Chapter 32: Clad in shimmering snow

It was a surprise, but she was also overjoyed.

Fiona did her best to suppress the feeling that she was about to hug Ren.

Tears, large and heavy, now welled up with joy.

“Fiona-sama!? Why are you crying?”

“Uh-huh! It’s nothing. I’m just going through some things, don’t worry!”

Her eyes sparkled like jewels as she finished wiping away her tears.

She mouthed that it was nothing, but seeing Ren like this, she realized that things were different from before.

It had been almost a year since they had seen each other.

Ren was taller and his face was more mature than before. They used to be about the same height, but now she has to look up a little.

Fiona was surprised at the change, and she curled back a little in the coat to hide her blushing cheeks.

“—- Yes, that’s right! Why are you here, Ren-kun?”

But Fiona looked relieved and asked when she finally regained her composure.

“If you’re asking why I’m here, it’s because I came to get the documents for the entrance exam.”

The reason was more than enough to surprise Fiona, but she was also curious about the reason Ren had shown up here in the first place.

She asked him about this as well.

“The reason I came to this tree is because I saw Fiona-sama.”

“Wow…… me?”

“Yes. I was about to leave after using the restroom when I happened to see you. By the way, you’ll catch a cold if you don’t wear a coat. What brings you here?”

“—- because I was hoping to see you.”

She turned her head and deliberately kept her voice low so that no one could hear her.

The sound of tree branches swaying in the wind easily drowned out her mutterings.

“Huh? What did you just say?”

“Fufu—- it’s a secret.”

Fiona’s gestures by holding up her index finger and bringing it to her lips.

“But I was really surprised. It’s not only that I got to meet Ren-kun, but I never thought that you had decided to take this academy’s entrance exam…….”

“Huh? I thought you heard from Ulysses-sama.”

“Eh? Did you communicate with my father in that way?”

“I mean, we actually met and talked.”

“I never heard a single word about it from father.”

Fiona had not even heard about Ren’s meeting with Ulysses in the summer, and she had no idea that Ren was in Elendil until just now.

(I thought he’d talk about it….. I wonder why he didn’t say anything)

As for what happened behind the scenes, Ulysses was just being reasonable in his own way.

He knew of Fiona’s feelings toward Ren, but he didn’t want to push for their reunion for his own reasons, and he respected Licia, who had been by his side until then.

It was his way of showing respect, and he did not ask for anyone’s understanding.

Perhaps he will go crazy when I ask him about this matter.

“…..”

A strong wind blows and sweeps Fiona’s long black hair.

The coldness of the moment made Ren to worry about her and he said let’s talk as we walk.

“By the way, why didn’t you have your coat on?”

“Actually, I left it at the academy…..”

“…… in a winter like this?”

“Yes. I was in a daze!”

Then he asked if she could go get her coat.

Fiona, not wanting Ren to get cold, said in a panicked voice, “I’ll go get it right away,” but the lights in the hallway leading to the library were being turned off.

The library was closing earlier than usual because it was just before the New Year.

“Is there another coat in the dormitory?”

Ren implicitly told her that he would lend her his own coat and that she could go straight back to the dormitory.

Of course, if Fiona didn’t want to go back to the dormitory, that would be a problem.

It’s unlikely that Fiona will not like it, but it is just a way of thinking.

Fiona also realized the true meaning of Ren’s words, but feeling embarrassed if she was mistaken, she said in a reserved voice.

“There is. But Ren-kun is……”

“I’m fine with it. I’m relatively sensitive to heat, so I’m okay with this much. It’s not enough reason for you to rush to pick it up, Fiona-sama. So I’ll walk you to the dormitory.”

Then Ren suddenly starts walking.

Fiona nodded as he told her “Let’s go,” thinking she was being spoiled again. She didn’t when Ren asked to escort her.

Also, being too reserved would be stepping on his kindness. She avoided being too reserved and walked after him.

Just looking at his back from slightly behind, she felt her cheeks relax from happiness.

“Speaking of which, is everything all right with your escort?”

Earlier, Ulysses had told him that Fiona had an escort.

It’s no wonder that Edgar is waiting nearby.

“I’m not in the academy, and there are knights patrolling the road to the dormitories, so I’ll be fine.”

“Oh, so you don’t always have someone by your side on your way to school?”

“Fufu! Yes, that’s right.”

Or whether Fiona is being escorted from an unknown source.

Edgar is a sword saint in terms of hard swordsmanship. It was no wonder that he was escorting Fiona while avoiding detection.

On the other hand, there are many knights patrolling the town.

Since there are a lot of noblemen sons and daughters, the security situation was always very good.

(That’s not how it works.)

Ren stopped to think deeply and walked with Fiona through the academy’s gardens.

Fiona, looking at Ren, who was leading the way but matching her stride, from half a step behind, tilted her head.

“Ren-kun, you know a lot, don’t you?”

“Eh? About what?”

“You seem to know how the structure of the school well, and you know the way to the dormitory. Did you check it out on a map or something?”

“…… it’s something like that.”

Fiona, in particular, spoke to Ren several times, her voice bubbling with joy.

“Eh? Ren-kun, did you also go to the Holy Lion’s Sanctuary?”

“Yes, I did. I got a letter of introduction from Ulysses-sama.”

She seemed to enjoy any conversation, and you could tell that she truly enjoyed talking to Ren.

However, as we approached the dormitory, her mood gradually sank.

It was painful to think that soon it would be time to say goodbye to Ren.

“I wondered if I would ever be able to talk to you like this again.”

She felt bad for revealing the feelings she had been holding back until today.

Fiona huffed at the words that leaked out while she was completely unaware of them and immediately said, “It’s nothing!”

She mended her smile stoutly and tried her best not to show her desperation.

She didn’t want to cause any trouble for Ren.

But at the same time, Ren said–

“The imperial capital and Elendil are just around the corner, and I can talk to you as much as you want.”

His voice was as usual, simple and easy for him.

Fiona was taken aback by this.

It was as if a breeze blew through her mind and all her previous hesitations were drowned out.

Ren smiled at her and told her to be positive.

In her mind, she could even think of a different, brighter word than before.

“Do your best, it’s okay” Fiona’s murmur, drowned out by the snow and wind, was a sign of the change that had taken place in her heart.

Another few minutes’ walk brought us to the dormitory.

There, Fiona returned the coat she had borrowed from Ren, and as they parted—- she took a few steps ahead of Ren.

Her footsteps are so light that it seems as if she could start dancing at any moment.

“I’m going to work even harder starting tomorrow.”

Fiona said this without looking at Ren and with a somewhat meaningful tone of voice.

Fiona is wearing her special class uniform and her skirt is blowing in the wind.

The snowflakes danced like diamond dust around Fiona, who eventually turned her body to face Ren.

Her black hair, reminiscent of silk, fluttered in the wind.

“Do you want to go for it?”

“Yes, I’m going to do my best.”

Ren questioned the sudden words, and Fiona responded with a bouncy voice.

Fiona finally said, “Because —-.”

“I definitely want you to turn around.”

She put on a determined, dainty expression that she had never shown to anyone else.

She spoke in a dignified voice that was proof of her unwavering feelings.

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