The Gloomy Alchemist
The terrorist attack by the dark mages on the day of the entrance ceremony sent shockwaves both inside and outside the academy.
After all, what kind of place was Dandelion Academy?
It was a prestigious institution where countless nobles gathered to cultivate the talents of the future, receiving direct support from the imperial family itself.
For that reason, they employed numerous knights who had reached the level of Sword Master, alongside elite talents from the Magic Tower. Not only was the education top-tier, but their security and guard patrols were supposed to be absolutely ironclad.
Yet, this very academy had been infiltrated and attacked by none other than dark mages—wicked beings of the worst kind. It was an unprecedented disaster.
Consequently, fierce debates erupted among the academy officials, the nobility, and the imperial court.
On the day of the incident, the security and patrols had been as flawless as any other day.
Some argued that the dark mages' successful infiltration meant there had to be an insider colluding with them.
Others claimed this was proof of the dark mages' growing power, insisting that a subjugation campaign must be launched to wipe them out before the academy officially opened.
Still others maintained that running the academy under the current circumstances was too dangerous, suggesting they temporarily suspend classes to focus on reinforcing security.
The fallout from the terrorist attack was by no means minor.
Ultimately, however, the topic that dominated the endless clamor was none other than a freshman named Marc Visus.
Journalists and the press had widely broadcasted the story that a commoner student, who had never even received formal training, had personally slain the mastermind behind the terrorist group.
Of course, the public did not accept this at face value; skepticism came first.
Numerous students, faculty members, and guards had testified that the leader of the attack possessed terrifying strength, likely making him a high-ranking dark mage.
It was hard to believe that a mere freshman—and a commoner at that—could have defeated such a monster on his own.
Furthermore, because the Dandelion Academy Great Hall had collapsed under the structural damage after the battle, all physical evidence had vanished, fueling the doubt even further.
Thus, the public began to speculate.
Some guessed that the dark mage in the red-patterned robe, suspected to be the leader, was actually not as formidable as the witnesses claimed.
Others suspected that the one Marc Visus defeated was just a low-level lackey, and that someone else entirely had taken down the true leader.
However, those doubts quickly withered away when none other than the academy's principal, Rium Kitokal, spoke out.
He testified to the overwhelming power displayed by the dark mage in the red-patterned robe.
He also detailed how the majority of the puppets collapsed one by one the moment Marc Visus struck down the leader.
Crucially, he confirmed that as the leader's head rolled onto the floor, a massive explosion echoed from somewhere, and the magic circles carved throughout the Great Hall instantly lost their light.
Despite this official testimony, the general public still did not hold Marc Visus in particularly high regard.
Even if it were all true, they dismissed it as a stroke of sheer luck that he managed to land the killing blow.
The high nobility, however—those of ducal rank and above—thought differently.
They were already keeping a sharp eye out for promising talents to recruit from the academy.
While his commoner status was regrettable, the raw result remained: he had slain the leader of a terrorist organization.
No matter what kind of fluke it might have been, that fact was undeniable.
The prestigious knight family of Serion, the high nobility of Tistina looking to bolster their family's military might, the scholarly house of Gremlina, the Kshatri family eyeing the academy itself, and even the imperial family—all began to quietly fix their gaze on Marc Visus.
"R-Rofel...! Y-You've been discharged!"
"Yeah. The healers said I still need to rest, but with the academy starting classes, I couldn't just lie around."
Elisio and Rofel met and talked just before the academy's official opening.
Despite the heavy controversy surrounding the academy's operations, the administration had ultimately decided to proceed with the semester as scheduled.
Of course, security had been tightened significantly, and the number of guards patrolling the campus buildings was visibly higher than usual.
"Elisio, you're in the Alchemy Department, right?"
"Y-Yes... That's r-right... And you, Rofel... y-you're in the Magic Department, right?"
"Yeah. But that's a bit of a shame. From what I know, your building and mine are pretty far apart."
"I finally made a friend as soon as I entered the academy, but it might be hard for us to meet up."
"Ah... I-I see..."
Hearing Rofel's words, she felt a deep pang of disappointment.
Since their first lectures were about to start, the two parted ways toward their respective classrooms.
Stepping into the Alchemy Department classroom, Elisio felt uncomfortable in a room full of strangers, but at the same time, a flutter of excitement stirred in her chest.
The reason she had never made friends before was solely due to her disastrous communication skills, not because she wanted to be alone.
She also had always yearned for a friend.
Someone who wouldn't approach her just for her family name or her talent, but who would look at her as an individual—as Elisio Gremlina.
