After all, Almark succeeded in knocking down up to three boards in one wind this day.
On the last challenge, Almark turned his back and raised his voice when he saw the fourth board shake and still didn't fall.
"Oh, shit. You were almost there."
Norish smiled when she saw Almark sweating in winter.
"There are three records for today. Still amazing. I can't believe we're going this far in one day."
"It was fun."
Almark said with a carefree face.
"Time was running out."
"Good work. Good day."
"I learned a lot."
Almark nodded.
"Thank you, Norish."
"You're welcome."
After that, Norish watched Illmis and Radmar and whispered.
"It's still going to take a while."
Ah.
Almark nodded.
Today, after meditation, I was supposed to be practicing my initial magic, but someday I was facing each other and talking about something.
Radmar says something with a mean look.
Illmis has a calm expression that occasionally pinches her mouth, but neither voice can be heard to Al Mark and the others.
"Don't interrupt."
Almark said.
"If I go home now, I'll be able to eat the fish I caught with Morgan with my own sword."
"Ah, the classroom said we fished together in the morning."
"Yeah, Morgan said it was delicious. Let's go home... Sensei, I'm leaving."
When Almark called out, Illmis raised one hand and answered.
Radmar doesn't even look at Al Mark and the others.
They lowered their heads to Illmis and left the practice area.
"Wow, beautiful starry sky."
Norish raised his voice.
The rain that had fallen since morning stopped after noon, but the sky remained covered in dark clouds.
However, while I was studying, the clouds disappeared and now the sky was filled with stars.
That's true.
Almark looked up at the sky.
Many stars shine in the night sky.
Among them, the first thing I always look for is a noble star that shines without moving slightly into the northern sky.
"Rubenik"
Norish reacts to the murmur.
"What?
"Rubenik"
Almark said it again.
"That's what we call the North Star in the North."
"Rubenik"
Norish speaks his name.
"What do you mean?
"The name of the goddess in the north. A proud goddess who dared to stand alone and remain in the sky to guide people."
Almark says so and sees the North Star.
Throughout his long journey to the academy, Almark has walked this star on his back.
It's God's name, isn't it?
Norish also looked up at the North Star.
"But it's strange. The north of Almark must be a long way from here."
"Yeah."
"Still, the stars look the same."
"That's right. I don't think the stars will change."
Almark said.
The noble goddess who guides people, Rubenik.
"Today's Norish was like Rubenik to me."
"What do you mean?
Norish watches.
"Because you led me to a new place."
Oh, my God.
"Norish is good at explaining."
Almark put a lot of effort into his words.
"I find it as difficult to explain the difficult feeling of words as it is to use complex magic."
"I don't think so."
Norish lay face to face as if it were illuminated.
"But I'm glad you said that. I think words are very important."
Huh?
Almark looks at Norish's side.
Norish kept looking up at the night sky, and the students at the academy said,
"Everyone has their own words. You can speak your own thoughts in your own words."
Yeah, that's right.
Almark nodded.
"Even Nelson's is a fine man."
"Well, that's a little subtle."
Norish smiled bitterly.
"I'm from the countryside."
Stop looking up at the sky and look forward.
"It is a village that is roughly remote from academics and education. Nobody's interested in anything unrelated to life, that's all."
"I think that's normal."
Almark nodded.
"Especially where life is hard."
Even in the North. Everyone is doing their best to live.
"Yeah."
Norish nodded and looked a little lonely.
"I didn't think I'd question that either. I thought the world was like that. But now I know. Words are very important."
"Words"
When Almark said that and looked at Norish, Norish nodded small.
"I was surprised to come to this college. Everyone has their own words. Everyone but me, the children of nobility, as well as the children of civilians, speak their thoughts and feelings in their own words. So I figured it out. People in my village couldn't say what they felt or thought in their own words."
Speak your feelings and emotions in your own words.
Almark had just hit the wall.
"It's not that bad."
Norish said with that in mind.
"Everyone in the village used really simple, very limited words. Sometimes it's hard to say, but it's just borrowing the words of someone nice, and it doesn't really make sense. My grandfather liked my studies a little bit, and I was going to be different myself, but I came to this college and realized how much I didn't have words."
"Your own words,"
Almark murmured.
"Yeah."
Norish nodded.
"I know a lot of things here, I try to speak in my own language, and then..."
Norish smiled. Its eyes sparkle as if they were reflecting the stars.
"The world has spread."
"The world."
"Yes, the world."
The smile of Norish nodding was like Norish, her brave maid, who played in a magic festival play.
"Words spread the world."
Norish said.
Words widen the world.
Almark didn't really understand the feeling.
Almark knows how the world feels.
But that feeling has always been engraved in my body.
Almark's world has spread out in a very realistic way.
Because he was a man who walked through the world with his feet and cut through the world with his sword in his arms.
But...
"Will words spread the world?"
Almark smiled imagining it.
Words expand your world.
It was just a naive and vague image, but it was kind of full of wonder and fresh happiness.
"I'm sure that would be wonderful."
"For me, it feels irreplaceable."
Norish nodded.
"That's why I want to take care of my words. Because I know how great it is to be able to talk about my thoughts in my own words."
"Yeah."
Almark nodded.
"I think I see why you're good at wind magic."
"Yes, because the wind carries words."
Norish smiles.
"When I was a freshman, I wanted to use my own words just like everyone else, but I didn't know what to do, so I was swayed by them. I think that's one of the reasons why Eston and Polois made fun of me."
"That's what happened."
Almark nodded and saw Norish.
Winter winds shake Norish hair.
"I think it's gotten a lot better now, but I don't know."
"I don't know who you were."
Almark answered.
"I always hear you in your own words."
"I'm glad you said that."
Norish laughs really happy when she says so.
"For me, Almark is the one who speaks in his own language."
"No."
Almark shakes his head.
"I don't know how to express myself."
"You think too hard."
Norish said with a bright expression.
"Words spoken naturally are your true words."
Say that and look at Almark with gentle eyes.
"Your words are powerful. I also know that everyone is attracted to you. You don't have to force yourself."
Norish smiled.
"Today's practice is the same. Relax your shoulders. That way, I can give you real power."
"Yeah."
Almark nodded.
"Thank you, Norish."
"You're welcome."
The conversation broke down.
But it wasn't awkward silence.
For a while, Almark and Norish walked silently as if they enjoyed the end of the conversation.
Eventually, when he saw the dorm, Almark remembered one thing he wanted to ask Norish.
Speaking of which, Norish.
That's how I look at Norish.
"After all, what did Nelson's father tell you in the harbor after the play?"
Pillman will be here tomorrow.
Norish pretended not to hear and smiled naughtily.
Hurry, dinner's over.