First Love at the Academy
In the Secree family's office, two women stood facing each other — one the head of the Secree family, the other her daughter, Iris. Shiina, the current family head, was seething with rage at Iris's words.
"What did you just say? Who?"
Under the weight of Shiina's fury, Iris grew tense.
Who on earth is this Noah, that Mother loses her temper just hearing the name?
"Noah... her name was Noah.... She approached me today and we spoke briefly, and... she seemed to know Father, so I listened to a little more of what she had to say..."
"Damn it! Why is that woman setting foot in our territory? Don't tell me... she still hasn't gotten over Erich?"
Shiina raged, then sank deep into thought on the spot.
It's been over ten years since I took Erich from her.... Why would she come back now? Don't tell me... she's gained the power to reclaim Erich? I can't allow that to happen!!
"Shiina. Describe the woman's appearance to me."
"I'm sorry? She had black hair and black eyes, her hair was rather disheveled, and she looked severely underweight."
"I see. So she hasn't changed a bit from ten years ago. Shiina, here — pen and paper. Draw a sketch of her, as accurate as you can manage."
"Yes? Y-yes..."
Cowed by Shiina's intensity, Iris drew Noah's portrait with trembling hands.
"Here it is..."
Looking over the portrait Iris had drawn, Shiina's suspicion hardened into certainty.
"Yes... it's her, all right. She's come to our territory after all — to steal Erich back."
With those words, Shiina sank into grim deliberation, and Iris found herself unable to move from the office.
Who... who is that woman, that Mother gets this furious over her? What happened between her and Father in the past?
Just as Iris was wondering to herself, Shiina spoke.
"Maras!!!!! Get in here, now!"
Shiina's cry rang through the manor, and Maras arrived at the office. Maras Baume — she was Shiina's aide, and Beldes's mother.
"You called, my lady?"
"Yes, Maras. That woman has returned. Dispatch soldiers on urgent alert and bring in the woman in this sketch."
"Pardon? Who could possibly warrant... you, personally..."
"It's Noah."
At Shiina's single word, Maras — a veteran knight as well as an aide — understood exactly who Noah was, and stiffened.
"Maras, if anyone grasps what this means, it's you. No matter what happens, that woman must not meet Erich! Am I understood?"
"Yes, my lady. Understood."
Maras departed with the sketch in hand, and silence settled over the office.
It was Iris who broke it first.
"Um... Mother? I'd like to know... who exactly this woman is... that you'd fly into such a rage over her..."
At Iris's question, Shiina deliberated.
Should I tell her? Yes... she'll find out in the near future anyway... and Iris can be trusted. There's no harm in telling her.
"Iris, I'll tell you who that woman is first. Her name is Noah. Once, she was an adventurer who aided me — aided our family — and... she is your father Erich's former lover."
Iris's brow furrowed in confusion at Shiina's words.
"Huh?... Then how did Father, who was her lover, end up marrying you, Mother?"
"Well... you'll be attending the social gathering soon enough, so you'd learn it naturally then anyway... I'll tell you the story of the past, starting now."
Thirteen years ago... When Shiina and Sara were seventeen, the two of them enrolled together at Catasist Academy, the academy in the capital.
"Haah.... Why do I have to enroll alongside the likes of you? So annoying."
"Watch your mouth, Shiina. I feel exactly the same way."
Shiina and Sara, as heirs to houses that had both produced heroes, had known each other for years — their families kept in regular contact.
"Hey! Hey!!!! Are you ignoring me? Say something!"
"I am not 'hey.' Call me Sara."
Haah... what a stiff, pompous stick. I've put up with her over ten years, but I still don't want to get close to her... Not that I have a choice — it's not like today's the last time I'll ever see her.
"Ha... Sara, if we take this road, it leads to the hall for the entrance ceremony, right?"
"Haah... can you not even memorize the layout?"
Sara was searching for the hall using the map in the academy brochure.
"Right, this looks like the correct road."
And so the two of them walked on toward the hall.
"Oh my... isn't that the young lady of the Secree family?"
"Wow... it really is? Then the woman beside her — don't tell me... the young lady of the Liam family?.."
"They're both so beautiful..."
At the murmurs of the male students, Shiina's shoulders naturally rose with pride.
"Sara, what do you think? The boys are whispering about us."
At that, Sara turned to Shiina and fixed her with a serious look.
"I have no interest in any of that. Let the boys whisper, let anyone say whatever they like — the only approval I need is my mother's."
In those days, Sara, as the future head of the Shadow family, carried an enormous weight of responsibility on her shoulders.
"What a hopelessly pompous woman."
"Haah... Shiina, must you always hurl insults right to someone's face?"
Shiina smirked at that.
"Sara, you know perfectly well what I'm like. Don't you know that whatever needs saying, I will say? Of course you do. Just let it go~"
Shiina's words gave Sara a pounding headache.
Honestly, if she weren't of the Secree family, I'd have torn her limb from limb.
