The poor were not offered help, the troubled were not comforted.

Rukna Golden, who had secretly hoped for a single warm word, muttered with a hollow smile.

“But there is a saying. A person who never makes mistakes is someone who never attempts anything new.”

“What?”

“If Lady Rukna is a mistake of the world, it must mean that this world is attempting something new. And that could be interpreted as……”

The regent reached across Rukna’s table and picked up a small cookie.

“The will of the world trying to overcome a tragic end? In other words, the returned Rukna Closet is both a mistake made by the past world and the only variable that can change the predestined future.”

At the regent’s calm words, Rukna opened and closed her lips.

‘What kind of comfort is this?’

Oh, thank you, those are good words – she wanted to say sarcastically, but the words wouldn’t come out as her throat choked up.

The notion that she was a mistake and a variable seemed to mean she was the hope of this world.

It felt like the regent’s roundabout way of offering a small comfort, and she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“Judging by your expression, my words were quite moving. Do I seem like a regent at this age now?”

“…No, you don’t?”

“Despite working day and night for the peace of the world, that’s disappointing to hear.”

“Even though you know the future of this world?”

From his words about ‘overcoming a tragic end’, she realized. You had guessed that the predestined future was one of destruction.

“It was merely a prediction.”

The regent stared intently at the cookie in his hand.

“Actually, I had planned to ask Lady Rukna, who possesses the holy sword, about the future from beginning to end. I have a hard time resisting delicious things and curious matters.”

Then he placed the cookie back on Rukna’s plate and grinned.

“But I’ll try to refrain from both. There must be a reason why God only allowed this old man a single line about the future, so I’ll try to have a little more faith in His will.”

Rukna returned on horseback. She thought she had spent a long time at the temple, but upon exiting, it was barely late afternoon.

The scorching summer sun beat down, but Rukna didn’t even feel its glare as she rode.

‘So this body was originally mine.’

Her own tragedy flashed before her eyes once more. She felt endlessly sorry to the family who had tried so hard to keep her alive.

〈Your mother gave birth to you as a strong child, Rukna. As an existence supporting the vast world. As the world’s strongest hero.〉

Every time her mother’s voice echoed in her ears, Rukna tightly gripped the reins.

‘Mom, it seems I haven’t grown at all.’

She was still as weak and insignificant as when she was 8 years old.

If she were to face the dark fog rushing in like a tidal wave once more, would she be able to not run away this time? Could she protect someone like her mother did? Could she give her life like her father and elder brother? The thought made her shoulders hunch.

〈Even if this was Lady Rukna’s original world, would you want to return there?〉

The regent’s question came to mind once more.

She couldn’t properly answer then, but if it were possible, it would certainly be better to go back.

After becoming the variable to change this world’s predestined future, as the regent said.

Just as Rukna was about to tightly grasp the pendant around her neck.

“As expected of Saint Sagan Academy cadets!”

“So cool!”

At the loud noise, she came to her senses and saw the school’s main gate.

The people gathered there were peeking inside the closed gate, admiring the cadets’ march.

‘What is suddenly happening?’

Rukna quickly composed herself and assessed the situation.

Cadets in full ceremonial plumed hats and uniforms were escorting a golden carriage in synchronized steps.

At the very front of the procession was Matian.

As Rukna craned her neck by the main gate, a man next to her jabbed her side.

“Hey you, aren’t you also a cadet? Why are you here?”

His colleague next to him stopped him.

“Don’t ask, man. For small parades like this, the appearance is what matters. I heard you have to be chosen based on perfect conditions like face and height.”

“But this cadet looks pretty good too?”

“Too short, that’s why.”

The colleague gestured to the top of his head, indicating Rukna’s short stature.

“What are these people talking about?”

Rukna glared at the two before climbing over the wall and entering through the side gate to the east.

Quickening her steps to where the parade was taking place, she saw a blonde beauty descending from the golden carriage.

It was none other than Princess Tolia. She was accompanied by two maids…

‘Why is Giselle there? And even Lady Mella?’

Somehow they were all familiar faces.

Putting Giselle aside, how was Mella here at this hour instead of attending classes?

While Rukna pondered, they entered Closet College where the principal’s office was located, and the cadets who finished the parade flocked to a nearby tent, throwing off their fancy plumed hats and jackets while complaining about the heat.

“Argh, I thought I was going to melt!”

“Bolton! Do you have any cooling elixirs or something?”

“The school should purchase some automatically-operating fans. I saw them on the dwarves’ airships.”

“Hey, I’ll spray some water on you guys. Gather around.”

A cadet splashed the water from a large wooden barrel towards the other cadets.

