After the Festival
Solemnute Adem had returned to its everyday rhythm once the festival wrapped up.
Which meant...
"Ugh..."
"I hate assignments..."
"What training's today? Joint training? Rank-specific?"
"Joint training, I bet?"
"Aargh, gotta run the training grounds again?"
...a tidal wave of assignments and drills crashing down on them.
And on top of that, there was a specific reason the first-years were suffering lately: the professors had suddenly accelerated their pace.
"Man, why does the schedule feel so packed? Don't the professors seem to be burning through the material way faster since the festival ended?"
"You're not the only one feeling it, Evelin. Right, Jerome?"
"Yeah. They used to cover about twenty pages in the textbook before, but now it's like thirty."
"Which professors?"
"Professor Calvin, Professor Rohan, Professor Eldora, Professor Nah... all the theology professors too."
"Huh... wait, you're right."
"And even Professor Sione's cut way back on chit-chat in theology class. Professor Irina's even waking up the kids who doze off. Not that it's rare."
At Jerome's words, Granias tilted her head, pondering something deeply.
"It's not just because of the sudden lockdown from the raid, since all the other schedules and break got pushed back too... Maybe there's some event slotted in the middle."
"Ah..."
Evelin nodded at Granias's insight.
"Should we ask someone about it?"
"Who?"
"Any professor. There must be a reason."
Ludenberg Lavante and Ashytara Solenute exchanged ambiguous glances as they overheard the group murmuring nearby. They'd heard the reason straight from Dalia Retiu that very morning.
"Off to Ortara National School... Another trip outside the academy?"
"Yeah. But it's not confirmed yet."
"That's probably why the professors can't say anything yet."
"Gonna be busy all around."
"Tell me about it."
Ashytara propped her chin on her hand, gazing out the window with a thoughtful frown.
"I like it best just staying here."
She murmured with a hint of regret.
"...Yeah?"
"Yeah. I'm not big on traveling."
"You liked the dispatch, though."
"That was 'cause it was my first time back home in ages. My home's Solemnute."
"Oh, right."
"Yep."
"Didn't expect that..."
"Huh? What?"
Ludenberg couldn't help but panic at her turning to look right at him. Her face so close made his heart pound again. Lately, just seeing Ashytara's face left him flustered.
It was only natural for a boy freshly aware of his first love—the quirks of it all were overwhelmingly bewildering.
He'd vowed to figure out what this meant on his own, without help... but realizing it was affection with zero prior knowledge was insanely tough.
Unable to come up with an answer on the spot, he instinctively averted his gaze to dodge hers, mumbling awkwardly.
"Nah, just... Ortara's the empress's homeland, right? Thought you might be curious too."
"Oh... Yeah, a little. But I'd rather go alone than as a school event. School trips mean getting swept up in the program."
"You can still sightsee in free time, though."
"The destination's Ortara National School. What interests me is the royal palace and the capital itself, not the school. Might as well stay here if it's just the school. I hear it's pretty far from the city."
"Is it?"
"Yeah. The national school's down south near Solemnute, and the capital's smack in the center... So no palace tour, basically."
"Ah, yeah, makes sense..."
"Anyway, Rud."
"Yeah?"
"Lately, you keep looking away whenever our eyes meet. And you yank your hand back if it even brushes mine... What's up?"
Ashytara eyed him with a strangely dissatisfied look.
"Uh, well, that..."
Ludenberg floundered, desperately scrambling for an excuse, but none came. He could only freeze with a dumb expression.
"Do you not like being around me?"
"Huh?"
"How do I put it? Feels like you're putting up a wall..."
"No way. Absolutely not."
Watching his flustered panic, Ashytara looked puzzled. Ludenberg had been acting weird lately. He'd zone out for no reason, and if their eyes met then, he'd look away. She might dismiss it as overthinking, but his reactions were so off that she couldn't help wondering.
Is something wrong? Related to that trial he mentioned?
She tried piecing it together, but even sharp as she was, she never landed on the idea that he'd fallen for her. During the festival, he'd been utterly oblivious, stone-faced as ever. So it never crossed her mind that he could like her back.
Did he blush obviously when avoiding her gaze? Nope. So Ashytara had no clue.
In truth, it was a crush on her—but his past denseness had numbed even her own hopeful thoughts, sending the reality sailing right past.
"Tara."
"Yeah?"
"It's definitely not me trying to push you away or anything... Just been distracted lately."
Ludenberg deflected for now.
"The trial?"
"Uh, yeah."
Not true, but it was the best he had.
"Can't be helped then. Rest if you're wiped. Training, studying—haven't slacked once since the festival."
"Yeah..."
A faint guilt washed over Ludenberg. It spurred him to sort out these bewildering feelings ASAP. If this kept up, he might end up making Ashytara hate him.
His resolve to self-analyze crumbled pathetically. With even basic knowledge, he'd have clocked it by now... but he didn't.
I need to ask someone.
But even thinking that, he couldn't imagine spilling it to Ashytara herself. The mere thought brought an inexplicable shame that sealed his lips.
"Ugh, training soon. See ya later, Rud."
"...Yeah."
In the end, Ludenberg mumbled vaguely as Ashytara left the classroom, then headed to his dorm.
On the way to his dorm, Ludenberg sank into thought. Even wanting to ask someone, his options were painfully limited. People he had personal ties with? Nadan Tes and Professor Nah, Sione, Cletta, Seia, Dalia—that was it.
Viable ones? Dalia, Sione, Professor Nah maybe. Seia wasn't close enough for personal talk yet, and Nadan would just tease endlessly. Dalia was same-age, but she was swamped prepping the Ortara trip even post-festival—bad timing.
Left with Sione and Professor Nah. Ludenberg pondered.
This confusion's all about my feelings. Feelings mean heart. So...
Decision made, he headed to Sione's lab. Spilling to someone who could pierce hearts with Solem's Eye seemed best.
Of course, in reality... anyone he'd thought of could've spelled it out. But Ludenberg, hopelessly dense on that front, had no clue.
Sione's lab area was always serene. She hated noise, and no one dared make a racket near the crown princess's domain anyway.
Ludenberg crossed the quiet hall, reached her door, and knocked.
Knock knock.
A voice came from inside. "Who is it?"
"It's me. Ludenberg."
"Oh? Ludenberg? Come in."
At her low voice, he opened the door and stepped in.
The tidy lab unfolded before him—a stark contrast to Professor Nah's mess. No wading through paper stacks; he felt oddly satisfied as he approached the chair by her desk.
"First time you've come to me... What's up?"
"I, uh, have this worry, and you're the only one I could ask, sis."
"Worry?"
"Yeah. About feelings... the heart, basically."
"Heart... What happened?"
"Lately, I've been feeling off."
"Off how?"
"Whenever I see Tara, my... heart just starts racing. Our eyes meet, and I jump. We used to hold hands no problem, but now it thumps so hard every time..."
"...What?"
Sione's eyes widened. She stared at him in genuine surprise.
"Could you tell me what this feeling is?"
"Wait, hold on..."
Sione, uncharacteristically flustered, fixed her gaze on him. Soon, her golden eyes began to glow faintly.
Solem's Eye.
Ludenberg tensed under that stare.
Sione peered into the swelling emotion in his heart. She knew it instantly—the look of harmonious couples, sweethearts gazing fondly.
Clear affection for the opposite sex.
In other words... this clumsy boy had finally fallen for her little sister.
Realizing it, Sione smiled brightly at him.
"My, my."
The exclamation slipped out in delight.
Ludenberg could only gape back, face full of question marks.