"Good morning, Ais."
The other person's overly calm demeanor made Ais feel like she was overreacting.
"Good morning." She answered subconsciously. By the time Ais wanted to ask more, it felt too late, so she had to sit opposite Noah. She no longer had the desire to finish her homework; her mind was full of confusion.
Finally, fearing she would only remember to say thank you before going to bed, just like last time, Ais couldn't help but open her mouth.
"Um, Noah."
"Hm?"
"Why... are you here?"
At this, Noah couldn't help but show his tired eyes. "Because being in the treatment center is too torturous. I told Riveria I needed a break for class."
Airmid was truly impressive. Although young, her medical skills were excellent, and she had customized a complete treatment plan for Noah. These past few days, his treatments included breaking and reattaching improperly healed fractures, cutting and re-stitching misaligned muscles, and being fumigated with drugs in a sealed wooden barrel.
If Noah could still accept all that, the sour, astringent, bitter and smelly potions truly made him want to vomit, feeling like his soul was about to fly out. If he didn't truly feel his body recovering and strengthening, he never would have endured it.
So when the main treatment phase was over, leaving only the recovery period, Noah finally couldn't resist trying to escape. However, he failed every time, accurately intercepted by Airmid. After begging Riveria many times, Noah was finally discharged after enjoying Airmid's healing magic.
Isn't it just learning magic? Could it be more painful than drinking that soul-wrenching juice?
Noah thought so.
I must improve potions to taste as good as juice in the future!
"Break... break?" After hearing what Noah said, Ais couldn't help but open her mouth slightly. Thinking of Riveria's super-Spartan stern expression when teaching, Ais couldn't connect "class" with "break."
Even with this kind of training, Noah considers it a break? As expected, I am still far behind!
Noah didn't notice the complicated expression on Ais's face. He was still relaxed, feeling the power surging through his body after the treatment. However, this sense of relief disappeared when several huge books, thicker than bricks, fell heavily in front of him.
"Ri-Riveria? What are these?" Noah looked at the stack of books on the table, definitely taller than himself when piled up, and looked at Riveria tremblingly.
"Just introductory books for the magic class. What? You think it's too much?"
Feeling Riveria's merciless and indifferent gaze, and thinking about the taste of the potions, Noah swallowed and shook his head. "No, not much."
"Good, because these are just the catalog and introduction." Under Noah's stunned gaze, Riveria smiled faintly, exuding a rose like, delicate yet dangerous aura. She pointed to several rows of bookshelves in a corner of the library, containing at least several hundred large books. "Those are the main texts."
Looking at Noah, who was completely frozen, Ais beside him could no longer hold back and laughed out loud.
Then Riveria turned her gaze. "Laughing? Is it funny?"
Locked in Riveria's gaze, Ais's smile also vanished.
...
Early in the morning, earlier than usual, Noah woke up quietly. After checking the sky outside the window, Noah lifted the quilt, turned over from the upper bunk, and jumped down. He landed barefoot, without making a sound.
After glancing at Raul, who was still sleeping, Noah changed his clothes and picked up the Sword of Eternal Flow. Leaving a note on the desk saying, Going to explore the Dungeon for a few days, don't worry, he quietly left the bedroom.
Noah took out a package he had placed in a corner of the tower corridor last night and went to the bathroom. When the package was opened, a dark silver metallic sheen was revealed. It was the armor commissioned from the Goibniu Familia for 40 million Valis, which took a week to make.
Noah had gone to the Blue Pharmacy yesterday for a follow-up consultation with Airmid, and then went to the Goibniu Familia to pick it up.
The combat suit was made by craftsmen using strong silk produced deep in the Dungeon and Mithril thread as the main body, incorporating many rare materials. It provided considerable puncture resistance without hindering flexibility and also had self cleaning, corrosion resistance, anti toxicity, and fire resistance properties.
The solid yet lightweight dark silver armor had a dull luster and mainly protected vital parts like the chest, shoulders, and back. Areas requiring movement, such as the abdomen, lower back, and thighs, were covered with scale armor. There were also coats, cloaks, and waist cloths with extremely strong magic resistance.
Noah was initially worried about whether it would feel restrictive, but after putting it on and moving around, he had to admit the 40 million Valis were worth it. It was hard to say how protective it was yet, but he could hardly feel the weight, and it made no noise.
Looking at himself in armor in the mirror, Noah knew no one should be around, but he still looked around subconsciously. After making sure he was alone, he couldn't help but draw his sword, put on a cool expression, and strike a few poses he thought looked handsome, though he knew he'd die of embarrassment if anyone saw.
