Chester’s days always followed a regular routine. He woke early in the morning, washed, then went for a light run near the dormitory. Witmore Academy was also famous for its academic rigor, so to survive among students who were already exceptional, stamina was essential.
After returning, he put on his uniform and got ready, then went down to the dorm cafeteria. The eyes of the students lined up in a neat row subtly gathered on Chester. Regardless of year, Chester was already a famous figure at Witmore, so it was only natural.
But because the atmosphere and image he gave off were so cold, very few people approached him easily. Even aside from that, Chester was also known for not making close connections like friends.
House Callaway was a prestigious and powerful family even within the Tehira Empire. Because of that, in his first year, quite a few people had rushed toward him after seeing nothing but the backing of his family. The effort it had taken to push them all away had been no joke.
Still, thanks to how coldly he had dealt with them then, the people who bothered him now had disappeared. Ironically, instead of criticizing or avoiding Chester for that personality, the students around him praised him even more, calling him mysterious.
“Ah, hello, Chester.”
At that moment, someone plopped down in front of him. Chester couldn’t quite remember the face, and when he frowned without realizing it, the other person introduced himself as a classmate from first year.
Chester merely gave a small nod and focused on finishing his meal.
“Actually… my family is holding a small banquet this time. A few of my classmates said they’d attend too…”
“And?”
“Huh?”
“State your business briefly. Don’t talk in circles.”
“Ah, sorry. I was wondering if you could come, if you have time.”
Chester set the utensils he had been using down on the table. There was really only one reason someone with no special relationship or connection to him would suddenly invite him to a banquet now.
“Because it would raise your status if I went?”
“No, I…”
“What do I gain from becoming your accessory?”
At his flat, cold voice, the classmate couldn’t say anything. His face flushed from the shame of having his intentions seen through, then twisted as if his pride had been wounded. After opening and closing his mouth a few times, the classmate said he understood and darted out of the cafeteria.
The classmates around them glanced at Chester and shook their heads. They were probably all thinking, Chester’s personality really is something else.
Chester stood with his emptied tray. As he was about to head toward the return counter, one spot caught his eye. Ruite, the back of his hair sticking up slightly, was sitting in a corner, nibbling on bread. Chester wondered why he was eating alone, but sure enough, someone who looked like a student from the Department of Swordsmanship came over and took the seat across from him.
As soon as he arrived, he playfully tried to steal Ruite’s food and got smacked on the back by Ruite. It was strange to see them having such a childish fight first thing in the morning.
After finishing his meal, Chester headed straight to the classroom. Today was one of those so-called cursed schedules, packed entirely with theory classes. An excellent mage couldn’t be made simply by honing practical ability alone. Academic knowledge was necessary too.
But in general, students in the Department of Magic preferred practical classes, so they struggled especially hard with theory classes.
“Now, I can see everyone who’s dozing off. I have eyes in the back of my head.”
“Come on, how can a person have eyes in the back of their head, Professor?”
“Magnus, be quiet.”
At the professor’s words, the classmates who had been nodding off with their heads spinning began opening their eyes one by one.
“Wake up already! You know test period will be here before you can blink, don’t you? If anyone’s dozing off, their seatmate should wake them properly.”
At those words, Chester turned his head without thinking.
“……”
Ruite was completely collapsed over his desk, fast asleep. With his mouth slightly open, no less. Chester wondered how he could do that in front of someone he had feelings for, but then his gaze drifted to the back of Ruite’s hair, which was sticking up a little.
Just then, there was a loud clatter, and Ruite’s eyes flew open. The sound was so noisy that he ended up getting scolded by the professor. Chester swallowed a sigh and shook his head.
But the funny thing was that in the next class, Ruite listened to the lecture with his eyes shining brightly. It was such a stark contrast to the previous class, where he had been sleeping with his mouth open.
“Apply the formula I just explained and solve the problem at the bottom.”
At the professor’s words, the students picked up their pens with listless expressions. Ruite and Chester did the same. The problem was fairly difficult, but Chester derived the answer in one minute, then massaged his stiff neck.
