The Extra's Academy Survival Guide Chapter 136: Three Gold Coins (4)
"You're using a classic and obvious method that is rather unlike you. Are you planning on cornering the entire market for school supplies?"
"Yes, well. I guess people that are quick-witted would have sniffed it out by now."
The education district at night.
A place where classes were held in broad daylight, while in the late evening, research activities were in full swing instead.
The height of all the buildings was definitely much higher than those in the commercial district.
As the name suggested, the commercial district had a stronger smell to it. Meanwhile, the education district definitely had a more organized feeling to it.
The roads were lined with bricks and prettily prepared flowerbeds, clean and tall buildings, and even tree-lined streets to welcome the students.
I was used to it, since it was a sight I saw every day, but it was actually very rare to find an educational facility of that size anywhere else in the world.
Lortel took a walk outside at night, so I followed along and ended up in the education district with her.
It was quite a long distance to walk for a nighttime stroll, but it was fine because there was a lot to talk about.
"I never thought that you would be curious about the internal affairs of the company, Ed. Perhaps you were worried about me?"
"Well, I guess that's true. I did worry about you a bit."
"Even now, you still can't just emptily say that you were worried about—"
Lortel, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped talking and looked back. Clearly, my answer wasn't what she expected.
She glanced at my expression and spoke, bewildered and trying to avoid eye contact.
"D-Did I hear that wrong?"
"However, no matter how far ahead you think things through, that doesn't mean you won't end up making a mistake."
"Well, there's always going to be a risk involved in any choice. I was just taken aback, as I didn't expect that you would be able to tell me that you were worried about me in such a straight-forward manner."
Lortel's eyes were jumping around, a puzzled expression on her face as she kept making a fuss. She fanned her face before taking a step forward again.
"My attack and defense are completely separate. So, I think I need to train in this area a bit more…"
Mumbling nonsense like that, we continued to walk the streets at night.
***
"Exchange of weakness."
In the end, our destination was a wooden bench in the center of the student square.
It was always full of people during the day, so I had never had the chance to sit on this central bench next to the fountain. After all, it was always full of people.
However, late at night the atmosphere—which was loud and bustling like a market in daytime—was unbelievably quiet.
The darkness spread over the entire school, making the tall buildings look rather eerie.
Nail Hall, Glockt Hall, Obel Hall, Delen Hall. From the grand buildings right next to the Student Square, to the smaller facilities like the Student Library and Trix Hall—which was on a hill off in the distance—and even the buildings where the Magic Department students rarely visited, like Peson Hall, where the Alchemy Department had classes, and Marel Hall, where the Combat Department students trained.
Each building stood silently tall in the middle of the night. Despite seeing them every day, they looked strangely different at night.
When I was in high school, I used to go to school in the middle of night.
I guess when it changed from day to night, no matter where you were it would always feel like a different world.
"When children of noble families hold a wedding, there is a ceremony where you exchange weaknesses. Since they will come to know each other even more, their relationship will grow even stronger… It sounds reasonable and romantic, but—"
"There is such a tradition…?"
"Even though a lot of things have been lost these days, I heard that there are still some things that are left in old or long-established houses. Surprisingly, I guess there doesn't seem to be such a thing in House Rothstaylor?"
"I'm not sure. I'm not old enough to get married quite yet.
"That is true, but… Anyway."
Lortel sat on a bench as she pulled up her hood. As always, her bluish rose-shaped pin shone softly in the moonlight.
"Would you like to trade our weaknesses?"
"…So suddenly?"
"If I am to explain the details about the incident this time, I won't have any choice but to expose my own inner weakness as well."
Naturally, Lortel's insides were deep and dark, but I never had the thought to dig them up.
"Well, there's nothing much to show you, but I still feel like I would be losing."
"..."
"You know it, too. I can't live taking a loss."
Lortel smiled as she waited for my answer.
In fact, even exchanging weaknesses was a bit difficult for me. Weaknesses of the sons from noble houses were usually dirty and horrific. They were sometimes to the extent that it was difficult to speak of them to others… Of course, for me, there wouldn't be such a fatal weakness.
I could show a weakness of mine that wasn't a big deal, but to Lortel, who was expecting a deep and dark weakness just as she would tell me, it wouldn't make sense. It didn't matter all that much to me, but to Lortel, it could be seen as disrespectful.
So, I fell into deep thought.
"Well, you don't have to think about it so deeply. I've only heard of people doing these types of strange things myself."
"…What are you trying to get out of me?"
"I have ears too~. It's just that I can hear a little wider and farther away than an ordinary person's ears could~."
To say that it was only a 'little' wider is an understatement. She could hear every single sound across the entire commercial district.
In other words, she must have heard rumors recently about me looking depressed or seeming to be out of energy.
I went around telling everyone I was fine, but the way Lortel would have taken the news was a different matter.
I closed my eyes.
Even though it was a dark night, when I closed my eyes there really was only darkness in front of me.
What was subtly reflected in the darkness beyond my retina was my past.
The Joint Combat Practice, the Student Council Election, the First Year Class Placement, the Glast Subjugation, the Glasskan Subjugation, the Ophelis Hall Expulsion.
From that moment even further into the past, I saw myself settling down in the Northern Forest. The days I spent clenching my teeth to survive as Ed Rothstaylor… And the days I spent before I became him.
I then opened my mouth.
"A lot of people around me died."
Lortel didn't bother to ask in any detail.
"It was because of the environment I lived in. For years, I traveled on a battlefield in a distant foreign country. However, I ended up getting a little hurt. Thanks to that, I was able to spend my last years in leisure."
"Oh my, that's surprising to hear."
"Believe it or not, it's up to you."
Lortel shook her head softly. Like she would believe it.
