40 – Here We Meet
“Can we really go?”
“They said we can. Hurry up. Cal, there’s a guest looking for you. Selena had a tough day too.”
“Are we really allowed to go? Can the four of you handle it on your own?”
“Ah! We can! We can! Just go without worrying too much!”
Saying that doesn’t make me feel any more reassured. These enemies.
I feel like if I tell them not to go, they would defiantly say ‘Fine!’ and leave.
A sigh escapes naturally, but thinking that Lave is waiting, there’s no time to hesitate any longer.
Looking at their attire earlier, it seemed like they came straight after their discharge. Telling them to wait there is a terrible crime that can’t be tolerated as fellow discharged soldiers.
“Let’s go, Selena. We might be too late if we delay any further.”
“Yeah! I’m coming!”
But why is Selena coming along with me? It all started because of her request.
“Cal! The favor you mentioned! I want to use it now! I’ll go with you!”
The words I left with Selena while entrusting her with the booth to handle the Kanfs.
I promised that if she granted my request, I would definitely fulfill one of hers later.
She wanted to use that one-time favor to meet with Lave.
So, did I just say, ‘Sure. That settles it!’ and leave it at that?
In fact, I intended to, but my conscience stopped me. Honestly, that’s a bit too much.
I don’t know much about myself, but still, she tried her best to comfort me.
I could momentarily put down the heavy burden and feel relieved.
Calculating and ending it like this, as if cutting through with a sword, didn’t sit well with me.
“No, Selena.”
“Huh, is it not okay?”
“That’s not it. Even if you didn’t say it, I was planning to go with you.”
Honestly, I felt a slight sense of guilt towards Selena.
Think about it. Those enemies will be on academic probation until at least next spring.
On the contrary, Selena, who is diligent and plans well, has already fulfilled her graduation requirements.
In other words, this festival will be the last Academy autumn festival she enjoys.
Moreover, previous festivals ended in a day due to the Rosenz War.
This means Selena has never really experienced a proper festival in her four years at the Academy.
And I took away her first and last chance to truly enjoy a festival.
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If I took it away, I should compensate her. That’s only fair.
…Damn. Suddenly, I remember that what I gained after losing two years of youth in my previous life was military discipline.
Anyway, for these reasons, it felt uneasy to casually ask her to join me to meet Love.
If I suggest going together, conscience pricks at me.
It would be better if I take the lead and say, “Let’s go together.”
Incidentally, watching the festival night view would also be nice.
It’s the first festival since the war ended, so it’s quite spectacular.
Every night, fireworks and sparkling lights adorn the entire academy.
Sometimes, memories of the battlefield come to mind, but… I try to ignore them.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah, it really is!”
Walking a bit apart, Selena subtly comes closer.
“S-so, um. I heard that the Magic Research Department put a lot of effort into this, you know!”
“Oh. So, that’s why it’s so dazzling. Some kind of talent contribution, I suppose?”
“They decided to give extra points to the most hardworking group!”
“….”
As expected. Even in the midst of this, the academy’s practicality is being maintained.
Really. Using festival decoration for extra points. Professors are devils!
“It’s Selena’s first time too.”
“What is?”
“Fall festival.”
“Me? No! Why would the festival be my first….”
“Until now, due to the war, it was held on the same day, and they tried to keep it as simple as possible, I heard.”
Selena seems to understand my words, sighing as if in agreement.
Then she looks back at that time with a nostalgic gaze and says, “Right. I did that for three years straight.”
“Sorry.”
“Why all of a sudden?!”
“Maybe for Selena, it’s the ‘real’ festival that could be both the first and the last. You’ve prepared for graduation, and there’s still time. Suddenly, I assigned you work for the entire festival period.”
If I were to compare it… It’s like having three days left until discharge and working for all three days.
Wow. Thinking like this, I really feel like a monumental jerk.
“No, Karl! Absolutely not! I just said I wanted to do it because I like it!”
“But…”
“Don’t say that. If you say that, I’ll feel even more sorry. I really just… want to help Karl, but if Karl feels that way, it puts me in a difficult position.”
Well, I did offer to help with good intentions, but just apologizing for it doesn’t seem right.
Instead, expressing gratitude. It’s more appropriate to say that I will repay the favor someday, right?
“And, it’s not like I have any ulterior motives, but I just wanted to pray together like this.”
“What did you say?”
“Oh, nothing! Forget it!”
Selena, who was fidgeting, moves a little closer. Suddenly, she clenches her fist.
“Selena?”
