Love Letter From The Future

It was night, but the light and warmth of the Academy had not faded.

The research building of the Academy, which was always lit year-round, resembled a lighthouse. Countless scholars were surely deep in their studies there.

Not just the research building, but the nights at the Academy were always bright. With a population reaching tens of thousands, this place met all the conditions to be a bustling district.

The grand building before me was no exception. A soft glow emanated from it, showcasing its presence.

It was one of the dormitories of the Academy. It was said that only those among the high nobility who could afford the expensive dormitory fees, along with exceptional skills, could enter.

The ‘Idalos Lodge,’ named after the great Conqueror Emperor, maintained a vintage atmosphere at night. It was said that the number of servants attending to the students far exceeded that of the students themselves.

I was also staying in a noble dormitory, but Idalos Lodge was on a different level altogether.

My room was merely a single room suitable for one person. However, I had heard that each room here was equivalent to the size of a manor.

To think that only a few dozen people lived in that vast building gave a glimpse of its luxury. Standing before Idalos Lodge, I swallowed hard, feeling my fingertips stiffen from excessive tension.

There was only one reason for my visit to the Idalos Lodge, with which I had no connection; it was because Delphine Yuridina had invited me.

She was the heir of one of the Empire’s five great families and among the most skilled in the Academy. She had more than enough qualifications to stay at Idalos Lodge, and there were no nobles who would reject the privileges of the Empire.

She was the only one who would invite me to such a luxurious dormitory. In other words, I had been invited into the private space of Delphine Yuridina.

To meet a woman and a man alone at night in a lady’s room; no matter how I thought about it, it felt peculiar, but I had already made a promise.

Even so, I hesitated for a while, trying to step forward without wavering, like the dignified noble of the Empire I was supposed to be.

If it wasn’t for the someone who was following me closely.

Someone pulled at the hem of my clothing, trying to stop me. My gaze naturally turned behind me.

There stood a beautiful girl with gray hair and deep blue eyes, gazing at me with somewhat glimmering eyes.

It was Ceria. A sigh escaped my lips involuntarily.

“Ceria, I told you not to worry.”

“B-but…”

Ceria hung her head low and began to fumble. Still, she did not loosen her grip on my clothes.

She had been like this ever since she heard about my appointment with Senior Delphine. Even after the evening training, she followed me around, repeating the words “be careful.”

I wasn’t going to meet a powerful monster, and Senior Delphine was surely a noble lady of education and knowledge, so I couldn’t understand why she was acting like this.

If I asked Ceria why she was so worried, she would probably reply with something like,

“Once my sister takes a liking to something, she gets possessive about it, even if she has to take it from others.”

Could it be that my handaxe was to her liking?

If that were the case, I wouldn’t mind selling it for a fair price. The heir of the Yuridina Clan would surely not lack money; it might even fetch a good price.

Despite my attempts to comfort her, Ceria only looked tearful. I had never seen her give me such a desperate gaze before, and it made me feel awkward.

As a noble, I couldn’t break my promise, and since it was supposed to be just the two of us, it was impossible to take Ceria with me.

I had no choice. I spoke to Ceria firmly.

“Ceria, it’s time to go. I hope you don’t want to bring dishonor to me by making me break my promise?”

“Y-yes, of course…”

With my stern voice, Ceria found it hard to hold on to me any longer and slowly loosened her grip on my clothing, wearing a sullen expression.

That sight was quite cute. When I first met her, she only showed a cold face like an ice sculpture, but she had begun to reveal her emotions.

The fact that she displayed her emotions only to me gave me a vague sense of satisfaction. This shouldn’t be the case.

I suppressed the dark desires lurking within my heart. And as I had always done when reassuring Ceria, I grasped her hands tightly with both of mine.

Having experienced it several times, each time I held her hand, Ceria would look at me with astonished eyes. At that moment, I would sincerely tell her,

“I want to meet Senior Delphine because there’s something I need to confirm. I won’t lose anything, so don’t worry, Ceria.”

“…Yes. Since it’s what Senior Ian said, I’ll believe you.”