News that the eldest son of House Rothstaylor had war experience—she would have never heard of such a thing from anywhere.
"I was just traveling through the battlefields, and because of that, the people around me were often killed. At first, I struggled emotionally. The more people I became attached to and interacted with, the worse it got."
"That would make sense. The more extreme the environment, the closer the people become."
"Which is why I tried to clench my teeth and save them at first. Running through the battlefield, carrying a severely wounded person. Lifting them up even though I knew I would fall from exhaustion on the way back. Hugging an ally that was taking their last breath. Watching them to the end, trying to hold back my tears… In fact, it's an experience anyone on the battlefield would have gone through. It's like a rite of passage."
When I opened my eyes again, I saw my shoes.
With my arms on my knees and my back hunched over, I watched a swarm of soldier ants crawl underneath my shoes.
"Then there comes the moment you realize it's all useless. Your heart will only be in pain, and they will all be replaced later anyway. Having affection towards another is an act that holds a great risk. It's just like your favorite phrase—risk management."
"I don't like it either. Who would like that?"
"Well, in any case, internally the decision I came to was right. It happened such a long time ago I forgot about it."
I looked up and saw the starry sky that was always there. It had a strangely different feeling from when I looked at it through the trees in the forest.
"I tried to save them, so if they die, I end up heartbroken."
"..."
"In the first place, if I didn't want to save them, I wouldn't be so heartbroken."
Lortel was silent.
"By thinking that way, I was able to keep my mind straight. At that point, I finally came to understand why the commanders were all so cold-blooded. Since even I understood that fact, everyone else must have known as well."
When I closed my eyes again, I remembered the corpse of the girl leaning against the wall of Glockt Hall, bleeding out.
She was someone that was moving around in a hurry, taking care of all the incidents and hardships in her way. But in the end, none of it made a difference, and she couldn't be saved. That memory started to pile up with similar ones from my distant past.
I looked at my fist, my back hunched over. I tried to clench it before opening it again.
"I've also lost a lot of my senses."
In the first place, since I tried to save them, I ended up heartbroken.
It might have been because of that romantic school that I forgot about the inherent decision I made before.
As I walked around the campus, my head ended up filled with the rosy aura of a flower garden because of these students around me, who are filled with hopes and dreams.
However, for me, reality had always been a hardship. Life had always been more about 'surviving' than 'living'.
Constantly doubting the world. That was the way I lived from that day on.
"This is my weakness."
Reaching that point, I came to a conclusion.
If exchanging weaknesses was just justification, then wouldn't that be enough to use for negotiating?
It was something I had never revealed to anyone else, although I ended up saying it quite bluntly.
Lortel didn't say a word for some time. Sitting on the bench, looking up at the night sky, she brushed her reddish-brown hair back and spoke slowly.
"What meaning death has… It's different for each person. So, I will not try to thoughtlessly go against your judgment."
However, looking at me as if there was anything else I was going to say, she smiled. It wasn't her usual cool and composed smile—rather, it seemed a bit faint. Maybe it was from the dazzling moonlight above us.
"A lot of people around me also died. And most of the time, it was because of me."
Lortel reclined against the back of the bench as she looked towards the top of Obel Hall, which was in front of her. It was the same building used for the Student Council.
"My parents were incompetent. Spending the entire day begging for bread, we lived in the corner of a slum off of rotten bread alone. Still, I think they were kind people. At least, they were until they got involved with the Elte Company and I was sold to an orphanage."
"…It's hard to make a comment on that."
"Well, now that things ended up like this, I'm not offended by it. People that are cornered naturally become easily corrupted through a few gold coins. Without knowing that they would soon be killed to keep them silent, they naively fell for the sweet whispers from the Elte Company. Poor people."
"..."
"Well, that's how I became a pawn for the Elte Company. And now, I've even become the deputy director."
She couldn't remember their faces any longer.
However, Lortel's biological parents, who stayed on one side of her heart… It seemed that she still thought of them as kind people.
Even though they sold her off, to her it was only proof of the disgusting corruption in our lives.
Lortel had experienced being trapped in a corner, so she probably fully understood the mindset of such people.
"Do you know how much money my parents got for selling me? It was only three gold coins. Not thirty, not three hundred. Just three."
Three gold coins.
It wasn't a small amount of money. Especially when you considered the position of a poor person, it was enough money to live comfortably for a few months if they used it well.
However, whether it was enough money to sell your one and only blood child… One would have to shake their head.
"It was then that I realized it. The people that are pushed into a corner, falling down into an abyss—to them, it's not about the billions of coins that pile up. Rather, it's all about the few coins that they urgently need."
Lortel continued talking before finally taking a breather.
Though, she didn't particularly talk long enough to need to catch her breath.
The silence was peaceful, as the atmosphere in the sleeping education district was relaxing.
"After that… I stopped trusting anyone."
It was years before Lortel made a name for herself in the Elte Company.
During that time, she taught herself how to read books, memorized daily exchange rates, responded to the market changes, HR management, crisis management, business management… She learned all the necessary qualities to lead the company.
The amount she learned was at a rate that could be considered incredible.
There are other fields, such as combat, magic, alchemy, and academics—but in the end, her true worth showed when dealing with gold coins. That was why people called her the Golden Daughter with such reverence.
"After spending my life like that, there were times where I no longer saw people as humans. Rather, they were more like machines that responded to offers and negotiations. If I spoke in a certain way, they would react in a certain way… Robot that was designed in such a way."
"..."
"Maybe that has something in common with the commanding officer that you were talking about, Ed. If you trust others easily, you will be betrayed easily. That's why you don't want to believe in others in the first place. But in the end, that means there will be no one else around you that you can trust. In the end, the only person left in the world you can trust is yourself… Look."
