Chapter 22
“I told you before. My name carries quite a bit of weight.”
Lune narrowed her eyes.
It was true—she had said she would gladly bear that weight. But she had no intention of becoming a stain on the name attached to Kyleian.
“You’re not seriously planning to go with me all the way to the Academic Office, are you?”
“Why not?”
He meant it. Lune let out a small sigh, then spoke firmly.
“From here on, I’ll go alone.”
Kyleian frowned as if displeased with her words.
“You were the one who asked me to write you a recommendation.”
“Yes. I asked for a recommendation, not for you to be my guardian.”
“I like to see through anything that lands in my hands. I didn’t expect that a responsible recommender would be treated like some overprotective escort.”
“I’m the kind who makes sure to fulfill opportunities once they’re in my hands. That responsibility and duty are mine.”
“You just can’t back down, can you? This recommendation system exists for talents that can’t shine otherwise. What’s the problem?”
There were plenty of problems—systemic, legal, and otherwise. No matter the good intentions at the start, people always found ways to exploit them.
‘No matter what I say, he won’t see me in a good light anyway.’
Just receiving Kyleian’s recommendation would draw everyone’s attention. She hadn’t even taken the exams or joined the training. If she were admitted like this, the rumors would spread like wildfire.
All the more so now, since Kyleian had taken the seat of Commander of the Academy Corps.
“People will talk. I expected as much. I can endure it, but you have no reason to bear that on my behalf.”
“Talk, you say… laughable.”
His voice remained steady, unwavering.
“You think I recommended you just because you asked? No. You simply had the talent worthy of bearing my name.”
His words carried an unshakable self-confidence.
“My judgment and decision—who dares question them?”
Lune quietly looked at him. His black uniform fell neatly over his broad shoulders, the golden cords on his epaulets shining with a noble dignity.
Unlike herself, he was flawless. Perfect. An ideal.
Kyleian Heraith.
Yes. She could never allow that name to be tarnished.
“I’ll make sure to be someone worthy of that name you entrusted me with.”
“Oh, so you’re saying I should just wait?”
“Yes. Would you wait for me?”
Kyleian raised a brow, looking at her.
Those blue eyes of hers had always been stubborn like this. And he knew well that her stubbornness wouldn’t break easily.
Kyleian opened the small window toward the coachman.
“Stop the carriage.”
The carriage slowed and came to a halt with the clatter of hooves. The coachman opened the door, and the noise of the bustling streets spilled inside.
Lune gripped her bag tightly, her heart racing—whether from fear or anticipation, she wasn’t sure.
“I’ll see you again soon.”
She bowed, then stepped out of the carriage. Behind her came Kyleian’s low murmur.
“I won’t wait long.”
He leaned on his chin, his brows furrowing.
“Lately, I’ve realized my patience doesn’t last as long as it used to.”
The tone was uncharacteristically petulant. Lune turned back to smile at him.
“It won’t take me long.”
The door shut, the whip cracked, and the carriage rolled away again. Amid the jolting ride, Kyleian gazed through the window at Lune standing tall.
He covered his mouth with his hand and chuckled.
“Ha… To think she’d tell me to wait. She’s grown daring beyond belief.”
He had made her wait long enough. Perhaps now it was his turn.
And that wait… it seemed the longer it dragged, the greater the anticipation grew.
“Turn right past that clock tower there and you’ll reach the main building.”
Thanks to Ethan’s directions, finding her way wasn’t difficult.
“So this must be the main hall.”
The gray stone building, steeped in age, was blanketed with green ivy. Climbing the long stone staircase and stepping inside, she was met with the cool air typical of stone structures.
Following the guide signs in the central hall, she soon found the plaque for the Academic Office.
Through the open doorway, she saw people bustling about with stacks of papers.
“Seems everyone’s busy with last-minute admissions.”
Carefully, so as not to bump into anyone, she stepped inside while glancing up at the hanging signs.
At the counter marked Student Records, Lune lightly knocked.
“Excuse me?”
“Yes? What is it?”
Behind a tall stack of documents, a staff member with messy curly hair popped up. His face was pale with exhaustion.
“I’d like to submit a late application to the military academy.”
“Ah, so you’ve arrived. Young Lord Este. We’ve been informed. Could I see your recommendation?”
