Five in the morning.
Upon arriving at the Gardening Club, I started by watering the flowers and plants. Next, I tended to the chemicals and fertilizers. Believing that these steady, mundane tasks were more important than anything else, I went about my assigned duties with quiet focus.
The reason I was here so early was that I had taken over the watering duty for the summer.
Since most of the members of the Gardening Club were high-ranking nobles, they were apparently busy with formal greetings and social calls during the summer break. I didn't mind heading back to my hometown a bit later, so I had offered to take on the responsibility. As the morning sun began to climb, I watered the plants just as I did every day.
Watching the flowers and plants grow bit by bit brought a profound sense of peace to my heart.
"Next is the outdoor area."
I headed outside to the spot I had cultivated shortly after enrolling. Many flowers were already in bloom, but it was almost time for the marguerites—my personal favorite—to come into season. I was looking forward to seeing them bloom.
"Now then."
Once I finished my work, I began preparing to head into the city.
My plan for the day was to browse the city’s bookstores with Elisa. Originally, we had talked about going as a group, but the plan fell through when our schedules wouldn't align. Amelia and Clarice, in particular, seemed to have their hands full with various noble gatherings.
As for Evi, his family home was located quite far from the academy, making it difficult for him to join us for a day trip.
Consequently, Elisa—whose family home was relatively close to the city—and I decided to go out together. Since we shared similar tastes in books and academic interests, I was looking forward to it immensely.
"I might have arrived a bit too early."
With summer in full swing, I had chosen a simple outfit: a plain white shirt and jeans. I also wore the simple silver bracelet I had received from Master. She had always told me that "no matter who you're meeting, you must pay attention to your appearance," so I took a reasonable amount of care with my clothes and hair.
Besides, I was certain Elisa was taking her time to prepare.
While Master and Abby were relatively low-maintenance, Carol had once lectured me during my childhood on just how much effort women put into their grooming and attire. Since then, I had held a deep sense of admiration for them.
Apparently, makeup alone could take over an hour, and choosing the right outfit took even longer. They also prioritized design over practicality when it came to footwear, often resulting in blisters and sore feet.
Because women endured hardships that men could hardly imagine, I always made an effort to praise them. I had been taught—not just by Carol, but by Master as well—that such recognition alone could make the effort feel worthwhile.
Well... Master, on the other hand, would get genuinely furious if I didn't praise her.
I stood by the fountain in the center of the city, which was our designated meeting spot. As I suspected, I was early. Our meeting was scheduled for eleven, but it was currently only ten-thirty. I had arrived thirty minutes ahead of time, but that was fine. It was certainly better than being late.
As I waited, a pair of women approached me.
"Um, excuse me..."
"Yes? How can I help you?"
I wondered if they were lost. Many tourists visited the Kingdom, so it wasn't unusual to be asked for directions. I prepared to guide them, but that didn't seem to be what they wanted.
"A-Are you by yourself...?"
"I am alone at the moment, yes."
"Eeeek! He's alone!"
"H-Hey, keep it down!"
"...?"
The two of them began whispering frantically to each other, leaving me somewhat confused. What exactly did they want? I had no memory of meeting them before. They looked quite mature, likely in their early twenties. I couldn't imagine what business they had with a student like me.
"...So, um, would you like to go shopping with us or something?"
"I see. So that was it. My apologies. It pains me to say this, but I actually have a prior engagement."
"Ah... r-right. There's no way someone like you would be available..."
As she trailed off, the other woman spoke up. She seemed more energetic, addressing me with a clear, brisk voice.
"At least tell us your name!"
"I am Ray White. A first-year student at Arnold Magic Academy."
"What?! A student from that academy?! And a first-year? Wow, really?!"
"Yes. By the way... the academy will be holding its Cultural Festival in late September. My class will surely be hosting an attraction, so perhaps we could meet again then."
"I see! We'll see you then, then!"
With that, the two women walked away.
"Bye-baaaaye! See ya later!"
Ten minutes passed. For some reason, I was approached by several more women, but then I caught sight of Elisa. She was peeking out from around a street corner, apparently observing the situation.
"Elisa! Over here!"
"S-Sorry. Am I late...?"
