By Zephyria 
“Do you know about the Orgen family?” The question came up first.
When I shook my head, having not yet found the senior’s name in the Nobility Yearbook class, Shayden sighed heavily, saying, “Of course, you wouldn’t know,” and explained it step by step.
Everyone with a surname was a noble, and it was natural for nobles to be recorded in the Nobility Yearbook. If one wished to avoid widely publicizing embarrassing incidents or accidents, they could pay a certain fee to have those incidents excluded from the Nobility Yearbook released to the public. However, if one bore a noble surname, it was only right and proper to know who married whom or who was born when one consulted the Nobility Yearbook.
But Walter Orgen, the Orgen family, was different.
It was a story from many generations ago. The Orgens, who had led the charge in crushing noble families in support of a mad Emperor, were a very powerful family at the time. However, after they fled, their traces could no longer be found. Since many families had fled at that time, the Orgens were easily forgotten. It was assumed that the surname had become meaningless, and no one would step forward to claim it.
And then Walter Orgen enrolled in Shierun Academy under his surname. The question of whether the fifteen-year-old Walter Orgen had the ability to maintain the Orgen title was put to the test. This was handled by the Nobility Almanac Management and Inspection Department. Calypse Agrigent was concurrently holding the duties of that department and a professorship at the time. Since Walter Orgen was an academy student, investigating the Orgens was Calypse’s responsibility.
Hearing up to that point, I calmed down as if I were listening to a lecture and was able to think.
“…What does that have to do with the two of you becoming lovers?”
“Love, you know, it just suddenly, unexpectedly, blossoms in places you never thought it would.”
“…”
So, they became like that after fighting like that? It sounded like utter nonsense.
“…And then?”
“While Professor Calypse was observing Senior Orgen… Since Senior is in the Swordsmanship Department, he apparently noticed the tailing easily. But then, Senior…”
“Oh.”
“…Started spreading rumors that Professor Calypse kept paying attention to him and looking at him because he liked him.”
“What?”
I was dumbfounded. It was an outrageous story. The Walter Orgen I knew was a cheerful and kind-hearted man. He wasn’t the type to make things up. I couldn’t believe it.
Seeing how overly bewildered I looked, Shayden patted my shoulder and offered me tea. After taking a sip, I asked again.
“What on earth is that…”
“Listen, from Senior Orgen’s perspective, it made sense for him to say something like that. His family fell, and Walter Orgen apparently had a difficult upbringing. His parents had affairs, and he had many half-siblings, so all he inherited was his name and a hollow title.”
“…So?”
“So, he asked a close friend why Professor Calypse kept looking at him. And the friend said, ‘Isn’t it because he likes you?'”
“No.”
“So, Senior thought about it carefully. Professor Calypse looked young, so the age difference probably wasn’t an issue. He had a stable job, was handsome, and most importantly, he felt so loved by me, how could he refuse? So, he made his move, and was told he’d have to graduate first if he wanted to confess.”
“No…!”
“But after graduating, when he confessed, the Professor didn’t accept. From the Professor’s perspective, it was natural; he was just a graduating academy student… He probably never took it seriously in the first place. The investigation into the Orgen family was also nearing its end.”
I took another gulp of tea. My insides burned. Shayden chuckled.
“And then Senior Orgen deferred his graduation.”
“…How did you, no, that, Logan, how did that child know all this?”
“Apparently… as the issue between the two grew, a small hearing was held… Since it was a matter between a professor and a student, the academy intervened… So, the story leaked out bit by bit. Everyone who knows, knows, they say.”
I recalled the moments Walter Orgen lost in sparring. Maelo Sanson must have known about his sword movements that deviated by the slightest margin. Then, had he surpassed the First-rate level long ago? He must have at least reached the Peak realm. Now, I finally understood the reason for their fight. The professor kept urging him to graduate, and the student kept insisting that his feelings be accepted.
Yet, they still met? Was that not a forced action? My mind was in turmoil. Shayden hesitated, so I urged him to speak.
“I’m on Senior Orgen’s side?”
“…Why?”
“It’s said that a few professors, including Professor Calypse, the Headmaster, the Vice-Headmaster, Senior Orgen, and a few of his friends attended that hearing. But Senior Orgen stood on the podium there, tears streaming down his face, and asked the Professor.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked if the Professor truly, not even a little bit, loved him.”
“Hooorrr….”
“But Professor Calypse couldn’t answer.”
It was a baffling situation. I was astonished.
“Then, doesn’t that mean he didn’t like him?”
“No! He himself doesn’t know his own feelings!”
“No, why would he cause such a scene by gathering people in a place like that?”
“How would I know?”
…He was right. I closed my mouth.
