Chapter 18: An Opportunity for Strength

Instructor Xiluo Ya spoke with a warm smile, and the two received their instructions.

Mo Ya showed no reaction, simply stepping out from the shade of the trees to stand before Instructor Xiluo Ya.

“Is this an order from you, as an instructor?”

Being arbitrarily commanded displeased Mo Ya. He fixed his gaze on Instructor Xiluo Ya, who merely took a sip of the black tea in their cup. From their pocket, Instructor Xiluo Ya produced a neatly sealed letter.

They had, of course, noticed Mo Ya’s attitude, but paid it no mind. Pushing up their glasses, they met Mo Ya’s eyes.

“This isn’t an order. It’s merely an opportunity for you to grow stronger. The world outside the academy… don’t you want to see it?”

Mo Ya scoffed, taking the letter Instructor Xiluo Ya offered. To him, the world outside the academy held no inherent interest. Yet, he yearned for strength.

Instructor Xiluo Ya’s words had undoubtedly struck a chord. Mo Ya decided he would help with this small favor.

“Understood. I’ll get ready and depart immediately.”

With that, Mo Ya tucked the letter into his pocket and turned, heading towards the dormitories.

“Hey, you’re not ignoring me again, are you?”

Akuma jogged up from behind, delivering a sharp slap to Mo Ya’s back. For a fleeting moment, Mo Ya’s head bent forward.

He seemed to have felt the pain.

“That hurt…”

“Huh? You, a stoic with no expression, can feel pain?”

“Then… it didn’t hurt?”

As he walked, Mo Ya looked at Akuma beside him, his expression and gaze questioning.

“You! Even if you’re acting, at least make it convincing!”

With another forceful smack, Akuma channeled all the frustration she had accumulated during training into that blow. A crisp slapping sound echoed where her palm met Mo Ya’s back. That certainly must have hurt.

Sure enough, Mo Ya’s eyebrow twitched slightly, as if he were enduring something.

But his attention was quickly diverted by Akuma. He couldn’t help but feel curious, seeing the excitement and anticipation that bloomed on her face.

The words that followed resolved his confusion. Akuma gazed at the clouds drifting across the sky, a thrilled smile gracing her lips.

“The world outside, a world of freedom. It’s been so long since I’ve experienced it…”

And… the exhilaration of unrestrained slaughter against the Corroded. Akuma’s heart was a tangle of these emotions, unconsciously manifesting on her face.

Of course, what Mo Ya understood was merely the words Akuma had inadvertently let slip. Nothing more. Seeing her like this, Mo Ya felt helpless, so he simply sighed slowly and deliberately slowed his pace.

“Hey, tell me. Where do you want to go?”

“What? Me?”

Akuma couldn’t believe Mo Ya would actually ask her a question directly. Along with a touch of incredulity, there was a tiny spark of anticipation.

Nevertheless, she pointed a finger at herself, wanting absolute confirmation from Mo Ya that he was indeed speaking to her.

“You seem very excited. So, after the letter is delivered, you can return a little later.”

There were only two ways to leave the fully isolated magic academy: graduation, or undertaking missions like them. Mo Ya couldn’t help but recall Shakia, who had returned from outside that day. How was she doing now?

“Hey, don’t look down. Tell me quickly.”

Mo Ya frowned, seeing Akuma inexplicably lower her head.

‘This person really does seem like a girl. Could she actually be a girl? No, that’s impossible, isn’t it?’

The rabbit hole of association was terrifying. Mo Ya found himself spiraling into a vortex of thought.

Then, Akuma gave her answer.

“Then… after the letter arrives, can you tell me the color of the sea?”

“You’ve never seen the sea?”

Mo Ya was somewhat surprised. Even he, born in the Corroded Realm, knew about the sea, yet this human had no impression of it. That was indeed interesting.

“Mm… I’ve always wanted to see the color of the sea. It’s been my wish since childhood, but for various reasons, it never came true.”

As she spoke, Akuma’s expression held a hint of disappointment. Mo Ya didn’t know what the sea meant to her, but that wasn’t his primary concern. He simply needed to ensure Akuma saw the sea.

So…

He stopped walking, and Akuma moved ahead of him.

Then, Mo Ya raised his right hand. In a mirror image, he slapped Akuma’s back.

“Don’t always wear that expression, as if leaving everything to fate. I detest that most of all.”

“You…”

“The sea is blue, it tastes salty, and when the sun shines on it, the surface shimmers with sparkling light. That’s the sea in my memory. The rest… I’ll wait for you to tell me.”

With those words, Mo Ya resumed his steps, heading towards the dormitories even faster than before.

He, who pursued power, and she, who longed for the sea.

Now, they walked one after the other. The young man’s gaze fixed on the boundless horizon ahead, while the young woman’s eyes were solely on the black-robed youth in front of her. A faint smile touched Akuma’s lips.

‘Why do I keep associating this underachiever with Wutie?’

In Akuma’s mind, Mo Ya’s image inexplicably overlapped with Wutie, a thought that even she found unbelievable.

She shook her head, casting away these unrealistic fantasies, and quickened her pace to walk alongside the striding Mo Ya.

‘Thank you, Mo Ya… I’ll tell you, the image of the sea in my heart is ‘freedom.”

Akuma didn’t voice it, because… it simply wasn’t necessary.