Chapter 41
Whether it was inevitable or not, his efforts yielded little result.
Lenart had already known that Lanje’s specialties were lopsided, but it was still surprising she’d managed to use magic without issue until now.
Come to think of it, most of the magic she’d shown so far had been offensive in nature.
How did she even manage flight?
Lenart began to wonder if, just as Lanje either couldn’t or simply wouldn’t grasp these formulas, he himself might never truly understand her magic.
Even if formulas were standardized, the realm in which personal perception and talent came into play was by no means small.
Anyway, the past hour had been little more than a proxy assignment.
Despite Lenart’s efforts, Lanje’s comprehension drifted in a fog, and even when he somehow guided her to the answer, she only tilted her head in puzzlement.
—So, why do we have to use this formula?
—Because, to control a mana bullet, this much is the bare minimum.
—Can’t you just aim and shoot?
It wasn’t just a thoughtless remark—there was a slightly unsettling possibility that she might actually be able to do just that.
Lenart inwardly welcomed Heine’s arrival.
But the topic he brought up was no light matter.
“Speaking of Miss Erna…”
“What about Erna?”
Heine briefly explained the bullying that had taken place over the past week.
Not being informed about a classroom change. Almost having her report stolen right in front of her. Whispering behind her back with every step she took…
Lenart could only think it was ridiculous.
No one expected maturity from first-years barely seventeen years old.
But bullying someone like that was petty and low. At least his own peers… Lenart stopped himself there.
He’d spent three semesters here, yet had hardly interacted with his classmates.
The total words exchanged between him and them were probably fewer than what Givelin had babbled at him one-sidedly.
Regardless of his lack of practical standing, he was still royalty. For an ordinary cadet, avoiding him was one thing, but harassing him was another.
“What? That happened?”
Meanwhile, Lanje was surprised, having never noticed.
She hadn’t had the free time to pay attention to her peers lately—she had enough to worry about, both now and later.
From her not-so-promising expected grades, to figuring out how to get paired with Lenart, to the mysterious “Frost Star” society and whoever was behind it, to how she could change her future…
Her temperament kept her from sinking into negative daydreams, but outside of classwork, she spent her time thinking earnestly.
Her days were full enough as it was; to split her attention on her peers would be a waste of mental energy.
“They never talked to me, so I didn’t bother with them either.”
“That’s what ostracism is.”
At Heine’s remark, Lanje shrugged.
“Who cares what idiots think? But you’re not one of them, right? As for her assignments, let’s put a lock on Erna’s bag. And from now on, I’ll stick by her side more. Won’t let her be alone.”
She couldn’t take this issue seriously.
Her opinion of her peers had already been low, and she had too few experiences of being treated with respect to feel hurt by being ignored.
Growing up among servants, her childhood had been one where she wasn’t outright abused, but being disregarded was normal. After entering the academy, she’d gotten into fights with her classmates and then gone on to keep to herself.
Even after earning merits in the war, the attention and praise she’d received were just for propaganda to cover bad news on the front—not genuine treatment.
Now she had her younger sister Erna beside her and acquaintances like Heine, but before that, her list of acquaintances had started and ended with Lenart.
Heine swallowed a sigh at her indifference. Perhaps she didn’t truly understand yet how vile her peers were, and thus couldn’t bring herself to be angry.
She probably just doesn’t know the details yet.
Because of her small frame and more approachable appearance, Erna had become an even easier target for harassment.
Even when moving together, there was a limit to what Heine could prevent, and Erna didn’t feel entirely comfortable with him—Lanje’s help was sorely needed.
The truth was, Lanje couldn’t do much more than what she’d just proposed, and even that would improve things somewhat. But Heine still felt sorry for Erna.
He spoke carefully.
“Miss Erna’s situation is worse than you think. I believe she even fell down.”
“What?”
“Someone may have tripped her, but…”
He didn’t get to finish.
“I’m not letting them get away with that.”
Lanje shot to her feet, fuming.
Heine had hoped for a bit of outrage, but this was more than he’d expected.
“Those brats—someone needs to teach them manners.”
“…Where are you going?”
Sensing trouble, Lenart stood as well.
“You can’t expect me to let whoever tripped Erna off the hook.”
“I’m not against the idea.”
“Then—?”
Pleased that he wasn’t stopping her outright, Lanje paused but furrowed her brows.
Even after knowing her for months, Lenart had never seen her this angry before. And the fact that he had to explain why she shouldn’t be doing this made him rub his forehead.
Then again… from the start, she’s always been protective of her sister.
