episode_0205

Andrew Taylor gazed at the back of his hand for a long time, lying in his hospital bed.

‘Alright. Just trust me.’

A trace of Narias’s aura remained on it.

Andrew wasn’t a fool; he realized that what he’d just encountered wasn’t her true form, but something magically conjured.

Otherwise, a mere exchanged punch wouldn’t leave traces of mana.

Or it meant Narias deliberately imbued her fist with mana to attack him, but that seemed highly improbable.

He would lose instantly, even without using magic.

Even if his body was in peak condition.

“Whew… I wonder if I’ll be alright.”

Andrew let out a short sigh.

He was the first cadet in 1-A to overcome his fear. As the second son of the Taylor Count, guarding the northern region of the Nifrantz Kingdom, even if he’d fled to the academy, tired of the succession struggle, he’d been accustomed to battles with magical beasts and the sight of death since childhood.

But the other cadets weren’t necessarily the same.

Even if they all came to the academy with their own reasons, they were still fledglings who hadn’t properly embarked on an adventure yet.

It was understandable that they couldn’t easily shake off their fear.

On the other hand, Narias Philbrog had a similar scent to him.

Not a physical scent. It was a hardened spirit that seemed to know more about death and have experienced greater despair than ordinary people. She often took time off from the academy, and the perceptive Andrew had subtly noticed that she was already registered and active in the Adventurer’s Guild.

Her close friendship with Saint Thea was also a bit suspicious.

Rumor had it that her sister, Yurias Philbrog, had also worked as a maid in the royal palace, and Narias herself had hidden her talents and spent her childhood somewhere.

Andrew often wondered if that “somewhere” was related to the royal family.

Swish—

He gently stroked the back of his hand.

The mysterious, mana-infused sensation Narias left behind still lingered.

It’s a story he’s never told anyone, but actually, the moment Andrew first met Narias, he fell for her. Her breathtaking beauty, impossible to hide even though she’d been living in seclusion, was the first thing, and her indomitable spirit, even more striking than her beauty, was the second.

Every time she wielded her sword and cast magic, her beautiful face and incredibly stunning body working in tandem, he realized that he was experiencing an overwhelming, unfamiliar emotion.

But sometime ago, it changed into something other than love.

It was too overwhelming for love. Even Andrew himself thought she was definitely not someone he could possess. An emotion that couldn’t be described as love gradually swelled.

If he had to name it, it was reverence, awe, and further on, akin to faith. Sometimes he wanted to hide behind Narias, forgetting his own duties, because her back felt so reassuring and strong.

Grin—

Andrew smiled wryly, propped his head up with his arms behind his neck, and lay down on the bed.

“It’ll be okay, I guess.”

It was better not to voice unnecessary opinions about her. Thoughts unimaginable to an ordinary person would sprout daily in her mind, and she was strong enough to realize those thoughts.

But complete dependence was a no-go. Andrew was also a body about to embark on an adventure sometime. He had to move according to Narias’s will, but always with an attitude of learning and actively moving forward.

With those thoughts, Andrew stared around casually.

When his gaze fell on one side of the ward where his fellow cadets were gathered, he noticed traces of the white mana left behind by Narias.

Andrew instinctively sensed that it was connected to the academy’s classroom, because the scent and sound were terribly familiar.

And from that white sphere, Narias’s voice emerged.

「I’m quitting the academy.」

His jaw dropped.

The other cadets, lying down and staring at the ceiling, also sat up abruptly and stared at the source of the sound.

* * *

I looked at the front of the classroom.

Everyone raised their heads weakly towards me, as if stunned. Several had vacant eyes, as if unconscious, and even those who were relatively conscious seemed dazed, as if they hadn’t understood my words properly.

Yuri clasped her hands, meeting my gaze. Firmly believing that I couldn’t possibly leave the academy, her expression was resolute, as if she was willing to bear whatever burden I had resolved to face.

Crash—!

It was Eve who jumped up from her seat.

“Y… you’re quitting…?”

She tried to say something, but then she bit her lip as everyone’s attention turned to her. I hadn’t expected Eve to be so shocked—her face had turned pale, and her eyes were trembling wildly.

“I… I’ll listen to your story, first?” “…” “…Eve?”

She dropped her gaze to her desk. She suddenly started breathing rapidly, clutching her chest. As if her strength had given way, she plopped down into her chair and slowly regulated her breathing.

I kept staring at Eve, almost losing my mind. I wanted to know the reason for her sensitive reaction, but now wasn’t the time.

