Chapter 102: A Glimpse of Freedom Beneath the Blue Sky

“Today’s class will take place here. The city and roads are at a reasonable distance, and there aren’t any particularly dangerous monsters in this area. However, I still want all of you to be careful.”

The instructor in charge of the ecological research class stood before our group, addressing the gathered students from multiple classes with a list of precautions.

“If anything happens, signal for help immediately. You can shout, use fireworks, or even cast magic. However, keep in mind that if you send a distress signal as a prank, it could result in a grade penalty or even a disciplinary hearing.”

She paused for a moment, scanning the students to reinforce her warning.

After a brief silence, she relaxed her expression and continued in a lighter tone.

“Well… I might have made it sound scary, but you don’t need to be overly nervous. As long as you can take responsibility for yourselves, you are free to act as you wish. If you prefer to explore alone, go ahead. If you’d rather go with friends, that’s fine too. As long as your research topic is relevant to ecological studies, I won’t interfere.”

It almost felt like she was just offloading the class onto us because she didn’t want to bother coming up with a lesson plan.

But rather than complaining, the students seemed excited about the situation.

“Alright, then! Enjoy what might be the last truly free class of your academy life! Once you become second-years, you’ll be stuck in monotonous lectures all the way until graduation!”

…Was that last comment really necessary?

Without it, I could have at least pretended to look forward to this class.

Still, freedom was freedom, so I immediately joined Celian, Yuri, and Anne, and we set off together.

With so many students out at once, the area was as crowded and noisy as a marketplace.

We could have waited for the crowd to thin, but instead, we decided to move ahead first.

This wasn’t some monster-infested forest like Anne’s territory.

Even if there were creatures around, we were more than capable of handling them on a casual stroll.

So, we walked deeper and deeper into the forest, trying to escape the noise of the other students as much as possible.

Gradually, the loud chatter faded, replaced by the chirping of birds.

Winding our way through the trees, we finally stumbled upon a truly picturesque spot.

The trees were spaced just right, allowing a gentle breeze to flow through.

The ground was clear of roots or rocks, providing a perfect spot to lay down a picnic blanket.

Despite the cooling weather, the seasonal flowers in full bloom filled the air with a sweet fragrance.

Not far off, we could hear the soft trickling of a stream, adding to the peaceful ambiance.

Without even needing to ask each other, we spread out our blankets to secure a wide, comfortable space.

It was a bit greedy to claim such a prime location, but we had walked far enough that the chances of other students finding their way here were slim.

“I never knew a place like this existed. Since I never had a reason to come into the forest, I never even imagined it.”

Celian tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear as the wind brushed against her face.

Even she was surprised by the beauty of this place.

Even compared to the meticulously designed gardens of Griffin Academy, crafted by the continent’s finest architects and landscapers, this natural haven was in no way inferior.

“Wooah! Look at the sky! It’s so blue, just like Celian’s eyes! Hehe, and that cloud over there is as white as El’s hair!”

As soon as we laid out the blankets, Anne flopped onto them like it was her personal bed, gazing up at the sky.

Though, I had to correct one thing—

My hair isn’t white, it’s silver.

White hair makes me sound old, and I’m not comfortable with that.

For the record, I’m a fresh and youthful eighteen-year-old!

…Probably?

Anyway, I set aside my pointless thoughts and lay down next to Anne, following her lead.

Sure enough, as soon as I looked up, I was greeted by the same brilliant blue sky and fluffy white clouds she had been admiring.

“Come on, you two, don’t just sit there—lie down and enjoy it too.”

Still lying down, I gestured to Celian and Yuri, inviting them to join us.

“Then… I’ll lie here.”

“Well… I suppose I can let Celian have this spot, just for this weekend.”

At last, the two of them hesitated for a moment before settling down beside me.

If the weather had been even slightly cloudy, we wouldn’t have had this view.

And without the excuse of an “ecological research” class, we never would have found ourselves lying in the middle of a forest, watching the sky like this.

Of course, it wasn’t as if I had never looked at the sky before, even during my days as an assassin.

The sky was free for everyone, from the dwarves who preferred to stay underground to the nobles in their grand palaces.

But back then, even though I liked looking at the sky, I also hated it—almost to the point of resentment.

Why was I stuck in that life?

Would I die as nothing more than a tool for killing?

Was I doomed to be a pawn under the guild master’s control for my entire life?

