Three weeks had passed since the surprise birthday celebration my three girlfriends had arranged for .
Under normal circumstances, today would be just another ordinary day. But sothing had been off since the very beginning of the school year, a lingering tension that refused to settle. It was like a faint whisper at the back of my mind, sothing I couldn't quite grasp yet couldn't ignore either.
And the reason for that unease? Duncan and Raymond.
The two had been missing from class ever since the start of the sester. At first, I brushed it off, thinking they would return soon, but as the days turned to weeks, their absence beca impossible to ignore. It was as if they had simply vanished.
What the hell were those two up to? Their rankings in class had been plumting, their chances of moving up to the upper class slipping through their fingers like grains of sand. If they kept this up, they'd be left behind completely, their futures spiraling into uncertainty.
A strange feeling twisted in my chest—worry, irritation, and a creeping suspicion that soone knew more than they were letting on.
And that soone was Estelle.
Determined to get so answers, I sought her out.
"I don't know."
The mont I found her sitting in the cafeteria, effortlessly elegant even as she picked at her al, those words left her lips without a shred of hesitation. A small shrug accompanied her response, her expression unreadable, her eyes flickering with a hint of amusent.
"You don't know?" I repeated, my brows furrowing. "But didn't you go on a date with Duncan and drag Raymond along? Sothing must have happened. Did you do sothing to make them act this way?"
She sighed dramatically, setting her fork down with an audible clink against the porcelain plate. "Big bro, why do you sound like you're blaming ?" Her lips pursed, annoyance creeping into her voice. "I really don't know anything this ti."
I studied her carefully, searching for any sign of deceit. Estelle was good at hiding things when she wanted to, but this ti… she didn't seem like she was lying.
It was difficult to believe her outright, but since she didn't seem to be lying, I decided to press her for any small details she might rember.
"Then at least tell what you do know," I pressed.
She exhaled, as if debating whether or not to humor , before finally relenting.
"Like I said, I don't know much," she admitted, tapping her fingers against the table. "We were just walking together, the three of us, when suddenly, those two started arguing out of nowhere. I didn't catch what they were fighting about, and honestly? I wasn't interested." She rolled her eyes, as if the whole ordeal had been nothing more than an inconvenience to her. "But then, they overheard so adventurer talking about a big lump of gen hidden in a dungeon near a prince's country—a Principality, I think. And just like that, they said goodbye and left. I was just as confused as you are."
I narrowed my eyes, letting her words sink in. A dungeon? A Principality? What the hell had those idiots gotten themselves into?
I wasn't sure whether to believe her completely, but she looked sincere enough. There was no hesitation in her words, no flicker of deception in her gaze. Yet, a part of remained wary, unwilling to take things at face value.
While I had no solid reason to believe her, I also couldn't accuse her of lying. The best course of action was to remain neutral and keep both possibilities in mind.
"A Principality, huh?" I muttered, the words rolling off my tongue like an ominous whisper.
"Yeah, I forgot the na, but it was a small country ruled by a prince." Estelle leaned forward slightly, a smirk creeping onto her lips. "What? Are you planning to go after them, big bro?"
I sighed, rubbing my temple. "I guess I have no choice. I am getting worried about them."
"Then let co too!" she chirped, her eyes lighting up with excitent.
I imdiately recoiled. "Uh? No. I'd rather not."
"Aw~... But I miss Senior Duncan too!" She pouted dramatically, crossing her arms. "I an, after our date, he just disappeared! I haven't gotten any lovey-dovey ti with him at all! He's my boyfriend, big bro!"
Before I could react, she grabbed my hand and started shaking it insistently, her fingers tightening around mine. A playful gleam danced in her eyes.
I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "Well, I guess you can join."
"Really?! Yay~!!!"
Estelle looked really happy...
Also, this couldn't have been re coincidence, could it?
The words of those two adventurers I had spoken to three weeks ago echoed in my mind. According to them, Rose was in the Principality of Cohona. If my assumption was correct, the Principality Estelle just ntioned was the sa one. A slow, burning anticipation curled within . Depending on how things unfolded, I might have the chance to bring Rose back into my life.
As I conversed with Estelle, a faint murmur stirred behind —just loud enough to reach my ears. The hushed whispers carried a weight of intrigue and disdain, creeping into the air like venomous tendrils.
"That's him, isn't it?"
"Yeah… I heard he's dating three girls at the sa ti."
"Two of them are princesses—one from a kingdom, the other from a beast tribe."
"I saw them just yesterday. The princesses? Absolute knockouts. And even though the other one can't compare in the bust departnt, she's cute as hell. Can't believe that guy has all three to himself."
"Not just that. I heard he's already fucked them. Right in his dorm room."
"Lucky bastard. I hope he dies."
"Seriously. How does soone like him get to live the dream? He doesn't even have an ability."
"Think he's going after that girl over there too?"
"Wouldn't put it past him. With how many girls he already has, it's not like it'd be impossible. If that happens, though, he's an absolute scumbag for cucking his friend."
It seed that malicious rumors about had spread like wildfire among the underclassn, circulating at an alarming pace despite the school year having only just begun.
I never imagined I'd gain this kind of reputation at the academy. But in the grand sche of things, did it even matter?
Estelle chuckled beside , her eyes shimring with amusent as she propped her chin on her hand. "Not looking too great for you, big bro. At least, reputation-wise."
I rely shrugged, letting the weight of their words roll off like rain against stone. "I don't care about my reputation. Or what others think of ."
They could think of however they pleased—call vile, detestable, or anything else that satisfied their pathetic envy. Let them gossip and sneer in their little corners. None of it mattered to . None of it mattered to in the slightest.
***
Estelle and I made plans to travel to the Principality of Cohona over the weekend. To make things more convenient, I asked Gabrielle to assist us with transportation. Driving myself would have been preferable—the roads leading there were well-paved, making the journey by car effortless—but I had no interest in dealing with the questions that would inevitably arise. But explaining how a young man like had access to such a vehicle would have been a hassle. It was far easier to have an adult with a legitimate occupation accompany us.
The days drifted by, indifferent to the trivialities of the world. Soon enough, the day of our departure arrived.
"Whoa!" Estelle's eyes widened as she took in the sleek vehicle before us. The glossy exterior reflected the early morning sunlight, giving it an almost ethereal sheen. "I never expected to ride in one of these! This is so cool!"
I arched a brow. "Is this your first ti in a car?"
"Well, up until now, I've basically been living under a rock, completely unaware of what was happening in the world around . So yeah." She gave a sheepish shrug.
For so reason, that admission struck a chord in . I had never given much thought to Estelle's past before she enrolled in the academy—never asked, never pried, partly because I had my suspicions about her. But now, I couldn't help but wonder if she had endured a rough life.
"Are you two ready?" Gabrielle called from the front seat.
After we confird, she started the engine, and with a smooth hum, the car lurched forward, gaining speed as it rged onto the road. The world outside blurred past in streaks of green and gray, the countryside stretching endlessly on both sides.
The journey ahead would take an hour, perhaps two.
The gentle hum of the engine, combined with the warmth of the morning sun filtering through the windows, made it the perfect mont to close my eyes.
Leaning back against the seat, I shut my eyes. This was as good a ti as any to get so rest.
Might as well take this ti to rest.
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