FEFR 08

The moment a child snatched her bag and ran off, Erna could only imagine the worst.

Even though Lanjé had been reliable for the past few days, she wasn’t invincible.

Expecting her to handle every unexpected situation perfectly was simply too much.

‘What if she can’t catch them?’

Lanjé moved immediately, but the child had already gained a considerable distance.
Erna, unable to run alongside her, could only stomp her feet in frustration.

She was already envisioning losing her belongings and being even more miserable than before—

When suddenly, the kid tripped and fell just as they were about to leave the plaza.

Even to Erna, it looked like a strange scene.

But Lanjé looked elsewhere for the cause. Her face was full of surprise as she spun around.

“…Senior?”

Lanjé froze as she uttered the unfamiliar term.

Erna turned her head, following Lanjé’s gaze.

Just a few steps behind stood a man.

Erna could somewhat understand why Lanjé had suddenly gone stiff.

‘Oh my…’

It wasn’t the time to be awestruck, yet the man’s appearance held her gaze.

His hair shone brightly under the sun, and his handsome features stole her thoughts.

The man broke the odd silence.

“Let’s get your bag back first. Unless you want to lose it a second time.”

Lanjé nodded blankly. All her earlier confidence seemed to have vanished, and she staggered forward.

The man didn’t say anything outright, but his expression clearly showed suspicion.

“Um… thank you.”

Erna cautiously spoke to him.

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I’ll thank you properly once we return.”

She meant to explain things on Lanjé’s behalf, but Lanjé was hyperfocused on the situation.

“It’s not a misunderstanding.”

After tossing a coin to the kid, she ran back.

“What do you mean it’s not?”

The man caught her words without missing a beat.

“Aren’t you a cadet?”

Lanjé’s eyes darted around before she gave an answer, unsure whether it was an excuse or the truth.

“The bag you’re carrying—it’s standard issue. It holds a lot and is sturdy. Even my uncle hasn’t thrown his away.”

“And the ‘senior’ bit?”

It was quite the exaggeration, but Lanjé grinned.

“Well, obviously—”

Just like the strange joke she’d made when sneaking out of the mansion, she struck a confident pose.

“I plan to enter the Mage Academy too.”

“What?”

Erna couldn’t help but ask again—she had never heard of this plan before.

She wasn’t the only one surprised. The man, who had been surrounded by skepticism and indifference, now looked genuinely baffled.

No matter how bad its reputation, the Mage Academy wasn’t a place one could enter on a whim.

Anyone capable of admission wouldn’t speak about it so cheerfully.

The man muttered without thinking,

“Why would you want to go there…”

Though it hadn’t been a real question, Lanjé quickly answered.

“They give you food, a room, clothes, and a job after you graduate, right?”

Not incorrect. But listing survival essentials as benefits only highlighted that there was nothing else to praise.

For an aspiring applicant, her evaluation was oddly grounded.

Realizing things were getting too strange, the man decided to back away.

“Well, then maybe we’ll meet again someday. Just take better care of your stuff. I’ll be off—”

Getting more involved would only bring trouble. He tried to leave, leaving the questions unanswered.

“You helped us!”

But Lanjé didn’t let him go so easily.

“…Let me buy you a cup of tea. To say thank you.”

At a glance, she looked kind of cute.

But the way she suddenly closed the distance and blocked his path, forcing a teatime, made her seem more like a player.

The man sighed. He didn’t agree, but Lanjé thrust out her hand.

“I’m Lanjé. What’s your name, senior?”

He quickly gave up.

“Lenart.”

Unless he ran at full speed, she’d keep following him. And running would only hurt his pride.

“As you guessed, I’m enrolled at that academy.”

He ignored the handshake but responded to the introduction. Lanjé, however, acted like she already knew his name.

Lenart cautiously studied the two girls sitting across from him.

They looked about sixteen. They resembled each other, but the differences in build and demeanor made it clear they weren’t twins.

“I’m Erna. I’m sixteen this year, and Lanjé is the same age.”

Relatively speaking—no, objectively—Erna was the quieter one. She didn’t look too healthy.

The strange one was Lanjé.

Her unusual name wasn’t enough to describe her eccentric behavior. Unlike her companion, her hands were rough. If not for her attire, she could’ve been mistaken for a maid.

Apparently, the offer to buy tea hadn’t been just an excuse. Lanjé had led them into a nearby restaurant.

Since it was lunchtime, tea turned into a full meal.

Meanwhile, Lanjé was busy trying to suppress her racing heart.

‘I didn’t think I’d meet him this soon.’

She thought it would take much longer, especially with Erna’s illness, to see Lenart again. But they’d reunited here.

They’d even taken the same train. Had they missed each other by just a little, they might never have crossed paths.

Her breath caught at the thought, but she quickly composed herself.

‘This first meeting turned out pretty well.’

