Chapter 63
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: One Week (2)
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Aden had brought a lunch he'd made himself,
and after we'd eaten every last bit...
We simply sat beneath a tree,
in the shade of the meadow...
Perfectly peaceful...
Time during Founders' Week slipped by as we spent it together with Aden.
Casually,
we made flower crowns with the blooms around us and exchanged them...
"Here, Isabel—a flower crown I made for you."
"Mine's not that pretty, but..."
Sitting in the cool shade,
we chatted about magic...
"Isabel, do you know about the spell that creates a night sky?"
"Huh? No idea... What's that?"
"It's just a pretty one. I'll show you sometime."
Light conversation about our first impressions from when we met,
or random stories from life at the academy...
"When we first met, I thought you were just someone who got eliminated early in the exam..."
"Eh... Did I really seem that weak?"
These were ordinary,
run-of-the-mill conversations you'd hear plenty of at the academy...
But they made me so incredibly happy.
Every single one of those mundane moments felt precious.
Watching Aden smile faintly at me as we talked...
It felt like he was telling me it was okay for me to be happy.
'If only this time could last forever...'
Even if it couldn't be forever, just...
Even a little longer would be enough...
I wished this time could go on a bit more.
But...
"The sun's starting to set..."
"Yeah, should we head back now, Isabel?"
Happy times...
Always come to an end eventually.
And now,
as if announcing the end of ours,
the sun dipped low,
the sky blushing red with sunset.
"Let's go, Aden."
How long did we watch that scene...?
Soon enough,
swallowing my regrets deep inside,
I stood from my spot and started back toward the academy with Aden.
Thus,
leaving behind that dreamlike happy time,
we retraced our steps to the teleportation device
and made our way back to the academy.
Once more,
the view shifted in an instant.
And soon,
the familiar sight came into view:
the bustling streets outside the academy,
in the market district of the city.
On the way back to the academy,
we wandered the market one last time together,
grabbing some light snacks,
chatting idly,
until we reached the dorms inside the academy grounds.
Now it was truly
time to part ways.
"Let's head in, Isabel."
And there,
in front of the academy dorms,
Aden spoke first, suggesting we go inside as he gazed at the building,
about to step toward the entrance.
At that sight...
I tried to move toward my own dorm too,
but after so long,
that picnic we'd shared had been so happy,
after so long,
I'd felt truly alive—like it was okay to live,
after so long,
I'd felt like I was with someone on my side,
the regret of this time ending made it hard
to simply
tear my feet away.
"Aden!!"
If I just let him go now, I'd regret it so much...
The rest of Founders' Week would feel so lonely without him...
So,
instinctively, I called his name.
"Yeah?"
He stopped on his way into the dorm at my call
and turned back to look at me.
'Ugh... Ah... Why did I call him...'
My mind went blank,
and I regretted acting purely on instinct just now,
calling Aden's name like that.
"What's up, Isabel?"
But,
Aden, hearing my call,
turned around and started walking toward me.
"Um... Tomorrow too..."
Gathering my courage as he approached,
I pressed on with my words.
"Tomorrow... can we hang out like today...?"
Forcing myself,
I squeezed my eyes shut
and blurted it out with all my courage.
But,
with no reply for a while, I opened my eyes
to check on Aden...
Drip—
Casually,
atop my head...
a warm...
comforting warmth spread:
Aden's hand.
"A... den...?"
"Of course, Isabel."
And then,
as if it were the most natural thing,
in his calm, warm tone, Aden continued.
"Tomorrow, the day after... even after Founders' Week ends..."
In those calm words,
wrapped in warmth... reassurance...
"Whenever you want, I'll be by your side."
Thump—
It felt so warm...
Thump—
It made me so happy...
"Whenever you want, let's have fun together."
Thump—
My heart pounded like it might burst.
"Yeah... Thanks. Let's hang out tomorrow too."
"Obviously. I'm still bored, after all. Same time tomorrow."
