Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter  750 - 171.3 - Catching Up

Sylvie's thoughts swirled, Astron's words replaying in her mind with quiet insistence. If you keep being swayed by other people, you will always be in shackles. The weight of the statement gnawed at her, even as she followed him through the cafeteria line. She barely noticed when it was his turn to order. 
"I'll take the grilled wyvern flank," Astron said, his tone calm and measured, as if he were reciting from memory. "With blackgrain rice and the spiced thornroot soup. Add the forest greens salad on the side." 
The staff member behind the counter raised an eyebrow but quickly nodded, noting his order. The precision and specificity in his request stood out against the usual quick, casual orders from other students. Astron paid no mind to the looks he garnered, stepping to the side to wait for his tray. 
Sylvie blinked, her attention pulled back to the present by the unfamiliarity of his meal choices. Wyvern flank? Thornroot soup? Most students just went for the standard fare—simple pasta dishes, grilled meats, or a bowl of soup. Astron's order, on the other hand, sounded like something straight out of a high-end restaurant, and yet he requested it with a nonchalance that made it seem perfectly ordinary. 
Her curiosity piqued, Sylvie found herself wondering about him again. Did he always eat like this? Or was this just another sign of how much he'd changed over the break? 
She hesitated, suddenly feeling self-conscious about her own choice. Her usual go-to—a simple chicken and vegetable dish—suddenly felt embarrassingly plain in comparison. Still, she forced herself to focus as the server turned to her expectantly. 
"Uh, I'll have the… herb-roasted chicken," Sylvie said quickly, glancing at the menu board. "And a side of steamed vegetables. Oh, and a mana-infused tea, please." 
The server nodded, moving efficiently to prepare her tray. As Sylvie stepped aside to wait with Astron, she stole another glance at him. He stood there with the same calm poise he always carried, his attention seemingly elsewhere. 
The silence between them stretched again, but this time, Sylvie didn't mind. She found herself watching him quietly, wondering how someone could be so composed, so utterly unaffected by everything happening around them. And yet, as she replayed his words in her mind, she realized there was more to his calmness than indifference—it was a choice, one she wasn't sure she knew how to make herself. 
Their trays were handed over in quick succession, and Astron turned, gesturing toward an open table near the corner of the cafeteria. Sylvie followed, her thoughts still heavy with his earlier statement and the strange sense of admiration she felt for his ability to remain so steady amid the chaos. 
As they sat down, she couldn't help but glance at his plate again. The neatly arranged wyvern flank, the dark, nutty aroma of the black grain rice, and the earthy scent of the Thornroot soup all seemed so deliberate, so purposeful—much like Astron himself. 
Astron glanced up from his tray, catching Sylvie's lingering gaze. "Curious?" he asked, his tone even, with just the faintest edge of amusement. 
"A little," Sylvie admitted, leaning slightly over her tray as she poked at her vegetables with her fork. 
"It's part of my new diet," he said simply, starting his meal with a slow, deliberate sip of the Thornroot soup. 
"New diet?" Sylvie asked, tilting her head. She couldn't hide the note of surprise in her voice. From what she remembered, Astron wasn't someone who ate much in general. He was the type to grab something quick and simple, often skipping meals if he was too focused on his training or studies. This change, like everything else about him, seemed so… deliberate. 
"Yes," Astron replied, his calm tone carrying a faint edge of practicality. "It's important to get the nutrients that are necessary. Most people only consider the macros—proteins, carbs, fats—but for us Awakened, the micros matter even more. There's a much wider scope of vitamins, minerals, and compounds to account for when managing the strain of combat and mana usage." 
Sylvie blinked, a little caught off guard by his matter-of-fact explanation. She had heard about the importance of balanced diets for Awakened before, but she hadn't really thought about it in this level of detail. "So… you did a lot of research?" she asked, curiosity lacing her tone. 
"Not on the level of a scientist," Astron said, his lips quirking slightly in what might have been a half-smile, "but I read quite a few articles." 
Sylvie nodded, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of her chicken as she considered his words. "That does sound like you," she said softly, more to herself than to him. 
Sylvie hesitated, her fork hovering over her plate as she glanced at Astron. She had been holding onto the question for a while now, debating whether to ask. But the curiosity bubbling inside her, mingled with the faint uncertainty she couldn't quite shake, finally won out. 
"How was your break?" she asked, her voice light but laced with genuine curiosity. 
Astron paused mid-bite, his eyes lifting to meet hers. His gaze was steady, unreadable, and for a moment, Sylvie felt as though he was assessing her, deciding how much to say. The silence stretched just long enough to make her shift slightly in her seat, her pulse quickening. 
