╭──────༺♡༻──────╮

6. Incomprehensible

╰──────༺♡༻──────╯

The five of them began to move swiftly. Ian, who had become somewhat experienced compared to the beginning, knew how to lead quite well.

It was said that there were special classes taught separately for the awakened and healer classes.

Apparently, professors would work one-on-one with students to help them improve their individual abilities.

Perhaps because of this, even Anna showed a somewhat enthusiastic attitude unlike before. Although she seemed to dislike Aer and Louis, she didn’t stray far from them.

It was a good thing, as there had been worries about her running away if she found the monsters disgusting like before.

Ian easily caught monsters with his fire ability. As the charred corpses fell limply to the ground, Louis checked them with the magic tool he had brought.

Kai didn’t catch them barehanded but used a sword. It was almost awe-inspiring to see him wielding a two-handed sword as big as Aer’s body so lightly.

The long, thick sword sliced through the monsters with thud after thud.

“When this area is cleared, we’ll take a short break.”

At Ian’s words, Anna quickly added, “Then, I’ll heal you at that time!”

Anna couldn’t hide her joy, as if she had been waiting for this moment. Aer wasn’t unaware of the reason.

The abilities of the awakened were called gifts from the gods because they were so extraordinary. Fire, wind, water, earth, light, darkness, and even abilities to control the weather existed.

In exchange for being able to wield such outstanding abilities, the more they used their powers, the more impure energy accumulated in their bodies.

If this wasn’t properly discharged in time, it would strain their bodies. Eventually, it would lead to death by going berserk.

Conversely, healers needed to discharge the energy they held through the awakened.

If they couldn’t discharge the accumulating energy, it would explode inside their bodies like an overinflated balloon bursting.

Once the energy starts leaking, even the primordial life force would completely drain out, leading to death.

This was the same reason Aer died in the original story.

Therefore, the healing process was absolutely necessary for both parties.

And the method of healing was through skin-to-skin contact. As they made contact like this, even non-existent affection could develop in the relationship between the awakened and healers.

That’s why Anna was so happy. There was no pretext to heal outside of practical classes. Or perhaps, no pretext to push herself onto them?

The five who had dealt with the last remaining monster sat down roughly to take a break.

“Ian, I’ll heal you first.”

Anna, unable to hide her joy, gently took Ian’s hand. With an ecstatic expression at the contact she couldn’t even dream of except during healing moments, she began to heal.

In contrast, Ian accepted the healing with an indifferent face, then furrowed his brow.

“It’s all done. Do you feel strength surging?”

Anna’s laughter was so bright it could make one forget this was an exam site with monsters present.

Anyone watching might think they were on a picnic.

“…Miss Anna, what is your nature?”

“Me? I’m wind.”

Ian, who had asked about the basic nature that awakened and healers possessed, let out a small sigh.

“It seems I’ll have to make a suggestion to the professor.”

At Ian’s words, Anna showed a look of incomprehension. To not know the reason while being a healer.

Aer wore an exasperated expression.

Kai also nodded and extended his hand to Anna.

“I don’t think it will be very effective for me either?”

“…Why?”

Physical awakened ones also had their own unique natures.

If Anna had been an elemental awakened like Ian, their compatibility would have been good. Wind makes fire burn more vigorously, after all.

But as a healer, she should have had a nature that could suppress fire. The most compatible nature was water, followed by earth.

Come to think of it, what was Kai’s nature?

It seemed Ian was curious, just like Aer.

“What’s your nature?”

To his question, Kai answered with a mischievous expression.

“Secret.”

“….”

“Well, there aren’t many natures that don’t have good compatibility with wind, right? Want to guess?”

Kai playfully retorted and then gently pushed away Anna’s hand.

“Miss Anna, I think this much is enough. Thank you.”

“…Alright.”

Anna, who had been beaming with the thought of healing, could no longer smile. She felt unpleasant as if she had been rejected by an awakened.

Turning her head with a sullen expression, she spotted Aer and Louis chatting with smiles and twisted her lips.

“Regular people must have it so easy. They get grades just by tagging along without any effort, right? And to even be in the same team as Ian and Kai… Can one get this lucky even by chance?”

