My Family in the Novel?

Chapter 41: Joint Combat Exams 8

"Miss Bella Raiseinler, could I have a bit of your time?"

Bella's eyes widened in surprise, a rare occurrence in her life, going all the way back to her childhood. The mention of her name drew the immediate attention of those present in the room.

"Oh my, isn't that the alchemy department's top student?" one person whispered.

"What is he doing here?" another questioned.

"Did he just call out for Miss Bella?" murmured yet another.

As murmurs began to spread throughout the room, the students of the magic department were clearly taken aback by Adrian's sudden appearance. Aria, who knew Adrian, called out to him.

"Adrian?" she exclaimed.

Adrian, with a warm smile, greeted Aria.

"Oh, Aria! Long time no see. I haven't seen you since classes started."

Aria couldn't help but cringe at Adrian's overly friendly behavior. She was well aware that his easygoing demeanor had a tendency to attract attention.

"What are you doing here?" she inquired.

Adrian, without missing a beat, replied, "I just wished to talk with Miss Bella over there." He pointed at the surprised Bella, who had just been the center of attention.

Aria, taken aback, couldn't help but ask, "Bella? Since when did the two of you get acquainted?"

Adrian's response was nonchalant. "Last night."

The room filled with murmurs once more as this revelation sparked curiosity among the students.

"Ehh, last night?"

"What did the two of them do last night?"

"That's surprising. I've always thought of Miss Bella did not caring about relationships. I guess she's still human, after all."

Adrian took slow steps into the room ignoring the bewildered Aria and approached Bella. The attention was intense, making Bella nervous and unsure how to respond.

Her instincts told her to run, but the shiver in her legs made her lose her balance, and she nearly fell into Adrian's chest. This sudden, close interaction sent the room into a frenzy of excitement.

Adrian, seemingly unfazed, asked, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yes" Bella, her voice a little shaky, responded.

With the room's attention focused on them, Adrian made his intentions clear.

"About what happened last night, can we talk about it?"

The voices in the room grew louder, with everyone curious about what had transpired between the two the previous night. Bella didn't know how to respond; part of her wanted to flee from the situation or teleport away.

She was still afraid of Adrian and uncertain about how he might react. But as she weighed her options, she knew that she had no chance against Adrian, given the overwhelming power she had sensed from him the previous night.

Or perhaps it was the doll's power; she couldn't be sure. One thing was certain: the doll was nearby, and she could sense its presence, adding to her unease.

"S-sure"

Reluctantly, she agreed to talk with Adrian, but she remained vigilant, ready to protect herself if the need arose.

As Bella and Adrian left the room and headed into a private training area, Aria watched them with a curious gaze.

She had her own questions and a growing sense that something was amiss. While her curiosity drove her to want to ask Adrian about his relationship with Bella, another part of her hesitated. There was an inexplicable fear, a deep-seated unease that kept her from confronting him.

Aria's hands trembled slightly, almost as if her body remembered something that her mind did not. Her apprehension and trepidation continued to grow as she watched the two walked away.

Aria couldn't help but recall the past, the countless times she and her brother, Liam, had tormented Adrian since their childhood.

Despite being a family, the jealousy they felt was undeniable. Adrian had inherited their mother's ashen gray eyes, the same as their older sister, Lilliana.

Those coveted eyes were a source of envy, driving them to subject Adrian to relentless bullying throughout their early years. The torment had persisted and grown more severe as they grew older, eventually leading to assassination attempts.

Aria herself had even tried to personally harm Adrian, orchestrating fake assassinations with the help of her illusion magic and exploiting Adrian's kindness.

She had been the one to torment him, not the other way around. The shift in dynamics left Aria deeply perplexed, and the events that followed their visit to Adrian's room while he was recovering only added to her confusion.

She was torn between a desire to know the truth about what happened in that room and the fear that knowing, might reveal something she was better off not understanding.

…..

'Click'

Adrian locked the door, the room now sealed from prying ears.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Bella inquired, her eyes reflecting her vigilant nature.

"Straight to the point, eh? I like that," Adrian chuckled, his gaze locked on Bella's eyes, and a subtle smile playing on his lips.

"You saw what happened last night, right?" Adrian asked.

