A Mundane Episode
“——【Levitate】——”
Using the Level 5 Dark Magic 【Levitate】, I floated into the air. Kicking off the wall of the Guild training ground, Theo hurled a short, cut log at me with his full Body Enhancement.
“——【Dancing Ripper】——”
Activating 【Combat Art】, the left and right eight-hit combo unleashed from the Black Knife and Dagger I held instantly pulverized the log, which was big enough to hug.
The only sound was the pattering of wood fragments falling like rain on the roof. As I silently landed on the floor, the staff watching let out a collective gasp.
The certification of a Rank 5 was a rare event even in the Royal Capital, and almost all the available staff had come to watch. Among them, Rookwell Dandole, who had been watching with them, clapped with admiration, though he seemed slightly awkward.
“There isn’t a Rank 5 in the Knight Order right now, but this is truly amazing… I’m grateful to have been able to witness your skill firsthand.”
“Thank you very much.”
I thought I was being praised too much, but I obediently bowed to the words of the high-ranking noble. I noticed that he seemed a little strange, but I understood a moment later when Theo, who looked like he had a headache, pointed at my feet.
Even ordinary women show their legs from the knees down, and female adventurers don’t mind exposing their limbs, but noblewomen are different. A noblewoman’s legs are always hidden to the ankles by the hem of her dress. Therefore, showing one’s legs is considered unseemly.
None of the commoner staff seemed to care, and Theo just clutched his head, but he was used to it. In short, by flying around in my maid outfit, I had shown him my legs.
“Well then, Aria-san, would you mind giving me some of your time? And your younger brother as well.”
“Of course, Dandole-sama.”
After the thief who had been harassing Rookwell ran away, he said he wanted to talk to me for a bit, but when he heard I was updating my rank, he asked if he could watch.
Because he was the embodiment of a knight, he might have simply prioritized my business, or he might have just wanted to see a high-ranked Combat Art as a warrior. However, after seeing my skills, he looked serious and bowed his head to take up the time of someone who was only the adopted daughter of a middle-ranking noble.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
I was able to borrow a reception room in the Guild with the authority of a Rank 5 adventurer. I didn’t even know such authority existed, but according to Mary, who suggested it, high-ranked adventurers sometimes receive requests from nobles, so the Guild accommodated me.
At his request, we were to speak not as a high-ranking noble, but as a student. Theo and I sat on the stiff, thick monster-hide sofa, and when I called out to Rookwell, who was sitting opposite us, he stood up once and bowed his head again.
“I apologize for the trouble my sister caused at the Royal Castle the other day. And I am sorry that I could not rush to Princess (Your Highness)’s side.”
“…Please raise your head. It wasn’t your fault.”
The trouble he was referring to was probably the incident where Elena and Clara were not on good terms, and Carla got involved in the awkward atmosphere.
Elena is somewhat aware that Clara is working behind the scenes. However, she only offers criticism and leaves it at that, which means that Elena also condones it.
In fact, the Crown Prince’s matter has already become a royal issue. His Majesty has already given up to some extent, but he probably can’t quite come to terms with it yet… or so Elena said.
Finding a compromise is Elena’s job. In that respect, Elena and Clara agree on who is a nuisance. But… Elena, seeing Clara’s attitude at that time, saw her as she was in her childhood and is struggling to cut her off.
Rookwell is probably worried that his sister, Clara, has not built a good relationship with either Elena or the Crown Prince.
But Carla’s matter is not something he should worry about. He is not Elena’s knight, and even the Royal Knights could not rush to the scene.
“Certainly, those who were present were royalty and quasi-royalty, and a mere knight could not stop it. But I… regret not being there. As a knight, I should have been her (..) shield, at least…”
“Is that so?”
I nodded vaguely, feeling a slight sense of discomfort at his words.
Shouldn’t a knight dedicate his life to His Majesty the King? Only we close aides and His Majesty the King should know that Elena has decided to become queen.
His words sounded as if he wanted to protect only Elena, even at the cost of his own life.
“I felt the limits of my own strength. In the incident where we were attacked in the forest, I saw your power and realized how arrogant I had become just because I was a student and had reached Rank 3.”
“So, you were playing at being an adventurer?”
“Playing…? I suppose so. I was under the illusion that if I became an adventurer, I could catch up to your strength and that of Count Leicester’s daughter.”
“I understand, Dandole-sama!”
For some reason, Theo nodded in agreement with Rookwell’s self-deprecating remarks.
Like Theo, he is comparing himself to the wrong people. Both Theo and Rookwell have more than enough ability as students.
But that’s not something I can say, so I won’t.
“Strength doesn’t come quickly. First, you should think about what requires strength. What should you do… shouldn’t graduates have something to do now?”
