64. Devour Them?
64. Devour Them?
"Students, have dreams. A dream is like a lighthouse in life, giving us purpose and direction. How terrible is a life without dreams? Living each day without a goal is no different from a golem. Dream!"
A resonant voice rang out beneath the blazing sun.
"The Imperial Academy is a truly wonderful place, filled to the brim with students who dream. May God's blessings be upon the students who will carry our future!"
As the speech concluded, thunderous cheers poured forth.
He spread his arms wide, welcoming the cheers with a simple smile.
The Sword Saint had been incredibly busy moving about since arriving.
He toured the academy's classrooms and gave lectures.
He was always smiling, but unlike Linda, who always seemed distant even up close, the Sword Saint Adolf captivated students with a refreshingly approachable smile that he showed to everyone.
Students who became fans of the Sword Saint in no time at all gathered in droves and followed him around like fans chasing an idol. As if he had anticipated this, the Sword Saint always flew through the sky.
With his cape fluttering, a warm smile on his face, waving from the sky—he looked exactly like a hero from a world I had seen in my past life.
"What are you doing there?"
Meanwhile, Lemnos was glaring fiercely at the Sword Saint flying through the sky.
"Eut, Atlas. What business do you have with me?"
"I asked you first. Why are you glaring at the Sword Saint like that?"
"... I was curious about what a Master from another country was like, so I was watching."
He'd seen two Masters so far, and both flew through the sky, so it seemed he found it fascinating.
As I watched Edgar speak curtly, a question suddenly came to mind.
"Edgar, do you have a fiancée?"
"Why are you suddenly asking something like that...!"
"No, I figured a Lemnos would have one."
".... I don't."
I'd assumed a Lemnos would have already forged a blood alliance with a powerful family, so it was surprising that he didn't have one.
"Is it because the family is already too big, so rather than marrying into a strong family to grow even larger, it's better to match with a lesser noble who won't cause too much trouble?"
"Why are you so specific...! That's not the reason."
"Then what is it?"
As if I'd hit a sore spot, Edgar's voice rose.
"Why are you suddenly concerned about that...? Is it because your friend has the Sword Saint as a fiancé?"
"Oh, you know well. I'm asking because I'm curious what it feels like."
"I don't know either... Are you bothered that Simoa has a fiancé?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't that common...? If you ask around the class, there'll be quite a few."
"I know that... But when your friend has a fiancé, and that fiancé is an estimated 70+ year-old grandpa flying around up there, wouldn't you feel a bit weird?"
"Him flying around is weird, but that your friend has a fiancé isn't exactly something that has much to do with you."
It wasn't an emotional issue, but I had no intention of rambling on about all those trivial details to Edgar.
Seeing me still wearing a sullen expression, he continued.
"If you keep being bothered by it... are you thinking of Simoa as more than a friend?"
My teeth ground together at the infuriating speculation.
The reason I was bothered by Riber's fiancé wasn't the fact that she had a fiancé, but because Riber had clearly despised and feared him.
If a friend got caught up in an unwanted marriage arrangement against her will, I wanted to help at any time, but since Riber herself was rejecting my help, it left me feeling unsettled.
But since I hadn't explained this, from a third party's perspective, it might look like I, nursing a one-sided crush on Riber, was just eating my heart out.
And there was one bigger problem.
"That's bullshit. There's no way anyone would love someone like me."
It was an extremely cynical remark.
I utterly loathed my own appearance, so the idea that someone would love me was absurd.
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"Haa... I'm exhausted..."
Lucia Russell let out a deep sigh.
From the moment she woke up this morning until just now, she had been caught by the student council and put through the wringer.
She'd just wanted to participate in the event together with Atlas, but yesterday, she'd suddenly been told that all of the Five Pillars, including herself, had to welcome Clover Academy alongside the student council as freshman representatives.
It wasn't as if elves or dwarves were coming. At best, students from an academy in a small border kingdom were visiting, and she thought they were making a huge fuss over nothing.
But she couldn't voice her complaints.
That was because Phrygia, who was usually the first to argue when something like this happened, had been remarkably compliant this time.
She should have noticed then that something was different.
As expected, it was different... Clover Academy hadn't just sent students; they'd sent the Sword Saint, a Master, along with them.
Edgar had frowned the moment he saw the Sword Saint enter.
That was because the official dispatch from the Clover Kingdom had only stated that someone would be going as an advisor, but it never mentioned that the Sword Saint was coming.
Judging by the attitude of Phrygia and the academy, they must have known in advance.
But the fact that Lucia and Edgar hadn't known was utterly unpleasant.
After that, she had continued moving with the student council until she was finally released just now.
Just being surrounded by many people was draining her stamina in and of itself.
She wanted to see Atlas.
She felt as if this fatigue would vanish the moment she saw him.
'Come to think of it... Atlas's friend was the Sword Saint's fiancée... wasn't she?'
Lucia recalled Riber soaring into the sky by the Sword Saint's power.
The commotion over the Sword Saint's fiancée had, as expected, left Lucia unable to do anything but be shocked.
That was because no one had known a Master's fiancée was at the academy.
'Is that... fortunate?'
She was one of the people Atlas always kept by his side.
Seeing him walk around with her, she wondered if he, too, liked that style of woman.
