episode_0048

Moonlight is nice.

I prefer the cool, serene moonlight of the night to the morning sunlight.

Technically, the moon does not emit light. It merely reflects sunlight into our eyes. Ultimately, the essence of moonlight is sunlight seen at night.

But isn’t it a bit romantic to think that way? I simply believe that the moon shines upon us.

It feels somewhat embarrassing to think that it’s the sun, not the moon, shining upon us as we practice swordsmanship on the rooftop. Is it because the moon is feminine and the sun is masculine?

Rather, it’s probably because the delicate yin energy from the moon helps to ease our vigilance. We wouldn’t be as bold under the honest and straightforward sun.

As the duel with Cloe dragged on, despite it not being a particularly hot night, I couldn’t help but discard my sweat-drenched uniform.

Unable to overcome the stuffiness, I began by taking off my jacket, then unbuttoning the blouse one by one, until finally discarding the blouse, leaving only lightweight undergarments.

Cloe hesitated a bit before following suit, throwing off her uniform top. Intoxicated by the atmosphere created by the moonlight, we became so audacious that we wouldn’t have dared in broad daylight.

…

What I see is flesh-colored.

The glistening flesh color due to the sweat running down, the luster emanating from the flesh color under the moonlight reflecting off transparent sweat.

Like the only lantern visible in the darkness, I couldn’t take my eyes off the radiance emanating from the flesh color.

Rippling water-like hair above the flesh color, and eyes slightly darker than the hair, shining in the darkness.

…Beautiful.

Like the moonlight reflected in a calm lake, Cloe was too beautiful beneath the night sky.

If someone were to ask me what it means for something to be beautiful, I would want to show them this moment. However, the more I couldn’t take my eyes off her, the more something within me was stirred.

Crude, pathetic, and selfish emotions. It’s a feeling that could be called the midpoint between envy and hatred. I don’t know exactly how to express it. If you see the beautiful Cloe dancing under the moonlight, you can’t just stand there in awe.

I couldn’t just admire her beauty absentmindedly.

Me too,

Could I be as beautiful as her…?

On the opposite side of Cloe, wearing only a thin top like her, parrying her sword… Would I look beautiful to others?

For example…

Right now, if someone happened to come to this rooftop and saw Cloe and me fiercely exchanging blows, who would capture their gaze?

Cloe?

Or me?

It’s frightening.

I’m afraid it might be me…

That what’s reflected in his eyes is my sweat-drenched hair, or

Cloe’s beautiful face, smiling purely like the sea.

It’s too frightening.

*

“Tch!”

I can’t maintain composure.

Suddenly, anger wells up. What’s so great about the Cloe in front of me, looking so happy while parrying my sword with a content expression?

Just watching her makes me boil inside.

Some people are reaching out for the sword so earnestly, but she didn’t seem earnest at all. She effortlessly parries my sword and lightly pushes back.

I’m giving it my all, it feels like I’m going to die!

She just looks like she’s having fun.

That’s why I’m angry.

…

Really?

Is that why I’m angry?

…No, I don’t know.

All I know for sure is that I’m annoyed and angry.

I have no idea why. I have no reason to be angry at Cloe. I have no reason to hate her.

Why am I like this? Like a spoiled brat…

Cloe is my friend.

My first friend at the academy, kind and gentle, pretending not to notice my turquoise eyes, never bringing it up again!

But why…!

“…Huh!?”

Cloé couldn’t withstand the final blow and was thrown far away.

Fortunately, when she hit the ground, she dispersed the impact through a fall technique. It seems like she wasn’t seriously injured.

Surprised, I hurriedly approached her.

“Cloé! Are you okay?”

“Ugh, yeah. I was just startled for a moment.”

What happened?

Why did she only get hit by the final attack when she had been calmly blocking before? Did she have some other thoughts…?

“Be-Beatrice.”

“Yeah?”

“Your… eye color changed a little while ago.”

“…?!”

She widened her deer-like eyes and pointed at my eyes with her finger. It was the same posture as when she was first caught.

I realized that she had used the power of the royal family. Unconsciously, I had been controlling the mana of this area. That’s why I could stop Cloé’s movement at the last moment and deliver an effective blow.

If it hadn’t been a wooden sword, if I hadn’t controlled the power… something terrible might have happened.

In my confusion, I quickly released the power.

Zzing-

Surprise filled Cloé’s face as she stared into my eyes, which were now blue again.

“Wow! You’re back to blue again.”

“…”

“It’s amazing, really!”

Cloé let out an innocent laugh, even though I almost put her in danger due to my mistake.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that, I’m really sorry.”

“Understood!”

“Yeah…?”

As if she had realized something, she clapped her hands together.

