It was the last thing she wanted to do, but she turned around anyway.
Yurien was approaching. His gaze moved past Echi and settled on Ian.
"An apology? What is this about?"
"…A dispute between cadets," Ian answered with an awkward smile.
Yurien's gaze remained on Ian's face for a long moment. His expression was cold and flat. Then he looked at Echi.
"What kind of dispute, Cadet Echinacea?"
"It's a personal matter, Commander."
Her voice was firm. She had no intention of explaining it, and no need for his help, whatever Ian and Brad were scheming.
Yurien looked down at her. He tilted his head very slightly, as if something had caught his attention. His narrowed eyes moved across her face, slow, taking stock. Then he shifted his gaze to Ian.
"Cadet Representative. Do you have anything else to say to Cadet Echinacea?"
"Ah? Oh… well." Ian's expression flickered. Echi spoke before he could recover.
"If he wants to apologize, tell him to come to me directly, Senior."
"…Understood. I'll pass that along."
Ian's face twitched, but he smoothed it over. Yurien, who had been waiting, spoke without inflection.
"If you're finished, you may go. I have something to discuss with Cadet Echinacea."
"Of course, Commander."
Ian saluted and left. Echi stared at the ground. What could he possibly need to say?
Once Ian had walked far enough away, Yurien's attention returned to her. Her head was already spinning; this wasn't helping.
"…Something…"
He started and then stopped. A brief silence stretched. She heard him let out a quiet breath.
Eventually Echi looked up. His blue eyes were on her, with a light she couldn't name.
"…Is there anything I can do… to help you…?"
He spoke slowly, each word as though selected with care. It was enough to throw her, she couldn't tell exactly what he meant.
"I'm sorry, Commander, I didn't quite catch that."
"…No, it's nothing."
He gave a short rueful smile and pressed his hand over his mouth for a moment. He studied her face again, searching, then turned away without warning.
"Follow me, Cadet Echinacea."
"…Yes, sir."
If she had any choice, she would have gone straight to bed. But she followed him.
Yurien walked past the stables and stopped in front of the Celestial Knights headquarters. He told her to wait, disappeared inside, and came back out carrying something. Then he walked on, and Echi followed.
He walked as if every step had been measured, spine perfectly straight, footsteps nearly silent. His loosely tied silver hair swayed with his pace, the shaded sections gray, the parts touched by sunlight gleaming almost white, as though threads of pure silver had been gathered together.
Her mind went blank. She kept her eyes on that sight the entire way. It wasn't until she realized they had arrived at the women's dormitory that she came back to herself. It was quiet, most cadets were probably training for tomorrow's competition.
At the dormitory entrance, Yurien stopped and held out a small paper bag.
When Echi took it, still dazed, he gave a faint smile.
"Don't push yourself too hard."
His voice was low. His hand touched her shoulder for the briefest moment and then withdrew. Before she could respond, he turned and walked away.
She didn't look up until he was out of sight. Then she looked at the bag in her hand and opened it.
Two small glass bottles. Two flat metal tins with the Celestial Hawk emblem embossed on their lids.
Back in her room, she set each item on the desk and looked at them.
The red tin and the blue tin, she recognized them at once. The Celestial Knights' specially made ointments, prepared with the blessing of the Grand Temple's priests.
The red for external wounds, the blue for strained muscles and ligaments. Made in small batches, reserved exclusively for the Order, nearly impossible to obtain even for someone willing to pay.
Both of them were in the bag.
The bottles next: brown glass with a label, antibiotic syrup, and a clear glass bottle containing amber-yellow pieces in honey. When she opened the lid, a sharp ginger scent rose through the sweetness. Ginger tea.
She arranged everything in a row on the desk and stared at it.
These were the things you gave someone who was sick.
"…How did he know?"
[Know what? What is all of that? Is it poison?]
ValderGiosa asked with guileless curiosity. Echi didn't answer. She stood and went to the mirror. Even with makeup, there was nothing on her face that gave it away. Baraha, who had been with her all morning, hadn't noticed anything either.
