Summer Vacation, Beginning

The academy enters summer vacation starting tomorrow.

Despite the scorching weather, the academy students’ expressions were bright and the atmosphere was excited due to the anticipation of the month-long summer vacation.

However, unlike the students’ bright and excited mood, the professors were not the same.

“Everyone, starting tomorrow, the academy will be on summer vacation.”

Professor Leonora’s face was filled with tension.

“I’ve kept assignments to a minimum for all of you who have worked hard until now, but… please, I beg you, just don’t cause any trouble…!”

There was a reason why Professor Leonora spoke to such an extent.

Gransen Academy is an academy that boasts such a large scale that even students from foreign countries come to study.

Being such an academy, it has a very large number of students.

And vacation season is when these students are free from the academy’s control for a period of one month.

And why… isn’t there such a saying?

When five people gather, one of them has something—that kind of saying.

As if to prove this, every vacation, four or five students from each class end up causing trouble.

And it was always the responsible professors who had to solve these problems.

“Of course, I don’t think you’ll cause problems…! But still, there have been various incidents recently…”

…Well, that’s true.

Just after one semester, two students from one class had already quit.

Though it’s an open secret, one of them was even exiled for attempting to attack a noble.

Not only that, but just recently, I was seriously injured and couldn’t come to the academy, so it’s natural for Professor Leonora to be concerned.

“So please! Please have a peaceful and quiet vacation!!”

Professor Leonora concluded the closing ceremony with a desperate expression.

It wasn’t a misconception that she directed her gaze at me while saying that.

After the closing ceremony ended and the professor left, students gathered and started chatting as they prepared to leave.

Most were talking about what they would do during the vacation.

“What are you going to do during the vacation?”

“Umm… I’ll probably just help with family business?”

Such cases would spend the vacation quite peacefully.

This is a vacation style that professors really like.

“Fufu, my father has prepared a villa in the Selestan Principality!”

“Oh my! The Selestan Principality with its beautiful beaches! I’m envious!”

Cases like this also have a low probability of causing major incidents.

“Hey Boris, have you thought about what we talked about recently?”

“You mean that good shop in the pleasure district of Planeile County?”

…Cases like this will definitely cause major problems.

Besides, you’re still students, so please don’t go to such places.

“What are your plans for the vacation, Miss Likenair?”

“Training! The magical beasts living in the north are said to be so strong, I’m really looking forward to it!”

Cases like this could result in serious injuries, causing the responsible professor to rack their brains…

…Huh?

Likenair… did she say the north?

“Senior?”

“Hello, kids!”

At the door, Senior Iris was waving her hand cheerfully and smiling.

“Um, Senior… about your training in the north…”

“Ah, I decided to train in the north this vacation.”

Senior Iris said, grinning.

Training in the north brings back not-so-great memories.

I was always dragged by Princess Aine to participate in the knights’ training…

“Is Senior Iris coming to the north too?”

Riel asked happily, as she had developed a friendship with Senior Iris who was coming to the north.

Senior Iris smiled playfully.

“Yes, I’ve already sent my luggage there, so I just need to go with my body.”

“That’s… that’s quick.”

She really acts fast.

But after hearing what she said next, I couldn’t help but understand why she was so quick.

“Haha, I’m just grateful to Her Highness.”

“…Her Highness?”

“Yes. I recently received a message from Princess Aine. She asked if I’d like to train together in the north this summer vacation.”

“……”

Right. When I met Princess Aine in the Ignis Duchy, I did talk about Senior Iris.

But it hasn’t even been a month since then, and she’s already made arrangements.

Typical of Her Highness, I suppose…

“To receive a direct invitation from Princess Aine… it’s quite an honor.”

“…I suppose so.”

I understand the feeling.

Due to her tremendous swordsmanship skills and many achievements, Princess Aine stands at the pinnacle among young swordsmen in the kingdom.

Especially among female swordsmen, she is almost an object of admiration both domestically and internationally.

Naturally, this applied to Senior Iris as well.

“Therefore, I’ll be in your care during this vacation.”

“…Pardon?”

“Hmm? Haven’t you heard? I’ll be staying at the Wentos Count family during this vacation.”

…

I didn’t hear that.

Like Senior Iris, we only needed to pack minimal luggage because the academy would arrange for the bulk of our luggage to be sent home in advance.

This period is such a significant peak for merchants mainly engaged in shipping in the royal capital that numerous goods spread domestically and internationally.

And it’s not just goods that travel domestically and internationally, but people as well.

“There are so many people at the station…”

“It’s to be expected when all the academy students flock in a single day.”

Most of the guests at the station today are academy students and those associated with them.

Because of this, most people are wearing academy uniforms, maid uniforms, or butler uniforms.

In between, knights can be seen patrolling to protect the students.

To go to the Wentos County, we needed to go to the city of Littlelake in the Bruin Viscount territory, just like before.

The group gathered to go to Littlelake was the usual members: me and Riel, our personal servants Luca and Phyllis.

In addition, there was Emilia, whose hometown is the Wentos County, and Senior Iris, who had received an invitation from Princess Aine.

