CH 17

“Is that so?

Ishmael’s sullen expression made Eisel feel guilty. After hearing Ishmael’s explanation of what had happened since Carl’s unexpected announcement, Eisel understood the situation.

‘I can’t believe you actually took what I threw out there as a casual remark…….’

Eisel forgot that Carl was still a child. It’s natural for children at this age to believe that every joke or prank is real. Eisel explained the situation to Carl, who took her words seriously, and barely cleared up the misunderstanding.

Fortunately, Carl understood what she said. Ishmael patted him on the shoulder and smiled.

“Cheer up, Carl.”

“Uh-huh…….”

Carl nodded briefly and spat out a weak voice. Then his eyes flicked from Ishmael to me. They were glowing golden eyes, and the movement was smooth. Eisel felt a strange sensation.

‘Golden?’

Eisel thought about how many times she had seen golden eyes in her life. Why does it feel so familiar?

“It’s getting late already. I should get going.”

Ishmael’s voice snapped her out of her stare into Carl’s golden eyes. Ishmael glanced out the darkened window and pushed Carl away.

“Wrapping up”

Shoved out of Ishmael’s way, Carl paused in front of Eisel with a grimace, then bowed his head.

“I’m sorry, I misunderstood and made myself…….”

“No. I made you misunderstand.”

Eisel smiled weakly, feeling guilty. Carl couldn’t quite match her smile. Still rolling his eyes, he blushed and lowered his head.

“Ka……?”

“If you’re ever in Byron, look me up. I’ll be your guest of honor, and if you need help, you can find me. You saved my life. I’ll give my life to help you.”

“You don’t have to do that, Byron?”

“Yeah.”

Karl nodded faintly.

“Carl Beorg Byron. It’s my full name.”

Eisel’s shy voice made Eisel pause. Could it be…… that Byron? Wait, Byron must be……. Eisel rattled off a dozen book descriptions that fit the current situation. Byron and his golden eyes. Ash-colored hair. Eisel swallowed a low groan.

‘Crazy, he’s the main character.’

The one who survives a destroyed world, defeats a demon, and becomes the next king.

[The ash-colored hair that matched the ruined city swayed in the dry breeze, and the golden eyes were as sharp and cold as a beast’s, even as the sword sliced through the air to slay the demons that lurked everywhere].

Eisel wondered if the glazed, shy boy in front of her was really the one. However, everything matched, from the name to the family crest to the appearance.

“Well, I’ll see you later, Eisel.”

Eisel, who had become entangled with the protagonist, but also created a debt with him, watched Carl leave the room in a day. The world’s fate rests on those tiny shoulders.

The faces of the sturdy knight and the shy boy blowing cold air overlapped in Eisel’s mind.

“What happened in ten years?”

Aizel’s voice, full of surprise, floated lazily through the room.

·

“I’ll let you know the exam results next week, so everyone go home now.”

Patting down the thick examination papers, Belen turned away from the frustrated students. Most of the students in the classroom had their heads down in frustration at the test difficulty.

Aizel, who had casually organised her bag among them, stood up lazily.

“Let’s get started, Lancia. What are you doing?”

“Ah, Eisel..”

Rising from her seat, Eisel stared at Lancia, who had her head buried in her desk. At Eisel’s voice, Lancia looked up sobbing.

Looking at Eisel with deer-like eyes, Lancia burst into Aizel’s arms.

“No-!”

“You’re screwed”

Eisel patted Lancia on the back and glanced down at the number paper. The red lines fell like rain, stopping halfway through the grading.

‘I’m screwed.’

Eisel nudged Lancia and looked at her upset face.

“Eisel, what happened to me?”

“What the hell? You’re screwed.”

“Ugh!”

Lancia finally broke down in tears at Eisel’s calm reply. Eisel sighed as she cradled Lancia in her arms as she sobbed again.

In her previous life, she had been orphaned and all she could do was study. She studied every day, and failing an exam was a world away.