“First, I need to apologize to you all. Like during the first semester, the attack during this dungeon practical was also my fault.” “…!!” “Th… that is…”

Dark shadows fell upon the cadets’ faces. Like someone who had given up on everything, they trembled, looking somewhere other than me.

“Of course, I didn’t cause it. The force I’m fighting against has deliberately attacked me and those around me. I’m so sorry for hiding it from you all.”

An incident happening once could be a coincidence.

But when coincidences repeat, they are no longer coincidences. It means it’s an inevitable event that could happen anytime in future.

I bowed my head.

“I’m truly… truly sorry. I will take responsibility for everything and leave the academy.” “Narias…”

A tiny voice emerged from the crowd. It wasn’t a strong voice, but a fragile breath that seemed to be breaking.

But now that sufficient time had passed, the initial shock of the sudden announcement had subsided. They had had enough time to think, and now a certain clarity was dawning on their faces.

“I…it’s…not your fault…”

The voice, a barely audible groan, that broke the silence, came from Eve, who kept her gaze fixed on the classroom floor.

“It’s not your fault…!!”

Her jaw visibly trembled as she clenched her teeth. Multiple emotions surged within her, exceeding her capacity, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Then, the sparks in the other cadets’ eyes reignited.

“Right…It’s not your fault, Narias…!!” “It’s those guys’ problem! How can it be your problem that you are being attacked—!!”

I looked at them again and continued my explanation.

“If I’d left earlier, the attack a few days ago wouldn’t have happened. I hid my story from you even knowing the risk, and someone almost died.” “Who are those guys—?! What are the kingdom and the knights doing?!” “I can’t tell you. This is a matter of national security and also involves my personal affairs.”

Revealing Moriarty’s existence would make me a definite target. Until now, they’d been collateral damage. But from now on, they might be targeted directly.

“You mean we’re…unworthy of trust…? Too weak…?! ” “That’s not the issue. It’s a state secret, so I cannot easily reveal it.” “We’re victims too!! We have the right to know who the attacker is—?!”

The fear had vanished from the cadets’ eyes.

As the thick darkness that had momentarily obscured their vision cleared, they began to see the problem clearly. The cause of their tremors shifted from fear to something else entirely.

Betrayal, anger, frustration, worry, and sadness.

The number of cadets who had risen from their seats had increased to five.

“The immediate solution is for me to leave. Then, at least for a while, the academy won’t be attacked.” “We can’t be sure about that…? Considering that we already know Narias, won’t the attacks become more frequent once you leave—”

Bang—!!

“If I’m here, this place will definitely be attacked—!!”

I slammed my hand hard on the teacher’s desk. My sudden outburst startled several, including Eve, causing them to flinch.

“I can’t protect all of you… Even if I’m a little stronger, I’m still just one person. If I’m here, dangerous things will keep happening…”

Would things have been different if I had multiple bodies? If I could have protected everyone alone, would I not have to say such weak words?

Clench-

I clenched my fist tightly.

Thinking about things that haven’t happened is a waste of time. Even if I had multiple bodies, another problem would definitely have stood in my way.

Because there’s no such thing as perfect human.

Gripping the teacher’s desk so hard that the wooden planks creaked, I slowly raised my head.

“Even so… even so, will you… stay with me…?”

Dozens of gazes were fixed on me. Inside those twice as many eyes, I saw reflections of myself, as varied as their number.

Some might be disappointed to see my weakness, the imperfection they never expected.

Some might still be cowering, unable to fully overcome their fear.

However, the change happened.

“If my sister leaves, I’ll leave too.”

Yuri was the first to raise her hand and speak. She looked directly at me without even glancing at anyone else.

Looking only at me, she conveyed her unwavering resolve to stay by my side until the end.

After that, others raised their hands like waves.

“Me too, I’ll leave too—!!” “Me too… Because being by Narias’ side seems to be the safest course…!!” “If you really feel sorry, then stay by my side to the very end—!!”

There was no longer any fear visible in their eyes.

There is no fear ‘visible’, though. Once enshrined in memory, fear never leaves. It follows you wherever you go, like a shadow until you die.

But their spirits were strong enough to suppress that fear, still lingering. They said they would stay with me. Not because they were scared or asked for protection, but because they would stand by my side.

“So…” “Don’t go, Narias…!!”

They said they trusted me.

Grin—

I unconsciously tightened the corners of my mouth.

“I knew you’d say that.”