She tapped on the horse head shaped chess piece with the tip of her index finger. A chess piece that symbolized a knight.
Pushing on the top of the chess piece that resembled the teeth of a saw, it tilted diagonally to the side.
The finger pushed the chess piece back and forth, barely stopping before falling over. Then, with a strong push, the balance was tilted as the piece fell over with a clank, rolling on the floor.
And with that, the knight had died. It was a piece thrown away for an exchange.
Princess Penia, who sat alone by the window, moved the chess pieces around as she sighed softly.
She ran her fingers through her platinum blonde hair before tying it up, only to untie it once more letting out another sigh.
She felt depressed.
The news she had just heard from the Escort Captain Claire was of Ed Rothstaylor's death.
Although the exact story had not yet been fully determined, according to the school's primary investigation it seemed that it was an assassination that came from the forces of House Rothstaylor.
"How… did things end up like this…?"
Between her and Ed Rothstaylor… Their relationship was probably best described as a love-hate relationship. But even that wasn't a completely accurate representation either.
In fact, it might be better to say that Princess Penia felt as if she had a debt to pay towards Ed Rothstaylor.
After hearing the news about his death, she couldn't help but look back at her previous encounters with him.
From the start, their first meeting wasn't great. And the time they spent together was mostly filled with arguments and getting on each other's nerves.
If one were to bring Ed Rothstaylor back from the dead and asked how he felt about Princess Penia, he would probably talk about how awful a person she truthfully was, especially to him.
There was a high chance that Ed Rothstaylor saw Princess Penia as nothing more than a thorn.
Yet, Princess Penia was still the third princess of the Kroel Imperial Family.
The expression of Heaven and Earth was still not enough to compare the difference in class between her and Ed Rothstaylor, who had been excommunicated and turned to a mere commoner.
It was strange that the high-ranking Princess Penia felt grief over the death of Ed Rothstaylor. Did her depression come from the fact of just how unique their relationship was?
Still, for Princess Penia, who lived with constant suspicion and doubt about House Rothstaylor … The existence of Ed, who had jumped over the fence to run away, held enough reason for her. At the very least, he wasn't someone that deserved to die in vain.
So, in order to somehow unravel their twisted and unfortunate relationship… She had delayed and canceled her previous plans ahead of time to make some time to have a proper conversation with him.
And the day of their meeting, which was slowly approaching, was scheduled for tomorrow. Yet House Rothstaylor did not wait for Princess Penia.
Grrrr.
Suddenly, the sound of grinding teeth filled the air.
Princess Penia was surprised to find out that such a sound came from her own mouth.
Not doing anything, sitting quietly by the window and playing with the chessboard… It was like she was a defeated Tosa dog.
What did it matter to be called the Princess of Benevolence and loved by the people?
Whenever Princess Penia did something as a monarch, nothing had ever gone the way she wanted.
The only reason she was able to win over the public's adoration was because she didn't bother to use her power. Her two older sisters, who were actively aiming for the throne, would go against the will of the public—bravely pushing forward with what they believed was right.
In the first place, most politically made decisions acted like a double-edged sword. If you gained something, oftentimes you would have to lose something else.
In doing so, there would be countless times where one would have to be sacrificed.
The image of Ed Rothstaylor overlapped with the knight that was lying on the chessboard.
Her first impression of him was the worst, but as time went on Ed Rothstaylor began to show his true nature… If he were still alive, he might have actually become a person that could achieve anything without borrowing from the prestige of his house.
However, his death was probably completely in vain.
Princess Penia had a chance.
There were many chances for her to spend a little more time listening to his thoughts, untangle their complicated feelings, to let go of her pride, and to develop a more serious relationship with him.
Her busy schedules, low self-esteem, and confidence that had run out after repeatedly failing… were all things that prevented her from doing so.
Realizing that fact, albeit late, she quickly went through all her overdue tasks—putting aside future schedules to meet with him, but… The wretched blade of fate ended up being slightly faster than her.
That was an inexcusable, major failure for her. Princess Penia herself could never be free from that guilt.
"..."
Turning her head to look at her desk… It was full of various materials that she had collected in hopes of becoming the Student Council President.
The students of Silvenia Academy came from various nations. Penia wanted to become the representative of them, wielding academic power.
Compared to the power of the Kroel Imperial Family, it was a pathetically weak power. But at the very least, in Silvenia she would be able to use that independent power.
She wouldn't just be the third princess that relied on the protection of the Imperial Family. Instead, she would be able to exert her own independent power as the student council president of Silvenia Academy. Not with her background as a member of the imperial family, but of her own position that she had seized.
That was the first goal that Princess Penia was looking towards.
"I'm… someone who shouldn't be in power…"
As she lowered her head for a moment, muttering softly, Princess Penia closed her lifeless eyes.
Knock, Knock.
At that moment, a knock was heard at the door.
After granting permission, the door slowly opened with a squeak as her escort appeared.
And next to her… was Tanya Rothstaylor, gasping for breath, covered in a robe that was completely drenched by the rain and covered in mud.
***
At the main entrance of Ophelis Hall, the rain had almost completely stopped as the stars started to shine through the clouds. The situation had been resolved to some extent.
Those that had been hardened in place like a statue by Lucy's Time Prison were left as is for now. That was because Ed still needed time to make sure that those that knew he was alive would be able to match their stories.
Ophelis Hall, which had already been evacuated, was completely silent. A few students might have still been inside, but none of them were currently visible.
The remaining maids that were helping the students evacuate all seemed to be gone as well.
It all happened in an instant. Although they had very little time to react, they certainly were a group of elites. Even after their leader had been frozen, they quickly divided who would be in charge of what area as they evacuated all of the students in about fifteen minutes. There was a high chance that they had also gone to the education district and made a report on the situation.
"Alright… Now that we're all here…"
Ophelis Hall, which was located on the outskirts of the commercial district, was not as close to the education district as one might think.
Once they received the report about Ophelis Hall, it would still take ten minutes at a minimum to arrive, no matter how much they might rush.
Still, since there wasn't much time, I tried to explain at least all the key points quickly… but the conditions of everyone that had gathered wasn't normal.
First off, Clevius was unconscious. With Elvira supporting him, he leaned against a pillar.
She sat down next to Clevius, hugging her knees as she quietly stared at the group. She must have been exhausted, and I was sure that she had a lot of questions about what happened for the situation to end up like it had.
Aside from those two, there was Ziggs… He was bowing his head and continuously apologized to Yennekar off in the corner of the main entrance. Yennekar's entire face was red as her cheeks puffed out. It seemed that Ziggs had acted out of character and said something disrespectful to Yennekar.
And then there was Lortel… Who was in the opposite corner, covering her face with both hands.
It seemed that there was a heat coming from both sides.
"What are you doing, Lortel?"
"..."
Lortel pulled on the hood that was wrapped around her shoulders, adjusting it. She then looked at Ed's face as she smiled.
"As expected, you're perfectly fine, Ed."
"Yeah. I'm sorry that I made you worry for no reason."
"No. I wasn't worried. With common sense, it was obvious that someone like you wouldn't have died so easily. Come to think of it, you had mentioned before about the Dell Heim's Hourglass' production formula. That's pretty useful in saving one's life."
Lortel smiled proudly as she continued to speak.
"It's important for a merchant to always maintain their composure and reason. It was shocking to hear, but I shouldn't lose my cool and act heartbroken without even checking with the facts. Isn't that right, Ziggs?"
"..."
Ziggs, who was sweating profusely next to Yennekar, rubbed his chin for a moment as he looked troubled.
"Right, Ziggs?"
"…Uh, uhmm…"
"Right, Ziggs?"
"Uh… yeah… Lortel didn't have the slightest change in emotion…"
Was he feeling pressured? Ziggs continued to wipe his face as he spoke.
"But… Still, looking at the circumstantial evidence, Tanya seemed very suspicious. So, she pressured Tanya a bit. But she only did it once to try and induce her to turn herself in. In the process, she made a few minor threats, but she really didn't do any physical harm to her."
"Y-Yeah… That's what happened…"
Ziggs kept making a fuss as he acted full of anxiety, like he was afraid of something. He also kept on looking over at Lortel with fear in his eyes.
"Really… Is that really a merchant's way of life…? I can't tell if that's even true…"
Ziggs reaction was as if he didn't know what to do, as Lortel smiled and responded calmly.
