PTSD Military Chaplain of the Academy

The restaurant that Jericho and I found together was the same one I had previously visited with Professor Esther.

It was the place that served deliciously cooked venison. At first glance, it looked like a place where a chef who reminded me of an old comrade worked.

The restaurant I returned to had been slightly remodeled for the spring season. The tables set on the spacious terrace, which had a sense of openness, looked charming.

“Um… Professor Lucio?”

“…Professor Esther?”

And meeting Professor Esther there was purely by chance.

Thinking back, she had said that she often came here. It was surprising that I hadn’t thought of her being here on the weekend.

Professor Esther, whom I unexpectedly encountered, suggested that my group join her.

The restaurant was quite bustling due to the weekend, so it seemed inevitable that we would end up sharing a table with someone. Rather than that, joining Professor Esther seemed like a good idea, so we sat with her.

Looking back, perhaps we should have reconsidered.

“I see~. You teach theology at the Caldera Imperial Academy, right?”

“…Ah, yes.”

I nodded while absentmindedly poking at the food on my plate in response to the woman’s probing gaze.

Her fiery red hair seemed to burn brightly, and her eyes, which looked closer to red than scarlet, sparkled.

She introduced herself as Natasha and seemed quite unique for someone saying she was a friend of Professor Esther.

Dressed in a pristine white shirt with one or two buttons undone and a tailored skirt that reached her waist, she struck a balance between neat and somehow daring.

Whether it was due to her extravagant earrings or the necklace hanging around her neck, it was clear that she presented a stark contrast to the poised image of Professor Esther.

Despite having a somewhat light and daring atmosphere, she didn’t appear to be shallow or crude. It was likely the old-world charm that emanated from her every gesture, which was hard to hide.

‘Is she a noble?’

Even though the authority of the nobility has diminished significantly, the mannerisms and conversational styles typical of nobles are widely recognized. Such signs were evident in Natasha.

“Ah, the eldest daughter of Count Ribov?”

My curiosity was quickly resolved. Jericho, who had quietly been slicing the venison, unexpectedly spoke up first.

It seemed that Natasha, who was enthusiastically chatting with Professor Esther, Sofia, and Nina, had not heard Jericho’s mumbling. I discreetly leaned closer to Jericho, whispering.

“Are you referring to the Count Ribov?”

“Hmm. I heard that the Count Ribov has two daughters and one son, and that the eldest daughter, who will inherit the title, wears a ring on her left pinky finger?”

“Ah…”

I wasn’t a heraldic expert. I only knew she wore a ring, not that it was a signet ring.

“The coat of arms of Count Ribov features a red-haired eagle with two heads and a spear slanted diagonally… If distinguishing the coat of arms is difficult, you can recognize it by that fiery hair.”

“Now that you mention it, it is true. The Adelhaid Ducal House can also be identified by appearance…”

Nobles often inherit the traits from their bloodline. Even when marrying into another noble family, the prominent traits of their genealogy are genetically passed down. The Adelhaid Ducal House’s white hair and red eyes exist for this reason.

Furthermore, the noble lineage is destined to be divided when it comes to titles. The higher the title, the more pure-blooded and untainted individuals tend to be.

Thus, nobles can usually determine their roots through appearance. Jericho nodded at my words, stuffed a piece of venison into his mouth, and mumbled.

“Well, after all, Count Ribov is a cadet branch of the Adelhaid Ducal House.”

“…What?”

A cadet branch of the Adelhaid Ducal House? This was the first I had heard of it. Then again, I didn’t know much about nobles.

“Did you not know? The ancestors of Count Ribov originally had red hair. They had red hair and golden eyes.”

“Then why…”

“Count Ribov, the sole son of that ancestor, married the second daughter of the founder of the Adelhaid Ducal House. From the next generation onward, the appearance of the Adelhaid Ducal House began to mix. Since that one marriage, these traces have continued until now. Blood is indeed a fearsome thing.”

Red hair mixed with white hair, and golden eyes intertwined with red ones.

Initially, a child might have been born who inherited the stronger blood of the second daughter of the Adelhaid Ducal House, possessing white hair and red eyes.

However, over the course of time, it was unavoidable that they would have grown lighter.

Even so, that strong bloodline still remained. Attributed to fiery red hair and eye colors that leaned closer to red.

It was quite an interesting story because narratives about the background of nobles weren’t easily accessible.

It was a fitting tale to share during a meal, so I listened intently while finishing my food.

No, I tried to continue.

“Professor Antorelli, is your meal to your liking?”

Before I knew it, Natasha, who had subtly withdrawn her presence from the ladies’ side, casually struck up a conversation with me.

“Yes. In fact, I have been here before.”

“Oh my. Is that so? It’s quite a famous restaurant, but it’s not easily accessible because it’s only known among acquaintances…”

As she said that, her glances toward her friend, Professor Esther, seemed sly. After taking a sip of water, she continued.

“Or perhaps you came with Esther?”

“…Yes. It was Professor Esther who first introduced me to this place.”

“I see. Hmm…”

After finishing her statement, she began to scan me and Jericho from head to toe.

Her gaze showed no signs of pretension or courtesy. Nobles usually paid much attention to such things, but it seemed Natasha didn’t.

“Um, so…”

“You can just call me Natasha.”

“Yes. Is Natasha a close friend of Professor Esther?”

“Of course. We’ve been inseparable friends since childhood.”

