Chapter 73: Lucky encounter
Humming to herself as she enjoyed the breeze, Rose Brilliance, the undisputed strongest student among the first years, looked at the city below her.
Sitting on the very edge of the clock tower, she leaned back against its walls, relaxed and enjoying the colorless world she inhabited.
‘How boring…’ she thought, sighing deeply.
For the past few days, no, for an entire week now, Rose had never experienced such profound boredom.
Right after the duo exams ended, the entire academy closed down for almost two weeks, intensifying the constant boredom she felt in her mundane world.
She had done nothing but enjoy her free time, and although it was nice and relaxing to do whatever she wanted, for a girl like her who was in constant search of a change in her colorless world, any form of repetitiveness became akin to torture.
That was why, when it was announced that classes would resume after a week, she felt a rare thrill of excitement. However, that excitement quickly faded, replaced by the familiar ennui.
Although she had expected nothing to change in the short amount of time they were confined to their dorm rooms, Rose still harbored a tiny, lingering hope that somehow, in some way, things could have changed for her, at least.
But upon seeing the familiar faces of her classmates, her professors, and the students around the school, she realized that nothing had changed. The world was still boring for her.
‘I wonder where he is?’ she thought, her mind drifting away from the monotonous reality around her.
Ignoring her boorish thoughts for a moment, Rose remembered the face of the only person who added color to her mundane world—Riley Hell, a young man veiled in a cloak of mystery and strength.
It had been almost three weeks since she had last seen him, but the constant thoughts about him never left the young maiden’s mind.
She couldn’t forget the aura of intrigue he carried, the way he seemed unfazed by her presence, unlike everyone else. He was different, and that difference intrigued her.
‘I wonder why he didn’t accept me, though?’ Rose recalled the time when he had rejected her—no, rejected everyone—to be his partner in the duo exams.
The memory still lingered in her mind, puzzling her.
Although his choice of partnering up with Snow was somehow logical, she couldn’t help but question it.
Snow was strong and capable, but Rose knew she was better. She had proven her strength time and again, yet Riley had chosen Snow over her.
‘Wasn’t I better than the princess?’ she pondered, feeling a mix of frustration and curiosity.
In terms of mana, she was leagues above everyone else.
Her magical efficiency was unmatched; no one could rival her in spell knowledge, and her magic accuracy was the best of the best.
Practically no one in their entire year could possibly keep up with her in terms of magic.
She was a genius of the century, proclaimed as the next future Archon—a title only five mages in recorded history had ever held.
This prestigious title was already etched across her name.
Granted, there were two seniors above her with the same proclaimed title, but even still, she was the youngest among all the geniuses in the world.
She was guaranteed to achieve greatness and do the impossible. So why didn’t he choose her?
This question gnawed at her. Her accomplishments and abilities were well-known, and her reputation as a prodigy was widespread.
People looked up to her, respected her, and even feared her power. Yet, Riley had chosen someone else. It was baffling.
Rose remembered the countless times she had demonstrated her abilities, outperforming everyone around her.
She had mastered spells that others could only dream of, and her control over mana was near perfection. She had always been the best, the top of her class, the pride of the academy.
And yet, Riley had chosen Snow.
Was it something she lacked? Was there an aspect of herself that she had overlooked? Rose couldn’t help but wonder if there was a deeper reason behind Riley’s decision.
Perhaps it wasn’t just about power or skill. Maybe there was something more, something she couldn’t see.
‘Could it be that he values something beyond just raw magical talent?’ she thought, feeling a pang of frustration mixed with curiosity.
Her mind drifted back to the few interactions she had with Riley.
He had always been calm and composed, never showing any signs of intimidation or awe in her presence. He treated her like any other person, not as the prodigy everyone else saw, no…. maybe he treated her more like a nobody?
This was both intriguing and infuriating.
‘Is that why he chose Snow?’ she mused. ‘Does he see something in her that he doesn’t see in me?’
The thought made her restless. Rose prided herself on her understanding of magic and people, yet Riley remained an enigma.
As her thoughts drifted, Rose searched for the right answer and stumbled upon the most unlikely yet likely explanation.
‘Was he blinded by her beauty perhaps?’ she wondered. But after considering it for a while, she dismissed the notion.
Although Riley and she didn’t interact much, Rose could immediately tell what type of person he was, and he wasn’t the type to be distracted by mere appearances.
If he were that type of person, he would’ve exploited something when she saved him back then.
Even so, Riley was still a man, and she barely knew anything about him, so it remained a possibility.
Rose couldn’t deny that in terms of beauty, Princess Snow was unparalleled in the entire academy. As a girl herself, she had to admit Snow’s charm was undeniable.
However, that didn’t mean there was no one who could match her. Rose was confident that, in terms of beauty, she was on par with the princess.
Therefore, Riley couldn’t have chosen Snow based on that ridiculous reason alone.
So then, what was it?
Rose continued to ponder. Was it Snow’s personality? Her connections? Or was there something else entirely that Riley saw in her? The more she thought about it, the more perplexed she became.
It was frustrating to not have a clear answer, especially when it concerned someone as enigmatic as Riley Hell as he was the only existence in her entire life right now to have color….
Well, there was one another person who had a color but he wasn’t as bright or as colorful as Riley was…
Was it her connections? Or was it due to the fact that Riley was a noble from her empire? But that still didn’t make any sense.
As much as a crown princess held power, Snow’s influence was incomparable to that of an Archon, who could alter the course of history at a whim.
