Senior Maid Bell was rumored to be the best and most reliable among the elite maids of Ophelis Hall.
She had authority over the other maids. She was incharge of educating the newly hired maid. She would even scold them.
Everyone had been speculating who would be next in line to Head Maid Elris, the current head maid and general manager of Ophelis Hall who was currently rumored to retire soon. The most likely candidate was actually Bell Maya.
"Ms. Yennekar."
Bell was already treated with more respect than the other maids of Ophelis Hall, but that didn't mean her work differed from theirs because of her elevated status.
Lower-ranked maids tended to the dirty and vulgar chores around the dormitory. They must also always be ready at a moment's notice for an order, making them ultimately responsible to take care of most things at Ophelis Hall.
This also applied to dressing the students. Usually, senior maids barely did these types of tasks themselves, but Bell would still roll up her sleeves and do them herself.
Just like this, Bell was combing Yennekar's hair in front of the mirror when she casually brought up a certain topic.
"I went to young master Ed's camp last time I went to the forest and saw something quite amazing."
"Hm? Oh… You must mean the cabin?"
"…How did you know about it?"
Yennekar shrugged as she began twisting the ends of her hair.
"I… I saw it while passing by."
"I see. He said he made it himself but I was quite surprised. It was much more impressive than I had thought. I had no idea he had quite the talent when it comes to that kind of thing."
"I… I see."
"I wanted to look inside but I refrained from doing so. I was worried it might seem too inappropriate to ask. I wanted to look around and see how sturdy it was."
"I guess even someone like you wonders about that kind of thing."
"Of course. I'm also human. Being curious is only natural."
Bell was the perfect maid. She was someone who really understood the meaning of serving someone else. She was never satisfied with just cleaning and doing her errands well.
Doing everything for the person they are serving to their utmost ability, all without being too presumptuous – that was the true quality of a maid.
"Wouldn't anyone who walks by and stumbles across that cabin be curious as to who built it, how did they build it, and what was inside? Such curiosity is a totally natural reaction to have."
Strangely, Bell kept on bringing up the words 'natural' and 'obvious', as if she had a hidden agenda. Yennekar felt like she was being pushed. She had also wanted to visit Ed's camp and see him. She also wanted to talk about things as well.
But of course, such thoughts as doubting others' kindness or trying to guess their true intentions… there was no way Yennekar would think as such. To answer, Yennekar just nodded her head.
"I see. You're right. Of course, it was only natural. Seeing such a thing, of course, you couldn't help but be curious."
Yennekar accepted what Bell said with a serious face.
Behind her, Bell let out a sigh of relief as she braided Yennekar's hair. It was only natural for a girl Yennekar's age to have feelings of affection and longing, but things would go well for her if she was this clumsy.
Of course, to meddle any more than this would be too much so all Bell could do for now was trim Yennekar's hair as prettily as possible.
For today, Bell used a bit more strength in her hands as she quietly brushed Yennekar's hair.
The entrance to the northern forest was the same as always. The green vegetation was spread out, as if welcoming everyone to come inside.
The entrance felt rather warm rather than dark despite the sun setting over the horizon. This was because of the fact that for Yennekar, the northern forest was a place she often visited whenever she needed to take a breather.
She particularly enjoyed sitting down and leaning on The Guardian Tree of Merilda while she read books and enjoyed the breeze, the sound of the leaves swaying around her. It reminded her of sitting on a hill back in her hometown, the wind whistling past her ears.
That was why she always visited this forest whenever she felt even a little bit homesick.
However, she hadn't been able to enter the northern forest recently.
She was ashamed to admit the reason herself, that it was because there was a high chance she would run into someone, that someone being a student who lived in the forest.
It started with simple curiosity.
The wind spirit Merilda, who was guarding the forest, would occasionally transform into a small fox whenever she had the time and come out of the forest to visit Yennekar and chat with her.
They would sit by the windowsill in the moonlight late at night, chatting. For Yennekar, ending the day like that had become part of her norm.
The Ed Rothstaylor that Merilda spoke of was much different from the rumors she'd heard. Hearing his struggles just to survive in the forest, he sounded like some wild animal.
He got an upset stomach after eating the bark of a tree, his wooden shelter kept on collapsing on him, and how he tied his hair while chopping up firewood. Yennekar couldn't stop laughing when she heard these stories.
When he caught and cooked his first fish with the fishing rod he worked so hard to make, when he completed making the durable drying rack, even when he first succeeded in hunting small animals using his handmade bow… Yennekar couldn't help but proudly smile at hearing these stories.
She enjoyed sitting by the windowsill and listening to all of Merilda's stories such as these. It reminded her of how her parents used to stroke her head while they read her fairy tales when she was young. Growing up, she became too embarrassed to ask them to do it again.
Whenever she felt like going crazy, she knew she could always rely on wrapping up her day with stories of Ed.
"Hmm…"
Yennekar rolled her feet as she wandered into the entrance of the northern forest.
Yes, she was aware of how pathetic she was acting.
Was this because of the Glasskan incident? And yet, there seemed to be some signs even before then.
It wasn't anything special.
Her affection and longing for Ed were like light rain—when she noticed it had been raining, her whole body had already been completely drenched.
In her defense, Merilda's descriptions of him were way too detailed.
The wind spirit described the details of Ed's muscles with his shirt off. Merilda even went into detail about his biceps and his abs that were starting to form. Yennekar couldn't help her blood rush to her head.
She couldn't even look at him properly when she accidentally ran into him downtown.
Her eyes kept on straying and glancing at the tendons near his collarbones and the veins on the back of his hands…
She left as if she was running away, her nose bleeding. Her best friend Anise even worried about her. Clara looked even more worried, a strange cold sweat running down her face.
Yennekar didn't bleed to the extent of that worry. It was quite an overreaction, something she thought was unusual for Clara.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing…"
Yennekar came to her senses. Every time she had a bit of time, she always found herself thinking about him. Was there anyone else as stupid as she was?
She stomped her feet because of how pathetic she was acting.
In the first place, Ed Rothstaylor was someone who had already been disowned by his family. Although he was often called Ed Rothstaylor out of habit, he was just now a commoner with a two-letter name—Ed.
This meant there was no longer a significant difference in their statuses. Truth was, Yennekar's imagination was already going quite wild.
For example, she had already imagined the two of them working together back at their ranch in her hometown which was lacking workers. Or they could be doing research together somewhere like the Eastern Magic Society after graduation. Or they could stay in school together and become professors.
Thinking such thoughts made her kick her blanket around when she laid in bed… imagining.
She had no idea she was capable of such delusion, and as time passed by, her sense of shame continued to rise.
"How long am I going to keep acting like this? Ed must think I'm weird…"
Ed's reputation may have improved, but it still wasn't all that great.
Ed was well aware of that fact, so he didn't think it was strange that Yennekar was avoiding him but… it was a completely different story for Yennekar.
Objectively speaking, it would be rude to avoid someone so blatantly.
