Chapter 114 : Chapter 114
Ryan’s chopsticks paused for a moment, and he looked up at her.
Cecilia met his gaze, her tone still calm. “When the time comes, he may emphasize teamwork. He may encourage the five selected candidates to get familiar with one another in advance, or even to form a group. Just listen to it, but do not actually agree. You understand what I mean, Ryan.”
Of course Ryan understood.
The basis of his cooperation with Cecilia was that he would enter the ruins exploration team as one of their own while coordinating from within with the other forces the Princess had arranged in advance.
If he truly blended into a close-knit group with the teammates selected by the academy, then the Princess’s entire arrangement would be greatly weakened.
“I know,” Ryan answered briefly, then resumed eating.
Cecilia seemed satisfied with his reaction, and her eyes softened slightly.
“The preliminary arrangements for the ruins exploration are expected to begin officially in half a month. During this time, rest well and maintain your condition. If you need any resources for training or preparation, tell me directly. Later, I will have someone deliver some recent materials related to the Starfall Ruins. Public information is limited, but some of it may still prove useful. You can have a look.”
Having said that, and seemingly having confirmed that Ryan’s condition was fine, she rose from the edge of the bed.
“That is all. I will not disturb your meal any longer. Remember what I said.” She gave Ryan a slight nod, then seemed to glance casually at Cosette, who had kept her head lowered and was eating in small bites, before turning away. “Ilis, we are leaving.”
The black-haired attendant silently lifted the now-empty food boxes and followed her like a ghost.
The door opened and closed, and the room was left once more with only the two of them and the fragrance of food spread across the table.
Ryan ate several more bites before suddenly noticing the unusual silence across from him.
He lifted his head and saw Cosette holding her chopsticks while staring at the rice in her bowl, unmoving for a very long time.
Earlier, when the Princess had been present, she had merely been nervous. But now she had visibly wilted, and even her chestnut hair seemed to have lost some of its brightness.
“What is it?” Ryan asked. “The food isn’t to your taste?”
Cosette snapped back to herself and hurriedly shook her head. “N-No! It’s very delicious!”
She took a hurried mouthful of rice and chewed as if to prove it, but that dimness she could not hide in her expression was impossible to miss.
Ryan looked at her, set down his chopsticks, and reached over to rub her head.
“Then what is it?”
Touched by that familiar warmth, Cosette’s body gave a tiny, almost imperceptible shiver.
She looked up at Ryan with her light brown eyes, filled with unease. Her lips moved several times before she finally asked in a small voice, “Master… later on, will you still have to go and do other… dangerous things? Like this forest assessment… will you have to leave the academy again?”
Ryan had not expected that to be what she wanted to ask. After a brief pause, he nodded.
“Yes. The academy has later arrangements. It is related to the exploration of an ancient ruin. At that time, I will probably need to leave the academy for a while.”
He truly did not yet know the exact location or details, but leaving Saint Roland was certain.
Cosette’s eyes widened slightly, and then a deeper shadow quickly settled over them. She lowered her head, and her voice grew even smaller.
“Then… then can you take me with you?”
Ryan froze for a moment, then laughed softly.
“How could that work? It is an official expedition organized by the academy, and the place we are going is not safe. It would be impossible to bring outsiders, let alone…”
He glanced at Cosette’s slender frame and maid dress.
“I… I understand.” Cosette cut him off. Her voice was dull, and her head lowered even more.
It had only been three days apart, yet that time had already made the dormitory feel so empty that it frightened her. Every day she had counted the hours and waited for news. The thought that they might soon be separated for even longer, going somewhere farther and more dangerous, made it feel as though a piece had been dug out of her heart, leaving behind an aching hollowness.
And besides… that Princess Cecilia, so beautiful, so powerful, speaking with her master so naturally… while she herself did not even qualify to follow at his side.
Ryan looked at the way she had nearly shrunk in on herself and let out a silent sigh.
He crooked a finger toward her.
“Come here.”
Cosette froze for a moment, but obediently stood and walked over to him.
Ryan raised a hand again. This time he did not lightly pat her. Instead, he rubbed the top of her head with a bit of force, making her already slightly messy chestnut hair even more tousled.
“Stop thinking about this sort of thing all the time. Even if you are my maid, that does not mean you need to revolve around me every moment of the day. When I am not here, you need to have something of your own to do.”
Cosette swayed a little from the rougher patting and stared at him blankly.
“Didn’t you enjoy reading and learning characters before?” Ryan withdrew his hand and took his academy library card from his pocket, holding it out in front of her. “Here. While I’m away, you can go to the library. Borrow whatever you want to read.”
Cosette stared at the card, that symbol of access, then blinked and accepted it into her hands.
The cool edge of the card pressed against her palm. The emptiness in her heart seemed to be filled by the tiniest bit, but the thought of separation quickly dimmed even that small joy.
“…Thank you, Master. I-I won’t cause you trouble.”
She tried hard to smile as she said it, but did not succeed very well.
Ryan watched her forcing herself to keep her spirits up and fell silent for a moment.
“In that case,” he suddenly said, standing up, “it has also been quite a while since I checked your progress in magic. Since I have time today, how about I teach you a few new basic spell formulas?”
Cosette’s head flew up. Light instantly burst into her light brown eyes, and most of the earlier gloom was swept away.
“Really, Master?!”
To her, being able to stay with him and learn what he taught was the best medicine for driving away unease.
“Yes.” Ryan walked toward the more spacious corner of the room and gestured for her to come over. “Do you still remember the Mana flow I taught you before? Today, let’s see whether you can form a more stable Minor Light Spell…”
Cosette nodded hard and hurried after him, temporarily throwing aside her sadness over the coming separation and the faint gloom hanging over her sense of self.
Soon the room was filled with Ryan’s calm explanations and Cosette’s occasional earnest questions. The afternoon sunlight came through the window and stretched the shadows of the two figures, one large and one small, long across the floor.
That afternoon of magic instruction passed quickly. By the time Ryan and Cosette had finished the still-luxurious dinner, the sky outside had already taken on a faint orange-red color, announcing the coming of dusk.
Almost at the exact moment Cosette finished tidying away the dishes, there came a measured knock at the dormitory door.
Standing outside was a young man dressed in the uniform of an academy steward. His attitude was gentle.
“Student Ryan Velt, Minister Morris of the Lower Division requests that you come to his office now.”
What was meant to come would always come.
Ryan was not surprised in the least. He nodded calmly. “Understood. One moment.”
He turned and went back into the room. Cosette was already there with quick wits, taking out a freshly pressed new academy uniform coat from the wardrobe.