An emperor was just a name, and besides, hierarchy was something to be dissolved within the academy.
There was no way Snow could force her title and duties upon him to serve her.
No matter how much Rose thought about it, no logical answer came to her mind. In that situation, she was supposed to be the 100% pick.
There was no way the others could keep up with her. She would have been the most useful, especially for a knight like him.
‘He’s as mysterious as he is stupid,’ she mused as she stared at the beautiful blue sky.
Stretching her arms, she let go of her thoughts for now and decided to enjoy her day.
There was no way she could find the answer as she was now.
[Blink!]
Using the short-distance celestial magic [Blink], she disappeared from her current location and reappeared all the way down in the bustling district below her.
The streets were alive with activity, vendors shouting to sell their goods, children running around, and people chatting animatedly.
The vibrant energy of the district was a stark contrast to the tranquility of the clock tower, but it was a welcome change.
Rose wandered through the crowds, taking in the sights and sounds, hoping to distract herself from her endless musings about Riley.
As she walked, she couldn’t help but notice the various groups of students from the academy, all enjoying their free time.
Some were shopping, others were simply hanging out with friends, and a few were engaged in animated discussions about their latest magical discoveries or combat techniques.
Skipping her way through the crowd, Rose watched and enjoyed the scenery around her as best as she could.
The vibrant city, filled with people going about their lives, was a stark contrast to the lonely clock tower she often found herself atop.
“Rose… please enjoy your time there, okay?” her mother’s voice echoed in her mind.
Remembering her mother’s words, she resolved to enjoy her academy life as best as she could, replicating the things she enjoyed the most back at home. But even then, nothing seemed to change.
‘I’m really trying, Mother….’
As the melancholic black-and-white world in front of her continued to move in the most boorish of ways, she sighed softly.
Bam!
“Ah, I’m sorry, big sis!” Suddenly, a small child bumped into her, falling down immediately. He quickly got up and apologized.
“It’s alright,” she said softly as the child waved goodbye and ran off.
‘There’s no sound….’
This was what always happened when things got too mundane. The world seemed to reject her, or maybe it was she who rejected the world.
Not only was it colorless, but now it had no sound. The hustle and bustle of the marketplace, the chatter of the people, the clinking of coins—all of it faded into a silent, monochromatic void.
She continued walking, feeling the silence press down on her. It was a familiar sensation, one that she had experienced countless times. The world around her losing its vibrancy and becoming an endless expanse of gray.
Rose tried to shake off the feeling. She looked around, searching for something, anything, that could break the monotony.
Her eyes landed on a street performer, playing a lively tune on his violin.
She could see the movements, the bow gliding across the strings, but she couldn’t hear the music.
She could see the smile on his face, the enjoyment of the crowd, but it all seemed so distant, so unreachable.
‘Is this really what my life has become?’
Halting her steps, Rose took a moment to relax herself as she felt the fatigue setting in from forcefully appreciating the mundane world around her. But then, something caught her eye that she couldn’t ignore.
“Colors?” she mumbled softly.
Among the bustling crowd, a certain golden hue moved uniquely through the throng, navigating the busy streets with ease as if his body was part of the natural flow itself.
Slowly, her heart thumped with excitement. That golden color and the sweet scent of flowers that wafted from the mysterious figure in the distance could only mean one thing: Riley.
Before she knew it, her feet carried her forward as she quickly approached the young man.
Using [Blink], she dodged the people in front of her, her eyes locked onto the golden hair amid the crowd.
After finally coming to a stop, she found Riley standing in front of the door of an extremely popular café. As always, his colors were as bright as ever. She smiled.
‘Is he interested in this type of place?’ she pondered for a moment before shaking her head. There was no time for that right now. This was a chance.
[Blink]
In an instant, Rose appeared right next to Riley, her sudden presence causing him to glance at her in mild surprise.
She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with the first genuine excitement she had felt in days.
“Riley” she said, her voice soft but filled with an unmistakable eagerness. “It’s been a while.”
Riley raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting to see her there. “Rose? What are you doing here?”
“I was just passing by,” she lied smoothly, her heart still pounding from the rush of excitement. “I saw you and thought I’d say hello.”
‘His voice is as calm as ever….’
…..
After arriving at the café, I pondered for a bit on what sort of things to tell the twins to get them to join me on the dungeon hunt happening tonight.
There were many options to garner their attention. I could stick to the script and follow what Lucas did in the game, or I could offer them something in return.
But after thinking about it for a bit, I made my decision.
‘I have to increase their specs as well.’ Offering something in return would be the better option now.
This way, I could ensure that the twins would be stronger than they were in the future. Although they weren’t particularly relevant in future arcs, they could still be useful to me.
There were more ways than one to make use of those twins, and I had this strange feeling that Act 2 wouldn’t go the way I wanted it to.
Preparing for the unexpected was a must right now.
Calming my breath, I was about to open the door, but then…
“Riley” a beautiful voice called out to me from the side, surprising me greatly as I took a step back.
“It’s been a while.” She continued, giving me a warm smile.
‘Rose?’ Golden hair and eyes reminiscent of the stars above, she looked at me with the usual smirk she had in the game.
‘Why the heck is she here?’
Nervously, I asked, “Rose? What are you doing here?”
“I was just passing by. I saw you and thought I’d say hello.”
Passing by? What are the chances?
I knew she was a whimsical and random character in the game, but wasn’t her randomness connected to Lucas?
Why the heck is she showing up to me?
[Note: You are the luckiest person alive!]
‘Shut up!’
