Love Letter From The Future

Celin had recently shown signs of dissatisfaction. To be more precise, it was after hearing the news that I had started training with Seria.

Today was the day I was supposed to attend swordsmanship practice with Celin. I had received instructions to gather not at the usual training grounds, but in the forest located to the south of the Academy.

Unlike the training grounds, the forest was quite a distance away, so Celin and I joined together halfway and walked side by side. She snorted dismissively and cast a contemptuous glance in my direction.

“Ian oppa, are you an idiot?”

“…Why now?”

Her left hand rested on her chin while her right hand brushed against my nerves. It was a reaction that indicated her disbelief.

“Isn’t that right? After getting your ass kicked in the rain like that, you then help that girl? Seriously, are you an idiot or just a pushover?”

“By that logic, I hit Seria too.”

“That’s a different matter!”

Celin stood upright like an angry cat, growling at me. No matter how I looked at it, she seemed to have a deep-seated dislike for Seria.

“Is it the same for a senior hitting a junior for educational purposes, huh? Is it the same as a junior hitting a senior?”

“What does seniority matter in a spar? Does a senior get dull when facing a junior?”

The more I sided with Seria, the more Celin’s dissatisfaction escalated. She huffed and tried to convince me, but there was no changing my mind.

From the several days I observed Seria, it was clear she wasn’t a bad person, just misunderstood. In fact, she even gave off a slightly fragile impression.

At first, I didn’t think much of it, but after spending a few days together, I found it was indeed a bit concerning. There was the looming crisis that if left unchecked, I might be unleashing a social misfit into society.

At the very least, I thought she should have some common sense about human relationships. As a senior, it was natural for me to feel that way.

Nonetheless, it seemed I would need to stay close to her for a while and take care of her. I also worried about the relationship between her and the Hunting Festival, ‘Sapia.’

Speaking of which, today’s lecture was also related to that letter from the future.

Swordsmanship practice in the forest, a lecture that was said to be about a monster attack.

The letter stated that there had been no casualties due to appropriate measures taken. Conversely, it implied that if one did not respond adequately, there could indeed be casualties.

I had to stop it. That was the thought that brought me here.

The problem was that I couldn’t guess the identity of that monster.

Monsters had a varied range of traits depending on the nature of the creature they originated from.

Essentially, a monster is born when the density of raw magical energy becomes excessively high, polluting nearby creatures. Naturally, the characteristics of the monster would then be influenced by the traits of the base creature.

Monsters were primarily often animals, but sometimes plants could become monsters as well. In rare cases, humans could also become monsters if the magical density was abnormally high.

The sole common trait among these monsters was their extreme hostility towards external life forms.

Other than that, every part differed. Most of their characteristics, such as ecology, habits, and weaknesses, were all different. Thus, I could only rack my brain over it.

In fact, I still wasn’t sure if this letter truly came from the future.

Understandably so, as it was a letter from seven years into the future.

If I were to stop someone passing by and ask if the letter was real or just a prank by someone, the likely answer would be the latter. It was only natural that I couldn’t be entirely certain myself.

However, if that letter was real, then an incident would occur during today’s lecture.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself mentally.

But unlike my serious demeanor, Celin was still babbling beside me. She looked at me with dubious eyes.

“Ian oppa, are you listening to me?”

“…Uh, yeah? Sure, I’m listening.”

“It’s obvious you’re not.”

Lost in thought, I had forgotten I was walking with Celin. If I continued like this, Celin would likely become even angrier, so I decided to use the technique I learned from Reto.

The fragrance of the girl approaching me, reminiscent of the one I had complimented before.

“Celin.”

“Who? Is it Celin from the Haster Clan who was totally ignored by Ian oppa? Wait, why is Ian oppa interested in me all of a sudden? I might cry a little…”

“Your scent is nice today, too.”

Celin, who had been sarcastically coiling her words, froze at my remark. After a moment of pause,

She blushed slightly and averted her gaze. Clearing her throat, she crossed her arms.

“Re, really?”

“Is that the same facial cleanser you used last time? It suits you.”

With that, Celin looked a bit proud yet awkward. She coughed awkwardly several times and tried to recover her composure.

“Well, it’s not like I keep using it just because Ian oppa likes it. Uh, I’m glad it suits me?”

Her tone oddly rose, but it seemed she didn’t even notice.

I was relieved to see her in a better mood. I sensed that her spirits had lifted, and I quietly sighed in relief.

I felt indebted to Reto. I now had a means to manage the pouting Celin.

Thinking that I should take advantage of it for a while, I hastened my steps.

The forest appeared in the distance.

The dense thicket where monsters lived exuded a gloomy atmosphere.

