By Zephyria 
The rest of October passed without any major events.
Calypse Agrigent’s complexion improved daily, so there was no longer anything to worry about.
Professor Biban Otif lectured on poisonous plants to watch out for during outdoor activities with horses.
In the throwing knife technique class, Oliver Combine avoided my gaze several times for no apparent reason, but I didn’t mind and let it be.
Demian still limped.
The transparent Golem had still not managed to form a Dantian.
Rubel still couldn’t make any other friends and followed me around.
Benjamin tried hard to find a way to bring the horse Victor back by inquiring with the Academy’s administrative department.
And on the fourth Friday, I received an interesting letter from my family.
It proposed that I come to the Duke Valentia Family as soon as the second semester’s final exams were over.
Although it seemed to ask for my opinion, it appeared that an agreement had already been reached with my maternal grandparents.
It mentioned that since I had disliked leaving the territory so much since childhood, this would be my first visit to my maternal relatives after marriage.
Come to think of it, my maternal relatives had visited Young Count Ernhardt’s Residence many times, but the opposite had never happened.
The letter was filled with excitement, reading as if my mother was already eagerly planning what to wear for the portrait and wanting to show me the garden she loved as a child.
Recalling my mother’s blushing face, beaming with girlish joy last summer vacation, I had no intention of refusing. I happily wrote back.
I filled the reply with sweet words, saying how curious I was about the land where my mother was born and raised, how I looked forward to spending time with my blood relatives, and how I wished to see my maternal grandparents and Uncle again after a long time.
Although my maternal family already had several grandchildren under my Uncle, my maternal grandparents showed me particular affection.
It wasn’t mere politeness, as respecting elders is natural; every word was sincere.
The Duke Valentia Family also had the Fourth Magic Tower nearby, so there would surely be plenty of fun to be had exploring it. I was already looking forward to the vacation.
❖ ❖ ❖
November. As the month changed, the weather also grew cold rapidly.
It was around this time that colorful scarves and shawls began appearing around the necks of children scurrying about.
Several students from the Swordsmanship Department, including Benjamin and myself, who boasted robust physiques, dressed similarly to how we did in autumn.
Unlike the uniform-colored school uniforms, the cloaks and shawls worn over them varied in color and embroidery for each child, making for a vibrant sight.
Shayden appeared wearing a dark brown leather cloak, and because writing on his back with a finger left a mark, many children used Shayden’s back as a drawing board.
Rubel wore a smooth, dark navy cloak that suited him well. When I asked about the fluffy white fur around his collar, he explained that he had attached white rabbit fur. I praised him, saying it was soft and suited him perfectly, which made the child very happy.
Marianne, despite wearing a light pink, thick cloak, shivered, her teeth chattering, which was quite a sight. When asked if she didn’t cast a warming spell, she replied that while creating an Artifact with a magic Formula inscribed was not difficult, she couldn’t afford to constantly replenish the Mana Stones consumed, so she didn’t use it.
Jenny came wearing a very splendid white cloak with meticulously embroidered colorful patterns, which she proudly showed off, saying her mother had skillfully made the embroidery herself. The child’s flushed cheeks were incredibly cute.
However, the bright smiles exchanged while admiring each other’s attire were only for the beginning of the month.
Everyone became considerably busier with the arrival of the final exam month.
This month, Maelo Sanson announced that to mark the end of the year, each student would present one sword art they excelled at, which also made me busy. Many children worked themselves to exhaustion in every class because Maelo Sanson stated that the opportunity to take his intermediate Swordsmanship class next year would be decided at this sword art presentation. It didn’t concern me much, as I was already taking the advanced Swordsmanship class, but I couldn’t slack off when everyone around me was working so hard. I also had a desire to impart wisdom to my diligent and kind peers by demonstrating my swordsmanship. Considering I had been honing my sword skills for nearly fifty years, counting my past life, it would be nonsensical to have no sword art to showcase in front of these children. As the swordplay I was devising was still incomplete and I was hesitant to show it, I chose the most impressive technique from the Azure Sky Unfettered Sword Art whenever I had free time.
For the Artifact class, we were to have an exam on practical Artifacts and how to purchase them. This was a test I had no worries about, as it was entirely based on memorization. However, while the names and effects of offensive and medical Artifacts from the midterm exam were intuitive and convenient, practical Artifacts often had confusingly distinct names and effects.
The Imperial Genealogy Class was, as always, replaced by a quiz. I had to pay close attention because many things learned last semester had changed this semester, making it confusing, but it wasn’t overly difficult.
