“Ender Dean.”
Before departing for the Southern Frontline, I made my way to Ender Dean alone to speak with him.
“What’s the matter, Aike?”
“I’m not completely certain, but I think Avatarara might be involved in this affair.”
“…I thought it might be something like that.”
Ender Dean sighed, as if he had expected this to a certain extent.
“It’s one thing if there were just a couple, but the idea of a large number of Magical Beasts being controlled by a person is absurd. However, knowing their motives and movements makes one wonder…”
“If Avatarara is implicated in this, at least one of their executives should show up.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Most of the executives from Avatarara had special abilities in the original story.
For example, Rex could regenerate his body instantly if he didn’t die from his injuries.
Even if he suffered bodily defects that healing magic couldn’t fix, it was never a problem for him in the original story.
He would grow back so quickly that it was described as grotesque.
The reason Leon and Sophia initially lost to Rex in the original work was related to all of this.
However, those kinds of abilities shouldn’t exist at this point in time.
They weren’t naturally endowed with such powers; they had obtained them.
Yet, now, the Southern Frontline was crawling with Magical Beasts as if they were uniting.
This situation, which didn’t even occur in the original story and defied common sense, had to raise suspicions.
I couldn’t help but wonder if Avatarara was involved in this situation.
“Hmmm. If that’s the case…”
“I’d prefer to focus on capturing them alive.”
Honestly, that was an impossible feat.
Sophia wasn’t a Saintess at this point, and above all, she didn’t have the Holy Sword.
If a fight were to break out, we probably wouldn’t be able to end it without killing our opponents.
But I didn’t want to give up on the best method either.
“Understood. Then, Aike, take this.”
“What is this…?”
“You never know how the situation might unfold at the scene, so make sure you keep it on you. As for how to use it…”
After hearing how to use the item handed to me by Ender Dean, I quietly climbed onto the carriage.
The sky was vividly painted in blue, perfectly clear.
But for some reason, despite the warm sunlight, my back felt strangely cold.
★
We were five professors, including Ender Dean, along with four volunteers heading to the Southern Frontline.
In other words, adding the group that Sophia had already headed to the frontline, there were a total of fifteen Arcana support personnel.
“My name is Andrew Davis. As you heard earlier, I’m an aspiring Knight.”
As the carriage set off towards the frontline, Andrew, the senior student among the six of us, was the first to break the silence.
I had noticed his demeanor since I spoke with Ender Dean earlier—he seemed to be quite friendly.
He even mentioned he’d speak informally since we were juniors.
Of course, being a senior didn’t really matter, but given the positions of Reina’s family and Michelle, it felt rather fascinating.
Anyway, as we were about to introduce ourselves—
“My name is…”
“Oh, I already know your names. All three of you are quite famous in your respective years, right?”
Interrupting Reina, Andrew said that.
“…Yes, there were many disturbances.”
Reina’s expression immediately turned frigid.
It was only natural; she hated hearing about the events from last year from others.
Thus, bringing it up in front of us was laden with mocking implications.
Noticing the shift in Reina’s mood, Andrew waved his hands, shaking his head.
“Oh, I didn’t bring it up with bad intentions. If it sounded that way, I truly apologize.”
With his strong denial and prompt apology, Reina’s expression thankfully returned to something more normal.
Michelle and Andrew seemed unaware of the tension.
“…Then could you tell us why you brought it up that way?”
Ah, so it wasn’t resolved after all.
Regardless, Andrew sighed quietly, as if conceding to Reina’s inquiry, and continued.
“Hmm. This might sound a bit strange, but I’ve actually admired you.”
“…Admired?”
In that instant, I couldn’t grasp the meaning behind his words.
It seemed Reina didn’t understand either, tilting her head slightly.
“Yep. I’m not lying. From the beginning, I thought you both were amazing.”
Andrew drew attention by tapping on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
“I’m the heir of a newly-founded noble family recognized as a Knight through my father. My family wants me to achieve greater deeds and make a name for ourselves.”
“I see.”
Michelle seemed intrigued by Andrew’s story, her eyes wide with interest.
“Once I entered Arcana, it felt like I faced trials every single day. There are countless people more talented than me. My family desires for us to stand out to more people. However, I’m not sure if I’m really improving… Although I tried to hang in there, my mental well-being began to deteriorate little by little.”
Andrew clenched his right fist, reminiscent of the emotions he felt back then.
There was no trace of mockery in his tone regarding us.
His gaze was sincere, without a hint of deception.
“Then in the midst of all that, I saw you two. To be precise, I saw the duel between you and Crown Prince Leon.”
“That duel left a strong impression?”
“Oh right, Michelle wasn’t at Arcana last year, so you wouldn’t have seen it.”
“Yeah. I only know the story, but I can’t give you specifics.”
“Well, if I delve into all the social intricacies, it’ll be too long, so let’s just say you both fought hard to protect what was precious to you.”
“Wow.”
Michelle looked at me with surprise, as if amused.
