episode_0009

In a place called the Academy, where one’s rank is determined by one’s talent in magic and swordsmanship, there is one fact that is accepted as common sense.

‘The common people cannot defeat the nobles.’

A unique, highly advanced form of magic and martial arts that has been passed down through generations due to the family’s magical powers.

The nobility enjoyed social privileges for a long time based on their learning and military power, and invested their ever-growing power into the internal affairs of the next generation, thus turning the wheel of virtuous cycle.

What they had was already in a different realm from the lives of commoners, and no matter how talented commoners were, there was a limit to how much they could catch up to the gap that had built up over a long period of time.

Although the academy provides public education, the children of nobles who receive additional one-on-one tutoring from renowned magicians, and the commoners who borrow theory books from the library and hone their magic almost entirely on their own, have different starting points.

Furthermore, since commoners do not inherit magical power over generations, the lack of a focal point for accumulating their power also played a large part in the gap.

That is why, even though they are both wizards, the commoners and nobles have different fates, and the fact that the former cannot defeat the latter has become common sense in the Academy, and no one complains.

But nevertheless,

In the academy, a space where immature students spend their youth, when considering only individual abilities rather than group-to-group, there are occasionally those who develop talents that far surpass those of nobles.

An iron-blooded swordsman who has focused his innate lack of magical power solely on strengthening his body and has forged his own strength through training like an asura. He is the undisputed number one swordsman in the academy rankings.

That was the commoner, Senior Perzena.

“What are you doing here, kid?”

She sat on the rooftop porch, her blue jade eyes shining, looking down at me with a crooked gaze.

“Oh, that’s it.”

“If you’re going to play house with your girlfriend here, get out of here right now. When you’re talking nicely.”

Before I could say anything, Senior Perzena bared her teeth and growled.

“No, actually… ”

“Ahh?”

As I stood there shrugging my shoulders, Senior Perjena twisted her eyebrows in the opposite direction and bent down to check the closed rooftop door.

“What, where did your girlfriend go?”

“Have you eaten, sir?”

“I asked, where did your girlfriend go? Pakshi.”

“Not today.”

“What?”

The senior frowned with cat-like eyes at the simple answer.

“There is no tomorrow, and there will never be one.”

“… ?”

The senior, whose expression suddenly became serious, jumped down from the door with light movements.

She stood in front of me and asked in a serious voice, her hands in her jacket pockets.

“You guys… are you broken up?”

“Oh, that’s not it. I just decided to eat meals separately from now on.”

“Hey, shit!”

puck!

Her legs in black stockings flew up to my thighs.

“Kkwah!”

I fell to my knees and groaned in pain that paralyzed my muscles.

It was a picture that would have been reported as bullying at the academy if anyone saw it, and Senior Perjena was yelling at me.

“Hey, Mom! Aaang?! You, Mom?! I told you not to use words that confuse people? Aaang? ”

“I’m sorry… ”

“Just like that! This guy just messed around with the nobles and learned all the really bad things! Pakshi!”

A senior who threatens me by raising and lowering his open palm as if he is about to hit me.

I smiled awkwardly, got up, and showed her the thermal bag.

“So what I’m saying is… I already made a packed lunch, but I don’t have anyone to eat it with. If it’s okay with you, would you like to eat it with me?”

“What?”

The senior took a step back and looked embarrassed.

Her jade-colored eyes quickly went back and forth between the thermal bag and my face.

“Why would I eat that?! Are you crazy?!”

“Oh, but… If I don’t eat this now, I’ll have to throw it all away.”

“Hey! Get out! Go after your girlfriend and feed her! Where did that brat go?!”

“I don’t know where he went, but he said he can’t eat with me at lunchtime starting today because he has some work to do.”

“What’s the matter? Just eating lunch during lunch time. What’s the matter? ”

“Now, if it’s not you, there’s no one who can eat this.”

Then the senior snorted as if he found it funny.

“There are quite a few girls around you who are acting all naughty. Grab any of them.”

Of course, I was considering other people too. But there was no better place to spend a quiet day than this rooftop.

“That’s true, but my senior came to mind first.”

“Huh? You want to go behind? Where did you learn such a touching sound?”

“No, it’s true.”

“… … ”

“… … ”

“… … … ”

Senior Perjena stared at the thermal bag for a moment, then smacked her lips and glared at me with a very upset expression.

“Hey, I’m not a punk who stole your girlfriend’s lunch box. You gave it to me? ”

“Oh, of course.”

“Tsk, come and sit down.”

Senior Perjena turned her head sharply and went to a corner where she could see the podium well, then sat down with a thud.

I sat facing her and took out a lunch box for two from the thermal bag.

When I opened the lid, my senior’s face brightened like a cat that had discovered a fish market.

