Chapter 10
Prepare for the Predetermined Demise (2)
Not long after we set out, I lowered my head deeply.
“Ugh…”
‘This is too much. Completely too much.’
My entire body ached unbearably.
The cause was clear. Yesterday’s sparring match.
I guess I was mistaken in believing my body could handle that much.
‘All I did was roll around on the ground a bit and use some magic a few times.’
I felt nauseous.
My complexion must have looked quite bad, as Rimos Therion, who had been riding his horse at a distance, hesitated before approaching again.
“Uh, c-can I… c-can I take a look?”
“…No, it’s fine. I just feel a bit unwell.”
“But still…. If you still don’t feel well by evening, please let me know.”
“Yes. Thank you, Therion.”
I nodded lightly, and Rimos Therion smiled faintly before adjusting his hood and moving away again.
He seemed quite clumsy handling his horse, swaying along with it.
Is he going to be alright?
As I was watching him with concern and turned my gaze forward, I suddenly felt the presence of the group ahead getting closer.
“…?”
When I raised my head, I saw that the speed of the group in front had suddenly slowed down.
‘What’s going on?’
As I narrowed my eyes to observe the situation, loud voices carried through the muggy air.
“To think you’ll end up at the back of the line anyway…”
“Do you even know how to ride a horse? Aren’t you just being carried like luggage?”
One of the knights glanced back, and upon meeting my eyes—exhausted from yesterday’s sparring—he spoke even more loudly with an excited voice.
“It’s just that she’s not used to riding horses. I wonder if she’ll even graduate.”
What’s with these guys…
How long do you think I’ll put up with you treating me like a child?
…Oh right, I’m the youngest here.
There was an abundance of petty taunts, but most of what they were mocking was incorrect.
Although I was hunched over due to the after-effects of the sparring, my horse-riding posture was close to textbook perfect. I could even overtake those guys right now if I wanted to.
‘Sigh.’
And I won’t be able to graduate from the academy. Because almost everyone at the academy will die.
And neither will you. Because you’ll die.
Did they slow down just to say such things? The impulsiveness of children is truly remarkable.
I considered retorting, but feeling it wasn’t worth the effort, I just kept my mouth shut. Honestly, I felt like I might vomit if I opened my mouth.
Above all, I needed to focus on settling my stomach.
As I closed my eyes, feeling the passing breeze and trying to organize the magic within my body in one direction, at that moment…
“……”
One of them kept looking back, observing my reaction.
His gaze was burdensome.
‘Maybe I should just brush him off.’
Snap!
I naturally flicked my fingers holding the reins, moving my magic.
Then his cloak, which had been fluttering in the wind, rose just a little more unnaturally…
“Ack!”
It got tangled in a sharp tree branch. And I turned my head without looking back.
“Wh-what? Wait. My cloak!”
“What’s going on?”
“Hey!”
The sound of horse hooves became chaotic, and the guys shouted in confusion.
Only then did I raise my head, pretending to assess the situation. The guy who had been constantly looking back was now skillfully dangling from a high tree branch, the end of his cloak entangled.
“Oh my.”
Forcing an awkward smile, I urged my horse forward, passing by them.
“It seems you’re not very skilled at horseback riding.”
“Wh-what?”
“I’ll go on ahead.”
“You…!”
They’ll catch up soon.
One knight stayed behind to help the student hanging from the tree, while the rest of the knights began to move forward again with dubious expressions.
“I’m sure Edith Crowell did something!”
“Shut up, it’s embarrassing!”
Hearing their faint angry voices from behind improved my mood a bit.
At that moment, a dry voice spoke from beside me.
“Are… are you close with those people…?”
It was Rimos Therion.
He was looking in the direction of the group ahead that had been badmouthing me, sitting straight up in his saddle.
His appearance and voice seemed mismatched. I found myself answering him.
“…No. I don’t even know their names.”
“Then… those people. They’re being too rude to you, Lady Edith.”
“You think so too, right?”
“……”
He pressed his lips shut after saying that.
…Should I say something more?
