Chapter 169: The Troubles With Relationships

Relationships were difficult—Timothy was aware of that. He had burned more bridges than what was necessary, but even this very hour, he wasn't given any reprieve from any of them. He was accompanied by three people. Two who were already acquainted with him and one he felt awkward around. Of course, the two weren't predisposed to the sole person who came with him.

...And Timothy had no clue why Ellynn was tagging along with him.

"Are you coming with me to see, Han?" He finally asked and watched the girl's cloak flutter, but she didn't say a thing. The Half Elf was capable of speaking when it was just them, but with the presence of Penelope and Elliot, she had grown numb. Or maybe she didn't want to admit that she was looking for Han.

It annoyed him slightly—not because Han was good with women. Although Timothy remembered Becky and how she was nicer to Han than him... but it wasn't really that. It was more on the fact that he was getting dragged because of it. If he hadn't gone along with Han to the city on their intent to purchase weapons, he wouldn't have met Iola.

If Timothy didn't hang around with Han then he didn't have to tolerate the Nobles either. Lady Angelika was alright, but he couldn't stand Sir Leon de Harrington at all. Penelope was nice, but there were seriously too many people he could handle.

And yet despite the people he was with and despite his terse talk with Iola, there was the undeniable fact that he still had to rush back to his room and deliver lunch for her. Better that he did this rather than the woman to go out on her way to steal muffins.

"Are you alright, Timothy?" Penelope suddenly asked him.

Timothy looked up and winced, he hadn't been paying at all and she looked concerned. He didn't deserve this much kindness from her at all.

Regardless, she reached out and tapped his arm lightly, Penelope scooted closer. "You seem kind of tense. What's the matter? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Timothy rubbed the back of his neck, "...just our classes, I'm still worried about failing at Professor Howard's class." It wasn't exactly that, but he didn't want to share his thoughts.

"I'm terribly sorry that I haven't been able to help you—but perhaps, Eli you can probably teach Timothy better than I could. Would you help him?" Penelope tilted her head and glanced down at the younger boy. He was funnily also wearing a cloak, although it didn't cover his face so it was more like a cape.

"O-of course, elder sister." The young boy turned to him and flashed them a bright smile. "I'll do my best to train you into a Mage, be prepared for a time of suffering though~"

Timothy blinked. He noticed that Ellynn along with Penelope halted their steps for a moment. So he wasn't the only one who heard it clearly.

The boy flushed and waved a hand, "It's really hard to be a Mage, so without suffering, there's not a chance for growth. My apologies if it sounded intimidating to you."

It sounded like something Han would tell him. Maybe the little guy and Han had a lot more in common than he thought, and so Timothy nodded. "Thank you, I appreciate—" He trailed off. He couldn't stay too late when he had to worry about Iola too.

Or did he?

The boy suddenly produced a journal and a quill from within his cloak, "Let's discuss this then. I tend to study on my own, I have some allowances for absences or the liberty to leave when necessary, but I'd like to set a schedule with you regarding my tutoring you."

Elliot was serious about this.

"Ah, can I think about it for a moment, I might need to discuss it with—"

"With Han?" Penelope's face scrunched up lightly, "You don't have to ask permission from your friend."

"No, it isn't that." He coughed. Did people really think of him like that? He shook his head, "Han and I are also training when we can… and I'm used to retiring early during the nights." The fewer people who knew about Iola was obviously the better, despite their somewhat tense exchange of words—he doubted that he could make the girl leave without them putting up a fight and a fuss.

Elliot raised a brow, and jotted on his journal."No burning of the midnight candle then. Earlier mornings? How about lunch?" The young boy sounded like a Professor in their own right.

"Perhaps we should discuss it after lunch, Eli." Penelope coughed lightly, "I think Angelika is already waiting for us." She made a move to the door and raised a hand to the doorknob. She didn't even notice the group coming from the other side of the corridor.

And so her hands made contact with someone else—Han's.

Timothy watched the two jerk away from each other, and it was almost comical in a way. Penelope threw a harried look at Han, "W-Whaa—"

Han was wiping his hands on his trousers, looking away from them. He didn't look exactly comfortable at all.

Alright, maybe it wasn't comical at all. But it was rather quite time-consuming, and with the already large crowd right behind Han and the others—He really couldn't be dragged into this. Without waiting for somebody to speak out or resolve the situation, he opened the doors to the cafeteria and slipped inside.

And ended up bumping with someone.

"Hey!" He looked at the person, and his frown tugged lower as he realized it was the blonde Noble. And somehow they were gawking right now? What was up with them… Timothy followed his line of vision and saw a duo on the table.

Two girls on the table.

He glanced at Sir Harrington and shook his head. Was this guy serious? Were they too distracted to even apologize? Timothy moved forward to find a table for himself and plopped down. He should talk to Elliot, for now, though—all he needed was lunch. For her and for him. That was pretty simple, wasn't it?

.. .

He wasn't too much of a 'virgin' to get embarrassed about this minor incident. He had just held hands accidentally with Penelope, nothing as bad as feeling up someone's chest. The problem was that it just happened to be her? The look she gave him made it seem like he was an assaulter. Were they that troubled?

The sound of doors opening grabbed his attention as Timothy moved past them. And was quickly followed in by Sir Leon de Harrington, the Noble not even waiting for the rest… as if he was pulled in by some kind of trance?

Han didn't know what was up.

"A-Apologize!" Penelope's voice sounded right in his ear, a mixture of a squeak and a screech. She was red-faced.

Han recoiled back and rubbed his ears, "Easy there, I don't want to get—er, deaf. But my bad?" He coughed and tried to slip away from the girl, and the little devil glowered behind her back. The little devil being her brother. It wasn't his fault, though it was better to get this over with. It wasn't only going to tank his Fame stat at all like last time, but it was also going to give him a headache if he tried to disagree.

But right before he left, he finally saw a familiar cloaked figure. Somehow, Ellynn could blend into the background when she wanted to. He made a move towards her and waved, "Hey, Ellynn. What's up?" What else could he say to the girl that he had almost died with?

Not quite a death-experience, but it was still something close.

"Um, hello Han." She greeted him quietly with a slight nod. She didn't say anything else after that as silence ensued between them.

He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled slightly. "You got your cloak back from that ginger-haired dude in the… place?" Nobody was listening in on their conversation, right? But he still had to be safe.

"His name was Theodore, but yes. I've retrieved it." She answered in a much more comfortable tone. Until she stepped closer towards him and poked his shoulder. She did it a couple of times and then finally stepped back.

He felt himself blush slightly at the sudden gesture, "Uh, what's that for? Not that I mind but do I have lint on my shoulder?" Han brushed his shoulder consciously.

"...I attacked you last night."

Even though he couldn't see her face, there was a touch of regret in her tone. She was clearly apologetic—and he had almost forgotten the [ Invisible Blades ] thing made from air. Did his body heal overnight… no. He shrugged and rubbed his shoulder, "Somehow, Timothy had a bottle of healing potion, and he dumped it on me."

That made much more sense than his body recovering from the attack.

"I see, that's a relief." Ellynn fumbled for a potion out of her cloak, presumably her belt bag, and handed it to him. "You also need to carry one of your own though, at least for emergency purposes."

He blinked and received the potion, their hands brushing lightly as they did. He coughed and accepted it, keeping it in his grip. "Thanks. Uh, you going to have lunch, Ellynn?" Should he ditch Sir Leon Harrington and the others again like last time? He glanced back over his shoulder—only to see the blond man standing in the cafeteria already.

And with one unknown woman walking towards the Noble and Timothy's direction.