Crossing the Wall (1)
Another mess I'd gotten into? Worry hit me first. Ronari asked Belica,
"I heard Ilsea might even face trial... Did you do something, Bel?"
"Yup~ This little dummy's now got a debt so huge he should serve me as his master for life and it still wouldn't be enough. Go on, say thanks. At least twenty times for starters."
Belica put her hand on my shoulder with the smuggest look imaginable.
"What're you waiting for? Show some respect to your master."
"I need to know exactly what you did before I can express my gratitude."
Belica shook her head and wagged her finger.
"Tsk tsk. So impatient, just like a growing kid. You know, if you skip ahead in a book to the fun parts, you might miss the really good stuff?"
"..."
Quit the bullshit and just explain already. I wanted to snap at her, but... no choice. I held back from biting back. For now, I just wanted to play along with Belica. She seemed in a good mood, after all.
"Fine, so how far do I have to read before it gets good?"
"Just wait till lunch~"
"What if it's boring by then?"
"Then wait till dinner."
"What if that's boring too?"
"But you got all excited waiting, right? Isn't that enough?"
Enough my ass. I'd just feel ripped off for wasting time. Still, Belica didn't seem to be totally joking, so I decided to wait it out. If something really got resolved, Ruda would summon me eventually—tomorrow or next week, whatever.
But surprisingly, the summons came right away. The moment lunch hit, Ruda called both me and Belica. Destination: the staff office, as expected. I hadn't even hoped for news today.
Belica must've wrapped things up lightning-fast for once. On the way to the staff office, I asked her,
"How'd you pull it off?"
"You'll see when we get there~ Does this momma gotta spoon-feed you every detail? Oh... but if you whine about another cliffhanger, I really won't forgive you."
"And what if you don't?"
"Hmm... I could smother you in my chest till you suffocate. Sound good?"
"If I absolutely have to die and can't find a decent rope, maybe I'll consider it."
"Don't you dare rank my beautiful gift of death below some lousy rope!"
I dodged Belica's swinging fist by a hair. It whooshed right past. She was seriously trying to bash me.
Maybe taking her punches wasn't such a bad idea after all.
We arrived at the staff office and were led by a teacher into the meeting room again. Same one as yesterday. And there, just like yesterday, Professor Ruda waited. Adelia, one of the parties involved, was nowhere in sight.
I bowed slightly to Ruda.
"How do you do?"
"How could I? With trash like you as my student."
Struck a nerve. Great.
"Sit down. You heard the story from Bel, right?"
"Yes. She said she handled it."
"And?"
"That's it."
Right after my answer, Ruda whacked Belica's head with the file folder she was holding. Thwack thwack.
"How many times did I tell you to explain properly?"
"Oof, oof, oof, oof."
"Now explain right. One hit per word you skip."
"Yes, ma'am."
-Ahem.
Belica cleared her throat a few times and began.
"Her great majesty, Queen of Gossip Belica, made the heroic decision to save the dummy Ilsea... Oof."
She got hit again. Why couldn't she stop courting disaster when she clearly feared Ruda?
"Straight. Polite speech."
"...Yes, ma'am. So... to cut to the chase... I convinced Miss Adelia to forgive Ilsea and ask for leniency... Moved by my noble heart, she came to the staff office that evening—the day of the incident—and pleaded with the academy for mercy on Ilsea... And I don't know yet what decision the academy made. That's it... Oof. What'd I miss?"
"Nothing. Just hit you 'cause I'm annoyed."
"..."
Belica scowled hard and glared at me for no reason. Why me?
Ruda said,
"Anyway, as Bel said, both parties from the interfered ranking match pleaded for leniency, so the academy decided no trial. However,"
I listened closely.
"Interfering in a ranking tournament is a major violation of academy rules. You can't escape punishment. Points deduction, of course, and the academy's considering academic penalties too."
"Understood. Won't happen again."
"Obviously. Nothing's finalized on your punishment yet, but no outings this week. Stay in the dorms. Be ready when called."
The light penalty surprised me a bit. No dorm confinement—just no outings—meant I could still do Teresa's jobs. I nodded.
"Yes."
Ruda jerked her chin, dismissing us. I bowed again and stood. As Belica and I headed for the door, Ruda called me back, like she'd forgotten something.
"Ilsea."
"Yes."
"The academy bears full responsibility for what happens on the training grounds. That's why teachers stand by, and why they give titles like professor to folks like me. You're being punished because, as a mere student, you denied the academy's role."
