I’m an Ordinary Returning Student at the Academy

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – Prototype]

Chapter 139

Originally, I had planned to spend more time with Selena.

After all, the poor, pitiful graduate student would have to return to school in a few days.

Unfortunately, Selena had her own matters to attend to. Family matters, to be precise.

“Sorry, Karl. My father asked me to come to the family estate urgently.”

“Is something wrong?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to go and see.”

I hope it’s nothing serious. I saw Selena off, wishing her a safe trip.

“Hmm.”

I heard that Eloise went on a trip with the elven exchange students. Something about strengthening their bond?

But no matter how I think about it, the bonding seems like an excuse. It looks more like the academy dragged them somewhere else to legally exploit them.

Normally, the exchange students from prominent families would have protested.

Their families would have every right to say, ‘Hey! What are you doing with our kids?!’

The problem is that the current situation within Hyzens is one of conflict between the old establishment and the new forces that have risen since the war.

To be precise, it’s a confrontation between those who did nothing in the war with Luzernes and those who fought and bled. The latter group is mainly composed of lower-ranking warriors.

In that situation, they wouldn’t have the time to worry about the exchange students.

Besides, didn’t the Kanfras try to cause trouble within the academy a year ago?

Even if it was Luzernes and not Hyzens, they’re still elves.

Therefore, it’s politically burdensome for the elves to intervene in the academy any further.

The Empire overlooked the incident, saying, ‘Ah, this was done by the bad Luzernes, and the good Hyzens were victims, so it’s okay.’ But no one knows if there will be another chance like that.

‘Poor elven exchange students. I wonder if Eloise is putting them through some kind of guerrilla training.’

Well, it might be a good thing. They’ll probably come back closer as a group.

As a bonus, they might even work harder in their remaining time at the academy to avoid falling back into that hell.

So that’s Eloise taken care of. Next up, our Princess Lefia. Or rather, my junior—

“Princess Lefia? No, Junior Lefia? I think she joined some club after the semester started and is doing well. I heard she’s going to the Empire’s summer resort with them during the break.”

Marcus, who seemed to still be trapped in grad school, filled me in on the situation.

That’s a relief. It seems Lefia is doing better than expected. I was worried she’d be alone at the academy during the break, but it was just a needless worry.

‘Then all that’s left is Lav…’

Just like with the other two girls, I had asked Lav if she wanted to come with me to the Holy See.

At the time, she had looked genuinely disappointed as she explained why she couldn’t go.

She had signed up for summer classes, just in case. It was a precaution in case she lacked scores, wasn’t satisfied with her grades, or felt she needed more knowledge.

It wasn’t a bad choice. In fact, students from commoner backgrounds to noble families often took summer classes when they felt they lacked knowledge or didn’t achieve the grades they expected.

So, naturally, I thought I’d find Lav attending lectures when I came to the academy…

‘She’s not here?’

Indeed, she wasn’t. For some reason, Lav was nowhere to be found in the academy.

I checked the lounges, the library, and every corner of the academy, but I couldn’t find her.

Where could she have gone? There was no point in just running around anymore. So, I decided to ask some first-year students about Lav’s whereabouts.

“Lavrenti? Um… I’m not sure. Sorry, senior.”

“She was in summer classes until yesterday. But I don’t see her today.”

“Wait a minute. I think I heard something yesterday… Ah, senior. I remember her saying she was going there today. The place where her friends are sleeping, she said—”

Hearing that, I knew where Lav had gone, skipping even the classes she was so dedicated to.

The place where her comrades who had fought alongside her rested.

The Ellington National Cemetery of the Empire.

* * *

“…”

Lavrenti looked around blankly.

It wasn’t a special place. It was similar to other cemeteries, maybe a little smaller.

Unfortunately, it couldn’t be helped. It was only natural that there was a gap between those who had achieved great things and those who hadn’t.

“Have you all been well?”

Some of them she had known before being selected as a sharpshooter. Others were from a small unit she had been assigned to protect on her first mission as a sharpshooter.

And finally, there was the one who had fought alongside her as a fellow sharpshooter.

