Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance Chapter 56

Neumann’s face went white. Lucian and Laquerta’s faces, on the other hand, immediately turned grim.

 

‘Why are they all here?’

 

Neumann barely held back the scream that threatened to escape. Ever since he’d been publicly humiliated by Lucian, he’d been estranged from Gray, and he’d been feeling a little lost in his relationships.

 

The next day, Neumann decided he’d rather be alone, as he noticed that everyone around him was sitting next to him as usual.

 

“So when club recruitment started, I chose the least popular club that seemed to be the most popular…”

 

The recruitment period had already ended, and it was too late to move to another club. When he couldn’t get in, George, who didn’t know what was going on, stepped in.

 

“Come on in. You’re Neumann, right? You were the first one to apply, so I remember you.”

 

At that, Eileen, who had been eyeing Neumann warily, relaxed. She had expected him to follow her for some purpose, but it was a surprise.

 

Neumann, watching the situation warily, sat down quietly, as far away from Lucian as possible.

 

“Every Wednesday and Friday at four o’clock is our regular meeting. You’re free to attend during exams, and you’re welcome to study in the office.”

 

George pulled out a thick notebook and placed it on the table.

 

“This is how you’re going to do your clippings,” he said,” You can only clippings from your favorite areas, or if you don’t know your favorite areas yet, you can write about current events in general.”

 

George’s notebook was filled with articles about agriculture. The articles were cut out and annotated with different colored pens. Some even had dried flower petals stuck to them.

 

At first glance, it was a scrapbook full of love and care.

 

“As you can see, I’m interested in agriculture. We have a lot of farmlands in our area, and I’d like to help with my extensive knowledge in Verotanis, and I think it would be nice for everyone to get something out of this.”

 

George looks up and smiles innocently, unburdened by the pressure. It’s a genuine smile that resonates with even the most lighthearted newcomers.

 

 

 * * *

 

 

“I guess it’s going to be more rewarding than you thought, huh?”

 

“Yeah. Are you going to use the notebooks you have?”

 

“I might buy a new one. I’ve seen the seniors’ notebooks and there are so many different types.”

 

Eileen, Cordelia, Lucian, Felix, and Laquerta were the only ones left in the common room when the club ended and everyone dispersed.

 

Laquerta watches them with a wary eye as they make plans for the weekend when they return.

 

“I never liked crowds.”

 

When he was told that clubs were mandatory, everything was stressful. But having one person by his side made all the difference.

 

“Laquerta, you’re coming with us!”

 

Eileen, who had been discussing which lanyard to wear with Cordelia, looked over at Laquerta. It seemed odd to him how casually he blended into the conversation.

 

“I have somewhere to go this weekend.”

 

Eileen, who knew all too well where Laquerta was headed, locked eyes with him and spoke up.

 

“We can stop by before we go. I’m headed to the stationery store, so we can browse, or maybe pick up a gift.”

 

“A gift.”

 

Thinking of Lua and Moa, who would be bored all day in their room, Laquerta hesitated, then nodded.

 

“I’ll come with you then.”

 

They agreed on a time and place to meet, and it was only after dinner time that they parted ways. As they headed back to the dormitory, Eileen stopped them.

 

“Hey, Laquerta, do you want to take a walk?”

 

“Sure. I’ll stop by the dorms and then head to the dining hall.”

 

A quick-thinking Cordelia stepped aside, and Eileen and Laquerta walked across campus in silence for a moment.

 

Eileen spoke first, cautiously.

 

“About Lua and Moa.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I’m not asking you to make a decision right now, so relax.”

 

Eileen wasn’t satisfied with just changing where the children lived. While the immediate area was more spacious, it was still indoors, and it was hard for the children to leave the house when they couldn’t control the change.

 

“How hard it would be for them not to be able to run around and play and learn.”

 

Eileen thought of Tommy and Isaac, now grown. She could still remember them running around like colts.

 

“There’s a barony not far from here called Fort, not very big, but they’re well connected, and the baroness is a Suyin cat queen, and she runs a facility to help Suyin children.”

 

Eileen’s expression became very cautious as she spoke.

 

Her family was on friendly terms with Gaudium, and she had traveled with Oslo several times to verify the safety of the facility. Still, she hesitated to tell Laquerta, feeling a pang of regret.

 

Because they were family.

