"But Hecate, you are..."
Lucas answered hesitantly.
"A man."
"...?"
Silence followed.
Not only Hecate but also all the cadets watching the conversation blinked blankly, having lost the flow of the conversation. Ash's jaw dropped as he chewed on his candy.
After a moment of being lost in thought, Hecate stuttered in response.
"...What? What did you say?"
"So..."
Lucas, feeling awkward, scratched the back of his head.
"I think of you as a good friend and an excellent swordsman, but no matter what, I can't accept a man's confession..."
"No, no! Wait. Just wait!"
Hecate, trembling, pointed to herself.
"Wh-who said I'm a man?"
"...You...?"
"How do I look like a man, you crazy bastard-!"
Swear words finally burst from Hecate's elegant lips.
Lucas tilted his head in confusion.
"Not a man?"
"Of course, I'm a woman, you crazy, crazy, crazy bastard!"
"Are you saying your identity is female... Of course, I'll respect that as a friend but..."
"No, biologically a woman, you lunatic!"
Hecate, with her sturdy build, tightly packed muscles, and the short hair cut for the convenience of swordsmanship training, radiated a neutral charm, which had even fooled Lucas, who had been with her for six years.
Into thinking she was a man.
"No, it's just that Lucas, that bastard, seems to be legendary for being clueless..."
Ash muttered hesitantly.
Before long, the candies he held in his hand were being taken one by one by the cadets around him and put into their mouths. They couldn't stop because it was too fascinating.
"Hecate, you being a woman... Impossible..."
Lucas, stuttering as if he couldn't believe it, gasped as he reminisced about the past.
"Then the separate bathroom visits every time?"
"Didn't you find it strange?!"
"When the three of us went to the river or the sea, the fact that you never took off your top alone...?"
"Try to notice, for once! You should have noticed by then!"
"And being sick once a month, could it be...?"
"Do I really have to say it out loud, you...!"
Hecate, trembling with anger and tears welling up in her eyes, stared back at Lucas.
Lucas, realizing late, clapped his hands with a smack! and exclaimed.
"Good heavens, what a crazy world. Hecate!"
"What?!"
"You were a woman?!"
With that one sentence from Lucas, who had never even considered her as a potential romantic interest, let alone a woman.
"I'm gonna kill youuuu-!"
Hecate finally lost it.
She started to beat Lucas mercilessly with her sword sheath.
Lucas tried to defend himself with his sheath, but couldn't stand a chance against Hecate, who was superior in skill and now fueled by fierce anger.
Eventually, the day that would later be named "The 369th Graduation Confession Catastrophe" ended with Lucas being carried to the infirmary after being beaten up all over...
"He deserved it."
Watching Lucas being carried away, Ash muttered, then stuffed the remaining candies into his mouth.
Then, looking around at Hecate sitting on the ground crying, and the cadets comforting her, he chuckled softly.
"I'm definitely going to miss this. My last school days..."
As he breathed in slowly under the sunlight that shone down on his closed eyelids.
The pure romance of boys and girls, the laughter of the students, and the shouts of teachers running over in surprise...
This tiresome, yet in the future, dearly missed,
The old air of the academy that he would never smell again.
"I will miss it."
***
Present.
Lucas, reminiscing about the graduation ceremony, sighed deeply.
"How was I supposed to soberly accept a confession from a friend I thought was the same sex until just yesterday..."
"It's definitely you who's not sober, having confused your friend's gender for 6 years..."
This guy, sometimes I suspected he had a weird streak, but it's really amazing in strange ways! I can only admire it!
"I was focused on guarding my lord and improving my swordsmanship skills. Hecate was a good friend, though."
"So, you never saw her as a woman."
"That's right. I wasn't in a position to be dating anyone anyway..."
"You lunatic, ah..."
So clueless, how will you ever date in the future? Are you planning on being a bachelor forever?
'No, that's not it. It's the opposite. It's because he's the protagonist that he's clueless about this stuff...'
If being insensitive to romantic lines is a classic protagonist trait, then Lucas is just fulfilling that role. This is why he's the protagonist...
Anyway, after hearing such an astonishing past, Evangeline expressed her admiration.
"I had no idea Lucas had such a vibrant youth. It seems like you've lived a life completely walled off from romance... With such a boring face."
Lucas bristled.
"Did you just call my face boring...?"
"It's too prim and proper, like a shiny mask that hasn't been tarnished. Boring."
The rest of the members nodded in agreement with Evangeline's words. Junior and Damien spoke up in turn.
"Definitely... Just looking at the face, it seems like you've lived a flawless life. But you've had quite a variety of experiences, haven't you?"
"I somehow feel a sudden sense of closeness to Captain Lucas! Hehe."
It seems like the prejudice against Lucas, who had been acting like a perfect knight, had been greatly dismantled. Junior and Damien smiled warmly.
"..."
Despite unexpectedly revealing his dark past, Lucas's face became even more sullen. Well, it's your original sin, what can you do.
'But still, it's a dark past for Lucas, but it seems even darker for Hecate...'
To have made a public confession and be rejected, and to have been perceived as a man all this time... What a terrifying story of youthful trauma.
"Well, that's enough about our foolish past."
Cough Clearing his throat, Lucas stared coldly in the direction Hecate had disappeared.
"Hecate's talent and skill are real. I never won against her even once during our school days."
For Lucas, a combat genius of SSR rank renowned even in the World Guardian Front, to have been overwhelmed throughout his school days, Hecate's talent must indeed be monstrous.
Moreover, she was selected for the Glory Knights right after graduation, and now she has ascended to the position of commander...
"But."
