Distrust and Hatred (10)

The dispatches forwarded from Scheat to the Academy kept me updated on every development through official communiqués.

"Nothing's changed."

The details matched what I had reviewed before leaving the dormitory down to the millimeter. It meant events were following the exact same sequence as my previous life.

Which meant whatever was scheduled to happen at the Academy would unfold without deviation. All I had to do was confirm it with my own eyes.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Speak of the devil. Or rather, she rode in on horseback, so perhaps the idiom didn't quite fit.

Right on cue, instead of the standard school uniform, a female student wearing the specialized robe of a healer designed to facilitate mana circulation entered the grounds. It was Erika.

And in stark contrast to Erika's arrival, a crowd of students was currently pouring out through the front gates. Passing through the threshold without uttering a single word, every last one of them clutched a slip of paper. A few smirked, while their companions jabbed them in the ribs, warning them to keep quiet.

In short, their secretive behavior was identical to how it had been back then.

Nothing more to see here.

Having confirmed everything firsthand, it was time for me to move.

"Ah?"

A familiar sensation brushed against me. A light, persistent tug at my sleeve—someone was pulling on my clothes. There was only one person who would materialize out of thin air and initiate a conversation by quietly tugging at my cuff.

Sylvia, who did that every single time she saw me.

"Junon, why haven't I been able to find you anywhere lately?"

"Uh... well... I didn't get a chance to let you know beforehand. Sorry about that."

In truth, too many hectic things had piled up recently, leaving me no time to seek her out. Knowing she habitually patrolled the spots where I was most likely to be, I really should have given her a heads-up.

Thank goodness Henna didn't blab.

'Don't worry your head off. I won't say a word to Sylvia.'

I had half-doubted her and prepared an excuse just in case, but it seemed she had actually kept her word.

"Why are you always waiting around for me, anyway?"

It was my greatest mystery regarding Sylvia. When she first moved into the dorms, she had been the very definition of helpless, but now she was capable of handling everything on her own. There were even things she did better than me; in terms of everyday life skills, I might have had to concede defeat to her by now.

"Am I... not allowed to...?"

"No, it's not that. I just wonder if you really need to go that far."

"I just... thought there was nothing wrong with us hanging out together."

I appreciated her goodwill. Back when I was admitted to the hospital, I had been genuinely touched to realize there was someone who would actually come visit me. In a social life completely wrecked by distancing myself from the members of Tembris, she was the only person I could truly call a friend.

Still, that doesn't mean there's nothing wrong with it.

Back when she was incompetent and held in contempt by everyone else, keeping her close made sense, but what about now? Classmates, upperclassmen, underclassmen, and even the faculty remarked on how remarkably she had changed for the better. That was precisely why I needed to draw a line. For the sake of her future, if nothing else.

"You can handle everything by yourself now, so what good does it do to stay glued to my side? It's time you branched out and focused on your own path."

She knew how to manage her own life, and she had made a dependable friend in Henna. She wasn't the target of widespread resentment anymore, and unlike before, the worst she faced was the occasional haughty noble picking a minor spat. Unlike the gloomy girl who had walked around under a dark cloud, there were plenty of people eager to lend her a hand now.

Take those students over there, for instance—boys and girls alike, stealing glances at her as if gazing upon a celebrity, their eyes shining with an eagerness to wait on her hand and foot.

Sticking with me would only restrict her campus life, and spending all that time waiting for me was a waste of her youth. She needed to find her own ambitions to live a life of her own. Trailing behind me forever was simply wrong, which was why I broached the subject.

And yet...

"...?"

"*Sniff*..."

Wait, why was she tearing up? Did I say something out of line? Why now?

"Did I... do something wrong? Why... why are you pushing me away...?"

Wait a second! Don't cry here of all places! That's going to cause a massive misunderstanding!

Why did the right side of my face suddenly feel like it was being scorched by an open flame...?

Sure enough, when I snapped my head around, I spotted several students grinding their teeth so violently they looked ready to lay a blood curse on me. I felt like I might suffer an untimely death for the most absurd reason imaginable. The blistering glares of Sylvia's fan club, blazing with the fury of How dare you make her cry?!, were terrifying in every conceivable way.

I had to soothe her and stop those tears immediately before those razor-sharp stares turned into literal blades. But what was I supposed to say to calm her down?

Heck, I didn't even know what I'd done wrong! What could I possibly say to escape the wrath of these bloodthirsty onlookers?

"Uh, Miss Sylvia? Could you perhaps..."

"Miss... Sylvia...?"

Why are you crying even harder?! I used polite honorifics and everything! Why did that make it worse?!

This was bad. Standing around like this was an absolute death sentence. This was dangerous in an entirely different sense of the word.

Aris surveyed Lebrant Academy, overcome by a strange sense of dissonance.

"Why is it so quiet?"

It was only natural for her to wonder. On an ordinary day, even if the academy was relatively peaceful, at least one of its major facilities would be bustling with activity.

Dubhe Hall housed the majority of the general lecture rooms.

Merak Hall hosted popular advanced specialized courses that required passing certain grade thresholds to attend.

Mizar Hall served as the nexus for students dedicated to academics and combat training, featuring massive bulletin boards where passersby gathered to read the front-page news.

Then there was Megrez Hall, which contained the faculty offices and posted administrative notices.

Phecda Hall held the student dormitories and the scenic campus grounds.

Alios Hall encompassed the museum, library, foundation headquarters, banquet halls, and suites reserved for visiting dignitaries.

