〈 Episode 251 〉 I Am Your Future (1)
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A few weeks after hearing the news of Galahal’s retirement, I received a letter from the front lines. The contents of the letter were brief.
Galahal’s visit to Apuria.
The news of Galahal’s retirement had not yet reached the public, and the information in the letter was extremely limited. The main purpose of the visit was to meet with Chloe, the next candidate for Hero.
‘Just as Kalt said it would be.’
I muttered absentmindedly as I read the letter.
Last time, Kalt had told me.
Knights Order Leader Heinkel was going to send Galahal to Apuria. Since Heinkel was someone who pushed things quickly once he made a decision, Galahal’s visit had practically been confirmed since then.
I wasn’t particularly surprised since I had already anticipated it.
I wasn’t worried about Galahal’s visit either.
‘It’s actually a good thing.’
Galahal was a Hero who had been active on the battlefield for a long time.
For students like Chloe or those who would head to the battlefield in the future, simply meeting Galahal would be a huge encouragement.
‘That coward, I was planning to beat him up and send him back if he came…’
Unlike Destel, who ramble on and fill minds with useless ideologies, Galahal’s visit was something to be welcomed.
However, that was that.
“I believe the visit date will be around next month. Since this is still confidential information, please be careful not to leak it.”
I tore my gaze away from the letter.
‘Here comes trouble again.’
As I shifted my gaze forward, I saw a familiar figure sitting in front of me, someone I had been seeing quite often lately.
“Isn’t it tiring to go back and forth between the Royal Capital and the battlefield?”
“Well, sitting in a carriage can make my body a bit stiff, but it can’t compare to marching.”
The knight casually responded to my question.
The dynamic Roks shrugged his shoulders. I nodded absentmindedly at Roks’ words.
“Marching can be tough. After one, my toes ache so much at night that I can’t sleep well…”
“…Huh? Do you have experience marching?”
“…Ah, I misspoke. I’ve heard it’s tough.”
Whenever I recalled something related to the battlefield, I found myself unintentionally blurting things out. I let out an awkward smile and changed the subject.
“So, did you come just to deliver this letter? Don’t you think it could be delivered without you?”
“Actually, I also wanted to check ahead for some preparations while I was at it.”
“Check ahead?”
I tilted my head.
Roks scratched the back of his head and continued.
“I came to handle trivial matters like where to stay during Galahal’s visit and the temporary passes I’ll receive here.”
“A knight like you?”
“Being an aide to Galahal is a mission given to me by the Knights Order Leader. Personally, he’s someone I respect a lot. And also…”
Roks smiled wryly.
“Apuria is my alma mater.”
I thought I’d like to visit after a long time.
As he was mumbling that, Roks looked at me.
“Um, would it be okay to ask you for guidance?”
“Sure, that shouldn’t be a problem.”
But does anyone really need a guide in Apuria?
Just as I was reaching for the robe I had hung nearby, I heard a voice.
“What’s this? Isn’t that Roks?”
My master, who had just returned from a brief outing, came in.
Master showed his pleasure at seeing Roks, who was sitting across from me.
‘Now that I think about it, he was one of the students Master taught.’
I figured Roks would be glad to see Master too.
But when I looked at Roks, his reaction was quite different from what I expected.
“Uh, uhh… Professor Rosel.”
Roks’ eyes were wobbling visibly.
“I’ve heard about your achievements on the battlefield, even up to the Royal Capital. Hearing that the dynamic Roks is now taking on the title of specializing in shockwave magic suits you well.”
Unlike Master, who seemed happy to see an old student, Roks couldn’t even look Master in the eye.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
He seemed to be displaying the same reaction that students had shown me at the beginning of the semester. While I felt an unfamiliar sense of familiarity, Master opened his mouth.
“So, Rania. Where are you going?”
“Oh, this friend asked for a tour of Apuria…”
“That’s great.”
Master smiled.
“Come along, Roks. I was just about to visit Apuria, so I’ll give you a tour.”
“U-Uh, it’s fine! Professor Rosel! I can manage to look around myself…”
“Things have changed a lot since you graduated. I’ll be your guide, so don’t hesitate to follow.”
Roks abruptly turned his head.
With an expression of desperation, Roks looked at me, but I had no idea what that look meant.
“Have a good trip.”
I waved to Roks as he left.
Roks’ complexion turned pale.
2.
Roks, the knight from Apuria Academy.
During his visit to Apuria, he had roughly two tasks to fulfill.
‘The first was a preliminary inspection for Galahal’s visit.’
And the second.
‘To assess the capabilities of the students currently enrolled at Apuria.’
This was a necessary task.
The battlefield was in need of new forces, and graduates from Apuria were considered high-quality personnel.
Not everyone heads into battle, but…
Students from the Battle Magic Department or those of commoner backgrounds often find their futures tied to becoming knights on the battlefield. What Roks needed to verify during this visit were exactly those students.
A general assessment of their abilities.
And compiling a list of key figures.
It was something he could have done alone, but Roks had a little personal intention of wanting Rania to guide him. Just walking together felt like it would help him recover from the fatigue of being worn down on the battlefield.
But perhaps it was a punishment for his selfishness.