“That’s… true.”
Looking at the two men who were somehow sympathizing with each other, I didn’t really understand what he was trying to say, but it’s a story for after you’ve done what you should do first. But his reply to that felt like he was reacting to the word ‘graduation’ rather than becoming stronger.
“I had the illusion that I was qualified. But it seems there are still things I need to do. It’s good that I was able to understand that I can’t become strong right away. So, if you don’t mind…”
“…What is it?”
When I urged him to continue, as he hesitated for a moment, Rookwell opened his mouth after some deliberation.
“…I don’t mind if it’s when you have time. Even a little is fine. Could you teach me the mindset for fighting strong opponents?”
＊＊＊
“——That’s the kind of thing he said.”
“…………”
In a conversation as an academy student, if it were just me personally, it would be one thing, but since the other party is Dandole, I can’t refuse or accept without Elena’s instructions.
So, I reluctantly reported it to Elena, but she sighed lightly and then glanced at the letter that the maid had brought.
“What a coincidence. Just a moment ago, there was a formal proposal from the Dandole Family? As Rookwell’s partner for graduation.”
“I see.”
I also understood why Elena sighed, and I couldn’t help but sympathize with her.
It’s not bad for a graduate to invite an underclassman to be their partner. However, it also has the meaning of conveying feelings to the person you have in mind, and for the other party to accept it means accepting the other person’s feelings.
First of all, as a prerequisite, students who have fiancés bring that person as their partner to the graduation party.
Even so, some playfulness between students is allowed to some extent, and there are cases where they choose partners who do not match their family status. This can be seen from the fact that His Majesty the current King chose a viscount’s daughter who was not his fiancée as his partner.
However, because His Majesty welcomed that viscount’s daughter as his queen, the current royal family is viewed with considerable scrutiny.
Until now, several noble families have sent invitations to Elena, but all of them were applications for ‘engagement’ on the premise that Elena would later “descend in marriage.”
The fact that the application came from the Dandole Family this time, not from Rookwell personally, means that it is such an application.
“It’s obvious, but the Dandole Family is acting on the premise that Brother will become king. It’s only natural since Clara is a candidate for queen, right? But it’s not a good idea to refuse them outright. My mother is from the Dandole Family, so they are also my backers.”
I recalled my conversation with him and realized that Rookwell himself wanted that.
He himself has distanced himself from the Crown Prince’s aides, who are infatuated with the viscount’s daughter. Clara’s becoming queen will create a connection with the royal family, but the Dandole Family has proposed an engagement with Elena, considering the relationship between Rookwell, who will become the next Commander of the Knight Order, and the Crown Prince.
However, if Elena becomes queen, marriage with him, the heir of Dandole, will become almost impossible.
It would be different if he was prepared to defy his family and become a royal consort, but the current Rookwell regrets not being able to be by Elena’s side in her time of crisis, and he doesn’t think he is qualified.
But when Elena said that—
“Is he hopeless?”
“…………”
She tilted her head adorably, but her bluntness left not only me but also the guard attendant who had taken care of Elena since she was a child utterly speechless.
“If the invitation or refusal had come from him personally, not from his family, something could have been done… From what Aria-san says, is he bad at that sort of thing? The people of the Dandole Family are talented, but truly clumsy.”
Elena isn’t particularly good at it either, but she completely separates public and private matters, so she doesn’t involve personal feelings in aristocratic marriage proposals.
Leaving Elena’s engagement aside, Elena thought it wasn’t good to leave him, who had left the Crown Prince’s faction, as he was, and she gave a smile that suggested she was plotting something for the first time in a while.
“Aria-san, I have a favor to ask… Is there something on my face?”
“No. It’s just… I’m glad I could see the old Elena-sama, not the one in the desert.”
“…Is that so?”
Even if it’s hard, this is where Elena-sama belongs.
Seeing her with a smile like she had as a child and a slightly embarrassed smile now, I couldn’t help but smile back, and the guard attendant, who was watching from a little distance, watched over us with a face like an older sister looking at her younger sister.
After that, I headed to a certain place for Elena-sama’s “favor.” But on the way from the Princess’s Palace to there, inside the castle, I was called out to by someone I never expected.
“Please wait, Aria Leighton-san!”
“…Melrose-sama.”
Mikhail Melrose, that young man with whom I have a history, caught up as if running through the corridor, took a breath in front of me, who had stopped, and suddenly knelt on the spot.
“Please, won’t you be my partner at the Graduation Party?”
Next time, the first-year Graduation Party.
Elena-sama’s unexpected action (unsweetened)
I was supposed to finish the story up to this point in 2-3 chapters and quickly become a second-year student…
This is an excuse for including a mundane story.