In other words, she meant childhood friends.

‘This is… quite surprising.’

It was fascinating to see Professor Esther engage in such casual conversation. While she wasn’t shy or extremely introverted, she didn’t have anyone else at the Academy to chat with or spend time with other than me or Sofia, who shared lunch with her every day.

I fixed my gaze on Natasha. She was already staring straight at my face.

“Now you’re looking this way? Just a moment ago, you wouldn’t meet my eyes.”

“I apologize for my rudeness.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not really the type to worry about those things, anyway.”

It seems so.

After staring at me for a while, Natasha’s eyes slowly closed, as if she had come to some understanding. The slight upward curve of her lips seemed to reflect her mood.

“Hmm… Are you quite close with my friend?”

“I generally spend a lot of time without formality with Professor Esther. We have lunch together and…”

“I see, I see…”

I couldn’t quite understand the intention behind her question. What was she trying to get at?

No matter, Natasha proceeded with her second question.

“What do you think of Esther?”

“…Professor Esther is a trustworthy colleague.”

“…Is that all?”

“Is there more I should say?”

“No, not really, but…”

With a furrowed brow, Natasha fell into thought for a moment. I, with her in front of me, continued to clear my plate.

“Then.”

Not long after, Natasha opened her eyes and slowly began to speak.

“Has there ever been a moment when your perspective on Esther was a bit different?”

“A different perspective, as in… what…?”

“I mean, have you ever seen her as a woman?”

“…Isn’t Professor Esther a woman?”

“No, I don’t mean that… ha…”

I had no idea what she was trying to ask. I looked over at Professor Esther and Sofia, who were still chatting while chewing on their venison and asparagus. Occasionally, their glances over here seemed abnormal.

“So, what I’m trying to say is… have you ever felt any romantic feelings towards Esther?”

“Are you referring to Professor Esther?”

Natasha nodded. I twirled my fork pondering for a moment.

If asking whether I had romantic feelings for Professor Esther… well, I could honestly say that it wasn’t entirely non-existent. Professor Esther’s warm demeanor had an undeniable charm.

That was true of my memories on the bench where I first met her during last year’s entrance ceremony, and also during the recollection of a weekend stroll in the chilly autumn night. I nodded, albeit with a slightly sheepish expression.

“…It’s not completely absent.”

“Hmm… Then there might still be a possibility…”

“Yes?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just have a separate issue on my mind… ahaha…”

Natasha awkwardly laughed and then continued her meal cheerfully. I didn’t have the desire to pry further, so I quietly enjoyed my food alongside Jericho.

In the end, I couldn’t grasp the true intention behind Natasha’s questions until the meal came to an end.

* * * * *

“Hmm. Quite satisfying. I believe I will be coming here more often in the future.”

“Is that so?”

If it’s good news, I should say I’m relieved that Jericho seemed to quite enjoy the food here. Nina, who had been following him closely, nodded in satisfaction as well.

“It was really delicious. Thank you for introducing such a wonderful place, Professor.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Nina maintained a bright smile throughout. I didn’t know what kind of conversation they had at the restaurant, but at least that smile never faded.

“Sofia, Sub-priest.”

“……”

In contrast, Sofia appeared quite uncomfortable. This discomfort had continued since she left the restaurant with Esther and Natasha earlier.

“Is there something bothering you?”

“…I think I’m quite greedy, to be honest.”

“Pardon?”

“…No! It’s nothing! Hehe…”

At least she quickly returned to her usual self; if she had continued to look gloomy, I would have pressed her for the reason.

Holding hands with the now back-to-normal Sofia, we continued walking back to the Academy. I still couldn’t figure out why Jericho was accompanying Nina.

As we strolled to help digest the meal, the Academy’s main gate began to come into view.

“Professor Antorelli.”

At that moment, Jericho finally broke his heavy silence.

He seemed to be carefully choosing his words, fidgeting as he often did. This was unusual behavior for him.

“Is something wrong?”

“…Is there anything strange happening at the Academy?”

“Strange? Not particularly.”

If I had to pinpoint something, it would probably be Dean Damian’s sudden long-term business trip…

There seemed to be no need to explain that much. I had no information about that trip anyway, and Jericho likely knew more about it than I did.

As I casually answered, Jericho hesitated and appeared to contemplate as we reached a fork in the path.

“That will do.”

He turned away simply after saying that.

As he took a few steps away, Jericho abruptly turned back towards me.

“Perhaps, though this is just a ‘what if’… if anything strange were to happen at the Academy, message the Order’s branch immediately.”

“…Are we caught up in something strange again?”

“Due to national security laws, I cannot go into details. I apologize.”

His serious expression naturally evoked a sense of tension. As he observed my slightly stiff face, Jericho nodded and turned around once more.

“I think it would be best to maintain that tension as much as possible. Do not let there be any issues that arise without notifying the Order’s branch.”

“…Understood.”

“Professor! Sub-priest! I look forward to seeing you both again!”

Since he mentioned he couldn’t discuss it further due to security laws, I had no reason to pry. I simply nodded and silently watched Jericho and Nina wave as they gradually distanced themselves.

“…Is something unusual going to happen again?”

Sofia looked up at me with a worried expression. All I could do was grip her hand a little tighter.

“…It’ll be fine.”

Although I said it, anxiety would surely take root as a seed.

I just hoped it wouldn’t sprout.

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