Chapter : 29
Bad Ending Route: I’ll Save You
Picnic
“Th-That’s… Achoo! I was worried this might happen…”
Prea and Rowen quickly brushed away the cocoa powder. Then, they took new cups from the basket and started making cocoa again.
“What did I do! Why were you the only ones to go save Airan? You should’ve told me! I would’ve helped… That was Aron’s order, wasn’t it?”
“We had to sneak in secretly… And Prea-sama tends to get so excited over Miss Airan’s matters.”
Prea took a few elegant sips of cocoa and exhaled.
“…So it seems I’m not going to get out of this, huh? At least next time, tell me first.”
“I will.”
I noticed Prea’s eyes had sharpened. But when those sharp eyes met mine, they softened into a sad gaze.
“I’m sorry… for letting bad things happen to you again. I’m glad Rowen and Aron were there to save you.”
Then she held my hand and gently patted it.
“Next time, I’ll protect you.”
Her gaze made my heart tremble slightly.
“Thank you so much. I’ll become stronger too.”
I had learned new skills as well.
“Yeah, yeah, but on a day like today, don’t think about exams or anything else. Just rest! Got it?”
“Yes~”
“Rowen, as punishment for not speaking up, go get some snacks.”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
Rowen got up from his seat and went to fetch snacks. Prea and I leaned against the tree trunk and gazed at the sky.
The blanket was soft and warm like down. Sitting in the shade, inhaling the scent of flowers, the tea party felt cozier than anything else.
Looking at Prea from the side, her white hair sparkled in the sunlight.
“Airan, if you need more blankets, tell me. I’ll give you mine too.”
Prea turned to me and smiled gently. I opened my mouth to respond, but Rowen’s voice came running toward us.
“Ladies~! I brought scones~!”
He ran toward us, pointing to the basket of scones in his arms. When he placed it on the mat, Prea inspected the scones.
“Freshly baked scones are always the best.”
Prea sat next to me and spread jam on the scones: strawberry, blueberry, and peanut butter. The aroma was heavenly.
I hesitated, wondering which to try first.
“The smell is amazing.”
“I specially asked the chef for this,” Rowen said, holding the remaining scones tightly so ants wouldn’t steal them.
“As expected of Rowen. You really know my heart.”
“It’s a request from the lady, of course. I’m sure Miss Airan will like them too.”
Rowen gave a faithful smile, like a proper butler.
No wonder he’s the gardener’s son who worked for the Arons for ten years…
His tone carried the experience of dealing with nobles for a long time.
“Here, Airan, take a bite.”
Prea offered the scone to me lying down.
“You worked hard yesterday, so you deserve this much.”
“That’s right, Miss. Eat quickly and regain your strength.”
Their sincere encouragement made me smile repeatedly. I finally accepted the scone and, following their recommendation, spread strawberry jam on it.
“It’s really sweet and delicious.”
They looked at me with proud smiles.
“The patissier at this school makes the best scones. Let’s have them again next time.”
Prea’s warm words made me feel like I might cry. I wished I could stay in this moment forever—without thinking about war, exams, or anything—just enjoying this peace with friends.
“Um…”
At that moment, a weak and timid voice accompanied by the sound of men’s shoes came from afar. I saw Damian standing at a distance, holding a basket.
“Damian!”
I shouted in surprise. It was the first time Damian had entered the Emerald Garden.
“…May I join you?”
Damian stood stiffly, contrasting with the vibrant garden. He held a black basket, and the tension in his red eyes, visible behind his long hair pinned back, was clear.
Prea glanced at him and shrugged.
“Sure, come in.”
Damian hesitated before sitting on the mat. Rowen greeted him.
“You’re the one who was with Miss Airan last time, right?”
“Ah, yes…”
“And your name?”
“Da… Damian Belfet.”
“Ah! Young master of the Belfet family!”
Rowen shouted with excitement as if he had heard of him before. I guessed he must have heard from Aron. I finished my scone.
“Nice to meet you, Senior Damian. I’m Rowen Astald. You can just call me Rowen.”
Rowen spoke freely, with a bright, sincere expression, showing politeness toward nobles. But Damian leaned back slightly, as if rejecting Rowen’s sunny smile.
“Ah… uh… okay.”
Damian and Rowen are going to have a hard time getting along.
Rowen is a light-element mage, Damian a dark-element mage. Their rare elemental magic counters each other. Watching them was like watching sunlight and shadow; it made me laugh.
“What’s in this basket?”
Prea intervened, holding Damian’s basket.
“Ah! Don’t touch it carelessly!”
Damian quickly pulled the basket onto his lap. It was clear he treasured it greatly. When he moved it, the sound of something rattling inside came from the basket.
Prea’s mood immediately soured.
“What? Someone’s going to steal it? I was just asking… unbelievable…”
She poked Damian’s forehead with her finger.
“This is my mat! If you act like that, get out!”
