July 23, 2080, Thursday.

[5:00 A.M.]

"Urgh..."

Raven slowly opened his eyes and immediately clenched his head tightly with both of his hands. A sharp discomfort ran through his skull, almost as if needles were poking into his brain.

"Fuck..."

He cursed out quietly, his voice low and raspy. Keara, Yuki, and Levina were still peacefully sleeping beside him, their calm breaths filling the silent room. Raven didn't want to wake them, so he whispered his frustration under his breath.

The reason for his muttering wasn't just the headache. It was the realization— the drug's side effect that made him loose-lipped, shameless, and completely unlike his usual self... had finally worn off.

The effect was supposed to end yesterday, but Ruby, out of concern for his condition, had given him another pill. It had similar effects to the previous drugs administered to him, just weaker. Still, it extended the side effect by an entire extra day.

And Raven, seeing Ruby genuinely worried for him at that time, was unable to reject her. He had accepted the pill, thinking it wouldn't be that bad.

That was why his embarrassing streak had lasted until now.

Anyway, the effect was gone now. His mind was clear again. His composure had returned. His body felt better.

But...

"Grgh..."

He groaned again, burying his face into his palms.

Though his body had recovered, his mind was dying inside.

"I can't believe this..."

Every single thing he had said, every single shameless word, every single compliment he had blurted out without restraint— Raven remembered it all. His memory, which had been improving drastically since his reincarnation, refused to let him forget.

(Thanks to his improved memory, lol.)

He could recall everything in detail, every embarrassing word engraved in his mind like carvings on stone.

And that thought alone made him want to disappear.

"Ugh... Cringe, I'm gonna die from embarrassment..."

He mumbled while gripping his hair. He twisted on the bed in agony as if by moving his body he could shake away the memories of the past two days. But of course, they wouldn't leave him.

[ I can't believe I'm saying this... But I'm glad you're back to normal. ]

Sariel's voice suddenly echoed in his head, calm but oddly relieved.

Raven lifted his head and looked at the faintly glowing transparent window that appeared in front of him. His expression was tired but firm.

"Yeah, me too."

He admitted.

Deep down, he had already accepted it.

'I should just go on with my life. I can't go back to the past and slap myself... I'll just act normal from now on.'

That was what he told himself, as if trying to hammer the words into his soul. His pride screamed at him, but he knew there was no other way but forward.

With that small resolve, Raven carefully got out of bed and headed to the kitchen.

There, he immediately began preparing breakfast— not just for himself, but also for Keara, Levina, and Ruby. He moved quietly, focused, his hands working almost automatically.

He even prepared something special for Yuki. He took out several <E-> rank monster cores, crushed them into fine pieces, and placed them in a small container, so they'd be ready for when she woke up.

*****

Half an hour later...

Keara, Yuki, and Levina stirred awake. The moment they sat up, their noses twitched. The rich aroma of food wafting from the kitchen pulled them out of bed like a magnetic force.

The three immediately walked toward the source of the scent.

Upon entering the kitchen, they were greeted with the sight of Raven calmly arranging dishes on the table. There were several plates already set, steam rising from them, the smell filling the room with warmth.

Raven noticed their presence and turned his head toward them.

Then, with a warm, casual smile that carried no trace of his embarrassment from earlier...

"Good morning."

He greeted them.

"Good morning."

Keara replied right away, smiling sweetly back at him. Her tone carried a natural warmth.

-Gooood morning!

Levina followed energetically, her cheerful voice making the room brighter.

-Kyuu!

Yuki zipped through the air, greeting Raven with her usual enthusiasm. She flew in circles around him, chirping happily.

"Go clean yourselves first, then let's eat."

Raven instructed them with a steady voice.

-Kyuu!

-Got it!

Levina and Yuki immediately complied, rushing to the bathroom area.

Meanwhile, Keara didn't move.

"..."

She just stood there, her eyes quietly fixed on Raven. She didn't say anything, simply observing him.

'He's back to normal.'

She thought, relief filling her heart.

(Keara, Ruby, and Levina already knew about the drug's side effects. They had been told it affected Raven, so none of them held it against him.)

Keara was truly happy to see Raven acting like his usual self again. But at the same time... a part of her felt a little sad.

Not because she disliked the real Raven. On the contrary, she loved him as he was. But... she couldn't help but feel her chest tighten when she remembered how bold he had been under the influence of the drug. She couldn't deny how much she liked hearing those words from him.

'Well, I still love him. Very much.'

Keara thought, her lips curving into a wide, genuine smile.

She finally turned toward the sink to wash her face. But just as she was about to walk forward...

