Impossible.
The weight of that word pressed down on her heart.
While living in Silvenia as a first-year student, Tanya could definitely feel it.
If Penia really did run for student council president, Tanya wouldn't be able to beat her by any means.
That image of reliability that she had built up while living in the imperial household, the immediate recognition she received from every single citizen of the Kroel Empire the moment her name was brought up. Already having an immense popularity among the first-year students, the amount of support and foundation Penia already had was too strong.
No matter what might happen, Tanya's chances of winning were zero.
Tanya Rothstaylor could never beat Penia Elias Kroel. That prediction would never change.
Tanya herself knew that better than anyone else.
***
Reality and romance were quite different. As Tanya started her student life, that fact was etched into her heart once more.
Tanya's fantasies and romantic thoughts of Silvenia before entering school were like a magic castle made up in her imagination.
However, after getting a wakeup call those dreams started to face reality.
It was impossible to live a romantic life all the time. Important tasks that needed to be taken care of right away, along with homework assignments that continued to build up and up, piling onto her shoulders.
Tanya was gradually becoming an adult. The first thing that she realized on her own was that dreams were dreams and reality was reality.
While getting accepted into Silvenia was a great start, after starting school she soon realized the necessity of forgetting the thought that everything in the world would be all fun and games.
"That's right. There are always going to be things that never go as well as planned… It won't always be a great result. Even here in Silvenia, there's no guarantee that it will only be filled with impressive individuals. And not every upperclassman is going to like me."
Thinking such thoughts, she stopped getting discouraged. As the heir to House Rothstaylor, she must always maintain her image as a confident and dignified girl.
Showing off a humiliating and disgraceful side was no different than dragging the name of her house through the mud.
Tanya nodded her head as she thought that. No matter how difficult her school life was, she was determined from the beginning that she would persevere with a strong conviction.
Of course, her school life never went as planned.
"Oh, Tanya. Are you going to Elemental Studies? Is there anything difficult with that class? The weather is quite different at night than during the day, so be careful not to catch a cold. Let's have a cup of tea with Elka sometime."
On the way to her Elemental Studies class with her classmates, Ziggs ran up to greet her. Her classmates that were nearby stared over as they whispered to each other.
"Isn't that the upperclassmen Ziggs? He's supposedly really strong not just among the other second years, but the entire school…"
"Oh my, I guess she is even personally acquainted with Ziggs… I guess that makes sense, given that she is House Rothstaylor's second daughter. Her personal connections aren't average."
"I'm glad you look healthy, Tanya. I'm planning to hold a negotiation table in the near future regarding the transaction over the seal. When would be a good time to have that? Just tell me what time is good for you so I can arrange a seat for you at the table as well."
When she was having lunch with her classmates at the student cafeteria, Lortel came up to her first to speak with her with a smile on her face.
"That person… Isn't that the upperclassman Lortel, who is also the head of the Elte Company's Acken Island branch?"
"Wow, Tanya… She's even on friendly terms with the person that holds the power in the Elte Company."
"It even seems like she is making a personal transaction or deal of some sorts with her as well."
"Wow… I'm the same age as her, but… it feels like she has lived a longer life… I'm sure she's already familiar with taking care of official business like that or even dealing with the empire…"
"Hey."
She was on her way back to the dormitory after finishing all of her classes.
Watching Tanya walk down the road with her friends, right before the road split Lucy, who walked like an exhausted worn-out zombie, greeted her.
She didn't do anything special. All she did was wave her small hand at her to say hello before continuing on her way.
"Th-That person… Isn't that Lucy Mayreel? Silvenia's greatest genius?!"
"I've never seen her talk before. But I guess she does talk."
"I heard that she isn't friendly with anyone, but seeing how she exchanged greetings with Tanya, they must have gotten to know each other. I get how she made friends with the other upperclassmen, but how in the world did she do it with Lucy…?"
"As expected, her network is completely different from average, ordinary students like us… How do I say it…? It feels like there's a wall between us…"
After leaving the other onlooking students that were idolizing her behind, Tanya returned to her dormitory with her friends.
Over the past few days, Tanya's status and evaluation within the school seemed to have risen absurdly.
Especially among her classmates that idolize their upperclassmen, seeing Tanya make connections with so many esteemed individuals seemed to have raised their opinion of her at the same time.
Of course, her status as the second daughter of House Rothstaylor wasn't a business card that she could use to go anywhere and do anything she wanted. But Tanya's prestige had risen even more because of Silvenia's unique culture, where your opinion of someone changed with academics and achievements.
Even a 'follower', which could be considered a necessity? For the girl fated to be a villain was created.
Two girls, Kylie and Terry, followed Tanya across the hallways of Ophelis Hall as they held hands, talking joyfully.
"As expected of you, Tanya. Even though you have such a wide network of connections, you continue to act with dignity without showing off… you're too cool…! That type of nobility must have been something you were born with…"
"If only I could be half as graceful as you. How great would that be…!"
Even if that might have been the case with Terry, it was funny to think about Kylie walking about such nobility.
When she reached the front of her room, Tanya looked back briefly. It was impossible for her to put on an energetic smile with a hearty laugh, but she couldn't show them how exhausted she was from the excessive interest they had in her.
"Uhhum. Both of you have also worked hard today, dealing with your school schedules. You must be really tired, so you should head on back to your own rooms and rest."
"Of course. You did a great job getting through today as well, Miss Tanya!"
"Let's work hard tomorrow as well! I'll follow you no matter where you go…!"
It was a strange feeling to see her classmates of the same age speak to her with honorifics.
"I need to continue working hard tomorrow to become a dignified and capable person just like you, Miss Tanya."
Hearing Terry speak, Tanya answered back with a smile.
"That's great to hear. Of course, I am also a person with many shortcomings, but as long as I continue to work on myself every day, I'm sure that I'll also become a great student just like you, Terry. Let's both do our best tomorrow."
Leaving behind her friends, who had a glimmer of respect in their eyes, Tanya entered her room and closed the door.
Then, with her back leaning against the door, she began to sweat profusely. Her eyes began to wander quickly, unable to find a place to settle.
"But… I didn't even do anything…???"
Coming to her senses, Tanya realized that a random for her already started among the first year.
"H-How did this even happen…?"
Either way, it was something straight out of the twilight zone.
When she raised her head, looking at her desk, it was full of notes that she had written before entering Silvenia.
Items to prepare when moving into Ophelis Hall.
School supplies necessary to get through her school's schedule. Weak subjects that she will need to put more focus into. Points to remind herself to not accidentally disrespect any of the other students. Things like that… Those were all things that Tanya had fervently prepared and thought about before even entering Silvenia.
Most of the notes were taken care of and were now useless, since she started her school life. Now it was time to get rid of the extra ones that she no longer needed.
Looking through the notes, there was still the note about Ed Rothstaylor.
The shame of House Rothstaylor. Trash that needed to be taken care of. Once arriving in Silvenia, the first person she needed to get rid of by any means necessary.
