I had never heard the name 'Patriciana'.
However, I was quite familiar with the Bloomriver name that came after it.
The final act, which dealt with the story of The Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok and The Great Sage Silvenia, was full of episodes that were about the war of nerves between the houses until the entire truth was revealed.
As it was a story that spoke of the establishment and origins of Silvenia Academy, many characters were involved—some of whom were characters from houses that had been briefly mentioned or shown up as the story progressed.
If you were to pick a famous swordsman from the Kroel Empire, it would have to be from either House Callamore, House Nortondale, or House Elpelan.
If you had to pick a famous magician, it would be between House Sanile or House Whitefeld.
House Bloomriver was another famous magic house that could fit on that list, but after Emperor Kroel took the throne, there were many accidents. Thus, it became a house that was disgraced and lost its prestige.
The previous head of house was more interested in alchemy than magic. In a ridiculous experiment, they ended up seriously injured, even blowing up an entire hill… Despite facing various accidents, they never gave up on their violent magic experiments.
Of course, compared to House Rothstaylor, who studied the power of an evil god, those accidents seemed rather peaceful… The problem was the frequency. There were the explosions, food poisoning, water pollution, environmental damage, and on and on… Just being a little negligent caused an accident that led to the Kroel Imperial Household considering them a headache.
Nevertheless, they made sure to not research anything taboo. And Sinir Bloomriver, who had been newly appointed as the head of house, had more common-sense than they thought… The outcasts somehow managed to maintain their positions as high-ranking aristocrats.
House Bloomriver, which was normally called the 'Witch's House' for their extraordinary research into magic… Had also admitted two members of their house as students at Silvenia Academy.
The twin daughters of Sinir Bloomriver, Trayciana and Patriciana Bloomriver.
Contrary to the expectations that they would be admitted to the Alchemy Department, both of them entered the Magic Department. Surprisingly, the older sister, Trayciana, held the position of top student in the magic department.
"Well, now that the second-year top student Lucy Mayreel has risen to such an absurd level, they no longer shine."
Of course, the higher the school year, the higher the student's level.
It only made sense that the fourth-year top students would be at the highest level among all the top students of the other years. It was just that the characters in the protagonist's generation had ridiculously high averages.
Top student in the combat department, Daike Elpelan. Top student in the magic department, Trayciana Bloomriver. Top student of the alchemy department, Dorothy Whitefeld.
The person who wrote the letter was the twin sister of Trayciana Bloomriver, who was currently the top student in the fourth year.
I'd already met with two of the three fourth-year top students.
Daike Elpelan, the top student in the combat department and the overall top student among the fourth years. During my duel with Professor Kaleid at last semester's exam, he intervened.
Wearing those gauntlets on his hands with that large body of his, he looked just like a bear when he ran around.
And I saw Dorothy Whitefeld when I was chasing after Professor Glast. She had already been subdued by Yennekar, so she couldn't show me her true strength. Either way, she belonged to the famous House Whitefeld.
She was also the older sister of Joseph Whitefeld, who was the first-year top student in the Magic Department. A girl who was treated as a real ace within the alchemy department, and one of Professor Glast's top pupils.
However, the twin magicians Trayciana and Patriciana were completely unknown territory. Their names were long, and I couldn't really tell, but they weren't important characters in
As a magician from the troublesome House Bloomriver, I thought that she would have a crucial role. However, when the scenario started to escalate, the twin magicians graduated… They left without receiving any spotlight.
So, it was necessary for me to go and personally investigate the person who had sent me such an absurd letter.
"Trayciana is famous among fourth years as one of the few who can use two types of advanced magic. Not just anyone can be a top student in the magic department. Especially in their fourth year. Though, even taking that into account, she's still at an incredible level."
"Hmm, is that so?"
The student shelter was located in front of the student center. With many wooden tables lined up, it was usually full of students, regardless of the time of day.
However, during the summer break the entire education district was quiet. It was no different in front of the Student Center. Usually, it was a place where you would have to compete to find a seat, but over the quiet break it didn't matter.
"Well, there are a lot of bad rumors about House Bloomriver, but… It's also a place where many advances have been made in the field of alchemy. Even I know that fact really well."
Sitting across from me is the second-year top student in the alchemy department, Elvira Aniston.
She was a student with a deep academic passion for alchemy and magic engineering. She was also in charge of managing various reagents and magic engineering items within the 'protagonist generation' group led by Taylee.
Her orange hair, which was a mess as it protruded here and there, showed her character as someone who was not particularly interested in things like managing one's appearance.
Still, that sharp and playful face of hers still gave off the cute feeling—like a little devil.
"I know about Trayciana, but… I don't know Patriciana. Aside from the rumors."
The older sister was the top student within her grade, and she was quite famous among the other students because she often walked around public spaces.
However, the younger sister, who sent me the letter, was more of a mystery. And she did not go to class all that often.
Elvira read through the letter I gave her… She scratched her chin a few times with her eyes half-opened.
"You said it was sent to your old address, Ed?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm…"
I met with Elvira on the way to Glockt Hall.
I saw someone doing something strange, and when I went closer to see what it was, it turned out to be Elvira and her group.
As Elvira was well versed in alchemy, I thought she might know about House Bloomriver, as they are closely related to alchemy. So, I ended up taking a bit of her time.
"According to the rumors, I heard that Patriciana, unlike her older sister, is someone locked up in a corner of the laboratory and rarely comes outside. She almost never goes to her classes, but I've heard that she pretty much made up for her entire attendance scores through her practical and self-taught written grades."
"Is that possible?"
"Well, her older sister, Trayciana, is said to go to class all the time… Maybe if she also went to classes, she would be a top student?"
Just because they were twins didn't necessarily mean that both of them would do well in their studies. Anyway, it seemed the academic brains they were born with were similar.
"These are just rumors I heard in passing, but she supposedly has no interest in rumors or the current state of things within the school. She is purely immersed in her own research… A typical outcast stuck in her own room."
"..."
"So, she probably sent you a letter to your old address not knowing that you were excommunicated and kicked out of Ophelis Hall?"
"How long has it been since I was kicked out of the Ophelis, and yet she still doesn't know that?"
"I also think it's a little creepy. Does she also not know that the student council president changed?"
We were attending the same school, so how could she be so disinterested in the current news?
Basically, all school events were announced as major announcements. There were also many cases where the professors would bring it up more than one time in various different classes.
So, it was completely unrealistic to say that she didn't know anything about the major pieces of news that took place in the school… was what I thought.
"Actually, alchemists like us have a strange habit. To us, there is a bit of romance in setting up a secret laboratory somewhere and doing a bunch of experiments…"
Elvira opened her eyes slightly, as if confessing a sin as she spoke.
I already knew that Elvira secretly set up a laboratory in a corner on the eastern cliff.
"So, the alchemy department sometimes provides students private labs in an underground facility, but… Because that by itself isn't enough, they sometimes set up a secret laboratory somewhere else. So, if she secretly made such a thing and locked herself up in there…"
"Still, wouldn't she have to come out to go to class? It's not like she can just stay inside 24 hours a day."
"That's true, but…"
As if she thought of another possibility, Elvira smiled with a sneaky smile as she said.
"So, you know how Trayciana and Patriciana are twins, right? To be honest, if they simply change their hair color with magic, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference."
"..."
Did Trayciana go in her place for attendance?
The reason her grades were so good was because she took some classes twice?
"Is that even possible for a human to do?"
"Well, she is the top student, after all. Well, that might not actually be the case. This is just my guess. That's all."
After Elvira looked through the entire letter, she folded it in half and handed it back to me.
"Anyway, simply reading the contents of the letter, it seems that Patriciana is strangely righteous. That's why people shouldn't go around kidnapping and imprisoning people recklessly."
"Why do you act like doing such a thing is normal…?"
"No, I'm just saying that if it was necessary to kidnap and imprison a person, it could happen. Wasn't that what happened to you?"
Elvira spoke quickly as she blinked.
Looking at the seat next to her, a boy was struggling with his arms tied behind his back and his mouth and eyes covered with a cloth.
"Hm! Hmm! Hmmmm!"
