The first autumn of our middle school years, we were 13 years old.
In the previous year, the "civilian and military officer" career paths were divided, and although we had been learning together until that point, we were assigned courses according to their suitability.
I was a civil servant, like many girls, and I went on to the regular course, and Adele went on to the elite course for military officers and the Knight Course.
That's why it was so exciting to see him once in a while.
That day, at the request of our teacher, Cornelia and I were walking down the corridor carrying the materials for the class.
We walked slowly side by side, me carrying a stack of books in my hands, and Cornelia carrying a rolled-up map that was taller than she was.
At first, I said, "I can carry it all by myself!" But when I tried it, I couldn't even take three steps.
In the end, I had to ask Cornelia to help me … I was so pathetic……
"I think it's negligent of that teacher to make Cornelia-sama carry all these things!"
"Oh, it's okay. I'm just a normal student. Oh, Tia."
When Cornelia-sama laughed when she saw me carrying the top book with my chin on it because it was not very stable.
The map she carried swayed greatly in the wind.
"Ah … Cornelia-sama …”
A hand stretched out from the side of Cornelia's cowering head and grabbed the tilted map.
An eye-catching white Knight course uniform. Adele was standing there.
"Are you okay, Cornelia?"
"Thank you, Adele. I thought I was using all my strength to hold it down."
"It’ll feel less heavy if you don't point it at an angle, that way the wind can’t pass through."
After receiving the map from Cornelia with a very natural movement, Adele held it in his left arm.
And then...
"Hmm."
He held out his other hand towards me.
" ...... What?"
"Look."
"If you don't speak up, I won't understand."
Adele breathed out heavily when he saw me glaring at him.
"It's unsightly to see you holding it so desperately. I'll hold it for you. Give it to me."
"What do you mean, it's unsightly? If you don't concentrate on holding it, the wind will blow it away."
"Come on …”
Adele raised an irritated eyebrow.
"Why can't you just shut up and hand it over?"
"I have no reason to give it to you. I can carry it by myself.”
These books are really heavy.
I know because I tried it earlier. If he holds these books while holding the map, Adele might not be able to move either.
---You don't want Cornelia to see you like that, do you
“Those books are heavy, so Tia has to be careful.”
"That’s not it, Adele is just weaker than me, he lost in arm wrestling to me before."
I couldn't help but rebuff Cornelia's demeaning words.
"What? When did I lose to you in arm wrestling?"
"Did you forget? I won three rounds, remember?"
"… You're not talking about the third year of primary school, are you?"
“What? A win is a win, right? We can still play, so why don't we try?"
Adele glanced down at my arm, blank-faced.
"Okay."
"Are you running away?"
I take a step forward. When he looked at me, I was surprised to see that his eyes were much higher than I expected.
Adele has grown taller again … and just as I was lost in though, the book I was holding swayed.
"Ah……"
“Oops."
A soft arm reaches out from the other side and catches the falling book.
"Are you okay, Tia? A girl should not carry such a heavy book.”
Julius-sama supports the book with one hand, and then softly and magically takes the rest of the book from my hands as well.
"Oh, ......."
You could have fallen, you know. Be careful."
Julius-sama smiles briskly.
My cheeks heat up as I realize that the hand on the other side of my body is casually supporting my waist.
"Thank you, Julius-sama. ......"
Adele probably doesn't care about anything, but he rushes to pull me apart from Julius.
"Were you trying hard to not let Cornelia carry anything heavy? That's great, Tia."
He held the book lightly in one hand and patted me on the head.
"It's our turn now. Will you do me the honor of helping you out?"
I'm not sure I can shake my head at such words from Julius-sama, who squinted at me with a glare.
"Yes, thank you, ......."
I thought I heard Adele click his tongue behind me as I bowed my head honestly.
＊
I came back to the dormitory after class, ate dinner, and was going to write in my diary …… When did I fall asleep?
I looked at my watch and saw that it was almost midnight.
The day is over.
Today, which just started, and tomorrow.
