CHAPTER - 138

  Narrator: They returned to the academy, and Dav decided to take a walk, checking in on the students more out of boredom than duty.

  He inspected their rooms one by one, watching them play, study, and argue over silly things as usual.

  Everything was quiet, almost too quiet.

  He kept walking down the academy’s long hallways, the walls bathed in the orange light of sunset streaming through the tall windows.

  He stopped, leaning against one of them, watching the sun slowly dip behind the distant hills as a gentle breeze rustled the curtains.

  He thought about Valeria. Wondered when she’d return.

  He sighed several times, visibly bored.

  Then a familiar voice from far away made him turn slowly, curious.

  "Oh? Isn't that our legendary hero? Professor Dav."

  It was her, Doctor Sofia Manfredi, waving with one raised hand as she approached him, her steps light in the long corridor.

  "Doctor… I mean, Sofia. How are you?"

  He spoke with a calm gaze and a warm tone, looking her in the eyes as he moved toward her.

  "I was heading back to the infirmary carrying this bag with ingredients from our garden and some supplies I’ve been waiting for.

  And you? What are you doing?"

  Her serene expression, almost soothing, conveyed a natural kindness.

  "Honestly, I'm bored. I could die from boredom at any moment today..."

  Dav leaned against the wall, clearly resigned, letting out another sigh.

  He noticed Sofia's large green eyes shining in the sunset light, full of life, so beautiful they looked enchanted.

  "Ahaha! How are your hands? I hope the little bottle and the cream helped."

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  Dav opened and closed his hands a few times with a faint smile, lifting one corner of his lip.

  "Can’t complain.

  Want help with the bag? It really looks full..."

  Sofia turned to glance at the bag she’d been dragging for a while and realized just how big it was.

  "If it’s no trouble, I’d really appreciate it… I’m a bit tired, honestly."

  Dav picked up the bag effortlessly and walked alongside her toward the infirmary.

  The infirmary was located in one of the academy’s quieter wings, surrounded by medicinal plants and sunlit glass walls.

  Inside, a mixed scent of herbs, alcohol, and cleanliness lingered in the air.

  White curtains divided the beds, and on a neatly arranged shelf sat medical books and jars filled with healing ingredients.

  As they stepped in, Sofia greeted Ekaterina Volnova, who was organizing some vials on one of the counters.

  Ekaterina looked up and saw behind the doctor a tall man, his face marked with scars and a powerful build.

  She stiffened and shouted:

  "Doctor, run! There's a threatening man behind you!"

  Sofia, startled and embarrassed, turned toward Dav as if to apologize.

  He understood without a word, he just raised one hand, closed his eyes, and lowered his gaze as if to say:

  “It’s fine.”

  "What kind of manners are those, Ekaterina!"

  Sofia scolded her firmly.

  "This is Professor Dav! He was helping me with the bag, and you treat him like that?

  I didn’t expect this from you judging someone just by their face."

  Ekaterina was speechless, looking at Dav who avoided eye contact, then turned his gaze back to Sofia.

  "What...? I thought he was here to hurt us…"

  murmured Ekaterina, embarrassed.

  She walked toward Dav, bowed, and said:

  "I’m truly sorry, Professor…

  Please forgive me."

  Dav gently patted her head, his gaze calm.

  "I’d be scared too if I saw someone with a face like mine suddenly show up behind someone you care about."

  Those words hit Ekaterina, making her feel sad, yet oddly relieved.

  She realized this man wasn’t here to hurt anyone, he was helping Sofia.

  "If I may ask… how did you get those scars?"

  She asked, looking at Dav’s marked face with genuine curiosity.

  Sofia, blushing, quickly scolded the girl, leaning toward Dav and forcing her to do the same.

  "Ekaterina! Dav, I’m sorry...

  She gets curious sometimes, but she usually listens quietly."

  Dav let out a soft, calm laugh, looking at them both fondly.

  He leaned toward Ekaterina and said:

  "You’ve never heard the story of the dumb legendary hero who busted his ass for everyone?"

  He said ironically, laughing a bit at himself.

  Ekaterina lowered her head, muttering:

  "Hero? Hero? Story?"

  staring at the floor.

  Then suddenly, she looked up with a jolt that even surprised Sofia, raising her voice:

  "So… you’re the legendary hero who saved us all ten years ago?!"

  Dav was more surprised than her, considering he had been living at the academy for months already…

  "Where have you been all this time? Everyone here knows.

  Were you living in a cave or something?"

  He laughed, scratching his head with his eyes closed.

  Sofia added, still surprised:

  "Ekaterina has mostly stayed in her room studying, or she’d come here to help me.

  She doesn’t attend classes with the other professors and studies on her own."

  She said it with a slightly sad tone, aware of how alone the girl really was.

  Dav looked at her more closely.

  "I see. So you’re the extraordinary girl I saw in front of the results board, right?

  Not surprising you can study on your own, then.

  You’re really impressive."

  Ekaterina turned completely red and thanked him with a small, shy smile.

  Sofia, watching her from the side, thought to herself:

  "Huh? Am I seeing things or… is that a smile?!

  Interesting…"

  END OF CHAPTER - 138