Abandoned by my Childhood Friend, I Became a War Hero chapter 84

84 – Date #2

After thinking about it, I put a coat on Instructor Lilya’s shoulder.

I met eyes with Instructor Lirya, who was looking up blankly.

“It seemed necessary.”

Although it was spring, the weather in March was still cold. It was especially cold on these high cliffs. One sheer dress won’t suffice.

Instructor Lilya gave her a small nod and hugged her coat tightly. She felt the vague traces of tears on her face, the warmth left on her robe without words.

I opened my mouth slowly.

“Instructor Lyria.”

I hesitated for a moment after speaking.

What am I supposed to say?

Aren’t you a shabby person? Do I respect Instructor Lyria? There are many students who rely on you?

It’s all just words stuck in a plate. And I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to say this.

I wasn’t used to consoling others, and I didn’t know how helpful Instructor Lyra would be with such a clumsy consolation.

However, I believed that there must be a reason for the fact that Instructor Lilya brought up a story to me that he hadn’t confided to anyone, right here.

To show one’s own weakness to others.

That would have taken a lot of courage.

So I also had to show the respect I deserved.

I carefully brought out the honest feelings I felt, with sincerity.

“Me too.”

“… Yes?”

“I, too, often feel small.”

Instructor Lirya opened her eyes roundly in disbelief.

I smiled lightly. It was probably a bitter smile similar to the one she had shown so far.

“I didn’t have the power, position, or fame I had because I wanted to. It’s more like something I just accidentally got.”

The earnest reason I wanted to become stronger. The beginning was to protect Ella.

Next, I wanted to be by Charlotte’s side, to protect her family and friends left behind in her hometown, and to go back alive with the members of the special lease.

When I came to my senses, all the reasons I wanted to become stronger left me one by one and disappeared. And all that was left was me, who was just getting stronger.

Only a poor and shabby man who couldn’t keep any of the things he really wanted to protect was left alone.

So, the people’s recognition, cheers, money, and fame that I gained through my chest felt useless. On the contrary, each time I embraced them, I only became more aware of the things I left behind.

I said in a low voice full of remorse.

“What I really wanted was… It was a very small happiness.”

Yes. I’m not asking for anything great.

To live a normal life with loved ones. It is a natural wish that every human being has.

However, the winds and waves of the world I had to go through in order to achieve that wish were just too rough and harsh.

Instructor Lirya smiled sadly.

“I think living happily is the most difficult thing in a world like this. An ordinary life is the hardest thing to have.”

Her eyes were looking into the distance.

From noble mtl dot com

“I often think about it. What if I hadn’t been born into the Bennet family? It doesn’t matter if you’re not an aristocrat, so what if I grew up with a family who loved me normally? What if the war hadn’t happened? … It’s a meaningless assumption.”

I shook my head and answered calmly.

“Many things are already decided even before they are born. Name, parents, social class, and even the environment around me. ”

That’s why I think there is only one important thing.

How to live in such irrationality?

“The important thing is to make a choice.”

“… A choice?”

“I have chosen myself to be an instructor at this academy. Wasn’t Instructor Lilya like that too? If we hadn’t made that choice, we probably wouldn’t have met each other like this.”

“Ah….”

Instructor Lilya had blank eyes for a moment, then she smiled lightly.

“I will. It was my choice to teach students…. If it hadn’t been for all of that, we wouldn’t have met each other like this.”

“So I don’t care who Instructor Lilya is. Rather, I am glad to hear such a story.”

“Good luck?”

“Because I got to know Instructor Lilya better. If it hadn’t happened today, we wouldn’t have this conversation.”

Instructor Lyria, who had been listening quietly, raised one of her eyebrows.

“Are you saying you’re glad I almost ruined our date today?”

“… It didn’t mean that.”

Instructor Lilya stared at my puzzled expression, then burst into a mischievous laugh. The sadness and melancholy had disappeared from her face before she knew it.

“Whoops. Just joke. By the way, you didn’t deny the word date?”

“… ….”

“Thank God. I was worried because I thought it was just me.”

I made her say a lot not like me.

I am not stupid either. The fact that she had a certain liking for me had already been noticed by her.

I wasn’t sure if it was just a crush or something more.

At that time, Instructor Lilya silently leaned his head on my shoulder.