Regardless of her feelings, it was basic human courtesy. She could no longer keep acting like this.
Yennekar nodded her head as she began heading towards where Ed was.
***
[ Name: Ed Rothstaylor
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Academy Year: 2nd
Species: Human
Achievements: None
Vitality: 8
Intelligence: 7
Dexterity: 10
Willpower: 9
Luck: 6
Combat Skills Details >
Magic Skills Details >
Life Skills Details >
Alchemy Skills Details >> ]
Finally, my Dexterity stat had reached level 10.
From here on out, I could even be considered specialized in Handicraft-making.
Moreover, my proficiency in production increased the moment it reached level 10.
That meant that, with the conditions met, I was able to acquire advanced production skills.
Spiritual Infusion allowed me to inject the power of a spirit into a product I crafted.
Magical Engineering allowed me to make different types of magic items.
Magic Implementation allowed me to give various effects to ordinary products.
Craftsman's Spirit allowed me to exert greater power in combat using the products I produced.
And lastly, Pharmacist's Eyes allowed me to skillfully mix together various reagents and herbs to create something new.
.
.
Advanced skills allowed the use of different special skills in their various forms, skills only obtained if the conditions were met and through combining Combat, Magic, and Alchemy skills together.
The only advanced Production skill I could realistically obtain right now was Spiritual Infusion. But I knew I would eventually be able to try out the other advanced skills if I worked hard enough.
I felt a sense of accomplishment at the increase in growth I experienced as a result of working on my cabin. It gave me strength and encouraged me to work even harder,
It was like a great and advantageous cycle. Meanwhile, I started to think of what I could fill my cabin up with, already thinking of different things I could build.
The most urgent thing right now was a door. I already bought a hinge and attached it to a wooden board but it wasn't that durable. Another thing was that the size of the board I used didn't fit the threshold so a draft had come in.
I continued to think of ways I could solve this problem while I cut some wood in front of my cabin.
"He~y! E~d!"
Somebody greeted me off-key.
I turned my head around to see that it was Yennekar. It looked like she came to the camp for some reason.
Unlike her usual neat uniform, Yennekar was wearing a dark blue skirt and a large white blouse instead. She had a hat and shawl on, making her look quite warm. It seemed she may have worn them to avoid getting sunburnt. A smart decision, in my opinion. Yennekar had pale skin that seemed weak to sunlight. The sun wasn't that strong now as it had already begun to set, but hey, nothing good came out of being careless.
On the other hand, I was holding a saw as I cut wood on my workbench, the sleeves of my shirt and the legs of my pants all rolled up. My raw and unfiltered appearance had quite a gap compared to hers.
"Hey, Yennekar. What brings you all the way here?"
I naturally responded.
In actuality, I was a little confused. Yennekar had been avoiding me for the last few days. I wondered if she had some business to do around these parts since she appeared to have come all the way here to my camp on her own.
"Oh, it's totally nothing!"
Yennekar started explaining herself.
"I was just passing by! Was on my way to see Merilda! Then I saw this cabin! And now I'm here!"
She talked as if she was in a rush.
"I saw the cabin so I became curious. Who built it? How did they build it? What does the inside look like? It's only natural to be curious, right? Hm, Ed?"
"I… guess so?"
"Yeah! I saw your cabin and had a completely natural and obvious thought which led me to do the natural and obvious thing. And here I am! By the way, this cabin is so cool, Ed."
I threw my saw by my workbench and wiped off my hands.
"Yeah, I recently built it. Did the spirits not tell you?"
Yennekar let out a hiccup as if stabbed by those words. She shook her head.
"Did I already tell you I just happened to be walking by? Ah… yeah, there may have been something like the spirits telling me… but just a little? Like, a really tiny amount? Information so little it was practically useless? I don't talk to spirits that much anyway. Yeah, that's right! I only talk to them from time to time. Just like getting updates, you know? That's why I really didn't know how you were doing. I'm serious."
"Well… alright, then. You can go in, if you want. It's pretty sturdy so it's bad at all. I'm quite proud of it, in fact."
I nodded my head and pointed toward my cabin. Yennekar was strangely hesitant as she entered, touching and staring at every little thing.
Yeah, it was just a log cabin.
But I'm quite proud of the fact that I built it myself.
Night came and with it, its usual fanfare.
The buzzing of cicadas was pleasant to listen to as always. The moon had started to show itself just as the stars slowly began to map themselves across the sky.
I made tea in a mug I bought from downtown using the herbs Bell had given me.
Yennekar held the mug with both hands as she sat down, staring blankly at the flickering flame.
I hadn't built a proper fireplace in my cabin yet so I dare not make a fire inside. I would be too upset to sleep if I ended up burning down my own cabin which I worked so hard on.
This was why I decided that I would continue camping outside until I could properly finish its internal construction. But even still, just looking at my nearly completed house felt like my dreams had finally been realized.
"You're quite amazing, Ed. Most people would have given up in your situation."
"I don't think I did anything that deserves praise."
"No, this is already quite amazing."
The strange hesitation she had before had already disappeared. The mysterious atmosphere of the forest at night brought about peaceful feelings that helped people calm down. Coupled with a cup of herbal tea, things were just perfect.
"I don't think I could've done anything if I were to end up in your place, Ed."
"Uh, aren't you… going to have to move out of Ophelis Hall soon?"
"Yeah. I'll probably end up going to Dex Hall."
The three dormitories of Silvenia: Ophelis Hall, Lorail Hall and Dex Hall
Dex Hall had the worst facilities among them. It was also home to the majority of regular students.
Depending on how much you paid, they had rooms for four, eight, even ten students.
It would be difficult to get used to for someone who came from Ophelis Hall.
Well, Yennekar wasn't from a wealthy family, so it shouldn't be as difficult.
"What about your tuition fees? Can your folks back home afford it?"
Yennekar shook her head.
"Febri said she'd lend it to me. I can slowly pay her back once I graduate."
Febri was the second daughter of the Kroel family.
That's fair. After all, Yennekar was someone who could do anything once she had graduated and gotten her diploma. It wasn't a risky investment. Even they had been trying to clear up their debts, it seemed.
Even with that amount of support, Yennekar was stubborn about moving to Dex Hall.
Lorail hall would have been a better dorm for her, but she didn't want to rely on her friends to live in a better dormitory after the huge incident she had created.
"I've gained quite a bit of debt. I didn't know that everyone would help me so much during the hearing. Especially Princess Penia and Lortel. Even though I made such a huge mistake, for some reason, everyone was trying to comfort me… I'm so thankful. I can't even begin to describe how thankful I am."
Yennekar still didn't understand that the problem stemmed from the weight of her sincerity. In the end, none of the underlying problems were solved.
The vicious cycle was yet to be broken.
"How should I… pay everyone back?"
"Don't pay them back if you can't."
Despite everyone's expectations and support, Yennekar ended up failing.
The shock of it hadn't disappeared and yet, new debts just kept on piling up.
