The third day since their grueling training continued had finally come to an end, and Harry found himself bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. His chest heaved with each inhale, his shirt clinging to his skin, damp with sweat. The cool air of Elender Keep bit at his flushed skin, but he barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere, fixated on one thing.
"Show Status," he muttered between breaths.
The familiar translucent screen flickered into view, the soft glow illuminating the exhausted yet satisfied grin creeping onto his face as he focused on his core attributes.
_____
Strength: 12 → 13
Agility: 13 → 14
Willpower: 13 → 14
Constitution: 11 → 12
Intelligence: 15 (Max)
Wisdom: 15
Luck: ?
_____
Harry let out a shaky laugh, the numbers swimming in his vision.
"Finally…" he whispered to himself, the word a mix of relief and triumph. The changes were small, barely noticeable to anyone else, but to him, they were monumental. Each point felt like proof that his effort wasn't in vain. Like… leveling up in a game after fighting hordes of monsters.
A thrill ran through him, sharp and addictive.
"I hope I don't get hooked on this," he murmured under his breath, chuckling at his own words.
Before he could lose himself further in his thoughts, a shadow fell over him. He blinked, glancing up to see a leather flask extended toward him. His eyes followed the arm to its owner—a girl.
She was beautiful in a soft, understated way. Her features were delicate, framed by dark hair that swayed gently in the breeze. But what caught Harry off guard wasn't just her appearance—it was the kindness in her eyes, the warmth of her smile.
For a moment, he was dazed, caught in the unexpectedness of it all. Then, quickly recovering, he reached for the flask.
"Thank you… Leah," he said, the name slipping out naturally as if it belonged to her.
Leah's smile brightened, almost like the sun had peeked through the ever-gray sky.
"It's alright, Harry. Seeing you work hard is enough."
Her words lingered in the air longer than they should have, stirring something in him. He nodded, unscrewing the flask and taking a long, refreshing gulp, all the while keeping his eyes on her.
She was a local—that much he knew.
Part of the group assigned to "assist" the students, though Harry suspected their roles went beyond simple help. There was something off. The locals' assignments weren't random. Girls like Leah were paired with the boys, while local boys were assigned to help the female students. Even when he thought they may want to talk with the opposite gender, it didn't sound less suspicious.
It was too… convenient.
Harry didn't believe in coincidences.
Leah settled down beside him on a nearby wooden bench, her posture relaxed but her eyes watching him closely.
"It's amazing to see my peers from another world," she began, her voice soft, almost dreamy. "You all are incredible. But… you are the most incredible."
Harry's lips curled into a grin, the familiar cockiness returning to his expression.
"Did you just notice that now?" he teased.
Leah laughed, a light, musical sound that didn't seem forced.
"That's what's amazing about you," she said, her eyes twinkling. "You don't care about others' opinions, and you're not affected by their words. Your willpower must be really high. You really are… amazing."
Harry kept his grin, but his mind was racing behind the façade.
Suspicious.
She was overly nice to him—too nice—while treating the other boys with a polite but distant attitude. He could admit she was cute, beautiful even, and for a fleeting moment, the thought crossed his mind: 'Does she have a crush on me?'
But no.
Harry wasn't that gullible.
He didn't believe in love at first sight or whatever nonsense people fed themselves. Even in the stories he read, he disliked the parts where heroines or other characters would fall in love at first sight.
It may be because he hasn't experienced himself yet but he was sure he wouldn't succumb to this cliche.
Besides, he believed there was always an angle, always a reason. He just hadn't figured out hers yet.
"Why are you so silent?" Leah's voice broke through his thoughts, her tone playful but laced with something softer. Her eyes had that puppy-like glimmer, wide and expectant. "Won't you talk to me?"
'It's really bad for my heart.'
Harry chuckled, shaking his head slightly.
"I was just a bit surprised, that's all, you know?"
Leah tilted her head, genuinely curious. "Surprised? How so?"
"Well…" Harry leaned back against the bench, his gaze drifting lazily toward the training grounds where Max was, as usual, completely oblivious to another girl's not-so-subtle hints. "Surprised that you're treating me this way while your friends mostly ignore us. Well… except that red-haired friend of yours."
He nodded toward Maya, who was currently trying (and failing) to get a reaction out of Max. The poor girl didn't know Max was dealing with more than just social obliviousness—his amnesia made her efforts tragically futile.
Leah's expression dimmed, a sad shadow crossing her features. Without warning, she reached out, clutching Harry's hand in hers.
"I… I'm sorry about them," she whispered, her voice sincere. "Please don't take it to heart. They just don't understand. But I do. I believe in you."
Her words were soft, laced with emotion that felt too personal, too intimate for someone who barely knew him. Harry raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching into a playful smirk.
"For a second there…" he said, voice light and teasing, "I thought you were confessing to me."
Leah's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. She stammered, trying to form words, but none came out coherently. The flustered look on her face was so genuine it caught Harry off guard.
Before he could say anything else, Leah suddenly shot up from the bench, her face still bright red.
"I-I'll see you tomorrow!" she blurted out before turning on her heel and sprinting away, leaving Harry sitting there, dumbfounded.
He stared after her for a long moment, then let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.
"Well… that was unexpected," he muttered, still grinning.
But even as he laughed, the gears in his mind kept turning. Because no matter how genuine Leah's reaction seemed, Harry knew better.
There was always more beneath the surface.
And he was going to find out what it was.
Even if her feelings were genuine, he had to think of a way to properly excuse himself.
Because he knew too well - he wasn't ready for a romantic relationship. Not now. And maybe not in the future. The world was ending after all.
Not to mention - he never planned to date, he found dating before marriage inappropriate and loathsome. He would rather first marry and then date her.
'I wonder if there is a girl out there who agrees with me...'
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(How is the story progressing? Do voice out your thought on the comments.)