81 – shadow(4)

Lillia and I simply thanked each other and stood in front of the female senior who took me to the training ground for the last time.

“thank you. How should I repay you… .”

She crossed her arms and smiled.

“cute.”

“Yes?”

“There is no need for reciprocation, more than that, have you decided on a special activity?”

“No, I’m still looking into it.”

“If you want to reciprocate, come visit the art department. Oh, this is not forced entry. Just watch and go.”

“I-senpai’s name is… .”

“you do not have to know. i go hi!”

The unidentified female senior left like the wind.

I should have given you a piece of candy.

Lyria, who was blankly next to me, tugged at my collar slightly as if she had thought of something to say.

“Stir… Damian, I have a question… .”

“What is it?”

Lyria asked carefully.

“Damian-nim’s expression wasn’t good… . Maybe other men approached… … Were you angry?”

Then he quietly looks up at me. Rather than worrying about how I feel… It seems to be full of unknown expectations.

“Yes, I was very worried.”

Hearing the answer, Lilia’s expression was recalled as if she were excited.

“really?!”

“of course.”

“I… So, maybe… That… .”

“What is it?”

“Eh, ji, jealous… did you?”

Lillia takes a deep breath and looks at me with sparkling eyes.

I deftly avoided answering, pretending not to hear. I thought it would be best to just leave the rest to my imagination.

“Now move slowly. I’ll take you on a tour of the dormitory and I’ll take you on a tour of the campus as well. I don’t want to get lost the next time I come.”

Even so, Lyria did not hesitate. Thinking that it made me a little uncomfortable, I laughed out loud as if I felt satisfied with it.

“So good!”

***

I moved the items that Lilia had brought to the Whitlough House and took a walk around the living quarters. Some of the students sent stinging glances, as if seeing them walking side by side with a girl in a maid outfit seemed unfamiliar.

Neither I nor Lyria paid much attention. Lilia regretted not having come wearing pretty clothes, but she forgot about it while taking a walk and chatted with me with a stern expression the whole time.

And that walk helped me too. Thanks to Lyria, I was able to get rid of the miasma left after fighting the warlock and find some peace of mind.

Then, when I passed the fountain in the center of the living building, someone called my name loudly from behind.

“Damian!”

A familiar girl’s voice. At the same time as Lyria, I turned to the direction of the sound.

Tricia smiled broadly at me in Sojungwon, where a promenade was created with five-color flowers, and waved her hand. After that, I sneak a peek at the surroundings and come to me with a quick step.

And at that moment, Lilia came close to my side and gently grabbed the hem of my back. As if they were frightened by an unknown creature they had never seen before.

Lyria asked me carefully.

“Do you know someone…?”

“Yes.”

Trisha stopped in front of me and looked at Lillia with wide eyes. The eyes of the two subtly intersect for a moment. Trisha, who only knew how to say hello lively, was silent.

I broke the silence by speaking first.

“What were you doing here?”

“Well… I heard you were discharged, so I’ll wait and show you around the theater department? But who is next to you?”

“Ah, this is Lyria, the maid who lives with you at the professor’s mansion.”

After that, there was an introduction to Trisha.

“And this is a classmate living in the same dormitory… .”

When I halfway explained Tricia, she interrupted and added herself.

“A friend, the first friend Damian made in Eternia.”

“Yes. This is Trisha. This is the first friend I made after entering school.”

Strictly speaking, Cecile came first, but it didn’t mean much.

Responding to the word friend, Lilia’s grip on the hem of my back became a little stronger.

Trisha greets Lyria first in words.

“Um, nice to meet you.”

Then, Lilia also opened her mouth with a nod.

“hello… … . You must be friends with Damian. Let’s talk to each other… .”

“yes. How did that happen?”

“there… How did you become friends with Damian?”

At the sudden question, Trisha blinked her round eyes a few times before answering.

“We were admitted to the same hospital room. I was discharged early, but he was lying alone with no one to come. So, I took care of her and nursed her until she was discharged, and we became close.”

Lillia quietly pondered her words, then bowed her head again and said.

“Thank you for taking care of Damian.”

“Almost best friends.”

“If something similar happens to Damian next time, would you please call me? Taking care of Damian is also my duty given by the professor, and I know very well about Damian’s body, such as herbs that work well and sensitivity to potions.”

