Chapter 9
Because you’re someone special.
It might’ve been because he was the first senior I’d met so often that I felt that way… Anyway, that’s what I thought.
‘Should I ask what his intentions are?’
I contemplated it for a moment, but in the end I thought that asking such a question without much basis might ruin the great opportunity I’d gotten. Since the dormitory issue wasn’t something I couldn’t talk about, I told Royce about it.
Royce listened to my story silently along with the sound of the rain and then said, “Should I help you get the signature?”
I had no reason to say no. The deadline for submitting the consent form was approaching, so I had to grasp at any straw.
“I wouldn’t refuse such an offer, Senior.”
Royce smiled faintly and helped me up.
As we left the teahouse, he opened an umbrella.
“Weren’t there two umbrellas?”
“One got broken.”
I was sure it was fine when we arrived at the teahouse… Since umbrellas breaking was a common occurrence, I just shared the umbrella with Royce and we set off.
* * *
After we arrived at Vivi County’s estate, everything went by in a flash.
“She’s a capable talent.”
That’s what Royce said, in the reception room facing Count Vivi, or rather, Uncle Dienel, with confident eyes and a tone that was almost arrogant.
“I’d like for you to leave Miss Serdin in the dormitory so I can train her properly.”
“Hmm. The dormitory, you say?”
“What do you say, Count?”
Although, at first glance, it seemed like he was asking for the Count’s opinion, it was as if the answer was already decided.
“You must know of Serdin’s talent, Count, and how precious training time is wasted while commuting to the academy.”
If he had asked me in that tone, I would have been annoyed, but since he was asking my uncle, it didn’t matter. Plus, it was also quite an effective way of speaking.
The conversation between Royce and my uncle didn’t last long. My uncle took one look at me, then closed his eyes gently, and soon said, “Indeed.”
The matter was resolved more simply than I thought.
My uncle, who treated my words as if they were the buzzing of a fly, listened well to the words of the Velkerente Duchy’s heir.
‘The more power and strength you have, the easier it is to live in this world.’
I realized this more and more as I grew up. It wasn’t a pleasant realization, but I was fortunate to be able to leave the house for now.
Royce left the mansion only after seeing my uncle sign the consent form. The rain had already stopped by then.
The sky had already cleared to a bright blue by the time I submitted the consent form at Eudelin and came out. It seemed like the sun would set beautifully soon.
‘I’m really glad I get to go to the dormitory.’
As I walked through the central square, I greeted Royce, who was today’s number one benefactor.
“Thank you for your help.”
“What’s the need for thanks between us?”
Between us?
It seemed a rather heavy implication, but I continued with what I was saying for now. “You really are effective, to do it so quickly.”
Royce replied, lightly tousling my hair, “I moved so quickly because it was you.”
“Me? Why me?”
“You know. You’re…” Royce coughed once and continued, “Because you’re someone special.”
“…”
My hunch wasn’t wrong. It really wasn’t something one would just say casually.
“What?”
“Hm?”
The sunset had begun to spread across the sky. Under that red sky, I stopped walking.
“Serdin?”
Ah, now I understood.
Why Royce helped me like this; why he met me every day, fed me, took care of me, and trained with me; why he kept hanging around me.
‘Why didn’t I realize it until now?’
He even said it directly with his own mouth today.
“So that’s how it is.”
Royce stopped walking with me and stared at me. “Serdin, what’s wrong?”
I looked up at his face, where the sunset light slanted in and made a shadow. At the same time, I remembered the words Royce had said with such conviction at the Count’s residence earlier.
He wasn’t simply looking for a sparring partner. That was just a pretext. He was…
‘… She’s a capable talent… I want to train her properly.’
“I see.”
He wanted to properly train me… That could only mean one thing if it concerned someone like me… He wanted to raise* me!
(Translator’s note: This is referring to when a main character picks up a side character with lots of potential to grow, to help them so they can use them later.)
Royce was such a genius prodigy that even if my skills were overshadowed, he could see that I too, was a genius talent compared to the ordinary person.
‘So it wasn’t just empty words.’
