Chapter 19

"Next time, it's my turn to visit Eme's village."

It was a mere two days. As we parted ways, my childhood friend said this with a very happy look, narrowing her eyes into a crescent moon shape and smiling.

"I'm looking forward to it."

With those words and her gentle smile etched in my memory, Lukas returned to Eme's village. I was worried about the village being attacked by monsters. I decided to make time as soon as possible to return home. However, apart from that worry, walking through the capital with Lukas was more enjoyable than usual, and it was a relaxing two days both mentally and physically.

I returned to the dorm, determined to work hard again from tomorrow—after a night had passed, today.

"I'm really sorry!"

My superior, Casper, was doing a dogeza (prostration) in front of me.

It seems he wanted to apologize to me for what happened at the bar the other day. Indeed, I was confused when the drunk Casper bothered me, but since Wake helped me early on, I didn't think it was worth a dogeza.

"Casper, it's fine... You were pretty drunk, so..."

"No way! It's not fine! It was an unbecoming act for a superior! I can't say 'please forgive me,' but let me do something to make it up to you!"

Casper pressed his head against the floor and raised his voice. Perhaps hearing his unusual voice, seniors started to gather around.

"Laurel, what's going on?"

"It seems Casper bothered me when he was drunk..."

Behind me, Chelsea answered to what was probably Lina's question. I silently apologized to my kind colleague for causing trouble. But more importantly, I needed to do something about my superior who was doing a dogeza in front of me.

Casper said he wanted to make it up to me. It seemed he didn't want to just forgive me without doing anything, so I thought about getting some delicious pastries from the capital to make things right—when Wake's face suddenly popped into my mind.

Are they close enough to drink together on weekends?

"Ah, right. Casper, are you good friends with the knight captain, Wake?"

Surprised by the sudden question, Casper raised his head. His forehead had marks from pressing against the floor and some dust, probably because it wasn't cleaned properly.

I deepened my bitter smile and asked again, as Casper seemed to be at a loss.

"You were drinking together, weren't you?"

"Oh, oh... Yeah. I met him right after I joined... and we've been drinking together from time to time... I'm really sorry!"

Casper, reminded of the incident by the flow of conversation, bowed his head even more forcefully than before. I was startled by the sound of his head hitting the floor and strongly denied, "It's fine, really!"

I understood that they were good friends, but it was a rather unusual combination. Perhaps because of delivering recovery potions, I had a close relationship with the knights, but I couldn't quite picture the muscular, heavily armored Wake and the thin, messy-haired, round-glasses Casper together.

"That's right. I didn't expect to see Wake yesterday, so I was a bit surprised."

At my murmur, Casper timidly raised his head. His forehead was red, and what caught my eye more was the shining eyes behind his glasses.

"Laurel, are you infatuated with Wake?"

"Eh? No, well... you know, he's famous..."

I couldn't say that I've known him one-sidedly since long ago, so I mumbled. However, the feelings I had for Wake were very similar to infatuation.

Casper's words weren't wrong, so I nodded slowly but surely. His eyes shone even brighter.

"I get it! As a way to make it up to you, I'll introduce you to Wake!"

Hearing the expected words, I was honestly pleased.

I had wanted to have a proper conversation with Wake. However, I hesitated about whether I should have excessive contact and whether it would be a bother, so I didn't readily agree to Casper's words.

But Casper, completely oblivious to my internal struggle, quickly stood up and pushed me from behind, saying, "Let's go!"

"Go... now? What about the training?"

"By my authority as a superior, you're off for half a day! Chelsea, you're free to work on your independent project! You two are both excellent!"

Casper said something outrageous, leaving me bewildered. I instinctively looked to Lina for help, but she smiled in a troubled way and mouthed, "Good luck." The same reaction came from Chelsea, who was standing next to her.

In the end, I was pushed out of the laboratory by Casper.

***

Shouts of anger, flying sand, and the dull sound of metal.

What greeted us when we suddenly arrived at the knights' training ground was:

"Casper, what brings you here?"

"Ah!"

It was the knight with light green hair who had guided me when I accompanied Arnold for his exam about two years ago.

I couldn't help but exclaim. I never expected to meet him again like this. I had thought I might run into him somewhere after becoming an apprentice alchemist, but...

"Laurel, do you know Oliver?"

"Um, sorry... no, I mean..."

I remembered him, but I wasn't sure if he remembered me. I couldn't ask bluntly if he remembered me, so I mumbled. Then,

"You... passed the exam, didn't you? Congratulations!"

Oliver, as Casper called him, smiled at me.

I was surprised that he remembered our brief conversation from two years ago and took a few steps forward.

"You remembered me?"

"Of course. I felt you were a very intelligent young lady... I thought you would pass."

His princely smile made it seem like there were sparkles around him. He was the kind of person who could fit into a shoujo manga. He only gave good impressions.

