Chapter 8
“On the Day of Expiration, the Voice That Says Goodbye”
Autumn was deepening at the Royal Roselia Academy of Magic.
The silver leaves in the courtyard had begun to change color, and the students’ uniforms had shifted to their winter versions.
Kai Cross sat by the window of the teachers’ wing, quietly sipping his tea.
(…A whole month already?)
His eyes wandered to the page-a-day calendar hanging on the wall of his quarters.
Yes. It had been exactly one month since then.
His “temporary lover contract” with Rutia von Wallenstein.
A relationship that had begun as a way to put out the fire of her broken engagement with the prince.
Its term had been set for exactly one month.
That day, as usual, Kai finished his class and was walking along the covered corridor of the school building.
When he glanced back, the girl who had once shown up so often—
Philia Estrella—was nowhere to be seen.
Lately she had all but stopped appearing.
She used to come to the laboratory after school under the pretext of asking questions.
Notebook in hand, she would eagerly press Kai for details about magic-circle theory.
But a few days ago, when he happened to spot her in the shadows of the corridor, Philia had been with the prince—Leon Adelheit.
“Philia. You don’t need to go near that teacher anymore… I’ll teach you myself.”
“…If that’s what you say, Lord Leon, then I… will follow you anywhere.”
And since that moment, she had never come again.
(…I figured it’d end up that way.)
Kai had known, somewhere inside, that her gaze had never truly been turned toward him.
And he hadn’t minded. He’d never intended to get too involved anyway.
Night fell, and the teachers’ dormitory lights glowed faintly.
There was a soft knock at Kai’s door—three times: kon kon kon.
“Hm? It’s open.”
The door opened slowly, and the person he’d expected appeared.
Rutia von Wallenstein.
She was wrapped in a pale-lavender gown, her expression tense.
“…It’s been a while.”
“Has it? ’Bout a day or so?”
“…Don’t joke.”
Kai smiled wryly and pointed at the chair by his desk.
“What’s up? You’re lookin’ real serious today.”
Rutia took off her coat and sat down quietly.
Then she met his eyes squarely and said:
“Kai… our ‘temporary contract’—today makes exactly one month.”
“…Yeah.”
“So, formally… I’d like to end it here.”
Kai nodded.
“I see. Well, that’s as planned.”
“…Yes. As planned.”
A strange pause opened between them.
That silence was somehow uncomfortable, and yet bittersweet.
“These past thirty days… were more fun than I expected,” Rutia murmured.
“At first you were just a ‘cover’ for me. But…”
Kai listened in silence.
“You gave me candy, you tossed out those Kansai-dialect quips, you encouraged kids who couldn’t use magic…
…You really were being your true self all along.”
“People always say to me, ‘You don’t look serious, but you’re a real teacher inside.’”
“Heh… makes sense,” she said, smiling—but there was a trace of sadness in it.
“But… I feel like if we stay together any longer, it’ll be bad for me.”
“Hm?”
“…Like I’ll stop being myself. Like I can’t sort out my feelings.”
“…I see.”
“So I’m ending it. For my own sake.”
There wasn’t a shred of falsehood in her words.
And yet they wavered, just a little.
Kai rose quietly, went to the shelf, and took out a small jar of candies.
“Well then, one last time—the ‘contract-ending candy.’”
“…What? This is the first I’ve heard of that.”
“Just made it up. World premiere.”
“…Honestly, what are you?”
Rutia laughed as she took the candy.
But her hand trembled ever so slightly.
At the door, just before leaving, she turned back.
“…Kai. I’m no longer your ‘lover,’ so from now on… I’ll treat you normally. As a teacher, as a friend.”
“That’s fine. I’m not changin’ either. Still the same weird teacher handin’ out candy.”
“…Yeah. I know. See you.”
The door closed, and silence returned to the room.
Kai stared at the ceiling for a while.
(It was supposed to be a ‘temporary’ thing… so why does my chest feel a little cold?)
Another day began, just like a month ago.
But something had definitely changed—something that would never return.
