[Side Story] Saint Valentine’s Day

A story from last winter.

It was near the end of winter.

After finishing our junior year at the academy and passing the advancement exams, we enjoyed our winter break, and now after an eventful winter vacation, we had returned to the capital.

The biggest concern for students about to advance to the senior level was none other than their career paths.

Unlike the junior years where we took common subjects, as seniors, we would receive curriculum tailored to our career paths.

Usually, heirs like me who would inherit the family name would enter the Politics Department, where they mainly learn about politics and territory management.

However, in the case of our Wentos County, due to the annual invasions of magical beasts, there was a tendency to need strategy and martial arts more than territory management.

Since the majority of the territory’s residents were northern natives, there was less trouble in supervising and coordinating appropriately rather than trying to manage them directly.

So I was already set to advance to the Martial Arts Department.

Riel had given it some thought, but since she had both talent and ambition in magic, she was planning to advance to the Magic Department along with her friend Emilia.

Of course, while this was a relatively relaxed time for those of us who had already decided on our departments, it was a time of concern for those who hadn’t yet decided.

Notably, Aria Owen was struggling to decide whether to advance to the Magic Department or the Commerce Department.

She made the decision to go to the Commerce Department just before the start of the new semester.

And when the academy reopened, we became senior students.

New freshmen enrolled, and while everyone was starting to adapt to their new classes, ‘that day’ approached.

That morning wasn’t much different from usual.

“Young master, it’s morning.”

I was having trouble sleeping, as it was the period of getting used to the new class.

That’s why I had been oversleeping every morning, with Phyllis coming to wake me up.

“Mmm… good morning, Phyllis.”

“Yes, good morning, young master.”

I got up, washed my face, got dressed, and composed myself.

While eating the simple breakfast Phyllis had prepared, she placed something on the table.

“Young master, this is your Saint Valentine’s Day gift.”

“Huh? Is it that time already?”

Saint Valentine’s Day.

In the past, there was a magician named Valentine who was called by the title of Saint.

As his title suggested, he traveled around helping people with his refined magic.

His magical skills were so great that he could bring rain to areas suffering from drought and turn infertile farmland into fertile land.

While helping people, he hoped that those who received help would someday be able to help others.

Honoring his mindset, even after his death, the spirit of giving and receiving hearts continued, and later it became a commemorative day where women give sweet confections to men.

…That’s the roughly made-up story that was created by confectioners decades ago, and it worked.

In reality, it’s not even confirmed whether Saint Valentine existed.

…And well, in modern knowledge, it’s just Valentine’s Day.

What Phyllis gave me was a cookie with sweet honey.

Since sweeteners are very expensive in this world, even such cookies are quite costly.

“Come to think of it, I seem to always receive cookies from Phyllis on Valentine’s Day.”

“You gave me a second life, young master. This is nothing.”

After finishing my meal, I took a bite of Phyllis’s cookie.

The sweet taste spread throughout my mouth.

“And, this Valentine’s Day might be special?”

“Ah… yes. That’s right…”

The image that instantly came to mind was a girl with red hair and a shy smile.

The scene that greeted my eyes when I entered the Martial Arts Department classroom was nothing short of hellish.

“…Gift… gift…”

“They said you could receive Valentine’s gifts when you enter the academy…”

Male students thirsting for Valentine’s Day gifts.

Of course, I saw a similar scene last year, but since the Martial Arts Department has a 70% male ratio, an even more serious hell was unfolding compared to then.

Every time one of the few female students entered, the hungry wolf-like gazes of the male students turned toward her.

Naturally, most female students were startled by such gazes, so it wasn’t a particularly pleasant sight.

In this situation, what would happen if a male student received a Valentine’s gift?

The result could be seen not long after.

“Lexian, this is my Valentine’s Day gift to you.”

“Ooh! Thank you, Millenia!”

“Fufu, there’s no need to thank me so much, given our relationship, right?”

The moment a female student wearing the Commerce Department emblem entered our classroom and gave a Valentine’s gift to a male student, the atmosphere that had been swirling around suddenly cooled.

And the scene unfolding before our eyes was of a loving couple, with the girl giving a Valentine’s gift and the boy receiving it.

The moment the female student left the classroom, our poor Lexian immediately disappeared from that spot.

…A little later, we could see Lexian hanging at the back of the classroom.

That was a monstrous kidnapping and processing speed.

…Don’t use the superior physical abilities of the Martial Arts Department for such things.

