A Promise I Can’t Keep

As we arrived at the academy, Navier pointed to the main building and said,

,The academy building’s exterior walls are protected by alarm magic and anti-theft magic. In other words, it’s impossible to break in from the outside.”

Navier’s voice was so confident that I felt like arguing with her for no reason.

,Who knows? Maybe they used magic that doesn’t leave any traces that we know of.”

,Even if they used ancient magic that no one knows about, if it’s magic, it’s bound to leave traces of magical power. The material of the outer walls is magic marble, after all. Besides, after the last academy attack, security magic was placed on the windows, so if someone opened a window from the outside, the security guards would have been dispatched.”

If she put it that way, I had to admit it. As we entered the main building, Navier pointed to the central staircase.

,The 5th floor is where the warehouse with important items is located, so there’s magic that can identify who used the hallway. If it’s impossible to break in from the outside, and if they didn’t use the hallway on the stairs like the knight said…”

Navier trailed off, raising a finger. Her face was full of joyful laughter. I also subtly raised the corners of my lips.

,It was a perfect locked room. An incredible thief appeared, whose methods we can’t even predict. Maybe the culprit is… not a person, but a ghost.”

Certainly, as Navier said, the thief who raided the alchemy department’s warehouse must be incredibly skilled. There’s no way to get to the warehouse without using the stairs―.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through my mind. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I had a feeling that I might already know the method.

There’s no way, I chuckled to myself, shaking off the uneasy feeling. Navier, who had been looking at me with expectant eyes, asked tentatively,

,Did something come to mind?”

I’m not stupid enough to blurt out a hasty guess. I shrugged my shoulders as if it were nothing and said,

,…Just thinking that we should be better at locking up from now on?”

,Aww, that’s it…? I thought if it was Ross, he’d listen to my explanation and immediately be like, ‘That’s it!’ and catch the culprit.”

I was dumbfounded by Navier’s disappointed expression and let out a hollow laugh.

,Am I a detective?”

,Huh? Weren’t you?”

I was taken aback by Navier’s expression, as if it were obvious. Did she really think so?

I belatedly realized she was joking when Navier grinned and raised the corners of her mouth.

,Still, Ross is the closest thing to a detective I’ve ever seen.”

Being told I’m similar to a detective is definitely a compliment, but why do I feel uncomfortable when Navier says it? I sighed and said,

,Okay, I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Navier smiled without answering, said she was looking forward to our next date, and turned to head towards the combat department’s dormitory building.

***

The next day.

The boring winter vacation ceremony was over. Principal Nelson-sensei seemed to be sad about the parting, and brought up all sorts of things that had nothing to do with the vacation ceremony. Thanks to that, the vacation ceremony ended 30 minutes later than planned.

As soon as we returned to the club room, Aria, with a face that looked like she was about to burst into tears, hugged a suitcase that was bursting with luggage and shouted,

,Everyone has to come to Mount Bold this winter vacation too! It’s a promise!!! I’m going to prepare a lot of really delicious food this time too! Everyone, get ready to gain weight!”

Following Aria’s logic that we had gathered during the summer vacation, so we had to gather in the winter as well, we promised to meet at Aria’s house a week before the end of the vacation, just like before.

Aria, who had been tearful, narrowed her eyes and glared sharply at Kane.

,Especially Kane! Don’t make excuses later that you didn’t know because you weren’t there! You have to come! You have to reply to the letters I send you without fail, and draw pretty pictures too!”

Yesterday evening. As she had forewarned, Aria held an information session and announced the travel plans she had made to us.

But Kane didn’t attend the information session. He later said that he had to leave because of personal business that had to be finished before the vacation.

Aria called it an excuse and swung a pillow at Kane’s face, getting very angry. But Kane, like yesterday, just gave a bitter smile without making any excuses.

I looked around at the club members. Everyone’s complexion was worse than usual. The sadness of parting is something that’s hard to get used to. When I’m alone in the club room, which is always full of club members, the emptiness feels even greater. I’ve become someone who can’t live without the club members by my side. Because I’ve come to realize what the emotion of ‘loneliness’ is.

Luna’s face showed that she didn’t want to be separated from me more than anyone else. She often told me how boring and slow the summer vacation was without me.

Each time, I nodded with a pleasant expression, but Luna genuinely wanted to be with me throughout the vacation. Of course, I felt the same way, but I had too many things to do during the vacation. They were high-priority things, so I couldn’t postpone them.

Still, I had prepared to soothe the club members’ disappointment with a bit of sense. I had prepared lunch for the club members who would be parting ways for a while. I had set up a table in advance last night in the best location on the island, next to our hideout.

Under the warm sunlight, we ate delicious lamb loin steaks with peanuts and beer sauce, and talked endlessly to soothe our parting. We laughed endlessly and continued the conversation, but now it was really time to say goodbye.

I came out of the academy and escorted the club members to the portal station. When we arrived at the entrance to the station, Luna and Aria burst into tears that they had been holding back. I soothed them diligently, and after promising about twenty times that I would reply to their letters without fail, I was finally able to send the club members off.