"Did you really think I would worry that you died just because of something small like that? Well, I was worried a bit, only because I'm human, but…"
Lortel stood up as she walked forward. Then standing on her tiptoes she grabbed Ed by his collar. Sticking her face closer to his, she took a look at him.
"That's because making a rational decision doesn't always work out the way you might think."
She lowered her head and smiled.
"Actually, seeing your face up close like this makes me feel relieved… I guess I must have actually been a little worried."
It felt like all her previous worries were now being pushed down in her chest. Lortel let out a sigh of relief.
"Seeing this, I guess it is true that you made me worry about you, Ed. Just as nothing is ever free, since you made me worry so much it's only right for you to pay me back."
"What?"
After saying that, Lortel was getting ready to hug him when–
Right at the moment she went on her tiptoes to put her face next to Ed's chest, a girl came between them.
It was very rare to see Lortel be genuinely surprised. Since she was generally able to maintain her composure, whenever she did show a surprised expression, it was all just acting.
However, that time it was for real. She was completely taken aback for a moment.
Lucy, who had jumped between them and push Lortel away, took a defensive stance with her arms stretched out.
Her expression was displeased, as if to say, 'Don't come any closer!'
…Lortel was stunned for a moment.
What type of person was Lucy Mayreel? Wasn't she the type of person that was always dazed and yawning, half asleep and not caring about others?
Seeing that same girl now blocking her path to Ed, Lortel felt the anxiety that was sleeping, hidden away in the corner of her chest, awaken.
A girl that was waving her arms around with her cheeks puffed up… No matter how you looked at it, she was a girl that had jumped between them, unsure of how to handle her jealousy.
Lucy was now staring at Lortel as if she planned to get rid of her… But when her butt, which she stuck out while taking a defensive stance, suddenly touched Ed's body—she became startled. As if a shock of electricity had run through her body, she quickly jumped back away from Ed.
Was that not the same girl that would always cling to Ed whenever she could? The same one that would sleep on his stomach while chewing a piece of jerky? Yet it was completely unnatural for someone like that to jump backwards with her cheeks a bright red from only that level of skinship.
"..."
Not just Lortel, who was watching that unfold, but also Yennekar, who was receiving repeated apologies from Ziggs, started to have a similar feeling.
The reason Lortel and Yennekar weren't especially conscious of Lucy Mayreel was because she always acted like she was in her own world… She always seemed to be someone that was living in some type of higher dimension than everyone else… It was because she had that strange, God-like atmosphere floating around her.
She wielded an overwhelmingly strong magic power and was constantly revered by everyone. Yet she didn't feel any particular sense of achievement or pride and she doesn't show any desires… Rather than a real person, she really just felt like some type of character off in the background.
Was it really possible for that type of person to cherish someone, fall in love, and look out for someone else? Since those things didn't seem to be realistic, Yennekar and Lortel subconsciously stopped worrying about Lucy.
Lortel, who had a habit of always considering the smallest possibilities, was aware of such a chance, but… she didn't expect it to become a reality so suddenly.
"L-Lucy… You…"
As Yennekar was about to say something, Ed then put his chin on top of Lucy's head, grabbing her.
Then, casually like he always did, he pulled Lucy to his side and hugged her close. He then gently placed his hand on her shoulder.
That was something that had become so common, it couldn't be considered romantic skinship for Ed.
In fact, for Ed, who was always having Lucy up close in his personal space, grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling her closer to him wasn't something he thought of as skinship.
He had already gotten used to Lucy always clinging onto him.
However, for the new Lucy, it was like a disastrous surprise attack.
Unfortunately for her, Lucy had just changed her entire perception of Ed Rothstaylor.
The way she thought of Ed had been completely established. Now, it was impossible for her to not steadily think about their relationship as a man and woman.
However, that was only the case for Lucy.
For Ed, it was only natural to treat her the same as usual.
"—!"
Without saying a word, with her mouth shut heat rushed towards Lucy's head as if she was about to explode.
Thinking back on it, it was absurd. A girl that was always quiet with an emotionless face, who didn't care about personal space while living with him. Now, that same girl was conscious of every single small movement—who wouldn't laugh at such a nonsensical situation?
However, when one's opinion or attitude towards a person changed, their actions and reactions towards them were also bound to change. That was what it is to be a human.
"What's wrong, Lucy? Lortel was just saying how she was worried about me, so you don't need to be so suspicious of her. I understand that your emotions are just starting to settle, so you're a little on edge, but…"
Ed didn't particularly care or notice anything about Lucy's heart. He was just worried about Lucy's behavior and how she was acting wary of Lortel…
Lucy didn't even hear any of those words. All she could do is keep her large witch hat tight on her head as she tried to control her heart.
Tug.
Yennekar then pulled Lucy aside, away from Ed.
"You're too close…!"
Honestly, that reaction of hers was also absurd.
Yennekar had always gone in and out of Ed's camp whenever she had the time, so she had seen Ed and Lucy stuck together next to the campfire time and time again.
Despite that, Yennekar still didn't feel any danger because of Lucy's disinterested behavior… But today, no matter how you looked at it, Lucy Mayreel was acting strange.
So, the intuition inside of her made her take action.
Then Lucy, who was thrown into Yennekar's arms… finally came to her senses.
She then gave a yelp, as if she were still on edge, jumping back out of her arms and confronting her head on. Lortel's gaze was also cold.
"..."
Then, for a moment in the main entrance where Yennekar, Lucy, and Lortel were all standing, silence spread out.
"This…!"
Ziggs, who was watching them with his arms crossed, swallowed his hard. It was much more entertaining than the gladiator fight he had gone to see once while living in the Islam mansion.
He wasn't in a seat far away from the action, he was right there in the front row. Then, when Ziggs let out a 'Ohhh?' sound as he tried to sit down, acting as if he was an audience member…
"Excuse me~"
Elvira, who was sitting down next to the unconscious Clevius, broke the silence.
"We… Don't have a lot of time, do we…?"
"..."
That was right. This group didn't have the time to waste like that.
Ed needed to explain the reason he wasn't able to publicize the fact he was still alive, apologize to both Clevius and Elvira… Had to find Tanya, who ran off, has to make sure everyone could match their stories in case they had to testify to the school in regard to the situation, and after all of that… Ed had to run away from that place right away.
Ziggs slapped his knee in regret. Still, what Elvira said was right.
"Alright. I think it'll be better to hurry up and start discussing everything."
***
"Ah, hmgh!"
When Clevius opened his eyes, the place he was in was around the main gate of Ophelis Hall.
From the aftermath of being beaten to the brink of death by Lucy… his body was in shambles.
"Wh-What…! What happened…?"
The wounds on his body had decreased to some extent, and the bleeding had stopped. Rather than the use of medication or emergency medical supplies, it was treatment that came from directly using magic power.
Barely able to raise his upper body, he looked around. Realizing that Elvira was sitting right behind him, he let out a screech in surprise.
"Wh-What the…?!"
Scratching his shoulder, it revealed some of Elvira's long wavy orange hair.
Judging from the situation, it seemed as if he had been lying with the back of his head on Elvira's lap for quite some time.
"Why are you making such a fuss, stupid Clevius?"
"…Wh-What happened? Did… I die…? I ended up putting in so much useless effort that I died like an idiot. I have nothing to say to that…!"
"Stop being so noisy and sit over there. I've heard about what happened, so I'll tell you, too."
The rain had completely stopped. As if it had never rained at all, the large moon rose high in the sky as the moonlight lit down below.
The night was full of stars that filled the sky, like pieces of salt as the dark clouds passed by. Underneath the moonlight, Clevius and Elvira looked up at the sky quietly under the trees of the garden.
"Soon, the school's faculty will arrive. Then, you can testify about how you stopped Lucy."
"What? Me? How could I have stopped that monster?!"
"Don't be so noisy. Jeez. Everyone already agreed to it. Later on, I'll explain the entire~ reason to you…"
Elvira grabbed Clevius by his hair. Clevius was dragged by his hair, and he let out a sound of discomfort as she put his head back in her lap.
"…You, just get some rest."
"Huh? What are you doing…?! Ahh-ahh…!"
The situation wasn't all that comfortable as his injured body made some cracking noises… Elvira then pushed down on the bridge of his nose.
It was surprising that Lucy had politely lowered her head in apology after destroying all of the magically engineered equipment and beating Clevius to a pulp. She had even given first aid to Clevius' body.
Other than that, it was a matter of compensation and confidentiality. Right now, there wasn't enough cash to deal with everything, which was an issue. But later on, they would easily be able to receive a pledge from the Elte Company to help with that. Elvira was quite surprised to see that Lortel was willing to guarantee that fact.
