"Where were you? I've been looking, you know." (Rook)

When I returned to the a.s.sembly hall, Rook was searching for me near my seat.

"I'm sorry, I got caught by a troublesome person." (Yuri)

'Nevertheless, *sigh*… I got caught in argument with a ten years old girl. I feel like I'm going to collapse at this spot. I'm depressed.'

"Troublesome person? Who? Is it the Knights teacher?" (Rook)

"No, it was with the girl I met today." (Yuri)

When I said that…

"The heck… you're quick huh…" (Rook)

…he began smirking.

"Honestly, it's fine to a.s.sociate with her, but don't make a move on her, and dump her later, alright.." (Rook)

'Is that a senior's advice? Nevertheless, dump, is it?'

"What is that all about?" (Yuri)

"Anyhow, just don't make a move. It is fine if you don't make a move, so it won't end unfairly, but if you make a move and dump her, that can cause trouble to the other party, and you'll be dropped out from the Academy." (Rook)

'Eh, drop out?'

'S-sure. In worst case scenario, I can be dropped out if I do that on purpose, right? I shouldn't do that since she would get hurt while crying at Suzuya.'

"If you really want to do it, there's a brothel in the school of Knights. It's safe, so have the seniors teach you that." (Rook)

'Are you for real? Is there really such a thing?'

'Even so, Rook didn't tell me anything about exam. How should I put it, he neglected to tell me everything. But I don't need him to tell me something that I don't ask anyway.'

'Does he think that this is the more important matter? No, it may actually be important.'

"I'm still seven or eight years early, you know." (Yuri)

's.e.xual desire seems something to be initiated by the body rather than the mind, so I have no s.e.xual desire at all. When compared to j.a.pan where there were miniskirts and something else, there are not too much stimulation of desires since every last one of people are dressed in ascetic style. This post-coital clarity mode will last for several more years.'

"Yes, you're right, but it will be too late after it has already happened." (Rook)

"Anyhow, this topic doesn't fit very well on this occasion, so let's continue it at home." (Yuri)

"Aah, that's true as well. Let's go home." (Rook)

The a.s.sembly hall was already deserted, and figures of people were scattered.

—

When I returned home, I sat around the table with my family. After throwing the unpacked luggage brought from the main residence, the departure was finally over.

"Are you going?" (Syamu)

"Yeah." (Yuri)

"Please don't go…" (Syamu)

It was Syamu who fell into tears.

She was also nine years old this year. She supposed to enter the school of Liberal Arts starting from next year. When she found out that I wouldn't be here after entering the school of Knights, she was totally gone. After all, I moved to another residence in the capital city for a whole year this year, but I soothed her by telling I would often come here.

Satsuki had been spending more time in the royal capital these days, so it would be better that way. Thus, Syamu also stayed in the royal capital from today.

"Don't cry so much. It's not like I will not see you forever." (Yuri)

"It's going to be lonely…" (Syamu)

It was rare for Syamu, who only let out intellectual arguments when she opened her mouth, to mutter such sentimental words. I was also lonely.

"Me too." (Yuri)

I put my hand on Syamu's head, pat her soft hair, and lightly combed it with my hand.

"If you go to the Great Library, you will not feel lonely." (Yuri)

"That's impossible." (Syamu)

'It's not impossible at all…'

"I will come to see you as much as I can. I'll be in the same royal capital. It's not far apart as a star to another." (Yuri)

Even if I said so myself, that was a conceited line.

"But, it's like a thousand times away in the same house…" (Syamu)

'T-this girl…'

The Great Library was built next to the Academy. It wasn't far from the secondary residence of the Hou Household, so that a thousand times was a realistic figure.

"Well then, I'm going to go there next time to do homework. It will be the same thing as studying together while doing the homework. So, you will not feel lonely, right?" (Yuri)

This sounded reckless.

"Really!?" (Syamu)

However, she was very pleased. She was smiling with joy.

"Yup." (Yuri)

I didn't think that there would be students in this world who would be happy to be given homework. The teachers would feel blessed.

