One-Eyed Monster

The one who bumped into Igor was none other than Stim.

Stim hurriedly went to inform the Dean about the incredible situation in the basement. He originally thought the Dean would be as surprised as he was and come to see what was really happening.

But the Dean simply told him it was no problem, said Stim had already completed what he should, and urged him to go to the private library.

Originally, Stim should have been overjoyed, because visiting Dean Hoffman’s private library was something he had always dreamed of. But now he had realized his wish amidst a fog of confusion, and his heart couldn’t rest content. Especially since Dean Hoffman also mentioned that the young man was still in the basement...

Stim felt he had been too hasty at that time; what if that boy named Igor was hiding at that moment? Wouldn’t it mean he overlooked it due to carelessness? How could he make such a mistake? If similar lapses occurred while copying books or conducting research in academics, it would be catastrophic. The more Stim thought about it, the more uneasy and dissatisfied he became. He believed he must have been frightened by the sight of an empty ice bed, thinking it could freeze a person...

He was not convinced. He felt Dean Hoffman’s calmness precisely indicated that he hadn’t done well enough. Therefore, he decided to return to the basement himself for a closer look, to find out where someone could hide.

Before Stim could arrive at the basement, Igor bumped into him...

When Stim saw Igor’s face, he was quite shocked! He wasn’t surprised that the boy suddenly appeared in front of him; he was surprised at how the boy could move so freely in such a short time.

In books, he read that it takes a period for a frozen person to recover normally; it shouldn’t be this quick for someone to be vibrant.

Igor looked at Stim, slightly at a loss, as he felt a bit embarrassed in front of this senior who had taken care of him for such a long time, unsure of what to say.

Should he say thank you? Igor scratched his head, uncertain what to decide.

Although very surprised, Stim didn’t forget his real purpose: ”Were you really hiding just now?”

”Uh, yes!” Igor felt that he shouldn’t confess after avoiding his senior, but was slightly embarrassed, simply not used to accepting others’ help.

”Damn! Seems I really scared myself, unlike the calm Dean!”

Igor initially thought this senior would ask why he hid, but the matter didn’t develop as he had anticipated, Stim’s reaction somewhat unexpected for Igor.

”Uh, aren’t you angry?” Igor scratched his head, as doing similar things in the past often made people angry.

”Angry? Uh, a little, angry at myself, rushing things at the slightest difficulty, too quick to conclude!” Stim thought aloud, then sat on the doorstep of the Dean’s office building.

”You’re not angry at me?” Igor pursued the question further, still quite concerned about the matter given past experiences, always consciously avoiding those who helped him, not out of embarrassment, but to others could seem ungrateful, often angering those who understood him.

”Why should I be angry at you?” Stim was a bit puzzled, considering this boy seemed so inexplicable.

”I disappeared before your eyes! Don’t you want to know why?”

”Uh, not really. Ah, right, why did you disappear?” Stim said he didn’t want to know, but immediately asked, an example of how human reactions can be slow.

”Uh, actually I’m a bit, ah, I don’t know how to say it, rather conflicted.” Igor said, also sitting on the doorstep. It was sunset, a twilight at the changing seasons.

”Do you fear being seen by others?” Stim asked, knowing everyone in the academy recognized Igor, but few had engaged deeply, rumors stating he had peculiar quirks, almost like an oddball.

How precisely Igor was strange, no one knew, as few had contact with the boy.

The only one who seemed willing to approach this boy was Young Master Rostov...

”I’m not afraid of being seen, but I simply fear facing those who help me. Each time, I feel I’ve not done well facing them.”

”Oh, I see!”

”Yeah, so I hid. Honestly, I didn’t want you to see me...” Igor hung his head.

”Yet, you were still found by me!” Stim said.

”Uh...”

”So you don’t need to worry about doing well. Look, you’ve always wanted to be an Adventurer, and now you’re using a Hunter’s skills to evade me, indicating you did very well indeed, not as you’re thinking.”

Igor felt the senior’s words were convoluted yet made sense.

”So, are you really not angry with me, senior?” Igor still thought Stim might be angry.

”How could I be angry at you? Hiding is your ability, the real one who didn’t do well was me, not you!”

”Uh, but I, doing well seems wrong!” Igor scratched his head, feeling somehow much freer facing Stim.

”Right or wrong isn’t that critical, let’s talk about me. My father always hoped I’d become an Adventurer, but I only want to be a Scholar, so I resolutely pursued scholarship. Yet even now I can’t open a Spirit Book, indicating I’m not highly talented as a Scholar; do you think my choice was right or wrong?”

”Well... It’s the first time I’ve heard of a father wanting his child to become an Adventurer.” Igor often pinpointed the differences.

”Uh...” Stim also knew his father’s wish was odd, but it was indeed his father’s aspiration, ”He always hoped I’d open up some new trade routes for him...”

”Your father really has great insight; Adventurers indeed are a remarkable profession.” Mentioning Adventurers got Igor excited.

”Although it’s said so, I still believe Scholars are a remarkable profession too. I’ve always loved books, just think about how hard it is to write so many books; Scholars also do something extraordinary!”