Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 918

Chapter 918 212.1 - Shifting Pillars

Ethan exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck before glancing back at Jane. His voice was calm, steady—not demanding, not pushing.

"I know there's something in your past," he said, watching her reaction carefully. "Something you don't talk about."

Jane's fingers tensed slightly in her lap, but she didn't interrupt.

"But I'm not going to investigate it," Ethan continued. "You don't have to tell me anything until you want to." He leaned back slightly, letting his words settle. "No need to hurry. I trust you."

Jane's eyes widened just a little, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something. But no words came out. Instead, her gaze grew softer, almost fragile. A shimmer of moisture gathered at the edges of her eyes, her hands clenching slightly before she quickly looked away, blinking rapidly.

Ethan didn't comment on it.

Instead, he moved on instinct, reaching forward and pulling her into a hug.

It wasn't dramatic, wasn't anything grand. It was casual, natural. Like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Jane stiffened at first, caught off guard, but after a few seconds, she slowly let herself relax into the warmth. Her head rested lightly against his shoulder, her body no longer holding that tense edge.

Neither of them spoke.

They just stayed like that for a little while. freёwebnovel.com

A quiet moment, a rare kind of comfort.

Eventually, Ethan pulled back slightly, just enough to look at her properly.

Jane sniffed softly, giving him a small, almost embarrassed smile. "Sorry. I probably look ridiculous right now."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Nah. You always look like that."

Jane let out a short laugh, swatting him weakly on the arm. "You're terrible."

Ethan smirked but didn't say anything else. Instead, his expression grew a little more thoughtful as he studied her, debating whether or not to bring up what was on his mind.

He wanted to talk to her about everything—Azure Crest, his family, the pressure building in the city. But at the same time…

Did he really want to drag her into all of that?

She had her own problems. Problems that were clearly weighing on her.

Would it be selfish to put more on her plate?

Ethan sighed, rubbing his temple. "Hey, Jane?"

She tilted her head slightly. "Yeah?"

He hesitated, then shook his head with a small smirk. "Nothing. Just… glad you're alright."

Jane blinked before smiling softly. "Thanks, Ethan."

He nodded.

For now, that was enough.

*****

The cold evening air did little to settle the storm in Lilia's mind. Her boots struck the stone pavement with steady, measured steps, her posture upright, composed—but internally, her thoughts churned relentlessly.

She had resumed her guild work over the past few days, reestablishing her influence, reinforcing the alliances she had built, and ensuring that everything within her control remained intact. She had no time to dwell on failures, no room for hesitation. The Thornheart family succession was heating up, and so was the looming battle for Olympus Vanguard.

Yet despite all the strategic maneuvering, the negotiations, and the steady execution of her plans, there was one thing that refused to leave her thoughts.

Astron's words.

"You hesitate."

"That's why you lost."

Lilia's crimson eyes flickered as she entered the archery grounds, the familiar scent of wooden targets, waxed bowstrings, and mana-imbued arrows filling the air. The place was quieter than usual, the evening light casting long shadows over the training dummies lined up in neat rows.

She welcomed the solitude.

Still, her grip on her bow was tighter than necessary as she approached the shooting range. She was here to train—to push past the distractions. But her mind had never been so restless.

Astron's words had been circling her thoughts for days now, lingering like an echo that refused to fade.

She had initially dismissed them. She had wanted to dismiss them.