Chapter 16: 16

“Who is it?”

As the three of us stared at the woods in silence, Mac said in a hoarse voice.

“Gideon…? Isn’t that him?”

I tried to say it couldn’t be, but my words failed to take shape.

Before I could say it out loud, I was able to make out the face of the person.

It was indeed Gideon, coming straight toward us, bathed in the moonlight falling from the tops of the trees.

He was wearing a white robe that signified his position as Chief, and he walked briskly with sure footsteps.

When he came to our side, he stopped.

“I’m sorry to barge in on you like this. — Is the outdoor party over?”

For a moment, I couldn’t understand what was being said. 

The same seemed to be true for Mac and Cynthia, who were both staring at Gideon in silence.

After a few moments of silence, Mac replied as he leveled the coals on the soil with the sole of his shoe.

“We’ve eaten everything. What happened to the graduation party, Gideon? Where’s the big dance?”

“I didn’t want to dance, so I left early.”

“Hahaha. Well, I’m sure Casacchi and the others will have a bloody battle over who gets to dance with you! Gideon’s got it tough.”

“It’s not like that. –I didn’t want to dance with anyone but Liesl.”

“Huh?”

Mac tilted his head.

Gideon takes a step closer to me.

The sound of crunching weeds under his shoes.

“More importantly, Liesel, I need to talk to you.”

My heart thumped hard.

So it wasn’t the graduation party that meant anything to him, but talking to me?

In contrast to Mac and I, who were both standing there, confused as to what to say, it was Cynthia who moved.

Cynthia lowered the chair she was holding to the ground, grabbed Mac’s arm and spoke to Gideon with an awkward smile.

“Mac and I will leave for a bit. Gideon, you and Liesel should have a good talk.”

“Oh, hey, Cynthia, don’t pull me!”

Cynthia dragged the flustered Mack along and disappeared into the trees.

I was troubled as I looked back at Gideon.

“I didn’t think you’d come to our party. I should have left you something. I’m sorry.”

I apologized with a slightly awkward smile, and Gideon shook his head from side to side.

“I don’t care about food.”

Gideon walked slowly over and took my hand. 

I was upset, not knowing what he was going to do, but he said in a gentle voice, 

“Don’t be so hard on me. I’m not asking you to dance with me here. –I know that Liesel hates me.”

That’s bad.

How did he know?

“I don’t hate you.”

“Really?”

I looked up at him, who was within arm’s reach of my face, and nodded my head.

Gideon’s eyes were not his usual calm self, but rather anxious and lonely.

“Why did you think that I hated you?”

“Because we were classmates, but you were always distant, and… after the exam you stared at me with all the intensity of avenging your parents.”

It’s a shame. 

It’s not my parents’ revenge, it’s my own.

But I can’t say that.

“You’ve been my test rival ever since I started school. You were an invincible rival who could not be beaten no matter what I did.”

“–I want Liesel to be a good friend that I can fight together with, not rivals that can kick each other down.

“Yes, that’s right. –We’re both working people now.”

“I’ve always wanted to be in a relationship where we could lend each other strength instead of staring at each other. From now on… will you continue to be my friend?”

“Of course.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Gideon seemed relieved by my reply and smiled as he stared at me.

My eyes were glued to that smile.

Gideon’s first eye lowered, the corner of his mouth slowly raised, and his eyes twinkled.

(How gently he smiles…)

It was a warm smile that brought back nostalgic memories that I had almost forgotten.

I couldn’t help smiling back.

We stared at each other like that for a while without saying a word. 

It was a strange time, as if we were waiting for one of us to say something. 

Eventually, his face came even closer to mine, and he gently touched my cheek with his lips.

It was a light, common kiss, the kind of affectionate kiss between friends.

Still, the idea of a kiss from Gideon Lancaster was a shock to me. 

I turned my head and shook off the hand that was still holding mine.

“… I’m sorry.”

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Gideon apologized in a voice so quiet that it seemed to disappear in the whisper of the trees.

Sighing slowly, he began to speak.