"Yes," Bella replied without hesitation.

"Oh, you're quite honest about it."

"I know there's no point in lying, especially in front of you."

"Well, I guess that's true," Adrian mused, his hand gently stroking his chin as he seemed to be deep in thought.

"How about this, Bella? If you forget about what you saw last night, I'll forget that you were there to see me as well. We can both go our separate ways without interacting with one another. How about it?"

Bella felt slightly taken aback by Adrian's proposal. She couldn't understand why he would make such an unreliable deal.

Wasn't he worried that she might reveal what transpired last night to others, the damage he had done to the forest, or his doll's confrontation with the principal? She remained unsure of how to proceed, but looking at Adrian's nonchalantly smiling face, she realized he was indeed serious about the offer.

Bella was a logical person, despite her aloof nature. She recognized that accepting this deal had its advantages.

It allowed her to deal with the consequences later, rather than denying it now and facing an unknown aftermath. She didn't fully understand Adrian's circumstances or motivations.

"Okay," she agreed, her response making Adrian smile as he extended his hand.

"Okay, I guess that's it, huh? that was quite fast haha"

"Thank you for considering for taking time in my unusual request. Oh, and just because I said we'll go our separate ways, I hope we can still be friends" Adrian said, his tone upbeat, and his smile genuine.

"Sure" Bella replied, her usual drowsy manner concealing the fear that surged within her.

Adrian unlocked the door, and they stepped outside.

"There you are Bella"

A voice suddenly called out to Bella

With a heavy sigh and breathless from running, a professor suddenly called out to Bella. He rushed toward them, and then, with utmost urgency, he knelt and spread his hands, presenting Bella with a document. It was a form for participation in the upcoming joint combat exams, and he implored, "Please sign it."

Bella's response was unwavering. "No."

As she tried to walk away, the professor desperately grasped her foot. Tears welled up in his eyes as he clung to her, pleading, "Please sign it. Without you, there's no hope for the magic department students."

Both Adrian and Bella exchanged glances, and they couldn't help but regard the professor with a mix of pity and incredulity at the absurdity of the situation.

The joint combat exams were a unique event where senior students faced off against their juniors. It was a lively and spirited competition, intended to foster camaraderie among the student body, inspire the younger generation, and provide them with a realistic preview of what lay ahead as they progressed through their years at the academy.

The matchups were clear: first-years against second-years, and third-years against fourth-years. What set this event apart was that it didn't discriminate based on department.

Regardless of whether you were a swordsman, mage, or summoner, you could find yourself pitted against students from other disciplines. It was a true free-for-all examination.

Estelle Academy placed great importance on adaptability and survivability, considering these skills invaluable for students once they ventured beyond the academy's walls and into the real world.

The combat exams were designed to push students to their limits, challenging them to adapt to various combat situations and emerge victorious.

While mages held significant power, they were often at a disadvantage when faced with equally formidable swordsmen.

The reason was straightforward: mages needed time to cast their spells. In a head-on battle like the one presented in the exams, mages were at a distinct disadvantage, leading to their frequent defeats.

Despite these challenges, Professor Dust was determined to have Bella participate in the exams, viewing it as a chance for the magic department to secure a win after years of defeats.

It had been three long years since a first-year student from the magic department had emerged victorious against a combat department student, and the professor was desperate to see that trend reversed.

"No," Bella replied once again, maintaining her stance.

The professor's desperation grew as he tried to negotiate with her. "Please, please participate. You know what? I'll even allow you to not attend any of my classes for a week, no, a month. How does that sound?" he pleaded.

"….No"

Bella hesitated for a moment, her reluctance showing. She truly didn't want to participate in such an event, as she would much rather be napping. But then, Adrian chimed in with an unexpected suggestion.

"Why don't you participate? I bet it's going to be fun" he said with a warm smile.

"Ok"

Bella's response came almost immediately, and it left the bewildered professor Dust staring as she signed the document, he had begged her to sign.

As Bella and Adrian walked away together, Professor Dust could only stare at them in bewildered amazement.

It was an unexpected turn of events, and he couldn't quite believe that Bella had agreed to participate in the upcoming joint combat exams.

For someone known for their aloofness and disinterest in most things, her sudden change of heart was truly surprising.