By Zephyria 
Intermediate Swordsmanship class was a time to learn and practice the Imperial Swordsmanship step by step from the basics with all the children.
My ears were still ringing from being tormented by Ray Gibson for two hours on Tuesday afternoon.
It was fortunate that, because that guy Bill had tasted power early on, even though he would shove me and Sierren and Benjamin with his broad shoulders, such things rarely happened with Rubel.
I naturally stood close to Rubel and focused on learning swordsmanship.
I didn’t particularly dislike Bill. I just didn’t get along well with loud people.
This was all due to the habit of hearing even small sounds loudly. The habit of listening intently every night to survive in my past life remained, causing me discomfort even now.
Bill seemed completely unaware that I was avoiding him. Even though we were distant, blood was blood, so I felt a pang of concern, which was rather fortunate.
Shayden, who said I seemed like the opposite type of person to him, took it upon himself to handle conversations with Bill. It was truly fortunate. I had found a truly precious friend.
We studied the Three Sword Forms, which formed the basis of Imperial Swordsmanship, and the stance for holding a shield.
I received a practice shield that weighed exactly half of the standard shield of the Imperial Knight Order. When I asked why, they said it was to avoid hindering the growth of my bones and muscles, so I nodded.
After lunch, I went for a walk alone, craving some quiet.
I walked a long way around the back of the buildings, avoiding the noise. Angry voices could be heard from nearby.
I thought I should pass quickly, as turning back would mean encountering a crowd of children, and quickened my pace. For some reason, the voices reaching my ears sounded familiar.
“How long are you going to pretend not to see me?”
“Why? Did I beg you to stay here?”
“I told you not to call me that.”
It was Professor Calypse Agrigent. And it was Walter Orgen. I froze in surprise and hid my presence. Instinctively, I felt that I shouldn’t go out into that spot right now.
Were they brothers? Their surnames were different. He told him not to call him ‘brother,’ and I felt embarrassed, as if I had inadvertently stumbled upon an unfortunate family secret.
As I peeked out, unsure when it would be safe to emerge, Walter grabbed Calypse by the collar and pulled him in for a kiss.
…They kissed. I covered my mouth, unable to help myself, with a stifled gasp.
The way their tongues intimately mingled was stark.
It was different from what I had seen in plays, and different from how Danbi and his girlfriend had pecked at each other.
Calypse pushed against Walter’s chest, trying to break free. But it was impossible. Walter had a significant advantage in physique, and it was a struggle between a martial artist and a scholar.
Should I help? But whom? How? I was frozen in confusion, unable to move.
Just as Walter tightly gripped Calypse’s waist, trying to deepen the kiss, a sharp sound echoed. It was Calypse, who had created space by forcefully pushing Walter away, slapping his cheek.
It was natural. What kind of teacher, what kind of professor, would tolerate their student behaving like that?
Calypse spat out his words through gritted teeth.
“Every time you beg me, I give in, so you think I’m a joke.”
Walter’s muffled curses sounded like thunder.
Walter Orgen was a man who always went around with a silly grin. He had an ever-kind, benevolent, and gentle disposition.
I couldn’t believe that the man spewing such curses was Walter Orgen. Just then, Walter turned his gaze this way. Our eyes met.
The man swept his long hair back and let out a sigh as if he were suffocated.
I saw his fingertips weakly beckon towards me. It was a signal to leave immediately.
With the vision of a First-rate martial artist, I couldn’t possibly miss such a signal, so I quickly turned and walked away.
I was bewildered, utterly bewildered.
It felt distant, so distant.
I couldn’t believe what I had seen.
I vaguely knew that men could have romantic relationships. Didn’t Rubel ask me if I was perhaps interested in homosexuality when I said I had no intention of finding a lover?
Perhaps it wasn’t such a rare occurrence in Sierren.
Walter Orgen had definitely noticed me, but Calypse, not being a martial artist, wouldn’t know I was there.
No, if they reconciled, Walter might give me a hint. Then, how should I react? Shayden’s words suddenly came to mind.
He had said it was proper not to get involved in Professor Calypse Agrigent’s love quarrels.
Indeed. This was not something I could help with.
It wasn’t gentle, chaste, and soft like Marianne’s affection, but I couldn’t believe that this kind of fierce, biting intensity, spewing curses at each other, was also affection.
Coincidentally, the very next class was Calypse’s.
Professor Calypse Agrigent entered the class with a hoarse voice. I looked at the persistent purple bruise on his neck. It was a mark from being bitten.
But the other party was Walter Orgen?