At this blatant jab, Aer, who had been smiling, hardened her expression before responding in a calm voice.

“You’re right. I am lucky.”

“…What?”

“As you said, I’m lucky. I was worried about my grades this time, but with Ian and Kai here, good grades are practically guaranteed.”

“….”

Anna was taken aback, having deliberately picked a fight but receiving no particular reaction. Her inner thoughts were transmitted directly into Louis’s mind.

And…

He could also hear the inner thoughts of Ian and Kai. Unlike Kai, who was smiling and thinking positively, Ian had an indifferent expression but was lost in strange thoughts.

Louis watched Ian more closely than Kai. He thought Ian still didn’t trust Aer, yet harbored a strange expectation. It was very unpleasant.

“Well then, let’s get up…”

Before Ian could finish speaking, there was a sound of something falling nearby. The ground shook with a loud noise.

“Aer! Stay close to me!”

In the urgent situation, Kai looked after Aer first, not Anna the healer. Then he said to Louis,

“Well, Louis. You hurry behind me too.”

“…What are you doing right now.”

As Ian asked in a low, sunken voice, Kai answered,

“You can protect Anna. As awakened ones, we should protect not only healers but also regular people.”

Of course, that might be true outside the academy. However, within the academy, the meaning of a formed team prioritized healers over regular people.

With a completely distorted expression, Anna glared at Aer and Louis.

Bang-!

A large old tree fell sideways with a thunderous noise, and the five people nearby hurriedly moved out of the way.

A monster with an obviously huge body was roaring and expressing its anger. It seemed to have fled in this direction after being attacked by another team.

The monster approached the five people, making the ground tremble with each step. Disgusting green eyes were attached to its forehead and palms as well.

“Kai!”

Ian used his fire ability to block the monster’s feet first. Kai pushed Aer back, then gripped his sword tightly and leaped.

Louis held Aer’s hand firmly, unable to take his eyes off the monster.

No, to be precise, he couldn’t take his eyes off Kai who was attacking the monster.

The inferiority complex that had developed at some point began to eat away at him. Broad shoulders, impressive height, bright personality…

Louis had to admit that he was such an insignificant person compared to Kai.

A half-baked status that couldn’t be revealed, abilities that couldn’t be shown.

He couldn’t be confident in front of Aer with any of these.

Ian gritted his teeth and dealt with the monster. It was clearly not a low-grade monster to anyone’s eyes, but he didn’t think of notifying the academy.

In a similar context to what happened at the beginning of the semester, he was determined not to cause any incidents this time. It was the final evaluation, and for the sake of his goal to become a more famous and stronger awakened one than his father.

A huge flame rose in the air. Kai went through it to directly slash the monster. It was obvious at a glance that these two were no ordinary skilled individuals.

To think that mere first-year students could display such abilities.

Aer thought that indeed, this world would be led by those related to the protagonists.

At that moment, something flew from afar and attacked the monster. It seemed the academy hadn’t let its guard down, given that it was the final evaluation.

“Is everyone alright!”

For a professor to move directly. The thought occurred that it might be because Ian was in this group.

As skilled awakened ones rushed in, the huge monster fell powerlessly. However, the direction it fell was unfortunately not good.

Aer met the disgusting green eyes. She felt a chill and her body froze.

But it must be why they repeatedly teach in classes to be able to move the body in moments like this. Although it wasn’t many repetitions of training, Aer’s body moved on its own.

In urgent moments, regular people must protect healers no matter what. Even if it means becoming a meat shield.

“Aer!”

As she threw her body towards Anna, Louis moved a step late. He ran, gritting his teeth.

“Kyaaak!”

Aer pounced on Anna who screamed. Louis blocked the two people curled up on the dirt ground.

He stretched out both arms to protect her, but Louis’s body was too small to embrace both women. He blamed himself.

He had never blamed anyone before.

Not his mother who left first, not his father who abandoned him, nor those who treated him as if he didn’t exist.

He might have harbored similar feelings briefly, but that was it.

Doesn’t blame require expectations in the first place?

Louis, who had never had expectations for anyone, blamed himself for the first time.

Kwaaang-!

The house-sized monster fell completely, and Kai, who belatedly noticed their presence, rushed over with a pale face.