Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 977

"I’m your knight, remember?"

"Heh…" Irina blinked. Then a laugh escaped her before she could stop it. "Oh, so now you’re playing into the bit."

"It was your bit to begin with."

"Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d actually commit."

Astron gave the faintest shrug. "You seemed entertained."

Irina rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hide the pleased glint in them. "Great. Now I’ve got a man who improves my combat skills and humors my ego. What more could I ask for?"

Astron didn’t respond right away. He turned his gaze forward again, back to the empty dueling floor where the afternoon sun was beginning to dip lower across the marble.

Then he murmured, just low enough for her to barely hear:

"Hopefully nothing more than this."

Irina’s breath caught—not enough to show, not enough for him to notice, probably—but just enough for her grin to falter for a heartbeat.

She glanced at him again.

And for a moment, didn’t say anything.

Instead, she leaned back, arms folded behind her head, her smirk returning—but softer this time.

"You really are getting good at this banter thing," she muttered.

Astron didn’t respond.

But she swore—she swore—his lips twitched. Just slightly.

And it was enough.

Then….the sound of footsteps approached from the side, casual but undeniably aimed in their direction.

Julia was the first to arrive, arms crossed, jaw set, her expression carrying the same tight edge it had since the end of her match. She didn’t say anything right away—just stopped in front of Astron and looked at him like she was waiting for something. A word. A confession. Anything.

Astron returned her gaze with calm indifference, his violet eyes unreadable. After a beat, he spoke.

"Is there a problem?"

Julia’s eyes narrowed, but her voice came flat. "No."

A pause.

Astron gave the faintest tilt of his head before turning his attention away, as if the matter had resolved itself.

Julia didn’t say anything more. She just sat down heavily on the bench beside Irina, letting out a huff that was too controlled to be a sigh but too bitter to be silence.

Moments later, Lucas wandered over with his usual loose-limbed gait, tossing a water bottle from hand to hand. He slowed as he caught sight of the trio sitting together, and the faint smirk on his lips grew into a full grin.

"Well, well. Don’t you two look cozy." He wiggled his eyebrows slightly. "What’s this? Loverbirds moment?"

Irina didn’t even flinch. "Are you a kid or something?"

"Everyone has that kid inside them," Lucas replied, feigning innocence.

"Yes, but not everyone feels the need to broadcast it to the entire room."

Lucas placed a hand over his heart. "Wow. And here I was trying to bring some levity to this grumpy little corner."

He gestured broadly to Carl—who had joined them silently moments ago and now stood like a wall at the edge of the group—and then to Astron, who had barely shifted since Julia’s arrival.

"Look at these guys," Lucas said. "Stone-faced, steel-spined, emotionless. It’s like someone handed them a tutorial on how not to smile."

Carl glanced sideways. "I smile."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "When?"

Carl paused. "Privately."

Julia actually snorted at that, her mood easing a fraction.

Lucas turned to Astron. "What about you? Don’t tell me the routine comes with a no-happiness clause."

Astron gave a quiet breath, not quite a sigh—more like a matter-of-fact exhale.

"It’s not that I don’t smile," he said, tone even. "I just don’t have much reason to."

That silenced the group for a moment—not because it was sad, necessarily, but because of how simply he said it. No self-pity. No dramatics. Just honesty, as plain as the air they breathed.

Ethan let out a soft chuckle. "Damn. That hits harder than I expected."