Lortel gave a wide grin.
She had heard rumors that there were many influential people among the incoming first years. She was able to figure out the identities of the majority of them, too.
Tanya, who had wide and bright eyes, definitely looked like her older brother.
They certainly shared the same sharp eyes and that bright blonde hair. However, the way she acted was different from Ed.
That strange sense of maturity and determination she felt in Ed Rothstaylor wasn't there. Instead, there was the graceful demeanor of an aristocrat.
There was a sense of self-confidence in her, but not arrogance. Was it the grace that came from an esteemed daughter that spent years receiving education?
For Lortel, who was born at the bottom, it wasn't a welcome impression. However, she still was the younger sister of Ed Rothstaylor.
Even though she had dressed up to not offend her, Tanya was only talking about getting rid of Ed.
"Have you had the chance to meet that guy, Lortel?"
"Yes. I have."
The reason she could speak casually was because of the difference in their grades.
Since Silvenia was a land of study, even aristocrats had to—at the very least—show courtesy according to grade. Of course, it wasn't possible to treat an aristocrat in such a rude manner. It was like a humble bow, accepting her grace.
The only people that could transcend such principles were those that were like the heart of the continent, such as members of the royal family or saints.
"Then I won't need to give you a long explanation. After all, you should know just what type of person he is."
"I do know him well."
"He's a stain on the Rothstaylor Family's name. He is like a traitor. Growing up with him, I know him all too well. He's a shallow person, full of bravado, that doesn't know a lick about things like elegance and grace. And since he was the oldest, he became the heir of the House. During that time… the repulsive actions he made against the world were most regrettable."
Lortel drank her tea as she quickly thought things over.
She was taken aback by the sudden situation, but the situation in itself wasn't all that complicated.
The question was how to deal with it.
At the very least, straight out denying her offer wasn't a good option.
"Still, I believe that everything in this world is flowing in the right direction. As for that man, one day he will surely become an irrelevance. In front of him, I may have acted like a quiet, young, esteemed daughter. But behind his back, I stayed up all night studying and bettering myself."
"You must have been through a lot."
"Still, I can't compare to you, who worked your way up from the bottom. Either way, he is someone that shouldn't be allowed to step foot in Silvenia. He's a person that hurts the reputation of the noble Silvenia Academy and is a disgrace to the Rothstaylor House as well."
Basically, Lortel was in a situation where she couldn't deny the esteemed daughter of House Rothstaylor.
Within Silvenia Academy, Lortel might be her upperclassmen. However, in terms of social status they could never be seen as equals.
Given that she had received the favor of her father Krepin, wasn't there a high chance that one day she would become a figure that would gain much power?
Also, Tanya clearly felt malice towards Ed, but it was impossible to know if Ed viewed Tanya as an enemy or not. If, by chance, his little sister ended up getting hurt… Ed could end up getting very upset.
In fact, there was an issue that came before such emotions.
Personal connections were much more honest than gold coins.
In direct proportion to the amount of time and effort you spent on personal connections, the value became that much more worthwhile.
And Tanya Rothstaylor would be a very good asset to have. For Lortel, who viewed everything in the world from a business perspective, there was no better investment.
That meant that the answer would be to pretend that she was cooperating to gain her favor. Afterwards, no matter what plot Tanya might be conspiring, no one had to know that Lortel was a part of it.
As expected, if she had to pick an answer, that was definitely correct… However.
"The more I hear about him, the more impossible it becomes to understand why our God Telos would give him permission to share the Rothstaylor blood. He received combat lessons since he was young, but proper results never came from them. He's just a man full of pride. Delusional and of the belief that he is talented because many vassals gave him praise."
"I see."
"He has tried enduring many different fields, but he would ultimately just scratch the surface and quit. But since his self-esteem is so high, he would never admit his incompetence. He barely managed to become assimilated with magic power resonance, yet he went around bragging that he would become some kind of archmage. Then, when he somehow barely managed to get into Silvenia, he was so full of himself. Even though only a few years have passed since I saw him, he has already caused an incident and ended up like this."
It was hard to fully describe just how Tanya felt about Ed.
Tanya had spent her life working day and night, trying to protect the Rothstaylor family's name and dignity. Yet she had to keep living underneath Ed, who was full of vanity and couldn't uphold his part of the deal.
It was bearable until the eldest daughter Arwen had passed away.
At the very least, Arwen was someone that held all the qualities of the perfect example of what a member of House Rothstaylor should be. Tanya lived her life thinking, as her younger sister, that if she could even follow just the steps that Arwen had taken that was enough.
However, Arwen had died in a suspicious manner, and that pathetic Ed ended up taking over as heir. After that, Tanya had cursed the absurdities of the world and suffered through much pain.
How frustrating was the fact that the future of the Rothstaylor family was left to a man that would never be able to take the place of Arwen, let alone act like a proper aristocrat?
"I used to live my life acting kind and honest in front of him, but now I don't think there is a reason for me to do so. Not now that his true nature has already been revealed to the world. The fact that he is such a vain and conceited man, one without a grain of talent… Someone as great as you, Lortel, would definitely have noticed that in an instant."
"You think so?"
"Yes, I do. So, this time around… uhm…"
She was talking so excitedly, but she was suddenly speechless. Tanya finally realized the unnaturalness of the conversation.
There was no sort of communication. For a while now, Lortel had only been answering Tanya with short responses.
She looked back at Lortel's face, wondering if she had accidentally done something disrespectful, but she was still grinning like always.
She had a blue rose hairpin in her reddish-brown hair, which fell neatly around her shoulders. And the hem of her dress, which might have seemed modest but had glamorous frills, didn't move one bit.
She looked like a still image, but still her hair swayed from the gravity pulling down.
There was no particular emotion in her expression. She was just smiling.
"I… Uhm…"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing… Did I do something disrespectful?"
"No."
Since she was a girl that Krepin had selected to send on his behalf, there was a high chance that she had potential or talent in some aspect.
He wasn't the type of person that would invest in another person out of mere attachment. At the very least, they would need to have some type of talent… Or some type of usefulness. Otherwise, Krepin wouldn't have any expectations for them in the first place.
However, in Lortel's eyes she had yet to see that potential.
She didn't know just what type of talent Tanya had been born with, but it seemed that it had yet to blossom.
It seemed that there needed to be some type of opportunity to fully judge the talent that was inside of Tanya, but… there was a problem that came before that.
