episode_0079

The fate of students who graduated from university diverged in various directions.

Some became lawyers or took on administrative roles, and sometimes even became professors at other universities.

If their professor’s recommendation wasn’t highly regarded, they might end up working as a secretary in a wealthy household, but even that was considered a modest achievement for an ordinary student.

In other words, most students often chose a secular life.

Except for those who pursued theology and began learning magic to walk the path of a priest.

And living a secular life meant there was one thing to consider.

“I’ve brought your letter! Sorry for opening and reading it in advance, but there’s both good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?”

“Why did you… never mind. Let’s start with the bad news.”

“Your matchmaking proposal was rejected. What a pity.”

“Sigh… I guess I’ll spend another lonely year. So, what’s the good news?”

“There’s going to be a spring festival to celebrate the start of the new year. If you find a partner, you can make some good memories!”

“….”

It was a gathering place for young people in their mid to late teens.

Nobles would engage in matchmaking around this time, while commoners would start preparing for new households.

When it came to marriage partners, the authority of the head of the family was paramount.

Once the household’s wealth and power reached a certain level, considerations went beyond just love to include political relationships and inheritance.

Youngsters were often ill-equipped to navigate such complex matters, but despite that, driven by youthful vigor, they would seek out love on their own.

And as it was at the church in Bolle, history repeated itself.

Even after shedding the image of a cute girl, her appearance did not fade, and her academic achievements were not outstanding.

Thus, Lycia, who left only a few steps to adulthood, began to be tormented by her peers.

“I am Henry, who takes Professor Carol’s classes. I have a message to deliver, would you please listen?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Have a good time in a good place with good people-”

“…I’m not interested.”

Depending on where you looked, Lycia was either in her mid-teens or fourteen according to Bollog or university standards.

The time to start thinking about marriage had come.

Still, perhaps not all was in vain at Bolle, as Lycia had learned to decisively cut ties this time.

Giving herself any leeway would only make things more troublesome. Of course, this was also due to her firm resolve.

But after cutting off numerous requests, a sudden question arose.

“What about Raven?”

While it was time for her to start thinking about marriage, wasn’t he already married?

The shock of the fact she had carelessly forgotten hit her like a hammer to the head.

But now that she knew, she had no intention of forgetting.

And today was the perfect time to ask Raven about it.

*****

The highest tower of the university symbolized the residence of a saint.

People attributed various meanings to this, but the reality was simple.

Amelie had simply chosen the highest place as her abode because she couldn’t leave Bollog.

If she couldn’t leave anyway, she chose the place where she could see the farthest.

It was her home, but sometimes it also served as a classroom.

No ordinary human dared to intrude where a saint resided. There was no better place to conduct classes without being caught.

And as she waited for Lycia today, a small cluster of light appeared, and a letter suddenly dropped from the sky.

-Can we take a break today?

A letter fell in front of her. Inside, there was only one concise sentence.

It was clear who was capable of using such unproductive magic, based on the method of creating a doppelganger.

As a saint who had received permission from God for all knowledge, she also knew the reason for the letter sent to her.

No, there was no need to go that far. Although it was neatly written as usual, upon closer inspection, it was slightly trembling with excitement.

Amelie, who had been content with imprisoning herself in a narrow cell all her life, responded with a letter containing permission, smiling faintly.

Licia, after confirming the letter that had fallen in front of her, immediately jumped out of bed, stumbling over the blanket and falling forward.

And as if nothing had happened, she casually hid her flushed face and held Lavender’s hand as they left the inn.

They strolled through the darkening streets. Lavender followed behind.

Normally, it would have been time to return to university after eating a few pieces of bread and studying magic. But she would have informed Amelie remotely, today was different.

How long had they been walking, Lavender asked, oblivious.

“Buying dinner? Have you been working all this time?”

“No, I’ve actually been studying hard.”

Lavender had no intention of using the money she gave to buy food.

Who could shamelessly pretend so boldly unless they were extremely shameless?

So she planned to treat Lavender with her own money.

Of course, she had that kind of money. Even if it was a spur-of-the-moment idea, she had already made these calculations.

Apart from being sponsored by wealthy nobles or working in a shop near the university, there were actually a few other ways to earn money.

Of course, begging or engaging in illegal activities were all excluded.

“I heard that the summary notes I took during class were more popular than I thought.”

But it didn’t matter where she came from.

Her father’s house was full of books, and there were some that were particularly well-preserved. Wasn’t there a book written by a famous scholar with beautiful handwriting?

When she wanted to be praised for breaking down the text herself, she naturally imitated the best handwriting in the best books.

The habits she had developed in her childhood remained unchanged.

The neat Gothic script she had acquired in 11-point size was in high demand.

And the price followed the demand, allowing her to make some money. If you didn’t take notes, how would you study? You just had to memorize everything while taking notes.

It didn’t affect her studies. If anything, it helped.

There was no reason to ignore this money-copy bug that brought in extra income just from studying. In her waist pocket were a few silver coins, the result of that.

So she led Lavender by the hand and arrived at a restaurant she wouldn’t normally visit unless it was something important.

If she chose common and tasteless cuts of meat, it would be cheaper, but today she had no intention of saving money.

There was no set menu, so after handing over some money, she could ask for whatever dish she wanted.

The owner, after counting the silver coins in his hand, quickly prepared and brought out a few fruits.

And from here, it was important.

“Would you like some beer?”

“Of course. When else will I have the chance to drink it if not here?”

Lavender loved beer. Who wouldn’t, but even considering this fact, she seemed to like it more than usual.

And if she was going to drink, she preferred it strong. It was good for long-term preservation, and it made her feel pleasantly bitter.

Opportunity to step back from the chaotic world was rare.

The reputation of Vollogna as a sanctuary of learning was not unfounded, and there were ways to live up to such expectations.

The strong beer, known for its bitterness, was quickly served, and Lavender occasionally chatted and spoke.

They spent time engaging in trivial conversations about how well they had been studying, what results they had achieved, and so on. It was a conversation that lacked substance, as it was merely a way to pass the time.

And as the conversation started to dwindle, a meal including lamb skewers with herbs was served.

“Since I’m the one treating today, please enjoy to your heart’s content!”

“Days like this do come. Well, I’ll enjoy it then.”

Lavender rarely drank in front of himself.

Of course, he would drink water instead as he traveled between cities, but he never drank to the point of getting drunk.

It was understandable that being intoxicated would make it difficult to handle emergency situations, but even in a safe city, he refrained from drinking excessively.

For some reason, it seemed like he had a certain restraint in front of me. Perhaps he was afraid of causing a scene if he got too drunk.

But today would be different.

One glass of beer, then another.

With delicious appetizers accompanying them, the alcohol went down smoothly.

With each raise of the glass, Lavender’s face gradually turned a shade of red. Perhaps due to the heat rising in his face, small beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

It seemed like it was enough. It was a moment of waiting, as I thought I might not be able to ask if it wasn’t now.

His lips didn’t easily part. But it was something that needed to be asked now.

If I waited a little longer, it might be too late.

“…Lavender.”

“Yeah?”

Do you ever think about marriage, Lavender?