Before starting school, Tanya had recorded a bunch of other insults about him. But looking over the memos again… she gulped.
She wasn't sure if Ed Rothstaylor had really managed to turn over a new leaf or not.
Human nature wasn't something that would change so easily. That was why she reported to her father that, for the time being, she would continue to watch over him.
However… The reason Tanya was being treated with such respect during her school life… Most of it was because her older brother, Ed Rothstaylor, played a large part in it.
It felt like she had inherited all of the connections that her older brother had already made.
If that was the case, then making an enemy of Ed Rothstaylor by hurting him in some way or even managing to kick him out…
"Then I'll just be a complete piece of garbage…!"
That was an issue that even took precedence over the fact that people's opinion of her within the school would drop to rock bottom. Tanya herself thought that, morally speaking, doing such a thing is unthinkable.
Either way, she wasn't planning on doing anything insane like making an enemy out of Ed. Just being his little sister, she has already received too many benefits.
"This is strange…? In the first place, why am I even debating whether or not I should become a piece of trash…? The one that is trash… It was never me, it was always my older brother…???"
Tanya sat at her desk, scratching her head with both hands.
"What the…? How did this even happen…?? What in the world happened…??"
***
Two days later, two vassals from House Rothstaylor arrived. They were familiar faces.
"Nice to see you after such a long time, Miss Tanya. I am happy to see you are in good health."
"I heard that you are having a hard time with your studies. I am very happy to be of any assistance."
Silvenia Academy was full of noble students.
If they were to give permission for all the students to bring their own personal helpers and maids to help them, the school would be so full of outside personnel that it would become impossible for the students to have a proper school life.
That was why it is strictly forbidden to bring personal helpers or maids into the education district.
Instead, there was a separate department for maids in Ophelis Hall, which was a high-ranking human resource center that took care of all living conveniences for high-ranking students.
Thus, there were only two students in all of Silvenia that were free from such rules. The Princess and the Saint.
That was why it was extremely difficult for vassals of House Rothstaylor, who were outsiders, to obtain a residence permit at Silvenia Academy.
"It seems my father was rather worried. It's nice to see you again. Kadek, Nox."
The two vassals, whose names were called, fell to their knees as they bowed their heads.
They were both reliable assistants that had served House Rothstaylor since their childhood. Even Krepin, the head of the house that didn't utilize people carelessly, put his trust in them and believed that they could do whatever was necessary.
Tanya felt a great sense of gratitude because he had sent such people to Acken Island.
"Normally, sending personal assistants to students is prohibited within the school. However, since we have business reasons to do so, we were given permission. The school is well aware of the deal and negotiations with the Elte Company."
"That's right. So, once the negotiations are over and the purchase of the Sage's Seal is complete, we will probably be forced to leave the school grounds as well."
The new semester was the busiest time of the year for the first years.
There were a lot of classes and events to take care of, but at the same time, Tanya also had to hold a campaign for the student council president position, as well as lead negotiations for the Sage's Seal purchase.
Even doing just one of them would be too much for Tanya to handle by herself. That's why it only made sense for House Rothstaylor to provide support.
"I, your loyal helper Kadek, will gather information related to the market price of the Sage's Seal in preparation for the negotiation. As well as information regarding the financial situation of the Elte Company. I will also confirm and report to you the specifics regarding the negotiation's schedule."
"Thank you, Kadek."
"I, your loyal helper Nox, will be in charge of coordinating your campaign for the student council election while you concentrate on your studies. Right now, rumors of Princess Penia's candidacy are circulating, so I will look into information on what promises she might be making during her campaign…"
"That's… It's alright, Nox."
"…Sorry?"
As she sat down at her personal desk fixing her hair, Tanya let out a deep sigh.
The hand that was brushing through her hair stopped for a moment when she looked out the window. The clear skies of early spring went out as far as the eye could see.
"Since the two of you have just arrived, it seems that your information isn't completely up to date. New news came in just this morning."
It was definitely good news from Tanya's perspective.
It wouldn't even be strange for her to suddenly clench her fist as she jumped up in the air, cheering to the skies.
However, Tanya wasn't excited. And Tanya herself didn't know the reason.
***
"Princess Penia said she isn't going to run for student council president."
"…What?"
This was the so-called 'a bolt from the blue'.
A disaster that suddenly appeared without any warning.
The largest of the three student center buildings,
Nail Hall.
During the first semester of the year before,
Yennekar had destroyed it. However, after a year
or so it had been fully restored and returned to its
normal use.
During the semester, the student center was
nothing short of a marketplace. That was because
most of the student administration work was
given at the student center. Plus, all the student
welfare facilities were also located there.
In particular, there were many small general
stores and tea shops that were clustered around
there. Going out to the commercial district just to
buy some food was too far, so all the students that
wanted to stay within the education district
flocked to the student center.
Two glasses of some fruit juice with ice floating at
the top were placed on a wooden table. There were
many things that I owed Yennekar, so I had
bought one for her.
"Supposedly, today one of the personal assistants
under the imperial family made the
announcement…? Just a few hours ago, it was the
hottest topic going around. I mean, everyone was
talking about it."
Yennekar sipped on the juice as she smiled brightly. She had the brightest smile in the world as she drank that juice, though I was sure she would have been fine if I had bought her anything.
"Then… That announcement… Can she take it back…?"
"Well, most of the students that were supporting the princess complained and asked her to change her mind."
I narrowed my eyebrows as I fell into a deep thought.
The final boss of Act 4, Krepin Rothstaylor.
If you were trying to take down one of the strongest and most powerful houses in the continent, House Rothstaylor, then it was difficult unless someone with power like Princess Penia helped. There were an extremely small number of people and houses that could compete on equal footing with House Rothstaylor, after all.
Since the head of the house, Krepin Rothstaylor, did his job near perfectly, most people wouldn't even suspect him of being a villain. And even if you did have your suspicions, there wasn't any evidence.
Princess Penia was the first person to notice such suspicions around Krepin and confronted him for it. What started as a mere feeling of intuition turned into conviction as she began to formally run into Krepin more and more as the Student Council President.
In addition, the academic power she held as the president brought an absolute advantage when it came to protecting the school from Krepin's attacks. Although the imperial family's power was massive, it was still difficult to influence the small and minor details that take place within the school.
Imperial power vs School power. Only when Penia had both powers within her hands was she able to properly lead the school's defense in the battle against Krepin.
"Hmm…"
In order to defeat Krepin, it was necessary for Princess Penia and the Rothstaylor Household to be on opposing sides.
If things were able to become like that, then Princess Penia will become an even stronger ally than she currently was. In fact, that was how it was supposed to be in the first place.
"Ed."
I was lost in my thoughts for a moment, so Yennekar had to jump in front of my face. Sticking her head out and puffing up her cheeks, she grunted as she talked.
"You're worried about something again. You're making that anxious expression of yours."
"What?"
