Delonia Academy (2)

“Lastly, I shall close the lecture with a brief personal observation.”

Waite gave his lecture the next day, after classes. Attendance was entirely optional, yet a surprising number of people turned up, upper-year students and even professors among them. Leonard was there, and so was Johan, who for all his carrying on about how much he hated the man had apparently been curious to hear what he’d actually say.

“Society grants us a variety of roles and positions, and only when we act in keeping with them can society at last move in the right direction. But to put it the other way around—”

Waite broke off there and swept the hall with narrowed eyes, as if picking someone out of the crowd. Then his gaze went straight to the seats where Leonard and Johan sat.

“—it means that one who is not faithful to his own role may hinder the development of society. For instance… a person who mistakes his position.”

Both their faces twisted slightly.

Oh-ho?

A person who mistakes his position.

There was no knowing who the words were aimed at. It might have been a sneer at the students of common birth, or it might have been a jab at the odd ones out who didn’t fit at Kestral Academy, students like Johan or Leonard. Either way, the phrasing was plainly deliberate. A few of the professors frowned, but most of the students hadn’t really followed what Waite meant, so they only blinked.

“So I would ask you students to put the question to yourselves as well: are you living in a manner fitted to your own role? That is all.”

— Clap-clap-clap—

Applause followed, but Johan and Leonard kept their arms folded to the end and didn’t so much as lift a finger. Heard in passing, it might have sounded like a speech meant to encourage the students. In truth it was nothing but offensive drivel.

“Well? What did you think?” Fion asked from the seat beside him.

“Not much.”

“I could tell from your face. But why?”

“Everywhere he said ‘position’ or ‘role’, put ‘your place’ instead. You’ll see what he meant right away,” Leonard said, getting up from his seat.

“Out of the question.”

Professor Sophia said, cutting it off flat.

“Guest or not, there are courtesies to observe. The Dean is not so easily imposed upon that he’ll see you whenever you please.”

“Now, now, there’s no need to be so prickly.”

Every time Waite put on that sly smile, Professor Sophia felt herself burning up inside. Why he’d come all the way to the academic affairs office, openly angling for a meeting with the Dean, was all too obvious. Yet for all his rudeness of word and manner, she had no choice but to keep repeating the strictly official line, because a man entangled with so many high nobles was extremely difficult to treat any more roughly than she had to.

“No means no. As soon as you’ve finished your lecture schedule, go straight back.”

“Quite right.”

Ethan had appeared out of nowhere and cut into the conversation.

“Why are you being so clingy about this, man? Just do the job you came for and go home.”

“…I’d know that voice anywhere.”

The smile drained from Waite’s face. He glared at Ethan for a moment with eyes full of loathing before he spoke.

“Ethan Prospero. You were such a promising talent… I thought you’d left because Delonia wasn’t to your liking, and after all that wandering you’ve pitched your tent at Kestral Academy, of all places?”

“I stay here because it’s to my liking.”

At that, Waite asked, “And what was it that moved your heart?”

“You know already, don’t you? Or are you so closed-minded you can’t even get what I mean?”

The two of them kept trading vague, roundabout jabs, and neither gave an inch. Sophia couldn’t stand to watch any longer.

“If you have no other business, please leave. You are obstructing our work.”

“This is exasperating,” Waite said. “Let us speak plainly. The influential houses of the Empire already know for a fact that Leonard Felix has reached the third Circle. That’s exactly why I’m taking the trouble to follow official procedure, so why won’t you see what I’m after?”

“Official procedure?”

“That’s right. As you’ll know, a student recognized as outstanding in results or ability has the right to apply for a transfer elsewhere at any time, of his own will. And naturally, depending on the case, a scholarship may be issued as well.”

Waite met her eyes head-on and went on without hesitation.

“If anything, it’s the present situation I can’t understand. No—was the student himself ever even told he has that right? Has anyone asked his opinion? If not, isn’t that treating the student with utter disregard?”

Sophia found she had nothing to say. Leonard certainly did have that right. There was still the matter of tuition and proof of qualification, of course, but if that part were settled, it wasn’t especially impossible. Yet somehow, without ever thinking about it, she’d assumed Leonard would stay here, because now and then she’d felt that he held an uncanny degree of affection and interest for Kestral Academy.

No, that isn’t all of it.

She didn’t want Leonard, still unsullied as he was, steeped in the extreme aristocratic thinking of places like Delonia and Everforce. But what if that was only her own selfishness, a judgment that ignored what the student himself thought?

“It’s only a matter of time before Leonard Felix’s true worth comes to light. Hyenas of every description will latch onto him and never let go. Unless his place is firmly settled for him, it’s that child who’ll suffer in the end.”

An uncomfortable silence hung over them, and into it Waite said, “I needn’t see the Dean, then. But in that case, call Leonard Felix himself to this office instead. If need be, I’ll settle the matter of the student’s transfer today or tomorrow.”

The other side was asserting a right that was nothing more than natural, so Kestral Academy had no grounds to refuse. While Sophia was still at a loss, Ethan tossed out a remark.