The place where Emma was attacked by an unidentified monster. People still regarded it as an unfortunate accident, but who knows.

What lay within surely could only be known by entering.

As I ventured further into the forest, a wide clearing came into view where most of the students had already gathered. While chatting leisurely with Celin, it seemed I had arrived a bit late.

Fortunately, it didn’t appear to be late enough to be considered tardy. Professor Derek looked up and nodded vigorously upon seeing Celin and me check in.

Then, as always, he raised his voice to grab the students’ attention. It was a spirited voice that belied his middle age.

“Now, everyone pay attention! We will conduct a special training today!”

As my gaze turned to Professor Derek, I inadvertently made eye contact with Seria in the front row.

When I nodded in greeting, Seria returned the gesture. It was proof that we had gotten close enough to at least greet each other.

I recalled the memory of her biting her tongue while greeting me, her gaze tremulous, unsure of how to act. Anyone might think I was bullying her.

In truth, Seria’s particular politeness towards me stemmed from the incident of ‘Yuridina’s disgraceful behavior’ and thus, it wasn’t entirely an incorrect notion.

What had happened to my personality during the time I lost my memory?

It was still an unknown. However, since the aftermath had mostly been dealt with, I decided not to dwell on it anymore.

If I were to lose my memory again, I would have to think more seriously about it then.

For now, I was busy worrying about the contents of the letter from the future.

“You all know that for a swordsman, the surrounding environment is crucial. Among them, forests filled with tightly-packed trees present one of the most challenging environments.”

As Professor Derek demonstrated, he stepped between the trees beside him. As soon as he drew his sword, it became clear how narrow the gaps were.

Anyone at the level of an Academy student would have some degree of ability to read their opponent’s attack range. Judging from what I could make out, there would be at least three trees obstructing the range of an attack.

That was the case if one stood still. Considering that actual combat requires much more dynamic movement, the number of obstructions should be far greater whenever Derek swung his sword.

And this wasn’t something unique to Professor Derek. I, too, Celin, and even Seria would face similar issues.

Unless one was armed with a thrusting weapon like a rapier, moving within a forest would be unnecessarily cumbersome.

“See, in a place where the trees are this close together, even swinging a sword becomes tricky. It would be fortunate if your opponent is a mindless creature, but if you’re up against a named monster or human, it becomes easy to predict your attack route.”

If the monster encountered in the forest was indeed an indigenous creature that had adapted to the environment, a swordsman would be at a natural disadvantage.

While reciting such common knowledge, Professor Derek summoned an aura around his sword.

The vague mist of magical energy coalesced into brilliant light. The crimson aura indicated that Derek had already reached a proficient level as a swordsman.

A sword expert, a stage where one can crystallize their aura. Among them, Professor Derek was of a higher caliber.

As a third-year student at the Academy, I could ignite my aura as well, but it was impossible for me to overlay my aura in the same way. Among the students present, perhaps only Seria might have been capable.

She had only just stepped into the sword expert level. No student here could defeat a legendary hunter who had devoted their life to hunting monsters purely by skill.

“However, if you can crystallize your aura, then the story changes a bit. Whether your attack route is obstructed or not, whatever you swing will cut through.”

With that, Professor Derek demonstrated his sword technique brazenly. The sound of his strike was utterly silent.

There wasn’t even a sound of slicing. Everything was severed in the trajectory of his swing — trees, air, and even sound.

It was an otherworldly sight. It was as if lines were drawn across the world, like a spot-the-difference puzzle that one blinked open after a long time. This was the skill visible only to a sword expert.

“However, even as a sword expert, there are limitations to disregarding the environment. Look at this tree, can you see it?”

Professor Derek pointed to a tree that had been heavily damaged in the path of his sword’s trajectory. He then went around the tree and kicked it over with his foot.

A soft thud, not a strong impact. Yet, that alone caused the tree to creak and crumble in the direction where the gouge had been made.

The gouge, of course, followed the direction of the cut. In other words, it meant that one could easily end up being crushed beneath that tree if one wasn’t careful.

Of course, a sword expert wouldn’t die so easily, but the fact that the surrounding environment was significantly disruptive could not be denied.

Especially during combat? There was no need to say more. The students’ expressions turned serious.

“As you can see, swordsmen face quite a disadvantage in forests. Therefore, it’s best not to make the forest a battlefield if you can help it, but there are times when you cannot avoid it while tracking monsters. So today, we will practice utilizing the surrounding environment of the forest.”

With that, Professor Derek sheathed his sword. The crimson aura had now disappeared without a trace.

