episode_0074

The person standing in front of him walked into the auditorium with steady steps.

Anne’s eyes were filled with surprise as she looked at that confident figure standing there without any discomfort.

“Bo.. senior Lezia… … ?”

“Why are you looking at me like you’re seeing a ghost?

Let’s go over there and practice.”

At the sound of Lucia’s voice turning around and heading to the corner, speaking calmly, as if she had seen her throughout the special evaluation season, Anne, dumbfounded, began to hurriedly follow her.

“Senior… graduate… Wasn’t that what you were doing? … ?”

When Anne asked a question while heading to the corner of the auditorium, Lucia smiled and seemed to explain what had happened.

“I originally planned to do that, but Professor Hermit asked me to do it.

He asked me if I would like to train further at the academy for the time being and help educate my juniors.

There was nothing urgent for me either, so that’s how it happened.”

It’s like going to graduate school, a place that only bad college students go to, which everyone else would have avoided.

When Anne heard that fact, there was a look of astonishment on Anne’s face that she couldn’t even hide.

But in some ways, her choice made sense.

Lucia di Borgia was the eldest daughter of three ducal siblings, but as she had an older brother and a younger brother, she had no reason to get involved in a power struggle.

“I also want to have some time to think about what to do now… … ”

That is consistent with the fact that there is no reason to prove oneself.

In a family with an eldest son, if the daughter tries to succeed or seize power, it will only lead to more blood being shed unnecessarily.

Lucia didn’t want that either.

“That’s how it happened. So, for now, I started working as a teaching assistant, junior.”

Even if she shows herself confined to the academy like this, others will see her as having no reason to be wary.

Lucia looked as if she had lost her mind and slowly pulled out her sword.

“Ah… … ”

On the path I chose, I wonder if I was glad to meet Anne, whom I met while taking the last special evaluation as a student.

Lucia, who usually seemed a bit expressionless, had a faint but clear smile on her face.

“I’m happy to start with a junior who has taken note of the beginning.

So what is the method? I didn’t bring a wooden sword, so would a real sword be ok?”

“Yes… yes… … !! No problem!!”

It was truly the leisure of someone who had it.

Ability, wealth, family.

Because it has everything.

So, unlike herself, who wants to graduate quickly and help her family, she probably has other options.

One of the proofs is a short but colorful stick decorated with numerous intaglios in geometric and artistic shapes.

Lucia took it out from her side and twirled the stick she was holding on her side, and the stick quickly grew to a considerable length, and before she knew it, it looked like it was flashing a bright blue blade.

‘Mechanical long sword… … ‘

Anne also quickly took out a stick from her side and clicked it to position herself while it unfolded, but Lucia seemed to be holding her position without any surprise.

He may take this for granted, so much so that he doesn’t even have to worry about the fact that Anne is holding an expensive mechanical longsword like himself.

Did I almost become dizzy without thinking like that?

I met the senior I admired here again and felt glad to see him again for a moment.

In the end, Anne’s mind was becoming more complicated as she compared herself to her.

An incomparable status, swords with different owners or not, and dreams moving in different directions.

What does all this mean to me, who is inferior to Lucia in everything?

Silence flowed between them for a moment, and Anne and Lucia stood frozen in place.

– Kang!!

“Ah… … ”

But after a while, there was a sudden sound of swords clashing along with the sound of wind, and Anne’s sword, which had been lost in thought, began to fly through the air.

A sword so fast that it is difficult to see even when concentrating.

Lucia’s blade came rushing in quickly, hitting his sword straight up, causing his sword to fly into the air.

And Lucia, who had intercepted Anne’s sword in the air while leaping over Anne, appeared to lightly lower it to the ground.

When Anne finally realized her mistake and turned around, Lucia began glaring at her with a colder expression than before.

“What are you thinking?

Surely it wasn’t to this extent?”

“Sorry. Think about something else for a moment… ”

“I have a different opinion… …

There comes a moment when I feel looked down on too.”

“Looking down on you… It’s not like that… … ”

“Thinking differently at the moment when you are being pointed at by your opponent with a sword.

