Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! Chapter 179: 179-Tengai Shinsei As My Final Act

Read chapter 179 of Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! by A_Random_Turtle on NovelPedia.

Chima’s win was not only a huge bump in morale but a fortification to Kim Yiseo’s qualms about the hail mary tactic Merlin proposed. She was nonchalant about it, however, not even sparing Merlin a glance despite how many times he turned towards her. And it was eating at him so much that his throat hurt. Growing up, he hadn’t had many friends. Honestly, Sam had been his only friend, and that had only come about because they had both been paired for a class project once. And it wasn’t exactly surprising. He’d not been the most social person after all. All in all, he’d never been in many fights before, and if what he was having with Kim Yiseo now was one, it was practically chewing him out. “Okay,” Hakyun started with a nervous huff, jumping to his feet as his name and portrait appeared on the TV screen. “My time is nigh. Wish me luck?” Merlin nodded at him, mumbling, “You don’t need it.” And everyone else took it from there. Then he turned back to the screen, placing his gaze on the portrait of the girl beside Hakyun. Olivia Stone had pale skin, blue eyes as cold as steel, and wavy ash-brown hair. But what was the most standout about her was the particularly stoic look she had to herself, complemented by her sharp gaze, which came together to make her look rather dangerous—like a predator. Which was both ironic and worrying. She was just like Nikolai—a mage with the ability to transform herself into a beast of the wild. And because of that Merlin felt concerned for Hakyun. Merlin turned once again to his friend, who was rubbing his palms together, and occasionally nudging his glasses upwards as he awaited his call. Hakyun’s pupils were a little dilated, and when Merlin looked even closely, he noticed the excessive gulps of his roommate. Merlin shifted on his seat, wanting to say something—anything—to calm his friend. He knew how close Hakyun and Nikolai had been, as well as how their friendship had met an abrupt close. Even worse was that they hadn’t been in contact since then, which only worsened how Hakyun felt about it all. And that was why Merlin held himself back from saying anything. He’d already been insensitive once already—a few seconds back with Chima and Yiseo, and the rest; he couldn’t be that sort of asshole two times in a row. And besides, the guilt was killing him. He knew about Nikolai’s plight, and he had kept it from both Hakyun and Chima, and even Nora. And, honestly, he had no clue why. It was like there was this nagging voice in the back of his head, telling him that the less his friends knew, the better. That keeping things a secret from them would protect them. Most times, he believed the voice. But sometimes, like now, he really loathed it. Because he hated keeping secrets. Instructor Park called for Hakyun and Olivia then, and Merlin’s thoughts were flushed away as Hakyun cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and turned towards the door. The battle would be intense. Hakyun was a C-Class Mage. He had less mana than Olivia, who was a B-Class Mage, so drawing out the battle wouldn’t favor him. And, unlike Chima, Hakyun hadn’t thrown Merlin’s idea about a hail mary down the drain. It troubled Merlin that there was a possibility Hakyun would end up using it, and Chima’s words kept ringing in his head in return. What if something bad happened as a return? Was it too late to remove that idea from everyone’s heads? Was it too late to change his words? Merlin clenched his fists. He was so desperate to win, but what good would it be if it came at the expense of his friend? As Hakyun’s hand fell upon the handle of the door, Merlin jumped to his feet and before a wave of shame could fall upon him and change his mind, he bowed. “I’m sorry,” he said, dragging everyone’s gaze to himself. “Yiseo and Chima are right. I was insensitive earlier with the whole deal about the…hail mary. It’s dangerous, and I let my drive to win get the better of me. I do not want any of you to hurt yourselves or do something stupid just