He smiled sympathetically at Aris, who couldn’t do this or that.

‘Is it really okay to leave…?’

Aris, unable to leave coldly, desperately looked around to find someone else to help. However, no matter how much she looked, there was no sign of anyone else.

With her conscience pricking her, she finally said reluctantly.

“Shall I guide you? Come to think of it, it’s not that urgent…”

As soon as she said that, Kalaian’s troubled expression disappeared completely. Aris felt something odd for a moment, but before she could take back her words, he eagerly accepted her offer.

“Would you do that? Then I won’t refuse.”

He smiled with satisfaction afterward. What was this? Whether it was just her feeling or not, Aris felt like she had been greatly deceived.

“This way.”

She started leading the way for Kalaian.

But contrary to his earlier claim of having something urgent to deliver, he followed leisurely with a relaxed attitude. Aris glanced at him.

‘He’s too leisurely…’

This wasn’t guidance, it felt more like a stroll. Aris increased her walking speed first. Thinking that surely he would follow suit.

But far from it, only a displeased voice was heard from behind.

“Miss Eldeiz. I’m sorry, but could you slow down a bit? I’m tired from wandering around earlier.”

“Ah… Yes! I’m sorry.”

Aris slowed down, surprised. Although she wanted to get away as soon as possible, whenever she tried to walk a little faster, Kalaian’s admonition would fly.

‘I guess I shouldn’t have offered to guide him after all…’

With a dejected look, Aris had no choice but to walk side by side at his pace.

By now, the sunlight imbued with summer’s warmth heated their heads in this incredibly awkward situation. It would be nice if cicadas were chirping, but it wasn’t that season yet.

It was when Aris turned her head, trying to say something to break the discomfort. Just then, Kalaian reached out his hand. He brushed off a leaf that had settled on her hair.

As Aris lost her words at the brief contact, Kalaian, meeting her gaze, said,

“I have a request.”

“A request…?”

“Could you tell me a little about yourself, even if just a bit?”

“…Pardon?”

Under the heated sunlight, his amethyst-colored eyes curved gently. However, there was no playfulness in that smile and gaze.

“You… when you boldly declared to me that you would live your own life, it left quite an impression.”

“……”

“Because of that, I’m very curious now. Whether you’re doing well. If you’re having any difficulties. And, if you’re achieving your dreams.”

Kalaian looked at her as she opened her eyes wide and parted her lips. Aris’s clear green eyes wavered with a troubled expression.

Her eyes, which had been trembling whenever they caught him, were as clear as summer. He wanted to gaze at her eyes for a long time, but he withdrew his gaze.

Soon after, Aris opened her mouth.

“I… I’m doing well. Actually, there’s someone who’s been helping me recently.”

Aris glanced at him. She worried he might not want to hear it, but fortunately, he was listening attentively to her words.

“I don’t know who they are either, but they helped me when I desperately needed it. And they said they would sponsor me… Oh! Recently, they even changed my roommate for me…!”

Aris, who had been chattering as her tension eased, quickly shut her mouth.

‘Oh no… He might have heard that I was Miss Frencia’s roommate.’

She examined his face, but he didn’t seem to show any signs of reproach. Fortunately, it seemed Serena hadn’t mentioned that much.

“Anyway, they’re a really good person. Truly. Seeing how readily they offer help to me, they must be a wonderful person.”

“Is that so? That’s good to hear.”

His voice sounded a bit strange. The corner of his mouth, visible from the side, was drawing a subtle upward curve.

“Ah, I think this is far enough. Didn’t you say you had something urgent to do?”

“That’s true, but… Will you be alright? You said you were… bad with directions.”

Aris, who had stopped following Kalaian, asked with a worried look. Then Kalaian suddenly let out a laugh. He bit his lower lip slightly, still smiling, and said,

“Thank you for your concern. But fortunately, I know the way from here. I heard that exam results were coming out today, isn’t your urgent business to check those?”

“Ah, that’s not it. I’ve already checked them, and I was going to write a letter to inform the person I mentioned earlier about the results.”

“Then you should hurry along. Thank you for today, Miss Eldeiz.”