A slender physique and a gloomy atmosphere around him. It was Clevius, a swordmaster of House Nortondale.
"I've been trying my hardest to just ignore it, but… Still, I want to ask."
"Yes?"
"Why is he tied up like that?"
Elvira took a deep breath as she scratched her chin.
"I'm making him into a person."
"..."
"Hear me out. He still has no brain. Whenever he has the chance, he starts saying all these depressing things and argues with anyone that makes eye contact with him. Last time, he was openly shouting and getting angry at you too Ed, right?"
I didn't particularly mind Clevius's aggressive remarks.
He was like that in the original storyline as well. He was negative and gloomy in everything he did, which made him feel rather depressed. And yet, he still went ahead and kept doing it.
"Clevius needs to cultivate his social skills a bit more. Whenever he can, he turns off all the lights in his room and mumbles in a dark corner saying strange things to himself."
"..."
"It's a waste to leave him as is because he can become a much more confident and wonderful guy. That's why I take him to parties and dress him up nicely. Sometimes he tries to run away by refusing to act like an extrovert, but there are a lot of calming reagents available so I can easily subdue him."
As Clevius wriggled his body around, the cloth that was covering his eyes slightly lowered.
He made eye contact with me with a desperate look on his face, as if he were sending an SOS asking me to help him just this once.
"…How long are you going to keep him like this?"
"Until he agrees to go with me to the alchemy department's dinner next week."
"Are you sure you want to take him there?"
"There is no better place to build a network of connections and to train one's social skills."
I stared at him for a long time thinking that was ridiculous, but Elvira snorted as if it wasn't a big deal.
"I also want to go with a decent male student. Because I am a woman too~"
Seeing her grin as she said that, I swallowed my dry saliva.
As I made eye contact with Clevius again, his desperate eyes started to get wet.
Please save me just once. I'm not going to talk about nonsense again. I will treat you well and no longer try to fight or argue with you… It seemed like that kind of message was being conveyed.
I hurriedly averted my eyes.
Clevius… being tied up like that… wasn't all that bad…
[ Magic Skills Details
Grade: Proficient Magician
Specialized Field: Elements
Common Magic:
܀ Fast Casting Lvl 13
܀ Mana Sense Lvl 14
Fire Element Magic:
܀ Ignite Lvl 18
܀ Point Explosion Lvl 3
Wind Element Magic:
܀ Wind Blade Lvl 16
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.
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Celestial Magic:
܀ Expression of Celestial-Type Magic Power Lvl 4
܀ Property Transformation Lvl 3
܀ Death Immunity Lvl 0
܀ Time Prison Lvl 1 (New!)
܀ Short-Distance Spatial Movement Lvl 0
܀ Forced Collection Lvl 2
܀ Expression of Visual Hallucinations Lvl 0
܀ Dazzle Lvl 1 (New!) ]
I had already read
There were quite a few cases where I couldn't fully remember the minor details, but I felt like I had come to understand all of the major concepts anyway.
Nevertheless, it felt like the growth of my Celestial Magic was still stagnated. Even if one were to train for a long time, their magic power level wouldn't necessarily go up.
Since the other types of magic were in the original story, there were guidelines on how to raise them. However, Celestial Magic was really something I was experiencing for the first time.
Therefore, the only effective training method I had was to learn it through direct contact with my body.
Thus, I continued to read through the book as I practiced Celestial Magic again and again… And finally, a new area of magic was unlocked.
Time Prison and Dazzle.
I've seen Time Prison used by Professor Glast and Lucy before.
It was a spell that completely blocked the movement of a target for a few seconds to several minutes. However, since time around the subject was stopped, it was impossible to affect their body.
It was very different from suppression magic, where 'you can attack while they're suppressed.' It was magic that worked better in removing someone from the battlefield for a period of time.
And the other magic, 'Dazzle.'
That magic, which temporarily controlled the mind of the target and caused them to behave as desired… It consumed a much larger amount of magic power compared to the other celestial spells.
Additionally, if my opponent's magic power resonance were higher than mine, or if the skills proficiency were too low, the range of control would be noticeably reduced.
If you could raise the skill proficiency to its limit, you could truly dominate every aspect of the target. However, at a low skill level, you couldn't even command the opponent to stop resisting.
But even if you increase the skill proficiency of Dazzle enough to break through the target's rejection, making them do unreasonable demands… The magic power consumed would also be enormous.
With low skill proficiency, it was only possible to induce the movement of your opponent or naturally break the flow of their thoughts.
"Hmm…"
Every time I looked at the skills of Celestial Magic, I really did feel that it was magic with an incredible power.
Compared to elemental magic that was mainly used for firepower, Celestial Magic was specialized in controlling the battlefield and creating variables.
I wanted to practice it as much as possible because I felt that it really suited my fighting style.
So, it hurt a bit to know that I couldn't practice the magic I had unlocked, since I couldn't use my magic power properly at the moment.
As I was checking my newly learned magic and newly increased stats, I arrived in front of Glockt Hall.
"You're finally here, Ed Rothstaylor."
Stairs leading to the entrance of Glockt Hall. A girl, sitting in the middle of it, caught my eye.
"…Patriciana?"
"You're still making such a face as if you don't know anything! Even after reading my letter!"
The first thing that caught my eye was her short purple hair. Her bangs were held up with a hairpin, which showed her beautiful pale forehead. Her two assertive eyebrows were narrowed cutely.
"You have a camp in the northern forest, don't you?"
"..."
She quickly stood up as she glared at me. She started to stomp her feet as she fumed.
"You thought I didn't know?!"
"Ah yes… So, you know about it?"
In fact, almost everyone knows about it.
Well, it seemed that most of the students didn't even believe that I would actually live such a miserable life in the wild northern forest. But it wasn't like I was trying to keep it a secret.
"Honestly tell me what the hell you are up to over there!"
"…There's not really anything I'm doing. I just didn't have a place to live, so I ended up living there."
"Don't lie! The dormitory is perfectly fine, so what nonsense are you even saying!"
"It's been almost two years since I was kicked out of the dormitory."
"…Huh?"
Patriciana tilted her head for a moment at what I said. She cleared her throat for a bit as she continued.
"I see. I'm… a bit in the dark about news of what goes on outside."
Having said that, Patriciana hesitated as she wiggled her fingers. She suddenly got ahold of herself as she raised her voice.
I felt as if she was getting angry for a good reason, so for the moment, I quietly listened to her.
"Anyway, that's not what's important…! A girl who is slightly taller than me and has white hair that is tied up … Do you know her…?
"..."
After hearing that, only one person came to mind. No, it wasn't a person, it was a spirit.
A high-ranking wind spirit who had left the camp as if she were a runaway.
"She was walking in and out of that camp every day. And not long ago, I saw her finally running out of the northern forest barefoot!"
"…So?"
"Once I was sure of it, I protected her. Every day, she disappears near your camp. Then, for the next few days she never leaves. The only time I have ever seen her leave is when she went on a small walk before! I've never seen her eat properly and she looks exhausted every day… She couldn't even leave the forest, as if she were bound by someone! I don't know how you're threatening her, but…!"
It was definitely misleading if you just listened to her explanation.
"Always barefoot, no proper clothes… She is not being treated like a human being! So, this time when I saw her, I grabbed her to protect her! If you don't tell the truth this time… I will have to report this to the school!"
"Before I explain… Uhm… How do you know the situation around my camp so well?"
Hearing that, Patriciana swallowed a gasp as her pupils trembled.
"So… How does a person who doesn't know anything about the school know so much about my camp and this girl's situation…?"
"…Why do you care?!"
"Something like a private secret research facility that the school prohibits… Have you perhaps made one near the northern forest?"
"..."
I had to ask. If there really was such a facility in the northern forest, I would have probably seen it before.
Well, I was only human… Although the range of my movement was limited, there was no way that Merilda, who managed the entire forest, wouldn't have known.
"You saw it…!"
The kid really went ahead and confessed about it.
Suddenly, magic power erupted around Patriciana. Now that the situation was like that, she was going to use her skills.
Well, I didn't know if she'd actually hurt me, but… was she planning to take the initiative in the conversation by pressuring me through force?