Ed Rothstaylor's personal situation, where he was being chased after by his own house… it wasn't something that she couldn't understand.
Even if he wanted to explain the entire situation in full to them… he thought that it would first be better to have Elvira and Clevius lay down somewhere.
Clevius, who had twisted his body back and forth a few times, could no longer fight against Elvira's hand as it pressed down on him. He quickly relaxed his body.
He laid there in silence for a while… before his eyes shut.
"Again, with this… I can't help but to think that this is 'only the beginning'…"
Laying down on Elvira's lap, he looked up at the clear sky. Clevius began to speak with his teeth clenched.
"Life… Is seriously a piece of shit…"
Clevius already knew that fact well enough from experience.
Grumbling like that in front of Elvira, she was only going to beat him up and tell him to quit whining.
However, this time Elvira only smiled as she looked up at the night sky with him.
Elvira's life wasn't easy either.
Day in and out, being the headache of House Aniston, constantly harassed by her older sisters. The outsider of the Alchemy Society and the top student of the alchemy department.
Even if she thought of trying to explain the ups and downs of life, she couldn't help but think it was a stupid thing to do.
Then, she spoke softly.
"You're right, Clevius."
The two of them continued to look up at the starry sky for a while, until the school's faculty arrived.
The dark clouds that had been hovering over them were gone. Now, only an open sky filled their view.
The vast seas of stars were quite far away, but the dazzling light was still easily visible with their eyes.
-x-X-x-
Faculty members had gathered at Nail Hall, the largest of the three buildings that made up the Student Center.
It was a fairly large disciplinary committee.
It was a committee in which the headmaster, Obel Forsyth, was supposed to attend due to school rules. However, due to his busy schedule in dealing with the other many incidents around the education district, he wasn't able to do so.
The key agenda of the disciplinary committee, led by the Deputy Headmistress in place of the headmaster, was to review Lucy Mayreel's disciplinary action. In which she had destroyed Ophelis Hall and forced many students to evacuate.
"And with that, that concludes all the facts in regard to this incident."
The senior professor of Monster Studies, Professor Flubin—who was the highest ranking official in the education district when the incident took place—finished his report.
At the head of the conference room, Deputy Headmistress Rachel was seated as she listened to Flubin's report.
Wearing an alchemist's robe that was heavily and fancily gilded, Deputy Headmistress Rachel was an elderly woman that looked to be in her 60s.
Compared to Headmaster Obel, she had more experience and a longer tenure. However, she only sat in the vice seat due to his academic achievements and magic abilities. Of course, she didn't have any complaints towards him. That was because she was a thorough meritocratic.
It was only natural for a more capable person to be in a higher position. At least, that was her values.
"Hmm…"
And that student Lucy Mayreel, who sat in the disciplinary student seat staring blankly into the air, was second to none in terms of ability.
She went beyond being the top of her department and grade. She was a person that wasn't lacking in skills to even be considered the top of the entire school. Even some professors would fall short when compared to her in terms of magic power, strength, and skills.
The face and pride of Silvenia, Lucy Mayreel was summoned to such a disciplinary committee and forced to sit down. From the school's point of view, it wasn't a pleasant situation.
Lucy Mayreel's presence alone served as a strong backbone for when Silvenia had to face off against foreign institutions or other education institutions.
Regardless of whatever representative trainee any of these institutions could bring in, there was no one that could match up against Lucy Mayreel.
In a way, Lucy Mayreel was a key pillar that supported Silvenia's source of pride.
"Expulsion… it wouldn't be right to even consider it…"
If you thought about it, in the first place it wasn't even a crime that deserved expulsion.
Upon hearing the news of Ed Rothstaylor's death, Lucy briefly lost her sense of reason as she ran to Ophelis Hall to try and personally sanction Tanya, who was accused of arranging such a murder.
In the process, she had threatened a number of maids and students. The top student of the second-year combat department and the alchemy department had gotten injured.
And what about the property damage?
Compared to the incident where the lower-ranking students had wreaked havoc at Ophelis Hall, the damage was much more minimal than one would expect. But that didn't mean there wasn't any damage at all.
The exterior wall of the third-floor room where Tanya was living, the exterior wall of the hallways on the other side, the pillar at the entrance of Ophelis Hall, a bit of the marble floor from the rose garden and pavilion.
Strictly speaking, it was Ziggs that had broken the hallway's outer wall and Clevius that had broken the pillar at the entrance when he tried to restrain Lucy. But rather than worrying about the details, they had just lumped everything together. Generally speaking, everything had broken because Lucy had shown up.
Considering the facilities that were destroyed, it would take about a week to restore everything. The cost wouldn't be small. Still, compared to the amount spent when the lower-ranking students had attacked, that was nothing.
And considering the circumstances, there wasn't a single casualty.
According to the testimonies of those that were there, it seemed that she had run wild but still took extra precautions to make sure there weren't any major injuries. She was not acting in her right mind in her attempt to capture Tanya, but it was still unclear to say whether or not she would have actually killed her had they met.
It seemed that her reason, to some degree, was still there—so surprisingly, it might have still been resolved through talking.
Also, after the incident she didn't run away. Instead, she quietly sat at the scene, waiting for the investigation performed by the school's staff to take place. It was as if she was turning herself in.
And it also helped that the only wounded individuals, Clevius and Elvira, both wrote a petition. It seemed like a reaction to them understanding the situation and why Lucy was emotionally unstable.
As a result, taking into account those and many other reasons, it ended up with them deciding to give her a light punishment. And that was only if the last reason for a reduced sentence was properly met.
A deep reflection on her mistake.
"..."
Rachel narrowed her eyes as she looked towards the disciplinary seat.
Looking at Lucy, who was looking blankly into the air and blinking every so often, she let out a sigh.
From the deputy headmistress' point of view, it hurt to see the top student look so undignified and lacking passion. Still, at least she still had proof of her talent.
Either way, as for the last reason for a reduced sentence… she couldn't see her feeling the slightest bit apologetic. In fact, she couldn't feel any sense of life behind those blank eyes, making it quite hard to fathom what her heart was really like.
The disciplinary committee had a major headache inducing agenda. Because, from Silvenia's point of view, they were very reluctant to give her any strong disciplinary action such as expulsion or suspension.
For Silvenia, who had used Lucy's name countless times outside, it was obvious they would want to avoid punishing their pride as much as possible.
Seeing Lucy like that, it was impossible to hate her. Especially for Silvenia, who was using her name to the extreme.
Their treatment towards Lucy, who was enjoying her school life to her utmost, it wasn't completely for free.
"Yes."
Her answer was so dull that even listening to it made you lose your energy.
"This incident can't be taken lightly. Ophelis Hall is one of our core facilities here at Silveria. It seems that our committee will not be able to easily overlook the fact that you have damaged the facility and created anxiety amongst the students who use it."
"…I am sincerely reflecting."
"…Is that so?"
Even Rachel had thought that Lucy was taking into account what she wanted to hear and only answering as such.
That proper attitude of hers was a bit uncomfortable, but Rachel couldn't say anything about it.
"Nevertheless, considering the seriousness of this incident, it seems that Lucy should be appropriately disciplined…"
Although Rachel felt uncomfortable with Lucy's somber attitude, she carefully decided on a sentence that was not too severe yet also couldn't be considered light.
"Disqualification of eligibility for this semester scholarship, disqualification from living in Ophelis Hall, a ten-day suspension, seventy-day deprivation of using student welfare facilities, and a two-grade decrease to your practical evaluation grade."
It was a bit too heavy to be considered a light punishment but was also too light to be considered a heavy one.
Rachel continued to talk, but Lucy wasn't interested in the majority of it.
Disqualification of a scholarship was meaningless. That was because she had a 'prepaid' tuition for all semesters until graduation as a representative of the Glockt Scholarship Foundation. As it was made according to the will of the Archmage Glockt, it wasn't like a scholarship. Rather, it was just the sole use of Glockt's private funds.
So, a disqualification of scholarship or a change in grade wouldn't have much meaning. She wasn't someone who would lose her spot as the top student just from missing a class or a drop in grades. That was because, among all the top students, Lucy was overwhelmingly the strongest. Among her and Ziggs, who was second in the magic department, there is still a massive gap between them.
Student welfare facilities… she didn't even use them at all.
"Yes, I understand."
In the end, the only punishment that held any particular meaning to her was that she would not be able to enter Ophelis Hall for an entire semester.
