<A Squire : Sweet Relationship>

 

In an academy garden, a place of peace and beauty. Shady trees with falling leaves and butterflies fluttering above the flowers.

I began to clarify my vision. I was leaning against an Academy tree that had been there for about 50 years. A girl with twin pigtails approached and accompanied me into the shade of the tree.

"Aurora? Where am I?"

Aurora untied the ties that bound my body as she gave me a smile. The sweet smile melted the atmosphere.

"It's all right. You're safe now."

"I thought I was being taken somewhere."

We stared at each other. Aurora had already changed her clothes before she untangled the ropes. I'm a bit okay. It's just when I think about the bad things.

"Hey. Is it okay if we don't do the lesson first? I feel like I'm breaking the rules of the academy."

"It's fine. I don't mind being punished. As long as I don't skip biology."

"Have you ever skipped a class?"

Aurora looked away from me. I did the same, although I didn't want to avoid the eye contact.

"Of course I have. Sometimes I ignore the timetable for some reason. For example, to avoid a subject that some people hate or something like that."

"Oh, I see. It's all right to skip lessons. As long as it doesn't affect your performance and you're prepared to accept the consequences. You can only skip once."

"Actually, I want to skip lessons even though I can't." I admitted all my thoughts.

Aurora looked at me, surprised at the unusual confession. After all, someone like me doesn't deserve to skip classes.

"Eh?! You're not lying?"

"Of course not. I didn't know what I was doing. Besides, I'm too smart for the teachers. Skipping a bit is fine."

The sound of a girl laughing was faint. I couldn't hear the girl's thoughts. It's a complicated calculation to understand a woman's feelings.

"That's a good reason. Obviously you want to avoid lessons. Besides, you'll be punished for one class of academy work."

"You're right. I can't avoid it."

I sighed and began to frown. "Besides, we don't have to be here. We'll get scolded."

We chatted for a while. We forgot about the chaotic events with the girls' conflict. The two of us had no relationship other than being classmates.

Soon, a bespectacled woman with dark blonde hair appeared. Rattan in both hands and a tight teacher's uniform.

The first year history teacher, Mrs Rivera, was already in front of us. Her anger was palpable. We fell silent, having been caught skipping class.

"You two! How dare you skip class! You're supposed to be in class."

Aurora immediately intervened, trying to come up with a thousand excuses. It was useless. Mrs Rivera would never listen to excuses.

"I'm sorry! I'm ...."

"I don't need your excuses anymore! You're both being punished for skipping lessons and being alone in the park at an inappropriate time".

"And you! Don't think you're a genius for skipping lessons. You're going to serve a severe punishment."

I was scolded. Aurora just lowered her head. Mrs Rivera's gaze was sharp and penetrating. No one could survive the painful gaze of the teacher.

"Now you're coming with me. You will be severely punished."

Reluctantly we followed Mrs Rivera. She tied our hands and forced us to leave the park.

After we left the park, we walked down the corridor like errand boys. As soon as we reached the corridor of Class I Saintek A, Mrs Rivera cast a writing spell and made us regret it.

"Writing magic: Regret!"

Mrs Rivera wrote the Kirivelya script in front of us to signify that we were punished students. More precisely, she put a writing curse on us.

The Kirivelya script is a 48-letter script. It was invented during the Dark Age of Roshan, which lasted from 100 to 523.

[I was stupid and ignorant. Punished for skipping physics class. I'm sorry!]

[Prince of Maths here. The smart-ass equivalent of a Magister wants to skip physics class].

The curse will disappear when the academy bell rings to upgrade the class.

"..."

"..."

There was nothing to talk about. The decision to remain silent was the best choice. We just waited for the curse to disappear.

[***]

The Academy lessons had ended with the ringing of the Academy bell. They streamed out of the classroom to do activities outside of Academy hours.

Aurora and I got up to serve our punishment for skipping lessons. I guess the magic curse is over. Suddenly, someone kicked me hard in the foot, causing me to lift my foot and scream in pain.

"Ouch! My leg hurts!"