She sat back down and turned the ginger tea bottle slowly between her fingers. And then, without quite deciding to, she put her head down on the desk.
[Your face is turning red. Fever?]
"I don't know. Be quiet."
Her feelings were all over the place. Sharp ginger, sweet honey, that was the only way she could describe what was swirling in her chest.
She wished he didn't remember. She wanted to believe the first time they had ever seen each other was at last year's birthday banquet. That their connection began there and nowhere else.
That was what she wanted to believe.
* * *
April 26th — the day of the freshman ranking competition. A soft spring rain was falling by morning.
The competition had been moved indoors, to the annex beside the main hall, because of the rain. A match table was posted at the entrance of the training ground.
Standing in front of it, staring hard, was a boy with curly golden hair, the kind of gold that seemed almost molten, shimmering even in the dim light. Pale green eyes, porcelain skin, a perfectly straight nose, red lips. He looked less like a cadet and more like an angel that had stepped out of a classical painting.
"Michael, what are you doing?"
A cadet with chestnut hair strolled over and slung an arm around his shoulder. Michael glanced back at his roommate and frowned.
"Theo. Looking at my first opponent."
"Huh? Who is it?"
"Her."
Michael pointed to the name on the bracket. Theo read it and burst out laughing.
"A 'lady' versus an 'angel.' That's prime entertainment right there. Don't you think? What a treat for the eyes."
Theo cackled and slapped Michael on the back, but Michael's expression only darkened.
"Don't call me an angel."
"Man, anyone who sees your face is going to call you that."
"Stop talking nonsense."
Michael aimed a light kick at Theo's backside and got only more laughter in return. He pushed his loose hair back with an irritated hand.
Michael was the younger brother of Teresa von Franz Almari, one of only three Giosa owners in the entire Celestial Order, and the sole woman among them. His sister, eleven years his senior, hadn't been pleased when he chose this path. She had always known him as a frail child, and the image had stuck long past puberty.
"Whoever my opponent is, it doesn't matter. I'll win and take first. If I stand out in the monster subjugation, maybe even Teresa will finally see me differently."
Theo let out a quiet laugh. "Man, you are so devoted to your sister."
"Say that again and I'll make sure you can't."
"What if you lose to the 'lady'?"
"Lose?"
Michael's red lips curved.
"To someone like her?"
"Bold words from someone who looks more like a girl than anyone here. She did rank first at admission, while you placed third."
"You haven't heard the rumors?"
"The backdoor admission thing? Everyone's heard that."
The rumors about Echinacea Roaz had spread thoroughly: her admission ranking, the squire appointment on day one, and the first duel that hadn't looked particularly impressive.
Brad's circle had seeded it, but by now most cadets had heard it so many times they half-believed it.
"Something about it does seem off,"
Theo admitted. "Named a squire on your first day, even if you're supposed to be a prodigy? That's strange."
"We'll see the truth of it today."
"You know, for someone as pretty as you, you've got a sharp tongue. Does Teresa know you're like this?"
"If my sister heard you say that, the first thing she'd do is hit you."
A dangerous glint moved through Michael's green eyes. Theo clicked his tongue.
"Still older than you by one year."
"Same cohort. That 'older' act doesn't work." Michael scoffed, strapping on his sword. Time was nearly up.
The spectator stands in the indoor training ground were already full.
Cadets from upper years had come to assess the freshmen before the all-rank competition, and the atmosphere was anticipatory.
Michael made his way to the waiting area below the stands. Open at the front, it offered a clear view of the arena. Most of the freshmen had already gathered.
"There she is," Theo said under his breath, nudging Michael in the ribs.
Echinacea Roaz stood out effortlessly among the dark-uniformed cadets.
Long pink hair, half pinned up with a gold ribbon and short decorative veil. White dress, white gloves, white stockings with ribbon shoes, a few accents of gold embroidery and a single ornament, and pearls swaying at her ears.
She stood like a white lily in the middle of a crowd.