Chapter 09
Servants employed by noble families were forbidden from entering the Academy.
It was a rule established after Professor Pelly became the headmaster. His reasoning was simple: those striving to become the gods’ chosen followers had no need to be waited on even within the Academy.
Among the five gods of the Etuar religion, Bucanu, the God of Alchemy and Refinement, was known for possessing the most generous heart. Unlike the others, Bucanu often bestowed divine blessings upon commoners rather than nobles.
Ironically, because of that, Bucanu had become the least popular divine faction within the Etuar Academy.
Assigning Asiel to Bucanu was, in effect, the Academy’s condition for accepting her.
“If you’re willing to join Bucanu, then we’ll allow you to enroll.”
Many people would have found such an offer insulting.
Asiel, however, saw it differently.
“That just means they wanted me badly enough to make an exception!”
It was an innocent conclusion only someone as naïve as Asiel could reach.
…But hearing her say it somehow made it sound plausible.
No one expected the Academy to welcome Asiel warmly after the unusual circumstances of her admission.
From Dimarion’s unusually cold attitude earlier, Allen was already convinced of that.
The Windsorberry family had even discussed whether it might be better not to send her at all, but Asiel herself had been so determined to attend that they eventually gave in.
“Still… how did everything line up so perfectly?”
Allen hadn’t heard every detail of how she’d been admitted, but even he felt that the number of lucky coincidences surrounding her enrollment was almost suspicious.
Everyone probably felt the same way…
…everyone except Asiel.
“But Marisa Ford is a girl, right?” she said excitedly. “I’m so happy! I’ve never had a girl friend before!”
…
Seeing her smile like that…
Allen quietly decided that he’d simply have to keep a closer eye on her.
And he’d ask Dexter—the most dependable person he knew—to do the same.
After getting permission from their instructor, Allen volunteered to escort Asiel to Bucanu’s classroom.
Bucanu’s building sat tucked away in a remote corner of the Academy for various reasons.
There were very few students under Bucanu’s protection to begin with, and the few who were had reputations as eccentrics.
Allen didn’t know anyone there whom he could comfortably entrust Asiel to.
“So that’s why Brother Gale kept reminding me…”
“We’ve already met so many people today.”
Completely unaware of Allen’s worries, Asiel was busy mentally reviewing everyone she’d encountered.
Gale had tried countless times to explain all the important people she would meet, but she’d confidently refused.
“I’m the type who’s better in real situations.”
…
“Maybe I should’ve listened after all.
It’s way more complicated than I thought…”
If she hadn’t called the prince “Rion” earlier…
…would he have been less offended?
She scratched the inside of her cheek with her tongue while pondering.
Then suddenly—
Her eyes locked onto something.
Without warning, she grabbed Allen’s wrist and hurried behind a large stone statue.
Allen stumbled after her in confusion.
Asiel crouched low, peeking cautiously around the statue with deadly seriousness.
Seeing only the fluffy back of her head somehow made the situation feel even more dramatic.
Allen unconsciously swallowed.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“That person followed me all the way here…”
Her voice sounded genuinely exhausted.
Allen immediately became serious.
Because of Asiel’s adorable appearance, there had always been children who bothered her.
When the Windsorberry family had started taking her to noble gatherings, there had been plenty of kids who wanted to befriend her but instead acted spitefully out of jealousy.
Allen quickly narrowed down a list of possible culprits.
His hand moved to the wooden practice sword hanging at his waist as he carefully peeked around the statue.
…
“Oh.”
“It’s my brother.”
The blazing determination in his eyes instantly transformed into admiration.
The person Asiel was glaring at while grinding her teeth was none other than Gale Windsorberry.
Standing beside him was his closest friend, Gerald Forley.
To every junior follower of Morrigan, the two were practically idols.
Allen instinctively clasped his hands together over his chest.
“I can die happy just seeing those two standing together…”
“Even if Lady Morrigan called me to her side right now, I’d have no regrets.”
“Let’s go say hello.”
Allen’s eyes sparkled as he started to step out.
But Asiel desperately grabbed him and refused to let him move.
A silent tug-of-war broke out.
After a fierce struggle…
Both of them ended up sitting flat on the ground.
“Oh, come on! Why?”
“Aren’t we going to greet them?”
“Why do you think my brother came all the way out to this deserted place?”
“To lecture me, obviously.”
Gale Windsorberry, eldest son of the Windsorberry family, loved his youngest sister dearly.
Unfortunately…
the more he loved her…
the more he worried.
And those worries always came out as endless lectures.
To young Asiel…
they were simply annoying.
“He keeps saying the same thing over and over and over!”
“It’s so tiring.”
