Improving Relationships(?)

“Did everyone rest well yesterday?”

“Yes!”

“Then we’ll start training again from today.”

“Ah…”

As morning dawned at the military academy, the cadets, including myself, returned to daily life in less than a day.

Although our group became three people with Wolf gone, it didn’t take long to accept, and even the candidates in the class, while initially unsettled, were no longer uncomfortable.

“Today is flight education, everyone prepare!”

I was worried that the children might avoid Erika and me more because of this incident, but it was just needless anxiety. We regained our original lives without any particular problems.

It must be thanks to receiving the commendation certificate being viewed favorably by the children.

I felt how big the impact of receiving a public award was even yesterday when I was passionately writing my assignment, influenced by Rommel.

While in the past, students wouldn’t give a glance saying why bother with such a person, yesterday I felt numerous glances while I was diligently typing.

Well, isn’t it good that it’s good? I should try to get the favorable attention I aimed for, taking this incident as an opportunity.

“Yena, fighting today too!”

“You too, do your best.”

“Yes!”

I responded with a thumbs up to Erika, who was making a fist to cheer me on.

Click, clank──!

And I finished putting on the officer’s armor.

Flight training, huh.

Is this the first time with this body? I’ve heard about it occasionally during Gartel’s theory lectures, but it’s the first time I’m preparing equipment and facing it in practice like today.

I’m looking forward to it.

When I looked down, iron armor that looked like it was from the medieval era covered up to my calves. If I release mana here, I’ll float in the air with the power of the magic stone on the soles of my feet, right?

I wonder how it will feel to face the wind in reality.

“You’ll all see a large circular structure standing in the training ground. Passing through that a total of three consecutive times is the passing condition for this time.”

“Understood!”

“However, if you deviate from the set course even once, you start again from the starting line.”

Bang─!

“Take off!”

Gartel, who had recited all kinds of precautions including safety rules, finally set off a signal flare in the sky.

“L-Let’s go!”

“Just do as we learned…”

The candidates, though confused, rose into the air one by one. Some stumbled, failing to control midway, but in the end, everyone took off without problems.

I guess I should go too.

“Yena, come quickly!”

Following Erika’s call, I concentrated mana on the soles of my feet, and imagining kicking off the ground, I released it.

Ziiing!

Then the iron plate under the soles of my feet glowed blue, and with a roar similar to the sound of an airplane taking off, it lifted my body up into the sky.

“Oh…”

After finally reaching a height similar to Erika’s, I twisted in various directions and marveled.

It’s more comfortable than I thought?

The fit was quite good. I expected the technology to be behind since it’s before the Great War, but at this level, I probably won’t vomit even if I dart around the sky.

That doesn’t mean it’s good though.

From the perspective of someone who has used weapons that will only appear ten years from now, all the objects that exist in this era were unsatisfactory to me.

“Erika, are you not dizzy?”

“Ugh, my head feels like it’s spinning.”

“What did they say to do in that case?”

“Ha-haah… Take deep breaths to circulate blood sufficiently and make the flow of mana smooth!”

Still, it should be enough for the purpose of completing training.

“Right, fly while doing that.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I’ll go ahead, so don’t overdo it, okay?”

“Got it!”

I entered the training ground first, but left Erika behind who was wobbling, unable to maintain balance.

“Uh, uwaah!”

“I-I think I’m going to throw up.”

Although I was at the bottom until just now, having skills that were no less than a veteran’s, I overtook the front ranks one by one with each passing second.

After passing about ten people like that, I encountered the obstacle Gartel had mentioned.

It was like a giant hula hoop made of concrete. The entrance was narrow enough for only four cadets to pass through, so the risk of getting stuck in the middle seemed high.

It would hurt a lot if I hit it.

If I get stuck in the middle, I won’t die because I’ve drawn up mana throughout my body due to flight, but I’d at least get a nosebleed.

I can’t have that, I don’t like pain.

Whoosh──!

The closer I get, the closer the hideous concrete outer wall becomes. As much as the wind cutting my cheeks, the traces of collisions remaining here and there give an imposing presence that makes my spine shiver in advance.

The concrete that only looked like a dot from afar soon revealed a round hole, and just as it arrived right in front of me,

“Hup!”

I rotated my body like drilling in and passed through the center of the circle.

I could have passed more easily if I flew slowly, but I’ve operated this kind of equipment until just before clearing the game, you know? My pride wouldn’t allow it.

“Wow…”

“What on earth is that kid?”

I heard the children’s murmurs mixed with amazement from behind. I smirked at their dumbfounded expressions and continued flying.

I won’t train while holding back little by little like before. Now that the rumor of me crushing Wolf mercilessly has spread among the instructors, there’s no reason to do so.

Now I’m tired of hiding too.

Whoosh, whoosh!