I didn’t push her away, and the two of us watched the calm sunset and the islands below.

It seemed that the building of Fillion Academy could be seen in the distance.

Instructor Lyria asked cautiously.

“Instructor Graham… Are you happy now?”

I thought about it for a while before answering.

“… I am trying to be happy.”

I spent too much time trying to shake off old feelings. I put the anger, remorse, sadness and hatred in my heart into a spear and just wielded it.

Now it was time to fill that empty space with something new.

Instructor Lilya gave her a small nod.

“Instructor Graham was also a man with many scars.”

“Everyone has weaknesses.”

Sudden silence came. But it wasn’t an uncomfortable or awkward silence.

Instructor Lilya, while holding my coat tightly, fiddling with my sleeves for no reason, hesitantly brought out her words.

“Come on, Instructor Graham.”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever heard of it? It is said that women are sometimes more attracted to the weak side of men.”

“… Is that so?”

“They say they are attracted to the unexpected weakness of a person who seems perfect. Is it because the maternal instinct is stimulated?”

Instructor Lirya smiled lightly and said.

“And that story… I guess it’s true.”

“… ….”

To be honest, Instructor Lilya’s appearance and maternal instinct were a completely different word combination.

Of course, even the instructor would be angry if he knew I was thinking this way.

I didn’t know what to answer at a time like this, so I just changed the topic.

“I guess I have to go back.”

I’m not just saying this, actually, the sunset was almost over, and the sky was covered with darkness before I knew it.

Looking at the darkness slowly approaching from afar, it seemed that night would come soon if I stayed any longer.

Instructor Lilya frowned. She looked as if she was expecting a better answer, but eventually she let out a short sigh and smiled lightly.

“Yes. Let’s go back.”

I got on the bike, and Instructor Lirya also took a seat in the back seat.

Seeing her casually hugging my waist tightly, I took her words out with a flinch.

“Instructor Lilya. Hand….”

“Yes?”

“… No, nothing.”

It was clear that he would hug his waist while running anyway, but there was no point in stopping him.

I’ll talk to Dr. Brown’s apprentice later and add an auxiliary handle.

Suddenly, Instructor Lirya asked in a curious voice behind her back.

“Come to think of it, who the hell is Sylvia? From her voice and name, she seemed to be a woman….”

After thinking about her question for a while, she answered seriously.

“We owe each other our lives once.”

“That was such a deep relationship… !?”

It was a voice that felt strangely threatened.

***

After riding the bike all the way, it was only a matter of time before we got back to the academy. This was because after riding it several times, I found a few routes that were much faster via side roads rather than central roads.

Instructor Lilya tried to see her off in front of the Red Garnet dormitory, but she refused, saying that it would be too noticeable to her students.

In the end, I dropped off Instructor Lirya on a road slightly away from the tram stop.

The sky became dark before I knew it, and the lights of magic lanterns were softly lit around me.

Now, right before the time to part, Instructor Lilya hesitated in her place, tidying up her disheveled hair while riding her bike.

Seeing that she seemed to have something to say somewhere, I also waited for her in silence.

“Instructor Graham. I really enjoyed today thanks to you.”

“Yes. I also enjoyed it.”

It was sincere, not out of politeness. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt the joy of being with someone.

“That, and this! I’ll give it back!”

Instructor Lilya held out the jacket of my instructor’s uniform that was slung over her shoulder. The weather was chilly, so it didn’t matter if I borrowed it for a day, but she seemed to be thinking of returning it right here.

Well, if you go back to the dormitory wearing men’s clothes, you’ll stand out too much from the students.

I nodded and held out her hand, and Instructor Lyra came closer to me holding her coat.

At that moment, Instructor Lilya’s expression was determined.

She closed her eyes and thrust her face out at me, and I couldn’t move in surprise even though I could have avoided it.

Soon her small lips touched my cheek and then fell. It was a very fleeting moment.

Instructor Lilya lowered her tiptoe, which she had lifted with all her might, and she hurriedly spoke with a reddened expression even in the dark.

“This is an expression of friendship… ! Then return carefully!”

Instructor Lirya didn’t wait for my answer and turned her back and hurriedly ran to the dormitory building.

From noble mtl dot com

“Huh….”

I let out a short laugh and turned the steering wheel to the opal black dormitory.