C55 - 56
Chapter 55: Link (1)
“Hayap!”
Sweat dripped profusely, and the powerful strikes resounded loudly.
This was the Academy’s renowned endurance training ground, where students honed their physical and swordsmanship skills, and where personal training from guardian knights took place.
Given the Academy’s emphasis on mental and physical training, the facilities for individual student training were top-notch.
Naturally, I wasn’t here for my own training. I came to train our zealous young seedling.
“Ugh….”
Brian, having completed the target number, collapsed on the floor.
“I-I’ve done it, Sir!”
“Rest for 30 seconds and then move on to the next exercise.”
Though his expression suggested he’d rather be killed, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
With tears in his eyes, Brian assumed the push-up position and began his exercise.
“Struggling?”
“W-Well… No, I’m fine!”
For a moment, sincerity escaped his lips.
“If it gets too tough, speak up now. Even if you need me to run errands for snacks.”
“Oh, no, Sir! You’ve given me this chance, and I’ll see it through!”
With determination, Brian resumed his training with powerful strikes.
No matter what you begin, the basics are always important.
Since endurance is the most fundamental aspect of any physical activity, it must be developed before one can train in swordsmanship or martial arts.
It seems he wasn’t officially knighted at Velias, but he must have had some level of endurance, whether from the estates or elsewhere.
If it were just simple endurance training, it could be done within the dormitories.
As someone who prefers to avoid crowded places as much as possible, it would have been more convenient for me.
So, the only reason I brought Brian all the way here was to let him see.
Direct training is good, but observing others train is also very helpful.
Throughout the Academy, not only students but also their guardian knights and knights affiliated with the Academy could be seen training tirelessly.
Of course, it wouldn’t be of much use to me, but it would serve as a great textbook for our Brian.
“Heh, Aaack, Hugguk!”
Whether he knew my thoughts or not, Brian, with veins bulging and teeth gritted, let out incomprehensible groans.
“Cyan…?”
Amidst this, my head turned involuntarily to the familiar voice calling me.
Princess Arin, wearing quite a welcoming smile, was approaching me.
“Seeing you here? Came to train with the guardian knights?”
“Ah, yes, something like that.”
I was here solely for Brian’s training, after all.
“Is the princess here for endurance training too?”
“Yeah! I come for endurance and swordsmanship training with Ressimus every weekend. I’ve learned a lot from him!”
Behind the princess were Ressimus and five other guardian knights.
It felt like there were more of them than usual.
“Seems like there are more knights?”
“Hmm? Ah, well… I suppose… I’ve been feeling like I should be cautious lately because of recent events.”
At the mention of recent events, Ressimus, who was standing behind, flinched.
It’s nothing much, really.
It’s about the recent incident involving the discovery of Barrett Louisemill, a new student at the Academy, found in front of the infirmary in the early hours of the morning.
One of his ankles was broken, and he sustained serious injuries all over his body.
The despairing result was that he might find it difficult to generate mana properly in the future.
They kept pressing him to reveal who did it, but he refused to speak…
Well, not that he couldn’t, but he wouldn’t.
While it’s not exactly commendable, I see it as him doing quite well.
As long as he keeps his mouth shut like that, there won’t be any need for confrontation with me, at least.
“Who could it have been? They weren’t particularly good people, but still, to mess with a member of a high-ranking noble family within the Academy…”
That’s right.
I wonder who the wicked friend is.
I suddenly feel like I want to see their face. Is it because my ears are itching?
“Anyway, Cyan, you should be careful too. You never know what might happen to a person.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
I’m not sure who’s worried about whom, but for now, I’ll take it as a decent hint.
Well, at least I have to acknowledge her strong will.
I heard she even excels in those tedious theory classes.
Training endurance without a break even on weekends is definitely not easy.
I don’t know if she still harbors the thought of making me her person, but if she continues to grow like this, the chances of her hearing the dreaded ‘exiled princess’ epithet will diminish.
At least if she establishes her own faction properly.
“S-Sir…?”
Out of the blue, Brian called me with a voice as tense as a mosquito’s buzzing.
Upon hearing that sound, I turned my head, only to find him sweating profusely, looking like he was about to defecate himself.
