20demayo Chapter 19 : Chapter 19
Chapter 19 : Chapter 19
Chapter 19…No, the distinction was meaningless. As long as they all, this entire world, were creations of Recola. I couldn't love any of it.
That was why Lilac and Sebastian were precious. Extras untouched by Recola's hand. And created by my own hand… Martin's dog.
“Hoo….”
I could feel my left hand was soaked with Sebastian’s slobber. Even knowing he was precious, sometimes I just sighed.
By the time I gathered my emotions, it was already time.
[The airship will be landing soon.]
The airship landed at a dedicated dock provided by the Petrak Royal Family. It was a dock used within the kingdom itself.
The Royal Knights were personally providing security for their junior knights, and the butler and maid corps, who had diligently practiced their welcome, were distributing identification badges necessary for activities.
Even the King and Queen of the Petrak Kingdom personally came out to welcome the cadets. It seemed they were currently conversing with the Vice Principal.
“Woah! This is the real deal!”
“Right? I didn’t expect such a grand welcome.”
Bord von Ludin Tauforos muttered excitedly. Gilbert Offer Cosmos also smiled and accepted it.
Besides them, the excited Class A cadets chattered amongst themselves.
“Class A, assemble.”
At Instructor Hectia’s single command, the first-year Class A students instantly lined up in neat rows and columns. It was a pre-arranged formation by number.
Other classes were like this too.
It was a showy event to demonstrate that Imperium Academy was still the best in the world.
Instructor Hectia also came out wearing the armor and cape she wore as a Knight Commander, adorned with a string of medals she had received.
“Thanks to the King of Petrak’s various conveniences, a high degree of freedom has been granted for this field trip. As explained beforehand, once you have toured the mandatory courses, the rest is free time.”
In other words, if you didn't tour the mandatory courses, it was an automatic demerit. It was a reason I couldn't refuse either.
“Well then, off you go.”
As soon as Instructor Hectia turned her body, the cadets noisily rushed out in a crowd.
‘Should I follow the protagonist party….’
No. If I did that and got misunderstood later, it would be troublesome. Since I didn't have skills like tracking detection, the possibility of my tailing being discovered was infinitely low, but I disliked even having such a thought.
‘The protagonist party will go to the museum first. I should go to the Symbol of Peace first.’
As I opened the cadet handbook, a holographic map of the Petrak Kingdom’s capital and a guide narrative unfolded. Know-It-All began to memorize and analyze.
“This is the Symbol of Peace, erected by the Petrak Kingdom 500 years ago! His Majesty, the Peace King, who inherited the will of the first Emperor, called for continental peace…!”
I viewed the giant dove sculpture symbolizing Petrak’s harmony and peace. It was a colossal dove statue made of flawless, pure white marble.
‘Next is Hwadamgwan, huh.’
Hwadamgwan, meaning a place for pleasant conversation, was once a royal guard post but had been renovated and was being operated as a teahouse symbolizing peace.
Fortunately, true to its nature-friendly kingdom status, pets were not restricted from entering the teahouse. I couldn't have just left Sebastian and gone in.his is more to my taste.”
Matthew von Yulha Animas looked up at me with a touched expression.
We naturally sat in two chairs arranged under a wide table. Matthew von Yulha Animas also sat in the opposite chair, smiling and checking if the special guest he had arranged for and invited on the day was lacking anything.
I felt a sense of unease from this situation itself.
“This mansion, are you using it alone?”
“My parents are leading a volunteer corps in the Eudialyte Desert Kingdom.”
“Ah.”
I think it was mentioned in passing in the original work that such a volunteer corps existed.
“Well, let’s eat before the banquet gets cold! It’s a good thing it’s mealtime!”
“…….”
“Come on, eat up!”
“…Alright.”
He seemed determined not to move until I ate, so I had no choice but to pick up my cutlery.
Since Wild Instinct or Know-It-All wasn't warning me, I probably didn't have to worry about poison.
‘So, the owner of this mansion right now is the student in front of me.’
What was he trying to gain by dragging me all the way to his home base? Was he trying to make an unreasonable demand? Assuming Matthew von Yulha Animas was hostile towards me, I would be in a very difficult position.
The current Martin von Targon Ulvhadin was a noble in name only, no different from a commoner.
Seeing Matthew von Yulha Animas approaching with a smile, the first thought that came to mind was, ‘It wasn't in the original work, but maybe he was harmed by Martin von Targon Ulvhadin and has been secretly sharpening his blade of revenge.’
Such a possibility was also open.
It wasn't for nothing that the children of the Four Great Ducal Families had ganged up to socially bury Martin von Targon Ulvhadin.
I stopped my hand that was picking at the food and put down my knife and fork for a moment.
“…Student Matthew von Yulha Animas.”
“Yes?”
“Why did you invite me?”
There was no interrogation more intuitive than a direct question.
“Uh, umm…, well, that is….”
Matthew von Yulha Animas looked troubled, then slowly put down his cutlery like me. Then he scratched his cheek with his hand.
“That… Sebastian.”
“Sebastian?”
I turned my head to look at the German Shepherd dog with its head buried in its food bowl. It had been hyper ever since we arrived, as if this place was paradise.
But why that kid with his head in the clouds?
“Our family, animal communion is our secret ability. So… the things that happened in the classroom… well, my perspective is different from others, shall I say….”
“…….”
“Sebastian always worries about Student Martin von Targon Ulvhadin. He licks you to cheer you up, and even when other pets doze off or leave during the long class hours, he stays by Student Martin von Targon Ulvhadin’s side without moving an inch.”
“…….”
“Student Martin von Targon Ulvhadin too… after that… incident and returning to school, you seemed to rely only on Sebastian… Seeing that all the time… I just… wanted to get closer….”
Matthew von Yulha Animas squirmed as if embarrassed.
‘So, there are kids like this too.’
The students appearing in the early part of the story were all 17 years old. They lacked the maturity to be called adults yet, and as such, they were children who still possessed a childlike innocence.
I loosened the reins on Wild Instinct, which I had been forcing myself to pull up.
‘I don’t know what will happen later, though.’
Since I was invited out of goodwill, I should try to get along.
Matthew von Yulha Animas asked various questions to change the awkward atmosphere. The feeling of being treated with such careful consideration was unfamiliar.
I answered as sincerely as possible. Though it might have sounded stiff on the outside.
I also received an unexpected gift. A hint about new strength.