episode_0017

Another two weeks had passed since I treated Seldianne to some tteokbokki.

During that time, no notable incidents occurred at the Academy.

I was just continuing my normal academy life, adapting to the changed lifestyle.

Lunch was not lonely for me, thanks to Lucica and Heidiera taking turns looking after me.

And surprisingly, one more place that was regularly called was the garden.

Seldianne could not keep quiet about the fact that I, a commoner, had treated her to a meal, so she invited me to a sumptuous dinner in the garden, promising to reward me next time as repayment of her debt.

That reaction was somehow absurd and funny, so I took the lunch box again with the same logic, and the chain of revenge continued.

Debt breeds debt, and since both sides were determined to put an end to it without compromising their pride, it seemed like the dinner with Seldianne would continue for a while.

To summarize, my recent pattern has been to alternate between meeting Lucica, Heidiera, and Seldianne.

It could be said that the scope of activity had clearly expanded compared to when he was only attached to Tirisia.

Of course, what’s changed isn’t just my lunch partner.

Because in the past, as Seldianne had said, I was like a servant who stuck close to Tirisia and had all my attention focused on her.

But after I broke up with her, many things started to change.

Right now, my relationship with Tirisia is like going back in time a year, just as if we were just friends.

This also means that the two of them no longer spend time together during their free time, such as during the academy’s holidays or after school.

Now, it’s impossible for me to meet up alone with Tirisia, who has another boyfriend.

Tirisia herself seemed to want to keep that part, so she didn’t ask me to meet her separately.

I’m not really sure if that’s because it takes my feelings into consideration or if it’s for your own good.

Anyway, the time I spent dating her disappeared, and the lunch time we had together disappeared, so the only time we saw each other was when our classes overlapped.

And a few companionships between the academy and home were all that was left of our relationship.

Looking back to the distant past, it was true that Tirissia, I, and even Lucica often went out together, but now it was difficult to even have such encounters.

In order to maintain the highest grades in the academy according to the family rules, Lucica and Tirisia also had to invest a lot of time in private tutoring for academics and swordsmanship.

Even aside from that background, it was a time when all the students were focusing on training, as the Academy’s representative duel competition and important scholastic ability test, the Yeonmu Festival, was about to take place.

As our playtime naturally disappeared and the time we spent alone as a couple disappeared, I realized that the connection between Tirisia and me was surprisingly small.

Although they remain friends by mutual agreement, perhaps this is a precarious situation, like a castle built on sand.

Once the wave crashes in, isn’t there nothing left?

Such vague possibilities just kept popping into my head.

Perhaps, Tyrissia will now spend a lot of her free time with her current boyfriend.

The time we have alone will pile up more and more, and I, who am now just a companion on the way to school, will gradually be pushed out of sight.

Although I still had more time with her, there was no way to know what the future would hold since the positions had been reversed.

Just as she gradually stopped meeting Lucica in private due to her busy life, I am now just an ordinary friend of Lucica’s on the same street.

Little by little, we will drift apart, and one day, we will become so indifferent to each other that it will feel like a lie that we were lovers.

Only then will I be able to admit that I’m completely over her.

But in the end, even this only discusses the optimistic possibility that our future will not be slammed with waves.

Just as even close friends sometimes have fights, if there was any discord in my relationship with Tirisia, that time could have come sooner.

The future was still shrouded in mystery, but I couldn’t shake the vague sense of anxiety that was rising inside me.

It feels like there are time bombs scattered everywhere that could explode at any moment.

I don’t really know why.

Maybe I’m carrying that bomb myself.

The fear that this hole in my chest might actually be filled with something unidentifiable.

That was the only thing that remained for me to worry about, as I wished for Tirisia’s happiness.

―

‘Let’s eat.’

It seems that people tend to have more random thoughts when they are alone.

What are you doing alone in the hallway?

I looked out the window, sighed, and started walking towards my destination again.

The place I’m heading to alone now is the rooftop of the main building of the department. The lonely wolf’s dwelling place.

I was on my way to meet Senior Perjena for the first time in a while.

I couldn’t show my face for a while because I was hanging out with other guys, and I also had something I needed to tell her.

The upper floors of the main building were occupied by the faculty office and various administrative offices, and the chairman’s office was located just below the rooftop, so it was a place that students rarely went up to during lunch time.

I was walking alone along a quiet hallway, passing the chairman’s office on the way to the rooftop.

Knock knock-

The door to the chairman’s office opened, and a man was seen walking out from inside.

He also saw me walking from the other side, and we recognized each other at the same time.

“Uh… ”

“Ahh?”

He was someone I had seen from afar a few times.

In reality, we only met face to face once.

It was that moment in the classroom when dusk was falling.

“Ha, what a coincidence.”

He walked slowly toward me, snorting.

A muscular body with a strong physique that was about a head taller than me. Dark skin, whether natural or tanned. A loosely draped school uniform without a tie.

Unlike Seldianne’s luxurious blonde hair, she has short, wild blonde hair that lacks luster and has three sharp, needle-shaped piercings on her ears.

