Isabel Walks into the Rain

Isabel did not appear in her seat until Iver began his lecture.

She had previously said she wanted to visit Iver's lectures and also wanted to paint a portrait of Iver.

Therefore, Iver was a little disappointed when he didn't see her in the classroom.

But Iver also composed himself and began to help Professor Bard with his lectures. This process of lecturing was also a process of deepening his own understanding.

This lesson continued to focus on the Stibium Kingdom, discussing the numerous impacts Valentine I had on Star Antimony. Iver, however, incorporated some of Valentine I's personal experiences as a diversion.

This wasn't some hidden intelligence from Previous Life game— Valentine I had no secrets to speak of. As a founding monarch of humble origins, the various stories circulating among the people would certainly outnumber, if not diminish, the actual historical events.

This is what Iver has been studying this week. He's been reviewing Stibium Language by reading the biography of Valentine I. Although Iver's grasp of Stibium Language is sufficient for him to read * "Alchemical Cipher" *, his reading speed is still somewhat slow. Languages need constant review, otherwise they're easily forgotten.

Fortunately, Iver learns quickly enough.

He has finished reading the entire book "Ordinary Ritual Studies" and is almost finished reading "Valentine I".

He plans to borrow and read ""Six Classics Unraveled"" and ""Dissection Theories"" this week.

Both books are from the Imperial period, one a sage's guide to the Path of Adaptation, the other to the Path of Twilight. Stibium Language is essentially the language of the Empire. Aside from some minor differences in conjunctions, they are generally interchangeable.

The former outlines the six main skills for Path of Adaptation: traps, assassination, poison, medicine, lies, and divination, while the latter is an introductory book for the necromancer profession.

Although this book is not Grimoire, it still contains esoteric knowledge.

The best way to conceal one's true spiritual inclinations is to borrow all the books on every spiritual path. As long as you read them quickly enough, you won't waste any.

But when Iver was halfway through his lesson, he suddenly realized that some students were looking in the wrong direction... as if they were staring at the door.

He turned around twice but saw nothing. Suspicious, he secretly looked back while taking a break to drink water and finally discovered Isabel's little head silently peeking halfway out of the classroom's front door.

Professor Bard could clearly see her from this angle, but he pretended not to. Only after Iver discovered Isabel did the old man finally burst out laughing.

During the break between classes, Iver had Lily push him out.

"Why don't you come in? Aren't you tired of standing outside painting?"

Iver spoke, he turned to look at Isabel's canvas to see how her painting was going.

"Wait, wait! Don't look yet!"

Isabel quickly reached out to cover the canvas. But her hands were too small to block it. The paint on the canvas was still wet, and it wasn't convenient to pull the mask down.

So she simply reached out and blocked Iver's eyes.

She whispered, "I'll look at it after I finish drawing... The magic drawing looks really bad when it's halfway done."

"Alright."

Iver readily answered.

He wasn't that curious—since Isabel mentioned she didn't want him to see it beforehand, he simply wouldn't.

After confirming several times that Iver didn't intend to peek, Isabel finally slowly lowered her hand.

As Iver opened his eyes, he saw that her cheeks were slightly flushed.

Perhaps she wasn't used to such close contact with others, or perhaps she was cold.

"Aren't you coming in? It's so cold outside."

Iver asked again in a low voice, "Didn't you say you were coming to sit in on my lectures? You can't hear anything from outside the classroom."

"... The canvas is too big, and I also brought paints and potions with me."

Isabel was a little troubled. "If I sit in the classroom, I'll take up the space of several people. The paint will also easily get other people's clothes dirty... It will cause trouble for others."

"I was also worried that someone in the row in front of me might bump my desk and make me accidentally draw crookedly. I thought about it and decided to draw outside instead—the sunlight was just right."

"Then you can stay by the podium," Iver suggested. "It's a bit too cold outside anyway. You don't want to catch a cold."

It rained all day yesterday, and it's still a bit damp outside today. It's late November now, and it's damp and cold outside; Isabel's fingers are even turning red from the cold.

Even if I catch a cold, you can still treat it for me, right?

Isabel instinctively wanted to say that.

Now that she knows "Mr. Fox" is Iver, she has an extraordinary trust in Iver's Illumination Spell —even before Iver enrolled in school, he had already honed his Illumination Spell to the point where he could use it continuously with his right hand, possessing a priest-level healing ability. Minor illnesses like the cold can be cured with ease.

... But these are words that can only be spoken in one's heart.

Isabel was worried that this would make her seem too willful, too dependent on others, like a little girl who hadn't grown up yet.

She knew, of course, that if she said or did these things, she would surely gain the tolerance and affection of others.

But she will eventually grow up and become less adorable than she was as a child. If she still harbors a childlike mentality then, she will become a burden and be disliked. She is also a member of the royal family and may even inherit the throne. In that case, she might incur the resentment of not just one or two people, but the entire nation.

Isabel's ideal self is mature, strong, decisive, reliable, cheerful, and talkative, someone who can be trusted and loved by people without question... just like Iver and Senior Hai Na, just like her Grandmother, someone who can undoubtedly become the center of attention.

During his several encounters with reporters, Iver was able to speak fluently and provide perfect answers to even the most difficult questions. His eyes always seemed to shine with confidence, and the jealousy and hatred of others could not shake him in the slightest.

She's trying so hard to become that kind of person, but she really feels she's far from it. This makes her seem a bit dejected.

This time, she finally saw what it looked like when Iver was giving a lecture.

—Just as she had imagined.

