Akatsuki Translations

On the way to the instructors’ quarters, Cadel spotted a certain individual and bristled.

Arata, a classmate holding his lunch, caught Cadel’s eye and turned away fearfully, lowering his face. Cadel moved behind Arata, shoved him hard, and stomped on the fallen lunch as he walked away.

Arata remained on his knees, staring blankly at his now inedible meal.

“It’s not funny if you overdo it,” Rick gently chided.

Cadel pressed his foot down harder. “Shut up,” he snapped.

“Why are you so obsessed with Arata?” Rick asked. “He’s at the bottom in practical skills, and his family’s fallen on hard times. He’s hardly worth the attention of a model student from a good family like you.”

Cadel twisted his mouth in disgust. “I just hate him,” he spat, clenching his fist tightly.

Before long, they reached the stairs leading to the instructors’ quarters. The area was deserted. They boldly approached the commoner swordsman’s room, and Rick knocked to confirm it was empty.

“Alright, looks like no one’s in,” Rick reported.

Cadel and Rick nodded to each other, unlocked the door, and slipped inside.

The room was spartan, with only a bed, table, and chest.

However, two items caught their attention: a black fur coat hanging on the wall and a sword resting atop the chest.

Rick, fond of weapons, reached for the sword first. “Whoa, what’s this?” he exclaimed.

The blade Rick drew from the shabby-looking sheath was an undeniable masterpiece, forged from an unfamiliar dark material.

“Here, feel how heavy this is — it’s no joke,” Rick urged.

Cadel took the surprisingly weighty sword and gasped. This wasn’t something one could simply acquire on request; he wouldn’t have been surprised if it bore the title of a legendary sword.

“This isn’t the kind of sword a commoner should possess…” Cadel muttered.

“Maybe he stole it. It’s truly incredible, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Rick marveled, returning the sword and sighing in admiration.

Cadel turned his attention to the coat on the wall. Touching it, he found it to be of exceptionally high quality, seemingly beyond the means of its owner. Finding an inner pocket, he felt something pointed and quickly withdrew his hand. Carefully extracting the object, he found what appeared to be an ornament with a blue jewel embedded in it.

“This is a medal, isn’t it?” Cadel asked.

Rick squinted and nodded repeatedly. “From its shape, it must be one of the four Wing Medals… No doubt about it, I’ve seen an old general wearing something similar, though it was green.”

Cadel gasped. “A Wing Medal? Then this blue medal is…”

“Blue is the royal color. That means it’s the highest honor in the Murakumo Kingdom,” Rick explained.

Cadel shuddered, feeling his blood run cold. “You’re joking. Why would someone like him—”

He held the medal up to the sunlight streaming through the window, and it reflected a dazzling blue light.

Suddenly, they sensed someone outside the door, and both tensed.

　──Has he returned?

Cadel’s heart raced as he fell silent, rigid with tension. He reflexively tucked the medal into his chest.

Rick, pale-faced, fidgeted nervously, still holding the sword.

As the door slowly opened, an unfamiliar black-haired female student stood in the doorway. Cadel was struck speechless by her extraordinary beauty, standing dumbfounded.

The moment their eyes met, the girl’s eyes blazed with fury. She suddenly raised her delicate hand, and in the next instant, Cadel’s vision was flooded with blue.

As he inhaled the heavy, clinging blue air, he felt his lungs constrict, making it difficult to breathe. He clutched his throat and fell to his knees.

Without even the capacity to worry about his friend, Cadel collapsed to the floor in violent agony, losing consciousness as if drowning.

　　＊

Shuou’s decision to have lunch in his room was a mere whim. He had intended to invite Aise and Shitori to rekindle their old friendship, but one was under the watchful eye of an old woman, and the other was engrossed in unfinished work, making it difficult to approach them.

The walking stomach that Shuou had brought to this prestigious Gemstone Academy was last seen barging into the kitchen in the adjoining building, claiming the prepared meals were insufficient.

Feeling somewhat at loose ends, Shuou had wandered around the school buildings, but the unabashed stares from students became bothersome. He decided to return to his room to quietly nibble on some bread.

Sensing something amiss when his room key wouldn’t turn, Shuou flung open the door with a touch of anxiety, only to recoil at the scene inside.

Two male students lay writhing in agony, tended to by a man in a Bright uniform, while a female student in Gemstone Academy uniform perched on the bed at the far end, swinging her legs.

The female student and the Bright man looked at Shuou as he opened the door. Upon closer inspection of the man’s face, Shuou realized he was familiar.

“Could it be, Mr. Amai? Then, perhaps—” Shuou began.

The girl sitting on the bed was Princess Sa’salia, likely the most noble-blooded person in the country.

Sa’salia smiled like a spring flower blooming after a snow thaw.

Shuou hastily closed the door.

“It’s good to see you’re well,” Amai greeted cheerfully, pushing up his glasses.

“I have many questions. First, those two—are they dead?” Shuou asked, pointing at the motionless male students at Amai’s feet.

