Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Dave and professor Hutson made an effort to soothe Raynald, but he couldn’t shake off his feelings. He stared blankly out of the window, curled up in the corner of the carriage, like a kitten that had lost its mother.

Raynald barely cheered until the carriage ran through the vast empire plains, and crossing the border and the main entrance to the academy in the capital of the Crohn Kingdom.

“This is the room you’ll be staying in until you graduate, Raynald.”

Dave showed him to the dorm room and patted him on the shoulder. Compared to Carthia’s room, which was wider and more luxurious than any other mansion, it was very small and shabby. But the one-room room prepared by the academy had everything to offer, including a private bathroom and a fireplace.

It was a great privilege considering that at least two or as many as six other students stayed in the same room. This was all thanks to the donations from the Marquis of Carthia and the ability of Professor Hutson to bring them in person.

The academy is supported by tuition, but as many of the students are from all over the country, the dormitory is divided by separate donations. The Marquis of Carthia, who promised to support Raynald as much as he could, made more donations than anyone else.

“You must be very hungry, shall we go out to the main street for dinner with Professor Hutson? I know a famous restaurant.”

“I’m not very hungry. I’m just going to sleep today.”

“Yeah, sure. The long journey must have been hard.”

Dave carefully stroked Raynord’s head, whose words were drastically reduced. Raynald closed his eyes as if he act like a baby, and silently received his touch.

“Do you want me to stay with you?”

“No. It’s okay.”

“Yes. If anything happens, call me with this. Okay?”

“Yes.”

Dave put a pair of magic tools in Raynald’s hand. Those who shared this magic tool could hear each other’s voices within a certain distance.

Unfortunately, the radius was not wide. Of course it was impossible to hear Yurina’s voice in the Empire.

Dave, who couldn’t leave after giving him a magic tool, managed to leave the room as Raynald whispered, “It’s okay”.

Only after hearing the door close, Raynald trudged and fell on the bed. He didn’t even think about washing or changing into comfortable clothes.

His body was heavy and helpless. He couldn’t think of what to do. Rather than the excitement of coming to a new place, the sense of loss was greater.

How did he spend this long time? Although he tried hard to overcome his helplessness, all he could think of was her sparkling blue eyes that always smiled at him.

In the morning, we sat down to have a simple breakfast, after that we took a boring history class together, took an etiquette class in the afternoon, practiced dancing, and sat side by side to practiced writing together in the drawing room after dinner.

At night, we drank warm milk and talked about nothing much before going to bed, but we said goodbye to each other’s rooms after saying I’ll see you tomorrow.

And the next day, the routine was repeated. It may be boring to think about it, but I have never thought that the repetitive monotonous routine is boring.

Rather, I prayed that I wanted to study with Yurina as soon as morning came.

However, the person who became the mainstays of all those days disappeared, so I was not sure what to do. Would it be better to have a busy day after the entrance ceremony?

‘Yurina…..’

With longing, Raynald crept into the blanket, shivering and shedding tears.

*****

“Yes? Betsy? What did you just say?”

Yurina, who was going back to her room after dinner, suddenly turned her back. Betsy, who was slowly following her, tilted her head.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Didn’t you just say ‘Yurina’?”

“Oh, young lady. How do I call you that? I’ll be in trouble if i do that.”

“Is that so?”

I thought someone was calling. I smiled awkwardly at the embarrassment and then moved on again. I didn’t walk a few steps, but this time, Betsy, really called me.

“Where are you going, young lady?”

“Where am i going? In the drawing room….”

I was inadvertently to say that I was trying to help Raynald’s homework. Betsy laughed somewhat bitterly, as if she knew what was going on even though she swallowed in a hurry.

Yurina looked at Betsy and tried to lift the corners of her mouth, but her lips were twisted in a strange shape and she had to cover her mouth with the back of her hand.

“I’ll show you to your room. I’ll bring you honey in warm milk, so drink it and go to bed early today.”

“Yes…..”

Bessie, who was quick-witted, naturally began to walk her to her room. Walking in the desolate hallway, Yurina glanced toward the small drawing room where she always stayed after dinner.

‘I wonder if I’ll get better when my brothers come.’

The mansion without Raynald and Dave was somehow desolate, even though there were many employees. The three older brothers who are staying at the academy will be back in the summer vacation, so it will be a little crowded.

She felt awkward because they didn’t see each other a few times, but it would be better than without them.

Yurina headed for the room, barely taking off her particularly heavy feet.