Only then did Lortel raise her head, looking up at the night sky over the school again.
I could now see the reason Lortel had brought me to the education district in the middle of the night.
"The school during the night is rather eerie and quiet, isn't it? Seeing nobody else here in this normally crowded place makes me feel like I'm all alone in the world."
"…That's right."
"It feels like this to me even in the day."
Solitude in a crowd.
A disease that slowly corroded one's mind.
"Well. Now I have a friend."
One day, when I was climbing up the hill, I suddenly looked down at the brutal battlefield. That view of my back looking down at the scene seemed to flash in front of my eyes.
Maybe young Lortel, looking down on the commercial city of Oldek, was not that different from me.
"It's like you said before."
Lortel learned her head on my shoulder… She quietly closed her eyes, enjoying the soft moonlight.
"We are the same sort."
***
"I got a report that a rat has been hiding inside the Store. So, I'm in the process of catching them."
Lortel rested her head on my shoulder as she quietly shared her plans.
"A few days ago, the number of items for sale in the warehouse didn't match our books. I also feel that the books were not normal, and that they are being manipulated, so I looked into it… And it turns out, someone was constantly stealing funds from our branch. As the scale of it starts to slowly get larger, cracks in the ledger are slowly appearing."
"Isn't it Dune? Didn't you say that he bought the alcohol with embezzled funds?"
"The amount Dune takes isn't that large. He always stays within his lane, buying small luxurious items for his own interests in the same method. I think there is someone that is much worse than Dune involved."
Lortel leaned her head on my shoulder before suddenly fixing her posture, sticking even closer to me.
I glanced down at her as she wrapped her upper body tightly around mine, saying 'I feel more safe than I thought I would…'
"The fact that proof of it is starting to appear in the ledger means that they are slowly reaching the limit of how much they are stealing. Sooner or later, they will try to go for a big swoop and run away."
"Then, this time you're going to corner the market for textbooks…"
"I'm going to try and bait them with a big catch. When the price of textbooks slowly goes up… before our company puts it back on sale, they will try and do so first. They'll try and make some quick cash before running away. So, by asking 'individuals' that are actively buying books, we will be able to uncover the identity of that bastard."
In the end, she would be in a situation where she would have to fire a long-term employee she was working with.
However, Lortel had no issue in doing so.
"Like I said, my weakness… is that I don't believe in anyone. Even if the loneliness eats away at me, I still won't trust people recklessly. No matter how good they might seem, their goals are obvious."
"..."
"It's all because I'm afraid of being betrayed."
In the end, fear was the underlying issue behind Lortel's mindset.
It was the same for most people… And the same was true for Lortel.
"Still, at least right now, I think I'm happy. It feels like just yesterday I was sold for three gold coins, but now I'm a person that can hand out three gold coins a day to a single person I want to hire."
"…Still, isn't three gold coins a day too much?"
"Well, I feel like I need to start off strong. I thought she was going to decline, anyway. Well, it doesn't matter if I get rejected. It just means that I will be short one person."
Rubbing her face on my shoulder, Lortel smiled bewitchingly.
"It doesn't matter though. Having one less person of mine."
She didn't really need to explain the reason why. She just wrapped her arms around me as she looked up with those mischievous eyes of hers.
"As for the reason, you know about it well, right?"
No matter how I answered, it would be senseless.
So, I let Lortel cling to my arm quietly for a while longer.
***
"I'm sorry, Lady Lortel. I am grateful for the offer, but…"
The next morning, Head Maid Bell Maya went to visit Lortel at her room in Ophelis Hall.
"I am worried about you leaving Ophelis Hall, as you always require the assistance of the maids. Your decision to leave Ophelis Hall… I think it is rather drastic."
"..."
"Being paid three gold coins a day is a bit burdensome as well… Well, if the amount is large, it's great for me, but… I am proud to work at Ophelis Hall."
Bell Maya bowed her head.
Lortel had just woken up, coming out after getting lightly dressed.
Now, Lortel knew.
In the world, there were people that couldn't be bought with money.
The first person that came to her mind was a blonde boy that was alone in his camp in the forest, sharpening his arrows.
"Of course, that doesn't mean that I am always treated fairly here. There are times when I am unhappy, and other times when I am tired and exhausted… Still, I want to continue taking on my responsibilities here at Ophelis Hall."
"Oh my…"
Lortel looked at Bell Maya, who had her head down, with a disappointed expression.
"Three gold coins a day is a really strong offer from my point of view… So, it's disappointing to be rejected like this."
"Ughk…"
"Of course, the noble beliefs you have in your work cannot be quantified into currency… Still, won't you reconsider? I don't want to lose out on a maid that is as capable and that I am as confident in as you, Miss Bell."
Seeing Lortel's depressed eyes, which were quite unlike her usual self, Bell felt her heart pounding louder.
However, Bell shook her head as she bowed once more.
"I'm sorry."
"I see. If you say so, then it can't be helped. Then… how about working two jobs?"
"What? Working two jobs…?"
Lortel held Bell Maya's hands as she spoke in a wet voice.
"I will reduce your pay by a third and you will come to manage my villa and the nearby camp whenever you have free time. After all, aren't you also interested in doing practical work, Miss Bell?"
"Y-Yes…?"
"I heard that these days you also take care of Yennekar. Just like you do with her, you just need to come by once in a while on a regular basis to take care of things. You only have to work whenever it's comfortable for you and you have the time. Maybe we can specify the number of times a week… Maybe that way… Or is this… also not good…?"
Bell was bewildered by the unexpected offer.
However, it wasn't a bad offer. Bell, who was diligent by nature, managed her time so carefully already that she managed to take care of Yennekar in her spare time while still taking care of her busy schedule as the Head Maid.
