225. Late summer turns to fall (1)
#225
Phileon Academy was lush with greenery in late summer. Cicada’s song, probably the last performance of the year, was echoing throughout the sky.
Faculty members on duty and some students who returned early were going in and out of the school gate. Iril, who was looking at the scenery through the window, muttered to himself.
“School is starting soon.”
Iril was humming and changing the flowers in the vase. I never get tired of seeing bright yellow daffodils.
She suddenly remembered an incident from three years ago and smiled softly. She received a gift for the first time from her always prickly younger brother.
‘It was a daffodil back then too.’
The daffodil Ronan held out shyly was more beautiful than any flower Iril had ever seen. Looking back, it was that very day that her younger brother decided to go to Phileon Academy. I was so proud that I cried.
“···I hope you come quickly.”
“I already received a call yesterday. “They said it would arrive sometime tomorrow.”
“Oh, really?”
At that time, a low, calm voice came from behind. Iril’s eyes widened as she turned her head.
Two hours had passed since he started cleaning, and Schlieffen still hadn’t stopped mopping.
“Mr. Schlieffen, you don’t have to work so hard. “I’m doing it!”
“You can’t do that. Doing your best in everything is the family motto of the Grancia family. Moreover, if you breathe in a lot of dust, you may develop lung disease, so you have to be as thorough as possible.”
“Oh my.”
Despite Iril’s dissuasion, Schlieffen was stubborn. The sight of the next Sword Saint wearing a hood and wiping a mop has now become a daily occurrence.
‘You’ve grown a lot.’
Schlieffen, who looked young when I first saw him, now looks like a mature young man. His height had grown significantly, and veins were bulging on his arms, which were revealed when he rolled up his sleeves. Iril, who was quietly looking at him, clapped his hands.
“that’s right. Mr. Schlieffen, you were the same age as Ronan, right? “Is it next year that you graduate from the academy?”
“exactly. “Why are you doing that?”
“Ehehe, I’m just curious. “I’ll prepare lunch soon, so let’s eat together!”
Iril left those words behind and headed downstairs. With her lively pace, she suddenly turned in front of her kitchen and entered her room.
The room, which was decorated to match Iril’s friendly and refreshing image, had never had a single guest, including Ronan. She slowly walked to the front of her bed and fell down on her floor. She then put her arms under the bed.
“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!”
It wasn’t easy. As I stretched my hand to the limit, something caught me. It was a small box just big enough to fit in the palm of her hand.
“Phew, maybe I should have put it somewhere else.”
Iril shook off the dust on the outside and opened the box. There was a piece of machinery that looked similar to a compass. It was a blood needle, a magic tool that pointed in the direction of the person you wanted to record when it was dipped in the blood of the person you wanted to record.
The red needle was fixed towards one place. Iril, who was quietly looking at the blood needle, muttered quietly.
“···you’re close.”
She closed the box again. She then pushed it back in so deep that it was out of her reach.
Iril, who patted his face as if to strengthen his will, stood up. Suddenly, a familiar voice was heard from the front door.
“Sister, I’m here. “Senior too.”
“Ah, Ronan!”
Iril’s expression brightened. She opened her door and ran out, hugging Ronan who was standing in her doorway. It was a reunion after two months. She greeted Adeshan, who was behind her, covering his face.
“Oh, hello. Mr. Iril.”
“It’s been a while, Adeshan! “Why are you covering your face?”
“Well, it’s a little messy since I just came back. “I couldn’t even wash properly…”
She was right. The two people, exhausted from the long journey, were looking shabby and could not honestly be called clean. But Iril didn’t care at all.
“Hey, what does that matter! “I missed you all so much!”
“me too.”
Ronan answered briefly. She raised her gaze and smiled brightly.
Brother. My one and only younger brother in the world.
****
“This is it. After all, my sister’s cooking is the best.”
“Hehehe, I’m glad. Eat a lot.”
“Huh, then just one more bowl.”
