Read Novel Full Chapter 510: Leaving For Iron Height [I]
Chapter 510: Leaving For Iron Height [I]
Apparently, we had to leave a lot earlier than any of us were prepared for.
Skirmishes on Iron Height were growing more frequent by the hour, and the situation was deteriorating fast.
If the rumors were to be believed, a full-scale war was about to break out very soon. My brother immediately needed the full backing of our army.
Because of that, our departure, which was originally scheduled for tomorrow morning, had now been bumped up.
We were leaving tonight. Right now, in fact.
I had changed into my Academy-issued combat uniform consisting of a sleeveless vest, combat trousers with far too many utility pockets, and sturdy leather boots. All black.
Hey, don’t look at me like that.
I wanted to wear something flashier. I really did. If you’re going to war, you might as well go in style, right?
But technically, this was still an official Academy mission. So, as much as it pains me to admit it, I had to follow “protocol.”
Three more sets of this same uniform and some very basic combat gear — like my Divine Sword and Divine Vajra, both wrapped in layers of clean rags — were packed into my travel backpack.
And since Vereshia never gave me enough time to even visit a salon for a haircut, I resorted to wearing a simple black hairband to keep my now neck-length golden locks out of my face.
I had never sported a hairband before, so I was initially a bit anxious about it, wondering if I should just use my innate ability to adjust my hair length instead.
But the moment I put it on and looked in the mirror, my jaw dropped.
Dropped, I kid you not.
I looked hot. I mean, let’s be honest, I’ve always been hot. But this was way too hot to handle, even for me!
That was a problem. Now I had discovered yet another thing I looked good in. Damn it.
At this rate, my biggest enemy on Iron Height wouldn’t be the enemy at all. It would be my own ego.
Tsk, tsk.
Anyway, with my backpack slung over one shoulder, I was out for the Academy’s airport apron.
The entire Ascent Isles had several airports scattered across all the floating islands, but this specific terminal where I was headed was situated at the western edge of the main island.
It was usually a quiet place, and tonight was no exception.
Upon reaching the terminal, I stepped through its automatic doors and scanned the area, very quickly spotting two figures waiting near the tarmac.
Vereshia was standing near the foot of the boarding stairs leading up to a military-grade jet.
Her dark silver hair was tightly swept back into a braided bun, and her stark red eyes — usually so fierce — looked uncharacteristically exhausted this evening.
With her arms crossed and a deep frown creasing her forehead, she was locked in a deep conversation with the tall young man beside her.
That tall young man of copper skin and sharp features was actually Aarav Caldwell.
Unlike Vereshia, he looked completely relaxed and well-rested. He had one hand buried in the pocket of his Academy jacket while the other loosely held a small paper cup of coffee.
His curly dark hair was slightly messy, looking as though he’d just rolled straight out of bed and came here.
A faint but friendly smile touched his lips the moment he noticed me approaching.
Vereshia followed his gaze and stopped her conversation with him mid-sentence to acknowledge me.
“Ah, Samael, you’re here.” Then, her frown deepened. “I-Is that… your sword?”
She was pointing at the rectangular, rag-wrapped bundle poking out of my backpack.
I gave a plain nod. “Yes.”
“…Where is your sheath?”
“I don’t have a sheath,” I admitted.
For a second, Vereshia looked so taken aback that she seemed to forget how to speak. When she finally remembered, she went, “It’s a high-grade artifact, isn’t it?”
“Sure.”
“So why do you have it wrapped in rags?”
“To protect it?” I offered, genuinely confused now. Where was this going?
Vereshia only added to my confusion by pinching the bridge of her nose like she was warding off a migraine. “Protect it from what?!”
“From dust, I don’t know?!” I gestured vaguely at… everything. “Why are you suddenly so obsessed with my sword?!”
The Cadet Council President made a slight motion with her hands that suggested she was either about to strangle me or trying very hard not to.
For the sake of my own health, I took a cautionary step back.
“Because,” she said through gritted teeth, “that is not how you transport a high-grade artifact! You’re breaking, like, every safety regulation we’ve ever written!”
I made a face. “Wait, there are regulations for this?”
“…There are seventeen. Twenty-three if the artifact is classified as sentient. Do you even read your Cadet handbook?”
“You actually read the handbook?” I scoffed loudly. “Wow. I knew you were a nerd, but—”
“Finish that sentence.”
I closed my mouth. Immediately.
Nah. My life was far too valuable to throw away for a joke.
Aarav snorted into his coffee. We both turned our heads around to look at him. He was trying very hard to keep a straight face.
He failed.
A sudden huff escaped his lips. And then, unable to hold it in any longer, he burst out laughing.
It was a loud, hysterical laugh.
He had to lower his cup to keep from spilling coffee all over himself, his shoulders shaking as he covered his mouth with a hand.
“I’m sorry,” he managed between breaths, looking at me. “Shia told me you two were close, but I didn’t think this close. Not many people can get her to break that dignified highborn noblewoman act of hers.”
“Okay, first of all, it’s not an act,” Vereshia was quick to counter. “And second, I never said we were close.”
“You asked me to tag along,” Aarav retorted easily. “You don’t usually ask for favors like that.”
“I did it because you had days off! You were just going to sit around and do nothing.”
“If you call catching up on reality shows while eating takeout for a whole week ‘doing nothing,’ then you seriously need to start living, Shia.”
How… was that living?
Vereshia looked ready to answer. But then, she closed her eyes, let out a long sigh, and came to the conclusion that this conversation wasn’t worth entertaining.
“The jet leaves in four minutes,” she announced and turned to climb the boarding stairs. “Get inside before I strap you both to the wings.”
“Got it, boss,” Aarav teased, flashing me a bright smile before following her up.
Yeah, this trip was going to be fun.
I started for the stairs as well, but just as I was about to plant my foot on the first step, a breathless voice shouted my name from behind.
“S-Sam! Stop!”
I did, frowning and resting one hand on the railing as I turned around.
Trotting across the windy tarmac toward the jet, I saw a familiar young woman. But still it took me a second to recognize her.
Because the last time I’d seen her, her gunmetal-grey hair had been long enough to reach all the way down to her lower back.
Now, it was cut short into a layered bob.
Don’t get me wrong. With her heart-shaped face and defined jawline, the shorter hairstyle was working in her favor, alright.
The silver-grey layers were framing her high cheekbones, hitting just at the chin to give her usually sweet appearance a sharp edge.
She looked different. But that new haircut, paired with her already arresting eyes possessing a shade of violet more vivid than even amethyst…
She looked different in a good way.
A bit disheveled, her unbuttoned coat fluttered behind her in the cool night wind as she slowed down.
Coming to a halt a few steps away, she placed her hands on her knees and started inhaling hard to catch her breath.
“Lily,” I greeted the girl. “Love what you did with the hair. As cliché as it sounds, changing your looks after a heartbreak definitely helps. I’m talking from experience. Trust.”