—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Only… to me…?”
Yeriel’s voice, true to her signature pure white image color, was gentle and clear, with a touch of shyness—the key point.
If she were a doll, it would be the kind of voice that made you want to keep pressing her stomach to hear it again and again.
My mind momentarily blanked.
“…”
As I maintained my silence, unable to find a suitable reply, an awkward atmosphere settled between us.
“Lev…?”
Yeriel, who had just moments ago been giving me orders so confidently, now wore an embarrassed expression, as if asking,
“Is that… not okay?”
Interpreting the meaning of her words, it wasn’t a bad offer.
To be able to freely tease Yeriel, a character I adored, legally…
As I mulled over the implications,
“…Th-That’s!”
Perhaps misinterpreting my serious expression, Yeriel started speaking in a fluster.
“I, I was joking, just joking…! Forget it!”
“…”
‘Because Lev keeps teasing me…! That’s why…! Were you upset…?’
‘This is… hard to resist.’
It was strange. It wasn’t like I was being consumed by dark magic, but impulsive fragments of emotion, like sparks, kept flashing through my mind.
My blood rushed.
‘I have to give her the Essence of Immortality anyway…’
I wanted to leave my footprints on the pristine white snow.
As I became completely captivated by Yeriel’s every breath, every small gesture,
“Le…Lev?”
“……”
Just as I instinctively leaned in, drawn to the area around her neck,
“Ahem.”
-!!!!!
A familiar presence made itself known from the entrance.
Silver hair, clear lake-like eyes, a dark purple beret. The girl who always appeared at crucial moments, calming my excitement…
It was Aria Bluebell.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Finally, today. Aria was going to the Seraphi Black Dormitory.
‘I barely got permission…’
“Student Aria? Was there something wrong with the Yegudi Green House? I told you to let me know if there was anything lacking…?”
“No, there wasn’t… I appreciate your hospitality. Thank you.”
“Aria! An excellent student like you is always welcome back! I’ll be waiting!”
She’d finally persuaded the Yegudi Green House supervisor to allow her to transfer dormitories.
The reason Aria had made this decision was simple: to keep an eye on Lev Denec.
In other words, to understand why Lev had chosen the Black Dormitory even after clearing all his penalty points.
However, if someone were to ask, “Is that the only reason?” Aria knew she would hesitate, unable to answer honestly.
These complicated feelings began to take root the day Lev left for the raid practical. It was because of what Yeriel had said to Aria in the dining hall lounge:
“Aria… is there anyone at the academy you’re interested in…?”
That was the reason.
‘…Someone I’m… interested in?’
With Melissa also under disciplinary action, if there was anyone Aria was interested in, Lev Denec was undoubtedly the top contender.
He wielded dark magic.
And he used it to help others.
He was truly someone who became more perplexing the more you got to know him.
Could this feeling be defined as romantic interest?
When Aria reflected on her past interactions with Lev, their first meeting certainly wasn’t pleasant.
More than anything, his appearance during their night walk had even made her wonder if he was the great demon Andras.
So, how did things end up like this?
Aria had come to acknowledge it. Lev Denec was a good person, and she might harbor feelings for him.
More than anything, when she heard that Yeriel and Lev would be staying in the Black Dormitory again, she discovered an inexplicable discomfort within herself.
Therefore, she had to confirm it.
Her true feelings.
-Creak…
But the moment Aria opened the door to the Seraphi Black Dormitory, she saw…
‘…!’
…Yeriel and Lev standing close together. The sight felt like it was exposing something she’d been trying to ignore, causing a flurry of thoughts to race through her mind.
What was going on? Was Yeriel in danger? No, Lev wouldn’t do that…
Then, had she… interrupted them?
Fortunately, the initial shock quickly subsided.
-Thump. Thump. Thump.
In its place remained a hollowness that resonated within her.
‘Lev…?’
What stung Aria the most was the look in Lev’s eyes when their gazes met—a look of such vulnerability.
It was a look Aria had only seen when he was consumed by dark magic.
.
.
.
Yeriel followed my gaze and noticed Aria.
“Ar…Aria…?”
We quickly distanced ourselves from each other. Then, Aria spoke, her voice heavy.
“…Did I interrupt something?”
“Ah, no! Interrupt…!”
“Or did Lev… act impulsively…?”
“That’s not it either…! Lev was just drying my hair…!
“…I see.”
“I’ll get you something to drink…! Aria, you can talk with Lev for a moment…!”