And soon,
Aden's hand, gently stroking my hair, withdrew,
"Then I'm heading in, Isabel. See you tomorrow."
With those final words,
Aden turned
and stepped
back into the dorm.
But...
Thump—
Thump—
Trying to calm my racing heart...
For a while, my feet
wouldn't leave the dorm entrance.
The day before,
for the first time in my life, I'd calmed my wildly beating heart,
went into the dorm, slept, and greeted the next morning.
After a quick wash and changing into casual clothes,
I stepped out of the dorm
and, just like yesterday,
followed Aden to the teleportation device and headed to the place he'd planned.
And there...
Spending time with Aden brought the same happiness as before.
Today,
the place we went with Aden was just
a market in a distant village,
not too crowded, not too empty.
There...
"This is tasty too."
We simply wandered the streets together...
"Aden, let's try that one."
Seeking out light amusements together...
Eating simple foods from street vendors...
And finally...
"So beautiful..."
Together,
watching the sunset paint the sky red to end the day.
Today was the same...
Another incredibly fun day had flown by.
Unlike my worry on the first day that the happy times would vanish in a flash,
throughout the rest of Founders' Week,
the happiness continued.
And the next day after that... we didn't go to markets or meadows with Aden,
but to an ordinary mountain with a clear stream flowing through,
"Aden, shall we check that out too?"
"Whoa, so many fish, Aden."
"It's radiant..."
The panoramic view of the village below, still bustling with people, under the sunset sky we admired from the peak.
And the next day,
the beauty of the vast sandy beach by the sea we visited with Aden,
"Aden, look—a sandcastle."
"Just walking here's nice!"
"It's like a dream..."
The sunset casting yellow light over the sea... the ecstasy of the horizon as the sun sank.
It created such a dreamlike,
almost illusory atmosphere.
"Yeah..."
All those moments...
Were dreamlike in their joy,
their happiness,
their rapture,
moments I wished could last forever.
Thump—
The truth was...
Places like that market from the day before last with Aden...
I'd been to countless times with Libia.
Wandering markets with her over and over,
grabbing snacks,
enjoying light fun.
Thump—
The truth was...
The mountain with the stream from yesterday with Aden...
I'd gone alone countless times.
Fish and all,
I'd seen them plenty,
and the village view from the peak too,
every single time.
Thump—
The truth was...
Today's seaside with Aden...
Master and I had visited often.
The jewel-like blue sea sparkling in the morning,
the dreamlike horizon at sunset,
seen with Master countless times.
But...
Thump—
It was different.
This time,
every moment was different.
The ordinary market amusements,
the stream's fish and the village vista from the peak,
the sea's gemlike blue and the horizon's illusion,
all were beautiful,
radiant,
dreamlike.
'Ah...'
Thump—
Now I think I get it.
Now... I think I've realized.
The heartbeat that followed every moment with Aden,
why even the familiar felt special,
I understand it all.
"Isabel?"
Thump—
'It's because of you...'
Aden.
The market,
the mountain,
the seaside...
Beautiful because I was with you.
Radiant because I was with you.
All our time together...
'Like a dream...'
So joyful... so happy,
like an illusion.
Not the market we wandered or the sunset there,
not the mountain stream or the village view from its peak,
not the gemlike sea or the horizon,
but you...
You were beautiful to me,
radiant,
dreamlike.
Thump—
'Ah... Now I think I understand Libia...'
Thump—
This realization I'd just had...
made my heart race like mad.
Finally,
I could understand my friend's foolishness.
"You okay, Isabel? You don't look well?"
My pounding heart,
these feelings of liking him,
they numbed my reason.
Even so...
"I'm fine. Let's head back, Aden."
Pulling myself together,
I assured the worried-looking Aden
and started back to the academy together.
'One day left...'
One day of Founders' Week remained,
but...
'I'll make it the best week ever for you.'
It really felt like
the best week ever.