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Early in the morning, Ion left for a meeting with the principal.

The students of Opal Black were going about their day as usual.

Tomorrow, another week would begin.

Thus, all the students had returned to the dormitory, including Marian and Schurz, who had just dealt with their family elders after the Imperial Palace Ball.

They were all leading their daily lives.

They swung their swords in the training grounds, chatted in the lounge, and studied in their personal rooms.

Marian was sprawled out on the sofa in the lounge.

“Ah, this is comfortable…”

Strangely, returning to the dormitory made her feel relaxed. After being bombarded with nagging in front of strict family elders, she was mentally exhausted.

When will you get married? Don’t you think you should at least have a fiancé? I know a good person; why not meet them…?

If she had just a doting grandfather, it might have been somewhat easier, but unfortunately, the Kalstein Marquis was stuck on the northern front for at least a few more months. So, she had no choice but to endure the nagging from her family.

In her family home, she always had to be careful about how she acted, keeping an eye on what others thought of her. Yet, returning to the dormitory, which was technically not home, felt liberating.

It was quite ironic. What could be the reason?

‘Is it because no one really cares what I’m doing…?’

At first, Marian was conscious of how she presented herself in the dormitory. She wanted to maintain her image in front of the other students.

But after sweating buckets during physical training, appearing as shaky as a newborn lamb for the past month, what was the big deal about lounging on the sofa?

Naturally, Osnia, who was sound asleep on the sofa, and Titania, who was reading (a romance novel, nonetheless) with Marian’s head resting on her lap, showed no signs of caring about Marian’s state at all.

In fact, Titania even kindly asked her, “Marian, you look really tired. Want me to make you some coffee?”

“Hmm? No, I’m fine…”

“Is that so? Alright. Just let me know if you need anything.”

And she returned to her reading.

The soft sound of pages turning was like white noise. Was that why Osnia was sleeping so soundly?

A cool breeze whispered through the open window, and the rhythmic sound of pages turning made it tempting to drift off to sleep.

With Marian already feeling exhausted, this kind of rest was just what she needed.

The nagging from her family was tiring enough, but the Imperial Palace Ball had been the tipping point…

She never expected to see Elizabeth and Instructor Ion there.

And then they danced together at the ball, along with Elizabeth’s bombshell of a statement.

Dancing with just one person at the ball was a metaphorical expression of having such feelings for that person.

Of course, that made quite the stir in high society. The fact that the Third Princess had a crush was scandalous enough.

Of course, since it was a masked ball, later Elizabeth could simply say, “That wasn’t me.” (Masked balls are typically the kind of setting where one enjoys a fleeting romance.) Nonetheless, everyone was frantic to uncover the identity of the man in the wolf mask.

Interestingly enough, the culprits who had sparked the chaos danced once and then didn’t return to the ballroom, which only made people more loud and raucous as it suggested they had snuck away to rendezvous.

Of course, that didn’t mean Instructor Ion and Elizabeth had that kind of relationship…

“……”

They couldn’t possibly, right?

She wanted to ask and confirm, but neither of them had come out of their rooms since yesterday. It felt awkward to go visit their room directly. What would she even say? “Are you two perhaps… that way?” That sounded like something a gossip-obsessed teenage girl would say!

If she ran into them in the lounge or hallway, she could sneak in a question or two…

Ah, whatever. There’d be a chance eventually. They wouldn’t be cooped up forever, and classes would start again tomorrow anyway.

With that relaxed thought in her mind, Marian sank into the plush sofa.

However,

Batar suddenly threw a bombshell into the lounge.

“Did you hear? Instructor Ion is leaving the academy.”

“……What!?”

Marian sprang up as if struck by lightning.

Titania and Osnia were no exceptions.

And so, an unexpected uproar arose in the Opal Black Dormitory.

*

A long time ago.

Tired of the endless bloodshed and war, I shuddered at the slaughter and massacre.

Whether human or monster, blood was the same shade of red. The stench of thick, rancid blood never left my armor. The flame of anger, which seemed like it would burn forever, was not eternal. Exhausted from the meaningless killings, I found myself mechanically repeating battle after battle.

That was me at the end of the war.

I swung my spear every day. I did the same yesterday, the same today, and I would do the same tomorrow.

I might see a tomorrow, but for most soldiers, there would be no tomorrow. They lived yesterday and today, but there was no guarantee they would live to see the next day.

In fact, I was no exception. If at any moment I lost focus and was suddenly ambushed by several demon generals, that thought of endlessly turning this repetitive wheel could vanish.

Like a magic item that had run out of power, I would, at some point, simply shut down.

It was then that I first thought this: It wasn’t about becoming stronger or slaughtering more monsters.

This senseless war had to end.

Then I heard some news. Soon, the Human Alliance and all the living demon generals were going to have a massive battle.

It would later be known as the historic Battle of Ragnarok Plains, but upon hearing that news, I had a different thought.

Isn’t the Demon King’s Castle unguarded right now?

No matter how many demon generals I defeat, the war won’t end.

I needed to kill the Demon King who started all of this.

Others might not be able to withstand the poison at the center of the Demon Continent, but perhaps… for a nation that was already half demon…

Thus, I set off toward the Demon King’s Castle.

No one joined me on this journey, nor did anyone see me off.

Since I deliberately left without telling anyone, this was only to be expected. But still, all my comrades, all the people I loved, had already left my life.

So there was no one left whom I could rely on, just as it was the other way around.

At that time, it was definitely like that.

The moment I returned to the dormitory, I was immediately surrounded by students.

“Instructor! Are you really leaving us!?”

Titaria’s eyes were filled with tears, ready to spill over at any moment.

“……”

Osnia silently clutched my sleeve. Though she usually said nothing, her eyes said everything. I could feel the urgency in her trembling violet gaze.

“C-Can you not go then?”

Gwen’s voice trembled as he held onto my other arm.

“Please don’t go. I’ll try harder from now on. I still have a lot to learn. Swordsmanship, classes…! So please… don’t go.”

Gwen, who was always so lively, now sounded small and scared, like a frightened child.

“Leaving? Suddenly? Why?”

Marian, who usually seemed proud and prickly, was now filled with confusion and anxiety.

“Did we do something wrong? Or is there some pressure from the royal family…? Wait, I’ll write a letter to my grandpa right now! Maybe he can come lead the northern army to the capital…!”

That was a ridiculous misunderstanding.

And whether that was even possible was beside the point; if it did happen, it would lead to a civil war.

“Calm down, Marian.”

“How can I calm down!? If something like this is happening, you should have told us in advance! If you were going to leave after just a month, then this—this is not the time for being casual…!”

I had no idea what she meant by being casual.

Saladin sighed deeply and shook his head.

“If you really leave like this, it’s going to be serious. Who’s going to teach these kids properly if you’re gone? Me included.”

His tone was dismissive, but I could sense undeniable discontent in the way he looked at me.

“To be honest, I’m still here because of you, Instructor. If you leave now, wouldn’t that be… pretty irresponsible?”

Schurz adjusted his glasses, adding his thoughts.

“I might not feel it as much as the other students, but if Instructor Ion leaves, I think I’d be quite disappointed. I still have so much I want to learn. At the very least, I think our class needs you right now.”

Batar just shrugged from a distance, as if to say it wasn’t his fault.

“…Ha.”

A long sigh escaped me involuntarily.

Every student genuinely seemed to regret my leaving and sincerely wanted to stop me from going. Even Elizabeth, who wasn’t here right now, was included in that sentiment.

I thought we had only known each other for a mere month.

Yet, somehow we had grown attached.

Me, and the students too.

I slowly began to speak to those students.

 

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