Love Letter From The Future

My bewildered gaze turned towards Ceria.

The girl, who had a dignified and strong impression, was now bowing her head, holding out a pouch filled with gold coins to me.

Anyone who saw this might mistake it for a situation where a poor senior was extorting a timid junior. Ceria’s body was trembling so much that it looked pitiable.

It meant she was that nervous. The fear she had towards me might still not have faded away.

Judging by the size of the pouch, there were at least 200 gold coins inside.

One imperial gold coin has the value of a month’s living expenses for a family of four commoners. If the value were to rise or fall drastically, the empire would step in to adjust the prices.

Thus, the amount in that pouch meant that Emma and her herbalist father could live for over 33 years.

Even among nobles, a low-ranking noble like me would find it burdensome to spend even dozens of gold. Yet, if she referred to an amount exceeding 200 gold as a ‘modest price,’ then even as a lesser daughter, she could certainly be considered a member of the Yuridina clan.

The problem was, what in the world had I done to deserve such a large sum of money?

However, I couldn’t express my disbelief to the woman who was trembling with her eyes tightly shut. So, I spoke in a somewhat softened tone.

“Ceria? What do you mean by ‘price’?”

“…Ah!”

Only then did Ceria seem to realize that part was omitted, and she flinched, lifting her head again.

Our eyes met. Her aquamarine-like shimmering eyes quickly glanced down at the ground as soon as they met mine.

In the past, I thought it was a sign of disregard, but her current reaction suggested that it was not merely that.

Rather, she seemed to be too nervous when dealing with people. Worried that she might bite her tongue again, I spoke in a relaxed voice.

“You can take your time to speak; after all, I have nowhere to go.”

Though I had many places to go, I said this in hopes that Ceria would calm down a little.

Perhaps my reassurance had some effect, as Ceria’s trembling slightly subsided. She took a few deep breaths and soon spoke in a timid voice.

“When I asked for your guidance the other day… I thought it would be rude to ask without a price…”

I had to swallow a laugh at those words.

What kind of request between seniors and juniors couldn’t be made? Of course, I could offer a meal as compensation for the time spent, but 200 gold was excessive.

It appeared that Ceria lacked common sense regarding interpersonal relationships. I pressed my finger to my temple, feeling perplexed about what kind of response I should give her.

Receiving gold would give me a substantial sum to use for a long time, but at this moment, I wasn’t inclined to accept it.

Once I graduated from the academy, I wouldn’t have to worry about making a living. I wasn’t someone who was obsessed with money, and above all, it felt strange to receive a reward for something I hadn’t even done yet.

What if what I could offer wasn’t worth 200 gold?

There was a rule nobles had to follow: ‘return as much as you receive.’ Whether it was goodwill or animosity, nobles always returned the equivalent of what they had received.

This was thought to show the pride of the nobility.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t in a situation where I urgently needed to bend that pride, nor had I been beaten down by life. It was inevitable that I would end up refusing the pouch of gold.

“…Ceria. It seems you misunderstood when I firmly spoke last time; I don’t particularly think what happened then was rude. Even if I did agree to that request, I can’t accept such a price.”

Ceria hesitated, wanting to refute my sigh-laden voice. A small voice escaped from her lips.

“B-but…”

“I can’t accept this money, Ceria.”

With a firm declaration, as if driving a nail into a board, Ceria eventually became gloomy again and lowered her arms.

However, at this point, I was also curious why Ceria was so desperate. If her heart didn’t sway after this, she wouldn’t be human.

I cautiously posed a question to Ceria. To prevent her from tensing up again, I used a gentle tone.

“By the way, Ceria, why do you want my guidance so desperately?”

“…?”

Ceria’s questioning eyes turned towards me. Seeing that look made me feel as though I was tumbling deeper into a maze.

“Well, that’s true, right? There are many other exceptionally skilled people at the academy besides me. Even just rummaging through the third year, there will be plenty of swordsmen stronger than me. Even Professor Derek and several professors from the Swordsmanship Department are there; why pick me?”

Ceria remained silent for a moment, casting her gaze downward. She seemed to be mulling over what to say.

I waited with my arms crossed to ensure she wouldn’t bite her tongue again. Anyway, there was plenty of time left until the next class.

Though I desperately wanted to return to my dorm and rest, I was equally curious about Ceria’s circumstances. After all, this was ‘the spoiled child of Yuridina,’ wasn’t it?

If this was such an obsession for her, there must be a valid reason behind it. So, I simply stared at Ceria.

“…Because you said that last time.”

“What do you mean?”

I could only tilt my head at her words since there was nothing I could grasp.

