Chapter 82: Reflections of the Past and Present

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Nika Kusakabe lay sprawled on her bed, a soft glow from the bedside lamp casting a warm light over the pages of her book. She had been trying to immerse herself in the story, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Ryota. It had been two days since Valentine's Day, and despite her efforts to push him out of her mind, his image kept resurfacing.

She sighed, closing her book for a moment and staring up at the ceiling. It wasn't like she hadn't thought of Ryota before—he was her Best Friend, after all, and someone she deeply respected. But lately, something had changed. The past years had been fine; she had always admired him as a powerful and wise leader, someone to look up to. Yet now, her feelings seemed to have shifted into something more complex, something more personal.

"Maybe I do have feelings for him," she whispered to herself, the admission sending a shiver down her spine. She wasn't sure when it had started—perhaps it had been a gradual process, a slow realization that had crept up on her. Or maybe it had always been there, lurking beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to make itself known.

As she lay there, lost in thought, a vivid image of Ryota suddenly flashed through her mind. He was smiling—one of those rare, genuine smiles that lit up his entire face. And this time, he wasn't wearing his usual goggles. The sight of his uncovered eyes, clear and piercing, sent a rush of warmth to her cheeks, and before she knew it, she was blushing.

"Ryota..." she murmured, turning over on her side and clutching her pillow tightly. "Why do you keep disappearing like this? Where are you?"

She knew he had been gone for a week now, but no one seemed to know where he had gone. Ryota was a mystery, even to those who were closest to him. And yet, the longer he was away, the more she found herself missing him.

The thought of him being out there somewhere, alone, made her heart ache. She wished she could talk to him, tell him how she felt—maybe even confess the feelings that had been stirring inside her. But she wasn't sure if she was ready for that. Not yet.

As Nika tried to shake off the lingering thoughts of Ryota, the scene shifted to another part of the school, where two figures sat in quiet conversation.

Kaida Hoshino and Kyoko Amano were seated in a cozy corner of the school's common area, sipping on cups of tea as they chatted. Kaida had been abroad during the recent battles, unable to participate due to her commitments elsewhere. She had only returned a few days ago, and now she was eager to catch up on everything that had happened in her absence.

"So, tell me everything," Kaida said with a curious smile, leaning forward in her seat. "I heard there were some pretty intense fights while I was gone."

Kyoko nodded, her expression serious. "Yeah, you missed quite a bit. We had some tough battles, especially with Kael Vortan in the Mytho Realm. But we managed to pull through, thanks to everyone's efforts."

Kaida's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Kael Vortan. "Kael Vortan? I've heard of him. He's one of the most dangerous sorcerers out there. I wish I could have been there to help."

"Don't worry," Kyoko said, giving her a reassuring smile. "We held our own. But... there's something else I wanted to ask you about."

Kaida tilted her head, intrigued. "What is it?"

Kyoko hesitated for a moment before speaking. "It's about Ryota. He disappears sometimes, and no one really knows where he goes. Do you have any idea why he does that?"

Kaida's expression grew thoughtful as she considered the question. "I'm not entirely sure. Ryota is a bit of an enigma, even to us. But I think it's because of the burden he carries. He's the strongest sorcerer of our time, and with that strength comes a heavy responsibility. He feels obligated to help people, to protect them. And sometimes, that means going off on his own to handle things we may not even be aware of."

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