In a moment of a far-off past that he could no longer recall, nor did he particularly wish to, Jin had once been in a romantic relationship with Altina von Rudel Seryas.

Now that he was older and looking back on it, he felt a bit embarrassed, but at that time, Jin and Altina had been like a pair of slugs, sticking to each other regardless of time or place.

Jin was quite young back then, and it had not been long since he had begun his regressions, so his humanity had not yet worn away. Moreover, Altina was his first love.

Indeed. It was an undeniably embarrassing fact to admit, but Altina was Jin’s first love and simultaneously his first girlfriend.

This was equally true for Altina, who also regarded Jin as her first love and first boyfriend.

And as is typical with such innocent first loves, the things Jin and Altina had done at that time were the kind of embarrassing acts that could make anyone want to kick their blanket off in shame when recalled.

However, stating it differently, it could mean that Jin and Altina loved each other enough to engage in what would typically be deemed shameful and embarrassing behavior without a second thought.

Yes. Jin and Altina loved each other.

Even if that love did not arise from normal circumstances but was born out of extreme suffering and chaos.

At the point when the end led towards the destruction of the world, Altina von Rudel Seryas had not many choices available to her.

Though the affection that bloomed between the two was not pure love but merely a twisted relationship where they licked each other’s wounds after having lost so much, Jin truly loved Altina, and Altina loved him in return.

And now, decades later, when faced with Erekaya’s question about whether he and Altina were in a relationship, Jin hesitated about how to respond.

Was he and Altina dating, or was there love between them?

No. Perhaps it was true in the now-vanished past, but at present, Jin and Altina were neither dating nor were they in love.

At this moment, Jin and Altina were simply friends.

While they informally pretended to have a master-disciple relationship, that was purely a misunderstanding and misconception on Altina’s part, and in reality, Jin was not acting as a mentor to her in any way.

Yes. Jin considered Altina as a friend, felt a personal closeness towards her, and cared for her a lot—

But he did not love her, nor did he have any romantic feelings for her currently.

“…..”

At this moment, the Altina of now was identical to the Altina von Rudel Seryas that Jin had loved in the past.

From her appearance to her voice, personality, and even the warmth that lingered at her fingertips, there was nothing to distinguish her from that past version of herself.

…Yet, despite this, the current Altina was not the Altina he had loved.

Long ago, there had been a woman who had died for him, claiming that she loved him.

And there was a man who buried her death in his heart, using that emotion as his driving force throughout the long years.

If he merely equated past and present Altina based solely on their external appearances, where would the feelings he had harbored until now go?

Jin had loved the woman named Altina von Rudel Seryas.

And that was precisely why he believed he should not haphazardly speak of his feelings toward Altina von Rudel Seryas.

The woman who had loved him and whom he had loved was no longer, and would never return.

From the very moment Jin agreed to Erekaya’s plea to charm her and vowed to make her happy, the answer had already been predetermined.

“No, we aren’t involved at all. We definitely aren’t dating.”

As Jin replied in a curt tone, Erekaya’s expression changed just slightly.

It was a change that was so subtle and momentary that neither Jin nor even Erekaya, in his mind, managed to notice it.

‘We aren’t involved at all…’
EP.53

Recently, seeing them live together in the training hall while claiming to be in a master-student relationship, and even observing how they casually went in and out of each other’s rooms, I thought there was a good chance the two of them were in a romantic relationship. But it seems that assumption isn’t true.

However, even so, I cannot let my guard down.

The depth of affection between a man and a woman tends to grow in proportion to the time and memories they have built together.

Even if he currently denies it with such a firm tone, there might come a moment when the two of them accidentally find themselves in a more intimate relationship.

‘…But why am I even thinking about this?’

Jin and Erekaya are not in any relationship. At least, not publicly.

I don’t know how much of the truth regarding his family background he knows, but seeing him harbor no animosity towards her suggests he might not know that Erekaya and the House of Pendragon are akin to his enemies.

Should he reveal all the truths to him and seek atonement, or should she conceal the truth and restore the happiness he deserves?

Ultimately, Erekaya chose to hide the truth from him.

Even if that choice might one day ruin their relationship, and even if it ultimately leads to deceiving him—

The thought of him possibly looking at her with disdain at this very moment terrified her too much.

Yes. Jin and Erekaya are like family. More accurately, Erekaya holds an unilaterally indebted sense towards Jin.

He is someone she must repay for a lifetime and a person she must ensure is happy, doing whatever it takes to keep him from feeling lonely.

She thinks she has no right to interfere in his relationships with anyone, whether it’s friendship, dating, or anything more romantic.