"Really? But… It seems that you are angry… was that my mistake?"
"Angry? What are you saying?"
Lortel was someone that could maintain a calm, composed rationality regardless of the changes in a situation or the extent of a crisis. She was famous for being a model merchant that always made the logical choice.
Tanya was well aware of that fact. That was because Krepin had warned her in advance.
However, unfortunately… there was a variable that both Krepin and Tanya hadn't accounted for.
An Authoritative figure of the Elte Company, the Golden Daughter, the Devil that sold her soul for gold… because that girl was given so many esteemed nicknames, there was something they had forgotten… Ultimately, she was still a girl of a young age.
She was definitely someone that would never lose her rationality in the face of any sort of variable, but there was still one thing that should never be brought up to her.
The vein that was sticking out of her forehead proved that fact.
"By the way, have you finished your tea?"
Over Lortel's cool head, she was quickly formulating a plan.
***
[ Acquiring Book: Intermediate Magic – Point Explosion. ]
[ Acquiring Book: Intermediate Magic – Origin of Wind. ]
The night before, I came back to the camp while holding a few magic books from Professor Glast's library under my arm.
The books weren't all that precious. If I wanted, I could even borrow them from the student library. However, the fact that I didn't have to worry about the return date was very convenient.
"Thanks for today. All I need to do tomorrow is some simple paperwork, so please come back one more time the day after tomorrow, when we start to construct the test site. Other than that, all that's left is helping supervise on the actual day of the exam."
To some extent, my first day's work as a scholarship student had ended. I felt that Anise was going through a lot more than me.
I did have a lot of work to do, which was annoying, but when compared to manual labor it wasn't all that hard.
Before I knew it, the sun had started to set. That is how winter was. If you let your guard down for a bit, before you knew it the sky would be covered in darkness.
Thinking about heading into the cabin early, I sat by the campfire.
It's hard to stay outside when the wind was fiercely stinging your skin, but on a day where even after the snow had fallen there was a warmth in the air, a campfire was enough to stay outside.
By habit, I tried to gather magic power and cast Ignite at the campfire.
However, the fire didn't start.
"Ah… That's right…"
I couldn't use magic power. I thought I would read a book outside, enjoying the fresh air, but without a campfire it was kind of hard to do.
I raised my head, looking around the camp. I looked up in the trees, on the roof of the cabin, the flat rocks, and so on. However, there wasn't anything that stood out in particular.
After thinking it over for a while, I got up from my seat and headed towards the cabin.
I opened the wooden door of my cabin, heading inside and looking towards the bed. Under the blanket, there was something bulging out.
Before, she would show up in various ways and in all sorts of places—ones that I couldn't even imagine. In recent days, however, it felt like she had fallen into a pattern. Or maybe it was because I had become used to it and could see through all of her movements.
"Hey, Lucy."
When I took off the blanket, Lucy was curled up underneath, sleeping. Seeing her sleep comfortably like that, it definitely seemed like it was her house now.
As I lifted Lucy's witch hat, her small hand reached out, grabbing it.
"Please make me a fire."
Lucy, who sat up with her still half-asleep eyes, tilted her head. When I took out a piece of jerky in front of her, she took a bite of it as if it were nothing.
Then she raised up both of her arms, as if she were asking to be carried. Since I was the one that needed help, I didn't feel the need to complain. Either way, Lucy was extremely light, so it wasn't much to do.
As I went out to the campfire while carrying Lucy, a fire rose before I could say anything. I thanked her back. Suddenly, she grabbed hold of my collar.
"I want to be outside, too."
"All right."
Anyway, while I couldn't use magic power, I was planning to ask Lucy for help with things often. At least when it came to getting through the winter, I was going to need her help.
Without much complaint, I headed over to a flat rock near the campfire. After I put Lucy down first, she sat on it excitedly and patted the empty space next to her.
As I grabbed the magic books and sat down next to Lucy, she buried her head in my lap and laid down with her arms stretched upwards. At that point, I didn't know if she treated humans like pillows or pillows like humans.
Crackle, crackle.
I'd heard the crackling of the burning campfire so much already that it felt as if it were being filtered out by my ears.
Since a bit of time had passed, it was already somewhat dark. I frowned, wondering if it was too much to try and read a book with only the light from the campfire. Then a flame started rising up in the air, floating around my ear.
It was warm and also provided a working light source, perfect for reading books. The person that had cast that flame magic laid on my lap, resting while staring blankly up into the air. That kid… With things like that, she was strangely delicate…
The winter forest, when there was no wind, was especially calm.
The sound of the turning pages of a book. The sound of the campfire burning. Those two things were all you could hear.
Even the sound of the grass bugs, which have been crying all year round, could barely be heard. Sitting down in the cold air, it really felt as if the entire world had stopped.
"Hmm…"
I continued to review the theories written in the book, flipping the pages. I was already familiar with most of the theories, since I had already learned them during my Elemental Studies Class. Realistically, if you wanted to acquire a particular intermediate magic, you needed to have deeper knowledge and make further preparations than just a basic knowledge of it.
Since each student had their own intermediate magic that they wanted to learn, it wasn't easy to properly practice in a class that is so inclusive.
Ultimately, some self-study was necessary.
Since I couldn't use magic power at that moment, I couldn't practice by myself. However, I could still at least familiarize myself with the theory… By the end of the break, I might even be able to use intermediate magic.
My goals were Point Explosion and Origin of Wind.
Based on my numerous experiences while training, the combination of those two magics were the best if I wanted to effectively increase my combat ability while properly combining both fire and wind magic.
After learning intermediate magic, you could refer to yourself as an individual that was a fully-fledged expert in that particular magic anywhere you went. The most important point of it all was how many you could learn. Surely learning two was a good start.
"Something smells like perfume."
Lucy, who was lying still, spoke suddenly.
"Really?"
Since I spent the entire day working at the school with Anise, that fragrance of flowers probably came from my body. It had probably happened when Anise had accidently slipped, falling onto me at Right Mountain.
Lucy sniffed the sleeves of her own clothes, then started to sniff my chest. Then she pushed on my chest, sitting up and tilting her head.
"Do you have a fever? Are you sick?"
"Can you tell?"
"Don't get sick. If you get sick, you can even die."
I was currently living with a low-grade fever. It was a side effect from using Professor Glast's ring.
