Chapter 15
Chapter 15
First Meeting (14)
At last, the farewell arrived.
The village air felt colder and heavier than usual.
Even before the sun had fully risen over the horizon, a strange sight unfolded at the village entrance.
A grand carriage bearing the crest of the Castel family stood there, surrounded by layers of villagers.
"Ian! You didn’t forget anything, right? Your underclothes? Are you wearing them?"
You don’t have to shout.
My father, his nose red from the early morning chill, tightened the straps of my bag over and over again.
My mother stood beside him, gripping my shoulder firmly before letting go.
That simple gesture felt heavier than usual.
"Don’t shrink back when you get there. You’re going to draw, not fight with others."
"Yes, Mother. Don’t worry. I don’t like troublesome things anyway."
At my answer, Yuki—sitting casually on the carriage steps—let out a quiet laugh.
This girl.
Just before the carriage door closed, Kara and Millie pushed through the crowd and ran toward me. Their eyes were already swollen from crying.
"Ian! Take this—make sure you take it!"
Kara handed me a large leather pouch.
...No way.
I hesitated at the weight, worried it might be that fishy liquid again, but thankfully, a pleasant aroma drifted out.
"It’s jerky made from the leftover boar meat from yesterday’s cooking contest. And this—"
She added a small dagger.
"I hammered this myself. Think of it as a carving knife, or for self-defense."
"Thank you, Kara."
Millie shoved a thick book into my hands.
The title read: "101 Secret Tricks of Noble Ladies in the Capital."
"Ian, when you get there, girls will pretend to be lost or drop handkerchiefs to approach you! It’s all tricks! Don’t fall for them! You’re our village’s treasure!"
"...I’ll read it if I get bored in the carriage."
Leaving behind the villagers’ overwhelmingly warm farewell, I stepped into the carriage, guided by Yuki.
"Alright, it’s time to go."
She was already dressed neatly in travel clothes.
She looks more serious than usual.
As I climbed in, voices poured in from behind.
"Ian! Study hard!"
"You’re the pride of our village!"
"Lady! If even a single hair on Ian is harmed, we’ll drench your mansion in eel extract!"
Kara’s final threat echoed as the carriage door shut heavily.
Thud.
The wheels began to roll.
I’m off.
"Hyah!"
With the coachman’s shout, the carriage slowly picked up speed.
I leaned out the window and waved.
The hut grew smaller.
My parents faded into the distance.
Kara kept running after the carriage, shouting, "Ian—! You have to come back!"
Take care, everyone.
My hometown disappeared beyond the horizon.
"Finally, it’s quiet. So, do you like the carriage?"
Inside, it was far more luxurious than it appeared outside.
Soft velvet seats and a faint fragrance filled the space.
Yuki sat across from me, legs crossed, wearing a smug smile.
"It’s very comfortable. This is the first time I’ve ridden a carriage without my back hurting."
At my praise, she turned her head away, pretending indifference—but the tips of her ears turned red.
"I-it’s good that you know that!"
She puffed her cheeks and grumbled.
Moments later, she subtly moved closer to my seat.
"My lady, I was planning to put my bag there."
"It’s just for balance! The carriage is shaking! It’s an efficient seating arrangement!"
Ignoring me, she sat right beside me.
"...Anyway, will we start classes immediately at the academy? I only received the recommendation letter."
"Ah!"
She straightened up, suddenly serious.
"Ian, do you know about the academy entrance exams?"
I shook my head.
"I thought the recommendation was enough."
"It only gives you the right to take the exam. Especially for a commoner like you, the professors will scrutinize you closely."
She began counting on her fingers.
"First is a basic knowledge test—history, etiquette. You’ve read enough books, so you’ll pass that."
More structured than I expected.
"The problem is the second test."
"The practical exam. You’ll have to draw."
"That’s fine."
"It’s not that simple. The academy values form—how vividly you bring life into what you draw."
She leaned slightly against my shoulder as she spoke.
"You’ve never had formal training. That’s what worries me."
"Form..."
I thought for a moment.
Everything has lines.
The way trees grow.
The trajectory of falling stones.
Even the movement of scent in the air.
To me, art was simply choosing the most beautiful line among countless ones and placing it on canvas.
"So it just needs to look alive?"
"That’s easy to say!"
She pinched my shoulder lightly.
"Artists spend their entire lives trying to achieve that!"
"If you draw a single line correctly, it will have life."
"...Do you realize how arrogant that sounds?"
"Is it?"
She stared at me in disbelief.
"People in the capital lose sleep over that ‘one line,’ you know!"
"I’m just drawing what’s already there."
"...Sometimes, you’re more arrogant than me."
Despite her words, she looked slightly reassured.
"What about you? What was your exam like?"
"Sparring. I had to disarm three opponents within a minute."
As expected of the Knight Department.
I’m glad I chose art.
As we talked, it became lunchtime.
I placed Kara’s boar jerky and my father’s earthworm jerky on the small table.
"What is that? You still have that weird jerky?"
"It’s delicious. Perfect when your energy drops."
I held one piece near her mouth.
"I’m not eating that!"
But her nose twitched at the sugary smell.
"...Just one bite."
She opened her mouth slightly.
After chewing, her eyes widened.
"...It’s not bad. Chewy and sweet."
"See? There’s still a lot you don’t know."
Feeling pleased, she noticed Millie’s book.
"101 Secret Tricks of Noble Ladies..."
She flipped through it and scoffed.
"Pathetic. Dropping handkerchiefs? Pretending to be lost? No one uses tricks this crude anymore."
She tossed the book aside and leaned closer.
The carriage turned, and her body naturally fell toward me.
She took the chance to cling to my arm.
"...Like this?"
She froze.
Her ear pressed against my chest.
Her heartbeat was louder than the wheels.
"...!"
She quickly moved away, face flushed.
"I-it’s just because the carriage shook!"
Worst excuse ever.
I let it go and looked outside.
In the distance, towering white structures rose above the clouds.
The symbol of the capital.
The Imperial Academy.
Take care of me from here on—
Yuki.