"Then, since Ms. Lucy Mayreel has no complaints about the decided disciplinary measures…"
"Wait…!!"
At that moment, someone opened the door of Nail Hall as they came in yelling.
Who was the person who rudely slammed open the door to such an important meeting, where all the high-ranking professors sat together? Did that person lack basic education in etiquette?
Rachel looked at the door with a puzzled expression on her face, as there stood the head of one of the politest groups of people in Silvenia.
The new head maid of Ophelis Hall, Bell Maya.
She was the youngest among all the elders that held power in Silvenia.
With her short bob hair, she wore a maid outfit and skirt that looked as if a beautiful flower was blooming. Even her headband, which was decorated with red roses, was neat.
"My name is Bell Maya, I manage Ophelis Hall. I wanted to attend as a witness, but I was unable to arrive on time due to my schedule in the restoration of Ophelis Hall. I offer my sincere apology."
Bell Maya, who bowed her head gracefully, stood up as she gently closed her eyes.
However, for some reason she was on edge and seemed angry. It felt as if a bulging vein had sprung up on her temple.
Lucy Mayreel was the first to react to that appearance.
"He-Heeek!"
Lucy, who had been sitting still with a disinterested expression throughout the entire disciplinary committee meeting, had finally shown a reaction. Rachel had an interesting expression on her face as she nodded her head.
"For such a senior staff to come all the way here, what is the matter?"
"With all due respect, please reconsider the disciplinary action against Miss Lucy."
"What?"
Lucy was already convinced at that point. Bell Maya was certainly angry.
That made sense. She was one of the maids of Ophelis Hall, who had always taken care of Lucy. But all of them ended up getting trapped in Time Prison for a long time in the middle of the rose garden that they took great care of…
"I am the maid that has served Miss Lucy since she was a first year. I can say with confidence that I know her the best."
"Th-That may be the case, but…"
"I don't believe that Miss Lucy will sincerely reflect with this type of discipline. The disciplinary action… I think it should be revised as follows."
Then, after gracefully smiling, Bell Maya's suggestion of change to the disciplinary action was unprecedented.
Getting rid of all the useless disciplinary measures and instead replacing it all with thirty days of probation.
"Thirty days of probation… That doesn't seem like something deserving of this disciplinary case…"
Probation was a lighter punishment than suspension. Along with all of the disciplinary measures that were listed, there was also ten days of suspension… Did it make sense to get rid of all of this just for probation?
Even though there were circumstances that led to the incident and the overall damage was minor compared to the scale, it was still not a small incident.
However, as soon as Lucy heard that proposal her complexion began to turn green.
And the reason came from Bell's mouth.
"It is a reward, rather than a punishment, to let Miss Lucy leave Ophelis Hall, Deputy Headmistress. If you really want her to reflect sincerely, it would be much better to leave her under the supervision of the Ophelis Hall maids."
And Bell strode over, looking at the list of disciplinary actions that had been decided, shaking her head.
"And rather than suspension, a sentence of probation that minimizes entry outside the dormitory is a more appropriate punishment for her. You won't have to worry about the enforcement of the sentence. Us Ophelis Hall maids will do our best to stay on watch and closely monitor her 24 hours a day…! We will do a perfect job in making sure that she doesn't go outside at all."
"Wait, no! I'm just going to sign the disciplinary action that was already decided! Give me the paper! The suspension! Give me the suspension!"
Lucy, who had always maintained her disinterested appearance, had suddenly stood up from her seat and was waving her arms in the air. Seeing her sweat with her eyes bouncing around, it really made everyone wonder if it was the same girl.
Rachel was shocked by the drastic change in Lucy.
"Th-Then… After listening to the advice of the head maid… We will proceed with thirty days of probation…"
In the end, from the school's point of view all they wanted to do was impose as light a punishment on Lucy as possible.
"N-No…! I'm sorry! I am sincerely sorry, from the bottom of my heart! Just not that… Please…!"
"Now, Miss Lucy. Sign here."
Looking at Bell, who had a wide smile on her face, she looked over the document that had scribbled out all the important details with a quill. It had been aggressively revised to now enforce thirty days of probation.
Bell grabbed a hold of Lucy's wrist, forcing her to sign the papers with the quill. Even if she was forced to sign the paper, no one said anything.
Then, after the paperwork was signed, Bell grabbed Lucy. Since she was light as a feather, she wasn't heavy to hold onto at all.
Bell only gave a satisfied smile as she spoke to Rachel with a bright voice.
"Thank you for listening to my opinion. Then, starting from today we will be implementing the probation. I apologize for having disturbed you in such a way, where many high individuals have gathered. Then, I'll be off."
"No! Nooo! Please reconsider one more time…! Even being locked up for a week, I couldn't breathe… Does it make any sense to give me probation for a month…?!"
Bell continued to trudge towards the exit of the room while holding onto Lucy.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaghk!"
Slam!
As the heavy door to the conference room slammed shut, Lucy's screams were also cut off.
As long as she wasn't wielding her magic, Lucy's strength was the same as that of a regular girl. And Lucy wasn't one to wield her magic against the maids.
With things ending as such, the figure of Lucy being dragged out like a sacrifice disappearing beyond the gates of hell, they had no choice but to remain silent for a while.
"..."
"A-Alright then. Let's move onto the next item."
Rachel trembled for a moment, as she felt that a strange power had snatched Lucy away.
"Then, the event that is planned for next week… The student council president election."
***
"That's why, for the time being, Lucy is on probation."
Two days had passed since the chaos that took place at Ophelis Hall.
After taking care of most of the issues of that day, I returned to the cave in the Northern Cliffside as I started my secluded life with only a few necessities.
It felt like a different hideout when compared to my cabin in the middle of the forest or the library. Of course, the living environment wasn't great when compared to that. Still, as the northernmost part of Acken Island was a place with little to no people, there was no better place to live a secluded life.
It was a natural cave that could only be seen by descending the cliffside, landing on the rocky area, and heading all the way inwards. It really was a strangely isolated place that one would never search for unless they knew about it beforehand.
A very appetizing stew simmered over the campfire by the exit of the cave.
After the cooking was finished, Yennekar, who added the final seasoning, put the lid on the pot. All it needed to do was boil a little more before serving it a bowl and eating it up.
"Lucy will also be going through a hard time. She's the type where, if she isn't able to go around outside, she will die in pain."
"Yeah. Still, as you said Ed, the disciplinary committee didn't say anything in particular and tried to stay quiet as much as possible. I don't know why the disciplinary committee acted in such a way, though…"
"It was probably because they didn't want to give Lucy a big punishment."
Compared to the impact that Lucy caused while making a ruckus, the damage itself wasn't major.
Even taking that into account, the fact that it only ended in probation seemed like a miracle… It seemed like they took her temperament into consideration. It was like someone that was specifically well aware of Lucy's temperament had taken revenge against her.
No, that couldn't be the case.
To an extent, my body had regained its energy. I raised my upper body as I stretched.
As for Yennekar, she was helping me so much that I was wondering if it was really alright.
On the first day, she brought me my basic daily necessities from the hut and library. She then brought food from the commercial district and cooked it for me. She even brought the materials for class that were given out in the education district.
Also, since I couldn't currently take care of my laundry, I was just going to live in my filthy clothes. However, every time she came, she would wash my clothes and give me something clean to wear… I felt as if, at the very least, I should pay her back with some money.
So, every time I had to ask her to help me with something with a half sorry and half thankful heart, she shook her hands in the air as if to tell me not to worry about it. Looking at that, I could certainly tell that she was a really good person.
"Volla~!"
Thinking such thoughts, Yennekar cheerfully exclaimed as she came into the cave with two bowls full of stew.
I could at least prepare my own meals, but she stubbornly insisted on doing it for me, so I had no choice but to entrust it all to her.
"This is a beef stew that I often ate back at home. It's a dish that I am personally very proud of~!"
I took one of the bowls as Yennekar took the other, placing it onto her lap. She then put both hands on her hips, as if to show that she was especially proud of it.
I responded rather, then picked up the bowl as I fixed the way I was sitting.
"..."
"..."
Recently, I felt that when I was alone with Yennekar there would be these sudden moments of silence that came without warning. It wasn't like we were particularly awkward with each other, but the strange quietness came every so often. Neither me nor Yennekar knew the reason for it.
"W-Well then, shall we eat…?"
"Y-Yeah…"
As things had become rather awkward, we quickly grabbed our spoons.
