The Academy’s Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter
Chapter 360: Side Story — Autumn Scenery

“…”

In the afternoon sunlight, I was sitting next to White on a bench.

In the awkward silence, White was nibbling on a pudding bar.

I was too cautious to say anything, and White stayed silent as well.

This is so awkward…

Due to my mistake during the demonstration, White lost her usual confident demeanor.

Although the magic demonstration ended successfully, White blushed and ran off in a hurry.

It would have been better if I had just watched her with quiet satisfaction. I felt sorry.

I kept apologizing earlier.

However, all I got in return was a weak response, faintly mixed with sobbing, saying, “It’s okay…”

I wish Merlin would show up…

After class, I met Merlin Astrea for the first time in a while.

She greeted me and then said she wouldn’t interrupt my time with White, retreating to hide in the bushes.

The eyes peeking through the bushes in the distance belonged to Merlin.

I wanted to call Merlin because of the heavy, awkward atmosphere, but it might have been rude to White. After all, it would be as if a guard were disrupting my private time with my fiancé.

“Are you finished?”

“Yes…”

White took the empty pudding bar wrapper and walked weakly to the nearby trash can.

Flick.

She threw the wrapper into the empty trash can and silently stared at it.

Lost in thought, she suddenly started putting her leg into the trash can.

White?!”

As White tried to fit her whole body into the trash can, I quickly pulled her out.

“What are you doing?!”

“Senior Isaac…”

Facing White, I saw her tear-filled eyes glistening in the sunlight.

Gradually, White whimpered like a puppy and started sobbing as she let out her true feelings.

“I feel so embarrassed I could die…!”

“What?”

“Who am I to deserve this…? You must have thought I was pathetic, right? ‘Look at her, acting like that after I graduated,’ right? That’s what you thought, isn’t it?! Isaac, you’re my mentor…! You know exactly what kind of person I am…!”

“That’s all because you worked so hard for it.”

White chuckled and turned her head to the side with a lack of confidence.

“It’s just because of my bloodline that I got stronger… Thanks to the power of the fairies. It was a shortcut….”

I, too, became strong because of Ozma…

But this wasn’t the time to bring that up.

“If you nitpick every little thing like that, there’s no end to it.”

“But still…”

It was a bit awkward, but I was somewhat glad to see the White I knew crying.

My heart softened, and a smile spread across my face. Yes, this was the White I knew.

I used a handkerchief to wipe away the tears from White’s eyes. She made a small sobbing sound “hicc” but didn’t resist my touch.

“I’m sorry for being so clumsy…”

“At least you’re aware.”

“Sniffle…”

I took the handkerchief and smiled brightly.

“It’s okay. Seeing you cry is one of the joys of my life.”

“…That’s supposed to be comforting, right?”

“Probably?”

Maybe.

“Where’s your next class?”

“In Orphin Hall. All my remaining classes are there.”

“Let’s go.”

I walked with White toward the Orphin Hall.

Rustle.

Merlin followed, hiding in bushes or behind trees.

“Mind if I observe?”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t, but do I even have the right to refuse?”

“Just kidding. If I’m there, the professors might feel pressured. I’ll wait outside.”

“T-thank you…”

After White went into Orphin Hall, I went to a store and bought two bottles of drinks.

I handed one bottle to Merlin, who was leaning against a tree.

“You’re working hard.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Merlin gave a formal, knightly bow.

“No need to be so formal. I’m here as an alumnus. Calling me Lord Isaac like before is enough.”

“Still…”

“Please, just do so.”

“…Understood, Lord Isaac.”

Merlin accepted the drink I handed her.

I leaned against the tree next to her.

“Your duty as White’s escort will soon be over.”

“Yes, it will.”

“How do you feel? It’s been almost three years.”

“I’m not sure.”

Merlin took a sip of her drink and looked toward Orphin Hall.

“It’d be a lie to say I’m not sad… But separate from wanting to stay longer with Princess White, I occasionally feel like I want to leave quickly.”

“Why?”

“Ever since you defeated the Evil God, life here has been perfectly peaceful. I feel more suited to being busy, constantly moving, and engaging in battles without rest.”

“You went through a lot before the Evil God was defeated, didn’t you?”

“Yes. The fact that such large-scale battles happened in a place of learning was unbelievable in the first place… But now that the root of all those events has been resolved and there are no significant dangers, I think it’s time to leave. Of course, I plan to serve Princess White well and complete my mission safely to the end.”

