Chapter 23: The First Letter (23)
Chapter 23: The First Letter (23)
It was that night when Celine came to visit.
She had apparently been asleep in the dormitory all day, dead to the world, only to come rushing over the moment she heard I had regained consciousness. Her clothes were in disarray.
My gaze naturally drifted toward her pale, exposed neckline, but I quickly cleared my throat and looked away.
To me, she was like a younger sister. I shouldn't harbor such thoughts; if I did, both Leto and Celine would be disappointed in me.
Whether she noticed my inner turmoil or not, Celine began to tear up the moment she saw me sitting up. Her eyes were already brimming.
Suddenly, she sprinted forward and threw herself into my arms. Caught off guard, I found myself hugging her petite frame.
A groan almost escaped my lips, but I managed to hold it back.
Celine’s physical abilities surpassed mine. It was only natural, given her superior mana capacity. Since she had lunged at me with all her might, my already aching body felt like it was about to creak and snap.
However, seeing her bury her face in my chest and sob, I couldn't bring myself to blame her.
I simply stroked the back of her head, comforting her until she stopped crying.
"U-ugh... Ian... hic... Ian, you idiot... waaaah!"
"There, there. You must have been so shocked... I'm okay."
Celine was always one for theatrics. At the Academy, most injuries weren't a cause for long-term concern. High-ranking priests dispatched from the Holy Kingdom were always on standby at the temple within the grounds, and the Saintess herself was currently a third-year student.
Even severe wounds wouldn't leave an aftereffect if treated in time. Look at me—I had come in with all sorts of injuries, yet I had regained consciousness without any lasting damage.
Still, I could understand why Celine felt this way.
If my last memory served me right, she was the one who found me first.
If she had followed my trail, she would have seen the clearing littered with wolf carcasses. That blood-soaked scene made it painfully clear how desperate the struggle had been.
And most importantly, she had witnessed my battered, broken body.
My sparring match with Seria was child's play in comparison. That final duel had been a life-or-death struggle. There were no concessions, no rules.
Blood sprayed, and bones shattered. It was a fight where I couldn't stop even as my muscles failed and my breath grew ragged, as if I were on the verge of collapse.
It was obvious what I must have looked like after such a battle.
Celine had witnessed that raw, gruesome sight. Considering our long history together, it would have been stranger if she hadn't been traumatized.
Though I felt her reaction was a bit excessive compared to Leto’s, I decided to let it slide.
As lively as she usually was, she possessed a surprisingly delicate sensibility. The shock might have been particularly hard on her.
It took a long time for her sobbing to subside. Only after my shirt was soaked with her tears did she slowly lift her head.
Her moist, amber eyes met mine. Her skin was so white and soft it was hard to believe she had walked the path of a swordsman her whole life. As her attractive lips parted slightly, a scent I hadn't noticed until now tickled the tip of my nose.
I remembered it. It was the fragrance I had complimented her on once before. Even though she had rushed out in such a hurry, that scent remained the same.
Strangely, my heart began to race. Celine was a beautiful woman, after all. It was a natural reaction, but I forced myself to shake off the lingering feelings of desire clinging to my heart.
Celine murmured piteously.
"Ian... I was so worried."
Her voice carried a hint of resentment. If being worried over by such a lovely childhood friend was the price, it wasn't so bad.
Without a word, I wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and let out a short chuckle.
"Do I look like the kind of guy who'd die just because someone tried to kill him?"
"Yes, you do."
Well, she’s got a point. I fell silent, having no immediate comeback. Celine’s eyes narrowed.
"Why do you always pick the most dangerous things to do? Whether that girl lived or died, all that mattered was that you survived!"
"I couldn't do that. We are all loyal subjects of His Majesty the Emperor, after all."
"Don't give me that textbook nonsense!"
I had just blurted out the first thing that came to mind because I didn't have an answer, but it seemed to incense her even more.
She squinted and glared at me, her lips pouting.
Even so, with the tear tracks still on her face, she just looked cute. I could feel exactly how much she cherished me.
"...To me, you're the most important person, Ian."
Celine confessed, almost like a grumble. Her cheeks flushed slightly, as if she were fighting back embarrassment.
Thump. My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't understand why Celine looked so beautiful today. This wasn't right.
Unaware of my internal confusion, Celine carefully met my gaze. Her eyes were clear, reminiscent of a transparent, deep pool of water.
"Nothing else matters to me. It's been that way since we were kids."
With a desperate look, she took both of her hands and grasped the hand I had used to wipe her tears. Her voice sank into an even more sorrowful tone.
"So, I want you to cherish yourself too, Ian."
Faced with a voice trembling with such profound emotion, I couldn't bring myself to answer carelessly. I just stared at her.
We were alone in the infirmary. Access to the treatment rooms was restricted to outsiders. In other words, there was no one else in this space but Celine and me.
Two young people of age, alone in a confined space. And it was night—the hour when reason fades and emotions heighten.
My chest felt ticklish. Celine seemed to feel the same, as she called my name in a strangely suggestive voice.
"Ian..."
Her sweet breath drew closer. Very slowly, almost imperceptibly.
This... this isn't right. I thought that, even though I didn't know exactly what was about to happen. But my body, honest in its desire, didn't budge an inch.
Just as our breaths were about to overlap—
"...Well, look at this."
"Hy-hyah?!"
At the sound of a man’s exasperated voice, Celine’s body jerked as if she’d been electrocuted. She let out a strange squeak and scrambled out of my arms. Her eyes frantically scanned the room.
The source of the voice was leaning crookedly against the infirmary entrance, watching our antics. His expression was exceptionally displeased.
Leto Einstein. He was like an older brother to Celine and one of my closest friends.
"W-w-what are you doing here?!"