"Listen, Ed."
Yennekar quickly got up from her seat as she came to the seat next to mine, sitting down.
With her hands on her hips, she looked at me with an angry expression. Though, since Yennekar rarely gets seriously angry, it was closer to her just making a point.
"I'm starting to get that feeling again. The feeling that you are going to do something reckless again."
"Hey… That's…"
"Whatever you do, it's your choice so I can't really tell you not to. But still, I can't stand it when you get hurt by yourself and start bleeding without knowing anything."
Yennekar continued to speak with her cheeks puffed out.
"If you want to do something, tell me. Whatever it may be, I'll help you."
"Yennekar. I already owe you so much already. With Elementalism, chores back at the camp…"
"Don't think of it as a debt you need to pay off. I'm involved in all of it as well."
It sounded a bit cheeky, but looking at Yennekar, I could tell she was sincere.
"I don't want you to get hurt and go through trouble. I know that it's impossible for you to not go through some hardships, but I don't want it to be any harder than it has to be."
"..."
I thought about it for a while, but it was very difficult to pretend to ignore what she was saying with her gaze on me.
"I believe that it would be a good idea for Princess Penia to become the student council president."
"…That… makes sense. But it's not just you, many other people think the same thing."
Even though it was a sudden answer, Yennekar seemed to be satisfied with it.
"But that's surprising to hear. After all… Princess Penia wasn't all that nice to you. I never imagined that you would support her."
"Is that so?"
Being treated like an idiot and driven to the point of being excommunicated by Penia… though, in reality it wasn't because of her, instead all because of me. Well, it wasn't really me since I wasn't Ed Rothstaylor at the time.
"Yeah. Besides, there's also Tanya. I was going to support Tanya since she was your sister. And I did something bad to her that I feel sorry about, plus her reputation during the first years is really good."
Yennekar spoke as she played with her braided hair.
"And… if she doesn't want to run, what can we do about it?"
"That's true…"
Originally Princess Penia should have run for student council president without any hesitation.
She would then compete against Tanya in what might seem like a bloody battle, but in reality, she won by an overwhelming margin of votes.
The gap between Tanya and Penia wasn't something that could be shortened easily. You could say that the moment Penia announced her candidacy, she had won.
"At the very least, it would be nice if we could at least hear her reasoning for not trying."
"It's because her self-confidence is gone."
Clink.
Another drink was placed on the table. The person sitting across from me was Ziggs Eiffelstein, a second-year student in the magic department.
"It sure is spring now. I guess there's no need to wear a coat during the day anymore. Phew. I didn't realize it would be so hot I would start sweating. Also, why are there so many people here in the Student Center?"
Ziggs took off his coat as he held it in one hand, taking a sip from his drink with the other. He then let out a deep exhale.
"Ziggs?"
"It's nice to see you two again. Though, during the daytime aren't there too many eyes on you? And isn't it too hot? Though, it seems you two are fine with the heat."
Saying that, Ziggs put down his cup.
Hearing those words, Yennekar quickly stood up straight as she quickly stepped away from me. Only then was I aware of how close Yennekar was to me before.
"Hm?! Was I too close?! I had no idea…?! I guess I was…? M-maybe I was too close, so people might have m-misunderstood…? B-But still, saying that we were getting too heated next to each other!"
Yennekar fanned her face quickly as she avoided anyone's gaze, looking down at the ground.
"Seeing two of my upperclassmen talking so intimately. I know it wasn't polite of me to intervene, but…"
Ziggs put his arms together as he took a deep breath.
"Last time there was something I needed to tell you that I couldn't because of a situation. But recently, I feel a bit more certain, so I thought I should let you know."
"What?"
"Since I'm the same age as her, and we go to many of the same classes, I tend to see Princess Penia quite often."
Ziggs was a man that spent his entire childhood living in the wild up in northern grasslands.
But now, he seemed like a gentleman that knew how to be polite. All of the rules of etiquette that he learned came from living with House Islam.
Living a life as a beast before becoming human.
The intuition that such a life gave Ziggs was at a level higher than any of the regular five human senses.
"Have you ever seen a chief wolf that lost his pack, Ed?"
The eloquent tone of his voice suddenly subsided.
"A leader that had the experience of killing his own, hurt after making the wrong decision. The life that's drained from their eyes… It's completely different from the gleaming, murderous, energetic eyes typical of a baby wolf. It comes to the point, when they meet prey, they don't hunt. And when they meet another beast, they show no hostility."
Seeing Ziggs speak such words with his arms crossed, I could tell it came from experience.
He closed his eyes as he thought back to a time.
The experience of encountering a wolf with scars larger than its own body off in the corner of a grassland.
He tried to grab a weapon with his hands, which were trembling in fear, but it was difficult to find any real purpose in going any further.
"Even when I grabbed the bow and aimed it, it still wouldn't react."
Immediately, Ziggs opened his eyes and spoke quietly.
"Princess Penia's eyes looked just like that to me."
Having said that, he got up from his seat.
"Sorry for interrupting you. I was just passing by and saw you, so I wanted to say hi. I'll get going now."
"You weren't interrupting anything. It was great to see you, too."
"It will rain tomorrow, so be careful when leaving the dormitory."
Ziggs grabbed his empty glass. After bowing his head and saying farewell, he left the Student Center.
I wondered if she had a fever, but Yennekar kept on fanning her face as she sat next to me… I started to fall back into my own thoughts.
The worst possibility was… Princess Penia lost all sense of hostility towards House Rothstaylor.
If that was the case, I needed to come up with a reason to rekindle her suspicions towards House Rothstaylor.
At that point… There was no way I could come up with such a reason.
"I think I will have to think things over."
"Hm? What do you mean, Ed?"
The head of House Rothstaylor, Krepin Rothstaylor.
The reason he summoned the evil Mebula earlier than he had planned in such a weakened state was because he couldn't withstand all the political pressure that came upon him.
The reason behind all that pressure came from the Imperial power, led by Princess Penia. Going against Krepin without creating such a situation… that would be entering a completely unknown territory.
It was a situation that needed to be avoided at all costs, but if such a situation did arise… I'd have no choice but to face it head on.
"Anyway, he said that it will rain tomorrow, so that should be a good environment to practice training with water spirits."
There were conditions that needed to be met before I could take action. So, I need to think about what I should do first.
"If possible, it would be better if it's near the sea. I'll try and handle a mid-ranking water spirit near the northern cliffside tomorrow."
"Alright, I'll also head over there once I finish my Elemental studies class."
"Alright. Thanks. I have to head back to the camp first."
Yennekar smiled as she nodded her head.
Anyway, even if she didn't think so…. I still owed Yennekar a lot.
***
"Hmm."
Sniffing from the tip of her nose, she could smell the scent of the flowers blooming. Spring was her favorite season.
The warm sunlight and the gentle breeze that tickled her cheeks. It warmed her heart and made even the most mundane passage of time feel like you were buried in a warm blanket.
