“What? Where did she go?”

Kai, who had followed Aer out, muttered in confusion when she was nowhere to be seen.

“Why is she walking so fast?”

He looked around for a while but soon gave up and moved on. After Kai disappeared, Louis quietly emerged from behind. He moved his steps, hiding his face full of displeasure behind his glasses.

Louis, who had arrived at the meeting place first, returned to the main building when she didn’t show up even after time had passed. In a not-so-good way, Aer was no different from a celebrity, so he could track her whereabouts even if she was nearby. Then he learned that Aer, Anna’s group, and Ian were in a confrontation. The vivid, almost abusive insults pierced his mind.

So he approached quietly and secretly watched their fight. As much as he wanted to intervene, if he, with his commoner status, stepped in, it would only cause more trouble for Aer. Having experienced this before, he watched with quiet anger.

However, contrary to his worries, she handled it bravely this time too. Aer turning away with a relieved expression couldn’t have looked more impressive. And from her hurried departure somewhere, Louis felt an inexplicable warmth. Because he seemed to know where she was heading…

He was truly happy and his heart warmed knowing that he wasn’t the only one who cherished one-sided. Louis was about to hurry after her. He would have if he hadn’t encountered Anna.

“Ha!”

Anna, who spotted him, let out a loud snort. Though she didn’t say much out loud, her mind was filled with vulgar thoughts.

【Why do I have to run into similar things one after another? It’s disgusting. Why do such people have to attend the Academy? What were they thinking when they made such rules…】

Louis felt a deep disgust at Anna’s behavior, which even criticized the first Emperor. Although he wasn’t unaware of human duality, this time he strangely couldn’t tolerate it.

Louis watched Anna’s back as she ignored him and walked away, then woke up the animals sleeping within the Academy. While he needed eye contact to brainwash people, it was different with animals. The animals moved as he thought.

Animals from the lawn, under trees, and underground all rushed out towards Anna.

“Kyaaa! A snake!”

Anna, who was walking alone after separating from her group out of anger, screamed at the attack of the animals.

But no one could easily approach her. After all, it wasn’t just one or two, but dozens of animals from snakes to moles, birds, and mice that were trying to rush at Anna. The birds circled above her head and defecated.

“Ahhh!”

Anna, unable to move due to the animals surrounding her, could only scream. At that moment, fire flew and attacked the animals.

Seeing Ian, who had belatedly come out of the building, using his ability, Louis quietly signaled the animals to retreat. Then the animals surrounding Anna disappeared in an instant. The birds circling above dropped their droppings on Anna one last time before flying away.

“Sob…”

“Lady Anna!”

Only after the animals disappeared did the female students who had been hanging out with her approach, but they couldn’t easily get close to Anna. The smell of bird droppings was terrible. Even Ian kept his distance with a troubled expression. Dylan, standing next to him, muttered while covering his nose.

“Ugh, the smell…”

“Waaah!”

Anna finally burst into tears from the shame. Louis raised the corner of his mouth crookedly and was about to leave.

That’s when he heard Ian’s inner thoughts.

【Is it natural for small animals to suddenly jump out like this?】

At the voice full of doubt, Louis paused for a moment and turned back. His strangely sharp thoughts had been bothering him since before. And the next thought Louis heard made him clench his fists.

【Is it true? That she no longer likes me…】

It was impossible not to know who he was talking about. Maybe Aer really did like Ian as she said. Ignoring the thoughts, Louis headed towards the place where he was supposed to meet her. Walking slowly, he paused for a moment and muttered. “Now… she doesn’t like him, right?”

Even though he had heard what she said, it strangely bothered him. Louis started moving his stopped feet again. His slow steps gradually quickened and soon he began to run. Arriving at the meeting place, he silently invaded the quiet space.

“Huff, huff…”

In that place where no thoughts or sounds could be heard, a sweet fragrance was wafting. Turning his gaze towards the source of the scent, he saw Aer sitting leaning against a bench.

Her azure hair sparkled in the sunlight. It looked just like sunlight breaking on the surface of a lake, making it impossible to take his eyes off her. Her serene face was slightly lowered, and her small, delicate hands were neatly folded on her thighs. As if she had fallen asleep while waiting for him, Aer was only making soft breathing sounds.