"What am I doing? My sister and my best friend were about to seal the deal, so I figured I should at least let you know I was spectating."
"No, that's not..."
As Leto relentlessly teased her, having found excellent ammunition, Celine’s head began to spin. Her hands flailed in the air as if trying to push away the accusation.
Her face had long since turned beet red. I also felt a wave of embarrassment and looked away, clearing my throat.
I had been caught up in the moment. Celine and I weren't in that kind of relationship; that could have been a disaster.
Leto let out a deep sigh and lightly bonked Celine on the head with the book he was holding.
"Ouch!"
"Do that stuff after a formal confession, okay? How many times have I told you? Couples who rush into the physical stuff don't last."
"...But still."
Celine hung her head, mumbling at Leto’s scolding. She seemed to have her own grievances, but under Leto’s judgmental gaze, she had no choice but to shut her mouth.
After Celine, it was my turn. Leto clicked his tongue.
"And you... just because the mood was right, you think that's okay? Do you actually intend to take responsibility for Celine? Or do you just think she's that easy?"
"No, no. Neither Celine nor I intended for that to happen. We were just happy to see each other after a while..."
I made my excuses, but I had to keep my eyes lowered.
Leto was Celine’s brother. In other words, if I did anything to her, he was the person I should fear most. I had no leg to stand on.
At the same time, my mind was a mess.
What was that? I had been alone with Celine many times before, but this was the first time such a strange atmosphere had developed.
Usually, I made sure to avoid such situations. But just now, it felt as if that atmosphere was only natural.
Ever since I lost my memories, my life had become a series of riddles. I couldn't even begin to guess why I had changed like this.
Regardless, I decided to pull myself together.
With her looks alone, Celine was a woman who could secure an engagement with a powerful noble family. As her childhood friend, I couldn't be the one to ruin her marriage prospects.
Leto seemed to decide that he’d scolded us enough. He put on a lazy expression and spoke to me.
"Hey, Ian. Speaking of which, you owe us a drink."
"...Why?"
"That demonic beast you caught the other day. They say the reward is 70 Gold."
My eyes widened at that.
70 Gold. That was enough for a commoner family of four to live comfortably for over five years. It was a fortune. It meant the beast I had killed was incredibly valuable.
But before I could even shout in surprise, someone shoved their way between Leto and me. It was Celine, of course.
"Se-seventy Gold?!"
Her eyes sparkled. She was a noble, but like most rural nobility, they didn't live in luxury. After paying the exorbitant Academy tuition, they were left with barely enough for 'upkeep of dignity.'
Even that was above the average commoner's standard of living, but for me, Leto, and Celine, 70 Gold was an undeniable windfall.
Celine seemed to have already forgotten the incident from moments ago. She was already excited, holding up a finger as she began to make plans on her own.
"Let's go to that demonic beast specialty restaurant downtown! I heard the drake meat there is amazing..."
"Hey, why do you always pick places that ruin the appetite? No, we have to go to a pub. Uncle Ban opened a new place, and I heard the ale there is to die for."
"No, why?! Demonic beast meat is delicious!"
I hadn't even given it a thought yet, but Leto and Celine were already debating where to spend the 70 Gold. It was so typical of them.
I let out a small smile and cut in.
"Hey, I'm the one who risked my life for that money. What are you two doing?"
"Let's be precise. You 'threw away' your life to earn that money."
I felt a surge of indignation at Leto’s remark.
Threw away my life? How could he belittle that desperate struggle like that?
I began to argue passionately, just as the three of us always did when we got together.
"Hey, you don't know what it was like... I was going to let it slide, okay? But then that bastard spat out a piece of cloth it had in its mouth. It was a scrap of Emma’s clothes! Could you have stayed calm in that situation?"
"Yeah, easily."
"Yep, totally."
But the response to my heated explanation was incredibly dry.
These disloyal bastards, I thought, yet a smile remained on my face.
It was the same daily life as always. Until Leto spoke again.
"Still, they said it's a relief that the biggest demonic beast wasn't fully grown. If it had more time, it would have become a Named-Class. Man... you should have caught it during the Hunting Festival! You would've been a shoo-in for a prize."
"Forget it. There shouldn't be any more beasts of that size in the forest anyway... I'd much rather have Ian be safe."
As I listened with a bitter smile, my train of thought suddenly ground to a halt.
Right. There shouldn't be any more beasts of that level in the forest.
The gap between Hunting Festivals was only about a year. There was no way a stronger beast could appear in that time. If it did, countless students would be killed or injured in this year's festival.
A beast stronger than that would mean it was powerful enough to be given a name.
The monsters commonly called 'Named' were incomparable to other demonic beasts in terms of strength and intelligence. They were monsters truly worthy of the title 'Enemy of Humanity.'
Naturally, such beasts were few in number. Since their appearances were rare, the assumption that one could be born in the forest in just a year was laughable.
However, what flashed through my mind was a line from the letter.
'Come to think of it, I'm still curious. How did you know that monster's weakness was its horn?'
The smile on my face slowly faded.
"...The horn."
At my hollow murmur, Leto and Celine turned to me with puzzled looks.
"The horn... was there a horn fragment found in that wolf's carcass?"
"What are you talking about? You fought it, don't you remember? There wasn't a horn, or even anything resembling one... Hey, hey, are you okay? You look pale."
I could hear Leto and Celine’s worried voices. But in this moment, I felt a sense of floating, as if I were isolated in space.
My thoughts raced. I replayed that desperate fight. That opponent had been so strong. And there was a beast even stronger than that lurking in the forest?
My gaze turned toward the wall of the temple. Toward the south of the Academy, toward the silent forest.
There, a monster was waiting.
Waiting to bloom the most beautiful, blood-red flower at the festival humans held every year.
There was still work for me to do.
*
And the next day, Seria came to visit.