“I’m Professor Luteng. I teach military operations in the Swordsmanship Department.”

Luteng extended his hand as a greeting. His fingers were thin and long, but even to the n*ked eye, they had quite a few calluses.

“Cardel de Radelica.”

“Nice to meet you, Student Cardel. Oh, by the way, at the academy, everyone is addressed as ‘student’ regardless of status. Is that acceptable?”

“I don’t mind.”

“Then the young lady beside you is…?”

Luteng’s gaze turned to Evolaine. Unlike Cardel, who wore the academy uniform, the girl wore a white uniform and purple cloak. Could she be the rumored…

“I’m Evolaine. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. It seems the academy is going to get lively from now on.”

Luteng shook hands with Evolaine, grinning broadly.

The Kelic swordsman the empire had its eyes on had appeared at the academy. Luteng was already excited at the thought of witnessing the events that would unfold.

And for good reason—throughout history, Kelic swordsmen had been at the center of countless incidents at the academy.

Lost in his own imaginative fantasies and giggling to himself, Luteng didn’t release Evolaine’s hand until Cardel pulled him away.

Just like when he had met the Marquis of La Voletta in the past.

“How did someone like that become a professor?”

After finishing the enrollment procedures, Cardel muttered while sitting in the main building’s lounge.

He was genuinely baffled that Luteng was a professor.

“Maybe he’s skilled?”

Evolaine quietly offered her opinion, but it didn’t register with Cardel.

Ever since meeting Luteng, whether in the headmaster’s office or here in the lounge, he had been continuously venting his anger toward the man.

“Luteng… I guarantee his skills, so please don’t worry…”

When Cardel complained, the headmaster had stammered out excuses—quite a sight to behold.

He’d apparently used several handkerchiefs to wipe the cold sweat streaming down his gleaming bald head.

“If they won’t fire him despite his problems, he must have a backer.”

Who’s backing that backer? Duke of Arpi? Or the imperial family?

Cardel genuinely wanted to fire that professor. Or at least send him far away.

The perverted look in his eyes when he gazed at Evolaine had been extremely unpleasant.

His interest in Evolaine was probably because of Kelic.

‘There’s a mountain of people to avoid.’

Nothing had gone smoothly since coming to the academy.

Meanwhile, as Cardel vented his anger alone, Evolaine sat on a nearby bench, staring blankly at the sky.

‘Nice weather…’

She didn’t know why Cardel was angry, but she’d long since learned that opening her mouth at times like this only brought trouble.

It was a worthwhile result of honing her instincts during the year spent by his side.

Chirp chirp—

Basking in the sunlight made her body drowsy. As her eyes slowly opened and closed, something landed gently on her nose.

“…?”

What’s this light movement?

When she carefully opened her eyes, she saw a round back of a head. It was a small bird covered entirely in black feathers.

“Are you dozing off when it’s not even afternoon yet?”

“…Basilica?”

The familiar voice scolded her, and her drowsiness vanished completely.

“What are you? Why do you look like this?”

“I changed my appearance for a change of pace. How is it? Aren’t I pretty?”

The small bird puffed out its chest feathers proudly. It was kind of cute the way it wriggled around, but…

“…Were crows always this small?”

“I’m a sparrow!!”

How was she supposed to take this creature around with her when it still had zero awareness?

Basilica covered his aching head with his tiny wings and sighed deeply.

Though it only came out as chirping sounds.

“Where have you been all this time? You left without saying anything.”

“…I needed time alone.”

Basilica said he’d been home for a while and had gone there to collect himself.

He must have been emotionally struggling after losing an old friend. Evolaine gently stroked Basilica, who had become a pitch-black sparrow.

“I don’t need comfort from a little squirt.”

“Isn’t that you? Right now I’m bigger.”

“Eeek!!”

“Ow! Okay, okay!”

A sparrow’s beak was harder and had more fearsome attack power than she’d thought.

Having learned this firsthand, Evolaine shed a few tears as she barely managed to block Basilica’s attacks.

“…Dame, who exactly are you talking to?”

A sparrow suddenly attacking and Evolaine frantically trying to fend it off.

Unable to watch any longer, Cardel asked.

“I was building rapport with a new friend.”

“…I see.”

She’d become friends with a sparrow. Cardel decided to stop thinking about it.

Sometimes it was more comfortable to just let things flow.

The sparrow continued pecking at Evolaine with its beak.

After spending some time in front of the main building, a bell rang loudly.

It announced the start of the entrance ceremony.

Normally, new students would attend the entrance ceremony and be divided into classes with other freshmen for their courses, but since Evolaine and Cardel were starting as fourth-years, they didn’t need to attend the ceremony.

“Brief announcement. The new student entrance ceremony will begin at 1 PM, so all new students please enter the main building auditorium in advance.”

Still, spending several hours killing time didn’t appeal to them either.

