Chapter 44
I stab the vegetables on my plate with a fork, sighing as various memories come to mind.
I've already introduced myself to them, and we've been acting together since then, so is it okay to consider them friends now...?
It feels a bit different from what I had imagined, but as Sasha said, same-sex friends at military school are incredibly valuable.
After all.
"Even if you say same-sex friends... there were only four of us, including me..."
Only four people showed up at the light physical examination.
I asked the staff if some might have been late, but they told us that we were all there, leaving me dumbfounded.
"It's like this every year. During our time... I think there were five of us."
"Well, of course. Unlike men, women entering military school are rare... Even if they do, almost all of them are in the civil officer class. Oh, Celes, are you going for martial officer or civil officer?"
"Since my cousin is taking both, I plan to do the same."
"Whoa, you're seriously going to do that...?"
"At that point, making same-sex friends might be tough. Martial officer classes have a lot of practical training and expeditions, so it's normal to be out of town for a whole week."
"By the fifth day, everyone's eyes lose all signs of life..."
"And the filth right after they come back... They smell awful, these guys."
As Sasha laughs and pinches her nose to demonstrate, Tom and Dan clutch their chests, groaning "Ugh..." while those sitting nearby listening to our conversation also groan and collapse onto the table...
"Anyway, Celes has reliable senior cousins, so there's no problem. Those two probably have lots of friends regardless of class, and they were incredibly popular even in our year. Plus, I bet those two would still smell nice even after an expedition..."
"No way, no matter how hard they try, they'd still stink, right?! Isn't that so?"
I've never camped for days, so I wouldn't know, but if asked whether those two could smell nice, I'd have to say that's impossible...
Since Dan sought my agreement, I quietly nod. I'll probably stink too, after all.
"By cousins, you mean Colonel Ruget's sons, right? Those two..."
Ignoring Dan's fierce protests, Sasha starts praising my cousins' good points, while Tom, unusually, gives a wry smile and hesitates to speak.
Speaking of Uncle Ruget's sons, there's the eldest, Roberto, who came of age last year, and the second son, Liam, who comes of age this year. Both are still at military school, and even if Tom and Dan interacted with them there, it would've only been for about a year.
Wondering what could have happened in such a short time, I cast a suspicious glance at the two of them, and Sasha, clinging to me, whispers the reason into my ear.
Apparently, the reason Tom and Dan despise them is "jealousy and envy."
"Celes, what's with that face...!? Hey, stop it, I'm gonna cry, okay?"
"Sasha, what did you say to Celes...?"
"Just a story about some guys jealous of young, promising, talented noblemen. Even if you glare at me, it's fine since pretty much everyone here feels the same way, right?"
"...True, those guys are head and shoulders above the rest in looks. But starting this year, it's different...! Because from now on, our comrade Celes is going to steal all the popularity at military school! Wahahaha... Oof!?"
A tray flies from behind Dan, who was standing on a chair laughing loudly, and hits him squarely on the head. We glance at Dan writhing in pain, thinking it's fortunate it wasn't a corner that hit him, and quietly turn our faces away from Colonel Nick, who is glaring at us.
"What Sasha said has some truth to it, but Colonel Ruget's sons are a bit, well, problematic in terms of personality..."
"Ah, ouch... Anyway, just say it clearly so we get it. Basically, Roberto and Liam have bad personalities."
"Well, not exactly bad personalities, more like strong quirks. Celes probably knows more about that, right?"
I've met them a few times when I was younger, but all I remember now is their faces.
I have contact with my aunt and their sister Rijyu in the Royal Capital, but I've never met them in Taurus, and even after coming to Taurus, my cousins are in the military school dorms, so there's been no chance to meet.
While thinking about such things, the topic of conversation shifts one after another, and sometimes I even forget what we were talking about, but that's also fun, and time passes as we laugh together.
"It's about time to wrap up, huh..."
Turning my gaze to Dan, who muttered that quietly, I see him resting his chin on both arms placed on the back of the chair, staring intently at the spot where Grandfather and the others are gathered.
Listening to Dan's unusually melancholic voice, I absentmindedly stare at his back.
"...There's not a single person in this town who speaks ill of the Rotish family. Fildé Rotish, despite being a noble and a lord, has always stood at the forefront wielding a sword. We've been protected by him, and we grew up watching the back of such a great man. It's amazing, isn't it... I'm proud that he's the lord of this town, a marshal, and my superior."
I'm so surprised to hear Dan, who usually laughs carelessly, speak so seriously that I forget to even respond and just listen intently.
"So, when Celes came here, I was pretty thrown off. The grandchild of that man, the daughter of the current lord, and the next lord. To us living on the frontier, you're no different from a princess from the Royal Capital... And yet, before we even figured out how to treat you, you somehow blended in. You cling desperately to harsh training, covered in mud, gritting your teeth, don't you? Ah, this kid is definitely a Rotish! That's when I was convinced..."
"I was terrified of the marshal who shows no mercy even to his own grandchild, though."
Tom, deliberately shrugging his shoulders, grins, and Dan, who had his back to us, turns around completely.
He looks straight at me and smiles.
"Celes, you're not becoming a soldier, so we won't train together or live side by side like this anymore. But even so, I've decided on my own that you're still a comrade! So, no matter what happens, I'll hold the front line. I'll never let another country invade, and even if war breaks out, I won't let the enemy reach you. Rest easy and strut around as the lord!"
"It's not just me who thinks of Celes as a comrade—it's all of us."
My vision blurs, and tears drip onto the table one by one.
"...Come on, Celes, look over here."
As Sasha wipes my face, I look around the now-silent cafeteria and see everyone smiling at me, crying, raising their glasses high, and downing their drinks in one gulp.
Grandfather also waves his glass, and Uncle Ruget and Colonel Nick raise theirs with smiles on their faces.
"...Thank you."
Realizing this is truly the end... I honestly express my gratitude and raise my glass filled with water.
After that, my tears don't stop for a while, troubling everyone, and the next morning, my eyelids are so swollen I can't open my eyes—an incident in itself.
Incidentally, this emotional farewell party, as it was called, somehow becomes a story passed down through generations at Ransheen Fortress, and years later, when I step foot here again, I end up covering my face with one hand out of embarrassment and letting out a strange cry...
As I gaze out the window at the fine weather, my heart races with excitement for my new life, never imagining that my future self would decide to go back in time and eliminate my past self if given the chance.