Extra's Path: The Eternal Frost Monarch

Noah continued his little act.

"Master... please..." he pleaded, making his expression as pitiful as possible. "Just once. I really want it... Or do you actually hate me? Maybe you find me disgus—"

"Fine! Fine! You win!"

Akari finally snapped.

She turned toward him with a furious glare, but the soft blush spreading across her cheeks completely ruined the intimidating expression she was trying to make.

Noah’s eyes immediately brightened.

Akari crossed her arms and huffed. "Hmph! I never thought you’d turn out like this. You were such a sweet young man when we first met."

"Hehe~ Now you understand that I’m just like any other man."

Noah gave her a mischievous smile.

"Tch!"

Akari looked away.

"Other young men at least wouldn’t ask such things from an old lady."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Shouldn’t something like this be normal for you? I’m just a kid in your eyes, aren’t I?"

Akari immediately turned and glared at him.

"But with the way you’ve been flirting with me lately, it’s becoming difficult to think of you as—"

She abruptly stopped. Her eyes widened slightly.

"F-Forget it!"

She quickly turned her face away again.

Noah stared at her for a moment. Then his smile grew wider.

He wisely chose not to tease her about what she had nearly said. Instead, he slid across the wooden floor until he was sitting directly in front of her, much closer than before.

"Alright."

He straightened his back proudly.

"It’s finally time to receive the reward for my three weeks of brutal training."

Akari sighed helplessly.

"...Okay."

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a slow breath, trying to calm herself.

’It’s only a kiss on the cheek.’

There was nothing strange about it. Nothing embarrassing. At least, that was what she repeatedly told herself.

Noah leaned forward and turned his head slightly, presenting his cheek to her.

"Here."

"..."

Akari stared at his cheek. Her fingers unconsciously tightened against the fabric of her kimono.

Noah waited patiently.

Akari inhaled quietly.

Then she leaned forward. The distance between them disappeared.

Chuu~

Her soft pink lips gently pressed against Noah’s cheek. Noah froze. Despite all his teasing and confidence from only moments ago, the instant he actually felt her lips against his skin, his mind became strangely blank.

Warm. That was his first thought. Her lips were incredibly soft and warm against his cheek.

Ba-dump.

His heart suddenly beat harder.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

A warm sensation spread through his chest. Without realizing it, Noah’s eyes slowly closed. A genuine smile appeared on his face.

Akari didn’t immediately move away either. Her lips remained against his cheek for several quiet seconds. For those few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Akari finally pulled away.

Noah slowly opened his eyes.

His smile remained.

"Akari, that was—"

Crackle!

"...Huh?"

Blue lightning suddenly erupted around Akari’s body. Before Noah could finish his sentence.

WHOOSH!

She disappeared. A streak of blue lightning shot through the open veranda and vanished into the forest.

Noah remained sitting there. He was motionless. His mouth was still slightly open.

"..."

Silence filled the room.

He blinked once.

"Pfft—"

His shoulders began trembling.

"Hahaha!"

Noah fell backward onto the wooden floor, laughing. "Hahahaha! She actually ran away!"

He covered his eyes with one hand, unable to stop himself.

’She’s becoming cuter and cuter with each passing day.’

Eventually, his laughter subsided. Noah raised his other hand and gently touched the cheek Akari had kissed.

A soft smile returned to his face. "That was nice."

He continued rubbing the spot absentmindedly for another moment. Then he glanced toward the empty veranda.

"But she really left..."

His smile became helpless. "We were supposed to talk about that strange circular platform."

Noah sighed and stretched himself out across the wooden floor. His arms moved behind his head as he stared lazily at the wooden ceiling.

"Well..."

He had nowhere else to go. "I’ll just wait for her to come back."

His fingers briefly touched his cheek again. A small grin returned.

"...Worth it."

---

After a while.

"Cough! Cough!"

Akari once again sat in front of Noah. She coughed few times to clear her throat.

She had returned after nearly fifteen minutes—apparently, that was how long she needed to calm herself down.

Her posture was perfectly straight, her hands resting neatly over her lap. Her expression had returned to its usual cold and indifferent state, as though absolutely nothing embarrassing had happened earlier.

Unfortunately for her the tips of her ears were still as red as tomatoes.

Noah noticed them immediately. His lips threatened to curve upward, but he wisely controlled himself.

Akari narrowed her eyes at him. "Don’t bring up that topic."

Her voice was calm but carried a clear warning. "Let’s talk about important things now."

"Yes."

Noah nodded obediently. Then his expression gradually became serious.

"But before that, there’s something else I want to tell you."

Akari raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"I want to tell you everything that has happened to me at the academy over the past four months."

His playful expression completely disappeared. "I think it’s important that you know. Honestly, I should’ve told you all of this much earlier."

Akari observed him for a moment before nodding.

"Then tell me now."

Her expression softened slightly.

"We have plenty of time."

Noah nodded.

"Alright."

He adjusted his sitting position before taking a breath. Then he began from the beginning.

He told her about the first incident that had happened after he entered the academy.

Until now, Noah had never explained everything to Akari in detail. Their days together had mostly been consumed by training, meditation, survival exercises.

And, admittedly, Noah spending far too much time teasing and flirting with her.

But now that they were seriously decided to discuss the mysterious platform. But befroe that he told her what incidents and dangers had had went through. Noah realized there was no reason to hide anything from her.

If anything, Akari might notice something he had overlooked. So Noah talked. And talked.

For more than an hour, his voice continued throughout the quiet wooden house.

He explained everything in as much detail as he could remember—the incidents at the academy, the dangers he and his classmates had encountered, the strange events surrounding him and Damien, and everything else that had happened during those chaotic four months.

Akari didn’t interrupt unnecessarily. She simply listened.

At first, her expression remained calm.

Occasionally, she asked a short question whenever Noah mentioned something unclear, but otherwise she allowed him to continue at his own pace.

However, as the story progressed. Her expression slowly changed. The faint amusement that had remained in her eyes disappeared completely. Her gaze became sharper.

Her posture grew increasingly rigid.

And by the time Noah had gone through most of what had happened over the last four months.

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