“Yes. It was an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”

Finally freed, Aris quickly turned and ran. Who would have thought she’d end up guiding him and having a leisurely conversation like a stroll?

Aris recalled the earlier conversation and Kalaian’s smile.

‘I didn’t know he could smile like that…’

As their relationship changed, his attitude towards her seemed to have changed as well. This must have been the right relationship from the start.

It should continue like this from now on. Gradually letting go of her feelings for him, being in a not emotionally-draining relationship, and living comfortably in their own worlds.

Aris forcibly cut off her thoughts about him and focused only on the letter she would send to Mr. E. A slight smile escaped from her stiffened lips.

She should hurry back and write about today’s events on pretty stationery.

* * *

Several days had passed since Aris sent a letter to her sponsor about the exam results.

In the meantime, Aris had gotten a new roommate. A girl named Belle Roche, who was a first-year like Aris.

She first met her at night. Aris was startled when someone suddenly knocked on the door vigorously late at night while it was pouring rain.

It was already an eerie night with lightning striking, so it was quite unsettling. With a mix of fear and curiosity, she opened the door to find a cheerful girl holding heavy luggage bags in both hands.

“Hello! Can I come in? I’ve been assigned here too. Your roommate.”

“Ah… Yes. Come in!”

“It’s really raining hard outside. Why did it have to be today? Oh! I’m Belle Roche. I enrolled recently, but commuting was so hard that I decided to move into the dormitory. I heard you’re a first-year too?”

“Yes, I’m a first-year too.”

Aris barely gathered her wits to answer the flood of words.

Belle, with golden curly hair and bright blue eyes shining intelligently, was a really cheerful child. Like Aris, she was a student aspiring to become a magic scholar.

Most students coming to the Magic Department want to become mages, so this was a delightful encounter.

“Huh? Belle, you’re taking that class too?”

“That’s mean. I’ve even sat right in front of you before!”

“Really? I’m sorry… I tend to forget people I don’t often encounter…”

“I’ve known about you since the first day. You’re quite famous, you know.”

Aris slightly opened her mouth involuntarily. She seemed to know the reason for being famous.

In fact, there were rumors circulating within the Magic Department that Aris had rejected the Crown Prince’s proposal and left home.

Moreover, since most of the first-year students in the Magic Department were newly enrolled, although everyone seemed to be keeping quiet to follow the customs of the Magic Department, there was still noticeable discrimination between regions.

Unfortunately, because of the above rumors, Aris had become an eastern person with a particularly bad reputation among the westerners.

Even though she hadn’t been paying attention to it, she felt worried that Belle might avoid her because of those rumors. Judging from her mention of commuting, she seemed to be a westerner too.

Seeing Aris’s gloomy face, Belle waved her hand and said,

“I don’t care about such things! Rumors are always exaggerated, and the reason I noticed you was for different reasons. You’re really pretty, you know. And how should I put it, you have a face that seems to reflect a kind nature… Anyway, I wanted to be friends.”

“Really? That’s a bit embarrassing…”

“I wanted to talk to you, but it was a bit difficult. Still, I’m glad we can chat like this now! Let’s be good friends from now on, Aristena!”

“Yes!”

Aris answered happily.

Belle, who she started living with like this, matched well with Aris in various aspects. Most of their lectures overlapped, so the best part was that they could wake each other up if one of them overslept.

The only class that didn’t overlap was Belle’s magic practicum. Unlike her, Aris didn’t have any practical subjects.

“Aris, why don’t you take any practical classes?”

It was lunchtime as usual. While eating sandwiches together in the field of the central plaza, Belle asked. She, with her blue eyes widened meaningfully, had an expression of incomprehension.

‘It’s understandable… Even if you’re aiming to be a scholar, you should handle some magic to some extent.’

Chewing on her sandwich, Aris pondered and said,

“I probably don’t have any magical talent… It would be sad to fail right after enrolling.”

“How do you know without even measuring it?”

“They say people with a lot of magical power are usually energetic and robust. But I’ve never felt anything like that…”

Aris had never once thought that she had the power to protect herself. In fact, she had never protected herself even once.

As Aris was recalling the past and taking a bite of her sandwich, Belle suddenly grabbed one of her hands. Aris almost dropped her sandwich.