Why is he getting angry as if he was the one insulted?
My head tilted involuntarily. However, before I could think more about Rimos Therion’s strange reaction, our march entered a rough forest path in earnest.
‘…This is troublesome.’
Normally, riding a horse on a forest path wouldn’t be difficult, but my stomach was churning twice as much.
And in the midst of this…
‘Why is he staring like that?’
I felt a persistent gaze. It was from Rimos Therion, who was riding his horse at a slight distance.
He probably thought he was hidden behind his hood, but I could feel it all. It was at a level where I couldn’t ignore it even if I wanted to. It felt like his gaze might bore a hole in my cheek.
…Why is he acting like this?
Only then did I slowly ponder his strange reaction from earlier. Could it be…
“Um, Therion.”
“Y-Yes…!”
I moved my horse closer to his.
I spoke to him calmly.
“If you’re still bothered by those rude comments from earlier, you don’t need to be.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Rimos Therion’s eyebrows drooped in a pitiful expression.
“H-How can I not… not be bothered…?”
So it was because of that after all. There are occasionally people who care about others’ affairs. Maybe Rimos Therion is that kind of person.
I shrugged.
“It’s just because they’re young.”
“B-But you’re even younger, Lady Edith.”
“Do you know my age?”
How does he know? I stared at him blankly. He lowered his hood further to cover his face, as if embarrassed, and muttered.
“You… you look young…”
‘…What is he talking about?’
Even so, all the students in this subjugation unit would be between sixteen and eighteen. Of course, I might be the only student as young as sixteen.
But still, what does he mean by saying I look young…
At that moment, there was a sudden commotion up ahead.
One or two horses were seen leaving the line. They seemed urgent.
…What’s going on all of a sudden?
Could ‘it’ have appeared already?
My heart sank, and as I quickly looked around, Rimos Therion asked curiously.
“Lady Edith…?”
“Just a moment.”
I looked around, but we’re still in the forest area not too far from the academy. ‘It’ couldn’t have come this far already.
If so, it made even less sense.
Other potential dangers should have been dealt with by the academy in advance, so there was no reason for such a commotion.
“…No way.”
Ah, one potential danger that might not have been ruled out crossed my mind.
The terrain.
It’s easy to forget with all the dense trees, but if you stray from the designated path, there’s a cliff waiting right there.
But conversely, if you just follow the designated path, it should be a safe journey.
…Someone must have deviated. Who, and why?
A student in a knight’s uniform from the front group urgently rode back.
“Edith Crowell, one moment.”
“……”
I remember. He was one of the onlookers at the sparring ground.
However, unlike then, his expression was serious.
“Help me.”
…Help?
I frowned slightly.
I don’t know anything about this student. I didn’t even know his name.
That’s why the hostility from the academy students meant nothing to me. It was just slander from meaningless people.
So his plea for help was just another one of those meaningless things to me.
“What’s the matter?”
I asked plainly, and he quickly answered.
“Cain approached the cliff and fell off his horse…”
Another unfamiliar name. Then he’ll die in this subjugation exercise anyway.
Does this student know that even if I help and he saves his life, he won’t live more than a few days longer?
Could he plead like this even if he knew?
“He fell down the cliff. But he’s still hanging on. So we need someone to rescue him, someone with the skills…”
He was out of breath, probably from rushing over, and couldn’t finish his sentences properly, his shoulders heaving.
Maybe he’s embarrassed.
‘I suppose so.’
Begging for help from someone you were mocking. His panting figure was so pitiful that I lost the urge to tease him. What should I do?
Suddenly curious about how Rimos Therion, who had shown a cold reaction to their earlier mockery, would react, I turned my head slightly.
“……”
There, the slightly excited boyish expression had completely disappeared, replaced by a chilling look on Rimos Therion’s face.
He looked as if he was disgusted by the other’s shamelessness.
To have such an expression when a classmate is in mortal danger…
He must have felt my gaze, as he quickly raised his head. Then, putting on a shy smile again, he whispered to me.
“Wh-What… will you do, Lady Edith…?”
🥀
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