Denebergen Academy (2)
The magitech airship landed in a nearby village just a short distance from Denebergen Academy. The barrier surrounding the academy didn't permit entry to anything but officially approved school transportation. That meant they couldn't land right at the academy itself—they had to walk the rest of the way—but it wasn't a big deal.
"We split up from here. Freshmen have a separate enrollment process."
"You're heading off first?"
"Yeah. Good luck. Don't chicken out."
"......What?"
"You'll see."
By the time the academy's main gate came into view, Luisa bid farewell to me and Charlotte. It seemed freshmen and returning students had different entry procedures. Luisa quickly struck up a conversation with some other students—probably acquaintances—and wandered off, leaving just Charlotte and me behind.
"Looks like it's just us now. I wonder what the freshmen have to do."
"Who knows? Probably a bunch of extra stuff for newbies."
Looking around, clusters of vibrant seventeen-year-olds buzzed with energy. The freshmen, visiting their new home at Denebergen Academy for the first time, filled the space in front of the gate with palpable excitement. Maybe it was contagious, but I felt a rare flutter of anticipation myself after all these years.
"By the way, what did Luisa mean by 'good luck'?"
"Just her way of saying 'hang in there now that academy life is starting,' I bet."
"Hmm. It almost sounds like there's some kind of test......"
Charlotte scanned the area cautiously, then her eyes widened as she spotted something intriguing.
"Young master, there's a huge crowd over there."
"Shall we check it out?"
Truth be told, I'd been eyeing that direction myself for a bit. The main gate was off to the side, and guards were still blocking the freshmen from entering—so why the mob over there? Since Charlotte mentioned it, we decided to head over.
"Stick right behind me."
Plowing through a sea of freshmen to see what was going on wasn't easy. Even trying to peek from afar, the gate was blocked by a rainbow of heads—gold, black, gray, you name it.
Our only option was to push through.
"Behind you, young master? Kyaa!"
I grabbed Charlotte roughly and had her wrap her arms around my waist, then strode forward purposefully. It was necessary; otherwise, she'd get swept away in the crowd in seconds.
"Ugh, uuuh......"
Something weird came from behind, but I focused on forging ahead. Though "forging" might not be accurate—my path ahead kept clearing itself from the start.
"Whoa, y-young master. How is this happening......?"
From outside, it looked packed solid, no room to squeeze in. But inside? Totally different. No one blocked my way; I advanced without hesitation.
It wasn't that there were no obstacles. Not every student parted like the Red Sea as I moved.
Assassin's basics.
Suppress your presence. Erase your existence. Melt into the shadows until no eyes can catch you. The fundamental Shadow Step of any assassin. It was the first footwork technique I'd taught Elfin alongside swordsmanship.
I wove through the packed crowd using Shadow Step. The occasional brush of clothing happened as I passed, but no one noticed me. Their attention was locked on whatever was at the center, and with Shadow Step active, they didn't register me at all.
"Whoa, whoa......"
Charlotte kept gasping in awe from behind. We were in plain sight—no hiding our forms—but since no one perceived us, it must've seemed magical to her. Just clinging to me extended the effect to her, and her little exclamations weren't enough to break it. We reached the heart of the throng without issue.
"We're here."
I stopped, bringing Charlotte along to where the crowd's focal point came into view. She lingered in a daze, not realizing we'd halted, then belatedly released her grip on my waist.
"Gasp! S-sorry! How dare I cling to your waist like that......"
"It's fine. It's not gonna wear out."
Her face flushed with embarrassment, but her eyes sparkled up at me.
"But how did you do that? Just now......?"
"Wanna learn?"
"Pardon? No, I could never master a skill like that......"
"If you want, I could teach you. No clue how long it'd take you, though."
Chatting like this with Charlotte reminded me of Elfin. On the first day I taught her Shadow Step, she'd mimicked it perfectly—and by the next, she'd mastered it. A talent like that vanishing from history without a trace was still baffling......
Guess it's time to investigate.
If the academy chairwoman was really Yustina, she might know where Elfin and Liwin ended up. Liwin was a maybe, but she'd definitely kept in touch with Elfin. Those two girls who'd lived together for ten years were more than friends—practically sisters.
"Whoa, young master! It's a golden carriage!"
Lost in thought, I snapped to attention at Charlotte tugging my sleeve. She'd gone from marveling at my footwork to gawking at something else—her shifts in focus were lightning-fast. But glancing where she pointed, I got why.
True to her word, at the crowd's center stood a golden carriage. Pulled by two winged steeds, it was an opulent sight. An assassin's eye could tell at a glance: solid gold, adorned with priceless genuine treasures.