They all fought bravely. And most of them died.

Some may have survived, but as with everything, there were more regrets about what couldn’t be protected than what was.

“I entered the academy. I’m continuing my studies in a truly meaningful way for the first time… and it’s much harder than I thought. I felt like my head was splitting open.”

Sharpshooters didn’t just have sniping duties.

Sometimes they would hold the middle of the allied forces’ attack route, keeping an eye out for enemies who might try to slip through the cracks. Sometimes they would go ahead and hinder the enemy’s reinforcements.

They also protected combat engineers doing dangerous frontline work and eliminated enemy mages or other sharpshooters, the highest priority targets in a fierce battle.

The missions were all different. But one thing was always the same.

The harsh reality that every time her gun fired and a bullet pierced an enemy, one less ally would die. If she missed, an ally would bleed and fall in their place.

In the past, on the battlefield, Lavrenti had earned the nickname ‘White Feather.’

Her official sniper record was 93 kills. Unofficially, it was said that she had easily surpassed 300.

When she was deployed, her allies would feel reassured, knowing their backs were covered.

But Lavrenti herself remembered. Even with that impressive sniper record, she hadn’t always been that way.

No matter how many hundreds she sniped, no matter how many thousands she saved, what always remained were the bitter memories of the few she couldn’t save, and the guilt.

“I brought some special alcohol today. It’s expensive stuff. Remember that.”

At least she was lucky, Lavrenti thought.

Because right next to her was someone with even worse memories. Compared to him, she was fortunate.

Karl Adelheit. Her mentor. A very warm person. And the man she had given her heart to.

Compared to the pain he had endured, hers was nothing.

Thinking that, Lavrenti was about to pour a drink for each of the fallen soldiers in front of their tombstones.

“Can I offer a drink too, Lav?”

“…Huh?”

Startled, Lavrenti turned her head. Standing there was none other than Karl.

While Lavrenti was flustered and didn’t know what to do, Karl approached and took the bottle of alcohol.

He then filled the glass in front of him, almost to the brim.

“M-Master.”

“I come here sometimes too. I come to chat with these damn bastards. I don’t know if they’re listening or not, but I still talk to them. Hoping they’ll hear me.”

Karl put the bottle down, gave a light bow, and looked at Lavrenti.

“What kind of people were they?”

“…They were all good people.”

“I see. That’s good. Well, they must have been good people for the Goddess to take them so soon.”

Hearing those words, Lavrenti let out an involuntary sigh.

She was worried that she might be causing Karl pain again.

“Lav.”

Fortunately, Karl was smiling. Not a bright smile, but a smile nonetheless.

“As your senior. As your mentor. Ah, damn it. I hate being your senior and mentor in this situation, but… I won’t tell you to forget. I can’t forget either.”

“…”

“Overcoming it… Yeah, it sounds strange. Overcome what? You can’t overcome this. If you could, neither of us would be here visiting these people.”

Lavrenti wondered if Karl was talking to her or to himself.

“It’s just about being able to face it. So that when we meet them again someday, we can tell them, honestly and without a shred of falsehood, that we did our best in their place.”

He was right. No matter how much you cry or regret, the departed remain silent. They don’t answer.

Only the living can answer. They can either drink themselves to death or live their lives to the fullest, carrying the burden of those who are gone.

What can I do for them? What can I leave behind?

That’s why I survived. To live, to live my best. For myself. Because living for myself is ultimately living for them.

“…Did you have a good trip to the Holy See?”

“It was too good, that’s the problem.”

“I heard you received a miracle.”

“Ugh! Damn it! I don’t want to talk about that here!”

“But the Empire is already buzzing with the news, Master.”

Lavrenti smiled brightly at Karl, who was making exaggerated gestures.

They shared the same scars, the same pain. So, couldn’t they understand and comfort each other?

It was a bit disappointing that it wasn’t the first time… but what could she do? She couldn’t give up.

“But did you really receive a miracle?”

“Not at all! I just received some light!”

“Master, people call that a miracle.”

The two chatted, the sunlight pouring down on them a little brighter than usual.

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – Prototype]