ITBFL | Chapter 23

Episode 23

“…!”

The raging wind engulfed my ears.

Then came the chilling sensation of water, followed by a dull sound, and after that, nothing could be heard.

“Lize, did you hear that?”

A lively voice accompanied by the sound of footsteps reached my ears.

‘This voice…’

Ah, it’s Senior Yanis. Why am I suddenly hearing his voice?

“Now’s not the time to be sleeping, Lize!”

“What’s going on…?”

I blinked as I lifted my head from the desk where I had dozed off for a quick nap.

Senior Yanis was looking at me with a delighted expression.

Why was he wearing training clothes, though?

‘Ah, this is Beldecium.’

I was still attending the academy. What was I thinking just now?

As I was lost in thought, not yet fully aware it was a dream, Yanis spoke again.

“You know Lady Marju from the Count’s family, right?”

“Marju? I think I’ve heard of her.”

“Show some interest in social circles, Lize. She’s the lady who was chosen to accompany Her Majesty the Empress at the last party. Very pretty and adorable.”

“Oh, I heard about that. But why are you bringing her up?”

“Do you know who she’s dating now?”

“Who?”

The moment I asked back, I recalled Yanis’ past answer.

“Cassium. Cassium Balteire.”

Ah, that’s right.

This wasn’t some fantasy of mine but a real memory.

My mind was replaying events from my academy days.

“She’s seeing that guy Cassium.”

Hearing that, I briefly imagined Cassium standing next to Lady Marju.

“…”

Then I erased the thought immediately, stood up, and grabbed my training jacket.

“Lize, where are you going? Aren’t you curious about the rest?”

“Not at all. Whatever else you have to say is probably more interesting than that.”

“Oh, come on. Lize, Lize!”

I heard Yanis calling after me, but I shut my ears and quickly headed to the training ground.

It didn’t matter to me who Cassium was dating.

Spending time listening to gossip about his love life was less beneficial to my present, future, and even past than doing an extra round of training.

I cut through several straw targets with my sword.

The swordsmanship competition was coming up soon, and my speed wasn’t what I wanted it to be, so I needed the practice.

‘Maybe this is my chance while that guy’s distracted by romance.’

I slashed at another target.

“You just go ahead and enjoy your romance!”

I kept striking furiously.

“Go on! Fall in love or whatever!”

Huffing and puffing, I finally caught my breath.

Before I knew it, I had completed my planned practice session.

I rotated my neck and shoulders to loosen my stiff muscles.

‘The sun’s already setting.’

I didn’t know for sure now, but back then, young Bryce would definitely be waiting for me.

He’d probably run out on his tiny feet, saying, “Nunna, I missed you!”

‘Yes, that’s how it was…’

Just wait a bit, Bryce…

I hurried back to the training building and changed clothes.

In the mirror under the dim light, I saw my reflection—dressed in casual clothes with my hair tied up.

My cheeks were slightly flushed from just finishing training.

‘Cassium, you know. He’s seeing Lady Marju!’

“…?!”

Why did that thought suddenly pop into my head?

I clapped my cheeks with my hands, making a sharp sound. My face turned redder.

“Let’s just head home.”

I ran down the stairs and exited the lobby.

To get to the Count’s estate, I needed to head toward the south gate. I hurriedly stepped into the garden leading that way.

‘I need to be careful going downhill even if I’m in a hurry. Don’t want to hurt my knees.’

Tilting my body slightly, I moved briskly downhill, when a familiar figure came into view under the shade of a tree.

Cassium noticed me and took a step forward.

With the fading glow of the sunset behind him, he met my eyes and spoke immediately.

“Leaving now?”

“You too.”

The Balteire Duke’s estate was near the north gate. He had no reason to be heading toward the south gate.

“Lize.”

Cassium stopped me as I tried to pass by him.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Yes.”

Cassium approached me and looked down at me silently.

Then, in a low voice, he said,

“I’m not seeing her. That person.”

I involuntarily swallowed dryly.

I had no idea why I did that.

