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Chapter 31
In the end, whether he truly had no intention of returning to the cadet corps or not, Daniel was dragged back after some petty, meaningless resistance and got caught by Rune.
The moment he entered class, he was called out by Lankersk, given a scolding, and then forced to run around the training grounds all day with full gear on his back. As if that weren’t enough, Lankersk handed him a huge sheet of paper and told him to write an apology letter in the tiniest handwriting possible.
Lying on Ellen’s bed and reading a book, Rune chuckled softly when he heard Daniel groan. Lowering the book, she saw him huddled at the desk.
His shirt was off, leaving only a sleeveless undershirt clinging to his sweaty body as he clutched his head.
“Daniel, holding that tiny pen… your massive muscles almost look cute.”
“Don’t mock me, damn it! Ugh, is Lankersk getting more vicious by the day or what?”
“I’d say he held back quite a bit. He looked like he could’ve snapped you in half.”
“Oh, well that’s just so reassuring.”
Daniel grimaced and shook his head hard before focusing back on scribbling the apology.
“Just attend class properly from now on. He may scold you like that, but honestly, he looked more worried about you than anything else.”
In truth, the harsh expression on Lankersk’s face earlier had contained more worry and relief than anger. Lord Ethan’s words had been right—despite his roughness, he did care for the students.
“Worry, my ass…” Daniel muttered with endless grumbling. Just then, the door opened, and Ellen, who had stepped out for a bit, returned.
“Oh, you’re back?” Rune greeted him with a bright smile, but Ellen froze in place mid-motion, halfway through taking off his jacket.
“Why the hell are you always in this room?”
“We even share the bathroom, don’t be so uptight.”
Rune turned his eyes back to his book and flipped the pages lazily. Ellen sighed as he hung up his jacket.
“Take my advice—don’t say things like that anywhere else. And also…”
He spotted the discarded clothes scattered at his feet the moment he walked in. Grinding his teeth, Ellen snapped:
“Will you please put on some clothes!”
He tossed a white tunic, which landed right on top of Daniel, who was banging his forehead against the desk.
“…Ughhh, my brain’s not working.”
The bizarre groaning from under the tunic made Ellen shake his head in exasperation.
At this rate, he might be the one to go crazy. Daniel had clearly forgotten that Rune Adeluze Este was, in fact, a woman.
How the hell did it come to this?
All Ellen had allowed her was use of the bathroom. Yet somehow, she had slipped into his daily life like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Ughhh! I can’t take it anymore!”
Suddenly, Daniel ripped at his hair and sprang to his feet.
Rune, looking at the mess of bird’s-nest hair, sighed sympathetically.
“Why not go get some fresh air instead of that?”
Fresh air?
Daniel’s ears perked up.
Yes—on a sunny holiday like this, being cooped up and miserable wasn’t his style. Tossing aside the crumpled apology letter, he grinned broadly.
“Alright, let’s go! Today I’ll show you every corner of Lefium!”
Rune blinked, lowering her book with a tilted head at the sudden, ridiculous suggestion.
“…Aren’t you grounded?”
Seeing her puzzled expression, Daniel slid into his tunic and smirked.
“Pfft, just trust me. I’ve got my ways.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Hey, don’t ditch me like that!”
Daniel spread his arms wide in front of Ellen, blocking his way.
“Ten extra sparring matches. How about it?”
Ellen narrowed his eyes, exhaled through his nose, and muttered:
“…Don’t forget the three you already owe me.”
Grudgingly, he grabbed his jacket again and gave Rune a nod.
“Get up. It’s worth knowing a few things.”
“Of course! I may look like this, but—”
“At least you didn’t waste all your time at school.”
“Hey!”
Daniel threw an arm around Ellen’s neck with mock outrage. Ellen instantly twisted his arm, making Daniel squeal in pain.
“Rune! Help me! Ack!”
Rune gave a vague laugh as she got off the bed. Were they close or not? Hard to tell.
Well, it looks bothersome… but I guess they don’t really hate it either.
Ellen, clearly resigned, no longer fought off Daniel’s clinginess. With an arm still slung over his shoulder, Daniel called back with energy:
“Hurry up, Rune! If we want to see everything today, we’re short on time!”
Just moments ago he’d been half-dead, but now Daniel was beaming, waving his free arm excitedly.
“Alright, I’m coming.”
Rune smiled faintly as she walked toward the two waiting at the open door.
Truthfully, she didn’t dislike this noisy chaos either.
“Wow… I hate this.”
She hadn’t expected to regret her words so quickly.
Rune’s expression looked as if she’d bitten into rotten meat, and Daniel looked genuinely hurt.