"Isn't that just a stereotype? That you're supposed to pay off what you owe? Do you really need to pay someone back just because they lent you something?"
"Oh. Wow. I've never thought of that."
There were so many ways to not pay back what they owed. The same way there were so many people who lived their lives never paying back theirs.
However, this concept was completely unimaginable for Yennekar. That was just the kind of person she was.
"You've gone through a lot, either way. You'll have to move dorms soon."
"I'm sure the facilities won't be that great once I move to Dex Hall, but I think it will still be a lot more enjoyable. I can spend the whole day with my friends once I'm there. From early morning, to late at night. We can joke around with each other in the same room, we can hug our pillows at night before falling asleep, we can snack late into the night talking about this and that… yeah."
Ophelis Hall only housed one student per room.
You could quietly rest in your own space after coming back from a hard and difficult day. It was a place to find one's peace of mind.
In that one room, there were no classmates or underclassmen who stared at Yennekar with envy. Quietly sitting on her bed alone as she stared at the moon out her window every night, that was enough to take some of the burden off her shoulders.
Therefore, Dex Hall was a place that evoked a fundamental fear in Yennekar.
It was no different from a prison. Yennekar would live every day chained up.
Yennekar lifted her gaze from the campfire and raised her head back to look up at the sky.
It was a clear night sky over Acken Island. The breeze was quiet. The darkness and bleakness of the early evening had turned cozy and warm.
Yennekar looked strangely on edge. I was uncomfortable just letting her be.
"When you want to be alone, you can come and stay here anytime. I won't care."
I casually said. If I unnecessarily sound too sincere and considerate towards her, it would only become poison.
"Hm? Really, Ed? Yay… I'm so happy. Hehe."
It was only then that Yennekar, who had been acting distant towards me these past few days, finally put on that stupid smile of hers after such a long time.
"Hey, Ed? If you're having a really hard time or there was something that you're struggling with on your own, it would be really great if you would tell me."
Yennekar softly said as she looked up at the blue sky above us.
"I'll definitely help you then."
***
"Ophelis Hall is quite a mess these days."
The mug of herbal tea was now empty. Yennekar had grabbed her shawl and was straightening her clothes as she prepared to leave.
"It's because there are rumors that the head maid will quit soon. I heard the head maid, Elris, has been under a lot of stress lately."
Yennekar told me while patting off her clothes.
"Isn't it strange? I haven't seen her that much but she definitely seemed quite bright and hardworking. Well, I'm going to leave Ophelis Hall soon anyway, so it doesn't matter to me too much but… I'm worried, for some reason."
She smiled innocently.
"Anyway, thanks for showing me around your cabin, Ed. I'll come and see you often. Can I come every day? Uhm… No, maybe that would be too much?"
"Do what you want."
"Hehe! It was such a good choice to come and see you here today, Ed. Then, I'll see you tomorrow! No, I mean—uhm, next time. See you next time!"
As I said goodbye to Yennekar, I made sure to act as if the information she just told me wasn't anything special.
Come to think of it, the second semester was almost here.
The mark that announced the start of Act 2.
'The Occupation of Ophelis Hall'.
It was just an event where struggling students that were unhappy with their unfair treatment took a day to properly express their dissatisfaction. It didn't have much influence as no one really cared about them.
However, the scale of the incident increased exponentially with the participation of the head maid bought by Lortel. It later developed into a main event in Act 2.
This escalated the fight between the Elte Company and the Academic Affairs over the 'Sage's Seal'. It ended up becoming an event worthy of being called 'the beginning of all events'.
Ah, pretty soon, you'll be having quite a hard time, Taylee.
I waved my hand at Yennekar as she disappeared into the forest.
I offered Taylee a silent prayer with all my heart.
Really… it's really going to be a pain in the ass, Taylee.
Good luck.
-x-X-x-
My original goal was to create a safe living environment for myself before vacation ended.
My crude wooden shelter was now dirty and deteriorating. I couldn't even remember the last time I had a good night's sleep.
I thought I would be able to finish my cabin before our break ended so I could start living in it once the second semester rolled in. But now that the second semester was just a week away, I realized I still had a long way to go.
"Hmm…"
I looked at my cabin. It now had a wooden door and a window. I made sure to buy a big hinge this time. It would be a headache if it fell off again. Although I was worried it would quickly get rusty due to its size, and soon make that loud creaky sound.
Well, it was still better than just falling off.
Anyway, I still had more work left to do before I could live in my cabin.
The most important things right now were a fireplace and some furniture.
I was actually worried about the fireplace. Sure, it wasn't that cold this time of the year, even at night, but once the season changes, indoor heating would become a must.
On top of that, a fireplace would provide my only source of light at night. It was also necessary to cook my food. Fire was needed for many other survival purposes. It was absolutely essential that I be able to start a fire indoors.
But it would be a disaster if I make a fireplace out of wood and it… catches on fire. It would be a disaster. This was the reason I needed to build my fireplace with a stronger material. The first thing that came to mind was bricks.
Elte Company's General Store downtown sold everything you could think of, but it would still be too much, even for them, to be selling bricks in an educational facility. I ended up going to Nail Hall's construction site and asked to buy some of their bricks, but they couldn't sell me any since their bricks were delivered exactly as inventoried.
In the end, I decided to start making my own bricks.
[ Newly Crafted Product
Brick Casting
a square.
You can mold mud into bricks by filling it with mud.
Production Difficulty Level: ◐○○○○]
"Phew…"
It only took me five minutes to make a mold to cast my bricks in. I threw my hammer on my workbench and wiped off my sweat.
I gathered mud from the river and squeezed it into the casting, making sure to press it in hard. I then took it under the shade and removed the cast. I planned to mass-produce standardized bricks by repeating this process tens, or even hundreds, of times. I would then dry them for a week and then stack them up in my cabin to create a decent fireplace and chimney.
However, I would be using mud to stick my bricks together instead of cement. This worried me since mud wasn't as strong an adhesive as cement was. I thought I should make and attach a support fixture to keep everything together.
It would also be great if I could make some furniture to use indoors, but I didn't have any specific plan for that just yet.
I could easily make some simple pieces of furniture since my woodworking proficiency was quite high. I had learned quite a few tricks here and there. The design behind each was actually quite easy to come up with.
Items like tables and chairs were relatively simple as long as I had the materials.
It should also be quite easy to create a bed frame. Although for the mattress… it should work if I were to buy something like a large piece of fabric or bag of sorts and fill it up with feathers, cotton, or hay.
I would also like to install a glass window, if possible. But I wondered where I would even be able to purchase such a thing.
I walked through the forest as I gathered my thoughts, my bow in hand as I searched for my meal for the day.
[ Combat Skills Details
Grade: Beginner Combatant
Specialized Fields: Bow
Bow Proficiency Level 6
Vital Points Stripe Level 3
Quick Shot Level 2
Retreat Shot Level 1
Sense of Aim Level 2
Field of View Expansion Level 1 ]
It was at times like this that I realized how talentless Ed Rothstaylor was in Combat Skills. I always had to force myself to use the bow whenever I went out to hunt. But the vacation was almost over and my bow skills were still this poor.
