Chapter 196: To the North (2)

Chapter 196: To the North (2)

"I'll take that as a yes. See you later."

"Yeah. Be careful."

Ronan finished his business and left the student council room. Adeshan saw him off with her characteristic warm smile. Thud. The sound of the door closing echoed in the silence. She was now staring at the pile of documents that had become useless.

"A trip."

Even after Ronan left, Adeshan remained seated for a while. She still couldn't fully grasp what had just happened. Going on a trip. And not just for a day, but a long journey.

She quietly placed her hand over her left chest. She could feel her heart beating faster than usual. As Adeshan took a deep breath and brushed her hair aside, her blushing ears were revealed.

'What should I do...'

She must have been caught wavering. Her expression remained unchanged, but Ronan would have heard her heartbeat and quickened breath. After all, the distance wasn't that far, and Ronan was very perceptive.

Countless emotions swirled in her mind. She felt embarrassed, resentful of herself for not being able to hide her emotions better. She worried that she may appear too easy if she agreed readily. If she were more adept at these things, maybe she would have hesitated at least once.

"...Ehehe.""

But despite that, the corners of her mouth lifted. She had been considering suggesting going on a trip together during this summer vacation cautiously, but she never expected this turn of events. It happened while she was smiling faintly. Suddenly, the door of the student council room creaked open, and a girl entered.

"Adeshan-Unnie!"

"E-Eri?!"

"Why are you so surprised when I said I would come today? Hehe, I missed you."

Adeshan hunched her shoulders as if she had committed a crime. Elizabeth, who ran towards her like a puppy, hugged her tightly.

"Ah... this is it. It wasn't enough."

Elizabeth pressed her face against Adeshan's chest and mumbled. She resembled an affectionate cat with her face pressed against her, more than a dog. Adeshan chuckled softly and patted her head.

"Eri, really..."

"I'm serious. I'm very serious right now."

Elizabeth replied without removing her face. What she needed the most during her tedious apprenticeship was not the praise of proud mages or servants who would take care of trivial tasks but Adeshan's embrace.

"Congratulations on finishing your apprenticeship. How was the Dawn Magic Tower?"

"It was good. I realized how vast the world is. Even the little girl from Garcia has also become quite ladylike... and Aun Philara is, of course, a genius in fire magic."

In response to Adeshan's question, Elizabeth raised her head. There was plenty to talk about. She was about to surprise Adeshan with the unexpected news that she had just been offered a recruitment offer from the Tower Master. Adeshan's face, which was somehow usual, caught her eye.

"...But what's with your expression? What's going on?"

"Hm? Oh, no... It's nothing."

"Lies. Is it something related to Ronan again?"

Adeshan gasped. Elizabeth smirked as if she knew that would be the case and poked her cheek.

"I thought so."

"H-How... did you... know?"

"Well, it's simple. Unnie, you only get worked up about things related to him."

Elizabeth responded with a look that seemed to ask why she even bothered asking such a question. There was only one person in Philleon who could disrupt the perfect student council president.

Suddenly, thinking that person wasn't her, Elizabeth felt a slight irritation. She narrowed her eyes and asked.

"Then tell me. What did that villain do this time to trouble my Unnie?"

"Ah, villain, huh... It's just..."

"You care so much for him, but he doesn't even pay attention. Always getting hurt and coming back. When he was brought in this time, you nursed him all day."

Elizabeth grumbled. Of course, she thought highly of Ronan, but his relationship with Adeshan was another matter. It was like not wanting to see the god you worship in a disheveled state. Adeshan, hesitating, spoke up.

"S-So, um..."

Adeshan relayed the proposal exactly as she heard it from Ronan. Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh my gosh. A trip?"

"Ahaha... I can't believe it either."

"You agreed? No, of course, you did. Why am I even asking?"

Adeshan nodded reluctantly. There were autumn leaves on her face. Elizabeth, who had been sulking, grabbed both of Adeshan's hands.

"Unnie. This is a golden opportunity sent from the heavens. Encourage him to confess first, and if things get awkward, just cover it up with a joke about how annoying it is."

The tone was fast-paced yet serious. Her purple eyes were burning with a fervor never seen before. At the bold suggestion, Adeshan's face lit up even more.

"E-Eri. To cover it up...!"

"Or else, even if you can't do that, you have to make him confess. Can't you use your skill on him?"

Elizabeth pointed at Adeshan's eyes. Both her tone and expression were more severe than usual. It seemed like a different Elizabeth from the one she knew. Adeshan's lips twitched in embarrassment.

"I haven't tried that yet... do I really need to go that far?"

"Ha... Unnie. I hate to say this, but honestly, you need to feel a bit of urgency."

"...Urgency?"

"Yes. Just look at the women around Ronan right now, and you'll understand."

