She was born with the gift of naturally having many people help her.
Assistant Professor Cleoh didn't know when she would finally be able to become a full professor. Seeing her in such a state, the other veteran professor around her would come together and all say the same thing.
While her carefree way of thinking was often seen among entry-level professors, Cleoh in particular seemed to be different.
They often caught sight of her sitting alone on a bench in the corner of the commercial district, smiling and eating an egg tart. And they often overheard the librarian Elka scolding her for missing the return date. Even walking down the street, she often tripped over her own legs, hurriedly gathering the scattered papers she dropped.
Everything she did made it seem like she had a screw loose, and they couldn't feel a drop of the dignity that a professor should possess in her. The veteran professors let out deep sighs, but… at the very least, she had an image of being close with her students and was popular among them.
Without a doubt, of all the entry-level professors, she was the one with the most fortune when it came to people giving her a hand.
From when she was still a student to graduation, then her degree program, and finally when she received education in teaching… without knowing the reason why, she was always surrounded by the best teachers.
Professor Flubin, who was an expert in monster ecology; Professor Glast, who was the most educated when it came to research in Celestial Magic; and even the maverick Professor Renouer, famous in the field of Elemental Studies… She completed her degree with guidance from all sorts of prestigious scholars. One way or another, all of the professors in charge of her ended up being those types of people.
After being appointed a role in the teaching faculty, Professor Glast was assigned as her advisor. Being forced into doing all sorts of important tasks, she had the opportunity to gain various working-level experiences.
Her good luck for having beneficial teachers was great, but the same went for the students she was in charge of, as well.
She was definitely someone that was amazing when it comes to studying, but being good at studying didn't mean that she would also be good at practical work.
After becoming an assistant professor, she started working out in the 'field'… An area completely separate from academic knowledge and everything else she learned in school. In other words, there were moments when she need to have 'sense'.
Naturally, for someone clumsy like Assistant Professor Cleoh, who was only good at studying, there was no way she was someone that could have that. There were many times where she would rack her brain, trying to figure out what to do, only to get stressed out and ultimately fail.
Nevertheless, she still had that fortune when it came to people helping her.
A veteran student assistant, whose work-related skills had been proven to the point that there were even rumors circulating that the professors were trying to steal her for their own laboratories. A second-year student that was considered the most capable assistant, to the point that even other faculty members that had been working at the academy for years could only nod their heads in recognition.
Anise Hayland, who held the title as the best teacher's assistant.
Assistant Professor Cleoh really did have luck when it came to the people around her. All of the veteran professors grumbled back and forth, saying the same thing.
I wish she would also give me some of it too.
***
"Wow! What is all of that?! Th-That must be heavy! Should I hold it for you?"
"Uhmm, it's fine. But thanks anyway."
She swept her plentiful grayish-brown hair away and gave an elegant smile, just like a lady of noble birth.
Anise behaved in a way that would make a man's heart flutter. Naturally, the boys in the combat department were taken aback as they started to fall for her, offering to give her a hand. But Anise skillfully walked past them.
She made sure not to show them any of the documents she was holding onto. It seemed as if she managed to deal with it smoothly.
Anise left the classroom building in the education district as she walked over to the research building. While holding onto a pile of documents, she greeted acquaintances as she walked into a room in the corner of the third floor.
Assistant Professor Cleoh's laboratory was more familiar to her than the dormitory. There was still about twenty minutes before the person in charge of the lab would arrive. She was sure that she had gone to the bakery to buy some snacks again after she finished her afternoon class.
Thud!
Anise, who had dropped a pile of papers onto the main table in the lab, quietly took a deep breath.
It felt like she had clicked the switch inside her heart. It was time for her to get rid of her dignified and elegant behavior.
Assistant Professor Cleoh's personal laboratory was surprisingly neat, unlike her clumsy personality. But that was all thanks to Anise.
She grabbed the hair at the back of her head and tied it up with a string. She then took off her uniform coat and rolled up her sleeves.
She quickly checked over all the work she had to take care of that day.
Checking the papers submitted by the Elemental Studies Academy, organizing the list of submitted assignment in the Beginner Elemental Studies Class, grinding new ink for the quills for grading, discarding documents that were no longer needed, checking over the academy's security personnel, checking the scheduling for teacher evaluations, organizing the work that needed to be taken care of over break, and preparing a basic plan for the incoming first-year class assignment examination.
While determining the priority for the work, she made sure to boil some water for Assistant Professor Cleoh, who would soon come in. She was sure that she would ask for a cup of tea to have with her snacks with a bright smile as soon as she walked into the lab.
As she thought, the first thing that she needed to take care of was organizing all of the documents that she had brought over.
Data collected from the student library, Trix Hall's Administrative Processing Room, and the dormitory's night-duty room.
All of the information that was collected was about 'Ed Rothstaylor'. The amount of information was already nearing the level of stalking, so it wasn't something she could show just anyone.
She planned it out by dividing the time by minutes. There was twenty minutes left before Assistant Professor Cleoh would come in. Before that happened, she planned to check all of the information within the documents.
With the water boiling, she ground the ink for the quill pens and threw the documents that needed to be discarded into the trash bins.
Then, she took in all the information from the documents with her eyes.
All to analyze just what type of person Ed Rothstaylor was, as well as his background.
"The Rothstaylor House. The strongest family in the Kroel Empire. There are three children descending from the head of the house. One son and two daughters, with Ed being the second born. The first-born daughter was Arwen Rothstaylor. After that came Ed Rothstaylor, who is the sole son. The youngest daughter is Tanya Rothstaylor. The first-born daughter Arwen ended up dying while she was a child."
"Hm. The family is also not on good terms with Duke Kelleg. Isn't this kind of foreign information useless? Where is the history of the Rothstaylor House? Ahh, here it is. Looking at it, considering Ed Rothstaylor's age…"
In the end, her ladylike appearance and behavior was just a mask.
In reality, amongst the student teacher assistants she really was the best with hand-on work.
When it came to her gathering, deciphering, processing, organizing, analyzing, and concluding information, even the professors that had years of experience would be in awe of her skills.
"The year he was born, the head of house Krepin Rothstaylor seized his seat. At the age of two, he was honored as the formal successor. Ever since then, he has lived his life being fully supported. There was a high chance that, because of that sense of privilege, he became arrogant. At age five, Krepin was baptized by the Telos Religious Group… and I wonder if that guy also had it done then? Though, he could have his own religious beliefs. He probably started taking etiquette courses at the age of eight, so he would have been able to start taking other proper courses at the age of twelve. But looking at the way his grades were always at the bottom, you could tell he wasn't the type to be overflowing with talent."
Analyzing information and systemizing the efficiency of work were Anise's means of survival.
As soon as she entered the academy, Anise was in a situation where her family was unstable and she was forced to be on her own. To survive, she had to take on the role as a student assistant as part of the academy's scholarship program.
In order to survive at Silvenia while being poor, you needed to find a way to adapt in some way.
The ability to survive by adapting in a difficult spot. For her, the role model that she considered to be the best at such a thing was Lortel Kehelland.
Even though she was a grade younger, she had greatly admired Lortel's ability to build up a tower of gold herself, despite starting in a swamp of poverty.
