After school, we returned to the Valerion mansion.
Perhaps because the results had already been relayed, the atmosphere inside the mansion was a bit more excited than usual.
Mina smiled brightly the moment she greeted us in front of the entrance hall.
“Young Lady, I heard you received the Double Crown. My sincere congratulations.”
'So the news has already arrived.'
Elishia lowered her head slightly, looking a bit shy.
“Thank you, Mina.”
Mina immediately turned her gaze to me.
“You worked hard as well, Lord Hak.”
I nodded slightly.
I had worked hard too.
Especially because of the synchronization rate of 101.
When mealtime came, the whole family gathered.
Leopold wore his usual heavy expression, but today his gaze felt a little different.
He looked at Elishia for a while before speaking in a low voice.
“I heard it was the Double Crown.”
“Yes, Father.”
Tension still remained in Elishia’s voice.
Leopold fell silent for a moment.
Then he slowly nodded.
“You did well.”
It was a short phrase.
But its weight was not light.
Elishia’s eyes trembled slightly.
Leopold continued.
“Receiving the Double Crown in your first evaluation means your efforts have been recognized.
It is not because of the Valerion name, but a result you built with your own hands.”
Elishia lightly pressed her lips together.
“……Thank you.”
Isolde smiled gently and wrapped her hands around Elishia’s.
“I’m truly proud of you. But don’t rush too much. The Double Crown is not the end, but the beginning.”
Lucius smiled lightly with his arms crossed.
“Now they won’t be able to easily look down on you in the Magic Knight Department either. Of course, the troublesome attention will increase just as much.”
I agreed with those words inwardly.
Troublesome gazes.
Those would probably increase for both of us.
Camilla looked as though she was about to rise from her seat.
“Big Sister, you’re really amazing! A Double Crown from your very first exam!”
Then she soon looked at me and added,
“Hak is amazing too! It’s because Hak was by her side that Big Sister could push herself harder, right?”
I faltered, holding a piece of bread in my front paws.
It’s a bit embarrassing to hear it said so directly.
Elishia’s face turned a little red too.
“Hak helped me a lot.”
No, you don’t have to admit that so openly.
'And I didn’t even help during the test itself, though I did before the exam.'
I took a needless bite of the bread.
Isolde smiled quietly at the sight.
“It seems Hak is shy about receiving praise as well.”
That’s right.
I’m very shy about it.
This time, Leopold looked at me.
“Hak.”
I perked up my ears.
“I am grateful that you stayed by Elishia’s side.”
The table fell quiet for a moment.
I looked at Leopold, then slowly bowed my head.
It was a return greeting for his thanks.
Leopold’s gaze softened ever so slightly.
That night.
After finishing the meal, we returned to Elishia’s room.
I sat on a small blanket atop the bed, watching her.
“Hak.”
'Hmm?'
“I still have so many shortcomings.”
I nodded.
That was true.
Elishia’s aura had still not fully unfurled.
Her swordsmanship still needed to grow, and the fear remaining in her heart had not completely disappeared either.
But Elishia smiled softly.
“But still…… is it all right if I’m a little happy today?”
I nodded immediately.
'Of course.'
Today, it was fine to be happy.
No, she had to be happy.
Elishia carefully lifted me and held me in her arms.
“Thank you, Hak.”
I stayed still in her embrace for a moment.
And very gently, I pressed my nose against the back of her hand.
I couldn’t speak.
But I hoped this much would get through.
You did it.
I was just by your side.
Of course, that wasn’t entirely true,
but today’s result was achieved because Elishia did not run away.
The moon was hanging outside the window.
I gazed at that moonlight, then quietly curled my tail.
The Crown examination was over.
Elishia had become a Double Crown.
But that didn’t mean everything was settled.
Rather, it was only beginning.
Elishia, who had received the Double Crown.
Hak, who had recorded a synchronization rate of 101.
Their two names would now spread even further within the Academy.
And I also knew exactly who would be the least likely to miss those rumors.
Iris Asteria.
She would probably come looking again around tomorrow.
I let out a small sigh.
Elishia smiled and stroked my back.
“Let’s not worry today. Because today is a good day.”
At those words, I pondered for a moment, then finally closed my eyes.
'Right.'
Just for today, I thought it would be all right.
Because today was the day Elishia took a step forward with her own strength.
It was then, as Elishia was barely calming her heart while gazing at the Double Crown badge,
that a quiet knocking sound was heard from outside the door.
“Young Lady.”
It was Mina’s voice.
Elishia raised her head.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Mina carefully bowed her head.
“The former Duke has arrived.”
At those words, Elishia’s eyes widened slightly.
“Grandfather?”
I pricked up my ears in Elishia’s embrace.
'Did he rush back from his retreat upon hearing that his granddaughter received the Double Crown?'
Though until just moments ago her face had been filled with joy and relief from receiving the Double Crown,
upon hearing that her grandfather had come, signs of tension rose again.
Soon after, a low, thick voice was heard from beyond the door.
“May I enter?”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
The door opened, and an old man slowly entered.