It seemed similar to the last time, when I fainted from overworking, but Lucy hated it to an extreme measure when someone around her collapsed due to an illness. Maybe it was because she had lost someone to an illness previously.
"I'm not going to die, don't worry."
"If your magic power was twisted, I'll untangle it for you."
Saying that, she pressed down on my chest and quickly realized something unusual.
For a moment, Lucy's face looked as if she was wondering what was wrong with me. But shortly after, as if she fully understood, she nodded her head.
"…What a reckless thing you did."
"Well, I can bear with it."
"When winter is over… You will become a lot stronger…"
Lucy, who muttered under her breath, started to relax her body and once again laid down on my lap.
Anyway, over the winter there was so much work that I needed to take care of. The snow is falling over the forest in a peaceful manner now, but there would definitely be days where there would be cold snaps, heavy snow, and a stinging wind that fell over the camp.
My cabin needed to be reinforced. I could manage the food supply somehow, but as for the durability of the camp itself… I had no choice but to do some work.
"You know… Can I ask for a weird favor?"
"Weird favor?"
Lucy flicked off her witch hat and ran her finger through her white hair.
"Can you pat my head?"
Looking back at her with a dumbfounded expression, she grabbed my wrist and put it on her head.
I patted her back and forth as Lucy slowly fell asleep.
That appearance of hers, as if she were reminiscing about something while slowly falling asleep… it was as if I had seen it many times before.
Once the peaceful winter came to an end and spring arrived, without a doubt she would wake from her hibernation.
In a way the winter… It was a break that Lucy Mayreel would never see again.
Set a plan to clean up the workshop. ✓
Build a warehouse to store materials.
Extending the cabin.
Check the storyline. 💡
Check the work for the school's student scholarship program. ✓
Raise my magic engineering proficiency by more than 3 levels.
Acquire special archery-type skills.
Pick up the theory of intermediate magic. ✓
Making a contract with a high-ranking spirit. ✓
"..."
How much time had passed? I could hear the sound of the grass moving from the forest.
It was Lortel, with her hair tied to one side. Unlike her usual flashy attire, she was wearing a modest semi-robe instead.
I'd often heard that the Elte Company became ridiculously busy once the vacation season began. Because of that, I thought that the work related to the magically engineered items I asked for last time had been pushed back. However, there was nothing that could be done about that.
"Oh, Lortel."
"It's been a while, Ed. I came here because there are a few things I needed to tell you. There was also something I wanted to ask."
"Are you talking about the things I asked for last time? If you had just called me over to the Elte Store, I could have visited you myself. After all, it must be inconvenient for you to keep coming to this camp."
"Ah, no, that's not it… I'm fine…"
As Lortel was speaking she suddenly got lost in her thoughts for a moment.
Holding her chin, she kept staring blankly at Lucy for quite a long time.
***
"That's everything."
The guardian over nature in the north, who was taken in and raised by House Islam.
The Spear from Nature, Ziggs Eiffelstein.
He was one of the ones recommended to Tanya by the Golden Daughter Lortel. Among her upperclassmen, who would soon become second years, she had heard he was the strongest in battle within the magic department when you discounted the genius magician Lucy.
The amount of magic power he was born with wasn't special, yet the force of his magic was enough to keep him from falling behind the other students in Class A… She had heard that his combat sense when fighting in one-on-one battles was unmatchable.
Not only that, but he was very popular. He was supposedly the student that the soon-to-be second years all trusted deeply… Lortel's recommendation was that, if she wanted to win over the soon-to-be second years, the first step was getting Ziggs on her side.
You couldn't be satisfied with just one small fish, you had to go for all the big ones as well. Indeed, that advice was very much like her.
The location was on the outskirts of the commercial district. The path on the way to the entrance of Lorail Hall, a dormitory for honor students.
Her first impression of Ziggs was overwhelming. He was carrying six or seven bags the size of the upper half of a human body all by himself.
Behind Ziggs was the librarian, Elka Islam, who was trudging along while holding a small amount of luggage. It looked as if the two of them were completely moving away somewhere.
"The story was a bit long, so thank you for hearing me until the end. The offer I'm making is simple."
Tanya smiled as she greeted them politely.
"If you follow me in punishing that man, I will do the most to compensate you. This can be promised in the name of House Rothstaylor and notarized by the Elte Company. There can be all sorts of ways that I can compensate you. For example… House Islam has many reputable archaeologists, correct? We would be willing to share many of the antiquities that are kept in our warehouse with you."
"Really?! …Oops."
It was Ziggs' lover, Elka Islam, that had responded first.
Ziggs and Elka were busy organizing their bags, as they were planning to go back home over the break.
Ziggs put down all of the luggage he was holding, sitting on a large wooden bag and listening as he frowned.
"Alright…"
Ziggs suddenly stood up, walking over and getting up close to Tanya.
Compared to his sturdy body, Ziggs' frame wasn't all that overwhelmingly large. Still, compared to the relatively small Tanya, all she could do was gulp.
She could clearly feel the flow of magic power throughout his body. She couldn't help but get goosebumps at seeing Ziggs look down at her with those cold eyes.
"You said… You're Ed's little sister?"
"Yes… Hiccup."
Tanya quickly replied to Ziggs. In doing so, she swallowed her breath quickly.
However, in that serious atmosphere Ziggs suddenly let out a laugh.
"Haha, did you hear that, Elka? This girl says she's Ed's little sister."
The atmosphere was strange.
By the time Tanya had noticed, the situation had completely flipped.
Ziggs reached into his pocket, taking out a magically engineered item that was shaped like a round marble.
Tanya was nervous, wondering just what was going on. Soon after, Ziggs put that magically engineered item in her hand.
"This is a magically engineered item that is used in one of the mandatory classes for incoming students. Don't go and buy a new one, just use this instead. When you use it for training magic power resonance, it will be convenient since you won't have to apply a new basic adaption setting."
"…What?"
"Ah, right. Elka, did you bring Professor Delof's Elemental Studies hand-me-down textbook?"
"Yes, I did bring it. I almost threw it away."
"Here, take this too. There's a big difference between using this textbook and buying a new one. Your efficiency in understanding the class will probably be different, too. Here, all the notes have been gathered here. You should take this, too."
"Hm? Eh? What?"
Tanya was bewildered as she accepted all the piled notes and documents.