Amai placed his fingertips on their necks. “They’re fine… probably,” he replied.

They clearly weren’t fine. The male students were rigid, eyes rolled back, in positions suggesting they had clawed at their throats. Their necks bore numerous red scratch marks, evidence of their suffering.

“How did this happen?” Shuou asked.

Looking at Sa’salia, the likely culprit, he saw the princess in her light blue uniform hanging her head like a child scolded for mischief.

“Well, they were ransacking your room,” she explained.

Seeking confirmation, Shuou looked at Amai, who nodded firmly.

“That’s correct. We’ve already tidied up, but when we arrived, your belongings were strewn across the floor, and we found a duplicate key. They likely broke in with malicious intent— Ah, their pulses have returned,” Amai added casually, announcing that the two had survived.

Sa’salia, showing a hint of guilt, peered at the students’ condition.

“Are they… alive?” she asked.

“Yes, Your Highness! Well done!” Amai exclaimed.

Sa’salia smiled shyly at Shuou and proudly said, “I’ve been practicing.”

“She has an excellent tutor,” Amai added, puffing out his chest proudly.

Sensing a significant disconnect in their sensibilities, Shuou was at a loss for words. Should he praise or scold them? Given his position, the latter seemed unrealistic.

As he was about to speak slowly in response to Sa’salia’s expectant look, a knock on the door made his heart leap.

A familiar voice came from beyond the door. “Shuou? It’s me, Aise. I thought we might have lunch together if you’re free.”

Amai placed a finger to his lips, signaling Sa’salia to remain silent.

Shuou couldn’t find a solution to this outrageous situation—the country’s princess sitting on the bed and unconscious male students with ghastly expressions.

As he considered pretending to be out, Aise added, “I know you’re in there. Someone saw you enter.”

“Are you perhaps sleeping? I’m… coming in…” Aise continued.

As the door creaked open, Shuou swiftly intercepted, pushing Aise back and closing the door behind him. He guided Aise further down the corridor to distance him from the room.

Desperately trying to calm his ragged breathing, Shuou swallowed hard.

“Shuou? You were here? Why didn’t you say anything?” Aise asked, puzzled.

“I’m sleeping,” Shuou blurted out nonsensically.

Aise looked at him quizzically. “Sleeping? But you’re awake.”

“No… I mean, I was sleeping. It took me a moment to respond,” Shuou corrected himself.

Aise narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. “I see… Something doesn’t feel right.”

“I’m tired and need some rest,” Shuou explained.

“Oh… I see,” Aise replied, visibly deflated. Her sad expression pricked Shuou’s conscience.

“Well, you’re here for work, so it can’t be helped,” Aise added.

“…I’m sorry,” Shuou apologized.

Suddenly, Aise’s eyes lit up with determination. “Can you spare some time tomorrow evening? We’ve recently hired a skilled pastry chef at home. I thought we could enjoy dinner together, followed by an exquisite dessert.”

Though Aise spoke in her usual tone, her casual gestures betrayed her nervousness.

“Thank you, I’ll definitely come,” Shuou replied.

Seeing Aise’s genuinely relieved smile, Shuou felt his guilty conscience begin to lift.

As Aise was about to leave, she shyly raised her hand, showing Shuou the ring she wore—the one Shuou had bought and given her before.

“I’ve always wanted to properly thank you. I’ll do it again tomorrow,” Aise said.

Returning to the room after parting with Aise, Shuou found the two unconscious male students propped up against the wall.

Amai stood in the corner, wearing an unreadable smile.

Sa’salia tried to rush towards Shuou as he returned, standing up from the bed. But her body swayed unsteadily.

Shuou quickly caught Sa’salia’s hand, pulling her delicate body close. “Are you alright?” he asked, concerned about her weakness.

Amai, still motionless, spoke up. “She hasn’t been sleeping properly for days.”

“Why?” Shuou inquired.

Amai just lowered his eyebrows and gave a wry smile.

Sa’salia, limp in Shuou’s arms, looked up at him with vacant eyes. Perhaps she had been sitting on the bed all this time because her legs were too weak to support her.

Amai picked up a basket from the floor that he seemed to have brought. “If you’d like, would you have lunch with Lady Sa’salia? She hasn’t eaten properly since leaving for the royal capital. It would be helpful if you could encourage her,” he requested.

At Amai’s behest, Shuou asked Sa’salia, “Would you like to eat?”

Sa’salia nodded immediately. “Yes!”

Obliging Sa’salia’s wish, Shuou sat beside her on the bed, both biting into sandwiches.

In the corner of his vision, the two male students still lay unconscious, and behind Sa’salia stood Amai, quietly observing.

When Shuou glanced at him, Amai smiled and said, “Please pretend I’m not here,” which greatly confused Shuou.

Perhaps due to her upbringing, Sa’salia seemed completely at ease with someone attending her.

Sa’salia was as meek as a lamb. Her pale face seemed to have taken on a slight rosy hue.