I let go of the lonely Syamu. When I gave a signal to the coachman, the carriage departed.

As I was brought away by the carriage, I was getting worried when thinking about her. Syamu would enter the school of Liberal Arts next year. According to Satsuki who graduated from there, the school of Liberal Arts was a study about politics, government officials and law. On top of that, the generally learned about the culture such as the ancient Shan language.

That was why Satsuki referred to the ancient Shan language as liberal arts. I was quite angry because there was no ancient Shan in the examination of the school of Knights, but there was the exam for that in the examination of the school of Liberal Arts.

I could confirm that Syamu had never shown interest in that kind of thing. Even Satsuki was so thorough and indifferent to the point that she threw a spoon at her due to the lack of interest.

Thus, Syamu was a Shanti who couldn't say No more than I was. She just didn't like things that she didn't like. While having a genuine expression of rejection on the face, she said 'No'.

I wondered if Syamu could go into the Academy or something like that. I had a feeling that it would be impossible, but I wonder what would happen.

—

While thinking about that, I went through the main gate of the Academy. I was alone in the carriage. To be precise, it was only me and my luggage. I had to enter the dormitory.

The reception room was full of busts of other students' coaches arriving one after another.

I got off the carriage with my luggage. Then, I ordered the coachman to return home. I didn't have a lot of luggage, but still, there were about three leather bags for adults, so it was a huge amount to carry. Even though I was trained by Soim, it was really heavy. If I had to walk around with this luggage, it would be a bit tough.

I wonder if the person in charge would pick up, but if it wasn't so, I have to find someone first. When it came to walking around with luggage, it was considerably hard. Should I put under the shadow of a tree? But someone would probably steal it.

As I was thinking about it for a while, my shoulder was suddenly tapped from behind.

"h.e.l.lo. We met again." (Myaro)

When I looked back, it was Myaro.

He came at the right time.

"Hi there. It's nice to see you again." (Yuri)

I put a bag on the ground and shook hands with Myaro. Since it was just right, I asked the arrangement of the dormitory.

"I was watching from behind, but it looks like you're having trouble." (Myaro)

I had been seen.

"Aah. As a matter of fact, I don't really know where I should head from here." (Yuri)

When I was being honest, Myaro unintentionally smiled.

"Got it, let me guide you." (Myaro)

'As I would expect. These are the things only for honor students. He is a lifesaver as I was crossing the spider's thread in h.e.l.l.'

"I see. Thanks." (Yuri)

"It is written in the dormitory guide anyway." (Myaro)

'Dormitory guide? It is the first time I hear about it.'

"Sure, where I can get that?" (Yuri)

'Was that distributed somewhere?'

"It should have been sent home, do you have it?" (Myaro)

'Of course, I don't have it. Goodness, Rook…'

"Aah, I'm sorry. I'm ashamed because I haven't even looked through them." (Yuri)

It was really embarra.s.sing.

"I see. Well, it's something trivial after all. Anyhow, it will be hard if you didn't deliver the luggage beforehand." (Myaro)

When I looked at Myaro, he had nothing with him. He was totally empty handed.

When I looked closely at the students behind Myaro, they were empty handed too. The students who had large luggage like were none around.

'To be sure, when people entered the dormitory, is it possible to send the luggage in advance? Perhaps, this premonition is right.'

'What's up with my family? Aren't we an imperfect general household?'

"If you'd like, I'll take a few." (Myaro)

"No, it's alright." (Yuri)

'This is bad.'

"It will be strange to walk next to you empty handed, you know." (Myaro)

And, Myaro looked a bit troubled.

'That is true when he said in such a way. If he is walking next to a guy who is full of luggage while he is empty handed, people may wonder that I am his servant.'

"If you say so, it really helps. Can I ask you to help, please?" (Yuri)

"Of course." (Myaro)

I gave Myaro one of the lightest luggage, and he received it.

Myaro received it with a hand, but for some reason, he then switched to both arms.