Please, it's new armor!
After completing several poses, Noah regained his composure with satisfaction. Confirming the several bottles of potions were in his bag, just in case, he quietly left the bathroom. On the way to the gate, Noah raised his head unconsciously, his cloak fluttering as if moved by an unseen wind.
Today, nearly half a month after joining the Loki familia and becoming an adventurer, Noah decided to embark on his first adventure!
A real man shouldn't be hindered by two women! Today, even if the gods themselves came, I would never go back to memorizing all that confusing knowledge!
He's going to risk—
He opened the door to cool morning light and a biting cold wind. Clouds like small white waves drifted in the slightly pale sky, and the chirping of birds sounded like gentle rain. It promised to be a beautiful sunny day.
Even more intoxicating than the beautiful morning scene was the beautiful elf leaning against a pillar under the eaves. Emerald green long hair fluttered in the wind, revealing a delicate and beautiful face. Her eyes under long eyelashes were closed, her pink lips slightly pursed in rest, exuding the quiet beauty of a moonflower. And when she opened her emerald green eyes, the same color as her hair, and looked at Noah, there was suddenly the touching feeling of flowers blooming under the moon.
But if someone asked Noah if he dared to move, he absolutely didn't. He even hoped time could go back, or at least stop... But no matter how hard Noah prayed, time wouldn't stop. And even if he didn't move, Riveria would. She walked towards Noah with a beautiful yet freezing smile.
"What's wrong? You're not leaving?"
Pursing his lips, Noah unconsciously looked away, carefully examining the pattern on the doorpost as if it held a great secret. Who made him try to sneak away and get caught?
Seeing Noah, who usually kept a straight face, show a guilty look, Riveria became interested instead, the corners of her eyes curving. She held up her right elbow with her left hand and pointed lightly with her slender white fingers.
"Noah, Noah, I remember someone begged me for magic classes. He even said, It's just a magic class, right? I'll just go to the Dungeon after I finish. Do you know who that was?"
Who knew at the time that the 'courses' you mentioned referred to thousands of books thicker than bricks! The number of books I've read in the past ten years combined isn't as many as I've read in the past few days!
Feeling that Riveria would take the opportunity to scold him, Noah suddenly acted before she could say the next word. He grasped the hand with the raised white fingers in front of him with his gauntleted hands, opened his eyes wide, and stared straight at the high elf.
"Riveria!"
In the past half month of friendly...strict teaching, Riveria had long grown accustomed to being close to Noah. But even so, she never expected him to do this. The first thought that came to Riveria's mind was: So broad...
She was referring to Noah's palm.
Are boys palms so broad and strong? I clearly saw his fingers were slender when he held a pen, similar to a girl's.
However, when her palm was completely covered, the heat seemed to travel up her arm, making her feel a little weak. Only then did Riveria truly realize the difference between men and women.
"You, what are you going to do?!" As soon as she said this, Riveria heard the nervousness in her voice and was suddenly afraid Noah would notice.
But Noah's expression remained unchanged. He just stared at her with his eyes reflecting, emitting an invisible pressure. "Do you know what it's like to see a new enemy but not be able to defeat him, to wear new armor but not be able to use it, to learn new magic but not be able to use it?"
The firm voice revealed an unprecedented strong emotion which, along with the warmth from his palm, transmitted to Riveria's heart, making her feel a little dazed. From the first time she met Noah, the boy never joked or smiled. Whether facing her, a high elf, or Loki, his goddess, he was always so calm... at most, he would grit his teeth when drinking potions or frown when reading. But that calmness wasn't indifference. Noah didn't seem to be suppressing himself; he genuinely lacked emotional fluctuations.
Until today...
"I need to fight! But since joining the Loki Familia and becoming an adventurer, I haven't fought in half a month! I can't remember the last time I went more than ten days without fighting... So today, I must go to the Dungeon!"
This was the first time Riveria had felt such a strong outburst of emotion from Noah.
...
Noah wants to use the new magic he learned! Noah wants adventure! Noah wants to fight!
The young man so close to her conveyed his will through the warmth of his palms and the light in his eyes, leaving Riveria a little flustered. She was distracted for a moment and couldn't help but take in Noah's face, looking at him as if for the first time.
Noah's silver hair wasn't ordinary white or silver-gray but a kind of molten silver, shiny, thick, and distinct. Even in the dim morning light, it still flickered faintly.
But even so, it couldn't compare to his fair skin that was almost pale. Among the handsome boy's features, the most eye catching was undoubtedly his deep blue eyes...