Things didn't seem to have gotten any better in particular.
A few months after gaining the position as the new head maid, Bell came to that conclusion.
Her salary had certainly improved, but her responsibilities had become too wide. Moreso in comparison to how much her pay actually went up.
Given that Ophelis Hall was recognized as an important facility, naturally the person in charge of such a place would also be recognized for their seniority status.
Thanks to that, there were many other merits besides her increased salary. Her outfit had become much fancier and more dignified, her living and workspace had been separated, and she would no longer have to do any physically demanding tasks.
In addition to that, from a societal standpoint, things had also changed.
Being the head of Ophelis Hall, in charge of all the maids working there, even the nobles and the aristocratic children living there would have to give her respect. That was because, within their daily lives, they receive many favors from her.
Nevertheless, Bell Maya still let out a sigh.
During the time she was just a senior maid, Bell Maya took care of the working-level tasks. Now, however, she was in charge of management.
She called herself a maid and wore a maid uniform, but in actuality she didn't really do anything that a maid would normally do.
If she grabbed a knife to chop up some ingredients, the youngest maid would come out and take the knife from her to do it herself. Or when she tried to fold the laundry, another maid in charge of it would turn pale and quickly run forward, stopping her.
In the first place, she didn't even understand the head maid's outfit. There were certainly luxurious rose-shaped accessories all over her frills that hung down gorgeously, but she couldn't understand how she was supposed to do any work while wearing such a thing.
Just like when you were to go to a high-end restaurant, there were times when even the most experienced chefs didn't cook. It was a somewhat similar feeling.
She was slowly starting to understand why the previous head maid Elris didn't intervene much with the practical work, even though she was highly skilled. Once you reached such a status, you were in a position that could no longer be considered a maid.
Most of the work she did throughout the day was meeting the distinguished guests that came to Ophelis Hall, checking the cleanliness of the dormitory as she went about her regular inspection, and making sure that all of the maids were on their best behavior.
Other than that, she also did some administrative work like organizing papers to report to the school.
Reaching such a position at her young age, usually one would be full of pride. But Bell Maya sighed deeply as she walked across the hallway.
It didn't seem she had the aptitude for it one bit. Above all, she was more familiar with her practical work as a maid, and it was also more fun to her. In the first place, she never even had much ambition. She felt rather empty.
She didn't ask to become responsible for briefing the number of people in the dormitory, checking the condition of the facility, ordering the work to something wrong.
Bell Maya was able to stay working in the field for such a long time because she enjoyed tasting her own cooking, neatly cleaning and folding the laundry, and she found it worthwhile to help the students that were struggling with their school life.
Rather than disciplining the maids and making sure they were doing their work properly, she preferred waking up a student that slept in late and fixing their hair for them.
"Are you already done organizing the list of the incoming new students?"
"Yes. There are seven of them in total, including Terre Renuel, Wade Callamore, Tanya Rothstaylor, Kylie Eckner, Clarice, Eigg McHauls, and Drake.
She nodded her head at the secretarial maid, who had memorized every single incoming student.
Due to the nature of Ophelis Hall, there weren't many students residing in it. Thus, it was a common rule that all maids should be familiar with each and every student that resided within the dormitory.
"There are still a few days left before the incoming first-year class assignment examination, so most of them have yet to start the process of moving in. Lady Tanya was the first one to move in yesterday, and I heard that today…"
As she continued to walk forwards while listening to the secretarial maid's report, Bell met eyes with another student walking from the other end of the hallway.
He had well-kept silver hair and a golden rope wrapped around his neat attire. Even though he looked quite stylish, he still held himself upright, clearly the son of the military commander in charge of the army at the northern border.
His name was Wade Callamore, and among the incoming first years he was expected to be at the top of them.
Normally, it was customary for the head maid to go out in advance and welcome the new residents of Ophelis Hall. Since she had yet to receive a report, but he was already there, Bell was somewhat taken aback.
"Greetings."
Seeing Wade put his arms down by his sides as he bowed politely, Bell quickly followed suit, greeting him in return.
"I apologize that I didn't contact you in advance. Originally, I was supposed to arrive in the afternoon. However, the schedule was moved forward more than I had thought, and I ended up arriving early."
"No… I am not even properly prepared to greet you yet, so I must apologize that we have to greet you in such a state."
"No, it's fine. This is my fault for arriving early without saying anything."
Saying that, Wade lifted his head and looked up at her.
"Seeing the Ophelis Hall, which I have heard so much about, in person… it truly is significant. Given the ones in charge of managing it are all veterans, certainly there wouldn't be a single fault."
"It's because it hasn't been long since the renovations were completed. You don't need to speak so politely. You may speak casually with me instead."
"No, that wouldn't be right. I am an incoming student that has just arrived, so at the very least I should give this level of respect to you, who is always busy managing Ophelis Hall. I will also be in your care, so how could I treat you like a common maid?"
Hearing Wade say that with a gentle smile, Bell felt very uncomfortable.
Once she had been given her new position, all the people around her had only been speaking to her politely.
"You arrived quite early. Most of the students will start arriving around next week."
"I wanted to see the atmosphere here at the school in advance. But most of all, I wanted to give my greetings to Princess Penia."
Wade grinned as he fixed his sheath. The eagle-and lion-shape engravings on his sheath symbolized the protection of the Kroel imperial family.
"In the first place, most members of my family serve in the Central Army, so it would only be right to do my utmost to cater to the esteemed princess of the Kroel Imperial Family, Princes Penia."
The way he expressed himself was very straightforward. However, he wasn't particularly cynical about it either. For people like him, loyalty was something natural—like an arm or a leg.
Wade's loyalty came from being born in a military family and raised as a soldier. His loyalty was quite admirable, to the point that he would blindly follow any order.
"Am I the first one to arrive at Ophelis Hall during the moving-in period?"
"No. Among your other classmates… Lady Tanya has already moved into her room in advance."
"I see. Then that person… I guess she hasn't come yet. Maybe I will get to see her face during the class assignment examination."
"By that person, do you mean…"
She didn't even bother to ask who he was talking about. Bell had realized it halfway through speaking.
Within the incoming students, she was without a doubt an outstanding talent. A girl that received protection from the Telos Religious Group and was revered by countless believers.
Even just carelessly speaking about her was enough to make her gulp and stop in her tracks. That person was the heart of Telos.
***
The bowl shattered as the dish fell.
That was because the soup a House Rothstaylor maid had served had a bug inside of it.
The eyes of the blonde-haired young boy glistened as he hit one of the maids standing next to him on the cheek.
After demanding the person in charge to be brought out, a servant from the kitchen came forward. With one hand, he grabbed the cheek of a middle-aged man many times older than him, slamming the man's face into the table that was covered with scalding hot soup.
He then berated him as he wiped the soup off the table with the man's collar.
