#403. Return (4)
The long-awaited new book, 『The Youngest Son of a Political Family』.
I couldn’t stand this.
“… … !”
But, the moment my hand approached Senia’s knee.
Senia opened her eyes wide and grabbed my wrist.
“Ugh… … !’
Senia has risen to a considerable level as a swordsman for the Artian family.
If someone were to reach out to your body, you would be able to sense and react even while you are sleeping.
“Eh, Eriol?!”
Senia reflexively grabbed my wrist and made a bewildered expression.
“Uh, why… … .”
“No, this is… … .”
I don’t know how to explain it.
As I was gaping with my mouth open while being held by Senia’s wrist, Edelweiss suddenly appeared.
“Master, even as a Master, it is difficult to defend reaching out to the leg of a sleeping woman.”
“That’s not it!”
“What is it not, Master Pervert?”
“No… … !”
Did this guy materialize on purpose to do this?
“I will leave the Master’s decision up to Lady Senia, and I will be going now.”
“Are you going?”
“I’ll have to go home once the Master is discharged. I’ll go and clean up in advance since I’ve been away for 100 days.”
“Edelweiss, there’s no need to do it right now… … .”
“no.”
Edelweiss said with a gentle smile.
“I will be waiting after tidying up, so please come back quickly. As a maid, I will be waiting for your return, Master.”
“Edelweiss… … .”
“Well then, have a good time.”
After bowing, Edelweiss left the hospital room without a sound.
“Have a good time, what the… … .”
“Hey, did you give up your seat on purpose?”
A strange atmosphere flowed between me and Senia.
“Xenia, wrist… … .”
“Oh, sorry, I’m sorry!”
Senia, who noticed it too late, let go of my wrist.
To be honest, it was a bit chilly… … .
“Eriol, how are you feeling?”
“It’s okay. My limbs just feel a little heavy.”
“Oh, I see.”
Senia nodded and looked relieved.
“You’ve been nourished with sap, but aren’t you hungry?”
“Well, I don’t really have an appetite yet… … .”
Because I hadn’t eaten for a while… …I didn’t feel like I had any appetite.
“It will be normal in time.”
“okay.”
“Oh, but can I just have a sip of water?”
“Oh, here it is.”
Senia poured water from a nearby water bottle.
“Phew… … .”
I felt refreshed after drinking the water in the cup.
“Xenia, has everything been fine?”
“yes?”
“Aside from my disappearance, I wonder if anything special has happened in this world since then.”
“ah…….”
Senia nodded.
“First of all… … the Golden Cross Society has been completely destroyed.”
“okay?”
“Yes, I heard that the Rublekan Empire has caught and arrested even the lower-level members of the organization. There may be remnants left, but they said there’s nothing they can do.”
That’s a good thing.
Meanwhile, the Golden Cross Society has been supporting terrorist groups and trying to destroy the existing order of the magic world. If even the lower-level members have been arrested, the terrorist groups will not be able to exert power.
“Come to think of it, the anti-magic group that committed terrorism when we entered school was also receiving support from the Golden Cross Society.”
“That happened too.”
“There will be less of that in the future.”
It won’t disappear completely, but it will make the world a little more peaceful.
“We must make sure to eliminate even the remnants as much as possible.”
“Oh, the Artien family has decided to help with that part as well.”
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“okay?”
“My mother said she was sorry she couldn’t help you in the final battle with the Golden Cross.”
“That’s… … I can’t help it.”
Ahead of the decisive battle with the Golden Cross, the Academy also asked for help from the Artien family.
However, Trismegistus arrived so quickly on his aerial battleship Albion that the fight was over before House Artien could arrive.
“How are you, Lydia?”
“Yes, he is traveling around with his brother to find the remnants of the Golden Cross.”
Suddenly, I remembered that I was Senia’s fiancée.
We had a formal engagement, borrowing the Levatein system from the Artian family… … .
‘You can now separate the Levatein system from my body.’
The power of the Levatein system was essential back then, but not anymore.
It may be possible to return it to the Artian family in the form of the Flame Divine Sword.
Then you can cancel your formal engagement with Senia.
‘But it might be a bit… bad to bring that up here now, right?’
Considering Senia’s feelings, there is no need to talk about this now.
I have that much insight too.
“Oh, by the way, I haven’t heard about the Academy. How are things going these days?”
“Well, the Academy… … Oh, Professor Yolt was recently appointed as the head of the Department of Pharmacology.”
“okay?”
Professor Yolt is a senior professor in the field of drug science.
Back when we were almost going to recruit the Medicine Saint Iasus, or rather Hedlas, as the head of the Department of Pharmacy, we had said that we should appoint someone like Yolt who had quietly protected the department as the head of the department.
“And before that… … Professor Horizon became the dean.”
“Professor Horizon?”
I remember hearing from Klein that his whereabouts were unknown… … He’s alive.
“You are paralyzed on one side of your body and are confined to a wheelchair… … but you are still leading the academy well.”
Senia made a sad expression.
“You said that Professor Rudbout’s empty seat had to be filled… … .”
“… … .”
I bit my lip without realizing it.
I’ve heard before that Rudbout sacrificed himself to discover Trismegistus’s abilities.
He was a teacher to whom I owed a lot of gratitude, so my heart still ached.
“Other departments will soon be finalizing their new department heads. Restoration work is almost complete.”
“Yeah, it’s going back to how it used to be.”
“Yes, now that I’m back in Eriol… … I’ll really be back to how I was before.”
Senia smiled at me.
“I’m so happy that I can continue my academy life with Eriol again.”
