Isaac, Dominic, and I walked side-by-side into the huge playground where the graduation ceremony was being held. It seemed the three of us were among the last to arrive; the guest seats were full, and the president of the academy was already standing on the podium. The ceremony was about to begin.
I sat down in the front VIP seat that had been reserved for me. Dominic was on my left, and Isaac was on my right. The two of them seemed to be watching with mild interest, but for me, this was different. My children's graduation ceremony felt like my heart was about to burst!
'This is my first time at a graduation ceremony!' I leaned on Isaac's shoulder, bubbling with excitement.
"There are quite a few faces you know here, aren't there?" he asked.
"Is that so?" I replied, "Yes! Look over there." I gestured excitedly to the front.
The imperial family was seated in the most splendid of the VIP seats. The Emperor looked nervous about his youngest son's graduation, the Empress looked healthier than before, and there was even Cassian, whom I had been seeing frequently lately. In addition to them, there were nobles with whom I had formed various friendships over time.
But what truly caught my eye were the cute children squatting in front of the podium. Each of them looked nervous yet eager for the ceremony to begin. The Maltend Academy had an "escalator system," so students would enter the secondary academy immediately after graduating from the elementary one. They would return to the same academy after the ceremony and a short vacation.
Even so, it was clear that the graduation ceremony was a highly anticipated event for these young children. I watched as a girl with a pale complexion, a boy with a bright red face, and a little lady who was trembling all over sat there. I felt a mix of sadness and cuteness at the same time.
'My babies are nervous.'
For these little ones, their first graduation ceremony was a big deal. The adults gathered in the audience watched the children, who were nervously wringing their hands and feet, with a mix of affection and excitement.
"I want to get a diploma as soon as possible," I muttered to myself.
Contrary to my desire, there was a pre-ceremony ceremony first. After a special orchestral performance and a serious congratulatory speech from His Majesty the Emperor—who resembled a teddy bear—the long-awaited diploma ceremony finally began.
"I would like to thank all the guests who have gathered here. We will now present the diplomas."
Each child's name was called out. Whenever I heard a name I recognized, I leaned forward and clapped like a meerkat.
"His Highness the Eighth Prince, Axion."
When Axion's name was called, I was so happy I nearly burst into tears. He seemed happy, too. The mischievous boy shot out of his seat like a bullet the moment his name was called, his black mortarboard nearly falling off his head.
"Yay! I'm graduating!" Even on his graduation day, Axion was an unstoppable rascal.
Everyone in the audience erupted in laughter at his antics, and the atmosphere of the ceremony became a little warmer.
"Carat, congratulations on your graduation."
"That genius, Carat! I'll become an even more wonderful genius in the future!"
When I saw Carat receive his diploma and put on his graduation cap, my heart felt like it was about to burst with joy. He bowed his head on the podium and waved his arms wildly in my direction.
"I graduated, Mel!"
I mouthed a generous congratulatory message. "Congratulations!"
With Axion and Carat having received their diplomas, only Mirissa, the most loyal of the "Three Musketeers," remained. I was wondering when she would get hers when the president said, "All graduates have now received their diplomas."
I glared at the president. 'Our Mirissa hasn't gotten hers yet, what are you talking about?' I thought. 'You wouldn't dare leave out my child, would you?'
I was overcome with a parent-like fury and glared at the podium.
"And now, the graduation ceremony for Princess Mirissa Hesman, the top graduate."
"Our Mirissa is... Oh, wait."
Top graduate? My eyes widened.
'Did Mirissa ever tell me she was the top graduate?' I was sure she would have said something beforehand!
Seeing that Mirissa also stood up without showing any signs of surprise, my guess seemed correct. But I had just met her a few days ago, and she hadn't mentioned anything about graduating at the top of her class.
'What! I didn't know Mirissa was the top graduate?' In a panic, I looked at Isaac with a bewildered expression.
He seemed calm, as if he had known all along. Could Mirissa be keeping things from me? I shrugged, a mix of sadness and surprise washing over me.
In the meantime, Mirissa walked slowly to the podium. The girl clutched her prepared speech and looked around the audience. Her nervousness was evident, and she looked like a squirrel frozen in the night.
'Still, I have to make sure I congratulate her later!' I folded my hands in my lap and stared at Mirissa intently.
"My name is Mirissa Hesman, and I am the top graduate of this class."
For some reason, tears began to well up in my eyes. Ever since Duke Hesman was permanently imprisoned, I had been very worried about Mirissa. To overcome such hardships and graduate at the top of her class... It was a truly moving story of human triumph.
While I pressed my eyes tightly to hold back my tears, Mirissa's speech continued.
"When I first entered this school, I wasn't even first in my class. But after working hard last semester, I am overwhelmed with emotion to be graduating at the top."
We all know our Mirissa is overwhelmed with emotion, I thought. She's so smart! I wanted to shout with pride, but I held back to maintain my composure. Instead, I gripped Isaac's hand tightly.
