“So you must have been looking forward to choosing this class! Ah! Miss Liana, are you here?”
Professor Kondra, who had been flipping through a few sheets of paper with half-lidded eyes, took off his glasses.
“Yes, Professor.”
Did he notice I was thinking about something else during class? Ha. Haha.
“Right, I heard you slipped and fell, didn’t you?”
“Yes, Professor.”
“Indeed, indeed. I heard the ground at the riding arena wasn’t good because it rained a few days ago. My, oh my. Paul came to me weeping and begging for forgiveness.”
“To you, Professor?”
“I was the one who installed that fence, you see. He’s always pestered me to do it, even when things are normal. Now then, would you like to go see Paul?”
Professor Kondra picked up a small bag.
“He’s very downcast. How could the stable boy come to you first, Miss Liana? If you’re fine with it, let’s go now. Ah. Natalie? Is Miss Natalie here too?”
As Professor Kondra rustled through the papers again, a loud voice rang out, “Yes!”
It was a voice similar to but different from Margareta’s. If Margareta’s voice was naturally resonant, this one seemed loud by deliberate effort.
‘Natalie!’
She raised her hand and jumped to her feet.
A nervous wrinkle appeared on Margareta’s brow. Perhaps because Natalie was sitting right behind her, the loud voice seemed to grate on her nerves.
“Let’s go together. You said you talked about safety, didn’t you?”
“Yes! I explained the dangers of safety accidents!”
“Natalie……”
A voice, weak and exasperated, called her name.
The owner of that voice was a boy sitting quite far from Natalie, who looked just like her.
‘Was it Anthony?’
Unlike Natalie, he looked rather frail.
“Cough. Cough.”
Anthony shuddered with every dry cough.
Is there a cold going around? There seemed to be a lot of people coughing in the capital too.
Something about the two of them was tugging at my mind, but Professor Kondra stomped his foot, breaking my train of thought.
“Alright, everyone! Pay attention to the remaining class, and I expect you all to return for magic engineering class!”
With that, Professor Kondra gestured.
When Natalie and I approached, the Professor began to walk at a leisurely pace.
“Credere is famous for its civil officials, but it’s never produced a flower of high society, has it?”
“We’ve only ever served the Empire in public office, Professor.”
“Hoho! So modest. Perhaps this time we’ll see one.”
Professor Kondra looked at me with a meaningful expression.
“…You flatter me.”
His words were so out of the blue that I managed to stay calm. I tried to brush it off with a smile, but Professor Kondra’s gaze wouldn’t leave me.
“I think so too!”
Natalie shouted enthusiastically at the Professor. He laughed but kept his eyes fixed on me.
‘Professor, it’s a bit much to stare at just one person during a conversation!’
“Hoho. I heard you bought a house in Credere.”
“Ah. It’s just a small house on the outskirts.”
“If Credere chose it, I’m sure it’s splendid. If you ever host a ball for the Duke and Duchess, be sure to invite some of the Academy’s staff. If that’s too much, well, it can’t be helped.”
“I’ll do that, Professor.”
‘Did Vance Odeo also mention something about a house to me? What house did they buy, anyway?’
“Ah, look at me, talking about my own affairs! Now then, if you have any questions on the way, ask anything! Let’s see, there’s something interesting…”
Professor Kondra began rummaging through his cloak.
“Here, take this! Oh? Ah, you too.”
Wearing a mischievous smile, Professor Kondra pressed something into my hand. Then, seeing Natalie’s outstretched palm, he burst out laughing. His beard quivered with every chuckle.
Natalie’s face turned bright red, but she didn’t withdraw her hand.
As I tried to offer mine, Professor Kondra shot me a stern look.
“Here you are.”
“Thank you, Professor! Um, what is this?”
Natalie raised the object Kondra had given her.
It was a small, black stone.
“Hmph. I found that in the woods behind my house.”
I examined mine closely as well. Did this small, black stone have some special property? It was too glossy and clean to have been just picked up. It even had a bit of a sheen… could it be?
“Professor, something this precious…”
You found this behind your house?
“Gasp!”
Natalie seemed to realize it too and caught her breath.
“Hahahaha!”
As if waiting for that reaction, Professor Kondra burst out laughing.
Students passing in the corridor turned wide eyes toward us. Natalie quickly closed her hand over the stone and I tucked mine into the inner pocket of my cape.
“Is it an artifact?”
I covered my mouth and asked with a calm expression.
“Huhu. Sharp-eyed as ever! Natalie, aren’t you the child of a merchant? You should’ve noticed sooner, eh?”
“Yes!”
Please, stop comparing us! Just a word or two like that can breed jealousy.
I changed the subject, pretending not to notice.
“What does it do?”
“Huhuhu, drug reaction!”
“Drug reaction?”
“If that little black stone turns red, it means someone has ingested any kind of drug.”
“Does it change to other colors too?”
“Hahaha! Yes, yes! Nothing to worry about. This is truly a simple and practical tool. Herbologists are desperate for it. When treating a patient, not knowing if they’ve taken medicine can be a real headache.”
“Would it be alright to give this to the herbology professor…?”
“Miss Liana!”
Why is it that only loud people gather around me lately?
Professor Kondra came to a halt, and Natalie and I stopped too.
Kondra stroked his full beard, which reached to his collarbones, and looked at me.