What had I said last time? A sudden, ominous feeling started to stir within me.

Then, Ceria’s words confirmed my suspicion.

“There are limits to swinging your sword alone…”

No, I never said anything like that.

However, I quickly figured out who the speaker was. My missing memory over the last week belonged to ‘Ian Fercurus.’

That rude and impolite person was likely responsible. I pressed my hand to my forehead.

Whether it mattered or not, Ceria, though hesitantly, managed to continue speaking.

“I’ve never heard words like that before. And after losing to Senior Ian last time, I thought long and hard. Why did I have to lose to someone who doesn’t even try as hard as I do…?”

More impudent words were creeping in. “Someone who doesn’t even try”? Despite my enduring harsh training since childhood, that’s how she saw me.

But from her perspective, it might have made sense. Conveying thoughts into words was a separate issue.

My expression tightened slightly. However, it seemed Ceria didn’t notice my shift in demeanor at all.

“If anyone knows the answer, it would be Senior Ian. He also gave me advice during our last duel…”

“Oh, that remark.”

It was the advice that had caught my ‘hint.’ In fact, I had gained more than she had since that day.

I had acquired the ability to discern the opponent’s movements.

Though still hazy, I could understand what an opponent might do better when they were tense or hesitant—where their next attack would come from.

That alone felt like my skills had progressed to a new stage. However, it seemed I wasn’t the only one who was impressed by that day’s duel.

Ceria must have been troubled by various thoughts since then. Why did she lose, and what did I tell her to improve?

She was a talented swordsman. She would soon understand what I meant and might even fix her problems. So, she could have been under that misunderstanding.

It was amusing to think I could offer her advice.

What had happened that day was the result of luck intertwined with coincidence. I never thought I would be able to offer her useful advice again.

“…I understand what you’re saying.”

I sighed and said this. I decided to overlook the rude remark Ceria had just made.

After all, it was Ceria. The spoiled child of Yuridina wouldn’t change overnight.

And though it was still just speculation, Ceria didn’t seem to harbor any malice either.

Her shining eyes filled with expectation were evidence of that. Logically speaking, wouldn’t they indicate a negative nuance if you began speaking with a sigh?

She was oblivious. Or perhaps, she was awkward when it came to relationships.

I wasn’t sure if a child of a high-ranking noble family like Yuridina could be so naïve, but for now, that possibility seemed most plausible.

“But Ceria, I’m not as remarkable as you think. That day, I just happened to say something that resonated… You are a talented swordsman. You don’t need to rush; if you keep taking steps forward, you will reach a higher level.”

At first, Ceria had been excited, but as I continued, her shoulders began to droop again. She wore a gloomy expression.

Feeling a pang of guilt, I cleared my throat and ended my sentence. It was meant to be a comforting remark.

“So, try to live a little more leisurely. You’re already an excellent swordsman, and soon you’ll become an even better swordsman.”

Having said that, I turned my back. I felt that she would understand me by now.

However, the one word that flew from Ceria’s mouth stopped my departing footsteps.

“…Hunting Festival.”

My steps halted abruptly.

It was a phrase I had heard somewhere before. No, I had definitely heard of it many times. It was one of the largest events held within the academy.

A competition held in the Forest of the month of Archery to see who could hunt the strongest monsters.

The Hunting Festival, where four people form a team to participate, was an important festival where even the Emperor would attend if there were no other engagements.

But that wasn’t why I had stopped.

It was solely because that word had reminded me of something I had seen recently.

My mind reached the contents of the letter I had tucked away.

‘Sebia’ and ‘Hunting Festival.’

“If it’s not this year, there won’t be another chance…”

Her voice trembled. With her eyes tightly shut, she spoke as if confessing her sins.

My thoughts became tangled in an instant. I couldn’t make sense of what Ceria was saying; I had no clear understanding of the circumstances. However, one thing became apparent.

Ceria intended to participate in this year’s Hunting Festival. And there was a reason she had to do so.

I pondered, concerned, hesitating.

But it didn’t take long to reach a conclusion. I bit my lip and turned my body back toward Ceria, striding towards her.

Then, placing my hands on her slender shoulders, which were bowed down.

“…Ceria.”

“Yes, yes?!”

Startled by my sudden action, she widened her eyes, letting out a cute sound.

Her raised gaze met mine. The distance between us was close enough for our breaths to blend.

A sweet scent tickled my nose. Her deep blue eyes stared blankly at me.

After much deliberation and hesitation, my mouth finally opened.

“You look pretty today.”

“…?”

Of course, Ceria only tilted her head as if to say what I was talking about.

It was the day when our joint training, just the two of us, began.

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