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After some back-and-forth about the uniform, I finally handed it over to Siabel.

“Siabel, I’ve come to return your uniform.”

“Oh, Ray! It’s been so busy lately that we hardly have a chance to talk. Congratulations on becoming the Deputy Commander, even though it’s late!”

As Siabel said this, her gaze shifted to the neatly organized uniform I held in my hands.

“By the way… I lent my uniform to Shione. Why are you returning it? Are you suggesting that you—”

“…I’m not wearing it, of course.”

In any case, tasting a bit of Siabel’s disdain, which Shione feared so much, made it clear why she hesitated to approach her sister again. Siabel already had a sharp gaze, and facing her cold aura directly was bound to be intimidating.

“Well, since you’re here instead of Shione… Ah, here it is. Please pass this to her.”

Siabel handed me several small pieces of paper.

“What is this?”

“Those are meal tickets.”

“Meal tickets…?”

“I bought a bunch a while ago, and since I have some left, it felt a waste not to use them. Shione has plans to go to the Academy, so I thought I’d take them out.”

“Ah.”

“Some are for desserts, so she’ll probably like them. They’re the most expensive tickets at the academy, so Ray, you should try them too. The cooks there are excellent.”

“I see. I’ll make sure to pass them along.”

It wouldn’t hurt to accept them. The food that could satisfy the high standards of the Count’s daughter is rather intriguing.

After finishing my conversation with Siabel, I returned to the carriage. As I approached, I saw Shione tiptoeing, looking around eagerly.

Like a meerkat on guard, she was scanning the area, and when our eyes met, she gestured for me to come over.

“Ray, did you meet with my sister?”

“I delivered the uniform safely. Oh, and she said this is a gift for you.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“Meal tickets. She mentioned that some are for dessert, so use them wisely.”

Shione quickly hid the meal tickets in her hands. Her face lit up at the mention of dessert as she got into the same carriage as me.

With many people bidding farewell and leaving the Count’s House behind, the carriage finally began to move forward, kicking off a month-long vacation.

“…Aren’t you hot being so close all day?”

“Ray, it seems you’re not thinking straight right now.”

“What do you—”

“If it’s too hot, you just take off your clothes, right?”

Of course, the spot beside me was meant for Shione, who was trying to lean into me.

—

The Royal Academy’s scale is nearly comparable to that of a small town.

Alongside the massive academy, there are various residential facilities and thriving commercial areas. This academy attracts economically powerful nobles and merchants, but it is also filled with talented commoners discovered through various means.

The academy, bustling with numerous people regardless of their status, is a focal point for the kingdom’s culture and economy.

Thanks to that, Shione, having arrived in a city influenced by the academy, was fully absorbed in looking at the dazzling world outside the carriage.

“Ray, look over here! This place seems even grander than the kingdom’s capital!”

“It seems this commercial area is popular among the nobility.”

“My mother gave me quite a bit of money, so it would be nice to explore it together later.”

Shione, being the daughter of the Count, certainly wasn’t from some impoverished rural nobility. I was excited thinking about how she could indulge with her own spending money this time.

‘Being the Deputy Commander, they say I get quite a decent salary.’

After all, isn’t it so much more enjoyable to have a tour funded by someone else?

As we passed from the marketplace to the square and began to approach the Academy Entrance, we could see not only the grandeur but also the impressive buildings that exuded magnificence.

“The academy has giant buildings.”

“Well, it’s probably because they need classrooms to accommodate so many people. Also, the academy has to provide training grounds and laboratories for the professors, so they have no choice but to build large.”

The vast site features the main buildings set far apart, interspersed with shops. Numerous landscaped plants indicated an extraordinary investment, rivaling the Great Forest.

Students of this educational institution evidently feel camaraderie and pride in their academy uniforms. Looking outside, I wondered how the students typically carried themselves.

The semester had just ended, and it wasn’t too crowded anymore.

‘…But they all look so drained.’

Among the remaining students, the majority wandered with tired, hollow eyes, reflecting the typical sorrow of those overwhelmed by studies.

I guessed they had their own hardships here, and just then, Shione puffed up her cheeks.

“They didn’t stare at me like that when I wore the uniform.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“It seems they’re ignoring me because I’m now just a caught fish, right?”

It seems the weird button had been pressed again.

I chuckled and recounted the day when Shione wore the academy uniform.

“That sounds a bit off. Isn’t it rather me who’s the caught fish, Shione?”

“……?”

“Tossed on the bed while wearing Siabel’s uniform and without a care for what I said—”

“Okay, okay! I was just joking…! You can stop now!”

“Until your lips burst…!”

“Ah, not again!”

“You started it, Princess.”

While teasing her, I enjoyed her exaggerated reactions as if she were a character from a comedic anime.

—

The carriage had nearly reached its destination when Shione pointed out eagerly, “Ray! Look at that huge fountain over there!”

Turning my head in the direction of her gesture, I spotted the giant fountain she mentioned.

From the central fountain, roads stretched toward the academy, surrounded by small stalls and patches of green intermingling with the gray paths.

“Siion left a message saying he would be waiting at the central square. The fountain mentioned in the letter must be that one, right?”