Of course, Anise wasn't born with her sense and ability to figure out the flow of money and sniff out gold. Such a talent was a blessing given from heaven.
However, Anise had her own way of doing things.
Don't worry Yennekar. Anise kept repeating those words as she began to strain her eyes.
"He grew up in an oppressed environment where he was instilled with overbearing ideas."
Every person could be broken up into patterns. By analyzing their environment and the tendencies in which they lived, you could end up revealing much of their inner self that you originally wouldn't be able to see. Anise had that natural ability.
"Thinking about his background from coming from such a family, I'm sure that he didn't have any issues with lacking money."
Yennekar Palerover was the only counter example. Without making any calculations, she was a precious friend that she could communicate with.
For Anise, who lived every day of her life trapped in a corner and having to break people apart piece by piece, having a friend that was as transparent as glass was more precious than any amount of gold. That was why she couldn't let her waste her precious feelings over a man that didn't seem to be worth anything.
"He has no academic talent, nor does he show any outstanding ability in any other field. There's a good chance that he is lacking in self-confidence. He takes the lead in everything but tends to avoid the responsibility that comes with it. There is a high chance he prefers people who overlook things and only think positively, rather than exchanging productive opinions. Perhaps he prefers a girl that is more submissive and bright?"
"At the same time, he doesn't want them to show off their abilities. Probably because he wants to show off, himself. So, he wouldn't want someone that would get in his way. His ideal type would probably be closer to someone that is willing to sacrifice a bit more for his sake. He would feel more comfortable in a relationship where he could break it off whenever necessary. Of course, he would prefer someone beautiful. Since he grew up seeing a lot of fancy objects, he must have a preference for expensive items."
"But he might also feel attracted to someone whose charm comes from being pleasantly simple, so it might not be a bad idea to try that instead. He should be weak at accepting compliments since he hasn't had much experience in achieving anything, and perhaps his preferred topics of conversation would be about luxury goods or other things that those of higher class enjoy? Rather than receiving gifts, he would prefer giving a gift so that he could show off his wealth."
"Given his situation, I don't think he will be able to give a great gift. Because of that, even if he gives something small, if you are happy about it, he should think highly of you. More than being obsessed with him, I should be dependent on him. And more than acting competent, I should act modestly. That is the key."
The speed at which she was absorbing and analyzing the documents was no longer normal.
With her eyes darting around, she organized her thoughts while making sure her hands never stopped moving, and she didn't stop taking care of her work.
"There's a high chance that he would be sensitive when it comes to benefits and losses, as he is one without much practical ability. If that's the case, it would be great if I could utilize psychological characteristics behind human relationships. It would be great to check the way his thought process has changed after getting excommunicated, and to see if his policies regarding life have been affected in any way."
"I'll also have to check what type of feelings he has towards Yennekar. If he does happen to have a favorable impression of her, I need to properly check if he will be shaken up or change his mind after meeting another girl. And if he does happen to have his feelings shaken, does he feel any guilt for it… Or, maybe he is just a pathetic person that will try to defend himself, as he is a selfish playboy. I'll have to properly check to see if that is the case…"
"As a student assistant, I am his senior. Thanks to that, I have the upper hand. Still, he doesn't seem to prefer females that take the lead, so the key will be to carefully walk that line. I don't think playing into his ideal type will be all that difficult. It seems to follow the standard patterns of desire for a person born with aristocratic qualities."
"Recently, with his environment being changed and him being put in a tight spot, he started to show all sorts of new changes. But his inner self, the one that he has been living with over the past decade, couldn't be fully reversed to his core in just a span of a year. He may have become a bit more reliable, but his signature arrogant attitude is still the same as always… After organizing everything, this won't be that hard. That's all there is to it."
The words that were coming from her mouth so smoothly were suddenly cut off.
After all, something like human preferences were subject for analysis for Anise. All sorts of patterned tendencies coming together in different ways were similar to an accumulated aggregate.
One's 'Ideal Type' could only be formed by precisely assembling the detailed patterns she found.
It was also very easy for her to gain someone's interest and to make them express their feelings. For Anise, grabbing ahold of and letting go of another's emotions was no different than solving a rather complicated formula.
That meant none of her plan would be too hard for her.
After she finished thinking it all over, the air in the lab settled down peacefully.
Anise sat there alone, raising her head quietly.
"It would be great if I could get some practice."
After all, relationships were nothing more than a mask. It was all about first targeting someone in particular, then changing into the appropriate mask given the situation.
At least, that was the case for Anise… Except when it came to two specific people: Yennekar and Clara.
Slam!
The lab door burst open as Assistant Professor Cleoh came in with a cheerful greeting.
"Hi~ As expected, you were already here, Anise. You're always so diligent, that's why!"
Giving a lively greeting, as if everything in the world was great, Anise put the tray she got from the bakery on top of the table.
All of the documents on Ed Rothstaylor had already been fully analyzed and organized, hidden in the corner of a drawer.
"I bought a Mont Blanc from Laplace Bakery~ Let's eat, first!"
Cleoh kept smiling brightly as she served a plate of the Mont Blanc.
"Wow, you already prepared the black tea. As expected, you're the best! You already expected me to buy and bring over a snack… Ahh, Tea! The tea!"
Being so excited, she almost spilled the tea. If she had ended up spilling the boiling water on her hands, she would have ended up getting burnt.
As Cleoh was always clumsy, Anise—who was quite thoughtful—surely would have warned her to be careful beforehand.
Cleoh smiled, laughing awkwardly as she was about to apologize, when…
"Ah, you didn't get hurt…?"
"Uh, yeah?"
Cleoh tilted her head as she felt a somewhat soft feeling coming from her.
"That's a relief… You didn't get hurt… That's really such a relief…"
Anise definitely looked the same as usual, but there was something different about her that she couldn't describe… Assistant Professor Cleoh nodded her head.
If you had decided on a course of action, you should work towards it completely.
That was Anise's policy when it came to survival, one that she had firmly followed throughout her life.
***
"I think I am going to go back to my hometown this break."
"Why? What was that librarian's name… Elka, is she going home, too?"
"How did you know?"
Ziggs would jog throughout the woods regularly, so seeing him had become routine.
He would stop by the camp once in a while to compliment the cabin, chat about academy life, and then he would head back… It wasn't that different that day, either.
Ziggs, who sat across the campfire from me, twisted his body as he stretched. Compared to the early part of the first year, he seemed to have gotten a lot stronger. He had definitely gone through many hardships.
"Since I am living in Elka's house, when she goes back home it's okay for me to go as well."
"Are the people in of Elka's mansion not very nice to you?"
"That's not exactly the case… Well, actually, the main reason is that I just want to spend more time with her."
Ziggs' pure love wasn't something that only lasted a day or two, so it made sense that he could be so devoted.
"What about you, Ed? Will you stay at your camp over the entire break?"
"I guess so. Once I become a third year, I will have to be able to handle intermediate magic. I was planning on studying."
"You're already doing that? Wasn't it just a year ago that you could only use beginner magic?"
Ziggs had taken off his jacket and started doing pushups, despite the cold weather. Training every single day like that at his age… Just what would he become when he grew up?
"Huff!"
