Chapter 25
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Chapter 25
Turning back felt burdensome. Reluctantly, I tilted my head. As expected, Yurien de Harden Kirie was approaching us. His gaze swept past me and landed on Ian Peletro.
"An apology? What do you mean?"
"There was a dispute between cadets, sir."
Ian answered with an awkward smile. Yurien de Harden Kirie's eyes lingered long on Ian's face, his expression cold and impassive. Then he turned back to me.
"What sort of dispute, Cadet Echinacea Loaz?"
"It's a personal matter, Commander."
I spoke curtly. I had no intention of telling him. I certainly didn't need his help. We weren't the sort of people who helped each other, and I didn't need assistance anyway. Whether Ian Peletro had tampered with the match roster or whether Bread was apologizing for something strange—none of it mattered.
Yurien de Harden Kirie looked down at me with a resolute expression. He tilted his head slightly, a subtle, questioning gesture. His eyes narrowed, and those blue eyes examined my face carefully. Then he turned his gaze from me to Ian.
"Cadet Representative. Do you have anything else to say to Cadet Echinacea Loaz?"
"Pardon? I... well."
Ian's face grew uncomfortable. I spoke to him directly.
"If you want to apologize, come find me yourself, senior."
"...Understood. I'll relay that."
Ian skillfully transformed his contorting expression into a smile. Yurien de Harden Kirie, who had been waiting, spoke in a flat tone.
"If you're finished, you may go. I have something to discuss with Cadet Echinacea Loaz."
"Yes, Commander. Then I'll take my leave."
He saluted Yurien de Harden Kirie and departed.
I kept my eyes lowered. What could he possibly want to say now? Once Ian had completely disappeared, Yurien de Harden Kirie's gaze fixed on me. My already dizzy head spun even more. I didn't lift my eyes.
"There is something..."
Yurien de Harden Kirie began to speak, then stopped, hesitating for a long moment. I felt him exhale softly. Eventually, I looked up. Those blue eyes held an ambiguous light as they regarded me.
"...If there is anything I could help you with..."
His words trailed off, his tone extremely cautious. Because of that, I couldn't quite understand what he was saying. I hesitated before speaking.
"I'm sorry, Commander, but I didn't quite catch that."
"...No, never mind."
Yurien de Harden Kirie gave a bitter smile and covered his mouth with one hand. He examined my face once more, then turned away and spoke.
"Follow me, Cadet Echinacea Loaz."
"Yes."
Part of me wanted to simply return and bury myself in bed to sleep. But that wasn't possible. I obediently followed him. Yurien de Harden Kirie passed the Stable and stopped in front of the Celestial Knights Order Headquarters building, telling me to wait a moment before entering. Shortly after, he emerged carrying something and resumed walking.
I followed him without thinking, my mind blank. Yurien de Harden Kirie walked with his back perfectly straight, each step measured as if drawn by a ruler. His footsteps made almost no sound. Long training and innate elegance were evident in his gait. His silver hair, loosely bound, swayed in a steady rhythm. The shadowed portions gleamed pale gray, while the parts catching sunlight sparkled white, like fine silver threads gathered together.
My mind remained vacant, taking in only those details. By the time I realized it, I had arrived at the Female Dormitory. Since the freshman ranking tournament was the next day and everyone was training, the area around the dormitory was quiet.
At the dormitory entrance, Yurien de Harden Kirie approached me. He held out a small paper envelope. As I took it uncertainly, he smiled faintly.
"Don't overexert yourself."
His voice was soft, and his hand rested briefly on my shoulder before withdrawing—a contact as light as a feather's touch. He didn't wait for a response and left.
Only after he disappeared did I look down at the paper envelope in my hand. Opening it, I found two small glass bottles and two flat metal tins inside. I returned to my room, sat at my desk, and examined each item one by one.
A blue metal tin and a red metal tin, both bearing the emblem of the Changtian hawk. I recognized them immediately—they were quite famous items. Special salves custom-made for use by Changtian Knights.
I had heard that the red tin, infused with blessings from the priests of the Agenka Grand Temple, was effective for treating external wounds, while the blue tin was excellent for treating strained ligaments and muscle soreness. Along with their superior efficacy, they were renowned as items difficult to obtain even with money. Since the priests made them by hand in small quantities, only Changtian Knights could use them.
Both types of precious salve were included. Next, I examined the glass bottles.
Of the two glass bottles, the brown one had a label: antibiotic syrup. The other transparent bottle contained pale yellow chunks preserved in honey. When I opened the lid, the scent of ginger wafted strongly through the sweet honey aroma. It was ginger tea.
I laid them all out on my desk and stared at them blankly. No matter how long I looked, the contents didn't change. Items one would give to a patient with the flu.
"...How did you know?"
[What? What's wrong with you? Is it poison?]
The Demonic Sword asked cheerfully. Echinacea didn't respond, simply bolting upright to peer into the mirror. Her face, even with makeup applied, showed no signs of illness whatsoever. Baraha Islaf, who had been at her side teaching all morning, hadn't noticed anything either.
She returned to her desk and fidgeted with the ginger tea bottle, her fingers tracing the smooth glass before she buried her face in her arms against the desk.
