It was more than mere surprise; she was overcome with pure, unadulterated joy.
Fiona fought with all her might to suppress the urge to throw her arms around Ren right then and there. Large tears overflowed once more, though this time they were born of happiness.
"Lady Fiona!? Why are you crying!?"
"N-No... it’s nothing! It’s just, a lot of things happened, so please don’t worry!"
Once she finished wiping her eyes, they sparkled like jewels. Though she claimed nothing was wrong, now that she was seeing Ren in person, she realized just how much he had changed since they last met.
It had been nearly a year since their reunion. Ren had always been well-developed for his age, but after so much time, it was only natural that he had grown taller and his features had become more mature. They were supposed to be the same height, yet now she found herself having to look up at him.
Startled by the change, Fiona hunched her shoulders within the oversized coat to hide her reddened cheeks.
"—O-Oh, that's right! Ren-kun, what are you doing here!?" Fiona asked, finally regaining her composure.
"If you mean why I’m at the academy, I came to pick up the application documents for the entrance exam."
That reason alone was enough to stun her, but she was still curious about how he had happened upon her in this exact spot. When she asked, he gave a simple answer.
"The reason I came to this tree was because I spotted you, Lady Fiona."
"Y-You saw... me?"
"Yes. I was about to head home after using the restroom when I happened to see you. ...I mean, you’ll catch a cold if you’re out here without a coat. What were you doing out here?"
"—Because I thought I might find you."
She looked down and spoke in a tiny voice, intentionally keeping it low. Her murmur was easily drowned out by the sound of branches swaying in the winter wind.
"Eh? What did you just say?"
"Fufu—it’s a secret."
Fiona placed her index finger in front of her lips in a playful gesture. Standing there amidst the falling snow, she looked like a mischievous fairy at play.
"But I was truly surprised. Not just to see you, Ren-kun, but to find out you were planning to apply to this academy..."
"Huh? You hadn’t heard? I was sure Lord Ulysses would have told you."
"What!? You’ve been in contact with Father!?"
"It wasn't just contact; I actually met and spoke with him."
"...Oh, Father. He didn't tell me a single thing."
Even when Ren mentioned meeting Ulysses over the summer, Fiona insisted she hadn't heard a word of it. She hadn't even known Ren was in Erendil until this very moment.
(I thought he would’ve mentioned it... I wonder why he kept quiet?)
As for what was happening behind the scenes, Ulysses was simply adhering to his own sense of propriety. He was well aware of the feelings Fiona harbored for Ren, but he had no desire to force a reunion between the two for his own convenience. Furthermore, he wished to respect Licia, who had been by Ren's side all this time. It was strictly his own code of honor, not something he felt the need to explain to anyone else. Even if Fiona were to ask him about it now, he would likely just blow smoke to evade the question.
"Sss..."
A particularly sharp gust of wind blew, catching Fiona’s long black hair. Concerned by the sudden chill, Ren suggested they talk while they walked.
"By the way, why weren't you wearing a coat?"
"The truth is, I forgot it at the academy..."
"...In the middle of winter?"
"Y-Yes! It seems I was just spacing out!"
Ren sensed she was lying, but since Fiona clearly didn't want to be pressed on the matter, he let it go. He then asked if they should go retrieve it, but Fiona, not wanting Ren to get cold, hurriedly insisted she would get it later. Besides, the lights in the connecting corridor leading to the library were already being extinguished. With the year drawing to a close, the building was shutting down earlier than usual.
"Do you have another coat at the dormitory?"
Ren was implicitly suggesting that he would lend her his coat for the walk back. Of course, if Fiona was uncomfortable with the idea, he wouldn't push it. While it was almost impossible for her to be uncomfortable, he considered it a possibility. Fiona realized his intent, but worrying it would be embarrassing if she had misunderstood, she spoke hesitantly.
"I do. But Ren-kun, you'll..."
"I'll be fine. I run hot anyway, so this much is nothing. There's no need to make you rush back to get yours, so I'll escort you to the dormitory like this."
Ren began to walk with brisk steps. Feeling as though she was constantly relying on his kindness, Fiona finally nodded after his encouragement. The prospect of being escorted by Ren left her with no desire to refuse. Furthermore, she didn't want to trample on his goodwill by being overly reserved. Avoiding any further hesitation, she followed timidly behind him.
Just watching his back from a few paces away made her cheeks relax into a happy smile.
"Speaking of which, are your guards all right?" Ren asked. He remembered Ulysses saying he had assigned guards to Fiona. It wouldn't have been strange for Edgar to be lurking nearby.
"They aren't allowed inside the academy grounds, and there are patrolling knights on the path to the dormitory, so it's fine."
"Ah, so someone isn't always right by your side when you're moving around."
"Fufu. Yes, that's right."
Then again, she might have been guarded from somewhere out of sight. Given that Edgar was a master of the Strong Sword Arts on par with the Sword Saint class, it wouldn't be surprising if he was watching over her without Fiona ever noticing. However, there were also many knights patrolling the streets in this district. Given the high concentration of young noble sons and daughters, security was ironclad from the start.
(I guess that makes sense.)
Ren stopped overthinking and led Fiona through the Academy Garden. As he set the pace, matching his stride to hers, Fiona tilted her head slightly.
"Ren-kun, you're very familiar with this place."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"You seem to know the layout of the academy, and it felt like you already knew the way to the dormitory. Did you check a map or something?"
"...Something like that."
There was no way Ren would get lost. The layout of the Imperial Academy was etched into his memory; he had walked these grounds countless times during his days playing the game.
The two of them continued to exchange words for the first time in a long while as they followed the path. Fiona, in particular, spoke to Ren repeatedly with a cheerful, bouncy voice.
"Wait, Ren-kun, you went to the Lion Sanctum too?"
"Yes. Lord Ulysses gave me a letter of recommendation."
It was clear that she found every part of the conversation delightful. However, as they drew closer to the dormitory, her mood gradually began to sink. Her chest ached at the thought that their time together was coming to an end.
"...I wonder if we can talk like this again."
She felt a wave of guilt for letting out the feelings she had been suppressing. Startled by the words that had slipped out unbidden, Fiona immediately tried to retract them.
"Oh, it's nothing!"
She forced a brave smile, desperate to stay strong. She was determined not to be a burden to him. But at that same moment, Ren spoke up.
"The Imperial Capital and Erendil are practically right next to each other, so I can keep you company as much as you like."
His voice was casual, just as it always was. Hearing that, Fiona blinked in surprise. It felt as though all the hesitation she had felt until then was wiped away, like a refreshing breeze blowing through her heart. Seeing Ren smile at her allowed her to feel optimistic again. She was even able to find bright, hopeful words in her heart.
"I can... work hard."
Fiona's murmur was lost to the snowy wind, but it was a sign of the change within her. After walking for a few more minutes, they arrived at the dormitory. Returning the coat she had borrowed, Fiona took a few light, springy steps ahead of Ren. Her movements were so graceful it was as if she were about to break into a dance.
"Starting tomorrow, I'm going to work even harder."
She said those somewhat meaningful words without looking back. Fiona stood there in her Special Merit Class uniform, her skirt fluttering in the wind. When she eventually turned toward him, powdered snow danced around her like diamond dust. Her silken black hair streamed in the breeze.
"Work hard?" Ren repeated, puzzled.
"Yes. I’m going to work very hard."
Ren questioned the sudden statement, to which Fiona responded with a cheerful, spirited voice. Finally, she added one last thing.
"Because..."
She wore a lovely expression filled with determination, one she had never shown anyone else.
"I’m determined to make you look my way."
She spoke with a dignified voice, a testament to her unwavering feelings.