Just as Kyleian said, word seemed to have reached them. The staffer stood, brushing himself off. Lune opened her bag to take out the letter—
Thud.
A hand suddenly slammed onto the counter.
“I’ve brought a recommendation letter.”
Startled, Lune looked up. A brown-haired young man stood there, catching his breath. In his clenched fist was a rolled parchment.
‘Good grief. Did he run all the way here?’
He straightened up with a long exhale. Tall, with a striking presence. But even more striking was his attire.
Worn leather gauntlets, high boots, and a massive greatsword slung across his back.
He looked just like a mercenary guarding a merchant caravan.
‘He seems about my age. But what’s with him?’
The staffer, equally startled, sighed in relief.
“My word, you actually brought it.”
After excusing himself to Lune, he opened the parchment and began reading. His expression quickly turned uneasy, and he adjusted his glasses.
“Forgive me for asking, but… you’re reapplying with Guildmaster Godham’s recommendation?”
‘What—he really is a mercenary?’
The Godham Guild—one of the Empire’s top mercenary guilds. Its fame stemmed largely from its leader, Godham Kindler, the only guildmaster ever granted a count’s title, serving even as an official intelligence source for the Imperial Court.
The young man bristled at the question.
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
His sharp reply made the staffer wave his hands nervously.
“N-no, not at all. It’s just… canceling an existing admission to reapply is rather rare. You do know your squad assignment will be pushed back?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
His curt answer was dismissive.
‘Well, Godham Kindler is a titled noble now, so the recommendation is valid.’
Lune glanced at the young man, sweat still beading on his jaw. Despite his mercenary garb, his brown hair was neatly trimmed.
‘So he must be a noble-born who had an admission letter already. But instead of using that, he brought a recommendation instead?’
For someone who had lived freely as a mercenary to enter the academy—it wasn’t typical, that was for sure.
‘An unusual one.’
Tilting her head, Lune noticed the staffer glancing curiously between them.
‘Oh. I guess I’m no different.’
She too had returned her admission papers only to bring a recommendation letter instead.
“In any case, I’ll need to assign you both dormitory rooms. Let me fetch the keys.”
The staffer, introducing himself as Fon, excused himself and slipped through a side door.
As they waited, Lune felt the weight of a stare and looked up. The brown-haired boy was staring down at her with rare grayish-brown eyes.
‘Why is he looking at me like that?’
He squinted as though inspecting something strange. It was brazen, even rude—but then she remembered she had just done the same to him.
‘Guess I looked just as strange to him. No harm in staying civil.’
Since he was also applying to the academy, she figured he’d be her classmate soon enough. No reason to sour things already.
She offered a polite hand.
“I came with a recommendation as well. Seems we’ll be classmates at the academy. I’m Lune Adeluz Este.”
“…Este?”
The boy folded his arms, one brow rising. He glanced at her hand, then turned his head away.
‘What? He was the one staring rudely first, and now this?’
Lune withdrew her hand awkwardly, frowning. Just then, Fon returned with a ring of keys.
“Thank you for waiting. We had a vacancy thanks to a cadet repeating a year, but it took some work to free up space.”
He glanced at Lune with a hesitant smile.
“So… if you’d like a more suitable room, you might need to wait a bit longer.”
She tilted her head. A more suitable room?
“I thought dorms were assigned strictly by squad.”
“Well, yes, but considering the standing of your recommender—”
“No.”
Lune cut him off, raising a hand firmly.
“You said space was limited. Please assign me according to regulations.”
“Oh, are you sure?”
Seeing her nod calmly, Fon looked relieved. With his workload already piling up, her straightforwardness was a blessing.
He had heard she was delicate and temperamental due to her past illness, but clearly rumors couldn’t be trusted. Smiling broadly, he handed over the register.
“Then please sign the cadet register here.”
The brown-haired boy scribbled his name first, then shoved the book toward her. His cold demeanor made her frown.
‘What a personality. Elen Gri…? What did he even write?’
The handwriting was atrocious, barely legible. Still, at least she knew his name was Elen.
She neatly signed below, returned the book, and watched as Fon hurriedly pulled on his jacket.
“I wish I could give you a proper tour, but with the entrance ceremony only days away, I’m swamped. For now, I’ll escort you to the dormitory. Please, follow me.”