Having leisurely finished his first set, Ziggs sprang up and sat down on the long bench opposite of me.
"Phew… It's not good to overdo it. Didn't you also train a lot with magic power today?"
"Magic power training?"
"Yeah. With my resonance, I can't feel a single drop of your magic power. I thought you might have ended up training until you had run dry. That was why I asked. Like last time, if your magic power gets tangled up and you faint, it won't be good for your body."
"Hmm…"
I raised one of my hands up to my face and opened it a few times.
"There is a reason for that. It's nothing to worry about. It's just that, for the time being, I don't think I'll be able to use magic."
"Hmm… That does make me worried. If you collapse from overworking yourself… I know that ultimately you are the one that gets hurt the most, but the other people around you also start to panic."
"Is there a reason to go so far to say that they panicked?"
"When you passed out last time… Hm… Never mind. That was just a slip of the tongue. It's just an embarrassing memory for the people that were involved…"
It was as if he had gotten silenced by someone as Ziggs finished his sentence oddly.
The last time I fainted, Ziggs was the one responsible for looking over me at the camp. Thinking of that, I really did owe him a great debt.
"Looking at you, it seems you also have a fever. Is your health really not hurt in any way?"
"There's a reason for it all. Since I'm taking care of it, you don't have to worry."
"Well, if that is what you say, there's no reason for me to poke my nose into it anymore."
The best thing about Ziggs was how cool he was.
Perhaps because he had lived his childhood growing up in the free wilderness, he never pried into unnecessary matters more than he had to.
Well, I had a reason for it all. Just saying that one easy phrase was enough for him to move on from the topic.
"Ah, right. Ayla asked me about you."
"Ayla?"
"Yes, After the incident with the Seal, Ayla explained everything that had happened with you to me. I heard that you ran out first to go and get help."
"Well, it was something like that."
"I even saw on our way in that you cleared the path for us to some extent… It seems that there must have been some major misunderstanding. She wanted to grab me and drag Taylee along to see you and politely apologize, but she didn't know where you lived so she had asked me to tell her."
The fact that my camp was located at the outskirts of the northern forest was something that was already known to everyone.
But that only applied for the people that I knew, I supposed. That didn't mean that everyone in the entire academy would know.
"And since I was the only one that knew where you lived… I was wondering if I should tell them. But giving away your personal information without your permission is a bit…"
"Well, there's no real reason to tell them. I don't really want to receive their apology anyway, so you can just tell them that it's fine."
"Oh, is that so? You must be really upset about it all."
"Huh? What do you mean I'm upset? It's just as I said, they don't need to apologize to me."
I used the poker to push things around in the campfire.
"Well, I already know that they are sorry, so it's fine. I don't have any ill feelings towards them, so you can just tell them that I got it."
Saying that, I started assembling the hunting traps. The snare trap was only catching small animals, so I was in the process of devising a pit trap with iron skewers to hunt the bigger ones.
Ziggs sat on the log, smirking.
"Rather than being understanding… you're just completely indifferent."
"I've just been too busy lately. Hm… By the way, Ziggs, you're pretty tight-lipped."
When I suddenly said that, Ziggs tilted his head.
It wasn't particularly important information, but he still didn't reveal the fact that I had built a cabin in the slightest, even though he was probably pretty close with Taylee and his group of friends.
In the first place, he was the quiet type.
"Hmm… I just don't like carelessly talking about other people's circumstances."
"I see. Then, can you help me with one more thing? I'll even compensate you."
"You really don't have to compensate me in any way this time around, though?"
"The amount of physical labor is going to be rough. I don't think it's at a level where I can just simply ask for a favor out of goodwill."
Ziggs tilted his head.
"I'm going to tell you this since your lips are pretty sealed, but I ended up being able to use that underground library."
"You mean the place that was connected to the underground waterways and the secret passageways?"
"Yeah. The entrance to it all is closed off now, but there's still another way in. But it's a complete mess inside, so I need some help with physical labor to clean it up. Before you leave to go home over this break, give me a hand. Also, since I can't use magic right now it's a bit rough."
"…Well, if I just think of it as training, it's not a problem… But with you being my upperclassmen, giving me money like this is a bit…"
"Just don't worry about it, take it. In the first place, it's helping me with my personal business. The amount I'm giving you isn't much, so it won't hurt me."
After saying that, I threw a leather pouch that was on top of the simple wooden table towards Ziggs. It flew in an arch, but he was able to skillfully catch it.
"What are you going to use that library for?"
It was a natural question.
It was nearly time for the materials I requested from the Elte Company to be ready. Since there was a bit of a setback with training my magic power, it was necessary for me to devote my time and effort into training my magic engineering.
However, depending on the type of magically engineered items, the volume could sometimes be extremely large. Some of the material might not be able to be stored in the camp since they were sensitive to the environment.
"I'm going to use it as my own workshop."
All of the other magically engineering production formulas were laying down in the library anyway. So, to save the trouble of bringing them all outside, I intended to turn the library into my very own private workshop.
"Did you say a workshop?"
"Yeah. Since there's already a decent amount of things I can use inside it already."
Accessibility wasn't all that great, considering I had to go all the way down into that deep hole, and it wasn't well ventilated since it was underground. Also, the distance from the education district was quite far. However, it wasn't a bad space for me to train in magic engineering.
It was a perfect place, one where I could set a date, sit down, and just mass-produce magically engineered items the entire day.
"You're even doing magic engineering?"
"Well, it's nice to have more tools."
"Your lifestyle here at the camp, training in magic power, elementalism, magic engineering, and even training in archery… And aren't you going to start your work as a student under the academy's scholarship program tomorrow?"
"Has the list of students in the scholarship program already come out?"
"Yes, it has. Well… I guess it's fine… But you are still extremely busy. You always being so out of your mind makes sense."
Ziggs looked at me with a complicated expression as he tucked the leather pouch into his pocket.
"I am not the type to normally flatter another person, but… In the long run, people that are like you will definitely succeed, Ed. Well, anyway, I got it. I'll be leaving now, so take care of yourself."
"Alright, get back safely."
I could hear the crunch of the snow as he walked away. It sounded strangely refreshing and overall pleasant.
I waved my hand at Ziggs, who was leaving the camp. I skimmed through a sheet of paper that was sitting on top of the empty tree stump next to me. I took out a spare quill and began writing my checklist.
Things to do over winter break.
Set a plan to clean up the workshop ✔
Build a warehouse to store materials.
Extend the cabin.
Check the storyline ✔
Check the work for the academy's student scholarship program ✔
Raise my magic engineering proficiency by more than three levels.
Acquire special archery-type skills.
Pick up the theory of intermediate magic.
Making a contract with a high-ranking spirit ✔
***
Announcement on the Class Assignment Examination for the incoming first years.
I am Cleoh Elpin, an Assistant Professor, and I will be in charge of managing the incoming first years.
The class assignment examination scheduled for the incoming students will take place during the middle of the upcoming winter break.
The contents regarding it are quite long, so I have included a document with the relevant information separately. Please check the visitation schedule in advance and know that if you don't attend, there may be a disadvantage in your class assignment.