"I had a special reason that motivated me to work so hard."
A few enthusiastic parents in the audience began taking notes. It made sense; a top graduate's speech was of great interest to grade-conscious parents.
'Everyone is eagerly writing down Mirissa's words!' I stiffened my shoulders and raised my chin, feeling proud even though I wasn't the top graduate.
"It was after someone I really liked said something nice to me." Mirissa's gaze swept across the audience and then settled on me. "A few years ago, he gave a lecture at the academy. That day, he gave me a small note."
A lecture and a note from a few years ago? I felt something was strange and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"In the note, he wrote: 'You are an apostle of justice! Your actions will be a beacon that shines in the world.'"
I recognized the content of the note I had written. 'Mirissa, what are you trying to say?' I stared at her, not daring to blink.
Mirissa looked directly at me as she continued. It was as if her speech was meant for me alone. "At that time, I couldn't be called a righteous person. I turned away from sick people, and I didn't help my friends with their studies. I didn't have many friends, and I was a bit twisted. However..."
Mirissa paused, taking a breath. I clenched my fists tightly.
"After I received that note, I truly wanted to become a righteous person. I wanted to have a good influence on others, just like he had a good influence on me."
Mirissa's words echoed throughout the playground.
"I thought about how I could have a positive impact. I decided I wanted to use the magic potions I created to help people in need."
How can a child be so considerate at such a young age? My eyes were red, and my heart felt full.
"Mirissa is truly an angel," I said to myself.
I felt the simultaneous gazes of Isaac and Dominic on me. I covered my mouth with my palm and stared intently at Mirissa.
"After I set that goal, I worked incredibly hard to hone my magic, which is why I was able to graduate at the top of my class."
As soon as she finished speaking, a round of applause erupted. I applauded along with everyone else, feeling a sincere sense of pride.
"This concludes my graduation speech. Do you have any final words?" the president asked.
Mirissa stammered for a moment, then placed her hands on her stomach and bowed politely. "Thank you so much, Meldenik."
Everyone's eyes were on me. I smiled and waved at Mirissa. The academy president, who was about to leave the podium, looked at us with a satisfied expression and said to himself, "It's a beautiful friendship."
Thanks to the magic of the podium, his voice echoed throughout the entire playground. The president, mortified by his unintentional remark, wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. "Ah, finally... I will now conclude the graduation ceremony with the president's congratulatory speech."
The speech was unusually short, as he was clearly embarrassed. After a quick speech, the graduation ceremony was over.
The final event began, prepared to commemorate the ceremony.
"Look at the sky!" a child shouted.
"Wow!"
"Paper stars are flying!"
Led by Axion and Carat's shouts, various pieces of paper, including paper stars and moons, flew into the sky. The enchanted papers floated for a few seconds before turning into bright pollen and scattering.
"The confetti we folded is flying in the sky?" a child asked.
"It's amazing!"
I smiled happily as I looked at the origami flying above. 'How strange. It's my handiwork.' I could hear the children laughing and cheering. It was a time when everyone seemed joyful and happy, and my mood improved even more.
I poked Isaac and Dominic with my elbows. "The graduation ceremony is over, so let's head out."
Just as I was about to stand up, some little boys wearing graduation caps approached me.
"Sister!"
The little boy who had sat next to me was the first to hold out a cap. "Please wear this hat!"
"Linton?" I looked closely at his face and recognized him as the youngest son of Marquis Linton, a regular customer of my stationery store. The red-haired boy, who looked like he had been playing outside for a long time, waved his graduation cap at me, urging me to put it on.
"Yes! You should be congratulated for graduation, too, sister!" he said maturely.
"What?" I asked, bewildered.
Linton replied, "My friends and I enjoyed going to school thanks to your stationery store, sister!"
The other children chimed in. "That's right!" "We went to school to play pranks with the things you made!" "If it weren't for you, sister, we would have been so bored!"
I guess going to school to play around is still a good thing, right? I thought. I replied seriously, "Yes, congratulations! I'll wear the hat, then."
I thought a cap made for a child's head would look ridiculous on me, but I quietly took the black graduation cap and placed it on my head.
"How do I look? Does it suit me?" I asked.
"Yes!" the children cheered.
I affectionately stroked the heads of the little ones next to me.
"Thank you, sister!"
"Yes. Today is a truly perfect day. Thank you."
Today was a graduation ceremony. A day when all the graduating children left the past behind and prepared to start anew. All the children here would face many difficulties and hardships in their lives, as life is not without challenges.
However, I hoped that the items I made at the stationery store could become a page of happy memories that all children could open whenever they were having a hard time.
'I hope I will be a genuinely good memory for all of you.'
With that sincere wish, I held the hands of Isaac and Dominic, who were standing beside me. At that moment, a cool breeze blew, as if to bless us with beautiful memories and a brilliant future.
〈End〉