“I’m not a little kid anymore!”
“It’s not like I’m somewhere dangerous.”
“Anyone would think I’d wandered into some forbidden place.”
“Quentin Oppa hated watching him fuss over me so much that he started coming to school at five in the morning.”
“You know Quentin loves sleeping in!”
“…”
“But I wanted to greet Sir Gerald too…”
Allen barely heard anything she said.
He was too heartbroken over missing the chance to greet his heroes.
“I’ll introduce you later.”
“You promise?”
Asiel nodded solemnly.
The two stood up, switched places, clasped both hands tightly, and shook them up and down exactly three times.
Then they each turned their heads away…
and spat on the ground.
It was their ritual for making an unbreakable promise.
Breaking one supposedly resulted in a terrifying punishment.
“You have one week.”
“Got it, got it.”
“Do we really have to go this far over something like this?”
Asiel wondered.
But seeing Allen’s serious expression…
she decided that apparently they did.
Allen always acts like the smartest person in the world…
…but sometimes he’s unbelievably dumb.
She shrugged.
Then another face suddenly came to mind.
Golden hair.
Blue eyes.
“I wonder…”
“What divine faction is that prince in?”
“His Highness belongs to Morrigan too.”
“Morrigan is the God of Protection.”
“The sword is Her symbol.”
Asiel had been about to ask who Morrigan was anyway.
Hearing Allen explain so kindly, she gave him a thumbs-up.
“A face that pretty… carrying a sword…”
“That would suit him perfectly.”
“Maybe I’ll ask Brother to let me watch him train someday.”
Meanwhile…
Allen was deeply moved.
For the first time ever…
Asiel had asked a question about the divine factions.
“Is she finally becoming interested?”
Unable to miss the opportunity, he unleashed everything he’d been holding back.
“Please memorize the gods’ names already.”
“And Morrigan is my patron deity—and Brother Gale’s too.”
“You remember Quentin’s divine power, right?”
“He’s under Narya, the God of Art.”
“Oh, and this statue we’re hiding behind belongs to Tote, the God of Wisdom.”
“Are all Morrigan followers this naggy?”
Asiel casually cleaned out her ear before finally looking up at the statue.
Tote held a scroll in both hands, studying it with a solemn expression.
A magnificent quill adorned with brilliant jewels rested in one hand.
Perhaps because it depicted a god…
it radiated an overwhelming sense of authority.
“Senior Rite Rahar is one of Tote’s followers.”
“Really?!”
Asiel’s eyes lit up.
Truthfully…
the person she most wanted to meet at the Academy…
was Rite Rahar.
She had heard that name since she was a child.
You’d think she would have grown tired of it by now.
Instead…
her admiration had only continued to grow.
“Just how beautiful is she…?”
“People literally use her name as the standard of beauty.”
“Huh?”
“Why is Professor Cox here?”
“A teacher?”
“I don’t feel like saying hello.”
“Let’s just wait.”
“…You really are something.”
Allen smiled awkwardly.
But he made no effort to stand.
Honestly…
he completely agreed.
Professor Cox didn’t teach any of his current classes, so greeting him now would only be awkward.
And if the professor asked why they were here…
they’d have to explain everything.
That sounded exhausting.
“Oh.”
“Professor Cox oversees Bald’s faction.”
“Who’s Bald again?”
“The really… forgettable one.”
“The God of Justice…”
“Right! That one.”
The complete lack of interest in Asiel’s voice couldn’t have contrasted more with the excitement she’d shown when talking about Rite Rahar.
“Is that Greg Umbrel talking to Professor Cox?”
“It’s Gregory…”
“Wait.”
“He’s here too?”
Sure enough…
Professor Cox and Gregory were standing together talking.
Allen had always heard that almost nobody used the road leading to Bucanu.
So why were so many famous people here today?
“Now all that’s left is meeting Rite Rahar.”
“The prince from earlier was prettier.”
“Him?”
Allen’s eyes widened.
“Don’t tell me…”
“You actually called His Highness Dimarion ‘that guy’?”
“He isn’t here.”
“So what does it matter?”
“You really can’t say things like that.”
“And especially don’t call him ‘Rion.'”
“Never.”
Allen was certain Gale had already explained this countless times.
Asiel had clearly let every word go in one ear and out the other.
“Why?”
“Because… that’s the rule!”
Asiel tilted her head.
For some reason…
Allen suddenly felt like he was the stupid one.
He’d answered that it was the rule…
because it was the rule.
Yet he couldn’t explain it any better than that.
Letting out another deep sigh…
Allen grabbed Asiel’s wrist.
It was finally time.
They couldn’t put it off any longer.
