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Chapter 35
Jun carefully scooped up the sifted powder and divided it into a few narrow glass vials, each no bigger than a finger.
“The amount is small, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem for analysis.”
“You must be busy already. Don’t overwork yourself,” Rune said awkwardly, rubbing at the corner of her brow. She didn’t know how far Jun’s research had come, but the headquarters was already conducting its own investigation into the powder.
“It’s fine. Analyzing new minerals isn’t all that different from the research I’m already doing.”
“Here, you keep one.” Jun handed her a vial with a bright smile.
After leaving the lab, the two of them sat on the lawn, sharing a light lunch and talking about many things.
Before parting, Rune asked Jun to deliver a letter she had written to Marlin, then returned to attend her remaining classes and training.
A quiet night settled over the peaceful dormitory.
Rune found it difficult to fall asleep. After tossing and turning, she finally sat up against her bedframe. Supporting her neck with one hand, she lifted the vial between her fingers up to the moonlight. The black powder glimmered faintly with a purplish hue.
“I knew it wasn’t gunpowder, but… something about it still feels strange.”
There was something nagging at her—something on the tip of her mind—but she couldn’t quite place it.
Frustrating. Well, Jun said he’d analyze its components. By the time I meet him again, maybe we’ll have a clue.
Organizing her thoughts, Rune opened the drawer of her bedside table. Inside, nestled carefully, was Kaelion’s dagger gleaming under the moonlight.
“Don’t forget your duty as a cadet. You should be focusing on the upcoming promotion exam.”
Remembering that low, steady voice, Rune tucked the vial deeper inside and dropped heavily onto her bed.
Kaelion was right. Now was not the time to be distracted. The promotion exam would be her first real step toward proving herself.
Class ended, and cadets streamed out of the lecture hall like a tide.
“What on earth is he doing at a time like this?”
Closing her heavy textbook, Rune let out a sigh as she glanced at the empty seat beside her.
He was doing fine for a while, but…
Daniel had disappeared.
Thinking back, she realized he had started acting oddly after their trip into the city.
He began showing up to classes sporadically, and not long ago, he had even gotten himself kicked out for snoring loudly in the middle of a lecture.
But the real problem had been this past week. He hadn’t been to class, training, or anywhere else. Rune could hardly even catch a glimpse of him anymore.
She had even gone to his dorm room, but every time she came up empty. Even when she waited until curfew, he never appeared.
Could something really have happened to him?
The thought had been gnawing at her for a week. She couldn’t tell anyone either—Daniel had already repeated a year, and she didn’t want to risk making things worse for him.
Watching Ellen calmly pack her things, Rune finally asked,
“Ellen, do you know where Daniel is?”
“No idea.”
“You’re his roommate. How can you not know?”
“Ask him yourself.”
“Ellen!”
Rune sighed at the sight of Ellen walking away coldly.
“Honestly, that stubbornness… How am I supposed to ask him when I can’t even find him?”
She had asked Ellen about Daniel’s whereabouts countless times, but it was clear he had no intention of telling her.
Determined not to give up, Rune hurried after his shrinking figure. When it came to persistence, she wasn’t about to lose.
“He should be at the stables around this time.”
After an entire day of hounding him with questions, Ellen finally spoke with a fed-up expression before disappearing again.
The Academy stables were located on a hill behind the training grounds.
As Rune climbed the gentle slope, a large barn built of sturdy timber came into view. She could already hear horses snorting and hooves striking against wooden planks.
Upon promotion, cadets commissioned as officer candidates were each assigned a horse to care for.
First-years like Rune hadn’t been assigned any yet, so this was her first time visiting the stables.
Daniel, however, had taken the promotion exam last year. He should already have his own horse. Maybe that was where he had been spending all his time.
“Skipping class for this? What could he possibly be doing here?”
As she muttered while walking, a large stack of hay suddenly lurched in front of her. A worker was carrying it to feed the horses.
“Oh, sorry.”
Left, right.
Then right, left.
She ended up awkwardly dancing around with the haystack, sighing as she scratched her brow.
The haystack wobbled as if just as flustered.
“Please stay where you are. I’ll just pass.”
“N-no, let me—”
The next second, a short yelp rang out—“Ack!”—and the hay collapsed to the ground.
Through the straw spilling everywhere, a head of messy, sandy curls appeared.
Rune’s eyes widened in shock.
“…Daniel?”
“Ah… haha. Good morning, Rune.”