The examination may consist of a mix of simple combat-related tasks or tasks related to searching. It would be greatly appreciated if you could participate while wearing comfortable clothing.
A list of the staff at our lab.
If you have any further enquiries regarding visiting the academy, please contact one of the following staff members at either the academy's office or Trix hall.
Head Professor: Cleoh Elpin
Senior Assistant: Anise Haylan
Students under the scholarship program: Onyx Pelomier, Clevius Nortondale, Ed Rothstaylor.
"Rothstaylor."
The girl folded the paper as she pronounced that name.
It was a sound that flowed gently off her tongue.
As if made of oil, it was smooth and comfortable to her.
The sheer weight of that name was not something that just anyone could throw around.
The history of the Rothstaylor House stayed side-by-side with the Kroel Empire, through rise and fall. Those that dared to disgrace that achievement deserved death.
At least, that was what the girl's values were.
Duke Krepin was benevolent, dignified, and respected by all. The fact that such a man was her father from birth was the greatest blessing in her life.
Therefore, it was only natural to have the desire to attend Silvenia. It was a place where there were many other people of 'the same class' as the Rothstaylor House.
A place where all sorts of honorable and powerful people came together to improve themselves.
However, with every historical great achievement came a stain.
"Ed Rothstaylor."
He had been excommunicated, so he wasn't in a position to call himself a Rothstaylor. At the very least officially.
Nevertheless, the name Rothstaylor was written on that notice… It must have been because the professor in charge that had sent the document was oblivious to that fact. She was sure that he wasn't the type to purposely do such a thing.
Anyway, that guy now had the name Rothstaylor attached to him to such a public extent.
It was all too natural to attach the name Rothstaylor to him, and the people around him must have been calling him that out of habit. It made sense that, even on an official document, they would so blatantly write that name.
"Lady Tanya, the carriage is ready."
The employee, who appeared mature at just a glance, quietly called out the girl's name. The young girl turned her head, and the employee saw a face that was quite familiar to her.
Blonde hair that shone like the sun, eyes that held a strong assertiveness to them that were passed down amongst the house. At first glance, she might appear sharp. Thanks to the long years of receiving education in etiquette, she was overflowing with elegance.
Indeed, she had the class to be called the esteemed daughter. However, arrogance, a sense of privilege, and an elite mindset were also something that would naturally be inherited as well. That was the case because of the environment of the house.
"I need to see my father."
Silvenia was full of all kinds of stars. Tanya admired such honorable and dazzling talents.
She hadn't personally seen any of them, but… by just hearing the vague rumors, she could guess just how amazing they were.
From a princess of the Kroel Empire, one with authority over the Elte Company, an elementalist that was able to make a contract with a high-ranking spirit while still being a teenager, a grand alchemist that had created the 'Imprinting Elixir' while still being a student, a savage beast that ruled over nature up in the north, a swordsman from House Nortondale, and even a warrior that was able to use the Swordmaster's Skill.
Among them all, the one Tanya was the most excited about was the rare genius magician that might have received the blessings of the stars by the Archmage Glockt. Just by imagining her, she could guess just how dignified and graceful such a person would be.
It was time for the first-year class assignment test. It was an important test that symbolized the beginning of her academy life.
Her heart fluttered the more she thought about it, and the list of nobles she was excited to meet kept getting longer and longer.
In order to live a fulfilling academy life amongst all of them… there was a piece of garbage that she had to clean up.
Thinking over that fact, Tanya let out a deep sigh.
-x-X-x-
There was always a quiet atmosphere on Acken Island during the breaks.
The buildings in the education district which were usually packed full during the semester were now completely empty. Less than half of the student body stayed at the academy instead of returning home. Regardless of where you went on the academy grounds, the atmosphere was bound to be the same.
Because of the break, the business zone in the commercial district was also in a slow season. It was a period where even many of the store owners would opt to take a break as well.
"Hmm…"
I folded my clothes while looking out a window in the academy's office building, which was near the entrance of the education district. I neatly lined up the buttons on the sleeves and made sure the collar was smoothly folded, so the lines all matched up.
Sure enough, now that I had gotten my school uniform back after asking Bell Maya to wash it, it was crisp and clean.
It was difficult for me, on my own, to properly take care of my uniform. Thanks to Bell Maya helping me out, I was greatly indebted to her.
"We always do the laundry in large amounts anyway, so adding in one more uniform doesn't change much."
"Even then, that doesn't change the fact that you already have so many other things to take care of. Thanks for helping me despite being so busy."
"Since you were originally a student at Ophelis Hall, the least I can do is lend you a hand as well. There's no reason for you to feel pressured, so whenever you need it washed again, please let me know."
Bell Maya hadn't changed one bit since I'd first met her so long ago. She really was indeed first-class at taking care of everything.
Her once pleasantly simple senior maid's outfit had been replaced by a rather fancy head maid's outfit. Though, her emotions and monotone voice remained unchanged.
But it did seem like her hair had gotten longer. On the right side, her long hair flowed down and was decorated with a nail-sized rose pin.
"Did you say the restoration of Ophelis Hall has been completed? That means the incoming first years will start to enter the academy soon. The maids must be having a hard time these days."
"Young master Ed, I must ask. Why are you still speaking to me formally?"
"It's more comfortable to speak to you formally."
"But it's more comfortable for me if you speak informally."
"It really is more comfortable speaking formally, though."
I felt like we were having a strange war of nerves.
Actually, since she was the head maid, she was just barely considered to be at a 'senior-level' position amongst all the academy's employees… And since I was no longer an aristocrat, nor a student at Ophelis Hall, it was a bit of a burden to speak casually to her.
I also didn't want to make it any more confusing about who was higher up than the other later on, so I was just naturally being polite to her. But I supposed it made Bell uncomfortable. She was still a maid by nature.
"Anyway, the restoration of Ophelis Hall is now complete, so I feel like my workload is starting to stabilize again."
"I'm a little surprised that the entire restoration was able to be completed in nearly a semester's time… It seems like the academy used all their power to restore it as quickly as possible."
"It is one of the most important facilities in the commercial district. Most of the students that were temporarily living in other facilities within the commercial district have also been assigned their rooms recently and are starting to move in. The same goes for the incoming first years."
The second semester of my second year had ended. Thus, winter break had also come to mark the end of the year.
The exams were fairly easy, so my grades were decent and the closing ceremony had ended without any issues. Once again, there was a peaceful atmosphere at the academy.
But for the academy's administration, winter break was a time for preparation for the start of the next semester.
It was a period in which they had to finish everything that needed to be done between the end of the previous semester and the upcoming one. It was also used as a transition period, systematically making changes to the academy.
Within each professor's laboratory, they were busy preparing the academic schedule for next semester while continuously working on their research.
The same went for the incoming students entering the dormitories. Because each student had their own circumstances and their schedules might be different, there were many students that chose to move into the dorms early during the long winter vacation, as it better suited their schedules.
"By the way, there was something I actually wanted to ask you, which is why I personally met with you."
Bell spoke as she stood around for a while.
Now, with the title of head maid, she must have been slowly but surely gaining more responsibilities and starting to feel them weighing down on her.
If it were just asking to deliver a washed school uniform, she could have just ordered a lower-ranking maid to do so, but the reason she had come all the way herself… It was because she had something to tell me.