As if to praise my realization, a cool breeze tickled my cheek. I brushed aside the hair that had fallen by my ear and chuckled.
“You’re right, I am someone special.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Now, with all my questions resolved, I could understand all of Royce’s actions. While I believed without a shred of doubt, summer was gradually coming to an end.
* * *
The green leaves throughout Eudelin had begun to take on a deeper hue. Eudelin was the empire’s finest knight academy. Therefore, it surpassed all other knight academies in every way. Even the speed at which the vacation ended surpassed all other knight academies.
It was ridiculous, but the vacation was only a mere two weeks long.
“How can they do this to me?”
“Serdiiin! I missed you!”
“Why must I see you all again after just two weeks?”
Mina pretended to be sullen at my words, but I was serious.
‘Thank goodness I’m living in the dormitory.’
The biggest change before the new semester was that I was living in the dormitory. The person who played the biggest role in my new living space was undoubtedly Royce.
‘… You must know how precious training time is wasted while commuting…’
I agreed with what he said so much that I was diligently pouring the time Royce had secured for me into my training.
Anyway, the fact that I could finally leave the Count’s residence and live independently got me pretty emotional.
The person I shared a room with was Enia, a fourth-year senior. I had seen Enia, with her bright blonde hair, at the end-of-semester party last term. Perhaps because she was a cheerful person, Enia seemed overjoyed when I came in.
“Wow! Who do we have here?! Serdin Vivi!”
“Hello, Senior Enia. Looks like you remember me.”
“Of course! How could I not remember you?”
“Thank you.”
Enia even laid out a carpet made of blankets for me to walk on as I made my way in.
“Thank you, Serdin. It seems like my life will be more interesting now thanks to you.”
“Really? Well…”
I didn’t know why it would be more interesting, but I answered yes for now. If my roommate welcomed me, it was a good thing in any case.
“Serdin, shall I show you around the dormitory?”
“I’d like that.”
Enia took me around the dorm. The dormitory was located about a 5-minute walk up a hill from the Eudelin campus. The slope was a bit steep, but it was fine if I thought of it as exercise. Moreover, being located on a hill, it offered a good panoramic view of Eudelin.
Enia took me to a corner of the sloping walking path and pointed to something far below, saying, “Serdin, can you see that?”
“The shade of that tree?”
“Yeah. At night, there’s always at least one couple there.”
“I see.”
“Why do you think they gather there?”
I thought about Enia’s question for a moment.
“Probably because the atmosphere is nice?”
“That’s part of it, but when they’re there, they think they’re out of people’s sight. But they’re actually quite visible from here.”
“I see.”
“If by any chance some foolish person asks you to go there, you must refuse,” Enia said with a serious face.
It wasn’t practical advice for me, but I was grateful for her willingness to tell me this and that. At that moment, a familiar person came running from the other side of the dormitory’s slope.
“ENIA!”
It was Simon, a fourth-year senior who had taken the knight survival practicum class with me. “You’re, Seri… Serin…”
“I’m Serdin Vivi.”
“Right, Serdin. Long time no see.” Simon, who’d come running uphill, greeted me while catching his breath.
Come to think of it, I had a question for Simon. “Senior Simon, what was it you wanted to tell me last time?”
“Huh? When?”
“At the end of the semester.”
I was sure had been about to tell me about Royce’s dark history. However, instead of answering me, Simon only showed me his shaky pupils.
“Ah, well, that’s…”
“Simon, didn’t you come because you had something to tell me?”
“That’s right, Enia! I did, didn’t I?”
“Sorry, Serdin. It seems like Simon has something important to discuss with me, so let’s tour the dormitory another time.”
“We were almost done anyway. I can look around by myself.”
Enia and Simon then hurriedly disappeared in that direction. Left alone, I took a walk around the dormitory by myself.
When I returned to the building where my room was, I found Royce standing there. Royce tended to look quite cold when he stood still. Now, standing under the shade of the building’s wall, he looked even more so.
“Senior Royce?”
Royce, who had been leaning against the building wall with his arms crossed, looked up and turned his head towards me.
“Serdin.”
As soon as he looked at me, his indifferent, steel-colored eyes seemed to come alive.
