609. [Side Story] School days
5 years ago.
On the day of the graduation ceremony for the 369th class of the Imperial Academy.
『Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum』
‘Even if the sky collapses, establish justice.’
A campus hallway bathed in the clear morning sun. Beneath the plaque on which the academy’s motto was written.
“Whoa…”
The 19-year-old Hecate was breathing heavily and trying to stay calm.
The girl with short beige hair was dressed in a cadet uniform that was tight up to her neck. The perfectly ironed school uniform was tight enough to look like a military uniform.
“Ah, it’s Hecate-senpai!”
“Awesome Chief of the 369th…!”
“Be dignified today too…”
Passing juniors and classmates looked at her with envy.
Even at this academy, where the most talented children in the empire gather, he is the top with overwhelming skills.
Although she was admired for her skills alone.
His straight physique and tight muscles, his hair cut short and a melancholy expression, fearing that it might interfere with his swordsmanship training.
Several points overlapped to exude an androgynous charm, and it was popular among both men and women among the academy students.
And-
Jerbuck.
Someone appeared from the other side of the hallway, suddenly distorting this sunny campus into a dull darkness.
A school uniform with the front sleeves open, revealing the neck. The coveted black hair is disheveled, and the bottom of the abyss-like black eyes is pale. The body smelled of nicotine and alcohol.
20-year-old Ash appeared, with both hands in his pants pockets and walking around like a knave no matter how you look at it.
The frightened juniors let out a gasp in unison.
“Hey! It’s Prince Hwa!”
“369 walking disasters!”
“Imperial family’s disgrace…!”
“Ha, but it’s nice to see that kind of look dangerous again…!”
Except for a few desperately shouted out at the end, everyone in the academy feared and avoided the royal troublemaker-Ash calmly crossed the hallway and headed to Hecate.
“Hey Chief.”
“Ah, Your Highness the Prince. Good morning.”
Ash calmly waved his hand and tapped Hecate on the shoulder, and Hecate smiled wryly.
The juniors hid far away in the hallway and watched the two people talking.
“How the hell does that top and last place get along together?”
“The best student in the school and the worst troublemaker in the school… What a strange combination.”
“Even the prince, as long as you don’t get into trouble, your drawing is good.”
“It’s a problem because you’re making trouble…”
“I’m sure you’ll have a huge accident at today’s graduation ceremony…!”
Ash turned his head toward the whispering juniors.
“Kyaa!”
Suddenly, he screamed and jerked his arms upward.
“Hey!”
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“Run away! If caught, terrible things happen!”
The confused juniors ran away all at once. Ash snorted.
“what the. Anyone who sees it will know that I am preying on people. How bad did I do to run away like that?”
“Ha ha…”
Hecate laughed awkwardly. Aren’t you asking because you don’t know?
Ash was originally a gentle and kind boy. Even though he was the eldest among the jockeys, everyone liked him because he was a kind and considerate boy.
Ever since I lost my mother when I was 15… a person has completely changed. Completely crazy, changed into a bully-like personality.
He did all sorts of depravity in school, and he didn’t even come to class properly.
Unlike other cadets who live in a dormitory, as they go to and from school like princes, Ash and his escort Lucas gradually become out of the school.
Ash, however, was ferocious towards everyone like a hedgehog, but he only treated Hecate well.
No, it wasn’t to the extent of treating them well, but they pretended to know each other and clung to each other. We were forced to work together and became friends.
Until then, there was no point of contact, but after all, he was dragged around by the prince by force… Before he knew it, Ash Lucas and Hecate became together throughout their school days.
Hekate, recalling the past six years with all of Ash’s troubles, laughed.
“By the way, aren’t you planning something else today? I was worried that you wouldn’t have another serious accident at the graduation ceremony.”
Hecate did not know.
That the Ash in front of him was a man who had destroyed his own graduation ceremony in every way that existed in the world.
And that all the troubles were caused by the needs of the episode. It was also decided to leave it alone in this round because there was no need to ruin the graduation ceremony.
I didn’t know, and Ash didn’t bother to tell me. Instead, Ash yawned with a tired face.