Unfortunately, I couldn't use my magic power at the moment. The moment I was about to reach into my pocket and take out a magically engineered object…
Whoooooosh!
For a moment, it felt like the air was splitting apart.
As the wind blew, someone showed up between me and Patriciana.
The appearance of the girl who showed up in the wind… She looked a lot like Patriciana Bloomriver.
However, her eyes were a bit more innocent, and her hair was bluish. Aside from that, she was completely similar to Patriciana. If it happened to be your first time seeing them, you really wouldn't be able to tell them apart aside from their hair color.
The girl who appeared in the wind held a large wand in one hand. She immediately cast a magic circle and exploded all of the magic power that Patriciana was casting.
Kwakakakak!
"Kyaaaak!"
Whooooosh!
In the raging wind, Patriciana grabbed the railing to control her body.
The girl who landed as the wind settled was the fourth year's top student, Trayciana Bloomriver… She tucked her school uniform coat in tightly as she looked back and forth between Patriciana and me.
"Sister…! It's a good thing you're here! This person…"
Trayciana, with her blue hair, walked towards Patriciana as she pulled her by the earlobe and brought her towards me.
"Ah, Ahh! Aaaaaahh!"
"I'm sorry, my little sister is a bit immature!"
"Sister! It hurts! Let me go! I want you to listen to what I have to say!"
Trayciana apologized by pressing down on Patriciana's head firmly.
"She has the temperament to come to a quick decision on her own, but she is a good person by nature, so I hope you can look past it this once!"
"Sister! That's not it! Sister! The camp where that guy lives… there… That girl…!"
"You mean the kid you caught and put in Lorail Hall? Anyway, I brought her along! The kidnapper isn't him, it's you, Patriciana!"
After saying that, Trayciana cast her magic power as another wind formed. Then a girl landed from the sky above Glockt Hall.
The girl with the pure white dress and fluttering hair was someone I knew well.
"…Merilda."
Merilda opened her mouth as if to say something. It seems that she didn't want it to be discovered that she was a spirit.
While playing around the school, Merilda moved around as a human being. She was wary that she might not be allowed to comfortably play around the school ground if it were revealed to the public that she was a spirit.
However, if a spirit simply speaks, you can feel the magic power that is being transmitted through their voice. She would immediately be recognized as a spirit.
That was why Merilda, in her human form, didn't speak in front of strangers.
However, it seemed that she did her best to explain that she hadn't been kidnapped… It seemed that, because of Patriciana's weak resonance level, she couldn't properly understand Merilda's explanation because she was in her incomplete manifested state.
"Y-You…!"
Only then did Patriciana look at Merilda in surprise. Merilda quickly ran towards me as she hid behind me.
Patriciana looked at what was happening as she stared back and forth and Merilda and my face for a moment…
She quickly bowed her head.
"I am sorry!!!!"
It would have been great if she had realized it sooner.
* * *
Patriciana was crying in the corner of the bench with her arms raised as if she were being punished.
"I got a letter from the head of house, Sinir. It's rare for Mother to send such a sudden letter, so I was a bit surprised."
Unlike Patriciana, Trayciana Bloomriver looked oddly mature.
It was amazing that even though they looked so similar, the atmosphere they gave off could be so different.
"It seems there was a disaster at House Rothstaylor. The news hasn't reached Silvenia yet, but soon enough, rumors will start to spread because it was such a massive event."
Sinir Bloomriver was at the scene of the catastrophe that took place at Rothstaylor Mansion.
I, Ed Rothstaylor, who was involved in the incident, had returned to the academy already. So, she must have sent a letter to her daughters, who were currently at the academy, to inform them of the news. The letter Trayciana was holding seemed to have just arrived.
"You don't seem to be particularly wary of me despite hearing the news, Trayciana."
"I'm on your side, Ed Rothstaylor. Our mother judged that you were not a part of the disaster that took place in Rothstaylor Mansion."
Trayciana showed me the letter that Sinir had sent. It also meant that she trusted me.
"If mother judged you as such, I should believe in you, too. Even so, once the news is announced, rumors and public opinions about you will spread throughout school. After all, you hold the Rothstaylor name."
"Will it negatively affect me in some way?"
"I'm not sure. We will just have to watch and see. Anyway, I wanted to meet with you, so this is good. From the looks of it, the public opinion of you with the fourth years seems to be in your favor."
Trayciana was sitting on the bench as she cleaned her wand.
"I don't know why, but Daike, the top student in the combat department, likes you very much. He said it was rare to see people like you these days. And Dorothy, the top student in the Alchemy Department, seems to have a bit of animosity towards you… but it seems to be more of a fear rather than a dislike."
"..."
"I'm just asking, but what did Yennekar do to her?"
"Can I just say, 'no comment' and move onto the next subject?"
"…Alright, I won't ask any more. Patrin, raise your hands properly."
Patriciana groaned as she raised her hands upright. Even though they were twins, she seemed to have some authority over her.
Maybe Patriciana was inferior to Trayciana in many ways? And that name Patrin seemed to be a nickname…
"Anyway, since we are in the same boat, I will tell you. My mother, the head of House Bloomriver, Sinir Bloomriver… is on Tanya Rothstaylor's side."
I was startled to hear that, my body trembling. I slowly moved my gaze towards Trayciana.
My house was currently in a state where it wouldn't be strange if it were immediately destroyed. I couldn't believe that she would have taken the side of such a house, even though I was a member of that house.
"Once the news of the Rothstaylor Mansion Incident starts to spread, opinions will begin to divide even among the students from various houses within the school. When that time comes, you will have to distinguish between those who are on your side and those who are not."
"I'm already used to everyone looking at me with an irritated gaze."
"This is completely different from just being irritated with you. They will be looking at you as a traitor."
Listening to her, I nodded my head. She was right.
"You can trust Daike, the top student in fourth year. However, I don't know about Atalanta, the top student in the third-year alchemy department. The same goes for Wade, the top student in the first-year combat department. Their houses are completely loyal to the imperial family. I don't know what type of sudden action they will take against you… Just like Patrin did today."
"All right. Thanks for the advice."
"What do you mean advice…? This is just the obvious. Then…"
Trayciana got up as she patted her clothes. She then grabbed Patriciana by the cheek as they bid me farewell.
"Anyway, it's a shame that my first impression turned out to be bad. See you again. Maybe… we'll see each other again at the next combat practice or joint class."
As I nodded, Trayciana dragged Patriciana away as they disappeared into the distance. She said that she would be on my side as an ally, so she looked like a rather reliable upperclassman. Though, her physique is a bit small.
"Well, that's that… Let's hear a little bit about how this happened…"
As I said farewell to the two magicians, I looked back.
Merilda was there, averting my gaze.
* * *
"Next."
The guest rooms in the splendid and glamorous imperial palace.
Among them, on the sofa in the most dazzling and spacious room, Lucy Mayreel sat quietly.
The chef gathered all the jerky from the Imperial Kitchen and put it on the table… He was sweating profusely.
Lucy Mayreel, a genius magician who had sent the evil god Mebula away on her own, was lying on the sofa taking one bite of the jerky before throwing it aside.
Selah, who was sitting opposite her, had smiling eyes although her mouth was not smiling at all.
"…Not this flavor…!"
Lucy Mayreel, who has been having a jerky feast for about three hours and acting like that… had not been satisfied even once.
She was someone who was being treated as a first-class guest of Selah. The man, who had been the chef of the imperial family for thirteen years, was sweating profusely in a state of torment, wondering how to satisfy her.
Selah had to keep smiling with her eyes, while enduring the throbbing headache.
That magician, who came to the imperial court as a replacement for Ed Rothstaylor… had lied on the bed with dirty clothes and stepped on the carpet without taking her shoes off… The truth was normally never the truth.
And her taste was so picky that she only showed a sullen attitude at the imperial banquet.
To put it bluntly… She was frustrated, and despite that girl…
However, Selah didn't say a word as she kept smiling. She simply sat opposite her, the edges of her lips trembling.
Her actions didn't have the slightest bit of manners… She kept thinking about sending her back, but she couldn't.
However, Lucy herself also seemed to be rather dissatisfied with the treatment she was receiving. So, it looked like she would head back at any moment.
