Chapter 20: A Memory’s Echo

“Miss Celeste, my family will be hosting a banquet this weekend, where many esteemed guests from Elanmia are expected. Might I be so bold as to inquire if I could have the distinct honor of inviting you to the ball and sharing a dance?”

Within the bright, expansive classroom of the Magic Division, a man of refined bearing bowed deeply to Celeste.

He was clad in a crisp white uniform, a metallic emblem on his chest shimmering under the sunlight.

His golden, curly hair framed a handsome face, perfectly complementing his aristocratic air.

Surely, most young women would find it impossible to decline such an elegant gentleman.

Yet, Celeste regarded him with an expressionless gaze, her brow subtly creasing.

‘How many suitors had approached her now?’

‘Despite her numerous rejections, these individuals continued to appear, an endless stream, as though her time were a commodity to be freely spent.’

‘Even the man standing before her, a complete stranger, was feigning the familiarity of an old acquaintance.’

‘His seemingly fervent invitation was, she knew, nothing more than a calculated ploy to use her name to elevate his family’s standing.’

‘How much longer must she endure these tedious games?’

“I apologize, but I have no intention of attending any banquet, and frankly, I do not know you at all.”

Celeste, mustering her patience, replied, striving to keep her tone from sounding too harsh.

Undeterred, the man maintained his polite smile, his voice betraying a hint of urgency.

“Please, reconsider, Miss Celeste. Surely, we are acquainted now, are we not? Though this is our initial encounter, I would be profoundly honored to count a friend such as yourself among my acquaintances.”

‘His family, he knew, had poured immense effort into orchestrating this banquet.’

‘Securing the presence of Celeste, currently the academy’s rising star and personally lauded by the Headmaster, would undoubtedly be the crowning glory of the entire affair.’

‘Furthermore, forging a connection with such a promising mage as Celeste at this juncture would surely yield invaluable advantages in the years to come.’

The man racked his brain, then a sudden spark of inspiration illuminated his eyes.

“Miss Celeste, are you perhaps confusing me with someone like Yalin?”

“Yalin… why do you mention him?”

While Celeste’s tone remained even, a distinct chill entered her amber eyes.

Regrettably, the man, too engrossed in his own eagerness, failed entirely to notice her subtle shift.

Upon hearing Celeste reply, he mistakenly believed he had found a compelling topic, and so he launched into an even more expansive monologue.

“I’ve heard tell of that repulsive fellow named Yalin, haven’t I?”

“A useless wastrel who can’t even wield magic, constantly pestering you—it’s utterly sickening! Thankfully, he eventually knew his place; otherwise, I would have been mortified on your behalf.”

The man, swelling with indignant pride, puffed out his chest.

“But rest assured, I am nothing like that wretch. I am the eldest legitimate son of the Aldred family, schooled in the strictest aristocratic traditions since childhood, and I would never engage in such base conduct!”

“My invitation today carries no ulterior motive; it springs solely from my profound respect and admiration for you, which is why I…”

A sharp crack reverberated through the entire classroom, instantly solidifying the air.

Celeste’s countenance was utterly dark as she violently slapped away the man’s reaching hand.

Had she not forcibly reined in the furious indignation boiling within her, she likely would have struck his face directly.

“A puzzled ‘Hm…?’ escaped the man’s lips, his smile freezing into a bewildered mask as he gazed at Celeste.”

‘The atmosphere felt distinctly wrong; could she be angry?’

‘But surely, he’d heard that she utterly detested that fawning Yalin?’

“I care not who you are, nor from whence you hail,” Celeste declared, her voice a frigid whisper, each word sharply articulated.

“But Yalin is my friend, and you possess no right to insult him!”

“This, I…”

Even the most imperceptive individual would have recognized that Celeste’s fury had reached its zenith.

The man, drenched in a cold sweat, stammered a hasty apology before practically fleeing the classroom.

Celeste remained standing, slowly withdrawing her hand.

She closed her eyes, drawing in several deep breaths, a deliberate effort to calm the turmoil within her.

‘Why… why did she feel such profound vexation?’

Celeste found herself utterly bewildered.

‘Could it be because of Yalin?’

‘Though she was loath to confess it, ever since his departure, his refined features would drift unbidden into her thoughts.’

‘Each time Yalin came to mind, a peculiar ache would bloom in her chest.’

‘In truth, upon honest introspection, she realized she did not genuinely dislike Yalin.’

‘Quite the contrary, a long time ago, she had even held a certain affection for him.’

‘Back then, she was merely a commoner girl, her magical talents yet to awaken, residing in a humble, dilapidated cottage on the edge of town.’

‘Yalin, despite his noble birth, completely overlooked their disparate statuses, frequently pulling her along on his rambles through the streets.’

‘He would often procure an assortment of beautiful pastries, gleefully pressing them into her hands.’

‘Occasionally, he would even pilfer interesting novels from his study, reading them aloud to her beneath the dappled shade of a tree.’

‘Celeste, knowing few words, often found herself bewildered, prompting Yalin to explain with fervent gestures and exaggerated movements, which never failed to make her laugh heartily.’

‘In those days, Yalin, in Celeste’s perception, truly shone like an invincible, all-powerful hero.’

‘But everything shifted irrevocably the day they matriculated into Arcadia Academy.’

‘Though both had matured into adults, their relationship evolving from childhood companions to fellow students, Yalin persisted in his old ways, stubbornly shadowing her every move.’

‘Even after she explicitly asked him to stop, he would still arrive early each morning, waiting by the classroom door to present her with a warm breakfast, utterly oblivious to the curious glances of their peers.’

‘And whenever others attempted to approach her, Yalin would forcefully interject, diverting the conversation, leaving her mortified.’

‘The constant whispers and pointed fingers of those around them, coupled with his barely concealed possessiveness, steadily eroded Celeste’s perception of Yalin.’

‘Slowly, she began to unconsciously distance herself from him, striving to sever any connection.’

‘Yet, this only seemed to fuel Yalin’s persistence.’

‘Finally, having reached the absolute limit of her endurance, she spoke those damning words.’

“I never want to see you again.”

‘In that instant, Yalin’s face drained of all color, a ghastly pallor she had never witnessed before.’

‘He uttered not a single word, merely turned on his heel and departed, silently disappearing from her life thereafter.’

‘A flicker of regret touched Celeste; she knew her words had been unduly harsh, and she had, at one point, even contemplated apologizing to Yalin.’

‘However, her life was too demanding, caught between her rigorous studies and the endless stream of people clamoring for her attention, and so the matter remained unresolved.’

‘Eventually, Yalin transferred to the Alchemy Division, and their already tenuous connection was irrevocably broken.’

Celeste exhaled a soft sigh, a wry, self-deprecating smile gracing her lips.

‘She had once found Yalin utterly insufferable, yet with his actual disappearance, the deluge of irritating individuals had not abated in the slightest.’

‘Compared to those who merely sought to exploit her reputation, Yalin, at the very least, had genuinely cared for her… albeit his methods were somewhat overzealous.’

‘The most cherished things, it seemed, always resided solely within the realm of memory.’

‘Even if they hadn’t been quite so idyllic in their time, the relentless march of time would gradually soften and beautify those recollections.’

‘Yet, Celeste, in her current state, had not yet grasped this profound truth.