Self-Chosen Path
"It feels kind of strange."
Atop the gondola gliding across the water's surface, Leje murmured her brief impression.
Having seemingly grown accustomed to the rocking motion, the anxiety that had once flickered in her eyes had vanished.
"Come to think of it, this is your first time on a boat, isn't it?"
"Yeah. There aren't any rivers or lakes big enough for boats in the Duchy."
Most of the Duchy's water resources came from underground sources.
Considering that, it was perfectly understandable that this was Leje's first time on a boat.
"So? How does it feel to be on a boat for the first time?"
"I'm not sure yet. It feels like looking at the same place from a different spot than usual, but how should I put it... I'd say there's not that much of a difference..."
As Leje pondered Rudell's question,
-Flash!!
"Huh?"
The moment the sun completely disappeared beyond the castle walls, the surroundings suddenly brightened.
The streetlights lining the streets all flickered on at once.
"Wow..."
A low gasp escaped Leje's lips as she witnessed the scenery transform in an instant, with countless lights reflecting off the river's surface and twinkling.
Light spilled from the buildings along the riverside, mingling with the glow of decorative lights installed here and there.
Their reflections painted the river in a kaleidoscope of colors.
"Beautiful..."
"..."
Overwhelmed by the sight she had never seen before, Leje let out a sigh of admiration.
"Isn't it? I don't think I've ever seen a sight like this before."
"I-I guess so..."
Rudell nodded in agreement with her question.
Indeed, the scene unfolding before their eyes was like gazing upon a river made of light.
However, in Rudell's eyes, Leje's brightly smiling face outshone even this breathtaking spectacle.
'Was she always this pretty...?'
Her beauty was a recurring theme in the original story.
The only one who could rival her in appearance was the Kingdom's princess, who had yet to make an appearance.
Even then, the story repeatedly emphasized that the princess was a notch below Leje in terms of beauty.
Despite this, the reason Rudell hadn't had such thoughts about Leje until now was due to her uniquely vibrant personality.
Because she was so naturally cheerful and outgoing, Rudell had perceived her more as a close friend than as a girl.
However... the combination of the dazzling atmosphere and the way Leje was presenting herself was enough to shake the foundations of Rudell's previous perception.
'Get a grip, Rudell. Leje is your friend.'
Rudell tried to regain his composure, but as someone once said, even the smallest crack can eventually bring down a dam.
"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
"Huh? Ah, it's nothing! It's just that I've never seen a sight like this before...!!"
'Calm down, Rudellheit. First, I need to calm down...'
The moment he became conscious of their relationship in a way he hadn't before, the wall within Rudell's heart began to crumble.
"Are you okay? You're not feeling sick, are you?"
"I-I'm fine! I'm just a little warm, ahahaha...!!"
Rudell forced an awkward laugh in response to Leje's worried expression.
S-Somehow, I need to change the subject...!!
As Rudell turned his head with that thought in mind,
"Hey, look over there! There's something!"
His eyes caught sight of countless lights floating down the river.
They were candles burning inside small wooden boats.
Hundreds of these tiny vessels, each carrying a candle, drifted along the river's current.
It was certainly not a sight one could witness every day.
"Wooden boats? Candles? What in the world is this?"
Fortunately, Rudell's attempt seemed to have worked, as Leje's expression lit up with curiosity.
Rudell let out a short sigh of relief...
"Do you know what that is?"
"I don't know. It's my first time seeing it too."
Rudell shook his head at her question.
"Those are part of a dedication ceremony held by the temple of Akelon, the god of rivers and seas. Around this time every year, sailors gather and offer these tributes to Lord Akelon, praying for safe voyages throughout the year."
"Oh... I see."
Leje nodded with interest at the gondolier's explanation.
Akelon, the god of rivers and seas.
Depicted as a giant turtle, he was a deity with minimal presence in the original story.
His only significant appearance was near the end, where he bestowed blessings upon the protagonist's group—a typical "blessing dispenser" role.
