The full-fledged journey began. And unexpected events started occurring one by one.

“Hey, a snail would be faster than your running speed.”

“If I catch you, I won’t let you off easy, for real.”

“Oh, it’s Sienna!”

“……”

The two students who were having a death race with their robes fluttering heard a passerby’s voice. They immediately became docile, straightened their backs, and walked elegantly.

“Are you being picky with your food again? When will you ever grow?”

“Shut up.”

“Enjoy your meal, everyone. I put extra effort into the vegetable garnish since I heard you’re students who will serve the country in the future.”

A student who was avoiding bell peppers and picking out only the meat started cutting the peppers gracefully with a knife and chewing them after the restaurant employee winked.

In addition, students who were giggling about how they resembled monster specimens suddenly started talking about stories they picked up during Nubilus’s class, and changes happened in an instant.

It was because the students, who had been running around like unbridled colts in the small society of the academy, realized Sienna’s reputation in the outside world.

Nigel Ars, who had been playing by rolling an egg, snickered at her peers’ pretentious behavior of sitting with perfect posture and drinking tea.

When she saw Allen Evans, sitting across from her, barely able to speak a word while trying to maintain his outwardly correct model student concept with only his lips twitching, she finally couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“Nigel… don’t laugh so loudly. You’ll ruin Sienna’s reputation.”

When Allen whispered, barely opening his mouth, Nigel’s laughter grew even louder.

It was funny to see someone who usually put studying on the back burner and chattered away now pretending to be dignified, reading the morning newspaper while drinking tea.

“Hey, pfft… why are you wearing glasses without lenses, hahaha!”

“It’s fashion…”

Allen covered his reddened face with the newspaper. Meanwhile, as he pushed up his glasses, his index finger slipped in and out of the frame.

Nigel started laughing, social face be damned.

She was so caught up that her magic leaked out… wait a minute.

As she slowly turned her head, she realized her shoulder was touching Noah’s shoulder.

The moment Noah’s blue eyes met her purple ones, Nigel quickly moved away from Noah.

“…Ah, sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

The conversation ended with those words.

After a long silence, Allen broke his model student concept and roughly threw the newspaper he was holding onto the glass table.

“You two, how long are you going to be like this?”

“Like what?”

“What do you mean?”

Nigel and Noah answered simultaneously. As if they had rehearsed beforehand, their tone was confident and brazen.

“Come on… you said you’d be like friends, but what kind of friends act like this? I’m frustrated. Yenica is gone to buy souvenirs, so be honest with me.”

Allen took off his lensless glasses and placed them on the crumpled newspaper.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“Indeed. It seems Allen is worn out from role-playing.”

“Hey… you two barely spoke more than two words to each other throughout the trip, but you’re in perfect sync at times like this?”

Allen pointed his finger at his friends.

“And Noah, this isn’t role-playing, it’s another side of me, you know?”

“More like a fake persona you’ve made up.”

Noah chuckled at Nigel’s muttering.

Allen, unable to contain his frustration, messed up his neatly groomed hair.

At first, it was amusing to see the two hesitate, but after watching this charade for four days, Allen, stuck in the middle, felt suffocated.

Even when they were having pleasant conversations, as soon as Nigel and Noah’s eyes met, the conversation would awkwardly end. Well, except for Yenica, who was always happy just being by Nigel’s side.

“Argh! This is driving me crazy, really. Hey, if you’re friends, try looking at each other straight in the eye and exchanging more than ten words.”

Despite Allen’s loud voice, Noah pretended not to hear and leisurely drank his tea. Nigel quickly tucked the egg into her robe, saying that children shouldn’t hear bad words.

“If you’re going to keep being conscious of each other and acting all lovey-dovey, why don’t you just date?”

“No way.”

“Why not− Nigel, he might have some flaws in his personality, but his face isn’t bad, and his naked body is quite impressive. Aren’t you a bit tempted?”

“…As long as he’s Noah Beselion, that will never happen.”

“Ah, I see…”

Allen had opened his mouth to lighten the mood, but it only made the atmosphere heavier.

Apart from the occasional sound of sipping tea, no one dared to say anything.

In the frozen atmosphere, Allen put on his lensless glasses again and picked up the newspaper. But this time, there was no reaction even when Allen held the newspaper upside down.

Just then, with a clear chiming sound, Yenica approached.

Nigel, who had been cold to Allen and Noah, immediately melted into a smile upon seeing Yenica.

