57. A Brief Rest During the Exchange Battle
“Karla has already awoken. You should go in. They were curious about how things turned out.”
Lorenzo, who was standing by the door of the hospital room, immediately responded as soon as he saw Ivan.
After all, there was really only one reason why Ivan had come to this infirmary, and there was no point in wasting time, so he said it plainly.
“Yes, Instructor. Thank you for your hard work today.”
Ivan smiled broadly as he greeted Lorenzo.
“…Instructor, is there something on my face?”
Lorenzo felt somewhat uneasy.
No matter how you looked at it, Ivan’s demeanor was unsettling.
Normally such a docile and polite boy, but whenever something set him off – and considering that this usually happened whenever it involved Karla – there was obviously something more to him.
“No, no. Just go in. Karla is waiting for you.”
Apparently without noticing, Lorenzo had been staring at Ivan’s face intently.
At Ivan’s curious return question, Lorenzo shook his head and pointed toward the door of the hospital room.
“By the way, that ward down the opposite corridor has Lucas. He hasn’t awakened yet, it seems. You probably won’t go there even if I suggest it, right?”
At Lorenzo’s question, Ivan scowled.
Just hearing his name evoked an unpleasant feeling that crept up uncomfortably – a visit to such a person was absolutely out of the question.
“Well, then, go in.”
Ivan bowed to Lorenzo a second time.
Lorenzo silently tapped Ivan’s shoulder twice before walking across the infirmary hallway and disappearing.
As Ivan opened the door and entered the hospital room, his first thought was the scent of lilacs.
Even though there were no flowers or any such things, looking into a pair of violet eyes fixed on him made him think of that fragrance.
“Ivan.”
“Yeah, Karla. Why aren’t you lying down?”
Karla was leaning against the head of the bed.
The arm that was still intact after the battle had a thick bandage, and fatigue and exhaustion were evident on her face, painting a picture of weariness.
“I heard the team battles have concluded.”
“Yeah, they did.”
Ivan slowly moved closer to the bed.
A chair was set by the bed where Lorenzo had been sitting. Ivan stood beside the chair, gazing at Karla.
“Again with that look, you peasant.”
Karla frowned and tersely spoke.
Ivan smiled faintly, pointing to the chair as he said,
“Should this peasant take a seat, Miss Karla?”
“Sit. Stop talking nonsense.”
Her candid self was still intact, and from some obscure place, Ivan felt relieved.
As he sat in the chair, Ivan quietly gazed at Karla.
“What happened?”
Karla asked, her face shaded as the setting sun lit her from behind, making it hard to discern her expression.
“We won.”
“I know that. I mean, what happened?”
As Karla repeated her question, Ivan momentarily considered his response, but quickly deduced the answer she wanted.
“Karla, I’ve brought this victory right to you.”
Ivan extended his fist.
Karla looked down at his offered fist.
She had heard the story from Lorenzo.
How Ivan had used the same Electric Magic that she had, and claimed to exact the price for her insult, striking Lucas down through physical combat in her style.
With this fist, this very method.
Karla extended her hand.
With her bandaged hand, Karla gently touched Ivan’s outstretched fist.
“…So you knocked Lucas out in physical combat?”
“That’s right.”
“Why?”
“You’re asking the obvious.”
A breeze flowed in through the open window, ruffling Ivan’s black hair and caressing his face, as his violet eyes remained fixed on Karla’s.
Ivan once again sensed the fragrant lilac scent.
“Because, otherwise, it would have been meaningless. I wanted to present you with something more perfect and certain, Karla.”
“…I see.”
Karla faintly smiled, genuinely not expecting such dedication.
Though she reluctantly admitted it now, Ivan was a genius.
Just as evident from his magical circuits, he could instantly apply any magic, achieving in a year what would take others a decade – truly a prodigy.
But unarmed combat was supposed to be an exception… Karla had assumed.
Magic and physical combat were fundamentally different.
However, Ivan had surpassed even this expectation of hers.
“But, Karla. The fact remains that your role contributed significantly to this victory. Because you defeated Sophia, I believe even without my actions, we would have still won. So, this isn’t all solely my achievement.”
