episode_0030
by fnovelpiaThe classroom was a little crowded. The students’ eyes were all on their notebooks or on their friends sitting next to them talking.
There were students chatting with friends as usual, some reviewing Professor Antonelli’s class notes they had previously taken, and others hurriedly working on assignments for other classes.
Laura von Adelheid belonged to the third category. The difference was that she was not in a hurry at all.
Laura admired herself as she wrote down her assignments quickly.
‘It’s easy… It’s too easy… .’
Thanks to Professor Antonelli’s class, Laura was able to break down the wall that had been blocking her. It was like giving wings to someone who was already considered a genius in magic.
Laura’s eyes moved without rest. The process of reinterpreting, analyzing, and coherently fitting the magic circle she had calculated was visible at a glance. Was it this easy before?
‘Absolutely not.’
It was easy before, but compared to now, it was a huge difference. She was able to see through the nature of the magic circle. Professor Antonelli was grateful.
While Laura was quickly finishing her homework, Chloe, who was sitting in the middle row, blankly stared at Laura’s back.
‘… I wanted to become the closest to you.’
At the beginning of the semester, it was Laura von Adelheid who I had wanted to get so close to. But now, I wasn’t that interested.
There is only one thing that interests her.
“2 minutes left… .”
That was Professor Antonelli’s class.
Laura wasn’t the only one whose talents blossomed. Chloe had also grown in her magical side, and had recently achieved the feat of reaching the 3rd circle.
As time passed, Chloe barely managed to calm the corners of her lips that were rising. Then she spoke to Elin, who was lying down next to her.
“Ellen. What kind of class will you teach today?”
“Well… .”
Ellen didn’t seem to care, but Chloe knew.
When class actually starts, the one who focuses on the class more passionately than anyone else is Elin.
While we were talking like that, there was less than a minute left until class started.
As if under a collective spell, the students in the slightly noisy classroom quickly became silent.
Half of the students in the classroom were looking at the clock, while the other half were staring at the front door of the classroom. Chloe was also looking at the wall clock.
“Next 30 seconds… .”
I can hear students pulling out their writing utensils. Some students have opened their notebooks, while others have prepared notes summarizing what they learned in the previous class.
“10 seconds… .”
The students began to untie their fingers one by one. Since Professor Antonelli was always busy writing notes in his class, it was a wise choice to untie their fingers in advance.
“58 seconds. 59 seconds. Now… .”
And so, the clock hand that was pointing to 9:29 AM skipped a small gap.
Knock knock—.
At the same time, as usual, the front door of the classroom opened. The students’ eyes were drawn to it.
“Heh… . Heh… !”
The one who opened the door to the lecture room and came in was Deacon Sophia. With her golden short hair fluttering, she came up to the podium in a daze.
Professor Antonelli was nowhere to be seen. A look of bewilderment began to spread across the students’ faces.
“What? Are you late?”
“Hey, that’s ridiculous. It’s Professor Antonelli.”
“Am I having a problem with my eyes? Why can’t I see?”
“You only see good people. I see them.”
Leaving the students’ chattering behind, Deacon Sophia picked up a chalk and wrote large letters on the blackboard.
that….
“… Class cancelled?”
The students’ mouths were wide open and they wouldn’t close them. Meanwhile, Deacon Sophia, who was out of breath, shouted loudly.
“Pastor Antonelli suddenly called in sick and said he would not be attending class today! He said he would still give attendance grades, so see you all on Tuesday!”
Deacon Sophia, who had been talking like a machine gun, left the classroom as quickly as she had come. Only students with blank expressions were sitting in the classroom.
“… Really?”
“Sick leave? Are you feeling unwell?”
“Wow… Is this some kind of test? Do we really leave the classroom or not?”
“No way.”
The students who had been commotion for a moment soon stood up one by one with dubious expressions on their faces.
A few minutes later, only Chloe, Elin, and Laura, with blank expressions, were left in the classroom.
* * * * *
“Hmm… .”
Moritz had a gentle expression on his face. In front of him sat the poor priest who came to visit once a month.
“Mr. Antonelli, your condition is improving considerably.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Would you like to roll up your sleeves for a moment?”
Father Antonelli rolled up his sleeves. The sleeves were rolled up to his shoulders, and his right arm, scarred here and there, was revealed.
Moritz adjusted his glasses and continued his explanation, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“If you click here… . Didn’t it hurt before? It will hurt less now.”
“… … .”
“How is it?”
“It hurts a little.”
“If you are sick, please be honest with me.”
“… It’s better than before.”
“Right? And if you click here… .”
As Moritz’s fingers pressed lightly on the inside of his shoulder, Father Antonelli’s body jerked violently. It was because of the pain that ran through his entire body.
“As expected… . Hmm… .”
Moritz, who had been pressing Father Antonelli’s shoulder for a while, soon returned to his seat and spoke.
“The condition has improved, but it is not enough to feel at ease.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“And, umm… . Don’t move only your left arm. If your right arm is stiff, it will hurt more. Try to use your right arm often in normal times. Pain is inevitable.”
“… Okay.”
“Then, let’s see… .”
Moritz put on his glasses and took out a pen. The speed at which he wrote down the prescription was extraordinary.
“I will prescribe you some painkillers this time. You don’t have to take them after meals. Just take them whenever you feel pain. Two at a time.”
“I… .”