Plus, her desire to do some practical chores had built up. The work schedule was going to be up to her, and above all else, the girl holding her hands and offering her the job looked like she was going to burst into tears.
The girl even offered her three gold coins. That was why she had to think about it so carefully.
That strange mindset started to take over Bell Maya's mind.
"I-If it's that amount… and with conditions, then…."
"Yay…! Thank you, Miss Bell!"
Lortel smiled widely as she clapped.
"Then…. I'll send a contract over to you with your name on it!"
Taking care of the work in a flash. In the first place, the contract was already prepared beforehand.
Watching Lortel go back to her room with a smile on her face… Bell came to a realization.
From the very first offer, it was a trap.
Having Bell 'reject' her offer would act as a shackle and a debt, pushing her to accept the contract.
Well… In the first place, she was always that type of person.
It wasn't that she didn't know.
It was just absurd seeing it happen.
Seeing Lortel go back to her room with a foxlike smile on her face, Bell gave a frustrated smirk.
-x-X-x-
By the time Tanya returned to Ophelis Hall, it was already dark.
The school uniform she was neatly dressed in that the morning was messy all over. Her thick and beautiful blonde hair had also become a mess, with hair sticking out here and there.
Tanya trudged down the hallway with sunken eyes as she handed the maid her outer coat and luggage.
"You look rather tired."
The maid spoke to her concerned voice.
Tanya looked as if she was going to loudly growl like a zombie at any moment… However, she simply shook her head with her exhausted body slouching.
"No, I'm fine."
It had been a while since she had last seen Ophelis Hall during the day.
That was because she repeated the same schedule every day. She would leave the dormitory at dawn and wouldn't return until late at night. However, it was rather rewarding for her, and the work she took care of wasn't all that difficult.
The gazes of respect and the envy the students had towards Tanya was satisfying. That was because Tanya was the type of person that had a strong desire for honor and respect.
However, in that head of hers there were still a lot of things bothering her.
Her biggest concern was the Elte Company and the power they had, as they had recently been trying to cross the line. Not just the student council, but also the school had been showing great concern towards them.
Recently, they had raised the market price by sweeping up all the textbooks.
It might have seemed like a simple goal of making a profit by buying them when they were cheap and selling them slowly when they were expensive… But considering Elte's financial power, one could also think that they are going to take things one step further.
For example, if they didn't sell back the textbooks, school supplies, stationery, and educational magic engineering equipment, then… The start of the school term might end up facing a major setback. That was because many students would be unable to attend any classes without any tools.
The Elte Company was already in charge of all the revenue taking place on Acken Island alone. So, if they gained a larger influence by creating such hostage situations in the market, it would become a major headache for the school.
She hoped that it was all just a coincidence, but things didn't always end up the way you wanted them to.
It would be great if the Elte Company could remain good business partners with Silvenia in the long term while maintaining good business ethics.
However, with the power balance slowly starting to skew towards one side… The school was starting to tremble nervously.
If they did end up crossing the line, the school would try to secure additional distribution channels outside of the Elte Company.
And that wouldn't be a very pleasant situation for the Elte Company. That was because the monopoly they currently had would end up being shaken.
"Ah, my head… It hurts…"
As Tanya stumbled through the fancy hallways, she pressed her hands against her temples.
The school revealed that they were thinking of establishing a plan for opening a new distribution channel in advance.
They said they were planning to release an announcement in the commercial city of Oldek, but for now it was still only being discussed internally.
For the school, it was much more beneficial and safer for them to create various distribution channels. Of course, that was not possible without having the Elte Company voice their displeasure.
There was a reason that they alone had been in charge of everything in Acken Island for so long. That was because the Elte Company had calculated the amount of investment that would be returned to them in the distant future.
If Silvenia were to suddenly become larger and find another business partner in an attempt to take away from the Elte Company's profits as a monopoly, they wouldn't just stand still.
That was why they needed someone in the middle to coordinate it all. A person that understood Tanya and the school's situation but could speak up against the Elte Company on their own.
"For now… I should just go into my room and lay down for a bit."
It had been an incredibly busy day for her. For now, Tanya just wanted to rest.
She walked down the hallway, planning to go back to her room quickly, when—
"..."
She suddenly turned around. Tanya wasn't the only one staggering along.
She hadn't sensed anyone else's presence nearby, so Tanya trembled.
However, it was possible. After all, the girl's body was quite small compared to the average person. She was also as light as a feather, as she had all sorts of weight-lightening magic applied to her body.
The only reason why her presence was noticeable was because of her large witch hat, which was the size of her upper body. The hat, which was too large for the girl, was this girl's symbol.
"L-Lucy…?"
Lucy also trembled in surprise. In the first place, she was a girl that wasn't at all interested in the people around her. However, as soon as she saw Tanya, she was startled. She then swung her body around as she clung onto a window in the hallway, hiding her face.
After making sure that the person talking to her was Tanya, she relaxed her body—as if she were reassured.
Lucy didn't judge people on their appearance alone. She was sharp when it came to judging a person's mood and other behavioral characteristics. She might always appear to look like a lazy and disinterested person, but thanks to her senses, she was keenly aware of her surroundings.
At first, when she sensed there was someone there she thought that it was someone other than Tanya.
Ed Rothstaylor.
Naturally, her bright blonde hair was similar to Ed's. Since they were siblings born of the same house, that was inevitable.
"H-Hello…"
Tanya greeted her awkwardly. It was impossible to not be awkward around her.
At the beginning of the semester, Lucy lost control of herself and became furious, trying to catch and kill Tanya.
However, after all the misunderstandings were cleared up, Ed had brought Lucy to apologize to Tanya… But there was still a strange awkwardness between them.
Although they still maintained an awkward relationship, Lucy did live in the room right next to Tanya's.
