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Chapter 253 Chapter 59.2 - Before the trip

"Real ghosts? Come on, it\'s probably just some magical illusions. This is a test, right?" replied another, skepticism evident in their voice.

A group near the back of the room was engrossed in heated speculation about the practical challenges they might face. "I heard Phantom\'s Land messes with your perception. We better be prepared for some mind-bending stuff."

Of course, things like this were bound to happen, and this was a reaction that I had expected from the start.

After all, not many students knew about the Phantom\'s Land, and people certainly had the conception of either exaggerating things or downplaying things when it came to supernatural events.

The idea of visiting ghosts itself was out of the ordinary, after all.

\'Well, it was kind of expected that our mission would be just observing.\'

Again, things like fighting with ghosts or solving the situation of Phantom\'s Land were way out of any academy students\' league. Even seasoned Hunters would have a hard time dealing with ghosts since they are rather in the area of magic, and not many mages have both the power and the desire to solve it.

There were some that came to my mind from the game, but I knew almost all of them were nearly impossible to find traces, let alone meet or see.

Looking around, I scanned the whole student group. I was already ready after all, and had nothing to do until we left.

The room slowly settled into a low hum of discussions as students exchanged theories and shared stories they might have heard about Phantom\'s Land. The atmosphere became charged with a blend of excitement and tension, and I sensed that the next hour would be a mix of preparation and speculation.

At that moment, my eyes met with Ethan, who was already about to leave.

\'He handled it well enough.\'

Even though Ethan was the protagonist, he wasn\'t strong from the start and needed some interactions to get stronger. This was the type of character he was, and it was about one of those times he got one of them.

His way of handling things certainly clashed with mine, but that was what made him Ethan, after all.

"What are you thinking about?"

Just at that moment, our party leader came to me.

"Nothing."

I shook my thoughts, turning my head to the newcomer. There stood our fiery magician leader with her haughty expression.

Well, whether it was her usual face or her haughty face…..That was something even she probably didn\'t know anyway.

"Yeah, just nothing. Sounds like you."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

"..."

Irina suddenly approached me in a swift movement, her fiery red hair somehow feeling a lot more colorful.

Without a word, she casually sat down beside me, her expression unreadable. The air around us seemed to crackle with the tension that usually accompanied her, but something was kind of different as well.

"You seem lost in thought," she remarked, her eyes fixed on the room where students were still buzzing with anticipation.

"I was just observing the chaos," I replied. "Phantom\'s Land has certainly stirred up quite the reaction."

We both were well aware of where we would be going, so after my initial warning to her, we were ready for the upcoming exam.

She sighed, her gaze finally shifting to meet mine. "It\'s expected. People fear the unknown, and this place is the epitome of it."

"Unknown….Certainly a scary word."

"Unknown people tend to be scary, too."

"Is that so?"

"It is."

"But, isn\'t it our human nature to hide things?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"There was a saying from my hometown that still resonates with me."

At the mention of my hometown, Irina\'s eyes perked up. Well, I guess choosing that word wasn\'t wise, considering my situation as an orphan, but then there was no other way to explain the situation I was in.

"I was ashamed of myself when I realized life was a costume party, and I attended with a real face."

Irina looked at me, her eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and understanding. "The person saying that was wise."

I nodded my head in agreement, acknowledging the wisdom behind those words. "Yeah, they were. Sometimes, simplicity carries profound truths."

She smiled a rare, genuine smile that softened her usually forced and intense features. "You surprise me sometimes, you know that?"

Looking at her like that, I suddenly realized that she looked kind of pure when she smiled. I guess even the fiercest woman in the world somehow became soft from time to time.

I shrugged. "Life tends to be full of surprises, even for someone like me."

"Even for someone like you. You think you are different than others?"

"Am I not?"

"…..Well, you certainly are not normal."

The word normal itself was something that could never be defined. A person could be normal in one place of the world and would be considered crazy in another.

After all, the human mind is diverse, and this is what makes us individuals.

Once that individuality was lost, then from now on, humans would no longer be considered as separate beings but just numbers.

"Hey." A soft voice interrupted our conversation, and I turned to see Sylvie standing there, a small smile playing on her lips. Her presence had a calming effect, a stark contrast to Irina\'s fiery aura.

\'Her powers are progressing well.\'

I thought, noticing the small white-yellowish aura covering Sylvie. From the moment I upgraded my [Perceptive Insight] to the next level, I was able to see her aura that I couldn\'t before.