The more I gazed at the blue sky, the more my reality sunk in, and yet, for the briefest moment, I could imagine what freedom might feel like.

It was the cruel kind of hope that whispered despair into my ears.

At times, I even found myself envying the birds soaring freely above.

Of course, I knew full well that such longing was nothing more than self-delusion.

Something forever beyond my reach—an act of futile admiration that, in the end, would only leave me with more disappointment and despair.

But wasn’t it still better than turning to drugs?

People who take drugs feel momentary joy, experience euphoria, and see the world as if it’s covered in flowers.

But once the effects wear off, all that remains is exhaustion and an even deeper craving for the illusion they just lost.

In a way, I wasn’t so different from them.

However, at the very least, I wasn’t destroying my body like they were. On the contrary, I trained every single day without fail, making myself stronger.

Of course, the problem was that it wasn’t my own will driving me—I didn’t even have the option to rest when I wanted to.

If anything, it was easier when the sky was cloudy or when it rained.

On days like those, I wouldn’t get lost in useless thoughts, wouldn’t sink into hopelessness, wouldn’t feel disgusted by my own despair.

I would simply curse under my breath about the rain leaking into my room and continue training as always.

But now, things were different.

The assassin guild that once bound me—more precisely, the guild master—was dead.

Very few people on this continent even knew that I was once an assassin.

No matter how much someone investigated, no matter how much they suspected, how many people would actually go out of their way to dig into a complete stranger’s past?

And unless they were truly skilled, they would never get past “Elysia Frentz” to uncover the truth of “Number Three.”

So, does that mean… I can finally let go of the despair disguised as hope?

Can I finally allow myself to believe in real hope?

To live like this—to sleep when I want, to eat whatever I crave, to laugh and spend time with the friends I love. A simple life, an ordinary life, but a happy one.

Could I really have that?

Twinge.

As if reading my thoughts, the familiar sensation from the s*ave contract mark on my lower abdomen flared up. Not painful enough to make me groan, but just enough to irritate me.

As if it was reminding me of its existence.

Ha. So my conscience resides in my stomach, huh?

Cracking a small joke to myself, I felt a bit better.

Right. As long as this contract mark remains, I can’t be certain that I won’t be dragged back into my old life.

For all I know, some random bloated noble could show up one day, waving the contract scroll in my face, demanding that I obey.

And there was a high chance that the scroll had ended up in the hands of the Deretia family.

After all, it was the Deretia family that had brought down the assassin guild and killed the guild master.

Since they had been using communication magic in real-time during the raid, it was unlikely that anyone else had intervened.

But I hadn’t been there to witness it firsthand.

I had no way of knowing who actually killed the guild master.

And even if I found the person who killed him, that didn’t necessarily mean they were the one who took the scroll.

Still, if I wanted to find out, I had to start by tracking down the guild master’s killer.

Only then could I determine if they had taken the contract scroll or not.

If they had it, I would retrieve it.

If someone else had taken it, at the very least, I could narrow down my suspects.

So, who killed the guild master?

Most likely, it was someone of high rank—at least a knight from the Deretia family.

The guild master himself was trash, utterly unredeemable, but his skills were real.

Alright. I had a rough plan now.

Ideally, Presia would find a solution since I had asked her to look into it, but I couldn’t just sit around and wait forever.

This winter break, I would go to the Deretia estate.

Celian would probably welcome me just like she had during the summer break.

In fact, now that she was the head of the Deretia family, it would be even easier to visit.

Of course, if she ever found out the truth—that I was once an assassin sent to kill her—I would never be able to walk away unscathed.

She might even feel so betrayed that she’d cut me down with her own sword.

And if that happened, I wouldn’t be able to stop her.

I’d have no choice but to offer up my neck.

But… losing my life doesn’t scare me anymore.

Living as “Elysia Frentz” has changed so much about me.

Now, what truly terrifies me isn’t the thought of dying by the blade of an enraged Swordmaster.

It’s the thought of being hated by my friends.

Celian, Anne, Yuri, Presia, Mariel, Linne…

Brilliant, dazzling friends whose names would one day be known throughout the continent—people far more precious than the life of a mere assassin like me.

Being hated by them… by Celian…

That is what I fear more than death itself.

So no matter how important retrieving the contract scroll may be, I cannot allow Celian to find out about it.

This winter break…

For the last time, I will return to being “Number Three.”

Only to say a final farewell.