The boy's sister sat next to him quietly as she ate her meal.
The boy, who was training in swordsmanship, suddenly summoned a servant that was managing the garden and began to beat him with a wooden sword.
When the servant asked why he was doing such a thing, he said it was part of his swordsmanship training and to endure it as he continued to hit him.
When he complained of the pain and distress, he would berate him by telling him what would happen if he was the reason the heir of House Rothstaylor couldn't practice his swordsmanship. With that response, the servant kept his mouth shut.
The corners of the boy's mouth raised as he beat the fat and sluggish employee with his wooden sword. He seemed to get a strange thrill from it all.
He knew well that he had no talent when it came to swordsmanship. He also wasn't a hardworking person, one that would train diligently. Instead, he was just beating the servant out of sheer enjoyment.
In another part of the garden, the girl that was reading her book couldn't express her displeasure upon witnessing such a scene.
Their father was in the empire's capital, taking care of his official duties.
The older vassals stayed quiet, as they had already given up on the boy.
After the death of the esteemed and noble daughter Arwen, the boy had already become a tyrant that claimed the mansion as his own country.
On his fifteenth birthday, the mansion was heavily decorated for a banquet.
He looked quite satisfied opening the gifts that the servants had prepared for him. Even though it was a party thrown from a forced sense of loyalty, he didn't care about such a thing.
Only the splendor of the mansion and the grand scale of the party itself caught his attention.
Sitting in the seat of honor with his chin held high, he had a terrifying smile across his face. He then trampled over the golden amulet that all the servants had saved up their money to prepare.
Seeing the expression of the servants, who were all in complete shock, he laughed.
He then looked over at Tanya with an eerie smile as he spoke.
"Look at that. Did they really think I would be truthfully happy with a gift that those beneath me prepared? Or did they think giving me such a petty gift would be enough to calm me down?"
He then stepped down, kicking and trampling all over the banquet that the workers had stayed up all night preparing. He went as far as to even destroy all the decorations.
Then, with a smile he said, there were still five hours left of his birthday.
"I want to celebrate my birthday in a magnificent way, so prepare a suitable birthday party for me."
And then he looked over at Tanya, who was sitting still watching it all unfold, trying to hold back her trembling eyes.
"Do you have a complaint?"
"Don't tell me, are you feeling some sort of attachment or pity to those who are nothing more than tools?"
"You're still not quite an aristocrat."
Then, with a somewhat eerie smile, he went over to Tanya and whispered something in her ear.
"In the first place, you must see me as a piece of crap."
"Your patience is quite amazing, seeing as you are trying to hold back with those eyes full of contempt."
"You were born in this world with your own sense of justice, weren't you? No, maybe you weren't born with it but came to realize it yourself?"
"But after all these years of living together, you must have figured it out."
"You don't even see me as a human being in the first place, do you?"
"So, what are you going to do? What can you even do? Will you try and kill me? Our sister Arwen has already left us, so once I'm dead you will take my place as the successor."
"Alright, then try and stab me. Okay, here's a ceremonial dagger. Now put it right through my chest. Here, just like this… I'll put it in your hand."
The boy put the dagger in Tanya's trembling hand. He then raised her hand as he aimed the dagger at his chest. If she were to push with all her might, in an instant the boy would no longer breathe.
But the boy knew all too well that she would never be able to push that dagger. If she really did kill him, she knew better than anyone just how severe the responsibility would be.
The boy did all of that to enforce the difference in their statuses and warn her. Tanya lost all strength in her trembling hands as she dropped the dagger.
The boy with blonde hair glanced down at the dagger with an eerie smile, soon bursting into laughter.
He then said,
"Thank you."
"..."
Early in the morning, in the northern forest, the chirping of the sparrows echoed through the air.
I was surprised to see the gift Tanya had given me was more luxurious than I would have thought. But thinking about her descent, a gift of that amount wouldn't be too much for her in the first place.
"Strictly speaking, I have been excommunicated so I am no longer your older brother. But even so, I am grateful that you still came all the way here, preparing such a gift."
"Uhm… That…"
Was she thinking about something else…? Or maybe she was just remembering the old days. Tanya hesitated as she stumbled on her own words.
"I'll use it well. I'll make sure to wear it when I go to school next semester."
I took out two wooden mugs as I boiled water for some herbal tea. But when I opened up the storage container, I realized I was about to run out of herbs.
In such a penniless world, she might be the only one blood related character I could have contact with. And, seeing as she didn't seem particularly hostile towards me, there was no reason for me to hold back on hospitality.
Well, in the first place she was an aristocrat so a single cup of tea wouldn't be enough… But… More than the taste, it was about sincerity.
"What are you doing there standing around blankly? Come sit around the campfire."
"Hm…? Ok…"
Taking small steps, she was completely stunned as she looked around at the surrounding camp.
I was sure there were a lot of things that caught her attention, but as expected, the first thing her eyes fell upon was Lucy lying down near the campfire.
"That… That person is…?"
"Oh, she's… Uh… You don't have to worry about her. She's just a guest that comes by to play sometimes. Hey, make some room. Don't just lay still."
Lucy rubbed her eyes a few times as she then pushed herself up, moving over to the side. Tanya watched, wondering just what the heck that girl was doing, but she didn't bother prying.
I held out a cup of herbal tea to Tanya. She looked hesitant as she grabbed it.
"I heard that you were looking around the school. Did you manage to meet some people?"
"Ah… Yes… I also heard… Many stories about you…"
"About me? There aren't many people that I know, though… who could it be…? Was it someone like Ziggs?"
"Ah, yes… I did meet Ziggs, too…"
As I brought the tea up to my mouth to take a sip, I tilted my head. Other than him, it was obvious who that other person was.
"Someone I could call a friend the same age as me… Then, it must be Yennekar?"
Tanya, who was drinking her tea, smiled as she quickly put down the mug. She then trembled with excitement as she swept one side of her hair over as she nodded.
"Ah, I see… She's nice, right? Out of everyone I know, she is definitely the nicest and kindest."
"Yes! Yes! She is so nice! She is really, truly, certainly, without a doubt, a nice person! Seriously!"
It was unnatural seeing her suddenly jump up with excitement, praising Yennekar. I was going to ask why, but she kept bobbing her head as she continued to talk.
"A-And she's not just nice, but she's also very strong! The… The high-rank fire spirit! A lizard that is the size of a house! Even able to throw mercenaries around like they are toys! And even though I wasn't speaking properly, it wasn't like she was going to scold me. Rather, she was polite and kind as she gave me words of encouragement formyschoollifehereattheacademy…"
"Just take a breath and speak slowly."
Suddenly while drinking my tea, I had a minor suspicion.
"By the way, did you really see her take out a high-ranking spirit? I didn't think she would summon any spirit higher than mid-rank, given how much of a burden it is in terms of magic power."
