Chapter : 126

It's summer vacation!

But I was sad that I couldn't be entirely happy because of the practicum for the ‘Understanding of Fief Management’ lecture.

Whose idea was it to replace the final exam with a practicum!

Still, after a month of the practicum, I'll be able to rest for the remaining month.

“Anyway, it's vacation!”

Since the dormitory would be empty during the vacation, I cleaned my room for a change.

After finishing, looking at the clean room, my heart felt strangely empty.

“Hmm.”

The dormitory room that had felt so awkward had become as familiar as home; a strange sentiment washed over me.

“You're not done cleaning yet?”

Zephyros, who had suddenly entered, asked.

“No, I just finished.”

I closed the door for the last time and locked it with the key.

Magic would keep the room in its cleaned state until the door was opened again.

Since there was no separate vacation ceremony, we headed directly to the orphanage where Lucian grew up.

“I’m really fine going by myself.”

“My father told me to bring you.”

When I said I wanted to invite Senior Lerwon and Lucian to the Lisitoel fief, my father, as expected, readily nodded.

Even though he didn’t show it, it seemed my father had also been worried about Lucian and Lerwon's living arrangements.

“Professor Evan did?”

“Yeah. So, no is not an answer.”

At the firm response, Lucian finally raised the white flag.

While we were chatting, we arrived at the orphanage.

Its name was the House of Mercy. A name that just screamed ‘lame’.

In a strange tension, just as I was about to knock, the door burst open before I could.

“It’s Brother Lucian!”

Starting with that shout full of welcome, the children from beyond the door began to flock to us in an instant.

“Brother?”

“It's him!”

Amidst the welcoming voices, Lucian was instantly surrounded by the orphanage children.

It’s not like it's group bullying or anything… I grabbed the collar of Lucian's clothes, who seemed troubled, and pulled him back.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh⋯ Yeah! I’m fine.”

He didn't look fine at all.

It was an expected reaction, but seeing it with my own two eyes wasn’t very pleasant.

Zephyros seemed to have a similar thought, as his expression wasn’t very bright either.

In fact, a hint of contempt was mixed in his stiff gaze.

“Kids, what's all this commotion— Lucian?!”

The person who followed, who seemed to be a teacher, was startled and covered her mouth with her palm.

“My goodness! What brings you here! First, come on in!”

“Miss Veronica….”

Unlike the flustered Lucian, Veronica was clearly pleased.

Lucian, unable to refuse the hand leading him inside, was dragged along.

Then, as if discovering us late, Veronica smiled brightly and invited us.

“You must be Lucian's friends, right? Would you like to come in?”

I stepped forward before Zephyros, who was about to refuse, and said with a bright smile.

“Of course, Miss Veronica.”

“Ho ho, you can just call me Miss Veronica.”

At the gentle voice, I felt like I was being pushed into a mud pit.

“You’re Lucian's teacher. How could I call you Miss Veronica?”

She probably wasn't that old, but I didn't want to use such a familiar form of address.

Fortunately, Veronica didn't insist a second time.

“Brother! Tell us what happened at the Academy!”

“Brother! You became a hero! Show us the Holy Sword, please?”

As soon as Veronica turned her attention to us, the children, as if they had been waiting, gathered around Lucian again.

“Lucian, you said you had something to talk to the director about. Go and do it.”

Zephyros gave a light nod.

He was trying to pull out the troubled Lucian who was surrounded by children.

Zephyros, you go with him.

At my urgent glance, Zephyros let out a slightly dissatisfied sigh but obediently followed Lucian.

“You must be Lucian’s academy friends.”

“Ah, yes. We’re besties.”

“Besties?”

Veronica's expression contorted slightly as if she had heard a strange word.

“We share a room.”

“Oh, I see.”

Veronica tidied her brown hair over and over again.

“May I have your name….”

“I’m Theo Lisitoel.”

In the Lapileon Empire where Lapis Academy exists, unless you're an orphan with no relatives, you have a surname like Iris Viden or Laurel Arens.

Even if you aren't a noble.

The empire had quite a number of noble families for its vast territory, and if you included the nobles who inherited only a title without a fief, there were over 1,000 noble families.

However, the Lisitoel Count family was quite famous.

They had produced excellent mages for generations, and the current head of the family was the greatest mage in the empire, so it was impossible not to know.

“…I see.”

As if swallowing a scream, Veronica tightly closed her mouth before finally opening it.

It's so obvious what she's calculating in that head of hers.

“And your companion….”

“You should hear the introduction from him directly.”

In any case, she would be certain that he was a noble.

Zephyros, after all, has a basic atmosphere of ‘I am a high-ranking noble’.

Even though he acts foolishly usually, that atmosphere can never be ignored.

“Ah, it would be a bit much to get an introduction through someone else.”

Veronica, her cheeks blushing, smiled blissfully as if lost in some kind of fantasy.