“I’m more sleepy today… Whoaam. I decided to become a quiet prince for a day or so. You don’t have to get a diploma.”
“Whoops. What a gentle prince. It’s a really bad combination of words.”
“Because there is a demand here too… Anyway, chief. Why is your face so determined in the morning? Where are you going to war?”
Ash, who casually put his arm around Hecate, winked at him.
Hecate shrugged and lowered his eyes in embarrassment. And stuttered, he asked.
“…majesty. Where is… Lucas now…?”
“Hoo.”
Ash, realizing the situation, blew a whistle.
“Are you going to steal my escort? It’s like this goyan youth.”
“No, it’s not like that…”
It was an open secret that the senior Hecate liked the junior Lucas.
Except for Lucas, who was recognized as an academy, it must have been a fact known to almost everyone. The problem was that only he, Lucas, didn’t know…
“Are you going to confess today?”
“Ugh, that’s…”
“You’ve been in pain for six years. No chance after graduation now?”
“i know. But…”
Hecate smiled bitterly and bowed her head.
“It will be hard to see in the future, but I wonder if it would be better to just leave it as a beautiful memory.”
“…Did you go to the Glory Knights?”
Ash was about to take out a cigarette with a gurgling sound, but when he realized that he was in school, he quietly took out a candy, opened the package, and put it in his mouth.
“You know? Joining that order… is a ‘price’ you have to pay.”
“…yes. I know.”
Imperial Guard Glory Knights.
Joining here was an honor that all knights hoped for, but instead, it demanded a harsh ‘price’ for individual knights.
The ‘price’ was a top secret, but Ash knew it as if it were natural. Perhaps it was because he was the prince, Hecate guessed.
“But I’ve already decided to give my life to the Empire… and to His Majesty the Emperor.”
Hecate laughed bitterly.
“I made up my mind from the beginning, and for that reason, I worked hard to maintain my senior position.”
“…”
Ash, who was listening, muttered a little.
“…to stop that, we become friends every time. I couldn’t stop it this time either. Anyway, all knights are so stubborn…”
“Yes?”
“no. It tastes like candy.”
Ash originally had the habit of gossiping alone, so he ignored Hecate.
Hecate took a close look at the interior of the academy, which he would no longer be able to see if he left after graduation today.
“I will miss the days I spent here.”
“…okay.”
For some reason, Ash agreed. It was not like a delinquent student who always tried to destroy the school.
“I was as sick of it as I was, but… I think I’ll miss it a little too.”
The last round allowed to oneself.
As he looked around the school ahead of the graduation ceremony, Ash’s expression also became hazy. Hecate’s eyes widened when he saw Ash with such an expression for the first time.
“…So even more so.”
Immediately after, Ash showed off his characteristic dangerous smile and winked at Hecate.
“Wouldn’t it be better to convey that feeling to Lucas?”
“…”
“You will have a lot of regrets about the things you didn’t do. Think the world will end tomorrow and shout it out today. huh? how is it?”
“That’s it…”
Hecate hesitated, not knowing what to do, but a
blond-haired
boy appeared from the other side of the hallway with heavy footsteps.
369th deputy chief Lucas McGregor.
Nineteen-year-old Lucas was already a tall boy with an adult-sized skeleton. Because of her height, her school uniform had shrunk a little, and her muscular wrists were clearly visible through the sleeves.
Seeing Lucas like that, Hecate blushed involuntarily.
‘What should I do…’
As a good friend, will you leave behind only beautiful memories?
Or… will you take courage and move forward?
Will you challenge yourself between uncertain success and failure?
Ash covered his mouth and laughed, alternating between the cute girl and the boy. Soon after, Lucas walked straight and stood in front of Ash and Hecate.
“Hecate. I was still looking for it.”
“Huh huh?”
Lucas said it expressionlessly, and Hecate, who shook his shoulders in surprise, finally clenched his fists.
“That’s right. Lucas. I have something to tell you-”
Hecate was speechless.
Poof!
It was because Lucas threw the thing he was holding in his hand at Hecate.
