<Episode 19>
Ethan opened his mouth.
“You hate other people touching your stuff, but you leave things with Lucia?”
“Huh?”
Lucia snapped her head up.
“Didn’t you know? Everyone shares things in the dorm, but Herwin has never done that even once.”
“That’s right, he really hates people touching his things. He’s picky, just like he looks, right?”
“I… didn’t know. He’s never been like that with me?”
Herwin, who had been glaring at Ethan and Brian with a sulky expression, met Lucia’s bewildered gaze.
“Well, I’ve known you since we were little. You and Lucas are okay.”
Lucia had briefly hoped it was because she was special, but she quickly agreed with his words.
“Come to think of it, you’re not like that with my brother either, right?”
“Lucia, you have a brother?”
Ethan’s eyes widened.
“Yeah, I have one brother.”
“Oh my, you have a brother? I never knew.”
“Right? I’ve never heard you mention him.”
Christine and Bianca were also surprised, and Lucia felt awkward.
“Did I never mention it?”
“No, you never have. Lucia’s brother, I’d like to see him.”
“How old is he compared to you? Is he perhaps attending this academy?”
“Yeah, that’s right. He’s two years older than me, so he’s a graduating senior now.”
Bianca had thrown out the question jokingly, but when Lucia agreed, her friends were surprised once again.
“Wow, I can’t quite imagine it. Lucia’s older brother. Herwin, what’s he like?”
“Is he perhaps small and cute like Lucia?”
Ethan and Brian, now curious, asked Herwin.
“Cute? Not at all. He looks a lot like Lucia, but he’s completely different. He’s a bit of a prankster.”
“I want to see him.”
“I want to see him.”
As Ethan was imagining Lucas’s face and saying that, a familiar voice was heard.
Turning their heads, they saw Arista standing there, having arrived unnoticed. It was only natural that Ethan screamed and was horrified.
“Y-you! When did you get here?!”
“Just now. Lucia, you have a brother?”
Lucia, as surprised as Ethan, grabbed Bianca next to her tightly and nodded.
“What’s his name?”
“Lucas Agnes.”
“Lucas…”
A strange light flickered in Arista’s eyes.
“What’s going on all of a sudden? Do you have something to say?”
At Herwin’s question, Arista, who had been staring intently at Lucia for a moment, immediately turned her head.
“I came to declare war! The top spot in this practical assessment is mine! You’ll see!”
Arista declared war on Herwin.
They were always competing for first and second place, so they were close to being rivals.
Herwin grinned and his red eyes flashed.
“That’s what I wanted. Go ahead and try your best.”
Sparks flew between Herwin and Arista. Their eyes were full of competitive spirit.
“Look at that, I’m sure Princess Lydia likes Herwin, right?”
Bianca whispered in a small voice that only Lucia could hear. Lucia could only smile awkwardly.
* * *
Rumble, crash!
Thunder and lightning flashed outside the window and disappeared.
“Alright, everyone, focus.”
The professor gave a warning as the students in the classroom stirred.
“It’s only May, but it’s raining like the monsoon season.”
“I know, right? Today is the day of the Swordsmanship practical assessment, I wonder if it’s okay there.”
Bianca and Christine chatted, looking at the downpour outside.
“…I’m worried.”
Lucia also wore a worried expression, unable to take her eyes off the window.
Today was the most important practical assessment in Swordsmanship.
Herwin had told her that the practical assessment would be held on the mountain right next to the academy, and with so much rain pouring down, she couldn’t help but worry.
‘I hope nothing happens.’
If it had been raining since morning, the academy would have postponed the practical assessment, but the rain had started without warning.
If it suddenly rained like this, people could slip and fall on the mountain or get lost.
‘Herwin is strong, so he’ll be fine, but…’
Even though he was only 16 years old, he was a knight on the verge of becoming a Sword Expert. He would definitely return safely.
“Alright, that’s all for today’s class.”
Just then, class ended and the bell rang.
Lucia got up from her seat with Christine and Bianca.
“Shall we go meet our friends?”
“Now? It’s raining a lot outside?”
“That’s why we should go. They probably don’t have umbrellas, so we should take some with us, right?”
All the classes were over anyway. Christine suggested that they go pick up Herwin and the others.
Bianca was reluctant at first, but when Christine and Lucia tried to go, she reluctantly joined them.
Lucia and her friends prepared umbrellas, towels, and other things they might need in case of an emergency, and headed to the place where the Swordsmanship practical assessment was being held.
The umbrella was useless in the strong wind and rain, and the hems of their clothes were getting wet.
Bianca clung tightly to Christine, trying not to get wet.
“Ugh! This is why I didn’t want to come!”
“Bianca, just bear with it a little longer. I can see the tent over there.”
When they looked where Christine was pointing, they saw a tent that the academy had prepared in advance.
Probably students who had dropped out or professors were gathered there.
Lucia and her friends hurried towards the tent.
“We have to go save them right now!”
When they reached the tent, they heard Brian shouting loudly from inside.
A bad feeling washed over her.
“There are Monsters on the mountain! Herwin and Arista are the only ones who haven’t come back yet! What if they meet a Monster? Will the professors take responsibility?”
Brian was angry at the professors.
“Wait a little longer until the rain stops. We won’t be able to find them properly if we go now. And Monsters? Don’t talk nonsense. There are no Monsters here…”
“Professor! It’s not a lie! I saw a Monster too. It’s definitely not an animal! It’s an Ogre!”
This time, Ethan shouted. He limped and supported Brian’s words.
When two people said they had seen a Monster, the professors’ faces darkened.
“And think about it. Herwin and Arista are the only ones who haven’t returned here. The two of them are the most skilled here. Everyone else has come back, but is it possible that only those two haven’t?”
