Kids Will Be Kids
"So in the end it's just the same kind of kids fighting each other."
"…What?"
Laward whipped around to face Veronica.
"I mean, come on. Everyone already knows what kind of person that guy is…"
"That guy?"
Laward took a step closer.
"Uh…?"
Sensing that his expression was far from ordinary, Veronica trailed off.
"Did I mishear you? Veronica. Want to try that again?"
Laward spoke with forced calm, but it was only a performance. One look at his eyes made it plain something was about to blow.
"…It's nothing."
"Right."
Laward nodded and held out a drink to her.
"Here."
"Is that for me?"
"Who else would it be for? Master told me to give it to you."
Master.
There it was again. Master.
Veronica took the bottle with a dubious look and drank a mouthful.
"Laward."
"What?"
"How did you end up at the Academy?"
"Come to think of it, I never told you."
Laward dropped down heavily beside her. The words because you walked off so coldly earlier rose to Veronica's tongue, but she swallowed them in the end.
"Because the Goddess sent down an oracle."
"The Goddess…? You never used to believe in that kind of thing."
"That kind of thing?"
"……."
The Laward she met after ten years had become a difficult person to talk to. Once upon a time they had been in perfect sync no matter what was said—or even left unsaid.
"Whenever I'm with you, I keep putting my foot in my mouth."
It was uncomfortable. Awkward. Once the joy of reunion faded, that was the thought that lingered. Even for childhood friends, ten years might simply have been too long.
Ten years. Mountains change. Childhood friends change.
"Master was the one who led me to the Goddess."
At those words, Veronica looked across at Daywin with a distant gaze.
So he has that side to him too. Maybe I misjudged him a little…
The thought came, and then—
"But didn't you have someone like that too?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, you left home all of a sudden. That place isn't somewhere you can get out of on your own without help."
"Well… yeah. That's true."
Nearly everyone from District 7 was born into the slums and trapped there for life. There were no walls, no ceilings barring the way out, yet everyone was sunk in a pit of poverty. They lived by repeating the same vices and bad habits. A vicious cycle.
"You left without even saying goodbye."
"I'm… sorry about that. The professor who was sponsoring me said he wouldn't stay in the slums for even a minute, so I left without packing. Not that I had much to pack."
The only baggage she carried was the weight on her heart. The guilt of being saved alone while abandoning the friends who had grown up in the same place under the same circumstances.
"Sponsoring you?"
"Not anymore. Raising me cost too much money, so… he gave up."
"Then… after you entered the Academy, you were alone the whole time?"
"Hm? No. He gave up on me the year after I left the slums. About a year, I guess."
"So from then on you were alone the whole…"
"Ahaha, it's a long story if I get into it."
Veronica tried to force the conversation to a close, clearly unwilling to say more.
"That's just false hope."
But Laward, oblivious as ever, dragged the carefully hidden fact into the open.
"Why didn't you just come back?"
"How could I? You all would have thought I was a traitor."
"Not really. We were jealous of your talent, sure. But come on. If you were going to leave, you should have at least made a good life for yourself."
"I'm doing all right now, in my own way. I was lucky enough to meet the boss, and this year I even got another… sponsor."
"Another sponsor?"
Laward glanced at Daywin for a moment, but the idea that Veronica's other sponsor was him never quite landed. He was never that perceptive a man to begin with.
"If it were me, I don't think I could trust it."
"Huh?"
"You said it yourself. That professor guy dumped you in less than a year."
"That's cruel… I deliberately didn't put it that way…"
"And you still believe? Even after ten years, I don't think a memory like that just fades."
"…Yeah."
Veronica slowly nodded. Then she smiled, bitter.
"I'm such an idiot."
"I'm being an idiot and trusting again."
"Well, it's not like you have much choice not to. Ah—if you got another sponsor this year, that means it's almost been a year."
"Yeah. One year. Maybe this time will be different. Hearing you say that out of nowhere is starting to mess with my head."
"Did I screw up?"
"No, it's not that. It's just… if that person still hasn't thrown me away after a year… then it'll clearly be different from last time."
"Or they're just richer."
"I don't care what kind of person they are. If that happens, then I'll have someone I can follow for the rest of my life. Yeah. No matter what anyone says."
Veronica gazed steadily at Laward and repeated the words to herself inside.
The same way you call even a thug like that 'Master' and follow him.
"No matter what anyone says, they'll be someone precious to me."
The Academy athletic meet was over.