Naturally, if Lucy decided to return, the imperial family could not stop her through force. However, she wasn't actively trying to negotiate or say anything.
Selah was being driven absolutely crazy.
-x-X-x-
It didn't have the name Land of Farming for no reason.
In Pulan, the number of cattle and pigs was overwhelmingly higher than the number of people. In the village of Torren, which was located in the deepest mountain range, that rate had a decent incline over the past few years.
It was an already aging village and there was no influx of young people.
There was still the same amount of work available, but no one wanted to come to such a place to work. Thus, it was a village where you would always see the same people.
That was why it was only natural that when something good happens to one family, the entire village becomes lively.
The achievements of one household were the achievements of the whole village. It's not unusual for rumors to spread throughout the entire village in just half a day as people congratulated you.
The most recent buzz in the village was the return of Yennekar Palerover.
Yennekar went home every vacation to see friends and family. However, that time the trip home was even more noisy than usual.
The incident happened shortly after Yennekar Palerover returned home.
Returning to Palerover Ranch, changing into casual villager clothes, washing the dishes, helping the ranch as usual, and eating sheep's milk, cheese, and rye bread with her parents. Everything was natural.
However, she seemed different from her usual self.
Orte Palerover, the owner of the Palerover Ranch, and his wife, Saila Palerover, knew their only daughter, Yennekar Palerover—whom they raised out of pure love—better than anyone else.
And of course, they knew the fact that she couldn't lie. As the two of them watched over Yennekar, watching as she grew over time, they could see Yennekar's mental state just by looking at her expression.
"It seems like you're worried a lot lately, Yennekar. Is it because you lost your seat as the top student? Even having the second seat is a really great feat."
"Hmmmng?! A-Ah that's not it! Of course, it's unfortunate, but… I'm not going to get so depressed over something like that! Seriously dad!"
Yennekar, who had been sitting at the dinner table refuting Orte's words, waved her hand in the air in denial. Afraid that she might be causing them concern.
That reaction of hers meant she was telling the truth. It was good that she wasn't stressed because of her grades, but why did it look like she had no energy?
As if she were worried about something, she looked blankly in the air as she sighed deeply. The parents were sure of it seeing her continue to act that way.
"Or… Is there a boy that you're worried about?"
"Hmm? No, what are you talking about! Dad, why are you saying such a strange and ridiculous thing? To say that I'm worried over a boy! Why do you think I would have such a strange thought?! You're always like this, Dad! I-If you have time to say nonsense, then change the fodder! That's something that you should be doing anyway, but… Either way, don't start saying random things for no reason! Y-You freaked me out!"
Yes, that was it.
Seeing Yennekar's reaction and how she tried to explain herself by saying all of that, the Palerover couple started to look happy.
Of course, that was it. Yennekar Palerover was now of that age.
And the Palerover couple were reasonable and open minded.
It was a rural area where, no matter where you searched, you would only find a few young people. Growing up working on a ranch in a place like that, they were worried that Yennekar wouldn't know anything about the world as she came from a rural area.
The ranch was already short-handed. So, the couple couldn't control their excited hearts, thinking that they might be able to catch a man.
In the first place, the Palerover couple didn't have high standards for men.
No matter how amazing their daughter Yennekar was, they didn't expect her to end up with someone like a son of a noble, a talented magician with a decent appearance, or a well-known and reputable person.
However, their one small wish was that he was good at ranch work and had good dexterity. If she continued to live a dozen more years alone in the rural village, became an old unmarried woman, and ended up being forced to marry a strange person because of her age, they would be devastated.
But now, Yennekar, someone who managed to attract an ideal male student from Silvenia! Future son-in-law! A real future son-in-law.
Those words were something that they could have never imagined would be said in that crumbling village. A future son-in-law.
Like a pirate who found a treasure chest of gold and silver, Saila Palerover had a light flicker in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Yennekar's back.
Even considering that she was her daughter, Yennekar Palerover was a woman that many men would have no reason to refuse. She had a beautiful appearance that made her look rather cute. She was completely capable in terms of ability, and in this day and age, such a simple and kind country girl was a natural treasure in itself.
And there was absolutely no reason to refuse who that supposed man was. So, in the minds of the Palerover couple, wedding bells were already ringing.
The most important thing was what kind of person the other man was behind the scenes. As long as he wasn't a completely worthless human being, they were ready to accept him. In the first place, since he's a student at Silvenia it seemed like that was already guaranteed.
"Yennekar! Yennekar! You're finally doing it!"
"Honey, don't make such a fuss…! But by the way, what is he like? Do you think he's the type that would hate if his mother-in-law were too kind to him? Maybe it would be better if I looked a bit more sophisticated…? Should I mend the dress that I wore for my wedding?"
"Does he enjoy shooting a bow? My dream is to have a drink with my son-in-law and shoot some targets… No, drinking is still too early. It would be great if he were a little bit more masculine than slender… What is he like… ?"
Yennekar's expression started to harden.
"Th-That's not it! W-Why do you both think so?!"
"Yennekar! Even if you try to hide it, we all know! So, what's his name…?"
"I'm not telling you! Why do I have to tell you something like that!"
The moment she said, 'That's not it' and 'I'm not telling you', Yennekar was acknowledging the fact. In any case, she was a person that was terribly awful at lying…
"Can't you tell us a little bit? Yennekar! Do you know how hard it has been for me as your father in charge of the Palerover Ranch?! I also want to enjoy some pleasures in life!"
"D-Dad… Why are you… making a fuss…?"
"It's not bad to end your life here cleaning up cow dung and milking them, but being able to stand proudly in this world with your feet planted on the ground and your first clenched in the air… When it comes to men, we want to feel the hearts of our son-in-law…! So, just tell me his name! Since I'm a man, I'll also be able to tell if he is a good one!"
"No! I said no! Please! Keep it down! The neighbors will hear!"
Orte Palerover sighed as his muscular arms dropped down. Yennekar slammed her hands on the desk as she made a fuss.
"Alright… I get it…. then… It can't be helped…"
"Honey, we're also getting old, too. Yennekar can't always be our kind daughter with a pretty heart… It's inevitable that she will eventually go through puberty. We decided to prepare ourselves for that day when I gave birth to her. So, don't be too depressed. We promised ourselves that we would be ready when it comes."
"Yeah… I guess… It's a process everyone goes through. Now Yennekar will also get angry at me for doing laundry with her clothes saying it smells like sweat, frown when she makes eye contact with me, slam the door and run away to her room, and slam the table asking for some pocket money… My heart was already prepared, but… It's very, very sad… I'm stuck in this village and I'm slowly dying as I become an old man… Yeah, this must be the twilight years of life… Bittersweet and lonely…"
"Why are you thinking so drastically…? ! That's not it! I won't do that…!"
Seeing Orte's crying face, Yennekar hesitated for a moment as she sighed. Either way, she definitely couldn't say his name.
The moment she said that name in that small rural village, rumors would spread throughout the village. She knew that better than anyone because Yennekar had lived in Torren Village for a long time.
However, the couple's depressed expressions continued to pressure her… Little by little, a cold sweat began to roll down.
"Euhhhh… So…"
In the end, Yennekar, who had a good heart, hesitated as she said.
"The bow…. He shoots it well…"
When she saw Orte's expression turning bright, Yennekar felt blood rushing to her head.
"Oh, Yennekar! I heard the news! It seems like you're enjoying your school life, I'm so happy!"
"When will you bring him to the village?! I'll serve him some of the raspberry juice I've been soaking for over twenty years!"
"I'll have to kill a whole pig then!"
"You think a pig is enough?! We need to serve an entire cow! I will search the whole pasture and catch the best one, so please tell me when he will come!"
She didn't say his name, but in the end, she made a slip of the tongue.
There was no way the Palerovers couple could stop themselves from telling the other villagers about such an important matter.
When Orte Palerover went to the town hall in a joyous mood after drinking a bit, he ended up talking about it as the rumor instantly spread.
By evening of the next day, the village was already in a joyous mood. Yennekar was walking around the town square with a basket full of fruits as her face burned red.
