CH-085

85 Are You Nervous?

The wheat in the ridges had been cut batch after batch, repeatedly turned over, and now it was the season for new shoots to thrive.

This was the fourth spring since entering school.

The coming-of-age sword ceremony, originally scheduled for age fourteen, was postponed due to a serious illness of the Pope, coupled with the outbreak of the Black Death sweeping across the Duchy of Selmont bordering the metropolis. Various duchies avoided contact as much as possible. Thus, Leslie's coming-of-age ceremony was搁置, first for a month, and now directly delayed until he turned fifteen.

In early spring of this year, the Northern Grammar School notified the student office in advance: in August, the Imperial Academy would organize a debate competition for schools from various duchies. Their school would also send teams from different grade levels to participate.

As one of the student representatives, Leslie would naturally follow the leading teacher to the metropolis.

Therefore, Cardinal Otto, far away in the Holy City, upon learning the news, asked Leslie to come to the Holy City in the metropolis to complete his coming-of-age ceremony.

As mentioned before, the sword-giving ceremony is a custom in the life etiquette of imperial nobles.

On the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, the noble youth must personally receive his unique sword from the most respected elder, symbolizing that he will no longer rely on his parents' protection, but will face the world independently and protect what he loves.

However, in the Northern Territory, this noble custom is not so intense. The ceremony is often just a formality, and some even skip it entirely.

Moreover, Leslie never liked celebrating birthdays and found this theatrical or performative "life watershed" meaningless.

This matter was delayed again and again, continuously搁置.

Until this time, he was required to go to the metropolis to participate in the "officially" arranged coming-of-age ceremony or more life arrangements, just like Kaven's—a lifetime's trajectory fully arranged.

He appeared calm on the surface but was inwardly extremely agitated.

At this moment, the sky was showing the pale light of dawn.

He had just finished the morning run participated in by all students and was standing on the school's playground, waiting for each class to return to the school cafeteria for breakfast.

The school's morning run plan was part of the educational plan formulated by the principal and the bishop of the Savoy diocese.

Before the weather turned hot, students had to complete a fixed route every day, starting from school, passing through the Savoy Church, the edge of the town, and then back to the starting point. On average, one trip took 20 minutes to run.

This was definitely not too long, nor an easy, short walk; it was more like a route for standard endurance training.

However, since they had to traverse uneven woodland and winding paths every day, some always tried to find ways to slack off in certain places. Therefore, starting from the second year of the morning run plan, physical education teachers responsible for teaching archery or swordsmanship would run along with them.

Now that the weather had turned hot, many students were already sweating halfway through the run.

Leslie was the same.

Especially since he had demands on himself. Starting from two years ago, he had his own exercise plan.

With permission, he would run half an hour more than others.

Today, he ran an hour more than others.

Even though he had changed into thin clothes early in the morning, sweat had soaked through his back. However, his breathing was long and steady, showing no signs of fatigue, as if he had plenty more energy for more physical training.

The morning light from the gray-blue sky reflected on his face, which was gradually losing its youthful naivety, outlining a detachment and composure beyond his years.

His facial features were clear, lines clean, shoulders and back straight. The muscles from exercise lay hidden under his lanky frame, not张扬, yet full of strength. Even though sweat had soaked his clothes, it couldn't conceal the sharpness unique to a youth—clean, restrained.

It was a temperament unique to the Northern Territory: not ingratiating, not intimate, cold, silent, crisp, making people unable to resist turning back for another look.

A young, shy girl gathered her courage and moved closer to him, cautiously saying, "Classmate Leslie, I brought an extra bottle of water. Would you like some?"

Leslie didn't turn his head at all. Under his long eyelashes, his cold-colored eyes merely glanced at the water bottle, then moved his gaze back to her face. It seemed like he was seeing through her thoughts, but in fact, Leslie didn't care what others were thinking.

His voice was cool, "Sorry, I don't know you."

"I'm from the Theology College..."

Leslie interrupted her, as if brushing away an unnecessary noise, "I mean, I don't drink water from strangers."

The girl's face turned red to the roots of her ears, but she still didn't give up, "Then can we get to know each other now—"

"No need. What benefit would knowing you bring me?" Leslie looked away, his tone not heavy, but with an undeniable firmness. "Besides, you're disturbing me while I'm waiting for someone."

As soon as he finished speaking, the killing intent emanating from his gaze made Kaven and Shemus, who were watching the excitement from afar, shudder involuntarily.

The two of them laughed sheepishly as they ran over, familiarly put their arms around his shoulders, and walked forward, teasing, "We were just afraid of disturbing you! What if the person walking towards you someday is a girl you like? Then we'd be really oblivious."

Leslie didn't speak, only looking at Kaven impassively.

He knew that only when people feel guilty do they repeatedly reiterate their original words.

Especially recently, because Kaven had gotten engaged to a certain noble girl and they had met several times. Kaven really liked her. He was now completely excited, wishing Shemus and Leslie could also have someone they liked, enjoying the same happiness as himself.

Sharing happiness, that's all, so he was just playing along with him.

But Leslie was somewhat serious in personality and really didn't like Kaven's talk.

Kaven mysteriously pulled a small notebook from his chest and stuffed it into Leslie's hands like a treasure map, lowering his voice, "Don't thank me after reading it!"

Leslie frowned, not knowing what strange things Kaven had put in his head.

He looked down and flipped through it. The first page was filled with dense handwriting, all records of interactions between Kaven and his fiancée—

"She said the weather is nice today, hinting that I should ask her out."

"She was angry and didn't reply to my letter. I wrote three whole pages of poetry, and she forgave me, even giving me a sweet kiss."