Father Antonelli hesitated and hesitated to open his mouth. Moritz smiled kindly and waited for him to continue.
Father Antonelli, who had been mumbling for a moment, soon sighed and said:
“Is it okay to drink alcohol?”
“Have you been drinking alcohol? Or, do you plan to drink alcohol?”
“I had a little drink on Monday night. And… . If I have an appointment this week, I probably won’t drink. I probably won’t go, though… .”
“Um… .”
Moritz was troubled. He did not want to offer alcohol to this young, poor patient. He had often seen veterans become alcoholics.
“Excessive drinking is not good even for healthy people, Mr. Antonelli. However, a little drinking is okay.”
“Doesn’t it have a bad effect on your shoulders?”
“Hmm… . It won’t cause inflammation. It’s a wound that healed a long time ago. However, drinking too much is prohibited.”
“… Okay. Thank you.”
Father Antonelli stood up slowly. Moritz handed him the completed prescription.
“Thank you for your hard work. Still, I feel relieved because things are getting better little by little.”
Father Antonelli grabbed the doorknob. Just as he was about to open the door and leave the examination room, his hand that was turning the doorknob stopped.
“… Teacher.”
“Did you call?”
Father Antonelli’s hands trembled slightly. He stopped for a moment, holding the doorknob, then turned around and approached Moritz.
“Do I… not look pathetic?”
Moritz looked at Father Antonelli’s face. He looked unhappy.
“Actually, I received a letter the other day. They are holding a reunion, so please come… .”
“… Really?”
“Yes. But, I… . I don’t know if I can join. Even if I were to attend, who would welcome me?”
His sunken eyes, slightly furrowed brows, and pale complexion combined to express extreme melancholy. Moritz smiled bitterly and looked at Father Antonelli.
“Mr. Antonelli, just keep this in mind.”
Father Antonelli’s empty eyes turned to Moritz. Moritz looked straight into his eyes and continued speaking with force.
“You are not useless. No matter who they are, no one would frown upon meeting Mr. Antonelli.”
So, try to be brave just once.
“… … .”
Father Antonelli’s expression became blank as he listened to Moritz’s words. Then, his face began to move in a strange way.
It seemed like he was laughing, but also crying, and somehow he seemed angry. The corners of his lips trembled, making it even harder to gauge his expression.
Father Antonelli, who lost his expression for a moment, soon lowered his head and muttered to Moritz,
“… Thank you.”
“No, I hope that helps.”
“That was a big help. Thank you.”
Father Antonelli reached for the doorknob again. This time there was no hesitation, and the door to the infirmary swung open.
“Mr. Moritz.”
Father Antonelli, who was walking away slowly, looked back. Moritz also faced him.
“Thank you very much.”
The look on his face as he finished saying those words.
“… Yes, Mr. Antonelli.”
Very rarely, it seems like he’s smiling.
Moritz smiled warmly and I was able to relax.
* * * * *
My steps were a little lighter. I quietly headed to the dormitory.
Today is Friday. It was a day with classes, but I ended up canceling classes because I had to bring up the medical appointment that was scheduled for the weekend.
When I returned to the Academy, I saw a deserted campus with no one walking around. I decided not to go through the main building passageway, but to go back along the path I had taken a walk with Father Peter earlier.
As I was walking back the same way, the conversation I had with Father Peter came back to me vividly. I quietly closed my eyes.
– At least, I know it’s not Father Antonelli’s fault.
“It’s not my fault… .”
It was the first time I heard that. So it was unfamiliar and difficult to accept right away. I slowly recalled the things he had said to me.
– Judging sin is the Lord’s job alone.
“… … .”
My heart feels tingly. Thanks to that, I feel even more confident.
I opened my closed eyes and quickened my steps towards the dormitory.
In the distance, the main building of the Academy came into view. Without thinking about it, I tried to pass by it.
“… Huh?”
If only I hadn’t run into Deacon Sophia as she was leaving the church.
As I stood still looking at her, Deacon Sophia came towards me with a big smile. Her innocent face was like warm sunlight, and I couldn’t help but look away.
“Chief Priest! How are you feeling? What did the doctor say?”
“… Substitute Sophia.”
“Yes!”
Even after calling Deacon Sophia, I looked at her for a long time. Deacon Sophia tilted her head as she looked at me.
“Why are you calling? Do you have something to say… .”
“Didn’t we decide to go out together tomorrow?”
“Yes, right? More importantly, you remembered!”
“Oh, of course. More than that, that… .”
My mouth fell open. My throat was blocked, and I couldn’t say what I wanted to say.
“Yes?”
“That, that… . So… .”
The innocent emerald eyes of Deacon Sophia looking at me were making me sick.
“Chief Priest?”
“I, I have a brief appointment on Sunday.”
“Uh… . But?”
Phew—.
I took a deep breath. Suddenly, Mr. Moritz’s words came to mind.
– Try to be brave once in a while.
I hesitated for a moment, then barely managed to open my mouth.
“… Tomorrow. Tomorrow.”
That’s how it was that it pushed me, who was so frustrated and stupid that I couldn’t even say anything.
“Please, make me look like I won’t be ashamed in front of other people.”
Neither the words of Father Peter, nor the letter of Lieutenant Colonel Mayhem. Nothing else.
“… Of course! Don’t worry about it!”
Maybe it’s because of those emerald eyes that resemble yours.
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