NOVEL NEXT Chapter 57
Elena… is dead?
I was unable to gather my thoughts in the wake of the shocking news.
Elena.
The Knight Department, meaning she was the knight heroine. A cheerful, responsible, and diligent heroine. Sure, she was as cliché as they come, but a game like this needs at least one cliché heroine put together like this.
Elena was quite a popular heroine due to her solid performance as a companion.
When asked if she was very popular, the answer was no… But the game was so focused on dealer supremacy that the human elixir Karina covered most damage with her healing, leaving tank characters in a state where they were half-pulling off a comedy skit.
Still, she was one of the fastest companions to recruit and with a unique quest to obtain a high-performance weapon, so she was ranked number one on the recommended companion list for newbie knights…
And she’s dead?
Really?
This isn’t a hidden camera show, right?
“Johann?”
I snapped back to reality at Millia’s voice. Now wasn’t the time for this. I expressed my gratitude to the bespectacled female student who looked at me curiously and took my leave.
“Johann! Where are you going?”
“I have to check something.”
“Let’s go together!”
Millia grabbed my sleeve and matched her pace with mine. Feeling guilty about her struggling to keep up, I slowed my pace down. There’s plenty of time anyway, no need to rush. In this world, remaining calm is the key to seeing the way forward.
“Johann, what’s wrong? Can’t you tell me?”
I could feel Millia clutching my sleeve tightly. Even though her grip was weak, it seemed like she was eager to know why I was acting this way. If it were me, I would ask too if someone suddenly became so frantic. What should I say? I can’t speak the truth, so I needed to give a vague excuse.
“It’s nothing to worry about. Just a vague recollection of the past.”
“The past? Before we came to the deserted island?”
“Exactly.”
“I see…”
Fortunately, Millia seemed to accept it without further questioning. She had a certain maturity despite her childlike demeanor. Given our age difference, we could be hundreds of years apart, so that makes sense. We walked slowly across the garden again.
Our destination was the Knight Department.
If Elena was dead, I had something to confirm.
“Where are you going?”
“I have to check something at the Knight Department.”
“The Knight Department? Is it related to the past?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll help!”
“That won’t be necessary.”
I didn’t really need help. I was just here to confirm things today.
I stood in front of the entrance of the Knight Department, decorated with the crest of crossed swords and shields, scanning the surroundings.
Maybe due to the school closure, there were hardly any people around. Among those, no one seemed interested in Millia and me. Perhaps it was still the aftereffects of the Hell Hound incident. I sneaked a white flower from the flowerbeds surrounding the building. A pure white flower. Is it a lily? It was also a symbol of Elena’s family.
Elena’s ancestors were very famous knights, so much so that saying “lily” would often invoke Elena’s house. Hence, Elena’s family would pass down lily-shaped accessories to their heirs.
Some wore necklaces. Others wore rings. Some wore earrings.
Elena wore earrings. I recalled the sight of her wearing earrings and proudly smiling as I entered the building. I picked up a piece of old paper that had fallen to the floor and used my skill.
“Crafting.”
A shabby flower quickly turned into a beautifully wrapped flower bouquet. Millia pulled on my sleeve and asked.
“Who are you giving it to?”
“…It’s for mourning.”
“Mourning?”
“Yes.”
Upon hearing that, Millia fell silent. It seemed the word “mourning” weighed on her. Was it too gloomy a term for her? A moment of silence settled between us. Millia, who usually chattered like a lark, suddenly became quiet, making the atmosphere awkward. I was used to such situations, but Millia appeared to be glancing at me with uncertainty.
Intentionally ignoring her gaze, I reminisced about faded memories. Where was Elena’s classroom?
2nd floor?
3rd floor?
I just needed to know where the new students’ classroom was.
Maybe there’s a map somewhere. I wasn’t sure if outsiders could view it, though. I cautiously began my search from the 1st floor, keeping an eye out for any people. But maybe I stood out too much after all. I was caught by an older middle-aged man on the stairs leading to the 2nd floor.
“Who are you? Why are you wandering around the Knight Department building?”
“I came to pay my respects to Elena. No, wait.”
Don’t glare at me. People can misspeak! By the way, I can’t get used to using honorifics.
“…Do you know Elena?”
“We had a connection long ago…”
I tried to wear the most sorrowful expression possible. I poked Millia in the side with my finger, and she mimicked my gloomy face. Luckily, the middle-aged man looked at my expression with pity and continued speaking.
“Go to the end of the right corridor on the 2nd floor. There’s a place where Elena used to write. There are plenty of flowers there, so you should find it easily. And once you’re done with the mourning, it’s best to leave right away.”
Is he telling me not to be suspicious? I feel a bit guilty about it.
“Thank you.”