The day after that … the day after tomorrow, our "coming of age ceremony" will finally take place.
I can’t prepare myself for this.
But maybe that's the aim of the empire.
You can't prepare your mind.
If you give it some strange time, you may want to run away, shut yourself in, or behave ridiculously.
I guess they decided that it would be better to proceed with the ritual before we know what's going on.
"But you never know if it works out when the real deal happens …”
I feel a little embarrassed as I realize what I've mumbled to myself.
It must be an important task for the teachers at the school to complete the "coming of age ceremony" without delay.
Since the end of elementary school, we have been taught sex education in a bewilderingly detailed manner.
Of course, when it came time to take the medical school entrance exam, I had a lot of knowledge in my head that was even more in-depth.
"Adele and I …”
But that kind of act, by me.
With Adele.
I can't imagine doing that with……
"What should I do"
I mumbled and got up.
I pulled at the neck of my nightgown and peeked inside.
――― Do you see this? Adele? Adele is going to see this?
"Aaahhhhhhh"
A sense of slow frustration suddenly attacked me like a biting fang.
What should I do. Wait a minute. Wait a minute, wait, wait, calm down.
I go to open the closet and pull out the underwear shelf.
When should I take a bath? Is it okay to do it the night before? I wonder if I can enter in the morning.
I wonder if we' re going to …… kiss or something.
I couldn't really imagine Adele and I doing anything beyond that, but I could barely imagine us kissing.
"Aaaaahhhhhhhh !! No, no, that's ..."
But I can't help it, I shake my head, push my underwear to my face and squat down.
I have to be calm.
Adele will be disappointed to find out that I'm his partner.
No, that’s wrong. He' s disappointed to find out that it' s not Cornelia.
So, I'll try to be as normal as possible …… and try not to let anyone know that I like Adele, even if they’re not wrong.
If I’m exposed, it’ll be a burden on Adele.
Then Adele may not be able to continue the "coming-of-age ceremony".
That's no good.
If we don't complete the “coming-of-age ceremony” the Empire won’t heistate to dismiss us as full-fledged members of this empire.
No matter how hard Adele tries, he might not be able to get a job as a respectable knight.
I have to hide my feelings.
It might be a good idea to simulate what I'm going to say when I first enter the room and everything else after that.
And then there is the question of whether or not Adele will be willing to … do it with me.
I kept that in mind and went to the back of the closet.
I pulled out a flower-scented scent bag that I bought as a matching set when I went out with Cornelia a while ago.
It was a very nice scent, reminiscent of spring, and Cornelia sometimes seemed to carry it in her pocket and wear a slight scent of it.
I thought about doing the same, but I felt embarrassed that I, who looked nothing like Cornelia, had such a shallow collection of fragrances, so I never took them out with me.
I think I'll keep this in my pocket for the day of the ceremony……
And then, Adele.
I wonder if the smell of this when we close our eyes will motivate him to do just a little bit more.
I think to myself ---- and get a little disheartened.
Sighing, I fall back on the bed with great force.
If Adele and I were to ever be able to lay our skin on top of each other.
It would only be on the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, the day after tomorrow.
In any case, if you perform this act even once, it means that you have shown your loyalty to the empire.
Of course, the goal is to repeat it many times in the future and have children, but if we are talking about living peacefully in the empire, just once is enough.
Only one night, just the one night.
I was lying on my back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, when I felt my fingertips smudge.
I felt a warm liquid trickle down from the corners of my eyes.
"No … I feel like such an idiot."
I laugh and rub my eyes. But the tears keep flowing.
I wipe them away roughly with both hands.
It's fine. Even one night is fine.
Let's carry that one night in our hearts and go to college in the spring.
After that, I'll live with my heart on my sleeve.
"Adele … I love you."
The day after tomorrow, I'm going to be embraced by someone I've always liked.
―――― Then I’ll seal this feeling forever.
(this is the end of the prequel, the next story is from Adele's Pov but is still part of the comicalization commemorative extra)
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