episode_0051

“Okay… Ariel. I hope you are doing well.”

“….Yes. Uncle.”

“Hehe. If you’re bored, please show your face.”

After spending a day at the imperial palace, Ariel greeted the emperor before leaving the imperial palace.

Even Kaiser Sunrise, who is called the ruler of all people, automatically smiled like an uncle when Ariel called him ‘uncle’ and said hello.

“Uncle Ryde, take care too.”

“Yes, yes! Be sure to carry your artifacts with you, and let us know at any time if you need anything! I’ll save you anything!”

“Dad too. It seems like you care about Ariel more than me.”

“Is that possible, Fria! I love you the most in the world. Above all else!”

“…Hmph. Then give me the top I talked about last time.”

“Oh my… I understand.”

A smile also appeared on Fria’s face, who had playfully frowned at Ride’s answer.

From then on, the pillars of the empire promised to meet again in the future, and everyone left to protect each other’s positions.

“Daughter. Are you going straight to the academy?”

“Yes. father. Actually, it’s still too late now.”

After yesterday’s brief greeting, the brothers of the Frost family hurriedly left to fulfill their duties.

It was true that Ariel had already missed a lot of the academy, so she immediately got on the carriage heading to the academy.

“Hoo… That’s an artifact that can distinguish a warlock? Uncle Ride too. I heard you bring something amazing every day.”

“Would you please stay away? Because I’m tired.”

” Again! You pretend you don’t like it. Actually, you’re happy on the inside!”

“…Ha. Take care of it.”

“I was going to do that anyway! So so so. Where did your younger brother go?”

Ariel felt like her head was pounding from the barrage of questions again, and was caught between two talkative people and had to endure an endless barrage of questions until she headed to the academy.

“Ha… I really didn’t want to come.”

“….I agree.”

“I won’t be able to eat properly again… I don’t even have a younger sibling this time.”

The girls talked excitedly because they didn’t have to worry about status or status in the carriage, but they couldn’t stop sighing as soon as they reached the academy.

“But what can I do? I have to go…”

“Ugh. okay. Let’s go. You’ll just have to endure it somehow…”

“I feel like I’m getting dizzy already…”

No matter how much they didn’t want to come to the academy, they couldn’t miss it anymore, so they trudged to the academy with heavy hearts.

***

Ariel, who was about to have her last evening class, sat down on her bed and thought for a while before heading to the classroom.

“Hmm… Why is it so empty? ”

The reason is that an unknown emptiness and incomprehensible emotions enveloped my entire body.

Ariel thought carefully about the reason and came to one conclusion.

“Is it because there is no Venice?”

Whether at Frost Castle or at the Academy, I always spent time with Venice in this time zone.

I feel this way because the time to start the day with a short chat and a light meal did not exist.

What on earth is this feeling right now? A feeling I wanted to get rid of when I was young. It was only after meeting Venice that the feeling seemed to have finally disappeared.

“…Loneliness.”

The identity of the emotion I could not understand was loneliness. A time when I spent time alone as a child and had to blame myself.

It was a feeling I felt endlessly, and I prayed several times that if there was a transcendent being looking down on me, please take it away from me.

Now that Venice is on vacation. Ariel felt extremely lonely. Even when I am with my father, mother, and brothers.

Even when I met my friendly Uncle Kaiser and Uncle Ryde, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.

And, Cale and Pria, who always went together. Even when I spent time with my few remaining friends, this feeling of loneliness never went away.

It feels as if a strong chain that will never break is tightening my heart and binding my entire body.

Ariel felt cold sweat running down her entire body due to the pressure that she could not shake off no matter how hard she struggled.

“….Ugh.”

Suddenly.. why are you doing this? I’ve never had anything like this before.

My heart was pounding like crazy, it was throbbing, and my head felt like it was turning white.

At the same time, it feels as if something terrible, like a bug, is slowly encroaching on my body from the tips of my feet.

“Hurry…Hurry, let’s go.”

For now, I think I’ll have to meet Cale and Pria as well. Otherwise… I felt like I couldn’t even imagine what would happen.

Ariel headed to the classroom at exactly the right time and met Fria and Cale, who were always there first, but today she left the room first.

-Eriel… are you okay?

-Your complexion… looks really bad today.

“It’s okay. I’m fine…”

In fact, it wasn’t okay at all, but Ariel tried to answer that she was okay and walked out to Cale’s dorm with heavy steps as if she were shackled.

Knock-knock-knock.

-who are you?

-…Who is it?

