Chapter 189
“Kuaaaang.”
A cadet made a strange sound and collapsed in his seat. The Class A classroom. It was a break after having successfully completed the guided sparring with Hectia.
“Ah, Teacher Hectia is really strong.”
“For real. Is this the dignity of the first Platinum Numbering.”
Officially, he's the strongest in humanity. Even though I, Gilbert, and Anette didn't use our full power, he had drawn with all of Class A. He's an unbelievably strong person.
Although they weren't yet skilled in combat, he had overwheld Adela, who wore the Hierophant, and Luri, who had contracted with the Fire Spirit King, as if twisting a child's arm.
Honestly, I'm not confident in a 1:1 fight, even if I fought with all my might.
'My power is maximized against evil-aligned enemies.'
Stellar Force. The power of Cosmos, which stands at the opposite pole of evil. It would be a mistake to expect the sa power when fighting demons.
“Hoo.”
Anyway, it's tiring. It goes without saying that it's more difficult to shoot a bullet through a tangled group of allies than to kill an enemy at a distance.
I sat down and leaned my head against the window.
'I'm sleepy.'
It's almost 3 o'clock. Then the closing eting will begin.
'Today's only up to the second period, so I should finish quickly and go ho to rest.'
No, I can't rest. Nerjin and Lilac must be working hard right now. Rest? I have to help with the work.
“Alright, let’s have our closing eting!”
Just in ti, Hailey ca in and started the closing eting.
“Today, Class A had a guided sparring session with Teacher Hectia, right? I hope everyone has learned how to cooperate and fight so that you can always gather your strength when you et a formidable enemy. Well, there are no separate announcents for today, and you all know that there's one more duel assessnt at the end of the year, right?”
Right, the duel assessnt. It'll be held once more at the end of the year. …Naturally, the hateful face of one fellow cos to mind. The bastard who's so perfectly sculpted it's annoying…, Gilbert.
“Everyone worked hard today, so please go ho safely. Class president, greeting.”
“Yes, sir! Everyone, attention! Greet the teacher!”
After greeting in unison with Bord's command, the cadets rush out. Hailey smiles brightly and waves her hand, seeing the cadets off.
“Is there anyone who wants to eat with ? It's my treat today.”
The one who confidently raised her hand was Anette. Although she didn't belong to any group, she was the biggest social butterfly in Class A.
“Your Majesty the Crow Empress, ! !”
“ too!”
“Us too!”
Perhaps influenced by the lesson of cooperation learned through Hectia's guided sparring, even Prince Kazaks joined in.
“A al of the commoners should be fine for a change.”
The accompanint of Muller and Shuga was a given. Following that, Gilbert also raised his hand and expressed his intention to participate in Anette's dinner party.
“Ah, can I go too?”
“Of course! My dinner party does not discriminate.”
At the coolly given permission, Gilbert turns back and looks at his companions.
“What about you guys?”
“If Sir Gilbert is going, I will follow anyti.”
“Oh, great! It’s a dinner party after a long ti!”
“I-I'd love to!”
“Alright! Then… huh?”
Gilbert blinked his eyes and looked around. Lina, Bord, Mary…. She was missing. One person.
“Ah, um, sorry. I’ll be going first. For my wound treatnt.”
Elisha was standing at the classroom entrance with a smile.
Was it just my imagination that her appearance seed precarious to my eyes? Gilbert belatedly tries to say sothing.
“Ah, then we should also go together….”
“Uh-uh, no. You guys go eat together. It’s okay since I’m going straight to the hospital anyway. Then I’ll be going first!”
And then she leaves before anyone can stop her. As if she were running away.
Gilbert, Lina, Bord, and Mary realized with trembling eyes that sothing was wrong, but they were still too young to fix it.
They had already made an appointnt, and their friend who had left first had openly refused, so it must be hard to handle.
“Hmm, a dinner party. Well, it will fall far short of the standard of cuisine I adhere to, but it’s not like I can’t join you.”
“If you don't like it, don't co, Your Highness.”
“How insolent, you girl of Elidore.”
Adela and Luri growled at each other and then looked back.