Lyria’s tone was a bit stiff. For a moment, Trisha’s lips twitched faintly.

“I take good care of myself, so you don’t have to worry too much. I know Damian’s body well now. It’s to the point where I can remember where the dot is.”

“… .”

“… .”

Lyria and I were both speechless and silent for a moment.

Lillia’s hand gripping the collar suddenly became strong and trembled. Then, as if I was perplexed that I could sense the agitation, I removed my hand and hid it behind me.

Trisha’s attitude seems to be getting on Lyria’s nerves. It’s the first time I’ve seen you so sensitive.

Both Lilia and Trisha have a different tone and atmosphere than the ones I’ve known before.

Feeling a strange distance between them, I intervened.

“Is the introduction over? I don’t have time, so I want to visit the theater department quickly. Shall we go now?”

“Ah, yes. Do you know that a senior in the dance club tried to drag me away after I was here? He told me to wait a little bit and said where he went. Let’s run away quickly.”

“Did you do something wrong?”

Tricia twirled the ends of her hair, glanced at Lyria, then turned to me again and smiled.

“no. I want you to join the dance club. It’s because I’m popular.”

Is it because I met a lot of people these days? Full of confidence. He seems to be enjoying himself.

“Follow! I will guide you.”

Then Trisha turned around and walked ahead.

As I followed Trisha, I felt empty next to me. Lyria didn’t catch up with me. Looking back, Lilia was standing there with a blank face.

“… Lyria?”

“… .”

“What’s wrong?”

“it’s nothing… .”

Unlike words, expression and mood express that there is something.

Why do women’s moods go up and down so easily with small conversations? It is a very complex creature.

I sighed lightly and walked over to her and grabbed her wrist.

“Talk to you later. Let’s watch together. It will be fun.”

***

Tricia warned in advance.

“You have to say very little here.”

On stage, rehearsals are in full swing. To promote the theater department, the theater was opened to general students so that they could observe rehearsals for a while.

We were seated in the front audience seats close to the stage. Apart from us, other people were also seated sparsely.

Not a single ray of sunlight enters the theater.

Instead, the strong light of the magic stone pierces the stage. And the reflected light subtly extends down the stage and is precisely cut off at the spot where the audience seats are.

The audience seats are completely blacked out. Thanks to that, all existence is erased and it feels like only one stage is floating in this world.

On stage, actors rehearsing with a script in one hand recite lines.

I don’t know what kind of device it was, but the sound coming out of the stage was transmitted to the audience as if it were whispering to the smallest detail.

If you have sensitive senses, you can hear the sound of the actor breathing, the rubbing of the cloth, and the sound of footsteps even when walking on tiptoe.

It is the first time in my life that I am going to the theater. It’s amazing that the slightly exaggerated gestures and intonation come as elements that are good for immersion.

And Lyria seemed to be more impressed than I was. As if she had discovered a newspaper, she was immersed in every gesture of the actor.

Soon after, an excellent number of people enter the theater and the audience seats are gradually filled.

“There are quite a few people watching.”

In response to the words I spat out, Trisha, who was sitting on the right, whispered in her ear.

“Theatrical and dance departments are very popular, so competition for admission is the fiercest.”

It deserves it. One look at the stage and I can understand why the social world is so obsessed with actors. Should I look like the main character of the world? It’s only rehearsal like this, but how amazing would it be if done right?

Trisha hesitated before adding a word.

“And there was an uproar in those two places asking me to join them.”

I looked at Trisha’s face and said.

“After all, is that a story you brought out to brag about?”

Trisha’s eyes curled into half moons and she smiled with familiar dimples on her cheeks. Then I turned my chin forward and whispered in my ear again.

“Your first friend is this popular.”

Sounds like something to be proud of. I don’t know how popular his popularity will help me, but I didn’t hate his appearance.

I accepted moderately.

“I wonder what will happen when I find out who you really are.”

Tricia laughed softly and gave me a light slap on the shoulder. Then he whispered in an excited voice.

“… Everyone is going to die because they’re pretty.”

“… .”

If I had heard it without knowing anything, I would have felt like a serious cheater, but I could understand it to some extent because I myself confirmed the basis of that confidence.

While I was thinking about how to respond for a while, Lilia on the left timidly tugged at my collar.

When I turned my head to the left, Lilia, who had been concentrating on the stage, was staring at me with a sad expression on her face.