Since they saw each other whenever they came and went from their rooms, it was a bit uncomfortable for the both of them.
Neither Lucy nor Tanya were in a great situation because of that.
"I-I…"
Lucy relaxed her body as she exhaled deeply. Tanya was thinking about what she should say to Lucy when—
"I'm sorry about last time."
Lucy was the one that apologized first. And she did it in a pretty relaxed manner.
"I misunderstood."
"I-I's alright. You already apologized to me, you don't have to do it again…"
Tanya shook her head, wondering how she should tear down the awkward atmosphere between them.
Suddenly, she noticed that Lucy's clothes were rather dirty.
"I see that you just came back from taking a nap somewhere. These days, the weather is quite nice to spend your time outdoors. The temperature is also quite good…"
It was just a casual topic to continue their conversation. Although they were just words of courtesy, Lucy listened carefully, nodding her head.
"Do you still go to my brother's camp often? I heard that the two of you were close."
"I don't really go these days."
"H-Huh…? Is that so…? Wh-Why…?"
Did the two of them fight? Tanya didn't have the slightest idea.
It seemed like Ed, who was rather diligent, and Lucy, who was lazy, were complete opposites. However, there was still one thing that they had in common that everyone agreed on.
Neither of them were all that interested in the people around them.
Unless they needed to become involved with them, they would never act courteously to try and get close to someone first.
Because of that temperament, Ed and Lucy both didn't have particularly high expectations of each other.
Maybe it was just a relationship between a man that lived and took care of his cabin and a girl who occasionally came to visit to take a nap.
Tanya had thought of things like that, but became puzzled upon seeing Lucy's subtly awkward reaction.
"Since I took a nap somewhere else… I look a bit… messy."
"…What?"
"My skirt is dirty, I'm covered in dust, and my hair is a mess…"
Just hearing the conversation alone, you wouldn't think there was anything strange about it. However, if you were to think about who was talking… those were some unbelievable words coming out of her mouth.
Tanya was a bit shocked, but the maid next to her, holding onto her luggage and coat, also widened her eyes to the point that they looked like they might pop out.
She wasn't just anyone. She was Lucy Mayreel, and was caring about her appearance right…
If it weren't for the maids, Lucy Mayreel wouldn't even tie her hair back. She would only wear loose fitted clothes… The maids never wanted that unsightly appearance of hers to be shown in front of anyone else.
The maid next to Tanya suddenly started to doubt that the girl was truly Lucy Mayreel.
Was she caring about how other people looked at her? Lucy Mayreel?
Only then did Tanya and the maid realize it. Lucy Mayreel was finally becoming a girl.
It was still just the beginning. She was still only at a level where she didn't want to show an unsightly appearance of herself to others.
She still had the same old egocentric and lazy temperament. She didn't have any girly hobbies and she still took a nap in the middle of nowhere as if it were her job.
Wearing a school uniform that didn't fit her, disappearing like a ghost here and there throughout the school. She hadn't changed at all. After all, human nature was one that changed quite easily.
However, even massive flames started from weak embers.
Originally, becoming more girly like that wasn't something that just passed by. Instead, it would slowly start to grow.
Tanya closed her eyes, imagining it.
Lucy Mayreel taking off her witch hat, neatly tidying up her pretty white hair, and smiling in a clean, neat, and cute dress.
Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine. She thought that was all a bit too far-fetched.
"Maybe tomorrow I will go to the camp…"
"Ah, is that so…?"
"Yeah. Since I haven't gone in a while… I kind of want to go…"
Like a stray cat, she pressed down on her hat tightly, acting shy. It seemed as if that appearance of hers was a fatal blow to the maid.
She clutched her heart as she jumped forward, grabbing Lucy's hand.
"D-Don't worry, Lady Lucy. Tomorrow I'll use all the knowledge I gained while working as a Senior Maid to make sure to dress you up beautifully. You're already beautiful in the first place, so don't you worry one bit…!"
"..."
Seeing the maid suddenly cheer on Lucy with all her heart was a very strange and abrupt thing to witness.
Lucy nodded, looking a little nervous.
Tanya went into her room after saying goodbye to Lucy. The private rooms of Ophelis Hall, which were as magnificent as one would expect, looked more like the interior of a palace than a regular student dorm.
She took off her school uniform before she changed into comfortable clothes. She then went over to the table, sitting down. She looked down, seeing that there was a letter on the table for some reason.
After the maids finished cleaning, they sometimes left letters addressed to the students out on the table in their private rooms. It was quite convenient to not need to go out and personally pick up their mail.
However, ever since she became the student council president, most of the letters she received came through the student council.
Most of them were about public affairs, as she didn't want to look through work-related documents when she was in the dormitory.
So, what was the purpose of the letter sent through the dormitory…? It was a letter sent from home.
"This is father's… wax seal…"
It's been a while since she has exchanged letters with Krepin Rothstaylor. She had already warned him about it in advance.
When she became the student council president, she would become so busy that she wouldn't have the time to update him on her life. So, she told him to be understanding of her situation.
Krepin was really proud of his daughter, who had become the student council president. And it didn't seem as if he was all that interested in whether or not she was adapting well to her school life.
In the first place, Krepin Rothstaylor already has his hands full taking care of the affairs of the Imperial Family. There was no room to pay any attention to the affairs of Acken Island, which was located at the southernmost tip of the continent.
That was why she thought there weren't going to be any letters from him any time soon. Tanya herself was really busy.
"This is the first letter in such a long time…"
Tanya opened it up as she flipped through the various words of courtesy written by Krepin Rothstaylor.
What was it like to become the student council president, whether or not she was adjusting to her school life, if she had made any friends, what kind of people were the children of the noble and influential families, and whether the plan to purchase the Sage's Seal was starting to come together.