“If you go, I will go! Martin!”
“Martin! Let's go together!”
However, Martin was no longer in that place either.
***
'I've been coming to the rooftop often lately.'
I leaned against the iron door leading to the rooftop. With my hands in my pockets, I pricked up my ears and spied on the situation on the rooftop.
Winter is coming soon. The early cutting wind blows fiercely. It must be shaking her hair.
Yes, I had followed her.
‘…I followed her, but.’
The problem is that I don't have the courage to go in.
The sound of listless, drooping footsteps is the first thing I hear.
Stop, she stands at the rooftop railing and stares straight ahead, then lets out a deep sigh. Thump, she sits down.
'What was I even thinking, coming here.'
I touched my forehead. Leaning my back against the only iron door leading to the rooftop, I also sighed. Of course, it couldn't compare to the sigh of the person sitting in front of the rooftop railing.
It must feel like the sky has fallen. It must be miserable. Enough to wear a dress of despair and scream in agony.
Because for Elisha, the red bow, the symbol of Harmadun, was her entire life.
'Just like Lilac is my greatest treasure.'
What if I lose Lilac?
The loss of that angelic child is sacrilegious even to imagine, but isn't there a concrete example called 'Martin of the Apocalypse'?
If soone were to shoot down my angel, the world would have to deal with before the apocalypse.
But Elisha is a noble and proud high aristocrat, and she takes pride in that fact, so she can't do that. Instead of expressing it outwardly, she piles it up, buries it, fernts it, and rots it in her heart.
Why is this princess experiencing such a thing. That's… because of .
“Haa-”
“Gilbert?”
Oh dear, she heard . …No, on the contrary, this is better. It’s what I wanted. With my personality, I might have just stayed like this for hours and then left, exhausted, without being able to say a word.
I opened the rooftop door and went in. With as nonchalant an expression as possible.
“My apologies for not being Gilbert, Cadet Elisha.”
“Ah, Cadet Martin.”
Her reddish-blonde hair is glossy and shines even more in the cold wind, and her red eyes, resembling roses, are beautiful like jewels. The curve drawn on her lips is also noble and dignified.
But for so reason… she seems to lack energy. It couldn't be just my imagination. Surely.
“Was this Cadet Martin’s secret hideout? Then I’m sorry.”
I quickly stopped Elisha, who was about to stand up.
“No. It's not like I rented it out, so it’s fine.”
“Thank you.”
I decided to do sothing rare, no, uncharacteristic of . Next to Elisha who was about to stand up, I awkwardly sat down.
“…?”
So Elisha had no choice but to sit down again.
“…”
“…”
As the awkward silence continued for about 5 seconds, the realization that ‘this isn’t right’ ca to . We need a conversation.
Even if it’s just to painstakingly block the encroaching awkwardness, it’s fine. Even a aningless chat would provide warmth like a single matchstick.
“Um, Cadet Elisha. Would you like a drink?”
“Pardon?”
From the word that seed to suggest 'alcohol', ca my personal bottle. When I opened the lid and revealed the inside, along with the delicious-looking brown coffee… the sweet and savory aroma of coffee that changes the air rose gently and enveloped us.
“You liked coffee, didn't you.”
I hope she realizes what a great sacrifice I’m making right now. This isn't coffee I made. It's coffee made by none other than Lilac. The coffee she must have made with love and care for her master who goes to the academy half-asleep every morning to endure classes.
“Ah…, the brown drug?”
“…”
Elisha, who saw the change in my expression that I couldn't see, finally smiles faintly.
“Pfft, coffee. I know. I know. I like coffee too. So stop making that strange expression that doesn't suit you, really. Hehe.”
“…What’s wrong with my expression.”
“Ah, it’s a sha I’m the only one seeing this. It’s to the point where I want to save it and look at it for a long ti. Other people would have burst out laughing if they saw it.”
“…”
I let out a deep sigh and silently poured coffee into the bottle cap and offered it to Elisha. In the midst of the whistling cold wind, the coffee was still steaming hot. I also took out a separate cup, poured coffee, and drank it. It was the perfect temperature even without blowing on it.