Elizabeth nodded. It was mind-boggling that she needed this explanation, but Adeshan just let it go. If she had been so clueless, they would have been dating for two years already.

"A-About the women... who specifically?"

"There are a lot of candidates, but you should be particularly wary of the club members. If it weren't for Senior Braum, I'd have thought he was holding auditions for club members just by looking at their faces. The only consolation is probably Aselle, who is reputed to be the most beautiful in the magic department, is male. Of course, I think Unnie is the prettiest, but..."

Elizabeth trailed off. Adeshan, who had inferred the rest of the story with some difficulty, took a deep breath. Now that she thought about it, all the women around Ronan were all beautiful, like characters from a fairy tale. From Marya, the vampire princess Ophelia, to even Instructor Navirose, who has been giving off a mysterious aura lately. She looked at Elizabeth, who continued.

"In my opinion, the most dangerous one is probably Marya. She's pretty, has a good figure, and is wealthy... Moreover, the way she looks at Ronan is unusual."

"...Unusual?"

"There's something about it. Like a predator eyeing its prey. What's certain is that she's more likely to take bold actions than you, Unnie."

The word 'bold' held many meanings. Elizabeth explained Marya's position, which was similar to a childhood friend, and the strategic advantage she could gain from it.

"The fact that she's unscrupulous is the scariest part. Even in the club, you two are very close. Moreover, it's hard to ignore the fact that Marya likes physical contact."

Elizabeth briefly recalled the time she spent with her and the club activities. She admitted that Marya's destructiveness was remarkable.

"That's how it infiltrates everyday life. Digging in on the pretext of being friends. What's wrong with holding hands among friends? What's wrong with hugging among friends? In the end, on a stormy night, she'll come in through the window and say, 'We're friends, so why don't we sleep together...'"

"S-Stop it! Okay, I get it, I've heard enough."

Adeshan waved her hand to stop her. Her pale face had turned even paler. The conversation was a story with enough potential. Her breathing began to quicken.

'That can't be.'

Suddenly, it felt like a headache was coming on. The sweet fantasies she had while planning the trip had transformed into scenes of watching Ronan and Marya kissing behind trees. Just imagining it made her hands and feet tremble. A trembling voice escaped her lips.

"E-Eri... What should I do? About that...?"

"It's okay, Unnie. Everything will be fine."

"Thank you..."

"What for?"

Elizabeth patted her on the back. It seemed like she really enjoyed seeing her in such turmoil. It was somewhat enviable. She muttered under her breath.

"I'm okay as long as you're happy, Unnie."

Her smile was somewhat bitter. The evening sun filtered through the curtains, casting a perfect light on the two of them. Somehow, Adeshan had a feeling that a lot would happen this summer.

****

Time passed quickly. As the late entrance ceremony had been held towards the end of spring, the foliage soon turned into vibrant green. Before anyone realized it, it was already the second summer vacation since arriving at Philleon.

"I missed this greenery. I hope everyone has a fun and rewarding time."

With Katir's short speech, the vacation ceremony came to an end. The buzzing of cicadas filled the air. After exchanging greetings with the members, Ronan returned to the dormitory alongside Shullifen.

"How on earth did summer come so fast?"

"It's because winter was so long. Besides, the entrance ceremony was delayed."

"That makes sense. But aren't you feeling hot? You're not sweating at all."

"I'm regulating my sweat glands with mana. It's part of my training."

"You crazy bastard."

Ronan shook his head with a shiver. As much as it might be helpful, he didn't want to resort to such measures. If it got too hot, he preferred fanning himself and letting the sweat trickle down naturally.

Perhaps because it was the vacation ceremony today, the students' expressions were generally bright. The newcomers, who were about to experience their second summer vacation after only three months since enrollment, seemed especially excited.

Despite the oppressive heat that made the cicada sound annoying, their expressions were uniformly cheerful. Ronan, seeing the newcomers playing in the sun, clicked his tongue in disgust.

"Have they lost their minds? How can they do that?"

"It's their first summer in over a year. They must have missed it terribly."

Surprisingly, Itargand was among the players in the ball game. Every time he dodged a ball flying towards him, his platinum hair shimmered in the sunlight.

"Ir, catch this!"

"Don't order me around."

Despite his arrogant tone, Itargand caught the ball. It was amusing to see his cooperative behavior, although his tone remained arrogant. The female students who seemed to follow him were cheering from one side of the field. Seeing how well he blended into human society, Ronan chuckled wryly.

"That bastard surprisingly fits in well."

"I heard there's a rumor that he is running to become the next student council president."

"Well, that's a good thing. I'm sure Lady Navardose would approve."

Ronan chuckled. As they exchanged various conversations, the two of them arrived at the dormitory building. Ronan bid farewell to Shullifen, who had to go up another floor.

"Have a good vacation."