“I’m sure you all know that the Hunting Festival is coming up soon, right? The Hunting Festival fundamentally involves hunting monsters within the forest, so familiarizing yourself with the environment beforehand would be quite beneficial. I’m not sure how many of you will participate in the festival!”

With a hearty laugh, Professor Derek concluded his remarks. He then started waving his hand, signaling the students to organize themselves, but something seemed to have slipped his mind as he momentarily paused.

He nodded to himself thoughtfully before adding a final note.

“By the way, do not swing your swords aimlessly in the void today. Pair up in twos and move freely while sparring. But you must analyze your surroundings well. Climb trees, hide in bushes — do whatever you want. Just be prepared for all possibilities. We’ll test it later, so do not slack off.”

The idea of moving freely.

Upon hearing that, my gaze gradually settled down. It was information that could be both advantageous and disadvantageous for me.

First of all, if we spread out and moved in pairs, when the monster finally attacked, we ran the risk of being picked off one by one. However, it was impossible to warn of a large-scale monster attack when there was no concrete evidence yet.

So the only solution was one: before the monsters attacked, I needed to sense the situation and report it to Professor Derek.

I didn’t know how strong the monsters lurking in the forest would be, but Professor Derek had a history of hunting unnamed monsters repeatedly. There was no way he would lose in a situation where nearly 100 Academy students were present.

The issue, however, was that I needed someone who would fully trust me and follow my directions to do so.

My gaze naturally turned to Celin. She seemed to understand without a word, brightening up and stepping closer to me.

“How about it, Ian oppa? Since it’s pairs, how about we have a lovely date, just the two of us for a change?”

“A date with swords drawn in a place where monsters might be hiding? Sounds romantic.”

At my sarcastic remark, Celin chuckled. She seemed quite excited about this unusual practice.

“It must just be low-level monsters, right? This is still within the Academy grounds, even if it is on the outskirts.”

That was the common thought. No matter how neglected a monster’s breeding might be, this was still the Academy grounds and even held the Hunting Festival every year.

Just looking back at Emma’s attack incident was enough to understand that. The prevailing view was that a student from the alchemy department, lacking the ability to defend herself, accidentally faced an incident.

But what if that weren’t the case?

Due to that ‘letter’, many emotions swirled within me: anxiety, impatience, and a sense of duty mixed with guilt.

No one believed that letter. Only I had the ability to prevent any casualties that may arise today under the assumption that the letter was true.

It was a lonely and burdensome feeling. I briefly bit my lip, and as usual, I was about to invite Celin to accompany me.

If it were Celin, she would likely go along with my unreasonable request, and above all, I could trust her to have my back. However, my mouth went shut when I sensed someone’s gaze upon me.

My eyes flicked sideways. There, aquamarine eyes were gazing at me blankly.

With faint anticipation, then a dimmed gaze. I didn’t even feel disappointment.

I could only stop as I saw that look of self-reproach, as if it were expected.

I pondered for a moment. But the hesitation was brief.

“…Celin, pair up with someone else today.”

“Okay, okay. Even so, there’s no one but Celin for Ian oppa… what?”

Celin, who had been proudly anticipating my words as if she had preemptively guessed what I would say, immediately frowned as she questioned me.

I confirmed my meaning once again.

“I said pair up with someone else. There are plenty of other people who can partner with you besides me.”

“Well, that is true… Ah.”

Celin, initially flustered and hesitant, soon realized where I was looking and spoke in a cold voice.

A chilling gleam flickered in her eyes.

“…Are you planning to pair up with that girl?”

“There’s no one else to pair up with except me.”

Celin’s brows drew together in irritation. She abruptly turned her back to me coldly.

“Do as you please. Later on, you’ll definitely end up in a clique.”

With that biting remark, she walked away. It seemed that she was quite upset.

I figured I should settle things later and sighed softly. But since things had turned out this way, I walked over to Seria.

Seria, who found herself alone amidst groups of students forming pairs, looked particularly lonely. I felt like I was starting to understand a bit.

In reality, Seria wasn’t ignoring anyone; she simply had her own struggles with loneliness.

I approached Seria, who was looking down and only watching the ground with a solemn expression.

“Seria.”

“Yes, yes?!”

Surprised by my sudden call, Seria jumped with a cute sound. She looked at me with perplexed eyes.

To her, I offered a straightforward suggestion.

“Let’s form a pair.”

“…Huh?”

Seria tilted her head, seeming unsure of what I meant. So, I had to reiterate it firmly.

“Let’s form a pair with me.”

Seria gazed at me blankly for a moment, then looked away, hesitating before clearing her throat and regaining her usual haughty demeanor.

“…Yes, yes!”

She bit her tongue.

It was the same Seria as always.

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