What kind of image do I portray in her heart?
“Anyway, witnessing that duel made me reflect on various things: What is my effort truly for? What truly matters to me? Fame? Achievements? Have I been training tirelessly all this time just for honor and accolades? Or…”
Andrew continued with a laugh of disbelief.
“No, that’s not it. What I truly wanted was the strength to protect my precious people. Yes, to fight and win against unbeatable opponents for those I cherish. I admired you, who despite suffering the most from the scandal, understood what was truly important.”
“…That’s too flattering.”
The expression Reina wore while saying that was cold, but there was a slight blush on her cheeks.
“Realizing that lightened my heart, and it felt as if I began seeing what I had previously overlooked. So during the break, I returned home and told my father everything I felt. At first, I did think I would get scolded. He’s had to bear a lot as the head of our family. But surprisingly, he apologized instead, saying that the one who had overlooked what was important was himself.”
So, Andrew continued.
“To have the chance to fight alongside you this time is truly an honor. I look forward to it.”
“I also look forward to it.”
“Me too.”
Neither Reina nor I could ignore his heartfelt greeting.
However, just one person.
Only Michelle didn’t respond to his greeting.
“…That’s strange. Andrew-senpai clearly started the conversation with me, yet somehow, by the end, there was no mention of me whatsoever!”
She must have genuinely felt it, as she frowned, and Andrew wore an awkward smile, seeming troubled as he continued.
“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you out. But I’m not lying; I think Michelle-san is quite wonderful too. Really.”
“…In what way?”
Michelle inquired, glaring at Andrew.
Though it wasn’t particularly respectful as a junior, he seemed unfazed.
“Well. I can share, but would Michelle-san be okay if I said it in front of these two?”
“W-What do you mean?”
“I know precisely why Michelle-san mingles with the Crown Prince Leon faction.”
“Ugh… How do you know that, senpai?”
“There are no absolute secrets among the nobility, so it’d be good for you to keep that in mind, Michelle.”
Michelle genuinely grimaced at Andrew’s words.
Well, true, we weren’t specifically gathering as a noble faction, but there was no need to correct that.
It was only natural that we appeared to be part of a faction from the outside.
“W-What are you talking about?”
Interest piqued, Reina perked up her ears at Andrew’s words, while Michelle, embarrassed, lowered her head, her face flushed red.
“Ugh.”
“Is it okay if I say it, Michelle-san?”
“Honestly, I have no other option now but to speak up!”
As Michelle yelled, Andrew burst into laughter.
Seeing her shaking with her head down, it was impossible not to laugh.
Even Reina had a slight smile on her face.
“Hmm. It might be a bit unfortunate to say, but currently, Michelle-san is isolated among the first-years, right? The cause of that was your conversation with Aike.”
“That’s right.”
The Crown Prince, the second son of the Akses Duke House, and the eldest daughter of the Rozelia Duke House.
From the sound of it, no one would dare disturb a group of noble names like these.
However, the world of nobility isn’t so simple that rank solves everything.
It’s far more complicated than one might think, and factions can exert influence beyond visible hierarchy.
What we did was like flipping the balance of that faction, and others, with their interests at stake, could rise up against us.
Indeed, if Emperor Raphael, Crown Prince Leon’s father, hadn’t personally intervened for mediation, Leon claimed we would have all been stripped of our titles.
Anyway, even now, over half a year later, the chaos within the factions and social circles is still unresolved.
Rumors of the Crown Prince and the second Duke family being like the setting sun are beginning to swirl as well.
Just the two of us, Reina and I hadn’t been able to attend balls or banquets for quite a while.
It was only natural that rumors regarding us would have intensified.
In such a situation, Michelle had talked to me.
And since she had just entered, first-years, who were more influenced by social dynamics than the inner workings of Arcana, would hardly view her favorably.
Thus, Michelle became isolated, and the responsibility for that was likely why she started associating with us—what I knew of the events.
But did that suggest something else was lurking beneath?
“Now that I think about it, doesn’t something feel off?”
“…Is there something strange?”
I didn’t see anything mismatched.
“It’s only natural that the faction of Crown Prince Leon is targeted by other noble factions. But is it really reasonable that mere conversation leads to isolation? Especially you, Aike; it was you who initiated the talk first? Moreover, even if Michelle-san comes from a merchant family, she’s still common-born. For the nobility to isolate her despite her almost having no understanding of their faction dynamics feels excessively harsh, doesn’t it?”
“Admittedly, that does hold true.”
“The answer is simple. Michelle-san chose to remain with you.”
At Andrew’s remark, both Reina and I simultaneously glanced at Michelle.
Her face, flushed, even behind her hands, remained lowered.
“Is that true, Michelle-san?”
“….”
“I’m asking if what Andrew-senpai said is true, Michelle-san.”
Under Reina’s persistent questioning, Michelle finally let out a deep breath and slowly opened her mouth.
“Yes, it’s all true.”
