"So, what’s your excuse?" staring at the young man towering more than an entire head over herself, Medea asked with pouting lips, a clear trace of annoyance lacing her melodious voice as she gazes with an expression fitting of her tone.

Right now, Novus feels confused.

After all, the two of them doesn’t have anything that they promised each other to do, nor does he think he did anything that could and would offend her, hence the reason why he felt all the more clueless as to why this usually straight to the point lady is acting like this right now.

Still, despite the fact that he is clueless right now, his time spent being with her clearly shows, as rather than continuing on guessing, his instincts, forged from repeated brutal battles, already told him of what to do.

’Apologize.’

He hardly knew of the reason why he had to, but he did so anyways, as it is already his instincts that warned him to do so, prompting him to open his mouth as he smiles faintly, apologetically, all while his mind tries to solidify his suspicion.

"I have none, Medea, I should’ve told you that I won’t be going out yesterday." he replied with a soft tone and the smile still on his face, the morning sun shining through his skin making him appear all the more glowing to her eyes.

An entire day has passed since Novus first encountered Goblins and Ebony Direwolves in the Evolution Domain, an entire day he had put into a subconscious trance of improving himself, time passing without his knowledge as he continues absorbing Evolution Crystal after Evolution Crystal.

During the time that passes, he was also granted another entry to the Evolution Domain, encountering several Golden Slimes as he roams the outskirts of the Verdant Forest to harvest more useful Slimy Gold Dust from them, all while jumping into the fray whenever he encounters groups of Goblins and Ebony Direwolves fighting against each other.

Through this, he had harvested far more than he could by participating full on in a single clash, allowing him to survive more than long enough for him to acquire not only more E and D Tier Evolution Crystals, but also more unique resources from each of his targets.

Still, inside the Evolution Domain, all good times are bound to meet their end, and exactly so is what happened once he stumbled upon the biggest fight he had ever seen between the Goblins and the Ebony Direwolves.

Normally, he would’ve felt joy encountering such a large harvesting area, but before he can even take advantage of the chaos...

He blacked out, the last thing he remembers being the pain of his head popping like balloon as it was pierced with a massive spear.

Indeed, spear, not arrow.

Hence brings us to the present event, with him waiting for the lady’s response as she froze in place, seemingly not knowing what to do after his apology.

"Medea?" waving his hand in front of her as she continues acting frozen, Novus calls to the lady’s name, snapping her out of her entranced daze as she realized what she just did.

’D-did I just...’ realizing that she had been staring at his face for quite some time, she couldn’t help but feel shy as blood rushes to her face, revealing a faint flush that she immediately shook of with a shake of her head as she attempts to regain some semblance of composure for herself.

"I-it’s fine, as long as you know what you did... A-and also, it’s Senior Medea if we’re outside, humph!!"

She replied in a high voice that took him by surprise.

Still unaware of it, the contrast between the usually playful yet confident and ever-so-calm and certain Medea, and this act of hers, her genuinely shy, stuttering reaction to him, made his heart skip quite some beats.

"How... adorable..." he mutters to himself in an attempt to articulate the chaotic thoughts going on in his mind, his faint words reaching the sharp lady’s ears and making her all the more embarrassed for reasons she cannot point out just yet.

"A-ahem... by the way, it’s quite impressive that you know your mistakes immediately, Junior Novus..."

Trying her best to calm herself down, Medea faked clearing her throat before she added a snide remark, the usual playful, mischievous tone gradually returning as she begins finding her bearing, but still wondering since when was it that Novus starts socially improving.

’I thought it was just because of me but... he sure improves fast even in things like this...’ she remarked to herself, impressed not only of his absurd growth as a mage, but as a person as well, making her feel a bit proud knowing that she is more than likely a part of the reason why he turned into such person now.

"Should I take it as a compliment?" he asked, noticing her slightly mocking tone from her previous words, his question interrupting her thoughts as a small giggle escaped out of her lips.

As for the reason? It is because she realized that despite him gradually overcoming his shell as a person, he still has a long, long way to go if he really wants to change.

"Who knows? Fufufu~~~" with her realizing such fact, she finally returns to her usual self, walking side by side with the young man as the two of them proceeds to enjoy their morning walk, the first few rays of the morning sun shining down making them feel the warmth.

And along the warmth of the sun, they both feel warm with their conversations as well, the young man laughing and the lady giggling as they go on with their walk, making them feel that despite not growing any stronger during this sort of moments, such moments are nonetheless, time well spent.

"Fufufu~~ so you’re just like any other kid back then huh?" hearing an interesting tale during his younger years, Medea couldn’t help but giggle, finding the young man all the more interesting as she hears more about him, a faint, charming smile blooming on her face as she stops her step.

"As if you’re any different..." hearing her teasing tone, he smiles wryly as he shakes his head, still walking despite her stopping as he moved beyond one of the paths in the crossroad, the path leading towards the female dormitory.

"Wait, Novus, what are you doing?" seeing the young man walking towards the female dormitory, Medea would’ve started teasing him for taking the wrong path, had it not been for his reply taking her by surprise yet again.

"What do you mean what am I doing? I’ll walk you back, of course." Novus declares as-a-matter-of-factly, the calm tone in his voice like this is something normal making her all the more surprised.

Still, she also finds herself looking forward to him acting like so, hence the reason why she didn’t take the chance to tease him or to ask whether he is sure of it, her steps light as she catches up to him, eventually walking side by side.

As they walk down the path towards the female dormitory, the Sword Princess, one of, if not the actual most powerful student within the academy hums a joyful tune with a smile on her face.