章 243: Confession II
After confessing to the three girls and spending the evening with them, I returned to my room, my mind swirling with a mixture of relief and elation.
'Thank the stars they all agreed,' I thought, feeling a warmth settle into my chest.
Each of them had accepted being in a relationship with me, and without any of them wanting anyone else on the side. It was, admittedly, the perfect outcome I'd hoped for. Hypocritical? Perhaps. I'd been prepared for the possibility that they'd demand I choose just one—hardly ideal, but understandable. Much as I didn't want to share them, I imagined they felt the same.
But it seemed that time had built something unbreakable between us, something they believed was worth embracing, unconventional as it was. So, they agreed. I let out a quiet breath, my lips curling into a smile that felt honest and unguarded. I was content in a way I hadn't been in a very, very long time.
With this strange yet gratifying conclusion to the evening behind me, I reminded myself that there was plenty of work ahead. After nearly a year on extended leave from the academy, there was a mountain of material to catch up on. Thankfully, they'd given me the summer for it. 'A summer buried in books instead of sunlit days… but well worth it.'
Despite everything, this past year had been transformative, far beyond anything I'd imagined possible. I'd broken limits, shattered barriers, and unearthed depths of power I hadn't thought attainable. But this also left me with a new set of questions, the most pressing of which was: 'Who exactly was Art?'
I knew he was the real Arthur Nightingale, the true owner of this body. But he was far more formidable than the Arthur I'd known from the novel—or, rather, than the Arthur whose body I had come to possess. His skill, his raw strength... these weren't the traits of a regular academy student.
'Could he have regressed?' The thought had been lingering in the back of my mind for some time. It would explain the strange familiarity he wielded, his immense knowledge of things I hadn't even considered possible yet. If he had, somehow, returned from the future to his past self, then perhaps I'd taken over only after he'd set his plan into motion.
'Perhaps he went back in time… only for me to unexpectedly claim his body.' It was a troubling idea, a cascade of fate and misfortune intertwining. And yet, if it were true, it might explain why he'd been so powerful in that isolation chamber, a being clearly beyond what I'd imagined.
I leaned back, fingers drumming a soft rhythm on my desk as my thoughts wandered back to Art. In the novel, the original Arthur Nightingale was talented, certainly—a figure who, despite lagging behind the titans in Class A, was expected to break past the Wall and perhaps even reach Immortal-rank. Radiant-rank, however, was forever beyond his grasp.
But that alone didn't explain it.
Not even close.
Art, with my body, had taken down an Ascendant-ranker nearly single-handedly, a feat bordering on the impossible. It was an overwhelming display of pure skill and precision.
Why? Because my body, at the time, was still low Integration-rank. He might have achieved Sword Resonance, yes, but in terms of raw mana reserves, he was leagues away from what would normally be required to take down an Ascendant-ranker. Lucifer Windward, as written, hadn't managed such a feat until his fourth-year winter break, and only after extensive training. Yet, Art had done it seemingly effortlessly.
It was more than talent or even an intuitive mastery. Art's command of mana was simple yet profound, stripped down to its most efficient form. He moved mana as if it were part of his own breath, each layer of aura placed with an economy of movement that bordered on the miraculous.
In its purity, his skill was almost transcendental. A masterstroke of control that seemed to laugh in the face of conventional limitations. Art hadn't just achieved something extraordinary; he'd managed to compress years of refinement into something timeless and fundamental.
The sheer level of mastery Art displayed was staggering, to the point that it was difficult to imagine even Magnus Draykar pulling off such a feat with the same precision. If Art's skill truly surpassed even the Martial King in certain ways, then there were depths to his story that I hadn't even begun to fathom.
Yet for now, the answers eluded me.
'The next time I'll meet him will be just before Radiant-rank,' I mused, recalling Art's parting words. When the time came for my soul's metamorphosis, he would return. Perhaps then, with Radiant-rank on the horizon, I'd finally be able to extract the answers I sought.
In the meantime, Art had set my mind at ease regarding my place in this world. He'd assured me that he had no plans to reclaim this body permanently. I was here to stay as Arthur Nightingale, free to forge my path, my identity—and now, my relationships. It was that clarity that had given me the courage to confess to the three girls, knowing I had a future with them.
As I lay back, my mind drifted to the upcoming mid-year exams. 'How will they play out now?' I wondered, the questions already stirring an eager anticipation. Smiling, I stretched out on my bed, the last of my doubts quieted—for tonight, at least—as sleep began to settle over me.
Unfortunately, I never got the chance to find out how the practical exams would unfold. The very next day, I was informed that my participation was no longer required.
"Seriously?" I asked, crossing my arms as I stood before Magnus, who handed me back the Rank 1 badge without a second thought.
"Lucifer already declined the position," Magnus replied with a smirk. "He said he'd only take it back if he genuinely surpassed you during the Sovereign's Tournament. For now, he considers it yours."
He tilted his head, regarding me with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Besides, is there really any need to evaluate someone of your… unique talents, you little monster?"
I sighed. "Still, it doesn't seem fair to just bypass the exam."
Magnus raised a hand, cutting me off with a rare, stern expression. "You're already behind, Arthur. The Academy has been lenient, but if you want to keep up, you need to focus on your studies. There's plenty of ground to cover if you plan on catching up with the rest of your year."
With a resigned nod, I conceded. "Alright. I'll get to work, then."
He gave a satisfied nod, and as I left his office, I couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead in both study and strength. But for now, it was time to return to the fundamentals.
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