Lucas continued in a voice filled with fighting spirit.
"It's different now."
"Oh?"
"I've been honed in real combat since then. I've survived battles against countless mythical beasts. No matter what training Hecate has undergone, I'm confident I won't lose."
Lucas nodded earnestly.
"The next duel will be different from the day of the graduation."
"..."
"I will not lose, my lord!"
Lucas exclaimed with a fighting spirit.
I mean, that person did confess to you. Can't you think of a different kind of dialogue, not just winning through a sword fight...?
'Sigh, whatever. It's hard enough dealing with my own love life, let alone advising someone else.'
Turning around, Lucas saw Evangeline looking at him with a complicated expression.
"Hmm."
"And why is that?"
"I won't lose either. To that Hecate."
"Oh?"
"I was the top of the 375th generation, you know. Plus, I graduated early, which she didn't!"
Ah, that way...?
It seems like these muscle-brained knights think alike. Anyway, Evangeline showed her fighting spirit by clenching her fist tightly.
"Even if she's a senior, I will not lose...!"
"Oh."
Our knights were aflame with enthusiasm. Myself, Junior, and Damien quietly clapped from behind.
"My lord, what training are we doing in preparation for the martial tournament?!"
"Hurry up and tell us! No matter who the opponent is, we'll beat them and win!"
At that, I smiled and clapped, then turned around to shout at the main party members.
"Alright, let's show everyone that comes rolling into the Imperial Capital that we are the strongest party on the front!"
***
That evening.
After a special training session with Ash, Junior staggered back to her lodging.
"Ugh, so tired..."
Already weak in physical activities as a mage, and with low stamina to boot.
The training Ash led was to prepare for a direct confrontation with a Black Dragon, involving immediate physical movement. Running, rolling, and sprinting had drained her of all energy.
'Training to counter the Black Dragon's various area attacks, huh...'
Though she wasn't exactly sure how this training would help dodge the Black Dragon's attacks.
Anyway, the Black Dragon's attacks don't discriminate against mages to hit them any softer.
Nor could she counter all attacks from different dragon species with magic alone. If she could dodge them physically, it made sense to train for it.
'But still... it's tough being tough...'
Among the main party of five, Junior had the lowest stamina, followed by Ash.
Damien, who had been diligently training his stamina, despite his frail appearance, managed just fine, and the two knights... well, talking about them is just a waste of breath.
Both Junior and Ash were very tired today. Ash was probably so exhausted he'd collapse as soon as he returned to his manor.
Junior's lodging was still at the inn "Etty's Honey."
The entire staff of the inn had moved to Hotel Crossroad, and Ash had offered to move Junior's lodging there, but she declined.
The mere sight of anything too shiny made her dizzy, and such a flashy place made it hard to rest.
"Etty's Honey" remained open for guests like Junior who found hotels overwhelming.
Junior climbed the stairs with tired steps, eager to wash up with hot water and collapse into bed.
'Huh?'
Arriving at her room, Junior belatedly noticed.
Someone was unpacking in the room opposite hers, which had been empty.
She didn't intend to peek, but the door was half-open. Junior, unlocking her room door, unintentionally looked in that direction and-
Their eyes met through the partially open door.
"Oh my."
A woman in loose, comfortable clothes and beige hair.
The woman's attire was different from earlier, causing confusion, but Junior managed to recognize her and awkwardly greeted first.
"Hello... um, Hecate?"
Glory Knights' commander, Hecate, seemed a bit startled but soon smiled.
"Yes, hello. I saw you earlier with the prince, but your name was..."
"Jupiter Junior. Just call me Junior."
"Ah. Hello, Junior."
An awkward silence followed.
Junior hesitantly asked.
"So, why are you here...?"
"Ha. Well... the barracks are full, and the state-run hotel has no vacancies. So, the Glory Knights are temporarily staying here."
Heavy footsteps sounded from downstairs. Apparently, the other knights were unpacking in the rooms on the first floor.
"Uh..."
"Um..."
The two women made awkward noises.
Their relationship was... how to put it? A friend of a friend of a friend, maybe.
Not strangers, but not close enough to be considered friends... a subtly awkward relationship.
Hesitating, Junior eventually swallowed a sigh and extended her hand first.
"Ah, until you move to another lodging! Let's get along well. Since we're staying opposite each other!"
"..."
"And... since we'll be fighting monsters together."
Hecate blinked quietly, then covered her mouth and chuckled.
Then, extending her bandaged hand, she shook hands with Junior.
"Yes. I'm looking forward to working with you."
The awkward handshake came to an end.
Hecate bowed her head with a "Then-" and returned to her room, closing the door behind her.
"...Phew..."
Junior quickly entered her room and brushed off the discomfort in her chest.
It wasn't her first time greeting someone new, but for some reason, it felt uncomfortable and awkward.
'Why? Because she's such a high-ranking person? Or because she's too beautiful?'
Mulling over it, Junior tilted her head in confusion shortly after.
'Huh?'
That's when she noticed...
'...Bandages?'
Hecate's hand was wrapped in bandages.
Not ordinary bandages, but special ones inscribed with magical runes line by line.
Recalling the moment, those bandages seemed to wrap not just the hand, but seemed to wind around the wrist and... even further into the body.
And now that she thought about it, there seemed to have been a faint smell of blood...
'...?'
A mage's intuition nudged her about something, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
'Should I even be concerned?'
All sorts of odd characters gather on the frontline. Someone wrapped in bandages hardly counts as strange here.
Shrugging off her concern, Junior decided to let it go and headed into the bathroom.
***
And, in the blink of an eye, time flew by...
The morning of the autumn festival dawned.