Just as Daywin had planned, Laward and the heroines alike put on strong enough performances to earn their places on the Dowon Festival selection list without question.
"Quite the upset."
Nurse Akikira looked down at Rebecca, who sat perched on the edge of the bed.
"Pardon?"
"Isn't that right? Laward's skill was already proven, and first-years can enter without restrictions anyway. But you? That wasn't the case."
"Ah… so even you thought I'd get eliminated starting from the athletic meet, Teacher?"
"Pretty much everyone did."
"So that means you didn't believe in me either! That's so mean, seriously—!"
"Mm, is that how it comes across."
Akikira averted her eyes and fidgeted with the collar of her coat.
"I don't use magic, so of course my Magic Department grades are rock bottom. If I'd enrolled in the Sword Department from the start, I never would have gotten scores like that!"
"Wrong. First, it's not that you don't use magic—you must never use it. Second, you weren't at a level that could get into the Sword Department. Without the Headmaster opening a special admissions track out of consideration for your circumstances, it would have been impossible. Have you forgotten how hard I worked to get you in?"
"I haven't forgotten that much… I'm grateful."
"We ought to add a line to your student record under department affiliation. 'Magic Department (cannot use magic).'"
"Eeeek… that's going way too far!"
"Anyway, before you enrolled your swordsmanship was abysmal. It's improved a lot now, sure. Though the fact that it improved this fast is strange enough on its own…"
"Hehe. Doesn't that just mean I worked really hard?"
"Ordinary people don't improve that fast through effort alone. You might unconsciously be drawing out bits of the swordsmanship the Magic Tower forced into you… Rebecca. You know this, right? Even at the Dowon Festival, you must not push yourself."
"I know already."
Rebecca let out a small sigh.
"Rebecca. What's my name?"
"Teacher Ester, of course."
"I am not your cute junior. Just because a name has four syllables doesn't mean it's fine."
Akikira gave a short laugh, dragged a chair in front of her, and sat.
"Yeah. The fact that you're spouting nonsense again means you're fine. Good. Let's keep it this way. Once your condition improves, the things you've forgotten… might come back too."
"About that."
Rebecca swung her feet and looked down at the floor.
"I've started thinking it might be okay even if I never remember. I have you now, Teacher, and I have Master too, right? So even if I never remember the person who saved me from the Magic Tower… I think maybe that's all right now."
"You mean that?"
"I still remember wandering all over the place while we were running. I was so little at the time I didn't even think of it as running away. The happy feelings are still there, so it's fine."
"Well. All right. I don't know why that was happy, but…"
Akikira lightly set a hand on Rebecca's head.
"If that's how you feel, then that's enough."
And yet—
Are you certain?
The words Daywin had spoken not long ago rose unbidden. His face as he asked whether it was truly all right for Rebecca never to use the swordsmanship and magic the Magic Tower had forced into her filled Akikira's mind.
…I can only hope she never forgets those feelings either.
Back then, Akikira hadn't been able to answer with any certainty. Maintaining the status quo was the best they could do. As a medical professional, she had only been able to offer powerless words.
"I'm sorry."
"Is this finally the confession of your crime of abandoning Health Room Number One?"
"I didn't abandon anyone. I simply let those burning youths enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime season to their hearts' content. At your age, whatever you do becomes a period and a set of relationships you'll end up regretting. Might as well leave a striking impression, right?"
"That makes absolutely no sense—!"
"Without me, those kids would have been rolling around on the roadside in the middle of the night."
"Neither option is proper, Teacher."
"Quiet. I was never a teacher to begin with."
The Dowon Festival.
After the hunting events, the three-stage races, and the ball sports had concluded, the time for duels arrived. Just as soccer and relays form the heart of a school sports day, duels are the main event of the Dowon Festival.
"Pardon? Daywin Hasgard has been sponsoring the Academy?"
"That is correct."
When I answered, Headmaster Simena nodded thoughtfully.
"Every student under my patronage has advanced to the round of sixteen."
My mouth had been itching, and in the end I said it.
"Ohh… this year truly is different. They racked up quite a few points in the other events as well. If they take the duel championship, they might even contend for the overall title."
"Yes, precisely."
"If they take the duel championship, that is."
Simena's eyes crinkled with amusement.
"I hate to dampen your expectations, but last year's champion is at the Military Academy. He's grown even further this year, so the result is all but decided."
"You mean Hakan."
"So you already know."
I only knew because the man himself had barged in and announced it, but Simena seemed to take it as proof that I had researched him as the leading contender. Contradicting her too strongly would only look worse, so I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
"There's still a first-year left in the Academy bracket."
