Chapter 39 - A Main Heroine
The next day arrived... It was Sunday.
The warm morning light slowly filtered through the sheer curtains of my dorm room, painting soft shadows across the wooden floorboards.
It’s the only day of the week where we don’t have classes.
"Hup!"
I got out of bed and started fixing it.
I pulled the white sheets taut, fluffing the pillow and neatly folding the blanket before setting it down at the head of the frame.
After that, I started cooking some fried eggs and brewing myself a coffee for breakfast.
The quiet sizzle of the pan filled the small kitchenette, accompanied by the rich, deep aroma of freshly ground coffee beans dripping into the glass pot.
Being a scholar of the academy, they give us allowance we can use inside the academy to spend.
The monthly stipend was automatically deposited into our student identification cards on the first of every month, covering living expenses cleanly.
I’m using all of it for my daily needs.
It easily covered basic groceries and standard maintenance supplies for my training equipment without forcing me to worry about running out.
And although I said that I’m fine—Ahri sometimes cooks something and has Cindy bring it to me, she even gives me money.
Every couple of days, Cindy would show up at my door carrying a sealed insulated container filled with warm, home-cooked dishes or a small envelope tucked inside a bag of fresh fruit.
’She’s really an angel.’
I thought to myself, leaning against the counter while watching the coffee finish dripping.
Speaking of Ahri, I checked my phone as I was having breakfast.
I unlocked the screen, resting my elbow on the small dining table while holding a warm mug in my other hand.
And I checked her messages.
The screen lit up with a small string of unread text notifications that had arrived late the previous evening.
She checks on me everyday, she’s like a really doting older sister to me now.
Her messages were always filled with genuine care, asking about my health, and checking if the academy dorms were comfortable enough.
It’s been a while since someone had been this concerned and treated me like this—it’s really heartwarming.
A subtle, comfortable warmth settled in my chest as I scrolled through the chat history, deeply appreciating the affection she showed me.
I replied to her and told me I was doing fine, Cindy as well—I thanked her for the food and money she had been giving me through Cindy as well.
I typed out a quick, polite message assuring her that my classes were going well and that her cooking had been a huge help after my combat sessions.
And after doing so, I finished eating and went to have a bath and brush my teeth.
I rinsed my plate and cup in the sink, taking a quick, refreshing shower before changing into a clean set of comfortable casual clothes.
*****
[9:00 AM]
I trained until the clock hit that time.
I spent the next hour performing light stretching routines and practicing basic fencing footwork in the open center of my room to keep my muscles loose.
In about half an hour—Me, Zion, and Cindy are scheduled to meet up with Crystal in a restaurant near the freshmen building.
The designated location was a well-known dining establishment located right along the main commercial strip of the lower campus.
I stretched my body and finished my casual training.
I took a deep breath, letting my heart rate return to its normal resting rhythm as I wiped a thin layer of sweat from my forehead with a towel.
I took [Frost] and placed it neatly on my weapon holder on my waist.
The dark wooden sheath settled comfortably against my side, securing firmly to the leather belt strap around my trousers.
Tok- Tok- Tok-
Light knocks were heard from the door of my dorm, I took my phone on the table—then I went ahead and opened it.
"Come on, let’s go."
It was Zion. Him and I decided to go to the meeting spot together yesterday.
He was standing in the hallway, leaning loosely against the doorframe while tossing his phone up and down in his palm.
"Lead the way."
I told him, getting out of the room and locking the door.
I pulled the key card from the electronic slot, hearing the heavy deadbolt click into place before turning to walk down the corridor beside him.
Zion exchanged contact information with Crystal, we only heard the meeting place through him.
He had received a brief digital marker sent to his student messaging app late last night detailing the exact reservation name and table number.
Though I already know it beforehand from the game story.
"So... Did you two exchange messages?"
As we were walking toward our destination, I curiously asked that.
I glanced over at Zion, keeping my hands resting casually inside my jacket pockets as we walked down the stone stairs.
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
Zion, who’s walking beside me, asked back without looking back at me.
He kept his gaze fixed on the paved road ahead, humming softly to himself as he enjoyed the cool Sunday morning breeze.
"I mean, she’s someone we’re going to team up with, did you like... try to get to know her?"
I followed.