Sara cursed Shiina in her heart, while Shiina glanced around as they walked toward the hall. Just then, a male student collided with Sara and tumbled to the ground.
"Aah! Oh? Oh! I'm so sorry! I was in such a rush I wasn't watching where I was going! I'm sorry!"
"No, it's fine. Are you all right? That looked like quite a hard fall."
"Ah... yes! I'm fine! My name is Isaac! You really are all right, aren't you?"
The moment Isaac and Sara's eyes met, Sara's heart rate shot upward.
What is this? What is this adorable creature...? He's so cute. That upturned nose, those clear, bright eyes, that slender frame... Haah.... What is this cute boy?
As Sara stared intently at Isaac, he grew worried.
"Um... are you really all right?"
"Huh?... Uuuuum....."
As Isaac edged closer to Sara, Shiina stepped in to intervene.
"Um... young master? I think you've startled her quite a bit. We're fine, so you should hurry along — you were running somewhere in a hurry, weren't you? Off you go, then."
"Oh... you really are all right, though? If anything hurts at all, please tell me! Then, I'll be going."
And so Isaac vanished from the two girls' sight, and Shiina turned to Sara.
"Hey, are you okay? What's wrong with you? Did you hit your head that hard? Hey. Hey!!!"
At Shiina's shouting, Sara finally came back to herself.
"Huh? Ah... Shiina? Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me. What on earth is the matter with you? Where did you hit yourself? Why are you staring into space like that?"
"No... that boy I bumped into just now — what was his name? Isaac, was it?"
"Huh? That boy from earlier? Uh... Isaac, I think it was? Are you actually okay?"
"Ah... I'm really fine. Let's get going..."
What is this pounding in my chest? This is a flutter I've never felt in my life. Even when my mother praised me, my heart never raced like this... I have to meet that boy again.
And so came the first meeting of Sara and Isaac. Meanwhile, Shiina was genuinely worried about Sara.
Haah... what on earth has gotten into her? Did she hurt her head that badly? Should I really drag her to the infirmary?
The two of them made their way to the hall — and Isaac, already there, was thinking of Sara.
That woman I ran into earlier — Sara, was her name?... Such a beautiful face, and such a lovely voice... Will I get to see her again?
While Isaac was lost in thoughts of Sara, a boy's voice sounded beside him.
"Isaac? Hey, are you listening to me? Isaac!!!"
"Huh? Oh... Ah! Erich! Erich, what is it?"
Erich and Isaac were childhood friends who had grown up side by side. Isaac's parents owned a large plot of land and a small trading company, while Erich's parents were tenant farmers who worked the lands of Isaac's household. But the two of them had never cared about any of that, and had been close since childhood.
"Nothing... we have to give our speeches soon, so why are you staring off into space like that?"
"It's just... about earlier, you see... I bumped into a girl, and..."
And so Isaac told Erich about his encounter with Sara.
"Huh? Isn't that love at first sight?"
At Erich's words, Isaac flushed in confusion.
"First love?"
"Yes, first love! Isaac, how do you feel when you think of her?"
"My heart pounds like crazy. It races, and I can't stop thinking about her... What on earth is wrong with me?"
Hearing this, Erich clasped Isaac's hands in both of his own and congratulated him.
"Isaac, that's what love is!! And since you've never been in love before, this is your first love!!"
"Huh? Is that so?... I still don't really understand..."
Just then, a girl called out to Isaac.
"Student Isaac! It's time to take the stage!"
"Oh?... Yes! I'll be right there! Erich, let's talk more later!"
"Yeah, we'll talk later."
And as Isaac climbed the steps to the stage, he thought to himself.
So this is what first love is? But I only met her today... I have to see her again!
Standing upon the stage, Isaac began his address.
"Good day to you all, fellow students entering Catasist Academy. I am Isaac, admitted this year as the top of our class. Though I come from common birth, I wish to become close friends with each and every one of you, regardless of rank or station. I look forward to our time together."
When Isaac's speech ended, cheers and applause rang through the hall, and Isaac overheard two girls talking about him.
"Sara, isn't that boy the one you ran into in the corridor earlier?"
"Huh? It would seem so.... Now that I look... yes, that's him."
The moment Isaac and Sara's eyes met across the hall, Isaac's face flushed crimson and he toppled backward. Erich, who had been waiting below the stage, scrambled up and caught Isaac in his arms.
What's gotten into him all of a sudden? Is he really sick or something?
"Uh... ah! Everyone, I am Erich, admitted as second in our class. My friend Isaac is feeling unwell today, so I'll bring these entrance greetings to a close here. Please, look kindly on us both going forward."
With that, Erich supported the swaying Isaac and descended from the stage, heading for the infirmary.
"Isaac, what on earth happened? Are you sick somewhere?"
Leaning on Erich's shoulder, Isaac spoke in a tiny voice.
"Erich... what do I do... I think it really is first love..."
And so came the fated first meeting of Isaac and Sara — and of Shiina and Erich.