Me too, me too! The cadets who had stripped off their shirts rushed towards the barrel like crazy. There was even a real lunatic who took off his pants too.

Eek, it splashed on me too.

As Rukna brushed off her jacket, she overheard an interesting conversation.

“But why did Her Highness the Princess suddenly come?”

“She must have heard about the school explosion incident. Would she sit still after Matian Wiegratz even received disciplinary action?”

“Aren’t they not engaged yet though?”

“That’s because Matian refused, using his chronic illness as an excuse. I heard Her Highness still has him in her heart.”

“Wow, lucky bastard. How does he have it all?”

“I know, right? Let’s just hope that one thing is small.”

One of the cadets who was conversing fervently clasped his hands and closed his eyes.

“What do you hope is small that you look more desperate than when your parents are ill?”

“This heart, the heart! Please be small!”

Just as the cadet was offering an earnest prayer.

Bolton approached him with a smirk and put his arm around the cadet’s shoulder.

“Tsk tsk, how pitiful. Contrary to your wish, it’s freaking huge.”

“Wh-what is?”

“Matian’s heart. Our president’s heart is as vast as the Tulan Strait.”

“…You saw it?”

“I saw it when that neat freak president was purifying his heart. Why, jealous?”

Bolton lifted the corners of his mouth and smacked the cadet’s back. Then spotting Rukna, he approached her with a delighted look.

“Oh, klutz. Why is your face so red? Overcome by the heat?”

“Huh? Oh, is it? It is hot, haha.”

Rukna fanned herself with her hand and laughed awkwardly.

“If you’re hot, take it off. The magnanimous Bolton here will personally spray water on you.”

“What are you saying right now!”

“Whyyy? Does the klutz lack confidence because his heart is small?”

Bolton snickered playfully and brought the wooden water barrel towards her.

Just then, Rukna unconsciously used her divine power, causing about half of the spilled water to bounce off in droplets and completely soak Bolton who was standing opposite her.

Oops. Rukna quickly withdrew her power.

“Ack, it’s cold! What was that just now? Something seemed to glow really sacredly?”

Bolton didn’t even mind that he was drenched and looked puzzled by the phenomenon.

“I-I went to the temple on an errand for the professor and received blessings from the priest, so it must be because of that, haha.”

“Is that so? No wonder. There was an emergency earlier saying the Princess was coming, and all the 3rd years were in an uproar, but you were the only one missing.”

At that moment, Aaron approached Rukna with an expressionless face and called her.

“Rukna Golden, go to the principal’s office right now.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Her Highness the Princess has summoned you.”

“Me…? Why?”

“She probably just wants to see your face. But your jacket is wet.”

“Oh.”

“Want to borrow mine? The size seems similar. It’s a bit much to have an audience with Her Highness in such a barbaric state.”

Aaron pointed to the uniform he was wearing while criticizing Rukna’s appearance.

“Thanks, Aaron.”

Aaron then said this much was nothing between friends and held out his hand. Huh? What’s this?

“I’ll take 5 rubles.”

“……”

“Sigh. Since we’re friends, I’ll give a discount to 3 rubles.”

Aaron offered the discounted price with a look as if the world was crumbling down.

Rukna, who urgently needed the clothes, rummaged through her pockets with a skeptical expression.

Receiving the three bills, Aaron displayed the happiest face Rukna had ever seen him make.

“So you are Rukna Golden. The stepsister of Giselle Golden here.”

Princess Tolia, with her blonde hair draped over one shoulder, smiled brightly, her blue eyes twinkling.

She was originally from the Empress’ maternal family but was adopted as the Emperor’s daughter and became a princess.

However, her blonde hair and blue eyes perfectly embodied the characteristics of pure-blooded royalty.

Beside the Princess sat Giselle and Mella side by side, while Matian was drinking tea across from the Princess.

Since when did Giselle become so close with the Princess?

While Rukna was at the academy, it seemed Giselle had also accomplished many things for the family by frequenting the imperial palace, which made Rukna feel proud.

“Greetings to Your Highness the Princess, I am Rukna Golden.”

Rukna bowed as politely as possible.

It was her first time meeting royalty, so her heart trembled, but she wanted to show Giselle a side of herself she wouldn’t be ashamed of.

Rukna glanced at Giselle and sent a separate greeting with her eyes, to which Giselle responded with a bright smile. But Matian suddenly interjected between them.

“That’s enough, Rukna. Take a seat.”

He gestured for her to sit next to him and personally poured tea into her empty cup.

Mint herbal tea? The pungent scent stung her nose.

Princess Tolia observed the scene while covering her nose with a fan.

‘Lord Matian is pouring the tea himself?’