"Will do. Are you heading straight to the north?"

"Yeah. I need to be able to withstand the heat."

"Take care. I hope you don't get too enamored with the ladies and become weak."

With those words, Shullifen climbed the stairs. Women, what a joke. Chuckling to himself as if to say 'how absurd', Ronan entered his room. A huge bag, big enough to fit in Aselle, was lying in front of the entrance.

'Preparations are complete.'

It was the travel bag Ronan had prepared for the trip over the past two months. It was bulky due to the many equipment needed for the trip. Ronan nodded his head, thinking of Adeshan's face.

'I'm glad Sunbae agreed.'

It would be mutually beneficial for Ronan and Adeshan to travel together. In fact, Ronan wanted to take Adeshan with him more often, but it was difficult to spend time together after she took on the responsibility of being the student council president.

He wanted to show Adeshan around the blacksmith's shop, so he brought it up, and he was relieved that she agreed. Since the North was Adeshan's hometown, she probably knew a lot of things Ronan didn't. Since Adeshan's family's ancestral grave was also in the North, it seemed like a good idea to stop by on the way.

"Shall we start heading there?"

Ronan, who had organized his thoughts, slung his backpack over his shoulders. Since he had instructed Cita to look after his sister, they weren't traveling together this time. Since a large-scale purge of Nebula Clazier was going on, the possibility of retaliation could not be ignored.

The agreed meeting place was in front of the western gate of Philleon. As he had come a bit early, no one had come out yet.

"This should be enough."

Ronan, who breathed in the warm air, nodded with satisfaction. Judging by the intensity of the sun piercing his skin, it seemed that the snow and ice covering the North had melted considerably.

While stretching in the refreshing breeze, a familiar voice came from behind.

"Ronan."

"Aaaam...Ah, you're here?"

It was an earlier encounter than he had expected. Ronan turned his head. A lady in formal attire stood there with a backpack slung over her shoulder. His eyes widened.

"...Senior Adeshan?"

"Sorry. I kept you waiting for a long time."

Adeshan said. He tried to respond that it wasn't true, but the words didn't come to mind. Her black hair, which reached down to her waist, fluttered in the wind. Ronan's thoughts came to a halt for a moment.

'This is no joke.'

It wasn't the same Adeshan he had seen a month ago. She didn't seem to have particularly dressed up, but she looked different. The face that had looked haggard from exhaustion seemed to have regained its elasticity, and her hair was as smooth as silk. Her lips, closed slightly, were shining in a coral-like crimson, as if she had lightly applied something.

Simply put, she looked more beautiful. Ronan, who was stunned, finally opened his mouth belatedly.

"Uh, no. I just arrived too."

"Thank goodness. Shall we go then?"

Tucking her hair behind her ear. she smiled gently. It was an adult-like smile she had practiced according to Eri's advice to show the charm of a mature woman. Of course, her heart was pounding as if it would burst out of her chest. Ronan, hearing her words, nodded his head.

"Ah, wait a moment. There are still people coming."

"...People coming?"

Adeshan tilted her head. Weren't they supposed to go together? It was a feeling of anxiety that gradually rose from intuition. Something leaped from behind and hung onto Ronan's neck.

"Gotcha!"

"Ugh!"

Caught off guard by the unexpected ambush, Ronan staggered. Adeshan's eyes widened in surprise. A girl with her blonde hair tied back was clinging to Ronan and giggling.

Her turquoise eyes sparkled, and her assertive figure caught his eye. Marya laughed as she tousled Ronan's hair.

"I came exactly at the right time, but you're here first? I really like people who keep their promises."

Due to the large height difference, the girl's feet were floating off the ground. Ronan, with a furrowed brow, tapped her arms lightly.

"Hey, let go. You're heavy."

"Hey, what kind of guy is so dramatic about carrying things?"

"Aren't you forgetting the weight of the backpack? And now that you've become a muscular lump, you're really heavy."

"Ahaha, that's kind of nice to hear."

Ronan shook his upper body back and forth, but Marya didn't let go easily. Adeshan, who was watching their ridiculous scene, bit her lower lip. Her ashen gaze was fixed on Marya's chest, which was pressed against Ronan's back. Unable to bear it any longer, she opened her mouth.

"Um, excuse me..."

"Oops, hello, Senior Adeshan!"

Before Adeshan could say a word, Marya, locking eyes with her, released her arms from around Ronan's neck and dashed over. As she stood facing Adeshan, she lowered her head and said.

"I'm so glad we get to go together this time. Please take care of me!"

"Yes... Please take care of me as well."

There was nothing to say when it came out so smoothly. Adeshan forced an awkward smile. The corners of her mouth trembled, a far cry from her adult smile. Watching the two women, Ronan smiled in satisfaction.

'They seem to get along well. That's great..'