"Here, this is Professor Feld's magic power efficiency training textbook. The important sections have all been marked, so it will be better this is the wand for the Monster Ecology Class. I've modified the searching magic to fit the topography of the Right Mountain, so it will be better if you just use this instead. Here, take this."
"Ah, uhm? Okay…"
"Here, take this too. Ahh… I don't think you'll need this one, actually. Ahh, I'm not sure. Take it just in case. If you don't need it, you can just throw it away. Do you still have the corolla from Professor Harlen's Class, Elka?"
"Yes, here it is. And take this, too. It's an annual membership for Laplace Bakery in the commercial district. It's so popular that even nobles and aristocrats have to wait in line. There is still some time left to use it over winter break, so you can use it. After all, I'm going back home this break. Here, take the corolla."
"Yeah, take this. Oh, wait, your hands are already full. Mr. Servant. Can you take this for her? This and this will also be useful for you. This necklace and corolla… Here, I'll go ahead and put it on your head."
After spending a while giving her useful items and tips for her life at school, Ziggs and Elka wiped the sweat off of their satisfied faces.
After they gave Tanya all of those items, she couldn't help but be left completely dumbfounded. She did her best to stay balanced, as all of the luggage she was holding could make her fall over at any given moment.
"Uhm… Did you really listen to the offer that I made you?"
"Hm? Uhm… That thing you want me to do with Ed, right…? Alright, I got it. I guess siblings will always have a relationship like cats and dogs. In any case, the relationship between you two isn't all that great. Well… Given that Ed's personality can often be misunderstood, I guess that makes sense."
"Ziggs! The ship is going to leave soon…! If we want to send off all of our things in advance, we have to go now…!"
"Alright, I got it, Elka. Anyway… You said you were Ed's younger sister right…? Well, it was nice to meet you. I'm Ziggs, a soon-to-be second year. And my relationship with Ed is that of a junior and senior."
Ziggs picked up all the bags, one at a time.
"Well, we've known each other for a while, and we owe each other a lot so it is a special relationship. It's nice to see you come to the school so early, meeting and getting to know everyone. Just like your older brother, you look so strong and determined. I guess it's a blessing, being born in such a great house with such a great family. Yeah."
With a proud face, Ziggs tapped his cute underclassmen on the shoulder a few times before he clenched his fist and shouted in a lively manner.
"Anyway, Let's go…!! Together now… 1, 2, 3… Let's go…!!"
After saying that, Ziggs quickly left for the dock, holding onto all of the luggage.
Then came the calm after the storm.
A sense of embarrassment started to rise up as time passed.
"..."
"...?"
"...???"
"...?????"
Holding onto all sorts of things she had been given, Tanya looked around in bewilderment.
-x-X-x-
"Eughahyaeughahaha~"
"You did a great job."
She had just finished submitting the documents on the academy's agenda, submitting her plans for the incoming student's class assignment examination, checking the foundation of everything, writing the report on the academic schedule for when school started up again, finishing grading the final examinations and ranking them, and preparing for the examination to become a full professor.
Assistant Professor Cleoh had buried her head into the office desk as if her soul were leaving her body.
"Once you do a good job with the incoming first-year class assignment examination next week, you will be able to rest for the rest of break."
"Anise, you really are the best. You seriously have so much stamina. And your skin is still flawless. Look at mine, I already have all these dead skin cells showing up… Is this… the difference in youth…?"
Assistant Professor Cleoh turned her head, looking into the mirror on her desk. The reflection showed a dead body.
On the other hand, Anise, who was sitting at the large table in the center of the laboratory while surrounded by papers… was she really a human?
Watching her skim through papers in a dazzling yet elegant manner, it seemed as if she had just come to work and was physically in a great, sturdy state. Surprisingly, Anise had also been staying up all night for the past two days.
That was her level after working alone as Assistant Professor Cleoh's assistant, a professor who was already short on people able to help with her research.
She was taking care of everything, even if she wasn't asked to, and everything that she could do to keep the lab running smoothly… Assistant Professor Cleoh could only accept her help, as if she was her master. At that point, you couldn't tell who the professor and who the assistant was between the two of them.
"As expected… I can't trust the outside scholarship students that are helping."
Meanwhile, Anise sighed deeply as she flipped through the papers.
Unlike Anise, who worked as the head assistant for Assistant Professor Cleoh, it was hard to expect the same sense of belonging from the school's scholarship students.
It went without saying for important tasks, but even for minor tasks she had to carefully make sure that it was all taken care of properly.
Just checking over all the work itself required a considerable amount of effort, so they couldn't really be considered efficient helpers.
And sure enough, whether it was the third year Onyx or the first year Clevius, their work wasn't completed neatly. Even though it wasn't much, it was work that students might find difficult to manage… Either way, things were about the bare minimum as far her expectations went.
For most things, Anise had to take care of them once again. However, the only one that she didn't need to lend a hand to was Ed Rothstaylor.
He was the one she was most worried about, so Anise carefully stayed around him to check his work. Surprisingly, she didn't need to.
If Anise didn't already have plans to watch over Ed for Yennekar's sake, it would have been more efficient for her to stay near and watch over the other students instead. There was no point in supervising someone that could already do their work alone sufficiently.
There were no flaws in his processing of paperwork or the practical jobs themselves. Usually, student personnel tended to have little experience, so they weren't skilled at handling work and didn't pay attention to detail.
But Ed Rothstaylor, didn't dismiss the majority of problems. Instead, he deftly figured them out in a solution-oriented way.
For example, she had brought over a checklist with her when they went to survey the test site in advance, but Ed Rothstaylor didn't just adhere to what was written on the checklist. He went even further.
"We'd better close off the entrance in advance, as students may accidentally come and visit before the test."
"The snow makes it quite slippery. If it's slippery on the day of the test, that will be difficult."
"The area of the test site is wider than I thought. If it's more than she expected, we might end up having to make boundaries here and there—or we might need to increase the number of Magic Power Stones that we are hiding to control the difficulty level."
"Unexpectedly, it seems that he didn't grow up pampered and catered to…"
Real-life problem-solving skills were a characteristic that was hard to find in a person that had simply lived their life as an aristocrat.
His actions were rather unexpected. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't caught off guard.
"By the way Anise, you went out with Ed, right? How was he? He's similar to you, isn't he?"
"Similar to me?"
"Hm… I guess you don't know, Anise. Ed was excommunicated."
"No… I at least know that much."
"Really? Then, should I tell you a secret… one that only I know about?"
