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Chapter 370 85.3 - Things sometimes end

But something held her back; something deep within her psyche told her that.

"This will be our last training."

Those words somehow continued to echo in her head.

"I... I didn\'t think I could do it….."

She said that as an excuse. Yet, she forgot one important detail.

"That is not the reason." Astron cut her words, looking into her eyes. "You seem to forget that I was the one who taught you. You would have done it normally, but you didn\'t. Why?"

Astron was the one who taught her how to spar and fight from the start. Thus, with his meticulous observing skills, it wasn\'t that unusual for him to understand Sylvie.

Yet, at his words, Sylvie couldn\'t answer at all. She couldn\'t even think anything, let alone speak.

"T-that…."

Astron maintained his steady gaze, his eyes penetrating into Sylvie\'s as if searching for the truth buried within her. "That...?" he prompted, his voice insistent but somehow gentle(?).

After spending some time with him, she somehow figured out what his different flat tones meant.

But she still Sylvie struggled to form a coherent response, her thoughts tangled in a web of confusion and doubt. She couldn\'t pinpoint the exact reason for her hesitation, couldn\'t unravel the knot of emotions that held her back.

But before she could gather her thoughts, Astron spoke again, his tone soft but firm. "Even if the end wasn\'t satisfactory," he said, "the spar showed enough of how you\'ve improved. You\'ve grown stronger in certain aspects and overcome some of your weaknesses."

Sylvie blinked, taken aback by his words. She hadn\'t expected him to offer reassurance, to acknowledge her progress despite her perceived failure.

"You\'ve learned to anticipate your opponent\'s movements, to react quickly and decisively," Astron continued, his voice carrying a note of acknowledgment. "You\'ve become more adept at defending yourself, at utilizing your strengths in combat."

As he spoke, rather than feeling satisfactory, Sylvie felt something different. The words he spoke were signaling something, something that she already knew.

"With this," Astron\'s voice took on a serious tone, "you\'ve finally grasped the basics and everything I taught you."

Sylvie\'s heart skipped a beat as the weight of his words settled over her. She knew this moment would come eventually, but she hadn\'t expected it to feel so... final.

"From this moment on," Astron continued, his gaze unwavering, "you\'ll be able to handle the training and everything else on your own. You\'ve come a long way, Sylvie, and I have no doubt that you\'ll continue to grow stronger."

Then she understood the reason why she was feeling this uncomfortable—the reason why she didn\'t attack it at that time.

It was because she didn\'t want this time to end.

"….."

Sylvie nodded, her throat tight with emotion, her mouth closed with no words.

She knew she should feel proud and should feel grateful for all that Astron had taught her.

And yet, there was a sense of sadness lingering beneath the surface, a reluctance to let go of the mentor who had guided her every step of the way.

"This marks the end of our training together," Astron said, his voice echoing with finality. There was no space for an objection. He had already made his decision, and Sylvie, seeing his state, knew that very well.

"….."

Thus, she just shut her mouth and listened without saying anything.

What could she say anyway? Was there anything she could say, or she was supposed to?

There was a sense of unease gnawing at her, a feeling that she didn\'t have the right to ask for more.

After all, Astron had already given her so much—his time, his knowledge, his guidance. What more could she possibly ask for?

So, she stood there in silence, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Part of her wanted to beg him to stay and continue their training together indefinitely. But another part knew that it would be unrealistic and entitled.

"Th…." Yet, she still forced herself to speak. Since it was about to end, she needed to at least show her gratitude.

Astron, seeing that, didn\'t move away either and stopped for a second, letting Sylvie form those words.

"Thank you."

As Sylvie spoke, the words felt heavy on her tongue, weighed down by the weight of everything that had transpired between them. She couldn\'t find the right words to express the depth of her gratitude, couldn\'t convey the mixture of emotions churning within her.

"No need for that, as for you have saved my life before."

But Astron\'s simple response was enough to ease some of the tension that had settled over her. Even though she didn\'t save him expecting something out of it at that time, she was reminded of the fact that at least she wasn\'t only on the receiving end.

\'Then maybe….\'

"I-if…." Sylvie hesitated, her voice faltering as she struggled to find the right words to express her request.

"If… if I ever need help in training in the future, or if I feel lost… can I come to you?" she finally managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.

Astron regarded her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Sylvie braced herself for rejection, for a refusal that would confirm her fears of overstepping boundaries.

"…I once said this to you, but I am not the right person to guide someone in their lives."

"That is fine."

"My ways wouldn\'t suit you, nor my advice."

"That is fine, too."

