EP.84 24-1. You can't reach it even if you reach for the moon.
A sultry summer night.
There is a scenery that can only be seen when darkness finally sets in. The softly spreading lights and the boisterous laughter of people. At the night market of the festival,
“Alright~!! To commemorate the successful completion of today’s festival!!”
“Cheers!!”
“Cheers. Ariel, are you already drunk? I told you not to drink beforehand….”
“Hehe~ Kai~ Don’t worry about such things!”
I was sitting across from the hero couple, drinking beer. I’m not good at eating bitter things, so I’m more of a beer person than soju.
“Let’s have a toast together.”
“Cheers.”
I clinked glasses with the glass knight next to me. I wanted to give her even a little bit of support. After all, I almost hurt her because of my curiosity.
“Licht, you’re already drunk.”
“..No, I’m fine.”
Mardol pointed her finger at my neck and smiled. How did she know I couldn’t drink well? I couldn’t beat the main character.
I’ve only slowly drunk one glass and I’m already like this. Well, I’ve been wielding my sword for 5 years to protect our Saintess. The spirit inside my body is already old.
‘I’m an adult here this year.’
It was the first time I had drunk alcohol here. Should I have controlled myself?
I looked around. Students sitting at outdoor tables, chatting and drinking, eating food, and enjoying the night of the summer festival.
Among them, some people had brown wolf ears or tails, or horned Oni. They had the appearance of other races.
‘There’s also an Inurang race…. But why aren’t there any real white hairs? Not even albinos.’
No matter how I thought about it, Grand Hearts Academia was similar to a real university, except that the midterm exam was replaced by a group project and the final exam was replaced by a grade exam.
‘Is it natural because it’s a game?’
Some of the Ten Greats came from other worlds in the setting, so it wouldn’t be strange to bring in some real-world education systems.
“Kai! Look over there! Salamander skewers!”
“Okay.. Salamander.”
The magician patted the hero’s shoulder and talked about the store that was visible in the distance. She was already drunk and in a good mood.
“Kainel. Would you please buy some more food with Ariel? I’ll give you the money.”
I winked at Kainel. Hurry up and go buy it together. If you don’t have this much tact, how will you get married later?
“Licht. What should I buy?”
“Buy something for me and Mardol. Mardol. What would you like to eat….”
As I was about to ask the glass knight, who had removed her disguise, there was a bang and a large beer glass next to her was emptied.
“Buy what Licht likes.”
Mardol was wiping the mouth area of the glass helmet and announcing that her alcohol tolerance was higher than mine.
“..Then please get the wyvern front leg grilled.”
“I won. Licht.”
The princess made a V-sign again and showed it to me. This time she brought it to her chin and supported her face. She was drunk. She was drunk.
“Mardol. You shouldn’t drink alcohol so quickly.”
I started to worry about her more and more. Maybe it felt more comfortable because I didn’t know her face.
A little while later. When Kainel and Ariel left their seats,
“It’s okay. Licht. I’m drinking while knowing it too.”
“..Yes?”
“It’s just.. I’m a little sad today.. Isn’t it funny?”
That Mardol was speaking in a normal tone. Did I eat something wrong? No way. It should be okay because it’s dwarven beer.
“Licht, I knew you were trying to push me away on purpose.”
“...”
“If you can’t even notice that.. you’re an idiot. An idiot.”
She kept drawing a circle on the table with one finger, physically saying that she was very drunk. Her unique competitive spirit must have been triggered.
I looked at the numerous empty beer glasses next to her. Did I have to carry her on my back?
“Was it obvious? I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Licht.. Because I’m a bad person….”
“I told you not to blame yourself.”
“..I still don’t know. I haven’t changed at all.”
Thud. She put her head down on the table and looked at me sideways.
‘She hasn’t changed? Well, her self-esteem must be completely low. It’s understandable to think so.’
She must have been really struggling. It was amazing to see her become soft and malleable when drunk.
“But you’ve changed a lot since the first time I saw you.”
“..Where?”
“Hmm.. Your heart? Should I say it’s gotten softer?”
Mardol chuckled again, but then she seemed to be thinking deeply about something for a moment.
“..Licht. Even if Magic Hat did something wrong.”
Soon, she started to cry and confided her worries to me.
“I don’t think I’m a good person.”
Mardol, blaming and cursing herself for not being able to protect people from the Demon Lord. The eyes visible through the helmet were already teary.
“Why all of a sudden….”
“..Licht, do you hate me too?”
“...”
I paused and pondered what to say to her. In the end, if you ignore and cover up the wound, it will fester. It’s good to take out all the sad memories and blow them away when you can.
‘..The guilt is too heavy. She must have been living with these worries alone.’
Of course, you can run away from problems that can’t be solved right away, but she was releasing the burden in her heart to me right now.
“Don’t say such things. I….”
There was always a time when you needed to face it. Let’s encourage her a little. I opened my mouth to Mardol. I drank the sweet beer because of the bitter taste in my mouth.
“Among the women I know, I think Mardol is the most decent.”
