PTSD Military Chaplain of the Academy

Chloe stiffly caressed the tie fastened at the collar of her school uniform.

The red tie was a testament to her becoming a second-year student at the Caldera Imperial Academy. A slight sense of awkwardness and déjà vu tickled Chloe’s heart.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Elin….”

Chloe turned around at the sound of the voice calling her name. Elin, also wearing a red tie, was crossing her arms and looking at Chloe.

“Just….”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, not really. I’m just feeling a bit strange.”

“What’s strange?”

Chloe turned her gaze away without saying anything. The empty classroom came into view.

“…They’re probably having class in another classroom now?”

“Well… I guess so. Second-year students basically use the second floor.”

Slowly walking deeper into the classroom, Chloe brushed her fingers over the desks lined along the wide central aisle. The feel of well-polished wood.

‘So much has happened.’

She had attended classes in the annex and various laboratories and lecture halls, but this place was where she had taken the most classes.

The integrated lecture hall for first-year class A, where they studied basic magic theory along with common subjects like language and liberal arts. Among them, her theology lessons in this very room felt like something from a distant past.

The first class, the first meeting, the first impression. So many experiences had taken place here, and thus, it was a place filled with the rich resonance of memories.

‘Now… our juniors will use it.’

Chloe’s fingertips felt a rough texture as she swept over the desk.

Young, spirited students in their late teens. The desks that had faced the vibrant youth of such students were filled with faint scribbles that had likely been inscribed long ago.

Next to them, the clear scribbles that hadn’t worn away suggested that some students from the A class, like Chloe, had also left their marks.

With slightly nostalgic eyes surveying the classroom, a slightly sulky tone interrupted her thoughts.

“Well, this is just… Anyone would think you’re graduating.”

“…….”

“Don’t be so gloomy; let’s go. Everyone will probably be gathered in the auditorium by now.”

Elin was right. It was just moving up to the second year, and yet, why was she so emotionally affected?

If she felt like this going to the second year, would she not end up crying her eyes out at graduation, not wanting to leave the academy? Chloe found herself worrying about that.

“Right… What time does the entrance ceremony start?”

“Eight-thirty. There’s about fifteen minutes left.”

Nodding, Chloe looked at the clock on one side of the classroom wall. The clock was ticking away steadily and silently, doing its job without complaint.

– 57 seconds… 58 seconds… 59 seconds…! They will be coming in now!

She remembered how she had eagerly awaited Professor Antorelli’s entrance into the classroom, a quirky professor who always managed to surprise his students with his brilliant lessons.

At first, he had seemed terrifying and rather prickly, but as she got to know him better, Chloe realized he was not that type of person.

He was a kind man. Rather than calling him kind, it would be more accurate to say he was warm-hearted. He cared deeply for his students, much more than his icy, intelligent façade suggested.

Chloe truly respected him.

– But… Student Chloe. In the end, the only one you can rely on is yourself.

– That…

Why was that? The conversation they had shared while walking along the beach at night during last year’s Grade-by-Grade Duel flickered vaguely in her mind.

Chloe’s expression became a bit dazed. Though she continued moving toward the front of the classroom, her thoughts were elsewhere.

That night, under starlight, with moonlit waves crashing and reflecting silvery light, on a midsummer night.

The warm wind and the distant sounds of insects accompanied her quickening heartbeat. The faint horn of a cargo ship echoed from afar. The refreshing sound of waves breaking against the sand.

And then, standing right next to Chloe, Professor Antorelli stood out sharply due to their height difference.

He gazed at Chloe with kind eyes. His usual glasses were missing, and he squinted slightly to get a closer look at Chloe’s face. The gap between them felt narrower somehow, as his deep, resonant voice washed over her.

– If even I do not believe in myself, then there will be no one in this world to believe in me.

On that day, Chloe felt enchanted. No, perhaps she was already enchanted.

A curse that no one could remove, but it didn’t harm Chloe at all, rendering it more akin to magic. Chloe still doesn’t know the name of that magic, with colors softly blooming like her own hair.

“Chloe! We really have to go now!”

Chloe snapped out of her thoughts entirely thanks to Elin’s call. Elin, still standing at the back door of the classroom, had now turned to Chloe, urging her as time was running out.

“Right, I’ll be there soon.”

“Sigh… I also want to stop by the restroom.”

“…Or you could go to the restroom first? I promise I’ll be there really, really soon.”

“…Hurry up then!”