It was so obvious what that ‘something of a fantasy’ was that it was annoying.

* * *

The orphanage, which he had returned to after almost three months, hadn't changed much.

Well, in fact, it hadn't changed at all. It was still old, and still….

“Cian.”

At the voice calling him, Lucian snapped to his senses and smiled awkwardly.

“What?”

“If you want to go back, say so quickly.”

At the sight of his friend speaking nonchalantly with his arms crossed, a laugh escaped first.

The House of Mercy and Zephyros Nevera, could there be a more mismatched combination?

It was as if he existed in a separate, isolated space all by himself.

“I'm not sure.”

“About what? In a way, you've returned as a triumphant general.”

Well, one could see it that way.

Lucian, who was kicked out without even a single piece of luggage, had returned as the descendant of the hero who pulled out the Holy Sword.

“It feels strange.”

After pulling out the Holy Sword, being half-dragged to the Imperial Palace, and entering the Academy—after taking basic etiquette lessons and studying writing, he thought he might have looked forward a little to the day he would return to the orphanage before falling asleep.

Would they all welcome him, or would they chase him out once again?

He wanted to know, and he was curious about the faces of the orphanage people smiling at him.

When he was at the Imperial Palace, he would fall asleep at night with such thoughts, but at the Academy, he was so busy that he didn't even have time for such worries.

“Want me to cause a scene?”

Zephyros asked. Lucian, who knew well that it was a consideration from his gruff friend, shook his head.

“No, it’s fine.”

Lucian once again took a step and headed for the director’s office.

The door to the director’s office, which had always felt high and intimidating, was no longer high or intimidating.

He opened the door without knocking.

“Which brat doesn’t even— Lucian!”

The director, who was about to get angry, shot up from his seat as soon as he saw Lucian’s face.

“Oh my, you’re back! Our Cian!!”

The director of the House of Mercy that Lucian remembered was a person who was always frowning.

Also, a person who constantly grumbled about why he had taken in such a thing.

He would smile kindly at the occasional sponsor who came to visit, but the director was by no means a kind person.

“Is the academy semester over?”

“Yes, Director.”

“And your companion—”

“Zephyros Nevera.”

Zephyros gave a light, slight nod.

It was a blatant disregard, but to the director, the word ‘Nevera’ stuck in his ear before such an attitude.

Nevera, isn't that a ducal family! And the founding contributor family that directly helped the first hero found the empire!!

“To befriend the son of the Duke of Nevera! How amazing! A great person has come from our House of Mercy. A great person indeed!!”

The director seemed so happy, as if he would dance.

The more the director praised him excessively, the more bitter Lucian felt.

“Ah! I can't just leave you standing! Please, have a seat! I'll bring tea right away!!”

The director ran outside.

Zephyros, who had just been watching, scowled.

“Not a very desirable human.”

“That’s how you see it, I guess?”

Lucian smiled faintly.

The expression ‘in your eyes’ bothered him.

Does that mean Lucian sees that kind of person even a little bit favorably?

“Hey, Cian.”

Just as Zephyros was about to speak, the director rushed in with tea.

“Hohoho, I didn’t make the young lord of Nevera wait, did I?”

It wouldn't have mattered if he had made him wait for a long, long time.

Tsk, Zephyros, who had clicked his tongue, didn't even touch the tea the director had painstakingly brought.

This too was a blatant disregard, but what did it matter?

The young lord of a ducal family, whom one would never have the chance to even see in a lifetime, had personally paid a visit!

If a connection with the ducal family was formed like this and they received sponsorship, the House of Mercy would have no financial worries.

They might even be able to afford a little luxury.

The director’s mouth twitched at the sweet fantasy.

“I heard the academy is on vacation.”

The twitching mouth was soon filled with a gentle smile.

“Do you have a separate place to stay during the vacation?

If you're okay with it, you can stay here again.”

“…Would it be alright if I stayed?”

“If not you, who else could stay at the House of Mercy!!”

Is this the same person who had chased him out?

Lucian recalled the day he was kicked out of the orphanage, the director shouting like a thunderbolt.

“Who in the world would take in someone like you! I’ve erased your name, so get lost!!”

He had begged and cried in front of him, asking not to be abandoned.

“Can I think about it for a moment?”

“Hey, Lucian.”

At Lucian’s answer, the director frowned, and Zephyros called him as if to say, ‘what are you talking about’.

“It’s like coming home after a long time… it should be fine, right?”

“Of course! By all means! You have no idea how much my heart ached after sending you away like that.”

Tears streamed down the director's face.

Watching those tears, Lucian laughed silently.

“I understand, Director.”

As expected, I shouldn't have brought him here in the first place.

I should have strongly opposed it and prevented him from even coming near this place.

In a belated regret, Zephyros looked back and forth between the suspiciously smiling Lucian and the crying director.