Half an hour ago, in the lecture hall.
"Devon Levi!"
Thomas shouted.
"...Who is that?"
"...No idea."
A couple of girls said, and looked around the lecture hall, but they didn’t see anybody standing up.
Kate was sitting right next to them, and she was also turning her head around, with a puzzled expression on her face.
At that moment.
She saw a young man stand up at the back of the lecture hall—she remembered him—he was the one that arrived at the lecture hall last.
He and that other young man were the reason why they had been waiting here for twenty minutes for them to arrive.
’He doesn’t look all that impressive.’
Kate thought.
Nathaniel and Angel, on the other hand, were like models walking down a runway—she had never seen people as attractive as the two of them.
She thought that those two were destined to start dating each other at some point in time.
"The whole gaming world knows the tale of the Crossheart and the Einherjar—the legendary group that dominated the Lords of the Mythic Legends scene."
Thomas said.
When Kate heard that, her heart skipped a beat, and she slowly blinked her eyes, trying to process the information.
"No way..."
"He is Crossheart?"
"I thought Crossheart was a 40-year-old man with a wife and children, which is why he retired after Lords of the Mythic Legends!"
"Nah, I heard that Crossheart had died!"
Kate looked at Devon. As he slowly walked down the steps. His tousled black hair hid his ears and partially covered his intense blue eyes.
She imagined Crossheart avatar, standing proudly with his famous gold-and-crimson armor, behind Devon like a beautiful knight.
’Valeria, what is going on? I thought you said that he had retired, but why is he here then?’
Kate’s eyes shook.
She was young as well when she started playing Lords of the Mythic Legends, and she had always looked up to Crossheart as a role model.
One incident especially engraved itself into her young heart.
When one guild insulted Lena, who was basically Einherjar’s very own little sister, Crossheart raided their base all by himself.
Killing everybody.
Over a hundred players died that day.
In that moment, Devon reached the bottom of the stairs and had already taken his spot next to Angel.
"Devon was only thirteen years old when he founded Einherjar—the group that ended up becoming legendary because of their exploits..."
Thomas kept talking, but Kate wasn’t listening anymore, and she was just looking at Devon—and noticed something.
He wasn’t all that happy to be standing at the stage.
"Giggle... It’s just like him..."
Kate’s eyes shone.
"Did you say something?"
A girl next to her asked, but Kate just shook her head and smiled happily—there was no doubt about it.
’Crossheart also always hated the attention...’
Then they started handing out the silver watches, and Thomas shouted, "Kate Sinclair!" and she slowly walked down the stairs.
Her heart raced, her hands clammy with anticipation, and she just kept looking at Devon as she got closer.
However.
At the last moment, she lost all courage and walked to Angel instead, took her silver watch, and strapped it on her wrist.
Then she hurried back to her seat.
’What if he doesn’t remember me? It’d be so embarrassing...’
She thought with flushed cheeks.
...
"...Kate, are you going to unpack your stuff?"
A voice came from over the bedroom.
"Soon!"
Kate shouted.
Her roommate peeked out of her bedroom and saw Kate just standing at the doorway, staring somewhere like a curious cat.
Kate peeked out of the room and then finally saw Devon step out of his room, looking around the hallway curious.
Then.
He was approached by Aaron, and they talked for a moment, but then for some reason, Devon’s gaze lingered in her direction.
Their eyes locked, and Kate’s heart skipped a beat.
She snapped her head back in the other direction, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment, and she felt burning all over.
’Did he catch me looking? Oh no...’
In that moment, she threw a glance back but then saw Devon enter Aaron’s room—they seemed to be talking about something.
’I should introduce myself now. He already caught me looking. It’d be way more embarrassing if I didn’t introduce myself now.’
Kate thought, and she gathered her courage, and a while after, saw Devon cross the hallway and enter his room once again.
’Okay...’
She took a deep breath, stepped forward, and walked like a stiff stick figure, her arms barely swinging at her sides.
Kate stopped at the doorway. Saw Devon’s back turned on him. It was the best moment to talk to him since nobody else was around.
"H-hi."
Her voice cracked. She felt dying embarrassment. She wanted to dig a hole, jump inside, and bury herself.
Devon turned around.
"Hello."
He said with such confidence, it made her heart race even faster.
She remembered that one moment in Lords of the Mythic Legends when she gathered enough courage to send a private message to him.
[Goodsoul: Good job out there!]
And he answered.
[Crossheart: Thank you.]
It was short but sweet conversation, and it was something that never left Kate’s mind.
"I-I am not sure if you remember me... I-I met you once in Lords of the Mythic Legends..."
She said shyly.
"What is your in-game name?"
Devon asked, and it looked like he was honestly curious and didn’t just ask out of politeness or anything like that.
"Goodsoul... I-I am not sure if you r-remember..."
Kate asked and looked at Devon’s face—to see if there was any look of recognition or realization.
And there was.
Devon’s face beamed—actually beamed—like he had just heard a name that he hadn’t heard in a long time.
He seemed happy.
"Yes, I do. You were Valeria’s friend, and you helped us in that raid against Dragon King Ragnarok. You were an amazing healer.
"I think you saved me from dying once."
Devon said with a smile.
Kate smiled happily with her mouth opening wide, revealing her pearly white teeth.
"Y-You remember me? I am glad..."