"She didn't summon it! She really didn't do that! I had just made all of that up with my imagination! They were just rumors about what her high-rank spirit looked like, so I thought about it as I said those things! Please don't misunderstand me!"
It wasn't anything that important, so she really didn't have to keep on denying it so desperately.
After I told her that I got it, I glanced over at Tanya again.
She didn't look as confident as I thought, seeing her looking down at the ground and clutching the mug.
Surely the Tanya Rothstaylor that I knew of was much more arrogant, always full of confidence and acting like the esteemed daughter she was.
Seeing that something was a little strange, I started to think that my previous judgment was wrong.
I thought that I would have lived a hardworking and honest life back in the mansion, but… Maybe that was too much of a guess.
Anyway, it was hard to think that the pathetic third-rate villain Ed Rothstaylor would have no ill feelings towards Tanya. That hesitant attitude of hers was proof towards that conclusion.
"Hey, Tanya. Back when I was living in the mansion, I was a bit pathetic and awful, wasn't I? I regret a lot of things that I have done, and there are also many things that I can't ever make up for, but… I really am sorry. I don't really know what you might think of me, but right now I'm doing my best to live. I hope you won't look at me too poorly. I've already been excommunicated for my mistakes, and…"
Tanya Rothstaylor was nothing more than a villain to raise the nobility of Princes Penia in Act 3, Chapter 3.
Although it was partially because every character from the Rothstaylor house was a villain, the nature of the storyline itself wrote them as expendable characters.
"I heard that you are aiming to be the next student president, so I will support you. I won't be of much help, but I know just how hard you're always trying. So, cheer up and hang in there."
I might have been saying that, but I already knew …Tanya could never beat Princess Penia.
And it wouldn't be a good thing if she did, either.
The overwhelming support that Princess Penia received from the school couldn't be flipped over just because of some new candidate.
Right now, she hadn't expressed her desire to be the student president. However, once Princess Penia participated in the pre-election, all of the other candidates would be swept away like a low tide.
It was a shame, but it couldn't be helped.
Still, Tanya Rothstaylor was the only blood relative I had contact with after transmigrating into this world without any other connections.
There was no need to explain in words just how reassuring the existence of a blood related family member was in a land with no connections.
Of course, there was still some time left before Tanya would leave the storyline. But still since she made her leave relatively early on… I couldn't help but get attached to her.
"...?????"
Her eyes looked as if she had no idea what I was saying, but I kept my mouth shut because I really couldn't tell her anything more.
***
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. ✓
Among the goals I aimed to complete over break, only 4 remained.
After Tanya left, I spread out the magically engineered items and other various materials I received across the floor.
After checking through the documents that Lortel gave me one by one, she really did provide me with quite a lot.
Even if I were to sit myself down in that secret library with full determination to practice magic engineering, I thought I'd be able to make a lot of useful items.
After next week's incoming first-year class assignment examination, it would be a good idea to set up a training course for magic engineering.
Not only that, but it seemed that my proficiency in my combat-type skills also needed to be taken care of. Compared to other affiliated proficiencies, it had fallen behind quite a bit.
In the first place, with my body there was a limit to how many combat-type skills I could use. I thought it would be more efficient to just pick and train the ones I really needed.
Among all of them, I really want to learn the special archery skill Magic Power Arrows. More than anything, it would let me shoot arrows using magic power, so I won't have to painstakingly take care of my arrows anymore.
Every time I shot an arrow, I had to go over to collect it. Then, I had to constantly repair the arrowheads and the arrow shafts each and every time I use them, which required a lot of physical labor. That was the reason I didn't like using my bow when I went hunting.
Although I was forced to use my bow for proficiencies in archery-type skills, once I became capable of Magic Power Arrows, I thought I could stop training in archery, as implementing a spiritual spell or elemental spell into the magic power arrows would have become a lot easier.
Anyway, the winter would likely be the starting point for my growth. It was a cold and difficult time, but if I could withstand it, spring would come.
I sat in the forest, gazing up at the trees stretching out into the sky as I calmed my breathing.
Soon, it would be the incoming first-year class assignment examination.
The test was so unreasonably difficult that not a single student would be accepted into class A… But in the end, it was still a test, so I needed to supervise it diligently.
Either way, the work assigned to the scholarship students wasn't all that important. Most of the important tasks were taken care of by Assistant Professor Cleoh and, occasionally, Anise… All I needed to do was whatever they told me to do.
It was cold.
It would be great if spring came soon.
***
It didn't feel like anything was making sense.
All sorts of things felt ambiguous. But more than anything else, she didn't understand Ed the most.
Tanya was in anguish as she walked across a hallway in Ophelis Hall. Her thoughts weren't organized at all.
Tanya was the person that grew up right next to Ed, so she has been watching his growth more closely than anyone.
That man, who was like a tyrant, wouldn't have come to his senses just because he had been excommunicated and lived by himself for a year. Human nature wasn't something that could be changed so easily.
However, the way that he had comforted Tanya with such a candid tone… It felt like she really had just met a dependable family member. For a moment, she had almost opened her heart to him.
However, even if everyone else in the world believed in him, Tanya could never believe him so easily. He had been living with that trashy nature inside of him for years.
Suddenly, as she was walking across a hallway in Ophelis Hall, the sight she had witnessed the night before coldly crept into her head.
The Guardian Tree of Merilda in the center of the northern forest. Underneath the dimly lit crescent moon's moonlight, the elementalist with a strange sadness in her eyes.
After speaking ill of Ed in front of her, Tanya almost literally got burnt to death by that flaming lizard.
She didn't really have the intention of killing her, but… Tanya was convinced by the sight of that girl, who was genuinely angry.
At the very least, that elementalist girl truly believed in and followed Ed.
Even though she wondered just what she saw in a person like him, at the same time it wasn't unconvincing when she thought about the Ed that she had just witnessed.
But it was still strange.
In the first place, he wasn't a good actor. After being with him for a year, they should have all witnessed his worst side.
Nevertheless, it was strange to see just how many people's trusts he had earned.
"First off…. I should go rest in my room… then I will sort my thoughts out… I've just been out of my mind ever since I came to Silvenia… I can't keep acting like this…"
Whatever it might be, slowly thinking things through and organizing your thoughts was the most important thing to do.
Tanya took a deep breath.
Ever since she arrived at Silvenia, it seemed as if she had only been taken by surprise or confused.
Let's regain my composure.
Repeating that to herself, she was about to enter her room when–
Whoosh, flap.
The sound of a fluttering collar.
When she turned her head looking down the hallway, a petite girl was wobbling her body side-to-side as she walked forwards. It was the same person she had seen at the camp. At first glance, she seemed to be particularly close to Ed.
Her white hair hung down both sides as it fluttered along with her body. She was wearing an oversized uniform and she held onto the witch hat on her head with one hand. She then grabbed the doorknob next to Tanya's room.