Damian was weakly pushed back by Prea’s delicate finger.
“Th-This is because I stayed up all night making it!” he said in surrender.
“Stayed up all night?”
“Because Airan had a big problem yesterday!”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
Prea and I replied simultaneously. Damian seemed unsure how to continue, glancing nervously at me. I smiled at him in response.
“For me? What is it?”
When I showed the reaction he hoped for, Damian relaxed.
“Th-That is…”
Blushing and flustered, he hurriedly took something out of the basket: a pretty blue potion bottle.
“…I thought you were really shocked yesterday. This potion helps calm… and…”
Even without listening carefully, I could tell at a glance—it was ‘Chandra’s Extract,’ one of the superior mana recovery potions!
“Where did you get this?!”
I took the potion in surprise. It was a blue color like the universe itself. Worth 450 gold!
Damian nervously touched his neck.
“I… I made it myself… It calms you and relieves headaches. Drink it if you need it.”
Rowen exclaimed in shock.
“I-Is this ‘Chandra’s Extract’?!”
“What? Chandra’s Extract?”
Prea echoed.
“Where did you get this?!”
Damian, flustered, answered:
“I… made it myself…”
“Impossible…”
Even Prea, who disliked Damian, was impressed by his genius. I was too. Looking closely, Damian had dark circles under his eyes. Realizing he had stayed up all night to make this potion for me made my chest swell with emotion.
The same Damian who used to push me away, tell me to leave, and scold me for speaking—made a potion for me! I felt tears welling up.
I smiled sincerely.
“Damian! Thank you so much! I’ll drink it well.”
“Uh… uh-huh…”
He leaned back a bit, turning his face away, clearly embarrassed. Damian made a potion for me… he really has grown up.
“Ah, don’t forget to drink it morning and night…”
Damian mumbled, and Rowen picked up the basket.
“Is all this really for Miss Airan? There are more than twenty! Did you make all of these by yourself?”
“…?”
Rowen showed me the basket. Inside were about twenty of the 450-gold potions—enough for fifteen meals for me.
Prea and I gawked in astonishment.
“You made all of this…?”
Prea picked one up, staring at ‘Chandra’s Extract’ in surprise.
“D-Don’t touch it. What if it breaks?”
Damian took the potion back from her hand.
“You’re not just a weirdo, huh?”
This was the highest praise Prea could give to Damian, who she didn’t like. She seemed like she wanted to tell him she had a newfound respect for him.
This is the true majesty of a genius.
I felt like I had just received a box full of gold bars.
“Can I really have this?”
I hesitated, unsure if I should touch the basket.
“Ah… I made too many while making it. If you drink a lot, you’ll have more energy, right?”
It felt like a rich young master giving me twenty top-quality beef sets, saying, “If you eat one a day, you’ll get healthier.” The potions in the basket seemed like piles of sapphire.
“Thank you so much! I’ll drink them diligently. Thanks to you, I can sleep comfortably every night. My mana will also increase, right?”
Damian smiled warmly.
“Yes. Drink and rest well.”
He looked as if he valued my smile more than the pile of sapphires. I decided to treat the potion like precious medicine and drink it sparingly.
As I arranged the potions carefully, the bell rang. Prea looked a little sad.
“Lunch break is over…”
“You have to go to class.”
Prea and Rowen tidied up and stood.
“What about you two? Do you have class afterward?”
Prea looked at me.
“I’m going to research some new magic,” I said, recalling the books Aron had recommended and Rowen’s advice.
“I… I’ll go to the library,” Damian stammered.
“Okay, don’t overdo it.”
Prea left, showing Damian a slightly softened expression. I tidied up the tea party with Rowen and Damian. I returned to the dormitory, Damian headed to the library.
“Ah, Damian. I’ll go to the library with a book. Let’s study together.”
“I’ll wait.”
I ran to the dormitory.
Carrying the book I bought at the bookstore yesterday, I headed to the library. Luckily, it was out of stock, so Aron couldn’t buy it. I had refused his request fiercely, hoping it would remain out of stock forever.
Walking through the hallway, I looked at the first page again.
“‘Magic listens to the soul’s resonance’… The book’s title is really evocative.”
There was a reason the title was so thoughtful. Magic in this world is greatly influenced by the state of the soul.
I never imagined this setting would apply to me.
I experienced that clearly yesterday.
Rowen pointed it out too.
He suggested I try developing a new skill. Since I was a soul from another world inside Airan’s body, it was natural I couldn’t use Airan’s magic fully.
But what kind of new skill should I develop? I have no idea… maybe this book will help.
As I thought this and walked down the corridor, I saw elders exiting the grand doors of a meeting room. I quickly hid behind a corner, waiting for them to pass.
Are they school patrons?
Among the older men, one young man walked out smiling. I recognized him instantly and was shocked.
A man with deep purple hair, one eye covered by an eyepatch: Jeremiah Belfet, Damian’s eldest half-brother.
