The Academy’s Crude Pink-Haired Martial Artist

I quietly gazed at Adelia’s crimson eyes.

“Do you really think your thoughts and feelings won’t change?”

What is the intention behind this question? Can I really keep Yurasia by my side for a lifetime? No matter what happens?

“That’s a given.”

“The secret of Yurasia—”

“Stop.”

I interrupted Adelia.

“That’s not something you should hear.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to know beforehand?”

“That might be true. Well, I knew Yurasia had a secret… Yes, I knew. However, I’ve decided to hear it from Yurasia herself.”

Yurasia’s secret.

What it is, or what it’s related to, I can’t tell. I can only guess from the fact that Yurasia goes back to her family home once a month.

I’m curious too.

Why does her expression always seem off every time she returns home?

What’s with the smell of blood when she comes back from there?

And why has she been keeping her distance, not allowing me to pet her hair? I’d like to ask.

But I don’t ask.

If I were to ask Yurasia, who shows such blind loyalty to me, she would carry a burden with nowhere to release it.

Then, before she could be crushed by that burden, she would probably force herself to speak. I don’t like that.

I’m Yurasia’s master, and Yurasia is in a position to protect me. With her gentle nature, she feels the weight of being a knight.

So, I don’t want to burden her any more than that.

Really, family-like, siblings…or rather, sisters?

Anyway, we’re in that kind of relationship.

And don’t I have a secret just as great as Yurasia’s? Rebirth. Yurasia doesn’t ask about that either. So until she decides to tell me, I won’t unnecessarily bring it up.

“How romantic… You really are, Eliaernes.”

Adelia’s eyes widened in surprise as she gave a curious smile.

“Acting tough on the outside, while having such soft thoughts inside?”

“What do you mean… How would you know what I’m thinking?”

“Beliefs, loyalty, affection? Those sweet thoughts mixed together, I suppose. Truly…”

Adelia hugged her ample chest, running her fingers over her lips.

“I almost made a big mistake.”

“It wasn’t a sweet thought, but yes, I almost made a mistake. If I had finished that story, I might have hated you for the rest of my life, perhaps even after death.”

“Does that mean your thoughts about me might change?”

Adelia smiled brightly. As if that wasn’t enough, she twiddled her hair and turned the tips of her ears red.

…I feel sick. I suppressed the urge to raise my middle finger right in front of her.

“Anyway, you don’t need to hear this. But… what the professor said this time felt more like a warning, so I should be cautious.”

“Hmm? You just lowered my title from ‘you’ back to ‘professor.’ Why?”

“It means I’m about to wrap things up and head back.”

“Oh my… That’s too bad.”

“I’m quite a busy person.”

“Well, that’s true. There are a lot of students looking for Eliaernes right now.”

Adelia’s gaze dropped to her waist.

At her waist, the A-Space Pocket hangs.

Why is she looking at that? I glared at Adelia with that thought in mind. She chuckled lightly and blinked.

“Students who entrusted their items to Eliaernes just arrived at the exam venue.”

“Oh… Right.”

I had totally forgotten.

“Yes. Then I’ll go.”

“Would you like to go down together? It might be boring and lonely on the way down. The mountains get dark quickly at night; isn’t it scary?”

“If we walk down a dimly lit path, just the professor and the student, wouldn’t others think something strange?”

“Strange thoughts, huh, uhuh. Are they imagining a forbidden love between a student and a professor?”

“If anyone thinks that, I’ll smash their heads in. I’m concerned they might wonder if this little rascal is cheating on the final exam instead.”

“With my illusion magic, I can hide perfectly!”

“I was trying to politely decline, but it seems the professor doesn’t understand the student’s feelings.”

“Oh really, was that a decline?”

Adelia, with her innocent expression, tilted her head. She knows exactly what she’s doing.

“Yes. That was a decline.”

And then I tried to turn and walk away.

“If you come down with me, I’ll answer one of the questions you asked, Eliaernes.”

That sentence caught my ankle.

“One of… the questions?”

“Remember the first day we met? You asked me a question back then.”

What did I ask?

But, even if I were to ask again, I wouldn’t be able to answer because of that damn restriction!

“It’s okay.”

“What do you mean by it’s okay—”

“The restriction placed on me. For this one time, my master has permitted it.”

Her tone changed. It shifted from light-hearted to serious. Her voice lowered, the atmosphere around her became different. The once shiny gaze dulled, a chilling fog surrounded us.

“You said you were curious about my master, right? I can tell you now.”

“Then why now of all times?”

“I got permission quite a while ago.”

Got permission? Not that it has been declared, but she received it?

Did Adelia ask for permission to reveal her master’s existence? To tell me? Why?

If that’s the case, why has she not said anything until now?

And that brief flicker of emotion on her face.

Displeasure, confusion, worry, doubt.

Why does she feel those emotions when talking about her master while looking at me?

From what I feel, Adelia, the dark mage, is very good at hiding her emotions. Yet, for a dark mage to show her feelings so openly…

On purpose?

“However, I intentionally kept my mouth shut.”