Apparently, she was another honorable resident staying in Ophelis Hall. But still, not having a maid take care of her and living her life so carefree… No matter how she saw her, all she could think of was how pitiful she was.
In the first place, that was how her clothes made her seem. Her clothes were full of wrinkles and quite disheveled, so even from a glance you could see that she was quite clumsy. There was no sign of elegance to be found in her.
The girl suddenly shook her head as if she felt Tanya's gaze when she tried to enter her room. She then returned to her swaying gait as she looked up at Tanya with a dull expression on her face.
"...?"
"Are you his younger sister?"
There wasn't any strength in her dazed voice. Wondering just what the heck was up with her, Tanya nodded her head slightly.
The girl trudged forward a bit, tiptoeing as she patted Tanya's shoulder a couple times.
"Tell me if you're having a hard time."
After saying something so cool, she opened the door next to Tanya's and went inside.
"..."
Anyway, the girl was now Tanya's next-door neighbor. She wanted to at least know her name, so she looked at the nameplate hanging on her door.
It was a gold nameplate that symbolized that she was at the top of her grade.
Room 302 – Lucy Mayreel.
"???????"
Tanya was frozen stiff, a stunned expression on her face.
Anyway, it seemed like it would take some time before she could get used to Silvenia.
Although, that wasn't exactly her fault.
-x-X-x-
As the saying went, if you wanted to see the worst of a person, give them power. Tanya had lived her life sympathizing with that saying time and time again.
When the eldest daughter, Arwen Rothstaylor, was the heir to the house, the Rothstaylor residence remained peaceful.
Everyone living in the residence treated her and viewed her as the next heir to the house, yet she had never become arrogant nor intimidated from that treatment.
Tanya looked up at Arwen, who had never lost her noble grace and wasn't interested in anything other than bettering herself. Seeing that, she honestly believed that, even with all that power in her hands, she would never waver and was the true meaning of elegance and grace.
Hidden beneath Arwen's perfection and elegance was the Rothstaylor house's second child, Ed Rothstaylor.
Up until that point, there wasn't anything strange to say about him.
But after Arwen Rothstaylor's death, just what type of person had Ed become as the new heir, who ruled over the Rothstaylor family?
As petty as he was, he became much like a tyrant as he took the little power that came with being named the heir and came to his own conclusion, assuming that both heaven and earth were his for the taking… That was the true Ed Rothstaylor that Tanya had observed.
Being corrupted by just that little piece of power… Just how hopeless was the future, given that a man with so few wits had become the heir to House Rothstaylor? She couldn't sit around and do nothing.
That was why Tanya had to defeat Ed.
To carry out her will, no matter what trick or method she needed to use, she had to stop Ed from becoming the head of the house at all costs.
Was she going to kill him?
If that dagger were enough to solve all her problems, there wouldn't have been a reason for her to worry so much.
Just how heavy was the weight of title as heir to House Rothstaylor?
It was obvious to anyone that if Tanya had stabbed that dagger through Ed's chest, she wouldn't have been safe. Even before that, Tanya was still just a young girl that had only recently opened her eyes to magic power.
It was too much to ask such a young girl to resolutely stab that dagger into him with her own two hands, or to ask her to kill him without anyone finding out by using any underhanded method necessary.
In the end, there was only one fixed path for Tanya.
In the dark shadows, she would clench her teeth as she trained herself, waiting for the right time.
She would stay up at night studying, learning manners, training in magic, and continuously enduring it all until the sun rose.
Ed never assaulted his own young sister, whom he shared blood with.
However, living for years underneath such a pathetic person… Just how difficult was Tanya's life?
She clenched her teeth as she acted like a kind younger sister.
As he went around making all the people within the residence suffer, she endured it. Although she could sympathize with the complaints from other people… She lived her life as a person without any strength unable to solve the problem.
Even though she took pride in the fact her blood was that of an aristocrat, she never once raised her voice to use its power.
After a long day, Tanya let out a deep breath as she laid on her bed in her private room at Ophelis Hall.
Even though it was just one day, she had gone through so much. There were also many things that she couldn't understand.
Yet, there was still so much left for her to do.
For half of her life, she had been held down by her tyrant-like older brother.
Living her life, improving upon herself regardless of not knowing if she would be able to become the next head of house, how could she go through all of that?
If someone were to ask her that question, Tanya would repeat quietly.
"I have lived my life pretending to be dead."
She strongly believed that if she kept living her life as such, she would eventually be given the opportunity.
Now that Ed had been excommunicated, all she needed to do was prove herself.
For Tanya, the student president election for the next semester seemed like the perfect opportunity.
"But before that… I'll have to do well in the class assignment examination… In three days, at the entrance of the Right Mountain… Hmm, as for the preparation materials…"
The end of her sentence was a slur of words as she quickly fell asleep, unable to overcome her fatigue.
It's been a very long time since she had gotten a good night's sleep.
***
"Please introduce me to some guys."
For the head maid Bell Maya, personal connections outside of Ophelis Hall were quite valuable.
One of the reasons was because, with most of her outside relations, she was close with them and had been able to speak comfortably with them ever since she was a senior maid. However, they were also an important source of information for Bell Maya, who didn't leave Ophelis Hall often.
Among them, one of Yennekar's best friends, Anise, was someone who often came by and someone that she was glad to see. Most of the time, she came to talk about Yennekar's love affairs and to hear Bell's opinions.
Bell knew Yennekar well, since she was a maid in charge of Ophelis Hall and Yennekar used to stay there. In the first place, she had a good eye at quickly recognizing the nature of human relations.
With Anise coming to visit, she secretly expected to hear some progress between Yennekar and Ed.
Since Bell was only human, she couldn't help but be curious about Yennekar's love life. Bell was prepared to listen attentively, since Anise had come to see her so enthusiastically to hear her opinion. There had to have been a big incident.
"If it's someone handsome, tall, and good-looking, that would be great."
Anise boldly stated that without any mention of Yennekar.
"A-All of a sudden?"
"You've been working here at Ophelis Hall as a maid for quite a long time, so don't you know a lot of decent guys that aren't dating?"
"I can't just recklessly leak the personal lives of those that are staying here…"
"You don't have to leak anything. Just introduce me to a guy that you think is okay."
It was early morning in Ophelis Hall's Rose Garden.
To prevent any of the new students from getting pricked by the thorns, Bell was clipping the sides of the rose's stem.
Anise looked peculiarly exhausted, as if she had stayed up all night. But that wasn't anything too strange.
That was because she was a student that was always shouldering a heavy workload. Managing both her workload as a scholarship student and her regular studies, she was the senior assistant of Assistant Professor Cleoh's lab, all on her own.
It was a workload that was too much to normally handle, unless you were both capable and had good time management skills.
