Professor Ivana sighed softly, as she took the assignment papers from the table.
"Hmm… interesting," I murmured, more to myself than to anyone else who might still be in the room.
My eyes fell on one of the assignments, the handwriting was neat and firm. Badril. A small smile crept onto my lips.
"It seems that Mr. Badril is quite confident with his answer," I said softly, feeling the sting of challenge in his eyes again.
I tidied up the pile of papers, feeling my heart pounding that had yet to subside. Badril had indeed disturbed my peace, awakening something that had long been dormant within me. Curiosity, excitement, and maybe... a little fear.
I walked out of the classroom with unsteady steps, my mind still filled with Badril's figure. His challenge, his gaze, his aura... everything felt so strong and intoxicating. I had to admit, Badril had managed to catch my attention, and I wasn't sure what to do with this feeling.
I paused in the corridor, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I had to calm myself down. I had to return to being the calm, collected, professional Professor Ivana. But deep down, I knew that meeting Badril had changed something. And I didn't know if that change was good or bad.
Professor Ivana entered her office, still a little shaken from her encounter with Badril. She put the pile of assignments on her desk, then flopped down on her chair. She massaged her temples, trying to ease the tension that was still there.
Suddenly the office door opened and Professor Andi, his colleague from the magic fight , entered with a big smile.
"Ivana, you look tired. Was your lecture today tiring?" asked Professor Andi as he plopped down on the chair in front of Ivana's desk.
"Ah, Andi. Yes, my lecture was quite... interesting today," Ivana replied, trying to hide her nervousness.
"Interesting how? Did any students ask difficult questions?"
"More than that. One of my students... he was quite challenging," Ivana said, remembering Badril's sharp gaze.
Professor Andi chuckled. "Oh, really? A student who dares to challenge Professor Ivana? He must be very confident."
"He is. And that's what makes him... interesting," Ivana said, unconsciously touching her lips with her fingertips.
"Hmm... you look disturbed, Ivana. Is this student causing trouble?" asked Professor Andi in a concerned tone.
Ivana sighed. "No, it's not a problem. It's just... he makes me feel... weird."
"Strange how?"
Ivana paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. "He made me feel... alive. Like something was awakened inside me after being asleep for so long."
Professor Andi stared at Ivana intently. "That's interesting, Ivana. Maybe this is a good sign. Maybe this student will bring new color to your life."
Ivana smiled slightly. "Maybe. But I'm not sure I'm ready for that."
"Life is full of surprises, Ivana. Sometimes, those surprises are exactly what we need to remind us that we are still alive," said Professor Andi wisely.
Ivana thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. "You're right, Andi. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Ivana. If you need anything, I'm always here for you," Professor Andi said as he rose from his chair.
"I know, Andi. Thank you again," Ivana said, now with a more sincere smile.
Professor Andi left Ivana's office, leaving her alone with her mixed thoughts and feelings. Ivana fell back into contemplation, thinking about Professor Andi's words and the challenge Badril gave her. She knew that her life would not be the same after this. And she wondered what would happen next.
*****
Badril's POV
Right now I'm in the park staring blankly into the air in front of me, looking at the system's successful mission notification from class earlier.
[Ding~ Mission to flirt with Professor Ivana in front of all your classmates, reward 50 points. Completed]
After class was over I looked for a quiet place to calm down, the system mission was simple but it was troublesome, I remembered hugging Professor Ivana in class.
I hope my actions don't ruin our relationship, even though I can feel that Professor Ivana isn't that angry or disappointed with me.
"Now let's start gacha! Finally I have enough points for the system gacha again" I muttered softly.
With the start signal in my mind, the gacha started and after a while the prize I was waiting for arrived.
[Ding~ Congratulations host on getting the magic ring artifact]
Looking at this ordinary looking ring I saw the description of its use, it turns out it can speed up magic regeneration two-fold.
This is very useful, I once tried to train my magic until my magic energy was drained, I felt nauseous and dizzy and it took a few minutes to get rid of it.
My gaze shifted to the students who were chatting and laughing together, I remembered my friends in my old world.
How are you, my friend? I hope you can let me go, my eyes feel sore closing my eyes, finally I calmed myself down.
After a while I returned to my last class of the day.
*****
The horse-drawn carriage I was riding in creaked slowly through the busy city streets. I glanced out the window, observing the hustle and bustle of the townspeople. However, my thoughts drifted to yesterday's attack. Who on earth wanted to kill me? That question kept bothering me.
"Gracious," I called, breaking the silence in the carriage, "How is your investigation going?"
Anggun, who was sitting across from me, shook her head slowly. "I haven't found any clear leads, Young Master. The attackers were like ghosts, leaving no traces. Miss Fanny and Miss Veronica's family backgrounds also seem clean."
I frowned. "Keep investigating. I want to know who is behind all this."
Anggun nodded obediently. "Yes, Young Master."
I sighed. I guess I should be more careful. Even though today was supposed to be a fun day, the shadow of the threat still haunted me.