Ronan poured some potato stew into his bowl. This was already my fourth bowl.
It was surprising that it was so addictive even though it didn’t contain any special ingredients. he said, pointing to Schlieffen, who sat across from her.
“okay. “That weasel guy didn’t do anything strange, right?”
“yes? “Is this something strange?”
“There is something like that. “For example, asking if you can use the bathroom because you suddenly need to wash up, or asking for help with exercising while taking off your top.”
“Sigh.”
Schlieffen screeched as if he had been struck. Fortunately, I didn’t have any food in my mouth, so it ended with some spitting up. He wiped his mouth with his handkerchief and clicked his tongue.
“That’s vulgar. “This is an absurd speculation.”
“Then I’m glad. “What I’m saying is, follow the standard procedures and not use shady tricks.”
Ronan and Adeshan headed home as soon as they returned to the Islands. It happened to be lunch time, so we were able to eat together.
Four people were sitting at a long table, facing each other. Iril stretched out his upper body and gently stroked Ade Shan’s head.
“Adeshan also eats a lot. “It’s not messy at all, so don’t worry!”
“Okay, thank you. “I will eat well.”
Adeshan nodded. Even though she knew that Ronan and her were biological siblings, she couldn’t help but feel intimidated when she stood in front of Iril.
Even if you searched the entire continent, let alone the empire, you would not find someone so beautiful. Iril, who was staring at Adeshan’s face, continued speaking.
“It’s not that it’s messy, but it’s actually prettier, right? Hehehe, have you got a boyfriend?”
“Well, that’s it… So…”
Adeshan stuttered. I had no idea if I could tell the truth about this. What if a pumpkin like you gets angry and asks how dare you touch my little brother? Could it be that you are suddenly crying? He’s my younger brother whom I raised with love like my own child…!
Of course, given Iril’s personality, it seemed unlikely, but I couldn’t help but be afraid. She was in the midst of great confusion. Ronan, who was quietly eating her stew, opened her mouth.
“Things like that happen, too. “Because you’re dating me.”
“uh?”
“Ro, Ronan…!”
There was not a hint of hesitation in his calm tone of voice. Adeshan shouted urgently, but the water had already spilled.
For a moment, silence came to the table. Tuk. Schlieffen was just listening, and the spoon fell from his hand. Suddenly, Iril stretched her body further and grabbed her face with both hands.
“What! really?!”
“Yes, yes… that’s how it happened.”
Adeshan nodded as quickly as a woodpecker. It was even prettier when I saw it up close. Iril, who was looking at Ronan and her alternately, let out an exclamation.
“Ouch! Oh my god, it went really well. “It suits you so well!”
“i think so too.”
“When did you decide to date? Who confessed first? Did you hold hands? “Well, I can’t believe we’ve already kissed…!”
A barrage of questions poured in like a torrent. Every time Adeshan whimpered and answered a question, Iril’s legs fluttered as if swimming.
‘It’s fun.’
Ronan, who was looking at the two people, laughed. I really missed this atmosphere. The past two months, spent tangled up in snow, polar lights, and sweet-smelling furries, were fun in their own way, but I couldn’t feel the idyllic atmosphere like I do now.
The pot was slowly becoming empty. Suddenly Ronan opened her mouth.
“sister. “I want to ask you something.”
“huh? What?”
“You said you had no memory of your father, right?”
“···to?”
Iril’s face froze for a moment and then relaxed. Pursing her mouth, she nodded her head.
“that’s right. You left home when you were very young. what’s the matter?”
“just. “I was suddenly curious.”
Ronan shook his head left and right. He hoped that he might be able to get some information about the savior or Abel, but it seemed like an empty idea. She saw for herself in the world of images that her curse was upon her in the first place.
“If someone who looks like your sister comes and claims to be your father or relative, you must never open the door. got it?”
“Yes? I will. “I’m not sure what it means…”
Iril blinked as if he didn’t understand what was happening. Ronan once again emphasized that she was shutting down the door in a tone that seemed to be admonishing her daughter. This was the most dangerous time, with Nebula Clazie on the defensive.
