Chapter 87 – Promises that were completely forgotten!
“… Now, everyone understands, right?”
The chalk is broken. A thick powder falls into my mouth. Today doesn’t end well. I tried my best to hide my sharp feelings, but it seems I couldn’t erase the hidden emotions in my voice.
If it had been normal, there would have been a commotion as Undine pretended to smile gracefully, raised her hand and struggled to somehow speak to me. Even the undine is unusually quiet today.
“Then let’s finish class. Anyone have any questions?”
It is a long-standing custom in the classroom to ask. It took me a year and a half more just to understand that it didn’t mean much. Roughly scrape together textbooks and class materials and insert them between books. I glanced briefly at the students before leaving the noisy classroom. I had already confirmed that he was not in his seat when class started. There’s no way he could be there now.
After that day, Anastasia never showed herself to me.
A week has already passed.
“Teacher.”
“… “Uh, huh?”
I looked behind her to see if she had lost her balance, but Cecilia had finally appeared and was dragging me by my sleeve. The undine hiding behind her is watching me, not sure what to do. That’s an expression that doesn’t belong to an undine. I could have guessed that Mrs. Dees would have said something.
“You dropped it. “A book.”
“It’s true. Thank you. I did not know.”
What a mess.
Acting like nothing was probably just an illusion on my part. I couldn’t muster the courage to look at the two people face to face. I’m not even sure what expression I’m making right now.
I quickly grabbed the book and ran out of the classroom and onto the campus.
***
The Crown Prince and Anastasia interacted several times when they were young. My memory is too vague to pinpoint the exact time, but I am certain that it was around the time when I started learning how to use a sword from my father and started learning magic with my mother.
At that time, the old emperor must have sensed that his end was near, so he held banquets every day to create a party atmosphere. It is said that music and spirits constantly overflowed in Hwangseong, which shed enchanting light under thick smog.
Maybe he wanted to confirm his authority and well-being by ignoring reality and indulging in pleasure. In order to attract at least one more person to the twilight swamp filled with alcohol and entertainment, people were invited regardless of social status, and the hero of the Second Holy Sword, Neferna, was also not in a position to rashly refuse the request. . My father, who had always been avoiding me, seemed to have run out of excuses at some point and handed me an invitation with a pensive expression. However, I remember that because he could not reveal the identity of his mother, who was his blood relative, he took only me to the imperial castle under the excuse that she was sick.
I wore a suit that I had never worn before and stumbled around in a crowd of people that made me feel motion sick. Food that looked like it was sprinkled with gold did not suit my taste. It was no wonder that many nobles began to gather around my father, but at some point I was left alone.
I had no choice but to stand far away, as if I had landed on a deserted island. In the banquet hall, which was so bright that the stars were floating around, I looked intently at the surroundings. Then what caught my eye was the dining table. What is it like down there? After thinking about it for a moment, I crawled in with the intention of hiding under the long tablecloth.
But unfortunately, there were already passengers there.
There is a girl around the same age as me.
She was sitting in the dark, shaking her legs, when I appeared, her eyes widened and she greeted me in an awkward tone.
“Hello?”
The current emperor, who was the second prince at the time, had two siblings born to his mistress. Among them, the girl’s name was Anastasia, and even at first glance, she had a quite unique personality. In the first place, it must have been unusual for her, a member of the royal family, to hide under the table to avoid people’s eyes.
The child cast a curious glance at the sudden uninvited guest.
“Who are you? Why did you come here?”
“… “Dad brought it here.”
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After thinking for a moment, I answered.
“No, not at the banquet, but under the table. How did you know about this place? “It was a place only I knew, but I got caught because of you.”
“Don’t tell the adults. Don’t worry.”
“Really?”
“Uh.”
Hmm, young Anastasia pouted her mouth.
“Okay, then I’ll allow you to stay here.”
“………… Okay.”
“Look carefully. “If you stay here, all you can see is people’s feet.”
“That’s right.”
“These are Baron Garison’s shoes. There’s grease stains on it. If you get close, the smell of petroleum is terrible. And those fat ankles are Mrs. Geras! Look at the anklet. “It’s fascinating because it looks like the meat sold at the butcher shop was tied with string.”
“That’s right.”
“Not interested? “It’s fun.”
“Yes. Interest.”
“Lie! “There is no expression, what is that!”
Anastasia looked a little upset, but she soon relaxed her expression and suddenly asked:
“My name is Anastasia. “What is your name?”
“… Eugene.”
“It’s Eugene! How old?”
“…… Nine.”
“There are more than me!”
“Yes.”
“Have you been here long?”
“For a long time… ? It’ll probably take a few days, Dad…… “
“I’ll probably stay at this banquet. Her grandfather said so. I’m sick of it now… Tooth! It’s like this every day! I call you, don’t ask you to do anything, and no one calls you! “I just want to stay in my room, but that’s not possible.”