Merlin had lived here at Märchen Academy to protect White.

Whether she liked it or not, her mind must be filled with countless memories of White.

“Still… I don’t know if it’s appropriate to have these thoughts while on duty.”

The corners of Merlin’s mouth lifted.

“It was enjoyable. Truly.”

***

“Senior Isaac!”

As the day’s classes ended, the glow of the sunset filled the visible horizon.

White approached me with a bright smile, drawing the attention of students walking around the academy. Thinking she had made a mistake, White stiffened and showed an awkward expression.

She pressed down her fedora to hide her face and hurried on her way.

Since it was around dinner time, we stopped by a restaurant with private rooms in the academy’s shopping area.

Merlin joined us, and as the three of us chatted happily, the sky turned a deep blue before we realized it.

“Shall we visit there again after a long time?”

White said this during our meal.

“The Hydrangea Garden?”

“Yes!”

“You don’t train there anymore these days?”

“I’ve been training in the training hall lately.”

“Ahh… It’s good for showing off your skills in the training hall, right?”

“N-no, not at all! It’s just more helpful for training! Please don’t get me wrong…!”

White shook her head vigorously in denial.

Merlin, quietly eating her meal, let out a soft laugh.

After teasing White, we finished our meal and headed to the place where I had once taught her.

It was a place with a lake that displayed beautiful hues of natural mana at night.

It was a corner of the Hydrangea Garden.

“Hmm?”

Sensing mana, White and I stopped and hid behind a tree. Merlin was keeping her distance from us.

In front of the lake, the sound of ice elemental magic cutting through the night air echoed softly.

“Ahhh…! I failed…!”

“Why do you think that happened?”

“I-I’m not sure?”

“Your mana output was fine, but the stroke composition was off. That’s why it spread out in such a strange form.”

A female student was receiving magic training from a male student, who seemed to be her senior.

Even though I was seeing them for the first time, they felt strangely familiar.

The male student reminded me of myself, and the female student resembled someone who had often cried but persevered through study and training.

As if by agreement, we silently watched the two students.

Glancing at White, her gentle smile made my heart flutter. Her round eyes clearly captured the two students.

Suddenly, memories of the times we had spent together flashed through my mind.

Now, it was their turn.

“Shall we head back?”

“Yes.”

Exchanging soft words, White and I left the place together.

The whole way back, White walked with her head slightly lowered and with a smile on her face. She seemed to be thinking the same thing as I was.

When I cautiously held White’s hand, she flinched, lowering her head as her face turned red.

Swish.

With a surprised expression, she quickly looked up at me, and it was irresistibly adorable.

“S-Senior Isaac…”

“What’s wrong?”

“If you’re going to hold my hand, please give me a warning first…!”

Do you really need a warning for something like this…?

“I wasn’t mentally prepared yet…” White said that while quietly slipping her slender fingers between mine.

Perhaps summoning some courage, her face turned even redder, like a ripe apple.

A smile naturally spread across my face. Her every word and expression seemed like whispers of love.

With our fingers interlocked, we walked through the Hydrangea Garden.

“Senior Isaac.”

“Yes.”

“If you were coming to see me, it would have been nice if you had told me beforehand…”

White averted her gaze from me and smiled with delight. Her trembling shoulders revealed her excitement.

…I suddenly felt like teasing her.

“I didn’t come to see you.”

“What?”

Confusion suddenly appeared on White’s face.

She looked back at me with a puzzled expression on her face.

She must have expected a sweet response but was unexpectedly disappointed.

“Then why…?”

“I heard there was a reunion, so I came for that. I made plans to meet some old classmates.”

“Y-you didn’t come to see me…? No? Really?”

I smiled brightly.

“I just came to see you because I had time to spare.”

“…”   White’s face froze, and soon her eyes became misty with tears.

Finally, White burst out, sobbing.

“Whyyyy…!”

It’s satisfying.

For a while, I comforted the tearful White and explained that I had actually come to see her. I was quite pleased with her reaction.

White kept asking, “Really?” while gripping my hand even tighter. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at her adorable persistence.

The streetlights cast their glow, brightly illuminating our path.

Leaves crunched beneath our every step.

The late evening twilight and a refreshing breeze accompanied the autumn leaves.

The autumn scenery of the academy, which I had once grown tired of seeing, looked simply beautiful today.