“That goes for me too. I should get back to my studies as soon as I recover my health.”
“I’ll be a third-year student soon.”
“Oh, is that so?”
And come to think of it, 100 days have passed.
The second semester of the second year has already ended and it is now winter vacation.
“Wait a minute, can I move up to the third grade?”
“yes?”
“I didn’t do any internships, didn’t write papers, and didn’t take any exams… … .”
“… … !”
Senia was startled when she heard my story.
“Oh, come to think of it… … .”
“Do I have to pay… …?”
One more second year course with my juniors… …?
“Oh, it’ll be okay. Eriol was absent due to some circumstances, so if Professor Horizon can take care of it… … .”
“No, but according to the regulations… … .”
“Eriol risked his life fighting for the Academy and the world, so he deserves some convenience!”
Senia raised her voice.
“Don’t worry! I’ll discuss it with Martna and the others and make sure Eriol doesn’t get a raise!”
“Okay, okay. Please.”
“We all have to graduate together. Eriol can’t be left out!”
This part… … seems like it might need some discussion.
Whether you submit a thesis or not, you will need to go through the appropriate procedures to advance to the third year.
“Yeah… … I’d like to graduate with you guys too.”
“Yeah, right?”
Senia nodded her head repeatedly.
I guess he was really worried that we wouldn’t be able to graduate together.
‘It’s graduation.’
What will I do after I graduate?
When I used to think about this, no clear image came to mind.
But now… … .
“Oh, by the way.”
Senia picked up the book that was on her lap.
“Eriol, this is… … .”
“I was deliberately talking about something else.”
“yes?”
I felt like I shouldn’t show interest only in books in front of the person who was always by my side, so I was deliberately talking about something else.
But if Senia brings up the subject first… … .
“Oh, Eriol. Your eyes are so scary.”
“I’m sorry… I couldn’t stand it.”
I bowed my head in front of Senia.
“Xenia, lend me that book!”
“… … !”
Senia held her breath at the sight of me lowering my head.
“Sorry. Actually, I just noticed the book on your lap earlier and my eyes rolled back… … .”
“Oh, I see… … .”
“This might be disappointing, but I haven’t been able to read any books lately… … I, I’m having withdrawal symptoms… … .”
“Hey, Eriol, come to your senses!”
As I started to tremble, Senia grabbed my shoulder urgently.
“I’ll lend it to you, so look at it as much as you want!”
“Oh, thank you!”
I took the book Senia handed me and let out a sigh of relief.
“Whew, I feel like I’m getting better… … .”
“Really, isn’t this too much… … .”
“sorry…….”
When I apologized, Senia smiled bitterly.
“Still, I’m not in a position to talk about others.”
“what?”
“When we first met, I was obsessed with Eriol’s books.”
“ah…….”
I had forgotten about it for a while.
When we first met in the waiting room at the pier, Senia showed interest in the book I was reading.
I didn’t want to be bothered by a girl I was meeting for the first time, so I lent her the book I was reading and started reading another one.
“The book that Eriol lent me at that time was also ‘The Youngest Son of a Political Family’.”
“Yeah… … That’s right.”
It hasn’t even been two years yet, but it feels like a very long time has passed.
“At that time, Eriol readily lent me a book… … and I was able to gain courage.”
Senia smiled at my face.
“I gained the courage to live in the academy, mixing in with people.”
“Senia… … .”
“Because I felt quite fearful about leaving the Artien family and living outside.”
“At that time, I… … I just lent it to you because it was bothering you while you were reading. I wasn’t doing it out of kindness.”
“I know that now. But if it weren’t for that opportunity back then, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Senia smiled faintly as she said that.
“So, this time I’ll lend it to you.”
“But… … Are you okay? Weren’t you reading it too?”
“It’s okay, I have other books.”
Senia took out another book from the bag she had left next to her.
“Then… … Okay. I’ll read it.”
“Yes, I won’t disturb you, so feel free to enjoy your reading.”
It was the complete opposite of when we first met.
Back then, I lent Senia books and she read other books, but now Senia lends me books and I read other books.
It was a strange feeling, a little unfamiliar.
‘Then… … shall we start reading slowly?’
I felt this often last year, but when Senia is by my side, I can focus on reading with peace of mind.
Even if I just read without saying anything, he doesn’t get bored. He just reads the book quietly without bothering me.
This quiet and peaceful time of reading with Senia… … I quite enjoyed it.
“… … .”
“… … .”
We were absorbed in reading without saying a word to each other.
I could hear the sound of pages turning and breathing, but nothing bothered me.
A quiet time followed, one that put my mind at ease.
* * *
“… … .”
Charlotte watched Eriol and Senia reading books in the hospital room.
They are focused only on the book, without speaking to each other or making eye contact.
Looking at that sight, Charlotte felt like interfering.
Anyway, now is the time to change caregivers.
Now it’s Charlotte’s turn, so she should kick out Senia and take her place.
I already had a lot to say to Ariel.
Not only what had happened during that time… … there was a lot I wanted to tell Eriol.
“… … .”
But, he stepped back without saying a word.
Now, Eriol is enjoying a quiet and peaceful time reading a book.
Charlotte can’t give Eriol that kind of time.
I can’t take that kind of time away from Eriol, who just returned from a brutal fight.
“… … .”
So that no sound comes out.
Biting her lip, she left with cautious steps.
When I was about to go down the stairs through the hallway.
“Why are you just going, Charlotte?”
Tirpitz blocked Charlotte’s path and asked her a cold question.