I ate a few spoonfuls and it really was delicious. Even if it weren't good, I would still have thanked her and compliment it, since she went out of her way to make it for me. But even without such pleasantries, I could honestly say that the dish was really good.
I thought that Yennekar would be genuinely happy if I told her how I felt, but…
"This is really good, Yennekar. You're really great at cooking."
"Y-yeah…"
The reaction she had was subtly different from what I had expected.
The way she frowned while lowering her head, and the way she fiddled with the tips of her fingers, made me think she was somewhat embarrassed.
With that reaction, I didn't really have anything else to say afterwards… Once again, we had to experience that 'strange quietness' between us.
"I-It's a dish I often made with my famileee—"
As for the reason she randomly misspoke, it seemed to be because she had bit her tongue while eating the stew. Yennekar looked as if she would cry as she moved her mouth around, letting out a sigh.
"On the topic of family, I haven't found Tanya yet."
"..."
Tanya has been missing since the day she escaped from Ophelis Hall.
After everything had settled down, Ziggs and Yennekar searched for Tanya. In the end, they couldn't find her.
And since it was late at night, there were only a few eyewitness accounts. Even after the incident reached its conclusion, she still didn't return to the dormitory and her luggage was still inside the room.
"Hmm…"
"Don't worry too much, Ed. I'm sure she is doing fine."
Yennekar comforted me by saying such words as she awkwardly ate her stew while blushing.
I put the spoon down for a moment, thinking about it.
Certainly, with the way the situation was currently heading, things weren't looking good.
-x-X-x-
There were currently three variables that I was most concerned about.
The first was the news that Princess Penia had pretty much lost all desire to become the student council president.
The second was the news that her rival Tanya, who she should have been burning with hostility against and ultimately defeating, had gone missing.
The third was… the news that Tanya's two vassals, Kadek and Nox, had been restrained by the school.
Those variables were highly likely to create major issues in the long-term, medium-term, and short-term, respectively.
First off, if Penia lost her desire to seize power, in the long-term it would become inevitable that the key force keeping House Rothstaylor in check would disappear.
By the time of the 4th Act, it became difficult to borrow the overwhelming and absolute strength of Lucy or Obel. The reason for that was because the two of them greatly exhausted all their strength in the 3rd Act, so they didn't intervene much in the 4th.
That was why, if the powerful imperial family didn't join the fight as an ally, a bigger loss would end up taking place.
I just wanted to ask Lucy, who was currently completely fine, to go to the Rothstaylor Duchy immediately and destroy Krepin along with anything else that was there. But if I tried to kill Krepin, who had not yet been proven guilty, there was a high chance that Lucy would only end up becoming the biggest criminal in the world.
That was because warm-hearted Krepin still remained a benevolent and wise duke to the people.
In the first place, there was also no chance she would grant such a request.
I did have a rather special relationship with Lucy. Still, that didn't mean she was just going to go ahead and do something stupid like attack a perfectly fine Duchy, killing and destroying everything without a clear reason.
But if I just sat still and let the 4th Act take place as things were, things would become rather difficult. So, for a stable future, Princess Penia needed to be the one that sat on the seat of the student council president.
With all of that in mind, the fact that Tanya disappeared wasn't very great news.
The presence of Tanya, who acted like a stuck-up evil villain, greatly aided the Princess' burning desire to win.
Without Tanya Rothstaylor, who motivated Princess Penia to take the seat as the student council president, the story would be hard to properly establish.
That was why it was best to determine Tanya's whereabouts as soon as possible.
And lastly, in regard to the suspects Kadek and Nox. They were the reason I had to maintain my status as deceased.
I had deliberately let Kadek and Knox go. I wanted them to inform Krepin Rothstaylor of my death to help push my existence out of his train of thought completely.
That was because Krepin, who wielded the power of Cause and Effect Determination, was too difficult an opponent to deal with at the moment.
However, since things had gone awry, Kadek and Nox were being held at the school facing the charge of my murder. At the very least, until the investigation regarding my death was complete, they would remain in custody.
Since they were very loyal knights, they wouldn't open their mouths for a rather long time. It was necessary to find a way to free them in some way, so they could report everything back to Krepin.
Only then could my suffocating life of seclusion come to an end. That was the short-term problem.
"There's a mountain of work to take care of… Haah."
I took a bite of stew as I let out a deep sigh. Well, it wasn't like anything would be solved in my exhausted state, so it was important for me to eat plenty and keep my body healthy.
With a lot of worry on my mind, I brought the stew to my mouth. Yennekar had a long face as well when she came over and sat next to me.
"Since you were the son of a noble duke… I guess that's why you're still caught up in all these things even after being excommunicated."
"Hm?"
"I'm… just a commoner from a rural ranch… So, I don't know what it feels like to live a life such as yours Ed."
Yennekar spoke with difficulty as she gently rubbed the tips of her fingers.
"That's why I can't comfort you well… I don't know everything there is to it, so I can't act like everything will be fine. And you're always giving it your best, so what's the point of me telling you to keep at it…? It's meaningless to say these things. None of it feels very sincere…"
"Since you're already thinking so much about it, you don't have to worry about trying to comfort me. Yennekar, you are already helping me more than enough."
"..."
Yennekar stretched her legs out while sitting on a rock. Relaxing her muscles, she let out a squeaky groan before sighing deeply.
"Still, I want to take care of the problem you have. That's just me being greedy."
She then timidly raised her eyes as she spoke.
"It's just… I just wish you would stop being troubled. That's just what I want."
After talking, once again that 'strange quietness' came. The pattern was starting to become visible.
Yennekar, who was suddenly speechless, wiggled her hands again as she lowered her head. Her face started to flush.
***
However, how many people in the entire world could even be close to matching the rank of Princess Penia? No matter how hard you searched in Silvenia, aside from Saint Clarice there wouldn't be anyone of equal footing.
However, there was still an individual who was rather worthy of her time. Although she was a commoner, she was still an individual that even the Princess couldn't easily ignore.
"I already asked Lortel in advance. Since she's a representative of the Elte Company, it wouldn't be difficult for her to officially visit the Royal Residence."
Princess Penia and Lortel were far from being on the same wavelengths. It was to the extent that you could think of them as cats and dogs.
Even if the two of them met, there wasn't a high chance that any fruitful outcome would come from their conversation. However, the purpose was to inquire about Tanya's whereabouts… so nothing should happen.
"…Hmm."
When I mentioned Lortel's name, Yennekar's eyes softly looked up at me as if she was dissatisfied by something.
"Ed… It seems you trust Lortel quite a bit…?"
"I'm confident in her skills to get the job done. It's not like she became such a high-ranking individual at that age for nothing."
"Hmm…"
Yennekar moved her shoulder around as if she had been stabbed by an awl. Standing up she acted as if she was going to say something.
"Uhm… Hmmm… Hmmmmm…"
As if there was a new problem, Yennekar held the oak wand in her hand, falling into deep thought. It looked as if her head was throbbing, and her mouth seemed to mutter something.
I continued to eat a few more spoonfuls of the stew as I slowly waited for Yennekar.
At least from my point of view, it wasn't a situation where I was in a particular hurry to do something.
While I waited for Lortel to bring me the news, I decided to just train my body a bit more while taking care of my health.
Above all, it was necessary for me to practice properly handling my newly contracted mid-ranking water spirit, Lacia the Lioness. I had to also learn more in detail about the unique system of spiritual skills.
"..."
Once I receive the news about Tanya's whereabouts, then I could start taking proper action.
After gathering my thoughts, I continued to shove the stew into my mouth.
The lesser of two evils, the esteemed daughter Tanya Rothstaylor.
Thinking of the name, the image that came to mind… was the always high-nosed, villainous esteemed daughter.
Born as the second daughter of the Rothstaylor House, she was a girl who always maintained a noble and dignified appearance.
Little by little she started to open her eyes to politics and, through her sense of understanding the situation, she ended up in an election battle with the princess… In her own way, she was a sharp-witted girl.
"Hmm…"
Suddenly, I remembered when I talked to Tanya at the camp.
She looked a bit hesitant, as if she had not yet opened her eyes to politics.
It was a bit surprising to see at first. After all, it was a much different appearance than the Tanya Rothstaylor that I was familiar with from Silvenia's Failed Swordmaster.
However, it was still a situation that took place before her scenario even started… It was possible that things would be a little different from the original timeline. She must have been a character that grew up in her own way as well.
Tanya Rothstaylor, at least in my memory, had always been a strong, fearless, hard-working girl.