"Oh, when he comes, be sure to stop by our Helken general store! I don't have much I can give him, but… Well, if there's something he needs repaired, I'll do it for free!"
"If he's from Silvenia, then he must be quite wealthy or an aristocrat? Not all of them are like that, but there are sure a lot of them! Yennekar, you've come a long way! You truly are the pride of our town!"
"Yennekar! Yennekar! Yennekar! Yennekar! Yennekar!"
"Hey, it's a good time! About twenty-five years ago, I was also caught up with all those city men… I miss that time!"
After wandering around getting congratulated all day, Yennekar declared to the Palerover couple at breakfast the next day.
"I want to go back to Silvenia tomorrow."
Completely out of the blue. Usually, when she returned to her hometown, she stayed for at least fifteen days. But now, after only three days, she declared that she wanted to return to school.
"Wh-What's wrong, Yennekar? You should stay a bit longer before going."
"I…"
Yennekar, whose face became red, held back her tears as she said.
"I can't live here anymore…"
For a farming couple in a rural village, a delicate girl's heart was too difficult to deal with.
…It was a tearful thing.
* * *
[I was thinking a bit of the past.]
There was a fairly large lake in the middle of the northern forest.
It was truly a fascinating lake. The size of the lake wasn't great for the stagnant water it held, yet the water never became cloudy or rotten.
It was as if someone were constantly purifying the stagnant water so it wouldn't become cloudy… The water of that central lake always looked clean and mysterious.
Especially in the morning, when there was some fog from the humidity, the lake, somewhat hidden in the morning sunlight, was like a fairy tale landscape. It was quite a memorable view.
It seemed that some students used it as a morning exercise route as well. In particular, people like Ziggs were regular visitors.
Well, that was when it was morning… It was night and the stars in the sky were reflecting off the water surface, shining faintly.
'The Guardian Tree of Merilda' stood on a small grass island in the middle of the lake.
Leaning against it, looking at the view of the forest, it was as if the night sky was the ground. That was because the night sky reflected clearly off the clean water, making it look as if it was the ground.
Everywhere in that forest, below that beautiful sky, only the sounds of grass bugs peculiar to summer nights or the sounds of animals running through the grass could be heard.
Summer nights were never quiet. It was quite different from a winter night where you feel as if you were left alone in the world.
Thinking about how in the forest, which seemed to be only full of trees, there were many things that you could consider alive.
"Thinking of the past?"
[Sometimes I just have that thought.]
Merilda was walking on top of the water. It was possible because her manifestation was released. Since I didn't have any magic power, if it weren't for the power of the wand, she wouldn't be visible.
Watching her walk barefoot on the surface of the water that reflected the stars of the night sky, it was as if she was stepping on the sky rather than on water.
[Not long ago you destroyed House Rothstaylor.]
"It's a bit much to say destroy."
[Well, it can't be helped. It's the truth.]
Merilda, who held up both sides of the skirt slightly, swung her body around as a weak wind blew past.
[I don't know what you might think, but to me, House Rothstaylor is a family with a long history. To the point even I heard their name quite often.]
"I don't think much differently."
[Well. Knowing their history and actually seeing it is a different story.]
"I guess that's also true…"
Seeing me casually agree with her, Merilda smiled as if she knew I would say that.
[Every time I see such a large group or house disappear, I feel as if the times have changed again. How should I put this? It feels as if I lost a lot of energy.]
"Hmm…"
[Do you not understand?]
"To be honest, no. I don't understand."
Merilda smiled as she continued speaking.
[Sometimes I feel as if time is passing by me, leaving first. Is it because my life as a spirit has also entered the twilight age? I often have such useless thoughts.]
Entering her twilight ages.
Hearing that, I couldn't respond for a moment as I had to organize my thoughts.
Merilda was a high-ranking spirit who had lived for a long time.
People believed that no spirit had the concept of a lifespan, but that was wrong.
They couldn't die from a physical attack or magic, but no spirit would be able to live in the world longer than the amount of magic power resonance they held.
There was only one way to increase that period of time: to raise their status.
From a fluid spirit that emitted magical power for about a week before disappearing to a low-ranking spirit that could maintain its shape from its magic power for several years.
A mid-ranking spirit could sustain their life for several decades, and furthermore, a high-ranking spirit wouldn't pass away even after living for hundreds of years.
However, no matter how powerful a spirit may be, they one day must also participate in the cycle of the world.
There was no concept of death, but the concept of disappearing into nature remained. It might seem like there wasn't a difference from death but it's possible to hold onto the hope that one day they could be reincarnated as a fluid spirit and start over from the beginning.
The life of a spirit was both long and monotonous.
"Merilda, you…"
[Don't get me wrong, I still have a long way to go. At least a bit more than a hundred years. ]
Saying that, Merilda showed a wolf-like smile.
[Why? Are you worried that I will leave soon? Hehe.]
"…I would be lying if I said I wasn't."
[Wow, it really is strange how honest you are. You are quite the affectionate one.]
"Whatever the case, you have done a lot for me. And I'm not that cold-blooded."
I leaned back against The Guardian Tree of Merilda as I looked up at the sky blankly.
"I was just worried about what change of heart you went through to seem so depressed. But now I know."
[Depressed? Me?]
"You can try and act all you want, but I know you are depressed right now. Do I really have to tell you that though?"
Both spirits and humans had minds, and in my personal opinion, the way a mind works was the same whether you were a human, animal, or spirit.
The reason Merilda seemed particularly depressed and worried was the same.
"Humans are the same."
I took a deep breath as I spoke.
That was something that could be said equally on the battlefield or in a peaceful society.
Young, youthful, energetic… spirits like Mugg could all see their 'future.'
He became a mid-ranking spirit, increased his magic power resonance, increased his amount of magic power, and one day he'd become a high-ranking spirit… While commanding the spirits, he dreamed of running around the world with a powerful elementalist.
But, living such a life… Slowly, once they approached their twilight age, spirits started to see their 'past.'
Meeting with a certain elementalist, looking at the various humans, and living through a certain generation.
The days they had lived thus far and the days they would live in the future. If you were to weigh the two to see which one weighed more, you could easily find out what kind of person you were.
Those who had more days to live in the future, and those who have lived more days in the past.
It was the same reason why a young man who had just graduated from college and an elderly gentleman who was about to retire couldn't understand each other.
The young man spoke about the future, but the elderly man only spoke about the past. After realizing that difference, the elderly man fell into depression little by little.
His story was coming to an end. In the end, time left him behind.
After realizing that fact, he sometimes sheds a tear just looking at the setting sun.
[That kid, she is a lot like Silvenia. ]
Suddenly, she was talking about the Great Sage Silvenia.
I thought that Merilda was talking about herself, as she resembles Silvenia more than anyone else… But realizing that it wasn't about looks, I shut my mouth.
Patriciana was a kid who was immersed in her own research to the extent that she didn't even know a thing about the school.
[The great sage was also an outcast who devoted herself to her magic research despite the harsh and difficult environment she lived in.]
"Is that why you said they're similar?"
[I was just thinking that as I thought of the old times. Though, I think I caused some trouble in the process.]
"That wasn't any trouble, so don't worry too much. Trayciana came and took care of everything."
Merilda smiled as she tilted her head.
[In the end, I realized she was a little different from the Silvenia I had seen in the past. Well, that was obvious. As if such an outcast like her would easily show up again.]
"Is that so?"
[Yeah. Maybe it was just as you said, I was a little depressed.]
Merilda, with her skirt flapping in the wind, stood on the water as she looked up at the tall buildings in Silvenia. There were more than just one or two buildings that rose up among the stars in the night sky.
Silvenia's buildings, which could even be seen from the lake in the northern forest, were the maintained buildings of an exiled outcast who came to Acken Island long ago.
Although in the start they were weak, it has now become the best educational institution on the continent.
That time took place long ago, but if thinking back on it, it might come to her mind as clearly as yesterday.
Memories of the past that Merilda had accumulated remained in her memory even now, when she entered her twilight age.
As I said, people who entered the twilight age live their lives looking to the past rather than the future.
The same went for Merilda when she thought of her distant memories as she closed her eyes. Memories that she would never forget and would continue cherishing for the rest of her long life. There's no way that wouldn't be special.
