Their Letters
Well... I had just finished convincing myself that the main heroines and I were nothing more than friends.
But before I could even settle my mind, a new task was dropped right into my lap.
No, in times like this, I need to be more cautious than ever.
To avoid jumping to any wild conclusions, the best approach was to calm down and carefully read through the letters that had arrived for me once more.
Let's start with the letter from Elisio Gremlina.
Truth be told, she and I had known each other since the academy's entrance ceremony.
Out of all the main heroines, she was probably the very first one I met.
Of course, since I was nothing but a mere extra, that initial meeting didn't immediately blossom into a deep relationship.
I had simply lent her a hand during the chaos of a sudden attack by a Black Mage organization.
After that, we just chatted occasionally at the academy and exchanged letters during the breaks.
...One might argue that exchanging letters makes us quite close, but that was purely due to her introverted nature.
Elisio Gremlina was naturally introverted and painfully shy around strangers. Whenever we spoke face-to-face, her voice would tremble, and she would stutter heavily.
However, she had no such issues when writing. Naturally, our communication shifted toward letters rather than spoken words.
Come to think of it, it was rather strange that I hadn't received a single letter from her while I was back at my family's estate this year.
During my first and second years, she must have sent at least a hundred letters each break.
Of course, the explanation for that was already written inside the letter.
To Rofel Teufel.
...Wait. Looking closely, there were traces of words written and erased repeatedly right before my name.
What had she tried to write?
It looked like she started to write "My dear," then crossed it out... then maybe "Beloved"? Or "My darling"? Hmm... the smudges were too messy to make out what she had originally intended to say.
Hello, Rofel. Have you been staying healthy and well?
To be honest, I wanted to send you a letter much sooner while I was back at my family's estate, but I ended up running late.
Since I was back at the mansion, I decided to focus on some research that I couldn't do at the academy.
I got so absorbed in it that I completely lost track of time and forgot to write to you.
So that was it.
Usually, her letters were filled with details about the efficacy of the potions she was researching or complaints about the stress she was under.
I had wondered why she hadn't reached out for so long.
Still, for a genius who could easily brew almost any tool or potion to get this absorbed...
I couldn't help but feel a little excited about what kind of result she would produce this time.
I heard the news that you arrived at the academy.
I want to pack up and run to see you right this instant, but...
Unfortunately, the potions I'm currently researching aren't finished yet.
The ingredients for this project are so rare that they can't be found anywhere outside our estate.
I'll probably arrive just in the nick of time, right when the academy term starts.
To put it simply, the Gremlina family was a house of scholars.
They had contributed to the advancement of various academic fields,
but they excelled particularly in alchemy. It was said that the laboratories in their territory were even better equipped than those at the academy.
Even so, the academy's facilities were by no means lacking...
Just what kind of research was she doing that required ingredients so rare they couldn't be sourced at the academy?
My curiosity about her research grew.
I'd have to ask her about it later.
Once I arrive at the academy, the first thing I want to do is go to our usual cafe with you.
It has only been two or three months, but you have no idea how much I've thought about you, Rofel.
Because this research was particularly difficult and important, I really missed having you by my side.
I wish you could brew tea for me and massage my shoulders, just like you used to do at the academy.
And when I'm eating alone, I wish you would find me and sit next to me, just like you always did.
Sigh... writing this down only makes me miss you even more, Rofel.
Ah, I shouldn't misunderstand the contents of her letter.
If you break it down, it's really nothing major.
Whenever we met, she was usually exhausted from focusing on her research, so I often offered small gestures of help.
I would find tea she might like and brew it for her, or give her shoulders and limbs a light massage if she looked tired.
Everything I did was just a casual act of kindness that any friend would show to another.
And this was simply her expressing normal gratitude for my kindness.
By the way... I heard some news that you might have marriage talks lined up with other noble ladies after graduating from the academy.