Louis carefully approached and sat next to her. The bright sunlight shone down on her face through the leaves. Every time the leaves moved, her brow furrowed and then relaxed repeatedly. Not wanting to disturb her peaceful sleep, Louis carefully raised his hand to block the sunlight falling on her face. Her furrowed brow smoothed out peacefully again. Louis couldn’t take his eyes off her.

In the intense sunlight of early summer, a cool breeze passing through the trees cooled the sweat. Louis wanted to take off his outer garment and cover her, worried that she might be cold in her sleep, but he couldn’t bring himself to lower his raised hand.

Under his hand, hoping that Aer sleeping with a peaceful face wouldn’t wake up, Louis waited like that until the red sunset turned into a purple sky. Unable to take his eyes off Aer. And not even knowing what his own feelings were…

Thump thump.

With a pleasant heartbeat, Louis was wearing a gentle smile.

***

“Ah, I really don’t want to go to class today.”

Aer had already finished preparing for school but didn’t leave her room. She watched the students heading towards the main building through the window.

“It’s the eve of Founding Day, how can there be a joint class?”

Having been in the spotlight just a few days ago, Aer felt miserable at the thought of possibly meeting them in the joint class.

“Sigh, do I have to see them even in class?”

In fact, Aer didn’t want to see Anna, but there was someone she wanted to see even less. None other than Ian. Despite clearly knowing that she had apologized several times, he didn’t stop those around him.

“Ah, I really don’t want to see his face.”

Aer hoped that she wouldn’t manifest as a healer. She disliked not just Ian, but awakened ones in general. Whether awakened or healer, she just wished she wouldn’t encounter them…

“Sigh… But I need to go if I want to get good grades.”

Since she didn’t know what the future held, she had to ensure high grades. She had been managing her grades well so far, so she just needed to keep it up for about two and a half more years.

She packed her self-defense magic tool in her pocket and sprayed perfume one last time before leaving the room. Having left later than usual, Aer hurried her steps towards the oldest lecture hall in the main building.

This lecture hall, created following the will of the first Emperor, was large enough to accommodate all students. Called the Peace Lecture Hall, it was said to have been created by the first Emperor with the intention of nurturing talents for the peace of the empire. The ornate chandelier, old desks and chairs, and the podium placed in the center front were all antique.

Aer briefly looked around the lecture hall before hurriedly searching for Louis. Just then, someone called out to her.

“Aer! Over here!”

She spotted Kai calling her and frowned slightly. Because of his call, all the students in the lecture hall turned their heads toward her at once.

“…His voice is so loud.”

“It’s here! Can’t you hear?”

He was even oblivious. As she had felt before, Kai was quite tactless. It wasn’t just her who had changed since childhood.

Meanwhile, Aer spotted Louis looking at her.

“Ah.”

She ignored Kai, who kept calling and headed towards Louis, who was sitting in the back of the center row.

Although she had tried not to draw attention to avoid causing unnecessary trouble to him, a commoner, she decided not to do so anymore. After all, people would criticize her no matter what she did, so was it worth caring about?

Also, didn’t Louis say it himself? To attend classes together. On the day she had trouble with Anna’s group, she fell asleep waiting for him on the bench. She had been visiting Professor Declan’s office every day for a month to grade papers, so fatigue had built up.

When she woke up refreshed, the sun had already set, and Louis was also asleep beside her. And his outer garment was draped over her shoulders. When they parted that day, Louis said they should attend classes together and have lunch together from now on.

His words made her happy and gave her courage. She never thought that having even one person who liked her in a world where everyone rejected her would give her such great courage.

Aer sat down next to him with a bright smile. Louis also greeted her with a slight smile.

“Good morning, Aer.”

“Louis, good morning.”

As they exchanged greetings cheerfully, there was a clattering sound from the side. “Good morning to me too!”

Kai, who had moved his seat at some point, greeted while poking Aer’s shoulder. Not hiding her annoyed expression, Aer turned her head.

At that moment, Louis’s face hardened with an emotion he had never felt before in his life. A strong urge arose to turn her face back from looking at another man who wasn’t him.

Just as Louis’s fingertips twitched, the dean entered the lecture hall.