The Flower Behind the Shield — Sefia & Naofumi's Untaken Path - Episode 7

The decision to postpone the committee hearing came just as the morning bell finished ringing. Stepping out from the Royal Academy's examination building, the post-rain air hit Iwatani Naofumi's lungs cold and sharp. The stone pavement was still damp, clinging slightly to the soles of his shoes. The hallway outside was quiet—a stark contrast to the commotion from moments before. Celia Claire stood beside him. Neither spoke. Naofumi said nothing either. The two of them simply stood together, breathing in the morning air. "……It's over, isn't it?" "It's just postponed. It's not over." "Still, we stopped it today." Stopped it. Those words hung in the air. Naofumi looked up at the sky. The gray clouds had thinned, and pale blue was beginning to show through. Nothing special about it. Just a sky. But somehow it caught his eye. (Stopped it. That's enough.) He thought so. Adel would move again. He knew that much. But today he hadn't lost. He'd exploited her contradictions—the lack of witnesses—and forced the committee into postponement. The difference in ink color. A small detail. But it had decided today's battle. "Who made you notice the ink issue?" "You showed me by holding it up to the window light, didn't you?" "But you were the one who said 'the details are sloppy' first." "……I just thought it." He'd assumed he'd only thought it, but apparently it had slipped out as words. Naofumi turned his face away slightly. He sensed Celia smiling softly. The lenses of her glasses caught the light. "You talk to yourself a lot, don't you, Naofumi?" "Shut up." "I think it's cute." "That's even worse." The two of them left through the academy gates. Stepping onto the stone-paved street, the morning market was beginning to stir. Merchants' voices drifted from the direction of Karen's Plaza. The smell of baking bread rode on the wind. This was Castle Town's morning. How many days had it been since Naofumi arrived in this royal capital? "I'm hungry." He'd meant it as a mutter, but Celia responded. "Oh, me too. I was looking at documents all night……" "Then let's eat. You know a place?" "There's a food stall near the central market. It's cheap." "Let's go." They started walking. He heard Celia's footsteps following behind. --- At the south end of Karen's Plaza, there was a stall that only appeared in the mornings. Grilled flatbread spread with bean paste—four copper coins for breakfast. Cheap. Whether it was good was debatable, but it filled your stomach. Naofumi ordered two and handed one to Celia. "Thank you." "You're paying me back." "That's not treating me, then." "Obviously. I'm a hero, but I'm broke." Celia burst out laughing. The stall owner glanced over, then quickly looked away. The face of the Shield Hero was known well enough in this royal capital now. Not with favorable eyes, but not avoided either. That kind of face. The two of them sat on the edge of a stone step and ate their flatbread. The bean paste was salty. Not bad. The plaza was filling with morning crowds. Merchants carrying goods, villagers heading to market, knights on patrol. Just another morning. Despite everything that had happened yesterday, Castle Town's morning was unchanged. That felt oddly strange. Celia held her flatbread in both hands, eating quietly. She was still wearing the Royal Academy's blue robes, and the morning light reflected off her glasses. She hadn't changed clothes since last night, yet nothing was out of place. Why was this woman always so put-together? When Naofumi stayed silent, Celia spoke. "Naofumi." "What?" "Can I ask you something?" "Keep it short." Celia paused for a moment. She set her flatbread on her lap and spoke while facing forward. "Why did you help me? From the beginning?" Naofumi didn't answer. (Why, huh.) When he tried to put the reason into words, it wouldn't come out cleanly. It was calculation, he'd thought at first. If this woman stayed by his side, information would flow in. If she lost her credentials, he'd lose her magical support—that kind of math. That calculation had definitely existed. But when the window glass shattered the night before the committee hearing. That time, while thinking it was a nuisance, he'd said "stay here." That wasn't calculation. Going to wake the academy director Falken at night. Comparing documents all through the night. "……Because there's a benefit to it." "Is that really all?" "Shut up." Celia laughed softly. "Thank you. That's enough for me." "I've told you a hundred times—I don't need thanks." "I can't help myself, so I'll keep saying it. You'll just have to get used to it." Naofumi ate the last bite of his flatbread. Get used to it. That should be his line. He hadn't realized being thanked repeatedly could be this uncomfortable. (But...) Strangely, it wasn't unpleasant. That was the most unsettling part. --- The clock tower in the plaza struck eight. Celia stood up. She straightened the hem of her blue robes and adjusted her glasses slightly. "I'm heading back to the academy today. Even though it's postponed, there are formal committee documents to process." "Will you be okay alone? Adel might still be lurking around." "I'll be fine inside the academy. The director will be with me, after all." "……I see." Celia looked at Naofumi. Directly at him. Her eyes behind her glasses were soft. "What will you do today?" "Go back to the inn and sleep." "……Please get proper rest. Your eyes are really dark." "I know." "When we meet next time, please come looking a bit better." "……Next time? You're coming back?" Celia's face flushed slightly. "……Is it not okay if I do?" Something stirred in his chest. Warm, ticklish, strange. "……Do as you like." He said it curtly. He couldn't say anything more. Celia smiled. This time it was unguarded, a genuinely relaxed smile. Her chestnut hair swayed slightly in the morning breeze. Her glasses caught the light. "Then, see you." "Yeah." Celia walked away. Her blue robes disappeared into the crowd. Naofumi watched her retreating figure for a while. He realized he was watching. (What's that about.) He cursed inwardly. But his eyes kept following her. Until Celia turned the corner and vanished from sight. ——She was gone. Naofumi stood and looked at the sky. It was bluer than before. Just a post-rain sky. (Adel isn't finished.) He knew that much. She'd make another move. If the witness angle had collapsed, she'd come from a different direction. During the postponement period, she'd set another trap. But——for now, he thought he could sleep. His eyes, which had been open all night, suddenly felt heavy. The morning light on the stone pavement was blinding. The noise of Karen's Plaza sounded distant. (Today we stopped it. That's enough.) The Shield's holy weapon felt warm. As if confirming something. Naofumi started walking toward the inn. His shoe soles pressed against the damp stone pavement. One step. Then another. In his pocket were the genuine copies of the documents he'd obtained last night. The greatest weapon for the next battle. It would continue. But——whatever move came next, bring it on.

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Episode 7

Name: The Flower Behind the Shield — Sefia & Naofumi's Untaken Path
Author: Novelia

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