Ch.1588 Years Old (5)

“Are you okay?”

Arthur was in quite an uncomfortable state. He had no idea where the rumor that he found Levi annoying had started from.

He rarely talked about Levi even to his sister, so when had someone been watching him?

He hadn’t paid much attention to social interactions, but it seemed he needed to be more careful about that.

“Um, I’m… fine.”

“No, you’re not. Who would be fine after hearing something like that? Just be honest and say it made you feel bad.”

Seeing Levi’s still troubled expression, Arthur let out a small sigh.

He wished Levi wouldn’t dwell on such things, but he doubted Levi would believe him if he insisted he was fine.

Though he treated Levi comfortably, he wasn’t sure if Levi truly felt comfortable around him.

Arthur wondered what his father would do in this situation, then recalled Evan’s face and clicked his tongue softly.

His father would have resolved it with just a few smiles. With his unfairly good looks,

it was amazing that his mother hadn’t fallen for him at first sight.

‘I’m pretty good-looking too.’

Though that thought crossed his mind, Arthur wanted to resolve this differently.

The issue created by their difference in social status,

and the wound caused by those idiots’ words, couldn’t be fixed so easily.

“Did you know?”

“Know what…?”

“My father is an orphan too. Well, technically his grandfather passed away later.”

Levi stared blankly at Arthur, who had brought up the topic so casually.

Why would he suddenly mention something like that? And he spoke so easily about not having a grandfather that

Levi could only stare with a dumbfounded expression, which made Arthur chuckle.

“I can’t speak as well as my father, so this is all I can say… but I don’t care about those things. So what if you’re a commoner? I’m the son of a duke.”

“…What does being the duke’s son have to do with anything?”

“It means I’ll take responsibility. I won’t let you hear such things again.”

Suddenly, heat rushed through Levi, and he felt like he heard a popping sound in his ears.

It was like something bursting, as if a part of the garden that had appeared in black and white was regaining its color. In that scene, Arthur continued speaking as if nothing had happened.

“Come to Yuris. I’ll make you a knight.”

“Ah, um…”

Though his face was slightly flushed, Arthur thought it was because Levi was happy about becoming a knight.

Well, it was hard for him to speak to someone like his father could. But if Levi felt better, that was good enough.

When Arthur smiled, Levi quickly turned his head away. Somehow it was difficult to meet his eyes, so he lowered his head toward the ground.

Robelia silently watched the two of them, then eventually gave Arthur a disapproving look.

What a fool who didn’t even realize what he had just said. She felt somewhat pitiful for having such a brother.

#

“Levi and I are going to the annex. What about you, sis?”

“I need to go to the classroom. I have classes to attend. Are you really going to the annex? What if you get expelled?”

“Dad became a knight just fine without attending the academy. I’ll do the same. Besides, I need to continue sparring with Levi.”

When Levi shyly nodded in agreement,

Robelia shook her head and made a displeased face.

What would they do if Mom or Ms. Rofena caught them?

Deciding not to help them if they got caught and scolded, Robelia simply turned around and gave a light wave of her hand.

Well, anyway, Kyle had been behaving well lately. Although his sudden change in behavior was somewhat concerning,

it had made Robelia’s academy life much easier.

It had been three months since Kyle changed, and now she could definitely say he had “changed.”

As Robelia entered the classroom as usual, her gaze naturally turned toward Kyle.

Who would have thought she’d get used to seeing him studying at his desk?

Kyle, who used to refuse to study even when told to, was now studying diligently, which had become a familiar sight to the students in the class.

“Robelia, were you with Arthur? I don’t see him around.”

“Yes, I was with Arthur.”

“By the way, does Arthur have anyone he likes? He’s never in the classroom, so I don’t know anything about him.”

When Rahel asked, Robelia looked at her friend with an awkward smile. Did she know this was essentially a lost cause?

Arthur was quite insensitive about such matters, so perhaps he would remain that way even as he grew older.

“I think that would be difficult.”

“…I figured as much.”

Rahel’s shoulders slumped in disappointment, but after a brief moment, she shrugged as if she was fine again.

Robelia thought this was fortunate. If she had become depressed over this,

it would have only made things awkward for her. It would be difficult to say anything to that Levi person too.