Each entry was followed by a so-called 'realization,' the tone as serious as summarizing a battle. The last page had a line written in red pen: "All brothers should have this happiness of mine."

Leslie wordlessly threw the small notebook back at him.

Kaven caught it and said righteously, "What's there to be shy about! This is the essence of my experience. If you want to have a love life as smooth as mine in the future, you'll definitely need to learn from me. Start learning early!"

Leslie simply didn't want to hear this kind of talk.

Shemus felt that Leslie was in a subtly strange mood today, so he asked, "Isn't the student representative speech for your grade given by you?"

If anything could displease Leslie, it was Finnian, who was his age.

Finnian was the top student in the entire school, entering with a full scholarship as the number one. He had almost no weaknesses academically, always answering questions concisely and accurately in class, even impressing the professors.

He was handsome, with clear features, a gentle and unassuming temperament, always with a kind of gentle restraint. He spoke appropriately, his voice calm yet approachable. Whether facing teachers or classmates, he was never rude nor arrogant, handling people and matters with a maturity beyond his years.

His family background was also notable. Though not as wealthy as nobles, he came from one of the earliest rising wealthy merchant families in the Savoy diocese, with assets possibly exceeding those of a viscount. His family had a certain say between the church and the local powers. Although he never boasted about his background, he remained low-key without being cheap, appearing even more measured.

Most importantly, his family had simple relationships, living harmoniously. Especially, Finnian doted on his three-year-old sister, Lynn.

During holidays, girls often saw him holding his sister and going to church.

This made everyone unable to resist having more favorable feelings towards Finnian.

Even among the girls in Kaven and Shemus's grade, many inquired about his class schedule. Some pretended to pass by his usual library floor, and some even deliberately chose basic engineering courses they weren't good at, just to exchange a few words with him.

Their grammar school had five colleges: Arts, Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, and Theology.

Finnian seemed to know about all of them, but had never responded to anyone.

He didn't keep people at a distance, but never let them get a step closer.

"..."

The more they thought about it, the more Kaven and Shemus couldn't help falling silent for a moment.

They even somewhat agreed that if they were girls, they would probably not hesitate to marry a man like Finnian.

After all, he was the ideal partner—gentle, excellent, reliable, measured, with a supportive background, yet not oppressive.

Unlike Leslie.

Apart from being cold and unconcerned about others, his background alone was enough to make anyone hesitate.

A student personally acknowledged by Bishop Hugo, the legitimate son of the Duke of the Northern Territory, future heir to the territory. His mother's side connected to high-ranking powerful figures within the Holy City. It was said that even the Temple occasionally showed goodwill towards his family.

He was simply the unreachable flower on a high peak.

Standing there without speaking, others would already draw their own boundaries—can look up, but cannot approach.

He didn't know that the girls who dared to approach him possessed incredibly powerful courage and a fearless spirit, like newborn calves unafraid of tigers.

Leslie didn't pay attention to his two brothers' thoughts at all. Only upon hearing Finnian's name did he give them a reaction, saying, "Each college sends one representative."

"Then why are you in a strange mood?" Shemus asked perceptively.

Leslie fell silent. "..."

He had had a strange dream last night—

Probably because he was constantly forced to listen to Kaven's love stories, he dreamed at night of going back four years to when he had gone alone to pray to Father Aris.

The time in the dream was somewhat different from reality. He couldn't remember exactly what Father Aris had said that day, only that in the dream, he was talking about Kaven, how Kaven always repeated those small romantic details in an excited, childish tone—just a single kiss, yet treated like a precious reward, told over and over.

"What kind of kiss was it?" the priest suddenly asked him with a smile.

"What kinds of kisses can there be?" Leslie retorted instinctively, but in the next second, he suddenly realized—the priest might never have been kissed.

He was stunned for a moment.

Then, as if guided by some strange thought, he moved closer to him.

His figure was much taller than Father Aris's.

Leslie realized he was no longer a child needing adult attention, yet he still wanted Father Aris to see only him.

As he approached, Leslie almost completely enveloped him, like a quietly closing door, blocking the weak light from the window and also the calm, clear symbols behind the priest.

He leaned down, his gaze passing over the silver-crossed crucifix on the priest's chest, his voice low, like a tremor coming from deep within his chest: "I'll teach you. What is it like?"

The priest didn't move.

And Leslie stopped breathing for an instant, his eyelashes fluttering, but he didn't step back either. He just looked at the priest in silence, as if facing some indescribable test, or as if waiting—an almost faith-like waiting.

The church's light came from afar, reflecting a faint glimmer in the priest's eyes. Those eyes held no blame, no rejection, instead seeming to be touched by him in some deep, inexpressible place.

After a long time, Father Aris lowered his eyelashes and said with a slight smile, "Are you nervous?"

The dream ended there.

He woke up before dawn and couldn't fall back asleep.

If not for being shocked by the dream's absurd content, he wouldn't have remembered the process.

Nor was it the irritation from Kaven's mental poisoning.

It was just his mind empty, lost in thought, daydreaming about nothing in particular. He felt something was strange but couldn't put his finger on it.

...

"Just didn't sleep well."

Leslie noticed a bench nearby, suddenly felt tired, and sat down directly to explain.

No sooner had he spoken than a clear and familiar voice fell from above. A strand of hair from the other person brushed past his ear, causing a tingling itch.

The person asked with a smile: "Are you nervous?"

As soon as these words landed, Leslie suddenly looked up, seeing Bishop Aris passing by behind him, looking at him with a smile and saying, "Nervous about speaking in front of the whole school?"

"..."

At this moment, Leslie tensed up to the extreme, abruptly stood up, and distanced himself from Bishop Aris.