"Starting from this break, there will be a total of seven new students residing in Ophelis Hall that we will need to take care of."
Of all the new students coming in, there were only seven. A number that was so blatant, it showed just how difficult it was to have the honor of staying in Ophelis Hall.
"There was a name that I recognized, so I came to talk to you."
"Are you talking about Tanya Rothstaylor?"
"…Yes. As a matter of fact, she has already applied to enter the dormitory before the break had even started."
Incoming students were allowed to enter their dormitories at any time over the break. It was meant to allow the students some freedom to prepare for the upcoming start of the semester.
Though, most of them finished their preparations back home and only came to the academy around the time of the class assignment examination. After all, there wasn't much to do if you arrived early.
"She has been appointed to the newly reconstructed Ophelis Hall and is currently in the process of moving in… That made sense, given her position."
"..."
I was someone that had been excommunicated from the Rothstaylor House.
Tanya was an esteemed daughter that received much affection from the Rothstaylor House.
"And since she is your younger sister, I'm sure you must know much more about her than I do, but… it seems that she has a heavy grudge against you, believing that you have tarnished the Rothstaylor's family name."
"I see."
"..."
Bell kept on staring at me as if my emotionless response were unsatisfactory.
"Is everything okay? I can only judge from the personal information I receive in advance and my first impressions, but… even seeing her for a brief moment, it felt as if Lady Tanya was a person that holds a lot of meaning to her family's honor."
"I understand what you're trying to say."
Being hated by someone that shared the same blood as you. If you started to be looked down upon by a family member with whom you once shared a caring environment growing up together, it would certainly be both mentally difficult and tiring.
In short, Bell had come to me in advance since she was worried. Perhaps she was trying to prepare me for what was to come?
"Thank you for your concerns."
I already knew quite a bit about Tanya.
As was typical with characters that came from the Rothstaylor House, they were all villains.
Tanya was someone that looked up in awe at esteemed honor and glory. To someone like her, here in Silvenia which is full of stars, the title and honor of being the youngest student president must have looked like a tantalizing treat.
I gently closed my eyes.
The villainous esteemed daughter.
Tanya was a stereotypical villain herself, but you couldn't simply view her as a villain that was expendable. That was because Tannya also had her own natural talent.
She was a political genius.
On her own, she came to learn how to argue for a cause, divide opposing sides, scratch away at an opponent, mislead the problem, and bring legitimacy to herself.
Thus, political war was ultimately a fight in the dirty mud. At least, that is the case with Tanya's values.
Politics was not the process of finding the best option, but rather the process of finding the one that was the least bad.
If there was an absolute evil and a lesser evil, the public would eventually take the side of the lesser evil.
The one that ended up victorious in a war of politics was always the one that was of the lesser evil.
That was the value in which Tanya Rothstaylor had instinctively become enlightened by.
Given that, she must have come to Silvenia early to start gaining as much influence as she could before the semester started.
She must have been trying to appease the influential and high-spirited individuals within the academy.
In the process, she must also have been wondering about what to do with me, Ed Rothstaylor. After all, he did come from the same bloodline as her.
While we might have shared the same blood, since I had been excommunicated you could say we were nothing more than strangers.
Still, given Tanya's character, I didn't think she would sit around and leave the man that had tainted the name of her family alone. But still, I couldn't tell if she was going to be vindictive enough to actually make an aggressive move in dealing with me.
Because how would I know?! It was not about someone else, it was about me!
I'd played Silvenia's Failed Swordmaster a countless number of times already. I did know about Tanya to a certain extent, since she took on the role of an important villain, but… Ironically, I didn't know anything about myself.
Ed Rothstaylor was just a villain that came out for a brief moment at the start of the story before quickly disappearing…!
There wasn't even any proper information on him in the setting's book, and in the epilogue, there wasn't even anything special about him either. He really was just an extra…
I didn't know what he was like back at the Rothstaylor household, how he was perceived by the family, his relationship with Tanya Rothstaylor… I really didn't have a single clue about it. Not a single damn one…!
However, considering the history of my body… I could at least infer that he hadn't been treated particularly terribly or well.
I was glad that he had just been treated normally, but it would have also been great if I weren't despised for being so arrogant and incompetent.
"Well, right now I am quite busy… so as long as Tanya doesn't show any signs of doing something in particular, I don't really have a reason to worry about her."
"Since I am just a mere employee on the sidelines, if that is what you have to say then I have nothing more to say on the matter."
"Either way, thank you. I was in quite a bit of trouble because I had to wash my uniform before I went to take care of my duties as a scholarship student."
"It was nothing. It seems that Lady Lucy has been in your care a lot these days. We were rather worried, given that we haven't been able to fulfill our duties properly in taking care of her."
"You even thought of that?"
Bell continued talking.
"Recently, when I was washing Lady Lucy's clothes, I noticed strands of blonde hair attached to them. And when I was taking care of your clothes, it had strands of her snowy white hair and also had the same fragrance that we use when washing Lucy's clothes…. So, it was just a guess."
It was true that Lucy had become more attached to me.
There had been many times when I wasn't taking care of any physical labor that I would instead lie down to take a nap. But when I woke up, lying on top of my stomach was a snoring Lucy.
Just as Bell had said, I had been in strange and sticky situations dealing with her. But I was surprised that she had picked it up with just one wash of my clothes… Just what could she have become if she weren't a maid…?
"Well… You don't have to worry about that, Ms. Bell. Since you sometimes come out and give me ingredients and lend me a hand, I can't help but be more grateful towards you. Now that you are the head maid, there must be many other things that you have to worry about, right? Well, whether there are any complications with your personal relationships or not, it's all up to you to take care of."
"There are already so many talented people that are helping me out with my work. In fact, since my main focus has now become management and supervising, the amount of physical labor I have to do myself has decreased. I have become somewhat more comfortable. And as for complications with my personal relationships, compared to you, young master Ed… Uhm…"
As Bell kept talking, she suddenly paused for a moment and looked at my washed uniform before blurting everything out.
"Never mind. It was just an excessive worry of mine. No matter how complicated the personal relationships around you might be, ultimately it is something that is your own to take care of."
"Hm?"
"I won't intrude into your privacy. No matter which of the ladies you may decide on… It's all up to your choice."
As she said that, we both let out a sigh and the traces of our breath disappeared into the sky.
"It's gotten a lot colder. Make sure to take care of your health, young master Ed. Even just a slight sickness in the winter will make you suffer a lot. It seems that you might have a slight fever, since your face is reddish."
"…Does it show that much?"
As expected, she had been the ace among the maids of Ophelis Hall for years. That was why she was able to check another's health just by looking at their face.
"For the time being, because of my circumstances I might have to live with a slight fever."
"There are a lot of people around you that will also get hurt if you don't take proper care of your body. Health is the most important thing, after all. It's only going to get a lot colder, so please be careful."
And then Bell stood still, looking at me before saying it once again.
"…But are you really going to keep talking to me with honorifics?"
Seriously… This is insane…
I thought about speaking casually to her when it was the right time, but…
At that point, for some reason I was kind of determined to not back down, too…
***
"Thank you, scholarship students, for coming here. My name is Anise Haylan, and I am working as the senior assistant here in Assistant Professor Cleoh's Lab.