"I'm just quite surprised, Lady Anise. I thought you wouldn't have much interest in dating."
"I can have a relationship, too. It's okay if he's not that nice a guy, but please introduce me to someone who is tall and handsome."
"But you're not the type to go around dating guys like a playgirl…? No, in the first place, have you ever been in a relationship…?"
"I-I apologize. I… I didn't mean anything bad by it."
Unlike her usual self, Bell made a slip of the tongue. It was something she only occasionally committed, perhaps once a year. That was how embarrassed Bell was by her mistake.
"You're always busy and you're the type to do your best to put yourself first. So, I thought that you naturally wouldn't have dated. Well, uhm… For example, like that third year, young master Ed. You two strangely share a lot of similarities…"
"Hmm…"
It was unusual to see her bashfully hold her chin as she looked off the side to avoid eye contact.
Speaking of Ed Rothstaylor, didn't it go without saying that he was Yennekar Palerover's crush?
And the fact that Anise was one of Yennekar's best friends, one that she could fully trust… That degree of relationship was already clearly drawn in Bell's head.
For Bell, who had incredibly quick sense, had carefully tried to hear Anise out.
"B-By some chance…"
Anise looked at the roses in the garden as she subtly avoided eye contact.
Bell held her breath for a moment.
"S-Since you are quite quick with these things, I won't try to hide it from you, Bell. You're right. It's exactly as you think."
"H-How did that happen…?"
"Well, it's a funny story, but… the rumors surrounding him were quite awful, as you know. I also heard that he has had quite the experience with women, as well. Even though I heard that most of the rumors around him were false… I still thought I should personally check on him myself."
"I-I see… So, what happened…?"
"So, well… After doing such, we somehow got involved… And then things happened… We had a lot more in common and we communicated better than I had thought… he was quite a thoughtful person, and, well, things like that…"
Halfway through her story, she randomly turned her head, speaking a slur of words. But Bell, who was quick to catch on, saw just how red the tips of her ears had gotten.
Just what kind of major incident was this? Bell was so dumbfounded that she was barely able to hold on before she lost her mind.
"I don't have to hide it. I'm good at rationalizing myself. I'm not the type to do something useless, like trying to ridiculously deny my own feelings."
"So, in the end, with young master Ed…?"
"Yes. I'll just come clean and admit it. As a female, I feel some attraction towards him. That can happen. After all, I'm just a girl. Now that things have come to this, I'll just have to admit the truth and come up with some plan to take care of it. Don't you think so?"
Being a senior assistant, her ability to grasp problems, her skills to solve them, and her determination were all worthy of applause.
But it wasn't possible for a person-to-person relationship problem to be dealt with as cleanly as that.
However, that wasn't something that Anise cared about. Rather, it was much more convenient for her to just cut it off in a business-like manner.
"Ms. Bell. Yennekar is one of the few friends I have that I truly cherish with all my heart. So rather, this is good news. If that man is so genuine that even I can become attracted to him, then that means Yennekar really has found a good partner. What better news is there?"
"Lady Anise…"
"In the end, if I can come to terms with it quickly then there won't be any more problems. I'm glad that I found out about it early. Falling in love is ultimately just a part of the chemistry that takes place in one's head, right? Thinking of it as a malignant tumor, it's actually such a relief that I was able to find out about it so early."
"It's great that I have the ability to look at myself objectively."
Saying such, Anise took a deep breath as she sat still in the pavilion of the rose garden. There wasn't anything in particular that happened, but the look of fatigue on her face… Bell didn't like seeing it.
"Now that the problem has been recognized and the plan of action has been made, all that's left is for the treatment to be completed cleanly. Just think if it were a disease that I discovered too late, to the point I couldn't treat it anymore. Just how terrible would that have been? I really am so happy that I was able to find out about it in the early stages."
"Describing it as a medical treatment is a bit…"
"I really think there are similarities. Anyway, he is just another relationship that I had made in my lifetime, and it's not like he's the only guy out there in the world… I just have to go out, meet new people, and fall in love with them. Right?"
"You say it as if it is so easy…"
"Even if it's something that seems complicated, as long as you systemize it, it will be easier than you think."
Anise put the file she was holding onto on the table in the center of the pavilion. She then wrote something down with a quill.
Bell raised her head a bit, looking at the file.
The papers in the file were scattered around. On the bottom page there were traces of various mind maps regarding Ed Rothstaylor's good points and countermeasures she could take in the future. There were many marks on the papers, as it seemed that she was quite detailed in writing things down.
She pretended to be relaxed, but in her head, it was like she was going to war alone.
"Anyway, I just need to cover my feelings for him with another bigger feelings for someone else. If I meet a better and more hardworking man to share my love with, everything will be solved, right? So, if you can find a guy to replace him and there comes a rumor about us being lovers, then…"
"I have two things that I want to tell you."
Unlike her usual self, Bell cut off Anise. Anise flinched back, surprised as she listened to Bell.
"First of all, asking me to introduce you to another person that can 'replace him'… that would be a great disrespect for the person involved. At the very least, for that reason I can't introduce you to someone."
The way she gave a strong argument so firmly while not offending Anise was definitely at the level of a veteran maid.
"Even if it is for you, Lady Anise, I can't be this inconsiderate to others. If you are looking for a new relationship, you just have to slowly get to know each other. There's no reason to quickly label yourselves as lovers, either. In my eyes… It feels like you are being chased by something…"
"..."
"By chance… Did Lady Yennekar find out about your feelings?"
Anise took a deep breath and gasped.
"That would explain why you are in such a hurry to find a lover. "
Anise knew very well just how sharp Bell was. That was why she had been visiting with Clara from time to time to consult about Yennekar's love life.
But she had never imagined that those sharp eyes of hers would even be directed at her.
"Either way, your heart is somewhere else… The surest way to prove your innocence would be to find a new lover…. Lady Anise… you must really care about Lady Yennekar."
Anise was more concerned that Yennekar would be hurt than over her own feelings. That was why she had quickly tried to come up with a plan.
Anise hesitated for a moment, hearing what Bell said, but then she raised the corners of her mouth and put on a smile.
"Saying it like that is nice. But I'm not all that great."
She then cleared her throat a few times as she continued her story.
"You said it in a very grand way, but I think that all human emotions are just a collection of coordinated organic reactions. It's not that I am being particularly considerate. Since it's still the early stages, if I can just slowly manage it, then…"
"Have you seen Lady Yennekar?"
Completely ignoring what Anise was saying, Bell's question went straight into Anise's heart and left her at a loss for words.
Eventually, she slowly confessed everything.
"Yes… I ran into her yesterday as I was passing through the education district… We didn't even greet each other as we left… It was like… we were falling apart… and her expression was rather down…"
"I see."
"And… I have to supervise the class assignment examination next week with Ed… and I don't know how I should feel about that…"
After saying that, Anise lowered her head, unable to say anything more.