Looks like I would need some special measures to grow this as well. I would find a way, one way or another.
"I found one."
I chanced upon a fawn walking through the forest. I hid among the trees and took out my bow.
I had been finding all sorts of people at my camp recently.
Bell Maya used to stop by and share various ingredients with me, but she hadn't been coming over as much these days.
Meanwhile, Ziggs would jog through the forest once every three or four days.
Apparently, he hadn't only been running through the forest, but all over Acken Island instead. Just as I expected, his Vitality stat wasn't normal. If not for Elka being in the Magic Department, I was sure he would have joined the Combat Department.
There was also that one innocent student who happened to pass by but ran away in horror at seeing me carry a bunch of dead squirrels.
Then Claire, Princess Penia's Head Escort, also came to check on me to see how I was doing.
Ah, how should I put it? Quite a few people now knew that I lived here in the northern forest. I hoped the news wouldn't reach the Academic Affairs Office and end up causing me trouble…
Well, not like the whole of Acken Island was managed by the academy, so there shouldn't be a reason for them to kick me off of it immediately. I didn't have to be too scared of that possibility.
But of the guests that would often visit me, there were three students that were particularly special.
Guest A was a one-of-a-kind genius magician whose visits were at complete random.
Sometimes, that guest would come over in broad daylight, when the sun was still high up in the sky. She would then lie down next to my campfire and sleep. Other times, she would come over at midnight where I would find her sleeping on the roof of my unfinished cabin.
There was also that time I came back after hunting by the river to find her laying down on my hammock. She was looking at my cabin with big sparkling eyes. She must have felt like she now had a new secret base or hideout…
She would then keep on asking me things like:
"Hey, you know what? Are you going to make a chimney?"
"Oooooh! You installed a door!"
"How about you build a backdoor too!"
Even when I was cutting firewood by the riverside, she would just randomly appear from the top of a tree and say:
"Can't you install a glass window instead?"
"It won't collapse, will it? I shouldn't use my magic nearby…"
"How about adding a window on the roof, too?"
And when I went to check up on the hunting snares I had set up, she would randomly pop out of bushes and ask:
"Can I try using magic inside?"
"How about laying down some marten skin inside, huh?"
And then that time I was sharpening the blade of my dagger using a rock, she was right on top of said rock and kept on kicking her feet high up in the air to tell me:
"While you're at it, why don't you try having the door open towards the sunlight?"
"You know, they say you need two windows for the wind to circulate better."
Anyone would think the punk was bullying me.
I was getting so sick of answering her questions and suggestions one by one that I ended up picking her up and throwing her into the wooden shelter. Every. Damn. Time.
That was Guest A.
Guest B was a second-year top student, who was also quite the talented Elementalist. I was rather welcoming of this visitor.
"Ta-da! I brought some eggs. Bell said it would be great if I could bring these to you so I came to visit."
She put down a basket of eggs by the campfire and did her classic 'hehe' laugh.
This was a neighbor that I was grateful for since she would bring me food and other daily necessities that were rather difficult to find in the woods.
Even though the Elementalist kept on coming over every day, she would just sit down by the tree and read her books while she talked with spirits. It was a rather pleasant sight so I allowed it.
One day, she manifested a spirit that brought over a large washbowl and started boiling water out of the blue.
"I'll show you something amazing. Don't worry about anything and just sit there, Ed!"
I didn't pay any mind to the faint laughter I heard coming from her direction as I kept on pouring mud into my brick casting by the river. I finally came over when it was time to eat and found her with her sleeves rolled up and her skirt tied high while she continuously stepped on something in the washbowl.
I went to check what it was and I found my uniform shirt.
It was a shirt that I had been washing like crazy, crazy with force enough to nearly tear the fabric apart. Even still, I had to keep wearing it the entire semester.
Therefore, it was only inevitable that over time, things like dirt stains that couldn't be erased would pile up.
This particular guest seemed quite uncomfortable with this shirt.
"Ta-da! I boiled salt water and pressed it down to make it white. Isn't it amazing? My parents used to do this when my clothes would get dirty back on our ranch."
She then opened up the completely white shirt with a proud smile on her face.
Seeing that smile made it look like she was waiting to get praised. I couldn't help it. I gave her a round of applause.
I kept on clapping and said, "You're the best! So cool! It's amazing how you know such things!" She just lowered her head through all the praises, all awkward and shy.
She was someone who would always do the opposite of what you would expect from her.
There were some things that were quite obvious about her, but there were also things that I couldn't quite understand. For example, whenever Lucy would randomly show up out of nowhere, Guest B wouldn't even be surprised and give her greetings, nor ask me things like, 'How often does Lucy come here?'
She was truly someone whose actions couldn't be explained.
That was Guest B.
But the main point of this was Guest C.
Guests A and B were people who relatively showed up quite often. There was no particular surprise meeting them, so I would just treat them as I usually did.
But with Guest C, this thought came to my mind: "Why the hell is this person here?"
The sun was starting to slowly fade in the west, bathing the forest in red.
My first arrow missed, so I ended up chasing after it for more than an hour. At the end of the day, I was able to catch a deer and hauled its corpse back into camp.
Two unexpected people were waiting for me by the campfire.
One of them was dressed in a neat maid uniform. She stood calmly, her hands together.
The other was sitting next to the fire, humming a song as she had her chin resting on the palm of her hand.
"Oh my, Ed. I've been waiting for you. Your work must have taken quite a while."
To the public, this person was called 'The Golden Daughter.'
She was Guest C.
***
"The Occupation of Ophelis Hall" was an event that marked the start of Act 2, and would take place in Ophelis Hall on the very last day of vacation.
Just summarizing the main points would take quite a while.
As the summer vacation came to a close, the lower-ranking students that had just returned to the academy would take over Ophelis Hall, overcome by resentment towards the students who lived there for having special privileges and treatment.
At the heart of it all was Wilaine, "The Representative of Lower-Ranking Students," whose speech spanned well over 20 chapters.
They argued that top students who lived in Ophelis Hall were guaranteed a life of aristocracy. They had permission to select seats first when taking classes, they had first choice when it came to eating, and they even had maids dedicated to them.
These frustrations that had accumulated over time suddenly exploded due to an incident that happened during vacation.
Heavy rain began to pour down in southern Belor, where Acken Island was located, just as the students were returning to the academy. However, the academy announced that they would only provide carriages and ships for students from Ophelis Hall. The other students would need to figure out how to get back to the Academy on their own. But not only that, the academy would only give them a few days to return before they are expected back.
The lower-ranked students who had to endure the heavy rain as they traveled back to the academy, all the while in fear of having points deducted for arriving late—these students finally exploded. They met at Dex Hall and established a plan to come together and occupy the luxurious Ophelis Hall and express their dissatisfaction.
