The Academy's Barbarian-Chapter 277
60page. road to the desert (4)
8.
next morning.
Ulan opened his closed eyes..
I woke up early, before the sun had even risen, and strangely, it was because I felt refreshed..
So, after kicking off the bed and getting up, I glanced at the clock on the table..
‘5 am.’
Apparently, he fell asleep while talking with his companions until 3:00 am, so even if he had plenty of time, he woke up after sleeping for just over two hours..
‘Still, you're so cute.’
Ulan put on a curious expression..
Of course, he belongs to the side that sleeps less than others. But it's not usually like this, so I felt a little strange..
But the thought didn't last long.
‘Sometimes there are days like this.’
Also, recently, he only moved by wagon, so he hardly used his stamina. So it's okay to sleep like this and wake up.
So I passed it unnoticed.
“well then…….”
what to do from now on?
I'm a bit hungry, but it's still too early to eat. When I was thinking of things to do quietly, something suddenly crossed my mind..
“I need to wash up first.”
In fact, Ulan doesn't like to wash.
Enough to replace washing by just entrusting oneself to the pouring rain. Only this time she felt the need to wash herself..
‘Because it won't rain much in the desert.’
In other words, if it is not today, there is no opportunity to wash the body for a while. So Ulan left the room and headed towards the bathroom..
some time after that.
Arriving at his destination, Ulan walked through the fog-like steam and soaked himself in a bathtub full of hot water..
shoot it!
As soon as the huge body entered, hot water overflowed from the bathtub. Then, suddenly, I heard a familiar voice..
“……ah.”
A familiar presence that I can feel at the same time.
Moments later, through the misty steam, I could see wet black hair..
“Ooh, ooh, uhlan?!”
The blue eyes widened wide..
The identity of the guest who visited the bathroom before Ulan was none other than Noah. Ulan, meanwhile, tilted his head while soaking in hot water..
“Noah? why are you here?”
“I-I, of course I came to wash up! No, more than that, why is Ulan taking a bath all of a sudden?……?”
A face with a clear expression of bewilderment.
Noah babbled and asked again. Then Ulan replied in a non-trivial tone, as if asking something so obvious..
“There won't be a chance to wash for a while.”
“that, that…….”
Certainly makes sense.
Noah put on a blank expression as if he was speechless for a moment. Then she realized the reality and shrugged her body..
‘ugh! I made a mistake.’
I thought you wouldn't come.
Because Ulan and Sven in the original story were notorious for not liking to take a bath..
Sven hated water itself, and Ulan considered bathing in the rain..
‘So I thought we'd never run into each other, but I never thought we'd meet like this.’
bewilderment, vigilance, worry, anxiety, etc..
Around the time when all kinds of emotions were mixed like a whirlpool, Noah shook his shoulders. It was because she felt Ulan's gaze from not far away..
“What is it? what are you looking at?”
“changed.”
“yes? What do you mean by change??”
“I think I've grown since I first saw you.”
“That's right, it's growing up..”
It's already been a year since I left the meadow.
Enough time for a growing girl to grow up. Noah continued with a bit of triumph..
“As I said last time when I was wandering around the capital, someday I will be like Ibella.…….”
“hair.”
“…….”
“it's a joke.”
Ulan laughed..
Is it because of the fact that I was teased??
Noah pursed his lips as if pouting..
‘still…….’
Thanks a lot, the tension has been relieved.
Even the hardened shoulders feel like they are back to normal. In response, Noah glanced at her uhlan and sank her deep into the bathtub..
“uh?”
In the meantime, something suddenly caught my eye. Noah, who had rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, looked at Ulan again and then spoke..
“Ulan, look back in a moment..”
“why?”
“It's okay, so hurry up.”
Ulan frowned at the repeated urging, but soon turned around without saying anything. Along with that, Noah's eyes grew softly..
“This…….”
What was reflected in her pupils was the imprint of a hero engraved on Ulan's back. It is the emblem of Kazan.
Patterns that emit soft light.
Seeing this phenomenon for the first time in his life, Noah stroked Ulan's back with a curious face..
“Did you ask anything on my back?”
“no. It's not like there's anything on it, it's because the hero's mark is shining here..”
“okay? doesn't look good here…….”
Ulan turning his head straight.
However, it was not possible to observe phenomena occurring on the back. Because Noah stretched out his arm to stop Ulan from looking back..
“what are you doing!?”
“what are you doing?”
I was just trying to make sure that the flashing lights were real. Even though Ulan explained the reason, Noah shook his head..
“uh, you can do that later!”
“later when?”
“after I get out of here!”
Even if you don't really notice, it's not dirty.
Noah screamed with his face and ears stained red. By the time the fuss is over.
“I should get up soon.”
Now that my body is moderately refreshed.
Thinking so, Ulan immediately rose from his seat. Then, as if to expel the moisture in his lungs, he began to breathe deeply..
Meanwhile, something unexpected happened in the process. The steam that filled the bathroom all at once disappeared due to the enormous lung capacity..
“……ah?”
At the same time, Noah muttered blankly..
It was because of the discovery of Ulan's naked body, which had been hidden from view as the steam disappeared..
ragged muscle.
Strong muscular arms and legs with no extraneousness, fluffy hair full of wildness, and…….
“Noah?”
Then Ulan suddenly spoke to me..
It was because he noticed that Noah's face was particularly reddish. He asked, looking at Noah, who opened his eyes wide..
“Your face is red, are you okay??”
“oh, that's me…….”
