Who Is That?
I was standing at the crosswalk when I got a message from Gilbert saying he'd already arrived.
I wasn't late for our appointment. He'd just gotten there early.
When he asked if it was okay to bring a friend along, I replied that I didn't mind.
I entered the Shopping Mall and headed to the restaurant we'd agreed on.
Before the server could even guide me, a familiar voice pierced my ears.
"Rohan! Over here!"
Gilbert's massive frame and sharply contrasting features stood out even from afar. His size still wrecked any sense of scale.
Not wearing the academy uniform made him look oddly out of place.
As I approached, unstrapping my gear, the woman sitting next to him stood to greet me politely.
"Hello. I'm Emily Renkels, Gilbert Carniat's girlfriend."
"I'm Rohan. Nice to meet you."
Gilbert's girlfriend was a braided-haired woman with glasses.
Unlike her literary-looking exterior, her sharp eyes made it easy to imagine her wielding a sword.
More than that, the sight of her sitting side-by-side with Gilbert was downright bizarre.
"Rohan, sit down already, boy."
"Yeah."
The seat across from the couple wasn't empty.
As I got closer, someone hidden by decorations came into clear view. Probably the friend Gilbert had mentioned.
A girl...?
Shoulder-length hair tied in a ponytail. Her face screamed female at first glance, but something felt off about confirming it.
Petite height, slender build. Yet the shape of her hands and the subtle contours of her Adam's apple nagged at me.
The moment I hesitated, sensing something amiss, Gilbert burst into booming laughter and dropped the key fact.
"Hahaha! Rohan, that one's a man."
"Ah."
"Nicholas. Didn't I tell thee? Rohan here's not one to be easily fooled."
Only then did the quietly seated figure stand.
He bowed his head and continued the introduction.
"Pardon the late introduction. I'm Nicholas Harbor. Not an Orion Academy cadet, but please forgive the intrusion."
"No issue at all. It's fine."
His voice confirmed it—definitely male.
Nicholas smiled and gestured for me to sit, so I pulled out a chair.
With all four of us seated, Gilbert's girlfriend picked up the explanation.
"Nicholas, Gilbert, and I have known each other since childhood. He had his reasons for not applying to the academy, but he drops by like this from time to time."
"Sounds like a solid friendship."
"I was on my way back to the Sepia Archipelago when I heard about the break and came on a whim. Gilbert and Emily didn't expect it either."
While I chatted with his friends, Gilbert informed the server about the dishes he'd pre-ordered.
Seeing this normal side of him—not his usual antics—reminded me that Gilbert came from a well-off family.
"Has Gilbert talked about me? I'd love to hear if he has."
"Nothing but praise. Bragging about you in front of singles like us can be hard to forgive sometimes."
Emily smiled contentedly, and Gilbert let out a hearty guffaw.
"Emily, this lad may talk like that, but if he set his mind to it, he could snag a lover in an instant."
"What're you on about?"
I choked out a hollow laugh while sipping water, and Emily quietly chuckled before speaking.
"Truth is, plenty of academy friends wanted to join us today. You're the only cadet who got every orb in the practical exam, after all."
"Honored. Guess it motivated the others."
"That's part of it, sure. Speaking of which, Nicholas here trains with the sword too. He got curious about you after hearing about the exam from Gilbert."
I glanced slightly at Nicholas beside me.
He subtly nodded toward the sword propped by his seat, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Not purely sword-focused, though. I handle both sword and gun."
"Yeah, I've heard. Makes it even more intriguing, right?"
Emily passed the baton to Nicholas, who looked itching to speak, and he turned to me with shining eyes, unleashing a torrent of words.
"I can infuse mana into bullets like you, Cadet Rohan. I once tried dual-wielding both weapons. Thought a gun would cover distances swords can't reach, making fights more efficient."
"Can't argue with that. I prefer close range myself, but it has real advantages depending on the approach."
"I experimented with it for quite a while. Nearly died a few times, so I stuck to sword only in the end."
"Both paths have clear pros and cons—hard to pick one outright."
Nicholas's gaze drifted to the gun nestled in my holster.
A subtle spark of rivalry gleamed in his clear eyes.
"I'm Nicholas Harbor, and I'm curious about your style, Cadet Rohan. I'd love a spar if the chance arises."
"I could do it right now."
Gilbert nodded with a knowing, booming laugh at my casual acceptance, while Emily's eyes widened in surprise.
"Haha, you're cool, Cadet Rohan. But we can't wreck the place—Emily'd chew me out."
The food arrived right on cue, lightening the mood.
The conversation shifted to softer, gentler topics.
...
Sion and Clara were confident in their stealth.
When