Chapter 221: Request from Mrs Lira 1
The academy’s bells tolled noon, their deep resonance rolling across the sprawling campus. The sound seemed to vibrate through the cobblestone paths and into the walls of every building, carrying a kind of weight that made students pause mid-step, mid-sentence.
Classes had just dismissed, and the hallways of the central building buzzed with voices, students chattering about assignments, duels, and the recent rumors of Jae’s feats. Some whispered about the fight in the southern wilds, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Jae moved through them with easy confidence, each step measured, deliberate. He wasn’t in a hurry, but neither did he linger unnecessarily. His crimson eyes scanned the hall as he walked, unbothered by the curious stares that followed him.
His friends had already split off, Elise with Tirel to the library to review herbs and battle theory, Byun slipping away to practice shadow weaving in one of the quieter courtyards. That left him alone, and that was exactly how he wanted it.
He had a destination in mind, and the rest of the world could wait.
Mrs. Lira’s classroom sat in the eastern wing, an airy chamber with tall windows that let in thin shafts of sunlight, painting faint rectangles across the polished floor. The room smelled faintly of parchment and old wood, with a sharp undertone of mana residual from countless lessons.
Most students had already gone, but a few lingered, whispering questions or packing up their materials. Jae leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed loosely, crimson eyes tracking her every movement as she rearranged the stacks of papers on her desk.
She looked up once and caught his gaze, only to look away quickly, a faint pink coloring her cheeks. She clearly noticed his presence before he even spoke, but the subtle blush told him she was caught off guard. He had that effect on her more often than not, though she tried to hide it.
When the last lingering student finally left, the room fell silent, save for the gentle rustle of parchment as she straightened stacks of assignments. Jae stepped forward, letting his weight settle lightly on one foot.
"Mrs. Lira," he said, his tone warm but threaded with a boldness he seldom bothered to hide. There was a calm certainty in the way he spoke, as if every word carried weight and nothing he said could be questioned.
She looked up again, eyes widening faintly. "Jae. You’re still here?"
"I am," he said easily. "I wanted to ask you something."
Her brow arched slightly, curiosity flickering across her face. "If it’s about the lesson, you were hardly paying attention to the last half. You seemed... distracted."
Jae smirked faintly, that sly curl of his lips that usually made people wary of what he might say next. "I was paying attention. Just... not to the parchment."
Her cheeks tinged pink, and she quickly looked down, shuffling papers as if the neat stacks could ground her racing thoughts. "Jae," she murmured softly, "you shouldn’t say things like that to your teacher."
He tilted his head, letting a strand of his blond hair fall over his forehead before brushing it away with a casual flick. "Then I’ll phrase it differently," he said, stepping closer to her desk.
The heat radiating from him was noticeable, the faint smell of fire and sweat clinging to the air. His hand rested lightly on the desk, close enough that she could feel its presence, and perhaps even sense the subtle pulse of his mana. "I want private lessons."
She froze. Her eyes went wide, lips parting just slightly before she pressed them shut. "Private lessons?"
"Yes," he said simply, voice calm but firm. "One on one. Outside of class."
Her heartbeat skipped in a way she didn’t like admitting. She wasn’t naïve; she heard what wasn’t being said. A request like that from him carried weight beyond the simple need to learn. His gaze didn’t waver; he wasn’t expecting a refusal. That in itself made her stomach twist.
"Jae..." She tried to steady her voice, but the tremor betrayed her. "Do you know what you’re asking? You already receive training here, and you’re excelling faster than most. You don’t need me hovering over you privately."
"I don’t need it," he agreed, his smirk widening faintly, teasing yet confident. "But I want it."
Her pulse raced, the word "want" striking her more sharply than she expected. It carried a promise of attention, focus, and... something more. She cleared her throat, trying to restore her usual composure.
Jae tilted his head slightly, eyes studying her as if weighing her reaction. "Unless you’re saying you don’t have time. Then I’ll stop asking."
She shook her head, retreating inwardly to logic. "You must know how this sounds. A young man coming to his teacher, asking to be alone with her... Students would gossip. The academy would frown upon it. And..." Her voice faltered for a moment, softening as she admitted the truth, "...I don’t know if I trust myself."
Jae smiled faintly, the expression boyish and disarming despite the heat in his eyes. It wasn’t a full grin, just the corner of his lips turning up, enough to soften the edge in his gaze but still keep the intensity there. "It’s only lessons. That’s what I’m asking for. If others think otherwise, that’s their problem. I just want your guidance."
Mrs. Lira stared at him, her mind trying to find cracks in his composure, some hint that he might be teasing, pulling her leg like he often did with his classmates. But there was nothing.
Not a twitch, not a playful spark in his eyes, just quiet confidence. That steadiness made her hesitate. Her heart beat a little faster, her chest tightening in a way she hadn’t expected.
Her breath left her in a slow exhale, steadying herself. "You shouldn’t put me in this position, Jae," she said, though her voice lacked its usual firmness. She pressed her hands lightly to the edge of her desk, gripping the smooth wood as if it could anchor her nerves.