“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
“T-The… over there, right now…!”
Brian’s anxious gaze was directed somewhere beyond the training ground.
Intrigued, I turned my head too, and then…
Huh? What’s this?
Did I see wrong?
Beyond the waterway surrounding the endurance training ground, standing on the grassy field surrounded by bushes, there was a familiar figure.
It’s strange.
It feels like I’ve been hit on the head with a hammer.
It’s a feeling I haven’t experienced in a long time.
Why? Why is that?
Why is the little brat who should be taking a nap in his room standing there!?
Boldly roaming around the Academy in the magic training hoodie provided by the Academy, it’s the cheeky little brat.
The moment I saw those sparkling pure eyes, I couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat!
It was Nana.
* * *
——————
——————
Arin had been visiting the training ground without fail every weekend since the Academy started. During that time, she had continued training with Ressimus, achieving significant improvement and striving to further develop herself without arrogance, all for the sake of Cyan Vert.
Yet, he revealed himself in a training ground where they had never met before.
Despite being in the same grade, they rarely had moments like this, as he seldom attended classes.
Since it was a rare encounter, Arin thought she’d like to spend more time with Cyan.
Summoning her courage, she spoke up.
“Um, would you like to train with us if it’s okay? I think it would help us improve more positively if you join us…”
“…”
However, Cyan didn’t even spare a glance at Arin.
Seeing his rare expression of embarrassment, Arin titled her head.
“Cyan…?”
“I apologize, Your Highness. Something urgent has come up, so I’ll leave first.”
Abruptly, Cyan and his guardian knight left the training ground.
In the blink of an eye, Arin couldn’t say a word for about 10 seconds.
“Arin, are you okay?”
Ressimus approached cautiously and asked.
Arin’s face turned bright red.
“What! He just left while I was talking! Am I not even worth considering?”
With her previous emotions vanishing into thin air, Arin’s jealousy and anger toward Cyan exploded.
“Really unlucky! How great do you think you are? Fine! I don’t want to train with you either!”
No matter how much she vented her anger, the person in question had already left.
Arin stomped her foot into the empty air, but at the same time, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
“It seems I still have a long way to go…”
Was she still lacking in his eyes?
Despite her daily efforts to keep the promise made a year ago and improve herself, the fact that the person in question still showed no interest drained her spirit.
“Let’s start training, Ressimus.”
Suddenly resolute, Arin began to loosen up her body.
When your mind is cluttered, make your body suffer to forget.
As she removed her outerwear and stretched her arms forward, her body froze.
“…?”
Her body, which had been flexing its muscles, stopped.
Her eyes are clear and bright, as if they contain morning dew.
It was as if she was looking at a curious fairy in the forest.
“A… child?”
Four or five years old, maybe?
A young girl who seemed to have just started speaking stood before her.
Wrapped in a red magical cloak, her tiny body was dragging on the ground.
“…?”
The child was also staring intently at Arin’s face.
She was definitely not visible when Cyan left just a moment ago.
Forgetting her intention to train, Arin bent down and matched her eye level with the girl.
“Hey, how did you get here?”
The child just tilted his head in silence.
“Why is there such a young child at the academy?”
“Maybe she’s not a child from the city? Or perhaps she’s a child of someone from the Academy…”
Ressimus and the other knights were also surprised.
They were astonished by the child, but they couldn’t deny her overwhelming cuteness, with her pink hair tucked under the hood, making anyone want to hug her.
“Can you tell me your name? My name is Arin.”
When asked for her name, the child’s mouth, which had been tightly shut, opened wide.
“…Nana.”
The name Nana was easy to pronounce and adorable.
“Nana? What a cute name! How did you get here?”
“I came to find Papa!”
So, she was a lost child looking for her family.
“Seems like you lost your parents? Are you a guardian’s child?”
“There’s a high possibility. It’s not uncommon for family members of officials to visit…”
Considering the circumstances of most officials who live in the Academy, visits from their families were common.
Arin and Ressimus naturally thought that Nana was one of those visitors.
“Do you want to come with me? There are many delicious things in my room. I’ll make sure to find Nana’s parents!”
“Okay!”