Pit Pat, Pit Pat
The sound of footsteps came from a little past the camp.
The girl lying on the roof of the hut looking up at the sky wiggled her feet. With a few pieces of jerky in her mouth, she hummed a song, thinking of lying down in that boy's lap.
Suddenly a feeling of humidity reached the back of her nose. That strange feeling she had was never wrong.
Lucy put her hat on tight as she looked up at the sky again. Even though it was spring, it seemed that it would be difficult to go outside tomorrow.
"It's going to rain."
I hate rain.
The rain that fell against her body made Lucy feel depressed. If it was going to rain, hopefully it passed by quickly.
As Lucy had such thoughts, she jumped down towards the campfire.
She then laid down next to fire, staring blankly at the blonde-haired boy walking through the grass in the distance.
She flicked her fingers to the sound of her humming.
-x-X-x-
Drip, Drip.
Even the same old raindrops have a different feeling depending on the season.
The spring rain felt as if it were dripping to the ground one drop at a time. It was different from the cool summer rainfall, which would storm down.
Going out in the rain during the summer felt as if your entire body was being drenched but walking out in the spring rain felt like nothing more than a nice relaxing sprinkle.
The moisture in the air was noticeable, but there was none of the usual sounds that came from the rain beating on the leaves and grass.
The forest was only filled with the sounds of my feet tracking through the mud and the splashing from when I stepped into small puddles.
[This is my first time going out to the northern coast. I'm sure the cliff is wide, and since it was barren and doesn't have much human contact, there won't be much to see there! But it really is far away!]
The one sitting on my shoulder clearing his throat was Mugg, the only one I could talk to.
[And even though I am an unworthy spirit, I wanted to say that I am confident that making a contract with the mid-ranking water spirit Lacia was an excellent decision! Above all else, Lacia's 'Water Lion's Blessing' is different from my Blessing of Fire Fortune, in that it's specific to only certain situations. It's not as versatile, but once those conditions are met…]
There's never a quiet day when I'm with Mugg, who continuously opens his mouth to explain every little thing. Seeing how proud of himself he was whenever he spoke about all the different spirits, I couldn't help but like him more.
As I continued to converse with Mugg, we proceeded further north.
The size of the north was by no means small. Although I'd lived in the forest for a year, there were still many places that I was unfamiliar with. Though, that was probably because I always stuck to the same paths that I already knew.
"So, the path ends up going down this way."
It took a rather long time to reach the cliffside, which was at the northernmost tip of the island.
Simply put, Acken Island started to develop the further south you went. That was because all of Silvenia's major academic facilities were gathered together in the south. They were built there because there were two bridges down in the south that connected the island to the Nofaren Continent.
Once you passed the upper half of the island, most of it became a forest that had barely been touched by humans. And if you traveled all the way to the northernmost part of the island, it was like an entirely new world, one that was completely disconnected from Silvenia Academy.
Generally speaking, all water spirits—not just Lacia, the water spirit that I'd made a contract with—received increased influence in areas that were full of moisture.
An old eagle was better than a young crow. Since she was a mid-ranking spirit, she had a power level that was incomparable to that of a low-ranking spirit even in a desolate area with little to no moisture. However, her true strength only showed in an environment that was full of moisture.
It was a rainy day near the oceanside. There was no better environment when it came to handling a water spirit.
I'd been told that once every single difficult condition had been met, she was able to exert a power that was comparable to even a high-ranking spirit. Though, honestly, I was not really looking for that type of power. After all, I wouldn't even be able to handle the sheer amount of magic power needed for that.
I took out the bow that I had been carrying.
It was a recurve bow that had been painstakingly refined over a long period of time. Out of all the ones that I had made through trial and error, it was the one that came out the best.
I pulled the bowstring as I faced the wide sea. Covering my hand in magic power, with the resonance level I had, I created an arrow of magic power that glowed softly.
It wasn't just a simple magic power arrow. It was a magic power arrow that was imbued with water energy. It wasn't just a one-dimensional attack that pierced through an enemy, inflicting damage upon them.
"Hmm… It doesn't consume much magic power like this, but that changes after I fire and activate it…"
[The amount of mana needed to make the magic power arrow directly isn't a large amount, but after using a Spiritual Skill with it, that changes.]
"I'll just have to get the hang of it for now. I'm sure I'll get the feel for it."
[That doesn't mean you should go firing it blindly. Young master Ed, the amount of magic power you have has increased a lot, but it won't be able to offset the inefficient loss of mana caused by your lack of spiritual resonance.]
I nodded my head as I canceled the Spiritual Skill. The art of Spiritual Skills was a rather vast and deep field within spirit magic. It was something I'd have to consider more after I got used to manifesting spirits.
The rain continued to fall as the waves crashed against the shore. There really was no better environment to effectively deal with a water spirit.
With that thought in mind, I was about the gather all my magic power at once when—
"It's an honor to see you again after such a long time, young master Ed."
I looked back towards the voice that called out to me.
Two men, dressed in gloomy robes, had come to see me before I even realized it.
***
The final chapter of Act 4. The mid-boss of the third phase of the Krepin Subjugation.
The vassals that were in charge of the darkness within House Rothstaylor.
The two knights, Kadek and Nox, who swore allegiance to Krepin after being promised fiefs.
***
Kadek and Nox were veterans that shared the history of the Rothstaylor Family, living alongside them for the entirety of their lives.
Underneath a robe that covered him from the rain was Kadek's slender figure, wearing a neat suit and a wide tie. He was similar in age to Nox, but his appearance was much cleaner and more proper.
On the other hand, Nox with his well-trimmed beard and confident appearance appeared much more easy-going.
His sharp jaw and muscles beneath his well-made attire showed proof that he would be no easy opponent.
Two of Krepin's first-class henchmen that had and would continue to go through everything for him had arrived in Acken Island. At that point, I realized that an anomaly had occurred.
"Even though I should be happy to see you two, I can't say that I am."
The two men looked towards the edge of the cliff.
There, a boy with blonde hair stood in the pouring rain. In one hand he held a bow.
He turned his upper body towards the two knights. Behind him was the view of the sea. The rain fell, and between his drenched hair were his two eyes glaring daggers towards the men. The recurve bow he was holding aimed at the floor was quite large. It was nearly the size of a person's upper body.
"Even though I was excommunicated, you still call me young master. Is this something I should be grateful for?"
He already knew enough of what there was to know about Kadek and Nox.
The mid-boss of the final chapter of Act 4. The Eagle Knight Kadek, the Brown Bear Knight Nox. Neither of them were easy opponents.
"I have heard the news about you, young master Ed."
The one that responded was Kadek, who was kneeling.
"After being excommunicated, many things have happened. And despite what you went through, I have heard all about just how hard you are working as you continue to do your best."
"That's right, young master Ed. We… had no idea."
Nox, who had a sturdy build, also knelt down and bowed his head.
