To the Academy (1)
"Why am I even here……."
"Well, because you have to enroll in the academy?"
"I'm going to curse you. Auntie."
I ignored the murderous intent washing over from beside me and slowly set my feet in motion.
I have to get Elin into the academy…….
As long as I'm careful, it should work out somehow.
Thinking that, I climbed into the carriage where Elin was already seated.
"Why are you coming with us?"
"You expect me to send kids who don't even know the way by themselves? Of course I'm coming along."
Silvia's words as she sat across from us were so reasonable I couldn't argue.
……I'd only called her Auntie because I thought I wouldn't see her for a while.
"Lily……."
"Hm? What is it?"
As I sat awkwardly under Silvia's sharp gaze from across the way, Elin leaned against me from the side.
"I'm gonna sleep a bit……."
"Huh? Already?"
"Yeah……."
Saying that, Elin truly fell asleep.
At the sight, Silvia smiled softly and draped the blanket she'd brought over Elin.
"That kid Elin probably didn't sleep a wink."
"Really……? Well, she was tossing and turning for a while last night……."
I'd thought it strange that Elin, who usually dropped off so quickly, had been restless late into the night…….
"I knew it. She only said that, but Elin must have been looking forward to the academy too."
"Hehe…… I wonder if that perceptiveness is hereditary……."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Never mind."
Sleeping Elin, and Silvia looking at me with some kind of dissatisfaction.
Of course, this wasn't the first or second time Silvia had acted like that, so I paid it no mind and struck up a conversation with her.
Silvia soon loosened up as well, and we chatted about magic.
Neigh──
"Ohh…… We're setting off."
"My butt already feels sore……."
Accompanied by Silvia's blunt complaint—she rode carriages often—the carriage slowly began to move.
"By the way, where are we going?"
"Hm? Didn't I tell you?"
"No. You just mumbled something about how we'd find out when we got there."
It would have been nice if we could reach the academy directly by carriage…….
But the village we lived in was rural, and Silvia's house was ultimately on the outskirts of that countryside.
The academy was in the Capital, so traveling by carriage would take over a month, they said.
"You clearly said we could get to the academy within a week. You better not be lying."
"Hehehe…… Then what if we arrive within a week?"
"Oh…… Challenging me, are you? This Lily?"
No matter how developed the cities were, that didn't mean transportation had advanced.
In other words, with medieval-level technology, arriving within a week was absolutely impossible.
Silvia's words were probably just meaning it was that fast.
"Alright. If we arrive within a week, I'll grant you one wish."
"Okay. But if it takes more than five days, I'll grant you one wish."
While studying, I'd never seen any means of transportation other than carriages!
This was as good as a win already.
So I smiled sweetly—with a truly endlessly bright and pure smile—and looked at Silvia.
"As expected, Silvia seems like a kind person."
"Hm? What do you mean by that?"
"Well…… because you're giving me a free wish like this."
And Silvia's response to that was silence.
A clear declaration of defeat! Feeling good about it, I let out a soft laugh and began gazing at the truly beautiful scenery outside the window.
"Ehehe……."
"Hehe……."
"Mmmnya……."
For a brief moment in the carriage, the unpleasant laughter of two people spilled out.
But that only lasted so long.
"Lily, you can sleep. We'll be traveling until tomorrow anyway."
"Yeees……."
As time passed, the sunset faded, conversation topics ran dry, and thoroughly exhausted, I closed my eyes.
And then.
"……ly, wake up."
"Ugh…… five more minutes……."
"I said we've arrived, what's with five minutes. Get up already. Hurry."
I was sure I'd only just closed my eyes, yet somehow the carriage had arrived at a city I'd never seen before.
"Wow……."
Getting down from the carriage, a gasp of admiration automatically escaped my lips.
The clear sky and the walls cutting through it were a magnificent sight, but……
"Is this really the same empire as our village……? Compared to this, we're basically primitives……?"
"……It's enormous."
"It's the most developed city after the Capital, so this much is only natural."
Passing by us as we stood amazed, Silvia began walking slowly and explaining the city.
"This place is called Lati. It's the center of magic engineering, which is only just beginning to be researched."
"Magic engineering…… Wait, what?"
"Ah, first time hearing about it?"
Silvia, mistaking our surprise for learning about magic engineering for the first time, began explaining it—but the part that actually surprised me wasn't that.
Why is it so advanced?! At this rate, there might even be trains!
If there were trains, and if the line connected to the academy—
I might lose the bet.
Meaning I might have to grant the wish of a spinster who had no idea what to wish for.
That smiling face explaining things looked like it was mocking me.
"……Then! Since we're here, let's do some sightseeing!"
"Lily? What's gotten into you? Usually you won't even go when I suggest restaurants──"
"That's because I'm familiar with those places! This is our first time here, right? So Elin, let's go!"