"No, I just arrived myself. Don't worry about it."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah."
"But... um, you were being talked to a lot, weren't you?"
"Hmm? Well, yes. But I was looking forward to spending the day with you, Elisa. Naturally, I turned them all down."
"There were a lot of beautiful women, though...?"
"I think you're the cutest, Elisa. That outfit suits you perfectly."
"A-Ah... thank you!"
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
Elisa was wearing a pure white, short-sleeved ruffled blouse and a deep blue flare skirt. The skirt fanned out like a morning glory, its elegant ripples looking almost like a work of art. She had also pinned her hair up, giving her a different impression than usual. The small bag she carried was made of high-quality leather; it was clearly an expensive item.
She also seemed to be wearing a bit of makeup, which made her face look brighter. As I had expected, she must have spent a considerable amount of time preparing. Therefore, the only thing I needed to do was offer her my sincere praise.
"You look great too, Ray-kun... You look handsome!"
"Thank you, Elisa. Shall we go, then?"
"Mhm!"
We began walking side-by-side. I adjusted my pace to match hers, moving more slowly than usual.
"How long did it take you to get here, Elisa?"
"Um... about forty minutes, I think. My home is in the West District."
"I see. The West District, then."
"Yeah. But it would have been nice if everyone could have come."
"It couldn't be helped. Everyone has their own plans. Besides, I'm happy just being with you, Elisa."
"Ah... u-um... I'm happy to be with you too, Ray-kun! You're much easier to talk to than any other boy I've ever met...!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes! Until now, I didn't really have any friends, and I was especially bad at talking to boys... but you're a little different, Ray-kun."
"I see. I was essentially raised by women, so that might have something to do with it."
"Um... you mean people like Lydia-san?"
"Yes. Master, Abby-san, and Carol—those three took very good care of me."
"When you put it that way... they're all members of the Seven Grand Sorcerers, aren't they? That's incredible..."
"You're right. Looking back, I had a rather extravagant group of mentors."
I chatted with Elisa about trivial things. When we first met, there had been a noticeable distance between us, but now that summer break had arrived, it felt like that gap had narrowed considerably. She had started to smile much more frequently. We continued our walk, our conversation in full bloom.
Then, I brought up the plan I had been keeping in mind.
"Elisa. Why don't we get some lunch before we head to the bookstore?"
"Sure, that sounds good. Where are we going?"
"I've already made a reservation, so leave it to me."
"Eh... a reservation?"
Leading the stunned Elisa along, I brought her to one of the most prominent restaurants in the Kingdom. It was a top-tier three-star restaurant officially recognized by the state.
Abby had introduced me to this place. Since Elisa had been a tremendous help during the Magics Chevalier, I wanted to do something to thank her. Ideally, I would have liked to invite everyone, but this was the only day the restaurant had an opening during the summer break, so it ended up being just the two of us.
"A-Awawa... A-awawawa..."
"What's wrong? Let's go in, Elisa."
"But... isn't this the most famous restaurant in the Kingdom...?"
"Yes. That's right."
"I don't have that kind of money...! W-What should I do...?"
Elisa was panicking, her face turning pale. However, I had no intention of letting her pay. This was entirely my treat.
"It's on me, of course. Don't worry. I received a substantial amount of money during my time in the military, and I still haven't spent most of it. Paying for the two of us here is no trouble at all."
"Eeeh...?! You're treating me, Ray-kun?!"
"I'm the one who took the liberty of making the reservation and bringing you here. Besides, you've really helped me out, Elisa. Your work for the Amelia Cheer Squad during the Magics Chevalier, and... you gave me that push I needed back then. I really wanted to invite everyone else too, but the timing just didn't work out. So, I wanted to thank at least you today... Is that okay?"
"Ugh... in that case, I'll take you up on your offer... Thank you for the meal."
"Of course. Well then, let's go."
I gently took the hesitating Elisa's hand and led her inside...
"Hmm?"
"Is something wrong, Ray-kun?"
"No, it's nothing."
As we walked in, I felt for a moment as if someone were watching us... but it was probably just my imagination. With this many people around, it wasn't unusual for someone to glance our way.
Pushing the thought of that gaze aside, we continued on.