“Where did you get that uniform?” Shuou asked, perhaps too bluntly. But he didn’t feel like addressing her formally now.

“They prepared it for me because my usual clothes stand out. Does it look strange?” Sa’salia asked.

“No, it suits you,” Shuou replied honestly. He thought no one would doubt Sa’salia was a Gemstone Academy student in that light blue uniform.

A crumb from Shuou’s sandwich fell onto the bedspread. Sa’salia quickly picked it up and popped it into her mouth. As she chewed, looking up at him proudly, Shuou was at a loss for how to react.

Warm sunlight streamed through the high window, drawing lines in the air. The room was so quiet that the stillness itself seemed audible.

Sa’salia broke the oppressive silence. Having finished most of her meal, she leaned against Shuou, resting her head on his shoulder with drowsy eyes.

“What were you doing while we couldn’t meet? You were in the southern battlefield all this time, weren’t you?” she asked.

Shuou swallowed his last bite and leaned back against the wall, lowering his head before looking up at the ceiling.

“Many things happened. I made comrades, trained together, worked in a fortress. And… I fought in a war for the first time,” he replied.

“Weren’t you scared?” Sa’salia asked.

Shuou was about to say “No” immediately, but only a sigh escaped his lips.

Memories came unbidden. Crowds of people gathered in one place. The unique atmosphere and smell of those prepared for death. Constant shouts, the wind carrying only the scent of blood and iron.

Shuou held his left hand up to a ray of sunlight. “I thought I could fight to survive, that I’d be fine with killing someone for that reason, but it was different from hunting animals for food,” he mused.

Questioning himself, he found an answer. “I was scared, terribly so.”

The sensation of a blade cutting through flesh, the gush of blood, the bubbling sound from a throat.

The fingers of his raised left hand trembled slightly.

Sa’salia raised both hands to envelop Shuou’s hand, drawing it to her chest. The warmth of human touch made Shuou unconsciously release a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

They sat in silence as time slowly passed. Eventually, soft breathing could be heard from beside him.

“She was very tired, after all,” Amai’s voice came from above, startling Shuou.

“I forgot you were here,” Shuou admitted.

Amai took Shuou’s coat from the wall. “May I borrow this for a moment?”

Shuou nodded, and Amai gently draped the coat over the sleeping Sa’salia.

“I apologize for the inconvenience we’ve caused. Your life here probably isn’t very comfortable,” Amai said.

Shuou straightened up, leaving his left hand in Sa’salia’s. “Then, my assignment here—”

Amai’s face showed remorse. “I submitted a letter of recommendation. I wanted you to stay in the royal capital, for Her Highness’s sake. But to be honest, I was surprised it was approved so readily.”

Learning that his mismatched assignment was Amai’s doing for Sa’salia’s sake, Shuou felt his lingering doubts dissipate.

“There may be many difficulties, but please hold your head high,” Amai continued. “This appointment was personally approved by Duke Gwen after due process. Even the two grand ducal houses couldn’t interfere with the decision.”

“Will I remain like this indefinitely?” Shuou asked.

“If you wish, we could negotiate with all our might in the name of the royal family,” Amai replied.

Even with this indirect question, Shuou struggled to answer. “I can’t say for certain right now.”

Amai smiled. “That’s understandable.”

The bell signaling the end of lunch break rang.

“We’ve overstayed. Her Highness’s detour is reaching its limit. You probably have plans too, Shuou, so we’ll take our leave,” Amai said.

“In my case, the plan is to attend a swordmanship class where no one shows up, then take a nap,” Shuou replied with self-deprecating humor. Amai smiled in response, shrugging.

“I’d like you to keep Her Highness company for longer, but there are constraints here. Could you visit Her Highness’s room in the palace once? I’ll send someone when the time is right,” Amai requested, leaving no room for refusal. Shuou remained silent, neither affirming nor declining.

Amai roused the sleeping Sa’salia. “To think she won’t wake even after all this,” he remarked, somewhat exasperated.

Shuou helped Amai as he prepared to carry Sa’salia on his back.

“Usually, Her Highness is a light sleeper. She pushed herself to exhaustion, returning to the royal capital solely to see you. Please try to appreciate her feelings, coming here even before reporting her return to the Crystal Palace,” Amai explained.

With Sa’salia on his back, Amai opened the door. “I forgot to mention one thing. Her Highness doesn’t know that you were briefly captured by the enemy. It would be helpful if you kept that a secret.”

Shuou nodded, bidding farewell to Amai carrying the princess.

Just as Shuou was about to sigh in relief at being alone, he surveyed the room and exclaimed to himself, “What am I supposed to do with these?”

He stood bewildered, hands on his hips, facing the two unconscious male students left behind.

　──I could have him carry them…

Conveniently remembering that the glutton he had brought along prided himself on his physical strength, Shuou quietly left the room, heading for the kitchen. As he walked, he imagined the likely chaotic scene unfolding there.