“In our sparring lessons, and today too! Suddenly, my body wouldn’t move. Could it be Beatrice’s ability?”

Perhaps anyone would have to realize after experiencing an inexplicable phenomenon twice with their own body. Right now, denying her speculation like Cloé’s would only have an adverse effect.

“Yeah… that’s right.”

“Does your eye color change every time you use your ability?”

Nodding silently instead of answering.

“Is it something you want to hide normally?”

“…”.

Once again, she clenched her fists. However, she clenched them more carefully this time, feeling nervous.

I was afraid to hear her answer. Even if she cursed me as a monster, I had nothing to say. If she knew anything about the power of the Hwangjok or about my teal eyes, it would be even more difficult…

The sweat-drenched clothes cooled in the wind, and I felt the chill.

I silently waited for her verdict.

Our relationship would change according to her answer.

“Amazing.”

“…Huh?”

“You’re really amazing, Beatrice! You’re so cool.”

“What do you mean?”

Like a curious child, Cloe’s bright face was filled with vitality and color.

“You’re a hidden powerhouse, aren’t you!? I couldn’t move at all. Even after being hit twice!”

“…”

“Beatrice! If you use that power, you’ll be the strongest among the new students, but you’re trying to become strong without relying on that power, right?”

“I, is that so?”

She unconsciously clasped her hands together and exclaimed with a rapturous expression, as if she were about to fly. She was giving me a reason to hide my strength.

“You look so cool. You will definitely surpass yourself, Beatrice!”

“…Me?”

“Yeah! I’ll definitely break your amazing power and put an end to it!”

“That… won’t be easy.”

No matter how talented Cloe was, it didn’t seem like she could win against the power of the Hwangjok.

“I have another goal now! It’s great.”

“Another one?”

“To break Beatrice with the changed eye color.”

“And the rest?”

She hesitated for a moment.

I had a bad feeling about this.

“B, breaking Karl Mayer….”

“….”

“It’s the first time I’ve lost at the academy… I’ll pay him back.”

Watching her speak with a flushed face made me uncomfortable once again.

Simply put,

It was uncomfortable to watch.

Ignoring Cloe’s downward gaze, I walked towards the corner where I had left my luggage. I was thirsty. I needed water.

“Cloe, I’ll tell you something….”

“Yeah?”

I was surprised by my own voice.

It was a very stern and chilly voice. That I could produce such a voice, directed at Cloe…

“What I saw today, what pertains to my eyes, my strength. Don’t tell anyone.”

“I told you last time, I’ll keep the secret!”

Cloe responded without any hesitation, but I still turned away from her and reached for the glass bottle, drinking its contents.

Gulp gulp, as if I were consuming life itself. But I still felt empty inside.

“No, don’t say it so lightly.”

“B-Be, Beatrice…?”

Only then did I turn back, approaching her again and speaking forcefully.

“Don’t speak so naively, as if it’s nothing.”

“W-Why are you suddenly like this? Did I do something wrong? If there’s something, just tell me-”

“You’re the only one who has seen my eyes at the academy, Cloe.”

Swoosh-

I handed her the glass bottle. To drink.

I couldn’t offer it gently, but rather thrust it toward her.

“If stories about my eyes spread…”

“….”

“It will really be over, remember that.”

With a sly smile, I finished speaking.

Cloe, with a face on the verge of tears, tremblingly took the glass bottle from my hand.

“Ugh… I-I’m sorry. Beatrice, it’s important to you… I got carried away for no reason…”

“….”

She was truly on the brink of tears.

At least a bit of conscience made her feel sorry. There was no need to speak so forcefully….

“Cloe, I’m a bit sor-”

I desperately wanted to console her. It was a belated attempt at an apology. However, I couldn’t finish my sentence.

“What are you two doing here?”

An uninvited guest appeared near the rooftop entrance.

Cloe, facing away, didn’t notice him, but I did. His sculpted face glinted in the moonlight.

“….”

“Were you perhaps sparring?”

“K-Karl Mayer?”

As Karl’s low voice was heard, the stuttering Cloe turned around to speak.

She blinked as if seeing an illusion and looked at him again.

“Hmm, you didn’t come here every night for training, did you? Things have changed like this.”

He approached slowly, muttering to himself.

I was the only one who could understand his muttering. He probably waited in front of the training ground just like in the original. I couldn’t have lured Cloé here to meet him.

Despite hiding Cloé from his eyes and hoping not to get closer to her, he found her anyway.

Having transferred from the Imperial Department to the Knight Department and getting closer to Cloé, spending time training every night, he came all the way here to build their memories together.

In the end, he found Cloé.

….

Please let this not be fate.

Please…