We expressed our gratitude to the nameless man and headed up to the 2nd floor. At the end of the right corridor on the 2nd floor. As we walked toward the corridor’s end, we glanced out the window. Behind the Knight Department building was a training ground that was larger than your average sports field.
Even on holidays, there were plenty of people in the training ground built for the training of Knight Department students.
Watching a group of individuals running in formation reminded me of my military days. I really hated morning drills. Singing military songs while running was such a hassle that I would pray for rain every morning…
“Johann?”
“Why did you call me?”
“You stopped, didn’t you?”
Nodding at Millia’s words, I walked ahead. The gloomy atmosphere welcomed me as we approached the corridor’s end. It was a poignant reminder of how significant Elena’s presence was here. I carefully passed by the downcast faces of people and arrived at Elena’s spot.
Countless flowers laid before the cabinet Elena used. Seeing water stains on the paper encasing the flowers made me wonder if someone had cried while bringing them. I placed the lily on top of the flowers and offered a moment of silence.
Rest well over there.
I will manage things in this world somehow.
We finished our mourning and quietly left the classroom. The next destination was the 3rd floor. The floor housing the classrooms and lounge for the 3rd years. And in the corner, there was a room only Elena’s family could enter. I didn’t clearly remember how, but I wanted to take a look at that room. There should be some clue I was hoping to find within it.
The problem was that it wouldn’t be easy to get in.
So today, I planned to just locate the room. I quietly led Millia up to the 3rd floor. I noticed the curious expressions of people puzzled by the appearance of unfamiliar outsiders. Ignoring them, I leisurely walked down the corridor. The building was quite large, and it took over 5 minutes to reach the end of the corridor.
“Wow… what an extravagant door.”
Is this the door? The one that can only be opened with a family heirloom. How can I get in? A prickly gaze on the side of my head was bothering me. Turning my head, I saw a female student staring at me from a distance.
Elena’s friend… though with the yellow armband on her arm, she seemed to be in the 3rd year. Maybe we just looked suspicious.
…There’s no way my appearance wouldn’t raise some eyebrows.
“Millia. Let’s head back down.”
“Huh? Didn’t you say you had something to check?”
“I saw everything I needed.”
With plenty of time, there was no need to act hastily. I quietly left the Knight Department with Millia.
—————————
“Joh~ann~ I’m hungry! Let’s go eat!”
With lunch approaching, Millia clung to my arm and whined as soon as we stepped out of the Knight Department building. Passersby turned to look at us because of Millia behaving like a child. But why was that guy staring at us as if he had seen his parents’ enemies?
“Damn couple brats… If they can do it, why can’t I…”
Oh, I see. Someone’s a lifelong single. But how can my situation look like a couple’s? This is a combination of a 14-year-old old man and a fresh young person! They clearly have no eyes! But, well, that could explain the lifelong single status.
…Though I also never dated anyone.
Surrounded by weird glances, we headed to the Main Building. Our target was the cafeteria located on the 1st floor. Since it was said that guests of Yeomyeong-gwan could also use it, there shouldn’t be a problem with eating there. Just as I thought, we could use the cafeteria without any issues, thanks to the title of “Saint’s Follower.”
It took a bit to prove that identity.
“Johann, look! It’s cake!”
Don’t eye desserts before we’ve even eaten. I took Millia’s hand, which was sparkling with excitement, and led her to the dining area. It felt like having a younger sister who was a real handful. I watched Millia glance at the dining area while humming a tune.
“Shh. Everyone’s watching. Speak quietly.”
“Got it!”
She didn’t seem to understand at all. Yet perhaps because she looked like a child, the gazes of those around us were filled with warm fondness, as if they were admiring a cute little sister.
She might be hundreds of years older than me, though.
“Hmm, hmm…”
Scanning the dining area. True to being a school overflowing with money, the menu here was top-notch. Just looking at the lavish dishes displayed made it hard to distinguish whether this was a school meal or a five-star hotel buffet.
We grabbed plates and took enough food to sit at a suitable spot to indulge in a delightful meal. The taste was beyond comparison to the inn meals I had during my travels. I savored the excellent food, wiping my plate clean.
“I’ll get more.”
“Go for it!”
Waving goodbye to Millia, I dashed to the food area. I was picking dishes one by one that I hadn’t tasted yet until I aimed for a last remaining grilled fish topped with ample seasoning. But there was a hand that grabbed the tongs a bit before I could.
“Um…”
“…”
Purple eyes quickly scanned mine before they locked on. A bespectacled female student, looking slightly disheveled as if she had just rolled in from somewhere. As I noticed her bright purple hair, a sense of déjà vu washed over me.
She looked oddly familiar.
“…Hiiih…”
I hadn’t done anything!
Why is she scared?
Before I could even speak to her, she screamed and fled.
“Monster!”
Covered in the food she threw from the plate, I sighed.
What the heck was that?
Under the glaring stares of onlookers, I let out a deep breath.