Chapter 18

「Are you all right, Squad Leader Clavis?」

Felix who suddenly left after freezing the training grounds was asked by one of his subordinates while he was closing his eyes. The instant he does so, a certain young lady’s smile pops up on his closed eyes and he tries to shake it off immediately. However, her smile doesn’t leave his eyes—or rather, it keeps on getting vivid each time and it distracts Felix.

「As I thought, maybe he’s sick after all?!」

「Isn’t the Squad Leader getting out of hand?!」

「Wasn’t this the first time this happened?!」

It started with one statement but then, many of his subordinates talk and complain about him one after another. It all happened during one of the combat training of the 4th Unit of the 1st Platoon of the Imperial Guard at the magic training ground which is surrounded by tall protective walls. Just like how the 1st Unit which dedicated their roles during rituals and ceremonies, each other units so have their own characteristics and trains twice a week based on their designated roles. That same is true for the 1st Platoon 4th Unit which belong only to the Magic Knights and on the same day is the day where they conduct combat training using magic.

Presently, he is 21 years old and relatively the youngest knight of their unit and has the highest rank of House in the 4th Unit. And fortunately, he is well respected in the platoon because of his magic powers and even within his unit due to his high-level skills and his ability to use highly difficult techniques. In the first place, people tend to place more emphasis on ability than the status, age, family lineage or personality. Most of the knights are older than Felix but as they’re all cognitively skillful when watching him evoke his magic, they have come to look forward to his performance in the midst of hard combat training.

However, their most revered, impassive, and serious squad leader has turned into a funny mess these passing days.

It all started with a loud GON——Felix who was about to head towards the 1st Platoon Chief’s office accidentally knocked his knee against his desk. It was quite unusual for him who’s always so silent and composed. It could have been enough if it only happened once but, in the afternoon, they saw Felix head-butting the wall on the way to the dining hall. It must because of the dim lighting that he lost his footing on the stairs and landed in a strange way straight against the wall. At this point his subordinates judged him to be tired and so, without wasting anymore time, they all pushed him into one of the rooms in the Knights dorm.

The next morning came but he still hasn’t changed——or rather, he’s gone for worse. He stumbles on his own feet, turned over a pile of documents and tried to read a book of strategy upside down. He sighs and shakes his head for so many times, he ruffles his silver hair that has been carefully groomed and braided, he pinches his cheeks and there were visible wrinkles in between his eyebrows. In the swordfights, he was easily defeated by his subordinates. He was sent to the doctor’s infirmary by his subordinates but the cause of his strange actions was unknown and on the contrary, he was diagnosed with a very healthy physical condition.

「…That’s not important right now. The Medical Officer would have said something about it yesterday.」

「But this doesn’t seem to be a normal situation, for the Squad Leader to miss his ice shot. He used to evoke his magic so easily!」

「That’s right. Squad Leader, even when you caught a high fever or received an injury, your magic precision wouldn’t be affected. So if there’s really nothing wrong, then why is your magic precision disrupted?」

「I suppose you can’t concentrate at all… but are you really not physically injured?」

During their magic combat training, Felix evoked his magic that exploded and changed the surrounding areas into a frozen mess which caused his subordinates to think that their squad leader is angry. Felix is rarely heard talking to others moreover he is hard to talk with along with his cold and expressionless. But it is the same Felix who called out to them, this kind of Felix was an aberrant for his subordinates in the 4th Unit. Felix himself wasn’t aware of his subordinate’s desperate actions as he shook his head at them with his impassive look in his face.

「It’s nothing. I know the cause.」

「The cause?! So, it’s not a problem in your physical condition?!」

「No, it’s not on my physical condition.」

「Then what the heck is it?!」

He’s okay, is what their squad leader was saying but his subordinates rushed to their boss who’s spouting unconvincing words. With a cloud of gloominess, the slender young man wearing the knight’s dark garb with silver thread stitched on it used his sword as his cane with his silver braided hair swinging. The office ladies who passed by on the corridor saw him on the training grounds shout various cheers at him. However, Felix’s eyes couldn’t see his surroundings anymore. His blue eyes shake anxiously before giving a throaty answer to his subordinates——

Her smile stays at the back of my eyes. It doesn’t disappear.

「Her smile…」

「What?」

「…she’s like a flower…」

「Wha?」

「…she’s dazzling…」

「Huh?」

The pointless words he blurts out made his subordinates tilt their heads. But the next moment they looked at him——

「She doesn’t disappear from my eyes.」

A visible mottle of blush painted Felix’s cheeks who so usually has no impression. When the color of red mixed into his expressionless beauty add it with his silvery hair, it unexpectedly exuded a great amount of sex appeal akin to the magic race of gods, the elves. Despite this, he has no awareness of such thing. He also doesn’t know how to suppress nor hide his emotions since he usually doesn’t show his emotions. The unguarded state of his nature was so formidable that his subordinates, knowing him as man, could scarcely make a sound on their throat.

