I Became The Academy’s Narrow-Eyes

< Chapter 23: Miss Adryn is Popular (2) >

“Adryn of the Teln family?”

“Yes, Drin-ssi.”

As Ceylon replied, and Drin was interrupted again.

“-ssi?”

As if Drin found even the title ‘-ssi’ unsettling.

The fine wrinkles on Drin’s forehead became more pronounced.

In this rare moment, Drin, who rarely showed emotions on his face, looked at Adryn.

“…!”

There was no negative emotion in Drin’s gaze. However, Adryn felt a similar tension or pressure as when Kaisha had looked at him just moments ago.

“By the way, Drin-ssi, your number is – oh, you’re number 1.”

At Ceylon’s words, Drin’s gaze traveled to his chest.

“And you are number 17.”

After confirming Drin’s number, Ceylon clenches his fist in frustration.

“It’s so disappointing…! I wanted to be in the same group as Drin-ssi…!”

There was a brief moment of disappointment on Drin’s face when she saw Ceylon’s number, followed by Ceylon’s reaction.

Drin smiled wryly at Ceylon’s reaction and was about to speak with a somewhat happy expression when something struck her.

“Isn’t that right, Miss Adryn?”

“Yes? Me?”

“‘Miss’ Adryn…?”

Suddenly, Drin, who had returned to his expressionless face, stared at Adryn following Ceylon’s gaze.

“Yes, I really wanted to be in the same group as Drin-ssi!”

“…Oh, I see. ‘Miss’ Adryn here wanted to be in the same group as me.”

“That’s right.”

“And what about you?”

“So did I!”

“…Is that right?”

“Yes! I had hoped Miss Adryn’s wishes would be fulfilled-it is a great pity, but Miss Adryn, don’t be too sorry. I’ve told you before, the two of us are more than capable of doing well in this exam!”

A sense of unease washed over Adryn.

For some reason, she felt a familiar pattern in the conversation and instinctively turned to look at Drin.

“…”

She was expressionless as usual.

But there was something different about her usual expressionlessness.

Normally, the coldness of her expression would be attributed to her mood, but now it seemed to be more than just a mood.

Adryn felt a chill run down her spine, like a cold wind was blowing between Drin and Ceylon.

“You and Miss Adryn seem quite… close?”

Drin said, smiling brightly.

“Aha, you saw it clearly.”

“Did I see it clearly?”

“Yes! Just as Drin-ssi said, Miss Adryn and I are so close that there’s no one else like us. At least, that’s what I think! Besides, Miss Adryn was the first one to lend a helping hand to me when I was all alone at the ‘Academy’!”

“Oh, I see. Miss Adryn was the one who extended a helping hand to you ‘first’ when you were ‘alone’ at the Academy.”

“Yes! I think it’s the most valuable connection I’ve made since coming to the Academy!”

“A ‘valuable connection’ that you’ve made ‘first.’ That’s very impressive.”

It was strange.

There was nothing wrong with the conversation.

In fact, it was heartwarming.

But the more they talked, the more Adryn felt the wind between Drin and Ceylon grow.

At that moment, Drin met Adryn’s gaze.

Then, she calmly smiled with a perfectly pure smile and nodded.

“Miss Adryn, it was nice to meet you. I’ll take my leave now.”

Adryn wanted to return his greeting with a smile that conveyed all the gratitude and happiness she felt for finally meeting the Drin she had idolized. However, all she could do was silently watch Drin slowly move away, frozen by the invisible tension between them.

As Drin disappeared and the tension subsided, Adryn muttered to herself.

“I’m screwed.”

She still didn’t understand.

What had just happened with Kaisha and Drin and what had transpired between them.

How the situation had unfolded.

But one thing was clear.

She realized that she was now on the radar of Kasha Hanahan and Drin Lebringer.

“Hahaha, you’re screwed, Miss Adryn? If anyone were to hear, they’d think we only have those two, but we have plenty of other people who could join us, and best of all, we have each other, don’t we? Hahahaha~”

Ceylon, for the most part, caused this situation by acting this way.

Adryn thought.

It seemed like she might have developed paranoid delusions.

Ceylon’s unnerving demeanor was no different from usual.

But right now, he seemed genuinely happy as he looked at her.

There was no reason for that.

“I’m doomed… and I’m going crazy…”

“Come on, come on, cheer up, be hopeful, let’s go find the last perfect piece of our group, and who knows, maybe the hidden gem will be our ally.”

A dazed Adryn was taken by Ceylon’s hand.

***

“Miss Adryn, you look very disturbed, are you still thinking about what happened with those two just now?”

Adryn looked troubled from a moment ago.

Ceylon cautiously asked her how she was doing.

“No, it’s not about that.”

