“Hmm……. There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly unusual here, does there? No wounds.”
The infirmary within the Academy. In front of Karim, the health teacher, I stood with my shirt unbuttoned, exposing my bare skin.
Karim held the bra beneath my unbuttoned shirt and lifted it slightly, adjusting it above my chest as she inspected the area I had mentioned.
However, just like when I had examined myself through the mirror, she too could not find any traces of injury on my body.
“First, it doesn’t seem like the pain is caused by any physical symptoms. Have you ever been injured in this area where you felt the pain? Sometimes, people experience phantom pain from old wounds.”
But during my assassin training, I was only stabbed in areas like my thighs or arms under the pretext of torture—I’ve never been stabbed in this specific location, right where my heart is.
“No, never. There’s no way I could forget being stabbed in the heart.”
“Hmm… so it doesn’t seem to be physical. Could it be a curse? But there’s no trace of curse magic either…”
Karim, deep in thought, muttered various hypotheses, only to quickly dismiss them herself.
I came here just in case, but it seems that even Karim, the health teacher at the Academy, cannot determine the cause of my pain.
Karim, who works as the health teacher at the Academy, is an exceptional talent just like the other teachers. Having left the monastery where she found the monotonous lifestyle of a nun to be stifling, she possesses not only divine magic but also considerable medical knowledge.
If she doesn’t know what it is, it’s probably safe to say that almost no one on the continent would know what’s wrong with me.
Then again, this pain truly is not something ordinary—it’s likely, as Selian said, a phenomenon related to my role as a hero.
In the end, I left the infirmary with a lingering uneasiness.
—
“Come to think of it, our class hasn’t decided what we’ll do during the Celestial Festival, right?”
During my visit to the infirmary, the other students had prepared a cake from the café, and I casually asked about something I was curious about.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
While Selian and Yuli prepared forks and tea, Anne, who had been fooling around with Linne, tilted her head puzzled, looking at me.
“I heard that each class or club does something during the festival, right? But I haven’t heard anything.”
“Ah, that’s right. El doesn’t know about it.”
Instead of Anne, who was playing around with Linne, Yuli answered after finishing the placement of the teacups.
“Didn’t you know our class has already decided what we’ll do?”
“Huh? But I haven’t heard anything?”
“El has been so busy with hero responsibilities that we thought it’d be hard to add event preparations to your plate. Among the students, it’s already been decided.”
I had no idea.
Apparently, they prepared everything while I was constantly being summoned for various reasons, regardless of class hours, breaks, or after school.
Still, how could I not know anything?
It feels like they intentionally kept it from me.
Of course, even if it wasn’t meant to isolate me, I felt a flicker of being left out. At that moment, Selian, as if reading my thoughts, followed up with her explanation.
“Since it seemed like El would worry if they knew, the students decided to keep it a secret among themselves. But you’re still expected to come help during the actual festival period.”
“What do I need to do? You should at least give me a general idea so I can prepare.”
“Ho ho… the details are a secret. El just needs to show up.”
“Yeah. All you need to do is show up. We’ll handle everything else.”
It was clearly meant to reduce my burden, but hearing Selian and Yuli’s words only heightened my unease instead of alleviating it.
“Anne! If you don’t come soon, we’ll eat it all!”
“Ah! No way! I’ll be right there!”
Unaware of my feelings or not, Yuli, who had finished the setup, called out to Anne.
Anne, who had been jumping around trying to catch Linne floating in the corner of the room, hurriedly ran over upon hearing Yuli’s words.
As always, when it comes to handling Anne, no one can match Yuli’s skills.
“Anne, how’s the festival preparation going?”
While enjoying the cake and tea around the table, I casually and sneakily asked Anne.
“Of course! We already… Hot!”
However, Anne, with her mouth full of cake, suddenly covered her mouth with both small hands, realizing something.
Tch. I thought I could get a hint from Anne, but it seems they’re keeping the secret strictly guarded.
“Alright, alright. I won’t ask anymore, so stop covering your face and eat your cake.”
Anne, worried that her secret might slip, held onto her mouth and wouldn’t let go, even though it meant missing out on her favorite cake.
Seeing that she wouldn’t let go even after the cake was mostly gone, I eventually gave in.
If they all are this thorough about keeping it a secret from me, then as a matter of courtesy, I should let it go.
Putting aside the unease for now, I decided to look forward to what they’re preparing instead.
“By the way, what are you planning to do during the Celestial Festival?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Suddenly, Yuli brought up an unexpected topic.
“Actually, I have other appointments during the festival, so I might not be able to go with you on some days.”