Nana smiled brightly and grabbed Arin’s hand.
Arin’s face turned red again.
Setting aside thoughts about Cyan and growth for a moment, Arin took Nana and headed to her dormitory.
* * *
The door was locked as securely as when I left.
I had even set up a small magical barrier just in case, so practically, it was impossible to open the door and leave.
However, through the billowing curtains, I could see the wide-open window.
Yes, it had been about a month since our little one came out, and now she was walking, talking, and even flying?
Moreover, this was from a second-story height.
Her growth rate was so rapid that it was endlessly joyful.
From the point where I found Nana, I searched about 200m in radius, but there was no sign of where she disappeared.
Perhaps, driven by instinct, she returned to the dormitory, but all that remained was an amazing escape scene.
“Could someone have found her and taken her?”
Who found her?
If so, it would escalate to the worst-case scenario from that moment.
Fortunately, when she was first found, she was wearing a magical cloak I had thrown anywhere.
If nobody removed it or it didn’t fly away in the wind, she would still look like an ordinary little child.
However, it wouldn’t last long.
If any part of her that was concealed came to light…
She might not know, but incredibly annoying things would come my way.
Now that it had come to this, there was no time to delay.
Closing my eyes softly, I immediately cast the spell of Mist’s Secret.
“Mist 4th Form: Life Detection!”
With the spell, mist seeped out from between my clothes and penetrated my eyes.
It was a secret technique that used the power of mist to detect life in the surrounding area, but it didn’t necessarily only detect life.
Since Nana was a mix of human and dragon, she surely possessed the essence of the dragon as well.
Since she probably hadn’t gone far yet, if I started from the dormitory and gradually expanded the detection area…
“Hmm?”
For a moment, when I opened my eyes, the surrounding mist suddenly disappeared.
What? Why are you there?
“Did you find her?”
“Follow me, Brian!”
I rushed out with Brian, heading to the third floor of the royal palace.
I knew who lived there, but I had never been there.
Going up the stairs and stepping onto the corridor, I saw three unfamiliar faces at the end.
Nana, smiling brightly, and two women holding her hand.
I must be going crazy.
They must have also spotted me, as they looked at me with surprise.
“Cyan?”
——————
Chapter 56: Link (2)
The Royal Palace consists of a total of six floors.
My room is located on the far left on the second floor.
Currently, Brian and I are on the third floor corridor, facing to the right.
If someone were to ask who lives there, I could say it’s a princess from a certain empire whom I encountered at the physical training ground a while ago.
Yes, that’s not the issue, but…
“Papa!”
Why on earth are you there?
Nana, who spotted me, screamed with joy and ran down the corridor.
“Papa…?”
At the mention of Papa, the two women looked puzzled.
Ugh, I really hoped that word wouldn’t be used…
I quickly checked Nana’s condition as she rushed towards me.
A neatly draped cloak.
Folded wings.
Even a cleverly hidden tail inside her clothes.
To anyone, she looked like a typical child with no abnormalities.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I’ve already passed the stage of misfortune.
At least, it didn’t seem like she revealed her dragon form.
I quickly signaled Brian, who was next to me.
“…!”
Brian received the signal and lifted Nana, who was rushing towards him, into his arms.
“Now, Nana, let’s go back to the room!”
“Why? I still want to play more!”
Holding Nana, he lowered his head to the princess and quickly descended the stairs.
I approached the two women as if nothing had happened.
Princess Arin also approached without waiting, looking somewhat annoyed at Nana being taken away abruptly.
“What are you doing, Cyan? Why did you suddenly take the child who was having a good time? Could it be your child?”
“But… Cyan, you were called ‘Papa’ by her…?”
“Is that possible? She is my cousin.”
Ressimus, who came running along, also asked me.
“But when she saw Cyan, she called you Papa…….”
“It’s just a nickname. She easily calls anyone ‘Papa’ besides me.”
Considering I’m an eleven-year-old, isn’t it strange for them to think I’m her father?
They’re around the same age, and they might not have a proper awareness in that regard yet…
Maybe I’m overthinking.
I shook my head inwardly to dismiss these unnecessary thoughts.
“Cousin…?”
