Chapter 19: Persuasion

Chapter 19: Persuasion

With a deep breath, Sevi collected himself and stepped off the stage.

'I really, really want to spar with Noemi again...'

The desire to improve and the thought of sparring with Noemi again filled his mind.

Just then, a notification popped up.

[Beginner Swordsmanship has greatly increased!]

[Bgn Swordsmanship: A-  -->  A+]

Sevi's heart lifted at the recognition of his progress but the next notification caught his attention even more:

[Noemi's Favorability has increased!]

[Noemi's Favorability: -3/100 --> 2/100]

A small, appreciative smile tugged at Sevi's lips. 

 Just then, a screen suddenly popped again.

[Mission Alert!]

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[Mission: Gain recognition from Noemi for your skills.

Description: Noemi values expertise and dedication. Demonstrate your skills in a way that earns her respect and acknowledgment.

Reward: +10 Favorability Points

Penalty: If you fail to gain recognition from Noemi within the time limit, you will lose 20 favorability points with Noemi, and you will have to wait 14 days before you can attempt a similar mission again.

Time Limit: 1 month]

_____________________________

'A mission? Ahh..!'

Then Sevi suddenly got struck by an idea.

An idea where he can hit two birds with one stone. One that would allow him to address both his desire to improve and his goal of increasing his favorability to Noemi.

As the matches continued, Sevi took a seat on the sidelines. 

'Where is she...' 

He scanned the arena for any sign of Noemi, hoping to catch her. The sounds of clashing swords and the cheers of the crowd were lively, but Sevi's focus was solely on finding her.

'There!'

Sevi's eyes lit up as he spotted Noemi exiting the gym. He quickly stood up and jogged to catch up with her.

By the time he reached the sidewalk outside the gym, Noemi was already a short distance ahead, heading toward the cafeteria.

"Hey, Noemi!" Sevi called out, raising his voice slightly to get her attention.

Sevi's voice went unheard as Noemi, with her Airpods in, continued walking toward the cafeteria. He quickened his pace, closing the gap between them.

When he was close enough, he gently tapped her on the shoulder.

Noemi jumped slightly, pulling out one of her Airpods and turning to see Sevi standing there, a friendly smile on his face.

'An airpods? Never thought it will exist in this world.' Sevi thought, looking at Noemi's hand.

Noemi initially had a slight frown as she pulled out her Airpod, her expression conveying a touch of annoyance at being interrupted. But when she saw Sevi's friendly smile, her demeanor softened a bit.

"Oh, hey Sevi," she said.

Sevi cleared his throat,  "Ohh, uhmm... I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to train with me sometime."

Noemi's eyebrows arched in surprise, and she gave Sevi a curious look. "You want to train with me?" Her tone carried a hint of skepticism.

Sevi nodded, trying to keep his expression earnest.

"Yeah, I was really impressed by your skills. I think it would be great for me to learn from you."

Noemi tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "I appreciate the compliment, but no."

'Oh...'

Sevi's face fell a little, but he quickly masked his disappointment with a smile.

"Oh, um, okay. I understand if you're busy or if you're not interested."

Sevi then glanced at the favorability above Noemi.

"But either way, I'll keep asking."

Noemi raised an eyebrow, "Fine, but just so you know, I'm not going to change my mind."

Sevi grinned, clearly undeterred. "I get it. I'll be persistent."

As the days went by, Sevi indeed kept his promise. Every day, he would approach Noemi with a cheerful demeanor, asking if she had reconsidered. 

Noemi's routine was now was full of Sevi's cheerful inquiries. Each time he approached, his optimism was as unwavering as his smile.

Despite her repeated refusals, Sevi's persistence never wavered.

"Any chance you're reconsidering today?" Sevi would ask, his tone bright and hopeful.

"Nope, still not interested," Noemi would respond, her voice steady but tinged with a hint of amusement. 

"I've told you before, my training is my own time."

Despite Noemi's consistent refusals, Sevi's unwavering positivity was slowly making a dent.

The favorability rating of Noemi, which had been a mere 2/100, had gradually climbed to 6/100. 

'I would have given up if I didn't see this rating go up.' Sevi thought.

 The climb from 2 to 6 might have been modest, but to him, it was a sign that his efforts were having some effect.

As Sevi approached Noemi again with his usual cheerful demeanor, Noemi couldn't help but speak immediately.

"Nope, still not interested,"

Sevi laughed, clearly amused by Noemi's quick response. "Wow, I haven't even said anything yet." 

Sevi's laughter was met with Noemi's annoyed glance. She shifted her focus back to the book she was reading, clearly intent on ignoring him.

Sevi's grin remained as he continued, "But persistence is the key, right? And I've got a lot of it."

Noemi sighed, still not meeting his gaze. "You're not going to stop, are you?"

"Not a chance," Sevi replied cheerfully.

'I won't, it's a chance to level up my swordsmanship skills,'  Sevi thought.

Noemi finally glanced up, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of irritation and reluctant amusement.

"I've noticed. You've been asking every day."

Sevi nodded, taking a step closer. "I have. And I'll keep doing it. I really believe that one day, you might change your mind."

Noemi's expression softened slightly, though she quickly masked it with her usual resolve. "Keep dreaming, Sevi. But don't expect anything to change anytime soon."

Sevi's smile didn't waver. "Got it. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

As he walked away, Noemi shook her head, trying to hide a small smile.

[Noemi's favorability has increased!]

[Noemi's favorability: 6/100 --> 7/100]

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