No, even thinking like this was strange.
Any man would naturally like a woman with such a charming appearance.
'Yeah... that's right... it's only natural. Riber... isn't enormously huge... doesn't have this unsightly hair... speaks well...'
Impressions of Riber slipped through Lucia's mind.
Riber Simoa was close to the ideal image she had wished for.
A charming height that wasn't overly large, a body with smooth curves that wasn't too big or thick... Lucia was terribly envious of that golden hair that sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight.
She'd never seen her wear one, but Riber was a noble young lady who would look stunning in a splendid dress...
A splendid dress was an item that didn't suit the large, disheveled, and gloomy Lucia at all.
Comparing herself to Riber made her feel incredibly depressed.
But that Riber was the Sword Saint's fiancée.
Her engagement to the Sword Saint was a settled matter.
She truly had no choice but to remain just friends with Atlas, just as it appeared.
The engagement to the Sword Saint was a very good thing for Riber as well.
A marriage to a Master was beneficial for both countries.
Being bound by blood to a powerhouse of a realm with fewer than ten on the continent came with tremendous benefits.
In the Clover Kingdom, she would receive treatment on par with royalty, and the Empire would welcome it, believing they had forged a strong link to a Master outside the Empire.
Good for the Empire, good for the Simoa family, good for me, good for everyone...
At that moment, Atlas's face as he walked alongside Riber, laughing, flashed through her mind.
'...What are you so happy about?'
She felt sick to her stomach.
The moment she realized what she had been thinking, she felt like she was going to throw up.
'I'm really hopeless... I'm... not even a Master... not even cute... doing nothing but being jealous over things I have no right to be...'
Combined with her fatigue, self-deprecating thoughts cascaded one after another, making her feel awful.
Just then, something she absolutely didn't want to miss slipped through her field of vision.
"Atlas..!"
Atlas was quickly scuttling off somewhere.
.
.
.
.
.
.
When Lucia waved her hand, Atlas spotted her and walked over.
"Lucia, didn't see you at all today. Were you with the student council?"
"Yeah.."
Atlas looked completely unbothered.
Did he have no particular thoughts about Riber's engagement?
She recalled that quite a few peers in the same class already had fiancés.
'...That's right. Having a fiancé isn't that big a deal. I must have been thinking strange thoughts all by myself.'
"Are you okay? You look exhausted."
While Lucia was mired in self-deprecating thoughts, Atlas noticed the change in her expression and stroked her forehead.
His small hand, stretched upward to touch her forehead, was incredibly cool.
"Ah.. no, I'm fine!!"
Surprised, the words just burst out.
She was truly exhausted, yet she had said she was fine.
Realizing he was worried about her, the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifted.
"Come to think of it... you came out of the Swordsmanship Research Club room over there, right...?"
Afraid she might be grinning too widely, she pulled herself together and controlled her expression.
"Yeah, that's right. I asked to be put in as the vanguard for this exchange meeting."
"...Atlas, you're not in the Swordsmanship Research Club."
"I'm participating because I want to."
It was strange.
Atlas always insisted on keeping a low profile, saying he had no intention of seriously caring about his grades.
Most club activities affected grades, so everyone worked hard at them, but Atlas always refused any club invitations.
And that Atlas was joining the Swordsmanship Exchange Tournament?
It wasn't just sparring; countless eyes would be fixed on him in the arena. She couldn't believe he said he would do that.
"Um... I heard a rumor that the Swordsmanship Research Club president is your older sister... are you doing it because of that..?"
That reminded her of the rumor that Swordsmanship Research Club president Hera Nemea and Atlas Nemea were blood relatives.
"No. I just got into a fight with those guys a moment ago. Gonna settle it."
"You got into a fight??"
Without batting an eye, Atlas continued.
"At an exchange meeting, you can legally beat them to a pulp. Right?"
"Atlas... you do know... what the word exchange meeting (交流會) means, right?"
An exchange meeting meant a gathering of people to share distinguished achievements or experiences and form friendships.
Evidently, it felt entirely different to Atlas.
"Of course I know what it means."
"...The exchange meeting prohibits excessive violence.."
"I won't go overboard. You'll come watch tomorrow, right? I'll show you something fun, so look forward to it."
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That night, I went to bed early.
Since the exchange meeting was tomorrow, I wanted to get my body in peak condition.
Outside the window, the moon, just shy of becoming full, glowed dimly.
'...?'
Suddenly, I woke from my sleep.
It was because someone had entered the room in the middle of the night.
They had opened the door soundlessly and were holding their breath, but I could tell instantly.
'Who dares...'
Was it an assassin sent from somewhere to kill me?
Too many people came to mind.
If they came within arm's reach, I would snap their neck immediately.
Pretending not to notice I was awake, I waited only for the intruder to draw closer.
-Kkiik..
The bed tilted slightly.
Not content with just entering, it seemed they had climbed onto the bed.
They must have thought I was completely asleep.
This was close enough.
The intruder climbed on top of my body.
At that moment, I tried to bolt upright and subdue them, but I couldn't move my body.
"....Atlas, wake up."
It was because a fresh citrus scent brushed the tip of my nose.
"If you don't wake up, I'm just going to eat you up like this...?"