CH 89

Sword Dance

After lunch, the afternoon began with a sword dance.

Sheila had thought that wasn’t a competition but was told that there was a part where each grade danced separately and ranked according to how well they performed.

The fourth-year students had an overwhelming advantage in the total score so far, but the sixth-year students were formidable and didn’t let their guard down. It was a setting where she wanted to join in right away, but a special student who didn’t have magic couldn’t do a sword dance. Even though she knew it was inevitable, Sheila felt itchy.

“Sorry. I couldn’t do anything to help you guys….”

Hyderion looked at Sheila, who was downcast, for a moment, and then quickly looked off into the distance.

“――You know, I’m better at brainstorming than I am at physical activity.”

“Hyderion?”

She tilted his head, wondering what was wrong all of a sudden, but his light-colored eyes were quite serious.

“Toldrid is an aristocrat, so he tries his best, but he has a tendency to get nervous in front of people. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I’ve come to believe recently that your lack of magic power――is the same thing as my weakness.”

“Hyderion….”

Sheila slowly blinked.

The presence or absence of magic had always separated nobles from commoners. It was deeply rooted in the consciousness of both as if it were an uncrossable chasm.

But Hyderion asserted that it wasn’t a significant difference. It was just one of their characteristics, just as everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.

Instead of Sheila, who was staring at him speechlessly, Toldrid spoke up.

“Hey, why are you only giving away my secrets? Even you have an even more embarrassing shortcoming: you hate bugs.”

“Toldrid!”

“You don’t like creatures with too many legs or, conversely, none at all, right?”

“It’s not that bad, you know! There’s no problem as long as its presence is out of sight!”

The two close friends had perhaps known each other since before they entered the school. The awkward poking and prodding of each other was a familiar sight.

Sheila was overwhelmed with emotion and hugged them.

The two let out a cry of pain, but Sheila didn’t care. She also didn’t mind the scream from the ladies that happened again.

When had they become so close to each other? It must have sprouted little by little while they were spending their days together in the same school building. The distance between them had been getting smaller and smaller during this competition.

“I love both Hyderion and Toldrid. No matter if you’re nobles or commoners, I love you guys.”

“L-Love….”

Sheila raised her head, wondering why they had fallen silent after groaning in pain. Both of them had indescribable expressions on their faces.

Saddened that she was the only one who felt the passionate friendship, someone grabbed her by the neck from behind. Sheila was suddenly yanked away from Hyderion and Toldrid like a cat cub.

“That’s why I said it before, why are you so…..”

“Oh, it’s Zechs? And Cody.”

It was Zechs who was tugging at her collar. Next to him was Cody, who was smiling with a troubled look on his face.

“Sheila likes Hyderion and Toldrid as friends, don’t you? As friends.”

“Of course! I’ve been saying that for a while now, haven’t I?”

Sheila wondered why he repeated it twice as if to remind her, but he was right, so she strongly nodded back.

“Friends….”

“Huh? That was definitely a confirmation of our friendship, wasn’t it? Huh? Wasn’t it? Did I not read the air correctly?”

“No…. You’re right. Friendship, yes.”

For some reason, Hyderion and Toldrid left with tired faces. Zechs seemed fed up too, but what the hell was going on?

Anyway, Sheila faced Cody who was smiling wryly.

“Cody, are you feeling all right today?”

“Eh? Me?”

“Yeah. You were blushing during the scavenger hunt earlier.”

“Oh, that’s…..”

Cody turned bright red again and fell silent. It was the same symptom as when he was running with Lulu.

When Sheila was feeling worried, he looked up as if he had made up his mind to do something. He was still red, but his expression was very determined.

“――Sheila, actually, I…”

“Cody, get ready for the sword dance. Let’s go.”

Cody was about to say something when Toldrid’s voice overlapped with his. Sheila tilted her head, not hearing his voice.

“Sorry, say that again?”

“Oh, um, well…. Another time is fine.”

Zechs, who had been watching Cody with narrowed eyes as he walked away in haste, lined up next to Sheila. The sword dance was about to begin, so they secured a front-row seat for easy viewing.