"I will tell you this without hesitating. The two of us… We lived with great resentment towards the Ed Rothstaylor that we saw and lived with in House Rothstaylor. Being put in such a difficult situation, giving you the opportunity to repent, we had also thought your excommunication was justified."
There was some sincerity in his heavy voice.
"However, after coming to Acken Island and seeing how much you have reflected on your mistakes and changed, we have changed our minds."
Nox pulled out a leather pouch with a dagger from his pocket, placing it onto the grass.
"We came under the orders of the head of house, Krepin. No matter what it takes, we are to kick you out of Silvenia Academy and, if an opportunity arises, to even assassinate you. Those are the orders we received, and this is the dagger given to us, engraved with a deadly poison."
The two knights continued to kneel in the pouring rain as they calmly continued to speak.
"But we both know. Your actions have always been strange. Even in your youth, you would disappear like a ghost and suddenly reign over the house as if you were a completely different person… But that was probably not the true version of you."
"And now, we know the truth. This version, the current young master Ed, is the very person that is truly suitable to be the heir to the family."
There were many rumors and opinions about Ed that were being spread across Acken Island. No one knew the effect they would have on the two knights.
And now, with both of their heads bowed, there was not a trace of hostility coming from them.
"Please, make everything right again and pave the way for House Rothstaylor's honor to be raised high across the world once again."
"As vassals… We are ready to follow you wherever you go. We will explain the entire situation to the head of the house, Krepin, ourselves."
The two knights continued to bow their heads as they remained quiet, waiting for Ed's answer.
Walking a few steps forward, he looked down at the two knights with their heads down… Then, closing both his eyes for a moment, he opened them and began to talk.
"Don't speak such nonsense."
"You have grown up, young master Ed."
The sword attack that sent the wind spiraling came from the Eagle Knight Kadek. Quickly ducking to dodge it, Ed rolled across the muddy ground.
Kadek, who quickly adjusted his posture, swung his sword again and sent the wind spiraling. His sword attack used the wind to override the concept of distance between him and his opponent. Facing off against him, you needed the mindset used against a ranged magician rather than a melee knight.
However, there was something that wasn't right. Kadek, unlike a magician, was also good at close combat.
"Hyaaaa!"
The cry that came from the Brown Bear Knight Nox was sent out in a wave. The flames that instantly erupted around him were put out by the falling rain, but his mace—enchanted with magic—was still a powerful force to deal with.
In an instant, Ed quickly created distance from the two of them as he grabbed his bowstring. The place that he had been standing just a second ago had a heavy mace stuck in the ground.
People that were driven into a corner tended to be distracted by even a single ray of hope.
For Ed Rothstaylor, who had been living out in the wild for a year, the trap of once again being a nobleman was powerful and extremely tempting.
However, Ed didn't lower his battle stance until the two knights finished talking. It was clear to both of the knights that Ed was paying close attention to them.
The past year of his life was clearly not an easy feat.
"Do you remember my daughter, Meliana? My poor child, who lost the sight in one of her eyes because of your playing."
Creating more distance, Ed stared at Nox for a moment as he fixed his collar.
"Come to think of it, I guess that did happen."
"Ha…"
He clenched his fist and raised it into the air, and in an instant a streak of flames were sent flying. Ed quickly reacted, neutralizing all of the flames with beginner defense magic.
"We must have gotten complacent. There's no one in the world that could rekindle my loyalty after taking my daughter's eye… I'm sure you knew well about that, too. There's no way you would be easily tricked by such lies."
Nox then picked up his mace once again, fixing his posture clenching his teeth.
"Revenge isn't worth it, Nox."
"I know that. After getting my revenge, all that's left will be an endless void. However, that's not something I need to hear from the person that hurt my daughter, young master Ed."
"…That makes sense."
As Nox slammed the ground and leapt, Ed bent down and pulled a dagger from his inner thigh before shoving it straight into the ground. Meanwhile, Kadek's sword attack, which used magic power, was aimed straight at Ed.
Kadek and Nox. The attack patterns of the two knights were already settled. Nox, in charge of the vanguard position, wielded a mace covered with fire magic. Every time he spun it, flames would spurt out of it. So, you need to keep your distance from him to make sure you could dodge his attacks.
Kadek is able to cover medium and long-range, making sure to keep you constantly pressured. You had to be careful because if you were hit even once, all subsequent attacks would also make contact.
Fwoosh!
The flames from the mace scorched a few strands of Ed's hair.
As Ed continued to dodge, rolling backwards, at the end there was only a steep cliff awaiting him.
If he allowed Nox to land even a single attack on him, he would die instantly. That came from not only the sheer weight of the mace, but also the intensity of his flames. However, in terms of battle composition itself, Kadek's sword attack was much more difficult to deal with.
The sense of walking a tightrope on the borderline of life and death. That was enough to send a chill run down your spine.
Fwoosh!
No matter how obvious and slow the movements of the mace were, it couldn't be avoided forever. Everything that Ed had avoided at that point was more of a fluke than anything else. If the battle continued like that, they would eventually land an attack on him.
Realizing that there wasn't any more room to evade the attacks with, Nox readied the final blow. Suddenly, Ed held out his hand and a streak of blood started to spurt from Nox's back.,
"What…?"
Having more information was the key element to Ed's fighting style.
Ed was able to memorize Nox and Kadek's specs, position in battle, attack methods, and more. The two knights, however, had no idea just how much Ed had grown.
Such an informational advantage was the only way he could make up for the difference in specs.
A dagger that he had planted into the ground flew back out, lodging into Nox's back.
"T-Telekinesis magic…? Th-That can't be…"
It wasn't telekinesis magic. It was actually a spiritual skill. After going off to a quiet place to think it over, it was not something that would be difficult to realize. However, in an intense battle situation it isn't something that could easily be figured out.
Booom!!
All at once, explosive magic was fired off all around the edge of the cliff. Ed, who was protected by the Blessing of Fire Fortune, was able to get away free from the damage.
"Nox!"
Fwoooosh!
There was no time to rest.
A magic power arrow flew through the smoke as it pierced Kadek's leg.
"Eughk!"
Dodging the next arrow with practically inhuman reflexes, Kadek thought for a moment before mercilessly sending another sword attack through the thick smoke.
Nox might have ended up getting hit, but more importantly, he would also be able to completely take Ed down.
Unsure of just how much Ed had to go through to survive, it was clear that he had grown leaps and bounds when compared to when he was living a luxuriously idiotic life in House Rothstaylor.
Carelessness was the enemy of a knight. Even if Nox were at risk of being hit by the attack, he would understand that there wasn't any choice. That level of rapport between the two, who had been fighting alongside each other for a long time, was possible without directly saying it.
There was no room to dodge it. It would definitely hit. The question was if it would be enough to take down the enemy.
The gust of wind blew the smoke away, revealing Ed with stab wounds all across his body.
However, he was still standing, pulling on his bowstring. Unless it was a sword attack that would completely cut off his body parts, he would continue to have the will to fight until the very end.