"Eugh… Oghhh… Uhhh."
"Assistant Professor Cleoh has been awake for the past forty-four hours due to working on the academy's agenda and reviewing the academic schedule for next semester. Since the deadline for the agenda is tomorrow, she isn't really in a state where she can properly communicate right now. So, on her behalf, as the senior assistant I'll deliver any important information instead."
Behind Anise, who was brightly smiling with a bright face, was a lady with blonde hair that was lying face down on her desk.
With her glasses falling off and the way her exhausted head was resting, she looked more like a zombie than a human being.
On one side of the fairly spacious lab stood three male students, including myself. We were all scholarship students that had been picked from each grade.
Clevius Nortondale, Ed Rothstaylor, Onyx Pelomier. Following the order, we were a first, second, and third year. Though, we would all soon be moving up a grade.
"Wh-What the?! Ed Rothstaylor… What are you doing here…?"
As Clevius looked at me, he jumped back, startled.
Even though he was a descendant of House Nortondale, who were considered the greatest swordsmen on the continent, because of the mistakes he made as a child he had basically been kicked out. Thanks to that, he no longer had any self-confidence and felt negatively about every situation.
I already knew that, given his position in his family, he wouldn't be able to get enough support to continue going to the academy.
While I thought that he must be doing something else to keep attending the academy, I guess that was how he ended up paying for the leftover tuition.
Other than him, there was also the third year senior Onyx, who had a rather solid frame. That was something completely new to me. I had heard that he was in the same combat department as Clevius, though.
"Together, what we are in charge of doing is preparing for the upcoming first-year class assignment examination and supervising the day of the exam. You can think of that as our main task."
Anise continued smiling as she laid out several papers onto the table.
"Over the last week, Assistant Professor Cleoh has been working hard and going through a lot while preparing this plan for the class assignment examination."
The annual incoming student class assignment examination that Professor Glast was usually in charge of. Of course, this year Assistant Professor Cleoh would be in charge instead.
Naturally, I already know the results of the exam.
During Assistant Professor Cleoh's class assignment examination, not a single student made it into Class A of the magic department.
In a way, you could say that she was even more wicked than Professor Glast, but it wasn't because her personality was bad. Rather… The fundamental design of the test was flawed.
Actually, it was hard to call it a flaw as it was rather just an extremely high level of difficulty. Clearly a mistake that Professor Cleoh had ended up making.
For the incoming students, who didn't know anything, they might just accept the fact and think, Ahh, this is how hard it is to get into Class A. I need to work harder if I want to move up.
Regardless, it was still more fair than Professor Glast, who picked the students for Class A based on his own uneven standards. As strange as it might be, even though no one had been selected to go into Class A, it was hard to call the test unfair.
"Last year, the test was held in the northern forest of Acken Island. However, this time it will take place in the Right Mountain located off in the northwest. Even though they call it a mountain, it is closer to a large hill. However, it still will take some time to climb, as the path is rugged. It probably won't happen, but we should still be prepared in case there is someone that gets hurt."
Acken Island became more crowded with people the further south you went. Naturally, that meant the further north you went, the quieter it became. It made sense, with nature being left untouched.
That was because there were only two bridges, one in the southeast and one in the southwest, that connected to the protruding peninsula of the Nofaren continent.
Since the bridges connecting to the main continent were the main point of travel, it was only natural that the further up you went, the less people there would be.
Right Mountain was located on the northern side of Acken Island and had maintained its natural beauty. Still, Assistant Professor Cleoh had chosen that location for the class assignment examination.
"The main point of the test is similar to last year's. We will place magic power stones across Right Mountain and students will have to search for them individually, using their own mana resonance. Once they find one, they will then head to the top of the mountain and present it to the 'Substitute Altar', completing the test. In doing so, they can even get accepted into Class A. As for the other grading criteria, it has been organized in the document."
"…I think there will be too many students getting accepted into Class A?"
Onyx Pelomier. The third-year student in the combat department with a rather sturdy frame. He asked an obvious question.
"If they are a student in the magic department, won't they be able to find the magic power stone right away? There could also be people that find them through simplistic labor rather than actually using their magic power resonance. All they have to do is find one and present it to the altar, that's it?"
"Of course, the path to the top won't be so clearly paved. Throughout it, we have all kinds of hallucinatory magics and magically engineered items imbued with directional deluding magic. Plus, around the top of the mountain they will have to face off against mid-rank and above monsters."
"You're even going to gather monsters? What if somebody gets injured?"
"Naturally, it's all just hallucinatory magic. However, if they can't defeat the hallucination, they won't make it through. It won't be an easy feat without any combat experience."
In short, the contents of the examination included the following: finding a magic power stone, reaching the summit, fighting against the monster apparitions, and successfully presenting the altar with the magic power stones… With each aspect of the test, the criteria on grading had already been made.
"Onyx, you will assist Assistant Professor Cleoh with developing the plan to obtain and arrange the magically engineered items. Clevius, you can submit the documents to Trix Hall and get the necessary supplies that we already applied for. And Ed Rothstaylor…"
Maybe it was because I was the only other second year, but Anise started to speak casually with me.
She walked up close to me, smiling brightly as she gave me a friendly offer.
"Let's go to the site together."
I'd never actually had the chance to have a conversation with her before, but seeing how sociable she must be with that bright smile of hers, I had quite a high impression of her.
-x-X-x-
Winter had fully arrived at the Right Mountain, a majority of the trees left with thin and bare branches.
Thanks to the evergreen trees that would show up here and there, the greenery of nature hadn't completely disappeared. For the most part, you could only see the bright light reflecting off of the snow-covered ground.
Halfway up the mountain, I brushed off the snow that had piled up on a flat rock. After checking to see that it wasn't too wet, Anise and I sat down.
"Even though it's not that big, I guess it is still a mountain. There are a lot of dangerous areas, and given the season, some students might end up getting seriously injured if they slip on the snow. While we are supervising them, we need to make sure to be on top of things, I guess."
Anise's neat, grayish-brown hair was untied and let loose. As soon as we entered the mountain, she untied the string holding her hair up after saying that the back of her neck was cold.
Her hair fell down to her shoulders, moderately wavy and fluttering in the air. As she brushed through it with her hands, a pleasant fragrance gently wafted through the air.
"Phew… It's exhausting… But it seems like you're not too tired, Ed?"
"Since it's about time we take a break, let's rest for a bit."
There was not a single other person out in the Right Mountain. Well, the season might have been part of it, but not all. In the first place, there wouldn't even be students that would want to go out there on their own accord.
Besides the sounds of the birds flapping their wings and the crunching of the snow we stepped on, it was completely silent. While a strong gust would occasionally blow by, revealing the ground hidden underneath the snow, it wasn't enough to break the silence.
"Thanks, Ed. Your stamina is quite impressive, but this is taking a long time because of me… yet you're still being so considerate…"
Anise touched the tips of her fingers as she lowered her eyes, as if she were embarrassed.
"So… I think I've been misunderstanding you quite a bit, Ed."
Anise awkwardly looked up at me before shyly looking away again.
