Volume 1: Path – [Academy Arc]
Chapter 20: Enjoying Life
After 55 minutes of continuous dueling under Instructor Garron's orders, Caelus and Uriel had significantly improved in both wielding their weapons and thinking strategically during combat.
"Now then, since all four of you are finished, let me ask you guys a question: did any of you wonder why I told you to duel right away without teaching you anything about your weapons? Of course, I gave guidance during the fight, but did you understand the reason why?"
As Garron posed the question, all four students immediately raised their hands. He picked Aeren, whose hand had gone up just a fraction of a second faster than the others, and from Garron's perspective, exactly 0.1 seconds faster.
Aeren spoke confidently, "It's because you learn more while fighting than just thinking about theory without any real experience. When your life is on the line, your mind works faster. You begin to understand your weapon, your body, and your opponent all at once. It's also easier to grasp your teachings in the heat of battle because we feel the consequences directly. The combination of pressure and instruction speeds up progress dramatically."
"Very good answer, Aeren. You all did really well today, but you're still weak. Tomorrow, we'll be playing a hunting game, so be ready for that. Alright, time for you guys to head out," Garron said as he turned his back to them, walking in the opposite direction toward the line of students still running laps around the courtyard.
"How long are you guys gonna take? Class is almost over and you're only on your 69th lap? Such weak brats! At your age, I could finish a simple 100 laps in 30 minutes!" he shouted at the runners, his voice booming. Meanwhile, Caelus and the others walked toward the big gate, opening it with ease from the inside, since it was only locked from the outside.
"It was a pleasure dueling with you, Caelus (Aiven). See you later," both Uriel and Aeren said at the same time as they went in opposite directions.
"Aiv, how do you feel about the first class?" Caelus asked as they both started walking toward the place where they ate breakfast. Since even cafeteria access was based on rank, they were heading in different directions.
"I mean, it was alright. Fighting someone already experienced with a sword is good for me. But what about you? Aren't you feeling sad that the person you love is married to someone else?" Aiv said, glancing at Caelus.
"As you told me back in the dorm, thinking about the past is useless. Someday, everybody dies whether it's a human, an animal, or even a god. Eventually, everyone reaches the end. Life is full of ups and downs. People come and go. Some stay for a while, others stay longer, but in the end, everyone goes. That's just how life is a journey filled with different experiences, but once you die, that's it. It ends.
Until then, we should enjoy life to the fullest, leave the past behind, and learn from our mistakes. What she once told me during my lowest moment still sticks with me till now, 'As long as you're alive, appreciate life and enjoy it to the fullest so that even when death comes, you won't have regrets.' So, that's what I'm doing. I'll live my life properly and enjoy it.
Even if she's not the person I used to know anymore, I still can't turn my back on her. I'll watch from afar. That's enough for me. Whether she's married or not… it's not my place to interfere. As long as she's happy, I can die without any regrets," Caelus said with a calm smile on his face.
"You know, you look more mature now than when I first saw you. To think you'd grow this much in just an hour," Aiv said, chuckling.
"It's all thanks to that big speech you gave me back in the dorm. Otherwise, I would've completely lost control of my emotions when I saw her. Thank you, Aiv. You're a good person… and my best friend. Right now, you're the only friend I have," Caelus said sincerely, expressing his gratitude.
They continued talking, sharing pieces of their life stories as they walked toward the cafeteria. The sign beside the main entrance read 'Level 1' in clean lettering.
They entered the cafeteria as the automatic doors slid open smoothly. Inside, the space buzzed with over a hundred students chatting, eating, or waiting in line.
There were only two levels of cafeterias, one designated for students ranked above 100 and the other for those below. Caelus and Aiv, being first-years, headed into the lower-ranked area.
The food line stretched deep, with more than half the cafeteria queued up. It took Caelus and Aiv nearly ten minutes before they reached the counter.