Before the now-perceptive Elin could say anything, I grabbed her hand and started moving forward.
Silvia would catch up soon enough anyway, so what I needed to worry about wasn't getting lost, but my future of having to grant Silvia a wish.
At least Elin didn't say much, so if I could stall for time sightseeing……
"Lily, for reference, the train we reserved leaves at night."
"Ah……."
At the words of Silvia, who had quickly followed using magic, I simply collapsed onto the roadside.
"……You old granny."
"Make sure to grant this granny's wish well, Lily?"
"Grrrr……."
I lost.
It was a complete defeat.
As I sat there, seething with the frustration of defeat, a shadow fell over me.
"Lily, what's wrong? Does something hurt……?"
"Elin……."
Right…….
Come to think of it, I'd suggested sightseeing to Elin and then just sat down by myself like this.
The bet was my own fault to begin with.
"I'm fine. More importantly, is there anywhere you want to go?"
"Hmm…… I want to look around this magic engineering stuff."
I slowly got up from the ground and brushed off the dust.
Beside me was Elin still looking at me with worry, and Silvia holding back laughter as she watched me……
"Haa…… I admit it. So please show us around."
I wanted to punch her right then, but a loss was a loss.
When I finally hung my head and gave in, Silvia finally laughed heartily, then put on a bright smile and walked ahead.
"Hehehe, that's more like it. Come on, everyone follow this big sister!"
"Auntie, are you sick?"
"I told you I'm not Auntie!"
Even so, Silvia seemed happy that the three of us were going around together, continuously smiling as she showed us various facilities and buildings.
And the laughter never stopped for me and Elin either.
A wish is a wish, but I should properly sightsee with Elin.
Setting aside the memory of defeat for a moment, I got thoroughly excited by the truly fascinating sights and wandered here and there.
A massive clock tower, and devices where gears all turned in unison.
Assistive machines and prosthetic arms that let you use magic by engraving inscriptions on things like gems.
The scenery, as if arcane punk had been transplanted wholesale, was more than enough to captivate our gazes.
"Alright, this is the last stop on the tour. It's a place I recommend—should be delicious."
"……! It's incredibly good……."
"Right? I eat here every time I go to academic conferences!"
After finishing the sightseeing to some extent and having dinner at the shop Silvia recommended last, we headed to the train station to match the approaching reservation time.
Elin and I were simply following behind Silvia.
"The luggage should already be loaded, and what we need is…… Ah!"
Around the time the silhouette of the train became visible to the naked eye, Silvia walking ahead turned around as if something had occurred to her.
Looking at us with playful yet slightly puffy eyes, Silvia handed over two rings from her robe.
"Here. Academy enrollment gifts."
"Come on, we haven't even taken the exam yet, so doing this already is a bit……."
It was an academy where just graduating meant success.
Naturally, only kids who took the exam and scored high could enter……
Silvia's appearance of believing we'd definitely pass and giving gifts first felt unfamiliar, and I was quite flustered by her reddening eyes as she handed them over.
"……You two are smart, so you'll pass on the first try."
"Silvia, are you crying?"
"Who's crying……! It's just, dust got in my eyes."
What a dated excuse…….
I was flustered by Silvia's reaction, but at the same time I could understand.
It had been eight years.
With both of their fathers being busy, the kids she'd ended up looking after like cousins were now leaving—it must feel strange.
Really, she was a person full of affection.
"If you make a wish, I specially won't go."
"That only benefits you, Lily."
"Tsk…… Caught me……."
A small laugh.
After that, Silvia put the rings on the index fingers of my and Elin's left hands in turn, then hugged us both at once.
"Take care. Once you get off the train it's straight to the academy, so don't get lost."
"You stay healthy too, Silvia. Even better if you get married."
"……Auntie, I'll come back soon."
After that brief farewell, only a slightly longer goodbye remained.
"Ah, so Silvia. What's your wish?"
"……Lily."
Silvia firmly gripped my shoulder.
And, leaning her face in……
"Introduce me to any handsome guy at the academy. Doesn't matter if he's not a teacher. Seriously──"
……She really is desperate.
I let Silvia's heartfelt wish go in one ear and out the other.
The departure horn sounded, and we slowly boarded the train.
Heading to the cabin we'd been told about beforehand and looking out the window, I could see Silvia waving from outside……
"That auntie…… She's started crying for real."
"Yeah…… Auntie's crying so pitifully……?"
Through the window cut into the corridor, I waved at the sobbing Silvia.
"You'll age faster if you cry, Auntie."
Then it seemed like I heard "I'm not Auntie!" by my ear.
"……She is an auntie, though."
Receiving the send-off of Silvia, who had become true family over eight years, the train slowly began to move.
[Death Scheduled for Tomorrow]
"……What?"
Along with a sentence I was seeing for the first time in eight years.