Bell sighed deeply as she held her chin, falling deep in thought for a moment.
There was a long silence within the rose garden, the sparrows chirping in the early morning's sun.
"It may not be as big a deal as you think. In fact, this might have a positive effect…?"
The conclusion Bell had finally come to was unexpected.
"Pardon?"
"If you think about Lady Yennekar… She can't stay a pure white canvas forever."
After careful consideration, she came up with a way that wouldn't hurt anyone.
There would only be one person that would have to be troubled, but there was nothing that could be done for the moment. Bell gave a deep silent apology, stemming from the bottom of her heart, to Ed.
"As you know, Lady Yennekar is someone that is always honestly kind and sincere towards others. It might be hard right now, but surprisingly this way will also be helpful in allowing you to shake off your feelings, too."
"I-Is that so…?"
"More than anything else, jealousy is the emotion that stimulates the most. Lady Yennekar is a very altruistic person, so she may have little experience when it comes to feeling deeply jealous of another. And once she becomes confused by those feelings, her heart will also become weaker. She will end up having quite a hard time."
That was what Anise was worried about. As Anise was going to bring up that nothing was being solved, Bell continued.
"Wasn't it a problem that Lady Yennekar was too perfect in the first place?"
Anise was once again speechless at Bell's words, which once again hit the nature of the problem spot on.
"Now, repeat after me. Protective Instinct."
She remembered what Clara had said that one day… Anise's jaw dropped.
It was something Bell already knew.
When she was struggling and confused, it was obvious where Yennekar would go.
Bell sat still, patting Anise on the back.
As she worked to convince her that there wasn't a need to feel so guilty, Anise's heart was no longer heavy.
***
"What the? When did you get here?"
"..."
I had brought the magically engineered items over to the area around the entrance of the library and set up tents to cover them so that snow wouldn't accumulate on top of them.
It was about time to prepare the materials for constructing a storage area.
Just because my production skills' proficiency was decently high, that didn't mean that I could just neglect my training.
And above all else, I felt the need to expand the interior of the cabin.
Most of the magic engineering training would be done in the library, but I thought it would be nice to be able to make simple necessities or take care of simple work back at the cabin.
I wanted to make a storage room by taking out one side of the outer wall, and I also wanted to make a living room by making some space on the opposite wall. But doing all of that would mean a lot more work, so I was contemplating… I'd first have to check my schedule for the rest of the break and see if I could make some time.
Anyway, considering my production schedule, by the time I got back to camp it was already really cold. Coming out with a blanket over her shoulders, Yennekar sat with her knees in front of the campfire.
She didn't feel as lively as usual, and her expression was rather dark.
"It's cold. Should I make you a cup of tea?"
After I said that, she softly nodded her head as she put her chin on her knee.
I could tell from a glance that Yennekar, who would normally be making small talk and such, was not in a great mood. Something had happened.
I prepared the remaining herbs and poured some tea leaves into two cups I prepared.
I sat down next to Yennekar as I gave her a cup. She took the fairly large mug with her two small hands.
Sitting by her side in front of the campfire, she silently drank her tea.
"It's snowing again. It was already piling up a lot, but now it seems to fall every other day."
The place where the light snow would calmly fall was already full of previous visitors.
They said that even in the winter the evergreen trees didn't lose their color, but there was nothing they could do in the face of the white snow.
As the whole world turned white, only the bright light of the burning flame stood out.
Looking to the side at Yennekar, she was still holding onto her knees as she looked at the tea leaves floating around in her mug.
It was rare to see Yennekar so openly depressed.
She was always so bright and simplistic, so she knew well just how taken aback people around her would be to see her depressed.
"You can tell me if you have any worries."
When I said that, Yennekar quickly raised her head and looked up at me… It seemed as if she were about to say something but stopped herself.
But that sadness in her eyes said it for her.
"I'm sorry. But I can't tell you."
"Then you don't have to say anything."
Sometimes I forget that Yennekar was still a person with her own limits.
Seeing her with her head down, holding onto her knees, she looked like a small animal that had been pushed into a corner… It brought up an unexplainable protective instinct within me.
I raised my hand as I brought it up to Yennekar's shoulder… I gently patted her. Plus, it was a bonus that I was able to share the warmth of that thick blanket.
I was worried that since I had moved close to her, she might have been startled. Instead, she raised her head like a mole as she tried to say something. But once again, she closed her mouth. It seemed as if she was still depressed about something.
Then, Yennekar buried the side of her head into my shoulder.
And like that, we silently stared at the campfire for a long time.
The winter continued.
The cold was too much to endure with a mere blanket and campfire.
But still, spring was slowly approaching.
-x-X-x-
"Don't come close to me."
"What?"
"Don't come anywhere past this radius."
It was the day that I needed to supervise the freshmen exam.
We were already into the second half of winter break. I had gotten used to my life of not being able to use magic power to some degree, and the preparation of materials to enlarge the cabin was also near completion.
In fact, I had already taken care of any major work that I needed to finish before the start of the next semester, so once I finished supervising this exam there wouldn't be any more problems.
I prepared to take care of my last remaining business swiftly as I entered Assistant Professor Cleoh's lab.
Among the students in the school's scholarship program, I was the first to arrive. On one side of the lab, I saw Anise by herself, checking over the magically engineered items.
When I greeted her with a pat on the shoulder, she jumped back like a grasshopper, leaping away from me far past the center table and all the way to the window.
As she breathed heavily, she stared right at me.
"Why are you acting like that all of a sudden? What's wrong?"
"Uhm… Y-You stink. I don't really like the smell of sweat. So, please don't come anywhere near me."
The academy was a place that valued appearance to the point that there was a clause for maintaining dignity and class written inside the school's regulations. In doing so, cleanliness was something that was strictly controlled. At the very least, I had never been pointed out before for my clothes or appearance.
I smelled my sleeves, as I thought I may have gotten a little negligent over break, but there was nothing particularly wrong.
"I don't smell, though."
"And your, uhm, gaze? The energy you give off? Things like that, they aren't matching with me. Anyway, just stay away from me."
I was rather dumbfounded by the sudden but noticeable boundary she had put up.
I nodded my head in defeat. I figured she must have some reason for acting like that.
Then, I swept all the documents off the messy lab table, cleaning it.
That was because if the place wasn't somewhat straightened out before Assistant Professor Cleoh arrived, the interior of the lab would only become an even bigger mess.
Since Anise, who was usually so thorough about everything, hadn't done something so basic yet… She must have been so busy, to the point that she didn't even think of it. That was why I wanted to lend her a hand.
Most of the documents were to be discarded as it was past the point of keeping them. Looking over them, after I finally grabbed the remaining documents that were scattered in a corner, the pile ended up quite heavy.
Slam!