“Come to think of it, you’re always giving things away.”
“……”
I just thought it’d be better to put it somewhere useful.
It’s not that I’m trying to give it up or anything. Ugh, he really does stare for a long time, the Professor.
“You should learn to keep things for yourself. Isn’t that right, Natalie?”
“Yes! I think so too! Uh, does it have any other functions?”
Natalie’s eyes sparkled. Avoiding everyone’s gaze, she looked down at the artifact in her hand and grinned.
“Of course. Any color is fine, but… if the stone crumbles, that’s a big problem.”
Kondra made a fearsome face, but it was so obviously exaggerated that it actually looked comical. Even so, his aged eyes gleamed ominously in the light.
“If the stone breaks, it means someone has taken something that humans absolutely shouldn’t consume. This artifact is nearly permanent. Any color is fine, as long as it doesn’t break.”
“What about the different colors…?”
“That, I can’t tell you! You’ll remember better if you figure it out yourself!”
Professor Kondra winked.
Ah, I knew it was suspicious—he’s not sure himself, since it’s a recent invention…! He’s probably only tested it on deadly poisons.
It felt less like a gift and more like an assignment. Hiding my unease with a smile, I put the stone away safely. The little stone felt unexpectedly heavy.
“Ah….”
“The wind is strong today!”
As Madame Perolten had warned, saying ‘there are lots of sharp grasses,’ today’s wind was cold and harsh.
If I hadn’t pinned up my hair, it would have blown everywhere and driven me crazy.
Natalie hurriedly searched for a hair tie and twisted her hair up. The way her hair puffed out in the back looked cute.
“What is it?”
“I was looking because it’s cute. Sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”
Compliments I used to give Cecilia without a second thought now kept slipping out toward others too.
As I responded with an awkward smile, Natalie turned her head sharply.
Hmm, why do the other girls seem a bit wary of me?
No, don’t think about the reason!
“Oho, Miss Liana is quite generous with her compliments!”
“I think I learned it from a good friend.”
“Oho.”
I really do think it’s thanks to Cecilia. Yes. Without her, I might have ended up with Margareta’s personality.
‘Ugh. I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.’
Although, it would’ve been interesting in its own way.
My cape fluttered loudly in the fierce wind.
Hiiiiing—
I heard a horse neighing not far off. Climbing the slope past the tall grass and trees, familiar sights came into view.
I didn’t see anyone right away, but there was a figure near the stables.
“Pooool—.”
‘Artifact?’
Professor Kondra’s voice seemed to resonate gently across the wide riding arena, though he hadn’t raised it much.
“Professor, did you really find this behind your house?”
“Hohoho! Of course I was joking!”
Professor Kondra laughed playfully and stroked his beard.
From afar, a figure began running toward us with a clatter. The tall, skinny body ran surprisingly well.
It was Paul.
‘What’s he holding?’
Panting, Paul paused to catch his breath, then bowed deeply to Professor Kondra.
“Professor! Good day!”
“Hoho. Still as loud as ever! How does such a skinny body make such noise! They say dry wood burns well, eh?”
“Ah, Professor! What are you saying!”
Whether it was from the cold or embarrassment, Paul’s thin cheeks were already as red as apples. The dry weather had left his face chapped in places too.
He looked like he’d lost weight in just a day. As I examined his face, he suddenly bowed to me as well.
“I’m sorry, Miss Liana. If I had been more careful, the accident wouldn’t have happened…”
“It’s alright, Paul. Please stand up.”
His urgent apology made me more embarrassed.
“Hohoho! That’s enough, Paul! Get up now! Can’t you see she’s uncomfortable?”
Natalie watched with wide eyes.
“It was an accident, Paul. I don’t blame anyone. The wind was just strong that day.”
“Miss Liana…”
Paul’s eyes glistened with tears.
“My, my! If only you listened to me for once…”
Natalie’s muttered complaint was lost in the wind.
Paul wiped his tears away and pulled something out from behind his back.
“Would you please accept this!?”
With a solemn tone, he offered a white anemone.
Diiing— diiing— diiing—
Déjà vu.
It sounded as if bells were ringing somewhere again.
‘Really? He’s giving it to me?’
Whether he’d picked it himself or not, the white, luscious anemone seemed to brim with vitality—quite different from those grown in indoor gardens.
The flower’s meanings: anticipation, hope, hopeless love.
Seeing the white anemone tied with a pretty blue ribbon, my heart suddenly swelled.
Professor Kondra’s curious eyes swept over my profile, and Natalie’s face shone with a girlish excitement. Her gaze flickered between the dainty anemone, Paul’s blushing, chapped face as he held out the flower, and my own deliberately indifferent expression.
“Wow… How many of these have you received to be this calm?”
Natalie, I can hear you.
I blinked slowly. My heart thumped. Thumped. The blue wildflower given by that toothless boy in the capital flashed through my mind and set my heart fluttering.
Really, is he giving this to me? With such a solemn face!
My eyelashes trembled. My throat was dry; I wanted to swallow. The blue ribbon kept catching my eye. Forcing myself to remain calm, I patiently waited.
‘It might not be for me, so for now…’
“T-to Miss C—, Liana! Would you, would you please… deliver this, this to her!”
Paul sucked in a breath, almost shouting, and spilled the words in a rush.