Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Light (2)
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"...If you fail the exam, you'll try again?"
Clemence asked Wedin, who was sitting across from her. She was picking up the earlier conversation.
In the meantime, the coachman started the carriage. The large metal box pulled by two horses began rumbling forward.
"It'd be great if Wedin went to the same school as us."
Clemence said it innocently, but Wedin let out a choking sound.
"You guys are going to an advanced general school. I want to go to knight school."
"Clemence, that was basically telling Wedin to fail the entrance exam."
I chuckled from my seat by the window. Clemence blinked in surprise.
"Oh, really...? I just thought it'd be nice if we could all study together with Wedin and Lib. But general school is fine too, right?"
"Yeah, except you can't join a knight order even after graduating."
"I heard even knight school graduates often can't join knight orders."
Clemence pointed out the harsh reality with an innocent face.
Knight school graduation exams are notoriously tough, so many drop out, repeat a year, or join other orders without graduating.
I knew it well from Shuren, who was agonizing over his upcoming exam.
"Holy magic is okay, though. It's not that hard."
Wedin pouted as he spoke.
"That's a relief, but... I'm a little sad we won't be at the same school as Wedin."
As Clemence looked downcast, Wedin tried to console her somehow.
"W-well. Knight school and general school aren't that far apart, and they're both in the same city anyway. We can meet up and hang out anytime."
"I heard knight school has tons of classes and homework. And festival prep too."
"Oh yeah, the festival. Lib, Wedin, we're going to check it out together this time, right? You didn't forget our promise?"
I succeeded in shifting Clemence's attention to the festival talk.
Wedin sighed in relief and nodded.
As the carriage headed down toward Prion's central street, we chattered about the festival events.
The masked ball at Arton Commemoration Square, various performances, fireworks, and parades from all walks of life throughout the festival.
The festival was still a week away, but the whole city was already buzzing with excitement—we weren't the only ones.
"And before that, Lib's birthday."
Clemence couldn't hide her anticipation.
The day before the festival began was the second weekend of autumn—my twelfth birthday.
We always invited lots of people for birthdays and treated them to food, but since moving to Prion, the guest list had grown.
"Wedin, you're sleeping over at Lib's place again, right?"
"I was planning to, but..."
"This time, we'll stay up all night."
Clemence got fired up at Wedin's words.
I just smiled.
We'd all crash in an instant anyway.
Clemence always declared she'd stay up all night on birthdays but fell asleep first.
Then the next morning, she'd indignantly complain about wasting a night we could've stayed up.
"Huh."
Looking out the window, I spotted something odd.
Dozens of carriages lined up far ahead.
From Prion's central street all the way to the White Guard headquarters, the jam stretched endlessly.
Our carriage was crawling along too.
What was going on?
Even with crowds, traffic never backed up this bad.
"What's wrong?"
"Something must be happening."
Clemence and Wedin crowded to my window. With three twelve-year-olds leaning one way, the carriage tilted and jolted.
Soon, our carriage ground to a halt in the jam.
The coachman told us we couldn't make it to Erban Medical Center by carriage.
It wasn't far to the medical center. No need for a carriage anyway.
"Let's get out."
Clemence hopped down first, followed by Wedin and me. The streets were packed on foot too because of the jam. Everyone had curious faces like us, wondering what was up.
As we walked along, we realized the atmosphere was off.
Something serious was definitely happening.
Prius knights were everywhere—far more than usual—and all looked tense.
They marched in formation somewhere or stood blocking streets, controlling the crowd.
"I wonder what it is..."
Clemence gripped my hand a bit fearfully.
"Maybe the knight order practicing for the festival parade?"
"No way."
Wedin's casual guess was ridiculous, but it made me chuckle a little.
Clemence let out a small "pfft."
A bit more relaxed, we reached the street where Erban Medical Center was just across.
Prius knights stood in a long line, cordoning off both sides of the road. The center lane was clear, like for a parade, as Wedin said.
Some knights spotted us and started murmuring.
They recognized Clemence, granddaughter of the White Guard Knight. Her bright silver hair stood out from afar.
One approached with a surprised face.
"Miss Clemence? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, hello."
We greeted him lightly.
He crouched to our eye level and said awkwardly,
"You can't come this way. We're about to start an important mission."