Human nature wasn't something that changed easily. That temperament of hers would always be there…
I was certain that wherever she was, she was standing tall and planning for the future.
Like always, she would have her confident and elegant young appearance.
***
"Unuuuughk… Ughhhhk…"
Tanya was trembling, eyes welling with tears as she hugged her knees.
Princess Penia, who was watching her, started to sweat.
That was the second daughter of House Rothstaylor, who would never lose her confidence or elegant appearance.
Despite her young age and being a first year, which was extremely disadvantageous in terms of the election, her ambition led her to declare that she would become the student council president.
Tanya's prestige was at a high level among the first years, to the extent that she already had some students following her.
Princess Penia, who had given up her goal of becoming the student council president, had thought… Maybe if this girl were to become the president, then wouldn't it be what I wanted?
However, since Princess Penia still had a hostile opinion regarding House Rothstaylor, she didn't support her. Rather, she thought that she might be in close contact with Krepin, so she had to be more careful around her.
However, watching her tremble in fear as she explained what had happened… Princess Penia couldn't help but have her jaw drop in shock.
The feeling of distance between them had subtly disappeared.
They were people who could have somehow ended up becoming each other's enemies before the election, but… the Princess' unique Insightful Eyes was telling her that the fear Tanya was expressing was sincere.
"I… I really didn't give the orders to assassinate my older brother…"
With Kadek and Nox, two vassals of House Rothstaylor, identified as the prime suspects… Tanya, who was thus accused of ordering the murder, was on the run.
Princess Penia… felt a certain level of sincerity in Tanya's words.
There were a few things that could be the reason for that.
The magically engineered item that was attached to Tanya's robe with a leather strap. That stone, with red marbles… it was 'Heligo's Winged Shoes', an item that Ziggs Eiffelstein, currently ranked second within the second-year magic department, always carried.
During elective alchemy class, she clearly remembered seeing him take out that item a few times.
Judging by the fact that Tanya was now holding it, there was some credibility to her testimony that Ziggs helped her escape from Ophelis Hall.
This… I'll have to meet with Ziggs and ask…
If it was true, then the situation was strange.
If Ziggs knew that Tanya wasn't the instigator for the murder, he wouldn't have let the situation end up like that without giving testimony.
Regardless, right now the school was full of people trying to find Tanya.
He wasn't the type of person that would just sit still as the school investigated Tanya's whereabouts.
There was a high chance that there was some sort of circumstance he has for doing so.
"You've gone through a lot, Tanya Rothstaylor. I've decided to believe what you are saying. So… I'll hide you here in the Royal Residence until the situation is cleared up."
"Th-Thank you so much, Princess Penia… I am in your debt…"
"No, don't worry about it. This is something I should do."
Saying that, Princess Penia gave Tanya, who was trembling, a warm hug.
How could she have thought of having a war of nerves with such a girl? Just because she had the name Rothstaylor didn't necessarily make her a villain.
Ed Rothstaylor, in actuality… wasn't he just a passionate and hard-working person?
After coming that far, she no longer wanted to make the same mistake of misjudging someone only by looking at their last name of Rothstaylor.
Princess Penia gently patted Tanya.
***
Less than a week was left until the student council president election.
The murder of Ed Rothstaylor, the attack on Ophelis Hall, the disappearance of Tanya Rothstaylor, etc… Various incidents had driven the school's faculty out of their mind.
Of course, the Elte Company was no different.
After a long winter, the frozen trade routes re-opened, and the bottleneck of cash began to flow before they knew it.
The rush of demand for distribution began to rush in as Lortel, who had been relaxed for some time, suddenly started to get busy.
However, Lortel was a girl that could accurately judge the importance of work.
She never made the mistake of being distracted by micro-distribution tasks and missing out on macro-scale trends.
Lortel sat alone in her office at the store's branch checked over the document handed to her by her aides.
"..."
The hottest piece of news was the murder of Ed Rothstaylor and the disappearance of prime suspect, Tanya Rothstaylor.
The upcoming student council election would still be held, as it was a mandatory annual event. But the school's faculty were still busy with the ongoing investigation and taking care of the aftermath. The spotlight on the election was bound to shine less.
However, regardless of the spotlight, the person who ended up sitting in the seat of student council president would remain extremely important in regard to disputes over interest within the school.
That being said, Lortel wasn't in a spot to take over as the student council president because she was already lacking in the power to take care of her own work with the company.
Hmm… That's not a good composition.
Tanya Rothstaylor, who was openly expressing her ambitions for the position of student council president, had gone missing due to the murder of Ed.
So, if the Princess wanted to run, there wasn't a single candidate to stop her.
Even Tanya, who seemed to have the potential to maybe overtake her at first, seemed to have no chance of winning against Princess Penia… The strength of Princess Penia was difficult for any candidate to go against.
As of now, the Princess had announced that she wouldn't run for the seat. But if she ended up changing her mind for some reason and decided to try… there wasn't a single person that could stop her.
However, Lortel extremely despised Princess Penia. She would be really displeased if she ended up becoming president.
Among the candidates, there wasn't anyone in particular that was friendly towards Lortel and the Elte Company. It seemed that the current situation wasn't looking all that great.
Looking at the election, how can I take it over?
Lortel was the kind of person that would make plans deep in the darkness beneath the water. The tools she used were money and the results were the flow of the situation.
All she needed was to have someone friendly to her sit in the seat of the student council president. It would be better if it could be someone that could prioritize a relationship with Lortel rather than simply having a relationship with Elte.
Whether the person wanted to do it or not was only secondary. In the first place, it was the position that made the person.
With that in mind… Lortel looked over a picture of Ed in a document she had, brushing her finger over it a few times.
The situation taking place before the election had turned into chaos. And the person who would come out on top was the one who knew how to make a plan.
A calm smile was Lortel's trademark.
Within the dark office, another scheme was taking place.
***
Knock, Knock
Lucy, buried in a large bed, stared blankly into the air.
She counted the number of times the single thread that was protruding from the curtain fluttered in the wind.
The maid, standing in a small area beside her, smiled without moving one bit.
She was already sad at having been locked up in her room, but having to constantly be next to a maid that was watching over her, she felt miserable.
Aside from simply being banned from going outside… there was one more unexpected crisis she was in.
Did she finally open her eyes as a girl?
Staring blankly at the ceiling, a boy with blonde hair flashed in front of her eyes.
Lucy felt a sense of crisis as she broke into a cold sweat.
Today was the first day of probation… and she was already starting to react. Being buried in her sheets, which didn't have a single hint of the smell of grass… she was starting to experience a strange withdrawal symptom.
Time until the end of probation. D-29.
To Lucy, it felt like an eternity.
In other words, it was torture.
-x-X-x-
[ Life Skills Details
Grade: Intermediate Craftsmen
Specialized Fields: Woodworking
Handicraft Lvl 16
Design Lvl 12
Collecting Skills Lvl 13
Woodworking Lvl 15
Stonemason Lvl 9
Hunting Lvl 14
Fishing Lvl 12
Cooking Lvl 7
Repairing Lvl 5
Technical Proficiency: 25
Power Amplification: 5
Infusion Success Rate: 95
Fire-related Spiritual Proficiency: 6
Water-related Spiritual Proficiency: 2
Wind-related Spiritual Proficiency: 4
Contracted Spirit: Low-Ranking Fire Spirit Mugg
Spiritual Resonance Level: 22
Spiritual Understanding Level: 27
Innate Skills: Blessing of Fire Fortune, Explosion
Contracted Spirit: Mid-Ranking Water Spirit Lacia
Spiritual Resonance Level: 11
Spiritual Understanding Level: 10
Innate Skills: Water Lioness' Blessing, Manifestation of a Water Source
Contracted Spirit: High-Ranking Wind Spirit Merilda
Spiritual Resonance Level: 4
Spiritual Understanding Level: 3
Innate Skills: Storm's Blessing, Updraft
Technical Proficiency: 6
Magic Engineering Understanding: 7
Fast Production: 4
Collected Production Formulas:
Weak Wind Generator: Lvl 4
Loud Noise Generator: Lvl 3
Automatic Resonance Magic Power Chessboard: Lvl 1
Greenhouse Crystal Ball: Lvl 3
Blue Magic Orb: Lvl 2
Claw Fingers: Lvl 3
Craigle Magic Ink: Lvl 2
Permeating Photosphere: Lvl 3
Onia's Hellfire: Lvl 1
Telos' Frosted Blessing: Lvl 1
1000-year-old wooden wand struck by lightning (cannot be crafted)
Glockt's Eyes (cannot be crafted)
Dell Heim's Hourglass: Lvl 1 ]
Clang!
