#28
Yutis, sitting across from me, was staring straight ahead with his hands stretched out on his knees and his back perfectly straight. Though he pretended otherwise, he seemed somewhat nervous about going to school. I tried to engage him in conversation while hiding the embarrassment I had just felt.
Since we would inevitably meet while living in the dormitory, I needed to improve our relationship a bit.
“After the entrance ceremony, you don’t have to look after me.”
I didn’t want to make things more difficult for Yutis, who was attending school only because of the Duke’s orders. I hoped he would make friends his own age and live a more relaxed life.
In the original story, Yutis gradually learned about the world through Iria. He tasted various flavors and saw new colors. After enjoying everything like a child discovering the world anew, Yutis was eventually able to turn his back on the Duke. How my heart ached watching him begin to live a life for himself, not for someone else.
So I hoped that Yutis would be able to enjoy his own life, even just a little. I spoke with the intention of looking out for him and thought he would welcome it, but Yutis’s face froze coldly upon hearing my words.
“Um…”
“Young Master, am I a nuisance to you?”
“No, that’s not it…”
“Then please don’t say such things. I’m simply doing my job.”
Yutis cut me off decisively and turned his head to the side, as if he had said all he needed to say. With him pushing me away like that, what could I say? Without even being able to sigh, I turned my head to look at the scenery outside, just like Yutis was doing.
Throughout our journey to the school, we didn’t exchange a single word. I supposed I would have to get used to this silence. As I thought about it, my stomach, which had been chronically troubled since childhood, began to ache. I’d need to drink some water as soon as we arrived at the school.
* * *
This world is not equal. Nobody would be unaware of that fact. Even the world I used to live in was divided by the power of capital, so what about this country with its class system? It was worse, not better.
They said all students entering the school were equal, but everyone knew that wasn’t entirely true.
The open area where the entrance ceremony was being held had chairs in the front for students to sit on, while the back was left without chairs for many people to stand and watch. The nobles who arrived early occupied the front chairs. In contrast, commoners waited standing at the back until the ceremony began, even though many chairs were still empty.
It was difficult for those raised in a class-based society to change overnight. Even some of the school’s teachers prioritized nobles.
In the original story, Andelion attended the entrance ceremony sitting among the nobles. It would be conspicuous for someone of a young master’s status to stand in the back with commoners. I also didn’t want to do that from the start, so I tried to sit in one of the front chairs as soon as we arrived.
The problem was Yutis. When I moved forward, Yutis stopped in front of the chairs. It was as if he knew his place and couldn’t go any further. I could just leave Yutis there and go sit in a chair. Perhaps that’s what Yutis would want too—being apart from someone who finds his presence burdensome.
But I didn’t like the line that seemed to be drawn between him and me. Even after living in this world for a long time, I could never get used to the class system. Moreover, even in the Duke’s household where I had been living, we didn’t treat people differently based on class.
The people working in the mansion were just employees. They helped with our work, but they didn’t need to revere us or follow us unconditionally. And the same applied to Yutis.
I grabbed Yutis’s collar firmly. His eyes widened as I suddenly grabbed him. Regardless, I pulled Yutis along to the chairs at the very front. He could have easily shaken off my hand, but fortunately, he followed me silently.
Only when we got close to the chairs did I release his collar. Then I sat down in a chair without saying anything. I didn’t think forcibly dragging Yutis along was the right thing to do. But I also didn’t want to see Yutis standing there awkwardly by himself. Following me was already difficult enough for him; I didn’t want to make him physically uncomfortable as well.
Yutis stood still for a moment, then sat down next to me without saying anything. Perhaps he was blaming me. Why did I drag him here on my own and make him even more uncomfortable? He might even hate me more and think his future looks bleak.
Somehow feeling that my prediction would be correct, I couldn’t look at Yutis sitting to my left.
“You’re here?”
Just then, I sensed someone sitting down on my right. Turning to look, I saw Rikin, who had shamelessly come to the entrance ceremony despite being a third-year student.
“What brings you here?”
“Well, I came to see Ana, of course?”
“Don’t say such nonsense.”
