“Why’d you come all the way over here?”
It was Arsian.
“Oh! Arsian, you’re in the Department of Magic too.”
Only then did I realize one fact: Arsian was affiliated with the Department of Magic as well as the Department of Swordsmanship.
I’d heard he’d practically seized the top spot in the practical exams with overwhelming skill.
‘Versatile bastard.’
Looks like whatever calls itself a god gave that man everything except a human personality.
“Did you come to see me?”
“No.”
“...Then who’d you come to see?”
Do you have to be meeting someone just because you came here?
Staring at Arsian with a briefly incredulous look, Camilla pointed behind her.
“I’m just dropping that kid off.”
“Hello. I’m Rania.”
Rania came up on quick little steps and offered a bright greeting.
“Are you leaving right away?”
The problem was that Arsian completely ignored her existence. He didn’t even spare her a glance.
“Then yeah, I’ll go. Why hang around?”
Camilla looked at Rania—whose expression had stiffened a touch—for a moment, let out a short sigh, and turned away. She had no reason to micromanage the girl’s social life.
“Hold on.”
Arsian quickly caught Camilla as she was about to go.
“What’s with your hand?”
He’d noticed the handkerchief lightly wrapped around her hand.
“It’s nothing.”
“What do you mean, ‘nothing’?”
“I scratched it a little.”
A moment ago, she’d gone to the office with Rania. They had to fill out the matriculation papers.
Then the tip of the pen Rania carelessly swung had scraped the back of her hand.
‘I let my guard down for a second.’
She’d been on the verge of tears apologizing, but the moment they left the office she smiled brightly like nothing had happened.
“Give me your hand.”
“I’m fine.”
“The hell you are.”
“This much heals with a little ointment.”
“One healing spell and it’s done.”
“No.”
“What?”
“I said no.”
“Why?”
Arsian frowned as Camilla hurriedly hid her hand behind her back.
“You’re tired.”
“...What?”
“You just came from sword class, didn’t you?”
At her next words, Arsian’s face went blank for an instant.
“Don’t waste mana when you’re already tired.”
Before she could take another step, he caught her again. A faint smile tugged at Arsian’s lips.
This guy, seriously...
“This much is fine.”
Before Camilla could say anything else, Arsian cast quickly and wrapped her wound in magic.
In an instant, bright light flowed out and healed the cut on the back of her hand.
When she loosened the handkerchief she’d tied on as a stopgap, her hand was spotless. There wasn’t a trace of a wound.
“Nice.”
“Said you didn’t want it a second ago.”
“Either way, thanks. I’ve got class starting soon. I’m really going.”
Camilla gave a light wave and left.
“The Department of Magic building is really big and spacious. I’ve been placed into the advanced class—could I ask you to show me around?”
As Arsian stood there quietly watching Camilla disappear, Rania’s voice came flying back to his ear.
“......”
Only then did his gaze turn to her for the first time. When their eyes met, Rania’s smile deepened.
Step.
“Uh...!”
But that was as far as it went. Arsian walked right past her into the building. Rania hurried after him.
“Excuse me!”
She called out quickly, but he didn’t stop.
“I’m sorry.”
As always, Rania led with an apology, wearing that particular, earnest expression.
“Did I say something out of line? You seem close to Camilla, so I wanted to get close too, and...”
Rania went on, but Arsian still acted as if he hadn’t heard a word.
A moment later, once they were inside, people’s eyes gathered. Seeing Rania trailing after Arsian, most of them wore appalled expressions.
A few even sent worried looks. They knew exactly what kind of person Arsian was.
“You’re Arsian, right? I’ve heard so much from Camilla—”
“Be quiet.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re annoying me, so stop yapping next to me.”
“No, I—”
“Fuck. I keep my head down for a bit and every piece of trash thinks they can talk to me... Ah, seriously, hey.”
“......!”
“I’m warning you.”
Arsian’s eyes went cold in an instant.
“Don’t toss my name around.”
“I-I’m sor—”
“I told you to shut your mouth.”
“Mm—!”
The thick, lingering Killing Intent he let out made Rania’s face drain white.
“Be grateful you live with Camilla. If you didn’t, the moment you spoke my name one of your arms would already be broken.”
Rania instinctively hunched in on herself.
“This is your line. I don’t care how well you know her—I’m done overlooking anything past this.”
With that, Arsian walked off as if nothing had happened.
The people who’d watched it all from the side only gave small shakes of their heads; they’d seen this coming.