“Come on, Rune. Do you think I share this kind of golden information with just anyone in this barren academy life?”
“…True. Like a bear sniffing out honey, people would come running.”
Daniel’s nonsense was ridiculous, but Ellen actually nodded seriously, which left Rune speechless.
Daniel she could understand, but Ellen? How long had he even been here, and already he was sneaking around like this?
Hands on her hips, Rune glared at the two of them.
Daniel’s secret escape route was at a shady spot behind the west building. Beneath a pile of weeds, he proudly revealed his “sweet honey” of information.
“Incredible, Daniel. To think you’d even sniff out a dog hole in the academy.”
Taking her words as a compliment, Daniel rubbed his nose and shrugged.
“Eh, nothing much.”
“…That wasn’t praise. Don’t get cocky.”
Rune clicked her tongue at the gaping hole in the wall. It was far too big for a dog hole—Daniel could stroll through without ducking.
Either he’d dug it himself, or he’d used it so often it had widened to fit his size. Both options gave Rune a headache.
“This is definitely a disciplinary offense,” she muttered.
She blocked the entrance, but Daniel stamped his feet with a pitiful face.
“Aw, come on! I’ve been going to class properly lately. If I suddenly change too much, it’s unhealthy, you know! I’ll seriously get sick. Just one trip, please? Pleaseee?”
He looked like an oversized puppy begging for snacks. Rune winced. Please… with that body, stop trying to act cute.
“You could’ve just requested a leave permit. Why sneak out here?”
“Because there’s a curfew.”
Rune shot Ellen a cold glare. Just what time had he been coming back, exactly? And worse—would they even make it back today?
Rune was about to stop them again when suddenly—
Both Ellen and Daniel pressed themselves sharply against the wall behind her.
“What now?!”
Without thinking, Rune also flattened against the wall, then went pale at the sight of two figures approaching.
Lord Cailian!
Striding forward on long legs, Cailian had Ethan by his side, as always.
Ellen muttered under his breath with a grim face:
“I’m leaving first.”
“What?” Rune snapped her head around, but Ellen had already slipped out through the hole.
Ellen! Of all people, I thought you wouldn’t!
Biting her lip, Rune crouched down low.
Damn it! Forget it—
She couldn’t let Cailian catch her sneaking around like this, not after her big talk about proving herself.
“Rune, wait for me!”
Panicked, Daniel scrambled after them through the hole.
“That’s the last of today’s agenda.”
Closing his notebook, Ethan sighed deeply.
“…As expected, there’s not a moment to breathe. Honestly, I’d love to collapse right now and wake up a month later.”
“Really? Weren’t you the one who said you didn’t care about being buried in work, as long as you got to return to the Empire?”
At Cailian’s calm retort, Ethan flipped his eyelids down in protest.
“Not even a moment to look around is one thing—but surely I deserve some time to close my eyes! Look at these dark circles, my lord!”
Cailian chuckled and rubbed the stiffness in his neck as they walked toward the dean’s office—the damned old building far across campus.
Just as Ethan said, their days were so busy it felt like there weren’t enough hours. The academy wasn’t just people—it was the facilities too, all in dire need of fixing.
“How’s the communal bath renovation coming along?”
“All done, of course.”
Ethan glared at the man responsible for his lack of sleep. As if the mountain of work wasn’t enough, his lord kept creating new projects. How very generous of him.
“Once the new dorm buildings are finished, the cadets from the old quarters will be relocated in order.”
For some reason, his master seemed intent on overhauling every single convenience facility in the academy.
“…I never thought you’d be so concerned with cadet welfare. At this rate, you’ll tear up the entire training grounds too.”
“That wouldn’t be so bad.”
The genuine response left Ethan speechless.
Come to think of it…
When had Cailian last set foot in the training grounds?
It had only been a week, but with how busy things were, it felt more like a month.
“That boy.”
Ethan understood instantly who he meant and nodded.
“If you mean Young Lord Este, don’t worry. I keep a closer eye on him than on my own brother.”
“Keep watching. His fever might flare up again.”
Ethan clicked his tongue inwardly at his lord’s furrowed brow. Honestly, he was worse than the Marquis Este himself.
“Don’t worry! The young lord is perfectly healthy. Far better off than you, buried in work as you are—oh, ow!”
Ethan had walked straight into Cailian’s back when he stopped abruptly.
“What is it, my lord?”
“…So, that’s what you mean by healthy.”
Cailian narrowed his eyes as he watched shadows slip away under the wall.
Beside Rune, there weren’t just Ethan’s precious younger brother anymore, but also some big, mutt-like brute tagging along too.
