Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139844414118669/episodes/822139844749354720
It was a clear, sunny morning when the envoy arrived from the royal capital.
Even though it was still too early for field work to begin, the village entrance was unusually noisy. When I went to investigate, I found an extravagantly grand carriage parked there, looking utterly out of place.
The body of the carriage bore a polished golden crest. Several armored guards stood protectively around it. The official who stepped out of the carriage wore finer clothing than anything I’d ever seen in the village.
They looked utterly out of place in this village. Claiming it was a royal decree, they began gathering all the villagers near the entrance. They were shouting while unfolding some documents, but almost none of it made sense.
Things like the ‘Primordial Labyrinth’ and the ‘Chosen One’.
They seemed to be going on at length about how honorable it all was, but from our perspective, it was the kind of talk that made us tilt our heads in confusion, wondering what on earth it had to do with us.
“…Could it be they’re here to collect taxes?”
“Stop it. It’s bad luck first thing in the morning.”
Ciel said in response to my muttering.
She was calm as usual, but perhaps a little uneasy, as she grabbed the hem of my clothes and pressed herself closer. Her long sky-blue hair swayed, and a faint, sweet scent tickled my nose.
I caught myself thinking something out of place like, “She smells nice,” while watching how things unfolded.
“Yu, Ciel. Step forward.”
The village chief called us out by name.
Neither Ciel nor I had a clue what was going on. Still, since we’d been summoned, we had to go. Taking Ciel’s hand, we stepped before the official. Maintaining his emotionless, expressionless face, he handed us a letter.
The contents were dense and complicated, and more than half of it made me want to give up reading. But the moment I saw the last sentence, my jaw dropped.
――Permission is hereby granted for transfer to the Royal Arcadian Academy of Magic.
“…Huh?”
Who could blame me for letting out a gasp?
“Eh… Eh…? W-wait a minute!? The academy in the capital…?”
Ciel seemed equally stunned.
Her eyes widened, and she was unusually flustered for her.
“The academy in the capital… Isn’t that usually only for nobles…?”
“Th-that’s right… Right? Wh-why us…? We didn’t even take the exam… So suddenly…!”
Unable to comprehend, they looked at each other.
Neither had any recollection of this. Confused, they glanced over the documents again and realized it mentioned something about needing the strength of children like them for some dungeon exploration.
So apparently, they’re gathering kids aged 15 to 18 from all over the country.
Selectors, the royal academy… Words completely foreign to our lives, making it hard to grasp. But since it even mentions a royal decree, it seems we have no right to refuse.
“What an unbelievable turn of events.”
“Yeah… It’s kind of scary…”
Harune Village is small. Just fields and forests—a typical frontier village anywhere.
To be transferred from a place like that to the royal capital’s academy, and one only nobles can enter? Could there be a better deal…?
“You two are amazing, Yuu and Ciel!!”
“Our young adventurer duo is going to the royal capital!?”
“The pride of Harune Village!!”
Leaving us with a hint of unease, everyone around us was in an uproar.
That’s right. We weren’t just kids. Since last year, we’d been officially registered with the guild as adventurers, heading out to slay monsters in the surrounding areas.
Goblin hunts, exterminating wolf-like monsters, escorting merchant caravans…
We’d even ventured into the labyrinth that appeared near the village more than once or twice.
In the village, we were said to be the two most skilled, and that’s probably why we were chosen as these so-called ‘Chosen Ones’.
“It might be an honor…”
“I suppose so…?”
We originally became adventurers to make a name for ourselves, but skipping all that and getting a job in the royal capital feels a bit fishy.
Still, it’s true that an opportunity like this might never come again.
How long would it take to gain enough experience around the village to make a name for ourselves? Ten years? Twenty? Maybe even longer.
“…I’m going.”
“…Aren’t you scared?”
“I am scared. But that’s nothing new. Besides, it’s a chance to make a name for myself. …I don’t think I can pass it up.”
Hearing that, Ciel fell silent for a while.
Then, she let out a deep sigh, shrugged her shoulders, and gave a small laugh.
“Well, what can I say. If Yuu’s going, then I’m going too.”
“…Are you sure?”
“It’s not a matter of okay or not. I can’t let you go to the capital alone. You’d definitely do something reckless.”
She said it with an exasperated tone, yet her voice held a certain gentleness.
“Since we’re doing this, let’s climb to the very top. In the capital, and in the labyrinth too.”