"Misunderstanding?"
"I knew a bit about you from before. And… Since I'm best friends with Yennekar… I was worried that she might be spending time with a bad person… So, I think I ended up treating you a bit coldly…"
When I thought about the times Anise had been cold to me, none of them were that big of a deal.
Every now and then, she might have looked at me with cold eyes and tried to avoid being near me… But that was it.
Well, my reputation within the school during the first semester was awful, so I could fully understand why she did that. It wasn't just Anise. Most of the students within the school had avoided me. So, it wasn't like Anise in particular was someone that treated me poorly.
In the first place, I was so preoccupied with trying to survive that I didn't pay much attention to it.
"It's fine. It didn't bother me much. I'm sure you had your own reasons, so I understand."
As I gave a general response, I skimmed through the on-site survey checklist written out by Assistant Professor Cleoh.
Halfway up the mountain, we should check if there is any flat land where we can set up magically engineered items. We should also check the cliffs, just in case they're dangerous, and prepare safety equipment if needed. We're also supposed to go to the top and check the altar, which is a pain in the ass, but…. If we hurry, I think we can finish before the sun sets.
I wanted to get things done as soon as possible because I still had a lot of work left to do back at the camp.
However, it wasn't like I could unwillingly drag Anise along, as she didn't have much stamina to begin with. Also, since I had been making sure to not overwork myself again, it wasn't a bad idea for me to take breaks often.
"Ed… You are more dependable and hardworking than I thought."
Anise spoke as if she were embarrassed, twirling her hair around her finger. She slowly looked back at me again.
"I'm so relieved that someone like you came to the lab to help. It was hard being a senior assistant all by myself… I'm sure you know this too, but Assistant Professor Cleoh is a bit clumsy. She's a very promising scholar, but still…"
"That's true. You must have gone through a lot."
"Y-yeah, that's true, but… It's fine."
Anise gave a wide smile as she lightly grabbed onto my arm.
"Now that you're here, Ed."
"But I haven't even really done anything yet…"
"From now on, you'll help me. Look at this, we've already nearly finished surveying this place."
Anise jumped up from her seat, moving right in front of me and staring straight at me.
"Of course, the other two guys would be helpful enough. But the fact that you're here, Ed, gives me a lot of strength."
"...?"
"Ed… I'm sorry if saying this hurts your feelings, but… You were excommunicated from your family, right?"
Was it right to say her expression had changed? It was the same smile, but it felt different.
That gentle smile she showed me didn't feel as bubbly as it used to. Now, it was rather like she was enduring some type of pain.
With a bitter smile, she put both hands behind her back as she leaned forward. It was as if she wanted to see my expression.
"To be on your own, attending such a brilliant school… I know just how difficult that is."
It was strangely different from seduction. It was as if she were stimulating in a mature way, as well as a sense of kinship from being someone of the same age.
Slowly stepping forward, she rubbed my arm and continued talking without getting rid of that bitter smile.
"I was the same. As soon as I entered this school, my family started to fall apart. But I still wanted to continue attending this school… so I held out on my own."
"That… must have been hard."
"Yeah. It was."
Anise stared blankly up at the sky. It seemed like she was recalling the past, where she had endured everything by working on her own every minute of the day.
"It felt as if I was spending a long winter all alone."
She certainly gave off the impression that she was doing well. But I suppose it was proof that, whether it was financially or something else, she was able to sort all her problems out on her own.
"I guess that's why I felt a sense of kinship when I saw you, Ed. Surely… your life here at the school mustn't have been easy. Not only that, but there were also all those terrible rumors going around about you."
"After getting used to it, things started to get better. You shouldn't be so distressed over everything. You're doing a good job holding it together, you know."
"Haha. Thanks. We… have a lot in common."
Saying such emotional things for no reason… I had started to offer words of comfort and sympathy to her.
Well… Did she always have that sort of image? Rather than being so emotional like that, didn't she normally have a more cool-headed and realist-type personality?
We weren't that close, so I wasn't sure of that, but… either way, she still seemed oddly different from the image I had before. I guess you really needed to learn everything about a person to see what they were like.
"As expected, you really are strong and dependable, Ed. I'm glad that I was able to clear up the misunderstanding with you. Ah… Uhm… I don't know if it's because we were talking about such emotional things, but… I'm starting to get hot…"
Anise fiddled with her fingers again as she soon started to make a fuss, quickly turning around.
"Ah… This was all a bit embarrassing! Well, since we rested long enough, let's hurry on up to the top! Let's finish this up quickly! Be careful not to fall! There are a lot of jagged rocks around he—Aaaaaahhhk!"
Right when she was finishing her sentence, Anise fell. Coincidentally, she fell towards me, falling into my arms.
"Ahhhghk!"
Anise started to make a fuss again as she pushed her arms against my chest, quickly breaking free.
"I-I'm sorry! I tripped over a rock!"
"Be careful."
Since it seemed that there were dangerous jagged rocks over there, I tried to go around her to clean it up. However, I didn't see anything in particular. Did she just happen to slip on the snow?
Anise quickly fanned herself as she began to cool down her face. It was certainly an embarrassing situation to be in, so I waited for her to slowly pull herself together.
"W-Wait a moment… I… Why am I so hot…? I'll calm down in a minute…! Just sit down there and wait for me…! I'll be right back…!"
Still fanning herself, she quickly hid behind an old fallen tree off in the distance.
I sat back down on the flat rock as I exhaled. Absentmindedly, I watched as my breath spread through the air. When I looked up, I saw that the entirety of Right Mountain was now covered in a blanket of white snow.
It was quite a gorgeous view.
***
"It's ambiguous."
Sitting on top of the roots of an old tree, Anise had composed herself.
"On the outside, he is dependable and hardworking… but is he just faking…? Since he knows that I am best friends with Yennekar…?"
Anise tilted her head as she held her chin, agonizing deeply. His response wasn't good enough to come to a conclusion.
However, she had followed her plan of action perfectly.
An impression of looking capable on the outside while being weak on the inside, all while needing to be protected.
Being a like-minded person, one that has also endured a difficult life at school. Doing so, she could create a sense of kinship with him.
Since she wasn't sure whether he preferred someone more mature or cute, she went with trying to mix the two to some extent. After using some subtle skinship, she even ended up faking an accident falling into his arms.
He did look a bit flustered by it, but it still seemed like he was still being a bit more rational. It was all too ambiguous.
She thought that she might need to wait and watch over him a bit more, but since he hasn't fallen for her despite how much she had done already, he probably wasn't a playboy.
"Hmm… Am I getting too immersed in this?"
Since she said that she would properly check on him, it was all just method acting. Talking about how her school life was like a harsh winter, she wondered if a bit of her underlying sincerity ended up getting mixed in.
Well, what could she do? Paradoxically, a perfect lie was made when a little bit of the truth was mixed into it.
She thought that she must have laid an effective blow, at least to some extent, so soon enough there would be a reaction from him.
"B-But also… I didn't really notice before, but his body is quite nice."
Anise opened and closed the hand that had just touched Ed's chest. He felt much firmer than she had expected.