That was why her heart was soaring now that she had Rofel, her very first friend.
And since she had made one friend, she allowed herself to hope that she might make many more.
"Y-Yes...! M-Maybe... now that I'm at the academy, I-I can make lots of f-friends...!"
However, her expectations were quickly and coldly crushed.
"Hey! I saw a restaurant on the way here. Let's go together."
"There's a nice spot to eat in the park over there."
"I packed a lunch. You should eat with me."
The students laughed and chatted, enjoying their lunch break.
All of them, except for Elisio Gremlina.
She sat alone in the shadow of a secluded building, quietly opening her lunchbox.
She had failed at everything—from striking up a conversation with the person next to her, to offering to help a struggling student with their studies as an excuse to get closer.
She had wanted to at least ask someone to have lunch with her.
But in the end, she couldn't utter a single word to anyone.
"Hehe... H-Hehehe... Of course it ended up like this... I-In the end, being alone is better..."
She hung her head, letting out a self-deprecating chuckle.
The lunchbox in her hands held far too much food for one person.
She had cooked it all hoping to share it with someone.
As she let out a heavy sigh, a voice called out to her.
"Elisio? What are you doing here?"
Rofel, her very first friend, had approached and was now standing right beside her.
"H-Hieeeck! R-Rofel? Wh-What are you doing here...?"
"Ah, well, today was the first lecture, but I didn't really click with the other students. Maybe it's because I'm from a rural noble family?"
"Anyway, I didn't want to eat alone in the cafeteria, so I was looking for you to see if we could eat together."
"Y-You were looking for me...? M-Me...?"
"Yeah. And, well, I got lucky and found you."
"H-How did you know... I-I was here...?"
"Huh? Well... just a gut feeling, I guess?"
He tilted his head, looking as though he didn't quite understand it himself.
Honestly, it didn't matter to Elisio how he had found her.
She was simply overjoyed that he had appeared by her side just when she was feeling so lonely.
"So... do you mind if I join you?"
"O-Of course! I-I actually packed a l-lot of food in my lunchbox...! I-I'd be really grateful if y-you ate with me...!"
"Really? I'm the one who should be thanking you!"
Rofel smiled warmly and sat down beside her.
"Wow. Did you make all of this yourself?"
The contents of her lunchbox were indeed impressive enough to make Rofel marvel.
Perfectly cooked grains of rice, fresh salad, and meat that gave off a mouthwatering aroma as if it had been grilled over an open flame.
Just looking at it, one could tell it was both highly nutritious and incredibly delicious.
"Hehehe... C-Cooking and alchemy share a l-lot of similarities...! S-So I'm actually pretty c-confident in my cooking...!"
She scratched her head shyly as she answered.
Although she had initially regretted packing so much food, wondering how she would finish it alone...
...talking and laughing with him made the time fly, and the lunchbox was empty in no time.
After that day, Elisio and Rofel frequently met behind the secluded building during lunch.
Since their classrooms were far apart, meeting up wasn't always easy.
Yet, miraculously, whenever she found herself wishing to see Rofel during lunchtime, he would always show up exactly where she was, as if he possessed some sixth sense.
Every time they met, they shared their meals and chatted about trivial things—how their lectures were, the atmosphere of their classes, or stories about their respective families.
Over time, Rofel began calling her by the nickname "Eli." He laughed whenever she laughed, and listened intently to every single word she said.
She cherished the time spent with him so deeply.
She was so happy that she didn't even realize the nature of the emotion budding within her.
Then, one day.
"Ah...! I-It's already... this l-late...!"
"You're right. We should head back... Huh? Eli? Hold on a second..."
"Huh...? Wh-Why...?"
Suddenly, Rofel leaned his face close to hers.
She had always thought he was handsome, but seeing him up close like this was absolutely devastating.
"R-Rofel...?"
Rofel gently lifted Elisio's chin with one hand.
The sensation sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.
Her face and ears flushed a bright crimson.
Her heart pounded frantically, and her breath grew sweet and shallow.
Although she was incredibly flustered by what was happening, she had no desire to resist.
"Stay still..."
And then, Rofel...
...wiped the corner of her mouth with his other hand.
"There. You had some sauce left on your face from earlier. Haha."
He chuckled innocently.
"Oops! Lunch break is almost over! Sorry, I've got to run!"
Rofel checked his watch in a panic and dashed off.
The secluded space behind the building.
The spot where the two of them always met.
Now, only a single girl remained there, finally realizing the new emotion that had taken root in her heart.