Chapter 525: Clearance 3

Janica Route

In the game, she was the main heroine—designed from the ground up to embody what it meant to be the “natural” choice for Lucas.

She wasn’t flashy or over-the-top.

She didn’t rely on gimmicks or exaggerated quirks.

She was just… right.

Janica was kind.

Beautiful, but not in an unattainable way—more like the kind of beauty that felt familiar, comforting, the kind that grows deeper the more you know her.

She had a heart overflowing with warmth, and a gentle strength that made her stand out without even trying.

But above all that, what made her special was the effortless, undeniable chemistry she had with Lucas.

Even if you pursued a different route—chose another heroine, chased a different story—Janica was always there.

Not in a clingy or bitter way, but as a constant.

Cheering him on from the sidelines.

Smiling, supporting, sometimes even playing a small part in his new romance, never once letting her own feelings get in the way.

To some, that might come across as tragic.

But it wasn’t.

Not really.

Janica wasn’t weak.

Far from it.

She was strong in the kind of way that didn’t need to scream or prove itself.

Her love wasn’t desperate—it was steadfast.

Resilient.

Even when the player rejected her, even when the story moved past her, she remained.

Unshaken.

Present.

And I respected her for that. I loved her character because of that.

She was the kind of heroine who felt real in the most unexpected ways.

The one who didn’t need the spotlight to matter.

The one you could always rely on.

Always turn to.

The one who’d still hold onto love—not to beg for it back, but simply because that’s the kind of person she was.

She loved you, no matter what.

Strong-willed.

Strong-minded.

Strong-hearted.

The perfect heroine.

Maybe that sounds plain or even boring to some.

Too “standard” compared to all the other dramatic, overpowered, or tragic love interests.

But for me?

That was Janica’s charm.

She might not have been my favorite.

I won’t pretend otherwise—there were other characters, other heroines who stood out to me more at the time.

Maybe they were flashier, maybe their stories just hit harder for me personally.

But Janica… she was still someone special.

And meeting her—really meeting her, not as a sprite or scripted dialogue box, but as a living, breathing person—something changed.

That vague respect I had for her character started turning into something deeper.

Watching the way she looked at Lucas, the way she talked about him, moved around him, how her whole being softened just being in his presence… it hit different.

You could feel the love pouring out of her in every glance, every pause, every carefully chosen word.

I’ll admit it—I never paid much attention to their romance in the game.

It was just background noise if you weren’t on her route.

But now?

Standing here, seeing it with my own eyes, I can’t deny how deeply she loves him.

Which is exactly why seeing her like this…

It worries me.

On the surface, she looks fine.

Gorgeous as always, the kind of soft beauty that makes people stop and stare without knowing why.

But behind those emerald-green eyes—if you look closely—there are faint dark circles, the kind that don’t come from one bad night’s sleep, but from carrying something too long.

And her smile… yeah, it’s still there.

But it doesn’t reach her eyes.

It feels like a mask.

Like she’s trying to pretend everything’s okay when she’s unraveling just a little more each day.

It’s that kind of sadness people try to hide from the ones they care about.

The kind you only notice if you’re paying attention.

And now that I’ve seen it, I can’t unsee it.

Haah… seriously.

That damn clone of mine.

What the hell did you do to mess things up this badly?

I get that Evelyn’s working on something.

She’s always working on something—plotting some plan that’ll probably end up benefiting me in the long run.

I get it.

But making Janica suffer like this?

That was never part of the deal.

And as someone who inherited my memories, my feelings, my view on these people… Evelyn should’ve known that more than anyone.

“Lucas is just… busy somewhere,” she said, eyes trailing off for a second too long.

“Busy somewhere?” I raised a brow. “Didn’t you two used to be glued together all the time?”

“Well… circumstances led to one thing and another.”

“Is that so…”

“…”

So, she didn’t want to talk about it.

Yeah, I figured as much.

Honestly, the awkwardness between her and Lucas had already been obvious back in the classroom.