The pain of a sword attack had the power to completely destroy a person's composure, regardless of how deep the wound even was. Even if he wasn't taken down by a single attack, aimed straight at his vitals, he should have still felt enough stress on his mind to crumble.
In the first place, the wounds he had weren't at a level that could be considered shallow. But somehow, Ed remained standing.
And just like that, Ed continued to fire. However, Kadek was born with a natural talent with reflexes and quickly raised his sword, deflecting all of the arrows.
But with Nox still incapacitated, it would be difficult to get a final blow in.
No matter how he thought of it, facing Ed in close combat was the best option. Even if Kadek was normally good at long-distance pressure, it was necessary to stay close to him.
However, he suddenly realized a variable that would make him double-think their battle composition.
Hoof.
Nox's collapsed figure could be seen through the smoke. It looked as if he had completely lost his consciousness.
"Nox… My man…!"
Nox was a veteran in his own right.
He wasn't actually defeated. He was just 'acting' as if he were.
It was all to convince Ed that the only opponent he had left to deal with was Kadek.
Ed didn't have the time to check if Nox was really dead, or to finish the job. That was because Kadek's constant attacks made it too difficult.
Kadek quickly noticed Nox's intentions. Kadek's job wasn't difficult at all. All he had to do was create a chance for Nox to land a blow.
With that in mind, Kadek took a step back once more to control the distance between the two—when his ankle was suddenly eaten by a 'puddle of water'.
"…What…?"
As the rain continued to pour down, he looked down at his left ankle.
The arrows that had missed and hit the ground. Those arrows that were imbued with water energy… they weren't meant to hit him.
The magic power arrows, which were engraved with the spiritual skill Manifestation of a Water Source, created a large puddle of water on the clear land.
A new source of water that was manifested by magic power… It had made another battlefield for the water spirits to play.
A surprise strategy was only effective when it was used unexpectedly outside of your opponent's field of view.
An arrow that had completely missed would be put aside from the opponent's consciousness. In fact, it was nearly impossible to notice that the arrows were just a means for a surprise attack.
Looking up from his left foot, which was completely submerged in water, he saw the large puddle of water that spread out behind Kadek. And then, 'from the water', the mid-ranking water spirit Lacia the Lioness came out and bit Kadek's neck.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaghk!"
Kadek rolled over in the puddle of water. It went without saying, but he wasn't able to breathe properly. Water began to enter his airways and esophagus. Little by little, he lost the strength to resist as the water spirit continued to push him down.
"C…Can't breathe…!"
Struggling in the middle of a puddle… Eventually, Kadek lost consciousness.
However, that didn't mean the end of the battle.
Nox, who seemed to be completely unconscious, stood behind Ed in an instant.
His body was in ruins after having been through explosions and attacks of such a large size without being protected by magic. However, uncaring of the fact that his body was covered in burns, he ran towards Ed with a dagger in hand.
His speed was so quick that it was difficult to follow with the naked eye. And right when the knife was about to pierce Ed's back, Nox was certain of his victory.
Whoooooooooosh!
However, the blowing wind immediately knocked Nox away as it went over the cliff.
Clang!
The dagger rolled on the floor.
The high-ranking wind spirit's passive skill, Storm's Blessing. Just once, every set amount of time, the defensive-type magic would instinctively activate and block a physical attack.
Nox, whose last attack had been defended against, had no means of fighting left.
The lioness made of water rose up from a puddle as she stood behind Ed. The bat flying near his shoulder was still burning like usual, and the bow he held horizontally was not damaged in the slightest.
As Ed slowly turned away, he suddenly stopped as he swallowed hard.
Ed then walked back slowly, approaching Nox.
Death always came. Even though it might come slowly, it was something that always came.
Ed looked down at Nox, who was a complete wreck, without saying a single word. He had a calm expression on his face, as if he were thinking about something.
Nox slowly opened his mouth.
"Is it too much to ask you to finish me in one hit?"
"That's what I was going to say."
"What?"
Ed looked up at the rainy sky as he spoke.
"This was all so useless. A life like this, a life full of misery."
The spirits around him were canceled. They disappeared and the bow he was holding was thrown off to the side.
"It seems like my father has decided it's best to kill me. If that's the case, then one day I will surely die. After all, my father is someone who even makes the rules of casualty favor him."
"That's…"
"Even if I were to end you here, this issue won't end. One day, he will try to kill me again in a grander, more absurd way. Once he makes up his mind… he's not the type of person to change it."
Having said that, Ed picked up the dagger Nox had dropped. A curse of extreme poison was engraved onto the surface of the dagger. The dagger with a terrifying pattern on it only needed one cut to kill. A deadly curse that would cause death upon one's opponent with just the smallest of cuts.
"It hasn't been that great a life. The things I had to do and the filth I dealt with to survive… If you look at me now, I'm sure you are more than capable of figuring it out, Nox. Nobility? The respect that comes from my lineage? Those things… I threw it all away when I was forced to survive off of eating the boiled bark off a tree and the carcass of a boar."
"..."
Looking up, the dark clouds were starting to grow thick. It was just like the life Ed Rothstaylor had lived through.
"I'm not one to act like a coward and escape my sins by paying the price with my death. I'm not that good of a person, and more than anything, it's meaningless to do. But to you, who has given your life in dedication and servitude to House Rothstaylor… It should be enough to offer as a final gift to you."
After seeing what Ed had just done, Nox doubted what he was witnessing. He had thrown the dagger over to Nox, handing it to him.
And just like that, the cursed dagger rolled down at Nox's feet. The shiny handle called out to him, as if urging him to grab it.
"Like I told you, getting revenge will leave you with nothing but emptiness… But that doesn't make it meaningless. Once you finish getting your revenge, it'll feel like you have completed one of your life's greatest longings."
Then, Ed Rothstaylor raised his arm defenselessly towards him.
"Stab me. If it's come to the point that my own family rejects my existence, I don't want to live a miserable life like this any longer."
The rain continued to fall on the cliff.
Nox stood up, clasping his trembling hands… He faced Ed, who looked at him without doing anything else.
Nox constantly doubted what was happening, thinking it might be a trap. But that didn't make sense. There was no reason to continue making any other traps against Nox, who had already been completely incapacitated.
And for a moment, grinding his teeth, Nox rushed forward.
A streak of blood flowed through the used blade.
At the same time, Ed's mouth began to bleed.
"Ughk… Keu…!"
His blood was boiling. His mouth was filled with the bitter taste of iron.
"Eugh… Ugh… Heuk… Keuukk…"
"Wh-What… Is this…?"
Nox felt a faint smile grow from Ed's groaning.
Even on the brink of death, the sight of him not losing his sanity until the very end gave him the biggest sense of fear.
The curse that was engraved onto the dagger was now imprinted on Ed Rothstaylor's body. A curse swelled up from his skin as an excruciating pain engulfed him… Ed slowly raised his head, looking at Nox as he spoke.
