episode_0040

A bright, sunny noon.

The twin-tailed girl stretched as she walked out of the entrance of the Academy Hospital.

“Ugh! Finally, I’m done lying around feeling so sore!”

“It’s only been two days, are you that bored?”

When I asked her while she was following me through the discharge process, Lucica glared at me with a mischievous smile.

“Chaam~ Who wouldn’t leave my side~ I don’t know how boring it was~?”

“I guess it’s definitely better.”

Seeing her recovering to her usual condition, it seemed that Lucica had regained some stability both physically and mentally.

“Well, I feel a little bad about losing the duel and getting sympathy~”

Lucica, with her hands clasped around the back of her head, spoke as she headed out of the hospital.

“I just hope you get better soon.”

I walked beside her with a bitter smile.

Contrary to the doctor’s concerns that she would need to rest for at least three days, Lucica recovered completely and was able to be discharged from the hospital in just two days.

It was thanks to the healing magic that Tirisia had secretly cast on Lucica before she returned.

Only after Lucica’s body, with its accelerated metabolism, began to recover at a much faster rate than expected did the doctor realize the presence of magic in her body.

“What kind of disease and medicine are you giving me, you damn bitch.”

Lucica still looked displeased with Tirisia for giving her an unexpected favor.

Honestly, seeing Tirisia so coldly beat up Lucica, I also thought that Tirisia had completely changed from the person I knew until now.

However, seeing Tirisia, who cared for Lucica, whom she had hurt, and cast healing magic on her until the end, made me feel a sense of resentment.

“There’s no point in pretending to be nice now… ”

As Lucica said, could that action have been a sign of some conscience that still remained in Tirisia?

or not…

“Maybe Tirisia just wanted to avoid a situation that would leave a bad aftertaste.”

At my bitter words, Lucica shook her head, her cherry-colored twintails fluttering.

“Huh, either way, it’s a breakup, a breakup. You’ll be locked up in the house alone forever.”

“From Lucica’s perspective, it’s understandable. The question is whether the Brewery family will really keep Tirisia locked up… ”

“Ugh, I don’t even want to care about that. Anyway, I won’t be seeing you at the Academy anymore, right?”

“Well, that’s true… ”

Expulsion was a certainty, but how Tyrissia’s family would treat her was an area of unpredictability.

If we were to consider only honor, it would be an unfortunate incident that would warrant expulsion from the family.

But it was a difficult question to judge, considering the greatest talent she had ever had and how much her family, including her parents, had cherished her.

Tirisia had never shown such an immoral behavior in her entire life.

She is a model of aristocracy, a quiet and upright person, and this is her first time in her life going astray. If her parents are very lenient, wouldn’t they be able to overlook her failure once in a while?

Even if a criminal stands trial for his first offense, he can be given a reduced sentence.

Of course, it is unknown whether Tirisia, who has never shown any sign of reflection outside, will bow her head at home.

Anyway, since the family has decided to put her under house arrest, she will definitely have to be locked up at home for a while.

Considering the paparazzi and outside attention of the press, we will maintain strict security until the aftermath of the incident has died down, so you will never see Tyrisia’s face during that time.

Of course, I had no intention of going to see her. There was no reason for me to do so.

The important thing was that there was now no chance to have any conversation with Tyrissia or to resolve any misunderstandings that might have existed between them.

Also, it wasn’t just my problem, it was something that affected the entire Academy.

The lies that Tyrissia spouted at the disciplinary committee will now be solidified as truth among the students.

As I told Lucica, even if I tell her that it is not Tirisia’s true feelings, it is unlikely to be accepted unless I present evidence.

The daughter of the Brewers, who has been suppressing Kelg with force and deceiving common men for many years to satisfy her own distorted desires.

That image may have spread among students, but it couldn’t be helped.

It was a natural progression for things to escalate to this point, and I had no particular involvement in it.

And in fact, to the students of the Academy, it didn’t really matter whether the instigator was Tirissia or Kelg.

The most provocative part for them is the fact that, in the end, the commoner Erto was betrayed by his girlfriend.