When I cut him off coldly, Rikin chuckled. The Rikin I knew wasn’t really this kind of man. I don’t understand why he turned out like this. I wish he had learned even a fraction of what Persis had. Of course, I don’t know how Persis has grown now.
Has he gotten taller? His facial features must have become more defined. His smile would still be as beautiful as before. How has his way of speaking changed? Has he become calmer? He probably doesn’t run around like he used to. Probably not. I haven’t heard any rumors about Persis being a troublemaker.
“You came to see the matriculation oath, right?”
“…How did you know?”
“It’s obvious.”
The reason I was determined to attend today’s entrance ceremony: because none other than Persis would be reciting the matriculation oath.
I will soon be able to see Persis with my own eyes.
My heart wasn’t racing like when I first met Iria. Well, that’s understandable since meeting Iria was a truly chance encounter, whereas from the day I last saw Persis’s face 10 years ago, I knew that our next meeting would be at this moment.
So there was nothing to be nervous about, no reason to be impatient. Seeing him was a very natural thing. I was just looking forward to seeing how he had grown.
“You look perfectly fine.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m dying of anxiety right now.”
“What is there to be anxious about?”
I shook my head and looked straight ahead. Sometimes I didn’t understand what Rikin was saying.
Feeling anxious? If he had said he was worried about Persis being nervous while reciting the matriculation oath, I could understand. There was no reason for Rikin to be fidgeting.
“There is. That kind of thing.”
“Stop talking nonsense. Senior, please go sit in your own seat. Don’t take the first-years’ seats.”
Trying to take what few chairs there are. After speaking coldly, I glared at him. But this shameless man just smiled, letting my words go in one ear and out the other.
“There’s no rule that says only new students can sit here. I’m a student too. I should be able to watch the entrance ceremony while sitting down.”
“A junior might have to stand because of you, Senior.”
“Still, I don’t want to give up this seat.”
It seems he intends to sit through the entire entrance ceremony. I was about to say a few more words but noticed the gazes directed at us and closed my mouth. I didn’t want to interact with him any further. Especially not inside the school.
Getting close to Rikin meant that I would have more chances to encounter Persis. And I had no intention of becoming close to Persis during my school life. I could meet him a few times or try to help connect Iria and Persis, but I didn’t want to cross a certain line.
They are the protagonists, and I am just a supporting character. I must not forget that.
Looking at the stage where preparations for the entrance ceremony were busily underway, I imagined Persis standing up there soon. Since I had rarely left the Duke’s mansion during all this time, I had no opportunity to see Persis even at official events. How had he grown?
As the time for the entrance ceremony approached, the seats began to fill one by one. As expected, nobles occupied all the chairs, while others stood behind them. Even with this many people gathered, Rikin just stared straight ahead without moving. Does he want to be this stubborn? I was almost missing the childishly shouting Rikin.
A little later, the dignitaries climbed onto the stage and took their prepared seats, apparently having finished setting up the stage. The Duke was among them.
Looking at the Duke sitting there, showing off his appearance that was on a different level from the other dignitaries, I thought anew how handsome he was. The announcer declared the start of the entrance ceremony through the announcement system. The voice spreading out loudly sounded as if someone was speaking into a microphone.
This world lacked technological and scientific knowledge. Being a place with supernatural magic, they didn’t pay attention to fundamental concepts. Moreover, since magic filled the difficult parts of life, there didn’t seem to be much thought given to developing technology.
The principal’s address began, announcing the start of the entrance ceremony. The principal had such good vocal projection that it wasn’t tedious to listen to, but I kept losing focus.
Persis, who was to recite the matriculation oath, was not visible among the dignitaries. Was he waiting inside the building behind the stage?
I thought I wasn’t nervous, but as time passed, my mouth became increasingly dry. What if his appearance was too different from the Persis I knew? Even though we hadn’t met for a long time, I was confident that I knew Persis well. But reality would be different from what I imagined in my mind.
Could I accept that difference? I might once again face a Persis who pushes me away, like the last time we met, rather than the Persis who used to call my name with a bright smile.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