“Wow, that’s generous. It’s better than the lunch boxes of noble, stingy people?”

“Haha, eat lots.”

“You little brat, you make stuff like this every day?”

“Well… That’s right. I won’t do it starting tomorrow though.”

“… Hmm. I’ll eat well for now.”

The senior who had put an egg roll in his mouth with the chopsticks I had handed him turned his gaze to the podium.

“Hey, I’m asking just in case… Is something really wrong with you guys?”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Something came up that suddenly made it so busy that we couldn’t even eat together, and there’s no telling when it’ll end, but you say you don’t know why he’s acting like that, so I find it a bit strange.”

Oh my,

As expected of a swordsman, she possessed sharp intuition.

In fact, I knew all the details, but I couldn’t say anything out loud, so I just mumbled it and passed over it, and it was immediately discovered.

“Ah… He said it was a family matter. Maybe he had an important schedule with other nobles.”

“I see.”

My senior, who was chewing rice and slurping soup, pointed to my face with his chopsticks.

“Well, I don’t think that will happen… If any nobles or anyone else is interfering with your relationship because they don’t like it, don’t worry about it and just tell me. Got it?”

I chuckled at her bossy remark and asked her a question.

“Well, if that’s the case, what are you going to do?”

“Those who are trying to get what others are doing should be completely destroyed with their fists. Isn’t that right?”

“Murder is a bit… ”

“Who killed you! You want to get back? Pakshi.”

Senior Perjena immediately raises his fist and growls.

“You were sick and lying in bed last week. You’re not that weak.”

“Ah, that’s just a cold… ”

“I know, but I have a strong feeling because something strange keeps happening. I’m just saying this out of concern, so take it with a grain of salt.”

“Okay.”

The senior, who had taken another munching bite of rice, continued speaking.

“You have a side of a fool who tries to handle everything on your own when something happens. So I’m going to engrave this in my head in advance. As a fellow commoner and a senior swordsman, I’ll look after you. Got it?”

“The Iron Blood Sword Demon is watching over me… He really is the most reliable in the world?”

“Don’t call me that fucking nickname. Who the hell came up with that? If I find you, I’ll beat you up.”

“It’s cool and nice.”

“Hey, stop talking nonsense and go eat.”

“Okay.”

My senior and I finished our leisurely meal while chatting about such trivial things.

*

“Ah, I ate so well that my stomach hurt.”

The senior leaning against the rooftop railing smiled with satisfaction, patting his bulging belly.

As I packed the lunch box back into the thermal bag, I smiled happily.

“Did it suit your taste?”

“The common people’s taste is all yellow. Was it delicious?”

“In other words, it was yellow rice…?”

When I asked back with a shocked expression, my senior burst into laughter and showed his honest reaction.

“No! It was just so damn delicious! Thank you! I enjoyed it!”

“Well, that’s fortunate.”

After finishing cleaning up after dinner, I stood in front of the iron fence and looked down at the podium.

On the wide lawn, there were students spreading out mats here and there and having a picnic-like meal.

I looked around to see if there was any silver hair shining in the sunlight, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Where is Tirisia now and what is she doing?

Is it better for me to know, or is it better not to know?

I realized anew how frustrating it is to not know each other’s whereabouts.

Tomorrow, the day after, and more days like this await us in the future.

It’s awkward and unfamiliar, but I have to adapt to this life.

This was only the first step towards a true breakup.

“What are you thinking about?”

As I was blankly staring at the podium, Senior Perjena stood next to me, looking in the same direction.

Bam,

My senior’s arm came up onto my shoulder.

“Oh my.”

“Why?”

“What I said earlier may sound like a joke, but it’s not.”

“What about the back?”

Swish―

The senior leaned forward and looked up at my face with a rough expression.

“Hmm, there’s something fishy about it… ”

“… ”

As I tried to smile, Senior Perjena also smiled softly, unusually for her usual smile, and spoke.

“If there’s anyone in this academy who makes you unhappy… I will definitely destroy them. So if something happens, don’t handle it alone and rely on your senior. Got it?”

“Oh my, senior, if someone saw me, they would think something really happened.”

“Keep that in mind.”

“Haha… Thank you.”

“Oh, and one more thing.”

The senior, who had lowered his arm from my shoulder, tapped my chest with the back of his hand.

“You don’t have anyone to eat with tomorrow, right?”

“Yes.”

This time, a ferocious, beast-like smile appeared on her lips.

“Then, now, talk to the other guys too, not just me.”

“Huh? Can’t we just keep eating here?”

“That’s okay, but at least suggest it to the people around you at least once.”

“Well… It doesn’t really matter.”

The senior swallowed a low laugh and opened his eyes slightly as he spoke meaningfully.

“Would it be fun?”

At first I couldn’t understand what that meant.