Ch.36Wake Up (7)

Asena finished her preparations while looking in the mirror.

Perhaps it was because of the black Student Council uniform, but today she looked particularly gloomy to herself.

Moreover, even getting dressed was exhausting. Her arms felt heavy, as if soaked with water. She wanted nothing more than to rest again, but she knew well that a Praester duchess couldn’t do that.

Though she knew this… Asena eventually sat down on the bed.

This was something she would never do normally.

But today, her legs truly had no strength. A brief rest would be fine.

There were two moments when she could set aside the name of Praester duchess.

One was when she was alone in her bedroom, like now. With no one watching, she didn’t need to hide her emotions or pretend to be strong. She could show her grief without issue.

The second was when she was alone with Caden. At those times, she could always return to being just Asena, his little sister.

But now even that opportunity was about to disappear. One of her sanctuaries was about to leave her.

Asena covered her face. She’d been thinking about it since yesterday, but felt overwhelmed. With Caden involved in the problem, she couldn’t think rationally. Every plan that came to mind had a flaw.

It was difficult.

If Caden weren’t the subject, she could rely on the family’s power or think mechanically to pursue only profit.

With him as the subject, she couldn’t move carelessly.

If she used force to possess Caden, she might gain his body but lose his heart. If she left things as they were to win his heart, she would lose his body.

“……”

Even if a plan suddenly came to mind while thinking like this, she could predict that she would act impulsively in front of him.

It felt like an unsolvable tangle of thread. She felt lost and frustrated.

Asena sighed.

…She still hadn’t come up with any plan. Nevertheless, she got up. It was almost time to go to school.

She left the room.

“….”

Kirsy was also outside. The subtle scent of soap revealed that she had bathed since morning.

She was sitting on the sofa drinking tea.

Asena could tell that Kirsy was trying to calm herself in her own way. She was holding her teacup with a blank expression, inhaling its aroma.

Despite her vacant expression, as if her soul had left her body, her hands were trembling slightly. She seemed to be deeply thinking about Caden.

“….Kirsy.”

Asena helped her sister. Brooding would only cause pain. This wasn’t the time to be like this. She pulled her out of her reverie.

“….Huh?”

Color returned to Kirsy’s eyes. Her unfocused gaze shifted toward Asena.

“…Sister, you’re out?”

Her hoarse voice. It was no secret that she had been crying a lot.

Kirsy put down her teacup. After dusting off her bottom and getting up, she slowly headed toward the door. They didn’t exchange any other conversation. There was no room for it.

Asena watched Kirsy’s weak back as she walked away, then moved her feet as well.

They opened the door and left the dormitory simultaneously.

Judy Ice was standing right in front of them.

After briefly greeting the twins, she stood at attention with perfect posture. With a sword at her waist, she certainly had an intimidating presence.

Asena spoke first.

“How long have you been waiting?”

“Not long.”

Judy answered stoically.

To Asena, Judy represented the hostile Ice family, but she didn’t feel the need to growl at her the moment they met. Though she didn’t like her… Judy had already become Caden’s friend. If she treated Judy carelessly, it would surely reach Caden’s ears.

Judy, too, didn’t flush at the sight of the Praesters as she had during her first meeting with Caden. Having become friends with Caden, she realized there was no need to fight, and a knight who defied her lord would hardly receive good evaluations.

And also… while attending the Academy, Judy had begun to hear rumors about Asena. How cold she could sometimes become. How icy she could be. So she deliberately avoided causing problems.

Finally, Asena was the head of the Praester family. There was no way she could treat this woman, who held the same social position as her father, carelessly.

After that brief exchange, when Judy expected them to head to the Academy, she noticed Asena staring blankly at her.

Judy naturally lowered her head to meet her eyes. A small tension arose, but Judy didn’t show it.

“…Is there a problem?”

“…Have you seen my brother?”

Asena asked calmly.

“…..”

Judy nodded. He had waved to her from a distance while she was waiting in front of the twins’ door.

Asena also nodded, then silently began walking.

It was in the opposite direction of the exit. Judy could quickly figure out that Asena was going to see Caden.

Kirsy, seeming to have noticed as well, followed behind Asena.