If anything, they were surprised Rania had gotten off unscathed.
“Haa...”
But even after Arsian was gone, Rania couldn’t bring herself to move.
She just stared, frozen, at the place he’d disappeared.
****
“A picnic?”
“Yes!”
“Out of nowhere?”
“I promised the kids. We’re going to go play in the water soon.”
When Camilla stopped by the clubroom, Laila ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) suddenly suggested a trip to a mountain with a stream, and Camilla’s face went blank with disbelief.
“Why does our volunteer work always end up where the kids are?”
“Ah, well... I grew up in an orphanage, so I pay more attention to the children.”
“......”
“I’ll introduce other places next time!”
Whatever—she didn’t care where they went, as long as the required hours got logged.
“Then you should’ve given me a heads-up. I could’ve prepared something.”
It wasn’t just the few of them going. They’d be with the kids—showing up empty-handed felt wrong.
“I prepared everything.”
Petro, who hadn’t been visible a moment ago, was suddenly standing at her side.
“From food to safety personnel, I’ve arranged it all, so there’s no need to worry. All you need to do is join us, Camilla.”
“...You’ve gone to some trouble.”
“Is that praise I hear?”
“Yeah, well...”
Camilla offered an awkward smile and glanced aside. Lately this man was... a bit much.
“...?”
And then she locked eyes with Laila.
Laila was looking at her with a very satisfied gaze, and Camilla tilted her head.
Petro handled all the preparations for the water outing, and I didn’t bring anything. Why is she giving me that look?
“Shall we head out? The kids have been waiting like crazy!”
Everyone filed out of the clubroom after Laila, who looked the most excited of them all.
Camilla moved to follow too, but then someone caught her eye.
“You’re coming too?”
“Why? Can’t I?”
“...I like it.”
Why do you always have to answer like you’re picking a fight?
“You...”
“Hm?”
“Are you the kind of person who throws compliments around at anyone that easily?”
“What?”
“Shi... I could’ve prepared that kind of stuff too...”
What is he even on about?
Whatever had rubbed him so wrong, Arsian kept frowning, and Camilla hurried him along to catch up with the others.
****
“Where’s Camilla?”
“She said she’d be late because she has club activities today.”
“Ah, that club.”
A faint smile touched the Duke of Sorpel’s lips.
He’d been seeing a great many new sides of Camilla lately.
He’d felt a twinge of regret when he heard she’d quit the Department of Swordsmanship. He’d been told she’d shown astonishing sword skill at the hunting tournament.
He hadn’t believed it at first, but when everyone who’d been there said the same, he couldn’t hide his amazement.
And for a moment he’d dared to hope. That perhaps, after Ludville, another sword genius had emerged.
‘But it can’t be helped. She herself says she has no interest in that path.’
The regret was brief. He’d known from the start that Camilla wasn’t particularly interested in the sword.
So he let it go at that when he heard she’d left the department.
But what came after surprised him even more.
“Volunteer work, of all things.”
It was a choice he hadn’t foreseen. He’d heard a child close to Camilla was in that club, so he guessed she might have joined because of that child.
“I thought she’d try it for a bit and get bored and quit.”
It didn’t suit Camilla at all, that club.
But quite some time had passed and she was carrying on with club activities rather steadily.
Recently, she’d even organized the items piled up in storage and sent them to the orphanage.
“If there’s anything needed, support it—whatever it is.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
When Butler Rube withdrew, the Duke of Sorpel turned his gaze to the person seated with him at the table.
“Are your classes going well?”
Ludville and Ravi were both out today on business and absent from the meal, so at present only Rania was dining with the Duke of Sorpel.
“Yes, I’m enjoying them.”
Rania’s face lit with a bright smile, pleased that the Duke had asked about her Academy life.
“...Good.”
Seeing that smile, the Duke of Sorpel felt a pang of guilt.
But it was still difficult. The sudden appearance of Rania remained awkward. He no longer suspected she wasn’t his daughter.
‘But...’
The moment the word “Father” came out of her mouth, something grated. His mood sank and a strange chill crawled over him.
‘It’s because she’s unfamiliar.’
Because she was still unfamiliar to him. Awkward.
Thinking it would get better in time, the Duke of Sorpel let out a short sigh inside.
“All the dishes look delicious. Please, eat.”
“Very well.”
As he lifted his spoon and brought the food to his mouth, a bright smile once again touched Rania’s lips as she watched him.