“In any case, Professor Calypse publicly announced that the two were not in a romantic relationship, and Senior Orgen’s pre-approved graduation deferment was granted, allowing him to attend school for another year.”
“Right.”
“But after that, Senior started openly pursuing Professor Calypse. He said it didn’t matter if the Professor didn’t like him, as long as Senior Orgen liked the Professor… For two years, he deferred his graduation.”
“I’ve never seen such a crazy bastard.”
Shayden looked at me with wide, surprised eyes. I rarely swore. I cleared my throat and told him to continue. Shayden smiled awkwardly and concluded.
“It’s the love of the century… Anyway, that’s all I know. They’re almost treated as an official couple now.”
In the end, it meant Orgen had diligently pursued and succeeded in his courtship. Then why had he looked so dejected earlier? As I was troubled by such thoughts, Shayden asked me what I had seen. I answered hesitantly.
“Just the two of them behind the building.”
“Yes, behind the building?”
“…Fighting loudly.”
“Ah… It’s probably because Senior Orgen deferred his graduation again. Well, the academy is just a gateway to pass through. From Professor Calypse’s side, it might feel burdensome, as if he’s unintentionally holding Senior Orgen back.”
“Can’t he just graduate and become a knight serving the Imperial Palace?”
“Hmm… To work in the Imperial Palace without family backing, I heard you first need a few years of service in the Yuil Mountains. The general route is to train in practice after graduating from the academy, and if your skills improve, you become an Imperial Knight.”
“…”
“If you suddenly have to go far away like that… If I were Senior Orgen, I might feel insecure. Honestly, I don’t know about our age, but people tend to avoid long-distance relationships after their twenties. You need to overlap your living spheres to some extent to get married.”
“…The two of them are both men, can’t they get married?”
“That’s probably why. If they break up now, they can’t share their surname. There’s public opinion that Imperial Law should change soon, but it’s still a long way off.”
“…”
I was surprised by the public opinion that advocated for allowing men to marry. It was due to my age and rigid thinking. No, it was because such things didn’t happen in the Central Plains. It was something I had never considered. Shayden asked me not to spread the story elsewhere, as it was something most seniors from the generation above knew but kept quiet about.
After thanking him for telling me and leaving Shayden’s reception room, I suddenly checked the time. Oh no. Imperial Genealogy Class and Practical Flying Dagger Technique Class were scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. In my shock and confusion, I had only just realized I had missed the Flying Dagger Technique class. When I had set my schedule for this semester, I had lamented that I really wanted to take the class, and three of the children chosen by lottery had given me their spots, yielding their turns. It felt terribly apologetic to have missed such an important class from the very first day. I hurried towards the Flying Dagger Training Field.
❖ ❖ ❖
It was the last hour of a three-hour class.
Wilton Roberts looked me up and down as I entered the Flying Dagger Training Field late, then checked the time. I felt embarrassed and guilty, unable to lift my head.
“Michael Ernhardt. Didn’t you take this class last semester as well?”
“…My skills were lacking, so I wanted to receive more instruction from the professor, but I was late for class today due to an incident. I am truly sorry.”
“I see. This semester, you are number 10. Your turn will come after one person, so wait.”
“Yes!”
Fortunately, the class content was the same as last semester, so I didn’t need further explanation. I waited patiently for my turn, and when it came, I stood before the 10-meter target. I felt nervous for no reason when he said he wanted to see how much I had practiced during the break. I took a breath, fixed my gaze, used my elbow, but kept my shoulder steady.
As soon as I threw the dagger once, Roberts let out a cold smile.
“I can tell what kind of Sword Art you use without even seeing it, Michael Ernhardt.”
“…Yes?”
“You use swift sword. A flashy Sword Art focused on speed, emphasizing footwork. Your speed was acceptable, but the dagger hitting slightly above eye level was likely not intentional…”
My face turned red with embarrassment. I swallowed my awe at his Eye Technique, which had instantly discerned that I had altered the angle and speed of my dagger throws during my solo winter break practice to incorporate the Azure Way.
Roberts, letting out a few more chuckles, stood up and threw as I did. His breathing, the angle of his fingertips, his shoulder, and his gaze were exactly the same as mine. I breathed according to the Great expansive divine skill of azure sky. There were proper rules for inhaling and exhaling. It should have been impossible to replicate after only watching a few times, yet Wilton Roberts mimicked me with great ease. I widened my eyes, seeing a Shierun person breathing in the exact same way as me for the first time.
“See. This way, the flying dagger naturally rides the wind. It’s because you used the side of your wrist a lot. So, like this…”
I dazedly did as Wilton Roberts instructed. A flying dagger soaring, carrying the sky and wind, was unbelievable. My heart, which had been troubled and distressed all day, melted away with the swift flying dagger technique.