She glanced over the match bracket, then spoke.
"Quite rare."
After that she took her eyes off the bracket and sat. Somehow we had ended up in adjacent seats.
"Is that by any chance a student under your patronage, Daywin?"
"Yes. My disciple."
"You taught him personally? Your expectations must be considerable. Though earlier I noticed his opponent is Chris from the Theological School."
"You know of him?"
"A genius who joined the Holy Knights before even graduating. Of course I know. Though I can't imagine why he's still enrolled."
That was probably Blash's intention.
Chris, the youngest Holy Knight. If they let him graduate the school on top of that, there was no telling how much worse his edgelord symptoms would become. Leaving him a student despite knowing his talent was the bare minimum restraint they could impose.
"I've also heard he's the only student competing this year who can even be compared to our Hakan."
"The only one, you say."
"Though even then, he still won't measure up to Hakan, who was a direct knight of the royal family! Being a member of the Holy Knights and serving as a prince's escort are entirely different things, wouldn't you agree?"
Once again Simena looked at me with pity in her eyes.
"It must be disappointing for you, Daywin. Of all people, his first opponent in the main bracket is the Theological School's genius."
"Indeed. Of all people."
"Still, I shall cheer for your student! Who can say what kind of miracle the Goddess might weave? Ah—though if the Goddess does take a side, it would lean toward Chris, being a Holy Knight himself…"
"Of all people, he drew the opponent he's been itching for. Chris."
"Pardon? What do you—ah, it seems they're starting!"
The moment her words ended, the starting bell rang out loud and clear.
"We meet again. You're that… disciple of Daywin Hasgard, are you?"
"……."
"You, I heard. Word is you made a huge fuss thinking the Commander had come looking for you? Sadly, though… you're still wearing an Academy uniform. Did you think getting into the Holy Knights would be that easy?"
Chris started running his mouth. The brat still hadn't fixed that habit.
Commander Blash—as expected, kids don't grow the way you hope they will.
"Why so quiet? Boring. Think this match is a joke?"
Shiiing!
Chris drew his sword and settled into a ready stance. Laward, by contrast, adjusted the sword on his back until it sat perfectly level, then crouched low. Once seated, he took a sprinter's stance.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"……."
When Laward, still holding his focus, quietly opened his eyes, two halos appeared at his back.
Rotating metal rings of light. Laward's unique magic.
"Hey…"
Chris tightened his grip on his sword.
"Why do you… have something like that…"
He possessed a unique magic of his own. Chris, more than anyone, understood how extraordinary that was. He also understood the privileges and the stares it had brought him.
And so—
"You arrogant… little…"
It should have belonged to him alone.
The instant Chris charged, the two halos roared and launched Laward forward.
KRAAAAAANG!
Tearing through the air, Laward closed the distance in a blink and seized Chris by the throat.
"Ghk—!"
He slammed him straight into the ground. Chris hit the floor hard enough to shatter the dueling platform into fragments.
"……."
The noise of the passionately cheering crowd died in an instant.
The match had barely begun, and Chris had been overpowered by an Academy first-year, tumbling across the floor amid broken shards.
Laward had, quite literally, flipped the board.
"What in the world… that Theological School genius, taken down in a single—"
Faced with a sight she had never expected, Simena covered her mouth in shock.
"How could he be so violent…"
"Ha…!"
Looking at her face, I finally couldn't hold back a laugh.
"But… Daywin, did you see that? Does he not understand the rules?"
And as Simena and I both watched Laward's next move, I think we realized it at the same time.
"Why just now did he…"
With Laward's Intelligence, there was a remote chance he might not understand the rules—but no. It wasn't that. Not even close.
He did it on purpose.
In truth, the match had been over the moment he casually redirected Chris's opening strike and caught him by the throat. He could have thrown his opponent clear out of bounds—and yet he deliberately slammed him into the floor.
Knowing full well that sending an opponent out of bounds would end the match, he chose not to.
"How dare you raise a hand against my Master."
He had decided to keep the duel going. He had decided to play with him.
As expected, the things adults say are rarely wrong.
In the end, kids fight their own kind, was it?
"You asked if this match was a joke? You think I'd care about winning or losing against a bastard like you?"
I had been wondering why Laward had been so quiet earlier, thinking maybe he'd grown more mature than that edgelord Chris.
"Get up. I have no intention of ending this until one of us is dead."
Turns out they were just the same kind of fool.