When I heard Cale and Fria’s voices softly coming from inside the room, the pressure seemed to disappear a little.

“…It’s me. Ariel. Please open the door…”

“Eriel…. Hey! What’s wrong with your complexion?!”

“I… please… let me in.”

Cale and Fria were surprised by the sudden visit of Ariel, who had never visited them in person before, but at first glance, Ariel was not in good condition, so they hurriedly helped her up and brought her into the room.

“Eriel! What kind of situation is this…! Where does it hurt?!”

“I…I don’t know…my heart…it hurts so much.”

“You… weren’t you all better? Put your head like this… Ugh! What kind of heat..!”

Cale put her hand on Ariel’s forehead, which originally had white skin, but today had become pale, almost corpse-like, and then pulled her hand away, horrified by the temperature, which was like boiling lava.

“Health room… Let’s go to the health room, hurry!”

“Ariel, ride on my back!”

“I… my heart hurts so much…”

No matter the situation, Kale and Fria always kept a straight face and it was their first time seeing Ariel, who rarely showed her emotions, in this much pain, so they hurriedly carried Ariel and headed to the health room.

Ariel felt a pressure that felt as if her heart was about to explode, so she did not hesitate to let them help her.

“Gasp….Gasp…! Therapist! Where is the therapist?”

“Why can’t I see it… Ah! Today is your business trip day! Oh my…”

“I… please… save me…”

“Just lie down for now, Ariel! I’ll find some medicine!”

“I am next to you, Ariel. Don’t be too nervous and take slow, deep breaths. Seup- haha.”

Unfortunately, today was the day the academy’s resident therapist went on a business trip.

Cale laid Ariel down on the spare bed and searched for medicine on the shelf where medicines were stacked, while Fria sat on Ariel’s bedside and held her hands, which were hotter than flames.

“Damn… I’m out of medicine. Why are you so unprepared!”

“…What’s going on?”

“….What about you?”

“This is Karon, the dormitory’s housemaster. Today is the day the therapist went on a business trip, and there was a commotion in the health room.”

Perhaps because he heard Cale yelling, the closed door of the health room opened and the dormitory director, Charon, came in.

“Well… my friend is very sick…”

“Hmm. Let me see.”

“Can you treat it?”

“To some extent. Let me check the status first.”

In a situation where they couldn’t do anything, Cale and Fria just prayed while holding on to the rope that suddenly approached them. I hope this dormitory director named Charon can help Ariel.

“My… why is my body like this… so… my heart hurts…”

“Please wait a moment. Let me check.”

Ariel could only look at Charon, who was concentrating magic power in his eyes, as if he had a related ability, while taking a slow, deep breath.

Trying to deal with the pain I had never felt before and emotions I couldn’t understand.

“….There is no physical problem.”

“Then, why is Ariel sick?”

“If physical problems are not the factor, mental factors are probably the problem.”

Hmm- The dormitory manager, who looked into space as if thinking for a moment, continued his story.

“Perhaps. Is there anyone you are thinking of? Are you saying you miss me or want to see you?”

“….Benny…s.”

“Hmm. It must be the person I saw in front of the dormitory back then. Just thinking about that person makes your heart feel tight and your head feels dizzy?”

“….Yes.”

Although surprised by Charon’s ability to accurately pinpoint the situation she was in and the condition of her body with just a brief observation, Ariel answered quietly.

“Then, if I meet that person, it could be the answer. Where is he now?”

“Snow Phil… I said it was a village.”

“Then you can go. Friends? Please come with us.”

“….Are you really saying that’s enough? Such an absurd solution…”

“There is no way as of now. It’s better to try something.”

“Kale, let’s go! If it’s Snowpil Village, it’s not far from here!”

“…Ha. okay. Ariel, ride on my back!”

So Cale once again carried Ariel on his back, and Fria quickly headed to the carriage house while helping Cale.

“…………….”

Seeing them running away. In particular, Charon could only watch silently as Ariel was barely dragged away on her back.

***

“It’s better than before. Thank you.”

“Thank goodness. Still, since I’m already here, I’ll at least see my brother’s face.”

“Hey… do you know how surprised I am?! How can you suddenly get sick and then get better like this!”

Was what Charon said true, or was it really a pain that came and went suddenly? Ariel felt her aching body getting better in an instant.

“….Hey. Isn’t that… a fire?”

“It seems like something like that.”

“…….Huh?”

Following Cale’s trembling voice, I looked towards Snowpil Village in the distance. The small, quiet village of Snowpil was engulfed in red flames and burning slowly. Bright enough to be seen from several miles away.