Chapter 126 - Nathan Reads Chloe's Test

  Nathan Evenhart:

  After 5 hours in that room, we were finally allowed to leave. I had finished much earlier, but the rules required us to stay until the time . I was a little tired, more mentally than physically, but the relief of finishing the exam was satisfying. During the test, the Goddess Athena sat o me, reading along and ughing whenever I hesitated to choose the right answer.

  "Are you going to mess up again?" she teased, her voice eg through the room. At one point, the crazy woman took off her shirt, g she was 'hot,' and sat o me like that. I had to take the exam with this lunatic half-dressed by my side while I tried to stay focused oest.

  I knew I had to get some questions wrong on purpose so as not to raise suspi, but there were areas where I wouldn’t allow myself to fail—especially when it came to questions about war strategy and bat. My pride was at stake, and I didn’t hold ba those.

  When I handed in my test, something unusual happehey pced it on a stone sb and covered it with a metal pte. I waited in silence for a few minutes, unsure of what they were doiually, they returhe test and expihat a copy had been made using a device simir to a photo mirror, st it somewhere else.

  I was impressed—magical teology still mao surprise me, even with everything I already knew. With my test in hand, we headed to the cafeteria, where we had to wait for the part of the exam.

  The cafeteria was buzzing with nervous energy. The whispers of other students filled the air, and it was impossible to ighe tension on their faces.

  “Chloe!” I called out as soon as I saw her. She still seemed anxious. I joihe line for food, and she stood quietly beside me.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to uand the source of her tension.

  “Nothing…” she replied, turning away to hide her disfort.

  Did she do badly oest? I doubt it… she's smarter than me.

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure you did great. You were always better than me wheudied at home. I remember how you memorized the names of all the kings and queens from the st 400 years across the three kingdoms.”

  She let out a small sigh. “I think I did well, I’m just worried about something else…”

  Could it be the uping bat test that's w her?

  “Is it the battle part? You’re amazing with your element, there’s o worry.”

  Chloe shook her head, her eyes filled with another kind of . “Nathan, who’s going to grade our test? Do you think a lot of people will see it?”

  Her face was starting to flush, and she was visibly more anxious.

  “Our future teachers will probably ha,” I said, hoping to reassure her.

  But that only made things worse. She went pale as a ghost.

  “And the personality test… do you think they’ll really analyze it closely?” she stammered.

  “Of course they will. That test is meant to figure out what kind of mage we are. I imagihey’ll attach it to our academy profile.”

  As soon as I said that, her face drained of all color. Something was definitely off.

  “Chloe, what’s going on? Did you leave something bnk?” I asked, trying to figure out what was b her.

  “N-No,” she stuttered, clearly on edge.

  I g the test in her hand and quickly grabbed it before she could react.

  “Wait!” she excimed, but it was too te.

  "Don't worry. Take my test. Let's look at them together, and you'll feel better. I was nervous about some of my aoo."

  Chloe hesitated, holding my test, her eyes avoiding mine. "Wh-what did you put for the third question?" she asked, stammering more than usual.

  "You open it and see," I said with a smile, trying to ease her nerves.

  Chloe quickly opened my test, her anxious gaze sing my personality responses.

  "This is about what I expected..." umbled, gng at my answers.

  Before she could stop me, I opened hers.

  "Nathan! You really shouldn't—"

  "Now that you've seen mi's only fair," I replied with a slight grin.

  Her face turned red as she desperately tried to grab it back. "Wait! Let me expin before you read it!"

  I ignored her plea and started reading through the questions. Everything seemed normal at first. The first question was simple:

  'Do you sider yourself a good person?'

  Chloe answered 'Yes.'

  The sed question:

  'What do you hope to achieve at the Apsalon Magic Academy?'

  Chloe answered 'To bee an excellent ice mage.'

  Nothing unusual so far. The personality test was basic, asking about hobbies and preferences. But when I got to the third question, I uood why she was so nervous.

  'What do you like most? If there’s more thahing, you write them all.'

  I read Chloe’s answer ohen again, because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

  'I like Nate.'

  'I like hugging Nate.'

  'I like... being with Nate.'

  'I like... Nate’s smell.'

  I looked up at Chloe, shocked. She was pletely red, barely able to look at me.

  I felt guilty for reading it. It was such a personal thing that I questioned whether I should have insisted on seeiest at all.

  "I... I'm sorry," she whispered, clearly embarrassed.

  Before she could say anything else, I pulled her into a hug. She tensed up at first, but then rexed and hugged me back.

  "It's okay, Chloe. This is normal. I like you too, and I’ll always be here to protect you. No one will ever hurt you as long as I’m around. You always t oo be by your side."

  Her faehow turned an even deeper shade of red, which I didn't think ossible.

  "T-thank you, Nathan," she whispered, quickly turning away to hide her face.

  I knew Chloe had feelings for me. After spending the st ten years together, it was hard not to notice. But this... this was evolving in a way I hadn’t expected.

  She likes my smell? Is she like Cyl? I feel like I’m in trouble now.

  At some point, I’d have to front my own feelings too... but I wasn’t ready for that yet. Not after losing the only person I ever loved in my previous life.

  Chloe Evenhart:

  Did he just fess to me? Was that some kind of fession?

  My entire body was exploding with emotion, and all I wao do was run. But I had to tain myself, had to stay in trol… except I couldn’t.

  Nate hugged me… but this time, it was different. He pulled me into his arms in a way that left me pletely frozen.

  I gnced ba line and noticed a few people had seen us.

  I was embarrassed, but at the same time, I felt so happy I thought I might burst.

  I couldn’t even look at him.

  That idiot was vague again. He said he liked me and would alrotect me, but he didn’t expin what he meant by "liking me."

  I tried to gather myself. It didn’t matter if he was evasive. I was still glowing from hearing those words e out of Nathan’s mouth.

  He said he’d be with me forever… and I hope that’s true, because I’ll always be by his side too.