Zion looked at his phone that was on his hand, then he glanced at me for a split second.
He tapped the screen to open the chat log, tapping his chin thoughtfully before sliding the device back into his pocket.
"Hmm, we really didn’t talk about much, she just told me where to meet up and to inform you two. I guess we just need to get to know her until the test."
He stated. His answer was completely straightforward, lacking even a single trace of romantic awareness or deeper interest.
Honestly, I was just curious if some development happened between them outside the game story, but I guess it was too early for that.
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
When we got to the agreed place, Cindy was already there.
The restaurant was bright and spacious, featuring polished glass windows, white tablecloths, and quiet background music playing through the ceiling speakers.
She stayed for the first time in her dorm provided by the academy because of the meet up today.
Normally she preferred returning home everyday, but she had stayed on campus overnight specifically to avoid being late for this morning’s briefing.
She saw us approaching and she waved at us, we waved back and joined her.
She was sitting at a four-person corner booth near the front window, raising her hand slightly to catch our attention as we crossed the dining floor.
... ... ...
Then after waiting for a couple more minutes... Crystal arrived.
The front bell chimed softly as the glass doors swung open, drawing the attention of several patrons sitting near the entrance.
Gray hair and black round eyes, Crystal was pretty, obviously; clear skin, petite face, pinkish lips, perfect nose—it’s just what you would expect from the heroines of a dating game.
Her presence was striking and refined, carrying herself with a natural, poised grace that immediately commanded respect from those around her.
And then, behind her—was someone I recognize as well.
TAP-
The secondary figure stepped through the entryway right behind Crystal, walking with slow, deliberate steps that radiated an overwhelming aura of nobility.
It was a beautiful, mature-looking girl; long ocean-like blue hair with white highlights, her hair was like the opposite of mine, pearl-like blue eyes, milk-like skin, body as if carved by an artist...
Her appearance was almost mesmerizing, standing out so sharply against the casual environment of the restaurant that time seemed to slow down for a second.
It was obvious that she’s one of the heroines as well... And she’s making it clear that there are levels with the heroines.
The sheer elegance and refined majesty she exuded was on a completely different tier, easily signaling her status as a top-line main heroine.
"I’d like you to meet our last member—Cordelia Everwave."
Crystal introduced her to us.
She stopped beside our table, gesturing toward the blue-haired girl with a proud, confident sweep of her hand.
Cordelia—she’s one of the first strong characters that appeared early in the game; her element is obviously water.
Her control over her powers made her an absolute powerhouse capable of wiping out entire monster waves single-handedly.
She’s a noble as well, and the top student of the [A-Class].
Her academic marks, practical duel scores, and mana capacity metrics sat firmly at the absolute peak of their class.
The fact is, the information about the test came from her, not really from Crystal.
Due to her high family background and official student council ties, she had early access to internal faculty directives that regular freshmen knew nothing about.
Crystal is actually Cordelia’s aide, and she tasked Crystal to find strong teammates for them for the upcoming test.
Crystal acted as her primary liaison, using her sharp eyes to recruit high-potential individuals like Zion who possessed raw physical prowess.
I looked to my side, and I saw Zion’s eyes widened a bit.
The protagonist was practically frozen in place, staring at Cordelia with a look of pure, unadulterated shock at the sudden appearance of such a beautiful figure.
A small smile appeared on my face, then opening my mouth—
I took a light step forward, standing between Zion and the two girls to break the awkward silence hanging over the booth.
"Nice to meet you, Lady Cordelia. My name is Vael, and these are my friends; Cindy and Zion."
I handled the introduction to save the trouble for the stupefied protagonist.
I gave a polite, measured bow, keeping my tone entirely respectful without coming off as overly subservient.
But when I did so...
"...?"
Cordelia looked at me weirdly. She didn’t say anything, but it did seem like she wanted to say something.
Her pearl-like blue eyes narrowed slightly as she locked her gaze straight onto my face, her lips parting for a brief second before she quickly clamped her mouth shut.
’Huh...? What?’
And that confused me. I don’t know if I did anything wrong, but it feels like there’s something I’m missing here.
I maintained my polite posture, but inwardly my mind was racing, trying to figure out why a main heroine was staring at me with such a strange, conflicted expression right on our very first meeting.