The moment he saw Elishia, his expression softened very faintly.
Greyden stepped inside and first looked at the Double Crown badge placed on the desk.
And quietly nodded.
“I heard it was the Double Crown.”
Elishia rose from her seat and politely bowed her head.
“Yes, Grandfather.”
Greyden looked at Elishia without saying a word for a while.
As the silence stretched, Elishia’s shoulders stiffened slightly.
I felt it in her embrace.
Being acknowledged by this person seemed to hold quite a large meaning for Elishia.
Greyden finally opened his mouth.
“You did well.”
It was a short remark.
But at that single phrase, Elishia’s eyes shook greatly.
Elishia pressed her lips together for a moment, then answered quietly.
“……Thank you.”
Greyden slowly walked over and sat in a chair.
“I heard from your father. That you didn’t overexert yourself in the exam.”
“……Yes.”
“That is a good thing.”
Elishia raised her head, looking slightly surprised.
Greyden continued calmly.
“The first thing one who holds a sword must learn is not how to cut down the enemy.
It is knowing how far one can go.”
His voice was low and slow.
But each and every word was as firm as a sword.
“Advancing forward without knowing is not courage.
It is bluff. Stepping forward while knowing fear is courage.”
Elishia listened to those words quietly.
I felt her fingertips tremble slightly again.
But this trembling didn’t seem to be solely from anxiety.
Greyden spoke while looking at the Double Crown badge on the desk.
“Receiving the Double Crown in your first exam is excellent. But what you truly gained is not the badge.”
“Then…… what is it?”
Elishia asked carefully.
Greyden looked at her.
“It is the memory that you did not run away.”
The room fell silent at those words.
I looked up at Elishia.
She was looking at Greyden as if holding her breath.
“Your aura is still incomplete. Your sword is still rough.
In bearing the name of Valerion, there will be many times when you feel yourself lacking.”
Elishia could not answer.
But that silence was soon answer enough.
Greyden closed his eyes, then slowly opened them.
“Even so, you stood in the examination hall.
Without hiding your shortcomings, you showed what you could do. That is what is important.”
I curled my tail quietly as I listened to those words.
They were good words.
Strict, but not pressuring.
They might have been the words Elishia most wanted to hear.
“Grandfather…….”
Elishia’s voice trembled very softly.
Greyden looked at his granddaughter and smiled very faintly.
“There is no need to cry. A swordsman who cries after receiving the Double Crown cuts a poor figure.”
His tone was gruff, but strangely warm.
Elishia hurriedly wiped her eyes.
“I’m not crying.”
“Good. That’s how it should be.”
Greyden laughed lowly.
I muttered inwardly at the sight.
'His words are harsh, but he’s the type who cherishes his granddaughter dearly.'
Then Greyden’s gaze turned toward me again.
“And Hak.”
My ears twitched.
Why is he calling me all of a sudden?
Greyden spoke while looking at me.
“I heard you stayed by Elishia’s side.”
I looked at him quietly.
“I also heard what number came out for that thing called the synchronization rate.
The mages and professors would know the meaning of the number better.
But I consider how you changed Elishia’s sword to be more important than the number.”
Greyden’s gaze deepened slightly.
“I heard that Elishia’s sword trembles less than before.
And that she learned how to stop and breathe, instead of desperately trying to charge forward.”
I tilted my head as if I didn’t know what he was talking about.
'I don’t know anything about that.
I was just standing beside her.'
However, Greyden didn’t seem fooled.
“A fine familiar.”
At those words, I folded my ears back.
It felt like I had received praise, yet it was strangely burdensome.
Elishia smiled slightly and hugged me tightly.
“Hak is a really good child.”
No, saying that much makes it even more embarrassing.
I buried my face in Elishia’s embrace.
Greyden watched that sight for a moment, then laughed very softly.
I sighed inwardly.
Soon after, signs of people were heard outside the door again.
Leopold, Isolde, Lucius, and Camilla seemed to have come near the room as well.
At first, they must have been waiting for the grandfather and granddaughter to talk,
but when the atmosphere eased, they naturally entered.
Camilla was the first to speak with a smile.
“Grandfather, you came to congratulate Big Sister, right?”
Greyden cleared his throat.
“Something like that.”
“You could be honestly happy about it.”
“Noisy.”
But it was not an angry voice at all.
Isolde smiled softly at the sight.
“Father, you must be so pleased that you came personally.”
Greyden turned his head.
“A child of Valerion received the Double Crown in her first evaluation.
It is hardly strange to come and check.”
Lucius smiled slightly.
“Rather than to check, it seems you came because you’re proud of her.”
“You’ve become quite talkative, Lucius.”
“I shall take that as a compliment.”
The atmosphere lightened a little.
Watching them, I felt a strange emotion.
The Valerion family was heavy and strict on the outside.
Leopold was like a general, and Greyden like an old sword.
But inside, there was clearly a familial warmth.
It was clumsy, not straightforward, and sometimes the words were too heavy.
Even so, their feelings toward Elishia were clear.