Jeiha Academy

Jeiha Academy.

It was the most famous academy in the Arcan Empire and had been established long ago to nurture talented individuals who would contribute to the empire.

Because of this, even commoners could enroll if they had talent.

‘I’ll be leaving this place for a while too?’

The silver-haired beauty, Yuria, realized as she took a walk inside Jeiha Academy that if she went to study abroad in the Britannia Empire, she would have to leave this place for more than a year.

This made her feel somewhat wistful.

She had put effort into every aspect to rise to second place in the Swordsmanship Department of Jeiha Academy. And she had built relationships here as well.

“Yuria!”

She saw a female student with neatly tied red hair approaching with a lively smile.

Her name was Ashley Panicello.

As the daughter of the Viscounty of Panicello, located in the northern part of the Arcan Empire, she had been Yuria’s friend since childhood.

“Ashley.”

Yuria also smiled slightly when she saw her.

“What if you fall when you run so hastily? What would you do then?”

When Yuria expressed her concern, Ashley grinned and said:

“Then you would rush over and catch me, wouldn’t you? Right?”

“Anyway.”

As Yuria smiled, thinking her friend was incorrigible, Ashley asked her:

“Oh, by the way, have you heard the news?”

“What news?”

“Yuria, it’s about your fiancé. I heard that when it was announced Theodore Skyroad would be leaving Jeiha Academy, most of the female students cried, and among them, the third-year seniors cried as a group.”

Yuria felt something cool inside her at those words.

She didn’t know what had cooled, but that was the feeling she had.

“…Was that all?”

“No, some of the third-year seniors actually went to Theodore, confessed to him, and begged him not to go study abroad. Do you know what Theodore said?”

“What did he say?”

Yuria asked like this, but she thought that Theodore, who lived for his own superiority, wouldn’t accept another woman’s confession when he had her, his fiancée.

Regardless of whether he loved her or not, given his personality, it would be impossible.

“Well~ Kyaa! It was so cool, you know? He said, ‘It’s gratifying and thankful as a man to receive such a confession from someone like you, but I’m sorry, I have a fiancée and I’ve sworn to be faithful only to her!'”

Seeing Ashley getting excited, jumping slightly like a rabbit with sparkling eyes, Yuria could guess what she was imagining.

She was probably imagining something romantic.

‘We’re not that kind of relationship.’

It would be a lie if Yuria said she hadn’t been interested in Theodore with his handsome face and outstanding abilities.

Especially since he wasn’t just anyone, but officially her fiancé, and he had no particular issues with his conduct and was polite and responsible toward her.

But knowing that he treated her only out of obligation and didn’t love her, Yuria felt that everything was meaningless.

“Yuria, how long are you going to be cold to Theodore?”

“What?”

“Since our kind Yuria wouldn’t have done anything wrong, it seems like Theodore must have done something wrong… I was thinking that if it’s not something you can forgive, you should confront him firmly, and if it’s something you can forgive, wouldn’t it be better to just forgive him…”

Toward her childhood friend who became meddlesome when it came to her affairs, Yuria smiled gently and said:

“It’s not like that. It’s just that Theodore and I seem to have the worst compatibility, so we don’t match well.”

“Huh? So there’s nothing wrong?”

“Hmm, if I had to say, that’s right. Between us, neither of us has done anything wrong, but it’s just that I found out some of his secrets, and because of that, we don’t match well, I guess?”

At Yuria’s words, Ashley became slightly dejected, like someone who had expected something dramatic.

“Ah, I thought there might be something.”

But she quickly regained her spirits and said:

“Still, Theodore is leaving Jeiha Academy this time and going to study abroad with you for more than a year, right? Just the two of you going to study abroad, and I heard he even agreed to be your escort?”

“Yes, that’s what they say.”

It was well-known that Theodore had agreed to serve as Yuria’s escort.

Yuria knew that he had merely sworn to protect her out of his duty as a fiancé, but the combination of her, the greatest beauty in the Arcan Empire, and Theodore, who could without exaggeration be called the most handsome man in the Arcan Empire, in an engagement relationship would have created a lot of gossip.

