Power of Runes-Chapter 181: Silence Between Heartbeats

A/N: Lol by mistake I posted this Chapter in Volume 2 section, sorry for that

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[Melissia’s POV]

"It’s been four whole months now! Why is he still not replying to me?! Ughhh!"

Her voice came out sharp and frustrated as she stared at her phone screen, nearly throwing it across the bed before hugging it back to her chest.

She opened the chat again, even though she had already memorized every word she had sent.

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Contact: Ash Burn

Last Seen: 4 months and 1 week ago

Melissia: Hey

Melissia: What are you doing??

Melissia: Are you even alive??

Melissia: Answer me already!

Melissia: Are you ignoring me now??

Melissia: You better not be

Melissia: I’m seriously going to lose it

Melissia: Say something!

Melissia: You promised you’d stay in touch

Melissia: Did you forget? Or are you just a coward??

Melissia: Don’t make me come find you myself

Melissia: Do you know who you’re ignoring??

Melissia: Bastard!!!

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"Ah, damn it..." she groaned, flopping down onto her bed as she pulled a giant teddy bear into her arms and buried her face into its soft stomach.

Why am I always thinking about him...? Even now, no matter who I ask, none of the professors are willing to tell me anything. Every time I ask about him, they just say the same thing over and over again... ’He’ll be back soon.’

What kind of ’soon’ takes four whole months?

After the academy reopened following the demon attack, Ash hadn’t returned. The official announcement had stated that he had gone to visit his family due to the death of a relative.

But she wasn’t a fool.

He doesn’t have a family. Everyone knows that. Ash has been an orphan since childhood. The academy is definitely hiding something... but why?

Why did I have to fall for a guy like that...?

"Damn it... Damn it... Damn it..." she mumbled, her voice muffled against the teddy as she punched it repeatedly, though it was twice her size and far too soft to care.

She sighed heavily, her breath shaky.

It had all started back when she was just a little girl. Her engagement to Ethan had been arranged by their families. At that age, she hadn’t really understood what it meant, but she had felt happy at the idea of having someone to play with. It felt comforting in a way, like someone would always be there with her.

As time passed, they became best friends. She always saw him as someone close, someone familiar. But she never saw him as anything more than that.

Then came their awakenings.

Both she and Ethan were recognized as incredibly talented, with the potential to reach Saint rank. Their engagement, which had always been a quiet understanding, began to gain more weight. Everyone assumed it would become official after their graduation.

But then she arrived at the academy... and met Ray.

The first time she saw him, she had been drawn in—not out of love, but out of a strange curiosity. There was something different about him. He fought on equal ground with Ethan, despite having no notable backing, no noble blood, and no family name to lean on. He stood tall, completely on his own.

At first, she just wanted to understand him.

But the more time she spent with him, the more her heart began to shift. His quiet strength, his distant kindness along with his good looks—it stirred something inside her.

And she fell.

But Ray only had eyes for Elysia.

When he rejected her, even though indirectly, it had hurt. The kind of pain that left a crack in her chest no one else could see. And yet, amidst that heartache, another face kept showing up in her thoughts.

Ash.

The boy who didn’t care about her background.

The boy who called her ’Miss’ with a teasing smirk that made her want to punch a wall.

The boy who looked at her not like a noble heiress or some untouchable genius—but like a brat he didn’t have time for.

And yet... it was him.

And that bastard still has the audacity to scam me with that bet... He took more than one item just because I lost. Ughhh! Damn him!

Maybe it was because Ash had already left a mark on her before she even met Ray.

Maybe that was why, even back when she was focused on Ray, she still found her gaze drifting to Ash. In the training fields, in class, even in the corner of the courtyard where he always sat alone.

He’s always been alone. But even so, he never stopped. Never once did he ask for help. He kept pushing forward, step by step.

Meanwhile, she had one moment of heartache and acted like the world had collapsed.

Maybe that’s when it started. Or maybe even before that. I don’t know anymore. But every time I think of Ash now, it feels... different.

Even her own nature had begun to change, slowly, and she didn’t know whether it was because of him or because of herself.