That was true, except for our Saintess. The misunderstanding of her being the Crown Prince had been resolved, and I thought she was a trustworthy person as a companion.
“..Liar.”
“Haha, I’m serious.”
She taught me swordsmanship, and she was a strong person who tried to fight with me when I walked into the battlefield to fight the Demon Lord. A transparent and noble glass knight.
“You’re a good person enough. From the very fact that you’re having such worries.”
That was Mardol Gransia that I knew. Aside from some quirky parts, she was pure and kind, to the point where the fact that she was a princess didn’t bother me.
“..So, please cherish yourself a little more. It makes me sad.”
If it wasn’t for her, I might not be in this place right now. Assuming I hadn’t learned Wolf Fang. Kainel and Ariel were the same.
“Kind liar. Hmph.”
“Ma, Mardol?!”
That was when. She spread her arms and touched my helmet. Then, she pulled her face close, and the distance was less than a hand span.
“..Licht.”
“..What is it?”
“Can’t you show me your face? You can raise the visor.”
At a distance where I could even feel her hot breath, the golden wolf eyes in the glass helmet looked like crescent moons. She was aiming to be left alone from the start.
“..Later, later. I need to prepare myself too.”
“It’s a promise. Definitely.”
I might have been momentarily swept away by the flavor of alcohol. Or I could think of it as atonement for making her bring out painful memories. Both she and I were very drunk, so it was a brief farce.
“Yes, it’s true that I was wrong today..”
I felt a sense of longing. What would this person say if she saw my scars?
“..I’ll be looking forward to it. Licht.”
That’s how a wolf succeeded in swallowing its prey.
***
The hazy scent of alcohol lingered throughout her body. Phine Gransia, using the alias Mardol, felt something uncomfortable.
‘..It’s a lie. Licht is an idiot.’
She was dissatisfied with the man sitting right next to her. Her good eyes could recognize Licht’s lies.
“Among the women I know, I think Mardol is the most decent.”
But the words that followed, that she was a good person enough and that she should cherish herself, were true.
She liked the fact that she could feel the emotions of these straightforward truths that Phine didn’t have to try to figure out with her eyes. This gave her a sense of déjà vu.
‘I feel like I’ve heard that before.. Ah.’
It was probably the Nameless Saintess. That person was the problem. The man wearing the black knight helmet must have said it without thinking.
“..I’m angry. Licht.”
“Stop drinking. You’re too drunk.”
“No. I don’t want to..”
She continued to feel jealous. Even so, it was herself who was by Licht’s side right now. A kind person who carried her on his back when she sprained her leg today.
‘Licht’s back.. was firm. Broad…. Huh?’
Whether it was because of the first physical contact with a man she had ever had, or because she had drunk too much too quickly. Phine continued to feel that her face inside the helmet was hot.
‘It’s just, my imagination. Yeah. I’m drunk.’
She shook her head hard several times, trying to regain her peace.
She was grateful that he didn’t expect anything while knowing that she was a princess, or treat her like he was dealing with a superior, and that he treated her like a friend.
‘I want to know him more. The Saintess or whatever is getting in the way.. That must be it.’
She thought as she poured herself another glass of beer. A kind man like a gentle rain that listened carefully to Phine’s worries and encouraged her.
“Give me your glass.”
“..Huh?”
“I’ll be your black knight.”
No, to be precise, he was a man who looked really good in a black knight helmet. The scars visible through the slightly raised visor.
Licht, who immediately took Phine’s glass, was quickly gulping down the beer so that she wouldn’t be embarrassed. Because of that, he didn’t turn his head and drink as usual, so his mouth was a little visible.
‘..Burn scars.’
She didn’t think he was handsome when she saw it. How could she think that when she saw that? Rather, she felt sorry and sad.
‘How much it must have hurt. Licht..’
Seeing Licht’s scars that he had gotten when he was young made her heart sink and become depressed. Phine herself could cover her face with glass magic.
‘I want to heal him.’
That man was someone who couldn’t even hide his wounds. The feeling of seeing a wounded puppy was a perfect fit. The alcohol was wearing off a bit.
“..What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just.. thought you must have had a hard time too.”
Licht opened his mouth as she watched him intently. Her gaze must have been too blatant.
‘..It would be hurtful to say that I’ll heal him without permission.’
Phine shook her head and shook off her thoughts. Since he couldn’t be healed because of his twisted magic circuit,
‘We’re not that close yet..’
There was no greater frustration than failing after saying you would do it for nothing. Irresponsible sympathy was worse than nothing.
“Let’s cheer each other up as friends.”
“Yeah.. Licht.”
Tok. She leaned her head on Licht’s shoulder. Perhaps because of the alcohol, the man wearing the black knight helmet didn’t push Phine away.
Just silently supporting the glass helmet. She didn’t even realize that the corners of her mouth were slightly raised at the rising sense of relief.
“..The moon is bright tonight.”
“It is. Mardol.”
On a night when the beautiful full moon was in the sky. The feelings of the two men and women, who seemed like they would only grow further apart, gained weight, and the distance became a little closer.