“So, long story short…”
Daniel’s voice trailed off vaguely. Rune crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes sharply.
“Don’t ‘long story short’ me. Tell me properly.”
Daniel scratched the back of his head, looking uncomfortable. He had already pulled all the straw out of his curly hair, but now he didn’t know where to put his hands—or his eyes.
“At this rate, you’ll get expelled again. You okay with that?”
Her blunt words made Daniel’s reddish-brown eyes cloud with gloom.
“…It’s not like I want to be like this.”
Wait… is he about to cry?
Rune froze for a second at the sight of his almost tearful face. For all his size, Daniel was ridiculously soft-hearted.
Quickly forcing her sympathy back down, she cleared her throat.
“Ahem. So what—you’re not planning on graduating with me?”
Looking sulky, Daniel soon slumped down onto the ground, ruffling his hair in frustration.
“Damn it… the truth is, I injured Alfonso’s horse. I’ve been paying off the debt ever since.”
“What? Debt? What are you talking about?”
The story that followed was so absurd that Rune nearly laughed.
Apparently, about a year ago, Daniel had refused Alfonso’s offer to become his squire. Not long after, he happened to walk past Alfonso’s horse—and somehow the horse’s leg broke.
Rune clicked her tongue in disbelief.
“A horse just standing there suddenly breaks its leg? Does that even make sense?”
“Exactly! I swear I was innocent. But the only ones there were Alfonso’s cronies…”
Daniel let out a bitter sigh.
“Who would believe the word of a commoner like me?”
“I believe you, Daniel.”
“…What?”
“I said, I believe you.”
Cadets could serve as squires to upperclassmen, assisting them and receiving personal training in return. In recent years, it had also become a sign of intent—to serve as that knight’s retainer after graduation. Both seniors and juniors were usually very careful in choosing. Some never took on a squire at all.
Daniel did have some ability—he could at least wield aura lightly with his sword.
That’s probably why Alfonso wanted him so badly.
Rune recalled that Daniel’s father had been delighted when Baron Tutor sponsored him into the Academy. With so many younger siblings to care for, Daniel had been working in the family’s trading business before suddenly being sent here.
“Who knew that damn horse would cost so much? I couldn’t even support my family after coming here alone. The last thing I wanted was to burden them further.”
A barony was just an administrative position with a small fief, not a hereditary title. The Baron surely wanted Daniel to rise high enough to become at least a knight of rank.
If Daniel became a high-ranking knight, he’d be treated the same as a baron.
Until Daniel graduated, his family must have been living with tightened belts, struggling to get by.
“I’ll talk to my father. Let’s pay off the debt first—”
“No! Don’t you dare. If you do, I’ll never see you again!”
Daniel shouted, shaking his head furiously. To him, it was a matter of pride, no matter what the truth was.
Just receiving Marquis Este’s sponsorship was already more than enough. If word of this reached the Marquis’s ears, how could he ever return to Este lands with his head held high?
Rune pressed her hand to her forehead, thinking of the friendly townsfolk who always treated Daniel kindly.
“So you’ve been sneaking out to earn money? Just how much do you owe?”
“Forget it. It’s almost paid off now anyway. Damn it… if that bastard Alfonso hadn’t raised the interest…”
“Fine. If you don’t want my father involved, I’ll help. I’ve got money in my personal accou—”
“Don’t be ridiculous! That’s even worse. This is my problem!”
Watching Daniel recoil in horror, Rune sighed softly.
Stubborn as ever… so that’s why Ellen kept quiet too.
It wasn’t hard to guess—Daniel must have told him to keep it a secret.
“Then I guess there’s only one option left.”
Rune dusted off her pants as she stood from the haystack she’d been sitting on. Stretching lightly, she suddenly heaved up an enormous bundle of hay with ease.
Daniel sprang up in alarm.
“Hey! What are you doing? Put that down!”
He looked like a panicked golden retriever again, and Rune couldn’t help but laugh before turning away calmly.
“If Ellen’s way is to silently trust you, then this is my way. Let’s go.”
“Wait—Rune! Hold on!”
Daniel scrambled to his feet, hastily lifting the hay he had been sitting on.
That was when a nasal voice cut in:
“Well, well. Look who we have here.”
Rune’s face twisted in irritation.
Oh, great. Not this guy again.
The last voice she wanted to hear drawled mockingly. Standing in their way, hair slicked back and shining as if licked by a cow, was none other than Alfonso.