“Your master only gave permission, but didn’t command you to speak? And now the situation has become necessary for you, right?”

“Eliaernes, you really know me well for a dark mage… or rather, you know me well.”

“The more I think about how I can leave you enraged, it makes your actions understandable.”

“My goal wasn’t to incite your wrath, but I should also gain something, shouldn’t I?”

Adelia’s atmosphere returned to normal, just like always.

The feelings she held just a moment ago, the unnerving atmosphere, all cleaned away as if it had never happened.

“Now that that’s settled! After the finals, I’ll reveal what I was saying earlier.”

“Can’t you tell me now?”

“If I tell you now, I might worry that Eliaernes would abandon me.”

As soon as I heard that, I was ready to bolt the hell out of there. How did she know?

“I seriously… hate you, Professor.”

“I’ll fervently pray for that to change someday.”

“Prayer? Where would a mere follower of a dead god do such a thing? Well, I could pray to my master, at least?”

“That’s… not true.”

Adelia’s chuckling face seemed oddly sad.

So what?

Whether she’s sad or happy, it’s none of my concern.

I ignored that and headed down the narrow path.

“I’ll fulfill my duties as a professor during this final exam. So please do your part as a student and take the final exam seriously!”

“I will do my best, regardless of what you say.”

I can’t slack off.

If I screw up until the finals, I might flunk…

*

When I arrived at the meeting point, the sunset had completely passed into evening.

And just as I expected, numerous students had gathered at the meeting point.

Exhausted and frustrated expressions.

Looking all sour and sharp-faced, they were reading the final exam guidelines and chatting.

It seemed they were discussing how the finals would proceed and what to do in the meantime.

While each of them nibbled on a piece of jerky.

They said each group was provided with enough essential food and water to last a fortnight, but it looks like they’ve lost all their supplies.

On the other hand, the four members of my group…

“Ah, Young Lady!”

“What are you guys… doing?”

“We’re having tea!”

In the midst of such a bleak atmosphere, they were enjoying tea at a very, very vintage table and chairs…

There was even an artifact releasing chill at the center of the table…!

“So… why are you drinking tea?”

“Our princess… no, Silina suggested having a cup of pre-dinner tea, and I thought it was a good idea!”

I turned my gaze behind Yurasia and saw Silina, with her signature cynical expression, tilting her teacup.

Sitting cross-legged and sipping black tea right in the middle of the meeting spot.

Is this some kind of intimidation tactic? Are they trying to show me that even though they might be struggling, they’re still relaxed?

“Uh… right. So, pre-dinner tea. Er… not important.”

“The Young Lady’s is a Mint Chocolate Latte! Silina saved it just for you!”

“I specially brought you this trash. How’s that? Isn’t it touching?”

If she hadn’t added that last part, I might have felt a little touched.

Still, well… hmm…

I had been wracking my brains thanks to Adelia, but seeing them enjoying themselves so leisurely made me think I had overcomplicated things.

“Young Lady! Hurry up! I’ve warmed a chair just for you!”

“What are you doing heating it up in summer?”

“Do you dislike my warmth, Young Lady?”

Hehe- Yurasia giggled mischievously.

“Warmth? What are you talking about?”

I do dislike the fact that I have to move as Adelia wants.

But if I can obtain crucial information from such minor things, like going to the fields together or walking down the path, then if it helps us prepare for dangers, me, them, and maybe even the companions I might reunite with someday…

It’s a discomfort worth tolerating.

“But, is it okay to have Mint Chocolate Latte as pre-dinner tea? Isn’t that a bit unusual?”

“You don’t care about such things.”

“But the Young Lady can still have dinner!”

“Eliaernes, why are you being so coy?”

[I ate plenty of kaya jam sandwiches as pre-dinner bread! It was delicious!]

“Yeah, I’m not the type to care about such things.”

I ruffled Pina’s head, who was still munching on something, and sat down on the chair.

The chair that Yurasia had warmed… um, it was warm enough to make me sweat.

“So, Eliaernes. Do we have a separate plan?”

“A plan?”

At Silina’s question, Stella perked up her ears.

Is this a spa? Well, I don’t care if it is a spa.

“We just need to do our best; do we really need a plan?”

“You… haven’t read any of this, have you?”

Silina narrowed her brows and held out the paper containing the contents of the final exam.

“I haven’t read it.”

“Ugh, that’s why you ranked 43rd in the midterms.”

As Stella chimed in from the side, I pinched her side hard.

Stella let out a shriek and rolled on the ground. I nudged her with my foot and quickly skimmed through the contents of the finals.

“Oh?”

During that, I found a portion that caught my attention.

Groups that defeat a Captain-class Monster will receive full marks, and those groups will have their exams concluded early.

“Captain-class Monster? This can be taken down, right?”

As soon as I said that, several gazes landed on me.

It wasn’t Signia. Since they had different uniforms, they were students from Frunt.

But these guys have strange looks in their eyes.

They’re giving off a vibe that suggests something’s off.

Of course, I don’t care.

I grinned and said, “Heh, I could just crush those snake-eyed bastards.”

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