Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: The Storm is Coming (1)
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*Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling.*
“The storm is coming—block your windows and count how many candles you have.”
Dylan dashed through the entire dormitory, ringing the handbell that signaled an emergency.
The cadet named Michelle, who had been struck by lightning and collapsed, had surprisingly not been badly injured.
The safety gear she’d worn for work had saved her life.
I gazed at the underclassmen bustling outside the window, carrying boxes and wooden planks, then drew the curtains over the window.
The thick velour curtains, replaced in preparation for winter, plunged the room into darkness in an instant.
*Knock knock.*
“Cadet Arma Cruise. Are you in?”
The moment the room went dark, someone knocked as if they’d been waiting.
It was an unfamiliar voice, and the excessively polite tone marked them as a servant for sure.
I hid my loaded gun behind my back and slowly opened the door.
“What is it?”
“My apologies for the sudden visit. It’s regarding a request for cooperation from the Student Council.”
“A request for cooperation?”
The Student Council often asked for help from upperclassmen like us, who were taking advanced courses.
The servant flung open the inner lining of his jacket, fully exposing his pockets, and pulled out a letter sealed with wax.
Without letting the servant notice, I set the gun down on the wall-mounted organizer inside my room and picked up the paper knife beside it.
*Rip.*
“…Request for short-term group lodging due to shortage of daily necessities among cadets…”
“With the final exams canceled, all cadets are staying at the academy, and they say the prepared daily necessities aren’t enough.”
Even so, a shortage of daily necessities?
That didn’t make sense.
This was an officer academy that trained elites, after all.
Aegis Academy’s policy was that in case of sudden war, underclassmen would barricade the gates and hold out, while upperclassmen commissioned as officers would form cadet battalions and land.
“That doesn’t add up. From what I know, the academy always stockpiles enough supplies for the entire student body to last at least a year.”
“One of the ground warehouses was hit by lightning today and burned. The rain put out the fire quickly, but everything directly struck became trash. And of all things, that warehouse held the consumable daily necessities…”
“Oh no.”
Of all the bad luck to pile up like this.
I skimmed the official document carefully, then nodded.
“Understood. Does the Council decide which cadets will lodge together?”
“No, they left it to individual choice. Even merging with cadets from other dorms is fine.”
“Got it.”
Hearing that brought certain faces to mind.
Truth be told, I’d been keeping my distance from Theodore because of that awkward thing I’d done unconsciously the past few days.
But I hadn’t gotten to ask about the diary yet, and time was just slipping by, which nagged at me. This could be a chance to casually probe.
‘With Arthur there, I won’t lose control and do anything to Theodore.’
...And above all, that official document I’d found in Dylan’s room, marked for intensive monitoring, stuck in my mind.
Was it really coincidence that right after the magic ban was lifted, an order came down to monitor the top students from each class?
Having relayed all the information, the servant bowed politely.
“Then I’ll be off. We’re on 24-hour emergency standby until the typhoon passes, so call if there’s any issue.”
“Thank you for your trouble.”
The servant bowed politely once more and vanished with quick steps.
Even with all this rain, not a drop on his clothes—must have a massive umbrella.
I holstered the pistol from the shelf and prepared to head out.
“Arma.”
Before the storm worsened, I grabbed my raincoat and umbrella and stepped out, only to run into Dylan right at the door.
“Dylan. I was just about to look for you—about the club activities—”
“Ah, yeah. Club activities are a real pain. Of all times, a typhoon when the young master decided to make the trek. Let’s talk about that after the storm passes.”
“Sure.”
Then Dylan grinned, dimples flashing, giving me that look like he knew exactly where I was headed.
“Off to find a roommate for the group lodging?”
“Yeah. You too?”
“For me, it’s basically set—whoever it is.”
True to his reputation as a nosy old fossil, Dylan had my social circle pegged perfectly.
And I knew this lonely fossil’s circle just as well.
“One’s Eliya... don’t tell me Isaiah too?”
“Yeah. Eliya’s a guy, so he gets the parlor. Giving Isaiah the dressing room.”
“I see. As expected, I was planning to bring the two from Thorn Crown House.”
“Wind’s picking up—umbrella might not hold. Hurry.”
“Got it.”
Dylan hummed a tune as he walked off.
With a long way to go, I said goodbye to Dylan and hurried on.
*Knock knock.*
“…Yes.”
No time like the present, so I went straight to Theodore first.
I was curious what face he’d make seeing me.
Tension mixed with a strange anticipation.
