By Zephyria 
I tapped the child’s hand with my own to hurry her along. Marianne, who had been feigning ignorance for a while, let out a groan and finally opened her mouth.
“Mikael, you don’t usually keep people close, do you? But after that, you’ve been keeping Your Highness by your side constantly, so I couldn’t help but notice. And that senior’s expression, too.”
“…”Expression?””
Marianne smacked my back forcefully.
“When someone likes someone, their eyes are different from the start. I was like that too.”
“…”
“I understand what Mikael is worried about. But you know, I think a little differently from Shayden.”
I studied Marianne’s expression. Her face, smudged with sweat and dirt from all the running and tumbling, was more mischievous than usual.
“It’s not about whether to accept them or not. You should first think about whether you like that person. What does it matter if the other person likes you so much? In the end, the most important thing is your own heart, Mikael. Love isn’t a one-way street.”
“…”
“You can think about how to resolve it later. That’s how I see it, at least.”
Marianne sprang up and brushed the dirt off her pants. A puff of white dust rose.
“Let me know if you need tuition fees. I’ll offer relationship advice anytime. Well then, have a great day today!”
I stared blankly at Marianne’s retreating back as she scurried away. Huh. A hollow laugh escaped me.
After talking with Marianne like that at dawn, I felt awkward seeing Rubel’s face immediately. I worried that I might seem like I was teasing him, even though I already knew everything.
But it was a feeling I couldn’t show on the outside.
I bowed my head in greeting to Rubel, who spoke first, acknowledging him, and stood beside him as usual to watch the sparring. As I did, I felt his gaze linger on my cheek again. A tickle bloomed in my chest.
“You should be attending class.”
Even though he hadn’t turned to look at me, Rubel immediately understood that I was speaking to him.
Rubel turned his attention back to the children sparring, and his quiet demeanor bothered me again. This time, I couldn’t focus on the sparring either. After eight clashes of swords, the child, who hadn’t even been able to breathe properly, looked back at me again. His voice already held a hint of disappointment.
“You said it was okay to watch before.”
“It’s fine when it’s not class time.”
“…”
Rubel was about to protest, but he seemed to agree with my words and fell silent. My ear tips tingled every time the child whispered.
“…”Shall we practice this Saturday too?””
“…”
It was about dancing.
Next month would be exam period, making it difficult to find time on weekends. If we wanted to practice more, it was only right to finish it all within this month. But…
What if, by any chance, this child liked me… and it became a rumor?
Then again, I thought, it wasn’t like we were truly intimate, just me harboring feelings alone. Who would gossip about that?
Since Sierren valued love so highly, perhaps this much would be acceptable. Rubel wasn’t the Emperor yet, and he hadn’t even chosen a betrothed.
I glanced up at Rubel. His gaze felt dark and ticklish. Before I knew it, I had nodded. Looking at the smile slowly spreading across his face, I found myself smiling too.
It was absurd. I had grown far too attached.
Still, after climbing the Yuil Mountains, I wouldn’t be able to see him for a long time. This much was fine. This much would be acceptable. I soothed my cold insides like that, over and over.
During Aura and Mana class, Mage Boulder was nowhere to be seen. I was very puzzled, as he never failed to pester me and urge me on every Thursday.
“…”Where is Mage Boulder?””
“Haha, well…”
Douglas chuckled and wore an embarrassed expression.
“He tried to create a Dantian without us present… and he’s injured his body a bit.”
“What do you mean?”
“Fortunately, his life isn’t in danger… He’ll be back in two weeks after some recuperation. Until then, Mikael, Young Master, you don’t really need to visit. Please stop by once after your major subject exams are over, before the vacation begins.”
“That…”
Is he really crazy?
The words didn’t leave my mouth because Douglas looked very worried. I hesitated for a moment, bowed respectfully, and left the professor’s office.
Come to think of it, all three wizards I was close to had very peculiar personalities.
Marianne wasn’t exactly demure, Edwin’s fussiness was notorious, and Boulder was always up to strange things. I resolved inwardly that I must take good care of these children.
❖ ❖ ❖
Friday afternoon. I stopped Edwin, who was on his way. My excuse was to help him feed Mana to Ranunculus.
In truth, after doing it a few times, feeding Mana to Ranunculus wasn’t difficult.
However, after seeing Boulder’s accident, I had realized something profound. I felt that I should treat this child more like a person while his mind was still young and not yet hardened.
Edwin, unaware of my inner thoughts, laughed and boasted that no one else could do it but him. I followed him, leading the way to the auditorium, which was inscribed with defensive spell formulas.