"Good… Congratulations."
Seeing him smile while covered in blood was terrifying.
"You finally… Got your revenge."
Seeing that… Nox broke out in a cold sweat as he quickly pulled out his sword, pushing Ed away with his feet.
Ed staggered as he was pushed towards the edge… before falling down the steep cliffside.
It was at that moment that everything ended.
***
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
A sharp scream cut through the air.
The northern cliffs were the most remote place on Acken Island. Therefore, the two knights that had followed Ed were able to carry out their orders without worry.
Despite his expectations, seeing a student come to a place this far away bewildered Nox greatly.
Lighting cut through the sky.
The screaming girl came all the way over towards the cliff. Nox no longer had the strength to restrain the girl.
"Ed, Ed…! Ed!"
The basket the girl had brought rolled onto the floor. Several of the snacks that were piled inside spilled out and grew wet in the rain.
Desperately running, she sat on the ground, looking over the cliff… But the cliff was so steep that only an endless darkness could be seen beyond it.
"This… This is…!"
Nox tried to say something, but his completely exhausted body wouldn't listen to him.
Rather, the strength in his legs had completely given out as he fell to the ground.
How many minutes had passed?
The girl, who had been sitting for a while, slowly began to stand up.
At the edge of the cliff, where the rain and wind blew, the girl that was completely drenched from head to toe turned towards Nox… and it felt as if an unknown spirit was standing next to her.
"Y-You…"
The magic power began to rise, filling the atmosphere.
The girl's expression couldn't be clearly seen, but Nox could guess what it was. Even judging by the amount of magic power there was… Nox knew she was an opponent that he could never defeat.
-x-X-x-
The Extra's Academy Survival Guide Chapter 92: Before the Student Council President Election (5)
The most important virtue of a magician was to always maintain reason.
That was because magic and magic power didn't always fit together perfectly, not like math formulas.
One had to always remain careful to not consume more than the necessary amount of magic power or to use an extremely high amount of magic power all at once.
And when it came to magic at a higher level than was suited to you, it was worthless to try and even imitate it.
In all circumstances, it was dangerous to use magic that was even one level higher than you could manage.
That was because magic interacted with the magic power that flowed through one's body, utilizing it.
That was why one had to always be conscious of their limits. More than anything else, it was crucial to avoid excessive use of one's magic power.
Among magicians, Elementalist were the ones that needed to be especially careful.
The amount of magic power that was used to handling spirits was overwhelmingly larger than other forms of magic. The subtype of magic, called 'Spiritual Resonance', only increases one's efficiency with magic power.
That was why elementalist that had trained to a certain extent would never lose their sense of reason.
That was why she needed to clearly recognize the level of her magic and objectively judge the spirits she could handle.
Yennekar Palerover was well aware of that fact.
However, knowing the facts and actually putting them into practice were two completely different things.
"…Wh-What is that…?!"
The scale of the magic circle rising in the night sky was larger than any ever seen before.
Yennekar Palerover was someone that could freely handle even high-ranking spirits. Once she completely lost her sense of reason, there was only one type of spirit left at a higher level than she could normally summon.
Even above the small number of high-ranking spirits that existed, there were beings that were recognized as having the greatest of strengths.
Highest-Ranking Spirits.
They were the ones that were at the pinnacle of strength within their respective element.
For Yennekar, who had already summoned the right hand of the highest-ranking dark spirit Glasskan, creating a summoning circle for another highest-ranking spirit wasn't 'impossible'.
Rather, that was the highest level she was able to reach after one year of training. For her, highest-ranking spirits were a level that was dangerous to reach—not a realm that was impossible.
The summoning circle shown in the sky was ironically the opposite of a water spirit.
It was the summoning circle for the highest-ranking fire spirit, 'Theorpis', who was said to have burned down the entirety of the Apos mountains in the Mythic Ages.
It took the shape of a dragon whose tail was bigger than that of the imperial castle, which shot down flames that scorched the earth… It was a magnificent sight to see, one that deserved to be written in history books.
Just Glasskan's right arm was enough to completely seal off the entirety of the massive education district.
The same could be said about Theorpis. The moment even one arm of his was summoned, it was clear that at least the entirety of the north forest would be engulfed in flames.
However, for the current Yennekar, such thoughts of the future didn't come to her mind.
With the anger that filled her mind, she turned her gaze towards the murderer in front of her.
Shwaaaaa.
Rooooooooooooooar!
On the rainy cliffside, as he watched the magnificent magic circle fill the sky, Nox couldn't help but widen his eyes.
There wasn't a need to summon a highest-ranking spirit just to face off against him, as he was completely incapacitated.
However, anger paralyzed her reason.
The sorrow of a person that lost their loved one was something capable of making one lose all reason.
Ripping away one's flesh, stabbing them in the heart. Such pain felt like fair play.
"You… Do you know what you did…?"
The red summoning circle was radiating with heat, much like the sun. The air above the sea began to turn to steam.
Even though it might seem hard to believe, the heat coming from the summoning circle even started to evaporate the rain before it could fall to the ground.
Steam rose like mist, covering the entire shore. It hid the girl's angry face in darkness.
Nox was fully aware of his imminent death. It was a completely different type of murder than when Ed Rothstaylor had approached him.
It was obvious that a single attack stemming from that girl's anger would be enough to end his life. To the point that the faint scent of a spirit in the air… could no longer bear with it.
Then, right when Nox was about to accept his nearing death…
Roooooooooooooooooooooooooor!
A strong gust of wind blew away the fog, and the one that roared and caused the large gust of wind was now standing in front of him… A massive wolf that was made from the air.
Whoooosh!
The strong wind that blew around the wolf was made from a strong magic power.
[Run away]
Nox didn't even have a lick of spiritual resonance within him, but he was still able to hear the wolf's voice clearly in his head.
[Run away, don't look back. Report everything that you have seen and went through.]
[Survive. You have to survive.]
The wolf's cry rang out through the rain. In that brief moment, the summoning circle that Yennekar had made temporarily disappeared.
"Th-This… Wh-What…? E-Eughk…!"
In the middle of the powerful wind, Nox regained his senses.
Even though he didn't understand what was happening, he was certain that it was a chance for him to survive.
Nox quickly stood up, picked up the unconscious Kadek, and ran away into the north forest.
It all happened in an instant.
"Wh-What… What are you doing, Merilda?"
[Calm down, Yennekar. I understand what you're feeling.]
Yennekar, who stood at the edge of the rainy cliff, looked straight back at Merilda.
And Merilda… started to slowly whisper something to Yennekar.
[Take a deep breath and think clearly, Yennekar.]
Merilda… was fully reading Ed's intentions.
Yennekar, who had suddenly come to realize that fact, suddenly looked the other way.
"H-Huh…??"
Yennekar, who started to realize that something else might have happened, quickly looked down at the bottom of the cliff. However, the bottom of the cliff was far away and too dark, making it difficult to see.
