Chapter 380: My idol
Naturally, the instructor called it a day the moment Seraph Klaus arrived. The man did not need to say a word. His presence alone, coupled with the brief look he gave Kyle, made it clear that he wanted a private conversation.
Now, the two of them sat across from each other in the cafeteria, where most of the cadets were still having their meals. Neither had spoken for several moments.
Their presence had not gone unnoticed. Cadets occasionally glanced in their direction, while several instructors seemed to have suddenly discovered the convenience of taking a break in the middle of their duties. They lingered nearby under increasingly transparent excuses, clearly hoping to catch a glimpse of the man who had caused such a stir simply by appearing.
Naturally, everyone knew why Patriarch Klaus had come. His sudden arrival had put the instructors on edge, particularly the man who had been responsible for conducting the sparring sessions that day.
Fortunately for them, Seraph had not come looking for trouble.
His daughter herself had made it clear how important these seemingly insignificant incidents were to her growth. He was not entirely convinced by her decision, but for now, he had chosen not to interfere. Elena would have to walk this path herself, even if every instinct in him told him to keep danger far away from her.
For the moment, however, his attention remained fixed on the young man sitting opposite him.
"I heard what happened two days ago. You protected Elena."
"We were teammates, and since my opponent had already declared her surrender, it felt almost natural to interfere with her battle," Kyle replied calmly as he dipped the tea bag into his cup.
He had to admit, he hated the tea they served here.
It was convenient, low effort, and absolutely atrocious. The flavor was so bland that he could barely tell whether he was drinking tea or warm water that had once been introduced to a tea leaf. Still, he couldn’t possibly ask Veronica to brew him a proper cup while he was here. That was another small matter he would simply have to adapt to.
Though, damn, adapting was proving to be far more difficult than he had expected.
"You fought someone who managed to corner my daughter with relative ease, yet you came out of that battle without a single scratch." Seraph’s eyes remained on him. "That suggests one of two things. Either you’re lying about being a newborn, or your skills are considerably more monstrous than you have revealed."
Kyle did not hesitate.
"It’s my skill. I can see things better than others. That worked to my advantage when I faced an aggressive opponent like Ray."
It was the truth, at least as far as he was willing to take it.
Naturally, Kyle had no intention of revealing how he had actually managed to seize control of Ray’s chains. That particular ability was something he preferred to keep buried beneath layers of uncertainty.
A few people had already asked him about it. One of the instructors had even questioned him directly.
His answer had remained the same every time.
He had simply called it a fluke.
Seraph hummed thoughtfully before asking, "What are your plans after you graduate from here and obtain your license? I can hire you into my guild."
Kyle’s lips curved into a faint smile. "I’ve already decided where I want to be once I get my license. And that’s beside Miss Layena."
There was a brief change in Seraph’s expression. His brows lifted slightly, and for the first time during their conversation, the usually composed man looked faintly flustered. For a moment, he wondered if Kyle was referring to someone else with the same name.
Then he confirmed.
"Miss Layena is actually an officer serving under Commander Veronica."
"Oh..."
The realization settled over Seraph’s face. It was indeed the girl he had been thinking about.
"What have you heard about her?"
"Everything," Kyle replied.
There was an unmistakable gleam in his eyes as he spoke, catching Seraph off guard.
"I’ve heard a lot from the Commander about her. She told me how quickly Layena rose through the ranks and became the first cadet from her unit to fight a ghoul alone. Even the introductory videos I watched before coming here were mostly focused on her missions and footage."
Seraph quietly exhaled, and the tension that had briefly crept into his shoulders disappeared. Those words told Seraph that Layena seemed to be doing well even without him constantly watching over her.
The corner of his lips lifted slightly as he asked, "Did you see her?"
Kyle hummed, clearly confused by the question.
Seraph immediately clarified, almost too quickly, "I mean... were you able to meet your idol?"
Kyle shook his head. "Not really. But I did see her once. And just as I expected, she’s quite a beautiful woman."
Seraph’s expression tightened.
"Shouldn’t you be focusing on your training at this point in your life?"
Kyle raised a brow at him, barely suppressing a snicker at the seriousness in the man’s voice. After a moment, he nodded obediently.
"Right. I was just a little awestruck when I saw her."
Awkward silence descended upon the table after that.
Seraph then slowly rose from his seat and said, "I admire your dedication and your kindness towards my daughter. You may call it obligation, but you saved her." He then took out a card from his pocket before stating, "Here. Have this. You can contact me any time you need my help."
Kyle accepted the card with a thankful nod. "Thank you. It was nice meeting you."
He watched the man walking away before his expression returned to normal.
’Seriously, if being irresponsible has a face...’ he knew what exactly Layena had gone through to become who she was now.
Alone, silent, and scared to express what she felt.
And despite the reason, this man’s choice to keep his distance has affected her in more ways than he could ever imagine.
’A failure. He is no better than Mathew.’ Deciding to not sour his mood over the discussion, he chose to return to his room and rest for a bit.
Tomorrow could be an important day for many...including Arthur.