The Reason I Keep Avoiding My Childhood Friend

The level of difficulty of the problem given by Uncle Popo, who looked like the neighborhood uncle, was extreme. It seemed impossible to solve it all by tomorrow. Answer, come out! At times like this, I wish I had at least some magic talent to answer.

“Why are you making such a noise?”

Did I groan like that? There came a low laugh. Hearing the soft voice, I reflexively moved my head like a puppy welcoming its owner. Even though I guessed who the other person was from the voice, I shouted, happy to see his face for the first time in a while.

“Teacher!”

Now, I was past the age where I could run around and act cute like before, but when I met Mr. Hafterry, I reacted reflexively.

“Yes, Aren. Are you sick?”

“No. I did it because the math question was too difficult for me. Did you come home early today?”

Perhaps because of my attitude, Mr. Hafterry always looked at me like a child. Whenever that happened, I had a strange feeling that was both good and sad.

“I came early to rest today. Do you need any help?”

After I came to the Empire, Mr. Hafterry didn’t give me lessons. He would only give advice if I didn’t know something while studying alone or giving a little explanation to a question I asked.

For Mr. Hafterry’s help? I was slightly seduced by the touch of sweet temptation. However, I held back because I thought I would keep asking once I heard the explanation.

Listening to Mr. Hafterry’s explanation was no different from opening a reference book. I felt it when I started studying, but I quickly forgot to try alone. It was right to reach out for help only when it was still difficult after suffering from headaches and struggling as much as possible.

It seems that this was still the right way to solve the problem, so I decided to ask for help later.

“That’s okay. I will try a little harder.”

As expected, perhaps this was the right answer, Mr. Hafterry had a caring smile on his lips. It was a big deal because Mr. Hafterry’s charm was getting greater as the days went by. Rumor has it that not only students, but also noble ladies come to the academy. I was going to lose my teacher to someone else completely.

“Are the academy exams over?”

“Yes. I have to grade the test. I thought it would be better to do it at home.”

“Then would you be coming home early for a while?”

“That’s right.”

“Wow!”

Excitedly, I raised my arms and cheered. I want to go round and round and jump, but now I am 18 years old, and I am a respectable lady who was recognized as an adult. Lately, I had been trying to refrain from acting like a child.

“Go learn a bit more. Let’s have dinner together later.”

“Yes.”

I was excited to hear that we were going to have dinner together, so I replied energetically. Mr. Hafterry smiled kindly and left. For a while, I was glad we could have dinner together every day.

Time passed quietly and quickly. I have already reached the age of 18, and nothing major has happened in the meantime. I just went back and forth to the Sage’s Study and studied.

Since I studied subjects in turns, I learned miscellaneous things, not erudite enough that I wondered if this would be helpful in my life as a civil servant. It was fortunate that I didn’t forget what I learned because my memory wasn’t bad.

Even at the wedding of the crown prince and the crown princess, since it was a union with a foreign country, I slightly expected that something big would happen. But no such thing happened.

I don’t know if it’s because they were so far away from me, but my surroundings were so quiet that I wondered if they could be this quiet. My easy life continued.

The big event for me was that Father came to see me once a year. Father’s frequent visits when I was young decreased as I grew older. It was unavoidable. Even if the knights’ welfare was good, it would be difficult to take multiple long vacations every year.

And Kir, this heartless fellow really never sent me a letter, as I had predicted when we parted ways. On top of that, he hadn’t even visited the empire in the meantime, probably because of the hardships he had endured for a month.

The Grand Duke visited the Emperor once in a while, such as on his birthday, but Kir didn’t come. Mean guy. He must really hate the Empire.

From what I’ve seen, there was not much difference between the empire and the principality, so I don’t think there’s anything I would particularly dislike. But Kir exceptionally hated it. Was there anyone who didn’t like the empire and not be the problem? Kir does.