"So that's why everyone's gathered."
I'd been curious about this spot for another reason. If it were just commoner students, I wouldn't have cared. But even nobles in fine attire stared at the carriage with childlike wonder.
Over half the returning students at Denebergen Academy are nobles, right?
There were commoners too, but despite equality measures, nobles still held sway. No amount of school rules could erase family influence outside. With proud heirs from noble houses clustered here, swarming like bees for some big shot felt off.
"Who's riding in that carriage? Who could draw such a crowd......?"
"Imperial royalty."
"......Pardon?"
"Probably His Highness the Third Prince. Rumor has it he's enrolling this year."
Charlotte covered her mouth, coughing in surprise.
"P-Prince?!"
"Yeah, Third Prince Yozef. He's turning seventeen, so enrolling in the continent's top academy like Denebergen isn't weird."
Five hundred years ago, prestigious academies were mostly royal institutions, built under kings' decrees. But schools entangled in royal whims or politics often suffered chaos—and the real victims were parents and students. Some even sponsored our resistance for that reason.
Luisa might not know, but Denebergen rose as royal academies declined partly due to that. It's a private academy, after all. Funded by mysterious massive capital, alumni donations, and imperial support.
That shadowy capital piqued my interest, but the imperial backing was priority. The imperial family sponsored Denebergen and sent their kids there. The first and second princes had graduated; word was a princess was still enrolled.
Third Prince Yozef coming here makes perfect sense.
The crowd was probably from rumors spreading. Still, facing off with Yozef didn't thrill me.
"Charlotte, let's head back. Nothing worth seeing here."
"But it's the prince! At least wait till he steps out!"
"What's to see? Carriages are carriages. Well, this one's academy-approved to enter the grounds, so maybe special."
"Ah! Ah! Not now, young master! The door's opening! Look over there quick!"
Damn, knew it'd play out like this. Not Charlotte—Yozef. I planned to cover half my face and slip away quietly.
But he wasn't letting me off easy.
"What a surprise! My old friend, Sir Deneb of House Lehinar?!"
Yozef—third son of the Kaition Empire's imperial family, Yozef Kaition—stared straight at me and bellowed, his voice echoing across the gate. Naturally, the crowd followed his gaze right to me.
Unsused to hundreds of eyes solely on me as an assassin, I broke into a cold sweat.
"Hahaha! What a coincidence! Meeting you here as a fellow student! Never dreamed I'd reunite with my childhood friend in a place like this!"
"......Ah, yes."
"You're enrolling at Denebergen too? I'd love sharing classes someday! Come, the entrance is that way?"
"We can't enter yet, probably......"
As the exuberant blond prince dragged me around, Charlotte trailed behind, staring blankly.
'Young master, what the heck is going on??'
'Beats me.'
I mouthed back. Unlike my presence-erased weaving through the crowd earlier, Yozef just strode forward, and everyone parted with regal charisma. Not assassin's footwork—imperial.
"Being together like this brings back childhood memories! Right! I often visited the magic library your father manages!"
"I'm deeply moved you remember our fleeting childhood connection......"
"Nonsense! Sir Deneb, you were like a mentor back then! Skilled in combat and knowledge—you were superior in every way. Believe it or not, I admired you more than Father or my brothers!"
Charlotte's eyes bulged in disbelief; I nodded vaguely.
It's true, though.
I frequented Father's library as a kid, and Prince Yozef dropped by often too. It wasn't attached to the palace—they had their own. But Father's magic library was the empire's best.
So... Yozef just loved books that much.
Damn, I was deep in mentor delusion back then!
Yustina aside, I'd raised Elfin and Liwin. Time had brought objectivity now, but then? I was overconfident, thinking I'd molded a genius like Elfin. Yozef calling me a respected mentor now? Pure black history for me.
Picture it: a mentally forty-year-old man playing superior peer-mentor to a kid prince under ten......
"At least I've got one friend for meals now! Ha!"
Yozef wasn't bad. He just triggered my past shame. Objectively, befriending him—especially to find Liwin, Elfin, and Yustina—had upsides. Unless plotting rebellion, what harm in imperial ties?
"Who's the lady trailing us?"
"Ah, uh! Yes! I'm Ch-Charlotte! No family name! Maid to Young Master Deneb, and......"
"What?! Maids can't enter the academy!"
"Ah! Yes! So I'm a maid and a freshman!"
"What?! A talented commoner! Be my friend too! Now I've got two already! Hahaha!"
I ignored the muscled prince with his arm around my shoulders, watching trembling Charlotte.
Getting close... should pay off, right...?