After the first week, when the professors announced the exam scope, all the seats in the Academy library were filled, leaving no room. Of course, one could study in their private study, but since I had many areas where I was lacking, I had to come early to secure a spot in the library to ask my peers various questions while studying.
The “Appreciation of Fine Horses” class was a bit different. On the afternoon of the second Wednesday in November, Professor Biban Otif handed each child a small, square card. I read the clearly written text: “Horse Purchase Student Preferential Coupon, 20% Discount.” Puzzled, I flipped it over and saw a large stamp from the Otif Horse Society.
“…What is this?”
“It’s a preferential coupon for purchasing horses, what else? Now that you’ve learned how to ride and care for horses, you must also learn how to purchase them.” Professor Biban Otif asserted that the horses within the Academy were all well-trained, fine breeds, and that the children’s standards would have become very high. These were horses that had led the children without incident, despite their clumsy hands. I had thought all of Shierun’s horses were like that, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
“Even if it’s not right now, this coupon is valid for the next five years. If you contact me in advance, I can help you look at horses then. However, horses are truly long-lived animals, aren’t they? Finding a friend to accompany you for life is a special kind of joy.”
“Hoo…”
“There are no bad horses in the world. There are only horses that match their owners well and those that don’t. I want you all to learn that by seeing various horses for yourselves.” Professor Biban Otif announced that he would be taking the children out to see horses during class time under the guise of outdoor lessons until the semester ended. He explained that there was no need to purchase a personal horse before graduating from the Academy, so there was no immediate need to buy one, but it was best to encounter as many horses as possible, to which everyone cheered.
Shierun’s horse market was cleaner and more organized than those in the Central Plains. Although the people of the Central Plains and Shierun looked very different, the horses, for some reason, did not look significantly different. Stout, large horses were used as pack animals, and fierce-looking warhorses were used for long journeys. It was fun to look at the horses grouped by their appearance. I browsed as if I were out for a stroll. The horses with glossy coats each had strong personalities. Some were curious about strangers and peeked, others were too busy with their food to look, and some enjoyed surprising nervous children by nudging their heads forward.
Benjamin, who had been agonizing over not being able to find a way to buy Victor, the Academy’s horse, seemed intrigued. He mentioned wanting to buy a young foal and raise it himself, but then quickly changed his mind, deciding he should buy a horse after graduating from the Academy sooner. He changed his mind more than ten times in a short period. Professor Biban Otif soothed the child, telling him there would be opportunities in the next class and to examine them carefully before finishing the lesson.
The throwing knife technique class was even more peculiar than the “Appreciation of Fine Horses” class. Wilton Roberts stood twenty meters away, offering himself as a target and telling us to throw throwing knives at him. Everyone was flustered and didn’t move. Wilton, with his usual calm and indifferent tone, clicked his tongue and surveyed the students.
“Didn’t I tell you I would be testing whether you could throw daggers well at moving targets for the final exam?”
“Yes? B-but.”
“Throwing knife technique is a martial art for self-defense. What’s the point of losing your life because you’re afraid of harming it at a crucial moment? Don’t make my time teaching you a waste.”
Thus, we practiced throwing daggers one to three times each, in the same manner as practicing to aim at a stationary target. The first two children hesitated, but from the third child onwards, there was no hesitation. This was because everyone realized that no matter where or how they threw the daggers, Wilton would catch them all. When one child, nervous, threw a dagger completely off course, Wilton leaped up and snatched it. His movement was as sharp and elegant as a hawk snatching its prey, and my eyes widened. I had worried unnecessarily, thinking the professors at Shierun Academy would not act carelessly. Wilton Roberts instructed us to aim for his eyes, neck, and heart. He also said that the final exam would be scored based on how close we could attack his weak points. I thought he was an incredible person, as even a circus troupe wouldn’t train like this.
I studied for exams, went to see horses, studied for exams, threw daggers, studied for exams, and refined my swordplay. And then I studied for exams again. I don’t clearly remember who I met or what I ate during this time. As is always the case in the month of exams, the month flew by like an arrow.
When I came to my senses, I was already sitting in the carriage heading to the Duke Valentia Family. I was aware that I had spent each day very busily. I also knew that my parents would send a carriage to coincide with the end of the exams. Since I was heading directly to the Duke Valentia Family, there was no need to coordinate schedules with Shayden, and everything I needed was already prepared, so there was no need to pack. This was even more so.
However, after half a day of travel in the carriage, I realized my mistake. I had completely forgotten how desperately Rubel had pleaded to see me once before the vacation began. Recalling the child’s teary, dark eyes, I felt a strange sense of guilt and awkwardness, and my neck grew warm. I decided that I would write a letter to Rubel once I arrived at my maternal home, trying to soothe my apologetic feelings.