They weren’t fighting exactly, but the air between them was off.

Like a conversation left unfinished—or worse, words that were never said but needed to be.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted Kagami inhaling his food like a man possessed.

The giant bowl of noodles in front of him practically blocked half his face, but his furrowed brows and sharp gaze poking over the rim said it all.

“Come on, help already.”

That’s what his expression screamed.

Like, ’I didn’t drag you into this mess just for you to eat carrots and vibe in silence.’

I sighed internally and stabbed my fork into a sad-looking carrot on my tray.

Sure, I agreed to help. Kagami had asked, and I wasn’t about to say no when it was clear something had gone wrong between Lucas and Janica.

I wanted to help, genuinely.

But if Janica wasn’t ready to talk, I wasn’t going to force it out of her.

That wasn’t the kind of conversation you pushed someone into—especially not in the middle of a noisy cafeteria where half the student body had the ears of trained predators and the attention span of gossip-starved maniacs.

You never really knew who was listening in around here.

One wrong word and tomorrow’s rumor mill would explode.

Now then… what should I even do?

I didn’t want her to keep bottling everything up—but at the same time, I wasn’t exactly in a place to pry into someone else’s personal mess, especially not when it came to romance.

That wasn’t my area.

Giving relationship advice?

Yeah, no thanks.

I’d probably just make it worse.

Still… doing nothing didn’t sit right either.

Small talk can only get you so far.

And we weren’t going to make any real progress if Lucas wasn’t here either.

I glanced at Janica, who was poking at her food more than eating it.

The usual quiet elegance she had was there, but it was layered with something heavier today.

Then an idea clicked.

“Seo…” I said, breaking the silence.

“Hn?” she replied mid-slurp, raising her head lazily with a strand of noodle still dangling from her lips.

“Sorry, but I probably can’t train with you later today…”

“Why?”

“Janica and I have to go somewhere later. Right, Janica?”

There was a beat of silence.

Janica blinked at me, clearly confused.

“Did we plan something beforehand—?”

“I see… I’ll probably just spend the rest of my afternoon there then. You can come join me anytime. But—” she pointed her chopsticks at me, “—you owe me. Promise you’ll make it up to me.”

I gave a quick nod. “Sure.”

Janica being ignored, was staring at me like I’d just started rewriting her schedule without permission.

This was a bit unreasonable, but I needed some space to talk to her—somewhere quieter, away from the prying ears and random stares.

I looked over at Kagami.

He caught my look, froze mid-chew, then suddenly slapped on the biggest, fakest grin I’d ever seen.

“Ohhh so you two got somewhere to be later, huh?” he said loudly, nearly spilling his tray in the process. “Tch. What a shame. I was actually gonna invite you guys to watch my sets at the gym. Guess I’ll just go solo now! Haha!”

“We didn’t actually plan anything,” Janica muttered, glancing between the two of us, “you guys can’t just decide things like that—”

“Now-now, don’t be shy about it,” Kagami cut in quickly, waving it off like it was nothing. “As your very thoughtful friend, I get it. You don’t want me to feel left out. But hey, don’t worry! You guys can always spend time with me later~”

“…I don’t really want to spend time with you though.”

“HAHAHAHA!”

He forced a loud laugh, but I could hear the pain in his voice.

Janica looked at me again—this time more cautious, like she was starting to piece things together. Her gaze sharpened a little, but she didn’t say anything else.

I just smiled inwardly.

The bait’s been set.

If things go the way I expect… news should reach that dense black hole’s ears before the day’s even over.

……

Sigh…

A troubled breath escaped from Lucas, misting faintly in the cool air.

Behind him, the water fountain gurgled softly, droplets catching sunlight as they arched through the air.

The spring breeze carried the scent of new grass and the faint perfume of blooming flowers.

The once snow-covered academy grounds were slowly coming back to life, patches of green overtaking the last signs of winter.

Lucas sat alone on the bench, quietly chewing on the sandwich he’d just bought from the campus store.

