Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Study for the exams.
"I am sorry for my earlier outburst".
"Don't worry about it".
Hina, who is now sitting on a chair from Soma's left side, gradually finds her calm while wiping her wet eyes. Soma received the information from Hina that he slept for seven whole days straight without showing any sign of waking up, for his body was so mysteriously weakened.
It seems the aftereffect of possession from Martial Saint was the cause. But, to be bedridden for seven days was new to him. As Soma began to submerge himself by covering his mouth, a translucent window appeared in front of him, informing him of the upcoming quest.
[Daily Quest acquired]
[Push-up 100X]
"Huh? What in the world?".
"Hmm? What is the matter?".
"Ah, nothing".
The Daily Quest keeps monitoring him, even though he just woke up from his slumber.
"How are you feeling?".
"Well,".
Soma rubbed his belly. Hina noticed his action, and she flashed her white teeth.
"You must be hungry?".
"Well, yeah, I am very hungry".
Being unconscious for three whole days without a proper meal, of course, he would feel the hunger. As their conversation turned into hunger, Soma's stomach let out a rumble that echoed in the room. It was so loud that Hina, who heard that, had a dumbfounded expression on her face. The air turned awkward for a moment before Hina cracked a laugh.
"Pfft, Ahaha, it seems so. Wait for a bit".
"Okay".
Hina Took something from her storage ring. She took two items in her hands and presented them on display before soma. Hina held the sharp knife in her right hand and plucked the apple skin a little, and then she held the knife in place steady before putting the scraped skin on the sharp edge and spinning the apple clockwise to peel off the skin.
Seeing Hina peeling the apple skin brought back some memories when they were still inside the gate, where Hina asked Soma to teach him to peel some fruit and how to cook. It was a disaster at first. Hina tends to lose her composure because of the nervousness, and because of that, she pricked her finger, sometimes covered in injury.
But slowly, she managed to master the usage of the knife and could cook some meals, albeit simple ones like omelette eggs.
Using her knife, Hina began to cut the apple into tiny pieces before bringing it to Soma's mouth. While waiting Soma drink ssome mineral water first to replenish his body fluid.
"Here open wide, Ahn..".
"I can eat it myself".
Soma tried to refuse her intention, but seeing the unbreakable smile on her face made him put his hands in the air. He resigned himself while opening his mouth wide before Hina brought the apple close and slowly shoved it in his mouth. The piece of apple was fit inside his mouth, for Hina cut the apple into small pieces that would fit her tiny mouth.
"Delicious?".
"Yes".
"Just wait a bit. I will call my parents and ask them to buy you some food".
"Can I just eat the food from here?".
"Sure, but I think it will not be enough for you, who slept for seven days".
"..You are right. Thanks''.
"Don't mention it. Here another one, Ahn.".
"Ahm.".
The time passed, and Hina kept feeding Soma's apple until he finished two of them. Then, they began to take the rest period, spending their time engaging in small talk so as not to make the air turn still. But Hina realized the time had come for her to do her stuff.
"Soma, mind if I study here?".
"..? I don't mind? But why?".
"Eh, have you forgotten the exams will be held two weeks from now? And one week was used for the exam the Academy conducting. By the way, You also intend to enter the Hero Academy, right?".
"Ah, you are right".
Because of the incident at the trial gate, Soma and Hina have spent one month in tension and danger, exploring the uncharted place and fighting the ultimate foe. So they had only less than one month remaining to prepare, and Soma slept on the bed for seven days. He only had one weeks to catch up with his studies, and the remaining weeks were for the test that the academy would be conducting.
In the room where the clocks keep ticking, telling Soma that the second he spends wastefully, the second it will lead him to his downfall.
Soma shook his head to the side to dismiss the negative mind he had and opened his mouth.
"Hina, would you mind lending your book to me?".
"Um, I don't mind".
"I am thankful for that".
Because he knows that the exam will be held in two weeks from now, he couldn't waste any more time. He must prepare for the exam no matter what.
"Luckily for you, because I brought my whole book in my storage rings".
Hina took her study and material book she had gathered from the past month to help her with the exam. There are many books spread on the white mat, such as general knowledge books like math, History, etc., and there is also an unknown book that Soma saw for the first time, which is Monster Encyclopedia, Dungeon/Gate Guide, Archeologist, and Learning Magic.
Soma wiped the cold sweat on his forehead, maintaining his calm state for the books that spread before him. It was the first time he saw it.
"Hina, can I?".
"Go ahead, I also want to start my studies. Let's work hard together".
"Okay, first is? I will pick these".
Soma first took the book that contained general knowledge. The reason he chose those books was because he only wanted to make sure the standard of the study in this world.
[Mental Enhancement 7 activated]
First, he opens the math book and browses the content. He flips through the content of the book, flipping the pages relentlessly. Then, after spending thirty minutes reading it, he stopped flipping the pages and put the book back. The mental enhancement skill he has enhanced his brain function.
Soma managed to read the content in photochromic memories so that he could remember the book's content just by seeing it once.
The content was fairly easy. Because Soma had already learned it in this world, plus in his previous world, then using his enhanced brain, he started to process the knowledge he accumulated and managed to review everything he needed to study. Soma intends to go to his next book, but he feels his spine turn numb, then glances to his side to see Hina knitting her brows while looking at him weirdly.
"Soma that was?".
"Oh, I am done with my reviewing".
"Done? How did you?".
"Well. I have a good brain in my head, that's all".
"Hmm.".
Hina shrinks her gaze further while leaning her body closer, still holding a slight doubt about Soma's abilities. She tilted her head and then backed away before taking the math problems book she had in her hands.
"Then, could you solve this one?".
"Where? Ah, for this one, you just need..".
Soma began to solve the problems Hina showed to him while Hina was monitoring him. Her sharp eyes slowly turn bloated.
"How?".
"Like I said, I have a good brain in my head".
"..One more time".
Soma began to follow her demands as Hina kept demanding him to solve the math problems that gave her temple a headache, and Soma managed to solve all the issues while also pointing out the mistake she made.
"This, you forgot to add the X inside..".
"Ah, true. I didn't realize that".
".. Focus! Next!".
After seeing the amazing ability Soma had shown. Hina swallowed her pride and asked him to teach her about the math problems she still didn't understand. They now sit on the white mat, which could fit two adult people side by side. Using the board that was used as a place for food, they used it as a place for study.
"So for this question, you could use this formula..".
"Hmm, I see..".
The two of them began to immerse themselves in their own world, forgetting their surroundings.
In the corner of the room, two figures were holding a lot of packed food in their hands but couldn't enter the space because the atmosphere was preventing them from taking another step.
"Dear, Hina is..".
"Yeah, Hisako. I am also surprised".
Hisako's eyes were opened wide, seeing her daughter in close distance with the person of the same age, and it was the opposite sex. On the other hand, Hiroshi also feels the same, but he lets out a sigh of relief, seeing his daughter has grown so much and managed to open her heart to others, albeit only to Soma.
"Kuh, I can't believe you are so good at this".
"Like I said, I have..".
"Yes, yes. Good brain in your head, I understand that. Please teach me more, Sensei?".
"Leave this matter to me, My student".
They immersed themselves in their studying. As the hours keep ticking, the minutes turn into hours as the parents stopped them and tell them to eat lunch.