‘Of all people, it had to be Professor Rosel…’
The person walking alongside him was not a bright-looking young female professor but rather the serious and strict old mentor. Roks felt like crying a little.
Rosel van Trias, the nightmare of Apuria.
Rosel had been Roks’ guiding professor, and because of him, Roks had to endure a hellish school life. It was a school life colored by assignments and personal research.
He had never experienced a single romance like others did.
His precious youth was locked away in a research room.
When recalling his school life, what came to mind was not the beautiful scenery of Apuria. Cherry blossoms and whatnot, but the cold and eerie landscape of the spell research room flooded his mind.
‘Well, it did pave the way for an elite course.’
He went from commoner to knight.
Now he served as an aide to the Knights Order Leader.
It was indeed a prestigious position that everyone envied.
Yet, why was that the case?
“This is a newly cultivated garden. Aaron invested quite a bit into it. This scenery wasn’t here when you were attending, was it?”
“It’s… nice, I guess.”
As Roks looked at the beautiful scenery of Apuria, a chill ran up his side… why exactly was that?
“…….”
Roks gazed at Apuria’s garden with dull eyes. Students were laughing and playing around the garden.
Among them, the most noticeable were…
“Why are you eating so messily? Can’t you be more careful?”
“What do you want me to do? This is how the bread is made. Besides, eating a bit messily isn’t a crime…”
“Just wipe your mouth and speak!”
Two students were sitting on a bench, tearing apart honey bread.
A beautiful girl with stunning white hair and a boy who seemed to have tasted all the bitterness of the world. The boy used the handkerchief he was holding to dab the girl’s mouth.
It looked like a scene from a youth melodrama.
As Roks watched the school romance unfolding in the academy’s garden, his eyes widened.
‘Those kids already…!’
No matter how beautiful the scenery is, if the observer’s life is truly barren, it’s nothing but torture.
“…The students these days seem quite spoiled.”
“Why do you say that suddenly, Roks?”
“They seem to have the luxury to leisurely enjoy romance, and it seems Professor Rosel has gotten much kinder.”
“Me?”
Roks threw a blank stare at Rosel.
“Aren’t you the infamous nightmare of Apuria?”
“You kids used to joke like that.”
“We took it pretty seriously…”
“That nickname doesn’t belong to me anymore.”
Rosel shrugged.
“I’ve released that name, so I suppose it’s true that, as you said, I’ve become kinder.”
“If it’s not yours…?”
“Nowadays, my disciple is called that instead. The nightmare of Apuria.”
The nightmare of Apuria, Rania van Trias.
Rosel spoke calmly about the rumors that had spread among the students.
Roks blinked in surprise and then burst into laughter, waving his hands dismissively.
“Professor Rosel, you must be joking.”
“Joking, you say?”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Surely just standing on the podium and smiling slightly would make the students swoon, but calling her a nightmare?
‘Is it even possible for someone with that face and voice to be a nightmare?’
It’s far from easy, truly.
“That’s enviable. I’m jealous.”
Roks grumbled as he resumed walking.
“I could never have imagined that at that time.”
He stopped where the two students were sitting by the bench. They looked up at Roks.
“Hello.”
Roks opened his mouth.
“Your name is Belnoa, right?”
He couldn’t recognize at first, but upon approaching, he could identify the two.
One was the next Hero candidate, Chloe.
The other was the apprentice of the Dark Tower Master, Belnoa.
As Roks looked down at the two enjoying their romance, his gaze narrowed. He turned his head to look at Rosel.
“Professor Rosel.”
“What is it, Roks?”
“Can I see how the juniors are doing?”
Let’s show these impudent juniors a taste of reality.
3.
On a day with no classes.
On a legal day off, enjoying dessert leisurely.
Whistling happily, Rania was heading toward Apuria. Her steps toward the café inside Apuria, which had become her regular haunt, were light and joyous.
Recently, the café owner, Allen, reportedly created a new dessert. She overheard students talking about it, and they said it was quite exceptional.
‘Usually, I couldn’t try it as it coincided with class hours and was limited in quantity…’
But today was different.
She had timed her arrival to match the opening of the café, so she could taste the freshly baked desserts. Smacking her lips in anticipation, Rania passed through the main gate of Apuria.
“…Huh?”
Something felt off about the atmosphere in Apuria.
It was an unusual ambiance… normally, students would be waiting in front of the café for it to open, but none were there this time.
Instead, students were lining up, heading somewhere. Rania strained to listen in on their conversations.
“Did you hear the news?”
“A graduate of Apuria, a knight active on the battlefield, is visiting…”
“They said he’s going to guide us…”
It seemed they were talking about Roks.
“Oh…”
Is he planning to look after the younger students?
To Rania, it didn’t seem like a bad idea.
Just as she was about to step into the café without a second thought, a voice that followed made her stop in her tracks.
“Who’s he guiding?”
“Belnoa and Lac!”
“Said he would guide both of them at the same time?”
Rania paused, turning her head to follow the stream of students.
At the end of it, there was the arena. It looked quite serious.
“Hmm.”
Belnoa and Lac.
Dynamic Roks.
“Hmm…”
After a moment of consideration, Rania naturally joined the line of students.
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