episode_0054

A soft voice and an overwhelming sense of volume that cannot be concealed even by a loose nun’s robe that does not reveal the body.

He has squinted eyes that make it hard to tell if he’s open or closed, but sometimes, when he smiles kindly, his blue eyes are just slightly visible.

With long, rich blonde hair, and pure white skin that looks like it has never been out in the hot sun.

“As today is the first class, I want you to play the instrument you are confident in. Are there any applicants?”

As expected, no matter how many times I see it, I find it difficult because that nun/professor is just too much for my taste.

Of course, it’s just that the professor is my favorite, but I’m not interested in the subject of music, so I’m just hearing it with one ear.

As I was quietly listening to class with half-opened eyes, Hermel tugged on my sleeve.

“Why are you doing that?”

“It’s okay… … ?”

It seemed strangely quiet, and I guess someone as high as a princess was watching me.

I was so shocked by Hermel’s behavior that was so different from his usual self that I burst into laughter.

“It’s okay. I just stayed quiet because I had something to think about.”

“Thank goodness… … . I was worried because he didn’t seem to be in a very good mood.”

“Those two people talking in the background? Instead of talking behind the scenes, would you please come to the front and choose an instrument you are confident in and play it?”

“Ah.”

This lament is Hermel’s, not mine. That’s understandable, because you wouldn’t have thought that just because you made a little noise, he would suddenly come forward and ask you to play an instrument.

I smiled bitterly and stood up, and Hermel, not knowing what to do, sighed and walked out after me.

“Uh… … . You really came out… … ?”

Professor Theodora looked at me as if she didn’t know what was going to happen.

“Shall we go back in?”

“Oh, no. Then, while you are here, please play the instrument you are confident in.”

Oh, what should I do? I poked around a bit and it responded quite well. How come this is even my preference?

As I was struggling to control my emotions and think about what instrument to choose, Hermel tugged on the hem of my clothes.

… … If this continues, rather than my body growing bigger and fitting the new school uniform, the hem of my clothes will stretch out so I will fit the new school uniform. When I glanced back, I saw Hermel crying, his eyes spinning in panic.

“Charles… … ! What should I do… … I don’t know how to play an instrument… … !”

“Ah, then――”

As I was looking at Professor Theodora with a faint smile as he tried to tell me that I could go in, Professor Theodora smiled awkwardly and lowered the arm he had raised.

“It’s nothing… … .”

I lowered my head again and looked at Hermel.

“Hermel, first of all, I can’t tell you how to play an instrument right now, so I’ll pick the easiest instrument for you.”

“Easy instrument… … ?”

He nodded to Hermel and handed him an instrument that could be played with just one pair of arms and fingers.

“What is this? Chicken legs… … ?”

“It’s an instrument called maracas. Would you like to shake it?”

To be honest, I still don’t know why this instrument is here. Maracas in the Middle Ages.

what… … . If you think about it, it seems like a foolish thing to even consider this when using magic, but if you don’t understand it, you can’t do it.

“… … I’ll try.”

Hermel, who was staring blankly at the maracas in both hands, waved them. Shaka Shaka――there was a sound.

Hermel’s expression, which at first was just shaking the maracas with a curious face, gradually changed as I started playing along to her on the piano.

From surprise to interest, and eventually interest to pleasure. Hermel, who had been at a loss as he said he did not know how to play an instrument, was now truly enjoying playing.

About 2 minutes have passed. Professor Theodora, who had been listening to the performance blankly, stood and stopped the flow when they clapped.

“Ah.”

I finished playing naturally, and Hermel, who was shaking the maracas by himself, suddenly looked at me with his mouth pouting when the accompaniment disappeared.

As I shrugged my shoulders and smiled, Hermel let his arms go limp.

“The two people’s performances were really impressive. You created really rich music with a combination of piano and maracas that may seem lacking in some ways.”

“… … !!”

“This is too much praise.”

Hermel looked at me with a bright smile on his face, his eyes shining, as if he was quite happy that his performance was praised, and I smiled and nodded.