Reading through similar questions, Tanya relaxed herself as she finished reading through it all.
However, what was written at the end made Tanya's eyes widen.
It was completely unbelievable. Tanya had to quietly read it aloud once more.
"Since it's right before your first break… I've come to want to see your face again. I heard that many students go home and rest over the break, so Tanya, please come back home and rest for a bit before returning to Silvenia. If possible…"
Tanya put the letter down leaning against the back of her chair.
"If possible… With Ed, too…"
What was written at the end was shocking.
I know that Ed Rothstaylor is still alive.
However, if his reputation within the school is good, his magic skill have improved, and he's sincere about things… Then, as the head of house, I want to accept Ed back into House Rothstaylor.
I will no longer bring up his crime of insulting the princess. No matter how bad of a crime he committed, I want to give him one last chance—as both the head of house, and his father.
So, pass on this message to Ed.
After losing Arwen, I don't want history to repeat itself again.
So, if you wish, the doors of House Rothstaylor are still open for you.
I don't want you to end your life as someone excommunicated from a noble family.
Please come back to the house this break, share with me the stories you have, and let's seriously discuss the direction your life is taking.
Sender
Krepin Rothstaylor
***
[ Thousand-year-old wooden wand struck by lightning.
—
A wand made from a tree that has lived for more than a thousand years, which has been struck by lightning and treated with various magic powers to effectively increase Spiritual Resonance.
Amplifies Resonance with all elemental spirits. Greatly increases magic power efficiency with Spirit-type magic.
Regardless of affinity with spirit, if you've made a contract with them, you can use all of their Spiritual Skills.
—
Grade: Very Rare
Production Difficulty Level: ●●●◐○
*This item is made with a special material. (The Guardian Tree of Merilda)
Magic power efficiency when using 'the high-ranking wind spirit Merilda' is improved.
The Radius effect of Storm's Blessing is increased.
Radius and power of the Spiritual Skill Updraft is greatly improved. ]
[How is it…?]
"There's no burden. It's definitely effective."
The girl was in a white dress with her long hair tied up.
As she swung her magic power around, the wind swept around us. Still, it didn't affect my magic power significantly.
"It would be great to use this wand when I use you in the future. The downside is that it's rather bulky and not easy to store. However, it's tolerable when you consider the fact I can handle you in your human form without being burdened. I'm sure it'll also be much easier to use you when you're in your wolf form as well."
I sat on a rock near the river by my camp as I tried out the magically engineered equipment I had finished the day before.
Yennekar, who was in a better condition, sat down next to me.
"Wow… it's the first time I've seen a wand made with magic engineering… It's definitely powerful. I've received lots of wands from friends and family before, but this is the first time I've ever seen a wand that's as effective as that."
The oak wand that Yennekar always carried with her wasn't all that bad either.
However, it couldn't be compared to an item that systematically amplified mana efficiency through magic engineering.
"Do you want to try it?"
I handed the large wand I was holding in my hand to Yennekar.
"Y-Yeah… I'm not feeling all that great now, but… Since I've gotten a lot better…"
Even though she spoke without any confidence, the moment she closed her eyes and focused, dozens of spirits appeared in an instant.
The fact that she was able to do that much while still in an unstable state made watching it happen completely breathtaking.
"W-Wow… The magic power efficiency is beyond good. I can hardly feel it at all. It just feels like the magic power is naturally flowing through my body."
"Maybe it feels that way because your resonance is much better than mine, Yennekar."
"Yeah…! Ed, if you use this wand then you can improve your Elementalism even faster. This is amazing. This is the power of magic engineering."
After saying that, Yennekar offered the wand back to me. However, I shook my head, refusing to accept it.
"Hm?"
"It's yours."
After I said that, I washed my hands in the flowing river.
"What? Mine?"
"I made it for you. After all, I owe you a lot."
"N-No… I can't… This time you were the one taking care of me when I was sick."
"The reason you became sick in the first place was because you pushed yourself too far helping me. There's no need for you to do something so reckless for my sake."
I wiped my hands dry as I sat back down on the rock.
"I'm always thankful for you."
Yennekar looked up at the wand as her eyes trembled.
"I'm sorry that I always have to thank you."
"…Still, isn't it more effective for you, who is still working on their spiritual resonance, to be using it rather than me…?"
"I'm going to make another one the same way. So, you don't have to worry so much."
"T-The same wand…! That's like a set…! I see…Hehe…"
I wondered if there was a need to be so excited as Yennekar smiled, hugging her wand tightly.
Seeing that she liked it so much made me feel more embarrassed than proud.
"Thank you, Ed… I will cherish this so much…"
Merilda had a sly grin on her face. Yennekar continued to hold onto the wand tightly for some time. Seeing her react that way was rather rewarding. That was what I was thinking.
"Now, it's time for the end of the semester exams. Ed, since you're always getting perfect scores on the written tests, this time you just need to do well on the practical."
"Yeah, that's right. And then it will finally break."
"Do you have any plans for this break?"
"Well… First off, I plan to improve the conditions of this camp a bit more. I want to make the warehouse a little bigger and renovate the cabin some more. I think it would be nicer if I could live in a larger area. I also want to start growing some herbs, vegetables, or even just some small seasonal plants. And a fence that goes around the camp… Anyway, there's a bunch of things that I want to do. I just need to tidy some things up first."
"I see… If you're having a hard time, I'll help. Now that I live here too, it's also a part of my business."
"Alright, thanks. But the important thing is taking care of your health first."
I ate dinner with Yennekar, continuing the conversation in the same manner.
My cabin was in the northern part of the camp, while Yennekar's was in the southeast. We were pretty much neighbors, and most of the area we lived in was shared. So, in a way, I guess you could say that we really were living together.
