Power of Runes
Chapter 198: Ray’s Love Confession

Chapter 198: Ray’s Love Confession

A/N: Important update!!

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you all know that there have been a few small changes in the [Chapter 182 : Ash Returns] regarding Ray’s rank and system points. I’d recommend checking it out once.

Also, I’ve updated the Announcement Chapter to make things more clear — especially the part about stat ranges and what they mean. Hopefully, it helps clear up any confusion.

Sorry for the inconvenience, and as always, thank you for reading and supporting the story. It really means a lot.

***

"Elysia.."

Ray’s voice echoed in the corridor filled with students walking, but they all stopped as soon as he called her, as if they were watching the start of some kind of drama unfold before their eyes.

Ignoring them completely, Ray stood in front of Elysia, who had just turned around. On her left and right were Grace and Lyra, and Amelia had also turned with a slightly puzzled look.

At the same time, unnoticed by everyone, Amelia’s pupils went vacant for a brief moment before quickly returning to normal. A faint frown appeared on her face, subtle but noticeable.

She looked at both Elysia and Ray, and thought to herself, What a headache, are they going to fight now? Sigh..

Sensing that things might spiral out of control if left unchecked, she decided to inform the instructor about it. But before leaving, she quietly told Grace about her departure.

Over the last few months, her powers connected to fate had grown far more potent. She could now sometimes catch fleeting glimpses of the future, although the moments were unpredictable and she had no control over when or how they appeared.

But every time she saw something from the future... something significant always followed.

As she walked away in a hurry, the air in the corridor still tense, Elysia finally spoke.

"What is it?"

Her voice was calm and composed, but sharp enough to cut through the heavy stillness that had settled in the space.

Ray took a deep breath, long and steady, then bowed his head before speaking in a voice that was both steady and serious.

"Will you please go out with me?"

Strange silence took over the place.

Every student instinctively held their breath, as if they could feel the weight of what had just been asked. It wasn’t a secret that Ray liked Elysia.

From the very first day, he had shown his intentions without hiding them. But everyone also knew something else just as clearly — Elysia had never shown any interest in return.

Still, despite all of that, there was a quiet kind of strange hope inside their hearts....

....which shattered brutally.

"No!!"

Elysia’s cold voice made the silence grow even heavier, turning it into something more somber. Some students even forgot to breathe for a moment, as if her rejection had frozen the air itself.

And Ray slowly straightened up, lifting his head to look at her. His eyes held a complicated expression, layered and hard to read, as if even he wasn’t sure what exactly he was thinking.

"...Why?"

Ray muttered in a low voice. His expression was serious, maybe a little sad. The weight of disappointment settled in his voice, not loud or bitter, just quietly heavy, like someone who had hoped against reason.

"..Do I need a reason? It’s my life. I can decide who I want to spend my life with. But that person is not you. Sorry!!" she sighed, her tone calm but unshakably firm.

"I gave you many hints that I don’t have that type of feelings for you, but you didn’t even notice. It’s not my fault."

Her words felt harsh, too direct, but even so, she knew where to draw the line. Now that she had confirmed that Ash was truly her Ash, it was better to let everyone know. If she didn’t say it now, people would keep interfering in her life, and she didn’t want that anymore.

However, her words triggered an immediate and very negative reaction from the crowd around them.

"What? How dare she reject Ray?"

"Isn’t she going a bit too far?"

"She just rejected Ray Dawson... this girl is going to regret it."

"Hey, maybe she actually likes Ash. I mean, he did go that far for her."

"Now that would be something worth watching."

Most of the girls voiced their displeasure, but their expressions didn’t quite match their words. In fact, some of them were even smiling, almost as if they were secretly pleased.

It wasn’t hard to understand why. Nobody really liked Elysia—not on the girls’ side at least. Once Ray started showing interest in her, she became the silent enemy of every girl who had a crush on him, even if they never said it aloud.

Of course, Lyra, Amelia, and Grace were different. They didn’t hate her. At least, that’s what Elysia believed.

"..Is that really true? Or... do you like someone else? Like.....Ash??"

Ray asked again. His body was tense, his fists clenched tightly until his knuckles turned pale. His face was stiff with emotion, and it was clear he was barely holding himself together.

The surroundings fell into silence. All eyes turned toward Elysia.

Even Lyra and Grace were staring at her now. They were friends with both Ray and Elysia, and they had hoped things could be resolved peacefully. But seeing how far things had already gone, it was becoming clear that a calm resolution was no longer possible.

And now that Ray had asked such a sensitive and direct question, everything rested on Elysia’s response.

After a few seconds, while looking straight into Ray’s eyes, she sighed.

"Yes, I like Ash... and he also likes me."

It was like a bomb had exploded.

Everyone’s eyes widened. Even those who had suspected it didn’t expect her to say it so directly. After the Principal’s words, the idea had already taken root in their minds... but now that Elysia had confirmed it with her own mouth...

...it changed everything.

Because even though people had the freedom to choose who they loved, even though everyone had their own reasons, rejecting Ray—someone who was admired, respected, and full of potential—felt like more than just a personal choice.

To the girls watching, it felt like she had rejected a dream they all quietly shared.

While some like Grace and Lyra admired her courage, others didn’t wait even a second to throw out their opinions.