Elin, seemingly urgent, didn’t refuse Chloe’s suggestion and quickly disappeared. She had been a bit on edge earlier, likely trying to hold in her urge to use the restroom.

Chloe chuckled to herself as she gazed at her slightly clumsy friend disappearing through the back door. Yet her feet kept moving toward her destination, and soon Chloe found herself standing at the front of the classroom, about to step up onto the podium.

Once on the podium, Chloe looked around the classroom one more time. From the back, she hadn’t noticed it, but from the front, the view of the classroom took on a different meaning.

The long, semi-circular benches looked incredibly clear, and Chloe felt she could easily spot any students dozing off in class.

In a somewhat childish manner, she felt a strange sense of omnipotence as she stared blankly at the classroom.

‘…How childish.’

Childish, but it didn’t matter. For some reason, she felt as if she were standing right next to Professor Antorelli.

He was known for catching students dozing off or fooling around in class, and standing on the podium where the entire classroom could be seen, along with his notably tall stature, made it easy for him to keep everyone on their toes.

“Good to see you, everyone.”

That was the line Professor Antorelli always said before starting his class. Chloe found herself mumbling it under her breath.

“…Good to see you.”

“What’s so good about it?”

“Ahhhh—!!”

Startled by the low, deep voice from her left, Chloe instinctively jumped and screamed. Her heart raced at the sudden turn of events.

The front door of the classroom was open. Since when?

No, that wasn’t what was important right now.

More importantly, standing propped in the doorway was Professor Antorelli, arms crossed.

“…You would think I saw a monster, Miss Chloe.”

“A-m-monster…!”

“…….”

Professor Antorelli’s eyebrows twitched slightly but didn’t show any real anger.

Letting out a soft sigh, he began striding into the classroom, utilizing his long legs to close the distance.

He crossed the threshold, climbed the short stairs, and approached the podium where Chloe stood. It was the path he always took, but today it felt different since Chloe was standing at the end. Chloe’s eyes began to dart around in uncertainty.

“So, what were you doing here? All alone.”

“Uh, um….”

‘Admitting I was mimicking Professor Antorelli is something I’ll take to my grave!’

Chloe clamped her mouth shut. She had been acting alone and hadn’t joined the gathering until now, so punishment was certain. It was a done deal.

“Yes?”

“I was, um, well….”

Chloe stuttered, her eyes darting as she spoke, and soon she squeezed her eyes shut. For some reason, she felt like crying.

‘Geez…. I shouldn’t have stayed here alone feeling sorry for myself…. What is this….’

At first, she wanted to cry, but soon her thoughts shifted to blaming Professor Antorelli. Why did he have to walk in at such a timing?

If one were to nitpick, he may have come to find Chloe for not arriving at the auditorium before the entrance ceremony began. But for Chloe, facing one of her greatest embarrassments, such details didn’t matter. She looked up at Professor Antorelli with a gaze filled with resentment.

Despite her expression, Professor Antorelli stepped closer, turned to survey the classroom, and said,

“…It’s a bit embarrassing to say this, but.”

He didn’t show any signs of intending to scold her. Instead, with slightly glowing eyes, he continued looking around the classroom.

“I’ve grown a bit attached to this classroom.”

“…Huh?”

Chloe’s earlier irritation faded as she looked up at Professor Antorelli in surprise at his unexpected statement. He didn’t spare her a glance, still gazing into the classroom as he continued.

“After all, I’ve spent a year here. It will become the freshmen’s soon enough, but it’s a little bittersweet to leave the classroom where I held so many lectures.”

“R-right….”

“Above all, being on the first floor makes it convenient, doesn’t it? No need to go up and down the stairs.”

“…Huh?”

Chloe, absorbed in thinking about Professor Antorelli’s words, suddenly realized he had made a ‘joke’ and gave him a surprised expression.

Professor Antorelli made a joke?

“…Anyway, now you’re a second-year student, aren’t you, Miss Chloe?”

“Y-yeah… Yes, that’s right….”

“So, it’s best not to dwell too much on past memories, even if they are trivial.”

As Professor Antorelli said this, his expression appeared somewhat…

“…I’ve rambled on for too long.”

He looked a bit bittersweet.

Simultaneously, he also seemed quite relieved.

“We should start heading to the auditorium, Miss Chloe.”

“Ah, yes….”

Chloe followed behind Professor Antorelli, her thoughts drifting.

Looking at his broad back, hardly concealed by the plain black priest’s robe, she pondered.

‘Maybe…’

His earlier words were his way of comforting her.

That ticklish thought lingered.

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