~Chapter 125~
When he opened it, the box was full of shiny magic tools. They were all from the royal palace.
“Magic tools for speed?”
“Funny, right? We’re trying to defeat the Magic Kingdom, but using the things they made.”
“Well… They probably never thought their stuff would be used like this. It must feel pretty awful for them.”
The Emperor mumbled as he looked into the box.
“Yeah, with this much, let’s see.”
Leviathan said nothing.
“It should take exactly ten days to go and come back, right?”
Leviathan felt angry seeing the Emperor’s gentle smile.
But he was the only one who could do this.
He was also a knight of the empire who was better with a sword than a pen.
‘He really is a sly one.’
Leviathan finished remembering and jumped onto his horse without hesitation.
He packed as little as possible since he was leaving in secret. He even covered his face with a black robe.
“Tell my daughter so she won’t be surprised.”
“Yes, don’t worry. I told them you had some work in the empire and had to travel.”
The palace servant bowed and opened the back door for him.
“Ah, and tell His Majesty to get ready to make that a public holiday.”
The servant didn’t answer this time.
Leviathan flicked his cloak and shook the reins. Several strong warhorses shot out like the wind.
Ten days.
Ten whole days.
‘Ruby must be… I hope she’s having fun.’
Did she eat? Is she just poking at her food because she doesn’t like it?
‘My kid…’
He hadn’t planned on staying away forever at the southern resort.
He looked inside his pendant for a moment, then sighed deeply.
It was going to be a very long ten days.
“Did you see Khalid?”
As soon as I opened the door, Sortie asked, sitting at the table.
“Yeah!”
I nodded as I walked in.
“I’ve been wanting to ask…”
“What is it?”
“What’s the deal with you and Khalid?”
What? All of a sudden?
I froze with my hand on my chair, and Sortie tilted her head curiously.
“You guys are always together. I was just wondering…”
I blinked and answered like it was nothing.
“We’re just childhood friends.”
“Really?”
“Why…?”
“Well, Titi is a boy and my childhood friend too. But we don’t stick together like you two. He didn’t even come to camp with me!”
Sortie giggled.
“Oh… really?”
When I said I wanted to go to Academy camp, Khalid just decided to come too. Neither of us thought that was weird.
‘After we traveled, he wanted to stay at the Academy more, but…’
Anyway, being together just felt natural for us.
‘But is that not normal for everyone?’
Is this unusual…?
“But Rubian, you need to finish your name tag.”
My drifting thoughts stopped at Sortie’s voice.
‘Name tag?’
I looked at the table.
Sortie was writing her name carefully on a blank name tag.
“You have to write your name on the tag and put it on your things before the afternoon activity. Didn’t you hear when they explained the rules?”
“Oh, right! I forgot. I have to do it now.”
“Hurry up.”
Now I remembered.
When I got to the dorm, I got a few supplies, including the blank name tag.
The Academy teaches students to be independent, so we had to do everything ourselves.
That included managing our own stuff.
We had to write our own names on tags and stick them to important things.
The temporary badge for your chest was the same.
“But Rubian, you’re really good at spelling.”
Sortie watched me pick a pen.
“I could tell from your letters.”
My hand paused for a second.
I tried to act casual as I answered.
“Really?”
“Yeah. When did you learn?”
“Uh… I just kept studying. Especially all the spelling practice during writing lessons helped a lot.”
“Wow. Whose spelling did you have to correct so much? That must have been some training.”
“Yeah… someone.”
I mumbled, then picked up the pen to write my name.
‘My arm is weak, so my handwriting still isn’t pretty.’
It looked messy and crooked…
‘But my name tag should look neat!’
Deep breath. Ready.
“Alright!”
The moment I wrote the first letter—
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
“Aah!”
Failed…
“Everyone, please gather in the front yard!”
“Already?”
Sortie pinned her badge to her chest and jumped up.
I looked at my ruined name tag in despair.
“What should I do? It’s a mess.”
“Just ask for a new one later.”
All I had on my white name tag was a squiggly line. And I only got to ‘Ru-’ before stopping.
‘Oh well. I’ll have to ask for a new one later.’
Ugh. I stuck the messy badge to my chest anyway.
Camp activities started!
The experience camp was to let us try Academy life.
There were simple, easy classes to get to know the teachers and try out the Academy’s facilities.
Under a big autumn tree, groups of girls in their camp uniforms were saying hello. The boys weren’t here yet.
‘It feels just like a fancy private school.’
It was a fresh new experience.
As I walked closer, I heard a familiar name.
“Is Rubian Zebbert really not coming?”
Sortie and I stopped and glanced at each other.
“I asked a teacher, and they said she did register.”
“Strange. That silver hair would stand out.”
‘Are they talking about me?’
I perked up my ears.
“At the Spring Festival, she disappeared so fast. I thought I’d finally get to know her this time!”
“I really wanted to see her face… They say she hides it because she’s super self-conscious.”
“Really?”
Wait, my face has a secret?
“I signed up for camp because I thought she’d come. My mom wants me to be friends with her… She didn’t even come to my tea party…”
Tea party? I never got an invite!
“At the festival, she looked so cool getting first place without saying a word.”
That’s only because I was too nervous to talk…
“She’s so bold, isn’t she? Ah, too bad! The masked lady!”
The girls sounded disappointed.
I felt so awkward I couldn’t move. My lips puckered up.
‘Should I just say, “Hi, I’m back without my mask!”?’
No way. That would be too embarrassing.
‘What do I do…’
As I shuffled my feet, not knowing what to do, a loud laugh interrupted.
“Ha ha ha!”
I turned. A group of boys was coming our way. They all looked mischievous.
“Ugh, they’re loud.”
“Let’s go. I don’t want to get into trouble.”
The nearby girls quickly left.
But the boys just got noisier as they came closer. The leader stood out the most.
‘Wait… I know him.’
I remembered seeing him at the Spring Festival.
A boy dressed up like a peacock.
‘His name…’
“Hey, Haven. Are those new shoes? They look expensive.”
Oh, right. Haven Abellus!
“Yeah. You guys can’t even guess how much these cost!”
Haven bragged and showed off his shoes.
His shiny black shoes had little gems on them.
“That’s the Abellus family for you…”
At the Academy, only the uniform is given.
So things like shoes, handkerchiefs, or accessories are brought from home—and show off your family’s money.
‘Anyone can attend the Academy if they pay the fee.’
Haven looked around, then spotted us. A playful smile spread across his face.
“What? Sortie?”
“Hi, Haven.”
“Who’s with you? Hmm…”
He openly looked me up and down. Then his eyes stopped on my badge.
“Ru… u…? What’s this? Did you write it with your foot?”
Ugh, this guy.
I was about to snap back, but Haven turned to Sortie and snickered.
“You’re really something, Sortie. Why are you hanging out with a commoner?”
I blinked.
…A commoner?
‘Wait, does he mean me?’
