Considering the hints thrown by those around him, sometimes subtly and sometimes blatantly, it was a matter of great lament. But they say friends grow to resemble each other. As expected of Azar’s friend, as soon as he realized his feelings, he left his family and headed straight for the forest Ali had told him about.

…To make a brief excuse, Remberton had originally intended to leave the family anyway. The timing was just a little earlier than planned.

It was true that he had clung to that place due to childhood stubbornness and obstinacy, but through various experiences on adventures with his friends, watching Azar’s struggles and decisions, and seeing the choices of his other friends, his thoughts had changed.

And so, he left the family blindly. Now, his name was just Remberton.

And he truly had nowhere to go.

Accepting the fact that he was nothing without his family name was quite painful.

Meanwhile, the Marchioness had looked upon him, an illegitimate son, quite favorably. When he was registered into the Marquisate, she was the adult who told him that the fault lay with the Marquis and his mother, not with him. Although not affectionate from childhood, she wasn’t cruel either. But that was as far as it went. Even when he said he would leave the family, the Marchioness was puzzled but did not hold him back.

However, she didn’t send him away empty-handed either. The Marchioness bequeathed a considerable amount of property to Remberton. With that much money, he could spend the rest of his life without working. And by receiving it, Remberton was rather able to sort out even the remaining affection he had for the family.

He took the property he received. Since the person he was going to meet from now on had absolutely no talent for saving money, he had to take care of it.

Remberton moved via the Magic Tower. Riding a horse, sometimes running, he barely arrived. Since he couldn’t enter the Elf Forest without permission, he tried to contact Ali belatedly, but just then, Ramiya walked out of the forest.

The moment he saw him, Remberton thought he really liked that wastrel.

“I want to be with you.”

So, it wasn’t a mistake that those words slipped out of his mouth.

“So, Ramiya, let me follow you.”

Ramiya was silent for a long time. The person who would normally have said yes or no immediately was silent at this moment. His blue eyes trembled as if an earthquake had hit.

Even the dense Ramiya seemed to feel something was strange by this point. He smacked his lips, grabbed his hair as if tearing it out, then swept it back roughly and sighed.

“Fine! Who else would take you if not me? Let’s go! Let’s go!”

Behind Ramiya, who strode away saying that, Remberton chuckled.

—In the distant future, the story of the vermilion-haired Hero who defeated a dragon becomes widely known.

And the Hero in that story was not alone. It is said that a knight with dark blue hair was always by his side. Because of that, countless rumors about their relationship circulated.

Sometimes there were stories that the two were lovers, and sometimes there were words that they were nothing more than simple friends. Some speculated that they were merely colleagues bound by money.

But one thing, no one denied the fact that the two spent their whole lives together.

***

Side Story. One Day, A Year Later.

“I want to enter the academy.”

At the words dropped abruptly onto the dining table without context, both Nathan and Azar looked back at Calypse in surprise.

“Huh? Huh? What?”

“The academy. Where Melchiel is.”

It was when they were eating a late breakfast as usual. Although conversation was flowing, it wasn’t a situation where such words would come out.

Suddenly the academy? He wants to go? Does he mean to enroll? Why?

“Why all of a sudden?”

Nathan asked because he truly couldn’t understand. He didn’t even like people that much, yet he wanted to go to an academy full of people on his own feet?

“Just because? I’m curious about how humans live?”

It was an answer that was obviously a lie to anyone who saw it, but Calypse didn’t blink an eye. That confidence rather made one wonder, ‘Is it true?’

“Ah, really? Uh… Wait, what was the procedure again?”

“Why are you suddenly troubling Nathan? Where are you trying to go now? Sit down, Nathan.”

As Nathan stood up rambling, Azar sat him back down and cocked an eyebrow at Calypse.

“Because I’ve played enough.”

Calypse answered like that and left the dining room. Truly, one couldn’t know what he was thinking with that small head.

“…Should I contact the Professor?”

“Nathan, finish your meal first and think about it. You haven’t even eaten a few bites yet.”

***

In the third year since Elphinesse Erasmus ascended the throne, starting with Aurora Academy, educational institutions began to operate normally, and the world was gradually returning to daily life.

The fact that the magic trains, which had mostly stopped running, started operating again, and the increase in students entering the academy—everything was evidence that things were getting better than before.

