Chapter 76
Last year, the number of nobles who enrolled in the military school—from count families to baron families—reached an unprecedented fifteen, far exceeding the usual number.
It wasn't unusual for children from military nobles or viscount families to enroll, but this year was exceptional: from the grandson of a marshal to the beloved son of a wealthy baron family, and even a nouveau riche baron family with a foreign grandfather. To top it off, former Count Tseri, who was once the Knight Commander, came to the military school as an instructor.
The clerks who were processing the pre-submitted documents were so overwhelmed by the lineup that they immediately went to report to the military school's administration.
Nobles and commoners, whose aspirations and environments were completely different, would never normally mingle. It would be understandable if their grandparents, parents, or relatives were in the military, but some nobles with no such background were enrolling in the military school.
The military school strictly adhered to meritocracy, but the administration wondered if the nobles could really understand that. So they decided to create a special class with different lessons and pacing to observe them for a year.
As a result, while there were some disputes, they were all like childish squabbles, and the administration was relieved that things had gone better than expected... but then.
Around the end of summer, the administration received documents directly handed over by the marshal, who rarely visited the school, and upon reading them, they collapsed to their knees.
They had anticipated that more nobles would enroll than the previous year.
However, they assumed it would only be baron families at most and didn't expect sons from count families or higher.
And yet, the documents detailed that next year, not only would nobles enroll, but His Highness the Second Prince, a member of the royal family, would enter the school accompanied by his count family aide... The urge to reject the document was strong, but the moment they saw the person who delivered it, the administration had no choice but to accept it in tears.
New students, holding the guidebooks handed out at the gate, excitedly entered the venue where the entrance ceremony would be held.
Some walked in confidently, while others nervously looked around. Watching the fresh-faced newcomers, I smiled wryly from beside the stage, wondering if I had looked the same back then.
"Celes, did you see something amusing?"
"There's nothing amusing about a mere entrance ceremony, is there?"
With his chin resting on my right shoulder, Sil looked out at the venue and said, "They're so fresh." From above, Severi replied seriously, "We're only a year apart."
Behind us, where we crouched to avoid being seen from the venue, active soldiers waited with the instructors for the ceremony to begin.
Normally, current students aren't allowed near the entrance ceremony venue, but the three of us ended up here because the tyrant Instructor Harrison dumped the setup duties on us.
Well, we were planning to ask if we could watch anyway, so it worked out well...
"There he is."
I squinted at the partially filled seats and softly spoke when I spotted the person I was looking for sitting in front of the stage.
"Hmm, where... whoa, he really stands out."
"Just like Celes said, he looks like an angel from the scriptures."
"Lesser nobles and commoners don't usually get to see royalty up close, so of course they're surprised. Look at everyone's faces. It's hilarious, isn't it?"
"He doesn't seem to mind being stared at."
"If he's always like that, he's probably used to it."
Renato seemed more mature than during the music festival—maybe because his golden hair, which used to fall to his shoulders, had been cut short, or maybe his facial features had simply changed.
Either way, rather than looking manly, his queen-like beauty had only become more refined, making him far more beautiful than the average daughter.
"It'd be nice if he keeps growing up like this."
"Wait, Celes, what was that? Are you speaking like a parent?"
"There's no point in asking."
"Severi, you give up fast when it comes to Celes."
I tried to shrug off Sil, who was making noise near my ear, but he locked his arms around my waist, so I stepped on his foot. While we silently wrestled, a voice from behind scolded us, "You two, settle down already," and we froze.
The ceremony proceeded calmly, just like last year.
Renato, who had been gazing up at the stage with a composed expression, widened his eyes in surprise when an active soldier held up a black backpack and began explaining its contents.
"It looks like it's almost over, but does setup duty include cleanup too?"
"We haven't been told anything, so it has nothing to do with us."
"Right. Then should we grab lunch early and head to the training ground?"
"Let's leave before the hallway gets crowded."
"Celes."
Once the explanation of the distributed supplies ended, the ceremony would conclude, and the new students would move to the dormitories.
I had hoped to at least see his face and talk for a bit before that, so when I told the other two I'd wait for Renato at the edge of the hallway, they both looked exasperated for some reason.
"You're overprotective."
"Definitely overprotective."
"But he's all alone in a place far from the Royal Capital."