Judy felt conflicted. Both about escorting the Praesters and about them seeking Caden first thing in the morning.

Somehow, feelings for Caden had grown in Judy’s heart. It could be called friendship. Training together every session, sweating and improving together—it was impossible not to develop such feelings.

So now her heart was complicated. Recently, Caden had been avoiding being around the twins. He had shown her his wounded appearance several times, so she could understand.

Caden didn’t dislike the twins, but… it was clear he wanted some distance for a while. He had even asked if he could join the Ice family as a retainer.

So her steps toward him now felt quite heavy. She didn’t want him to get hurt again.

The feeling of being an outsider in one’s family—Judy knew that better than anyone.

“…..”

Judy watched the twins as she escorted them.

They were people who matched their family crest perfectly. They truly could be called snakes.

It was impossible to know their true thoughts.

Kirsy seemed to like Caden, but when Judy heard Caden’s side of the story, Kirsy had done many things that felt like betrayal behind his back.

Just looking at Asena’s rigid expression, one could tell she didn’t approve of Caden. Yet at the same time, Asena tried to stay close to him.

Whether she was trying to monitor him to prevent him from standing out or something else, an observer couldn’t tell.

The twins walked through the dormitory, receiving greetings from various noble ladies. Judy could indirectly experience the world they lived in.

Though the Ice family was a ducal house nearly as powerful as the Praesters, was it because Asena was the family head? Or was it because Judy was an illegitimate daughter? The gazes the noble ladies sent were quite different.

Asena changed direction as they walked and stopped to look down a distant corridor. There was no one there.

Though Judy didn’t know where Daisy Hexter’s dormitory was, she could figure out it was somewhere along this corridor that Asena was looking at.

“….He’s not here, brother..”

Kirsy murmured quietly.

After staring at the empty corridor, Asena silently turned around. She seemed to be heading toward the Academy.

-Click.

At that moment, the sound of a door opening was heard.

“No. You can stop thanking me now.”

“…Still. I really survived, truly.”

The Caden who entered Asena’s sight was coming out of Daisy’s room.

A fire ignited in Asena’s heart. No one could maintain their sanity when seeing the man they love… coming out of another woman’s room.

Her rationality began to crumble.

****

I was standing in front of Daisy’s door, waiting for her.

After giving a brief greeting to Daisy’s roommate who was leaving the dormitory early in the morning, I stopped at the door like a guard.

Due to the conversation I had with the twins last night, my head was also complicated. Because of that, I went to bed late, and the problem was that my wake-up time was also moved up due to the escort practice, so fatigue was still building up.

I waited for Daisy while yawning.

Whenever I got bored, I tapped the handle of the sword at my waist and waited silently.

‘Eek! Aah! Go away!’

At that moment, Daisy’s scream was heard from inside the room.

My mind, which had been idly standing, became alert.

I asked loudly at the door.

“Daisy? Are you okay?”

‘Ah..! Yes..! No…! Yes..! I’m fine! Eek!’

Daisy’s voice, trying to pretend she was fine, continued to be heard. With such an urgent voice saying such things, it wasn’t credible.

“Daisy? Can I come in?”

I needed to quickly enter and assess the situation. I knocked on the door and urged her to answer.

‘That…! No..! Yes..! Aah..!’

Daisy seemed to be feeling quite confused. She needed help, but her personality was refusing the helping hand being extended.

“Just answer one thing! Are you properly dressed?”

‘I-I’m properly dressed!’

-Click.

I didn’t need any more words. When help is needed, providing it is what a knight should do.

Daisy was swinging a thick book in the air.

She was also moving her feet urgently here and there, trying to escape.

A giant hornet was chasing her. Just flying around the room would be threatening enough, but it was following Daisy and threatening to sting her at any moment.

“Oh, what the!”

Surprised by the larger-than-expected size of the hornet, I also picked up a book lying nearby.

I ran to Daisy, hid her behind me, and tracked the hornet with my eyes.

And the moment it came within range, I quickly swung the book and struck the hornet.

-Tick!

With a sound that was quite solid for an insect, but rather anticlimactic considering the danger, the hornet crashed to the floor. Its head separated from its body in one blow.