And once again, his gaze unconsciously shifted. Ruite was concentrating on the problem with his chin propped in his hand. Seeing him mess up his hair several times, it seemed he wasn’t solving it easily. Chester was unconsciously looking at the answer and formula written in his own textbook when Ruite tapped Colin’s shoulder in the seat in front of him.
“Colin, I don’t really get this.”
“Hm? Ah, that one? You substitute this here…”
Colin even turned his body around as he explained with great care. Just then, the professor approached and stopped right in front of the two of them.
“No chatting.”
“I was asking about something I didn’t understand.”
“If you’re going to do that, ask your seatmate. Colin, face forward.”
“Yes.”
Ruite glanced awkwardly at Chester. But then he quickly turned his gaze away and began struggling through the problem on his own. It was truly absurd.
Since they had become seatmates, the situations Chester had worried about had been far fewer than expected. Things like Ruite constantly talking to him and bothering him, or desperately trying to get close.
Even after they had ended up in the same class, this was the first time they had become seatmates. So Chester had thought Ruite would make up his mind and use this chance.
But so far, nothing of the sort had happened.
“Alright, enjoy your lunch. Starting today, I’ll be holding consultations one student at a time, so keep that in mind.”
Before lunchtime, Professor Harold made the announcement. At Witmore, consultations with professors were carried out smoothly for the sake of students’ careers and futures.
“We’ll start with Chester, so come to the consultation room.”
“Yes.”
As the students watched Chester get called first, they made the reasonable deduction that it must be “in order of grades.”
Chester went to the consultation room with Harold.
They sat facing each other across a table in the plain room. Harold looked through, one by one, the documents that recorded Chester’s past grades and activities at the academy in detail. A deeply satisfied smile appeared on his face.
“As expected, there’s nothing to criticize about your grades. Both practical and theory are perfect. I’ll ask anyway, but Chester, you want to become a mage, correct?”
“Yes. I plan to take the mage exam as soon as I graduate.”
“Good. If you become a mage, there are quite a lot of things you can do. Is there anything you have in mind?”
Chester couldn’t answer carelessly. As if noticing his hesitation, Harold nodded lightly.
“There’s no need to rush. It’s still the distant future, after all. For now, it’s fine to focus only on graduating from the academy and passing the mage exam. In any case, your family must be very proud. Duke Callaway is already very interested in your academy life.”
At the mention of his family, Chester’s face turned cold.
“There’s no problem if you continue exactly as you are, but…”
Harold trailed off as he flipped through the papers.
“Hmm, Chester. Is there anything uncomfortable about your friendships?”
“……”
“The academy isn’t simply a place to develop academic knowledge or skill, you see. Having friends or companions you get along with…”
“I don’t need them.”
Harold was trying hard to speak indirectly, but Chester understood immediately. He knew what Harold wanted to say.
“I don’t particularly need things like that, Professor.”
Reading the indifference in his eyes, Harold let out a small sigh and said, “I see,” briefly dismissing the topic. A few more minutes of conversation followed. Chester gave Harold a final farewell and came out, only to encounter an unexpected person in front of the consultation room.
“What?”
“Huh? Well…”
Ruite stood there, eyes darting around.
“Do you need something from the professor? Go in. He’s inside.”
“That’s not it.”
Then Chester’s eyes narrowed, as if he had realized something.
“Then were you waiting for me?”
“…Do you have time right now?”
Ruite scratched the back of his head as he asked. At his hesitant tone and the way he kept watching Chester’s reaction without properly meeting his eyes, Chester asked, “Why?”
“I have something to say… Anyway, if you have time, see me for a moment.”
Since Ruite was the type to be oblivious, Chester had expected him to say it right there, but Ruite moved somewhere else entirely. Watching him leave the main building and head toward the back where various storage rooms were gathered, Chester swallowed the thought, No way.
As soon as they reached a quiet area, Ruite stopped and looked around. It was obviously an attempt to check whether anyone was passing by. And to Chester, it was a very familiar sight. People who dragged him away to confess their feelings often behaved like this.
“It’d be troublesome if there were people around, for now.”
Ruite slipped a hand into his uniform jacket and took something out, then held it out.
“It’s yours.”
It was a letter. One sealed carefully with an insignia at the opening, no less. The moment he saw it, Chester’s brows furrowed sharply, as if he had known this would happen.