I pack my things and walk out of the dorm.
This room’s been mine for nine whole years since I was six.
A lot’s changed since then.
Everyone from my cohort’s already moved on. Everyone except .
The master who picked up from the orphanage is starting to look old. Ti keeps pushing forward, dragging us with it.
I pause, just for a second, and all these thoughts start swirling.
“Saying goodbye to the dormitory?”
“…Instructor Kisa.”
I’m staring up at the building that’s been ho for almost a decade when a familiar voice pulls back.
He too might’ve aged a bit compared to nine years ago.
“How’d you know I was saying goodbye?”
“I’ve seen plenty of lads stare at that building with the sa look in their eyes.”
“Ah, the expression. I figured you’d noticed the luggage and deduced it like so detective.”
“That too.”
Kisa shrugs and puts a hand on his lower back.
“Becoming a candidate after failing Boot Camp—that’s a record only you could pull off.”
“Thank you.”
“Here’s so advice. If you want into the Coral Terminators, get on the Akai family’s good side. The instructors in the West Wing probably won’t give you the ti of day.”
“Master, er… Aleksandr already told the sa thing.”
“Mm. Figures. Then let give you sothing else: Don’t get too chummy with the daughters of Akai. That’s asking for trouble.”
“That so? Why?”
“Because the head of the family and the young masters are all soft on them.”
Takes a second to get what he ans. I let out a flat “Huh.”
“I believe you just turned fifteen?”
“Yes, just the other day.”
“So did they. Your birthdays are pretty close. The Akai n are in full-on guard dog mode over their daughters and sisters right now. Making sure no strange bugs buzz around them, if you know what I an.”
Ah. That tracks.
“You’re smart enough to figure it out. You’ve already got penalty points hanging over your head. No need to stack more for sothing that’s got nothing to do with ability.”
“Got it. I’ll be careful who I try to impress.”
“Good. That’s the way. Best of luck, lad.”
I head for the West Wing. From now on, this is ho.
Chi chi.
Light, cheerful bells ring behind .
I glance over my shoulder. A girl on a bicycle is heading my way.
One glance and I can tell she’s nobility—white clothes, expensive cut. Sa age as , probably.
Big, shining eyes. Beautiful. Her black hair flows smooth as silk, fluttering in the wind.
And just like that, the mory hits—it’s Lady Ayano Akai.
She’s thirty ters out. Headed straight for .
If nothing interrupts, she’ll probably say sothing. And If she’s anything like I rember, she’ll be nice.
She used to treat everyone kindly, even commoners like .
But now? Talking to her’s a gamble. Her father, her brothers—any one of them could be watching.
I turn away and scan the open courtyard. From the entrance of the West Wing, I can see across the estate.
The nearest building is two hundred ters off, and there’s a line of others beyond it. Past that, the east section starts.
This place is, needless to say, huge. Big enough that soone like Lady Ayano needs a bicycle to get around.
I sweep the nearby windows. Nothing obvious. No signs of anyone keeping watch.
Still, better to assu I’m being watched anyway. That’s the smart move. Don’t tempt fate.
I turn my back to Lady Ayano and hurry inside.
Takes about an hour to get settled. One of the senior residents gives a tour of the facilities.
“This is the dining hall. It has a cathedral ceiling going up to the second floor.”
“It’s gorgeous.”
“Right? There aren’t any strict rules, but the Terminators usually take the south side. If you don’t want friction, I’d say steer clear.”
“Thanks for the heads-up.”
He runs through the unspoken rules. The kind of stuff you’d normally only pick up the hard way.
“Found you!”
“…Huh?”
A voice from above.
My senior and I both look up, confused—and there she is.
Lady Ayano, looking down at from the second floor with wide eyes.
“I knew it! You’re Ikaku, aren’t you?!”
Can’t believe she rembers. I’m just a background character she t four or five tis nine years ago.
“Why’d you ignore when I rang my bell earlier?”
Damn, so she caught my discourtesy…
My senior’s giving a nervous look now too.
“I didn’t realize it was you, Lady Ayano…”
“Lying won’t work. We made eye contact!”
“No, I an… I didn’t recognize you as Lady Ayano, or rather…”
If I admit it, that’s rude. But I’m boxed in now.
“I see... Co to think of it, it has been about nine years. I recognized you imdiately, but Ikaku’s forgotten about , huh. I suppose enough ti has passed that it can’t be helped...”
She lowers her eyes, shoulders dipping. She’s the picture of soone quietly hurt, forgotten by a friend after reunion.
…That’s a low blow, Lady Ayano.
“…I’m sorry. I lied. I knew it was you.”
She grins. “Hehe. I knew it. The Ikaku I rember was a genius—smart, calm, grown-up for his age. You’ve probably got a photographic mory or perfect pitch or sothing. And that weird na! No way soone like you would forget !”
That’s one hell of a logic leap.
“Thank you for rembering soone like , Lady Ayano.”
“I never forgot. You really stuck in my mory. I never thought I’d get to see you again, Ikaku.”
I’m happy. Deep down, I’m really happy. And embarrassed as hell.
That kid she rembers—so prodigy with a strange na—that version of probably looked a lot brighter in the blurry haze of childhood.
What would she think if she knew the truth?
Washed out of Boot Camp. Can’t use mana. The aura of a gifted child worn away by age and failure.
A prodigy at ten, a talent at fifteen, just another guy by twenty. Such a classic combo of decline and disillusionnt.
Would’ve been better if I’d stayed frozen in her mory. Eternal boy genius.
“I never forgot you either, Lady Ayano. The ti we spent at the shooting range… it’s one of my favorite mories.”
“Hmm, you felt that way? Wait—no! If you rembered that, then why’d you ignore ? I don’t get it!”
I’m scrambling for a response when I hear shouting from the distance.
“Lady Ayano’s over there!”
n in black suits co running.
“Lady Ayano, please return!”
“Oh no. Well then, Ikaku, I’ll hear your excuse next ti!”
She whips the bike around and tears off at top speed.
“You… you’re friends with Lady Ayano…?”
My senior, who’d been pretending to disappear, stares at like I just grew a second head.
He starts bombing with questions.
Didn’t take long before the rumors started spreading through the candidate dorms.
“The new guy, Ikaku? Apparently, he’s close with Lady Ayano.”
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