Giving a speech is tiring. My shoulders stiffened from all the tension.
Furthermore, the venue was somewhat like a concert hall so I got excessively nervous.
I had been worried that my voice will not be loud enough for this large a place but it seems like the wind spirits-san did a good job and made my voice get through. Wind spirits are really handy.

Also, it felt like the all-important speech went down successfully; much satisfied.
Several days ago, I had been with Kou-okaasan, spending time to discover the best angle to bring out my maximum beauty. It was worth the time.
Thank you, Kou-okaasan! Thanks to you, my debut as a student was a huge success! Supposed to be!

My uniform was sufficiently cute too. Rather than calling it a uniform, it was just a normal fashion attire to me.
Indigo blue sleeved long dress. The collar was white and there was a silk ribbon under my chest area.

For the aristocrats in this world, wearing silk or wool clothes is their fundamentals so this uniform was without exception, made with expensive materials. These clothes would fetch a very good price and yet, each time a student promotes an academic level, they are given 3 attires for free! As one would expect from the generosity of the Royal School.

Male students wore a white shirt, navy blue vest and pants. They have a jacket too but it seems that instead, the gray robe is worn by the majority of the people. Many prefer to put on clothes that give off the appearance of a mage. It must be because the school was meant for mages I guess.
Tools are needed when certain magic is used, hence, mages typically wear robes that have many pockets to store various things.
As for the female uniform, the long skirt has several pockets. A fair bit of things can be placed inside too, thus, even if the girls did not wear the robe, it would probably be fine.
And most importantly, the robe was uncool so the ladies couldn’t bear it.

Even after the end of the School Entrance Ceremony, there was an orientation to get us freshmen accustomed to the school so we could not leave the auditorium yet. We are now taking a small break.

The first half of the orientation would be on explaining about the library. I pretended to be listening elegantly but I could not contain the excitement in my heart.

In this country, the library can only be found in the capital’s campus. It was the only library in this country.

The library was a place where only students and aristocrats can enter.
In order to eifatxbxl bpx otsdtkslglxx, pal sbkutur mtx kdbsp hg zuhdgw patp atw tg lslotpbhg hy 50i. Tgw, ghp ytu yuhi pal sbkutur mtx pal vtxpsl malul pal Nbgz sbolw. Bp mtx t kdbswbgz patp mtx kdbsp hg stgw tghpalu lqput 100i abzalu. Bgvbwlgptssr, pal zuhdgw lslotpbhg hy pal vtfbpts mtx gtpdutsly about 50m higher.

In this world, the greatness and awesomeness of one could be expressed through height.

Since I was a student, I can enter such an awesome library!
To enter school, I had studied but the contents of my study materials were, how shall I put it, all of it was fishy. Especially on things related to history, they were beyond the levels of dubious. Still, if I could visit the library, I am looking forward to learning more things in greater detail.

Absentmindedly, I looked around the surroundings and realised that the ladies and gentlemen freshmen have already made their own cliques. Likely they were fellow acquaintances from the same hometown.
Unfortunately, I came to the capital separately from the other children who hail from Ruby Fallen, thus, I essentially recognise n.o.body.

For starters, we were supposed to make a quick provincial tour around the agricultural lands, finish up the proceedings to be adopted under a territorial lord, and begin heading towards the capital while studying at a relaxed pace. However, thanks to the Tagosaku Cult, our plans were substantially derailed.

Tagosaku the missionary went around announcing during our farmland tour, “The divine messenger has arrived!” Besides providing support for their agricultural activities, he went on to give speeches to the farmers. I told him countless of times that, “Stop, I am not a messenger from the heavens! I am the same as everyone, a human!” My repeated insistence on this was misunderstood as, “Ohh, kind words from Ryou-sama! Ryou-sama is claiming that she is the same as us humans, just like how there are no differences between all things born in this world!” Like that, he exposed me to the world like a criminal.

Anything I say would transform into kind words and so, I gave up trying to stop him and waited for the end of his speech which carried a mood that had a crucifix stuck to it.
Oh untainted peasants, I pray eternally that you do not get conned by the Tagosaku Cult.

With all his speeches, our journey to the capital was delayed and we could not synchronise our departure timing with the other children.
This being my very first school life in this life, it was a somewhat dispiriting scenario.

That’s cause I want to make some friends. If possible, girls too.