“Yes, my cousin. Her family had something to do in the capital, so I was taking care of her for a while. Could you tell me where you found her?”
“W-Well… shortly after you left the training ground, she appeared in front of us. She said she was looking for her Papa, so we thought she might be a child who lost her family and were taking care of her…”
Did this little one already learn teleportation magic or something?
Well, anyway, it seemed she hadn’t come into contact with anyone else.
Based on their reactions, it seemed they hadn’t seen her dragon form either.
“Alright, anyway, I’m glad she found her family. I didn’t expect her to be Cyan’s family. It seems like you really like the child, contrary to what I thought? Nana mentioned that you find her very pretty and take good care of her. I thought she was talking about her father, but maybe she was talking about you, Cyan?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nana praised you a lot! She said you are very pretty and take good care of her! I thought when she said ‘Papa,’ she was talking about her father, but maybe she was talking about you, Cyan?”
I mean, really…
I just took care of her as best as I could.
“Then, when is the child, I mean, Nana leaving?”
“She’s leaving today. Actually, I was getting ready for that.”
Could she feel a bit sad about leaving?
I could see a hint of regret in her eyes.
“Is that so? It’s a bit disappointing that she’s leaving without saying goodbye. Can I at least say my last farewell?”
If I didn’t even let her say goodbye to my cousin, surrounded by guards, it might raise more suspicions.
Well, showing her face briefly and then disappearing should be enough.
Thinking that, I was about to answer when…
“Papa!”
Suddenly, a sweet voice echoed from under the stairs.
In an instant, my eyes flashed towards the bottom of the stairs.
What appeared first in the turned gaze was the bright red wings peeking out from the cloak.
“…!”
With arms outstretched, the audacious little one was running towards me—or rather, flying towards me.
From then on, Brian’s face showed all kinds of desperation as he desperately rushed towards us.
Without even a moment to consider a course of action, Nana’s sunny face soon buried itself in my arms.
And at that moment, almost as if a ghost in the wind, Nana’s hood, which had been covering her head, slipped off gently.
*Swish*
Two adorable horns peeked out amidst her light pink hair. It was a body part that should never be there on a human.
I quickly raised my hand and, with swift movements as if to sever a target’s neck, covered Nana’s head with her hood again.
Eventually, Brian, out of breath, came back up to the third floor and said.
“I-I’m sorry, young master! Nana suddenly said she was going to see you and ran out…”
At this moment, Brian’s words weren’t particularly important.
What matters is how many people saw this sight that should not have happened and should not have been seen.
I glanced upwards, and Princess Arin and Ressimus were there.
“……!”
Even if a dead body suddenly rose up, they probably wouldn’t make such expressions.
Their wide eyes and gaping mouths seemed frozen in time, refusing to close.
Four people, silent, in a flow of stillness.
Meanwhile, Nana, seemingly oblivious to the problem, blinked her eyes brightly.
* * *
“S-So… this child has nothing to do with Cyan and was simply found before coming to the academy, right?”
“Yes. Honestly, until just now, I had no idea she would wake up.”
I replied with a solemn expression.
“I-I find it more and more fascinating as I look at her. A mix of dragon and human, she looks no different from us in every other way…”
Same room, same furniture, same structure.
But this wasn’t my room.
It was the room at the far end of the third floor of the Royal Palace.
It was where the 5th Princess of the Ushif Empire lived with an honored noble of common birth.
I had to enter for the sake of explanation, but I never imagined entering her room like this.
In the midst of this, Brian, looking like a mannequin, maintained a tense posture with a nervous face.
Well, it’s understandable to be nervous as a commoner entering the room of a royal family member.
But nobody cared about Brian’s nervousness.
Arin and Ressimus still looked incredulous, gazing at Nana’s ears and tail with curious eyes.
Nana, in the meantime, seemed exhausted and lay down on the sofa, dozing off.
“So… you’re raising this child, Nana, in Cyan’s room?”
“Yes, well, sort of. She’s an ownerless child, and it’s spacious enough for her to be alone, so I’m raising her with my knight.”
“No wonder you’ve been absent from class. It was to take care of Nana, wasn’t it?”
