Chapter 108: Divine Reliquary and Goat Cheese
This “why” never really got a proper discussion.
The girls went on about their private topics until the night deepened, while the garden outside the tower softly buzzed with the enchanting sounds of crickets.
Finally, they dozed off one after another.
The next morning, a gentle breeze stirred the clouds.
Upon waking, I didn’t linger in bed. I rubbed my eyes, rolled out from my bunk, and waddled over to the window, yanking the curtains open. Morning light brushed against my cheeks, and I squinted one eye shut.
There, on the windowsill, the Goat Cheese was nodding off, its little head bobbing up and down—seems it hadn’t fully woken up yet. The other three girls in the dorm, having talked late into the night, were obviously still in the land of dreams.
I opened the window, and the fresh, fragrant air wafted in, instantly brightening my mood. I couldn’t help but take a deep breath, at which point the Goat Cheese turned its head, its scarlet eyes fixated on me, and it opened its beak to peck.
“Shh!”
I quickly put my finger to my lips, signaling it to be quiet.
Feeling it was still a bit early, I recalled that the upcoming opening ceremony would probably consist of our esteemed instructors’ lengthy speeches. We might be standing there for ages, so let the others sleep a bit longer.
The Goat Cheese was quite clever; it immediately shut its beak and hopped twice on the windowsill, then whoosh, it flew off. I guessed it must be off in search of some breakfast.
But really, taking care of it was a breeze. I never had to worry about its meals or messes; I didn’t even need to prepare a birdcage, nor did I fret about it getting lost. No matter where I went, I always saw it perched on the steps outside the next morning. That silly bird seemed to recognize me well; I couldn’t quite figure out how… did it sniff me out? Isn’t that what dogs do? It flew around all day without a peep, yet it always came back to me!
…Wait a minute, something’s off.
Suddenly, my eyes widened. I gazed up at the barrier high in the sky, which was shimmering like rippling water—vibrant yet entirely real. The “eggshell” of the Royal City had been there for hundreds of years without a moment’s closure.
So how on earth did the Goat Cheese get in here?!
Wasn’t it only those bearing the badge—what was it, “Divine Reliquary”?—that could come in? Or could it be that this barrier only applies to humans, while other creatures have free rein… but that doesn’t make sense either. If that were the case, why were we required to switch to the war chariot when entering the city?
Ultimately, what exactly did this barrier use as a metric for judgment? If it was based on Divine Reliquaries… it was clear that the Goat Cheese didn’t fulfill that requirement. In fact, I doubted any bird could even think about flying in here… right?
Suddenly, I recalled the flock of birds Carlos pointed out when he left; they seemed to be flying outside the barrier. In other words, this was a city devoid of birds… was it? I certainly hadn’t noticed any.
But if there really weren’t any, then that would imply the Goat Cheese…
“Hmm… Peilo, what are you doing…”
A sleepy murmur interrupted my thoughts. I turned around to see Sophia groggily propping herself up from her blanket, looking a bit lost as she stared at me. Half of her quilt slid off her shoulder, and beneath her gossamer sleepwear, I caught a glimpse of a rather deep trench and a half-moon…
I casually averted my gaze.
“Just daydreaming… how come you’re up?”
“Hmm—” Sophia stretched her arms, then slapped her cheeks, attempting to wake herself up. “I usually get up around this time; I’ve turned it into a habit. What about you? Aren’t you going to sleep a little longer?”
“Can’t sleep anymore.”
Our dorm had a communal wardrobe with just the right number of compartments. I slid the curtain closed again, opened my designated compartment, and pulled out the stunning school uniform I had stowed away last night, changing into it. After freshening up, I filled the sink with some water and took a look at myself in the bathroom mirror.
The uniform was beautiful, very much aligned with Ethanbel’s aesthetic, and fitted me splendidly. A pristine white collared shirt with bell sleeves, a cyan bow tie, a leather waist cincher hugging my soft belly, and a fluffy, bluish-white tailcoat skirt, the hem grazing my knee and paired with knee-length lace pants for extra flair.
I nodded in satisfaction.
No surprise here, I could pull off any outfit with ease.
By the time I emerged from the bathroom, the other two girls were already up and getting dressed. Upon seeing me, they gasped in admiration.
“Wow, you look gorgeous!”
With my hands on my hips and head held high, I said, “Of course I do.”
“You’re too modest, Miss Peilo. I was actually complimenting our school uniform.”
I shot her an annoyed glare.
“But you’re prettier!”
“Hmph~”
Now that’s more like it.
“Sarah, shut your mouth. Please take a look at yourself; you’ve managed to make our uniform look like it belongs to a long-lost wanderer.” Sophia was sitting at the vanity, fixing her hair, and couldn’t help but comment when she saw how Sarah was wearing her uniform all crooked.
“It’s just that my skirt feels a bit tight… can I get a different one?” Sarah was adjusting her skirt.
Daisy furrowed her brow when she heard this, tugging at her collar and fidgeting with her waist cincher, looking visibly uncomfortable. “I feel that way too… it’s a bit constricting around the chest.”
Sarah rolled her eyes.
“Then just pop your b*obs!”
“Pfft—hahaha!”
Sophia burst out laughing, while Daisy, her face reddening, hastily turned away and undid the top button of her shirt, sighing in relief.
Watching their little antics made me click my tongue.
Hmph, what’s so great about having big b*obs? You brought this on yourself…
“I wonder if the breakfast at the cafeteria is any good…”
“It shouldn’t be too bad; this is the Royal Academy, after all. Even if it’s not great, what can you do? Go hungry?”
“Then we can’t go outside—”
Bang bang bang—!
Before Sarah could finish, a loud, violent knock on the door interrupted her. The sudden noise startled everyone, and Daisy, standing closest to the door, took a step back with a yelp, eyes wide, like a frightened little rabbit.
Next, a shrill and loud voice echoed from behind the door: “Get up, get up!”
The girls, still startled, let out a sigh of relief, and Sophia patted her chest. “Oh my god, you scared me…”
“I thought it was some boy student…”
Daisy, her voice trembling as she spoke, looked like she was about to cry. Hmm… this girl seems a little timid.
“Our caretaker is quite fierce.”
“Shh, be careful she hears you!”
Bang bang bang! The knocking resumed, and I quickly called out, “Grandma, we’re up!”
“I’m here to notify you that you have twenty minutes until gathering time. Get ready and head to the academy’s training grounds; if you’re late, you’ll have to run twenty laps around the training ground first!”