After looking up at poor Lexian with sympathetic eyes, I sat down and looked around.

Damn, everyone’s eyes have gone crazy.

“Louis! This is a gift for you!”

“A Valentine’s gift? Thank you so much, Claudette!”

The second victim was Louis, a commoner.

He smiled as he received the Valentine’s gift from his girlfriend, Layla.

And as Layla left, he closed his eyes and muttered.

“…Do it. I have no regrets.”

And Louis too disappeared from that spot and was found at the back of the classroom.

…In this way, the number of victims who had already been processed by the hungry Valentine wolves was gradually increasing.

To be honest, I was a bit anxious too.

I had heard from Phyllis this morning that Riel was putting her heart and soul into preparing a Valentine’s Day gift.

Depending on when that gift arrives, the timing of my fate would also differ.

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

“Eep?!”

The one who entered the classroom was Feris Baltreia, who belonged to the same Martial Arts Department.

As soon as she entered the classroom, she let out a short scream, startled by the gazes gathering on her.

…Poor thing.

Already being somewhat weak-spirited, she looked around with anxious eyes and sat in her seat.

Then, after rummaging through her bag for something, she stood up.

At that sight, the wolves’ gazes concentrated on Feris.

Feris, who had risen from her seat, moved her steps while shrinking under the gazes…

Huh?

But why towards me?

“Um, this is a gift for you.”

What she held out was a small package containing a single round cookie.

The appearance made it clear to anyone that it was a courtesy gift.

She smiled softly and slowly returned to her seat.

…While I was feeling like death.

As I was raising my tension in anticipation of the crisis that would follow, a small voice was heard.

“It’s courtesy…”

“Courtesy… courtesy is on hold for now… that’s been decided.”

“…Growl…”

What’s going on?

When did they decide that?

After that, the tense experience continued.

“Please accept this. Thank you for your continued patronage of our trading company.”

Aria Owen gave a courtesy gift and left.

“Senior! Here’s a Valentine’s gift! Please continue to train with me next time!”

A junior I had recently gotten to know, Chloe Elleire, also gave a courtesy gift and left.

“Riel seems to be preparing something special! Oh, please accept mine too!”

Emilia Silbright also gave a courtesy gift and left.

“Ugh…”

“It’s still courtesy… hang in there…”

“But four courtesy gifts… isn’t this already a case for destruction?”

With each courtesy gift that accumulated, the killing intent transmitted from around me grew stronger.

I could only pray for this hellish morning to end quickly.

And at that time, she appeared to decorate the climax.

A girl with attractive red hair, wearing the Magic Department emblem. Riel Ignis.

As she appeared, drawing everyone’s attention with her beauty, all eyes turned to her.

“?!”

Riel flinched slightly as if surprised, but soon cleared her throat and moved.

Of course, towards me.

“Kyo!”

“Riel, welcome.”

What’s this?

Until just now, I was so anxious that I thought I should prepare for how to die, but seeing her smile, I felt better somehow.

“Here! A Valentine’s Day gift!”

“Thank you so much!”

What she held out was a fairly large gift package.

“Open it!”

“Alright!”

Following her urging, I opened the package and what caught my eye was something incredible.

“Chocolate…?”

“Yes! It was hard to get!”

Even with scarce sweeteners, chocolate commands an extraordinarily high price.

Even a chocolate the size of those with numbers or English written on them in my previous life would boast a price that makes your eyes spin.

Such chocolate, packaged in such a large heart shape, seemed to boast the wealth of a duke’s family.

“And, I prepared one more gift!”

“…What?”

“Here!”

Just as Riel’s voice came closer, I felt something soft on my lips.

My thoughts stopped for a moment.

When I came to my senses, Riel’s face had turned red and she was smiling shyly.

“W-well, enjoy the gift! I’ll be going now!!”

Riel left the classroom in a hurry, with her face flushed red and a shy smile.

I was still unable to gather my thoughts when I was brought back to my senses by the incoming killing intent.

“…Destroy him.”

“He’s done for.”

“Hang him up.”

…Fine. Bring it on.

I have no regrets.

I felt like I could understand what Louis had said earlier.

“What about the gift?”

“Let’s take it and destroy it.”

“Let’s eat it ourselves.”

But this crossed the line.

Strength naturally entered my fists, and I threw away the glasses I was wearing.

“Try it if you dare! You beasts!!”

That day was deeply recorded in the history of Gransen Academy, to the extent that it would be mentioned to juniors as the 1 vs 30 Valentine’s Day Battle.