I couldn’t understand what was happening or how. I didn’t want to know, yet I was intensely curious.
Walter’s curses still echoed in my ears.
I must have been spacing out for most of the class, because as soon as it ended, Shayden grabbed my shoulder and shook me.
At that moment, I was recalling the scene where Lucilla had teased Walter. He had clearly said Professor Calypse, and I wondered if I was the only one who didn’t know about their relationship.
“No, why is this kid like this? Mika, let’s go!”
“Shayden.”
I desperately grabbed Shayden’s wrist. The child looked down at me with surprised, round eyes. I couldn’t hold back and asked,
“Did you know?”
“Huh? Know what again?”
“…About the Professor’s.”
“Yeah? The Professor’s?”
“Lover.”
Shayden said “Ah,” and looked away. It was as good as hearing the answer already.
Shayden, just like before, suggested we go to his room to explain and led me away. We passed Rubel on the way, but I was too preoccupied to greet him.
❖ ❖ ❖
I sat on the sofa in Shayden’s dormitory’s reception room like a child being punished. I kept my hands on my lap, still.
Shayden poured me a cup of warm tea. It was the yellow tea for calming and soothing, commonly drunk in Douglas Mustang’s professor’s office.
Ah. I couldn’t help but cover my face with both hands.
After a long silence, Shayden spoke.
“So, how did you find out?”
I didn’t answer.
“…Can I ask what part surprised you? I need some time to prepare myself too.”
I couldn’t answer.
I was still confused about how to describe what I had seen.
I felt ashamed of myself for acting this way at my age, but I found it difficult to calm my pounding heart. I knew that lovers kissed when they had intercourse. But how could they… with their tongues like animals…
My good Eye Force was the problem, making me see too clearly.
Not wanting to think about it further, I pressed on my Sun Points. My temples throbbed. After a while, I came to my senses.
I realized I had sought out Shayden not because I had something specific to ask, but because I had no other way to manage my chaotic feelings.
As I remained silent, the child offered me more tea. After a period of time (the time it takes to drink a cup of tea), I realized Shayden was stroking my shoulders and back, comforting me.
Even so, he was a martial artist who leaped far beyond the usual distance between martial artists.
Only then did I let out a sigh that had been building inside me. I said softly,
“I didn’t know the Professor’s lover would be Senior Orgen.”
“Uh… I was surprised too. After all, there’s an age gap between them.”
“How much?”
“I think it’s eleven years… Still, it seems they started dating after the Senior became an adult. I heard the Professor kept refusing before that.”
“…Refusing whom?”
“Senior Serbel…?”
Logan Serbel, that guy, had he only confided in Shayden and not me?
A brief feeling of resentment arose, but I suppressed it, knowing I wouldn’t have believed it even if I had heard it earlier. I was so shocked that my heart was still pounding.
I tried to be someone who clearly distinguished between what I could and could not handle. If I strayed from the path while wandering as a knight, the results were often worse than helpful.
This was clearly something I could not help with, something I could not interfere in. Yet, I kept wanting to hear the explanation.
I thought the world was being sweet and gentle to me, but with every layer I peeled back, there was something surprising and frightening hidden, so I wanted to be prepared.
I needed to learn more about homosexuality, which I had previously dismissed lightly, and I wanted to know why the friendly and good-natured Walter had acted so ferociously.
The thought of seeing Walter’s face tomorrow morning made my face flush, then my spine chill. Perhaps from thinking too much, I felt dizzy.
They met after he became an adult.
I mulled over Shayden’s words. Certainly, if one looked only at that scene, Calypse wasn’t forcing the younger man. Rather, Walter was…
I shook my head, trying to push the scene that resurfaced from my mind. My hair became disheveled.
Shayden, fidgeting beside me, brought a comb. I let out a hollow laugh, which quickly subsided.
“Is the fact that the Professor and Senior are dating that surprising?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“…”
I couldn’t explain the scene I had witnessed in my own words. My lips wouldn’t move. The child patiently brushed my hair without showing any frustration. As I sat there quietly being brushed, my mind began to settle.
I urged the child to tell me the story properly now that I had calmed down, creating an opening. Shayden hesitated for a long time, then refilled my teacup before cautiously beginning.
“I don’t know much either. It’s just a widely known story. As you know, Senior Orgen took a leave of absence from graduation for quite a while… But when he was in his graduating year, he was apparently quite good among the Swordsmanship Department students.”
The story that followed was long. I emptied my teacup three times. Shayden refilled it several times without showing any sign of annoyance.