It wasn't a realistic plan, of course.
Not only was Ophelis Hall home to the top student in each grade, but even the maids who managed the dormitory were not easy opponents. Everyone in the building knew how to wield a rapier, and the senior maids even knew how to use intermediate magic.
No matter how many low-ranked students gathered, there was no way for them to successfully take over Ophelis Hall. It was like watching a group of lemmings swarming over a cliff from a distance.
And even if they managed to occupy the dormitory, Ophelis Hall was home to all sorts of aristocratic and influential people. This meant they would receive a heavy punishment. That made the scale of the situation a bit limited.
That was, until Lortel intervened.
"The low-ranked students are talking about quite an interesting plan among each other."
Lortel was smiling widely across the campfire. I kept sharpening the blade of my dagger without giving her much of a response.
I looked up to check and the person next to her was definitely Elris, the head maid of Ophelis Hall.
As if she was waiting for Lortel's orders… there wasn't anything strange about her quietly standing there without saying a word.
She was the only person who had access to the protective magic inside Ophelis Hall.
And although it was called protective magic, slightly twisting it in a certain direction would enable you to use it in a totally different way.
There was no reason to explain just how important having that level of authority was.
Only those who have worked long enough at the academy, all while receiving the academy's full trust, could qualify as the head maid.
In other words, Elris was definitely not someone who could have been easily bought over with just a few coins.
"So?"
"I want to ask for your help."
"You need my help?"
"You suit the role."
Lortel deeply sighed and continued to talk.
"Originally, the decoy… I was going to have Totte do the job, but he got himself seriously injured."
I put the dagger that I was sharpening down at her words.
This was a story that I couldn't just ignore.
"Oh, you're finally going to seriously listen to me, huh, Ed?"
"What about Totte?"
Decoy Totte. He didn't have a very important role, but it was a name I remembered clearly.
He was the intro boss that appeared at the beginning of Act 2. His role was to get into an argument and get beat up by Taylee over vacation. He would later reappear as a one-phase boss in Act 2 Chapter 3: The Occupation of Ophelis Hall.
It wasn't as big of an event as the Glasskan Subjugation was, but this Ophelis Hall event would have enough influence in the later stories.
It had five named bosses.
The 1st-floor boss, 'Decoy Totte.'
The 2nd-floor boss, 'Gloomy Clevius.'
The 3rd-floor bosses, 'Shaney, who is in charge of dishes' and 'Kelly, who is in charge of washing the beddings.'
The 4th-floor boss, 'The Representative of Lower-Ranked Students, Wilane.'
The 5th-floor boss, 'Head Maid Elris.'
First among these bosses was Totte. He was meant to set the atmosphere, get beaten up, and then disappear. If this was the original timeline, then he should have already been bought by Lortel to become part of the Ophelis Hall incident.
"Ah, how should I say this? That guy wasn't one to take things seriously. Plus he didn't seem that trustworthy at all… but he knew to keep his mouth shut, at least. So I thought I would go ahead and trust him, but then I didn't expect Ziggs to beat him up that badly. He's in the hospital right now."
Something seemed to have fallen out of place in the timeline. I was sure there weren't that many influential large events that should have taken place over the vacation.
"Ziggs beat him up?"
"Totte seemed to have gotten into a fight with Taylee and Ziggs. Seriously, why did he go ahead and do something stupid like that?"
So far, everything seemed to follow what I knew.
Totte was another third-rate villain that was used at the beginning of Act 2. His only role was to get beaten up by the main character's group of friends after arguing over nothing.
In fact, this character was only meant to make Ziggs look good. Totte came over and mocked the 'failed swordmaster' Taylee, saying his talent was fake. So Ziggs came over and hit him full-on.
Taylee and Ziggs would have gotten quite close during vacation, so it was only natural to start Act 2 with such an incident. I knew that was going to happen.
However, it seemed like there were some parts I didn't know.
For example, what did Totte specifically say to Taylee?
"He looked at Taylee and said, 'You're not even as good as Ed Rothstaylor… You're just a human that's even lower than an insect.' Weren't his words too harsh?"
"Ha…."
"To tell you the truth, Taylee and you were both insulted at the same time… but Ziggs was the one who got twice as angry."
Ah… That was why I was trying to minimize my involvement with any of the main characters… Those situations were starting to become a bit too difficult to deal with.
"Elvira told me that Ziggs would have normally been a little upset, at the very least. But he seemed more angry than usual that day. Well, he did apologize after his anger faded away, but Totte was still a bit too emotional at that time."
Lortel paused to catch her breath.
"I can't trust such an emotional person."
Then she looked me straight in the eyes and said,
"Your task is not that difficult. All you have to do is get the key from Elris, stay in Ophelis Hall for a while, and then open the door to let the lower-ranked students in."
"I'm sure there are a lot of other people who could do that other than me."
"There's actually not as many as you would think. No matter how the situation turns out, this is a job that needs someone to remain level-headed. And above all else, you have enough reason to participate."
Why was Lortel telling me all this?
"Even if I bribed someone with enough money, there was no guarantee they wouldn't rat me out to the academy's internal investigators once the incident is over. 'Oh, the person behind all this was actually the first-year student Lortel.' If someone went ahead and confessed that, how do you think that would make me feel? There wouldn't be anyone I could trust."
I finally understood why Lortel picked me.
I had already been kicked out of Ophelis Hall. I continued attending the academy despite getting ridiculed and looked down on by everyone.
I didn't really care, if I were being honest. Ed Rothstaylor deserved that kind of treatment in the first place. Sure, it was a little bit unfair to me, but right now, all I could really do was focus on my own survival.
How students view me would fade over time, one way or another. The first-years seemed to have actually started viewing me favorably.
"Don't you want to hit them back, Ed?"
Lortel smiled softly as she asked me.
It seemed like she thought I was holding a grudge against the academy.
Well, that was just pure speculation on her part.
"Eh, not really."
"Oh? Really?"
"But sure, I'll listen to your terms first."
I didn't panic and came to a conclusion right away.
If I rejected Lortel's offer, she would just go and search for someone else to do it.
That would just make me even more anxious. I wouldn't know would replace Totte then.
I'd rather take the role, carefully open the door, then lose to Taylee.
That was all his role was anyway.
The only difference here was that Totte, the first phase boss, was currently unable to do his job. So as long as I was able to solve that issue, then the timeline would be able to go back to its original path.
But that didn't mean I would just do it for free. Since Lortel was someone who would be able to pay me a lot, I ought to get as much as I could from her.
"Twenty Coins."
The pay seemed ridiculously high for such a simple task. But considering the fact that I would need to keep quiet after, the calculation seemed correct.
Since I wanted the timeline to progress as smoothly as possible, there was no reason for me to reveal Lortel's involvement in the first place. In fact, this would be pretty much free money to me.
As long as I behaved well, then there wouldn't be a reason for them to investigate me. I'll just keep quiet and stay out of the spotlight. I'll send Taylee on his way up and then hide out in Yennekar's room for a while, maybe even drink a cup of tea, before escaping.
