I entered the room with Hans, where the angels were.

“……?”

Somehow, the previously warm and friendly atmosphere of the room had turned chilly.

“Is there not enough food?”

“No!”

The one who shouted that was Gold2.

“What was that about earlier?”

“Which department are they from? They must be new, given we don’t recognize their voices.”

Oh, they heard us.

Well, we were talking right in front of the door.  If it had been quiet inside, they would have heard.

“If you heard what they said, then you must have heard what I said too. It’s fine.”

“…….”

The angels looked dissatisfied. From a fan’s perspective, it was understandably an unpleasant situation.

I decided to change the subject.

“Anyone want some cake?”

“Me.”

“Me too.”

“I’ll have the carrot cake.”

At least they eat well. I looked at the angels with a content smile.

* * *

“If we leave now, when will we―”

“Because of the academy, probably not until I’m an adult.”

“Huh…….”

OnlyFinley pouted. Going to the academy meant it would be difficult to visit the temple and come to the Celestial Realm. It was certain that we wouldn’t see each other for several years after today.

“After all, a few years are just a moment for you all.”

“Jiha, I miss you even  if I don’t see you for just one day!”

“It’s nice of you to say.”

I wasn’t sure  if it was just a polite remark or genuine, but for me, it was a kind thing to say.

“Take care, Hans.”

“That’s right, you were here too. Farewell.”

“That’s so cold.”

Hans was in the same boat as me. It seemed like no one was particularly sad to see him go. Hans made a displeased face.

“Well, I’m off then.”

I said goodbye, looking at the faces I would miss in a short while.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, I saw Hans, who had returned to his Owen form.

It was just a day trip, so only a few hours had passed. The expressions of the clergy, who had been infusing divine power, brightened.

“You’re back early!”

“You seem really happy about it.”

It must not be easy infusing divine power.  If I was away for too long, the clergy would be exhausted.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be coming back for a while.”

“That’s right. I’ll be enrolling in the academy.”

Hans and I said.

I thought this news would make them happy, but somehow their expressions turned gloomy.

“Won’t you come by even occasionally…?”

“There are holidays even at the academy!”

These people, they’ve grown attached so quickly. The clergy have known me since I was Anais, so it made sense that they held us dear.

“If you miss us, of course, we’ll come.”

It might be busy even during holidays, but since I considered the temple people somewhat like family, it was only proper to show my face.

I think I might miss Davi and Shailo from time to time too.

“That’s good to hear.”

“We will miss you.”

Receiving these farewells one by one, the reality of leaving started to sink in.

“I’ll take care.”

I said my goodbyes to the clergy as well.

* * *

The day of enrollment arrived, and I decided not to go with my parents.

I didn’t want to trouble my mother, who was suffering from morning sickness, and I didn’t want to take my father away from her side.

My parents insisted on coming, but I strongly opposed it. It was only after I mentioned that someone would be accompanying me as a guardian that I could reassure them.

“When are they coming?”

“They’ll be here soon.”

Right on cue, there was a knock at the door.

“Yes, I’ll get it!”

My father hurried to open the door.

And froze at the sight of the two people standing outside.

Yes, who else would come as our guardians? Kabir and Irmin were standing confidently outside, with Laila as a bonus.

“The guardians are the Duke and His Majesty…”

My parents were shocked, probably because they had expected a servant to come, based on my nonchalant demeanor.

I should’ve warned my mother in advance if I knew they would be this surprised. Regret washed over me too late.

“And who is this lady with you…?”

“Hello! I’m Laila, the owner of the Western Magic Tower.”

“The, the owner of the Magic Tower…”

“I’m also here to attend the ceremony and capture Owen and Camilla’s moments in the magic sphere to show you!”

Laila cheerfully lifted the magic sphere, showing her consideration for my parents.

“The uniform is cute! It suits you so well!”

“Stop making such a fuss, Irmin.”

“Hey, even you find it cute.”

The addition of just three people made it incredibly noisy.

* * *

After saying goodbye to my parents, I traveled to the capital and boarded a carriage.

As we approached the academy, I saw children wearing the same uniform as me. They were to be my fellow students.

