“Then… why did you come here? To Imperial Knights Academy.” I switched the topic.

    “Well… I want to become a music composer.”

    “You are into music?”

    “I really don’t look like it, do I? Haha.” August laughed. “I may look like this, but I’m proficient in every musical instrument you could name of, and I’m fine with any music except heavy metal, sometimes rap or dudes who sing like flowers. Felt like they were singing to the demons—blerghhh. What an insult to music.”

    “Ohhhh.” I was amazed. “If it’s me, I’m more into Romantic and Classical pieces.”

    “That’s not enough, Luc.” August flicked his finger, saying ‘no’. “Choirs— is the only music that’s good enough to heal your soul.”

    “Hmm…” I inadvertently placed my fingers below my chin, doubting his words.

    August then placed his arm over my shoulder so he could lower my head and whisper to me.

    “It’s simple.” He whispered. “Just imagine the princess singing.”

    Kuroyuki’s angelic voice…?

    “Okay. I one-hundred percent agree with your words now.”

    I immediately come into an agreement.

    He pointed… at Blaze.

    “Even though Blaze may not look like it, he’s actually really skilled at cooking.”

    I was in full of shock.

    “Hahahaha what’s with that face!?” August laughed at me.

    “No way— no, way!” I repeated. “That guy!?”

    “Mind blown, isn’t it~?” He smacked my back. “I was just as surprised as you when I saw him using our kitchen to make his own lunch! And it’s damn delicious!”

    “This is so confusing. A hybrid of a dragon and phoenix is an expert in cooking?” I murmured. “In another way, he seems more ‘human’ than most people…”

    “Haha, my long-deceased friend told me that this vast world is interesting.” He said as he swayed his hand from left to right as shifted his gaze to the sky. “I don’t understand at first until I finally get to meet these guys.”

    “Any other interesting things?” I asked.

    “That’s news to me…!”

    “Now, set your eyes on Rumelia.” August then turns my head with his grip on top of my head to look at Rumelia. “Even though she looks like a doll, she’s extremely good at sewing. If you want battle suits and sorts— she could make one for you. If you don’t have a design, she could literally make one for you.”

    “How do you know?”

    “She’s the one who made my custom-made battle suit when I ordered one from Rozen & Alice Tailor. She told me she was the daughter of the founder.”

    “What— Rozen & Alice Tailor even make battle suits!?”

    “And lastly...” August looked around carefully. “Good, she’s not here.”

    “Why? What’s wrong with Persia?”

    “Mmm… How should I say… I really hated the fact that she could literally read me like a book— it’s like her eyes are seeing through my entire body.”

    “Ah… I understand how you feel… I was literally being read like an open book during my first day……”

    “Us?”

    “Oh, Kronos, Rumelia and Blaze— you know?” August murmured. “Anyone would be freaked out all of the sudden when she turns from that ice-cold lady to a sunshine lady.”

    “Eh… What you mean is… in just one day she changed from cold ice to a hot warming sun?”

    “Yes, that’s it!” August told me. “How could someone of that character change so much!? She even likes to tease and prank us now.”

    “…No wonder you say she’s a ‘prankster’.”

    “Ah, yes— that.” August inadvertently murmured, seeming somehow confused. “Are you two perhaps, close friends? But… even though you were close, but not really… Or maybe I should say... she’s the one who prefers to be close to you?”

    “You are really observant, aren’t you?” I murmured.

    “Ah… Sorry. It’s a habit I developed from observing a certain someone swinging his blade for years.”

    “You heard about the Silverlight name, right?”

    “Persia doesn’t like the difference in status quo, that’s all,” I replied. “But it seems you weren’t interested in her family name at all, don’t you?”

    “If I told you I’m a prince of a random country, would you believe me?”

    “Ehh… no wondered you weren’t interested in it.”

    “Oi,” August uttered while slapping my shoulder. “Didn’t I said ‘if’? Why do you believe me straight away?”

    “Because you had to choose ‘prince’ and ‘random country’ out of all other possible things. So…...”

    “Look here, Luc— forget what you heard.” He grabs my shirt and shakes me.

    “Sure, your highness?”

    “Oi…! You totally remember that!” August uttered. “I said ‘if’! That was just an ?ssumption!”

    “Haha, prince or not, I don’t care about your status.”

    “…Your ?ssumption is running wild, August.” I inadvertently murmured.

    “The only two types of people who don’t care about status are either ignorant fools or a person standing at the top,” August told me.

    “Heh, I’m probably that ignorant fool.”

    “So we are both ignorant fools then, hahaha. No wonder we get along.” August laughed.

    Oh, it seems everyone entered.

    Just by the time August and I entered together, we were greeted by a cold gaze from afar that chilled our hearts.

    By afar, it was at the end of the corridor.

    ‘You totally feel it, right?’ I signalled August with a quick stare.

    ‘Yes. It stings.’ He replied, tapping his ?h?st once with his finger.

    “…What took you so long?” She uttered, with her arms folded.

    “Just a small talk,” I replied to her.

    “…Understood.”

    CLANG!

    “—WHOA!!?”

    When I knew it, Kuroyuki had her sword swung at August— which he blocks with the sheath of his sword at the left.

    …That was weird.

    Kuroyuki’s attacks are strong enough to destroy the ground despite blocking it.

    Although I felt immense air pressure from that hit, yet August did not budge from his spot at all.

    “Wh—What’s wrong…!? Why are you attacking me again!?” August muttered.

    “…As punishment, you were to accept my blade.” She told August.

    Just when Kuroyuki retreats her blade and swung for his abdomen—

    “…!”

    “Don’t, Kuroyuki.”

    —I stop her by grabbing her arm.

    When I realized, August’s sheathed sword was placed precisely where Kuroyuki was going to strike.

    “…Why should I listen to you?” Kuroyuki retorted with a glare.

    “We need to preserve stamina.”

    “…True.” She murmured. “…However, this wouldn’t even count as much as a warmup for him.”

    ‘Save me!’ August signalled me with a quick glance.

    “You could always do that after we retrieve that sword,” I told her.

    “Excuse me, are you talking about that black sword down there?” Kronos suddenly murmured as he raised his hand while nudging his glasses.

    “Sword?” August inadvertently murmured. “Kronos— are you saying there’s a sword down there?”

    “He did,” Rumelia replied emotionlessly.

    “Yes, what we are going to do today is to retrieve that sword,” I told them.

    “Now ain’t that nice…” August inadvertently came to a grin.

    “Stop getting worked up over every sword you could get.” Kronos sighed. “That’s not something that you could attempt to retrieve.”

    “We wouldn’t know until I try,” August said to Kronos, seeming confident.

    “Care to explain…?” Kronos murmured, while looking at Kuroyuki and me.

    While activating my screen, I searched for the floor map that Kuroyuki illustrated while explaining the characteristics of the basement to them.

    “Electromagnetic Pulse and mana interference…?” Kronos murmured. “This means I can’t pull out my weapons from my storage nor create any weapons that require electric.”

    “My dolls,” Rumelia added.

    “Meh, fine by me. I don’t use magic or any electronic devices anyways.” August said. “This sword is all I have.”

    “…My magic armour would be useless.” Blaze remarked.

    “I don’t know how to use magic anyways~” Persia muttered.

    Looks like Persia would be alright even without magic.

    “…I will guide you,” Kuroyuki murmured.

    While everyone headed to the emergency staircase, I walked behind while activating my screen and typing my message.

    ‘I’m entering now. If there’s no message after two hours, immediate HELP is required.’

    Sent to Restia and that bastard.