Was it heavy?

When I closely looked, his arms were thin like twigs. I swung a pole and being trained by Soim every day, and I also carried hay on the ranch, so I was probably trained. When I thought about it, Myaro came from a Witch household, and not warrior household. He probably didn't go through such a livelihood.

"I'm sorry. Are you alright?" (Yuri)

"Yes. It is heavier than I thought, but I'm fine if it's this much." (Myaro)

Certainly, he seemed be able to hold it without much difficulty with both hands. It didn't looked tough. When I thought about it, it was the luggage that I was carrying with one hand, and that was held by a guy of the same age as mine. Therefore, it would be difficult if he hold it with a hand.

"Well then, shall we go? The dormitory is not far." (Myaro)

Then, Myaro started walking.

—

There were children lined up in front of the dormitory. Myaro and I lined up at the tailed end.

The dormitory was a large wooden two-story building. It was characterized by a roof that covered the building which had become a single sink, and the snow began to fall all over the opposite side of the entrance.

On the second floor, there was a covered terrace. On the ground floor, it seemed that half of it was a dining room, and another half was a living room. I could see something like a sofa. It was all brand new.

This was quite a nice dormitory.

Speaking of dormitories, I stayed in the dorm when I was in college. That was something I remembered when it came that dormitory.

That place was terrible. Unlike the one before me, it was a rustic concrete building with no appearance. The rent was cheap though.

It was so-called autonomous dormitory, and it was a place like a kind of extraterritorial area. For some reason, the students council had the privilege to stay out of the dormitory. Speaking of high school, it was like the students council who had the right to drop other students from the school. The power structure itself was abnormal. There was no reason to refuse if it could make people stayed in the dormitory especially when the events hosted by the students council would be a semi-forced partic.i.p.ation. To put it simply, it was a very difficult place for me to live.

I had to go to senior dormitories one by one, received their orders, run their errands, just to get stamps or signatures which would collected at certain date. When I thought about it, it was unclear what I was doing. I was christened by a mysterious entrance orientation that wanted to twist the neck. I admit that I made a mistake and chose to move to a cheaper apartment, even if I had to pay some extra cost, and that was immediately executed.

It felt nostalgic to remember it.

"I wonder what seniors do we have." (Yuri)

"There is no senior." (Myaro)

Myaro said so.

"This is a dormitory a.s.signed to new students like us, and we will use this dormitory for about fifteen years until graduation. Once students have graduated, it would be taken down, and new dormitory will be built." (Myaro)

'Seriously? This building is a new building.'

'It's very extravagant.'

'…No, it should be that way, right? After all, it is made of wood. If people stay here for more than ten years, the dorm will be covered with flaws. Though imperfect, it is a dormitory where n.o.ble children would stay, so it's not good if the building is shabby.'

'Anyhow, having no seniors is a good thing. It's a pretty athletic world. Thus, if there are seniors, the custom of picking up juniors and doing errands are bound to happen.'

"Is it the same with the Liberal Arts?" (Yuri)

"No. It is said that all Liberal Arts students stay in a huge dormitory near the school building. Aah, of course, the girls and guys are in different buildings." (Myaro)

"Heh, is that so?" (Yuri)

'As expected, it would be impossible for Syamu. Well, she doesn't have to use the dormitory by all means. She can go to school from the second residence every day.'

While we were talking, the line was getting shorter. At the front of line, there was a plump middle-aged woman sitting at a long desk running a pen. In the meantime, we reached to the front.

"You can go first." (Yuri)

Then, Myaro replied.

"No, I'll do it after you." (Myaro)

I thought it would be too much to do it first since he took my luggage and guided me here, but I was fine with it.

There were people behind us, so it would be nuisance to hold up.

"Alright, I'll go first." (Yuri)

After saying so, I told the receptionist that I was Yuri Hou.

"Yes, Yuri-kun, is it? You will stay in the first room." (Woman)

'First room, huh? Perhaps, that because I am the top student.'