He wasn’t really hungry.

He just needed something to do with his hands, something to distract him.

’Janica…’

Her name echoed quietly in his thoughts.

He knew he shouldn’t be clinging to her so casually after everything that happened during winter vacation.

They hadn’t exactly fallen out—but something between them had shifted. Warped. Cracked.

And he couldn’t pretend he didn’t feel it every time their eyes met.

“Just leave me alone for now… no matter how hard I try I can’t face you directly, so please just give me a bit more time.”

Her voice still lingered fresh in his mind. She had said it so quietly before class ended—gently, not coldly, but with a pain that made his chest tighten.

Another sigh slipped from his lips as he leaned back against the bench.

“I thought we were okay now,” he muttered under his breath. “But I guess… I really did hurt her.”

He didn’t mean to. He never meant to.

But intentions didn’t change what happened.

What took place over winter break was something he couldn’t rewind.

He’d already apologized. More than once. But even apologies had limits.

You couldn’t just slap on a sorry and expect everything to go back to the way it was.

Not with Janica. Not after that.

Still… he wasn’t trying to force things back to how they were.

He just wanted to make it better—in his own, awkward way.

Maybe it wasn’t enough.

Maybe it was too soon.

But he had to try.

As her childhood friend, Lucas knew Janica better than anyone else at this school.

He understood her silences, her deflections, the way she curled her fingers when she was upset but didn’t want to show it.

So, he knew—really knew—that her words didn’t come from hate.

They came from hurt.

She just needed time.

Space.

That’s what he kept telling himself, anyway.

“Yeah… just a little more time.”

Because Janica didn’t hate him. She’d already made that clear.

And as long as that hadn’t changed…

There was still a chance to fix things.

But…

Tch. Damn it.

The memory stung more than he expected.

Janica’s expression from that day—her trembling voice, the way she couldn’t quite meet his eyes—kept flashing in his mind like a wound that wouldn’t close.

Lucas ran a hand through his hair, roughly scratching at his scalp like it could shake the thought loose. But it lingered. Like it always did.

“I like you, Lucas… All this time, I’ve always had feelings for you.”

“Janica…”

He had whispered her name back then, stunned, caught somewhere between shock and guilt. He hadn’t known what to say.

Even now, he still wasn’t sure.

Back then, he couldn’t answer her properly. Not because he didn’t care—but because… he hadn’t understood.

Not fully.

He always thought their bond was just something natural.

Familiar. Safe.

The kind of love that grows from years of shared memories and comfortable silences.

He figured it was the same kind of affection you’d feel for a sister—someone you could always rely on, someone always by your side.

That’s what Janica had always been to him.

A constant. A safe place.

So, when she finally told him how she felt—laid it all bare—it blindsided him.

Looking back now, maybe the signs were always there.

The way she smiled at him just a little softer than anyone else.

The way she listened when others didn’t.

How she always noticed when something was off, even before he said a word.

He saw all of it—but he dismissed it.

Chalked it up to their closeness.

Their history.

Because accepting that it might be something deeper?

That meant everything between them could change.

And maybe… deep down, he was afraid of that.

He clenched his jaw.

He never meant to hurt her.

That much was true.

But…

“I can’t just lie to her, right?”

Especially now—especially when his heart was no longer still.

There was someone else… someone who had quietly, and perhaps inevitably, taken up space in his thoughts.

Clouding them.

Twisting his guilt into hesitation.

“Do you like me, Lucas?”

“I-I—”

“Fufu~ I don’t need to hear it right now, but as for me… I really like you Lucas~”

Lucas shook his head, forcing the thought away.

When Janica took his rejection, he genuinely thought things would… smooth over.

Not immediately, sure, but gradually. He believed they could still talk, still be close.

That maybe, in time, things would return to what they were.

But looking back now… it felt like he’d been the only one naïve enough to think that.

“I guess I was being too selfish…”

A pause.

Then a soft voice stirred in his mind, calm and precise.