A man with a fierce appearance that would fit in with a back alley in the background, sharp facial features, and an arrogant smile.

He looked down at me with his dark, inscrutable eyes.

“How have you been?”

Son of the Academy’s chairman. Kelg Durakal.

He was Tirisia’s current boyfriend and the punk senior who stole her from me in the worst way possible.

“I have an urgent appointment, please move out of the way.”

Since I had nothing to say to him, I tried to quietly pass by.

“Wow, whoa, whoa,”

Then Kelg, who had been standing in front of me like a wall, blocked my chest with his thick, muscular arms.

“Let’s not be so indifferent. Okay?”

“Do you have any business with me?”

When I asked him expressionlessly, stepping back, he brushed his hair back and curled the corners of his mouth.

“Heh heh, we ran into each other by chance, so how could we possibly have something to talk about? I’m just upset. If she’s my girlfriend’s childhood friend, isn’t she a precious relationship to me? If that person ignores me―”

“I’m not ignoring you, I’m just passing by when I have nothing to do.”

“Ah, something just occurred to me.”

“What is it?”

Kelg, who was scrunching his neck as if it was fun, put a hand on one of my shoulders.

“You said Erto?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I heard from what I’ve heard that you haven’t told anyone that you broke up with your girlfriend yet? Is that right?”

“… Yes, what’s the problem?”

As I answered calmly, the hand holding my shoulder tightened.

I felt a little pain, but I kept a completely expressionless face.

“Hey, hey, hey… Are you calling that a word?”

The large man slowly bent his back, looking like an animal preparing to hunt, and came out to meet my eye level.

Black, murky eyes glowed before my nose.

“She’s my woman now… right? Huh?”

“… ”

“You should slowly put down your useless foolishness and admit that you are a loser in front of other bitches… How long do I have to endure that?”

“Haa… ”

I sighed and pushed away the hand on my shoulder.

And then, looking straight into his dark gaze, he spat out coldly.

“I was thinking of doing that anyway. Who said we would keep pretending to be dating? However, I think the timing is something we should discuss with Tirisia and not something you can order me to do.”

“Hey, look at this guy? Is this fun?”

Kelg, who was giggling with a crumpled face, bent down and looked my face from side to side.

“That coward who couldn’t even say a word when his woman was stolen right in front of him is talking pretty well today. What’s the change in his mind?”

“That’s just my personality. And please don’t provoke me. I have no intention of fighting with my senior.”

“Ahh?”

Kelg furrowed his eyebrows as if he couldn’t understand my attitude, but he didn’t lose his easygoing smile.

“Heh heh, then let me ask you something while I’m at it.”

“What is it?”

He slowly brought his face to my ear.

I could feel life stirring beneath the dark skin.

“You know… How did you feel back then?”

A low rumble, like a devil whispering, dug into my eardrums.

“When she was in my arms… Did you get it? Huh?”

―

For a moment, something inside me stirred.

“Now that I’ve seen your face, let me tell you one thing, senior.”

Suppressing it with all my might, I simply spoke in a calm and composed voice.

“I am a long-time childhood friend who wishes for Tirisia’s happiness more than anyone else.”

“Ahh?”

Kelg turned away this time with an expression of genuine incomprehension.

“So now I completely respect Tirisia’s choice. Whether it’s you or someone else.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I mean, I won’t touch the happiness that Tirisia holds in my hands. Do you understand what I meant when I said I won’t fight with my senior?”

“… What an impertinent bastard.”

Kelg gave a dull laugh, as if his excitement was cooling off, but I wasn’t finished talking yet.

“So whatever you do to me, I won’t react. Whatever fun you find in me, senior, it’s in vain, so don’t waste your time.”

“Ahhh – really? Then that’s fine, just shut up and go. It’s not fun.”

Kelg waved his hand as he looked out the window.

“Lastly, I would like to say one thing I want from my senior.”

“Go.”

“If you are truly lovers, please be nice to Tirisia. Better than me, if possible. I hope you have the ability to do so.”

“Ahh? This kid… ”

Kelg, who approached me with a furrowed brow, grabbed me by the collar.

The black eyes that came closer shone ominously as if they were going to explode.

“지 여자 뺏어간 남자한테 주먹 한 방 날릴 용기도 없는 계집 새끼가 뭐가 잘났다고 이래라저래라야? 죽고 싶나?”

“I’m serious. And put this down.”

“You little bastard, stop whining and go ahead and hit me if you have any complaints. Here, I’ll give you some. Hit me.”

He let go of my collar and tapped my cheek with his finger as he thrust it out in front of my face.

Sigh… What a really annoying person.

At the moment when I was wondering how to get out of this situation,

“Hey, get out.”

A cold, sharp voice came from behind.

“Ahh?”

Kelg and I both turned our gaze to the girl who appeared at the end of the hallway.

A female student with short blue hair, wearing her uniform jacket with her arms roughly tucked in, standing with her legs crossed.

She raised her middle finger and bared her fangs at the man standing in front of me.

“Or should I hit you?”

Today’s dinner partner was the Iron-Blooded Swordsman, Senior Perjena.