I sat in silence, enjoying the sense of solitude that enveloped me.

After being with so many people for so long, I rarely had moments like this to myself. Still, it was an enjoyable afternoon in the Oasis, a haven from outside visitors. It was the perfect spot for me!

“Looks like you’re not worried at all.” A voice suddenly appeared, shaking me to my core.

“Argh!” I squeaked a little, showing my surprise.

For someone to interrupt me when I was so deep in thought and relaxation… how brazen would they be? I couldn’t even sense the perpetrator, so it was most likely someone strong.

“When you react that way, you look so cute.” The voice was right in front of me now, and it would be foolish of me not to have recognized who the owner was after hearing it for the second time.

“Professor Neron…” I opened my eyes to stare at the calm-looking, handsome man.

His pitch black hair danced with the wind as his casual shirt and trouser outfit showed no sign that this man was a professor, and someone whose powers I couldn’t even fathom.

“So, you lost in the Finals, and then caused such a scene during the Elite Tournament… and the only thing that came to your mind was resting in this place?” Neron’s voice showed a tinge of disbelief, but it mostly hinted that he was impressed.

A smile formed on my face once I heard his statement.

“So, does that mean I pass? You know, as your Apprentice…”

Upon asking my question, our atmosphere went into a state of decorum and we stared at each other.

My goal was to score first place and completely ‘wow’ Neron. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned and I lost to Kuzon. The silver lining was that I also beat a Ranker, a feat that exceeded merely winning first place among First Years.

If that was the case, I was hoping it would be enough to convince Neron to mentor me.

“Well, I never really expected you to get first place to begin with. The initial deal was for you to catch my attention in the Exchange, and you did…” Neron muttered.

‘Does that mean…?!’

“Yeah, I’ll be your mentor, or master, or whatever. You pass.” He gave a calm smile.

The relief that spread through me eased the tension that plagued my heart and I collapsed on the grassy plains of the Oasis grounds.

“Whew! That’s a relief…” I mumbled.Even though I hadn’t seen Neron throughout the Exchange, I knew he was watching. There had to be magic that projected the match to wherever he was at the time.

“You went a bit too far in that last match, though. Well, I can’t say the boy didn’t deserve it but-”

I understood what Neron Kaelid was trying to imply. Someone was intelligent and calculative as me should have been able to weigh the consequences of my actions and could have chosen the route that led to the least impactful consequences.

However…

“… I have my reasons…” My reply was given with a confident smile.

Once Neron saw this, he nodded and didn’t pursue the issue any further.

“Well, I’ll be training you for about five days, starting tomorrow. After that, I’ll be taking a short leave of absence. It appears something has come up and my attention is needed somewhere in the Kingdom.”

His words sounded a bit grave, which hinted that it had to be serious. I wondered what concerned an Ainzlark Lecturer with Kingdom affairs, but after analyzing Neron’s strength and his odd personality, I couldn’t put anything beyond him.

“Oh? How long will that take? When will you resume my training after that?” I asked with a furrowed eyebrow.

I had no concrete idea what the ‘Penalty’ given by the Academy would be, and it was simply bad timing that Neron would be absent during that period. I needed to know when he would be back.

“Well, considering the nature of what I need to do… let’s say three to five days. It shouldn’t take very long.”

Neron’s voice sounded casual, but I could tell he was hiding something. Was an incident brewing in the background that I wasn’t aware of? That had to be the case no matter how hard I thought of it.

“You should be worrying more about your Penalty more. It’ll be decided next week, right?” Nero smiled and narrowed his eyes.

“I won’t intervene…”

Once I heard his voice trail, I smiled once again.

“You won’t have to.”

With that, it was clear that our conversation was over.

“Your friends are here already… I should leave.” Neron gazed beyond the cluster of shrubs and trees, noticing the group of people that were fast approaching my location.

“They’re not my friends…” I wanted to say, but kept it to myself.

Neron must have noticed my answer in his eyes, making him shrug as though expected it. It was so always quite unnerving speaking to this lecturer since I felt there was so much we had in common.

“See you tomorrow!”

WHOOOSSSHHH

With a howl of the wind, he was gone. Whether it was done by teleportation, or high-speed movement was something I hadn’t figured out yet.“Huu… looks like I have to brace myself for impact…” I smiled, turning in the direction of six students who charged in my direction.

Soon, they would enter the Oasis and engage in long conversations with me. As much as I valued company from time to time, nothing was more pleasant to me than the quietness that enveloped me when I was alone.

‘Still, it’s unavoidable, uh?’

So far, some considered me friends, others rivals… but it wasn’t like I could reciprocate those sentiments. There was even one among them who had feelings for me… though it was most likely as a result of my slip-up.

Back when I covered my ears, Ana had asked me if I ‘liked’ her and was trying to hide it, and without hearing her words… I admitted to it.

I thought it was only to keep her quiet, but after creating that misunderstanding… it became more complicated to overturn those ideas from her head. Fortunately, Edward told me before I stumbled too deep in the dark.

“I wish the both of you happiness!” He had genuinely said to me one time.

It was silly, mere vestiges of childhood that would pass as they grew older so I only had to endure.

With so much work to do, and many uncertainties looming… no time existed to engage in frivolities. After all, to achieve my goals…

“JAREEEEEEDDDD!!!” Voices cried out as people poured out of the green clearing and charged in my direction.

“W-wha-?! You guysss!!!”

… Edward, Ana, Maria, Stefan, Ivan… even Kuzon…

… I considered them valuable people, but not friends…

“So this is where you were!”

“I knew it!”

“That move you did back there was badass!”

“Please teach me!”

“Glad to see… you’re fine…”

“Looks like someone is a celebrity already.”

As their voices reached out to me, I smiled and remembered my previous comrades, my true friends. They were long gone now, relics of the past…

… And that was why I couldn’t see these little ones as my friends…

“You guys… stop rushing… argh!”

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[END OF THE SECOND ARC]