"Deal."
I began sharpening my dagger once again.
A signal that there was nothing more to talk about here.
I had now become the 1st-phase boss.
***
"I feel like something's wrong."
It was night in the middle of the forest.
The young merchant and the head maid walked side by side back to Ophelis Hall.
The silent head maid, who had not spoken once, now spoke with a clear voice once she was alone with Lortel.
"He never asked 'Why?'"
It was only natural for a veteran maid to see through people. At the very least, she could tell that Ed Rothstaylor was not a regular person.
They didn't have much to talk about, but it was funny how she had deduced that something was different about Ed with that level of conversation.
However, whatever the head maid felt was strange… and Lortel clearly felt it too.
"It seemed that even you felt it, Elris."
Lortel smiled.
"Come to think of it, he had always been like that."
There was no sense of curiosity from him, something that humans normally should have.
With Lortel proposing such a thing, it would've been only natural for him to ask 'why' countless of times.
Why did Lortel intervene in the Ophelis Hall Occupation?
Why was Head Maid Elris with Lortel?
Why aren't you disgusted by this initiative from lower-ranked students?
There were so many other 'why's he could have asked. They should have kept on coming.
This was a backdoor transaction for twenty gold coins. It was only human nature to wonder what their purpose was. Why were they doing such a thing? Lortel had even prepared some believable lies beforehand.
And yet, Ed Rothstaylor only asked 'why' once.
Why are you asking me, of all people, to do it?
"With that kind of reaction… It could be one of two reasons. He was someone not interested in anything else as long as he gets paid…"
Lortel felt her spine burning for the first time in a while.
"…Or he was someone who was able to see through all of this."
Lortel still clearly remembered the warmth of those three gold coins he had placed back in her hand. At the very least, Ed Rothstaylor was not someone who would sell his life for gold.
If so, using the process of elimination, there was only one possibility left.
"How much does he know? I don't think there should be any clues."
Lortel closed her eyes gently before smiling her peculiar fox-like smile. It had been a long time since she had felt this feeling.
This 'fear of the unknown.'
It was getting late into the night. Lortel kept on walking through the darkness of the forest without hesitation.
Back there, all he did as she excitedly kept on talking, was to sit there and sharpen his dagger across the campfire.
She wondered what he was thinking after she left.
She couldn't figure out what he was feeling, which only made Lortel's heart run even faster.
Someone who was the same as her.
To the point where it was… terrifying.
-x-X-x-
Among all her senses, Lortel was most confident with her sense of smell.
After all, merchants survive in business by relying on it. The same was true for her.
Someone with the business acumen to smell trends that others have yet to notice would enable them to act faster.
And the opportunity to make quick and easy money usually came from that half-step difference. The way out of a tight situation also depended on that step.
'Proposal for Assistance of Ophelis Hall Students Returning to the Academy'.
Lortel folded the handwritten proposal in half as she sat at her desk in her room. She then put the letter inside an envelope and sealed it with some wax.
"As expected, it's been raining quite a bit."
Raindrops splashed on her window. The gloomy sky only served to look like it agreed at how regrettable it was that vacation was coming to an end.
More than half of the rooms in Ophelis Hall were still empty. The deadline for returning back to the academy was not until this weekend, which was when the dormitory would spring back up to life like usual. But before then, it would continue to be a lonely and quiet place.
Lortel felt gloomy walking the dark corridors alone, the rain whipping against the windows as she passed. Though, like a paradox, the gloomy and dreary atmosphere was rather comforting at the same time.
This land of learning had too many sources of light for her.
There were the students, all of whom were full of hopes and dreams that a beautiful future was waiting for them. They devoted themselves to studying and were always so dazzlingly bright.
Was this the light of adolescence?
The term had always felt a bit awkward to her. But that was only natural as it was a completely unknown world to Lortel.
A bright light would only reveal all the dirt on one's body.
When she looked down at her desk, all she could see were papers full of depressing intentions.
She was in contact with the representative of the lower-ranked students, Willain.
With his teeth clenched, he was looking for an opportunity to get at the academy but also at the students living in Ophelis Hall. This ongoing heavy rain as everyone returned to the academy was a sure opportunity for him.
If they were to create a random cause that the lower-ranked to average-ranked students could rally behind, the complaints would surely start piling up. Then Willaine would come in, a master instigator who was also a master orator. He would then use that incident as a trigger to finish up everything else.
The head maid in charge of Ophelis Hall was already on Lortel's side, part of the academy's Administrative Proposal Review Department as well. They would enthusiastically support Lortel's proposal for sure. It was a proposal to adjust when the Ophelis Hall students would need to come back to the academy.
It was a completely different treatment compared to an ordinary student who had to tough it out and return to the academy in this heavy downpour.
But it didn't matter if the academy would accept Lortel's proposal or not. Just the fact alone that they would seriously consider such a plan would be enough to infuriate the other students.
"This peaceful atmosphere will soon be gone."
This incident needed to be as big and grand as possible. The more property damage there was, the better.
No.
If possible, it would be for the best if the whole of Ophelis Hall itself was completely destroyed.
On top of the ledger was the academy's flow of money. This was completely Lortel's territory. The flow of funds and the structure of finances were things she could clearly deduce just by playing around with the academy a few times.
Silvenia's finances were already in a crisis. The repair work of Nail and Glockt Hall due to the Glasskan incident already required funds from the Elte Company.
The academy's chronic cash shortage would be easier than taking candy from a baby at this point. There wouldn't even be a need to open the academy's financial records.
Lortel had been able to clearly assess the situation with her own two eyes just by attending the academy for a semester. Estimating the academy's quarterly cash flow would be easy to calculate with just a piece of paper, a quill, and some ink to write the formulas down.
Headmaster Obel's perpetual external activities outside of the academy grounds also became clear.
He had been trying to solve the cash bottleneck that had only gone worse this semester. The VIPs he had met were all extremely wealthy and influential people. He had been constantly running around on his own two feet with his sleeves rolled up, in search of a financier.
The academy's financial structure itself was not that bad. But having a payment due date would be a disaster, and could destroy even the most sturdy asset structures at once. 'Assets' and 'Cash' were completely different concepts, after all.
Bankruptcy caused by poor management was a reality that one needed to calmly accept. However, bankruptcies caused by a temporary cash bottleneck felt too unfair, to the point it could make blood flow from one's eyes.
The academy's management would do their best to stop that from happening.
Lortel pushed her creaky chair back and leaned against the window.
Ophelis Hall was the most luxurious and magnificent among all the buildings in the academy.
The dormitory was full of valuables and expensive pieces of art. The stained glass that was embroidered on the wall was handcrafted by a famous artisan whose name remained in history.
The wallpaper, the carpet, and even the wooden furniture—all were handmade by famous craftsmen.
There were things that shouldn't even be in an academy. Noble families and other influential people had donated many pieces of art to inflate their egos.