And finally, Alkaid Hall stood erected in the form of a grand clock tower, channeling mana throughout the academy's seven halls and sixteen wings.

Whatever the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠state of the other four facilities, Dubhe, Merak, and Mizar were virtually guaranteed to be packed during broad daylight. Yet right now, an eerie lack of foot traffic pervaded the grounds. With the primary combat personnel deployed on the expedition and large crowds of students mysteriously absent, Lebrant Academy felt thoroughly hollowed out.

"Hey, is it just me, or does it feel way too dead today?"

"Isn't it just because classes are canceled?"

That's not entirely wrong, but...

Aris shared the sentiment. With lectures suspended, she had just witnessed a sizable group marching off after obtaining leave passes. Yet an unsettling intuition told her that wasn't the only reason.

"Most of the faculty aren't around either. Wonder why?"

Aris couldn't answer that question either, and that was precisely what bred this peculiar unease. Students grouping up with leave passes to run errands was one thing, but the near-total absence of faculty members was difficult to swallow. Even if classes weren't in session, front-desk administrators, cafeteria staff, and non-combat personnel should have been present. It felt almost as though the remaining students had been abandoned alone within the academy's walls.

Her suspicious reverie was shattered a moment later.

"Whoa! Who's that?"

A pair of arms wrapped around Aris from behind, pulling her into a tight embrace. Although she had asked who it was, only one person would pull a stunt like this.

"Erika."

"Tch. Caught immediately."

Having her identity uncovered without Aris even turning around, Erika whined playfully.

"Weren't you supposed to head north to Scheat with the others?"

Given that Erika should have been stationed at Lemtert Village alongside the rest of their team, Aris's question was entirely natural. Erika hesitated for a split second before clinging tighter to Aris's back, nuzzling against her shoulder.

"I came back because I missed you. Thought you'd be lonely."

"What?"

Deserting the frontline for such an absurd excuse? Thinking this was utter nonsense, Aris gently pried Erika's interlocking fingers apart and turned around to face her. It was time for a stern lecture.

"You're the sole healer on our team. There's no way Goden would let you leave just like that."

"I told him I wasn't feeling well, and he let me go... Ahem."

"As if our meticulous team leader would ever permit that during your very first practical deployment. Are you going to keep lying to me?"

"Hmph. Couldn't you just let it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slide?"

Erika put on a sulky pout in the face of Aris's persistent questioning, but it didn't work in the slightest. Having served as a mercenary alongside other squads in the past, Aris was hardly the type to brush off Erika's flimsy excuses and childish whining.

"There's a mountain of things to learn out there! You shouldn't be throwing away an opportunity like that!"

"Ow, ow, ow! That hurts! Stop pinching, Arisss!"

The expeditionary force had prioritized safety by drafting ample numbers, and the imperial elite were personally overseeing command—meaning there was an endless amount of practical wisdom to absorb. Throwing that chance away to return was incomprehensible. Furthermore, for Michel, Erika, and Senia, who had never experienced team combat before, it was an invaluable proving ground. Claiming she had returned simply because she felt under the weather meant turning her back on far too much.

"Ughhh, you really pinched hard. Your fingers are merciless, Aris."

"Spill it. No more ridiculous excuses."

"I had personal business to attend to. That's why I couldn't stay with the others and had to come back alone."

Aris's eyes narrowed into sharp, discerning slits. Under a brief round of interrogation, it didn't take long for Erika to confess that personal circumstances had forced her return. Naturally, regarding the exact nature of those complicated personal circumstances, her lips remained sealed tight.

Though the sun hung high in the sky, casting warm spring light, the academy was unusually silent today, meaning even a minor squabble naturally drew attention. Any small commotion risked being noticed by everyone remaining on campus.

And as fate would have it, someone nearby had just triggered a minor disaster.

Whether it truly qualified as a disaster was debatable, and calling it a mistake felt somewhat ambiguous. Nevertheless, in the desolate courtyard of Lebrant Academy, it was guaranteed to command the spotlight.

A certain young man was currently breaking out in a torrential cold sweat, having upset a girl who had once been considered a walking calamity, but had recently skyrocketed into an idol after approaching her past victims to bow her head in sincere apology.

"Uh... Sylvia? Can you just... stop ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠crying for a second...?"

"..."

I was losing my mind. Summer hadn't even arrived, so why did the air feel so suffocatingly hot?

I could swear on my life this wasn't ordinary sweat. It was genuine, cold sweat prickling at the back of my neck, triggered by survival instincts screaming that I was trapped in a mortal crisis. And trying to figure out why I was sweating so hard only made it more maddening—because I had no earthly clue what mistake I had made!

We had only exchanged a handful of sentences before she abruptly burst into tears, leaving me entirely in the dark.

Did that bastard just...?

How dare he... make her cry?

P-pl-gize now... b'fore ya die... (Apologize right now. Before you die.)

Ugh... what on earth do you want me to do?!

The scorching glares radiating from Sylvia's legion of fans continued to stimulate my sweat glands. And the sole catalyst was this weeping girl, whose internal thoughts were completely detached from her tears.

Am I supposed to react like this...?

In reality, Sylvia had simply felt nervous standing before Junon; she hadn't genuinely intended to cry. She was merely following someone's explicit instructions.

'Listen carefully, Sylvia. If Junon ever tries to push you away, just burst into tears right then and there.'

It had been the advice of none other than Sylvia's first female friend, Henna.

Henna, am I doing this right...?

The clock wound back to earlier that day, roughly three hours prior.