7. Golden Sun

7. Golden Sun

She had the audacity to attack the young lady of the Marquisate who dared to challenge her, causing her to wet herself in front of many people.

Afterward, as a warning, she extorted money from her at the dining hall and taunted her on the street, sword in hand, saying she was wrong and would pay for it.

It was a scene witnessed by too many people to be dismissed as mere exaggeration of rumors.

Therefore, it was only natural that everyone swallowed and froze when the subject of those chilling rumors opened the door and walked in.

A white wolf, walking with a clomp-clomp, scattering cold air (which, of course, emanated from the sword).

As Skadi von Lyra quietly sat down, the unfortunate young lady of the Baron family, who happened to be sitting next to her, flinched.

A chill that seemed to frost the air, a suffocating silence.

The atmosphere was such that one wanted to flee immediately, but fearing that even the slightest movement might displease the Grand Duchess, the young lady of the Baron family could do nothing but sit there, unable to move.

An expressionless face that revealed no emotion, a white sword still scattering cold air. Skadi’s blue eyes, scanning the lecture hall, felt like those of a grim reaper contemplating whom to kill.

Finally, the young lady’s face contorted. Seeing emotion appear on her usually expressionless face, the students tensed their bodies and watched the predator.

And then-

Clang!

The sound of metal hitting the desk was heard.

The white sword lay alone on the desk. The children of noble families, skilled in social maneuvering, knew the meaning behind such a blatant display.

“-Get out of my side, right now.”

The students sitting near her, especially the young lady of the Baron family sitting right next to her, instinctively sensed the threat of death and quickly fled the spot.

The area around the white wolf became empty.

Fearing even the slightest provocation, all the students lowered their eyes and averted their gaze from her. They cursed their past selves for signing up for the same lecture as her, and all closed their eyes tightly, hoping this disaster would pass quickly.

After a few seconds that felt like hours.

While everyone was hiding themselves from her, someone walked up with a clomp-clomp and stood in front of her.

——

“Hello?”

“…”

Skadi gazed intently at Golden Sun before her.

She looked like a wolf carefully examining its prey before enjoying a feast, but in reality, she was just staring at the other person without thinking.

Frivolous attire, a delinquent appearance.

After a moment of thought, Skadi smiled, deciding that one shouldn’t discriminate based on appearance, and greeted the other person.

… At least, she thought she smiled.

“Hello.”

“Oh, you’re finally answering.”

Normally, one should look into the eyes when talking to someone. However, because her bangs fell long and covered her eyes, Skadi could only see Golden Sun’s mouth and nose.

Still, it was strange that it didn’t feel gloomy but rather frivolous. Skadi quietly waited for the other person to speak.

‘We shouldn’t be close to each other if we’re of opposite genders.’

… Recalling the common sense her sister had told her.

Golden Sun continued speaking in a light tone, unfazed by Skadi’s weak reaction.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Sorina von Ossen. I am the ‘eldest daughter’ of the Ossen Duchy.”

Flinch.

Upon hearing Golden Sun’s self-introduction, Skadi’s body trembled violently. Her white tail, which always swayed, stopped abruptly, and Skadi turned her head with a creak and asked Golden Sun blankly.

“What?”

“Huh? My name is Sorina von Ossen.”

“No, the part after that.”

Did she perhaps mishear? Skadi spoke, doubting her own perky ears. However, her excellent wolf ears faithfully relayed Golden Sun’s words without a single error.

“Ah, the part about being the eldest daughter? Everyone is surprised when they hear it for the first time. I’m a woman.”

“…”

Skadi’s face contorted strangely. This was the second emotional expression Skadi had shown that students could witness today.

Golden Sun, as if expecting this reaction, nonchalantly extended her hand and said.

“Shall we be friends?”

——

The Ossen Duchy.

A family located in the south, possessing the empire’s only port in its territory.

As it was the only territory in the empire that bordered the sea and also had a major river running through the empire, it was only natural that the Ossen family prospered through trade.