"You look beautiful today as well."

Raven spoke.

His voice wasn't loud. It was quiet, spoken almost casually. But it was enough for Keara to hear clearly.

"...!"

Her body froze.

She immediately turned her head back, eyes locking onto Raven.

He was smiling at her. Calmly. Genuinely.

Her cheeks flushed.

Keara didn't know how to respond at first. Her mind went blank. But after a few moments of hesitation...

"...Thanks."

She managed to whisper.

"Why are you thanking me? I'm just stating a fact."

Raven replied, his voice calm as ever.

"Really? Even though I just woke up and I look like a mess?"

Keara joked weakly, trying to cover her embarrassment.

(Her hair was messy, her clothes rumpled. They had a wild night... Of course, Yuki and Levina weren't around to witness it. They were left with Ruby at the time :v)

But despite how she looked, Raven didn't waver.

"In my eyes, you're always beautiful."

He answered firmly.

"..."

Keara's mind went completely blank this time. Her face turned as red as a beet.

She wasn't expecting Raven to say that—not when he was no longer under the drug's effect.

"I-I'm gonna go and wash my face."

She blurted out before fleeing to the sink, hiding her burning cheeks.

"Take your time."

Raven answered casually.

As Keara splashed water onto her face, Sariel reappeared beside Raven.

[ What was that...? ]

He asked, his tone surprised.

[ I thought you don't like saying things like that? ]

Sariel pressed.

Raven only shrugged lightly.

"I can make an exception for her."

He replied simply.

*****

After that small moment, Ruby arrived at Raven's room before they could begin breakfast.

Raven had already expected her appearance— Ruby always ate breakfast with them. Which was why he had prepared something for her as well.

With everyone gathered, the group shared breakfast together. The mood was cheerful, filled with light chatter and laughter.

Keara, however, was in an especially good mood, her heart fluttering from earlier.

...

...

...

After the meal, Raven decided to skip his classes for the day. Instead, he wanted to focus solely on training.

(Thanks to his status as a Student Council member, he had the privilege to make that choice. In fact, that was one of the main reasons he joined them in the first place.)

He began his day by running around the academy grounds— twice. His body bore the burden of four weight bracelets: two on his wrists and two on his ankles. Each one weighed ninety kilograms.

It took him around twenty-five minutes to complete his run, his breath heavy but steady.

Afterward, Raven went to the private training grounds designated for professors.

(He was granted special permission by Ruby and Leo to use the facility, though technically, he wasn't supposed to. But since it was him, they allowed it.)

There, he focused on his shooting skills for an entire hour, his aim steady, his concentration sharp.

Once he was satisfied, he shifted to practicing his sword skills and techniques, his movements fluid and precise. Another hour passed quickly.

Then, he moved on to magic.

For two full hours, Raven honed his magic skills, channeling mana repeatedly, refining his control and his spells until his body grew weary.

But he didn't stop there.

For the first time, Raven picked up a spear.

He pulled out his device, quickly searched the internet for basic spear techniques, and studied them for several minutes.

Then, he began practicing immediately.

His movements were awkward at first, but his trait, <Understanding>, allowed him to quickly grasp the fundamentals. Within a short time, his handling of the weapon became solid.

He didn't stop at spears. Raven proceeded to test out several other weapons he was unfamiliar with, running drills, learning stances, and memorizing movements.

Again, thanks to <Understanding>, he absorbed the basics like a sponge, mastering them at a pace that would make anyone else envious.

'I'll be stuck in <D> rank for quite a while... So I'll do everything I can to get stronger now.'

That thought echoed in his mind the entire time. His determination never wavered.

...

...

...

*****

[5:00 PM]

Raven was resting now, his body drenched in sweat.

"Haaa... Haaa... Haaahh..."

He panted heavily, muscles sore, lungs burning. He knew his limits. He wanted strength, but he also understood he couldn't overdo it. If something happened, he had to be ready to fight.

Shiii–

The sound of the training ground's door opening broke the silence.

Tap–

A familiar figure walked in, her steps calm but her eyes unreadable.

Raven lifted his gaze toward her.

"Is it time?"

He asked, watching her approach.

His thoughts flickered as he looked at her.

'Dark purple hair... purple eyes... that serious face, petite frame, and beauty that stands out so easily.'

'I feel bad for the blind people who wouldn't be able to see her beauty.'

He thought silently.

The girl stopped in front of him, her expression unwavering as she looked down at the sitting Raven.

"Yes, we're starting at the freshmen."

Lana answered his question with her usual composed tone.

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