Kaisha Hanahan and Drin Lebringer, going under their radar, was undoubtedly a serious issue.

But when she had made up her mind to help this foolish man, there was a separate problem that was troubling her.

“The third test.”

“Hmm?”

“I have to do better than those two, no matter what the test is about…!”

Adela.

Melhen.

Being humiliated in front of those people and not being able to do anything about it had led to a profound sense of shame, slowly eroding her confidence.

To break free from that shame and, more importantly, to return it to them just as it was—she had to make up for her current situation, which was lower in performance than them.

By getting ahead of them in the third and final exam.

“But-”

That’s when a problem arose.

“The problem is, there’s a good chance that those classless bastards are at least as good as us.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Why do I think so… because those two had much better records in the second test than us.”

Adryn had been concerned when she heard that Adela had broken the three-minute mark, so she decided to investigate. What she found was that Adela was indeed one of the very few participants who had broken the three-minute barrier.

2 minutes, 48 seconds.

Her record was significantly better than Adryn’s 3 minutes 20 seconds.

Melhen was in a similar situation. He achieved 4th place with a record of 3 minutes 23 seconds in the second test, which was clearly better than Ceylon, who ranked 6th with a time of 3 minutes 40 seconds.

“Test scores may not be an absolute indicator of skill, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true. But it is an objective measure, unless there are any exceptional circumstances. So, there’s a high probability that they will outperform us in the third test as well.”

“Meaning, it’s not possible for the two of us. Let’s put our hopes on the last member of the group.”

“It’s frustrating, but we can’t help it. At least that’s better than losing to those guys.”

Due to this, Adryn started searching for participants who were known and verified as skilled among the contestants. She hoped that the last member of their group would be one of these skilled individuals.

“Reinard is not here either…!”

“If it turns out like this, we’re all doomed.”

Adryn’s hopes were completely dashed.

The last member of the group did not emerge from among those skilled individuals. What was even more despairing was that among these skilled individuals, the one with the highest reputation was Adela and Melhen.

-After a short delay, the third test will begin.

-The content of the third test is dungeon exploration.

-Participants, please prepare to be summoned with your group.

At that moment, a voice made of mana echoed in the waiting room.

“Oh. It’s-”

“-not over until it’s over. Miss Adryn, let’s approach the test with confidence. You never know, maybe I’ll awaken hidden power and make a tremendous contribution.”

Ceylon smiled meaningfully.

Adryn’s expression twisted upon seeing that smile.

“Our last hope is your stupid ‘romantic’ thing? No, this can’t be…! Number 17! The one who is number 17!”

Tap, tap.

Someone was poking Adryn from behind, almost as if they were screaming.

Adryn spun around, and there stood a petite woman, a head shorter than Adryn, a head shorter than Ceylon.

She gazed at Adryn with eyes as lifeless as a doll, hidden behind a black mask.

The last group member they had been desperately searching for.

Adryn stared at the face of the last group member and tapped her chin.

Do I know her?

No.

Does she look strong?

No.

Still, you never know.

With a glimmer of hope, Adryn opened her mouth.

“I’m Adryn of the Teln family. Nice to meet you.”

“Mizu. Mizu of the Bauer family.”

Mizu, with her mask on, murmured.

“Bauer?”

It was a name Adryn had never heard before.

“Ah.”

It didn’t take her long to realize why the name “Bauer” sounded both unfamiliar and familiar to her.

The Bauer family.

They were a family of assassins who had inherited the art of assassination in the past and were once recognized for their contributions to the continent as assassins. However, during the sealing of the Great Cataclysm in the past, they had made significant contributions and received complete forgiveness for their sins on the condition that they abandon the forbidden art of assassination, converting their family into a martial arts family.

As a result, they were a family that all martial arts families despised.

The Bauer family.

Her last group member was from the Bauer family, a family that practiced a pseudo-martial art with no true foundation, which mimicked the secrets of assassination.

“Ha, hahaha…”

A sound like a soul escaping from Adryn’s mouth leaked out.

“I… I don’t know anymore…”

Adryn was at a loss for words.

And Ceylon…

“Oh, wow…!”

Ceylon looked at Mizu Bauer with a face that seemed to have come up with a solution.

“?”

Mizu Bauer looked at him with a raised eyebrow, as if asking what he was looking at.

What’s wrong with him?

Her emotionless face seemed to say that.

Then, Ceylon grabbed her hand abruptly.

Mizu Bauer looked at him with a raised eyebrow, seemingly asking, “What’s going on with this guy?”

To her, Ceylon said, “Master-”

“?”

“May I call you that?”

“?”

“I’m interested in your martial arts, the Bauer family’s martial arts.”

“?”

Mizu Bauer blinked and then said, “Is that so?”

“Yes. Will you be my master?”

“No, I won’t. I hate it.”