Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 689 154.2 - Morning

The warmth of the tea in Irina's hands grounded her as she sat across from Astron. The quiet weight of his presence filled the room, the faint scent of lavender mixing with the rich aroma of the tea. Her initial embarrassment began to ebb, replaced by a lingering curiosity and a slow, creeping sense of recollection.

As she took another sip, her gaze flickered to Astron. His composure, his calm demeanor-it was impossible to ignore. And with it, fragments of last night began to piece themselves together in her mind.

She remembered the moment he had carried her, the strength in his arms as he navigated the hallways of the Emberheart. Mansion. She'd been too exhausted to protest, her body too drained to do much more than rest against him. Yet, even in her haze of fatigue, she'd felt safe-an unfamiliar but comforting feeling.

'He laid me on the bed,' she thought, her cheeks warming slightly at the memory. His movements had been deliberate, careful. He'd settled her onto the plush mattress as though she were something fragile, his touch gentle as he ensured she was comfortable.

Her fingers tightened around the cup as the next memory surfaced.

They hadn't simply parted ways after that. Astron had stayed, sitting beside her on the edge of the bed. She could still remember the faint glimmer of exhaustion in his usually sharp eyes, the subtle tension in his posture that spoke of a day spent pushing himself to his limits.

And yet, even with that fatigue, he'd remained.

They had talked for a while-soft, quiet words that seemed to fill the room with a rare sense of peace. His hand had brushed against hers at one point, a light, fleeting touch that had sent warmth spiraling through her. And then, as if drawn by some unspoken understanding, he'd allowed himself to relax, his head tilting back against the headboard.

'I was tired, she thought, her lips curving into a faint smile. 'So was he'

Her mind wandered further, recalling the subtle touches that had followed. Nothing overt, nothing rushed-just light caresses, hands brushing over shoulders and arms, the occasional shift of weight as they sat close to one another. She hadn't felt the usual tension of expectation or propriety. There had been no urgency, no demand for more. Just the quiet comfort of his presence, his scent, his warmth.

Her exhaustion had eventually caught up with her, pulling her into sleep before she could even realize it. The last thing she remembered before drifting off was the sound of his steady breathing beside her, a rhythm that had lulled her into rest. And then there was him-beside her, resting as well. The memory of his still figure lying beside her returned, and her chest tightened at the thought. Astron, who rarely let his guard down, had chosen to stay. Not because he had to, but because he wanted

to.

Her gaze flickered to him now, sitting across from her, his hand resting casually on his cup. His expression remained composed, but she could see the faint lines of weariness in his features, the subtle reminder of the toll yesterday had taken on both of them.

Irina's gaze lingered on Astron, his composed demeanor a stark contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts still swirling in her mind. She took a small sip of her tea, the warmth soothing but doing little to quiet the growing sense of unease mixed with an odd comfort she didn't want to name.

"Are you still tired?" she asked suddenly, her voice softer than she intended. Astron looked at her, his sharp purple eyes narrowing slightly before he shook his head. "No," he replied, his tone even. "Not anymore. I slept quite well, in fact."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Irina blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the simplicity of his answer. "You... slept well?" she echoed, her cheeks heating slightly as she thought back to the quiet moments they had shared before sleep overtook her.

Her thoughts turned inward. I slept well too, she realized, a fact that surprised her. It had been a deep, peaceful sleep, unbroken by the usual tension or unease she often carried. Was it because of that bastard? Or was I just that tired?

She didn't know. But the thought made her heart twist slightly, a part of her reluctant to admit how much his presence might have helped.

Her lips parted as if to speak again, but then something struck her. Her expression shifted, her eyes widening slightly as she leaned forward. "Wait... what time is it?" she asked, her voice tinged with sudden urgency.

Astron raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her shift in tone. "It's 10 A.M.," he said smoothly, his lips curving into a faint smirk as he took another sip of his tea.

"Ten?" Irina repeated, her voice rising an octave as the weight of the time hit her. Her eyes widened further, and she sat upright, the blanket slipping off her shoulders. "Ten?!"

Panic surged through her. If my mother finds out about this...

She could almost hear the sharp tone of her mother's voice, the disapproving look in her eyes. It wasn't just about missing breakfast-it was about the principle of it. Her mother's strict rules left no room for negotiation or leniency. If something's time had passed, it had passed. There were no second chances.

And now, not only had Irina missed breakfast, but Astron had too. The two of them hadn't shown up, and if her mother found out why...