Before I could finish cleaning up the papers properly, the lab door opened as Assistant Professor Cleoh boisterously entered.
"Heyyyyyyy!"
Assistant Professor Cleoh gave an energetic morning greeting, one that was livelier than the students. Even in the morning, she put a box of snacks on the table.
"Do you want a scone?"
Assistant Professor Cleoh laid the snacks on the table as she asked Anise to make some black tea.
Anise had been checking over the magically engineered items for the test for quite a while. As I extended my hand towards her, she startled before she gave me some other documents to check over. Extending one arm as far as possible while holding the other to her chest, it seemed like she was trying to give me the papers while keeping as much distance as she could. People would think there was a wild animal in front of her from the way she was acting.
I grabbed ahold of the papers. I was already used to doing the work, so there wasn't a need for her to explain it. It was just a simple inspection.
"Clevius and Onyx, you both arrived too! Since all of the exam supervisors are here, let's quickly clean up and head out!"
Assistant Professor Cleoh, who quickly sat down in her chair with a snack in her mouth, laid out the final plans for the exam on top of the table.
"Just like the notice, the exam's location will take place in the Right Mountain. Since there are a total of four examination supervisors, we will divide up our roles in advance. One person each to supervise the north, south, east, and west side. If there is a safety accident or you catch someone cheating, you can report it immediately with the homing pigeons that we prepared in advance. To determine if there was any cheating, follow the documents on the exam's supervising regulations that were handed out… Well, I don't know how amazing these freshmen are or if they would actually organize a way to cheat the exam… But even if they are your cute underclassmen, you can't just let them go!"
After saying that, Assistant Professor Cleoh started to munch on her scones again.
She was full of energy. It was because she had just come back from her short break after staying up for days, taking care of all her paperwork.
She originally was a person with that type of energy, but after staying up overnight for the past few days, she had become a corpse. She seemed like a person that periodically reset their personality.
"And the thing you must be most careful of is the freshmen themselves! Some of them are not people that you would easily get to meet in person, so I'll give you a briefing about them in advance. The one with long silver hair that comes down to their waist. They will also be wearing a red butterfly pin. If you happen to run into them, you need to be as polite as you can, got it?"
At its core, Silvenia was a place where the value of learning preceded that of a noble's status.
To some extent, that gap narrowed when it came to being in a higher or lower school year.
Of course, that didn't mean there would be a deranged commoner that would treat an aristocrat so informally. So, at the very least, you could expect everyone to be polite to some extent out of courtesy.
But there was definitely a limit when it came to that unwritten rule.
And anyone with a level of status that went beyond that line had to always be treated with the utmost respect, even if they were your underclassman.
Of course, someone that honorable, who precedes such status, wouldn't easily have been able to enter the school. So, that unwritten rule and the line that divided it was all a bit ambiguous, but…
Last year, when Princess Penia had entered the school, you could clearly feel it.
If the person was a princess or saint, even on school grounds you needed to treat them at least at the level of a veteran professor—or perhaps even higher.
That was just a precaution on the chance that we might be rude.
In fact, it would be harder to fail to recognize when they were such a person. Clarice, who was a saint in the face of the public, looked more like a saint than anyone else… But sadly, she was just a fake.
At that current moment, the truth hadn't been revealed. However, the real Saint Clarice had been replaced by another student. The girl that attended the school under the name Clarice was a stand-in using all sorts of physical disguises and counterfeit magic.
The real saint was the student named Kylie Eckner, who is a first-year student assigned to class C. Of course, that was just her alias.
To enter Silvenia, she had changed her appearance. She looked like an innocent girl with brown hair, living under the guise of a normal student.
She even held a fake identity that said she was an aristocrat that came from a small, unknown city-state on the eastern part of the continent.
The truth was revealed right before the final chapter of Act 3, but I was pretty surprised when witnessing it for the first time, since it was quite a shocking twist. I should have been suspicious because she was able to enter Ophelis Hall with a free pass, even though her status wasn't all that incredible.
The only people that knew the truth were Headmaster Obel, the three main deans, the head maid of Ophelis Hall, and the top members of the Telos Religious Group.
It was such a perfectly executed trick that even the guards escorting that stand-in didn't realize she was wearing a disguise. Who knew just how much time they had put in to prepare it all.
I'd applaud the Saint's effort to obtain the chance to be a student at Silvenia, but it would still be hard for her to graduate peacefully like she wanted.
The Saint of Mistrust Clarice took on the role of finishing the final chapter of Act 3, 'Lucy Subjugation', in which all of the big names joined forces.
Without her, Taylee wouldn't be able to master God Slaying Sword, which he used to cut down the final boss of Act 4, The Evil God Nebula.
Since she was such an important character, I hoped everything went smoothly, without any issues.
"Anyway, everything else is written in the manual, so you'll be fine as long as you adhere to it. If you want to ask about for any more details, you can send over a homing pigeon! I'll remain on standby at the top of Right Mountain! Then, that should be about everything!"
Assistant Professor Cleoh checked the time as she nodded her head.
"Then, let's head on up to Right Mountain to set up the apparition-type magically engineered items, finish inspecting the altar, and wait to greet the students that arrive! Alright, let's finish these snacks and head out!"
***
I already knew the results.
All of the incoming students would fail the class assignment examination.
Actually, there was no such thing as failing in the examination, but that was how the students would feel. Not a single student would make it into Class A. Instead, they would be divided up depending on their scores.
Since it wasn't a story that the protagonist's generation directly dealt with, it was only briefly mentioned in
Assistant Professor Cleoh's failure to control the difficulty of the Class Assignment Examination resulted in not a single student within the first years making it into Class A…
Though, in the end many students in Class B that received good grades halfway through the semester got promoted to Class A.
The 'Joint Combat Training' Episode was where the first-year students were filled with competitive spirit at the chance to earn the title of being in Class A.
That time, the protagonist's generation would be the upperclassmen, so they would have the chance to join the joint combat training with the new first years' generation… Even though the class was just supposed to be a friendly match, the first-year students acted rather serious and combative.
That was because the grades that were given during the joint combat practice would ultimately have a large impact in deciding the rearrangement of classes later on.
Therefore, the first years that ended up facing off against the second years still tried to win by any means, regardless of the fact that they were facing upperclassmen. Not only that, but for extra points they also went around asking for random duels outside of class… Though, they all were defeated by Taylee.
In fact, it was just an event to check Taylee's growth and see if he had become strong enough over the past year.
It was also an episode where you became the upperclassmen and could experience the satisfactory feeling of having underclassmen.
Nevertheless, it was still an episode that you couldn't take it easy for… That is because, within that episode, the Saint Clarice that was hiding amongst the crowd started to pay close attention to Taylee.
***
Halfway up Right Mountain.
"Eughk."