“Me too.”
“Me too, me too!”
Yuli’s words were immediately met with reactions from the other two.
“I see? Hmm… it’s disappointing, but there’s nothing we can do. For me, most of the official events are on the last day, but anything before then is uncertain.”
The Academy officially requested my presence only for the opening ceremony, closing ceremony, the award ceremony for the tournament winners on the last day, and the prayer to the Goddess.
But since it’s such a big festival, there might be other small requests.
For that reason, I also mentioned that my time might be limited.
“No!”
However, as soon as I spoke, Selian quickly opposed me.
Surprised by her sudden outburst, I looked at Selian, who appeared flustered, unusually stuttering her words.
“W-Well… as far as I know, there aren’t many specific tasks for heroes. I don’t think they’ll bother you with anything outside of the official events.”
That’s true. As a candidate hero, Selian probably heard much of this during her early days at the Academy.
In fact, it’s normal that I wouldn’t know since I became a hero so suddenly.
“Is that so? Then that’s good… But all three of you have other commitments, right? So what are you planning to do?”
“Well, it’s rather coincidental, but all three of our appointments overlap.”
Listening to her explanation, it turns out that the first day conflicts for Yuli and Selian, the second day for Anne and Selian, and the third day for Anne and Yuli.
“So, ultimately, on the first day, it’s just Anne and me, on the second day, it’s Yuli and me, and on the third day, it’s just Selian and me?”
“Ahaha… Yeah, that’s how it’ll be.”
“Disappointing that we can’t all go together, but there’s nothing we can do. Then, can we go together afterward?”
“Unfortunately, on the fourth day, all three of us will be occupied unexpectedly. We should be available from that point forward.”
The Celestial Festival lasts a week. That means we’ll only get to spend a maximum of three days together.
“Alright… then on the fourth day, I’ll go sightseeing on my own. There’s plenty to see, so I’m sure it won’t be boring.”
Though I said I’d go alone, one person came to mind.
A girl who, like my Academy friends, is close to me.
I wonder if Presia will just sleep through the entire festival?
Good. Then I’ll go with Presia on the fourth day.
—
A few hours earlier.
While Elise was absent having gone to the infirmary, the three girls and a ghost sat around a café table on campus, having a serious conversation.
“To be honest, all of you want to spend time with Elise during the festival, right?”
It was the first time anyone had openly brought up the topic, after only noticing through subtleties before.
But Yuli wasn’t fazed by Selian’s unexpected question, responding immediately.
“It’d be nice to go together, but I’d also like to stroll with El alone during the festival.”
“I… I don’t particularly…”
In contrast to her usual confidence, Anne timidly replied in a quiet voice.
“Then we’ll exclude Anne from this two-person discussion…”
“No, I can’t!”
Anne abruptly stood up and shouted loud.
When she noticed all eyes from Selian, Yuli, and Linne were on her, she blushed as red as her hair and quietly returned to her seat.
“Then, when should we schedule this? Since Anne has the tournament, we should try to avoid her busy times?”
“The first day would be best. The tournament starts from the second day, right? Is that okay, Anne?”
In response to Selian’s question, Anne nodded silently with her crimson face.
“I’ll go with El on the second day. On the third day, my father will visit, so I really do have an appointment.”
“The third day falls to me naturally then. We’ll join together from the following day. Does everyone agree?”
“I have an objection…”
The voice was neither Selian’s, nor Yuli’s or Anne’s, and certainly not Linne’s—it was someone unfamiliar.
“Who the heck…”
Before anyone knew what happened, Presia, a girl who met Elise through an acquaintance, had burst in—not clear how she knew about the meeting.
“It’s not about my name… but anyway, why should I be excluded… If you don’t include me, I’ll tell Elise about everything.”
The request felt out of character, causing Presia some discomfort.
But for the brief time she could spend with Elise alone, she was prepared to take this much inconvenience.
“It’s fine, right? The festival lasts a whole week so there’s plenty of time…”
Perhaps because she helped Linne with a contract, Yuli felt some affection toward Presia and decided to take her side.
Maybe hoping Anne would side with her, Selian turned to her, but Anne remained bashfully bowed, only fidgeting with her fingers.
“Alright then, we’ll include Presia.”
In the end, Selian had to accept another rival.
Even after scheduling the days, the meeting involving four girls and a ghost went on for a while.
Touching is okay, excessive skinship is not, no cutting in line, and no secrets divulged.
The schedule and rules agreed upon during the meeting were made without the knowledge of the main person involved—Elise.
