The Weight of a Choice

Ensius Alemere was special.

To be more precise, he was a singular existence to the members of the Romance Club.

Although the members shared the bond of being reincarnators and possessors, they all came from different environments and statuses.

When they first met, they didn’t treasure each other as they did now.

Or rather, it might be more accurate to say they couldn’t.

What was certain was that Ensi was the one who firmly tied the fragile threads that connected them.

To one, he offered a bond like a parent; to another, the stability of a benefactor; and to another, a trust deeper than friendship.

Naturally, he became the central axis of the club.

That was why, the moment the members understood the situation Ensi was in, they all stepped forward as if it were their own problem.

It was an enthusiasm they hadn’t shown even last year, when their own “original stories” were in full swing and accidents were frequent.

Those who had acted indifferent, thinking of others’ problems as none of their business, now rolled up their sleeves simply because it involved Ensi.

Titania was no different.

She momentarily forgot the presence of Sirius standing beside her and focused on the whispers drifting from the surrounding crowd.

“Have you heard the news about young Lord Lassias?”

“Is there anyone here who hasn’t?”

Small bursts of laughter followed the playful response.

As someone brought up the hottest topic currently circulating in the Academy, the gathered nobles fanned themselves slowly, their eyes urging for the next bit of gossip.

“They say that yesterday, Lord Lassias and ‘that person’ visited the maze garden.”

“The maze garden? You mean…”

“Heavens—it seems even Lord Lassias is only human.”

The eyes of the listeners sparkled at the news, which was far more scandalous than expected.

To think that stoic, stone-like man visited the maze garden—it would be hard to find more interesting news than this today.

“……The maze, garden?”

The maze garden.

Hearing them laugh about a garden where lovers or those in illicit relationships held secret trysts, Titania felt as though she had been struck in the head.

Perhaps because her mind had gone blank, her expression lost its strength.

A look of daze and shock settled openly on her face.

Just as the light reflected from the chandeliers began to blur her vision, a shadow fell over her.

The moment her sight was shielded by a different light, Titania habitually hid her expression and looked up.

“Titania?”

It was a stiff call, same as usual, but Titania didn’t miss the faint trace of concern within it.

She habitually forced her lips into a smile.

“……Sirius.”

“—Your voice has no strength. Did something happen?”

Sirius’s brow furrowed at the noticeable change in her voice.

Due to a personality that revealed emotions rather than hiding them, his reaction was sharp.

As his gaze began to darken, Titania shook her head slightly.

“It is nothing like that, Sirius. Nothing happened.”

“Then?”

“Just… I think the time has finally come…….”

The problem she had been trying to ignore had finally stepped right in front of her.

Accepting the fact that she could no longer run away, Titania bit her lip in uncontrollable sorrow.

“There you go again.”

Sirius pressed his thumb against Titania’s lower lip, liberating the flesh she was gnawing on.

As she was forced to open her mouth and look up at him, he gently stroked her lips.

Titania quietly accepted the now-familiar touch and met Sirius’s eyes, which held a hidden, dark depth.

As always, Sirius smirked at Titania’s refusal to look away.

With eyes full of lingering desire, he slowly pulled his hand away and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

“We will continue this once we return.”

As the soft sensation vanished, Titania, who had closed her eyes reflexively, impulsively grabbed Sirius’s sleeve.

Sirius tilted his head at the rare gesture.

His disheveled hair drifted over his eyebrows following the slow movement.

As Titania gripped his clothes tighter, he moved naturally to interlace his fingers with hers.

“Sirius.”

“Yes.”

“If it is alright with you, I think I would like to return to the Principality of Celine now.”

“—Does that mean?”

“Let us quit the Academy.”

Before Titania could even finish her sentence, joy flooded Sirius’s eyes as he realized the long wait was over.

Unlike his eyes, his expression didn’t change much.

However, Titania noticed that the line of his mouth had softened.

They had promised to form a ‘Bond’ once they returned to the Principality.

While she understood his happiness, she somehow couldn’t feel entirely joyful.

It wasn’t that she disliked the idea; she had been waiting for it and looking forward to it as well.