"Damn, she really did it. She rejected him, just like that..."

"..Oh no, I don’t know what Ray’s going to do now..."

"Yeah, poor Ash. He’s going to suffer for this."

"Well, what can you expect? She chose the weakest one."

"Hey, didn’t you see how much he changed? He’s not that weak anymore."

"Don’t be stupid. Sure, a person can change in a few months... but no one becomes strong enough to stand next to Ray just like that."

"That might be true..."

All sorts of murmuring started to flow here and there. And this time, no one stopped. Though they spoke in hushed voices, Elysia was able to hear everything clearly.

Her body senses were stronger and more sensitive than before now.

Elysia’s eyes became cold, which was very unusual. It was the first time she was feeling something like this... her anger was directed at those whispering people.

Are they making fun of Ash....? These little shits....

Well, she was mentally older than them, so to her, it felt like children were making fun of Ash, but she knew it all too well. This was a fantasy world, there wasn’t a single child. They had much more developed brains than the children of Earth.

And were more mentally mature. While there were some exceptions, of course, whose behavior was a little out of the norm, but that could easily be tied to their wrong upbringing.

"I see, so you both like each other huh!!" Ray muttered, his face now clouded in a dark shadow. He was looking downwards.

{Didn’t I say, boy? She might like someone else. You didn’t listen to me.}

Did you know already?

Aetheris was silent for a while before speaking again.

{I did. I noticed all those signals that showed she didn’t like you. That’s why I also advised you against it. I have experience with many girls, after all. Ahem... I mean, that’s what my memories tell me at least. So... now what will you do?}

What should I do? Ray asked, still with his head low.

{First of all, raise your head high. There is nothing to be ashamed of. You confessed. You got rejected. Simple as that. Real men are happy if the person they love is happy. You shoul---}

No, I don’t want to do that...

{Then what? Are you going to make her forcefully love you? Listen, boy, even though you might be my master, I hate the forcing thing. If you do this, don’t expect any help from me in the future.}

No, I will never do that. I... I just......just....wait and see.....

Looking up again, he said, "Why did you choose Ash and not me? Can you tell me that? At least I deserve to know."

Although his voice was clear, there was an unusual emotion behind it, something that didn’t match his face. It felt off, like the calm before a storm hiding behind his words.

Elysia looked at him with cold eyes. Her mood was already soiled since everyone around her was talking badly about Ash. And to be honest, she didn’t know anything about Ray.

Other than the fact that he was strong, helpful, and a little kind.

In her eyes, there was never any comparison between Ray and Ash. To her, Ash wasn’t just better — he was everything. She loved him exactly the way he was, without needing him to change, without needing anyone else to prove anything.

Ash helped the World Tree, even when she was struggling... that means Ash is powerful. I don’t know how much.... he was unusually silent about his powers..... I don’t want to pry too much, he will tell me when the time is right...

But, I know he is powerful...

So she said what she believed to be true, not knowing this might lead to something else entirely.

"He is better and more powerful than you."

Elysia’s voice rang out clear and without hesitation. For the surrounding students, it was like another thunderclap of shock in a day already filled with them. They didn’t even know how many more surprises they could take, and yet more and more students were gathering, drawn by the rising tension and curious stares.

This time, even Ray was visibly shaken. His eyes widened for a second, before he pulled himself back together and stood up straighter.

He asked, his voice louder and sharper than before, "What if I defeat Ash in a duel? Will you choose me then? I’ll prove I’m better than him—no matter what it takes."

His words echoed like a challenge thrown in front of the entire academy.

{This damn brat... So that’s what you were after all along? You really think settling this with a duel will win her heart? What era do you think we’re living in? This isn’t some old-time fairytale where strength decides love. That’s not how things work anymore.}

Ray didn’t respond. His jaw clenched. His fists were tight.

{Stupid kid... you should’ve known when to walk away. You keep pushing like this, she’ll hate you. This isn’t proving anything anymore.}

But she said Ash is stronger than me... Isn’t that ridiculous? I’ve done so much—put my life on the line more times than I can count. I went into deadly dungeons, faced almost impossible quests, overcame so many things just to save her. I can’t just back off after one rejection. I’ve come too far. I have to try... even if it’s reckless.

{Tch. Fine, do what you want. Just don’t come crying later when it all crashes down around you.}

And with that, the voice inside him went quiet.

What? He wants to duel Ash?

Elysia felt her heart jolt in panic. This was not what she had meant. She had promised herself she wouldn’t drag Ash into her personal mess. She didn’t want him involved in any more drama, not when he already carried so much.

But Ray’s challenge changed everything. She never imagined her words would lead to this.

What should I do? What am I supposed to do now?

Despite the panic rising in her chest, her mind stayed steady — calm enough to think through the storm, calm enough to move before things spiraled beyond repair.

As Ray turned to leave, likely heading off to challenge Ash directly, Elysia stepped forward and spoke, her voice firm and filled with something she hadn’t shown until now.

"Before you go to fight him, fight me first. I’ll defeat you. And after that, don’t ever bring this up again."

Yes. I have to take responsibility. Even if I didn’t know my words would lead to this, I still said them. So I’ll face it. I’ll stand by them.

***