If that’s not belittling, what is?”

Unlike the welcoming voice from before, Anne could no longer make excuses when a completely frozen voice pierced her ears.

Anne just lowered her head helplessly, feeling similar to when she was scolded by other professors or adults.

From Lucia’s point of view, she was satisfied to see the junior she had been eyeing passionately eager to learn, but the blank attitude she just showed was what caused her points to be deducted.

“It’s completely different from what you showed during the special evaluation.

Or do you still need a sister to protect?”

“That… … ”

“From the moment you pick up the sword, every single sword you swing is wielded for yourself and what you cherish.

The moment you get cut without being able to cut, you are unable to protect yourself and your loved ones.

So, keep your mind straight.”

It was such a clean statement that I couldn’t even raise my head.

Swordsmanship is all about defeating your opponent.

At the very moment when he had to raise his sword, defeat, whatever the reason, meant death.

“…… Follow me.”

Lucia skillfully folded Anne’s mechanical long sword and her own, which she had grabbed, with both hands, and threw Anne’s sword in the form of a stick.

Anne then hurriedly caught the long sword flying in the air and began to follow Lucia as she left the auditorium.

“Don’t scold him too harshly?”

Even Professor Zeppeli, who was annoyed by everything, seemed to be in a very unusual mood, shouting in passing.

However, seeing Lucia walking without stopping without saying a word, Anne felt restless and just followed behind her.

Lucia leaves the auditorium, follows the hallway, and goes outside through several doors.

And the place where Anne, who followed Lucia who walked forward without saying a word even after going outside, arrived was the Academy’s flower garden.

A place that serves as a resting place for countless girls who like to walk and chat.

Although it is located in a corner, it is a place that is always noisy and lively due to the surprisingly large floating population.

At that moment, Anne’s head turned automatically at the soft voice she heard.

“What, didn’t you graduate?”

“Professor Hermit asked me to stay on as a teaching assistant.

I guess you haven’t received the delivery yet?”

Edward von Romenberg.

“Ah… Is that it?

So, would you like to see more for a while?

I guess that’s how Professor Hermit handles things.

I think I’ll probably be able to receive it officially next week.”

“Of course, sir.

Now that this has happened, please take care of me.”

The same man who only looked at his back from a distance away.

Anne’s eyes were slowly growing wider as she watched the man encounter Lucia and have a friendly conversation.

Of course, it is impossible for him, who was the first-year head teacher, to be familiar with Lucia, one of the talented students who has consistently shown excellence since her freshman year.

Whether it was a hateful relationship she had known for a long time, or a goodwill towards a close student. Anne, who did not know this, was just restlessly waiting for the conversation between the two to end.

“I understand. Well, I already celebrated graduation, so it’s okay.

Welcome back, Lucia, not as a student but as a teaching assistant.

You’re not there, right? Are we already starting to train juniors?

Then, work hard, and I have something to see, so I’ll go first?”

“Yes… four… !!”

“For now, that’s how it is..

Hehe… See you next time.”

Edward, who was also in charge of the academy’s facility management duties, seemed to be in a hurry as he had some urgent work to do during the vacation, so he waved his hand and walked back on his way.

“Where are you going? Here.”

Anne, who was feeling anxious and anxious for no reason, was about to walk forward in a hurry when she heard Lucia’s voice coming from behind, and when she turned around, Lucia was sitting on a bench by the flower bed and calling out to her.

“Sit.”

The flower bed did not have very good memories for Anne.

However, when Lucia sat down on the bench and leaned back against the backrest, Anne carefully approached and sat down next to her.

What did she come here for?

“When it comes time to graduate, graduates get bored because they have nothing more to do.

Because of that, there are times when I hear rumors about this or that.

There are many close friends who ask me about various news, so I have also heard some things.”

However, as her voice took a completely unexpected direction, Anne began to focus on what she was saying.

“You fought with a gang of delinquent students who were bullying you, right? From here?”

“…… That’s… … ”

“I have no intention of blaming or reprimanding.

I just want to hear it as it is.”

Lucia let out a light laugh, closed her eyes, and continued speaking.