[Huh? What's wrong? Your face is all red. Do you have a fever?]
"I don't know. Be quiet."
Something felt terribly strange—like the mingled scent of sharp and sweet notes in ginger tea.
She wished he didn't remember. She wished they had only first seen each other at last year's birthday gala and then reunited in Agenka because of that initial memory. That's what she wished.
* * *
April 26th dawned—the day of the freshman ranking tournament. A gentle spring rain had been falling since morning.
The freshman ranking tournament was held inside the Annex Building, right beside the Main Building. Had it not been raining, it would have taken place at the Grand Training Grounds in front of the Main Building, but the rain forced it to the Indoor Training Ground instead.
A bracket was posted at the entrance to the training ground. A boy with coarse golden hair stood before it, staring intently at the matchups. His hair gleamed as if liquid gold had been poured over it, his eyes a pale green bordering on lime, his skin porcelain-white, his nose perfectly straight, his lips faintly flushed. The boy looked like an angel stepped out of a masterpiece.
"Mikhail, what are you doing?"
A cadet with chestnut hair sauntered over and draped an arm across his shoulders. Mikhail turned to look at him, his roommate and fellow freshman, with a slight frown.
"Theo. My first-round opponent."
"Why? Who is it?"
"That girl, right?"
Mikhail pointed at the bracket. Theo read the name written where he was pointing. Echinacea Loaz. He couldn't help but let out a stifled laugh.
"Man, I'm really looking forward to your first match."
"What for."
"A lady and an angel facing off—that's quite the picture, isn't it? We're in for a real treat."
Theo chuckled and patted Mikhail's shoulder. Mikhail scowled and glared at him.
"I told you not to call me that."
"Anyone looking at your face would agree with the nickname."
"Stop messing around."
Mikhail cursed and kicked at Theo's backside. Theo laughed even as he was struck. Mikhail irritably brushed back his falling hair.
He was the youngest brother of Teresa von Frang Almari, one of only three Giosa Owners in the Changtian Knights and the only female Giosa Owner.
His sister, eleven years his senior, had not welcomed his entry into the Knight Order. The delicate, fair-skinned boy had been frail throughout his childhood, just as his appearance suggested. He remained so until Teresa departed for Agenka. Even after adolescence brought him health and he discovered his talent for swordplay, to Teresa he would always be her fragile youngest brother.
"It doesn't matter who my opponent is. I'll win, and I'll take first place. If I participate in monster subjugation and distinguish myself, maybe my sister will see me differently. I'm not the weak child she worries about anymore."
Mikhail murmured as if making a vow. Theo, hearing his words beside him, smirked and spoke.
"You're really obsessed with your sister, aren't you."
"If you don't shut up, I'll make sure that mouth never runs again."
"What if you lose to the 'lady' though?"
"Lose? Me?"
Mikhail smiled, pulling his red lips upward.
"You think I'd lose to some girl?"
"You're the one who looks most like a girl. But still, Echinacea Loaz was the top freshman, wasn't she? You're third."
"Haven't you heard the rumors?"
"What rumors? Oh, that the lady got in through fraud?"
The gossip surrounding Echinacea Loaz's entrance ranking and Squire appointment had swelled unchecked. Her Squire designation was inexplicable to anyone, and she hadn't shown anything particularly outstanding during the duel on her first day.
The rumors had begun with Bread and a handful of other disreputable individuals, but by now, most of the cadets knew of them. Rumors known by the majority often become accepted as truth simply because everyone knows them. The suspicion arises that without some basis, such gossip wouldn't spread so widely.
"It is suspicious, I'll grant you that. Even so, a Squire appointment on the first day seems excessive, doesn't it? She's hardly a once-in-a-century prodigy."
"Today, her true abilities will be laid bare for all to see."
"In any case, she looks so delicate, yet her mouth is so vicious. Does your sister know you talk like this?"
"The day she finds out, I'll be the first one she punishes."
As those green eyes flashed menacingly, Theo clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"Still, I'm your senior, you brat."
"Senior? You're just a classmate who happens to be one year older. That means nothing."
Mikhail smirked and drew his sword. It was time for the freshman ranking tournament to begin.
The spectator stands of the Indoor Training Ground were already packed with cadets. Since everyone needed to assess the freshmen's abilities to prepare for the upcoming overall ranking tournament, nearly all cadets had no choice but to attend. The Cadet Representative conducting the tournament stood in the center alongside several senior third-years assisting him.
Mikhail made his way to the waiting room beneath the spectator stands. Since the front of the waiting room was open, he could see the central arena clearly. Most of the freshmen had already arrived and were waiting.
"Hey, there she is."
Theo whispered, jabbing Mikhail's side with his elbow.
Echinacea Loaz stood out even among the gathered cadets. Her long pink hair cascaded down, paired with a white dress. A golden ribbon adorned with a short decorative veil held her hair half-pinned up. White gloves on her hands, white stockings, and white ribbon shoes completed the ensemble. Save for the gold accents at the points and the gold thread embroidery along the dress's edges, everything was white. Pearl earrings dangled delicately from her ears.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org