“Why a school, exactly?”
“There are dorms here, and I actually live on campus. There is temporary lodging available for guests, but… well, not at this hour.”
“Ah, I see. I don’t mind sleeping outside.”
“Don’t be silly, you can just stay in my room. It’s not like… men are strictly forbidden or anything.”
Maybe it was because of the Emblems, or maybe it was just a sense of gender equality among knights, but Flare was certainly what one would call a tomboy.
She led the way to a building labeled ‘Girls’ Dormitory.’
Am I really staying here? Me?
“Besides,” she added, “we already spent one night under the same roof anyway.”
“That’s true.”
“Hey, you’re supposed to deny that! It’s perfectly normal to stay over at a friend’s house, right?”
With that, she dragged me inside.
Flare’s room was on the second floor. When she reached the door and pushed it open, she made me wait in the hallway.
“Wait! Even if I said that, this is still a maiden’s room. Have some tact! Let me tidy up first!”
“So you do have some sense of delicacy, Flare. Is your room that messy?”
“Hey! I heard that! You actually said it! So what if I’m all about the sword and have zero domestic skills? For your information, I’m the type who’d be completely devoted to a boyfriend!”
“No, I didn't go that far.”
She puffed out her cheeks in a pout, then giggled. She told me to wait a moment and shut the door, locking me out.
Come to think of it, if we were at the Academy, Flare probably had money. I could have just stayed at an inn somewhere.
As I was pondering that, the door creaked open.
The room Flare led me into was decorated almost entirely in red. I wondered if it was her favorite color. A futon had already been laid out on the floor for me.
“I’m obviously not sharing the bed tonight. Are you disappointed? Were you getting your hopes up?”
“No, I’m glad. Truly. From the bottom of my heart. Seriously.”
“Hey, why?!”
Because of the rigid position I’d been forced into the night before, my shoulders were incredibly stiff. I was the type of person who prioritized getting a full night’s sleep. Back in my previous life, I was the sort who could space out while my brain stayed half-asleep.
It looked like I would finally get some proper rest. Since the night was nearly over, we decided to turn in immediately.
The next day.
The morning sun rose, and light streamed through the window.
I woke to the sound of birds chirping and, for some reason, Flare using me as a body pillow again.
How did she even fall out of bed? Her sleeping posture was horrendous. And she was drooling quite a bit.
Bang, bang, bang!!
I blinked. Someone was pounding on the door.
“Flare!! I know you’re in there! One minute you’ve vanished, and the next I hear you’ve been out on the battlefield? Flare!!”
Bang, bang, bang!!
Someone was definitely outside.
“Come on! Tell me everything! I’m coming in—!”
Bang, bang, bang!!
“Flare… someone’s here.”
“Mmph… five more minutes…”
Then, with a click, the door swung open.
Standing there was a woman wearing the same uniform as Flare, though she looked much more mature. She appeared to be about high school age, with long blonde hair and a chest that looked like it was about to burst through her uniform. She had a dignified, commanding presence that practically radiated a sharp "Rin!" sound effect.
She stared at us, her eyes turning into tiny dots.
Flare rubbed her eyes and sat up with a vacant expression, still clinging to me.
“Huh…? Frederica-senpai…”
“…I’ve known you were a bit of a slob for a long time, Flare… but I never expected you to pick up a man on the battlefield.”
“A man? …Wha—Wait?! Why is Leo next to me?!”
“That’s what I’d like to know.”
“Kyaaaaa!”
“Here we go again.”
I was shoved away with enough force to send me tumbling. I was starting to get used to it.
The woman called Frederica let out a mischievous gufufu laugh, sounding a bit like a gossiping middle-aged lady.
“Oh, look at you getting all shy… I see, Flare’s finally reached that age. I wish you two the best.”
Click.
With a smirk, the woman closed the door.
Flare and I stared at each other. The color was rapidly draining from her face as the last of her sleepiness vanished.
“T-This is bad!! That was Frederica-senpai?!”