"Hey, Deputy Captain, are you flirting again?"

While I was admiring how wonderful it would be to be like Oliver, a familiar male voice came from behind. The "Deputy Captain" must refer to Oliver.

I turned around to see Wake, as expected. He was either in the middle of training or on a break, wiping his face with a towel as he walked over. He was holding a wooden sword and wasn't wearing his heavy armor.

"Casper, what's up?"

"This girl... she's our promising hope, Laurel, and she's infatuated with Wake! So—"

"Did you promise to introduce me to her as a way to make up for the other day?"

It seemed he had it all figured out.

Wake laughed heartily, and Casper shrank. Ignoring the now silent Casper, Wake spoke to me, crouching down to look up at me.

"Man, you had a rough time, Laurel."

"No, no! I'm sorry for interrupting your work. I'll leave right away. But it's an honor to meet you."

I was happy to be able to talk, but it seemed he was in the middle of training. Of course, it wasn't a day off or lunch break.

I had been pushed by Casper to come, but I should have politely declined and suggested another time. I bowed my head in regret. Then,

"You're much more mature than Casper!"

Wake laughed with his mouth wide open. His boisterous laughter made me pause for a moment, and then I laughed along.

I knew "I" was a good person. Being with him made me feel sunny and bright.

After a good laugh, Wake patted my shoulder a few times and said,

"I'm training the young ones right now, so I can't talk for long, but—future alchemist, please watch our training."

***

I watched the knights training, guided by Oliver. Some were practicing with wooden swords, some were sparring, and some were being trained by Wake.

I was sitting in a nearby rest hut, drinking a beverage with Oliver, as Wake had asked me to wait there until he finished training.

"Do you train every day?"

I asked Oliver, who answered strongly.

"The Shvaria Knights protect not only the capital but the entire country, so we train every day. Unlike alchemists, who have to pass rigorous exams, anyone can join the knights with a strong will."

"That's a noble goal."

To protect the people, to volunteer to become a knight. I genuinely thought it was admirable. If I had been born a man, I wondered if I could have set such a noble goal.

Oliver smiled happily at my words and said,

"We will protect you, Laurel."

He showed me his princely smile again.

His ability to say such things so casually made me think he was a natural charmer. I believed he was considerate and observant, but I also worried that he might have led many women to misunderstand.

We had a pleasant and comfortable conversation. He had a wide range of topics, and the conversation and smiles never stopped.

The warm, comfortable atmosphere. I was enjoying it thoroughly, deepening my friendship with Oliver, when "it" happened.

—Clank, clank, clank!

Suddenly, an ear-piercing sound split my eardrums. The window was slightly open, and the sound was so loud that it felt like it could burst my eardrums. I immediately knew something "unusual" was happening just from the sound.

I looked around. At that moment, the door was rudely opened.

"Deputy Captain, a large group of monsters in the northern forest! On a scale never seen before! And they somehow managed to sneak past the guards, right near the city!"

It was a sudden report.

A large group of monsters, right near the city.

I couldn't grasp the situation at first. I just stood there with my mouth open, staring at the young knight standing near the entrance.

On the other hand, Oliver quickly stood up and said,

"Evacuate the people to the castle immediately! The 4th to 6th squads will provide security! The rest—"

"The captain has already led the 1st squad out!"

"I'm leaving right away! The 2nd and 3rd squads, and all squads from the 7th onward, will wait at the northern city gate!"

He gave calm and swift orders.

The knight, having received the orders, hurried out of the rest hut. The door slammed shut, and I finally reacted.

The monsters were right nearby. We needed to evacuate. And Oliver was leading a squad to fight the monsters.

On a scale never seen before. How did they manage to sneak past the guards?

The knight's words echoed in my head. A monster attack on the capital, something that had never happened before, just like in Eme's village—

"Laurel, can you get back to where Casper and the others are on your own?"

"Yes."

The princely smile from earlier was gone, and Oliver was looking at me with a stern expression. He was trying to reassure me, as his voice was gentle.

I nodded, and Oliver left the rest hut. I followed him.

"I'm sorry for the suddenness. I'll give you a proper tour another time."

He bowed deeply and then ran off.

He was considerate to the end. I called out to his retreating back,

"Be careful...!"

My heart was pounding. I took a few deep breaths to calm it down and ran towards the laboratory. I needed to get back quickly; I didn't want to worry Casper and the others.

I ran down the corridor. The faces of Oliver and—Wake's smile flashed in my mind.

—What if.

I stopped in my tracks. The possibility that flashed in my mind made my legs tremble for a moment—but I quickly started running again, faster than before.

I needed to get back to the laboratory quickly and start making recovery potions. No time for evacuation. The alchemists must be working together to make potions right now. I needed to help.

I ran, trying to shake off the possibility that flashed in my mind.

What if, in this monster attack—Wake might suffer a serious injury to his right eye.