And on the southwest side of the campfire… There were logs that looked to be of pretty high quality stacked up.
Living alone in a luxurious house would seem out of place. That was why it seemed that she had built hers in a similar size and fashion as much as possible to fit her own needs. However, the quality of the inner facilities and the building materials were definitely great.
Watching Lortel's house come together, Yennekar puffed up her cheeks.
"It could be burdensome to you if I suddenly live here, so I made a few conditions of my own. While I stay here, Miss Bell—who is the best and most skilled maid in Ophelis Hall—will come by regularly to take care of the camp's facilities. It must have been hard for you to manage everything by yourself, Ed. So, it shouldn't be all that bad for you to have another person with excellent skills come by and help."
That was certainly… an offer that was hard to refuse.
There was nothing particularly inconvenient for me when it came to having Lortel come and live at the camp. In the first place, she took care of most of her problems through money, so there's nothing wrong with being close to her.
Rather, since it was none other than Bell Maya that she had hired to help take care of the camp, I could focus more on extracurricular activities and training instead.
It didn't feel all that great, as it felt like I was making Bell Maya take care of things for no good reason. However, whenever she volunteered and helped me out, she ended up in a good mood for some reason.
In particular, while she was taking care of Yennekar, I could see just how much work she did to help with the housework… But for some reason, she seemed to be really happy about it. Well, it would be through a contract with Lortel now, and I was told that she was going to be given money for it as well, so it wasn't anything for me to get involved in.
I picked out the bones of the grilled fish and put some of the flesh in my mouth. I gave some to Yennekar as well.
Yennekar, who was cutting some fruit, took a bite of the grilled fish with a satisfied smile on her face.
Feeling at peace, I looked up at the sky like usual.
The night sky over Acken Island was as beautiful as always. Looking up at it again, it really did feel amazing.
***
"Professor Kaleid, the end-of-semester tests will be in three days…! Soon, you are going to need to create and submit the guidelines for the practical test…! No, actually, the submission deadline has already passed…! What I'm saying is that the extended deadline had to be forcibly extended…!"
Assistant Professor Cleoh begged with tears in her eyes in Professor Kaleid's private lab.
The longtime friend of Professor Glast, Kaleid Roxster. He was a veteran magician that was adept in various elemental magics.
Originally, he was a middle-aged man who was a magician that gave up on professorship, living a life wandering around the lawless region of Kohelton. However, he had been persuaded to come back and fill the vacancy that was left by Professor Glast.
He had a ponytail with a thick beard and sunken eyes. Rather than looking like a professor, he looked more like a homeless beggar.
Although he was talented enough in magic to be considered a rival to Professor Glast, his natural temperament was the exact opposite of Glast's.
The moment you entered his lab, the smell of tobacco would hit your nose. If a window weren't open to ventilate the room, it would be completely filled with thick smoke.
In the corner of his desk was a bottle of wine rolling around. He was sleeping with his head down, snoring.
He was the complete opposite of Professor Glast, who was strict but sincere and did his job well.
No one knows how such a person and Professor Glast were able to stay friends.
Assistant Professor Cleoh tried to wake him up, asking him to do his job. However, he only shook his head, swallowed his spit, and said something ridiculous.
"Well, for that… You can just make up whatever and submit it…"
"This is the end-of-semester evaluations…! The one all the students participate in and that we have to be responsible for …! You know, the end-of-semester evaluations?!"
"Well, whatever… You can come up with it in your own lab and submit it… Well, it would be more convenient for me to have an assistant professor take care of this and that anyways…"
After saying that, his head fell back on the desk.
Assistant Professor Cleoh wiped her face before slowly stepping back and leaving the lab.
Thud!
She gently closed the door, leaning her forehead against it.
That was very different from the rumors about Professor Kaleid's personality that she had heard.
Professor Kaleid used to work at Silvenia Academy a long time ago. So, hearing about what people thought of him back then… They said that he was the second crazy bastard of Silvenia, who was as strict as Professor Glast and often got angry.
So, she figured that he would be like Professor Glast, with a hardworking and strict personality. But for some reason, the Professor Kaleid that was reinstated didn't do anything. He just rolled around on the floor of the lab like a pathetic old man all day.
He was nothing like the descriptions she had heard.
However, naturally, the large workload she had remained the same.
"Save me…"
The gift of being blessed by the people around her.
Assistant Professor Cleoh, who endured a life with such a blessing, lived a life of suffering.
"Please save me…!"
In the end, all she was left with were the teacher assistants in her lab, who were considered to be the most competent in all of Silvenia.
-x-X-x-
On a large bulletin board in front of the student square, there was a long announcement about the end-of-semester exam.
The final exams varied between subjects, but they were usually divided into a written and practical exam.
There were also cases where a certain subject would only have a written or only a practical test as well. Either way if you wanted to be a top student, it was important to aim for top grades without being biased towards just the written or practical exams.
However, oftentimes there were students that had overwhelmingly high grades based off of their practical skills alone. There were always going to be exceptional cases like that.
That was because, unlike written grades, practical grades didn't have a cap on the score. That was related to the school's tradition of giving preference to students that had exceptional talent.
It was especially true in areas that were highly influenced by one's innate resonance level and talent.
The combat department focused on things like use of magic weapons, combat sense, practical survival skills—things like that.
The magic department focused on elemental studies, Elementalism, and Monster ecology, while the alchemy department focused on herbology, history, and brewing.
Having a good balance of written and practical grades was important if you wanted to be a mid-upper student. However, there were often cases where the students at the top of their grade were able to claim the title from their overwhelming practical performance alone.
One of those students was the current immovable top third-year student, Yennekar Palerover.
Her practical scores in Spiritual Studies were so overwhelming that it completely overshadowed the written/practical scores of all the other subjects.