As we rode in the carriage, Shione showed me a letter from her brother. Comparing the letter with the scenery outside, the description in neat handwriting detailed the fountain accurately. It contained descriptions of the high spouts and the statues resembling influential figures.

“It looks like that fountain really is the one. We should send our luggage to our accommodations, then get off the carriage and search for Siion.”

Upon saying this, I noticed Shione pouting as if regretting that she had to leave my side once more.

It seemed she wanted to savor the moment longer, but I slipped a piece of cookie into her mouth, and her complaints disappeared just like that.

After lowering the luggage carriage and setting foot in the academy square, we roamed about, searching for Siion at the fountain as we drew attention to ourselves due to our unfamiliar appearance.

Before long, I recognized a familiar silver hair leading the way through the crowd.

‘Sion Shianella, it’s been a while.’

The silver hair symbolizing the Count’s family stood out even from afar.

Her gaze and smile were strikingly similar to Ainel, giving off a cold vibe. I thought perhaps this was what Siabel would look like if he had been born a boy.

As a result, despite his previous gifts and abilities as a talented priest, his cold demeanor often overshadowed Shione in the past, but now he seemed to keep a gentle expression in place.

“Shione, it’s been a while.”

“Indeed, it has. You’ve been well, I presume?”

“Of course. Other than working to make my divine power more refined, I don’t have much else to do.”

He then whispered in a voice that barely got above a murmur.

“…The hard work was on you, sister. I’ve heard everything from the Marquis family regarding the Great Forest.”

Sion’s gaze swiftly fell to Shione’s neck.

The necklace he had gifted her before they left for the Great Forest, a divine tool from the church that saved her life three times.

His eyes seemed surprised, as if he didn’t expect she would still be wearing it after all this time.

“You’re still wearing that necklace, huh? Judging by the divine energy emanating from it, it doesn’t seem like you’ve used it all that much… Your expedition went surprisingly well, then?”

“We were told it was an item that operated on divine power rather than magic. So it felt like I was carrying a talisman. It certainly brought me comfort.”

“…Forget it; could you hand that necklace over a moment?”

“…Sion, are you trying to take back a gift you gave her?”

“Of course not! As a priest, I wouldn’t dare commit such a misdeed!”

Sion shot a glare at Shione.

“I just wanted to refill its divine energy. I’ll return it later, so just hand it over for now.”

“…In that case.”

Shione relinquished the necklace, and Sion snatched it in an instant.

Indeed, although Sion had attempted to smooth things over with gifts, they hadn’t met once since then; I hadn’t even heard a single letter exchanged between them.

Their conversation felt heavy with awkwardness, yet they proceeded, poking at each other until they broke through the tension.

Perhaps feeling uneasy about this awkward exchange, Sion’s next target was me.

“…It’s been a while, Ray. I’ve heard the news. I suppose now you must be addressed as Deputy Commander. Thanks to your achievements on the castle walls, it seems you’ve truly found a fitting position; congratulations.”

“It’s an honor to see you again, Sion Shianella. I greatly appreciate your kind words.”

“Well, it’s the least I can do for family. Especially since I’ve been following your journey as Deputy Commander.”

Thinking back on it, there wasn’t much friction between Sion and me.

Because of that, he seemed more at ease talking to me than when conversing with Shione.

“I still somewhat regret not solidifying your allegiance when we first met.”

“…What did you just say, Sion?”

“Why are you looking at me like that, sister? I’m just saying I wish it had been like that back then. It’s not in the present conversation.”

“…….”

“If you keep glaring at me like that, I might think you genuinely like the Deputy Commander. It’s only natural for someone who’s ventured into the political sphere of the Counts to be sensitive about talent after all—”

“I do like him.”

“Eh?!”

Sion’s reaction to Shione’s unexpected admission caused him to freeze for a moment.

He looked at me with a baffled expression, so I just shrugged, indicating this was normal for Shione.

While observing their surprising reaction, Sion soon found his resolve and gazed at me with a touch of sadness.

“…You’re really doing a lot as the Deputy Commander. Having such a person around must be… tough.”

As we exchanged small talk, I noticed the growing attention surrounding us.

Two direct descendants of the Shianella Count family, representing the west of the kingdom. While Sion had been at the academy long enough to become a familiar face, Shione had rarely attended public events, leaving only rumors of her achievements.

Her appearing in the central square caused quite a stir.

Moreover—

‘There’s quite a few eyes on me as well.’

Perhaps it was due to my Knight’s Order uniform.

As the uniform bore the Count’s family crest alongside the Knights’ markings, my presence, a man in this outfit amidst the nobles, could easily spark gossip.

Although my name was well-known, my appearance wasn’t quite recognized yet throughout the kingdom.

Sion noticed the gazes converging on us.

“We’re drawing a lot of attention. We should change locations. Follow me; I’ll introduce you to various parts of the academy before heading to the magic department.”

He discreetly scanned the surroundings, speaking softly so others wouldn’t overhear.

“…It’s best to pay attention. The academy, as known externally, has not been as safe lately.”

Recently, shadows filled with unrest had begun to stir within the academy.

 

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