…Although the world still buzzed with noisy events whenever people were about to forget.

People were surprised and whispered repeatedly at all sorts of rumors heard occasionally, but it definitely became livable.

“I’m telling you, the Demon King really exists!”

“Do you believe that? They say no one has actually seen him?”

“But according to rumors… Ah, it’s the Professor!”

“Hello, Professor!”

Seeing Melchiel approaching from the front, the small children barely reaching his knees bowed and greeted him.

“Yes, hello.”

Melchiel accepted the children’s greetings with his characteristic calm face. Originally, he would have passed by like that, but this time, Melchiel gave a warning.

“By the way, it is better not to speak too much of groundless rumors.”

At that, the children covered their mouths in surprise.

“…Then everyone, have a good weekend, and I’ll see you later.”

Passing the students pretending to be nonchalant, Melchiel subtly touched his forehead. Once rumors spread, they are hard to correct. He was feeling that keenly these days.

‘When did rumors mix into the academy too… I should give a warning, but I’m careful lest it backfires.’

He worried it might become a case of scratching causing a boil. Not to mention the elementary students full of curiosity, even the middle and high school students were carrying all sorts of rumors.

Melchiel, who had been a professor for a long time, got a feeling. Some of them wouldn’t be able to hold back their curiosity and would soon go outside the academy saying they would find the truth of the rumor.

That was why Melchiel was racking his brain like this. If he stepped up and said something for no reason, energetic fools might move thinking ‘Is it real?’, and leaving it alone seemed to make the rumors inflate continuously.

Now, a being without substance was circulating as if it naturally existed…

“Ah, Professor. Have you been well?”

…While the very subject of those rumors was sitting here leisurely drinking tea.

“Professor?”

“Haa…”

Melchiel sighed deeply looking at Nathan, then waved his hand saying it was nothing.

“More than that, what brings you here?”

“Ah, I have something to discuss with you, Professor.”

“It seems you didn’t come because you missed me.”

“N-no! Of course, there is that reason too!”

At the words Melchiel threw as a joke, Nathan waved his hands in a flurry and spoke. At that reaction, Melchiel laughed out loud for the first time in a while. Teasing Nathan a little made him feel much better. He asked with a gentle smile hanging on his lips.

“I’ll hear the favor a little later. How have you been these days?”

“Mmh, same as always. Nothing much has changed since I came last time. The territory is really stable now…”

“And getting along well with him?”

At those words, Nathan panicked again and stuttered.

“Ah, o-of course. Uh, well… we’re good.”

Repeatedly sweeping his nape, he blushed in embarrassment.

When Nathan, who had been living in seclusion in the territory for a while after the coronation, came to the academy one day bringing Azar, Melchiel could truly feel what indescribable emotions were. He thought such an experience would never happen again.

When they came seeking his approval for a relationship he had vaguely guessed, even though Melchiel had prepared himself, he didn’t know what to say to Nathan or Azar readily. It was a moment when the title of Sage felt colorless.

If a student he taught with care brought someone saying they were lovers, but that person was somewhat unsatisfactory, wouldn’t everyone feel similar?

…Of course, let’s bury the fact that Pavan rolled on the floor holding his belly when Melchiel explained it in a roundabout way after the two left.

“And him? Did he not come with you?”

“Um, well, he’s scared to see you, so…”

“He ran away.”

Saying that was how it was, Nathan laughed sheepishly. Does Nathan know that defending him saying not to view it too badly actually becomes a reason for deduction?

Melchiel continued the conversation, resolving inwardly to give Azar a scolding later.

Even after introducing Azar to Melchiel, Nathan often stopped by the academy. It was to see Melchiel, who rarely left the academy, and also to meet the Leonard and Ruth brothers staying here. Although the brothers came directly to the territory when they had time.

“Then shall we hear about the favor now?”

Thinking he had heard enough of the recent news, Melchiel brewed fresh tea and asked.

“Well…”

Nathan explained the situation with a truly apologetic face. That suddenly Calypse said he wanted to attend Aurora Academy, so he came to discuss what to do.

“I’m sorry, Professor.”

Even while speaking, Nathan felt sorry to Melchiel for no reason. However, hearing the situation, Melchiel didn’t seem that surprised. He put down the teacup with the same attitude as before and soothed Nathan.