Assistant Professor Cleoh was leading as Anise followed close behind. Then it was upperclassmen Onyx, Clevius, and me following suit.
Assistant Professor Cleoh was climbing with a bunch of grading papers while the rest of us were all following along, clutching onto the apparition-type magically engineered items.
When it came to magically engineered items that were sensitive to magic power, as a general rule it was prohibited to carry them with telekinesis-type magic. Though, unless it was a very precise item, it wouldn't have much of an effect. However, it was procedure to carry things by hand, just in case.
Even though the mountain wasn't all that difficult, carrying all of these items with us took up much of our energy and strength.
As almost all of the students that were a part of the school's scholarship program were males, we didn't have much of an issue carrying the baggage. Anise, on the other hand, was panting heavily as she seemed to be reaching her limit.
"Hey, give me some of your items if you're tired. You keep falling behind."
Each large semi-disc shaped magically engineered item was quite heavy. Carrying all of that up the mountain, even a healthy man would run out of breath. Although she did carry a lot less than the rest of us, her frame was rather small. Carrying the items up the mountain must have been too much for her.
As we kept moving forward, Anise gradually kept slowing down until all of us in the back had fallen behind.
I walked past Onyx, who was sweating heavily, I came up next to Anise. I then took a few of the magically engineered items she was holding, adding them to my pile.
"Ahh… Agh, thank you, Onyx. Without you, it would have been too heavy… Kyaaghk!"
As Anise turned her head to express her gratitude, she stepped back in shock upon seeing my face. She nearly tripped before catching her balance, but some of the magically engineered items fell behind her.
Clunk, Clank!
Clevius snatched up the magically engineered items that had fallen and were rolling down the road. I guess he really was the top student of the combat department for a reason.
"Shouldn't you be more careful?! What if it had broken…?!"
Saying that, Clevius put the magically engineered items into the bundle that he was holding. It didn't seem like adding those few items would make him lose his strength anytime soon.
"I-I'm sorry… I didn't realize Ed was right behind me."
Her ears were completely red, and she was breathing hard. Just how difficult was it for her? Looking her up and down, that was the impression I got.
It was clear that Anise was overdoing it. After spending a few days with her, I really felt that she was the type to be strangely keen about everything.
It wasn't like I didn't understand that way of thinking. Being pushed into a corner, it was easy to get scared of the thought that you would fall behind if you ended up getting a little lazy.
I had also previously gone through a lot, having overworked myself thanks to that same way of thinking.
Thinking about it, Anise's current state didn't seem like a stranger's story to me. For some strange reason, I really wanted to fix that stubbornness in her way of thinking.
Resting was also a part of the job. Even though it was obvious, no matter what you did, doing it for a long period of time would eventually become tiring.
"You should take a break before coming up. We'll start setting up the installation first."
"Wh-What?"
"You guys don't have any complaints, right?"
After saying that, I looked back at the other two following behind us. Onyx and Clevius nodded their heads.
Anise was carrying about a dozen or so magically engineered items. I took them one by one, handing one to Onyx and then to Clevius. They casually grabbed them as they placed them in their own piles. After checking everything, I grabbed my own and placed it in my pile.
After repeating that over and over, in no time Anise no longer had anything left in her hands.
"Wait. Hold on…! Why are you doing this without asking me…?!"
"I told you to take a rest."
I looked straight at Anise as I said that. Either way, she didn't have the stamina to keep going and she was pushing herself just to carry those items.
I rearranged the magically engineered items I was holding onto as I freed one hand and grabbed Anise's shoulder, making her sit down on a nearby rock.
Anise looked up at me with a stunned face as she kept breathing heavily.
"When you need to rest, you should rest. You're not the only one who is gonna get hurt."
Having said that, I shook my head as I signaled to the others.
In fact, it was embarrassing to call it a mountain. If we just went up for a few more minutes, we would be at the top in no time at all.
***
"I'm going to spread out the magic power stones. As for you guys, please proceed with installing the magically engineered items in the correct places. Since they will arrive after lunch, we still have lots of time, so let's take it easy~"
Assistant Professor Cleoh spoke with a bright smile on her face.
"You all worked hard~ Once we finish installing everything and go over who will be in charge of each section, we can begin supervising. The work itself isn't that difficult, so it will take about thirty minutes to install everything in the places we pre-planned."
Clevius took a deep breath as she started laying out the magically engineered items. Onyx and I did the same.
The number of magically engineered supplies themselves had decreased considerably. It was because she had already installed a few at the checkpoints on our way up.
"Phew… Low-grade apparition-type magically engineered items are already this heavy… if it was graded any higher, it would feel like I was carrying a boulder."
Onyx sighed deeply as he sat on a nearby rock, wiping off his sweat. Maybe because it wasn't as hard as he had thought, Clevius drank only a little bit of water to wet his throat as he began to stretch.
Even though his physical strength and swordsmanship were excellent, whenever there was an actual fight, he got scared out of his wits. He was quite a strange person.
House Nortondale, the greatest swordsmen on the continent. Since he had been treated as a failure within his family, he had lived his entire life agonizing over that fact while lowering his head, but… Well, that was a story that Taylee would have to take care of later.
I rested for a bit, looking around the summit of Right Mountain.
A magnificent altar stood upright on an open piece of flatland. The huge headstone was full of unknown characters. It was so massive that I thought it would be better to call it a pillar, rather than a headstone.
The headstone was so large that it was cut off by the sky.
That was the final stage of Act 3. 'The Substitute Altar'.
I closed my eyes, thinking back on it.
A sky full of dark clouds. The archmage that was called an extraordinary genius looked up at those clouds.
The apostle of Telos that had the head of an eagle and flapped their massive wings, covering the sky.
The god that warned of the end of Acken Island, the magician that tried to kill the Telos' apostle, and the party that tried to stop the magician, which concluded in front of that very altar.
Leaving behind a glowing pillar, the girl with that large witch hat murmured.
"I don't believe in a god."
"Hey! What are you doing there?! What are you! You!"
Suddenly, Onyx started shouting as I came to my senses.
"What is it, Onyx?"
"Ah. Nevermind… I thought I saw someone at the top of the altar just now… Hm… Sorry, I must have seen something else…"
Who was going to climb a pillar that large, all the way at the top of Right Mountain?
Still, I looked around, just in case. But I didn't see a shadow of what could have been a person.
"Haah… I must have overdone it coming up all the way here. Now I'm seeing a bunch of crap."
Onyx sighed, tilting his head.
"Let's install the magically engineered items quickly and finish the exam. Once this is over, there won't be anything else left to do until break is over."
It required a lot of effort just to finish that last task.
Grumbling, we got up from our seats.
We had to move quickly so that we could greet the incoming first-year students on time.
"…Hey."
Onyx, who grabbed a few of the magically engineered items to install, suddenly raised his head.
"I think some of these are broken… Aren't they…?"