It didn't take long for the pain to return. There was a student with the stature of a small child. She seemed to be in a bad mood. A flushed face as a sign of her current expression.

"Hmph!" A small child showed annoyance after kicking my foot.

"What are you doing?"

"Stupid Prince! Why don't you go back to class, desu? Aurora too, desu! You deliberately brought the Physics Prince (Rivandy) to a dark and lonely place, desu".

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to take Rivandy to a lonely place."

Regretfully, Aurora bowed in remorse. I made a flat face, still not understanding such girl talk.

A few seconds later, Evelyn burst into tears, soaking the tiled floor. Having been released from the curse, I rushed over to her.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because you didn't come, I had to go to the blackboard to do physics, desu. I was scolded by Mr Boris for being bad at physics, desu."

Evelyn's cries grew louder. Because of my mistake, Evelyn had to come forward to answer physics questions. I had to win over a child like her.

"All right. Don't cry! I'll do anything for you."

"Really, desu?"

"Yes. I promise. I'll do anything to make you stop crying." My right hand offered a promise.

"Promise me!" Evelyn's eyes lit up, filled with hope from a Maths Prince like me.

"Yes."

"Hahaha. Rivandy can calm a child." Aurora chuckled, mocking Evelyn, who was soothed with a sweet promise.

"I'm not a child, desu!"

"Oh yes. Where are Akishima and Sheeran?" I started to ask about the other two girls.

"They were punished to become Maid Classic, desu. All the girls involved have to clean up the academy, desu."

"I was told to go back to class because I was mistaken for a child, desu."

Evelyn's anger was still there. Because she was a child, she should go back to class. She should not be punished for tidying up the class in her Maid Classic uniform.

"Alright. We're going home."

"I'll look after your bag. I won't get stuck this time."

We walked home together. Aurora carried our bags in her shirt. She didn't mind doing that. As long as my bag is safe and not targeted by girls.

We entered the colourful Sweet Shop. Our eyes were immediately drawn to the range of sweets neatly arranged on the shelves.

Evelyn ran towards the long, curved sweet canes. She picked one up and held it up to her face with a big smile.

"Rivandy, look at this, desu! I want a sweet cane that long, desu!" she said as she waved the sweet cane.

Aurora was more interested in the round, shiny lollipops. She reached into the lollipop rack and picked out a blue one.

"I like blueberry lollipops. Which one do you want?" she asked me as she showed me the lollipop. I just shook my head.

I don't really like sweets. I'd rather read the little book I always carry with me. I opened the book and started to read the story.

Evelyn didn't give up. She grabbed my arm and dragged me to the milk chocolate shelf.

"How about this sweet? It's rumoured to make you grow taller," she said as she pressed the Milk Duds against my chest. I was embarrassed.

I was smaller than the two girls. I lowered my head and tried to wriggle out of Evelyn's grip.

"Eto... it's OK. Go ahead." I said in a low voice.

Evelyn cheered happily. She picked up three milk sweets and gave them to me.

"This is for you! Come on, let's pay," she said as she dragged me back to the till.

I took a 17 Aegis note out of my pocket and paid for all the sweets we had taken.

We left the Candy Shop and walked home under the blazing sun.

On the way, Aurora started talking to me. She looked at the little book I was still holding in my right hand.

"What's this book? Don't you get bored reading it all the time?" she asked curiously.

I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't want to answer his question. I'd rather read than talk. Aurora wasn't discouraged. She tried another topic.

"How does the milk sweet taste? Does it make you feel taller?" she asked with a mischievous smile. I took a bite of the milk candy in my mouth.

I tasted nothing but a sweet taste that stung my tongue. "Not yet. I haven't felt anything yet." I replied shortly. Aurora chuckled.

"Well, that's a shame. I was hoping you could be as big as me," she said as she patted my shoulder. I felt annoyed. I didn't like being teased about my height.

"Let's skip class again next time?" Aurora asked suddenly. I was surprised. I looked at Aurora with big eyes.

"No way!" I refused loudly. Aurora laughed again.

"Just kidding. You're funny when you're angry," she said, winking at me.

I felt betrayed. It turned out she was just teasing me again. It was annoying.