Perhaps since she was now relieved of all of her work, Assistant Professor Cleoh talked to Anise with a playful expression.
"Ed, do you know where he lives? He lives in that vast forest in the northern part of the island. In the northwest corner of that forest, he built a cabin by himself and is living there now…!"
"…Huh? Really?"
"Yeah. I secretly followed him because I had something to investigate regarding the Occupation of Ophelis Hall… But, uhm… This is a secret from Ed…!"
A secret about Yennekar's crush. The fact was, even Yennekar didn't tell anyone else about that.
Anise gulped as she nodded her head.
"It's surreal that he ended up building a decent camp, one that is even larger than this lab, all by himself…! As for the tools he uses, a workbench, campfire, display stand, drying rack, smoker… Everything seems to have been handmade. That kid, he doesn't look like it, but aren't his handicraft skills quite amazing?"
"I-Is that so?"
"On top of that, he even signed a contract with a spirit by himself. As you know, there is quite a high barrier of entry when it comes to training one's spiritual resonance. I really don't know how he managed to do it, but wow… I guess he just put in that much effort."
Only then did Anise seem to find a clue to Ed's problem-solving ability.
Living alone in the wild, he must have faced all kinds of real-life problems. Solving all of the difficulties that came his way, that was why he was able to naturally build up his ability to solve practical problems.
That practical sense was something that aristocrats who have lived their lives in a safe, protected environment would never be able to get their hands on. It was a seemingly insignificant ability, but Anise knew just how important it truly was.
"That's why you were nodding your head when you went off with Ed~ You two have quite a lot in common, right?"
"Ed and me? What…"
"Okay~ Have you seen the progress of Ed's grades? Do you want me to show you?"
"I thought you weren't supposed to show another student's report card to others as you wish?"
"Aghk…"
Assistant Professor Cleoh awkwardly laughed as she twisted her hair.
"Anyway, I get the feeling of just how persistent he is and how much he has gone through to live. To the extent that even Professor Glast would probably nod his head in recognition. Despite his unfavorable circumstances, he keeps on living without complaining. That's really something that not just anyone can do."
"You're talking about something quite embarrassing…"
"I-Is that so…? But I really do think that he is quite amazing."
Saying that, Assistant Professor Cleoh lifted up her head and looked at Anise.
In between the cracks of the mountainous pile of papers, Anise glanced back.
Despite the amount of work, she never lost her dignity.
There was a reason she was considered to be like an aristocrat even though she was just a regular commoner.
"Uhm… I appreciate your comment, but…"
Anise was lost in thought. Even before considering the high praise Assistant Professor Cleoh had given, Ed Rothstaylor was still on her mind.
Given that the way people viewed him had now flipped, and everyone simply started to forget all the terrible things he'd done, she came to a conclusion.
It was hard to say how much Ed, who had been excommunicated and treated like an outcast within the school, had grown as a person.
It was difficult to just blindly believe in him, even though people may have changed their perception. Especially when it came to supporting Yennekar in her beautiful love.
However much she personally tried to tear him down while looking for a flaw, there wasn't a single one. Looking at him, he was simply a boy that was living a hardworking life.
He wasn't even someone that tried to show off his efforts to gain recognition. He was just a person that had to put in that much effort to survive.
After all of that, she started to think, Maybe he really is just a good guy?
It was quite a sound thought. Objectively speaking, wasn't that fine? He was good looking, didn't seem particularly arrogant, and Assistant Professor Cleoh gave him high praise… Given all of that, it would be stranger to believe that it was all from a playboy's act…
Thinking back on observing Ed's behavior while they were together in person, there seemed to be more of a gentle side to him than she thought. In fact, by accident she had even found out that Ed was in good shape. After falling into his arms unexpectedly, his touch and scent was rather warm and comforting.
He didn't have that particular smell of a student that was covered in sweat after spending all day working. It seemed like he had taken care of it to make sure it didn't stand out and bother anyone.
"…Anise? Are you spacing out?"
Anise swallowed as she quickly shook her head a couple times.
"No. I was just thinking about something. It's a bit hot. Shall we open the window?"
"Hm? Sure, let's let in some fresh air. Be careful that the papers won't blow away."
"Alright. Ah!"
It wasn't a big deal, but Anise felt like she had been hit in the back of her head with a hammer, so she quickly swallowed her breath.
She didn't do anything wrong in particular. She was just objectively evaluating the man named Ed.
She never thought of it as a sin to grade another person, but it felt like as if her subtle guilty conscience was tightening her chest as she felt goosebumps down her back.
If you were to ask her why, Anise wouldn't be able to exactly define her feelings.
However, she wouldn't deny the fact that she felt it was rather special, just how much Ed resembled herself.
It was hard to share with others just how hard and difficult one's tenacious life had been.
With her friends, who were high on living their romantic lives, she was used to talking about fun, exciting, and cute things rather than heavy and gloomy topics.
The same went for boys that would try to flirt with her because of her appearance. Most of them were people that didn't have any serious concerns about life and didn't need to reflect on anything more than the worries of a regular student.
It wasn't a particularly bad thing. After all, students were the best when they acted like students. Actually, it was stranger to think that she could easily make a friend that she could talk to about serious and heavy topics in the romantic Silvenia Academy.
The cold truth of reality was worse than the freezing cold of the middle of winter. Only those that had experienced it knew that truth.
Because of the fact that she got overwhelmed by their bond of sympathy, she ended up showing Ed her true feelings a bit. Though, she had dismissed it as a mistake.
"Anise, your face is red. Maybe you pushed yourself too much?"
Hearing those words from Assistant Professor Cleoh, Anise felt as if her heart had been stabbed by a knife.
She jumped up from her seat, went over to the mirror, lifted up her bangs, and checked her face. Seeing her expression in the mirror, Anise finished observing herself in an instant.
Surprisingly, her dilated pupils were flushed. She also had a fever.
That was bad.
That couldn't be right, that was really bad.
Anise grabbed a chair, sitting down as she repeatedly scrubbed her face with both hands and tried to regain her composure. Still, she couldn't stop her cold sweat from flowing down.
However, it was an undeniable fact.
Anise's main focus was objectifying ambiguous things like emotions and one's mind. Given that, she couldn't pretend that she didn't realize it.
Still, wasn't that feeling still manageable? The fact that she detected it early on was good news, at least.
Emotions also had stages, so she could deal with it as long as she pushed them away before they started to develop.