The woman known as Erekaya del Pendragon is nothing but a sinner in front of Jin. She is no different from the main cause of ruining his life.

It would be unthinkable for someone like her to shamelessly meddle in his life.

But… why does she feel so perturbed? Why does something feel so unsettling?

She does not reveal the strange emotions bubbling up inside her, even though she herself does not fully understand them.

Erekaya del Pendragon is not a weak woman who would let her emotions escape her as she struggles to collect herself.

Still… she could not deny the turmoil within her heart.

If Erekaya doesn’t stop him at this point, he will no longer say a word and will just leave her.

And the place his footsteps would lead back to would be none other than the room of Altina von Rudel Seryas.

By his demeanor and expression, it was clear he did not seem like he had just stepped out from Altina’s room, but rather like he had merely stepped outside for a breath of fresh air.

This was not merely speculation. It was a revelation derived from the fleeting moments of his gestures, actions, habits, and subtle changes in expression.

She had to make him stop. She needed to speak to him somehow. She wanted to ensure he didn’t leave her.

…But why? Why does she feel this urgent need to hold on to him?

Swallowing a question whose answer she doesn’t even know herself, Erekaya managed to come up with a reason to call out to him.

“Um, um… Jin! If you’re okay with it, would you like to study together?”

“…Study?”

Jin’s frown suggested that Erekaya’s proposal was completely unexpected.

“Y-Yes, study. The midterms are coming up soon, right? Besides, I don’t know if you’re aware, but to join the student council, you have to achieve certain grades. It’s a bit embarrassing to say after recommending you, but if you don’t get good grades and can’t join the student council, it could be a bit troublesome for me too…”

Though it stemmed from an excuse, it was a pretty plausible one, even in her own thoughts.

From what Erekaya understands of Jin, he doesn’t seem like the type to study on his own, no matter how many times he thinks about it.
Of course, I was already aware that his natural intellect was unexpectedly quite sharp.

However, it was likely the “environment” he grew up in and other external factors that had prevented him from developing an interest in studying.

To draw him into the student council, and to get closer to him by teaching him, and most importantly, to ensure he doesn’t return to Altina’s room,

The option to study together and even teach him felt like an excellent choice.

“Hmm… No, I’ll pass. I can study by myself, after all.”

…Regrettably, this was the situation when he had not rejected her proposal.

Jin’s reason for declining Erekaya’s suggestion was quite simple.

‘Still, receiving direct instruction from her feels a bit… awkward…’

Altina was fine. After all, Jin and Altina had already established a master-student relationship.

It was only natural for him to be teaching her the usual things, so he felt justified and had no need to be embarrassed.

Claire was… well, Claire was also fine. Having already been taken care of while in bed, there was nothing left to be ashamed about in front of her.

But Erekaya was different. They weren’t officially in a relationship, nor were they that close, so unilaterally receiving help felt a bit inappropriate as a man, didn’t it?

In other words, it was simply a matter of dignity—there was no way to save face in front of a girl.

“I think it has to do with my student council admission issue, but I can manage to get those grades without your help. After all, aren’t midterms supposed to test how diligently one has studied all this time?”

Jin shamelessly spouted that, even though he had already been studying with Altina and Claire for a week.

“Well, I appreciate your concern, but I really am okay. I don’t want to impose on you for help.”

Saying that, Jin turned away from Erekaya without looking back. Without even giving her a chance to speak, he vanished in an instant.

“…..”

On the other hand, Erekaya, who never once thought she would be turned down, felt strangely unsettled.

Well, it is understandable that someone who prefers studying alone might directly reject her suggestion.

But was it really necessary to refuse so vehemently? Does he really dislike studying together that much?

After all, Erekaya was a girl who had never once dropped below first place in her class since entering Nineveh!

Others were eager to study with her, yet this guy had the gall to turn down her proposal—who did he think he was?

He would regret it. No, she would make him regret it for sure. And she would certainly make him fully aware of the reality he finds himself in.

When he sees his midterm results and discovers how Erekaya scored, Jin would undoubtedly regret the words he had just spoken.

It wouldn’t be of any use to cry and whine afterward. Just as she felt absurdity, he should also cling to her and sincerely regret his actions.

Then, ten days later, the rankings for the midterms were publicly displayed on the classroom bulletin board.

“…..”

“…..”

“…..”

==========

1st place: Jin.

2nd place: Erekaya del Pendragon.

3rd place: Altina von Rudel Seryas.

==========

As if it had been prearranged, everyone’s gaze focused on Jin.

Not just from Class A, but he had taken first place across all of Nineveh, with overwhelming scores.