"Sylvie," Irina acknowledged with a nod.

"Did you get everything?" I asked. After noticing that Irina actually thought the visit to the Phantom\'s Land would be easy, I decided to inform Sylvie.

And, thank god, I did. Since she also hadn\'t prepared anything at all.

"Yes….." She lowered her head. I guess she was feeling embarrassed that she overlooked such a simple thing.

"You don\'t need to be embarrassed. Our leader was no different than you."

"Hey!"

"Really?"

"Was it a lie?"

"..."

"Can\'t refute, can you?"

"Tch."

Irina harrumphed with her arms crossed. Well, she brought this onto herself alone since my words were the results of her own actions.

"Then, should we leave as well?"

At this point in time, only we were left in the classroom, and all other students had left. Well, considering they only had one hour to prepare, it made sense. Though, I am sure it won\'t be enough to both research and prepare the things that are needed.

Sylvie was the first one to reply, standing from her seat. "Okay."

"Cough…If you are free, should we go together?"

Irina suddenly asked Sylvie. It was out of her character to act this way, but I decided not to dwell on it too much, as she was rather behaving like that today. Something must have been on her mind.

"Umm…..Why not?"

"I will see you at the meeting time."

After those words, I left the two alone and started walking to my room for one last check.

********

After Astron left, Irina and Sylvie were left alone inside the classroom. The atmosphere between the two was quite awkward.

After all, before they became a team, they hadn\'t interacted much with each other, and Irina wasn\'t the best person to make new friends.

However, recently, she had come to a realization of something. Sylvie was going to become undeniably one of the pillars in the future.

This was what she got after seeing her talent and her \'strength.\' Thus, it was essential to make good connections with her that transcended the professional relationship.

This was how she had justified herself, but there was one other thing she would never admit.

But one thing was certain.

\'How do I start?\'

She had no idea what to say after coming into this stage at all…..

Sylvie hesitated for a moment, sensing the unusual atmosphere in the room. She decided to break the silence and address the awkwardness directly. "Um, Irina, is there something you wanted to talk about?"

Irina looked at Sylvie, surprised by the direct question. She was caught off guard, as opening up and initiating conversations were not exactly her strong suit. "Well, it\'s just that..."

The words didn\'t come out. However, Sylvie, who had been right beside her, knew what she was feeling.

Though not exactly her thoughts, Sylvie knew she was feeling embarrassed.

Sylvie gently encouraged her, "It\'s okay, Irina. You can talk to me."

Irina took a deep breath, her usual fiery demeanor softening for a moment. "I wanted to talk because... well, we became a team recently, but I realize I don\'t know much about you. And, um, you probably don\'t know much about me either. It feels weird being part of a team where we\'re practically strangers, doesn\'t it?"

Sylvie nodded, offering a reassuring smile. "I understand. It does feel a bit strange, especially since we\'re going to be working together. It\'s important to know each other well to build trust."

Irina seemed to relax a bit, grateful for Sylvie\'s understanding. "Exactly. We know Astron, but that\'s about it. I don\'t like feeling disconnected from my teammates. I thought, maybe, we could change that."

Sylvie\'s smile widened. "I\'d like that too, Irina. It\'s nice that you want to get closer. We\'re a team, after all."

Irina nodded, looking a bit relieved.

For the first time in her life, she had taken the first step to approach someone after all…..

********

In the spot where the students would meet, Astron was standing with everything ready from his end.

CHATTER!

The students\' chatter filled the place, as everyone looked rather both tense and excited. As he was scanning the surroundings with his usual calm demeanor. Irina and Sylvie walked in together, the air around them seemingly lighter than before.

Astron looked at them, a subtle shift in the atmosphere catching his attention. Something had changed. The tension that once hung between Irina and Sylvie seemed to have dissipated, replaced by a newfound understanding.

"Did something happen?" Astron asked, his keen eyes narrowing as he observed the two.

Irina and Sylvie exchanged a brief glance before Sylvie spoke up, "We just had a little talk, that\'s all."

"Yeah," Irina added with a nonchalant smile. "Just clearing the air, you know."

Astron continued to gaze at them, sensing that there was more to their interaction than they were letting on. However, he decided not to press further.

RING!

At that moment, the bell rang.

It was the start of the Phantom\'s Land trip.