「S-Squad Leader…」

「How ridiculous. A man who couldn’t be cured by a doctor nor hot springs. Don’t tell me, were you cursed by an incurable illness by that lady?」

If that was the case, it will leave a bad taste on one’s mouth. It will affect his virtue of the Squad Leader. Another voice drowns out the words of the Vice Squad Leader, from the person who surely shouldn’t be present in this place. Everyone looked back. Some had their eyes wide opened, some have distorted facial expressions, and some erased their facial expressions. The man with golden curly hair, clear blue eyes of a clear summer sky, doll like beauty with an air of arrogance and the white knight’s uniform which was only worn by those in the 1st Unit and clad with the cloak of roses.

It was Yule el le Loomis.

「What?! He caught an incurable illness?!」

「An illness?! So you’re sick after all?」

「Illness! You mean the Squad Leader’s illness won’t be cured!」

「Don’t die, Squad Leader!! What will happen to the 4th Unit if the Squad Leader dies?! Aren’t the magic knight running out of money?! Could you bring this up to the 『Tower』?」

「Squad Leader, please write down the technique of ice magic before you die! It would be a waste if we lose that kind of magic skill! Also, if possible, the art of making a sword with ice that I saw the other day!」

The moment silence fell on the room, the next thing happened in the sudden gush of his anger. Yule, who was taking the matter so lightly suddenly set himself and backed off before getting hit by a couple of ice.

「Wha-What?! This is what I mean! Why are the 4th Unit so insensitive and naive?! Are you all muscle brains?! This is why the magic knights is full of men with social withdrawals!」

「I have no social withdrawals! I’m simply engaged with the development of a defensive magic! I mean, Loomis why are you here?! Even though I have never won a single match with you before, with the Squad Leader in his condition right now, I absolutely can’t let you have a match with the Squad Leader!」

「That’s right! I’ll be your enemy instead!」

「No, I’ll go!」

「I will!」

「No, I don’t have that much free time! And even if I don’t have anything to do, I won’t waste it by coming in the 4th Unit… Hey, Clavis, the Lieutenant Commander is calling! Go back to the office!」

「I understood.」

Returning the sword to its sheath with a sound, Felix turned around and replied in his usual curt tone.

「However, you’re really not cutout for love. For you don’t know love and elegance.」

「Love?! The Squad Leader?!」

「No way!」

「You really did not realize it was that?!」

Loomis shouted behind Felix, who’s just about to go on his way, and the movement of the men stopped astonishingly, and the rolling sound of metal echoed. One of the knight’s let go of his sword from his hand.

「No… No way, I thought he was just joking…」

「Well, he was the man who never took notice of the approach of the young lady of a House of a Marquis…」

「Even the widow from the House of an Earl, that beautiful woman tried to get his attention but he remained unmoved and he never reacted.」

「I heard he was engaged but…」

「I was certain that the lady was from the House of a Margrave. Haven’t you heard of such rumors at evening parties?」

「Well, you’re both country bumpkins so you’re a great match.」

「Bastard!」

Loomis laughed but an icy baritone voice began to talk as if to calm his vigorous subordinates.

「You may say that but Clavis is a good place. The food is delicious and the knights are strong. You’ll get stronger too if you join us. It may take a bit of time to get to the Royal Capital but it’s not as rural as it sounds and the name of the largest city in the north is graceful itself. About her, she has no such ability like curse magic… Her magic is pure, soft, and cozy… But, I too wonder if that may be the case, but is this what love is? I’m happy to hear that we’re a good match.」

「What?」

His face was now impassive and expressionless unlike earlier where his cheeks are dyed with mottles of red, making Loomis perturbed and to this, his subordinates raised a clamor.

「So, the Squad Leader can talk?!」

「The Squad Leader’s face changed!」

「Did his turned blue or red?」

「And the Squad Leader spoke longer than he breathed!」

Behind his drop-dead outstanding beauty, his subordinates froze in amazement and also frozen in massive ice. Felix doesn’t speak that much not only to ladies but to other people unless he needs to. But that doesn’t mean he has to speak for that long!

「I am sorry for taking my time off. The ice will melt soon given today’s temperature so leave it for now! Now then, everyone must train diligently!」

「Yes sir!」

Was it his habit to just casually return back to normal and command? As Felix do the knight’s salute, his subordinates went back to their usual training modes as if Loomis’ presence wasn’t there. The ignored Loomis followed Felix’s back with an irritated look.

「Hey, Clavis, where are you going?」

「You said that the Lieutenant Commander has called for me. This is just right—His Highness recently told me that the Lieutenant Commander was expert when it comes to love. I’m going now so I can consult him!」

「What? Are you for real? That lady isn’t even that beautiful!」

Felix flatly responded to Loomis’ argument.

「Her beauty is enough for me.」

He turned his heels around with his silver hair swaying left and right, leaving a stunned Loomis with a distorted face.

「So, the only heir of the House of Clavis, a beautiful man, in love with a plain lady? That lady standing next to him? I won’t allow that—I certainly won’t allow that!」

Note from the Author:

*Note: This story is (probably) a love comedy. I thought it might be good to put them in a difficult situation once in a while.