A bombastic incident right now would become a fatal blow to the academy's finances since they were already in a tight spot.
This would give the Elte Company an edge in the planned negotiations to purchase the 'Sage's Seal.'
The magic book was the heart of Silveria, but for an academy that was truly on its last legs, putting its heart out on the negotiating table was inevitable.
"When will the rain stop?"
The rain continued its heavy downpour as Lortel looked out the window.
No light could be seen under the gloomy sky. It looked like the sky she used to look up at from her shabby house in the ghettos. It gave her a sense of comfort.
Whenever rainwater would drip into her shabby house in the ghettos, all the cockroaches that had been hiding in the corners would come out to find new cracks of darkness to hide into, avoiding the light. Lortel remembered the memory with a sense of kinship with the critters.
This land of learning that was full of romanticism… had too many sources of light for Lortel.
She, who had been living in darkness, her entire body that had been covered in dirt was clearer to see.
The traces of a scheme lying on her desk were proof.
The traces of a person who had always stabbed others in the back, doubted their own innermost thoughts, and lived a life devoid of sincerity. Her life had already become like this when she came to her senses after struggling to survive for so long.
But none of that changed the fact that she was dirty all along.
And so she became obsessed, wandering around, finding others who were just like her.
Even in Silvenia, full of sparkling bright students, just maybe… maybe there was someone here who could sympathize with the life of a dirty gutter rat?
Leaning on such fleeting hopes, Lortel looked up at the dark clouds in the sky and quietly said,
"I'm lonely."
No matter how hard she tried, her nature would never change. Her stance on how to survive in this miserable reality would always be the same.
She was the man behind the curtain, as the audience called it.
***
[ Life Skills Details
Grade: Intermediate Craftsman
Specialized Fields: Woodworking
Handicraft Level 13
Design Level 8
Foraging Level 11
Woodworking Level 12
Hunting Level 8
Fishing Level 6
Cooking Level 6
Repair Level 5
"Advanced Production Technique Slot: Empty"
"Advanced Production Technique Slot: Empty"]
Shwaaaaa….
It was a heavy downpour.
There had been times before when it rained a little bit, but this was the first long and ongoing heavy rain since I lived out here, surviving in the wild.
Thankfully, I was able to set up a simple tent over the bricks I had been drying, but it was inevitable they would still retain some moisture from the air. If I had just a bit more time, maybe even just a week, then I could have used magic to finish drying them off and stored them separately… What awful timing.
I would have no choice but to delay any outdoor work if it kept on raining like this.
Well, of course, I would need to go out and hunt in the rain if I ran out of food. But I wasn't exactly short on food right now, at least.
I sat by the fire under a tent, quietly listening to the sound of the rain falling on top of me as I read up on the upcoming second-semester Elemental Studies textbook.
Rainwater kept on leaking inside my cabin so I couldn't relax inside at all. It seemed the mud I roughly applied by itself did not make it completely waterproof. Just as I thought, I needed to think of how I was going to solve my flooring and inner wall issues.
I was completely focused on my studies even on such a rainy day like this. The most important thing I needed to concentrate on was Intermediate Magic Theory.
Knowing how to do Intermediate Magic was a criterion for determining one's position as a professional magician. Knowing three or four different types of intermediate magic before the end of your third year in the academy meant you were a magician who had already achieved a lot. I needed to work even harder.
Classes would resume in three days. The occupation of Ophelis Hall would take place on the last day of vacation.
The time was near.
The Ophelis Hall Occupation incident was a stepping-stone event.
Lortel used this event to put the academy's finances in a tight spot before the main event of Act 2 began, which was the battle over the 'Sage's Seal' between the academy and the Elte Company.
It was an event that strengthened Lortel's position as the man behind the black curtain, someone who was manipulating things behind the scenes.
For the players playing at that time, this was when the gap between Lortel and who she really was was at its widest.
Either way, I already knew what Lortel was planning, what her goal was, and what would happen. I didn't have any reason to intervene in Lortel's scheme.
She was someone who needed to create a power able to rival Princess Penia's student council. She would form 'The Top,' an independent interest group within the academy.
From my experience when playing the game, I thought the balance of power between the two camps should be about the same.
Princess Penia's idealism and tolerance have the power to unite the two groups.
However, her high ideals were far from being realistic, thus creating contradictions and discrepancies in the academic policy.
On the other hand, Lortel's realism and drive had the power to efficiently lead the groups, but her cruel and by-the-book judgment based on values and numbers made the members of her camp too cruel and cold-hearted.
Ultimately, the important thing was which side Taylee would choose. Whichever side he would join would end up winning in the end. This meant I had to keep my eye on them to make sure I stick to the side that was most likely to win.
If you just called me a complete opportunist, then you were absolutely right.
It's better than being foolish, not knowing what was going on and then wasting precious once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
I also needed to eat to survive, you know?
"Ahhh… I should head back to the dorm now. I thought it would stop raining today for sure."
It was only a little bit past noon, and yet the sky was gloomy and dark, as if it was already early evening.
Yennekar squeezed her drenched skirt and went by the fire.
"You must be having quite a hard time, Ed. Since I have a place I go back to, it feels like I'm just out camping when I visit but… but you need to stay out here even when it rains like this."
"It will get better as time goes by."
Perhaps it was because she had always enjoyed being in the northern forest in the first place, but Yennekar would often visit the camp and use the campfire to cook, or sit under a tree and read a book.
Since the new semester hadn't started yet, Yennekar seemed to be using all her time for her own healing. Here, she didn't have to be conscious of other people's opinions and she could spend her entire days with the spirits she loved.
Of course, this camp was where I desperately struggled to survive.
In a way, it was kind of rude of her to keep coming here and treating it like some rest house. But considering all the tools and food she had been bringing, I thought it was a fair trade.
"Come to think of it, it's almost time for me to leave my room at Ophelis Hall."
"Ah, I guess it's almost time for that."
"That's why I have to start throwing away a lot of my excess junk. Dex Hall is a lot smaller than I thought."
Students were expected to move into their dormitories a week before and after a new semester started.
However, once classes started, students became busy and many ended up staying at Ophelis Hall for a few more days. They used the extra week to bring their luggage in or move it out.
I wasn't sure when Yennekar would move out of her room, but the fact that she had already started to pack up now meant she would only be staying at Ophelis Hall for a few more days.
"So Ed, if you need anything, let me know. Don't you have a lot of things that you need?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I have extra blankets, cushions, watches, lanterns, and such. Apart from those, I also have some daily necessities and consumables. It would be a waste to throw them all away, not to mention it would be quite a hassle to do so. Although if you need something like furniture… since that would originally be the dorm's property, I don't think I would be able to bring those out."
I could make most pieces of furniture and other daily necessities as long as I had the materials. Plus it would be great for raising my proficiency level but… it wouldn't be a bad idea to receive whatever I could get.
After all, it would be hard to solve everything through production alone.
"That would be great."