A large lioness' fangs flew out as it pierced the blade of the dagger I held in my hand. I tried to compete in a game of strength against it, but of course I was weaker.
If things continued like that, I would only end up being pushed away. So, changing my center of gravity, I swung the lioness' body away.
Splash!
The body of the lioness that smashed against the floor was made of water.
As it roared and ran back towards me, I quickly lowered my body. The lioness' paws slashed away at where my upper body just was.
Then, for a brief moment while the lioness was distracted, a gap appeared. Pushing down on the ground with my strong legs, I pushed the strength up through my body. As I used my shoulder to push the lioness aside, it let out a screech.
However, there was no way a lioness of that size would be defeated just because I slammed my body against it. The lioness, who landed on the ground, only went to one place… towards the sea, where the waves were crashing.
Among the rocky area down the side of the cliff, it was the flattest bit of terrain. Since it was a place where the waves crashed, all around it was basically the ocean.
The lioness jumped into the water. Normally, with its large body, it should have made a splashing sound as it plunged into the deep sea. In actuality, there wasn't a sound of splashing, and its body didn't sink into the sea.
The rocky area had a pool of water nearby that came from the waves periodically crashing against the earth.
The shape of the lioness, which had disappeared into the sea like magic, immediately jumped out of the pool of water on the other side.
Once again, it slammed into my back and let out a huge, overwhelming roar. However, I managed to defend against its claws by twisting the hand that held my dagger.
The lioness jumped back, once again disappearing into the water.
The pressure of not knowing which direction it would come from continued to stimulate my anxiety.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As those brief attacks continued over and over, my spiritual resonance was slowly starting to come to an end.
[ Let's stop here, young master Ed. ]
A low female voice. It was Lacia's voice.
I couldn't even remember how many attacks I had exchanged with Lacia. My body was drenched in sweat, so I took off my shirt and threw it to the side. Either way, the waves continued to crash against the rocks. Because of that, it was better for me to take off my top.
I sat down on the rocks slowly catching my breath.
[ As expected! You have great agility and reaction time! This lowly fire spirit Mugg was the most impressed with your skills! ]
Lacia then gave a splash, spraying water around as she laid down with her head by my feet.
[ For a magician, you definitely seem to have excellent ability when it comes melee response. It looks like you have been training for quite some time. ]
I wiped away my sweat as I cleaned up my body.
The mid-ranking water spirit Lacia was a pretty good opponent to fight against.
She was the perfect size, unlike Mugg, who was too small to fight against me in a battle, or Merilda, who was too massive in size and strong in power to compete with.
Of course, if it were a real battle, I wouldn't be able to defeat a mid-ranking spirit in close combat. Still, I was at least strong enough to damage them back decently. The fight itself was rather intense, so it felt like training to me.
In the first place, when it came to training it should always be a bit difficult to handle.
[ Once you train in your intermediate magic a bit more, along with your close combat… I think it will be okay for you to try and challenge Merilda. I think it will be beneficial in various ways, compared to training with me. ]
"…How can I fight against a wolf that's the size of an entire house? One good kick and I'll fly away straight into the afterlife."
[ Fufu, it's alright, young master Ed. High-ranking spirits with remarkable abilities like Merilda can feely change their shape. It wouldn't be a difficult task for her to change her shape for the best benefit to you. ]
After sweating and catching my breath for a bit, I got up from the rock. After stretching my arms a few times, I then began to do push-ups on the floor.
With the sound of my heavy breathing, my body moved up close and far away from the floor over and over again.
"Phew, Phew… Still, if I want to fight her, I probably need to get a bit stronger. No, in the first place she always disappears and shows up out of the blue, so there's no saying when she will show up again."
[ That's right. Merilda often travels not only to the North Forest, but throughout all of Acken Island. Even though she's like an elder here in the North Forest, she will sometimes even appear all the way in the education district or commercial district… Sometimes, when work appears, not being able to find her causes a lot of trouble. ]
"What is she doing all the way over there?"
[ She is probably interested in human civilization. Lots of times, she shows interest in books written by humans, their various food cultures, and their daily life. She would go observe it herself or borrow the books from the library as a visitor, or even go off to look at the scenery. ]
With that kind of personality, she was even able to befriend Yennekar in an instant.
As I thought about it, I continued to strain my trembling arms and core muscles.
Then, as I completely ran out of energy, I laid flat on the ground and looked at my face in the reflection from the puddle of water next to me.
[ Name: Ed Rothstaylor
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Academy Year: 3rd
Species: Human
Achievements: Resolute Survivor (1 year) / High-ranking Spirit Summoner
Vitality: 14
Intelligence: 13
Dexterity: 15
Willpower: 12
Luck: 11
Combat Skills Details ➢
Magic Skills Details ➢
Life Skills Details ➢
Alchemy Skills Details ➢ ]
Looking at the monumental achievement that I had built up by myself, I wondered if I should be happy. The player specs had been raised up to the upper-middle class level.
Considering what my stats were at the start, raising it to that level in a little over a year was truly an absurd level of growth. I had a bit of knowledge regarding the player growth curve inside my head, so that was also a nice benefit for me.
The closer a stat value got to 20, the slower it continued to grow. Once you reached around the late teens, there were many cases where the stat would only grow with clearing a hidden quest. Considering that… I was getting close to the limit that I could reach as someone that wasn't the protagonist.
In order to break through that barrier, a certain opportunity was needed.
Of course… more than that, right now it was more important to grow in terms of magic. It was time to finish my long-awaited goal: learning intermediate magic.
Yeah… I can't be satisfied with just this…
With that thought, I quickly lifted my upper body.
"Oh, my."
On the rock I had just been sitting on, there sat a girl with a smile as sly a fox's.
I don't know when she arrived… But looking at her hair tied to one side and her long robe, she was the same as usual.
"After such a long time, my eyes were finally able to enjoy such a view."
At that moment, the direction of Lortel's gaze aimed in my direction was clear.
With my top completely off, I was half naked.
***
"It's also important to properly rest when you are resting. There isn't any medicine to cure training addiction."
Lortel wiped away my sweat with a dry towel while smiling.
In any case, Lortel was just like Merilda, always disappearing and showing up out of the blue. It wasn't a strange sight to see her at any moment or any place.
"Still, to come all the way to the cliffside and remain in seclusion… it must be very frustrating for you."
"Once you get used to it, it's not that bad. In fact, compared to the forest things, feel a bit more free."
"Ohh, is that so?"
"It's because I'm getting help with everything, like my food, clothing, and shelter."
"From Yennekar?"
"Mostly, yeah."
"Hmm~"
The ends of Lortel's lips raised as she gave a significant smile. Then, with a little bit of magic power, she scanned the surrounding area.
"You seem to have been training with the spirits?"
"…Didn't you have little to no spiritual resonance?"
"Well, that's right. But still, I was watching you from afar."
She then grabbed my arm as she whispered in my ear.
"Then, all the spirits must be watching."
A sinister smile. It looked as if she was enjoying herself in this situation.
I lowered my gaze looking towards Mugg and Lacia.
Lacia, who was always polite, shook her head. Mugg was off by himself, burning up and shouting 'Aaaaaaaaaaa-!' No matter what happened, that guy always made a fuss, so it wasn't surprising to see anymore.
Lortel looked up at my arm as she spoke in a calm voice.
"As I told you, today I am planning to visit Princess Penia. I was thinking of trying to feel her out for news about Tanya, but also about the elections."
"Election? Are you talking about the student council election?"
"Yes. From the looks of it, I'll be able to hold a few extra gold coins in my hand."
As I stared back at her with suspicion, Lortel naturally smiled as she rested her head on my shoulder.
She was a girl that would never miss the chance to earn money, even in the smallest of moments. Even in such a chaotic situation, there still seemed to be a gold mine that only she could see.
"Besides that, there are also a few things I wanted to discuss with you before going to the Royal Residence."
"I can somewhat guess what that's gonna be."
"Well… First, about the release of the two knights, Kadek and Nox, that you mentioned. That should be easy. Either way, once they leave Acken Island they won't ever come back, so as long as we can use someone to sneak them out, that's enough."
It still wouldn't be easy to have them escape, but looking at Lortel's sly smile, there was a sense of certainty to it.