"Damn... fucking bastard," she muttered again, clutching her phone. "You said you’d stay in touch. You said you’d reply... but you haven’t even read a single message. You didn’t answer a single call."

"FUUUUUCKERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!"

She let out a scream into the pillow, kicking her legs like a child throwing a tantrum—except her voice was filled with real anger, real pain, and something else she couldn’t name.

...Or maybe she hadn’t changed at all.

***

Next Day

The semester exams are almost here... and that fucker is still nowhere to be found.

Melissia let out a long sigh as she walked toward her morning class, her steps slower than usual. The cool breeze brushing past her couldn’t distract her from the swirling irritation and restlessness in her chest.

"What are you sighing for so early in the morning?"

The sudden voice pulled her attention back to reality. She turned to see the familiar figure beside her.

Ethan...? Of course, he’s here again.

"Nothing much," she replied casually, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Semester exams are starting next month. I was just thinking about that."

"Yeah, that’s true," Ethan said, his voice carrying a hint of boredom as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "After the demon attack, the academy’s been acting like some military camp. Every class feels like combat training now."

His expression said he wasn’t thrilled, but he didn’t complain beyond that. For Ethan, these past few months had actually been pretty good. Ray had gone quiet and withdrawn into constant training, while Ash had completely disappeared.

With those two out of the picture, Melissia hadn’t really spoken to any other boy as a friend.

She had been around Ethan more often, and though he tried not to show it, he clearly enjoyed her company.

As soon as she heard the word military, something clicked in her memory—her father’s words. She had overheard him during one of his conversations.

He said that after this semester, the academy and the Magic Tower will start preparing students in a strict, military-like format... He didn’t go in detail, but I know it’s because of the demons.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, her thoughts lingering on what might be coming after the exams. There was too much uncertainty now, too many whispers behind closed doors.

"Hey, did you finish the assignment Miss Elva gave us?" Ethan asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah," she replied with a small nod. "I finished it last night."

They continued walking toward their classroom, chatting about their lessons, spell practice, and upcoming tests. The path was the same as always, but to Melissia, everything felt a little off lately.

***

[Grace’s POV]

She is still not waking up...

Grace thought silently as she stood outside the infirmary door, staring at Elysia through the glass panel. She didn’t go inside. There was already Saint Alice sitting next to her, watching over her without leaving her side, as if she could protect Elysia just by staying near.

Over the past four months, Grace had felt more restless than ever. The professors said Elysia would recover in time, but if even her mother—one of the best Saint-ranked healers in the entire Elven Continent—couldn’t wake her up, then the problem clearly wasn’t simple. Something was deeply wrong.

Still, Grace didn’t let herself spiral into panic. Instead of overthinking, she chose to focus all her frustration on training.

Day by day, she threw herself into learning more healing spells, improving her mana control, and pushing herself beyond her limits. She had always been interested in fighting, but after Elysia got hurt... something inside her changed completely.

What’s the point of having power if I can’t even save my own friend when it matters most?

But even after pouring everything into her efforts, her rank had only increased by one. That alone was something worth being proud of, but for her, it didn’t feel like enough.

Not when Elysia still hadn’t opened her eyes. Not when she still felt too weak to make a difference.

I always used to think that boy Ash was just weak... but in the end, he was the only one who kept fighting until the last moment. Maybe he’s far braver than I ever gave him credit for.

Her gaze lingered on Elysia one last time before she quietly stepped away from the door.

The academy grounds were quiet tonight, with only the soft rustling of trees and the low hum of mana lamps casting a faint glow on the stone paths. As she walked slowly across the courtyard, letting the silence settle around her, something caught her attention.

The sound of a sword slicing through the air.

Sharp and rhythmic, again and again.

She turned her head, and just a short distance away, under the silver glow of moonlight, she saw Ray—alone, training without pause. His sword danced with purpose, each movement clean and practiced.

His stance was strong, his breath controlled, but even from where she stood, she could tell—he wasn’t just training for the sake of it.

He was swinging his sword like he was releasing something bottled up inside his heart.

***