“Call him in, then.”

“What?”

“I said call him in. If the boy himself really says he wants to go, what are you going to do about it?”

“But…”

Sophia was about to say more, but in the end she rose slowly from her seat and left the academic affairs office. Waite glanced sidelong at Ethan, as if surprised.

“You give up more neatly than I expected.”

“Give up? No idea what you’re talking about,” Ethan said with a wide grin. “Leonard Felix isn’t going to leave Kestral Academy.”

“That professor from Delonia Academy sent for me?”

“That’s right. He says he wants to talk with you about transferring academies.”

Directly after the whole of the afternoon’s lesson schedule had ended, Sophia headed for the reception room together with Leonard. A sudden summons like that might well have flustered him, yet Leonard’s expression was utterly calm.

“Listen carefully, Leonard.”

Sophia stopped in front of the reception room door, turned around, and went down on one knee right there to bring her eyes level with his.

“Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks, me least of all. What matters is your own will and nothing else. Just listen to the explanation properly, then choose freely whatever it is you want. All right?”

“Yes.” Leonard nodded.

— Creeeak.

The door opened on the lavishly decorated interior of the reception room. Inside were Louis and Ethan on the Kestral Academy side, and Waite and Haison on the Delonia Academy side.

“Good day to you. You would be Leonard Felix?”

Leonard only looked back at him without a word, so Waite offered him a seat with an affable smile.

“Sit, sit. No need to stand there looking so uncomfortable. Though… there are curiously many people in this room. Surely no one but Professor Flavius, who has charge of his class, needs to be here?”

“Leonard,” Ethan said suddenly.

“Yes?”

“Mind if we stay?”

“No, not at all.”

The words were barely out before Ethan and Louis made a show of sinking deeper into the sofa. Waite threw the pair of them a disgruntled sidelong look, then spoke again.

“I won’t make a long speech of it. Leonard Felix, come to our academy. Any way I look at it, you’re not timber that belongs here.”

“What do you know about me?”

“Oh, I know very well indeed,” Waite said with a smile. “I hear you took a top mark in your first practical examination. And no sooner had your magic awakened than you went so far as to save your home village from a monster attack? There’s no reason on earth not to take you in.”

“But my family can’t afford Delonia Academy’s tuition.”

Waite burst out laughing at the question.

“Hah! We at Delonia aren’t so stingy as that. If the ability is there, so is the scholarship.”

A barefaced lie.

At Delonia and Everforce, birth and wealth were themselves the conditions of admission, and a student who fell short of them was never taken in to begin with. There was no chance at all that a scholarship system existed for people like that. So if he’d brought out a line like that anyway, he must want very badly not to let Leonard slip away.

“You’re still young, so this may not be easy to understand, but think back. What have you learned since you came to Kestral Academy? Was there any knowledge there beyond what you’d already mastered?”

Leonard kept silent, and Waite’s face turned triumphant.

“Delonia is another matter. A high-standard curriculum, and thorough individual attention for every student. I can promise you the very best treatment there is.”

“Hmm…”

Instead of answering, Leonard let his eyes roll this way and that. That look of deliberation was enough to make Waite certain of his victory. But the answer that came out of Leonard’s mouth smashed that expectation to pieces.

“No.”

“Right. Naturally you’d… Eh?”

Waite’s mind went blank. What did I just hear?

“I’m sorry, what did you just—”

“I’m not interested. I’ll stay here.”

Then, before anyone could stop him, Leonard snapped at Waite.

“What have I learned here, you ask? The regular first-year course. What else exactly am I supposed to be doing here?”

While Waite stumbled over his words, flustered, Leonard turned on Haison this time.

“And you, over there. Who are you, anyway? You haven’t even introduced yourself.”

“Huh?”

The unexpected turn and the question threw Haison into confusion, so Waite, who collected himself first, answered for him.

“Haison Strickland, fourth year as of this year. The finest talent Delonia Academy can boast. He’s counted among the new generation of mages who will seize the next Archmage’s seat, and…”

“Yeah, right.”

“Pfft!”

Ethan doubled over, face flushed red with the effort of holding in his laughter.

Waite wasn’t the only one thrown by Leonard’s reaction. Louis and Sophia, of course, were no different, and neither was Haison himself. Leonard, however, had his reasons for talking that way.

Does the Archmage look that easy to you?

An Archmage belongs, first and foremost, to a supra-legal, supra-national body called the Rounds of Archmage, and the word is a qualification and a title granted only to the very greatest mages of the age. It wasn’t a title so light that anyone could bandy it about just because they showed a little promise.

“If Delonia Academy’s so great, how about a bet?” Leonard asked. “Have one clean duel with me. Surely the ‘great’ Delonia Academy’s Archmage candidate wouldn’t brush off a challenge from some ‘lowly’ Kestral Academy student.”

Sophia’s mouth fell wide open.

Waite and Haison.

An ominous light poured from Leonard’s eyes as he glared at the two of them.