Episode 23 - Water in the Ear
Behind the window, the crescent moon gleamed in the night sky.
I was in Erica's room. Lately, I'd been visiting her every evening at this hour.
For young men and women to be alone in the same room at night—it's pretty risky, right? That's what I think when I try to stay calm.
Father-in-law Adelvator puts up with this so easily. It must mean he trusts me that much...
Or maybe he doesn't even know?
Coming here is always Erica's own suggestion. At first, it felt like an invitation with a hint of impropriety, but I remember her telling my hesitant self, "Father will allow it," whenever I'd show up like this.
But if that was a lie or just a one-time thing, Adelvator might kill me.
Well, if I didn't go to her room, I'd probably end up "killed" by Erica instead... or something like that.
"Liam?"
My name called out of nowhere, combined with the thoughts swirling in my head, made my body jolt in surprise. No way she's reading my mind...? Heart pounding, I glanced at her timidly, half-scared.
Erica paused her work and turned to look at me.
"...What's up?"
I answered, but silence followed.
Did she really not notice? Just as cold sweat beaded on my forehead, she suddenly burst into a soft chuckle.
"Sorry for startling you. I just felt like calling your name."
She rose from her seat, padded over lightly on bare feet, and settled beside me.
"What are you reading?"
Erica leaned her head against my shoulder, peering into the book in my hands. Her pale pink braids, intricately woven with golden threads and tiny crystal beads that caught the moonlight like dewdrops on petals, brushed my arm. Up close, her porcelain skin glowed softly, high cheekbones flushed from study, and those striking blue eyes—clear as summer skies, framed by long, dark lashes—sparkled with curiosity.
No, no, no. Don't get flustered. Don't get flustered.
"...It's a book on military strategy. Just some studying for emergencies."
Her face so near—those full, rose-tinted lips parted slightly, breath warm with a faint minty trace—nearly unraveled me, but I steadied myself and replied.
Lately, whether she's aware of it or not, Erica's been bolder in her actions. The distance between us feels so much closer.
It wasn't like this before... or was it, looking back? Maybe it was always there.
So, has she grown up, making me the one hyper-aware now? Ugh... that sounds like self-loathing.
"Liam's so diligent with his studies," she murmured, oblivious to my inner turmoil, her voice a gentle sigh that stirred the air between us.
"...Erica, are you done studying for the night?"
"Hmph, this is just a quick break!"
Teasing her lightly, I watched her brows lift like a child's in playful protest, those blue eyes narrowing with mock offense.
...Yeah, she's still so innocent. I need to stay strong. Push those stray thoughts out of my head.
"I see. Well, prepping for the academy must be tough."
"It's true... Etiquette, history, literature—memorizing it all is exhausting."
Her sigh carried real fatigue, the kind that hung in the air like the faint lavender scent from her room's sachets. No matter the world, exam season's brutal. At 15, Erica's set to enter the academy. It's mostly by recommendation for nobles, but there are aptitude tests and interviews—slacking off could mean rejection.
Plus, her target school—the Royal Leiticia Academy, stage of Celestia Kingdom—is top-tier, a narrow gate even for aristocrats.
If the story follows canon, she'll breeze in...
But complacency's dangerous, especially with me—an childhood friend meant to die early—still alive as this anomaly. Deviations from the plot aren't impossible.
So (canon aside, really), Erica's grinding hard for her exams.
"...But your hard work will pay off, Erica."
"I hope so."
"It's fine. I'm cheering for you too."
I rested my hand on her head, fingers weaving through the soft, braided pink strands—warm from her scalp, the jeweled circlet cool against my palm—and offered encouragement.
I figure that's one reason she calls me here: a morale booster and stress reliever when studies drag.
And yeah, that's important. Just chatting can recharge you. ...Or so I thought as I tried to keep talking, but her response was subdued.
Normally, she'd blush at the ears and rally with, "I'll push a bit harder!"
Instead, Erica stared at me with wide, puzzled blue eyes, her delicate features—elegant nose, subtle jawline—framed by loose pink tendrils that escaped her braids.
"You're not going to the academy?"
"...Me?"
Now her brows dipped, voice soft with concern.
...It's not like I haven't considered it. As her attendant, it'd be practical. It'd shake up my stagnant training routine too—a perfect fit.
Above all, as a Celestia Kingdom fan, who'd pass up seeing those characters alive and breathing?
But...
"Hmm... I'm no noble, so it's probably impossible."
I'm just a commoner. Serving nobility doesn't grant titles.
The game's hero awakens special powers, gets duke-backed special admission. Me? Nothing extraordinary.
It's a shame, but attending the academy's out for me—
"...Then how about the knight program?"
...Huh?
"Knight program...?"
"Yes, Leiticia has a knight training track... Status doesn't matter there."
No...
Hold on, hold on. What's that?
Did that exist? No recall of it in the main game.
Cast was all nobles... No commoners besides the protag in the academy—
───Wait.
Or... is it that?
Yeah, the official fanbook's scrapped concepts section.
It detailed cut events, settings, characters galore.
There were notes and art for commoner love interests.
Tacked on: knight training program ideas, tied to new storylines.
The character designs were killer; fans mourned the axed academy arc.
If...
Could it be...!?
"Th-that means commoners can attend too, right!?"
"Uh, yes... The materials say so...?"
My voice spiked, making Erica blink rapidly, those blue eyes fluttering wide. But I was too buzzed to care.
Why revive a cut concept? Questions swirled, but if it's real...
Could I actually debut at the academy?!
In that electric rush, our eyes locked—and without thinking, I leaned in, pressing a feather-light kiss to her forehead, the brief warmth of her skin like a spark to dry tinder. She froze, breath catching, her stiff gaze softening into a flush of startled wonder, shifting the room's quiet tension from supportive camaraderie to a charged, heart-stuttering intimacy that neither of us could ignore