Right as she had barely managed to regain her composure, words from Assistant Professor Cleoh flashed through Anise's mind.
"On top of that, he even signed a contract with a spirit by himself. As you know, there is quite a high barrier of entry when it comes to training one's spiritual resonance. I really don't know how he managed to do it, but wow… I guess he just put in that much effort."
As Cleoh had said, there was a barrier of entry in regard to training one's spiritual resonance. It was hard to fully grasp without the help of a fairly high level Elementalist.
As for a fairly high level Elementalist around Ed Rothstaylor, it was completely obvious who that was.
She had also said that Ed Rothstaylor had built a camp and was living in the northern forest. That forest was completely Yennekar's territory.
Then that meant that the spirit that Ed Rothstaylor must have signed with was inside the northern forest.
If Ed Rothstaylor's contracted spirit was always following him, or had at least witnessed him while he was with Anise, then…
Anise gulped.
"Since we're done with work, shall we have a snack…? Should I go out and buy some? What do you want…?"
Assistant Professor Cleoh was completely clueless as she started boiling some black tea and wiping her table.
Everything was a total mess.
***
The Palerover's ranch wasn't all that large, but it was always bustling, so there wasn't anyone in the village that didn't know about it.
The reason that such high-quality livestock could be cultivated on such a small scale was largely due to the family's culture, which emphasized internal stability and put emphasis on harmony and coexistence.
As such, Yennekar—who was the only daughter of the Palerover family—never became arrogant despite her amazing natural abilities.
Rather, her beautiful heart—which cared for others and loved everyone—shone even brighter than her ability.
"Yennekar is such a nice girl."
"I don't think there is anyone as kind as Yennekar."
The same went for when she left home and went to Acken Island.
She lived a life like a fairy tale protagonist, loved by everyone. It was a life far from the world of solitude, and thanks to that she was able to make a lot of friends when she entered, but… There's no such thing as a life without worry.
On a moonlit night, under the Guardian Tree of Merilda, while training her spiritual resonance and looking up at the Guardian Tree—which was still large and green regardless of the season—Yennekar sniffled.
***
"Among all the soon-to-be third years, Yennekar Palerover is the most recognized, popular, and skilled. A true ace. A merchant like me might have financial abilities, but that innate charm of hers that attracts others is rare."
"After all, politics is divided, right? It's important to have someone that is supported and loved by the students as an ally. Don't worry too much. Yennekar is a good natured and thoughtful person, one that will attentively listen to and put her trust in anyone."
"Well, she is still your upperclassman, so don't be rude. It probably won't ever happen, but… is there a chance that Yennekar's could be feeling a bit down? Hmm… I've never seen Yennekar gloomy, but you never know. So, don't say anything that will offend her."
Thanks to Lortel, who gave her some sincere advice, Tanya felt like she had won over an entire army to her side.
It was rare to have such an opportunity for a conversation with the person who held so much power in the Elte Company.
When she had met Ziggs, she ended up being puzzled by his unexpected response. However, she didn't have time to stay confused over such an incident.
Already, the next week was the incoming student's class assignment examination. Then, the break would come to an end and the election for the student president would start as soon as the new semester begins. She had to work diligently to meet more people and get her name out there.
As a result, after asking people along the way, she eventually found her way to the large tree in the northern forest's lake. 'The Guardian Tree of Merilda.'
It was said that it was a tree with a large wind spirit that protected the forest. From Tanya's point of view, after recently arriving at the school, it just looked like a regular—if gigantic—zelkova tree.
It was a place that she struggled to reach while traveling through the rugged path in the northern forest with her four to five employees. That much trouble was fine by her. As long as she could win over Yennekar, she could do anything.
She saw the back of a girl that was looking up at the zelkova tree. Her petite figure was similar to Tanya's and her beautifully braided light pink hair flowed down her shawl.
The girl sent off a bat made of flames that she was holding. It seemed as if they were just talking about something.
For Tanya, who of course currently didn't have any spiritual resonance, it looked as if she had just stretched out her arms.
Tanya gathered her breath as she spoke loudly.
"Nice to meet you, Yennekar!"
She spoke in a respectful tone to make sure that she didn't come off as arrogant.
Yennekar turned around as she looked up at Tanya. She was exactly as how Lortel had said.
She was an idol, beautiful and kind by nature. Someone that everyone in the school loved. She was the most ideal upperclassman that Tanya had ever imagined.
For Tanya, who had lived only in an aristocratic hierarchy all her life, the existence of an upperclassman that she could truly communicate with disregarding such a power structure was romance in itself.
Just looking at her made her feel warm and comfortable inside. Even if she just stayed by her side, it would feel like all of the stress in the world would fade away. Tanya smiled brightly as she imagined her future at the school with her.
"I would like to introduce myself and talk with you for a bit… Would that be okay?"
She spoke as gracefully as she could, looking over at Yennekar.
She had the same image that she had thought, but she could also see some sort of dark expression over her face as well. Did something bad happen?
Still, she heard that she was a good-natured person that would listen attentively to anyone.
"My name is Tanya Rothstaylor."
When Tanya greeted her with a bright face, saying her name, Yennekar suddenly looked back at her.
A bright moonlit night.
A girl that turned her back quietly, holding an oak wand under the Guardian Tree as it was shaking in the wind.
There was an indescribable, immense pressure… Tanya gulped.
***
It was a quiet winter night at the camp.
As Lortel gently sat opposite of me at the campfire, I gave her some herbal tea in a mug.
As if she were pleased with the appearance of the camp now that it had become more well-off, Lortel smiled and took a look around.
"Since it seems that everything you needed to deal with immediately has been completed, I'm quite relieved."
"Yeah… With this much, it's just like a true home. Since you helped so much, I'm really grateful."
"What are you saying? It wasn't a big deal."
Smiling, Lortel took a sip of the herbal tea.
"There is much I need to speak with you about."
-x-X-x-
"As for the magically engineered items you requested left in our stock, for the most part it has all been handled. If you ask one of our employees at the branch store, they will give you your items. And for the materials in the production formulas that you gave me previously, most of it has been arranged. However, for the Legendary-grade production formulas, it's a bit too difficult for us to prepare the materials."
"Are the materials that scarce?"
"Right now, the season isn't great. The Twilight Sand needed for Dell Heim's Sandglass is hard to procure during the winter. And the crystal ball from Mt. Pulan that is needed for 'Glockt's Eye' is also not currently available for sale."