“Honestly, I think it’s cool. A fiancé who volunteers to escort his fiancée to protect her. Theodore is known for keeping his word, isn’t he?”

“Yes, that’s true too.”

“Then I honestly don’t understand why you say you don’t match with him. Wasn’t your ideal type originally a responsible man like Theodore?”

Ashley asked as if she truly couldn’t understand.

As a childhood friend who had shared even embarrassing stories with Yuria that they wouldn’t tell others, she knew well what Yuria’s ideal type was.

“There are just some things. Honestly, Theodore doesn’t love me either, right? He’s just treating me well out of responsibility.”

As Yuria drew a line like that, Ashley looked slightly dissatisfied but didn’t ask further.

“Yes, hmm~ Then, Yuria. Should we have a party, just the two of us, before you go to Jeiha Academy?”

“…Just the two of us?”

“Yes! I’m your closest and oldest friend, right? Many people will congratulate you on doing well, but I want to be the one who gives you a heartfelt celebration as your best friend. Yuria, don’t forget me when you’re there, okay? You have to write letters regularly. Got it?”

“Hehe, I got it.”

Yuria smiled at her friend’s words, and seeing her smile, Ashley smiled brightly.

“Wow~ Then it’s a promise?”

“Yes.”

The sight of the 21-year-old woman with red hair jumping like a rabbit in joy, and the silver-haired beauty of the same age watching her friend with an affectionate smile, attracted the attention of passing students.

“Wow, she’s really amazing no matter when you see her.”

“If only she wasn’t Theodore’s fiancée… I would confess.”

“Hey, wake up from your dream. We’re talking about that Theodore Skyroad. Damn, I guess that’s why the greatest beauty in the Arcan Empire is his fiancée.”

The sight of passing male students harboring desires for Yuria’s beauty could be felt.

However, Yuria was accustomed to such gazes since childhood, and since she knew that they were merely feeling regret over a flower they couldn’t possess, without crossing any lines, she didn’t pay much attention to it.

“Kyaa! It’s Theodore!”

“Lord Theodore! Please look at me just once!”

“Please smile at me!”

“Lord Theodore, please let me hold your hand once!”

And then the sound of female students from Jeiha Academy cheering to the point of screaming in unison was heard.

Female students who claimed to be his followers had gathered around Theodore, who was simply walking down the path, and were cheering while calling his name.

Seeing this scene, Yuria felt her mood slightly worsening.

Theodore was showing a demeanor that didn’t give even a glance or the slightest room to other women, drawing a clear line.

Moreover, he was now approaching where she was, and she felt that only she was reflected in his eyes.

But Yuria was feeling an inexplicable displeasure.

“Hello, Miss Yuria. You’re dazzlingly beautiful today as well.”

Theodore was seen displaying a smile on his handsome face that looked as if it had been painted in a picture. Even while thinking that smile was annoying, Yuria forced herself to smile and returned the greeting.

“Yes, Theodore. I’m glad to see you’re healthy today too.”

“I’m glad you’re healthy too. It would be troublesome for me if you were sick.”

Kyaaaa~

The surrounding female students seemed to have interpreted Theodore’s words as something like “If you were sick, my heart would ache and that would be troublesome,” but since Yuria knew what his words actually meant, she felt her hand slightly clenching into a fist.

‘He means it’s fortunate that I’m not troublesomely sick and am healthy.’

After interpreting it, she somehow felt even more irritated.

“Yes, that’s fortunate. But what brings you here?”

Toward Yuria, who asked while maintaining a forced smile, Theodore answered:

“It’s nothing special. I just wanted to talk with you alone for a moment.”

“Alone?”

“Yes. Since our departure time is approaching, let’s talk.”

At Theodore’s words, even Ashley was saying “Oh my, oh my!” while covering her mouth with her hand and sending admiring glances.

Her gaze seemed to express “Yuria, your fiancé seems to be sincere about you,” and Yuria genuinely considered whether she should explain his true nature to her childhood friend who was misunderstanding.

However, feeling that such an explanation would make her look like she was slandering him, Yuria put that thought aside and nodded.

“Alright.”

And although there was still a week left until their departure time, since it was also important to talk in advance with him who was going with her, Yuria readily accepted his proposal.