Chapter 199: Leave of Absence

“Lady Selena, what profession did you awaken?” A group of people gathered around Selena.

“Is it a legendary profession that stands alongside the Chosen Saintess?”

The church members were very curious; the phenomenon during her awakening was only slightly less impressive than that of the Chosen Saintess. Perhaps with a bit of luck, Selena could be the Chosen Saintess herself.

“My profession is Light Mage, far from the Chosen Saintess,” Selena humbly said.

“Although Light Mage is not as good as the Chosen Saintess, it is still a legendary profession on the same class as Sword Saint. It’s quite impressive and has not disappointed my expectations of you.”

A deep voice came, and Selena looked over to see the Pope approaching.

Selena slightly bowed, “Thanks to your guidance.”

The two looked towards the center of the crowd where Michelle stood. Even the arrival of the Pope did not change the enthusiasm of the crowd, who continued to surround her.

Nadia, with a heartfelt smile, said, “Congratulations, Michelle, you did it.”

“Sister Nadia, thank you for always being by my side. Please continue to support me in the future,” Michelle replied politely with a gentle smile.

Nadia was slightly taken aback; this was not the usual state of Michelle, and she felt a bit worried. “Michelle, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine, thank you for your concern,” Michelle shook her head and continued, “I used to be too immature and not mature enough. Thanks to all of you for helping me, I am different now. Isn’t that a good thing?”

Michelle’s eyes had never been so clear. “From now on, you all just need to rely on me. This is the duty of the Chosen Saintess.”

Michelle’s words echoed in Nadia’s heart, causing a faint sense of loss to arise within her, leaving her feeling empty. How did it come to this?

“Catch her!”

A commotion arose as a group of Holy Knights chased after Vernia, and they were puzzled that no matter what method they used, they could not catch her.

Vernia flew over and landed on Michelle’s shoulder, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at them, “You bunch of blind fools, hurry up and apologize!”

The Holy Knights looked terrified; Michelle was no longer the former candidate for the Saintess but a genuine Chosen Saintess. They immediately knelt down, “Saintess, it was our negligence that disturbed you.”

Michelle helped them up and said softly, “It’s okay; she is my friend and is not in danger. You can rest assured.”

“Yes.”

The Holy Knights seemed to see the holy light radiating from her.

……

Back in the Holy City, Leo arrived at Master Jekes’s weapon shop.

“Master Jekes, could you please help me repair my sword?”

“What happened? Did the sword break?” Jekes looked surprised, his eyes wide as if he were looking at a monster. “This is a legendary weapon; how could you possibly break it?!”

“There are some cracks.”

Leo drew out Asawakh, and the cracks were clearly visible, having deepened a bit over the past few days.

“Just put it down for now; I’ll take a look later.”

Jekes casually said, “I heard that Michelle has become the Chosen Saintess. Is that true?”

Clang!

Asawakh fell from Leo’s hand, and he was momentarily stunned as he picked it up from the ground.

“Sorry, could you say that again?”

“You can’t possibly not know, right? Just a few days ago, Michelle became the Chosen Saintess, and the whole Holy City was in an uproar. I see; you must have broken up a while ago.”

Jekes was initially surprised but then understood, comforting him, “Don’t be sad; someone like the Chosen Saintess won’t get married. With your strength, there are plenty of excellent girls for you to choose from. There’s no need to hang yourself on one tree.”

“Master, I’ll leave Asawakh here.”

Leo set the sword down and then left. All the while, his head felt heavy, and he kept recalling Jekes’s words, not even realizing when he returned to the academy, feeling dazed.

The sky began to drizzle lightly, and the moist air filled his nostrils. A cold breath flowed from his chest into his limbs, leaving his heart feeling slightly chilly.

“Michelle has become the Chosen Saintess; should I congratulate her?”

Leo forced a bitter smile as the rainwater drifted like willow catkins in the gentle breeze, turning into sorrow that flowed into his heart.

Upon returning to the villa, there was no longer any sign of life. The room was clean and tidy; Michelle had left, taking her things with her, and the surroundings felt empty, just like his heart.

After a sleepless night, Leo spent his time either swinging his sword or meditating.

The next day, as he walked down the road, the other students looked at him with strange expressions.

Leo felt a mix of emotions as he arrived at Class S. The noisy classroom immediately fell silent, and the gazes of his classmates held a hint of sympathy.

Delisa approached him and said, “Michelle has already left the academy and graduated early. If you want to find her, you can only go to the church.”

Leo nodded, “I understand.”

Delisa kept staring at his face, trying to see through his thoughts, but unfortunately, she failed. She then said, “If you want to see her, just tell me, and I can help you.”

“Thanks, but not for now.”

In the following days, Leo stayed at the academy, and Asawakh was repaired and returned to his hands.

Leo returned to a normal routine, practicing swordsmanship, meditating, and studying, moving between the classroom and the villa.

To others, it seemed he had not been affected at all. It was hard to imagine that he and Michelle had once been such a loving couple, only to be forced apart overnight.

The two had a tacit understanding and did not meet each other, always feeling a sense of dissonance.

And so, half a month passed.

“You want to take a leave of absence?!” Marguerite looked at Leo in surprise.

“That’s right; I can’t learn anything more at the academy. If the academy allows early graduation in the second year, I will apply for graduation instead of taking a leave of absence.”

This was a thought Leo had long held. With Michelle gone, life at the academy had lost its meaning.

Moreover, his current strength was even greater than that of Marguerite and Teacher Ted, so there was no need to continue studying at the academy. Once he passed the third year, he could apply for early graduation in the fourth year.

Michelle could graduate early, probably because of her identity as the Chosen Saintess; the academy’s rules could not restrict her.

Marguerite frowned and thought for a moment before asking, “What are your plans after taking a leave of absence?”

“I want to establish a Heartflow Swordsmanship dojo in the imperial capital, recruit disciples, and promote Heartflow,” Leo replied.

“Alright, I will talk to the principal about it. You can go back for now.”

The academy was not a shackle that restricted him. After saying a few words to Marguerite, Leo returned to the small villa to pack his things. He had very few belongings, and there was hardly anything to pack, so he finished quickly.

……

(Although the process may have its hardships, the ending will definitely be happy. A story that only offers sweetness lacks soul; a relationship that endures trials will last long.)

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