It was just that the catalyst that pushed her toward this decision wasn’t exactly a happy one.

Titania buried her face in his familiar, sturdy chest, hiding the sorrow she couldn’t quite mask.

The final day of the festival, and the day Titania heard about the secret visitors to the maze garden.

As beautiful magic began to embroider the night sky, three people—excluding Ensi and Cyril—gathered at her urgent call.

Cyril had headed to the Holy Kingdom for the Lundrail Feast, and Titania had intentionally not called Ensi.

When this rare combination gathered in the clubroom, Titania got straight to the point without delay.

“……It is crazy, just crazy!”

At Titania’s declaration, Lily felt dizzy for a moment.

It was a statement so difficult to accept that she began to tug at her own hair.

“A Bond? A Bond? That kind of Bond between an Alpha and an Omega!?”

“Is it that surprising?”

“How can I not be surprised!”

At Titania’s nonchalant retort, Lily ended up screaming.

Despite the ear-splitting volume, both Luke and Donovan remained silent, their expressions agreeing with Lily’s outrage.

“I know it is for Ensi! But you could just go during the break and look for records, right? But a Bond? Quitting the Academy? Do you think this makes sense!?”

“Mmm, just looking during the break…… I have received too much from Ensi for that.”

“Even so, I do not recommend quitting your studies halfway,” Luke added.

“Is that so? But once I marry Sirius, the Academy doesn’t really have much meaning for me anyway.”

“Still. Even if it is not for studying, there is a lot to be gained at the Academy,” Donovan said.

Titania didn’t think the three of them were wrong.

She had certainly learned more than just knowledge and gained special things since entering the Academy.

She wasn’t trying to deny that fact. However—.

“The world we live in is not the same as our past lives.”

With a faint smile, Titania reminded them of the fact they all seemed to have forgotten.

The world they currently inhabited was so different from their previous lives, yet their arguments were clearly using the standards of that time.

“—That is.”

“I am not the heir to a family, nor am I a magician. I am certainly not an adventurer. To someone like me, the Academy no longer has any value. You all know this.”

The three of them fell silent as they realized the error they had made in her calm words.

“What I need is not the learning of the Academy, but the learning of my House.”

Unable to find a rebuttal, they avoided Titania’s gaze.

She whispered again with that faint smile.

“It is okay. I have no major regrets about the Academy, so do not worry. Above all, they say Ensi only has one year. This is a choice to do my absolute best within that time, as much as I have been helped by him.”

“……Words Ensi would hate to hear.”

“Indeed. He might even get angry.”

“What do you mean ‘might’? He will definitely be furious if he finds out.”

Lily let out a long sigh and brushed her hair back roughly.

Titania’s attitude made it clear her mind was already made up.

Judging by her tone, no one but Ensi could stop her now—and she had no intention of letting him try.

“Right. So, you will all keep this reason a secret from Ensi, won’t you?”

“Wow, I was wondering when you would say that.”

“I will not say anything if that is what you wish.”

“Titania…….”

As Donovan called her name as if in pain, she acted even more shamelessly.

Placing her index finger to her lips, Titania winked playfully and told them never to tell.

“One year is short. I believe it is impossible to find a cure while balancing my studies within that time.”

‘So I will quit the Academy and leave.’

Luke took Titania’s addition, which carried a sense of grim determination, seriously.

“It is a reckless choice, but you are certainly right.”

“……Wait, why are you talking like you have been swayed? You are making me nervous.”

“Because I think it is worth considering setting aside my studies for a while, even if I do not quit the Academy.”

“Are you crazy too? Why are you suddenly losing your mind?”

A horrified Lily lashed out at him.

Luke simply raised an eyebrow at her.

“Lily Florence, are you not being too optimistic?”

“What? Me?”

“It has been over five years since the Eclipse Merchant Guild made a name for itself on the Eglia continent. That means it has been at least five years since Ensi began moving in earnest to find a cure.”

The fact that there was no progress meant it was that difficult.

No matter how much authority or connections they had, the time given to them now was only one year.

To think they could find a cure for Utia disease while juggling their studies in just one year—or less—was nothing but arrogance.