“As you may have heard from the Director of the Academy, my job offer from the Magic Branch of the Royal Capital has also been withdrawn.”

“Just like me. No way! We’ve been forcibly recruited by the royal court – and I’m the Crown Prince’s bodyguard.”

Gideon’s eyes widened as he complained lightly.

At the same time, the color of his eyes darkened and his brow creased.

“The Crown Prince’s bodyguard…?”

“Worst of all, I’ve been assigned to the Magic Agency’s Security Department as a Konoe Mage.”

“What?”

Under the moonlit night, Gideon had gone pale for some reason.

He looked more angry than genuinely surprised.

“I really don’t like it either. I wanted to go back to Baral. Besides, I don’t want to work anywhere near His Highness.”

Gideon’s blue eyes drifted from side to side as if lost in thought, then he looked into my eyes and said,

“Liesel, have you ever met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Well, no, not really. Have you ever met him?”

When I asked, Gideon’s face stiffened for a moment, and then he smiled awkwardly. 

It seemed to be a rather forced smile.

“I do. I know your Highness well. –When I was a child, I often went to the palace to play with him. But I wonder how things suddenly turned out that way.”

“Really, I don’t, at all.”

Gideon seemed to be as shocked as I was. 

His face was slightly downcast, and he looked very pale. 

The moonlight cast a dark shadow on half of his face, creating an even more grim atmosphere.

A strong wind blew, shaking the trees in the forest at night. 

The chilly night wind was like sharp ice caressing my cheek.

A shiver came over me and I hugged my arms to myself and rubbed them together.

“Chilly.”

Gideon looked up quickly and began to take off the white robe that was draped over his shoulders. 

He unties the cord around his neck and drapes the robe over my shoulders.

I couldn’t take the cloak from him, and was about to politely decline, when I noticed the color of the robe.

(It’s a white robe. Not like our gray ones, white.)

I unconsciously stretch out my arm and admire the white robe. –(It’s a white robe, not our gray one.) 

I unconsciously stretch out my arms and admire the white robe, a coveted robe that only chiefs can wear, representing their status.

The fabric of the robe is more solid than that of the gray robe, making it seem more luxurious.

“I’ve always wanted to try this robe on. Ever since I was a freshman, I’ve wanted to walk around the school building with this color fluttering in my hands.

I give Gideon a slightly sarcastic smile.

“I never got to wear it, though, because of you.”

“Right. That’s right.”

Gideon smiled wryly, scratching the back of his neck. 

Then he whispered.

“It’s a color that suits you. –It’s pretty, Liesl. It’s really pretty…”

“Oh, thank you.”

I had never imagined that the day would come when the saint’s waistcoat would say “pretty” to me. 

It’s a very complicated feeling.

“You can have the robe if you want, since I won’t be wearing it anymore after graduation.”

The unexpected offer made my eyes black and white.

The white robe was a lifetime medal to be kept. 

I can’t be so brazen.

“I can’t take it. It’s a testament to your hard work and ability, isn’t it?”

“You can have it, Liesel. –If it makes you happy.”

“If you give it to me like that, you’ll never have enough. You can never have too many of them. Everyone wants these white robes.”

I’ve seen them sold in pawnshops in Royal Capital for ridiculously high prices before.

Gideon smiled wryly.

“You only get one of those robes.”

“Really? I didn’t know that. That’s even worse. Gideon, you’re being too nice to everyone.”

“That’s not true. –I’m not being nice to everyone…”

Gideon was unusually reticent when he said this. 

His blue eyes, which had always given an impression of pity, looked very confident tonight.

“But it’s bad if I take it.”

“It’s okay. I want Liesel to have it.”

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(I might just throw it away.)

Not noticing the venom in my heart, Gideon said softly.

“I’m sorry for interrupting your fun time with Mac and the others. I’m going back to the dorm now, so give my regards to them.”

Although I asked him what to do with the robe, Gideon waved his hand and walked down the path to the dorm.

With graduation just around the corner, my life had started to take a strange turn.

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