“That’s what you called her, yeah…”
A moment later, a voice boomed from the hallway, loud enough to rattle the walls.
“Everyone!! Listen up!!!! Flare!! She brought a man home!! And he’s a total babe!!”
“Senpai, wait!! You’ve got it all wrong!!”
Flare bolted for the door and ran out at full speed. One by one, female students began sticking their heads out of their rooms, peering through the open door at me.
“““Kyaaaaa!! He is handsome!!!!”””
Joyful screams echoed throughout the entire girls' dormitory.
The school was certainly lively in the morning.
The cafeteria.
The female students at the surrounding tables were all stealing glances at me.
“This is a disaster, and it’s all Frederica-senpai’s fault! Everyone has the wrong idea!”
“Ahaha! Sorry, sorry. But you were the one who brought a man home, Flare. And you were giving him quite the passionate embrace, weren't you?”
“Leo is moving to the boys' dorm starting tomorrow! We just arrived late at night, so I was letting him use my room temporarily! T-The hugging part was… well…”
“Flare’s sleeping habits are just incredibly bad,” I added.
“Ugh… I can’t even deny it.”
“Fufu.”
Apparently, Frederica was indeed Flare’s senior.
“So, this is the famous Leo-kun. Even I’ve heard the rumors.”
“Rumors?”
“Yeah. The common soldier who fought like a demon. Earning First Class Merit in your very first battle? Not bad at all.”
“Frederica-senpai is… well, she’s like this, but she’s actually the daughter of a duke,” Flare explained. “Despite her personality!!”
“That’s right!! Even though I’m like this, I’m actually incredibly high-ranking! I’m the eldest daughter of the Flameheart Ducal House. Nice to meet you, Leo-kun.”
A ducal house… from what I understood, that made her a noble second only to royalty.
That was incredibly important. Though, to be honest, she seemed very approachable.
“So, Leo-kun. You’re going to be taking a spot at the Academy, right?”
“Eh? I wasn’t told anything about that. I thought I was just staying the night.”
I looked at Flare for an explanation.
“Well, nothing’s set in stone yet. My father said he wanted to hear your opinion first, so I kept quiet. But I guess it’s fine to tell you now. He was wondering if you’d like to enroll. He really wants you to attend the Academy.”
“Me? Why?”
“Think about it, Leo. You’re almost entirely self-taught, aren't you? Nina-san was a knight, but with your level of strength, there isn't much more she can teach you. But more than that… it’s probably for the social aspect. Your combat power is top-class for our generation, but let's be honest…”
Flare looked me dead in the eye.
“You’re socially stunted.”
“……Ugh.”
“Exactly. You might learn things here that are just as vital as the sword. Right, Flare?”
“Important things?” Flare asked.
Both of us tilted our heads in confusion. Frederica-senpai looked at us and let out a soft chuckle.
“Like romance.”
“Romance?!”
“Romance……”
Romance… that was different from the affection I felt for my family. In my previous life, I’d been told "I love you" many times because I was a Koshien Pitcher. But it was always a feeling I didn't quite grasp.
I understood love in a general sense—I could say with absolute pride that I loved my mother. But romance… that was a mystery.
“Romance, huh… well, I suppose I’d like to experience it myself,” Frederica mused.
“Oh? The nation’s favorite female knight speaks!”
“Hmph! I won’t settle for just any man! I need someone stronger than me, someone who can protect me… a person like a dashing prince from a fairy tale!!”
“S-Senpai!! Honestly…”
“Have you never been in love, Flare?”
“Wh-Wha?! I-I don’t think so… honestly, I don’t really know! What about you, Leo?”
“I don’t really understand it either.”
“Fufu… Wander, worry, and grow, young ones. A sword without will has no power, and a sword without love has no justice. As the Sword King once said. Anyway, Leo-kun.”
“Yes?”
Frederica-senpai gave me a bright, welcoming smile.
“How would you like to join the Student Council? I’m sure you’ll make plenty of friends. The Arcadia Sword Kingdom Knight Academy Student Council officially welcomes your enrollment.”