TYHL 151

~Chapter 151~

Khalid muttered, “You don’t have to look at mine,” but Grandpa just grinned, slinging an arm around his shoulders.

“Where do you think you’re going? I’ll embarrass you thoroughly—judge you with my coldest, sharpest eyes… Hm?”

Grandpa trailed off, and I tilted my head in curiosity.

It was because the stage for Class A was swarming with professors.

To be precise… right in front of Khalid’s works.

“Oh! What is this artistry?”

“Can we start bidding now?”

A row of squirrel sculptures, tall and elegant.

So different from the pile of junk I made… No, wait. Did I just call it junk?

“This landscape piece also stands out for its bold, wild brushwork…”

What the heck!

I was frustrated.

Was there anything this guy couldn’t do?

Is this what they call a “male lead buff”? Is that it?

“What are you staring at?” Khalid asked, sensing the inferiority complex all over my face.

“…Didn’t you just use the infirmary as an excuse to skip class?”

“I couldn’t even use that excuse anymore. So I just went to a few classes.”

“You’re good at everything that involves your body, huh!”

It’s not fair!

I didn’t even know what I was mad about, but I ended up bumping my head against his shoulder, just a little bit out of spite.

After that, we admired the other kids’ projects and exchanged greetings with the noble adults we recognized, the whole hall turning into a kind of mini-salon.

I sucked on my apple juice at the snack table, glancing out the window.

‘Still, I feel a little nervous.’

Had Second managed to sneak into the academy?

Instinctively, I looked at Khalid.

Our eyes met immediately.

It’s fine.

I could see him mouth the words, and I nodded back with a grin. As I picked up an apple pie and took a bite, a sweet sense of relief washed over me.

Maybe that’s why…

“…”

I didn’t notice Dad, sitting right beside me, watching Khalid and me.

I wish Mom could have come, too.

Munching on my pie, I thought,

It’s a rare occasion, the whole family gathered… except for Mom. It’s a bit sad…

Well, I’ll just brag to her when we get back to Zellox!

Mom will definitely recognize my deep artistic genius at a glance! And then I’ll stick to her all day!

“Show your pass, please.”

The security knight said it sternly.

Second took a deep breath as she handed over the stolen entry pass.

It was just a temporary pass, so there was no portrait, but her mouth felt dry.

“Yes, the pass is genuine.”

“Then, you may—”

“No, sorry. I need to check your magic levels.”

Second frowned.

“What? All of a sudden…?”

“It’s a special request from the parents. The academy’s security is tighter today because of the event.”

A parent’s special request?

Since so many noble children attended, did some noble house request it?

…Why?

It was almost like… they were trying to keep out mages.

“…All right.”

It would have looked suspicious to refuse, so Second nodded slowly.

As she pulled her turtleneck higher, a familiar magic tool came into view.

It’s just like the one Fourth always carried.

A magic detection device, with a magic stone in the center.

The knight handled the tool clumsily—clearly not used to it—and brought it up to Second. The magic stone reacted almost right away.

“Is this… working?”

If there was magic, the clear stone would turn blue. If not, it would turn red.

It looked red, but there was something odd—almost a violet tinge.

The knight tilted his head.

“I’m really in a hurry. Can you be quick? I need to get to the old library. It’s my first day on the job.”

Second pressed. After a moment of hesitation, the knight put the device away. There was still a line of people waiting behind her.

“Yes. Thank you for your patience.”

Just like that, she made it through the academy gate.

Thank goodness I’m wearing the restraint collar. I think my magic did react a little, though…

She touched the collar on her neck; it felt hard and cold.

When she got somewhere quiet, she loosened it, letting her magic flow back in. At last, she could breathe easy.

I really hate this place.

How was Seventh surviving in this magic-less land?

Either way, she’d gotten in.

Second’s eyes shone as she looked around the academy’s wide grounds.

I have to find her. And… I will…

Just as she set off, a wave of dizziness swept over her. A brief, ringing sound rang in her ears, and—

Boom!

A phantom explosion filled her mind.

“….”

She clenched her fists tight.

She’d never actually seen an explosion with her own eyes. Maybe that’s why, in her mind, it played out more violently, over and over, in the most terrible way.

Fourth…

Cold sweat trickled down her face.

Just then—

Waaaah!

Children’s cheers erupted from somewhere nearby.

She instinctively moved toward the sound.

Not far away…

“Sigh.”

A boy with lemon-yellow hair, who had been watching everything unfold, ran a hand through his hair, his face troubled.

“Why do I always end up seeing things like this…?”

It was Prince Licht, who had just returned to the academy from the palace.

Didn’t the magic detector at the gate… show a weird color just now?

He had been waiting right behind Second at the entrance.

Or maybe not?

He had already gotten his hands on a magic detector and examined it. For normal people, the stone showed a much clearer red.

“Hmmm.”

Should he look into it further?

I came rushing to see Rubian, though.

He tucked a sheet of paper back into his pocket.

They were the letters he’d exchanged with Rubian over the summer.

I was in shock.

The highlight of the presentations: the children’s ball with their parents was… truly traumatizing.

“I’ve never been so aware of my feet in my life.”

“I sincerely apologize.”

What had I just done to Dad’s feet?

All we’d done was hold hands and spin around in a kind of rhythmic circle…

I guess I have to admit it…

I…

…I had two left feet.

“Turn.”

“Whirr.”

“With your body, not just your mouth.”

“I did turn with my body, though?”

“…”

I’d definitely learned the dance in class. Why couldn’t I do it now?

“Ruby, you stepped on Dad’s foot.”

“Ack, sorry.”

“Again.”

“Ack, sorry.”

“Ah.”

“Ack.”

Dad’s once-shiny shoes must have had hundreds of my pathetic footprints all over them…

My brothers whispered, “…Thank goodness Father’s here. That could’ve been a disaster…” and Khalid muttered something about buying new shoes.

I couldn’t figure out what any of them meant.

“I’ll clean them for you!”

I quickly grabbed a wet towel from a nearby table.

“No, Ruby, you don’t have to—”

Squish, squish.

I scrubbed Dad’s shoes as hard as I could out of guilt. Wait, huh?

I looked up with a miserable face.

“Oh no… This towel was used to wipe up apple juice…”

Apparently, it was the towel someone had used to clean up spilled juice.

“Now it smells fresh,” Dad said, looking unconcerned at his now-sticky shoes.

“But I guess I should change them,” he said.

“Me too!” I chirped, jumping up to follow.

“Why don’t you go play with your friends?”

“No.”

I clung tight to Dad’s arm, feeling those watchful eyes on me again.

…There it is again.

That look.

Dad was acting strange today. He’d act normal, then suddenly look at me with those deep, searching eyes…

It made me strangely nervous.

“Is it not allowed?”

“Of course not.”

Dad smiled kindly, taking my hand as if nothing had happened, and we walked off together.