Chapter 302
SUSPICION
After her lengthy explanation, Vanessa allowed a few more minutes for questions. Hands rose around the room as students tried to alleviate the doubts and unease that had settled in their minds.
"No, it's not completely impossible," she said in response to one of them. "Everyone thinks differently, and some of you may come up with new or creative ways to combine paths. If you are truly confident in your understanding, you can choose to attempt it." She paused, then added, "In fact, there are benefits. Such combinations can greatly increase the uniqueness of your concept, making it far harder for others to interfere with or damage it. In some rare cases, they can even become more powerful than conventional builds." Her gaze sharpened. "But the risks are extreme. That is why it is strongly recommended that you do not take such chances lightly."
Another question followed, and she answered just as calmly.
"If you happen to be a pioneer of a path, then yes, it becomes easier to find compatibility with others. A pioneer's path is, by nature, more flexible. You are the one defining its direction, shaping its rules, and setting its foundations." Her tone grew heavier. "But remember this—many pioneers have failed. And among those who succeeded, most walked dead paths. Very few were able to carry such paths all the way to the end of their journey as ascenders."
A hand rose again, this time with a question that made several students stiffen.
"No, I am not single," Vanessa said flatly. "I am very happily married. And please restrain yourselves from asking inappropriate questions in the future."
The class quickly fell silent.
Finally, when asked for guidance on what paths to choose, she shook her head.
"I cannot decide for you, and I will not suggest any specific paths. These decisions are yours alone to make. Your path reflects who you are, and no two of you are the same. Everyone is unique, and only you can determine the direction you should walk."
Time passed as more and more doubts were cleared, until the lesson finally drew to a close.
Footsteps landed softly against the floor as students began to pack their things and trickle out of the classroom in small groups, their conversations slowly rising now that the tension of the lecture had lifted.
Reuel let out a long, exaggerated yawn as he stretched his back. "Holy shit, thank God for that," he said. "Or my brain would've probably exploded."
IAM glanced at him. "Well, if you went to the library and read a bit more, you would've known about this earlier."
"Well… I know now, right?" Reuel shrugged with a grin. "So all is good."
As they were talking, a few of their classmates slowed down as they passed by. One girl near the front of the group paused, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she gave Reuel a slightly coy smile.
"Hey, Reuel!"
Reuel turned toward her immediately, his face lighting up as he raised his voice. "Yo! What's up!?"
She giggled, and soon small talk followed, Reuel easily holding a conversation not just with her, but with the others standing behind her as well. Laughter came easily, and the brief exchange felt natural.
It had to be said—Reuel was popular.
Something he liked to remind IAM and the others of as often as possible.
His good looks, extroverted personality, and easygoing attitude made him approachable. He had a way of talking to people that made them feel comfortable almost instantly, allowing him to get along with nearly everyone without trying too hard.
As Reuel himself liked to point out, it was only them who used such "preposterous" words to describe him—things like loud, annoying, and unbearable.
According to him, that was clearly just jealousy.
At some point, the girl at the front of the group suddenly spoke again, her tone was softer and almost hopeful.
"I heard you earlier… you were shouting about forgetting to study for the exams coming up," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear once more. "If you want… I could help you study after lessons…"
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks by the end of the sentence.
Reuel, however, looked anything but flattered. His face fell into a miserable expression, her words reminding him far too clearly of his current situation—his cleaning duties, the so-called punishment handed down by the student Council at the end of the day.
She misunderstood immediately.
"…You don't want to?" she asked, her voice dipping slightly. Then her eyes shifted, glancing toward the others, lingering mostly on IAM. "Is it because of them?"
There was a hint of accusation in her gaze.
Like quite a few in the class, she was still annoyed about what had happened during the competition against the other class. IAM's surrender in such an important match had left a bitter taste behind.
Not only had they lost the Hope points, but the manner of the loss had been humiliating. To give up like that, in front of everyone, made it seem as though their class had been inferior—less than the others.
And for some of them, that resentment still hadn't faded.
Reuel let out a deep sigh and waved his hand dismissively. "There's no need. Besides, I've got stuff to do after lessons anyway. Don't worry, I've never failed a test in my life thanks to my foolproof method." He smirked and pointed at himself.
"And may I know how?" Henry asked, genuinely curious.
"By praying to the Seven Heroes and the Nine Moons, of course."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Uhhh… what?" Reuel blinked.
The girl's expression darkened. "Seriously? You'd rather hang out with them than study with me? You're even making up weird excuses now." She looked clearly hurt, her eyes shifting toward IAM with open disdain.
"I don't even know why you hang out with them," she continued, her voice rising. "Every time I ask you to hang out, it's always no because you're with these… these lo—"
Before she could finish, Reuel suddenly stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug.
The words died in her throat.
She froze for a moment, then let out a small, startled sound as her face flushed bright red, completely caught off guard by the sudden closeness.
Reuel spoke loudly, "I know! I know! And I'm really sorry, but I'm always busy with the boys, so please forgive me."
"Y–I—" she tried to speak, still flustered from the sudden hug.
Before she could finish, Reuel gently separated from her, his hands resting on her shoulders. His usual playful expression faded, and for a brief moment, his brown eyes were serious as they locked onto hers. The air between them seemed to cool as he leaned in slightly and whispered,
"And please… don't be so rude to my friends… okay?"
The change in tone caught her completely off guard. She could only stare at him, words failing her, before slowly nodding.
Reuel's serious expression vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by his usual bright, carefree smile.
"Good," he said lightly.
…
A moment later, he waved her and her friends off, still smiling as if nothing unusual had happened.
From behind him, Yohan muttered, "You're kind of scary."
A loud gasp escaped Reuel. "Oi! Don't say things like that! You're going to ruin my image!"
He huffed dramatically, crossing his arms before finally scratching the back of his head. "Whatever. Let's get to the next class—we're already late."
Time passed quickly after that. One lesson flowed into another, and before they knew it, hours had gone by as the school day slowly drew to a close.