Only then did Ceria seem somewhat reassured, slightly blushing as she nodded. Her beauty shone even more in the night. It was a great fortune to receive the respect of such a lovely junior.

Thinking that, I took my steps again. And the interior of Idalos Lodge was indeed so grand and antique that I couldn’t help but exclaim.

Even though it was just the lobby, dozens of servants were bustling about, handling various tasks. The attendant who greeted me at the entrance was one among them.

He claimed to have already heard from Senior Delphine and bowed politely. Familiar with the place, he began to guide me.

His handling was tidy. I looked around, admiring the interior of Idalos Lodge like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time.

How much longer would I have the chance to see Idalos Lodge? Perhaps today would be my last opportunity. Therefore, I pressed the scenery of Idalos Lodge firmly into my mind.

I planned to brag about it to Reto and Celin later. The secretive tale of the interior of Idalos Lodge would surely be an interesting topic for the duo, who formed the trio of low-ranking nobles of the Empire with me.

Lost in such thoughts as I walked, I found myself standing before a door. A door far too large for a room where only one person resided.

Knock, knock, the attendant knocked on the door. Then, he spoke in a low voice.

“Lady Delphine Yuridina, the gentleman Ian Fercurus, whom you spoke of previously, has arrived.”

There was no reply from inside. Instead, the door opened by itself. I was taken aback, my eyes widening, but the attendant appeared unfazed, as if he had seen this scene thousands of times.

He bowed his head to me, gesturing inward with his arm. It was an indication to enter.

I took a deep breath. In front of me was the private room of Delphine Yuridina. The sense of betrayal that came with stepping into that secretive space that wasn’t meant for anyone made me hesitate for a moment.

However, I soon shook my head and cleared my thoughts. She was a woman with enough audacity to invite a man she had just met into her room. She probably didn’t think of me in any special way, and perhaps her private room was just another socializing space for Delphine Yuridina.

Calming my mind, I stepped into Senior Delphine’s room, only to be greeted by,

“…It’s been a while, ‘Lord Handaxe.’”

Senior Delphine sat there wearing only a robe, in a somewhat disheveled position.

The soft scarlet light of the room illuminated her fair skin. Her deep red eyes, filled with a sticky sense of boredom, and her alluring lips.

Her radiant blonde hair did not lose its luster even in the darkness. The robe clung to her, revealing the curves of her femininity.

For a moment, my head spun. There was a thick scent in her room. I couldn’t even tell what kind of scent it was. Only the thought that it felt like a woman’s smell crossed my mind.

It took quite a while for me to regain my composure. I was staring at the voluptuous shape of Senior Delphine’s chest peeking out from within her robe when I finally snapped back to reality and jumped up, exclaiming,

“No, no, no… you should at least put on some clothes!”

As I immediately turned my gaze away, Senior Delphine’s expression showed no change. She took a sip from the wine in her glass and, in a rather curious tone, asked me,

“…Why?”

She tilted her head, asking a question.

The moment her question hit me, my mind went blank. Why? There were many reasons. Even in my flustered state, I began to stutter out my reasoning.

“Well, um… I’m a stranger, and as the heir of the Yuridina clan, you should treasure that noble body a bit more…”

“Do you find me ugly?”

“No! You’re… pretty, but…”

As the importance of chastity I had been trying to argue faded from my words, Senior Delphine chuckled softly.

Her blood-red eyes quietly bore into me. Though I averted my gaze in embarrassment, she noticed my furtive glances, a satisfied smile forming on her lips.

“In that case, feel free to look, I might be a rare work of art… as they say, ‘a pearl cast away in the vast sea.’”

Then, she slowly stood up. I heard a soft rustle as the gentle fabric of her robe brushed against each other. It felt for a moment like her fair skin was revealed even further.

As Senior Delphine approached, I couldn’t help but fidget and step back. But it was of no use.

She walked silently, and before I knew it, she was right in front of me, wearing a faint smile.

“Welcome to my room, Ian Fercurus.”

Only then did I begin to understand Ceria’s warning to be careful of Senior Delphine.

It felt like I was about to lose something. Cold sweat trickled down my back.

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