"Everyone's in the same boat. Besides, he's royalty, so he probably brought guards and aides. He's not lonely—if anything, he's probably enjoying the freedom."
"If you meddle too much, he'll end up resenting you."
Severi's comment about being resented stabbed into my chest, and I groaned. Sil patted my back and nudged me toward the exit. As an instructor on stage began announcing school rules, the three of us stood up and started walking.
The hallway connecting the ceremony venue and the school building had a few steps leading outside, and after walking a bit, we reached a tree-lined path stretching from the gate to the school.
We figured we wouldn't be in the way if we stood near the wide steps, so the three of us leaned against a hallway pillar there.
"Hey, I looked more handsome than His Highness the Second Prince, right?"
"So that's what you've been thinking about all this time?"
"We're the same type, so I was curious. What do you think, Celes?"
"Sure, both of you have pretty faces, but if Renato is an angel, then you're an elf, Sil."
"Sorry, I don't get it. What kind of comparison is that?"
"She probably means they're both beautiful in a non-human way."
"Don't stop at non-human... So basically, you're saying I'm beautifully inhuman? Huh, Celes, you like this face too?"
When I nodded at Sil, who leaned in from below to look at me, his mischievous smile instantly vanished and he jumped back.
I followed him with my eyes, impressed by his nimbleness. Sil covered his mouth with his hand and kept muttering, "Eh, eh—eh?"
"Is it really that surprising? I think both you and Severi have handsome faces."
"But it's Celes! What do I do? Getting praised by Celes makes this area feel all fuzzy..."
Sil pressed both hands to his chest and said, "Right here!" I ignored his nonsense and turned to Severi, silently asking him to deal with his partner...
"I'm surprised you could properly recognize the face of a man other than Instructor Tseri."
I slumped my shoulders, wondering if he was just as dumb.
Whenever I'm with these two, the conversation always goes off in strange directions—but Sil once said that's what makes it fun.
When he said he admired such an easygoing and unreserved relationship, I laughed, wondering what kind of royalty he was.
"But still, even though His Highness the Second Prince is already set to become the Knight Commander, why did he enroll in the military school?"
"There's no rule saying he can't."
"True, but becoming Knight Commander without graduating from the knight course is unheard of. That might become a burden someday. Maybe he plans to oversee both the military and the knight training... Celes, have you heard anything?"
"Why would I?"
"Because you're close enough to call His Highness the Second Prince by name."
"That's only because Grandfather is close to His Majesty the King."
"Is that really it...? I don't think they'd allow it unless you were really well-liked."
I never expected to see Sil's doll-like fake smile—the one I saw when we first talked in front of the military school gate—resurface here and now.
"Are you really telling me you haven't heard anything? Isn't it strange that His Highness the Second Prince would come to such a dangerous place, where small-scale skirmishes with other countries happen most of the year because of the borders and mines?"
"Even if there is a reason, there's no way I'd be informed—maybe Grandfather, but not me."
"Celes, you were at that Ransheen Fortress, right? Then—"
"Sil. Celes said she doesn't know anything."
Sil's unusually persistent behavior gave off a sense of desperation. Wondering if something was up, I glanced at Severi, who had stopped him, but he silently shook his head.
When the students were told in advance that His Highness the Second Prince would be enrolling, they were momentarily surprised, but quickly assumed he was following the former Knight Commander and accepted it.
Even if there was another reason, it was a matter far beyond the concern of mere nobles and commoners—yet Sil alone tried to dig deeper.
"And what would you do with that knowledge?"
I only asked out of curiosity. It was meaningless to me.
Even so, why was he looking at me with such emotionless eyes?
"...Sil?"
I called Sil's name and gently reached out my hand...
"Celes!"
"...!"
Before I could touch him, a shock ran through my body.
"...Renato."
"Good. I would've been mad if you called me 'His Highness the Second Prince' like a stranger."
Renato wrapped his arms around my neck from behind and smiled—still as adorable as ever.
Yes, his arms around my neck... Wait, what?
"Renato, your height... when did you—"
"You noticed? Looks like I finally caught up to you, Celes. Maybe I'll even surpass you soon."
In just a few short months, Renato, who used to be shorter than me, had grown to match my height—and the thought of Sil's strange behavior completely vanished from my mind.