But Theodore just stared at me blankly.
No different from usual.
“Heard about the group lodging?”
“Yes.”
“If it’s okay with you and Arthur, I’d like you to come to my room. Unless you’ve already found someone else.”
“No. I’ll get him now.”
Contrary to his words, Theodore stepped back into his room and headed to the window.
Then he flung a tin can tied to a string on the windowsill.
*Clang!*
The can sailed down merrily, tapping a window somewhere below.
“No way—a string telephone?”
“It’s a magic tool, believe it or not.”
A magic tool that looked that shabby?
It was just two tin cans on a string, like the ones I played with as a kid.
I silently stared at the ingenious invention of Theodore, who’d be an adult next year.
“Arthur. Arma Cruise says let’s group lodge until the storm passes.”
Theodore finished and took his mouth from the can.
“Got it.”
Whether it really was a magic tool, Arthur’s voice came through clearly without even holding it to my ear.
Theodore wound up the string from the string telephone he’d sent down to Arthur’s room, saying he’d be right there.
It was a shame only I got to see these two academy elites acting like idiots.
“Then let’s go.”
Theodore grabbed just an emergency bag all cadets were required to prepare and a wooden box of food.
Considering we’d live together for nearly a week, it was spartan.
“No more luggage? Not even books?”
“I’m good.”
With that, Theodore donned the black robe designed exclusively for Thorn Crown Class cadets and left his room.
I followed Theodore out, glancing anxiously at the organized chaos of his room.
‘No boards on the windows, candles still lit. Nag him now and I’ll seem like an old fogey?’
My mouth itched.
If I didn’t say something, someone else would—and better me than a stranger, right?
As I thought that, Theodore calmly changed his shoes and said,
“—Full lockdown, lights out.”
*Bang!*
*Clunk!*
No sooner had he spoken than the board leaning against the wardrobe slid across the floor and snapped up to seal the window.
‘The curtain’s still there...’
The curtain I’d overlooked got caught between the window and board.
But our dignified young master Theodore didn’t bat an eye.
*Whooosh!*
A small wind started from Theodore’s desk, circling the room’s edges and snuffing out all four candles.
‘Papers are flying everywhere...’
Of course, it scattered the papers he’d just stacked on the desk, but Theodore ignored the mishap.
Right after the magic ban lifted, he’d prepared this lazy routine.
And it wasn’t even precise.
Seeing this always confirmed he was a black mage through and through.
“Now let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
We descended the stairs to Arthur’s room together.
Arthur had finished preparing too—just a wooden box of supplies and an emergency bag, like Theodore.
The only difference was the sword belt and sword the swordsman Arthur wore extra.
“How’s your condition?”
Arthur looked up from checking his sword belt and asked me.
I lightly tapped my stomach where I’d been shot.
“As you see, good as new. Divine power kicked in late or something—suddenly healed right up.”
“…Good to hear.”
Arthur pulled up the hood on his robe, his hair falling naturally.
Thorn Crown Class students seemed allergic to umbrellas.
To the two fully geared up, I said,
“Mind stopping by the kennel on the way? Want to bring Cookie.”
“Cookie?”
“You wouldn’t have seen her, Theodore. She’s an assistance dog for major classes. But she has separation anxiety—goes nuts alone during storms.”
“Understood.”
Arthur just nodded.
And so we braved the now torrential rain, crossing from the kennel through Wood Cross Class dormitory in an epic trek.
*Snort.*
Seeing three people, excited Cookie snorted, soaked to the bone.
Then she crouched to shake.
“Whoa, careful.”
I threw a blanket over her in time.
Cookie wriggled happily inside until satisfied, then panted by the parlor fireplace, claiming her spot.
“Sorry for the dog inconvenience, but bear with it. Room’s big enough.”
“No worries.”
Theodore and Arthur shook rain from their robes’ surfaces, then hung them on the left and right hooks at the entrance.
The waterproof robes visibly dried fluffy in real time.
I ushered them inside and took their luggage to sort.
“And sorry again—one of you has to use the parlor next to my bedroom. I’ll drag a partition from the bathroom to make a divider, so hang in there.”
“Then I’ll—”
“No, Theo. You take the dressing room.”
“…”
Arthur cut in, interrupting Theodore.
Theodore tilted his head but agreed and took his bag to the dressing room.
“Door’s safer.”
“Oh.”
Hearing that jogged my memory—Arthur was mindful of Theodore’s sleepwalking.
And that after the sleepwalking incident, I still hadn’t asked Theodore about my diary.