I indulged Edwin’s every word, agreeing with him, and he then yelled at me, asking if I thought he was a pushover.
“Why would I think Senior is a pushover?”
“No, you’re only half-opening your eyes right now! Are you even listening to me?”
“Yes?”
“Haa… really. Do it properly.”
“Yes.”
It was quite difficult to appease him. He was so temperamental, it was hard to match his mood.
Upon arriving at the auditorium, we sat two Ranunculuses down separately and I learned that there were several ways to feed them Mana.
I received a long and detailed explanation about how to handle Circles, which I hadn’t fully understood during class, and finally grasped it.
I held the small bird close to me, as if comforting a child. The creature, which had been chirping incessantly, greedily swallowed the Mana I offered with its tiny beak. It was both fascinating and amusing, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
After a while, the Ranunculus, its belly swollen, fluttered its wings as if asking to be released, so I let go of my hands. The birds were left to play amongst themselves, and we chatted about various things.
“Are those… not alive?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“They enjoy playing, eat, and act affectionately… It seems strange to say they aren’t alive.”
“Uh, well… Have you ever seen a Spirit?”
“No.”
“In terms of their ability to think, speak, and move, yes, ethically speaking, it’s right to consider them alive, but… the biggest difference between a Magical Creature and a truly living being is whether they fear death, or not.”
“…”Fear of death?””
“Yeah. Spirits don’t think they’re going to die. They’re… just like a mass of Mana. You can communicate with higher Spirits, and they say that being born from Mana and returning to Mana is… just a part of natural phenomena. Though there are individual differences.”
“…”Hmm.”
“Magical Creatures are the same. They don’t know fear even when given a command to die. Even though they can live as long as they have Mana, they mimic actions like sleeping or playing, not because they need to, but because it’s fun.”
“…”Mimicry?””
“Yeah. They imitate because they’re used to it. Because the people around them act that way. In reality, as long as they have Mana, they don’t feel tired even after flying at full speed for days.”
I cast my gaze back at the two creatures darting around the auditorium like acrobats. The Ranunculuses, one crimson gold and the other blue, let out exclamations that were not quite words, their eyes sparkling.
“Thanks to that, they never refuse a command to go to dangerous areas. That’s why they can deliver messages…”
“…”Hmm.”
I recalled the large bird-shaped creature on Alan Lager’s shoulder.
Though I felt sorry for the little one I was currently raising, I thought that a creature that could speak so clearly and loudly could easily fly over high mountains.
“Then, Senior, when I was in the Yuil Mountains… when I was away from the city.”
“Yeah.”
“If something happens to Valentia or Ernhardt, could you use a Ranunculus to relay messages?”
“Huh? Well, that much is…”
Sensing his lack of conviction, I carefully observed Edwin’s expression. Edwin narrowed his eyes again.
“What, you don’t trust me?”
“No… I don’t. I’ve heard that wizards in the Magic Tower are out of touch with outside news.”
“That’s ridiculous, really. Then don’t ask for favors.”
“I trust you because you seem adept at politics.”
“Is that a compliment or an insult?”
“It’s a compliment.”
Seeing that Edwin looked like he might get angry again, I quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, is going to the Yuil Mountains beneficial for wizards too?”
“Haa… Because you’re exposed to high-concentration Mana, the rewards are substantial for the effort. There have been cases where wizards who constantly travel to the Yuil Mountains became Archmages earlier.”
“…”Hmm.”
“On the other hand, the probability of dying is quite high.”
“Yes?”
As someone who had to take Marianne to the Yuil Mountains, there was no scarier statement. When I asked for details in surprise, Edwin adjusted his cloak, which he wore neatly over his school uniform, and explained.
“What do you think is the biggest difference between a knight and a wizard?”
“…”Stamina?””
“I wonder. I think it’s attitude.”
“Why?”
“When something happens, a knight reacts physically, and a wizard reacts mentally. But in actual combat, nothing happens just by thinking. If you fall into a panic, you can’t even think.”
“…”Ah.”
“Just make sure you don’t get left behind. Well, Philodendor should be able to hold on well, though.”
Even though I hadn’t mentioned Marianne, he seemed to know why I was asking. I quietly closed my mouth. Edwin added with a sneer,
“You’ve picked a good connection, that one. Having a knight to protect her like this.”
…He’s the reason he has no friends.
“No, what’s with that look again?”
“It’s nothing.”
Feeling a moment of pity, I looked at Edwin for a moment, then, sensing that the quick-witted child might get angry again, I decided it was time to leave and prepared to go.
He grumbled all the way until we parted in front of the dormitory, more than a soaked monk.