Ah! I sent a letter to your family beforehand to ask about it. You probably already know that, though.
So, one of the letters from the ducal houses that my father received must have come from the Gremlina family.
But why is she, like Seraphina, so curious about my marriage prospects?
Of course, I didn't mean anything strange by it.
Since graduation is approaching, I've seen a lot of students around me looking for marriage partners, so I was just curious about what you were planning.
I only asked out of pure curiosity.
Hmm... Is that so?
Well, given her natural disposition as a scholar, her curiosity would naturally be greater than most.
In a way, I was also the very first friend she made after entering the academy.
So it wasn't strange for her to be curious.
...Anyway, about those marriage talks... is it really... necessary?
Of course, the Teufel family isn't particularly powerful, and there is no better way to secure a family's stability than marriage, but...
If you're going to look for a marriage partner, wouldn't it make more sense to choose someone close to you rather than a lady you've never even met?
I mean... if you look for someone who is a fellow academy graduate and with whom you already exchange letters, wouldn't you be able to find a much better partner?
Alchemy has been receiving a lot of national attention and support lately, so it might be a good idea to look for someone working in that field.
It was true that deciding such a major issue as marriage solely based on the influence of both families wasn't ideal.
Above all, it was crucial that the man and woman entering the engagement actually got along.
Still, to go out of her way to recommend what kind of woman I should meet...
It seemed Eli was worrying about the same things Seraphina had.
She was probably worried that I, her friend, would end up in an unwanted marriage.
But there was no need for her to worry.
As I had thought before, this issue was already resolved.
Since Eli was worrying so much, it would be best to tell her about my relationship with Lilit once we met.
I suppose a letter isn't enough to properly convey what I want to say. There isn't enough space left on the paper, either.
I hope you will organize your thoughts regarding the marriage talks I mentioned by the time I arrive at the academy and meet you.
And when we do meet... even if my voice trembles and I stutter, I really want to have a serious conversation with you. Just the two of us.
...I hope I can hear the answer I want from your own lips.
— Your very close friend, Elisio Gremlina
P.S. I'm planning to send you some of my special health supplements with your well-being in mind.
There are absolutely NO side effects, so please make sure to take them every single day without fail.
You must never skip a day, so keep that in mind.
Supplements, huh... Actually, I had tested various potions she made since a long time ago.
To be more precise, it would be more accurate to say I acted as her expensive test subject.
Although I was of noble birth, it was only in name; we weren't actually that wealthy.
During my academy life, unexpected expenses would pop up, and I often found myself in urgent need of money.
Whenever that happened, Elisio Gremlina would offer to pay me in exchange for testing her various potions.
Well... it wasn't like anything terrible happened, nor did I suffer severe side effects.
Even though they were experimental potions, she wasn't called a genius of alchemy for nothing. The side effects were always mild symptoms that cleared up within a day.
If I had to name any physical anomalies... it was just that my body would feel hot, or I'd get incredibly sleepy, and my mind and memory would become hazy.
Compared to other alchemists' potions, which could literally grow an extra limb or two as a side effect, this was practically nothing.
Anyway, my impression after carefully reading Elisio Gremlina's letter again was...
It was clear that she, too, viewed me as just a friend.
From beginning to end, the contents of the letter were things you would only say to a friend.
Asking how I was doing while inquiring about my marriage talks was probably because I was one of her very few friends.
If Seraphina Serion's concern stemmed from her family's chivalrous spirit, then Elisio Gremlina's concern came from the fact that I was one of her few friends, making her worry all the more about my future.
Well... someone else might find some parts of the letter a bit misleading, but at least to my eyes, there was nothing wrong with it.
So I could be certain.
Eli does not think of me as anything more than a friend!
Rereading the letter and organizing my thoughts like this made my mind feel much clearer.
Now, let's move on to the remaining letter.
The letter from Isabella Kshatri, the daughter of the Magic Tower Master and the notorious troublemaker of the magic department.