"But we have to go to the medical center for checkups..."
Clemence spoke for me.
The knight repeated "medical center?" and thought for a moment.
"Understood. I'll lead the way—just stay close behind me, all three of you."
"Yes. Thank you."
The knight nodded curtly and started walking ahead.
We held hands tight and crossed the wide street behind him.
Passing the center, I glanced back on impulse.
The knights' long column snaked down the hill, through the square, all the way to Prion's gates. An enormous distance.
That procession had stopped all the carriages.
"Really parade prep?"
Wedin muttered again, but the knights' tension was suffocating—not parade vibes.
"Here we are, at the medical center."
The knight stopped at Erban Medical Center's entrance and turned to us.
Fewer knights here; some medical staff watched the scene.
"Don't leave the medical center until the knight order's mission ends. All three of you. Got it?"
We nodded obediently and said yes. Curiosity burned, but the kind knight returned to his post.
"He said 'mission,' right? Awesome. What kind?"
Wedin's face was flushed with tension and excitement.
"If they need that many knights, it's probably dangerous."
I reasoned cautiously, but Wedin shook his head.
"If it were that dangerous, Clemence's grandpa wouldn't let her out. And he wasn't back there anyway."
"True..."
Clemence's grandfather, White Guard Knight Petron Lesis, doted on her fiercely.
He'd never let her out for anything risky.
"I hope it's really just festival prep."
Clemence said worriedly.
"Yeah, some super important festival prep mission?"
"Yeah, something like that."
Clemence smiled at Wedin's words, and I finally managed a smile too.
"Alright, we're done."
As soon as Grain finished speaking, I put my clothes back on.
A full-length mirror in the exam room reflected the huge, ugly scar perfectly.
The red scar stretched from my left shoulder across my chest to my right side—long and wide.
A wound so severe, surviving was a miracle.
Even as my body grew, the scar and its aftereffects lingered.
"So, how often do you cough these days?"
"Two or three times a day."
Grain sat at his desk, scribbling notes.
I answered honestly. The questions seemed trivial.
How much he ate, sleep hours, if he played outside often.
Grain asked so casually, like they didn't matter, I almost believed they didn't.
"Hmm, I see..."
He paused his pen, staring at his notes.
I got distracted, listening to Clemence and Wedin's chatter outside.
The waiting room was packed with holy magic tools collected by Grain the holy mage.
Wedin and Clemence were happily inspecting them.
"Eat more, Lib. No skipping breakfast."
"Yes..."
"And exercise steadily. It'll be tough, but push as far as you can. That's how you'll grow tall and strong like Shuren."
I nodded.
Poor stamina. Seizures drained all my strength.
Grain worried repeats would harm me.
"I'll prescribe medicine. I'll tell your father—take it without fail."
"Uh..."
I widened my eyes in shock.
"Is it that bad? Do I really need medicine?"
Anxiety flooded in.
Except for the first year or so in Prion, Grain hadn't prescribed any lately.
Seeing my alarm, Grain approached, surprised.
"No, no... it's just supplements. To help you grow healthy. You can take it, right?"
Not fully convinced, I nodded anyway.
Grain smiled approvingly.
"Morning and evening. Eat well, sleep well, and you'll improve fast."
So my condition was bad. No wonder I felt drained.
"Yes..."
"Good, checkup's over. Head home?"
Grain stood, his long white cloak-like robe billowing.
I said no and got down from the chair, readjusting my loose pant leg into the ankle brace.
"I have to go to the tower."
"The tower? Class?"
"Yes."
Grain went to the window, parted the curtains, and peered out.
He thought a moment, then turned back.
"I'll take you. I was heading out anyway."
"Because of the knights' mission outside?"
"...Yeah."
Grain gave a wry smile, like he had no choice.
"Not the best time for kids to wander without guardians."
"What's going on?"
I seized the chance.
Grain looked troubled, hesitating to speak as he headed out.
Clemence and Wedin jumped up from the sofa.
"Lib, done?"
"Yeah."
Clemence grilled Grain about my condition, so I never heard his answer.
"It's not my place to comment, since I'm not with the knight order."
Only after leaving Erban Medical Center and walking the corridor to White Guard HQ did Grain finally say it.
But before I could argue it was all under Prius anyway... we spotted the knight order's big mission at a glance.