Next to her, Noah looked at Yenica with envious eyes.

Tsk tsk, poor guy, Allen clicked his tongue and vowed never to fall in love—especially unrequited love.

“By the way, Allen. Why is your hair so messy, and why are you holding the newspaper upside down?”

At Yenica’s words, three pairs of eyes turned to him. Allen sheepishly fixed his hair and held the newspaper properly.

“Oh, it’s here too!”

“What is?”

As Allen tilted his head, wondering if he had made another mistake, Yenica pointed at the newspaper with her finger.

“The Mountain of Fragments. I heard from the others that it’s nearby.”

“The Mountain of Fragments, wasn’t that where the hero Valein climbed to meet his deceased father, right?”

Yenica nodded at Noah.

“What was it… there’s a mirror deep in the mountain that lets you meet dead people, right?”

“Yeah. They say the mirror fragments allow you to meet the dead for a brief moment, but in exchange, it blinds you to reality and traps you in the mountain forever.”

Allen added to Nigel’s explanation.

“The shop owner said there’s still a wish-granting mirror on the Mountain of Fragments! How about we go to the Mountain of Fragments during our free time tomorrow?”

At Yenica’s innocent voice, the other three exchanged subtle glances.

If they put Yenica in danger, something more terrifying than a confidentiality agreement would surely emerge from the Imperial Palace.

In the silent deliberation, the three quickly came to a consensus. Even if the rumor was true, they would absolutely not go to the Mountain of Fragments.

Nigel slowly placed her hand on Yenica’s shoulder.

“Yenica, what’s that in your hand?”

“It’s a postcard of the Mountain of Fragments that I bought as a gift for Cal. I’m going to write a letter on it and give it to him!”

The image of Calein tearfully promising to keep a secret automatically popped into Nigel’s mind. Well, for Calein’s sake too, they absolutely couldn’t put Yenica in danger.

After organizing her thoughts, Nigel opened her mouth.

“It’s a very pretty postcard, befitting your excellent taste.”

“Right? I bought one more to give to you too, Nigel.”

Nigel barely managed not to give in to Yenica’s bright smile and put on a deliberately firm expression.

“Alright, Yenica. The shop owner told you about the Mountain of Fragments while introducing this postcard, right?”

“Yes!”

“That’s all just a sales tactic. Who knows, maybe the mirror fragments worked in Valein’s time. But now it’s just a good excuse to sell tourist products.”

“B-but what if it’s real? I might be able to see my deceased grandmother…”

The reason why Yenica, who would believe Nigel even if she said cheese was made from fermented water, hesitated was clear.

“If I go with Nigel, Lord Noah, and Allen, I’m sure we can safely see grandmother and come down from the mountain. Just like at the auction house in Lumen!”

Nigel, who understood well the feeling of wanting to see a deceased family member once more, bit her lip and opened her mouth.

“What if we can’t escape from the mountain?”

“That’s…!”

“What if you’re trapped in the mountain forever and can’t see Crown Prince Calein again?”

Yenica, who was always smiling, showed sadness.

Her tightly closed lips opened after a moment.

“…Although I want to see grandmother badly, I don’t like the idea of not being able to see Cal again.”

“Yes, that’s a good thought. I’m curious about that mirror too, but not enough to put my friends in danger.”

“Nigel… you were worried about me!”

Yenica, who had regained her smile, jumped into Nigel’s arms.

Nigel stroked Yenica’s back with one hand, and with the other, she made a V sign with her index and middle fingers to Allen and Noah. Allen and Noah responded by giving a thumbs up.

Early evening after the Mountain of Fragments incident was resolved.

“Alright, everyone packed their bags?”

The students completely packed and removed their luggage from the dormitory at Roneh’s stern command.

On the last night of their 4-night, 5-day trip, which was meant to be memorable, the students who suddenly had to pack up and come out couldn’t maintain their exemplary Imperial Academy student concept and their faces soured.

“Thank you for following my words well for the past four days. Thanks to that, there were no incidents of teachers and students drinking together pleasantly.”

Well, they had no choice but to follow unless they wanted to die by Roneh’s cold Firma.

“But you know… I heard a rumor. A ridiculous rumor that someone among you would use an invisible magic tool to secretly drink alcohol tonight.”

Roneh smiled terrifyingly.

“So, after discussing with the professors, we decided to change your accommodation for the last night to ensure a trip without accidents or drinking. Namely, to the temple.”