The time when she looked down at the entire view of Acken Island from the top of the right mountain.
Was it the same time as when Silvenia gave her a headache because she constantly caused incidents whenever she could?
The figure of Silvenia, who put her hands on her waist as she smiled wildly, was definitely… A memory that was not easy to forget.
[After thinking about it… I've never had a friend like that kid. ]
Merilda spoke in a quiet whisper. She had a relaxed expression that was far from being depressed.
[Yeah, it was great back then. ]
You can't judge just on her expression though.
* * *
[I have the body of the ultimate wind spirit.]
I could see my increase in affinity with Merilda without having to open the stats window.
That was because the feelings an elementalist shared with a spirit were stronger than one's affinity, one that's just a stat. Going on various journeys together, talking often, that was enough to realize it.
Well, since I actually felt as if I got a little closer to her, I was sure that the affinity stat also went up. As a result, my spiritual skills and firepower should have also gone up.
However, after a deeper conversation with Merilda, what ended up falling into my hands… was a high level of information.
[Right now, the position of the ultimate wind spirit is vacant. Decades have passed, and still no one has reached that level. However, what remains is the body of the former ultimate spirit that has turned back into nature as it passed away.]
Coming over to The Guardian Tree of Merilda, she squatted down next to me as she said.
[Actually, it's a bit much to call it a body. It's more like a small silky mass of magic power. Of course, spirits wouldn't have an actual body when they die, but the traces they leave behind is similar.]
Merilda spread her palms toward the night sky as she continued.
[Once you get your hands on it, it will make a major difference in your elementalism training. When Silvenia finished her research, she buried it in the ground. If you want, I'll give it to you.]
"Did you have a sudden change of heart?"
[No. It's just hard to find a friend like you. Yennekar is a good friend as well. However, if you were to ask if we were close enough for me to tell her my inner thoughts, I wouldn't say that's the case.]
The highest wind spirit, 'Tyrcalaques.'
A giant bear-shaped spirit that was the size of an entire mountain ridge… It was a legend of the past that could only be found in history books.
[However, it won't be for free.]
Saying that, Merilda smiled sinisterly.
"You seem to be thinking about something useless again."
[Not at all! Like you said, I'm a little depressed. I just thought it would be nice to relieve some of my depression.]
"What do you want?"
Merilda suddenly swung her upper body up as she pulled on my tie and whispered into my ear.
[You know Yennekar likes you, right? As a lover.]
Hearing her sudden words, I swallowed a gasp.
[Well, when you were busy, it wasn't that I couldn't understand your position… But now that your life is a bit better and you're on a break, you've got some free time, right?]
"What are you trying to say?"
[I want you to slow down now.]
Merilda twirled her hand that held my necktie as she said in a seductive voice.
[You are going to have to give Yennekar at least a kiss before break is over.]
"..."
As I stared at Merilda with a completely dumbfounded face, Merilda brushed her pure white hair, looking rather sneakily.
[I mean, once that fire fox girl settles down in the camp, Yennekar will basically be pushed out of the fight. Before that happens, I need something with substance to take place so I can feel a bit more at ease.]
"..."
[Deal?]
It was already the end of summer break.
Pretty soon, the students would start coming back to the school.
For some reason I started to have an ominous feeling as I stared at Merilda's sly face for a while.
-x-X-x-
As news about the Rothstaylor family spread, the Kroel Imperial Household went into an uproar.
A number of high-ranking nobles were killed by the tragedy caused by the head of House Rothstaylor, Krepin Rothstaylor, and the Rothstaylor estate and mansion were completely devastated. If things went just a little worse, the imperial household would have been attacked by an evil god.
The downfall of the Rothstaylor family, who had been working as a close associate of the Kroel Imperial Household for many years, and the betrayal of their head, Krepin.
Members of House Rothstaylor also had their own positions within the Kroel Imperial household in various positions as well.
Among them, there were middle managers such as Templar Administrative Officers and Servant Managers, to middle ranks ranging from the Chairman of the Imperial Advisory Council to the Chief Protocol Officer, and the Head Judge… There were quite a few places where House Rothstaylor held high positions.
They were given positions under Krepin's orders. However, when the death of Krepin Rothstaylor and his evil deeds were announced, they were all temporarily suspended from their duties.
As vacancies in various important positions in the imperial household all occurred at the same time, stand-ins took over their duties and various administrative processes struggled… Eventually, an emergency meeting had to be called.
"There are a lot of empty positions."
"All the talents from House Rothstaylor were gathered and placed in the Imperial Annex."
It was an emergency meeting of the imperial family. Key members of the imperial family gathered to discuss the situation.
In front of Emperor Kroel, who sat in the center, there was an arched conference hall.
But there were quite a few vacant seats.
The court clerk, who oversaw the affairs of the imperial family, recited the individual names of the holders of the empty seats to Emperor Kroel. Most of them had the name of Rothstaylor.
In front of Emperor Kroel were the seats of the three princesses, who would eventually become the heirs of the imperial power. Behind them were a variety of others who held positions of power, such as the imperial knight commander, moderator, admirals, and prime minister, respectively.
In fact, it was a meeting where those who would decide the direction of the Kroel Empire gathered together.
"Everyone knows the reason we are gathered here today. We are here to discuss the tragedy that occurred at the Rothstaylor estate and the steps to recover from it."
Emperor Kroel, who was in charge of the meeting, spoke in a gentle tone.
"Everyone must have a list of things they want to report to me. However, we should first discuss the future direction of the Rothstaylor family. Determine if those who deserve to be rewarded should receive their reward, and those who deserve punishment should be punished."
The three princesses sat closest to Emperor Kroel.
Selah, Persica, Penia. They each sat in the center of the conference hall, looking at each other, with different expressions on their faces.
Emperor Kroel had already sensed it. Each of his three daughters had a different stance towards House Rothstaylor, which had been a center of power for a long time.
The three imperial heirs in the center with various imperial powers lined up behind them… It looked like a spider web that showed the dispersion of power among them.
The incident was not going to be resolved easily.
Thinking that, Emperor Kroel announced the start of the meeting.
A noble meeting that was so important, ordinary commoners would never be allowed to go near it.
In the back corner, behind those who were deciding the path of the empire, a girl sat down with a witch hat snug on her head. It was the witness that Selah had secured at the scene. The number one contributor to the subjugation of Mebula.
A petite girl lay on the soft chair with her legs crossed. The school uniform she wore was too large for her, making her look improper, and the hat she wore was much too big, as it covered her face.
That girl, whose expression was hard to decipher, sat quietly in the corner of the conference room as she listened to what was happening.
* * *
Acken Island's dock was not that large.
That was because most of the traffic coming in and out of the island was centered on Mexes Bridge.
Usually with islands, people travelled by boat. In the case of Acken Island, the structure of the traffic flow itself was rather unique.
The population was not large enough that massive sailing boats would come and go, and most of the supplies available were brought through the bridge.
As they received supplies from the nearby Zahul Frontier Territory or the small trading city of Velax, there was little reason to go by sea. Considering the size, using a business carriage was much more efficient and cheaper.
Therefore, Acken Island's dock was rarely used aside frome some students who traveled by sea when returning home, as well as the occasional merchants who supplied rare goods from distant lands.
Keeek, Keeek
As the sea level went up and down, the flat-bottomed barge swayed up and down.
Ziggs Eiffelstein, who was standing on it, turned around towards the small upper liner where he caught Elka's body.
"Uhhhgh… I thought I was going to die from motion sickness."
"I guess it would have been better to ride a horse-drawn carriage. The ship is faster, but your condition worsens, Elka."
"I had a lot of luggage to bring this time, so it can't be helped…."
Elka Islan grabbed the semi-robe that was wrapped around her shoulders as she shook her head. She was still a bit dizzy, but she was much better compared to how she was on the long journey.
From the grasslands in the north to the coast in the west of the empire, they rode a horse-drawn carriage. From there, they had taken a boat straight to Acken Island.
Compared to traveling only by carriage, the time had surely been greatly reduced.
"I'll get the luggage from the people working here. So, you should head back to Lorail Hall first and get some rest."
