Academy Entrance - A Calm Breeze from the Principal
I had managed to resolve everything that required immediate attention. In other words, I had laid the groundwork for several key matters before entering the academy.
Adelaide had departed, I had written the letter to the academy principal, and I had prepared everything necessary for my departure after consulting with Himmel.
In truth, there was not much else I needed to concern myself with.
The duchy... even without me, Himmel would probably manage it without much trouble. After all, during Douglas Havertz's time as duke, the title had been held from the ducal residence rather than direct management of the duchy.
It might even be more convenient for me to leave the duchy vacant.
If a noble who knew nothing about the land managed it properly, the only result would be confusion among the officials.
In that sense, I had always preferred to devote more energy to magic studies rather than land management.
Perhaps it was thanks to the emperor's political games that I, too, would gain something from this. As an 8th-circle mage just stepping into the next rank, stabilizing my abilities came first, followed by building the foundations to aim for higher realms.
There was so much to do, yet... here I was being granted a vacation when I was supposed to be on vacation.
I decided to organize my thoughts in that optimistic direction.
Deep down, I was also curious about my late start at the academy.
It might not be a bad idea to accept the situation positively while also cleaning up the stray threads the Sephirot had left behind.
All my worries were now settled.
"......Hah."
So, um...
Exactly.
"Uh, Lottie."
"......"
"Are you... um... would it be okay if I came into my good little sister's room...?"
Most importantly, and the one I had to deal with most surely— if this disagreement with Charlotte could be resolved cleanly.
I stood rigidly in front of Lottie's door. I was about to knock, but thinking I might upset her, I spoke first.
This time, perhaps the crimson blood would spurt out and form letters as well.
Crash!
"Cup."
My expectation had failed spectacularly. The door, which had opened without warning, slammed precisely onto my forehead, and I staggered back.
No matter how I thought about it, it seemed like a door full of emotions had opened on its own...
"Why. What."
"......"
"Is there some business? You never said anything about causing trouble, and now you've caused it with this unreasonable younger sister?"
What could I do? Standing in front of an Lottie with her fuse lit, what was I supposed to do?
I could only offer a consistently humble, submissive smile. At least it wasn't thorough disregard.
Honorific speech was a problem, but at least it was closer to 'petulance' than 'rage.' In this case.
"Uh, I was wrong, Lottie. I shouldn't have said that. The situation just... really, I had no choice..."
"......Hmph."
"Lottie? Lottie, wait, don't close the door yet, why—let's talk—"
The lifeless eyes I saw after a long time. I felt a chill run down my spine, but I still tried to speak.
"I have nothing to say. Go away. I don't need an older brother like you who only thinks about his fiancée. This younger sister doesn't need you."
"Ah, wait."
But Lottie didn't budge either. With her eyes narrowed and expression frozen, she simply grabbed the doorknob to throw me out.
It was hopeless. I had no choice but to bring out the main topic.
"......Lottie."
"You're really angry right now, so—"
"I probably need to be away from the duchy for a while."
"......What?"
The reaction came immediately. Without closing the door, Lottie flinched and looked up at me again.
"That... what are you talking about suddenly?"
"......Um."
The door opened once more. This time it scraped the floor and nearly hit my toes, but I managed to dodge it.
I glanced down at my feet for a moment, then erased the uneasy expression and met Lottie's eyes.
I had to deliver the message no matter what.
The matter of the Havertz ducal house entering the academy was likely to become quite the topic even within the empire, and for us as well.
By now, it was difficult to call us simply ordinary siblings.
I had to explain everything Adelaide had told me in detail.
I calmly explained to Lottie the emperor's command and its suspected intentions, along with considerations from the Teyran family and others.
"......"
Lottie's expression after hearing everything was...
How should I describe it?
If I had to put it bluntly, 'indignant' would fit perfectly, but perhaps more elegantly...
A refined way to say 'I want to tear apart the emperor and the Teyran duke right now and incidentally beat Adelaide into a pulp too.'
I awkwardly scratched my cheek and continued.
"I didn't expect this to turn out this way either. It couldn't be helped. I couldn't refuse... I'll probably leave the castle within a month."
"......"
"Though I don't like it, you know? What can you do when it's the law. You, Lottie, are an excellent rule-abiding child, haha."
"......"
"......Hah."
I was joking about incestuous romance-loving Charlotte Havertz, but I probably shouldn't have expected a good reaction.
On the contrary, wasn't it the opposite?
"......The academy, the academy."
Lottie muttered a few words in a tone that had grown noticeably colder.
Soon after, she tilted her head like a rusty machine squeaking, staring at me with empty eyes. It was quite frightening...
"......"
"......"
The silence that lasted no long time felt like an eternity to me.
Lottie closed her mouth tightly, rolled her eyes as if deep in thought, then...
"Is that what you mean...?"
"......Eh?"
She immediately burst into a light laugh as if nothing mattered.
In the moment I blinked at the unexpected light reaction...
"Then, older brother."
With exactly a half-beat gap, a bomb-like statement exploded like a time-delay attack.
"I'll enter the academy too. With you."
"?"
"After all, I'm also a late bloomer. Why not enjoy the cozy academy life with you? Doesn't that sound great? Right?"
"......??"
"Oppa, answer."
"Eh?"
"Good. Well done."
"Yup??"
*****
Chirp, chirp chirp.
The song of birds echoed clearly across the spacious botanical garden.
The young trees gently swayed their branches and leaves, and beneath them, flowers of various colors bloomed vibrantly.
Deep within this botanical garden that seemed to block all external interference, a small garden existed that no employee of the Imperial Academy could enter at will.
Similarly, beautiful flowers bloomed in abundance, and towering old trees provided dappled sunlight through their branches to the ceiling.
In the center of this garden stood a quiet, ornate hexagonal pergola.
Ssss...
A faint green breeze blew with a small sound, rippling across the pergola.
After the mysterious light-colored aura dispersed, a girl appeared as if she had always been there.
"......"
Her light green hair swayed softly in the breeze.
Just as the girl was about to raise her head to reveal her slightly sparkling eyes, a lark suddenly flew down from the sky.
[Chirp chirp.]
Then it naturally settled on the girl's shoulder.
As if that was its natural place.
Soon the lark approached her ear and whispered something, and something else flew down from the sky again.
Flutter...
This time it was not a living thing.
Merely an object.
In other words, a single folded letter.
The girl finally lit up with bright golden eyes and picked it up.
With a light sweep of her fingertips over the sealed part, the seal opened smoothly even though no knife was used.
Soon she pulled the letter out and read the content slowly from the very end, as if carefully examining each character.
"......Oh my."
She gently placed the letter on the table and let out a pleasant, soft laugh.
The girl, the guardian of the empire, the great being, the principal of the Imperial Academy—Tiamat the dragon clan—brought her hand to her cheek with a fresh smile.
"What an interesting child. It's been a long time since someone wrote me such a letter."
[Chirp...]
"New student, Isaac Havertz..."
The voice felt slightly excited. Tiamat repeated the name several times in her lively tone, then soon closed her eyes without a sound.
Whoosh...
A green wind blew again, and nothing remained in that spot.
As if there had never been anything there from the beginning.