“Please give a big round of applause to the two people for their excellent performance!”

Pours of applause. I wasn’t impressed, but Hermel smiled brightly, looking happier than ever.

It was a completely different smile from when he was running wild with a sword, a smile as pure as a child could make.

… … Even with a face like that, you smile. After leaving behind the slight shock, I returned to my seat.

“You can’t sit still since you heard a good performance, right?”

With that being said, we asked for applicants to play the instrument, and unlike before, many people raised their hands.

Although it wasn’t my intention, with the help of Hermel and I, our first music lesson was an unrivaled success.

“Hehehe… … . I also play an instrument… … .”

And Hermel stayed like this until class ended.

It was so light-hearted, it was so different from Hermel’s usual image that I even felt a sense of disconnection.

I felt like I was just crazy, not crazy about the sword, so I quietly took my eyes off Hermel.

“Then I’ll end today’s class here. Oh, I will later express my gratitude to the two people who helped me teach with today’s first performance, so please come to the cathedral when you have free time.”

Thanks for your efforts. Professor Theodora said that and left the music room, and students who had enjoyed the music began to stand up one by one.

Of course, I was one of them.

“Hermel, I have to go to my next class.”

“Huh? Ah, that’s right. Hehe, I forgot. What was the next class?”

“Next class? Jeong――”

“It is elemental science.”

When I turned around at the familiar voice that cut me off, a familiar man with blond hair caught my eye.

“Brother?”

The person speaking behind me was none other than Crown Prince Sargela.

“Hermel, I have something to talk with Lady Charlotte, so I would like you to leave the table.”

“Ah… … . that… … .”

Hermel tried to say something, but when the crown prince looked at Hermel silently, he could not say anything, nodded, and quietly walked away.

After the other students and Hermel left. Only the crown prince and I were left in the music room, but the crown prince seemed to be gathering his thoughts, but he just looked at me quietly and did not open his mouth.

That quiet appearance seemed more frightening than Hermel running wild along the road. Even if it’s me, I don’t know everything about that complicated mind.

To hide my emotions and look at the crown prince, I smiled and opened my mouth.

“So, after we spoke during the entrance exam, he didn’t even make eye contact. For some reason you talked to me today.”

“… … Move your seat. I don’t think it’s a story to talk about here.”

“It seems like a story that has to be moved to another seat, something that cannot be told in the presence of God. Hehe, what kind of words are you trying to make my heart beat?”

“I’m just changing my seat so I won’t be late for the next class, so please don’t misunderstand.”

The crown prince said that and walked away, and I quietly followed behind him.

The crown prince’s words about not being late for the next class were probably a lie, as he was heading to the next classroom.

‘The Crown Prince is never the type to talk about useless things. He has a personality that prepares for everything, to the point where you might think he’s obsessive-compulsive unless he’s around Seria. The fact that you called me like this means that something has come up that needs to be addressed or something that can’t be resolved without me… … . One thing is certain–‘

“Charlotte.”

‘The latter will definitely not be the case.’

In the hallway on the second floor of the academy where the elemental science classroom was located, the crown prince spoke without paying any attention to the students around him who were talking.

“Yes, why do you say that?”

“What do you think of the lady who follows you around?”

The crown prince said that and stopped walking.

“It’s a shame. Because of one word, everyone remembered me in a bad light.”

“Why do you think that way?”

“It’s unfortunate enough that your academy life was ruined because of just one word.”

“――I think you misunderstood the purpose of my question.”

The crown prince turned to me.

There was a mixture of half doubt and half confidence in his eyes.

“I was asking you why you thought that way after you forced her to do that.”

The crown prince said that and looked straight at me. The hallway was quiet. This is because class time is approaching and all the students have entered the classroom.

The only people left here were me and the crown prince. The place where the crown prince was standing was right in front of the door of the elemental studies classroom, and the front and back were completely blocked so that he could not use the excuse of lecture time.

He doesn’t even specify who he’s talking to, and even uses vague language like ‘the lady who follows me around’.

“Hehe.”

also… … . Because it’s annoying.