Today was my first date with Fanny. It wasn't a romantic date like I had imagined, because Veronica would be accompanying me. Veronica insisted on coming along, maybe because she was worried about Fanny or didn't trust me. I didn't mind. In fact, Veronica's presence might lighten the mood a bit.
The horse-drawn carriage finally stopped in front of a cafe famous for its beautiful garden. I got off first, then reached out to help Fanny and Veronica. Fanny looked graceful in a pastel-colored dress, while Veronica looked cheerful in a floral dress.
"Thank you, Badril," said Fanny with a sweet smile.
"You're welcome," I replied, "You both look beautiful today."
Veronica giggled. "Of course! We're always beautiful."
I smiled faintly. Veronica was indeed a cheerful and outspoken girl. Her presence slightly reduced the tension I felt.
We entered the cafe and chose a table near the fountain. The atmosphere in the cafe garden was quite lively, filled with laughter and chatter of visitors. I ordered tea and cake for the three of us.
"So, Badril," Veronica started the conversation, "Tell me about yourself. What are your hobbies? What are your dreams?"
I looked at Veronica, then turned my gaze to Fanny. Fanny looked a little nervous, but she was also curious about my answer.
"My hobbies?" I mumbled, "I like reading, practicing magic, and... adventuring."
"Adventure?" Veronica frowned. "Like what?"
I smiled mysteriously. "Secret."
Veronica pursed her lips. "Ish, stingy!"
Fanny giggled softly. I was glad to see her relax a little.
We continued our conversation on light topics. I told her about my funny experiences at the academy, Veronica chatted about the latest gossip among the nobility, and Fanny occasionally added comments. The atmosphere became more relaxed, and I began to enjoy this date.
However, amidst the laughter and chatter, I felt a bad feeling. I felt like someone was watching us. I glanced around, trying to find the source of the discomfort. My eyes caught a dark shadow behind a large tree at the end of the park. The shadow seemed to be watching us closely.
I frowned. Who is he? Is he one of the people who attacked me yesterday? Even though Anggun protected me, I felt uneasy because of this hidden enemy.
"Badril, what's wrong?" Fanny asked, noticing the change in my expression.
"No, it's okay," I replied, trying to hide my worry. "I just... feel a little dizzy."
I don't want to panic Fanny and Veronica. I have to make sure they are safe first.
"How about we go for a walk?" I suggested, "Some fresh air might make me feel better."
Fanny and Veronica agreed. We left the cafe and walked around the park. I kept looking around, looking for the dark shadow. But he was gone.
"Badril, are you sure you're okay?" Fanny asked again, her tone filled with concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied, forcing a smile. "Maybe I'm just too tired."
I don't want to ruin this date. I want Fanny to feel comfortable with me.
We continued our walk, enjoying the beauty of the park and the fresh air. I tried to forget the dark shadows and focus on Fanny and Veronica. However, the bad feeling still haunted me. I knew, danger still lurked around us.
The sun began to set, painting the sky with orange and purple hues. We decided to return to Fanny's family residence. The horse-drawn carriage slowly moved, leaving the cafe garden that was starting to become deserted. I still had a bad feeling, but I tried to stay calm for Fanny and Veronica. However, behind that calm, I secretly focused my mind, preparing my magic just in case.
Suddenly, our carriage shook violently. The horses neighed in fear, almost losing control.
"What's wrong?!" Fanny shouted, her face pale.
"We're under attack!" I shouted, "Anggun, protect Fanny and Veronica!"
Anggun nodded, her eyes flashing with steely determination. She stood in front of Fanny and Veronica, ready to protect them.
Our carriage came to a sudden halt. I peeked out the window and saw a group of people dressed in black surrounding us. They were armed with swords and bows, their faces covered by masks.
"Them again!" I hissed angrily.
Before they could get close, I focused my power on the kraken's khodam. Two invisible tentacles appeared from beside me, like shadows dancing in the air. With lightning-fast movements, the tentacles shot towards the attackers, knocking them flying far away.
I opened the carriage door and jumped out, drawing my sword. The fallen attackers rose again, seemingly surprised by the unexpected attack. They had not yet realized the presence of the kraken khodam.
"Take this!" I shouted, attacking them with a combination of swordsmanship and water magic.
I created a powerful wave of water, sweeping the attackers down and rolling on the ground. My sword danced through the air, slashing and stabbing with precision. I used the kraken's tentacles to disarm them and destroy their chariot, preventing them from pursuing us.
Anggun also joins the fight, protecting the horse carriage from enemy attacks. She moves nimbly, dodging attacks and disabling opponents with quick and efficient movements.
The fight was fierce. Anggun and I managed to suppress the attackers, but they kept coming.
Suddenly, an arrow shot out of the darkness and stuck me in the arm. I groaned in pain, my sword almost slipping from my grasp.
"Young Master!" Anggun shouted worriedly.
I pulled out the arrow quickly. My left arm was sore and throbbing, but I couldn't give up. I had to protect Fanny and Veronica.
At that moment, I saw a figure of a man in a black robe emerge from behind the trees. He stood on a small hill, watching the fight with a sinister smile. I recognized him immediately. He was the man I saw behind the tree in the cafe garden earlier.
He is the mastermind behind all this.