“be careful. There are times when you can't control your body when you're in the bathtub for a long time..”
“no, that's not it…….”
His face was dyed red and he couldn't even speak properly. Ulan, who looked at Noah anxiously, turned her body away..
“wait. I'll call Ibella..”
“……!?”
Isabella. The moment he heard the name, Noah instinctively felt it. If we send uhlans like this, a catastrophe will happen..
“that, that can't be!”
“why?”
“of course……!”
Because if you find out about this scene, there will be an uproar.
Hurrying to his senses, Noah immediately grabbed Ulan's arm. Then, with her desperate face, she continued her words as if pleading..
“……I'll go out on my own, so don't ever call Ibela. Also, don't tell the other kids what just happened. It's a promise!”
Noah repeatedly begs for trust.
Afterwards, Ulan was able to leave the bathroom only after promising never to reveal this incident..
9.
After a while, after taking a bath.
Ulan went straight to the restaurant..
I had heard from a maid passing by that breakfast was ready. She was just about to get hungry, so by the time she moved her steps.
“ah, ulan.”
“I slept well?”
I met a familiar face.
Ibella and Dillia.
Judging by the messy look, it looked like it had just happened. Faced with his tired expression, Ulan nodded his head..
“You look pretty sleepy.”
“haaam! Because we talked until dawn.”
Ibella let out a sluggish yawn.
She lightly wiped the dew from her eyes and glanced at Dillia..
“I didn't mean to stay up that late, but someone suddenly interrupted and the conversation got longer. so i'm still sleepy.”
“……It's all because of you.”
Dillia narrowed her eyes..
In response, Ibella asked with an angry face..
“what? why is it because of me?”
“Even if you didn't do anything stupid, I wouldn't have intervened.”
“What a handful! I just borrowed Ulan's shoulder because I was suddenly drowsy.!”
“That's what you mean by cheating.”
Two girls arguing quickly.
but this didn't last long.
It was because when Ulan moved, the two of them stitched him by the side as if they had been arguing..
Soon after arriving at the restaurant, a familiar face greeted the party. It was Countess Idelin Elead, a smiling platinum-haired woman..
“Welcome. It came just right.”
Idelin wasn't alone.
Around her was Syrupy, who seemed to have arrived before the others..
Meanwhile, food was served on the empty table as soon as Idelin finished speaking..
“I don't have much, but enjoy your meal.”
Her words were close to empty..
Idelin said she wasn't wearing anything, but what unfolded in front of Ulan and the others was a delicacy..
Conversation over delicious food was unnecessary. Ulan began to eat voraciously, and quickly devoured the food..
After a not-so-short period of time has passed.
By the time you put the food in until your stomach is full, hot tea comes out as if to announce that breakfast is over..
Tea with subtle green tangerine scent.
As I was taking a sip of my teeth, Idelin, who had been silent, suddenly spoke to me..
“When are you planning to start??”
“Oh, we talked about it yesterday, but I think we'd better leave right after breakfast..”
It was Ibella who answered the question..
As she said, Ulan was planning to return to the road after breakfast this morning..
there was only one reason.
‘Because the path has changed.’
Originally, the Ulan party planned to set foot in the desert, the final destination, after passing through the headquarters of the southern front through Count Deorg..
But now, having decided to follow Istan's advice, the party had to go to the detour prepared by Istan, not to the Southern Front Headquarters..
This is why we had to hurry.
“I see Well, I heard you have urgent business, so you better deal with it quickly..”
Meanwhile, Idelin nodded as if she understood at Ibella's answer. Then she said again with a big smile on her face..
“Then, when you're done with your business in the desert, stop by the manor again. Perhaps at that time, the convocation order will be lifted, and the Count will return too..”
“uh, that's…….”
Ibella blurted out with an awkward face..
Perhaps this is how he reacted because he wasn't sure when his business in the desert would end..
Idelin, as if guessing Ibela's thoughts, didn't speak anymore..
some time after that.
After breakfast, the group headed to their respective rooms. Eventually, after everyone was ready to leave the county, they gathered together again..
“I'll be back then.”
“huh. be careful.”
The goodbye was over with that.
It was thanks to the many conversations yesterday.
Idelin waved her hand until Ibela was gone, and the party left Count Deorg and arrived at the main road..
By the time I resumed my movement.
Noah looked at Ulan, who was in the lead with Sven. To be precise, he fixed his eyes on the hero's engraving on his back..
‘It doesn't shine anymore.’
It's different from when I saw it in the bathroom this morning.
What is the cause of change?
Just as he was making a puzzled expression out of unresolved curiosity, a blush suddenly appeared on Noah's cheeks..
‘Ugh, I keep thinking of you!’
It's because the scene I saw in the process of recalling what happened in the bathtub came to my mind..
So I shook my head.
to erase the memory of that time. Then, this Bella who was by her side came to talk to her..
“noah, it's okay?”
“……uh? what?”
“My face is still red.”
Ibella turned to Noah and asked..
Eyes full of worry.
It was natural. Noah explained that the reason her face was red was because she went to wash early in the morning and got dizzy from being in her bathtub for too long..
“No matter how much you love washing, staying in the bathroom for too long is dangerous. Especially since you're weaker than others, you should be more careful..”
“uh, thank you for your concern.”
At Evela's advice, Noah laughed awkwardly..
Of course, the reality was completely different..
At the end of the conversation, Sven, who was walking with Ulan in the lead, suddenly stopped..
Then I immediately looked back at the group..
It was with the expression that there was a problem.
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