Chapter 15 The Turning Point
"Link, I heard someone threatened you yesterday?"
Not long after Link entered the classroom and sat down, Molly Kidman, unusually early, plopped down next to him and asked with great interest.
"Yes, that's true. How did you know?"
Link nodded casually, his eyes still glued to his book.
"Oh, don't worry about how I know,"
Jasmine huffed, leaning closer to Link's face, her eyes filled with a hint of nervousness. "So what do you think? Should we keep our distance and stay away from each other?"
As she spoke, Jasmine's face scrunched up, giving her a pitiful look, and she pretended to cry, "Waaah... I'm a flirt, a bad girl, I've caused Link trouble, he won't want me anymore, waaaah... what should I do?"
"If you're free, read a book,"
Link said curtly, glancing at the mischievous, dramatic Jasmine. "If you don't want to read, please don't bother me, okay?"
"Okay."
Seeing that Link was still indifferent but not completely aloof, Jasmine relaxed, stopped her fuss, sat down obediently, and opened her book to begin her lessons.
Last night, back in her dorm, she chatted with a friend using her personal smartphone. Hearing about this, she was genuinely worried that Link would distance himself from her.
She knew perfectly well how much he disliked trouble.
But she also knew his composure and reliability; he was just a bit dull, focused solely on his studies, and lacked romance.
No matter how much she flirted with him, he remained unmoved, always ignoring her, only occasionally relenting on matters that might involve his personal safety.
For example, yesterday I accompanied her to the "New Blood Mutual Aid Association" picnic and social event. Thinking
about this, Jasmine also began to reflect on herself. Link had repeatedly advised her to focus her attention and spend more time on studying, rather than socializing and entertainment. She always underestimated it, thinking that she was already studying so diligently, what was wrong with occasionally having fun and making friends? In the end, it was her own mindset that hadn't changed in time. Before, on the Quetzal Islands, she was a wealthy, leisurely, and high-status noblewoman, and most nobles were keen on socializing and entertainment. But now, she was a new blood who would be ruthlessly exploited and forced to work like a slave if she didn't become a formal wizard within four years. How could she still manage her time and life with a noble's mentality? Would making a few fair-weather friends really help much? Jasmine recalled some examples of nobles who smiled to her face but stabbed her in the back, and suddenly shuddered, filled with lingering fear. If it weren't for yesterday's incident, which exposed the true nature of the "New Blood Mutual Aid Society" as a pimp operating under the guise of "mutual help," and forced her to reflect, would she have increasingly neglected the importance of her studies, becoming addicted to socializing and entertainment? Like those wealthy women who initially claimed to be just trying things out at banquets and dances, but ultimately succumbed to the thrill of extramarital affairs, falling into the abyss of desire, unable to escape or find redemption? Perhaps, if such a situation were to arise, Link would distance himself from her without any threats or coercion? "Link, thank you," Jasmine said softly, still shaken. At least for now, this trouble-averse guy hadn't distanced himself from her because of the potential for trouble. Link didn't respond, focusing on his book. ... In the days that followed, Jasmine underwent a significant change. Not only did she skip several "New Blood Mutual Aid Society" activities, but she also changed her sleep schedule, waking up early every day to go to the classroom to preview her lessons.
After dinner, instead of going to the various entertainment venues on campus, Jasmine and Link immersed themselves in the library.
Lost in the sea of books, Jasmine realized how lacking in knowledge and experience she had previously possessed.
The gradual enrichment of her inner world allowed her to experience the joy of learning.
For Link, Jasmine's transformation came somewhat suddenly, but he was happy to see it happen.
At least he wouldn't have to deal with a bewitching little girl who constantly acted cute and occasionally used awkward flirting techniques to attract his attention.
If it weren't for the "Brain Locking Technique" of the Wisdom Sword, Link felt his Dao heart would eventually be corrupted by the enchantress.
Studying together and progressing together was just fine.
...
And so, two weeks flew by.
During these two weeks, Link lived as disciplinedly as before, going nowhere except his dormitory, the cafeteria, the teaching building, and the library.
The only difference was that, under his influence, Jasmine also began living a monotonous but fulfilling life, going back and forth between these four points.
Knowledge continued to accumulate, and meditation was a daily practice.
His mental strength grew little by little, and the magical energy his body could hold increased steadily.
Even without practicing methods specifically for tempering his physique with magical energy, the changes in his body were quite noticeable under the combined nourishment of water and wood magic.
Link's height had increased dramatically, from being roughly the same size as Molly Kidman to now being a head taller than her.
Molly, who had just entered puberty, was also growing rapidly in the high-elemental-concentration environment of the main continent, thanks to the rapid progress she made in meditation with the help of Link's frequently shared experiences.
The young girl was already 1.65 meters tall.
Link, on the other hand, had grown to 1.8 meters.
This often prompted Molly to ask, "What good things have you eaten? How did you grow so fast and so tall?"
Besides his height, Link's muscles had also become smooth and defined, with excellent lines, and his physique was perfect, showing both strength and beauty without being too large or bulky.
In hand-to-hand combat alone, Link felt he could take on ten of himself before he even left the Quetzal Islands.
Even Viscount Holloway's knights weren't as physically strong as Link.
Indeed, the saying that the knightly system was a failed product of wizardry wasn't without reason.
Rivers Francis, the vice-president of the "New Blood Mutual Aid Society," who had been secretly keeping an eye on Link, was frustrated.
Not only had Molly Kidman stopped participating in the "New Blood Mutual Aid Society" activities, but she was also constantly seen with Link Grand, clearly not taking him, Rivers Francis, seriously.
Sometimes, Rivers really wanted to burn Link Grand to death and then vent his lust!
But the omnipresent intelligent law enforcement puppets in the academy forced Rivers to suppress his thoughts and wait for an opportunity.
The burly, rugged Enrique, however, wasn't frustrated at all.
The more anxious Rivers was, the happier he became