“Hmm! There are too many people, that’s why! I, I might lose you like this!”
“It doesn’t seem like there are that many people to the point of losing someone…”
“It’s noisy! Anyway, there are a lot, right?!”
That’s true. If you miss it, you might wander around for quite a while, even if not forever.
Moreover, since I’m not familiar with the academy layout yet, if I happen to get lost, I might wander around for a long time.
“Karl, I have a curious question.”
Selena, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly slows her pace and opens her mouth.
“That… graduation extension.”
“Graduation extension?”
“Yeah… Oh, right! Schulphen and Wilhelm. And Alexander and Joachim!”
“The four of them? Why did they suddenly…”
“It’s a graduation extension. Did Karl hear about it too?”
I heard. Of course, I heard it directly from them, not from anyone else.
Thinking about it still feels absurd. I mean, how can academy students, thinking they misunderstood their own lecture scores, end up on probation for that?
It would have been more understandable if they messed up an exam or didn’t attend classes. If they got an F for those reasons, I could at least comprehend it. Everyone has moments when they just don’t feel like studying!
“I heard it. Just as soon as I heard it, I went on a rant about how pathetic they are.”
“Being put on probation for graduation… is, like, annoying, right? Makes them look like idiots or something?”
“Of course. Why would they be on probation? The reason is so ridiculous too. They attended classes diligently, and their exam and assignment grades aren’t bad either. There’s absolutely no reason for probation, but they’re put on probation because of a mix-up in scores. It’s like they’re complete idiots.”
If those kids were my juniors, I would have unleashed a storm of criticism right away. How are they going to handle the rest of their military service with such a mindset? My subordinates are going to eat them alive.
“Haha…! They’re even complete idiots!”
“But why is Selena surprised?”
“Huh? Oh, no! It’s nothing!”
Ah. Could it be that Selena is shocked too? That makes sense. She managed to make it to the graduation class without thorough management like herself. How pathetic that must be as a fellow cadet.
Ugh. The four enemies. Selena is graduating, but what’s the plan for the rest of you!
*
“Like complete idiots.”
Again, complete idiots! Not just idiots, but complete idiots! Unbelievable. Unbelievable!
‘Uh, this isn’t right, is it? If this continues, I’ll become a complete idiot too, won’t I?!’
I envied the four who could still be together with their swords next semester.
That feeling strengthened even more after what Carl said earlier about the ‘first and last festival.’
The first and last festival. Exactly, the first and last Academy Autumn Festival that Carl and I can enjoy.
I’ll be graduating next spring, and Carl will still be an Academy student. He continues to enjoy the festivals.
And beside him, other pretty female students laughing heartily….
“Oh, no!”
“Selena? What’s wrong?”
I hate it. I hate it so much! I don’t want it! Maybe, just maybe, it would be better to postpone graduation for just one more year.
Not two years, not three years, just one year. Can’t we somehow delay graduation for that time?
But. But! Carl doesn’t like probation! He called them idiots!
I asked just in case, but of course, he thinks probation is foolish too?! I don’t want to be a fool!
I don’t like being a fool, but I definitely don’t want to be a fool Carl acknowledges!
“Oh, there they are. Hey! Love!”
In the distance, a woman with red hair can be seen waving her hand.
Immaculate military uniform. Medals on the chest. And a remarkably beautiful appearance.
Despite scrutinizing glances, there was no trace of even a slight blush on the face.
…Fortunately. I was wondering how to handle it if that were the case.
“Master. Ah, who is the person next to you?”
“Say hello. This is Selena Ifrit. Academy senior in the 4th year. My classmate. Selena? As I mentioned before, this is Lavrenti. A comrade I coincidentally met during military service.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Selena Ifrit.”
Upon offering a handshake, the woman, who was Karl’s comrade, warmly smiles and shakes hands.
“I’m Lavrenti! A noble, huh? Feel free to speak casually! Oh, by the way, Master, were you also a noble? I momentarily forgot!”
“At that time, we were both pretty clueless, considering how miserable we were.”
“Whether then or now, Master, you are quite impressive!”
“Cut it out with the strange talk. Lav.”
This woman seems to have feelings for Karl, doesn’t she? Otherwise, she wouldn’t smile like that.
A formidable rival. Of all people, I have to deal with someone who shares a sense of camaraderie with Karl, something I’ll never understand.
If she uses that connection as a weapon to attack Karl, do I stand a chance…
“But, Master. Who is this person, Selena… Oh! Could she be your fiancée?”
“Huh?”
“…Eh?”