The digital menu above the counter displayed a wide variety of options:
Vegetarian Section:
Stir-fried tofu and vegetables in sesame-ginger sauce
Spicy miso ramen with soy protein slices
Jasmine rice with grilled paneer and bok choy
Soba noodles with peanut dressing and crunchy greens
Steamed dumplings stuffed with mushrooms and chives
Non-Vegetarian Section:
Teriyaki chicken with rice and miso soup
Garlic Butter Shrimp Noodles
Roasted duck bao buns
Spicy beef stir-fry with lotus root
Grilled fish curry with lemongrass jasmine rice
Caelus picked the jasmine rice with grilled paneer and bok choy, along with a bowl of miso soup and steamed dumplings. It wasn't that he was vegetarian he just found these dishes to be the most vibrant and flavorful, and they also happened to be traditional cuisine from his continent. Naturally, he was drawn to them.
Aiv, on the other hand, went all in with a tray stacked with teriyaki chicken, shrimp noodles, and roasted duck bao buns, clearly savoring every bite before he even sat down.
Their meal cost them 4 merit points each. Caelus currently had 15 merits; he got 10 from the academy's starting allotment and 5 earned earlier that morning during the test. After paying for the food, he was left with 11 merit points. The same was true for Aiv.
There is no difference in food prices; all are the same.
They finished their food in ten minutes, leaving them with nine minutes to spare. With nothing else to do, they exited the cafeteria and headed directly toward their next class. As they walked, Caelus asked, "Do we have the same class again?"
Aiv nodded after checking both their schedules. "Yeah, looks like we're paired up for all of the classes. My master is such a great master."
"Yeah, he is really great."
As they arrived at their classroom, the door stood shut a tall, seamless panel of dark metal with a faintly glowing blue strip at its center. These were the academy's scheduled automatic doors, designed to only open at exact times according to the class timetable. Until then, no one could enter, no matter how much they tried.
But once class started, a student could leave the room with permission, but re-entry required explicit authorization from the instructor. It was part of the academy's strict discipline system, discouraging late arrivals or careless exits.
The corridor around them was quiet, lit by ambient white light embedded into the ceiling tiles and floor edges. There was no hustle, just a few other students scattered around, waiting near their respective classrooms.
Caelus leaned slightly against the wall, his eyes occasionally glancing at the time displayed on the side panel near the door.
As he leaned against wall, he opened the screen of the chronolink, as the screen opened up and he saw a few options on the screen, one is personal info, second is shop, third is missions.
Caelus clicked on his personal info, he wants to see what is in there cause he didn't have time to check it at all.
When he opened it, he saw a photo of himself in the academy dress. Below the image, his personal details were neatly displayed:
Name: Caelus Thorne
Rank: 169
Student ID: CA-TH-03526
Date of Birth: 7/7/3526
Age: 16
Affinity: Unknown
The layout was clean and formal, with faint silver lines bordering each section of data. Though his affinity was marked as 'Unknown,' the rest of the information is all correct without any mistake.
'Mr. Michael said I can check my affinity only by myself. If someone else tries to check another person's affinity, it could throw their body into chaos and even lead to death. So, he told me to learn it in the Leym Foundation class, to dive into my own Leym core, and complete whatever requirements are needed to fully awaken myself.
I don't know why I feel this excited about awakening, maybe it's because I'm actually living in a magical fantasy world. Uriel was right... Living life while enjoying it truly is something special.'
As he thought about it, the classroom doors opened with a soft hiss. Caelus and Aiv stepped in behind the other students. Inside, the room was arranged with five elevated rows of seating, each tier rising one step higher than the last. Students ranked below 100 were assigned to the front two rows closest to the instructor, while those above 100 were seated higher up. Caelus and Aiv, both ranked above 150, were placed at the very top row, giving them a clear view of the entire classroom from above.
[End Of Chapter 20]
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How is the character development so far? (I am still learning how to make his development more, so I need your review, please.)