The thought of living in an academy with that kind of perception was already giving me a headache, but I decided to act with confidence.

At least now there are people who believe in me and support me.

Including the girl walking next to me right now, who cleared up the misunderstanding and gave me a sincere apology.

“… Why are you looking at me like that? Like a pervert. Hehe.”

Lucica looks at me with her usual playful smile.

I smiled and patted her head.

“No, I just, what should I say. It’s comforting to have you by my side.”

“… Ugh.”

If it were the past, this would have been the moment when she would have teased me and called me a sloppy person, but now Lucica reacted differently.

She blushes shyly and avoids eye contact with me.

“What, what is it… all of a sudden.”

“Uh… I think that’s what I should say. Are you still in pain?”

“Huh, huh! Okay.”

Lucica took my hand off her head, took a step forward, and spoke into the air.

“More than that… That… Remember what I said the day before yesterday… !”

“Yeah.”

Lucica’s ears, which were showing only the back of her head, were turning red.

After all, it was a story worth telling.

Because the feelings that Lucica poured out that day were truly unstoppable.

“Da, I don’t expect an answer right away!”

She stopped walking and shouted with all her might, as if mustering up all her courage.

“Uh… ”

“Well, Erto probably doesn’t have time to worry about anyone else right now, right? ”

“… ”

Lucica carried her luggage behind her back and tapped the ground with her toes.

“Because of being betrayed by Tirisia… The person who was hurt the most was Erto. So… I think it’s inconsiderate to ask him to take care of my feelings right now.”

“Yeah… I see.”

I readily agreed with her thoughts. It was true.

I definitely had to give Lucica an answer in her heart, but I didn’t have the luxury of time to think about it right now.

If I could delay that time a little, I would be able to give her a proper, non-hasty answer.

“So… for now, you don’t have to answer. When Erto’s mind is at peace enough… then I want Erto to tell me what he thinks of me.”

“Okay, I got it. Lucica.”

I nodded against the pink back of her head, which seemed to be steaming.

“only!”

She suddenly turned around and shouted at me with a determined expression.

“You have to tell me before you graduate! Got it?!”

Since it’s graduation, that means there’s more than a year left.

Suddenly, I found Lucica, who was giving me more time than I thought, cute, so I nodded and burst out laughing.

“Haha… Of course. It won’t take that long.”

“Ugh… What’s with that relaxed expression…! I’m getting so worked up! On the topic of sloppy Erto!”

Thud thud!

She came closer and pounded her cotton-like fist on my chest.

“Phu, hehe… ”

Until recently, I would never have imagined that this day would come.

Because I thought that there would never be a time when Lucica would see Tirisia’s corruption with her own eyes.

Before I dug into the memories of the people who were there, I thought it would be a story that no one would believe even if I told it myself.

But that actually happened.

It was a glimpse into my… no, to be precise, the memories of Heidiera that were embedded in me.

The words I had said to Lucica in a state of despair, asking her to understand me one day, really came true.

And now she stands next to me.

It felt like a tightly knotted knot, a complexly tangled thread had been untied.

Of course, there are still mountains of problems that need to be solved.

“Let’s go, to the Academy.”

I patted Lucica on the back and walked forward.

“Yeah, Erto.”

Lucica also smiled and followed me.

Now, it’s time to throw yourself into the next turbulence.

*

I spent the morning greeting Lucica upon her discharge, and headed to the Academy dormitory to attend the remaining afternoon lectures. I found something familiar on my desk in my private room.

“… Again.”

It was an antique letter, stamped with the seal of a noble family on sealing wax.

I frowned, peeled off the wax, and opened the letter.

“Well, I can’t just sit still.”

He was the one who played the leading role in such a big incident.

Rather, it was a level of bravery that there had been no trouble up until now.

Now that you’ve organized your thoughts, it’s time to take action.

I frowned and opened the letter, and found a short sentence written in neat handwriting.

[Let’s meet in the garden after school.]

“… ”

I stared at the letters for a moment,

Boohoo!

I tore up the letter and threw it in the trash can.

Celdiane Elconza.

You’re not in a position to call me Oragar right now.

With what face do you give orders?