Well, it wasn’t necessarily for that reason, but it wouldn’t hurt to think positively.
“Such a pitiful child.”
With a touch of sympathy, Arin gently stroked Nana’s sleeping head.
——————
——————
“Neither dragon nor human… she doesn’t belong to either side, does she? She won’t be accepted by anyone…”
Was Arin projecting her own situation onto Nana?
Even without explanation, Princess Arin seemed to have already anticipated the tragedies Nana would face in the future.
“Truly, Cyan is doing a good deed…”
Well, I’m not sure if I’d call it a good deed.
I just did what I wanted to do.
How others judge it is up to them…
“Cyan, you don’t want anyone else to know about this child, do you?”
“Yes. There’s nothing good that could come from her being known.”
“Alright, then I won’t mention Nana’s existence to anyone, on the princess’s name. Right, Ressimus?”
“Of course, Your Highness! I have no reason to tell anyone.”
After a brief pause, Arin asked quietly, “Are you being sincere?”
“Of course. It’s too sad for someone to become unhappy just because of their existence. I don’t want Nana to be unhappy…”
Did she genuinely get attached even just a little bit during that moment?
It didn’t seem like she was lying.
She wasn’t a woman with hidden motives, either.
“But, instead…”
“…?”
“Um, can I occasionally visit your room?”
“Yes?”
I thought I misheard for a moment and asked again.
“Don’t misunderstand! I have no ill intentions! I just want to see Nana’s face from time to time!”
Her neatly clasped hands and blushing face resembled that of an innocent girl seeking permission.
Well, if it’s just that, it shouldn’t be a problem.
I sighed softly and said.
“But please refrain from frequent visits. The fact that the princess enters another noble’s room will be viewed in a negative light by others.”
“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind…”
She smiled brightly as she looked at Nana, who was sleeping peacefully. Watching that smile, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of woman she really was.
* * *
Cyan, after finishing the conversation, returned to his room with Nana.
The sun outside had already set beyond the western sky.
“The sun has already set? I guess I’ll have to train in the room today.”
Ressimus, who had been silently observing Arin’s face, smiled and asked.
“Are you feeling good?”
“Huh? Do I look like it?”
Arin, feeling a little embarrassed, touched her reddened face.
“Your face is full of smiles. Did you enjoy talking to Cyan?”
Ressimus had noticed Arin’s feelings towards Cyan for quite some time now.
“W-What are you talking about? It’s not like that, Ressimus!”
Ironically, the person herself seemed unaware.
“Just… since we’ve formed a small connection, I think it’s nice…”
A secret link known only to them.
Sharing that with Cyan made it feel like the invisible wall between them had slightly crumbled.
‘I wonder if we’re getting closer…’
Arin silently hoped for their distance to shrink even further.
* * *
[what? Did something funny like that happen while I was sleeping?]
Fun, my foot.
Thank goodness I didn’t have to scour the entire academy.
[You’re quite commendable, kiddo! Already eating, sleeping, and now escaping? Is it because she takes after you that she’s growing up so fast?]
That dad part, she couldn’t possibly be talking about me, right?
[But you seem too obvious about the price of keeping her mouth shut. Does that little princess really intend to come to your room just to see this little one? Why not mention something enticing like acquiring a demonic sword together?]
“Don’t you feel embarrassed saying that?”
Kaeram flashed a mischievous smile as if nothing were wrong.
[But anyway, you know you got lucky, right? This kid is going to keep growing every day. That means more chances for her true nature to be revealed.]
I know.
With Nana’s rapid growth rate already exceeding my expectations, it was only a matter of time before her uniqueness spread beyond the royal palace.
How should I handle her?
Does she understand my complicated feelings, or not?
Nana was completely engrossed in the snacks Brian brought.
“How about taking her for a walk at times like this?”
Brian suggested to me, seeing my distress.
“A walk?”
“It might be stressful for Nana to stay indoors all the time. Instead of that, how about taking her outside during everyone’s sleeping hours for a little sightseeing?”
I stared at Brian’s face for a moment.
“Why… why are you saying that?”
“Don’t smart kids like you figure it out at times like this?”
“…?”
Brian scratched his head as if he didn’t understand a thing.
——————