“Umm….”
“So, why don’t we hang out here for a while? My eldest brother also decided to come here starting tomorrow. Huh? Let’s play. “The other brothers hate me, jebaaal~ I’m bored!”
I can still clearly see the little girl holding the hem of my dress and begging me to be her friend.
It was probably the first time I made friends outside of the acquaintances of my mother and father.
***
“It’s Jeong. I guess they’re trying to tie it together. “With emotion, not force.”
“Invisible shackles. With emotions between people. Affection. That’s the new spell on your ankle after throwing away the hero and the holy sword.”
***
I couldn’t refute Manwol’s words at the Magic Tower.
What I said to Mrs. Dees was almost like an excuse.
Do you want to remain as a teacher? That sounds funny.
I was just afraid that they would hate me and keep their distance from me.
It was something that would eventually happen someday.
Someday.
Mrs. Disses made the right choice. It would not have been an unexpected action. Mrs. Decis, who was always elegant and noble, was probably concerned about my foolish thoughts and actions.
Before she was a kind lady to me, she was a close friend to my father and mother. The emperor who brutally murdered those two people would be nothing more than a bug or livestock that should never be forgiven.
It is true that when I am around the crown prince and princess, the hateful face of the emperor sometimes comes to mind.
Still, I couldn’t throw them away.
“I’ll have to find it first.”
Let’s think about what to say first and that later.
“Oh my god, who is this? Professor Neferna! “I guess you’ve been busy in many ways, yes.”
At that moment, a familiar voice reached my eardrums. I turned my head and saw two men who had just gotten off the carriage approaching.
“Chairman… ? And…… “
What was its name?
Clearly… Painting… What are you doing…
“It’s Fernandez.”
“Oh, yes, pedo…” Renandez. Why are you coming with the chairman? “Weren’t you at school?”
“This is disappointing. After you woke up, I was immediately called to the imperial castle. I successfully summoned the hero of the 6th Holy Sword. “Have you heard the news?”
Fernandez tilted his head and asked back.
I ended up looking at the chairman without realizing it.
“… “Are you talking about this world?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
That’s what happens in the end. Then there was nothing more to say.
I smiled bitterly and left with the cliché line that I had work to do and would say hello again later.
***
The princess could be found in a fairly obvious place. As far as I know, she didn’t have many friends. It must have been no coincidence that she found it on a bench near the dormitory.
… Now that I think about it, is it really an illusion that I feel like the only person around me with whom I have a proper relationship is Freya?
“Hey.”
When I touched her shoulder, Anastasia was startled, straightened her back and assumed a straight posture.
“What are you doing here? “In a desperate situation.”
“………… “Oh, you’re in dire straits.”
“Then are you meditating?”
Anastasia opened her mouth, muttering, her face drooping and visibly depressed. He can’t even meet my gaze properly.
“Please go. “I don’t want to show my ugly side to Master.”
“… Okay. I won’t talk too much. “Even if we do it now, it won’t help much.”
“…… It’s not an excuse, but I really didn’t know……… “
“Let’s do it later. “I’m here now because I have something to talk about.”
“………… Sorry.”
“The apology is okay. “The reason I came to you was because of an invitation to a party, not for anything else.”
When she heard the word party, she looked up at me with her bewildered eyes.
“Have you never met Ran? So you know Lin? She is a small Vanir god girl. Ran is her younger brother, and she recently had some eye surgery. She’s thinking of throwing a party to celebrate it. Your favorite Cecilia will also come. Let’s prepare your seats too…………… ”
I was planning on saying, ‘I’ll do it’, in a normal way. Then, wouldn’t it be possible to create an atmosphere where Anastasia could be naturally invited? Undine and Ignis, who hate the royal family, might be a little dissatisfied, but it’s a problem that can be resolved if I just pray a little.
But I couldn’t finish speaking.
It was a strange feeling of déjà vu.
‘What is it? ‘What about this discomfort?’
Huh? Wait for a sec.
Is something strange?
What am I missing?
Date.
Yes, the date.
What is the date? ? Party date? No, the party date would still be stable.
That’s right.
What has been decided is the date to go with Cecilia to buy the supplies needed for the party.
And……
“…… “Master?”
“……… ….”
“You don’t look good… ?”
Anastasia’s words were not heard.
“Anastasia.”
“Yes.”
“… Do you have a diary or something? “I’d like to see the calendar.”
“… “If it’s portable.”
I quickly opened the front page of her diary that she gave me. Pass the month by one page. Promises’ Must have been caught at this point. There was nothing to estimate.
“…… Crazy.”
Why did I think about it again now? My fingers were shaking as I flipped through the calendar.
“It was ruined. “They overlapped.”