“Professor! They’re going to be in danger!”
Brian and Ethan wanted the professors or anyone to move as soon as possible to find Herwin and Arista, who had not yet returned.
Thud-
“W-what is this…”
“Herwin is missing?”
The students who had just entered the tent were heard exclaiming in shock.
“Lucia…!”
Bianca, belatedly thinking of Lucia, quickly turned around.
In that moment, Bianca felt a chill run down her spine.
The clear blue eyes, full of life like a clear sky, had instantly become empty. It was as if she was facing a doll, with no soul to be found.
Lucia staggered and approached Brian and Ethan. The two, who had been arguing with the professor, were startled to see the unexpected figure.
“How did you guys get here…”
“What is going on? Herwin is missing…?”
When Brian hesitated to speak, Lucia’s eyes narrowed.
“Tell me properly, quickly!”
“That’s… well…”
She wished he would say no, that she had misheard, but Brian couldn’t affirm or deny it.
That sight seemed to starkly explain the situation Herwin was in.
As Lucia gasped, Brian and Bianca, thinking she would collapse, quickly grabbed her.
However, Lucia did not collapse.
No, she couldn’t collapse. Collapsing here wouldn’t bring back the missing Herwin.
“Lucia, don’t worry too much. Everything will be alright.”
“Yeah, it’s raining so much, they might have just hidden somewhere for a while.”
The friends around her quickly comforted her. No one would be able to keep their sanity after hearing that their childhood friend was missing.
Knowing that no matter what she said here, it wouldn’t get through, Bianca hugged Lucia tightly and stroked her.
A deep sense of despair and helplessness washed over her. Lucia squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists tightly.
She wanted to break through the rain right now and find the missing Herwin. But reality was different from her wishes.
Lucia couldn’t wield a sword like Brian or Ethan, she couldn’t use magic, and she wasn’t even particularly athletic.
All she could do now was pray that Herwin would return safely. That was all.
“Th-there, I see someone!”
Suddenly, a student pointed outside the tent and shouted loudly.
Lucia quickly opened her eyes and looked outside, where she couldn’t see clearly due to the heavy rain.
In the distance, she saw two black figures in the gray landscape.
“Arista, Herwin!”
As soon as they confirmed their identities, several people ran out immediately. Lucia was among them.
“Herwin!”
She couldn’t open her eyes properly because of the heavy raindrops, but Lucia was busy running to Herwin.
As they got closer to the two figures, they could see their proper shapes.
“Hah, hah, hah…”
Arista, covered in mud and rain, was struggling to walk, supporting Herwin, who was bigger than her.
As soon as she saw the people running towards her, she stopped walking and gasped for breath.
“Arista! We’ll support Herwin now.”
Brian and Ethan quickly took Herwin from Arista.
Herwin’s condition was not good. He seemed to be half out of his mind, as if he had been seriously injured, and he was limping on one leg.
“Herwin!”
Lucia quickly approached Herwin, and Herwin looked at Lucia with blurry eyes before dropping his head.
“Damn it! Bring a stretcher right now!”
“Herwin! Wake up! You can’t lose your mind here!”
In the distance, they could see a stretcher coming. Lucia wanted to cry out loud right now.
No, she was already crying. However, because her face was already wet from the rain, no one knew she was crying.
“A-Arista!”
At that moment, Arista, who was behind Herwin, staggered and was about to fall forward.
Lucia, who was watching Herwin being carried away on a stretcher, quickly grabbed her.
“Lu, Lucia… thank you…”
Her voice, barely audible, had no strength. Still, she didn’t let go of the sword she was holding in her right hand.
Her hand was so pale that it was clear she was still tense.
“Arista, you’ve done a great job. You can rest now.”
Lucia carefully placed her hand on Arista’s hand so that she could let go of the sword.
“…Huh?”
But something was strange. Something faint flickered from her sword.
However, it was only for a moment. When Arista let go of her hand, the shimmering that had been briefly visible disappeared.
‘Did I see it wrong?’
Lucia tilted her head in confusion, feeling Arista’s weight leaning on her, and quickly checked on her.
Just then, the people who were left after moving Herwin came over, picked up Arista, and quickly took her to the tent.
In the tent, they were busy treating Herwin, who had been carried in earlier.
“Lucia! You’re all wet!”
“You’ll catch a cold.”
Bianca and Christine handed Lucia a towel.
Lucia roughly accepted the towel and checked on Herwin.
“Ethan! How’s Herwin? Is he okay?”
“There are no major injuries. He seems to have some concussion symptoms, and his ankle is very swollen, so it looks like he rolled once, but it’s a relief that it ended like this.”
Ethan also roughly wiped his head with a towel and reported the situation.
“Arista is okay too, she seems to be exhausted from using too much strength.”
There was no major damage that they had feared. A deep sense of relief washed over her, and Lucia lost her tension.
As she slumped to the ground, Ethan and Brian quickly grabbed Lucia.
“Haa, thank goodness. I’m glad they weren’t hurt…”
“You can rest easy now. You guys should go in now.”
“Yeah, we’ll stay by Herwin’s side.”
Ethan and Brian tried to send Lucia back to the dorm.
They judged that she needed rest after experiencing something shocking, even if it was for a very short time.
In addition to the mental shock, Lucia had been soaked in the rain and her whole body was wet.
Lucia’s lips were turning blue, and her body was starting to tremble slightly.
“…No, I can’t go until Herwin wakes up.”
“But, Lucia. It’ll be a disaster if you collapse.”
“That’s right, let’s at least change your clothes.”
Even when people around her tried to persuade her, Lucia’s attitude was firm. Sensing that she wouldn’t budge, her friends sighed.
