

  Kiara’s face lit up with happiness as she rested her head against his chest, her expression radiating te.

  Mikael couldn’t help but notice hotivating she looked, especially as she y on him, her soft, voluptuous figure pressed against his chest. Yet, he trolled himself, choosing io his arms around her and engage in lighthearted versation.

  Hours slipped by unnoticed. The time spent together brought them closer, easing the sense ency that had previously defiheir retionship. Mikael now found himself gently stroking Kiara’s hair as she dozed off on his chest, a serene smile grag her face even in her sleep.

  “Beep, beep.”

  The sharp, intrusive alert sounded directly in his mind, pulling him out of his peaceful moment. He wi the annoyance, reizing it as a notification from the System. It was time for him to return to the Academy.

  He gnced down at Kiara, who was sleeping so peacefully, aated. He didn’t want to wake her, but he had no choice. Gently, he shook her awake.

  Kiara groaned softly and swatted at his hand in a half-asleep protest, clearly wanting to tinue her nap.

  Her reaade him chuckle, but he couldn’t let her stay asleep. He leaned closer and spoke tenderly. “Kiara, love, I o leave.”

  Her eyes snapped open, and she jolted upright. “Leave? Why do you have to go? Why ’t we stay here together forever and ever?” As she spoke, her smile wavered and twisted into something uling.

  Notig her shift, Mikael couldn’t help but think she was endearingly yandere. Smiling, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

  “Mwah.”

  Their tongues iwined in an intense kiss before they finally broke apart, breathless.

  Mikael gave her a soft, teasiure. “You know I o leave for the tral Academy. I expihis to you yesterday.”

  Kiara pouted adorably. “I know...”

  He hugged her tightly. “I won’t be gone long. I’ll e back to see you soon, I promise.”

  She let out a dejected sigh but nodded iant acceptance.

  Seeing her disheartened expression, Mikael struggled to find the right words to fort her. Instead, he tightened his embrace. This was, after all, his first real romantic retionship, and he was still learning how to navigate it.

  After a few moments, he relutly ehe hug, knowing he couldn’t dey any longer. Under Kiara’s wistful gaze, he exited the training room.

  Oside, he found himself in the Hub and prepared to re-ehe Dirarnia world.

  As Mikael entered his dormitory, he sed his surroundings a relieved to see that nothing had ged during his absehis reassured him that no one had intruded while he was away.

  Satisfied with this clusiorapped on his bracelets a his dormitory, ready for the csses he had scheduled for the day. ‘Today I’ve got my two mage courses: Mage Foundations this m and Mage Specialization: Wind this afternoon. I’m in a great mood aed. Last night with Kiara was so rexing, and now I get to learn magic. How could this not be a good day?’

  He tinued walking through the magnifit Academy grounds. Despite the number of students around him, the vast size of the Academy e never felt crowded. As he walked, he caught ss of nearby versatioioning him, though far less frequently thaerday. After all, while the news of a oner winning the entraest, which focused on battle prowess, was hy, it wasn’t that impossible aually, the y would wear off.

  As Mikael strolled, a soft voiterrupted his thoughts. “Excuse me, I talk to you?”

  He turned around, surprised to see Amelia addressing him. “Sure. What’s this about?” he asked, uain of her i.

  The nearby students immediately noticed the iion. Not only was Amelia stunningly beautiful, but her calm and posed aura, coupled with her status as the heiress of a duke’s family, made her practically a goddess in the eyes of male students.

  “Why is that guy talking toddess?”

  “Kill that bastard!”

  Hearing the murmurs, Amelia felt a twinge of irritation but maintained her serene demeanor. “ we go somewhere quieter to talk?” she asked, gng pointedly at the gawking students around them.

  Mikael was intrigued. He and Amelia weren’t particurly close, so her request piqued his curiosity. “Alright, but I don’t have much time,” he replied, gng at his bracelet. “I’ve got a css that will soon start.”

  Amelia’s expression shifted briefly to surprise. She was aced to men bending over backward for her attention—even her best friend’s fiancé wasn’t an exception. Seeing someone prioritize his schedule over her was a novel experience.

  Her posure quickly returned, and she said calmly, “Don’t worry, this won’t take long.”

  Mikael nodded and followed her. The two began walking away, leaving the students behind in a state of shock.

  “No way! Amelia’s going somewhere private with a guy?”

  “That bastard o die!” someone excimed angrily.

  A few nearby boys nodded in furious agreement, but their outburst earned disdainful looks from a group of nearby girls. One of the girls rolled her eyes and snapped, “You’re just jealous because Mikael is more handsome than you. With a face like yours, Amelia wouldn’t even look at you.”

  “Typical fangirl behavior,” one of the boys muttered bitterly.

  The girls, however, weren’t buying it. Another retorted, “And what you’re doing isn’t simping for Amelia just because you ’t hahe fact that Mikael is better-looking?”

  As the students argued among themselves, Mikael and Amelia reached a quiet spot, entirely unaware—or perhaps indifferent—to the otion their departure had caused.