“Those will be friends of Owen and Camilla.”

“I doubt we’ll actually become friends.”

“Why not? The more friends, the better.”

Laila spoke kindly, but I didn’t think it would be the case. Becoming friends with young children, it seemed impossible for now.

As soon as we got off the carriage, attention quickly turned towards us. Neither Kabir nor Irmin had bothered with disguise magic, and since this academy was mostly attended by nobility, it was inevitable that the two would be recognized.

“At least cover your face, Irmin.”

“I brought something for this very situation.”

Saying this, Irmin fumbled for something and then, snap, put on a pair of sunglasses.

“Like that’s going to make you unrecognizable.”

“Looking cool―”

While Kabir seemed dumbfounded, Laila complimented him. Irmin smiled proudly.

Somehow, it worked, and we managed to get inside the building without incident.

The interior of the academy was quite splendid, befitting the empire’s largest academy.

“It reminds me of old times. I met Laila here too.”

“That’s right.”

They had a long-standing connection. So, has Irmin been harboring unrequited love since then? As Anais, I hadn’t seen any signs of it, so maybe it was something recent.

“No time to daydream.”

Snapped out of my reverie by Hans’s comment, I realized he was right. Irmin wasn’t the issue here. I needed to focus on my own affairs.

Many students were glancing our way. Being noticeable was unavoidable.

“It looks like guardians can’t go any further from here. Don’t be nervous, we’ll be right behind you.”

“Good luck! Make lots of friends!”

As the students had to sit, the guardians had to wait at the back.

Around us, some students were restless, some looked indifferent like us, and others seemed extremely nervous.

‘Just don’t get into any trouble.’

I wanted to keep a low profile at the academy.

‘Every time I make such a vow, it goes sideways.’

I probably wouldn’t be able to keep a low profile. Better not to expect too much from myself.

‘Oh, right.’

I should at least broadcast the entrance ceremony. I discreetly started the stream.

[OnlyFinley: So cute!!!]

The chat went wild from the get-go.

[PleaseShakeACarrot: What? It’s the entrance ceremony?!]

[Ian donated 10,000 points!]

[Gold2: Wow, it really suits you]

[Stress: The uniform is really pretty]

“Um, excuse me…”

While I was looking at the chat, someone next to me spoke up.

The girl who approached me looked ordinary. She was hesitating a bit.

“Is something wrong?”

“This… fell off.”

The girl handed me a handkerchief that my mother had packed for me.

I must have dropped it in the midst of everything. I smiled and took it from her.

“Thanks. What’s your name?”

“I’m Elli.”

“Nice to meet you, Elli. I’m Camilla. This is Owen.”

Hans gave a brief wave instead of a proper greeting. Not just me, but Hans as well, neither of us seemed eager to make friends.

“Hey, I’m Jayden!”

“I’ve wanted to be friends since a while ago, can I join in too?”

As I started conversing with someone, the children who had been sneakily glancing our way flocked around us. They must have been waiting for a chance to talk.

‘Even though they’re clearly from noble families, it’s surprising that commoners like me are approached this way.’

I looked at the children approaching us somewhat pitifully. Hans and I were well-known in social circles, so it was obvious that their parents had nudged them to befriend us.

The academy was no different from the social circles.

After enduring for a while, we finally escaped and headed to a corner. I spoke to Hans, who was beside me, with a drained expression.

“…I’m not going to talk to anyone anymore.”

“You don’t need to be friendly.”

Hans was only reading the handbook he had brought. It was a tool that obviously signaled he didn’t want to be disturbed. I should have brought one too.

“Still, that Elli seemed nice. It’s a shame we couldn’t talk more.”

“Try to befriend your classmates later.”

“That reminds me, there’s a chance we might not be assigned to the same class.”

“That’s highly likely.”

“Attention, freshmen! Please gather around!”

A senior, with a magical device to his mouth, shouted. It was as if he turned on a speaker, filling the hall with his voice.

“Let’s go.”

Hans closed his book.

Glancing back, I saw Laila was filming, and Irmin and Kabir waved at me with a smile when our eyes met.

“Yes, let’s go.”

It was time to step into this new chapter of life.