Her stomach twisted at the thought, but then-

RUMBLE.

Her face burned as her stomach growled loudly, betraying her hunger in the silence of the room. Irina froze, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red as she clutched her blanket tighter.

Astron's sharp gaze flickered to her. "Hungry?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with amusement.

Irina glared at him, though the effect was somewhat diminished by her flushed cheeks. "It's your fault," she muttered, her tone defensive. "If you hadn't..." Her voice trailed off as she realized she couldn't finish the sentence without incriminating herself further. Astron chuckled softly, the sound low and rich, sending a shiver down her spine. "If you hadn't told me to stay?" he teased, his tone light but unmistakably smug.

Irina groaned, burying her face in her hands as her stomach rumbled again, this time even louder. "Shut up," she mumbled, her voice muffled.

Astron didn't reply immediately, but when she peeked through her fingers, she saw him standing, his calm demeanor unchanged. "Come on," he said simply, holding out a hand. "Let's find something to eat."

She hesitated, her pride warring with the undeniable truth of her hunger. But as her stomach growled yet again, she sighed in defeat, reaching for his hand. "Fine," she muttered, her voice low. "But if my mother finds out..."

Astron's smirk deepened as he looked at her, his sharp gaze gleaming with amusement. "You weren't worried about your mother finding out when you were doing all that yesterday," he said smoothly, his tone laced with playful teasing. Irina scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned her head to the side, her fiery red hair cascading over her shoulder. "Imph," she retorted, her voice brimming with defiance. But the faint blush dusting her cheeks betrayed her composure, her

thoughts racing back to the night before.

Astron chuckled again, his voice low and rich. "Fine, fine," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'll make you breakfast. After all, you're the heir of the Emberheart family. It makes sense that you've never cooked for yourself."

Irina's eyes narrowed as she shot him a glare. "I could if I wanted to," she muttered, though the words lacked conviction. A faint memory flickered in her mind, pulling her attention away from her retort.

She remembered the time in Phantom's Land, a moment etched vividly in her mind. She, Astron, and Sylvie had been stranded there, left to fend for themselves. She and Sylvie, both entirely useless when it came to survival skills, had been completely at his mercy. Astron had been the one to gather ingredients, start the fire, and prepare their meals.

Her lips twitched into a faint smile despite herself as she recalled the way he had effortlessly managed everything, his calm demeanor never wavering. Both she and Sylvie had been ravenous, practically inhaling the food he'd made. His cooking had been far better than she'd expected-simple but delicious.

'It's been a while,' she thought, a flicker of anticipation rising in her chest. The memory of his cooking, the warmth of the meal, the quiet satisfaction of being cared

for-it all came rushing back.

Her gaze flickered back to Astron, who was already moving toward the door with that same unhurried confidence. The faint desire in her heart grew stronger, and before she could stop herself, she spoke up.

"Don't mess it up," she said, her tone sharper than she intended, though her blush betrayed her. "If it's as bad as your sparring skills, I'll throw it out."

Astron paused at the door, glancing over his shoulder with a faint smirk. "So you're saying my sparring was bad now?" he asked, his tone amused.

Irina huffed, crossing her arms again. "Just make the food," she said, her voice quieter this time, her blush deepening.

Astron didn't reply, his smirk lingering as he stepped through the door, leaving Irina

standing in her room. She watched him go, her arms still crossed as her blush

deepened.

"Stupid guy," she muttered under her breath, her gaze flickering to the bed before returning to the door. How does he always manage to get the last word without even

saying anything?

With a soft sigh, she moved toward her wardrobe, her thoughts drifting as she began to collect herself. If Astron was heading to the kitchen, it would give her some time to freshen up. She glanced down at herself, the faint sheen of sweat on her skin reminding her of last night's sparring match. The memory of their duel-the heat, the intensity, and everything that had followed-sent wave of warmth through her cheeks once more.

'I didn't even shower yesterday,' she realized, cringing slightly. Her competitive spirit had driven her to push herself to the limit during the spar, and afterward... well, everything else had happened.

She ran a hand through her fiery red hair, wincing at the slight tangle near the ends. It

felt wrong to let herself be so disheveled, especially now. Astron might have seen her at her most vulnerable yesterday, but that didn't mean she wanted to stay in that

state.

'I'll just take a quick shower,' she decided, her steps purposeful as she moved toward the bathroom.