He was a being with little to no connection to Rudell.
Meanwhile, the boats carrying candles and coins passed by Rudell and Leje's gondola...
"I've seen a lot of amazing things today. Thanks to you."
"Thanks to me? You're the one who suggested coming here."
"I wouldn't have come this far if it weren't for you."
"Is that how it is?"
Rudell tilted his head at Leje's words.
He wasn't entirely sure, but if she said so, it must be true.
The current Rudell had neither the reason nor the leisure to delve deeper into it.
Just then,
"Hey, Rudell."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"What do you want to learn when you go to the academy?"
"At the academy? I haven't thought about it."
Rudell tilted his head again at her sudden question.
What he wanted to learn at the academy.
To be honest, Rudell hadn't given it much thought.
'Swordsmanship was a complete disaster...'
He had once considered learning swordsmanship, but it didn't take long for him to abandon that idea.
After all, he had no talent for physical activities.
[Young Master, it seems like it would be best for you to give up on swordsmanship.]
The instructor who had taught him had even advised him to give up on swordsmanship early on...
Those words had become the reason why Rudell had started focusing on magic at a young age.
'At least I'm fortunate to have a talent for magic...'
Fortunately, he had a talent for magic.
If he hadn't, he would have been no different from an ordinary, powerless person.
"Well, I haven't really thought about it deeply."
"Hmm... I see."
Rudell had no immediate need to choose his path.
The first year at the academy was the same for everyone, and it was the academy's basic educational policy for students to find their own paths after that.
It wouldn't be too late to make a choice then.
"What about you? What are you planning to learn?"
"Well... I'm thinking of learning swordsmanship."
Leje pondered for a moment at Rudell's question before answering while looking at him.
"Swordsmanship?"
It was a natural choice, considering she was a swordswoman in the original story.
"I know, I know. You might think, 'Why swordsmanship for a noble?'"
Leje waved her hand dismissively at Rudell's reaction, as if to say there was no need for further explanation.
Her reaction was understandable, considering the common perception.
Nobles viewed physical labor as something for the lower class—a task for those considered "common."
Among them, women were more likely to learn administration, commerce, social skills, or magic rather than engaging in physical activities.
Her reaction stemmed from this societal perception.
"But how should I put it... After experiencing the incident on my birthday, I felt like I should at least be able to protect myself."
"Hmm..."
In the original story, the reason she learned swordsmanship was because of an incident that occurred during her coming-of-age ceremony.
When the Duke fell into a coma, she, who had to inherit the Dukedom at a young age, chose to learn swordsmanship and become a knight.
To control the Dukedom and its factions, which had been united under the Duke's charisma, she needed to cultivate her own strength and charisma to replace him.
In this world, the Duke hadn't fallen into a coma, so she wasn't learning swordsmanship for that reason, but it was clear that the incident had influenced her decision.
"Is it still a bit strange...?"
Leje started to gauge Rudell's reaction as he looked at her without responding. After a while, Rudell slowly opened his mouth.
"No. I think it's actually a good idea."
"What?"
A dumbfounded voice escaped Leje's lips at his answer.
Looking at her, Rudell continued,
"If that's your choice, why should you care what others say? Are you someone who would let such things influence your decisions?"
"Of course not."
Apart from members of the royal family and other Dukedoms, there was no one in this Kingdom whose opinion Leje cared about.
Rather, it was others who were mindful of her.
"Then that's all that matters. Just because it's a path less traveled doesn't mean it should affect your decision."
"Rudell..."
Leje smiled faintly, genuinely touched by his advice. Then, with a relieved expression, she turned her head.
At that moment, Rudell saw a young girl shedding her childishness and resolving to walk her own path.
A soft chuckle escaped Leje's lips as she gazed into the distance...
"As expected, becoming friends with you was the best decision of my life."
"I'm honored to hear you say that."
Rudell replied with a gentle smile.
And so, their first day in the Royal Capital drew to a close.
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2 dense asf qts trynna act like frens.
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