The embarrassed Hecate accepted it and inspected it… it was the scabbard.
And inside the scabbard was a false sword with no blade.
“I will challenge you one last time before graduation.”
Lucas growled as he pulled out his sword in front of him.
“Pull out your sword, Hecate.”
“….”
“I haven’t beaten you even once in 6 years, but today I will surpass you.”
Hecate looked at Lucas blankly, and Ash stopped laughing and held his stomach.
“Fu puhahahaha! hey really! Hey escort!”
Ash declared, pointing at Lucas with both index fingers.
“I say it every time, but you are a real asshole!”
Since he was used to Ash’s abusive words for no reason, Lucas bowed his head deeply to Ash and then faced Hecate again.
Hecate involuntarily swallowed his breath.
ah yes
Those straight blue eyes.
Those unshakable eyes that pursued only martial arts and loyalty to their master…
Those gazes that drew only straight lines without refraction at all, had completely robbed him of his heart.
Sreung-
So.
The straight line does not avoid this moment towards you.
Hecate slowly drew the sword from its scabbard. The morning sunlight hit the blade of the sword and shattered it around.
An exclamation burst out of the mouths of the cadets who had gathered around again before they knew it.
After finishing the sword, Hecate opened her eyes and faced Lucas.
“I will accept that match. Lucas.”
“Thank you. Hecate.”
“but. If I win this match…”
Hecate took a deep breath and smiled.
“At that time, don’t avoid my heart and face me straight.”
oh oh oh…!
Not only the cadets around him, but even Ash, who had sneaked in among the cadets before he knew it, cheered lowly with excitement at the comment.
Only Lucas, the academy-certified nunciator, tilts his head.
“You mean to hear the story? good night. Accept the terms.”
“Okay second seat.”
Clutching the hilt of the sword with both hands, Hecate slowly raised the sword above her head.
“Let’s win.”
Lucas lowered the tip of his sword and lowered himself.
Hecate at the top and Lucas at the bottom. The two knights, who took completely opposite postures, stared fiercely at each other.
And-
the game was won in an instant.
Tuhak-!
Hitting the ground, Lucas charged Hekate with terrifying momentum and threw a single sword.
And…
Hecate, who smoothly avoided the charge like a bullfighter, gently lowered his sword.
Tsukaak-!
Hecate’s blade sent off dazzling sparks and cut off Lucas’ blade as if cutting paper.
Although it was a sword, it was only the blade that was not sharpened, but it was undoubtedly a top-notch iron sword polished by a master craftsman.
When the two swords collided, Hecate’s was unblemished, but Lucas’s was cut in two.
The tip of Lucas’s sword, which had been cut off and spun around, sank into the floor.
“…”
Lucas, who had been standing still with his sword drawn, slowly straightened his posture and looked down at the long sword in his hand.
“You lost.”
Lucas let out a succinct sigh and put the severed longsword into his scabbard.
“In the end, you can’t win once, Hecate. You are such a great guy.”
“Thanks to you for challenging me every time without getting tired of it. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to train to this extent.”
Hecate, who also sheathed her sword, took a deep breath.
“Then Lucas. Now it is my turn.”
Rather than fighting with a sword, he was more nervous now.
Hecate swallowed and chose his words, and Lucas looked at her curiously.
And Hecate–just like in a swordsmanship match between the two, he didn’t dodge and slashed at once.
“i like you. I have loved you for the past six years.”
“…”
“It will be difficult to see you again after graduation, but I still wanted to convey this feeling.”
Lucas was surprised and stood still as if he had frozen with his eyes wide open, looking at Hecate.
Hecate took a step closer to Lucas with a flushed face.
“Lucas. What do you… what do you think of me?”
“…”
“Tell me honestly. Because it’s okay.”
All the cadets around held their breath.
Meanwhile, Ash took out candy from his pocket and continued to put it in his mouth and chew on it. Wrong! Wrong!
“…”
Lucas, who had been silent for a long time… finally opened his mouth slowly.
It was a historic answer that would remain in his life and the 369th class of the Imperial Academy.
The answer is-