I hurried back to the club room before the feeling of sadness filled my heart. Today is the start of a fun winter vacation, but I promised to meet Bella in the afternoon. After that, I have to stop by Modiste for Estelle, who must be wondering about me.

As soon as I opened the door to the club room, I could already feel the emptiness of the club members’ absence. It felt like déjà vu, as if I had felt this bitter emotion during the summer vacation as well. Just as I was about to let out a faint sigh, I felt something was off. It was a subtle sense of unease.

It was definitely the same club room, but I felt something different from the summer vacation. Apart from the closet that had newly taken its place, there was something small that bothered me like a splinter in my palm.

As I slowly looked around the club room, I stopped my gaze at one spot. In that instant, the puzzles that had been scattered in my head came together as one. I reflexively turned around and ran towards the portal station.

Hoping it wasn’t too late.

***

Because the regions were different, the portal usage times were different for each of them. Luna was the first to leave with a greeting and a regretful face. Soon after, Lacar left, saying that he would come back stronger next time.

Aria, who was sitting on a chair and drinking juice, glanced at Kane and asked in a hesitant voice.

,…Kane, is something wrong?”

At those words, Kane felt his heart drop in an instant. Aria, who usually acted like a childish kid, had sometimes shown a sharp side, as if she had become a different person.

It seemed that Aria had noticed the truth hidden behind Kane’s smile.

,No, nothing’s wrong.”

Kane thought he had spoken in a calm voice, but Aria didn’t let it go easily.

,You can tell me if something’s wrong. We’re… really close friends, aren’t we? If there’s something bothering you, you can tell me anything.”

Aria’s voice was lower than usual. It was a serious side that she only showed to Kane when they were alone.

Kane awkwardly nodded, meeting Aria’s worried gaze. Kane couldn’t get used to Aria still worrying about him. Because Kane had thought that there would be no one else in this world who would genuinely worry about him.

,…Thanks.”

,Don’t lose heart! You have to find even more delicious food in the second year and work hard with me!”

The days when Aria and I waited in line for hours for delicious desserts were definitely boring, but looking back, they were happy memories. Kane, who had realized through Aria what the joy of eating delicious food with someone was like, had no choice but to be dragged along ever since.

Aria grabbed Kane’s hand. It was a warm hand. Aria said to Kane, who was hesitating whether to pull his hand away,

,You have to come see me, okay? I’ll write down everything I wanted to say in the meantime. You have to listen to everything we couldn’t talk about during the vacation. Got it?”

Kane could feel that Aria, who was looking at him, was somehow uneasy. Kane thought that maybe Aria was instinctively feeling that this was their last meeting, as children are quick to pick up on things.

Kane suppressed his emotions and said with the most nonchalant expression he could muster.

,Yeah, let’s do that.”

Aria, who had been staring intently at Kane’s face as if trying to read his expression, stood up from her chair and grabbed her suitcase, as if it was time.

Aria suddenly held something out to Kane. Kane knew at a glance what it was. It was a coupon card from the dessert café they often went to together. Kane remembered Aria’s happy face when she said that she would get a free macaron set if she went just three more times.

Kane inadvertently raised his gaze to look at Aria, and Aria smiled brightly and said,

,Kane, keep it and give it back to me when we meet next time.”

At those words, Kane wondered what kind of expression he was making. It was probably closer to a sad smile. He knew he shouldn’t accept it, but he didn’t want to hurt Aria already.

Kane knew it was a promise he couldn’t keep, but he had no choice but to say it.

,…Yeah. Next time, for sure.”

Aria, who had been biting her lip at Kane’s answer, said, ,Okay! Then let’s definitely see each other next time!” and pulled her suitcase forcefully towards the portal.

Kane, who had been watching Aria’s disappearing back, put the coupon card that Aria had given him into his pocket and headed towards the portal to the southern region, pulling his suitcase.

The station employee, who had checked Kane’s portal ticket, gestured for him to enter. Kane moved his heavy feet and stood at the very end of the queue. A little while later, a tired-looking magician shouted,

,We will now enter the direct portal to the Southern Union. Thank you for waiting in order on the magic circle.”

The line had shortened, but Kane remained still. He realized that once he took a step, there was no turning back.

The coupon card in his pocket was definitely made of paper, but Kane strangely felt that it was heavy.

Still, Kane thought that he was glad that he was able to face Aria one last time, and moved his feet towards the portal.

There’s no turning back now. Or rather, maybe he had wanted this kind of ending in one corner of his heart from the beginning.

The moment Kane passed the magician, someone’s shout came from behind him.

,Kane!”

I know whose voice it is. So Kane pretended not to hear and tried to move his feet with his head bowed. But before he could go far, his arm was grabbed.

Ross, who had run up to Kane without turning around, said in a labored voice, panting heavily,

,…Sorry, but it’s a meeting with the club president.”