‘A wounded tiger is scary.’
We put a lot of effort into security, but you never know. If the church found out about the existence of the house or the sister and staged a kidnapping, it would not have been that difficult.
“I meant to tell you to be careful. By the way, I brought you a gift from the North.”
“Oh, a gift?!”
After finishing the serious talk, Ronan turned the topic to a gift. She ended up having to pay more attention to herself. It wasn’t long before Ronan and Ade Shan left the house after they had finished eating.
“I ate well. “I’ll just carry my luggage to the senior dormitory and come back.”
“Yes, come slowly! Adeshan, come again!”
Iril smiled brightly and saw them off. The moment the front door opened, several human images quickly scattered out of the corner of my eye. Ronan opened his mouth with his eyes focused ahead.
“How many people are there?”
“Twenty and three. “There are seven more a little further away.”
Adeshan answered. It was an astonishing detection ability at any time. Ronan giggled, raising one corner of her mouth.
“good. “You definitely keep your promises.”
It was a house guard that the emperor had asked for in return for his previous service. I thought they would send at most five or six people, but they ended up sending thirty people. Moreover, looking at his movements, it seemed like he had quite a bit of skill.
“Now how long until school starts?”
“Two days. “This vacation was really only in the North.”
“Iknow, right. Umm…what should I do?”
Ronan, who was thinking about something, fell asleep. A long journey had just ended, but she had no time to rest. Adeshan tilted his head.
“what’s the matter?”
“No, I’m just worried about who to go with. “The senior is the student council president and is in his senior year, so he shouldn’t focus on the academy.”
“Yes?”
The next destination was virtually decided. However, because it was such an intense place, I was extremely worried about when to go and who to go with.
Ronan’s worries continued until he dropped Adeshan off at the dormitory. After making sure that there was no one around, he kissed her cheek, and when he returned home, he slept off the sleep he had not been able to get until just before he went to sleep.
After waking up, I spent time organizing the data I had collected in the north. It would have been much simpler if I had sent the entire data, but since there might be a sect’s inner circle in the imperial family, I felt more comfortable just organizing it myself and reporting it directly. Ronan said as he placed the seventh report in Sita’s mouth.
“This time this. “Please.”
“Bye!”
Sita flew out the window. When a report is made this way, a response is received within three hours on average. Now that I think about it, she has to stop by the imperial palace at least once.
Anyway, because I was so busy, the two days passed by in an instant. At the school opening ceremony held in the main plaza, many nostalgic faces gathered together. Marya, who was shoulder to shoulder with Asher, saw him and waved.
“Ronan! “When did you come back?”
“Hey, Marya. “Hey, I’m suffocating…!”
Fortunately, the two people seemed to have returned safely. I don’t know if it was his mood, but they seemed much closer than before. Ophelia, Braum, and Erzsebet also remained in their seats, looking a little more mature. Not to mention Schlieffen.
“Where on earth has this kid gone?”
But there was someone else Ronan was looking for. After wandering around the campus for a while, he entered the club’s training center and found the blond-haired boy.
When I opened the door, a rush of hot air mixed with ash came rushing in. Judging from the fact that all of the training scarecrows were engulfed in flames, it seemed like they had been focusing on training since the first day of school. Ronan called to him.
“Hey, come on.”
“Who dares treat me like that… Ronan?”
Itargand turned his head. The beautiful face befitting a Navardose blood relative was glistening with sweat. He made eye contact with Ronan and smiled triumphantly.
“It’s been a while. Are you here to train too? If you don’t mind, spar with me…”
“Sparring is good. If you want, I can beat you to the point where you shit your pants. But before that, let me ask you something.”
“what?”
Itargand shrugged his eyebrows. Ronan brushed the ash off her clothes and opened her mouth.
“Tell me how to get to the dragon city of Adren. “Preferably in a way that allows us to arrive alive.”