Eisel could only offer so much comfort in this situation, especially since she didn’t have many friends.

“It’s okay, Lancia.”

“Eisel……?”

“Happiness is not in the order of sexual relations.”

Eisel comforted Lancia with a bright smile, and her face brightened a bit.

“Ah, but low grades don’t necessarily mean happiness. Wouldn’t you rather have high grades and be happy?”

“Ugh!”

Lancia cried, but the next words made her feel better and she burst into tears again. Eisel tried to comfort her, but it was hard when she was already crying.

Eisel held her and sighed.

“Eisel…”

Just then, the door opened and the mysterious Belen entered. Belen stared at Eisel without saying a word, his jaw clicking in familiarity, and then he was taken away.

Eisel took her cue from Belen’s reticence and quickly pushed Lancia away.

“Lancia……”

“I know. You going there again?”

Eisel smiled slightly, and Lancia looked sour. Feeling unnecessarily sorry for her, Eisel rolled her eyes for a moment, then patted Lancia’s head.

“Do you want to come with me?”

“Really?!”

“It’ll be fine for once. I’m done with my exams. We can go there or hang out today.”

At Eisel’s words, Lancia stared at her with round eyes as if she’d been crying for a while. She jumped up from her seat. Folding up the red, rain-soaked test papers and stuffing them into her bag, Lancia grabbed Eisel’s hand and made the first move.

“Let’s go!”

“Wait, wait, my bag!”

Aizel screamed as she was dragged away by the ineffective Lancia.

Three times a week.

After class, Eisel was trained by Bahidman in private. The others would have laughed it off as ridiculous. However, Bahidman accepted Beoric’s terms as an apology for Raven’s death.

In truth, Bahidma could have refused, but he did so out of curiosity and remorse for Eisel.

After all, Eisel’s name came up often around town.

“But I haven’t seen him lately.”

“Oh? Is he…… ah, Raven?”

“Yeah.”

Lancia nodded, her eyes wide.

“He showed up a few times after the banquet, but now he’s not showing up to class at all. Is something going on?”

“Yeah.”

In truth, Eisel had heard about it, but ignored it, not wanting to bother. Bahidma didn’t speak up because she didn’t ask.

Raven’s threat to Byron Street’s deficit at the banquet was never publicized. It was agreed upon internally, and those who witnessed the events of the day were ordered to remain silent. Eisel, for his part, never mentioned it, as Beoric had assured him he would refuse to discuss it.

‘How can it be this quiet?’

It was Byron and no one else. Even Basquiella would not escape punishment for threatening a member of the imperial household, a de facto member of the royal family. External or internal.

“But, Eisel.”

“Huh?”

“How did you do on the test Eisel? It was very difficult.”

Eisel knew that Lancia would cry if she answered like that again, so she winked and smiled instead.

“It’s amazing, really. No matter how much I study, I can’t keep up. Does Eisel have a tutor?”

“You know I can’t afford one, I just study from books.”

“And you don’t find it difficult?”

“It’s hard.”

Eisel answered Lancia’s probing questions and soon found herself at Bahidman’s residence. The bodyguard guarding the entrance smiled familiarly when he saw her.

“Good afternoon. Is His Excellency inside?”

“He’s waiting for you. Please enter. Are you bringing a friend back?”

“Just today.”

The knights hesitated for a moment, but decided it wouldn’t be too much trouble, so they stepped aside. Eisel knocked on the door and said briefly, “Come in.” A voice answered. Eisel glanced at Lancia, who clutched her clothes as if the voice frightened her, and opened the door.

Entering the familiar office, Eisel approached Bahidman, who was sitting in a chair, working. He looked up with a gentle smile as she entered and raised an eyebrow when he spotted Lancia, who had followed her in.

“I see you’ve brought a friend with you today.”

“La Lancia Hermund.”

Frightened by Bahidman’s eyes, Lancia stammered, swallowing hard the dialect that threatened to escape. Bahidman stared at her, then raised his lips to pout.