"Yes."
I bowed my head. Ruda giving actual advice instead of threats? Rare. But there was more.
"That's my stance as an academy professor."
"...?"
"Supervision, responsibility... Fancy words, but it just means if something irreversible happens, they pick one teacher to strip naked."
Ruda continued.
"But if a student dies? Gets a disability even healing magic can't fix? Then what? Taking blame after the fact changes nothing. That's all the academy's 'responsibility' amounts to. So as plain old Ruda Riplir, not a professor... I respect your decision."
Before speaking, Ruda flashed an awkward smile. First time I'd seen her smile.
"Meaning you did good. Now scram."
......
Leaving the staff office, Belica predictably poked my side.
"Ooh, living the dream? Even got praise from Ruda? What now? Gonna add her to your harem? Sure, her personality sucks, but she's kinda pretty. Not as much as me, though."
I glanced back at the staff office door. If Ruda heard that nonsense... Chills.
"...Value your life a bit more."
"What's that outta nowhere?"
She still didn't get it. She'd die by Ruda's hand soon enough.
Belica chattered on, oblivious to her doomed fate.
"Ugh~ Starved 'cause of you, dummy. Stuck with Ruda since lunch. Let's hit the cafeteria. Penalty: you pay."
"Hey."
"What? Paying for lunch? ...Eek."
I tossed her handkerchief at Belica's face. I caught it as it slid off and shoved it into her hand.
"Good use."
"...You just committed the ultimate disrespect to your master. Know that?"
"Never washed it once, so it'll stink. Hate my scent? Wash it."
"Argh...! You dummy! Worm! No different from your dirt-eating days!"
She whipped me with the handkerchief like a lash. Didn't hurt, obviously.
"Belica."
"What, worm-dummy-kid!"
I stared at her face. No words, but surely she'd paid some price to convince Adelia. So much to say, to ask. But I stopped myself. Didn't want to crush her forced bright smile.
"Just calling you."
......
The moment the last afternoon class ended, Ronari approached Belica. She plopped down a bundle of notes and books in front of her.
"Okay, we said we'd start studying today, right? Let's dive in. This is a summary of all subjects—memorize it first, then build on it with these organized notes..."
As Ronari eagerly explained her notes, Belica scratched her head awkwardly.
Belica mumbled,
"Um... miss, I'm really sorry, but..."
"Huh? No need to be sorry. We're friends. This is nothing..."
"Really sorry! Super duper sorry!"
Belica suddenly hugged Ronari tight.
"Bel?"
"I've got a super important promise thing, so I can't study! Really sorry!"
"A promise...?"
"Yeah... it came up suddenly... but I absolutely can't cancel this! You prepped so hard and got Ruda's okay—I'm so sorry!"
"No... it's fine..."
"Thanks for understanding! My bride! Goddess! Love you! Bye!"
Belica bolted out of the classroom like a shot.
Ronari stared blankly in her direction, stunned.
I said,
"Let's go."
"Huh?"
"To eat."
"But the study session..."
"We can do it ourselves."
I grabbed my bag and left. Ronari caught up, asking,
"The study was for Bel in the first place. She bails with some sudden promise... Something up with her?"
"..."
"You know! Spill!"
"Guess she doesn't wanna study."
Then Ronari's hands grabbed my arm. I had to turn.
"Why lie?"
Deflated face.
"You don't think Bel's like that."
Deflated voice.
"Is this another one? Something between you two I can't know... so you're brushing it off? If so..."
"Ronari."
She looked up at me. I said,
"Forgive us. Me and Belica."
"What?"
"Doesn't mean we don't see you as a friend. Belica too. But we can't share everything."
"Why?"
"I'd be an shameless prick if I did."
I meant that to end it. I had guesses about Belica. But this was our burden. No good for Ronari to know. Just more weight on her.
But Ronari wasn't letting go.
Suddenly, she said,
"...Doing it again."
She scowled at me like a sulky kid.
"...Won't tell me 'cause it's heavy, might burden me? Out of consideration...? That it?"
Ronari's lips curved up.
"Well, I've got thoughts too."
Bad feeling. Too late to realize.
Invisible pressure on my shoulders. Like unseen hands pressing down.
...Obviously Ronari's doing.
"Better spill everything nicely...! Or I'll plant you in the ground! Keep quiet if you wanna be watered and fed forever!"