Before going back in time, Lanjé had first met him after enrolling in the academy.

At that time, she had beaten up a fellow cadet.

She couldn’t recall the exact words, but the guy had insulted Ludia.

Even now, she didn’t regret her retaliation. But she did feel a bit embarrassed that Lenart had seen it.

Back then, before the instructor could arrive, Lenart had been called in to subdue her.

At least among the cadets, no one dared touch the legitimate or illegitimate daughter of a prince-elector house.

The senior cadets had called Lenart even before the instructor.

Among the students, only Lenart could be compared to Swanhilde.

Dragged in halfway, he twisted Lanjé’s arm behind her back.

It was someone else who delivered the scolding:

“You just got in and you’re already picking fights?!”

Lanjé didn’t even look at them. She turned her head and stared directly at Lenart. His striking appearance, half-hearted restraint, and complete disinterest were all too fascinating.

Once her anger faded, curiosity took its place. She had asked without thinking,

“Do you think I was wrong too, senior?”

Lenart paused for a moment, then shook his head.

“…No.”

That answer had pleased her.

Still, she had sometimes wished they’d met under better circumstances.

Then maybe, when they were paired later, he wouldn’t have looked so displeased.

‘I didn’t hit anyone this time.’

She had blocked his way and forced him into a restaurant, but she conveniently forgot that part and smiled proudly.

‘…But why is he here?’

She couldn’t figure out why he had come to the west. As far as she knew, he had no ties here.

He hadn’t spoken of his whereabouts during this time either, so it wasn’t impossible, but—

Regardless, she couldn’t let go just yet. They had only just reunited.

‘I’ll think about the next step later.’

Just like at Swanhilde, Lanjé ordered for everyone at once.

Erna could only eat soft food, and Lanjé prided herself on knowing Lenart’s tastes.

‘Ah.’

Only after the waiter left did she wonder if she had seemed rude or suspicious.

Fortunately, Lenart didn’t seem too alarmed. He already had the impression she did whatever she pleased.

“So, senior, what brings you out west?”

“…Travel.”

Lanjé and Erna both looked puzzled.

The west wasn’t exactly a famous tourist spot. Maybe a private theater or library, but Lenart looked like the last person who’d travel for fun.

He didn’t seem like someone interested in new experiences.

“What about you two?”

Perhaps trying to avoid answering, Lenart changed the subject.

“Aren’t you a bit young to be wandering around alone?”

Though he still looked youthful himself, at eighteen he was at least legally an adult compared to the sixteen-year-olds.

“Erna is sick. There’s a good doctor in Parel.”

Even without words, Erna’s illness was visible. The real issue was that the girls were traveling alone. Lenart felt he was in a troubling situation.

“You should probably give up.”

“Why?”

“You’ve seen the situation in Simone. If it’s this bad near the station, Parel’s worse. They say smugglers have private armies, and there are rumors of people getting shot on the roads.”

Parel wasn’t a place even strong men dared venture into easily.

But Lanjé didn’t back down.

“No matter what, we can’t give up. We’re desperate in our own way.”

Her eyes sparkled—not with desperation, but with determination.

Lenart rubbed his temple. He was getting a headache.

“…Then I’ll go with you.”

He wasn’t especially kind, nor did he feel any duty toward girls he had just met. But he couldn’t leave them alone either.

Letting self-proclaimed juniors walk into danger left a bad taste in his mouth.

‘Not like I’m busy anyway.’

He decided he’d act as a guardian for now—he was the only adult here, after all.

Meanwhile, Lanjé was thinking something similar.

‘Technically, I’m the oldest here, right? He looks even more like a kid now.’

She smiled to herself for reasons no one else could understand.

“Heh heh…”

Her joy at the unexpected reunion and having Lenart join them was overwhelming.

Erna was watching all of this unfold.

‘I have to be the responsible one here.’

Since she was sitting a bit apart, Erna could calmly assess the situation.

Lenart, despite his wary first impression, seemed easy to sway. Lanjé, on the other hand, was already out of control. She looked ready to cause trouble at any moment.

‘I’m the older sister. Even with a stranger around, I can’t let my guard down.’

Each of the three believed they were the one in charge as they prepared to depart.

The restaurant Lanjé had picked turned out to be pricier than expected.

After checking her wallet, she wore a grim expression. Lenart only shook his head, as if he had expected this.

Despite all her talk about treating him, he ended up paying the bill.

He didn’t know their full circumstances, but it was obvious the sisters weren’t well-off.

Since he had accepted the role of “senior,” covering the cost felt like a matter of pride.

Compared to his stipend, the meal was too minor to even brag about.

Lanjé gave a short evaluation:

“You’ll get scammed one day, senior.”

“That’s a creative way to say thank you.”

“Think of it as advice? People like me and Erna are sweet and innocent, but not everyone is. You shouldn’t be so generous to everyone.”