"It was fulfilling," he said at last, his tone calm and measured as always. 
Sylvie blinked, raising her eyebrows slightly. Fulfilling? she thought, the word echoing in her mind. What did that mean? Was he talking about his training, his newfound focus and growth? Or… was he talking about something else? 
Like Irina? 
The thought hit her like a jolt, and she quickly lowered her gaze to her tray, focusing intently on the piece of chicken she was cutting. Her mind, however, refused to let the thought go. 
'We did meet during the break.' 
Irina's words from earlier resurfaced, along with the unmistakable swirl of emotions Sylvie had sensed radiating from her—anger, protectiveness, love, and jealousy. It was clear that something significant had happened between them, though what exactly, Sylvie could only guess. And now, hearing Astron describe his break as "fulfilling," her mind couldn't help but connect the two. 
A pang of something sharp and uncomfortable twisted in her chest. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but it was there—a feeling she couldn't quite name, somewhere between frustration and… something else. Something she didn't want to acknowledge. 
She pushed the thought aside, trying to focus on the present. "Fulfilling?" she echoed, attempting to keep her tone neutral, though her curiosity betrayed her. "What do you mean by that?" 
Astron glanced at her briefly, then returned his focus to his meal. "I learned a lot," he said simply, taking another sip of his soup. 
The vague response only fueled her inner turmoil. Learned what? she thought, her mind racing. Was it about his training? His growth as an Awakened? Or… was it about Irina? The possibility gnawed at her, and no matter how much she tried to shake it off, the pang in her chest refused to fade. 
"Sounds like it was productive," Sylvie said at last, forcing herself to keep her tone light. She managed a small smile, though she wasn't sure if it reached her eyes. 
"It was," Astron replied, his calm demeanor unwavering. 
Sylvie nodded, falling silent as she turned her attention back to her plate. But her thoughts continued to spiral, the weight of her unanswered questions pressing against her like a heavy fog. Whatever had happened during Astron's break, it was clear that it had changed him—and not just in terms of his diet or his presence. There was something deeper, something she couldn't quite grasp. 
"It feels like… you changed," Sylvie blurted out before she could stop herself. 
The words hung in the air, and she immediately regretted them. Her cheeks flushed as Astron raised an eyebrow, his calm purple eyes shifting to her with an unmistakable glint of curiosity. 
"I've changed?" he asked, his voice steady, his tone tinged with genuine interest. "How so?" 
Sylvie froze, her heart racing. Why did I say that? she thought, biting the inside of her cheek. She couldn't exactly admit that she had been watching him closely, noting every subtle difference in his demeanor. The thought alone made her embarrassment deepen. 
"I-I didn't mean it like that," she stammered, gripping her fork tightly as she stared down at her plate. "I just… I mean, it's obvious, isn't it? You've been more… focused, and, uh… deliberate, I guess." 
Astron didn't reply immediately, his gaze steady as he continued to study her. Sylvie's mind raced for an escape route, but none presented itself. Her [Authority] wasn't helping either; the faint hum of his emotions around her remained calm, unreadable, offering her no clues to his thoughts. 
She tried to gather herself, taking a small, steadying breath. "It's not a bad thing," she added quickly, forcing a smile and hoping to steer the conversation away from her own embarrassment. "It's just… noticeable. That's all." 
Astron finally leaned back slightly, his expression softening. "You notice a lot," he said, his tone almost amused. 
Sylvie's face burned. Why does it sound like he knows I've been watching him? she thought, squirming inwardly. "Well, I mean… it's hard not to notice. You've been different since the break. It's not like I'm spying on you or anything!" 
Her words spilled out faster than she intended, and the moment they left her lips, she wanted to disappear. Why am I even saying this? She gripped the edge of the table, willing herself to stop talking before she dug herself deeper. 
Astron nodded his head, a faint acknowledgment of her words. "You're right," he said calmly. "I have changed. Change isn't something to fear, though most people are scared of it. But we're always changing, aren't we? Every day, in small ways." 
As he spoke, his tone was even and thoughtful, but then he raised his gaze, his sharp purple eyes locking with Sylvie's emerald ones. The intensity in his stare sent an unexpected shiver down her spine. 
"Just like how you've changed," Astron said, his words deliberate. "Was the training with the Headmaster helpful?" 
His words….. 
THUMP!  
Sylvie froze, her heart skipping a beat as the words hit her like a bolt of lightning. Her grip on her fork tightened, and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. 'How does he know?' she thought, her mind racing. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om