“What’s the next class again?”

“I think it’s physical education. But I’m going to say my leg hurts and rest. What about you?”

“I’m going to participate. I like physical education.”

Hearing that, Rahel stuck out her tongue in disgust.

Although Robelia couldn’t understand why Arthur wanted to become a knight,

she actually enjoyed physical activity almost as much as Arthur did.

It didn’t seem to fit the image of Arthur attending classes. He could handle a sword as well as any decent knight, so perhaps it was natural.

As Robelia, dressed in her changed clothes and holding a wooden sword, headed to the field, she briefly made eye contact with Kyle in the hallway.

She wondered what she should say. While she was thinking, Kyle averted his gaze, and Robelia could only stare blankly at his retreating figure.

Unlike before, his cold gaze felt unfamiliar, as if he had become a completely different person.

What could have caused such a change? If he would just explain the reason clearly, it would be fine… but it would be embarrassing to ask.

“Robelia, aren’t you coming?”

After staring at Kyle’s back for a moment longer, Robelia tilted her head and continued walking toward the field.

#

-I’ll teach you what it means to be an adult.

Kyle clearly remembered what Kaisel had said a few months ago.

After all ten of his confessions to Robelia had failed, he had wondered what his problem was.

His appearance? That was what Kyle was most confident about. Although he might not be as handsome as his father’s friend Evan,

he thought he was at least slightly better-looking than Arthur.

He had always been confident in his swordsmanship, behavior, and even his aesthetic sense—he was perfect in every way.

And Kaisel had pointed that out. Kyle was shocked by the fresh perspective that being an adult meant always being humble.

Kyle, who had been far from humble and thought that when rice ripens it should be harvested rather than bow down, began to gradually change his behavior from that moment.

During class, when he used to be busy teasing the teachers, he now studied seriously as Kaisel had advised,

and during breaks when he should have been playing, he reviewed what he had learned to not miss anything.

Naturally, his chances of running into Robelia decreased significantly, but Kyle was trying harder than ever to become an adult.

-Your Highness, become an adult.

When he put more effort into sword training and finally succeeded in staying awake during the etiquette classes he had previously ignored,

Kyle could feel that the way people looked at him had gradually changed.

‘Robelia… is looking at me.’

Kyle clenched his fist when he realized that Robelia was looking at him more often than he was looking at her.

Things really were changing just as his father had said they would.

So he became even more obedient, and before he knew it, his nickname of “troublemaker” had completely disappeared.

Now, he thought it was time to show his changed self.

When his eyes met Robelia’s in the hallway, Kyle turned his head to hide his reddening face.

He didn’t want to ignore her, but it was still too early to show her anything.

As usual, the physical education class involved sword fighting practice.

Kyle, who ranked among the top skilled boys, quietly exhaled.

If there was ever a time to show the skills he had been hiding, it would be now.

He glanced around to locate Robelia and asked the boy next to him to switch places.

That spot would be much more visible to Robelia.

And in the duel that followed, Kyle displayed overwhelming skill, taking down opponents one after another, unlike before.

Since he had been hiding his abilities out of boredom, his opponents fell quickly when Kyle wielded his sword seriously.

As he defeated one opponent after another, even those he had lost to before, with just a single exchange,

the professor in charge of physical education gaped at Kyle, who showed no signs of fatigue.

“…The winner is Kyle Freya di Evangelium!”

Kyle received countless gazes and applause, but he paid no attention to them as he trudged in one direction.

At the end of his gaze was Robelia. When Robelia realized this and flinched,

Kyle quickly approached her before she could run away and met her eyes.

After a long moment of silence, Kyle smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.

Then, blushing, he twisted his body shyly and opened his mouth.

“So, was I… a bit more adult-like this time?”

“…What?”

Robelia, unable to hide her bewilderment at this complete contrast to his previous gallant appearance, soon realized something and squeezed her eyes shut.

The reason he suddenly asked if he was being adult-like… could it be.

“You, because of what I said last time, you’ve been acting like this all this time?”

“As expected, Robelia understands! That’s right!”

Seeing Kyle’s bright smile, Robelia smacked her forehead.

She had suspected it, but to think it was really true. She had no idea what to do with this idiot… it was utterly baffling.