Suppressing his unease, Lenart asked,
“…What exactly do you plan to do to them?”
Phrases like teach them manners and not let them off all suggested, at best, a physical beating.
“I’m going to challenge them to a duel.”
Lanje puffed out her chest without the slightest hesitation.
“Fair and square, so they’ll never try something bad again.”
Lenart and Heine were both struck speechless.
Lanje tilted her head at their strange reaction.
She thought she’d come up with a proper method this time—last time she’d hit someone for mouthing off and got punished, so now she’d just give fair warning.
When she moved as if to go ask Erna who the culprit was, Lenart finally managed to get a word out.
“That’s illegal.”
“…What?”
“Duels are illegal! Even when they weren’t, if cadets did that, they’d be expelled!”
“Fine, but why are you yelling?”
He didn’t bother asking if she’d have listened otherwise.
Even now, she’d only given up on the duel—he could see her thinking up some other plan, likely still involving her fists.
“Whatever you’re thinking, drop it. It’s wrong.”
Even if he didn’t care about some troublemaking underclassman getting hit, Lenart had to stop her.
“Remember, you don’t have much backing right now.”
This warning, Lanje actually took seriously.
“Even Count Simone wouldn’t be able to help you in something like this.”
Her admission to the academy had already been rocky; the last thing they needed was her starting trouble.
The Countess of Swanhilde was another concern—she’d even tried to block Lanje’s admission. If a disciplinary committee convened, she’d seize the chance.
“Miss Erna wouldn’t want this either.”
Seeing her calm down, Heine added,
“I came here separately because she was worried about you.”
“Worried? About me?”
“That you’d be upset when you heard this…”
He hesitated over the wording.
“…and that it would make her sad.”
Lenart personally doubted Lanje ever got into such a pitiable state as sadness, but didn’t say so.
Lanje seemed to have cooled off, returning to her seat.
“If I got expelled for hitting my classmates, then Erna would be sad this time.”
“Well, I’d be in trouble too.”
Lanje rubbed her chin in dissatisfaction.
“…So, what now?”
“For now, just stick to your original plan—always be with her, keep watch, and cheer her up.”
“Hmm.”
She looked unconvinced that this alone was enough, but she did seem to drop the idea of hitting anyone. Lenart relaxed.
“From October, we’ll be allowed to go out. Take her somewhere nice then.”
He knew this advice did nothing to solve the actual problem, but the alternative was worrying about her getting expelled.
Lanje slouched in a way that was probably bad for her back and clicked her tongue.
“Senior, want to go to the department store with me?”
Caught off guard, Lenart nodded before thinking.
Even without knowing the reason, he realized he didn’t find the suggestion bothersome at all.
Her voice brightened.
“Let’s all go out—me, you, and Erna. We’ll eat something nice, buy snacks. That’ll make her feel better. Oh, you’re coming too, right?”
She turned to Heine, who glanced at Lenart’s face before agreeing.
“…Sure.”
Lenart didn’t notice the flicker of disappointment that had just passed through him—his mind avoided recognizing it.
Good thing she listened to me. If we all go together, I don’t have to worry about her starting trouble, and I get something out of it too…
He thought back to a letter from Helga, sent just before Lanje’s admission ceremony.
—Since it’s come to this, spend as much time as you like with Miss Swanhilde. Like any ordinary eighteen-year-old would want to. Maybe Father will change his mind.
Helga hadn’t explained her advice in detail.
Lenart guessed it was similar to Lanje’s reasoning for wanting to enter in the first place.
Without calculations getting in the way, just ordinary… if they were simply senior and junior, suspicion would fade.
Beside him, Lanje tilted her head. Even if Erna didn’t know yet, just having this outing planned was enough to lift her spirits.
“I wish October would come sooner.”
Before, she hadn’t really had places she wanted to go, so she’d just napped on days off. This would be her first time spending a proper holiday while at the academy.
She’d only been to a department store a handful of times, but she remembered there being a big park nearby.
“It’ll be crowded on the weekend, right? We could look around a bit, then walk outside, and have an early dinner. Or will that be too rushed?”
“Before that, let’s go over your assignments again.”
Noticing her mind was floating away, Lenart pulled her attention back to the stack of exercises.
Heine also looked down at the sheets of problems and solutions.
Since he and Erna were almost done, Lanje’s lack of progress stood out all the more. Heine gave her a sympathetic look.
By October, the lingering late-summer heat had completely vanished.
The morning and evening breeze carried a much sharper chill. During the day it was crisp and sunny.
But inside the bustling department store, the warmth of so many people made the air feel tepid.
“Erna, look at this.”