When I was with Alek Boss and the gang, I often hear them talking about their time as students.
Stories such as malg Khxx tgw yublgwx mlul fllfbgz tp pal zbusx’ mtxauhhi tgw Ktxad-xtg ilxxlw df, tgzlubgz palbu pltvalu hu malg Ztb-xtg tpplifplw ph putbg abx idxvslx kr ulihobgz abx vatbu tgw whbgz xjdtpx hg tg tbu vatbu mabsl puliksbgz pauhdzahdp pal wtr’x slxxhgx……xhilahm, altubgz pali ulibgbxvbgz together about their times together, I get extremely envious of them.

I too want to have friends like that whom I can talk together with about the old times.

Still, there should be freshmen who have gotten drunk in love with my splendid speech earlier. They should be gathering by my side during the short break. I just need to maintain my graceful smile while waiting on my seat. It should be an easy job!

While hiding my restlessness, I waited at my seat and for some reason, I could hear footsteps rushing in my direction.
They finally came huh!? I stayed alert with a posed look.

“Ryou!”

Eh? Not a girl’s voice? He is……oh!

“Isn’t this Alan-sama! Long time no see”

I stood up instinctively.
Alan has grown taller. Since we are already on this topic, I will let you know that my height has not changed much but I feel that I have become more adult-like compared to last time.
His black hair was at the length of a bobbed haircut originally but now, it has grown to his shoulders and was tied together as one ponytail.
Nostalgic pea-green pupils. I start to remember Cain-bouchama, Irene-san and Claude-san.

I smiled and called out Alan’s name. For some reason, he stopped on the spot and he became dazed. The next moment, his face became stern-looking.

“Ryou……why! Sending us just that letter! You, seriously, why!”
Alan glared at me while shouting loudly. His face was flushed red, and he looked like he was about to cry.

Eh, are you going to cry? Why, are you angry?
I had thought we might be making a very touching embrace and had stiffen my outstretched arms for a second.
Calm down Mr. Alan. Whoa, whoa.

I had mentioned in the letter didn’t I. Didn’t I send a letter addressed to Irene-san when I became an adopted daughter of Ruby Fallen?
I became apologetic that they mbzap kl mhuurbgz tgw xltuvabgz yhu il xh B wlvbwlw ph mubpl ph pali tkhdp ir xduobots – patp B atw kllg twhfplw kr Udkr Ytsslg — tgw ph bgyhui patp B ti zhbgz ph xvahhs. Mtx ir slpplu xh vsdixbsr mubpplg B mhgwlu……Vhiftulw ph mubpbgz tgrpabgz tp tss, bgyhuibgz pali mtx klpplu vahbvl though.

Hey, Mr. Alan’s abrupt shouts are attracting the scrutinising stares from the other freshmen nearby!

“Alan-sama, please, calm down. Let’s go somewhere else.”
I grabbed Alan’s sleeve without waiting for his reaction and brought him out of the auditorium, turning right at the corner and moving to a place under the shadow of a pillar where it seems that n.o.body would walk by.

“Alan-sama, urm……have you calmed down?”
I said and peered into his eyes. Unlike before, he looked like he was in bewilderment, and his eyes opened wide in surprise. Still, he looked like he was about to cry.

“The letter I wrote……did I do something disrespectful? If it was disrespectful on my part, I sincerely apologise.”

“No……that’s not it.”
Despite his face being flushed with anger earlier, he was now looking down and making a Shobonface.What is going on, Mr. Alan.
Aren’t you being too emotionally unstable?

However, a nostalgic angel’s voice descended upon the confused me.

“Ryou! Alan!”

“C-Cain-sama!”

Showing himself at the most critical juncture, the Followist Cain-sama!
Impressive! His follow technique remains unchanged after all these years! In fact, considering his timing earlier……he has improved further!

Cain-sama sent a smiled in my direction and opened his arms while calling me, “Ryou!” I jumped into his chest and gave him a reunion hug.
He has grown amazingly taller. I fit snugly into Cain-onisama’s chest. He had muscles in that area and the area which I buried my head into was firm.
His reddish-brown hair has gotten shorter and his childishness has faded away. He has become a somewhat masculine young man.

“Ryou, you have grown! And become increasingly beautiful at that! Ahh, I’m glad you are safe……thankfully.”

“I have worried you! Cain-sama has not changed! No, it seems like you have grown to be more and more like a man! I am very glad to have met you again!”