I was able to get a general estimate on what production formulas I could start researching immediately.
The 'Claw Fingers', which could pull far away objects closer. 'Craigle Magic Ink', which increased efficiency in imbuing magic into objects. 'Permeating Photosphere', which could take the role of a source of light. Honestly, with those items… Even without the help of Lortel, they could still be produced without much difficulty.
The problem was with magically engineered items graded rare or higher. If you could gather all of the materials, it could be produced through research. But for 'Very Rare' or higher magically engineered items, magic power was also required. That was because there was a necessary process to directly imbue a certain property into the object or to remove it.
The primary goal that I wanted to accomplish was to make the item '1000-year-old wooden wand struck by lightning'. It had a ranking of 'Very Rare', so it also required magic power. The problem was, I couldn't use it yet.
It wasn't that I didn't have any other tricks, but it would be a lot of trouble to deal with.
"Alright. Well, it can't be helped. Anyway, thanks a lot."
When I looked at Lortel, she appeared very exhausted.
It was already the end of the year.
Regardless of the generation or background, for a merchant the end of a year was like hell.
They had to finish the year's work, check their accounts, make plans for the next year, and deal with the usual rush at work.
"Even though you are so busy, you even went out of your way for my favor. It's really fine if you don't focus on it and put it aside for later."
"I was just taking care of it along with my other work, so don't worry too much. Hnngggh…!"
Acting like it wasn't much, she stretched her arms out wide. It seemed that she had been sitting in her office doing work all the way up until she came to the camp.
Lortel, who sat across the campfire holding onto her wooden mug, gently lowered the corners of her mouth. It was as if she had lost her energy. At first glance, it might look like she was smiling…but she was definitely exhausted.
"You should have just rested. Why did you come all the way here to tell me that? This place isn't even that close."
"I came here to rest, so don't worry."
She looked quite comfortable as she slowly closed her eyes, drinking the herbal tea.
A snowflake gently fell down. I closed the book that I was reading and tucked it under the blanket in the tent.
The crescent moon looked down at us as if it were laughing. Time really flew while living such a hectic lifestyle.
At some point, the usual sound of the flowing river couldn't be heard. Looking at the river past the campfire, it had been covered in thin ice.
Even the river, which I thought would be flowing all year round, had gone into a deep sleep. In no time, without me realizing it, the camp itself was enveloped in silence.
Sitting by yourself in the camp, it felt like time had stopped.
A moment of complete silence was something everyone experienced at some point, but the way they might perceive it varied.
For me, the winter was a time to make necessary preparations and relax over the break. But it was also a time of hardship, where I needed to protect myself from the freezing cold.
But for people like Lucy and Lortel, who went past that, it was hard to think that the winter's solitude would have the same meaning.
Surprisingly, for Lucy and Lortel—who seem to not have any sort of similarities—they actually had something in common in their natures.
It wasn't anything that major. Rather, it was a feeling that most people had quite universally.
Although the method might differ, most people lived through a moment of solitude.
And the emptiness that winter brought provokingly incited that solitude.
Those that had walked alone on the lonely streets of a winter night would know. The feeling of walking through a sleeping world made one reminisce over and over again on the plight of being left alone.
As if it were magic, there was such a power hidden within the winter season. It wasn't a very pleasant fact.
"Good work with everything you've done."
"Actually, there's a lot more I came to talk about."
Lortel spoke in a calm tone.
"Lucy… Why is she sleeping here…?"
"It's winter."
"Is that even an answer…?"
As I shrugged my shoulders, Lortel sighed deeply and took a sip of the herbal tea.
She glared at Lucy as if she were in agony. Seeing her lay down on her stomach, breathing slowly as she slept… It was a bit ambiguous… Lortel muttered to herself over such an overreaction. Then, she naturally changed the topic of conversation.
"Actually, if I was only going to talk about the magically engineered items, I wouldn't have come all the way here, right?"
"Then did you have some other business to talk about?"
"Oh my, pretending not to know."
Lortel grinned as she gathered magic power in her hands. For a brief moment, the energy of magic power gathered around into her hands as a fairly large book was summoned, floating in the air.
It was, without a doubt, 'The Sage's Seal.'
"I'm now the resonance owner of this book."
"Oh, you finally received it."
"That's right."
Lortel laughed, strangely like a fox, after saying that. I was starting to wonder what was wrong with her as I stoked the campfire with the poker. Suddenly, the one fact I had forgotten was engraved back into my mind.
As soon as I had woken up, after passing out from overworking myself, I ended up asking Lortel to take care of it for me because the situation had become so urgent.
I had told her I would do anything for her, so please win the bid for the Sage's Seal.
"Things have become quite interesting, right?"
As she kept smiling like a fox, I raised my hand and pressed on my temples. Anyway, it was something that I had brought upon myself.
"Of course, I'm not ignorant and I can feel how much of a burden you currently have going on, so I won't ask for a huge favor that will be too much for you to fulfill… But at the very least, I need to get my money's worth, as that is the virtue of a merchant."
"Just how big of a favor are you going to ask for?"
"Please take my side."
Lortel got rid of her magic power as the Sage's Seal disappeared. She sat back down across the campfire as she lowered her gaze.
"You want me to be on your side?"
"It's just a hunch, but… before I graduate, I think there will be a huge turning point in my life."
Thinking about why now, of all times, she said something like that… Ultimately, it was because it was winter.
Lortel looked up at the crescent moon as she talked like a person from a faraway world.
"Politics is ultimately a division between sides. Eventually, there will be a moment where everyone here in this school will be forced to choose… Either picking between my side or the opposite side."
"Just what kind of ridiculous assumption did you come to?"
"Yeah. Just think of this as some ridiculous assumption and hear me out."
Even though I said it was ridiculous, it actually wasn't.
Lortel's intuition was correct to a certain extent.
In Lortel's life, there is a fated enemy.
The Princess of Benevolence, Penia Elias Kroel. During her second year, she took the position as student president, gathered the school together, and dug up the darkness of House Rothstaylor… As a matter of fact, she was the main character of Act 4.
"If that time ever comes, take my side. That's all I need."
From Act 3, Princess Penia—who was earnestly trying to expand her role—would go against Lortel in a war of nerves.
It wasn't up to me who would decide the winner. Ultimately, the key would be which side Taylee chose.