Maybe it was Cassium’s typically annoyingly calm gaze making me uncomfortable somehow.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because…”

At that moment, I noticed Cassium’s gaze shift to my cheek. His hand brushed over a spot where the capillaries had burst.

I quickly turned my face and body away.

“This is just because I trained too hard.”

“Did someone hit you?”

“I told you, it’s from training.”

Though he hadn’t even asked, I found myself explaining unnecessarily and swallowed dryly again.

Then I swept back the stray hairs that had fallen over my face while running down the stairs.

“Whatever. I’m busy, so I’m leaving. You go enjoy your romance.”

“What exactly did you hear, Lize?”

He stopped me again.

“I said I’m not seeing her.”

“I don’t care. But why not?”

I had no idea why I asked that, both in the dream and in reality.

“It was just a false rumor. It’ll be corrected soon enough.”

“I thought you’d be too busy with romance to care about anything else. What a shame.”

I responded lightly and dryly.

Cassium, who had been blocking my path, let out a deep, frustrated sigh as he looked at me.

A faint, exasperated smile appeared on his face.

I frowned slightly at the inexplicable expression.

“Well, as long as you know now.”

With that, Cassium turned to leave.

This time, I was the one who stopped him.

“Why did you come all the way here to tell me this?”

“I just stopped by while passing through.”

“You don’t usually come this way.”

“You remembered that.”

My frown deepened.

Cassium chuckled softly at my expression and seemed to contemplate his answer briefly.

Then he finally said,

“I don’t have time to be distracted by other things. I just wanted you to know that.”

“…”

“I’m leaving.”

Cassium raised his hand in a brief gesture before walking down the slope.

I stood there absentmindedly, watching his retreating figure.

He walked with confident, wide strides, as if unconcerned about injuring his knees.

But then, suddenly, he stopped.

“What now?”

As if he had heard my murmur, Cassium turned around and hurried back to me in a single dash.

Slightly out of breath, he said,

“And, I have something else to tell you.”

“What is it?”

My voice was curt, but Cassium, accustomed to my tone, didn’t seem bothered.

“I’ve thought about this a lot, but I feel like I need to tell you this now.”

“…What is it?”

“I’ve never said this to anyone before. You’re the first person I’m telling.”

He wasn’t the type to be dramatic—why was he being so deliberate now?

“Lize Artiel. I realized something.”

There was even a hint of nervousness in Cassium’s voice.

He was clearly about to share something important.

But why was I the first to hear it?

“…What did you realize?”

His face was strikingly serious.

Even I found myself a bit nervous seeing his expression.

What was he about to say?

Cassium extended his hand forward.

My gaze followed his arm down to his hand.

What he was holding was…

“I figured out how to use aura. I’m an aura wielder now, Lize.”

“…”

A sword.

There was a moment of silence.

The wind blew between us, drawing an invisible line in the air.

Then, I muttered with a forced smile,

“Yeah, congratulations…”

It was truly impressive and worthy of celebration, but for some reason, the excitement felt hollow.

Why would he go out of his way to announce he mastered aura? Was it just to provoke me?

Cassium nodded, lowered his sword, and I gave a dismissive wave before hurrying back home.

That night, after returning home and putting Bryce to bed, I immersed myself in training again.

‘I don’t have time to be distracted.’

Waiting on the path I always took, just to declare war on me…

Thinking about Cassium made it impossible not to practice.

Yeah, he must be just as busy as I was, with no time to be distracted by romance either.

Even if rumors suggested otherwise, he was clearly more dedicated to swordsmanship than dating.

‘And he mastered aura?’

Training alongside him, I could already tell the day when he would achieve it wasn’t far off.

As someone also devoted to swordsmanship, I knew better than anyone how exceptional his skills were.

Besides, in the original story, he was already an aura wielder.

It just happened a bit earlier than I expected, which was a bit frustrating.

The wooden sword sliced through the air.

Beads of sweat fell into the night breeze.

As I moved without pause, I replayed Cassium’s words from today.

‘Still…’

And in the end—

As I stared at the tip of my sword, I thought,

‘At least he’s not seeing Lady Marju, right?’