“Dame, want to go to the entrance ceremony?”

“I thought you didn’t want to go?”

“Just. It seems better than letting you become friends with a sparrow.”

She should at least make one human friend, shouldn’t she? Cardel was genuinely worried about Evolaine’s social skills.

Though he wasn’t one to talk, always staying cooped up at home…

“I’m fine with it. I wanted to see it anyway.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

It’ll work out somehow. What could possibly happen on the first day at the academy?

* * *

“Oh my, Young Master. I didn’t expect you to attend the entrance ceremony.”

“…I didn’t expect to meet you here either, Young Lady.”

Take back what he said earlier. Cardel regretted it within one minute of arriving at the entrance ceremony and forcibly smoothed his crumpling expression.

‘Of all places, to run into Arpi here.’

Siana von Arpi. The only daughter of the Duke of Arpi and sole heir.

She rarely engaged in public activities, but considering that, she was quite a famous figure.

‘Queen of Poison Manufacturing.’

That was the Young Lady’s secret nickname. Everyone knew, while keeping quiet about it, that the Duke of Arpi’s family was obsessed with drug experimentation.

Among them, Siana was a genius among geniuses who had secured her position as heir by age ten with her outstanding talent.

“Nice to meet you, Dame Evolaine. I’m Siana.”

Siana flipped her wavy red hair behind her back, winked one eye, and greeted Evolaine.

“Pleased to meet you, Lady Arpi. I’m Evolaine.”

Reading Cardel’s uneasy reaction, Evolaine greeted her with only basic courtesy.

‘They seem closer than I thought.’

Siana’s crimson eyes sparkled as she observed Evolaine. Her eye color occasionally deepened when she saw something interesting, and when it did, it looked like a vivid ruby stained with blood.

“I’m a fifth-year in the Chemistry Department. What major are you entering, Dame?”

“If you’re in Chemistry, we won’t have any reason to meet. The buildings are completely different.”

Cardel answered Siana’s question. His unfamiliar yet quite impressive manner of pulling Evolaine back protectively caught her attention.

“I don’t recall asking you, Young Master?”

“My escort knight has difficulty conversing with strangers.”

“Is that so? Then please answer for her, Young Master. What’s your major?”

Siana smiled, fully opening her fan embroidered with black cloth and lace.

Her outfit, covered in black from head to toe, seemed like darkness itself. Like a labyrinth with no entrance or exit, it evoked a terrifying darkness.

“The Dame and I are in the Swordsmanship Department. A department completely unrelated to you, Young Lady.”

“How unexpected. I didn’t think you’d choose the Swordsmanship Department, Young Master.”

“Think whatever you want.”

There was nothing good to gain from continuing this conversation. Cardel grabbed Evolaine’s wrist and led her near the entrance.

He planned to leave immediately after the ceremony ended.

Fortunately, Siana didn’t follow. She simply smiled sweetly at the two departing figures before returning to her own seat.

“Young Master, did you choose the Swordsmanship Department because of me?”

“…No.”

‘So it’s this side this time.’

He hadn’t particularly wanted any specific department, but he didn’t want to be separated from Evolaine.

He didn’t know what kind of trouble she might cause, and if she did, measures would be needed.

“I see…”

Seeing Evolaine’s shoulders droop, Cardel flinched involuntarily but soon straightened his posture.

His pride was too strong to be honest.

“Still, I’m glad. Because we can stay together.”

“…Yeah?”

“Yes, isn’t it good for you too, Young Master? It’s less difficult to be with someone you know than to be surrounded only by strangers.”

“I suppose.”

He wasn’t really sure. Cardel had never been interested in relationships to begin with.

If he had enrolled in the Swordsmanship Department alone, he would have quietly walked the path to graduation.

But…

“Not bad.”

“Pardon?”

“I said not bad, like you said.”

Just like it’s better to share hardship with two people rather than endure it alone, adapting to a new place would probably be better together too.

“Let’s go. If we stay longer, flies will swarm.”

“Yes!”

She ended up watching the entrance ceremony she’d wanted to see from a corner, but it was still good.

Because this too was a secret memory.

After the entrance ceremony ended, students from each department began moving.

Cardel and Evolaine returned to the main building where the Swordsmanship Department was located.

New students, current students, and transfer students like the two of them all gathered in a large lecture hall.

Here, they announced the faculty and curriculum plans to commemorate the start of the new semester.

“This year, the Swordsmanship Department will cultivate diverse talents by…”

While the Swordsmanship Department head opened his speech and explained the new semester plans, Cardel spotted Luteng and quietly cursed him out.

Evolaine also dozed off beside him while listening to the explanation.

That’s when Basilica, perched on her shoulder, spoke to her.

[Evolaine, that woman from earlier. Do you know her?]

‘You mean Lady Arpi?’

[Yeah, that person.]