With the blocking walls gone, now flying freely in the wide-open sky like a fish in water, the number of cadets trying not to be pushed back gradually decreased.

“Hello?”

Eventually, I even met Rina who was pushing ahead in the lead.

“How did you… no, with your skills, it’s certainly possible.”

She showed surprise for a few seconds upon seeing my face, but instantly regained composure and stopped flying.

Is this what it means to be a princess?

To be able to stop so stably even after flying through the air at several times the speed of running, it was certainly a skill that was on a different level from other cadets.

No, it must be talent.

“I’ve been thinking about the advice you gave me last time.”

“Really?”

“S-So, um, th-that…”

Maybe because it was our first face-to-face meeting since the infirmary? Rina stuttered, clearly nervous.

What is she trying to say?

It was unlike her usual self. Opening her mouth and then stopping, placing her hands near her lower abdomen and fidgeting, Rina was making gestures I’d only expect to see from Erika.

“Um, that!”

“What is it?”

“Th-th-that, I’m s-sorry for everything until now!”

Whooosh──!

Rina shouted hurriedly with her eyelids tightly shut as if being chased by someone, and then ran away.

“Hmm…”

I let out a deep hum while watching her pure white hair fluttering nobly. It was an apology I hadn’t expected at all.

Did it leave a deep impression on her?

This wasn’t my intention when I pressured her in the infirmary, but unintentionally, I made the princess, who was rumored to value noble dignity, repent for her mistakes.

Is this a good sign? It gives hope that we can make a new start after putting an end to the conflict that had been running cold.

It’s really unexpected.

“Phew──! Yena, what were you talking about just now?”

“Ah, it seems she was deeply moved by what happened during the joint training before. I think we might be able to get along well with Rina from now on.”

“Aha, it would be good if Rina becomes a comrade! Y-Yeah.”

As I stood still in place, mulling over the recent conversation, Erika, whom I had forgotten about, finally arrived.

“Let’s go, we need to finish the training.”

“O-Okay…”

I set off again, taking Erika, who looked somewhat gloomy for some reason, with me.

“Good work everyone! If you persevere steadily, you can taste the fruits of your efforts. Then let’s end here.”

“Huff, huff…! Th-thank you for your hard work!”

As the sky turned reddish-brown in the early evening, the long, long education came to an end.

“L-Let’s rest a little before going!”

“Yeah…”

The kids were initially excited feeling like they had become birds, but after a few hours, most had turned into complete wrecks.

Gartel’s classes are tough, after all.

The instructor’s Spartan-style education, where there’s no rest until success, was certainly effective, but it was accompanied by pain until seeing the end. You could tell by looking at the dying faces of the cadets.

“Uweeh──.”

Erika was no exception to this.

“Are you okay?”

Shake shake─

She seemed to lack even the strength to open her mouth, barely shaking her head to answer the question before melting onto the ground like jelly.

I guess I’ll have to train alone today.

“I’ll help you up.”

“Thanks…”

Still, I planned to take Erika to the dormitory. I almost carried the limp kid on my back as I left the training ground where only a lonely wind blew after the instructor had left.

“Rina?”

“I-I’ll be going. I have an urgent matter.”

Click, click!

There was an incident where I met Rina head-on midway, but she quickly increased the distance and ran away, so I arrived at Erika’s quarters without any particular event.

I hadn’t seen such a passive aspect in the past. Living really brings all sorts of interesting experiences.

“Erika, take care.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Thud, thud!

After seeing off Erika, who was already massaging her thighs as if sore, I turned towards the training ground I had originally set as my destination.

And just as I was about to step onto the dirt path that followed,

“…Cadet Yena Freud!”

I stopped at the voice calling my name from somewhere. Then I turned my head to find the source of the sound.

“Huff, huff.”

There stood a man fully dressed in uniform. He didn’t look like an instructor, but even less like a student. If anything, he was dressed like a staff member working on campus.

“Who are you?”

“I’m the secretary in charge of Principal Lustet.”

“Secretary?”

And he’s Lustet’s direct aide? What business could he have suddenly? I saluted respectfully while taking a step or two back at the unexpected encounter.

“You’re Yena Freud, right?”

“Yes.”

“Principal Lustet has requested a meeting. He wants to give you the prize money he couldn’t give at the previous award ceremony.”

“Ah…”

Only after hearing the secretary’s answer did I relax my expression. So he came to give the promised 10,000 dena.

But is there a need to hurry like this?

However, my doubts weren’t fully resolved. If he intended to call me to the principal’s office, couldn’t he have told Gartel in advance instead of sending a secretary?

“You don’t have any classes, right?”

“No, but…”

“Principal Lustet said to hurry. I think he mentioned that someone important was there? Anyway, follow me.”

In the end, I moved, pulled by the secretary’s hand, unable to resolve my curiosity.