*****

After a week that seemed like a year, by the time I began to get used to the unfamiliar air of the academy.

Raynald looked at the boy with a sullen look on his face as he lifted his face from under his nose. The child, with a reddish brown hair and green eyes, observed him, regardless of the unpleasant look.

Eventually, the impatient Raynald opened his mouth.

“What are you looking at?”

It was a voice that stood me up in an uncomfortable mood. I had no choice but to do it.

A little while ago, I came out of the room with Dave for lunch, and my eyes met the boy in front of me. I was just passing by because I don’t know what to say, and he said, “Wow!” with a curious face, and he stood in front of me.

Then, he has been looking at my face without saying anything. His eyes were hot enough to make three or four holes in my face.

Raynald reflexively blindfolded and again bluntly said to the unanswered boy.

“My eyes are not a spectacle?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Only then did the boy laugh and scratch his head. But Raynald’s feeling has long been tangled. Sorry? What are you sorry about? Is that all you have to do?

I couldn’t control my facial expression, so when I made a sulky face, the boy in front of me smiled awkwardly and reached out his hand.

“I was so rude without saying hello, wasn’t I? Hi? I’m Aiden Tessie. I’m from a rural area at the southern end of the kingdom. What about you?”

Raynald looked down at his hand, sniffed and passed by.

“Huh? Wait! Wait a minute!”

The boy, who introduced him as Aiden, rushed along and grabbed his arm.

“What is it?”

“Sorry, I’m so sorry. Don’t be angry because I did something wrong. I’m terribly sorry. I just thought it was a little strange.”

When he said it was strange, Raynald finally said what he had endured.

“Strange? Yeah. I know my eyes are strange. So what?”

It was a kind of defense mechanism. I can get less hurt by talking about my weakness before others find it.

Adults pointed their fingers that his red eyes as fiery, but the response of the children was usually divided into two.

One, the children who listened to their parents not to approach him and avoided Raynald.

Two, the children are interested in seeing red eyes for the first time.

Either way, the end was always bad. Not only the child who was avoiding Raynald, but also the children who were interested in him called him strange.

It would be better if they thought it was simply strange, but many children pointed out his red eyes and spat out malicious words.

Monsters, demons, devils. I’ve heard enough to get a scab on my ear. But no matter how many times he heard it, Raynald would be hurt again and again every time.

So he showed his own interest for any reason and treated those coming in from the very beginning with caution and sharpness. Because he already know what the end will be.

Except for one person, Yurina.

At the Carthia mansion, he was only treated warmly, and the boundaries were slightly loosened, but the memory of that time still remained in the corner of his head.

As he was tired of being in a place full of strange things, it seemed that each of Aiden’s actions was only negative.

At the cold look of Raynald, Aiden opened his eyes wide and quickly waved his hands.

“No! It’s not like that! I was just looking at freshmen younger than me, and it was strange to see my freshmen. You know, well, we’ve been admitted a little later than other kids, right?”

It was heartbreaking to see him roll his eyes without looking properly. Aiden hurriedly added the excuse as Raynald refused to answer with his arms folded.

“And in fact, umm… It’s strange to be a peer, but the reason I said it was strange was not because of your eyes, but because of your face.”

He scratched his cheeks as if he were somewhat perplexed.

“I’ve never seen such a handsome boy like you. As I said, my hometown is very rural that all the kids feel guilty. No one has a white face like you, and not many have blond hair. After all, the capital kids are different.”

Frankly speaking, I was not impressed with his words. Raynald already knew very well that he was handsome enough to attract people’s attention by looking at his appearance. It was nothing new to hear from a boy of his age.

“But, it’s a little strange that I’m not a girl and I’m seeing a boy for the first time because he’s handsome.”

“It’s not a little bit, it’s a lot strange.”

“That’s true. But you’re still very handsome.”

It was very strange to hear it from a boy and from a strange boy of his age. Raynald stepped back unconsciously.

“So can I ask you again what your name is?”

Raynald sighed as he looked at his hands and held his hand.

“Raynald. There’s no last name.”

“Huh? Wasn’t you a nobleman?”

“No.”

“You look like a nobleman, though.”

“Listen to that kind of noise. I’m such a snob.”

Aiden nodded hard and said, “Yeah, yeah, that’s right.” Even that proud Raynald had to be a little embarrassed at this point.

The business must have been finished anyway, so I turned my body to run away quickly, but I got caught again. He looked about the same age just by looking at his face, but his hands were so strong that Raynald could hardly shake his hands.

“And why?”