“Your room could definitely use a bit more decorating,” she remarked as we stepped into my dorm. “It’s so starkly plain, it’s almost painful to look at.”
“You really don’t hold back, do you?” I shot back, a smirk tugging at my lips as she dissected my room. “I’m a minimalist, so I keep things simple. Besides, as I’ve told you, I barely ever sleep here.”
Yr wasted no time heading straight for my bed. In the Bronze Class, the dorms were bare-bones: a single room with just a bed, a tiny couch, and a cramped bathroom. Each class had its own level of comfort—Silver Class offered a bit more space, and the Gold Class? It was practically a noble’s private quarters.
Yr leaped onto my bed with an almost childlike enthusiasm.
“Soft bed…” she murmured, sinking into the mattress before slipping into sleep almost instantly.
It was so quick, I had a hard time believing she hadn’t been asleep earlier. Does this woman never get enough rest? She seemed to be constantly snoozing.
“And she said she’d give me useful information on Trill,” I said to myself, watching her as she snored softly on my bed, a tiny streak of saliva pooling at the corner of her mouth. She was so deeply entrenched in slumber now that it would likely be a while before she stirred.
For now, I decided to take a break myself. I settled onto the small sofa, letting my body gradually ease into rest.
***
The moment I woke up, it was still evening, and I saw Yr sprawled haphazardly on the floor, having apparently tumbled out of bed. It was almost comical how she could sleep in such an unceremonious heap, oblivious to her surroundings.
I carefully lifted her, her body limp and relaxed, and placed her back on the bed. She remained completely undisturbed, lost in her deep sleep. Up close, I couldn’t help but notice how endearing she looked, her soft curves and the gentle rise and fall of her chest adding a touch of unexpected warmth. As I was absorbed in these thoughts, a sudden knock at the door jolted me out of my reverie.
“Huh?”
Who the hell could be knocking at this hour? I wondered as I made my way to the door. When I opened it, my surprise was palpable.
“Didn’t think you’d show up here,” I said, eyeing the woman standing before me.
It had been two months since I’d last seen her, and she looked as unyielding as ever. Her eyes were sharp, glaring with a barely contained irritation, and her mouth was set in a tight frown. She was the woman who had recently become a magic knight, despite still being short of graduation. She was only the second person to achieve this rank through recommendation.
“You don’t seem as excited to see me as I thought you would be,” she said, her glare heavy.
“I don’t think anyone would be excited to see you,” I said, though I knew there were exceptions—Titania and maybe Hereon might feel differently. But for me, excitement was off the table. I just couldn’t see her that way.
With her arms tightly crossed over her chest, she looked at me with a mix of frustration and resolve. “Can I come inside?”
“Uh, why?” I asked, puzzled.
“It’s not exactly appropriate for a woman like me to be seen hanging around outside a man’s room,” she said. “If someone caught sight of me here, it could spark all sorts of rumors and misunderstandings. I’d rather avoid that mess and just come in, if that’s alright.”
The timing couldn’t have been worse. Someone was already nestled in my dorm room, sprawled out and snoring loudly, completely out of it.
“What? Is there someone in there you don’t want me to see? If it’s the Princess, she won’t mind me being here. She knows we don’t think of each other like that.”
“That’s not the problem,” I said. “Can we just move this conversation somewhere else?”
She gave me a scrutinizing glare before exhaling sharply and relaxing her arms. “Fine. Where do you suggest we talk?”
“I think the fountain should work,” I suggested.
With that, we both headed towards the fountain.
***
“So, what do you want to talk about?” I asked as we reached the fountain. The soothing wooshing of the water created a calm backdrop to our conversation, but the tension between us was palpable.
Shredica turned her back to me, her posture rigid as she stared at the fountain’s rippling surface. After a beat, she spun around to face me, her eyes narrowed with frustration. “Why are you rushing this? If you don’t want me around, that’s one thing, but can’t we at least have a decent conversation? I’d appreciate some closure rather than just being dismissed.”
“I don’t want to waste a magic knight’s time,” I said, my voice edged with a hint of sarcasm. “It’s surprising you got a recommendation to become a magic knight so quickly. Who would have guessed you’d hit your dream so fast? I suppose your hard work paid off, even if it meant resorting to less savory methods—like blackmailing people.”
“You’re still mad about that?” she told me with a raise of her eyebrow.
I raised both hands in surrender and said, “No, it’s not that. I do find it annoying when you boss me around, but honestly, I’m not angry. In fact, I actually enjoyed your company, even if it was brief.”
Shredica’s eyes widened a fraction, as if my words had struck a chord. “I can’t believe you actually feel that way,” she said. “I’m actually relieved, because the real reason I wanted to talk to you is to apologize for what I did.”
“Huh?” I blurted out. “Wait, did I hear that right? You want to apologize? For blackmailing me?”
“Is that really so shocking?” she said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. “I don’t usually apologize for anything, and I didn’t feel any guilt at the time for using you. But I understand what an apology means, and I know that what I did was completely unacceptable.”
So she really did mean it—she actually wanted to apologize to me? Shredica, of all people? It seemed like becoming a magic knight had softened her edge a bit. Even her once-intimidating scowl was now just a faint shadow of its former self.
“It looks like you’re faring well out there,” I said. “Especially if you’re back here to apologize.”
“Well, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows where I’m at,” she said. “I just couldn’t leave things between us unresolved, so I came here to make things right. It’s okay if you don’t forgive me. Honestly, I couldn’t care less if you don’t. I’ll be moving on, and I doubt we’ll cross paths again.”
I could tell from her expression that she genuinely thought we’d never cross paths again, which was why she felt compelled to offer an apology if that was truly the case.
“You must be incredibly busy, then,” I said, my voice steady as I took a deep breath. “Honestly, you didn’t need to apologize. You were just doing whatever it took to chase your dream. I can understand that. I mean, I’d use any means necessary to achieve my goals too, even if it involves unsavory methods.”
As I spoke, I saw Shredica’s lips twitch into a tentative smile. It was awkward and, to be honest, a little unsettling, but there was no mistaking the genuine warmth behind it.
“That’s a relief,” she said, her lips curving into a faint smile that seemed almost alien on her usually hard face. It softened her sharp, intimidating features, but the smile itself was a bit unsettling in its awkwardness.
I was taken aback by the unexpected warmth but kept my surprise hidden behind a neutral expression.
“Well then, Mr. Leon,” she said, her voice taking on a casual tone as she prepared to leave. “Until next time. Although, honestly, I have no clue when that will be.” She turned to walk away but paused and glanced back over her shoulder, adding. “Oh, and if you could tell the Princess that I’m sorry for not meeting her, I’d appreciate it. The truth is, I came here so late specifically to avoid her. She can be a bit of a handful sometimes. If she’s upset, just explain things to her, alright?” With one last look, she walked away, her silhouette gradually fading into the night.
I watched her figure as it slowly disappeared into the distance.
“I guess she can smile like that too, huh?” I muttered to myself.
It was the first time… and probably the last time I’d ever see her smile like that.