Yeriel headed inside, leaving Aria and me alone. She was looking at me with a rather cold gaze, as if accusing me of laying a hand on Yeriel.
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
Whether my explanation wasn’t necessary, or whether she was somewhat convinced, Aria sat down nonchalantly.
“…”
Was it my imagination, or did her hands, folded neatly on her lap, seem to clench slightly tighter?
“Here…!”
Fortunately, Yeriel returned quickly and handed us teacups.
-…
We sipped our tea, easing the tension. It was Yeriel, having regained her composure, who spoke first.
“Aria? What… brings you to the Seraphi Black Dormitory…?”
“…This.”
-Slide.
Aria handed Yeriel an envelope along with her reply. It wasn’t hard to guess what it was.
Probably a dormitory application to stay in the Black Dormitory.
Aria had tried to follow me into the Seraphi Black Dormitory before, when I first started staying there.
“I’d like to… stay in the Black Dormitory too. Is that alright?”
“Of course! Aria is always welcome…!”
Yeriel immediately welcomed her and checked the application, but Aria and I continued to exchange subtle glances, as if questioning each other’s intentions.
I decided to change the subject.
“So, are the three of us the only residents of the Black Dormitory for the second semester? Are there no other freshmen?”
“Well… the location isn’t very convenient…”
The Black Dormitory had limited capacity and was only open to first-year students.
Those who might have wanted to enter to get closer to Yeriel probably gave up after seeing its remote location.
On top of that, with the demon incident that occurred in the Black Dormitory, the rumors must have been terrible.
Yeriel probably hadn’t mentioned it out of consideration for me.
“Edwin wanted to fill a spot, but I refused him since the training grounds would be too far… Let’s just get along well, the three of us…!”
“Okay.”
“Yes.”
Still, Yeriel seemed pleased that the number of residents had increased by 50%. She suddenly looked at me as if she’d remembered something.
“Right, I wanted to ask… Lev, do you… like traveling? Ah, Aria too…!”
Traveling, huh? What a random question.
“Well, it depends on who I’m going with.”
“I… haven’t really traveled before.”
Perhaps finding Aria’s answer a little sad, Yeriel gently suggested,
“Then, shall we go somewhere during the remaining vacation period…? It would be nice to go with the same group as the Imperial City trip…!”
“Suddenly?”
“Uh…huh?”
Yeriel seemed flustered, her hand holding the teacup freezing mid-air.
Perhaps because of the hair drying earlier, a single strand of hair stuck up on the top of her head…
In any case, she seemed to be hiding something…
“…”
But Aria’s thoughts seemed different from mine.
“Do you… have a place in mind?”
She seemed drawn to the idea of traveling, her expressionless face betrayed by the interest in her eyes.
“Yes! How about we all go to the L’Conta Grand Festival…!”
The L’Conta Grand Festival…
This was one of the festivals mentioned in the setting of Reincarnation Brave.
While the Imperial City in the north held large festivals quarterly, the south had none. This grand festival was held to balance things out.
The five influential dukedoms of the south collaborated to hold a very grand festival.
In short, it was a harvest festival on a scale comparable to the Imperial City’s.
Yeriel’s Artina family territory was located in the south, so she must have been invited and attended frequently.
“And…! Since we’ll be in the south, I want to invite everyone to the Artina estate…! The Artina territory has a lot of delicious fruit…!”
“Invite us?”
“Yes, yes!”
Come to think of it, there was no story in Reincarnation Academy about Yeriel inviting her friends to the family mansion.
The closest thing was the clichéd story where Yeriel, misunderstanding Edwin’s feelings, becomes engaged to the Heisman family, renowned for their magic sensing abilities, and Edwin goes to rescue her.
Of course, that story took place after the second semester, when the characters’ feelings intensified.
Yeriel looked back and forth between Aria and me and asked,
“Is it… okay to invite you?”
The Artina family, a family of war heroes…
If we were lucky, we might even get some hidden pieces of information.
‘I’d forgotten about that.’
There was something I needed to check while I was down south. There was no reason to refuse.
“Okay.”
When I accepted the offer,
“Thank you for accepting…!”
Relief and joy bloomed on Yeriel’s face.
‘Was this why she was so flustered today?’
Just as I finished that thought, Aria, who had been silently observing Yeriel’s expression,
-!
…met my gaze once more. Aria’s azure eyes, which I’d met so many times… now held a multitude of emotions, reflecting her complex feelings.
-…!
And then… as if she’d made up her mind, her gaze sharpened.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
3W
World war Wifu
I do hope mc set up a flag for someone to transfer into his dorm