It’s Not Night - Chapter 179.2

Time passed uneventfully. Andra’s graduation thesis progressed smoothly, and Professor Vellot congratulated her on her impending graduation. She felt an overwhelming joy, yet the nagging feeling of having forgotten something persisted and even grew stronger.

Despite her efforts to ignore it, Andra often found herself overwhelmed with sadness for no apparent reason. She’d wake up with tear-stained cheeks and a dizzy head. The most unsettling part was the faint memory of someone whispering that they loved her.

“I love you, Andra.”

Who are you, claiming to love me?

After several times of clutching her aching heart and trying to push through the confusion, Andra’s deteriorating state before graduation prompted Professor Vellot to recommend sleep therapy.

Thankfully, contrary to her fears that it might not work, the sleep therapy proved effective. The inexplicable feelings that tormented her began to subside, and she gradually returned to her normal routine.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, dressed in her cap and gown, Andra felt a mix of disbelief and relief.

‘I’m really graduating.’

On the day of the graduation ceremony, everything felt surreal. Perhaps she had struggled so much with her thesis that she never thought she’d see this day. Now that it was here, it felt like a dream.

Andra curled her lips into a smile, looking at her reflection.

Today was her graduation day, a day to be happy. The strange feelings that had plagued her were gone, and after eating well and resting over the past few days, her face had regained its glow. She decided to set aside her worries and focus on the positive.

“You’ve worked hard. You’re finally graduating.”

Professor Vellot said proudly as she saw Andra in her graduation cap. She adjusted Andra’s graduation gown.

“It’s thanks to you, Professor.”

“So, have you considered my offer to join my team?”

“I think I’m not quite ready yet, Professor. But I appreciate the offer.”

“Playing hard to get, I see.”

Professor Vellot smiled brightly and guided Andra outside. As the valedictorian, Andra was to deliver the graduation speech, so they headed to the ceremony hall for rehearsal. Along the way, people congratulated her.

“So, you’re planning to go back to the east for a while?”

“Yes, I need a break. It’s been a while since I’ve been home.”

“Rest is important. But I’ll miss having you around.”

Professor Vellot said, making Andra smile at the unexpected sentiment.

Suddenly, Andra spotted someone and slowed her pace. Noticing this, Professor Vellot looked at her curiously.

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you coming?”

“Professor, I need to step away for a moment. You can go first. There’s someone I need to see urgently.”

Before the Professor could respond, Andra said, moving swiftly in the opposite direction. Her tassel swayed with each step. When she couldn’t close the distance, she called out lowly to the man walking with wide strides.

“Lord Airak!”

The man in full formal knight attire, rather than a graduation gown stopped and turned to face her. Andra hurried to catch up as soon as he stopped. Her breath quickened from the brief sprint. Lord Airak patiently waited for her to recover her breath.

Once her breathing steadied, Andra straightened up and extended her hand to Lord Airak for a handshake. The sudden gesture seemed to catch the man off guard, and he appeared slightly flustered. He didn’t even take her hand, which Andra found oddly amusing.

For someone who always acted as if he held all the coldness and aloofness in the world, he was now unsure of what to do with a simple handshake.

‘Why is that?’

She glanced down at her outstretched hand. Perhaps it was strange for someone from Avelin to offer a handshake to someone from Airak .

Andra lowered her hand as Dustin didn’t seem to take it. Despite finding Lord Airak’s reaction intriguing, she felt increasingly self-conscious about her hand hanging in the air.

“Thank you for that time.”

The man looked at her lowered hand and then met her gaze at her words.

“For what you did at the Aslan Ruins. I was in such a state that I couldn’t thank you properly. I wanted to invite you for a cup of tea, but I heard you had returned to the North.”

Following Elverika’s advice, Andra had tried to find Dustin Airak to thank him as soon as she finished her thesis. However, he had been nowhere to be found. It was only later that she learned he had been temporarily assigned to the North.

People had said he likely wouldn’t attend the graduation ceremony, but here he was. Andra felt relieved that she could at least thank him in person, even if they couldn’t have that cup of tea.

“Anyway, thank you.”

She looked up at him with a light smile, only to be taken aback by his expression. Instead of looking pleased, he seemed disappointed—or perhaps even sad.