When you considered that he acted like a nerd, his stamina was also quite good. She thought he was a rich, snobby aristocrat that grew up not knowing anything, but he was unexpectedly quite smart. He wasn't at the level that you could consider him just for his looks.
Sure, an innocent girl like Yennekar might have fallen for that, but… Anise had background information on him.
He was still a descendant of the powerful House Rothstaylor. Even though he might have quieted down a bit, that didn't mean his past notoriety wouldn't show itself again.
After all, physiognomy was a science, so she didn't have a single doubt in Ed's true personality. When she thought that it had to be his way of hitting on women, she was all the more convinced.
With the way she is acting, it would be a piece of cake for a playboy like him, one that switched their masks and constantly rotated between women. It was only natural that someone as innocent as Yennekar would fall for him.
"Yeah, that's all it is."
Anise nodded her head as she caught her breath.
She put a thick mask on top of her skin.
***
The reconstructed Ophelis Hall looked much cleaner and more sophisticated than before.
Of course, Tanya—who had just stepped foot into Silvenia for the first time—couldn't tell the difference.
She simply admired the appearance of the dormitory that even compared to that of the Rothstaylor residence. When she had applied to enter early, she didn't think it would be so beautiful, especially given that it was still under construction.
"The maids have organized all the luggage you have sent. You will be in Room 2 on the third floor."
The esteemed daughter of the most powerful family in the continent, the Rothstaylor Family, had made her entrance. Naturally, the one at the top that was in charge of Ophelis Hall had come out personally to greet her. Bell Maya.
As she politely gave her greetings and provided information, Tanya politely bowed her head in return.
"Please, use my attendants to finish the process of moving in. Before that, there is something that I need to attend to."
"I understand."
Out of Tanya's magnificent carriage, her servants—dressed in high-class attire—stepped out one-by-one. They were all well-educated and looked stunning.
Accompanied by only a few servants, Tanya started heading towards the commercial district.
Even though she didn't have particularly high stamina, she still liked to walk. Slowly looking around the school grounds, she breathed in the cool winter air.
As expected, even Silvenia's education district was full of romance. It was a land of study, where each honorable and talented individual bettered themselves to be reborn as a shining talent.
She started to get even more excited as she thought of the fact that she was now a fellow individual, one that could work amongst all of them.
"As your father, I'm very delighted to hear of your intentions. I will fully support your ambitions."
Krepin Rothstaylor. A benevolent and dignified duke in the Kroel Empire.
Before leaving the Rothstaylor residence, the final conversation she'd had with her most respected father had given her strength.
Prior to leaving for Silvenia, she had conveyed the two resolutions she had to her father.
In Silvenia, the land of study—where countless talented young individuals gathered—she would become the youngest student president to bring honor to her family's name.
As for the disgrace of House Rothstaylor, which had not yet been completely dealt with, she would personally make sure that he left the glorious Silvenia.
All of Tanya's ambitions were determined solely for the glory of her family's prestigious name. Krepin was so impressed with that fact that he took notice of her.
And of that fact, Tanya was all too proud.
With the tragedy of the eldest daughter Arwen, and then excommunication of the eldest son, Ed, she had somehow ended up becoming the successor of House Rothstaylor.
It was hard for her to get rid of her inferiority complex, which might have risen due to the fact she had been given such an undeserved honor.
Getting accepted into Silvenia, she felt a new type of recognition… Thus, Tanya had regained her motivation. She once again wanted to get recognized for her own abilities in the upcoming first-year student assignment examination.
She was probably the first of the new students to move into the dorms.
When she thought about the upcoming student president elections, there wasn't much time left. That was why she wanted to meet as many people as she could within the school, make her name well known, and bring people to her side.
A deed that had never been accomplished in Silvenia's history. A first year Student President. Achieving that spot was Tanya's primary goal.
"There are a lot of 'important figures' within the school. It is important to persuade each and every student. Ultimately, however, if you want to become the student president it is important to gain key people that can control the public as your allies."
That was her father Krepin's golden advice. It was also his help.
"There are also a few 'important figures' I met within the school. If there is something that you need to take care of on my behalf, get to know them and make an offer to gain your position."
Tanya slowly ran out of breath as she kept walking.
Growing up in the Rothstaylor mansion, she was an esteemed daughter that was raised like a princess… She had never really done anything on her own before.
She did everything for the glory of her family's prestige, but in actuality she hadn't done a single thing.
She now had her opportunity. While she was in the position to represent her father, she was also able to build her own name as Tanya Rothstaylor.
***
"It's strange."
Tanya finished talking with a big smile on her face.
Her own aspiration to become the student president. Her volition to get rid of the trash that was Ed Rothstaylor to restore the glory of her family's name once more.
And if others were to support her, what could she do for them? What type of promises could she make?
Brushing off such things, she started to smile once again.
She was a girl that was like a rose about to bloom. The first-year girl was overflowing with ambition as she sat down at a table, facing one of those 'important figures' sitting right across from her.
"Anyway, there's a long way to go until the student president elections, and there are many things I need to take care of as a new student, so this is just a lighthearted agreement. If you support me, I can aggressively make propositions with my influence on your behalf even in regard to the rules inside the commercial district. Other than that, I'm sure you know well what it means to have the student president as an ally."
And adding onto that—
"There isn't much that you will have to do. Just support me during the election, and other than that… Please lend me your help in getting rid of Ed Rothstaylor. I still don't have an ounce of trust in the school's method of handling it. The more certain I can be about the job being finished, the better it is. After all, I want to receive as much help as I can going forward."
Tanya continued speaking in such a relaxed manner, though she still thought about what Krepin had told her.
"Silvenia will do their best to treat you according to your status, but the main point of it is that it is a land of study. Even the princess, who is studying there now, must be respectful when talking with her teachers. Don't make a mistake and mistreat others that are in a higher position than you. Every single person there that is older than you is your senior, so treat them as such."
One's grade came before one's status. Of course, the person she was talking to also knew of Tanya's status and treated her with respect. Still, she didn't want to overstep her boundaries or sound too cheeky.
Tanya had already heard many rumors about her upperclassmen at Silvenia, who were talented individuals that had already proven themselves.
And before her eyes was one of those rumored 'influential people' that she always heard about. It was a matter of more than status. It was about 'achievements and 'competence'.
No matter how lowly her background might be, no one could look down on her because of her proven ability. Wasn't she someone that even veterans, who had experienced it all, could only acknowledge and lower their heads towards? The person in front of her was like a lion that would even devour the other 'influential people'.
The elegance that she exuded was no different than that of a noble. If it weren't for Tanya's status from being a Rothstaylor, she would have never had the honor of personally meeting such an influential person.
"Keep this in mind when you meet the person that I will introduce you to. You must respect your opponent. Especially when it comes to negotiation and deals, she is an opponent that you can never relax in front of."
"Her and I… We previously met in regard to the Sage's Seal. That is still something I need to finish negotiating with her over, so you can take care of it as my representative. I'm sure it'll be a good experience, but… Hm… Nevermind. Stay strong, Tanya."
***
Lortel Kehelland was staring back at the incoming student, who was staring at her with sparkling eyes.
"..."
After hearing the whole story, Lortel slowly closed her eyes and opened them again… She then smiled back at her.
"…This sounds fun."
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