“The entire gang includes not only freshmen, but also second and third year students.

I heard you defeated it all by yourself. It’s something that can never be done easily.”

“……”

“Even in that aspect, I was honestly intrigued.

No matter how stupid or delinquent a senior is, a senior is a senior.

The difference brought about by just one or two years is something that cannot be ignored…

Of course, I could have solved it to some extent, but you were only a freshman at best.

The story of how such a new student bravely faced numerous enemies was quite interesting.”

“I… That’s just a coincidence… ”

“Was it a coincidence that we knocked out seven and killed one?

No, more accurately, he would have died.

It doesn’t seem like he’s the kind of guy who would go so far as to kill someone.”

Anne, who was at a loss for words as she pondered over Lucia’s words, lowered her head.

The death of myself, who did my best to fight back, and the death of someone who came back because of it.

The weight was never light, so now I was trying to forget myself.

“What did you fight for?”

“….. What is that… … .”

It would be a lie if I said I didn’t feel a little resentful of Anne, who couldn’t be happy with the feeling that was flooding her heart once again, and Lucia, who was digging into her secrets once again.

The reason he picked up the sword was simple.

If I were to ask you to list them out, you would definitely be able to answer them firmly and clearly.

For my father, mother, and sister.

And for the residents of small fiefdoms who depend on the top of the family for their support.

However, when Anne was unable to open her mouth to say anything and was looking down at the floor, Lucia opened her mouth first and appeared to be muttering in a low voice.

“I have a small and simple dream.

No, I don’t want to be simple… … ”

“If it’s a dream… … ”

“I like Superintendent Edward.”

“Yes… … ?”

As Lucia slowly tilted her head back and looked into space, a slight tremor occurred in her brown, almost orange-colored eyes.

“Literally. That person is a great teacher.

Every student who went through freshman year loved Mr. Edward.

For male students, he became a friend to whom they could share their concerns…

and… For some girls… Sometimes… …

He also became the object of sincere affection… … ”

“Senior… … ”

Maybe it’s like a trick of fate.

“For such trivial reasons…

I picked up my sword to remain in this place.

It’s so insignificant that it almost makes me cry.

Anyway, then what is that sword for you?”

The reason why he cannot answer that he is only doing it for his family.

Maybe it was because she too was thinking the same thing as her sister.

‘I chose the Department of Applied Magic because of my greed…

I wanted to succeed… Now like my father…

Because I didn’t want to cling to the top that was getting harder and harder…

I think it would be better to do something that has nothing to do with the family.’

I don’t want to see my family sad or having a hard time.

But still, I can’t convince myself to stop here.

As a girl who has entered a new world, there are still many things I want to do.

‘I am… … ‘

Obviously, my parents wouldn’t say anything about which son-in-law they brought, or rather, even if they couldn’t bring anyone.

They spend time together helping with the work at the top, and even at the moment when time passes and separates them, their parents just love them.

I would definitely be very happy if my sister was there too.

‘It would be an extremely happy day… … ‘

What is your truth?

Why can’t I say it out loud?

‘Could it be that I can’t put my parents’ excuses into words…?

Or is it that I can’t say to my senior’s face that I’m going to take away his dream or be a hindrance…? … ‘

“Hmm… Someday you will come to your own conclusion.

but… Advice from someone who was three years ahead of me… …

The bottom line is that it would be better to find it as quickly as possible. Otherwise… …

If it’s too late, you might end up like me and not be able to graduate.”

At the words of Lucia, who momentarily lifted the corners of her mouth and smiled, a sly laugh burst out of Anne’s mouth.

A loving family, a man I adore, and a senior I admire.

At an age when she has so much to think about, the time spent sitting on the bench in front of the flower bed and looking up at the sky with her senior feels so short.

Maybe the reason is that this too may be one of the moments in life that he has been longing for.

“Senior… … ”

“Why are you doing that?”

At this very moment, with the slightest hesitation that arose along with her certainty, Anne’s mouth opened and she appeared to be quietly reciting.

“Dalian… Would you please… … ?”