By Zephyria 
Naturally, the topic shifted to Ogres.
Rubel embellished my reputation, saying that it was standard practice for at least three Sword Masters to team up to take down a large Monster, and that facing an Ogre alone was a remarkable feat, even if the Ogre was weakened.
Edwin informed me that Ogre bones, referred to as Ogre Bone, were mainly used to create sturdy weapons through a special processing method. He explained that Wyvern Bone and Ogre Bone were considered the next best materials after Dragon Bone.
While we were talking, I suddenly felt a sense of unease.
Why did it seem that Rubel and Edwin were only talking to me throughout the conversation?
I couldn’t tell if it was because they were awkward with each other or because they were uncomfortable with the polite language they used with each other. Pretending not to notice, I took turns responding to their words.
After a certain amount of time, we naturally wrapped up the personal chat and parted ways.
The carriage back to the academy was the same as when we headed to the Magic Tower, with only Maelo Sanson and me inside.
Maelo Sanson, who had been carefully observing my face, nudged my foot with his and asked,
“Is something good happened?”
“Yes? No, nothing special.”
It wouldn’t do to be pleased that Rubel and Edwin were awkward with each other. I wondered if I was being petty, and after returning to my dormitory room, I spent a lot of time scolding myself and calming my mind.
As always, I attended classes according to the schedule.
Calypse Agrigent covered each item on the imperial council agenda in great detail, explaining the impact of the competition for the Crown Prince position on the empire’s economy.
Galeph Fisher informed us that the prices of goods in Floyd and Owen, which were recently influenced by the Sierran Empire, were fluctuating greatly.
Douglas Mustang used Benjamin and Bill as examples, organizing the similarities and differences in how I and others used internal energy into a chart.
Wilton Roberts declared that my new cultivation method had strong resistance to non-material poisons, so I no longer needed to undergo immunity training.
I often went to the Magic Tower with Maelo Sanson to Sparring with Trolls. I learned several times how to instantly kill Monsters. Sanson was very worried that I would feel sorry for the monsters I killed, but killing beasts that harmed humans was what I did best. I did well.
My final exam scores for the second semester of my third year were also quite satisfactory.
I had learned everything I could at the academy. In many ways, I felt relieved. My only regret was not being able to see the sea that had been set up like a greenhouse in Alchemy class.
And so, in the fourth week of November.
After finishing all the classes for the second semester of my third year, the period before the graduation ceremony was a rather strange time. We were treated as both academy students and academy graduates. All the children, who had been busy going out to play whenever vacation started, lingered around the academy grounds.
I, too, took out and organized the personal belongings I had collected in my dormitory room for three years, and became sentimental several times.
Looking closely at the swords and small books that Ruben had often foisted upon me as gifts, I couldn’t help but laugh.
The Flying Dagger I had bought a lot of in my first semester had a handle that was worn smooth because I had consistently held and played with it three or four times a week. I also neatly organized the toys and small decorations that the children had given me on birthdays and New Years into boxes.
The booklet that Ivan gave me… After much deliberation, I decided to secretly burn it in the fireplace.
It couldn’t be helped. I didn’t know how many years I would spend in the Yuil Mountains, and if I left this at home and my siblings mistook it for a normal book and looked through it, there would be no end to the trouble.
Later, I had become accustomed to seeing the illustrations in the booklet, and I thought, “Oh, there’s a way to do that too,” and I immediately learned it with a hazy gaze. I wouldn’t regret turning the booklet into black ashes so that I couldn’t recognize a single letter.
Three years fit perfectly into three boxes.
Before moving my luggage to the townhouse, I gathered about thirty of my closest friends and spent time eating and drinking together. A couple of them burst into tears, saying they were sad, and we all teased them and laughed together.
I reassured them, saying, “It’s okay, let’s see each other again after graduation.”
❖ ❖ ❖
December.
My younger siblings, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, clung to me and acted spoiled. During the day, I often carried them around on my back and in my arms.
Asdel’s appearance of chanting magic words that he had diligently memorized last year was very cute and funny, so I praised him greatly. Michael, saying that he had learned swordsmanship, swung a wooden sword and damaged a painting in the hallway. I hugged the sobbing child tightly and calmly reassured him that he was the most precious thing to me.
As I did last year, I had clothes made for the New Year Festival.
Still, it wasn’t the year I was making my debut, so the preparations were simpler than last time. I said it was fine when they said they would make three pairs of clothes, top and bottom, but choose colors and fabrics that were more subdued. What did I know? I was just going to wear whatever Mother told me to wear.
Then one night, my parents secretly called me.