"I don't think it'll be all that meaningful if I just take your side."
"That's right. Though you are my upperclassmen and your reputation at the school is getting better, from a political standpoint your support won't produce any significant results. After all, you're just a regular student."
"I don't know how to feel, hearing you say that so bluntly."
"So, what's the issue with taking my side? This isn't something I'm asking for because it deals with politics."
Lortel smirked as she continued talking.
"It's just… To me, there is a certain value."
"Well, doing that much for you isn't hard."
The light from the crescent moon shone faintly down on the camp. It was hard to miss.
And seeing Lortel's face under that moonlight, I was astonished.
Showing an alluring smile while trying to figure out another person's intentions was something that Lortel did often.
However, it was the first time I'd seen her smile so innocently… She really was a girl with a thousand faces.
"I'm happy."
Gently holding her mug, the way she spoke was just like Lortel.
***
"Finally, there is one last thing I need to tell you."
When she came to the camp, all we had been doing was talking about various things and how the world was moving.
Nevertheless, saying it was a healing experience and claiming she got a good rest from all of this was a bit questionable. But if that's what she felt, who was I to judge?
"Actually, this is the main point."
It was ridiculous that she would try to bring up the main point when it was already time to go.
"What is it?"
"Ed, you have a younger sister, right?"
Seeing her smile as she continued her story, it was certainly one that would make your hair stand on end.
"Your younger sister was grinding her teeth for some reason. I couldn't tell if she was really thinking of you as an enemy to her house or if it was just a light-hearted grudge that came from a brother and sister relationship, so I had just left her alone. To be honest, she was quite cute."
"Tanya?"
"Yes, that's right."
Lortel stood from her seat as she brushed off her clothes with a smile.
"Well… I may have helped her a little bit, but it wasn't that big of a deal. Just so she could get a feel for the school's atmosphere, I introduced her to a few people."
"…Yeah?"
"She went around today, but tomorrow morning she will probably come to find you and give you an earful… Since Tanya is your sister, you should know her well, right? Does she really resent you that much?"
She then switched to a serious expression as she asked me that question.
"If that happens to be the case, then I think I'll have to change my position."
I didn't answer that question right away… I sat still, holding onto my chin.
That was something that I needed to consider more.
***
The early morning's sun was dazzling.
Since it was break, of course there were no classes. However, there was also no work to take care of as a scholarship student.
I thought about sleeping in late, but I ended up waking up early because I thought I should do something while I was still healthy.
Unlike nighttime, once the sun rose the northern forest became full of energy in its own unique way.
Occasionally, you could hear the chirping of sparrows in the morning or the leaves swaying in the light breeze. It felt quite different from the completely silent forest night.
"..."
Spacing out and taking in the morning air, Lucy also came out of the cabin.
Still in a daze, Lucy wobbled over, looking more like a roly poly toy than an actual person.
Over vacation, the rules of Ophelis Hall tended to be loose, so it seemed that she was spending more time at the cabin than the dormitory.
All she did was take a nap, go back to eat or eat with me, and sometimes read a book or went out on a walk.
From my point of view, there was no harm in having her stay. At the very least, having Lucy's magic power nearby over the winter break had been helpful. The more she was in the camp, the better it was for me. I would feel sorry for Yennekar if I had asked her to take care of it for me instead.
"Please light a fire for me."
Lucy was wobbling at the entrance of the cabin with dazed eyes. She then lit the campfire before I could even finish asking. She continued to wobble over to the other side of the campfire, laying down.
The air inside the cabin was starting to get stuffy, so once the sun rose, she went outside to get some fresh morning air.
After doing a few stretches, I made a cup of tea as I sat down by the campfire.
Sitting still while taking in the morning forest air, I suddenly remembered an important fact.
"Since Tanya is your sister, you should know her well, right? Does she really resent you that much?"
I gulped as I then took a deep breath.
I already said it, but… I had no idea, either…!
In
I didn't know what kind of life he had lived at the Rothstaylor household… So, I had to completely rely on inferences.
Since Ed Rothstaylor was a character that was so pathetic and stupid, it was hard to imagine him living a normal life.
And through inference, there was a high chance that Tanya Rothstaylor genuinely resented Ed Rothstaylor. No, I was certain of it.
Just what kind of damage that would cause or how I should deal with it, it was all completely unknown territory for me.
In the first place, I had no idea just what kind of terrible things Ed might have done to Tanya back in the Rothstaylor household. What I was trying to say was that I couldn't even guess just how much of a grudge she would have against him.
Before, the future knowledge that I possessed played a major role in establishing the basis for my decisions. All of that reliable future knowledge had become completely useless.
It was something that I needed to deal with completely on my own.
"Haaah…"
I exhaled once again as I pulled my hair back and rubbed my face.
It was awkward. Extremely awkward.
"What will even change if I worry about it?"
At that moment, from afar I could see a shadow of a person approaching.
There was a girl with four or five servants accompanying her. It was clear who the girl walking through the forest under the morning sun was.
Her wavy blonde hair, which flowed down her back, left a strong impression. That color was all too familiar.
Her golden eyes were as bright as the color of her hair, and that confident walk… She was exactly as I had seen in Act 3.
I sat still in my chair, not moving one bit as I watched her approach.
Tanya Rothstaylor.
The biological younger sister of the body I had taken over.
I had no clue just what kind of relationship she had with me. Therefore, I had no choice but to sit still and hear her out for now. Before I knew it, she was already nearly there.
Tanya, with her sharp eyes, came to the front of the camp and stopped walking. There was a silence in the air between us.
Tanya turned her head, looking around the camp before she eventually looked at me with those sharp eyes.
And then, she slowly opened her mouth.
"I-It's been a while… Older Brother…"
A servant standing next to her took out a well packaged necktie pin.
"S-Since it's been a while since I've last seen you… I brought you a present…"
"...?"
I swept my hand across my mouth as I looked up at Tanya again.
She was acting somewhat awkward, trying to avoid my gaze. It looked like she was, perhaps, scared of me. Or maybe she really just felt awkward…? How should I say it? It seemed like she had just seen something terrifying.
"..."
At the very least, Tanya didn't seem to have a grudge.
Only then did I come to a conclusion.
…I see. That's the case…
I decided… Ed Rothstaylor…!
While he was back in the Rothstaylor household… He had lived a decently honest and hardworking life…!!
I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions…!!! I… Didn't know that…!!