His lips were always turned up, giving off a pleasant, relaxed, and natural feeling; his voice was clear, melodious, and powerful. Although he sat still, his hands displayed a wealth of body language, and the rhythm of his speech kept the students' attention focused on him, occasionally eliciting gasps of surprise or laughter.

She had never heard of a class that could keep students wanting more. Iver's lectures were like a performance, or a powerful speech.

The last time she had witnessed such a scene was during the Grand Guardian's speech. The twenty-minute speech kept all the audience members in a state of high spirits and full of enthusiasm.

But that was the result of a mystical technique. The exclusive mystical technique of the Path of Authority is "Leadership," which includes various purposes such as domination, incitement, and appeasement. However, Iver achieved this goal simply through words...

He might have a natural talent for Path of Authority.

... Could Iver take on the Path of Authority part-time? This thought suddenly popped into Isabel's mind: she herself was not suited for the Path of Authority, but perhaps she could have someone she could trust who also possessed the Path of Authority, to whom she could entrust the power of the kingdom.

Wait, isn't that...?

Just as she was lost in thought, Isabel suddenly felt Iver lean over and place his hand on her forehead. A warm sensation seeped in with the touch, making her forehead, which had been frozen for an hour, feel warm and relaxed.

Sensing the contact of Light Attribute magic, she instantly snapped out of her reverie, her expression immediately tightening.

"He's not sick... what are you spacing out for?"

Iver with some helplessness, "If I keep standing by the door, I'm really going to get sick."

"I know you're afraid of being stared at by students. But don't you want to be like me? To speak confidently and eloquently to people without fear—if that's the case, you should at least come and learn from me, shouldn't you?"

"Observe me and observe them, placing yourself within the painting. Just as actors observe life to extract concepts... You have to observe me carefully to gain the courage you desire, don't you?"

He urged Isabel on in a low voice.

If he were to say directly, "You'll get used to being stared at for a long time," she might subconsciously feel that she's not good enough.

But if Iver tempts her by saying that she can gradually gain courage if she looks at him intently, she will focus on looking at Iver, and in the process, she will gradually get used to people's burning or sharp gazes, realizing that being stared at is not such a problem after all.

Before Isabel could reply, Iver suddenly leaned closer mysteriously and whispered, "By the way, you should know... Is Sherlock alright?"

"...I know."

Isabel replied instinctively, "My teacher told me, but told me not to get involved. She said I'd run into him at the advancement ceremony next month anyway... So you knew about it too?"

"That's good," Iver said with a slight smile. "If I end up like him next week, don't worry about me."

"You also...?"

Isabel was somewhat surprised.

She thought for a moment, then suddenly spoke seriously, "Do you need my help?"

"... What kind of help do you want?"

Iver hadn't expected the Princess's reaction at all.

Isabel mustered her courage and tentatively asked, "Can I help you disguise yourself... to make your plan seem more real? You know, I'm a ' All-rounder '... I've started working on acting since returning from the last ceremony."

But she hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head and said softly, "Maybe we should forget it. I'm a little worried that it might backfire..."

"--No."

Iver interrupted, "I do need you, Isabel. Absolutely."

Isabel looked up in surprise and saw Iver's eyes shining with a light as bright as the Rising Sun.

Iver gave an encouraging smile and said earnestly, "I really need you. If you can perform well, it will be a huge help to me. If everything goes smoothly this time, then when we advance together again next month, you will be able to fully demonstrate your abilities."

... So, that means I won't be a burden, right?

She didn't want to be a pretty face, a protected person, or a burden. Isabel also wanted to be a reliable teammate... just like Iver.

Isabel's eyes hardened. "I can do it."

A clear thought popped into her mind: she had to complete this task no matter what.

"Then come in, Isabel."

Iver gestured for Lily to open the door and whispered encouragingly, "The gazes and doubts you'll face then will be far more than this. This isn't a practice, it's a learning experience; not a training exercise, it's a trial. Learn from me, and withstand this scrutiny—can you do it, Isabel?"

"I can do it."

Isabel answered without hesitation.

She followed Iver into the classroom. This time, she stayed in the classroom until the very end.

Even though she was being looked at with curiosity, ambiguity, and gossip from her younger schoolmates... this time, Isabel's hand didn't tremble at all, and every stroke of her pen was a perfect performance.

She was also surprised by her own performance.

It was as if I were waking up from a dream for the first time, and the whole world became clear.

When the thought "I must do it no matter what" first crossed her mind, those gazes that were originally as sharp as swords suddenly could no longer hurt her.

—The malice and scrutiny from others are, at best, just a downpour.

She had been trying to shield herself from the rain with her hands, but no matter what she did, she couldn't stop it. As a result, she appeared incredibly disheveled, vulnerable, and helpless.

Now that Isabel truly has something she wants to do, she immediately realizes—that rain is ultimately just rain. Compared to real crises and difficulties, it is nothing. So weak as to be insignificant, it would only be scorned by the strong.

It was because her own heart was too fragile and her spirit too delicate that she thought it was something to be feared.

Heavy rain can only cause flowers to wither, but it can also be something other than flowers.

As the hourglass emptied for the second time, Isabel finally finished her last stroke.

In the painting, Iver raises his hand, his profile displaying a confident smile, exuding pride and piercing gaze. His background isn't in a classroom, but rather seems to be in the glow of the sunset... in a fiery, intense red-purple light.

Isabel gazed intently at Iver in her painting, secretly making up her mind.

—One day, I want to be like him, able to walk into the rain with a big laugh.

A 7,000-word update! Preparing to advance to the next level tomorrow~