Chapter 28: Reunions and Rivalries at the Exchange Meeting

“Nia?”

A name Luke wasn’t familiar with escaped his lips.

“…?!”

Even Elin’s stray strand of hair stood on end in surprise.

She hadn’t expected Luke to recognize the girl.

“Teacher?”

Elin stared at him as if asking what their relationship was.

What should he say?

As Luke hesitated to come up with an explanation, the girl smiled faintly.

“You recognized me?”

“I thought you wouldn’t. This is the first time we’ve seen each other since you left for the Academy.”

“…I almost didn’t. You’ve grown so much.”

In truth, Luke had never met her before.

He’d been at the Academy for four years, coinciding with the time he took over Luke Bucklin’s body.

His only memory of Nia came from ‘Luke Bucklin’s’ recollections.

Poke, poke.

A persistent finger jabbed at his side.

“Do you know her?”

“She’s my cousin, Nia Bucklin.”

Nia Bucklin.

The Bucklins, one of the three great magical families, had many branches, and Nia was from a collateral line separate from Luke’s.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Elin. I hope to learn much at this exchange meeting.”

Nia bowed gracefully, an action far more refined than Fabiana’s attempts to mimic adulthood.

“…Hello.”

The sharp angle of Elin’s stray hair relaxed slightly after hearing they were cousins.

“I knew the Bucklin family would attend, but I didn’t expect it to be you, Lady Nia.”

“‘Lady Nia’? Really?”

The smile on Nia’s lips wavered.

“Is that how you’re going to act after all this time?”

“Pardon?”

“You used to speak casually with me.”

Luke wasn’t the original owner of this body, so he couldn’t have known.

Searching through the memories left in his body, he realized they had spoken informally before.

In fact, they’d seemed to be on rather friendly terms.

“….”

Luke’s lips opened slightly before closing again.

He’d always been shameless and confident as Luke Bucklin, and acting in line with those memories would usually let him handle situations smoothly.

But this time was different.

Those memories weren’t his own.

“I suppose it’s become a habit. I’ve grown accustomed to using formal speech.”

“…I see.”

Nia raised the corners of her lips slightly, though the expression seemed melancholy, likely due to her frail appearance.

Luke briefly considered dropping the formality, but…

“Alright. Then I’ll speak formally as well.”

Nia beat him to it.

“There’s no need for that.”

“Then would you mind speaking casually with me again?”

“Well…”

“It would feel strange if I’m the only one speaking formally.”

Luke couldn’t respond.

“Haha. I should’ve visited you sooner. If I’d known it would feel this awkward, I would have.”

Nia offered a faint, wistful smile and bowed slightly.

Her polite gesture felt distant, lacking any familial warmth.

“It was nice seeing you, Brother. And you as well, Lady Elin. I’ll see you both later.”

Nia departed quietly, her movements silent and unassuming.

Elin couldn’t take her eyes off the girl’s lonely-looking back.

Their gazes met briefly as Nia glanced over her shoulder.

The emotion in her eyes was unmistakable—envy.

“…”

Elin thought to herself.

The faded gray hair, the dull amber eyes, the way she swallowed her words instead of voicing them…

She’s just like Teacher.

As Nia left the reception hall, someone else entered.

An orange-haired boy with amber eyes, his appearance strikingly similar to Lanian’s, except without the dark circles under his eyes.

“Ah, Brother!”

The boy’s eyes lit up as he spotted Luke and strode toward him.

“You’re Brother Luke, right?”

“Are you Felice Rochefort?”

“Oh, wow! I can’t believe you know my name!”

Felice’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“…Ranian’s younger brother?”

Elin whispered as she stood on her tiptoes.

She recognized the resemblance immediately, a testament to how similar they looked.

“But are they close?”

“This is my first time meeting him.”

“…? Then why’s he calling you ‘Brother’?”

“I have no idea.”

Luke felt himself almost fooled by Felice’s familiarity.

He really was seeing the boy’s face for the first time.

“Ranian told me all about you, Brother!”

“Is that so? That’s odd. Your sister doesn’t seem like the type to talk much about anyone.”

Exactly.

Ranian might boast about her talented younger brother being a great fire mage, but she never mentioned Felice being this bright and sunny.

“She told me plenty! Like how you’re the only man to reject my sister’s proposal. The Academy’s legendary figure, the one she’s obsessed with!”

“…I didn’t know I had such titles.”

“Hahaha! I was amazed too! She even pleaded with you, right?”

Squeeze.

Elin tightened her grip on Luke’s sleeve, her stray hair curving into a question mark.

“She’s talking about graduate school and the mage tower,” Luke explained.

Ranian had a tendency to attach herself to talented mages, which Felice clearly misunderstood.

“She may have asked, but she didn’t beg.”

“Ah, so the rumors were exaggerated? That makes sense. My sister wouldn’t beg anyone.”

Felice’s tone brimmed with pride for his family, befitting a member of the Rochefort family, one of the three great magical houses.

But then…

“She did ask you to build a mage tower, though.”

Ranian suddenly appeared, joining the conversation.

“She said she’d join if I built one, not to actually build it.”

“Well, I knew you wouldn’t do it anyway. And just so you know, my opinion hasn’t changed.”

Now free from Natia, Ranian looked far more relaxed.

“If you want it, I might just build one for you.”

“That sounds odd. Please use a proper subject in your sentence.”

“What’s odd?”

“…Never mind.”

Luke dropped the subject, unable to explain with Elin present.

“Wait, it’s true? You’re the Academy’s legendary figure Ranian’s obsessed with…”

Felice covered his mouth dramatically, eyes wide.

“…Did you know about this nickname?” Luke asked Ranian.

“I heard it occasionally during our Academy days. But hey, it’s not wrong, is it?”

“It is.”

Ranian attributed her interest in Luke solely to his magical abilities, but taken out of context, the nickname could mean anything.

“Where’s Senior Dien?” Luke tried to change the subject.

“She’s over there.”

Ranian pointed toward a corner of the hall.

Felice’s sunny demeanor shifted toward another target as he approached Fabiana, leaving Elin drained.

“…I haven’t even done anything, and I’m exhausted.”

“The exchange meeting hasn’t even started yet. Gather your energy.”

Luke hoisted the drooping Elin upright.

It looked like the meeting was about to begin.

“Was there something you wanted to say?”

“Ah, uh, yes!”

A timid girl who had been lingering nearby finally spoke up.

She introduced herself as Bena Nissen, a participant from a lesser-known family, one of the few not tied to the great magical houses