"There will never be a more chaotic situation than right now, right before the elections. The investigation of your assassination has been ongoing for some time now and Ophelis Hall still hasn't been completely fixed, but they still have to take care of the regular academic schedule, right?"
"That's right."
"Then the more chaotic the situation is, the more chances there will be. After all, the school is ultimately just a small group of people that have gathered together, forming a small society, right? Then, with either negotiating, conciliation, inducing betrayal, bribes, or kidnapping… The ways to take care of it are endless."
"..."
"Of course, I'm not planning to use a method that would make you uncomfortable~ But still, this wouldn't all be for free, right? We will have to wait to see about the exact price, but right now, if I can at least receive the down payment from you first~"
She then turned her head, which was leaning on my shoulder, putting her chin on it… She then spoke with a wide smile on her face.
"Will you hug me just once?"
The reason I had suddenly gasped for air was because first off, I was still a man.
After staring blankly at each other for a while, she boldly opened her arms wide. As I wondered if it was going to be alright… Lortel pushed her small body towards me.
However, even though she was the one that had pushed herself towards my chest, the one who let out a gasping sound… was Lortel herself.
"W-Wait a minute."
"Wh-What is it…?"
"Originally, things like this… Attacking and defending are two different things. I'm also a bit confused."
She always acted however she wanted, but this time she was blushing.
"I imagined doing it a few times before coming here, but it's all too different from how I imagined."
"..."
"No, in the first place, why did you take your top off? You're making the blood rush to my head for no reason."
"…If you're acting like that, then how am I…?"
In the first place, it was really hard to get used to Lortel's reaction.
When I spent time with Yennekar, it was comfortable—as if she were visiting her own home. In the first place, that bubbly girl had a unique power to make others around her feel comfortable. However, Lortel always seemed to act suspicious about everything, so when she started to have a feminine expression like that, it only confused me. I had no idea how I was supposed to react to her.
"Please bear in mind that inside I'm also walking on a tightrope here. Well, something like that. It's not very polite to rush it carelessly."
"Just who the hell was the one who rushed in…? You were just going ahead and doing whatever you wanted."
"Th-That's true, but…"
Lortel lowered her gaze for a moment before slowly moving back into my arms.
Leaning her small body into my arms… she let all of the weight of her body fall onto me as she calmed down.
The demon of gold coins that swept the market to become the head of the Elte Company. She was an influential girl whose name alone could shake the axis of the earth with every step.
Though in reality, her body was light as a feather. And even when she completely buried herself into my chest, leaning on me, my body didn't budge one bit.
That was usually the case when you turned someone completely upside down.
Even those that seemed high and mighty and made you wonder if you truly were of the same species, after putting everything down in the end and looking each other in the eyes, you would realize they were ultimately just a human. It was only when you came face to face with a person that you realized this truth.
"Actually, I came here because I wanted to hear your answer in advance."
It wasn't until she was completely in my arms, with a sly smile across her face, that she got to the main point and asked me directly, without beating around the bush.
"Do you remember the promise we made last time?"
"..."
"Someday, I want you to listen to me and take my side just once."
I remembered back on a snowy winter day, when we were talking looking up at the low moon by the frozen river in the North Forest.
"I think I will make a lot of enemies. Even if I turn the entire school into my enemy… At the very least, I want you to remain with me as my ally."
"You're planning something again."
Lortel raised her head from my arms as she met my gaze, smiling again.
"I just don't want to be enemies with you."
And then she said.
"I'm going to sell the seat for student council president."
After all, merchants were people that knew how to sell anything and turn it into money.
***
"They are saying that Ophelis Hall has completed their basic restoration. The size of the destruction wasn't all that great, so the major maintenance work is done and all that's left is basic repairs here and there. The facilities have already been operating as normal again."
"Is that so? Then, can I continue using Ophelis Hall without any issues?"
"If there's nothing wrong with the room, you can do as you see most comfortable."
Kylie Eckner, a girl with brown hair that hung down and was dressed in a neat school uniform, left the Trix Hall after greeting the receptionist.
The sunlight that fell from the wide clear sky blinded her eyes.
Still, to the young saint everything she saw through her eyes was fascinating. Even the sunlight that she looked up at while alone outside… It was different from when she looked behind the tightly closed windows of the Holy Father Building.
She'd made quite a few friends, met someone she didn't respect, but also professors she could trust and follow.
Returning to the dormitory after a long day's work, she no longer had to preside over all the prayers as a saint and no one came to confess to her whenever they had time… She wondered if that was the true taste of freedom.
Kylie sat on a nearby wooden bench as she enjoyed the fresh spring breeze for a moment.
Now I have to live making every day worthwhile…!
I never know when another time like this will come again in my life…!
Kylie clenched her first as she tensed her body…
After a moment she relaxed, exhaling.
Even if she cheered herself up, recently the atmosphere of the school had been rather gloomy.
She remembered her upperclassmen, who was a third year. The one that looked down at her from a small cabin in the middle of a freezing blizzard in winter.
Freedom was both light and heavy. She shouldn't expect only a sweet, romantic journey like she saw in adventure fairy tales.
The bloody chunks of meat and animal hides, the worn hunting gear, the cold floor made of logs. The man that sat down on a chair in the middle of it all, looking down at a girl in the dark… It was a memory that was definitely stuck inside her head.
It was quite a shock to her to see his face in the school newsletter, announcing his death… And Tanya, the first friend she had ever made after coming to the school, was identified as the prime suspect and had gone missing… It was something she could never have imagined.
The things that took place in the world were so full of ups and downs. It was very different from the world she had seen in the Holy Father Building, which was always calm and quiet.
Feeling depressed for a bit, she felt rather disheartened…
"Still… I can't lose all of my energy…!"
Kylie once again clasped her hands together as she made up her mind.
What happened was unfortunate, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Even without all of that, she was already overwhelmed and struggling to keep up with her studies. Plus, to experience the grand school life she wanted, she still had to meet as many people as she could and make many more friends.
Thinking of such thoughts, Kylie stood up. She thought of heading back to the dormitory first, but…
"~~~~~♪ ♫ ♪"
Passing by the bench where Kylie was sitting, a girl that gave off a strange feeling was humming.
The first thing that came to her mind was that the girl walked a bit oddly. She took light and gentle steps, as if she were flowing in the wind. At first glance, it even looked as if she was not completely affected by gravity.
S-She's pretty…
Her white hair was tied back like the tail of a horse. Her beautiful hair swayed softly as she gently walked away.
However, her outfit was weird.
No matter how you said it, she was a young and bright girl that looked like a student.
However, she only wore a white one-piece dress with thin straps that exposed her shoulders… She definitely didn't dress like a student.
Yet, she also didn't look like a faculty member. Nor did she seem to be taking care of any work that specifically needed an outsider to do it.
Contrary to her strong impression, she was holding a bunch of books in her arms. The thickness and material of each book was different, and so were the contents. Art, history, magic, historic individuals, economics, philosophy… She had such a bright and lively appearance, but was she really such an insightful person?"
Kylie started to get curious. One of her main goals above all else was to make as many friends as possible.
Either way, the day's classes had all finished, so Kylie nodded her head as she decided to approach and talk with her.
However, the white-haired girl was rather fast… it wasn't easy to catch up to her.
She was humming lightly and not panting one bit, but it was still at a speed that Kylie's fragile body couldn't easily keep up with.
Kylie began to get even more curious as she tried her best to follow the girl… And at some point, without realizing it, she ended up at the entrance to the North Forest.
She started to feel that something was strange.
***
"Ohhh…!"
Lucy, who was lying on the bed and fiddling with her pillow, was deeply awed.
If you took the shape of the pillow and set it up nicely… the soft pillow could stand vertically…!
She had no idea…! It was the greatest discovery of the century…!
"..."
Lucy buried herself in the bed again as a sudden feeling of depression rolled over her.
Lucy, who didn't do a good job at eating three meals a day… She has no idea or way to guess just how many days had passed. Still, since she has been enduring the torture for quite some time, it must have been at least five days.
"You know… How many days are left…?"
The maids would take turns every four hours, closely watching over Lucy 24/7.
The current maid on duty that was watching over her with a smile kindly answered.
"You have 646 hours left."
Time remaining… D-27…!
"Ah, that's right. Now that I think about it, the disciplinary measure of your probation was only passed yesterday. It didn't actually come into action on the same day. It must have been delayed quite a bit. Administrative processing is always like that. So… I think we should actually start counting the time of your probation with yesterday as the starting point."
"..."
D-29…!!