On the last holiday before summer vacation, I rode in a carriage heading toward Etherdam Academy.
Because carriages didn't travel all the way into the Noble District where the Academy was located, I got off at the nearest stop and walked the rest of the way.
I’d grown used to this commute by now. It was frightening at first, but as long as I wore the Academy uniform, people didn't stare at me with quite as much suspicion.
"Hehehe... finally, their little love nest."
The road that once filled me with dread had become a path I looked forward to traveling. The reason I was heading to the Academy on a holiday was that my friend, Alicia, had invited me over for tea and a bit of weeding.
Originally, the plan was for all of us to feast on the delicious vegetables she’d been growing in the back garden, but things hadn't quite gone as intended. Alicia had been so cute, fuming with rage at the harmful insects that had ruined her kitchen garden. I’m not fond of bugs myself, but I couldn't forgive anything that ruined a friend's hard work, so I was determined to help with the pest control.
Alicia and Ragna.
I met the two of them about four months after enrollment. While I attended classes diligently, I spent my days in a state of constant anxiety, unable to adjust to the noble environment. The quiet library—a far cry from the Academy's usual flamboyance—became my only refuge.
As a Sage's Disciple, as long as I kept my head down and studied, the nobles generally ignored me. They saw me as someone who knew her place and didn't bother wasting their insults or sneers on me. It was a lonely existence, but I had a goal, so I endured it and worked my hardest.
Then, one day, a familiar scent tickled the tip of my nose.
"—The scent of... coffee..."
In an academy for nobles, there was only black tea. I had tried quietly visiting the general store where students could buy supplies for the dining hall or classes, but there was no coffee to be found. As expected of a school for the elite, there was a station in the library to brew tea, but I had felt too hesitant to bring in my own coffee and use the equipment without permission.
Since I lived at home rather than in the dormitory, I figured I only had to hold out until the evening. But the moment that scent reached me, my body moved on its own.
"Giggle... if she doesn't have servants, she can't even manage tea anymore, can she?"
"How miserable. Truly miserable. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to show my face at the Academy again."
Alicia didn't pay the slightest bit of attention to the insults whispered behind her back; she just hummed to herself as she brewed her coffee. Her posture was elegant and steady—the very embodiment of majesty.
"Whoa..."
I remembered hearing that there was one other Sage's Disciple in the Academy. I immediately assumed it must be her. After all, she was drinking coffee.
At the same time, I felt pathetic—skulking in the shadows, cowering and scurrying along the edges of the halls. I felt a twinge of anxiety over whether someone like her would ever want to be friends with me, but I knew that no one who appreciated coffee could be a truly bad person.
Mustering every ounce of my courage, I followed her and spoke up.
"U-u-u-um... excuse me, but... that's coffee, isn't it?"
That was how I met my friend, Alicia. Looking back now, it was a miracle. The fact that I lost my mind and fainted the moment I heard she was from a House of the Duke is now just a funny story we share.
"I can't wait to show them this new coffee."
My pace quickened. I used to think I could survive on my own, but I suppose I was feeling lonely somewhere deep inside.
I’m not being deceived, am I? No, I’m sure I’m not. Because neither of them has those black insects clinging to them.
I hate bugs. The reason I became so uncomfortable around nobles was partly because I was hit by a carriage when I was little, but the true reason involved those "insects."
I’m not sure when I first noticed them... but I realized that black insects gathered near unpleasant or ill-fated people with terrifying frequency. These black insects were especially numerous around the nobility; sometimes, they swarmed in massive, suffocating clusters.
That was why I couldn't stand being around them. Even as my parents lay dying of illness, those black insects had swarmed through our house, and I had been terrified that they would eventually crawl onto me too.
No matter how many I tried to crush, more would well up from the shadows. Yet, Alicia and Ragna didn't have a single one on them. I used to think everyone had at least one, but strangely, those two were completely clean.
To be honest, their social standing at the Academy is even worse than mine. Mr. Ragna, for instance, doesn't even do anything to cause trouble, yet everyone says horrible things about him just because of his family name.
I often wondered how they could keep smiling. This is just a guess, but it’s probably because they feel perfectly happy even in an environment like this...
They are so strong. There was one moment that really drove that home for me. Once, seeing the burn scar on Alicia's left eye, I felt so moved by the tragedy of it that I asked if I could heal it without thinking.
"Don't worry about it," she had told me. "This scar is proof that I fought; it's a badge of pride. Ragna accepted me for who I am, including this."
"I-I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up..."
"It’s fine. Thank you for worrying. In the Brave Territory, this sort of thing is common, and nobody cares. I’m okay."
Even now, I feel guilty for touching upon her trauma so casually, but I think Alicia—who laughed and forgave me—is genuinely strong. It’s no wonder the insects won't go near her.
The two of them invited me to spend my summer vacation in the Brave Territory. I’m so grateful that they truly seem to view me as a friend. People call it "The Abandoned Land," but I suspect that’s just a nasty rumor that took on a life of its own. I’m sure it’s actually a wonderful place.
"Ngh... maybe I’m a bit sleep-deprived..."
I stumbled slightly. It couldn't be helped, given that I’d stayed up late with the help of a little caffeine. I was staying over at their house tonight. I wondered if I’d be able to sleep soundly.
Would I be okay? Would I walk in on some scandalous, incredible scene...? No, no, we’re still students! It’s far too early for that!
Regaining my composure, I set my sights on the house where they lived. If I’m with those two... I wondered if the black insect—the one as large as a child that had followed me since I was small—might finally disappear too.