“…..Haah…”

Daisy seemed to relax, slumping down. She put down the heavy book she was holding on a nearby desk and composed herself.

“…Thank you, Caden.”

“Call me quickly if something like this happens.”

I said.

“….I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to reach out for help…”

“If you get hurt, that’s more troublesome for me.”

Daisy looked surprised, her eyes widening, then slowly nodded.

“Ah…I guess so. Since it’s escort practice, if I get hurt… I didn’t think of that.”

“It’s not about the practice, it’s about my feelings. I told you, didn’t I? That I would be loyal during the time I’m escorting you. If you don’t tell me about something like this because you think it’s a burden, how will you handle other things?”

Without realizing it, I started scolding Daisy as if I were dealing with the twins.

“…..”

Daisy looked at me and smiled.

“Is this what it feels like to have an older brother?”

With that one sentence, I closed my mouth. It became embarrassing to say more.

I awkwardly didn’t answer and threw the fallen hornet’s body out the window.

Daisy laughed more loudly at my non-response.

“Ahaha, I’m just kidding. Anyway, thank you, Caden. Let’s go out now.”

“But where did the hornet come from? I should look for a nest nearby.”

“This is the first time it’s come into the room. If it comes in again next time, I’ll ask for your help then, so I don’t think you need to look for it now.”

“…Hmm.”

I headed toward the door. Daisy spoke to my back.

“Thank you again. It’s definitely comfortable receiving help.”

“No. You can stop thanking me now.”

“…Still. I really survived, truly.”

As I was answering while looking back, I sensed someone’s presence.

Feeling like I might bump into someone, I instinctively stopped and looked forward.

“Oh.”

Fortunately, I didn’t collide with the person in front, but I had to suppress the urge to jump in surprise at who it was.

It was Asena. Kirsy was also behind her.

Judy stood behind the twins with an uncomfortable expression, or perhaps one that seemed apologetic.

“Girls… how did you get here..”

Asena ignored my words.

“Why are you coming out of here?”

She asked coldly. It had been a while since she showed me such a rigid expression. I couldn’t tell if it was because of yesterday’s argument or because there were people around.

“Clearly… the escort practice is from when you leave the dormitory until you return. So why are you coming out from inside the room?”

Asena’s cold gaze extended to Daisy as well.

“Daisy. What were you doing in the room?”

I stepped between Daisy and Asena.

“A hornet appeared in the room, so I went in to catch it. That’s all. I don’t understand why the atmosphere has to become so dark, Asena. Calm down, and let’s go to the Academy now.”

I tried to soothe her gently, but Asena’s expression wouldn’t soften. Kirsy beside her was the same. She was becoming more and more like Asena.

I couldn’t tell what Kirsy was thinking either.

She had hardened her expression and was coldly glaring at me.

“….Calm down?”

Asena’s eyebrow twitched subtly.

“…..Brother, don’t you understand yet? Do you think entering a noble lady’s room is such a light matter?”

“….When you put it that way, of course it sounds strange.”

Perhaps it was because she had learned politics. Asena was skilled at twisting words cunningly. But I maintained my composure and stuck to my point.

“I’m not ‘putting it that way,’ that’s just the fact.”

“The ‘fact’ is that I simply protected Daisy from a hornet as per my assigned duty.”

“Your duty begins from when Daisy steps out the door, brother?”

“Why are you being so rigid about this distinction? So if you hear someone in danger, you just ignore it? Loyalty is as important as duty, Asena.”

She took a step closer to me. She didn’t rush. She slowly pressured me. It was like a snake approaching with a subtle threatening sound.

“…..How long have you known her to already talk about loyalty?”

She asked quietly.

She examined Daisy who was hiding behind me.

Daisy, perhaps considering this a family matter, maintained her silence.

“That’s how knights are.”

I dismissed it. I didn’t want to escalate the issue by bringing up why I had decided to be loyal to Daisy. It was obvious that in that process, talk about the twins would come up.

“…Is that so?”

Asena closed her eyes for a moment, gently exhaled, then stared at me with straight eyes. And in that state, she spoke with an icy cold voice.

“Judy, kneel.”

“…What?”

And only then did it seem to sink in how coldly Asena’s eyes were looking at me.