“Huh? That thing on your wrist, is it the ornament that I made for Ryou last time?”

Cain-sama looked at the good-luck bracelet that was on my wrist and was delighted. It was the good-luck bracelet that I had received from Cain-sama before I departed from the Rainforest mansion.

To prevent it from getting damaged, I had conscientiously taken care of it but either way, I had been living in the mountains, so it was damaged to some extent and right now, it would not be strange for it to break anytime soon.

“Yes! I intended to take good care of it but it has torn slightly……”

“It is alright, it is something that can be broken anytime anyway. This time, when I return home, I will make another one for you.”
Cain-sama revealed his sparkling white teeth while saying.
As expected of an ikemen! He has dazzling white teeth!

While having these impressions, Alan became more and more Shobon (´･ω･`) as Cain-sama and I were embracing one another.

Ah, c.r.a.p, is he worried that his Onii-chan will be taken away?
Cain-sama noticed my concerned glance at Alan and broke our embrace. He opened his arms to Alan instead.

“Alan too, congratulations on entering the school.”
Yep, with a nod, Alan gave his brother a light hug with a dampened spirit.

D-don’t be so demoralised. My fault, sorry for hugging Onii-sama first.

“Alan, have you cooled down? Haven’t you got something to say to Ryou? Have you said it properly?” Cain-sama told his little brother with a sweet-looking gaze. Alan reacted with a sudden moment of realisation and faced me with trepidation.

Eh, why are you looking at me with those eyes? A face like how a small animal would make when facing its predator……I won’t bite though?

“……Ryou, earlier, I was in the wrong for that outburst. I had been lost in thoughts, and was in a disarray……”

I was astonished at Alan’s apology and responded to him by telling him it was okay. Once again, Alan started to look down in demoralisation.
And, after hesitating for a short moment, Alan opened his mouth again.

“Also, sorry. I could not help Ryou then. ……Seriously, I wanted to apologise at the start. I could not help because I was powerless. Ryou must have had a hard time alone, yet I could not do anything, I might have caused you to be helpless then……I have always……wanted to apologise for that.”

My body stiffened on hearing Alan repentance, or more like confession.

That is……how should I put it, you have been worried for me right……?
Standing in front of me was Alan who looked gloomy. Was he angry at me because he was so worried?

To think that he had been so worried for me.
And I had a choice to go back to Alan and the other members of the Rainforest too. The option I had chosen for myself was not to go back.

The path which I had picked, it isn’t so that I have regrets for it now, but, I had forgotten that I would cause others to feel sad for me.

It was just that I thought I was just a pa.s.sing memory to Alan and the others, that was how I imagined it. Perhaps, I was under that kind of impression.
Nonetheless, I am sorry Alan. The one that should be sorry is me.

“It is I who should feel that way……sorry. I have made you worried. It is all fine now.”
I said and awkwardly opened my arms and gave Alan a hug.
I could feel that Alan was crying. He was sniffling.
I am really sorry, Alan.

“I’m glad. I was a helper for the Entrance Ceremony and was at the auditorium when I heard from Henry-sama that my little brother had raised his voice, so I rushed out and it worth the effort. I must return soon. The explanation session would begin shortly so you two return to the auditorium too.”

He nodded with satisfaction seeing as we have reconciled.
Alan and I broke off our embrace and we sent Cain-sama off. I glanced at Alan who was next to me, and it looked like he had stopped crying but for some reason, he looked as though his spirit was broken.

“Alan-sama, shall we head back to the auditorium?”

To the dispirited Alan, I did not know what I should be saying to him and it was indeed true that our recess was ending so I had suggested that we return to the auditorium.

I turned at the curve and was about to enter the auditorium when I felt that Alan was not following me from behind. I turned back to look.
There were no signs of Alan appearing from the corner. To check on Alan, I went back to the corner and heard someone sobbing. I paused myself before the turn.

“……If only I could be like Cain-anisama. I had shouted at Ryou despite not having any such intentions. And I was planning to apologise first and then tell her that I would protect her and that she be relieved too……I am the worst. Why am I so uncool. ……I want to grow up faster.”

Alan was talking to himself.
He must be unconsciously muttering to himself since he said so in a very soft voice.

In that instant, I wanted to say something but, I realised that those must be words that he did not want anyone to hear so I acted as though I heard nothing and went back quietly to the auditorium.