Karla quietly stared at Ivan.
She had defeated Sophia.
But she had also lost to Lucas who followed her.
Had it been in the past, she might have blown up accusing Ivan of deception, but strangely, Karla remained unfazed.
“Don’t joke around, peasant. In the end, the one who swept everyone afterward was you, right? I heard you were the one who shone the most during the team battles.”
“That’s not true. Emil and Liam were the ones who contributed the most.”
“So the instructor was lying then, I guess.”
“At the very least. You did play a big role, and there’s no need to feel so disheartened.”
Ivan spoke, looking at the gleaming clarity of Karla’s eyes. His words were free of deceit.
Karla had defeated Sophia, which had already secured an advantageous position. Moreover, the significant magic consumption she extracted from Lucas could have led to victory with anyone stepping up next.
“But, you did go after me, Ivan. You even asked Instructor Lorenzo to let you do so. Did you think that no one else could beat Lucas except for you?”
“No, that’s not it. He’s not worth that much. You know that.”
Ivan earnestly replied to Karla’s question.
“Then why? It was Regina’s turn next, wasn’t it?”
“Because he insulted you.”
Karla’s eyebrows twitched.
“What?”
“He insulted you, Karla. The best effort you put in, Lucas denigrated. The moment I saw that, I lost it. I thought, even if the world ended, I had to return the insults you received. That’s all there is to it.”
That wasn’t the usual Ivan talking.
Karla was momentarily taken aback, her mouth slightly agape.
“Nobody can insult you, Karla. No one, I mean. I’ll take care of all such people. So, you don’t have to be afraid of anything. Got it?”
Ivan’s voice was gentle but carried a peculiar firmness.
As he looked directly into Karla’s eyes, he continued.
“If anyone comes, I’ll deal with them all. Don’t worry.”
A cold flame flickered in Ivan’s eyes.
His usual kindness was nowhere to be seen. Something like an ancient presence rising from the depths filled the room.
“…Ivan?”
“We are, aren’t we, friends? Right?”
Ivan smiled easily, a strange chill running down Karla’s spine as she watched him.
“Aren’t we?”
“Um, yeah. Friends, yes…”
Karla unconsciously nodded, unnerved by the peculiar gleam in Ivan’s eyes.
“Ah, and Karla. The arrangements for the Exploration Battle have been decided. It’s you and me in one group. The others form another group.”
“Ah…right? Shouldn’t I be paired with Regina? It would make sense given Regina is… well, you know.”
As Karla spoke, Ivan smiled.
He smiled, then continued looking at her.
“Of course, it’s gonna be you and me. There is no reason for it to be anyone else, right?”
Karla closed her mouth.
A strange shiver ran down her spine.
This Ivan, the Ivan now in front of her, seemed different from the one she knew.
A different vibe, and—reminiscent of the primal fear that had dominated her youth, inching back into her mind.
“You don’t need to worry too much, Karla. I’ll definitely win this time too. So, you will be a champion with me. Got it?”
“Eh, yeah… I got it.”
“Take good care of yourself then. Karla, since the Exploration Battle is the day after tomorrow, you need to be fully recovered by then, alright?”
“Yeah.”
Ivan smiled broadly.
Karla managed a smile back.
Ivan grinned wholeheartedly.
Karla offered the smallest smile possible.
After Ivan left, Karla was lost in thought.
She knew that Ivan had something of another personality – though perhaps it was not a different personality but closer to Ivan’s true nature, something even he was unaware of.
But lately, this side that used to remain hidden was increasingly surfacing.
What was more, this reminded Karla of the primal fear of her childhood, one that began from the ankles, spreading like water rising higher and higher, until now it was slowly creeping upward.
“…Could it be that something is consuming Ivan?”
Karla suddenly had this thought.
The originally gentle and kind Ivan had been gradually revealing a different side.
“No, it can’t be.”
Karla unconsciously shook her head, denying it.
That couldn’t be true, surely nothing so serious could happen, right?
“But, if it really is… how can I help Ivan?”
A long sigh escaped her.