Usually, the whole family, including my two younger siblings, spent time together in the evening. This was partly because if the two children were excluded from the conversation, they would pout like ducks all day long, and partly because there was nothing that needed to be hidden from the young children.
What could be the reason for my parents to put the children to bed early and have a servant call me separately?
Puzzled, I sat in the cozy family room next to my parents’ bedroom.
Mother was sitting quietly, and Father took the lead, constantly asking about the friends I had been close to at the academy and the subjects in which I had done well, stories I had already told several times. It was obvious that he had something else he wanted to say but was beating around the bush.
So, instead of answering his questions, I straightened my posture and said firmly,
“Father, if you have something you want to ask me, you can ask me directly.”
“…”
Father looked at Mother. I could clearly see Mother gesturing slightly.
What on earth did they want to say that they were dragging out the time like this? I became even more puzzled and held my breath. When Father only opened his mouth and couldn’t say anything properly, Mother moved to my side and held my hand tightly.
Her affectionate attitude revealed an undeniable worry.
“…Mika, I’d like you to be honest with us.”
“Yes.”
“Did anything happen with… Second Prince?”
Ah.
Now that I thought about it, I should have told my parents about it. It wasn’t a story I could bring myself to tell in a letter, so I had been putting it off, so it was only natural that they were worried.
Nodding gently at my mother’s gaze, which was scrutinizing me, I agreed.
“I see,” Mother whispered, squeezing my hand tightly and asking anxiously.
“I heard that you offered game to Second Prince at the Hunting Festival. The sentences written in your letter didn’t seem to come from your head. Could that be…”
“Yes, that’s right. I have come to admire Second Prince.”
“Something forced… What?”
“Yes?”
With every blink of her large eyes, dozens of emotions filled her water-blue eyes, which looked just like mine. I glanced to the side and saw Father, who had been listening to my story while drinking tea, drop his hand and spill tea on his lap.
Forced? Did that child have the capacity to do that?
I put my hand on the back of Mother’s hand and patted it lightly, then continued,
“I heard that in the Sierran Empire, it is not uncommon for people of the same gender to share affection. So, wanting to give something good to Ruben, I offered to present an animal at the Hunting Festival first.”
“…Of course, it’s not like it doesn’t happen, but… it’s not common either, is it?”
I knew what the stammering words meant. It was understandable that they were upset. There were still times when I couldn’t believe that I had come to like a man. I cleared my throat and replied calmly.
“Certainly, I thought that meeting between people of the same gender… such a thing would not be common.”
“That’s right. Especially… those who receive Hereditary Peerage usually… naturally want to see descendants, so it’s even rarer.”
Mother’s voice trembled slightly. Perhaps because she was so surprised, the following words were more powerless.
“You’re so young… I’m worried that you might be mistaking friendship for love…”
“Yes, it’s possible to make such a mistake at a young age.”
This was also a problem I had been thinking about for a long time.
Perhaps because I agreed too easily, Mother looked at my face in surprise. The sound of Father putting down his teacup, rattling and trembling, was a little funny.
“So, I told Rubel to talk about it again when he was a little older.”
“…Not you… Second Prince is older… after that?”
“Yes. It seems that my appearance is so glamorous that I easily captivate others. I thought that the child might not have thought deeply about it and might have easily given his first love… so I said it would be better to talk about it later.”
“…Ah…”
“Besides, isn’t it urgent to quickly raise my level while the Emperor is still healthy? I told Ruben that we should talk more after I become a Grand Sword Master, so I don’t think you need to worry about it for now.”
Mother closed her mouth tightly. Father opened his mouth to say something, but then drank the remaining tea in one gulp, as if he was burning inside. I was confident that I had handled it well in my own way, so I just sat quietly and waited for them to sort out their thoughts.
Mother, who had been hesitating, looked at my face and asked again.
“…To Second Prince, so… you already told Second Prince that you liked him… did you have that conversation?”
“Yes.”
“Ah… so…”
Father groaned and stifled a hollow laugh. Puzzled, I asked this time.
“Did something happen?”
“…No, I happened to see Second Prince last fall… He greeted and took care of me so… surprisingly politely that I was a little embarrassed. I didn’t know this…”
That child?
Was he already treating me like his future father-in-law? I found it very cute and laughed silently. Father, who had been watching my expression, let out a hollow laugh. Mother frowned as if she was thinking a little more, then encouraged me in a much lighter voice.
“Okay… let’s think about it a little more. But, no matter who you like… I love and support our son very much.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“You’ve always done well on your own, but if you have any worries, I hope you’ll tell us too.”
“Yes.”
I was about to wrap up the conversation like that, but I suddenly had a question, so I opened my mouth again.