Bert also took a seat. He, who usually had a slouchy posture, was now very well-behaved as the royal family would soon appear.

Zechs suddenly looked around at Sheila and Bert.

“Speaking of which, are you guys going back to your parents’ house for the winter?”

Bert scratched his head lazily as he answered.

“I’m going home. My family owns an innkeeper, so they need a lot of help. I’m sure Zechs has to help out his family business too, right?”

“Well, our family motto is ‘Don’t eat if you don’t work.’ What about you, Sheila?”

Sheila had been trying to hide her presence because she didn’t want to be asked about, but it seemed that she had to come clean.

“Ah…. I was going to go home, but I’m probably going to stay at the academy. I got caught by Jornwerner-sensei.”

“Wow, seriously? That’s too bad.”

Bert spoke sympathetically, but his body was slowly moving away. Sheila was saddened to think that the situation was so dire that it would elicit such a reaction.

“B-But I’ve decided to think positively. It looks like Claushezade-sensei will also be staying, so I’ve made him promise to watch me practice. It’s not every day you get a chance to have a private practice with him, is it?”

“I see…”

Sheila might be pitied even more for her sad statement. However, she didn’t hear any harsh words from the always-salty Zechs.

She was suspicious of her friend who was pondering something, but he hurriedly straightened his posture as the royal family entered.

“Entering as His Majesty the King’s representative, His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, Verdinard von Steitz!”

Along with the high-pitched voice of the dean, everyone present kneeled down and bowed at once.

‘As expected, His Majesty the King is not coming. He must be busy.’

The first prince was Wilfrecht’s real older brother. Sheila was curious about what kind of man he was.

“――You may raise your head.”

Struck by the dignified voice, Sheila naturally turned her head forward. In the empty royalty’s seat, she spotted a figure, albeit from a distance.

The first thing she saw was a tall man. He was a dignified young man in his mid-twenties, with a firm physique. His blond hair and gentle eyes resembled Wilfrecht’s. He was probably the first prince.

Next to him was Wilfrecht. He seemed somewhat listless yesterday, so Sheila was relieved to see his usual calm expression.

After Verdinard finished his greeting, Wilfrecht was next.

As Sheila watched silently, she noticed someone standing further back from them. Hidden in the shadow of the eaves, his appearance was unclear, but if he was in the royal seat, he was probably a member of the royal family.

It could be that they were Verdinard’s wife, but they didn’t look like they were wearing a dress.

It seemed that some people besides Sheila had started to notice, and the atmosphere in the hall had started to get noisy. Perhaps this was only because the royal family was greeting the guests.

“――Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a very important family member. Many of you may be meeting him for the first time, as he has been in hiding until now due to the sorrows caused by the recent political upheaval. He is the younger brother of the current king.”

“…. The King’s younger brother….”

Most of the former king’s sons died in the previous political upheaval. The only survivors were the sixth prince, who was the current king, and―

This time, everyone in the room was stunned. It was a shock that shook the entire hall.

“The Seventh Prince….?”

“… So, that’s how it is. There were even rumors that he was actually already dead since he didn’t show up even after the political upheaval was over―”

Sheila looked up at Zechs, who was muttering. His profile, colored by tension, was slightly sweaty.

Why did the Seventh Prince, who had never been seen in public, choose this moment to appear in public? Everyone was probably pondering this question.

Sheila couldn’t take her eyes off the Seventh Prince, who was slowly stepping out of the shadows.

Silver hair that shone through in the sun. His eyes were a hazy gray with an intelligent gleam in them, which Sheila knew would softly narrow when he smiled. They had always been familiar to her since she was a child.

“Let me introduce His Royal Highness, Felixian Rigel Steitz.”

“….”

… In the midst of an air of perplexity, the sword dance began.

A beautiful blue flame was drawn out from a single, unwavering movement. The sight of the long sword engulfed in flames was nothing short of spectacular.

‘Felix….’

Sheila gazed blankly at the flickering afterimage of magic.

She wondered, out of habit, if her precious brother’s name was derived from the God of Light, Felixiabyss.