“…”
“…”
The conversation broke off again. Damn it. A conversation, I need a conversation.
When I secretly glanced at her, Elisha was looking at the capital of Imperium spread out beyond the railing.
Averting my gaze from her lancholic eyes, I looked down, and now the left arm, thickly wrapped in a cast, catches my eye. Impatience made my mouth open on its own.
“Uh, um, what brings you to the rooftop?”
“I wanted to see an open place. I used to co here often in the past. I like it. Seeing the world wide open from a high place without any disturbance. It’s refreshing, as if my chest is being cleared.”
“I know that feeling.”
Just then, she also turned her head and looked at .
“What about the dinner party? Are you not going?”
“I’m not interested.”
“Well, since it’s Cadet Martin…. But still, you should go, right? Isn’t it the first group dinner party for the new Class A?”
“Aren't they people I see every day anyway.”
Elisha frowns at my indifferent answer.
“You shouldn’t do that, Cadet Martin. Didn’t we learn about the importance of cooperation today?”
“Well, that's true, but… if you force a dinner party with that, isn't that an abuse of power?”
“That's right. But if you don't go at all like Cadet Martin, you might have problems with your social life.”
To think that people’s lives are all the sa everywhere. I never thought I’d be having a debate about forcing dinner parties here.
“I’ll go next ti, next ti.”
“Alright. Next ti for sure. I’ll be watching.”
Looking at Elisha who was speaking cheerfully as if joking, I squeezed my eyes shut and decided to ruin the mood.
“Will you be going then?”
“…”
The silence that followed.
“W-well.”
“…”
Elisha doesn't miss out on places like this. She wouldn't. She is a high aristocrat. Their duties include attending good events and making them shine even more.
Even if that wasn't the case, Elisha likes to socialize with others. She's a 17-year-old girl who's at the pri age to enjoy playing with her friends.
The reason she's holding back, there can be no other.
“I don’t know… if I have the right to be in a place where we discuss cooperation.”
In this battle that dealt with cooperation among everyone, she couldn't be of any help. Her left arm is beyond recovery. How great must have been the sense of alienation and loss she felt, who had always stood at the center of the stage?
“Ah, right. I’m sorry to suddenly change the subject.”
Changing the subject. She says it outright. If she cos out like this, I have no choice but to comply….
“Is Grandpa Nerjin okay?”
However, for a topic change ant to evade… it's quite proactive.
“What happened to him?”
When she says that while leaning her body forward, I'm even more flustered.
“Didn't you hear the news?”
“Well, the kids say he's fine, but I can't trust them. Whether they're saying it to reassure , or if it's true. They're so overprotective these days, you know? They even stare at so burdeningly while I’m eating.”
Elisha shakes her head and makes a pathetic expression.
Is that so. Overprotective…, that's plausible. No, I would have done the sa.
“Sigh, really.”
In fact, Elisha shouldn't be here. She should be at the hospital getting a 'painkiller'.
“They’re good kids, so I can’t stop them.”
It’s not just her left arm. The mark of the Demon Lord has been seared on the wounds all over her body, so she must be bleeding and accompanied by a dizzying pain even now.
That seemingly nonchalant appearance of Elisha is an act. I'm fine. I'm okay. The sight of her tightly wrapping her wounds with a mask and a thick overcoat is painfully clear in my eyes.
“So, is Grandpa Nerjin okay? He was in a very critical condition.”
Looking at Elisha who asks again, I'm fed up. This person is so righteous and full of responsibility that it's sickening. She doesn't show it even when she's in pain. She doesn't take care of herself and puts others first.
She's so similar to Gilbert, a foolish person to the point of being frustrating, but I can't hate her anymore. Because I've been indebted to that righteousness and integrity.
“Yes, he’s fine. You don’t have to worry. He even went to visit you in the hospital.”
“Aha, I see.”
Only then does Elisha's expression relax, as if relieved.
…And for that reason, I feel even more sorry. The rising guilt pushed to the edge of a cliff.
I'm ready too. Now, let's just say it.
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