“Yeah, you’re right!”
Hearing her words, I felt the unease deep in my chest lighten just a little.
⬛︎
――A few days later.
Carrying only the bare essentials and our weapons, we left Harune Village.
The familiar fields, the scent of the forest, the small houses. Seeing our families waving at the village entrance, and Ciel’s parents and sisters in our sights, my chest tightened strangely.
“…When we return, let’s surprise them, shall we?”
“As big-time adventurers returning from the capital?”
“Yes. I want to be impressive enough to return with my chest held high.”
Her smiling profile looked more mature than usual as she said this.
The road we traveled with Ciel like that.
I was used to traveling on foot. I’d gone on expeditions lasting days for quests, and dungeon exploration was essentially walking anyway, so even more so.
So the journey to the capital wasn’t that bad… or so I thought.
“…It’s far.”
“It is far.”
“At least three times farther than I imagined.”
“I agree.”
No matter how far we walked, not a single glimpse of the capital appeared.
To begin with, Harune Village itself was located in a remote area. It was only natural that it would be far from the capital city, situated in the nation’s center.
As we walked along, exchanging such trivial remarks,
“…Yu.”
Suddenly, Ciel stopped in her tracks.
Her expression was grim, making it clear at a glance that something was seriously wrong.
“What is it?”
“Up ahead. I sense monsters. …There are many.”
Following Ciel’s prompting, I turned my gaze in that direction.
A carriage was stopped along the road. Ahead of it, a horde of monsters could be seen charging forward, kicking up dust as they closed in.
Before them stood two youths—a maid and a noble boy.
“This is bad!! They’ll be eaten alive if they stay there!?”
“I’m going to help them!”
“Huh?!”
After that brief exchange, I cut off the conversation, kicked off the ground, and ran toward them.
There was no way I could just leave people being attacked by monsters to die.
I drew the sword strapped to my back, ready to rush to their aid—but in that very instant, I realized my worry had been for nothing.
“…Huh?”
Just as I closed the last bit of distance between us, I let out a dumbstruck sound.
Why? Because it was already almost over.
The maid-costumed girl was swinging a greatsword taller than herself, sweeping away the Gravehounds in one fell swoop. A single horizontal slash, and several of them were already corpses.
“What the hell was that…”
The boy standing behind the maid girl was the same.
He looked every inch the noble. His fine clothes, his perfectly straight posture. His entire aura screamed spoiled aristocrat, someone who seemed to know nothing about combat.
Yet, fireballs launched from his palm struck each monster precisely, one after another.
Efficient, swift, and purely powerful.
Before I knew it, the swarm had been wiped out before I could even offer assistance.
“Damn…”
I honestly thought that.
More than frustration, I was genuinely mesmerized by their fight.
“Looks like we weren’t needed after all…”
Ciel’s voice beside me sounded tinged with admiration too.
Standing frozen with sword raised, I watched as the boy and maid approached each other, almost as if to commend their efforts. The boy’s hand rested on the maid’s head, and instantly her face flushed scarlet… Somehow, it felt like I’d seen something I shouldn’t have.
Is that how close a master and servant are supposed to be?
“H-hahahaha…”
Ciel beside me also turned bright red and covered her face with her hands.
But I could tell she was peeking through her fingers to watch them.
As I watched them like that, the maid girl caught my eye, and then the noble boy turned to look at me. He had deep-set eyes, jet-black hair, and a face with such striking features you couldn’t forget it once you saw it.
He took the maid girl by the hand and walked toward us, smiling.
“Did you come to help us?”
His voice was surprisingly friendly.
It was a biased assumption, but I’d always thought nobles would look down on people. This overly ordinary demeanor left me flustered.
“Uh, well… that is…”
“We were… planning to help…”
Thanks to him, all we could manage was a pathetic reply.
Far from showing dissatisfaction with our reaction, he just chuckled softly.
“Your intentions alone are enough. Thank you.”
He said this without the slightest trace of condescension or arrogance.
Then, turning toward his carriage, he called out to the coachman, seemingly concerned for his well-being. The coachman replied, “Thank you, young master,” with an attitude as if addressing his own nephew.
After chatting for a while, he glanced back our way again.
“You’re heading to the capital too, aren’t you? Would you like to come along?”
Hearing those words from that refreshing smile, Ciel and I were left completely dumbfounded.
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