\'I had already learned a lot from you, so why can\'t I learn more? With Mason at that time, you were already aware of his identity to some extent, even though I couldn\'t see it. It must have been the same with Danielle, too. There is still much to learn.\' Sylvie thought inwardly. Yet, there was a faint glint in her eyes.

"If that is the case, you may come to me, though I can not promise I will do a good job."

"Thank you."

With a nod of acceptance, Sylvie watched as Astron turned to leave, his figure receding into the distance until he was nothing more than a silhouette against the backdrop of the training grounds.

A sense of solitude settled over her, accompanied by a twinge of sadness at the realization that their time together had come to an end. But, still, her mind continued to linger on something.

\'Why does it feel like you never want to leave any loose ends? It is as if you can disappear at any time. As if you never want to form any connections. As if you want to keep every relationship as a professional give and take.\' Before, she was busy with her training, and the events of the past continued to haunt her. Thus, she didn\'t have the empty space to think of other things.

But now that their training reached its end, Sylvie was once again reminded of the times of the past.

\'I can\'t ask you, as I know that you will never talk. But, it is frustrating knowing that something had happened to you in the past, and it still does haunt you today, yet not knowing what it is.\' The abnormal hatred and anger she had seen before in Astron\'s emotional palette. Even if she was now unable to see it for some reason, Sylvie knew one thing.

Such emotions and such a state were not normal, and it wouldn\'t be treated this fast. Those emotions must still be there.

After getting help from him all this time, she had yet to show any help.

\'I need to learn what happened; I must learn it so that I can be any help to you.\'

Sylvie thought to herself, finding her resolve.

"Though, I don\'t know how."

But it was just a stupid thought.

*******

<Wednesday Morning, Arcadia Hunter Academy>FiNd pdtes on n()/vln(.)cm

The spacious training hall echoed with the sound of eager chatter as students gathered for their first swordsmanship training session.

The air buzzed with anticipation, a mix of excitement and nervousness palpable among the group.

"Hey."

Yet, everywhere, there were people whose purpose was different from others.

"Hey, I am talking to you."

A girl was trying to talk to the young boy leaning on the wall.

"What?"

The girl, Yuki, approached Astron with determined strides, her eyes ablaze with anger and frustration.

Her once pristine appearance is now marred by signs of tears, her disheveled hair mirroring the turmoil within her.

"It was you, right?" she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion as she confronted him amidst the bustling training hall.

Astron, leaning against a nearby pillar with his usual nonchalant demeanor, glanced at her with mild curiosity. His expression remained impassive, betraying little of the turmoil swirling within Yuki.

"What do you mean?" he replied casually, his tone betraying none of the intensity coursing through Yuki\'s veins.

Yuki\'s fists clenched at her sides as she struggled to contain her rising emotions. "Don\'t play dumb with me," she spat, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. "You know exactly what I\'m talking about."

"I really don\'t have any idea what you are talking about." Astron arched an eyebrow, but that was it.

"You….I am talking about Aliya!"

She shouted, gathering everyone\'s attention. After all, many of the students knew Aliya, one of their fellow classmates who stopped attending the academy.

"Aliya?" Yet, Astron showed no reaction at all, as if it was his first time hearing this.

"Yes!" But then, seeing other people\'s gazes, Yuki calmed herself down since this information was confidential and must never be spread.

"They said she was dead, but they gave no explanation. And you are the last person she interacted with."

"….She is dead?"

"Don\'t play dumb."

"…." Astron sighed, running a hand through his unruly hair as he regarded Yuki with a hint of exasperation. "Look, I get that you\'re upset about Aliya or whatever, but I barely knew her. Our interaction was nothing more than a routine training session. After that, she disappeared, and I haven\'t seen or heard from her since."

Yuki\'s eyes narrowed with suspicion, her fists tightening at her sides once more. "Disappeared? Just like that?" she questioned, her voice tinged with accusation. "And you expect me to believe that it\'s just a coincidence?"

Astron\'s expression hardened, frustration evident in his features. "Believe what you will," he replied tersely. "But it\'s unreasonable to accuse me of something so serious based on mere speculation. And even the need for me to refute your claim itself is stupid."

Yuki\'s anger flared, her resolve strengthening as she prepared to confront Astron further. But before she could make a move, the door to the training hall swung open, and Instructor Eleanor entered, her presence commanding the attention of the entire room.

Eleanor stood at the front of the room, her presence commanding attention as she prepared to lead the session. Dressed in her usual practical attire, she exuded an aura of authority and expertise.

"Welcome, everyone," she began, her voice carrying easily across the room. "Today marks the beginning of our first practical swordsmanship session."

-----------------A/N---------------

Yuki is the girl from chapter 35.5, who is Aliya\'s friend.