The next day greeted me with an unusual feeling of exhaustion.
Unlike the previous days where I had woken up excitedly for the Exchange, this one, in particular, made me feel like staying in bed.
I had tried hard enough the previous night, mixing lots of chemicals and trying out various effects. Wasn't I allowed one day off, just to rest and collect my thoughts?
'I think... I do...'
Suddenly, an image flashed in my head!
The picture of a particular golden-haired boy who wore a casual smile and had an air of ease around him. Once I had this image appear in my head, I sprang out of bed!
"What do you think you're doing, Jared! Time to hustle!"
In a flash, I made my way across the room and did all I had to do. Brushing, bathing, getting dressed!
I was done in a jiffy, and the moment I was properly clothed, my legs carried me beyond my room as I raced away from the Dorm.
Fortunately, the hallway was abandoned and I met no one currently on the premises.
They had all most likely gone to spectate the Inter-Class Exchange! In a way, it made the usually lively area dull and completely empty. That wasn't my concern, though.
'Well, it's not like I planned on spending time in the Dorm anyway!'
Racing beyond my Classroom, which was also abandoned, I made my way to the place where I usually conducted a private training session—the Oasis!
I still had no idea why the area was made available to everyone, but it was not a matter of concern to me. The important factor was that I had access to a place overflowing with Mana—perfect for my exercise!
>WHOOOSH<
Racing across the cluster of trees, I finally got to the center and set my eyes on the clear pool of water!
"Finally, I'm here!" I declared loudly, jumping to the clearing, just a few meters from the lake.
I finally had this place all to myse—
pᴀɴᴅᴀ-ɴoᴠᴇʟ My entire notion was set ablaze the moment I noticed the presence of another in the Sacred area dedicated to my training.
No, it wasn't my senses, my eyes caught the one who had been in the Oasis before I arrived.
"W-wha—?!" I found myself short of words, staring straight at the far end of the pool.
A naked figure was immersed in the water, completely soaked and covered from the chest below.
Her entire body was wet, telling me she had been enjoying a bath in the water deemed to be sacred. My brain tried seeking the proper response or reaction, but I came up short.
My widened eyes couldn't close as they kept looking at the girl who was now opening hers to look in my direction.
"Uh? Someone is here too?" Her voice, lustrous and sonorous, filled my ears.
"U-Uh... Um..." I still couldn't speak properly.
The girl's clear blue eyes seemed unbothered by my presence as they examined me for a moment.
"So? Are you going to keep staring?"
The moment her second statement registered in my head, I came to my senses and realized that I had been staring at a naked girl all this while.
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"Arh! I'm so sorry about that!" I shrieked, instantly turning away.
I could feel a form of embarrassment flowing through my body as my cheeks were beet red. Whoever the girl was, I certainly prayed she didn't get the wrong idea about me.
I was simply surprised—too stunned to move—yeah! It wasn't like I was a pervert who got off staring at women.
"Sigh, you can be at ease now." The girl's voice sounded, causing me to jump slightly.
Her tone didn't show any form of annoyance, fortunately.
'She must be fully dressed now.' My thoughts trailed, though a lingering emotion told me the opposite could also be true.
I gulped, slowly turning back to the pool. It would be completely weird if I once again saw something I didn't want to.
Once I finally completed my twist, I saw that the girl was indeed already completely clothed.
'Oh? She's dressed already...'
I wondered about my flat thought, noting a sense of disappointment in my mind. Was I really looking forward to another sight?
'Jared, what are you becoming?'
"You... you're Jared Leonard, right?" The girl's voice brought me back to the realm of reality.
"Y-yeah!" I sharply looked at her, properly examining the girl in front of me for the first time.
It was surprising how she dried off so quickly, but I found no trace of water on her body as I observed her.
Now covered completely in clothes, the girl's beauty had not diminished in the slightest. Her dark brown hair flowed behind her, slapping her back as the wind motioned.
She had a mature look, clearly older than I was by a year or so. Maybe it was just my imagination.
Her blue eyes were deep, unlike the clear ones I saw in Ana's eyes. They seemed to contain amusement as well as a further depth I couldn't possibly decipher.
Her apparel was fancy, yet causal. Donning a blue and white attire, with ribbons on her hair, the girl placed a hand on her hip and stared curiously at me.
"... H-how do you know my name?" I managed to break the uneasy silence that had completely shrouded the area.
"Meh, that's not important. By the way, shouldn't you be watching the Inter-Class Exchange? It's currently going on, isn't it?" The girl asked after nonchalantly dismissing my question.
Judging by her demeanor and question, there was no doubt that she was a student. But...
"I decided to skip it since there's nothing I can gain from it. It's better to spend my time practicing or something. What about you?"
I narrowed my eyes at the older girl suspiciously.
"Oh? Me? Well, I think it's the same as you." She smiled a little, still treating my questions as though they were nothing.
How could she say she was skipping the Inter-Class Exchange because of the reason I gave, yet I caught her cooling off in the lake—something even I had never tried doing!
Who the heck was this girl?!