"No, it's okay. I'll rest over here on the pier, so let's go back together when everything is done."
Ziggs looked at Elka for a moment with a worried expression, but Elka told him not to worry too much. She then walked away towards the pier, holding onto her dizzy head.
However, before getting very far, she came across a familiar face, Elka tilted her head.
"Oh my, Yennekar."
Hearing that, Ziggs, who was carrying the heavy luggage, turned his head and looked at her.
On the other side of the dock, where Elka and Ziggs arrived, Yennekar had just come off another ship with a small amount of luggage.
She was wearing a pure white blouse over a royal blue skirt, and her sleeves were rolled up as she was carrying her luggage.
"Oh… Ziggs and… Elka…"
"You came back early, Yennekar. The two of us always come back a few weeks early to attend the conference before school starts…"
Elka Islan was a librarian who was in charge of the student library. She also researched magic textbooks for the school as well.
So, to avoid the demand for magic textbooks at the beginning of the semester, she arrived a little early to finish her preparations for her research…
Ziggs didn't have to come early, but he had a habit of going back early when Elka did, anyway.
"Don't you usually go home early to help out your hometown? I thought you would be coming back to school as late as possible. I guess this year is different."
"Ah, th-that's…"
Yennekar couldn't bear to answer Ziggs' question as she froze.
Rumors about Ed spread in an instant, and Yennekar's hometown had become full of unnecessary stories about her love life.
Yennekar then spoke, holding back the tears in her eyes.
"I-It just ended up like this…"
"…I guess you have a story."
Ziggs didn't dig any deeper. While taking Elka's luggage from the workers, he glanced at how Yennekar was acting.
"Well, I heard that there are already quite a few students who have already returned to school. There were supposedly quite a number of students who did not go home during break…. When you head back to the campus, I'm sure you will see quite a few familiar faces."
"Alright… Ed also came back early as well…"
"Ed? I heard a rumor that he went to his hometown this year though… Has he already returned to school?"
Hearing that, Yennekar was not sure what to say, so she paused for a moment.
The news of House Rothstaylor wasn't all that great. He'd eventually learn about everything anyway, but she didn't want to spread it around with her own mouth.
"Hmm…"
Seeing Yennekar like that, Ziggs felt something was unusual. After gathering all of the luggage, he sat down on one of them as he wiped his sweat.
"Is your relationship with Ed not going well?"
"Wh-What are you talking about…?!"
"There's no reason to act like that. Lately, whenever you talk about Ed, your expression doesn't look all that great."
Ziggs, with his strangely good intuition. Even in this regard, he was strangely sharp. Yennekar broke out into a cold sweat that dripped down the back of her neck.
"Ziggs, it's rude to say that. Yennekar's business is something that she needs to take care of herself. You need to respect that."
"Uhh, i-is that so? I don't know much about manners in regard to this, so…"
As Elka raised her index finger and pressed down on Ziggs' forehead firmly, Ziggs let out a deep sigh.
"No, I don't really mind… but… Ed and I have been caught up in something in various ways…"
Yennekar put down her suitcase as she sighed.
"Actually, I'm a little worried… I wonder if I'm more of a burden to Ed than I thought…"
An unexpected exclamation came out. Upon hearing it, Ziggs and Elka looked at each other as they took a minute to gather their thoughts, and they tilted their heads.
"Are you saying you're a burden? You're a burden to Ed?"
"Y-Yeah… I wondered if that might be the case."
"I'm not sure. I have a slightly different opinion than that. Try thinking about Ed's personality. If Yennekar really was too burdensome, wouldn't he have said so outright?"
The top of the barge swayed as the sea water rose and fell. The three of them sat quietly, organizing their thoughts, before Elka broke the silence.
"Isn't there a reason why you think that?"
"No, just thinking about my actions… I could totally be… a burdensome person. Above all else, recently… I've done some things that weren't great for him…"
Yennekar was being considerate of Ed, but giving up the top student seat seemed to have hurt Ed's pride. Without Anise's advice, she wouldn't have realized it.
Not only that, but she also accompanied him to protect him at Rothstaylor Mansion. But in the end, she couldn't prevent him from being seriously injured.
After that, Ed returned to Silvenia's academy with no intention of going to Pulan with her to heal his wounds and look at the political situation.
From Ed's point of view, he was grateful for Yennekar's suggestion that she made out of consideration. Nevertheless, Yennekar only cared about the fact that Ed had rejected her.
"I even started living in the camp with him… maybe… Maybe I haven't been considerate enough about Ed?"
"…To be honest, there aren't many people who care about Ed as much as you, Yennekar."
"Still… If Ed feels burdened, that's a completely different story…!"
Ziggs looked into Elka's eyes as he took a deep breath.
Yennekar wasn't great at being objective about herself. Most of all, there weren't even many guys in the world who would hate a girl like Yennekar Palerover over a minor inconvenience. Why would Ed be any different?
However, for Elka, who was currently in a relationship, praising Yennekar… would be pointless to do. It's something she had learned after many failures and frustrations before.
"It seems like you're underestimating Ed too much… After all, all men are the same, Yennekar."
"…What?"
"There aren't many guys out there that would push a woman away just because they were actively coming onto them. So, you can have a little more confidence. That's just my opinion though."
After saying that, Ziggs glared straight towards Elka with her eyes open. It seemed as if she was strangely right on the edge of crossing the line, but she was still safe for now.
"It is not a bad feeling to be burdened in the first place. On the contrary, there are many times where I personally feel happy that someone is leaning on me."
"Ziggs…"
Elka smirked as she called out Ziggs' name. However, even after that, she made a depressed expression for a moment as she sighed.
"I don't know how to feel about that… Ziggs."
"Don't worry too much. In the first place, I didn't really fit in with a luxurious lifestyle well."
As Yennekar tilted her head listening to the conversation between the two, Ziggs said something else thinking she needed an explanation.
"From next semester on, I will also leave Ophelis Hall. They have already received my application to leave."
"Really? But it's not like you are lacking in grades."
"That's true, but Elka's asthma has gotten worse recently… Now she needs someone to stay close to her to help her. In order to stay close to Elka while still being on the student council, I had no choice but to move to a single room in Lorail Hall."
Elka lived in Lorail Hall, a student dormitory for honor students. In order to live close to
Elka to help her, he gave up his luxurious lifestyle in Ophelis House.
"Well, the facilities are a bit lacking compared to the Ophelis Hall, and I won't be taken care of by the maids. So, I'll have to do the little things myself… Though, in the first place, that's something obvious one should do. Just because it comes and goes, you shouldn't take it for granted."
"…I guess you're also having a hard time."
"It's nothing difficult to do. However, I'm alive. Compared to the brutal wild life I lived, it is much more convenient and pleasant."
Ziggs looked at all the luggage he had gathered. When he confirmed that he had all of it, he paid the worker.
The pier worker, who looked rather happy, smiled as he said farewell to Ziggs before leaving.
Ziggs picked up the luggage one by one. He lifted all kinds of large wooden bags and bags full of clothes at once. It didn't look difficult for him at all.
His strength itself was impressive. He was someone who wouldn't have any issues even if he went to the combat department instead of the magic department.
"Anyway, I would never judge your concerns, Yennekar. But… I think it isn't something you should be worrying about."
"…Really?"
"Yes. In the first place, wouldn't a guy know better how another guy thinks? The reaction of a guy who really feels burdened or wants to keep his distance from a girl is much different than how Ed acts. The real red flag is… when he acts a bit more obvious."
Ziggs thought he had carefully chosen his words. In fact, since it was Ziggs, he wasn't the kind of person who would go around gossiping about relationships.
However, couldn't he give at least some type of guarantee?
"Well, not making eye contact or trying to break the flow of conversation with a short answer…. Clearly showing that he feels burdened…. Anyway, the red flag is when a guy sends you those signals. It's completely different from the minor and difficult to understand mannerisms that you seem to be worried about, Yennekar."
"Hmm…".
"So, have some confidence. I'm sure Ed is attracted to you, Yennekar."
Having come to such a heated conclusion, Ziggs gathered all his belongings as he got ready to head off.
"Well, push and pull is important, but… Surprisingly, there are many people who easily fall apart after they push too hard too hastily. So, isn't the best thing to do is do what works for you?"