She then looked back towards Merilda, taking a deep breath before crying out for help.
***
[ Dell Heim's Hourglass (Legendary)
—
Restores the state of your body to a few seconds prior, removing all damage and wounds. One time use. ]
[ Del Heim's Hourglass has been activated, rendering it unusable. (Destroyed) ]
[ Magic Engineering Proficiency has increased due to the use of a legendary-grade magically engineered item. ]
"B-Bleuk… Ugh…!"
After making my way through the waves, I was barely able to drag my body up on one side of a rocky area at the bottom of the cliff.
I leaned against a nearby rock as I spat out the salty seawater.
"Bleukkk… Ughk… Bleukk…!"
It took a while of me coughing like that to get rid of the sea water I had swallowed before my body was able to calm down.
"Uhhh… Phew… I'm absolutely going to catch a cold from this."
The deadly poison curse that had flowed through my body had disappeared. However, the effects of Del Heim's Hourglass didn't remove the cuts on my body from the sword attacks.
The salt water had entered my wounds, which was extremely painful. I even ended up swallowing the water as my temperature continued to drop.
Once I was able to move my body again, the first thing I needed to do was go back to the camp and give myself some basic treatment. Of course, that was only possible when my body was able to move again.
"I-I think that was a bit reckless, but… With this much… I should be fine… ugh…"
Del Heim's Hourglass was a legendary-grade magically engineered item that I was able to create after working like crazy over the break.
It wasn't a level of magically engineered item that should exist during Act 3, but it was a treasure that I was able to make only after putting in much effort and hard work.
Though, I didn't expect to have to use it so soon. It was disappointing that something that took so long to make had ended up disappearing in such a futile way.
Still, that was how the magically engineered item was meant to be used anyway… it was best to use such things when I needed to. As long as I had the materials and time, I could just make it again.
Though, it wouldn't be easy.
With that, Ed Rothstaylor should be 'dead' for the time being.
Krepin Rothstaylor's Cause and Effect Determination magic was really tricky. Once he decided to kill Ed Rothstaylor, an incredible amount of magic power was used to find and create a reason within the near future to make sure I died.
With that… To avoid any more attention from him, the only choice I had was to 'die'. That was because it would be too annoying and difficult to constantly handle every assassination attempt led by Krepin Rothstaylor that would continue to pour in.
No matter how powerful the title of Duke might be, it was near impossible to know all the details taking place within the island, as it is forbidden by school rules to send individual personnel onto Acken Island. Though, if he were to try, it wouldn't be impossible. But after hearing the news that I died, he wouldn't have a reason to go any further.
In the first place, the Rothstaylor Household and the Imperial Castle were far from Acken Island. Regardless of the school's rules, there really was no choice but to trust the news. And since Krepin was an influential member and was helping the imperial family, he should also be too busy to focus any more attention on the matter.
Kadek and Nox were probably sent to the school under the pretext that they are temporarily helping Tanya with business.
That was why, once Tanya's business was finished, they would be forced to leave Acken Island.
"Probably… that would be after the student council election and negotiations over the Sage's Seal…"
Both events would take place near simultaneously, so it wouldn't take a long time. It was only a few days.
Until then, I needed to remain dead. At the very least, I needed to make sure that Krepin wasn't aware that Ed was still living on Acken Island. Even if it was too much to maintain for my entire life, if I could keep it a secret for one to two years, that should be enough. All I needed to do was make sure Tanya kept her mouth shut.
One to two years should be more than enough time for House Rothstaylor's fall.
"Eughk… But still… moving my body…"
I straightened up a little as I lifted my upper body. As time passed, I was starting to feel my strength return little by little.
It was a bit much to go all the way back to the camp in the rain with my body like that… but it couldn't be helped.
That was when-
Rooooar!
"I-I found you…!"
It felt like a scorching heat, and the source for it was right above my head.
"What the…"
It was a spectacular sight to see. A gigantic lizard made of flames was hanging off the side of the cliff.
The girl that jumped from it was none other than Yennekar.
Seeing Yennekar run across the rocky area at the bottom of the cliff towards me… It was nice to see.
"Phew… I feel like I'm on the verge of death, with pain aching all over my body… to have you find me like this…!"
I expressed my gratitude towards her as I waved at Yennekar.
It was reassuring to have a friend willing to help and show up no matter when I needed it.
Though, first things first, I had to explain the situation to her.
After thinking about how I should even start things off, right when I was about to open my mouth, Yennekar quickly ran over to where I was.
"Yenne—"
She wrapped herself around my neck as we fell to the floor… Burying her face in my shoulder, she hugged me tightly in her arms.
Shwaaaaaaaa.
In the pouring spring rain, Yennekar, who was squeezing me tightly… didn't say a word.
After thinking about what to say, all I could do was wrap my arms around Yennekar, hugging her back.
"It seems I always make you worry. I'm sorry for that, Yennekar."
It felt as if Yennekar's head, which was buried in my shoulder, was shaking from side to side.
Though… she probably didn't say anything.
***
Crackle.
It burnt quite well considering the wood was wet. That was probably from the power of elementalism.
A cave… I guess it was a little too small to call it that. At the bottom of the cliff, inside a small indent, I sat down with Yennekar as I explained everything to her.
"So… Ed, what you're saying is that you want to keep the fact that you're alive a secret for a multitude of reasons. At least until after the student council election."
"That's right. I don't want House Rothstaylor to find out that I survived. As long as I can persuade Tanya, I can keep my existence hidden from my family at least while I'm attending school."
Rather, that meant it was more comfortable for me to continue living on Acken Island than hiding around outside.
"So… What I'm saying is, I need to stay in hiding for a while. At least until the vassals help Tanya leave… And that won't be until after the student president election."
"Then, I'll bring you your daily necessities and the tools you use. Don't worry too much, Ed."
"Yeah… As always, thank you, Yennekar. By the way… It's starting to hurt…"
There was plenty of space around the campfire.
However, Yennekar continued to hold onto me, wrapping around me tightly ever since she found me at the bottom of the cliff.
I didn't want to make Yennekar feel uncomfortable, so I hadn't mentioned it before. But as time continued to pass, my body was reaching its limit.
Yennekar quickly gasped as she let go of me…. She then took a deep breath before speaking.
"I-I'm sorry… Since I was holding onto you, I felt a sense of relief…"
"…N-Never mind. Can you forget what I just said…?"
"..."
Yennekar quickly flailed her arms around before wrapping her arm around her knees, shoving her face down and holding her breath. She kept holding her breath until the tips of her ears started to turn red.
I wanted to say something to her, but my body started to hurt again so I had to move my body around.
And then… I looked out of the cave at the rain.
It seemed that the spring rain would last a while longer. Though, it didn't seem like it would be as long as the snowstorm in winter or the rainy season in summer.
"Still… There's some things left that I need to do…"
For the moment… I decided to wait for the rain to stop.