Out of everyone at the academy, Teacher Chloe was the one I knew best.
She was strict and absolutely merciless, sure, but she was also earnest and kind. Even though my Mana capacity was pitifully low, she had gone out of her way to bestow combat techniques upon me.
It was only because of the knowledge I gained from her back then that I was able to awaken a new Gift.
She had taught me that magic was a world of pure imagination—that as long as you had the technique to build the structure, the possibilities were infinite.
"Cecil," Carta whispered, pulling me back to the present. "Is Darius... maybe... a fan of fluffy things?"
We were currently huddled in the shadows, using Dark Eye to observe him.
The plan was to identify a side of him he didn't usually show, all to give ourselves the upper hand in the next exam. While I knew Teacher Chloe inside and out, the other faculty members were still a total mystery to me.
"I am quite fond of cats myself. Fluffiness is the pinnacle of creation. But that... that vibe is a little... surprising," Tura remarked.
Usually, nothing rattled Tura. She was the definition of "unflappable," yet here she was, looking genuinely stunned.
I couldn't blame her. I was staring in disbelief, too.
Because there he was: Darius, the imposing instructor, was currently pouring his heart and soul into doting on a cat.
"Aww, what's the matter, what's the matter? Why are you here, little kitty-witty? Did you wander in by yourself-nyan? You're a naughty widdle thing, aren't you? Yes, you are!"
Does he really love cats that much?
I certainly didn't know why a cat was even here, but that didn't explain why a grown man was picking it up and nuzzling his cheek against it with such intensity. The sight of him curling his massive frame into a ball, trying his absolute hardest to be cute with the tiny thing, was a far cry from his usual image.
"What should we do, Cecil?" Carta asked.
"Right. Let's just watch for a bit longer. If we went back and told Fansent that Darius simply 'liked cats,' I’m pretty sure he’d just get mad at us."
"True," Tura agreed. "He might scold us. 'Are you guys messing around?' he would say. Then again, there is a chance he would say, 'This is excellent intel. Thank you, everyone.' Is that a possibility?"
"I don't think that's happening, Tura," I sighed.
"I see. You are likely right, Carta..."
Having Tura around always made me feel a bit more relaxed. In a place as high-strung as Noblesse Magic Academy, her personality was a rare treasure.
Before I met Fansent, I avoided everyone.
No... to be honest, I was probably just jealous. I’d convinced myself that I’d never reach their level no matter how hard I tried, so I drew a line to separate myself from them.
But Fansent taught me that wasn't the case.
Unlike the others, I might actually be acting specifically for his sake. Ever since that day he challenged me to a duel and asked for my help...
...Wow. I’m way more of a romantic maiden than I realized.
Not that I could ever tell a soul.