With a history of rising to a ducal family through trade, starting from selling coconuts, the Duke of Ossen had great pride in his family’s business.

“Oh, my daughter!! Did you sleep well? Baby, baby!”

“No, how old am I that you’re still like this?”

… He also had great love for his daughter.

The day before his beloved daughter, Sorina von Ossen, was to depart for the Academy. The Duke called his daughter and cleared his throat, saying.

“Daughter! There is a very! important task you must perform!”

“I already know everything. You want me to go and make connections, right?”

“H-how did you know?!”

Of course, trade cannot be done alone. Everyone in the Ossen Duke’s family actively participated in social circles, and the Duke’s daughter was no exception.

Thanks to the extremely hot climate of the Ossen territory, which was comparable to the tropics, her attire was casual, but this in turn created an approachable atmosphere, allowing her to easily make friends despite her high status as a Duchess.

Sorina’s friend list already far exceeded a hundred, encompassing both lower and upper nobility.

Unlike someone from the North who never showed her face in society due to fighting all day.

Since Sorina herself had no reservations about making friends, she accepted her father’s request without much argument.

Thus, Sorina came to the Academy.

Although she was a talent focused solely on paperwork, she enrolled in various lectures to ensure she didn’t lack connections, and she also enrolled in Swordsmanship Basics A for the same reason.

It’s natural for people who have just met to feel awkward. When Sorina first opened the door and entered the lecture hall, it was as rigid as looking at a boulder.

However, by Sorina, who had a wide network of connections, acting as a bridge to connect them, the atmosphere naturally melted, and people began to gather around her, chatting boisterously.

Thus, Sorina’s networking efforts seemed to be progressing smoothly.

But.

Just one person.

With the appearance of just one person, the harmonious atmosphere that Sorina had painstakingly created was shattered in an instant.

White wolf ears and hair, a fluffy tail.

Lower nobles, who had low information due to never showing their faces in society, often didn’t know who she was, but Sorina, being a high noble and having obtained information through her connections, already knew who she was.

Skadi von Lyra. Daughter of the Northern Grand Duke.

… And a young lady with frightening rumors for some reason.

Even though the pleasant atmosphere she had created had frozen over in an instant, Sorina didn’t seem to care much about it.

Instead, her mind was filled with curiosity. A longing for the unknown.

“… Golden Sun?”

What was this unknown word that followed? Sorina von Ossen looked at her with a smile, feeling like it would be interesting.

The famous wolf beastmen tribe, said to reside only in the North. Sorina von Ossen only knew who she was, but this was the first time she had seen her up close.

Sorina’s eyes sparkled as she looked at her.

Calculating that she could obtain information about her and the wolf beastmen, and at the same time create a link with the reclusive North, Sorina walked up with a clomp-clomp and extended her hand to her.

And so, Sorina von Ossen and Skadi von Lyra became friends.

… Exactly 5 seconds after extending her hand.

Sorina herself did not expect to become friends so quickly with this seemingly emotionless person. Of course, thanks to her experience in social circles, she didn’t show any outward signs of surprise.

Finally, Sorina, sitting next to Skadi, said.

“So.”

“Huh?”

“What is this?”

Sorina asked, looking at the fluffy white tail wrapped around her. Skadi replied nonchalantly, as if asking why she would ask such a thing.

“Beastmen normally do this with their friends.”

It’s common sense, common sense.

Skadi added.

Upon hearing that, Sorina von Ossen thought back to the many beastmen she had met.

‘I don’t have that kind of common sense.’

Isn’t it the opposite when a beastman wraps their tail around someone? With what confidence is she answering so confidently?

… Is she perhaps mistaken about something?

Should I correct her?

After a moment of thought, she made a decision in her mind.

‘I won’t say anything.’

She decided to hide the fact that a beastman wrapping their tail around someone is a sign of sexual courtship.

‘Because it seems fun.’

Sorina von Ossen. The so-called Golden Sun, was a person who pursued enjoyment.