"Alright, then. I'll be kicked out when the semester starts, so I'll bring everything then."
Yennekar laughed as she warmed her hands by the fire.
"But… does Lucy do that often?"
"…Sometimes."
Yennekar mentioned Lucy suddenly, as if that had been her main point from the beginning.
Lucy was currently standing still on the roof of my cabin.
Heavy rain was pouring down. The rain that had fallen on my skin wasn't particularly cold but I was currently drenched in rainwater, an awful feeling.
Lucy, on the other hand, had her silversh white hair tied neatly. It looked like it had been done by an Ophelis Hall maid. However, one side had already gotten wet and fallen loose. Her expensive school uniform was no longer properly doing its job of covering her.
But Lucy paid no attention to all of that as she continued to stare up at the sky.
She looked lazy, as she usually does. Like she had a few screws loose. Her clothes were all messed up and her big witch hat was crooked. However, she looked strangely different today. That could be because… she was currently reminded of an archmage she had met on a rainy day just like this.
The great power that was beyond common sense that Lucy had was not something she was given for free.
A chain called fate had wrapped itself around her.
Although she had been living her life trying to escape from it, using her laziness as an excuse.
She lived her life not complicating things, ignoring her promised fate. But after a while of living as such, she finally came to her senses only to realize that so many years had already passed.
On a rainy day like this, even that girl with a few screws loose would think back on her life.
"She seems to have a lot on her mind. How should I say this… Lucy has always been… free-spirited? Something like that."
"It's fine. Just say she's a person who doesn't use her brain."
"Ergh! That's a bit… That's too much."
It couldn't be helped. I was just stating a fact.
"She sometimes acts like that when it rains. Don't worry about it too much. I tend to just ignore her."
"I see… Ed, you seem quite indifferent towards Lucy…!"
Yennekar exclaimed as if she had found out something amazing.
"By the way, Yennekar."
There was something I needed to check before she headed back to the dorm.
Just like I had mentioned, the occupation of Ophelis Hall was not a big event.
The scale of the incident itself was quite large but there weren't many variables in play.
The incident would start when the head maid Elris invoked a large-scale spatial defensive magic circle on the roof of Ophelis Hall. That magic circle made by the Assistant Headmaster Rachel was only accessible to the head maid and the general manager of Ophelis Hall.
It was magic that was similar to that of a durable fire shutter.
It was a high-ranking magic circle that covered every door, every window, every hallway, and every crack in Ophelis hall. Of course, it was not something that could easily be broken.
Late into the night before the first day of classes was set to resume, the students would all be busy cleaning up their rooms, and getting ready to leave early the next day for the opening ceremony.
This spatial defensive magic circle was created to use against terrorism or if a disaster were to strike. Ironically, it ended up caging the Ophelis Hall students into their rooms like a barbed wire.
All the maids would be oblivious to the situation since they were on their way to an emergency meeting in the staff room but… they also ended up getting locked in there.
This would make the hallways of Ophelis Hall completely isolated.
Those who would have access to these halls would be the students taking over Ophelis Hall or the maids who had teamed up with Elris.
Other than them, only a few students would be lucky enough to be outside of their room when it happened, although the only two characters emphasized in the story were Clevius and Elvira.
Of course, there were students who boast a ridiculous amount of strength, so they could have broken through the walls, or there were those who could have used all their magic power to escape from the spatial-type magic.
However, it was impossible for them to know exactly what the situation was like outside of their rooms. It was difficult to guess whether it was a temporary accident or a major disaster, and whether or not it would be resolved soon. Therefore, it was not an easy decision for the trapped students if they should use all their magic power or all their strength just before classes started.
The occupation of Ophelis Hall was planned around that, taking advantage of such thoughts. It was that complacency that would lead to the destruction of Ophelis Hall.
"Hm? What is it, Ed?
I had called out to Yennekar just as she was about to head back to her dorm. I thought quietly to myself. Yennekar smiled innocently at my hesitation as she tilted her head.
Either way, there wasn't much I needed to do that night.
All I had to do was open the door at the right time, then check to make sure the magic circle was working until the lower-ranked students had occupied the fourth floor of Ophelis Hall.
Taylee wouldn't have a choice but to enter Ophelis Hall because Elvira would have forgotten her precious medicinals in her room.
Once Taylee and Elvira were inside, I could buy up a decent amount of their time before losing and then sending them upstairs. They would then enter Phase 2 where they had to capture Clevious who had been running away in fear.
There wasn't really much to it. Even if I tried, an unforeseen variable couldn't possibly happen.
But I couldn't let my guard down.
Didn't I already learn my lesson during the Glasskan Subjugation? That the timeline could get twisted just because of one measly absurd reason.
That's why I needed some insurance.
A plan B.
There was no harm in keeping some backup on standby to respond appropriately in case of possible emergencies.
Yennekar was valuable manpower that no longer had any influence on the main story. She was perfect for the role.
Besides, wasn't she the kind of person who would listen to her friend's request? To be honest, weren't we pretty close at this point?
"I have a favor to ask."
"Hm? What is it?"
Yennekar smiled widely as she waited for my response. I thought about it for a moment.
How many students would be out late at night the day before classes started? Most of the students would be resting in their rooms. Same for Yennekar if she hadn't left her room by then.
If she was resting in her room, then she would be trapped by the magic circle summoned by the head maid.
But if I were to keep Yennekar as my backup, then I should make sure she was waiting outside of Ophelis Hall.
Though having her wait outside on a day when the heavy rain would be pouring down was a bit… but I couldn't have her too far away from the dormitory.
"Can you come out to the Rose Garden pavilion in front of Ophelis Hall at around 9 o'clock in the evening on the day before classes start?"
"…Huh?"
I would give her a detailed explanation then. It would be impolite to keep her here any longer when she was already trying to head back.
"I have something I want to tell you."
Yennekar swallowed her breath in complete shock at my words. She looked around, as if making sure nobody else was there. She then lowered her eyes and held the hem of her skirt tightly.
"…S-sure."
She agreed with a somewhat soft-spoken voice. And then quickly said,
"Alright! I'll get going then! Bye!"
And then disappeared into the woods.
I wondered what was so urgent that she didn't even properly put on the hood of her robe which she had been using in place of a raincoat.
"..."
I sat by the fire and slammed my book shut. I stared blankly at my cabin, my chin resting on my hand. Lucy was still blankly staring up at the sky.
It continued to rain heavily. The sound of the raindrops falling on the tent calmed me down somehow.
The forest after the rain smelled different than usual. The soggy smell of grass was thicker.
The rain would stop on the morning of the first day of classes. I would then be able to see the dazzling sky which I haven't seen for quite a while now.
After that, the forest would start to smell like fall.
I hoped this event would finish up quickly so I could start thinking about honing my advanced production skills.
I thought about it some more as I sat down and threw a couple more pieces of firewood into the campfire as I listened to the falling rain.
The long vacation was finally coming to an end.
-x-X-x-