[I believe ’indifference’ is the more appropriate word, Master.]

A faint, silvery-white glow shimmered around the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist—his holy weapon, and as always, a little too honest for its own good.

Lucas winced. “Indifferent, huh…?”

He stared down at the last bite of his sandwich, then slowly looked away.

“Yeah. Maybe I wasn’t trying to be selfish. I was just… trying to ignore it. Deny it. Or maybe—” he paused, voice softer, “—just forget it ever happened.”

The voice returned without hesitation.

[Yes. You were being a shitty bastard, Master.]

Lucas blinked. “What did you just say?”

[Information unimportant.]

“…Huh.”

He narrowed his eyes at the sword for a second, but let it go.

He was too emotionally tired to argue with a sentient weapon right now.

Finishing off the last of his sandwich, he grabbed his canteen and took a long drink of water, letting the coolness rinse the dryness from his throat.

Maybe space really was the only thing he could give Janica right now.

He’d already caused enough harm by pretending things were fine.

Then, the voice echoed in his mind again, now noticeably more formal.

[Master, an evil dungeon is set to open near the academy city’s southern gates around six in the evening. It would be advisable for you to clear it personally.]

Lucas stood, brushing the crumbs off his uniform. “You can feel a divine fragment?”

[Yes. Faint, but it’s there. A piece of me is bound within.]

“I see…”

There was a quiet pause.

[Additionally, the goddess’s blessing appears to be nearing full activation. It is advised that you meet with the Saintess for clarification.]

Lucas nodded. “Alright. I’ll handle the dungeon later today.”

“As for Emilia…I’ll meet with her tomorrow. When things settle down.”

For now, there was something in his chest that needed to be cleared just as much as the dungeon.

And maybe—just maybe—he’d find clarity there too.

Stretching his arms above his head, Lucas let out a soft breath, preparing himself for his usual afternoon training session.

But then—his ears twitched.

A familiar name floated through the idle chatter nearby.

“Did you really see it?”

“Yeah, I swear. I saw them with my own eyes.”

“But I thought Senior Riley was already with the princess?”

“Add the duke’s daughter on top of that…”

“Damn… I really had a crush on Senior Janica too.”

“Haha, you? Please, like you ever had a chance.”

Lucas froze mid-stretch.

Riley? Janica?

Together?

His senses sharpened instantly, the casual fatigue in his limbs evaporating.

The names weren’t strange on their own—but hearing them together like that, tangled in some kind of rumor or gossip, it made something in his chest twist.

Riley and Janica…?

It shouldn’t have been a big deal.

They were allowed to talk, hang out—nothing wrong with that. But still, something about the way it was being said, the way her name kept getting brought up in that context—

His thoughts were cut off.

[Location pinpointed, Master.]

Lucas narrowed his eyes. “Did you seriously just use divine detection to track Janica?”

[Affirmative. Master’s emotional instability suggested concern. The most effective course of action is direct observation.]

“I’m not worried…” he started—but his voice faltered halfway.

Because deep down, he was.

And the holy sword knew it.

He exhaled sharply, then turned on his heel and followed the faint divine trail tugging at his senses.

Each step he took was automatic, guided more by instinct than intention.

And then—he stopped.

At the edge of a tree-lined clearing near the back of the academy garden, he saw them.

Under the shade of a large Crimson leaf tree, Janica stood with her head lowered, trying and failing to wipe away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

In front of her stood Riley, gently patting her head with one hand, his expression calm, his eyes soft.

Lucas’s mind blanked.

For a full second, his thoughts crashed together—too many emotions to name, too many images flashing behind his eyes.

Guilt. Regret. Rage. Confusion.

All of it boiled together until his body moved before he could think.

His hand shot out.

-Grab!

His fingers wrapped tightly around Riley’s right wrist—the one still resting on Janica’s head.

“What did you do to her?”

His voice was low, tight, and simmering with barely restrained anger.

Golden eyes narrowed into sharp blades as they locked onto Riley’s face.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep