In response to Almark's call, Leila turned slowly and sighed as she saw the Lord of Voices.
"You are."
That said, Leila smiled unexpectedly.
"You always show up when you don't want to meet."
"Sorry."
Apologizing, Almark stood next to Leila and looked at the sea.
What were you looking at?
"Nothing."
As she said, Leila also turned to the sea.
"Look, you can't see anything."
The voice is only calm.
It's the sea.
Almark narrowed his eyes.
Beyond this sea is Relbuda, but I can't see it today.
"If something bad happens, come here and look at the ocean."
But today. Leila laughs bitterly.
"I can't see anything."
That's how I shake my head. Long hair shakes in the sea breeze.
As soon as her voice calmed down, Almark knew the depth of Leila's wounds.
The first shock is gone and you can speak in a calm tone, but you can't even rejoice in your classmate's victory.
Leila, you said that before.
Almark said.
"My goal is high."
Leila glanced at Almark.
What's Leila's goal?
Cumming, Leila laughed with a small voice.
"You ask me that now."
"Sorry."
Almark apologizes again.
"But I wanted to ask. I'm hunting you down to this point. What is your goal?"
Almark looks at the sea and connects the words.
A period of silence.
Only the sound of the waves and the sound of the seabirds envelop them.
Almark dared not continue his words and waited.
"... Foretta's Advanced Magician Exam"
Somewhat, Leila said.
"Have you heard of it?
Almark shakes his head.
The kingdom of Foretta is known to be a Nakahara power. The Kingdom of Logosha, Leila's homeland, is its neighbor.
Of course.
Leila laughs thinly.
"Because it's not an exam that kids take. Even the youngest recipient is 18 years old, a high school graduate of this college. Normally people in their late 20s to their 30s… some continue to receive it at a later age."
Leila says my father.
"Take the exam before you grow up. Otherwise, stop and come home."
"Until you're an adult? Adults in Nakahara and the South are certain."
Almark unexpectedly saw Leila's face.
"Yes, 15."
Leila nodded without changing her expression.
"That's... futile."
Almark wrinkles his neck.
"Why would your father do that?"
"My father was against me coming here. An autographed letter from the dean of the college finally accepted my admission, but that was the condition my father gave me at that time."
Leila was smiling at her lips.
"I haven't spoken properly with my father since. I don't want my family to come to the academy, so I have to wait for my servants in the harbor when I go home."
Almark was there too.
"We're a fallen house."
Leila mocks herself.
"I can't help it. I'm the only daughter."
You say that like you threw it away.
Almark tried to open her mouth, but Leila continued her words first.
"My father wants to use it. Make me a tool for political marriage."
Leila's words seem to be just like those of other HR.
"I want a good son-in-law. That means you can't wait until you're 18."
It was a terrible and vivid story.
Almark shakes his head.
"It's only been three years. Besides, you can definitely be a fine magician. I'm sure it's the rebuilding of the house. Isn't that right, Dad?"
"I don't think my father can do it. I don't know if it's real. What do you think? For my father, that's all. That's why I made it so difficult."
Leila keeps an eye on the sea. The expression was mild, but the eyes were harsh.
"But you're not going to make it difficult, are you?
Well...
Leila nods.
"I've learned everything in elementary school by myself. Now I'm learning about the second year of middle school."
"Ah... that's it."
Almark remembers Leila before the exam.
I remember everything I need during class. That's what Leila used to say.
Of course, for Leila, all the elementary school classes were just refreshments.
"I think if I really study only the contents of the elementary school, I can get the first place or the second place in the grade, but it doesn't make sense to me. If you have time like that, I want to learn more."
Almark nods at the words.
"But you said that you definitely don't want to lose to Rosfilia in martial arts competitions. Why? What is it?"
"Rosphilia....."
There was a slightly dark shadow in Leila's eyes.
"The daughter of the great nobility of Foretta. He's aiming to pass the senior magician exam soon after high school graduation."
So, Leila and I mutter.
"I don't want to lose to her. Even martial arts. I have to be three years ahead of her."
I had to win overwhelmingly.
And yet, I lost. It is also in a way that clearly shows the difference in rating.
It's not just that I lost the tournament.
I lost to Rosfilia. That's how I broke Leila's heart.
When Almark finally met, Leila shook her head small.
"Almark, you must see a lot of things."
That's how Leila saw Almark's face for the first time.
"What is the difference between me and Rosfilia? I don't have enough."
Leila's eyes staring at Almark were serious. However, there was a danger that it would collapse.
Almark stares at the eyes for a while, then says sorry and slowly shakes his neck to the side.
"I still know very little about magic. I've never heard of the exam before. [M] I don't know what you're missing."
The answer looks like Leila was disappointed.
Almark cares, but slowly looks at the ocean.
"Did Leila know it was the Menover Strait?"
"The Menover Strait?
Leila looks suspicious at the sudden question.
"I know. Isn't that the name of the strait that separates the North from the Nakahara? Of course, I've never seen it."
"Yeah."
Almark nodded.
"The Dragon Strait, also known as the Dragon Strait, is like a burial ground for ships. Every day, there are grey waves in the black sea and vortexes everywhere."
Almark said that I had crossed there.
"It's completely different from this sea."
That said, Almark opens his hands and shows the blue sea in front of him in peace.
"The first sea I saw in my life was the Menover Strait. Waves, vortexes and rocks always open their mouths like monsters, and sailors desperately manipulate their ships to avoid being eaten by them. I thought the ocean was like that. So I was surprised to see this southern sea. I didn't think it was the same ocean."
Leila looks at Almark with the face of what she says.
"Leila, you're looking at this southern sea now, and it's like you're looking at the Menover Strait."
Almark saw Leila's face.
Beautiful faces, always sideways, were now pointing straight at Almark.
"The ocean in front of me was so blue and calm, you could see the reverse black strait."
Leila looked as if she had been deceived.
"Miss Ilmis said the magician sees things as they are."
In Almark's words, Leila remained silent for a while.
Look at the calm sea in silence.
The sound of seabirds.
Eventually, Leila shook her head.
"I don't know."
"Sorry."
"It's okay."
That's what Leila said, turning her back to the sea.
Long hair runs in the wind.
"But thank you for listening."
Leila said so and walked away slowly without looking back.
Looking back, Almark seemed to have a little softness on his back.