 

“Is that where you want me to send the children?”

 

Laquerta’s face was so dark against the streetlight that it was hard to tell what he was thinking. Eileen continued apologetically.

 

“Not forever, of course. It’s a very respectable and populous planet. At least long enough for the children to learn how to control the change properly. Like school for a while…”

 

Her words became slurred. Even when she said what she thought was best for herself, it could come across as the worst for Laquerta.

 

There was too much she didn’t know yet to say that one answer was the right one.

 

For the same reason, he couldn’t give an easy answer.

 

“I’m…”

 

He couldn’t think of anything else to say, so he kept his mouth shut. If he had heard that just a few weeks ago, he would have screamed at her to stop talking nonsense.

 

But he didn’t know if it was right to hold on to them, not when he couldn’t always be there for them, not when he couldn’t control change.

 

“I’ll think about it.”

 

So Laquerta had to withhold his answer. He lowered his eyes to the slender crescent moon overhead and closed them silently.

 

 

 

 * * *

 

 

 

“What are you doing there?”

 

It was the same voice from a year ago, when Laquerta had been thrown out of the temple that had been his last hope.

 

The despair he saw in the place he thought he’d escaped was even more bitter. After being rejected from the temple’s orphan program and losing all sense of direction, Laquerta sat haphazardly in an alley, staring at the sky for days on end.

 

“With such sad eyes, have you eaten?”

 

The old man approached, worried to see if Laquerta’s cracked pupils frightened him.

 

“If you are ill, at least tell me.”

 

His words were as warm as spring, but to Laquerta, whose heart was completely frozen.

 

“Go away.”

 

The words were the worst he’d spoken in days. His throat was completely cracked and rough as steel scraping. With those words, he disappeared. Laquerta let out a small laugh, knowing it was coming.

 

The world had never been kind to him.

 

The man reappeared just as the anger in his eyes had completely subsided. He came back with paper bags of various foodstuffs.

 

“I don’t know what the kids like these days, so I’ve been scavenging everything that looks good!”

 

Laquerta’s wide eyes filled with doubt, wondering what kind of person this was.

 

“Why don’t you drink some water, sweetheart?”

 

The man bent down and made eye contact with him and offered him a bottle of water. His gesture was still unintelligible. Hesitant, Laquerta slowly reached out his hand.

 

It was strange. He hadn’t wanted to eat anything until the man appeared, and now he was suddenly hungry. His throat was burning and his stomach was empty, and he couldn’t stand not to fill it.

 

The man patted Laquerta on the back as he hurriedly devoured his food.

 

“What is your name?”

 

“I’m Carlo. What’s your name?”

 

“Laquerta.”

 

The man smiled at him. It was only later that Laquerta realized that the man was a high-ranking priest who had graciously accepted his application.

 

It was one of those strokes of luck that came out of nowhere. This made him even more bitter.

 

He was afraid to send his children into a world they didn’t know, but he wondered if this was the kind of luck they deserved, like the man who came to him. He wondered if he had prevented it from happening.

 

‘What do you believe in and send, but if not, what do you believe in and hold them back?’

 

“What do we do?”

 

After sending Eileen off to walk the school grounds with him, he leaned back against a tree to finish his meal, undecided.

 

He was just about to stand up to head back to the dormitory, holding his throbbing head.

 

“Laquerta!”

 

Eileen, who had returned, saw Laquerta and came running. Panicking, Laquerta jumped to his feet.

 

“Eileen?”

 

“I’m sorry, I got the order wrong, I’m sorry I upset you.”

 

“What.”

 

Eileen shouted at the flustered Laquerta.

 

“Let’s go look at it together, and we’ll decide if it’s really a good place!”

 

They should have done this a long time ago.

 

Eileen thought. As she walked back to Laquerta, still speechless, she thought and thought and thought.

 

‘I’m focusing too much on fixing it. He’s not a child. He’s strong enough to protect them all.’

 

They should have thought about it together and come up with an answer, not asked it alone. Eileen looked up at him, not avoiding his eyes.

 

As Laquerta met her steady gaze, a voice whispered in his ear.

 

“Why don’t you drink some water, sweetheart?”

 

His confused gaze calmed. He nodded, then slowly opened his mouth. His voice was firm and clear, not the shaky one from the day before.

 

“Yes. Let’s go see it together.”