"That… That's right…"
"So, hang in there, Yennekar. I'm sure there will be a good result."
After saying that, Ziggs packed up his luggage and left the pier. He had even given her the strength to clench her fist and stay strong.
Elka, who was chasing after him, glanced at Yennekar, who was clenching the fists cutely. She shouted "Good luck" as she left.
Left alone on the pier, Yennekar put down her luggage for a moment as she took a deep breath.
Eventually, she clenched her fists tightly, gathered strength in her body, and stood up.
Ziggs definitely didn't say anything wrong.
There was nothing good about having low self-esteem. If Yennekar was really a burden, then with Ed's personality, he would have told her right away.
Encouraged by that fact, Yennekar walked to the camp in the northern forest.
* * *
"Hello, Ed! I'm back a little early!"
The camp in the northern forest now felt like home to Yennekar.
Though, no matter how comfortable she was… It couldn't even be more comfortable than her real home in Pulan.
However, because she really wanted to come back to the camp for the rest of the break, she couldn't help it.
It was sad to see her parents wave off Yennekar with tears in their eyes as they waved the handkerchief in the air… But it was too difficult for a teenage girl who had just opened her eyes to the idea of being in a relationship.
At the very least, living back at camp with Ed made her feel more emotionally stable.
Yennekar dropped her luggage as she greeted him with a bright smile on her face.
By the campfire, Ed Rothstaylor, whom she had not seen in a long time, was poking the fire with a poker.
Since Bell had taken care of most of the basic chores, Ed was able to fully rest and focus on recovering.
Seeing Ed sitting down in a much better state, Yennekar sighed in relief.
However, after that she saw Lortel's now completed villa.
She wasn't all that happy to see a new building built in the camp that was entirely her and Ed's personal space. She grunted as she pursed her lips out. But in any case, Lortel wouldn't be able to return to Acken Island for the time being. That was because she was busy with her work—especially with taking care of all the business regarding Oldek that had built up while she was at school.
Now, only Yennekar and Ed were there in the camp. Realizing that fact, Yennekar walked over to the fire and sat down.
"Oh, you came back early, Yennekar…"
Ed, who greeted Yennekar, seemed to be in better health.
Yennekar replied with 'Yeah' as she smiled and nodded her head. She was so happy to see him that she was like a dog wagging its tail… Sitting across from him by the campfire, she felt a shiver on her shoulders.
"Thinking of it, there's not much left until break is over…"
"Yeah, how have you been, Ed? I was very worried. When I last saw you at Rothstaylor mansion, you were seriously injured."
"Yeah…"
Ed responded with his head lowered as he poked at the small campfire. Yennekar started to realize something was strange.
"Still, I'm glad since it seems you had a good rest over the break! Soon, the break will end, and the semester will start. There's going to be a busy schedule this semester, so we'll have to work hard again!"
"Yeah, that's right…"
After saying that, Yennekar looked at Ed's expression.
Strangely, he wasn't making eye contact with Yennekar. He continued staring back and forth between the campfire and Yennekar, as if he were deep in thought.
Ed Rothstaylor always acted like that when he was deeply bothered by something. While responding appropriately to the other person, it was as if he was consistently thinking of something else on the side.
It wasn't anything special, but for some reason it seemed that drops of sweat were running down the back of Ed's neck.
Even Yennekar, who wasn't good at noticing such things, noticed it. Ed clearly looked strange.
"Well, not making eye contact or trying to break the flow of conversation with a short answer…. Clearly showing that he feels burdened…. Anyway, the red flag is when a guy sends you those signals."
Suddenly, the words that Ziggs had uttered before ran through Yennekar's mind.
Anyone could tell that Ed Rothstaylor was clearly feeling burdened right now.
In fact, it wasn't strange for Yennekar to start thinking that she was a burden now. How long had they been together?
A change in another person always happens in an instant.
Yennekar swallowed her dry saliva as her eyes trembled.
I really… am a burden…?!
It wasn't that she wasn't aware.
She lived with Ed for the sole reason of becoming his lover. She was also the one who tried to speak respectfully to try and widen the distance between them in the name of re-establishing their relationship.
From a third person's objective point of view, she was just a girl around that age where she stomped her feet on the floor because of unnecessary worries. However, she was more serious about this matter than anyone else.
It was impossible for her to take the initiative in their relationship if she continued to react so drastically to every single one of Ed's little reactions.
There was no way to fix it. Yennekar Palerover was a girl who had always been like that. Who could blame her for being born such a heavenly girl?
"Yennekar. I have something to tell you."
"Yes! What is it?!"
"…Why are you speaking respectfully all of a sudden…?"
"Hm! What?!"
As if attacking her blind spot, Ed's words suddenly broke the silence and Yennekar nearly bit her tongue.
Ed's expression on the other side of the campfire looked quite serious. Yennekar swallowed her dry saliva as she listened to Ed.
"This… This might sound a bit odd. But still… Because there are circumstances…. Just hear me out…. Actually, it might not even be all that difficult a request… Although I guess it could be difficult as well…"
"Hmm…?"
"Well, I can explain the circumstances in detail, but that's too… should I say that's cowardly… Because it's not polite to you in the first place… just… I'll tell you without beating around the bush…"
"Wh-What is it…?"
Did Ed Rothstaylor ever act like that before saying something?
Feeling a little nervous, Yennekar straightened her back as his eyes trembled.
"So, you know…"
"Y-Yeah…"
"..."
"..."
Then, Ed finally spoke as he used the poker to press down on the ground.
"…Nevermind."
"What?! What?!"
"No, it's fine. Lately, it seems that I have made too many unreasonable requests from you. So, it wouldn't be polite for me to do this… It's fine. I'll think of something else to do… So… Forget it…"
"No, just tell me! What? What is it?!"
Yennekar slapped her thigh as she grilled Ed about it. Ed answered with a perplexed expression on his face as he broke out in a cold sweat.
"No, it's really fine. I also have a conscience, so I feel a bit reluctant to take advantage of you in this way…"
"It's not like we have to worry about asking each other for help. Don't worry, I'll do anything you ask of me. So, tell me what it is, hmm?!"
"This isn't just a manner of having you help me with something, but… Yennekar… this is really… Not good… it's not good…"
"What the heck is it?!"
Even Yennekar couldn't stand it now that the conversation reached that point. Stomping on the dirt floor, Yennekar shrieked, making a fuss.
Then, suddenly, she noticed Ed's expression. It looked like he was really embarrassed about doing something. And it looked like he was having a hard time explaining it…
It'd been quite some time since she had become close to Ed, but it was the first time she had seen him act like that.
At that moment, a drop of sweat ran down Yennekar's back.
"Ed."
Ed Rothstaylor was pretty good friends with Yennekar Palerover. The walls between them had been torn down and they were able to communicate with each other to the extent that they would always help each other, even if the requests were rather unreasonable.
Yennekar wasn't the only one who thought that.
They should both know that fact well, yet Ed was still acting embarrassed.
Ed relied on Yennekar a lot, enough to ask her to accompany him to the tragedy that took place at Rothstaylor Mansion.
If it was a concern that even Ed was reluctant to talk about, how serious and important was it?
Suddenly, she thought that it might not be something that they could simply gloss over.
Yennekar had never seen Ed look so troubled and embarrassed. Even if the world were to be destroyed tomorrow, he was the kind of man who would calmly organize his thoughts and figure out what needed to be done. But this was something that even Ed couldn't figure out how to deal with.
If that was the case, then what Yennekar should do was convince Ed.
Instilling confidence that she would stand by his side no matter the ordeal. It was necessary to affirm their strong bond of trust so that he could talk and explain it to her.
Suddenly, a serious expression appeared on Yennekar's face. An expression that said she had complete trust and faith in him. That she was willing to bear any burden with him, no matter how heavy it was.
There was a strong determination in her serious expression. One where she was even willing to risk her life.
It was like the spirit of a general who was prepared to die as he headed off to war.
"I'm ready for anything, Ed. So… It's okay. You can ask me to do anything… No matter how serious it is, I'll always be on your side."
For Ed, it was like death.