And at this station, another person was supposed to join us.

After waiting for some time, that other person finally appeared.

“Sorry, did you wait?”

A woman wearing a hooded cloak revealed herself.

The blonde hair and blue eyes visible under the hood were tinged with some fatigue.

“I was caught by a knight on the way, well… I might have looked suspicious wearing this.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, when I showed this that I received from the princess, they let me go right away.”

The hooded woman, Lilu, showed a brooch with the royal family’s seal.

It was an item that Princess Aine had given her to use if she encountered any trouble when she decided to go to the royal capital.

“Um… who is this person?”

As Lilu appeared with a conspicuously suspicious appearance, Emilia asked with caution.

Senior Iris was also looking at Lilu with interested eyes.

“Um… she’s a friend of my brother. She decided to go to the County with us.”

“Huh? I’m not really that young master’s friend though…”

Lilu said something, but Riel gave her a slight hint, so we were able to move past it.

After hearing Riel’s explanation, Emilia slightly lowered her guard, but Senior Iris was still looking at Lilu with interest.

“My name is Lilu. You… are from the Silver Wolf Tribe?”

“Whaat?!”

“Hmm? What’s a Silver Wolf Tribe?”

Although Emilia was wearing a hat to cover her ears, she was instantly seen through by Lilu.

However, perhaps because there were still people around, Emilia appeared extremely flustered.

I was also surprised and looked around, but no one had heard those words, and Senior Iris seemed to be unfamiliar with the Silver Wolf Tribe.

Riel was also surprised and rushed to Lilu, whispering something.

After a while, Lilu returned with a truly apologetic expression and apologized.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were hiding it.”

“Ah… no…”

“???”

Senior Iris still seemed unaware of how the situation was unfolding.

…But since Senior Iris and Emilia would likely be together often in the future, Emilia might have to reveal her identity to her someday.

It will probably be fine.

Senior Iris herself wasn’t the type to care about such things, and although it’s becoming distant now, in the original story, Senior Iris was one of the people whose attitude didn’t change even after learning that Emilia was a demi-human.

So someday, I should just wait for Emilia to reveal her identity to those around her on her own.

“I see, so Emilia was a demi-human.”

Yes. But I didn’t know she would come out this quickly.

A few minutes earlier, in the train compartment that was a private room befitting the first-class section, Lilu had taken off her hood.

Naturally, the two people who saw an elf for the first time were slightly surprised, but they seemed to adapt quickly as they acted normally afterward.

Certainly, elves are rare beings in the kingdom, but in the neighboring empire, you can see elves walking on the streets just by going to the capital.

That’s why when Riel and I first met Lilu in the Ignis Duchy, we were a bit surprised but quickly got used to it.

“A…actually, I’m a demi-human!”

But perhaps inspired by Lilu, Emilia decided to come out to everyone, removing her hat and revealing her identity.

Of course, the only ones who didn’t know Emilia’s identity here were Riel’s personal maid Luca and Senior Iris, but since Luca was waiting outside the compartment, she was essentially confessing her identity to Senior Iris alone.

Even so, in a world where one receives scornful glances just for being a demi-human, revealing her identity must have been an action taken with some resolve.

And as expected, Senior Iris was briefly surprised with wide eyes but quickly accepted it.

Both Riel and Emilia exhaled in relief, and Lilu nodded and said:

“Hmm… so you are from the Silver Wolf Tribe, right?”

“Y-yes… How did you know I was from the Silver Wolf Tribe, Lilu?”

“It’s nothing special. My master was from the Silver Wolf Tribe. So I know a lot about the Silver Wolf Tribe.”

Lilu said this with a somewhat nostalgic expression.

When treating wounds in the Ignis Duchy, Lilu had talked about her master.

From what I heard, it was a person who taught Lilu martial arts, but I just learned for the first time that they were a demi-human and from the Silver Wolf Tribe.

“I thought I sensed a strong power from Lilu, so it seems you had an excellent master.”

Senior Iris said this with sparkling eyes.

Ah, so that’s why she had been looking at Lilu with interest all this time.

“Yes, my master was a very strong person, though the funny face was a problem.”

“Pardon? The face?”

“…Hmm, forget it.”

A demi-human who is strong in martial arts and has a funny face.

It strangely piqued my interest.

As I watched Senior Iris asking Lilu to spar with her once we arrived at the Wentos County, I suddenly glanced to the side.

Riel was dozing off, nodding repeatedly in the sunlight coming through the window.

“…Riel?”

“……”

I called her softly, but Riel was just nodding her head, deep in sleep.

Watching her nodding head, I gently extended my hand and pulled her head slightly.

Her head rested on my shoulder, and she no longer nodded.

I felt like Riel’s face seemed a bit more comfortable.

“…Fufu.”

“?”

I turned around at the sound of laughter, and Emilia was laughing at me.

“…What is it?”

“No, I heard from Riel that you two had decided to date… but seeing it with my own eyes, I think it’s nice.”

“Umm…”

I turned my head toward the window, feeling slightly embarrassed.