However, because she was a hard worker, she also studied hard in other subjects. Frankly speaking, being able to achieve such a level of Elementalism… Even if she scored below average in other subjects, she would still be the top student.
Surprisingly, the second-year top student, Lucy Mayreel, also had excellent grades in the written section.
She could read a book and memorize it in an instant. She wasn't stupid, just lazy. Rather, she was exceptionally smart.
And that didn't even touch on her practical skills. In Elemental Studies, none of the other students could even dream of being able to receive a grade in the same realm as her.
The first-year top student, Wade Callamore, also benefited greatly from practical grades.
The fourth-year top student, Daike Elpelan—a senior member of the student council led by Tanya—was also known as a master in the field of practical combat swordsmanship.
"Hmm…"
As I looked at the exam schedule, I chewed on a piece of jerky.
I considered all the points I earned during class time, the grades I got from various practical classes, and my reputation among the professors.
"Ed, the magic department's Elemental Studies exam was just confirmed yesterday. They said they are going to be testing our magic power resonance… There will also be a mock duel with a faculty member."
"Not a student… but a faculty member…?"
"Well, that's what I heard…"
Considering the lineup of professors that taught elemental studies, none of them were going to be an easy opponent.
The senior elemental studies professor Eskin, the veteran professor Dolorna, the recently reinstated Professor Kaleid, and the still-assistant professor Cleoh…
I didn't know who was going to be doing it, but the only one I had a chance against was probably Cleoh, who had only been in her professorship for less than a year.
Actually… In the first place, it was ridiculous to say that we would be able to defeat a professor.
Professors that studied in academic fields for years weren't at a level that a student could overcome, even if they weren't specialized in fields of combat.
However, the test wasn't designed for us to win. The bigger meaning was to make us try as hard as we could.
I fell into a deep thought, thinking things over, when…
"Ed, what are you thinking so hard about…?"
"Yennekar, it's a shame, but… for the time being we are enemies."
Hearing that, Yennekar hiccupped.
We are enemies. Before she could fully ponder on what I meant, her face hardened.
"What…? Why? Why? Why? Why are we enemies?"
"No, you don't have to take it so seriously… It's just that this time, I'm thinking of aiming for the position of top student."
Being the top student within your grade came with enormous benefits.
Among them, the most mouth-watering benefit was the full tuition waiver.
I was somehow able to go to school thanks to the scholarship from the Glockt Scholarship Foundation and my deal with Lortel, which got some money in my hands. However, I was still struggling with the enormous tuition fee. There was a limit to how much we could get from being a member of the school's scholarship program.
I desperately wanted to take the top student seat and receive those tuition benefits.
Before, I couldn't even dream of trying, since I was so behind in terms of ability… But now, things were different.
I could handle even high-ranking spirits without the help of the ring. I could even use intermediate elemental magic! Plus, other than my skills in actual combat situations, my main specialty had always been in the written section.
"Top student…? Ah… You were talking about a competition for grades…!"
Compared to the fierce competition for the top student position in the other grades, within the third-year students, it was less complicated than one would expect.
That was because everyone was at the same level beneath the undisputed number 1, Yennekar.
Of course, I couldn't beat Yennekar in Spiritual Studies either.
She was a monster that could summon even an ultimate spirit if she were willing to give up her life. Of course, she wouldn't do that in an exam.
However, I had pretty good grades in Elemental Studies and Monster Ecology.
In terms of other fields, where most of it was memorization—such as magic history and magic engineering—I had my grades were overwhelmingly higher than Yennekar's.
Now that I could even use a high-ranking spirit, the gap in our grades in Spiritual Studies should have been greatly reduced.
It was possible to fill that gap with my grades in other fields.
"Uhm… Honestly, I never felt like I might lose my seat before… But if it's you, Ed, if I'm not careful I might really end up losing it…"
Yennekar shook her head before puffing out her chest, smiling happily.
"I'm not going to just hand over the seat to you easily…! After all, people in my hometown of Pulan are proud and happy to know that I'm the top student…! So, I can't let them down…!"
A competition in good faith. Even though it sounded nice, the reality of it was cruel.
In the first place, due to the way Silvenia Academy's grades were calculated, it was unlikely that the top student would change when you move up a school year.
That was because students with overwhelming talent achieved feats at an overwhelming speed, making it hard to catch up.
Clang!
At that moment, a sound that drew everyone's attention was heard from the podium in the student square.
The student council's secretary, who had bluish hair, struck the podium's steel handgrip with a wand. And for a moment, there was complete silence among the students.
She then began speaking without missing a beat.
"Third year student Ed Rothstaylor. Is there an Ed Rothstaylor present here?"
They were looking for me. I raised my hand with a puzzled expression.
"You have been called on by the student council president. Please come directly to Obel Hall."
* * *
"That is all."
It was like I was being treated like their boss.
I had such a thought as I entered Obel Hall and was guided to the student council president's office.
It seemed that Tanya had already instructed the student council members to bring me over respectfully.
From the students guarding the first floor of Obel Hall to the students passing by, they all nodded as they greeted me. It made me feel even more uncomfortable.
Up until the beginning of last year, all my classmates looked at me as if I were a filthy bug. Suddenly, I had a realization that people were looking at me in a new light. A strange feeling filled my heart.
"Father has forgiven you, Ed. He said to slowly bring you back into the House, he wants to have a conversation with you…"
Tanya, who was sitting in the lofty student council president's office, welcomed me warmly.
However, the words she said weren't pleasant.
"That is great."
"Brother, just by looking at your face I can see that you don't think that way…"
A chance to regain lost power had come to an excommunicated son of a noble family.
It wouldn't be strange for me to suddenly start dancing and cheering in the air. However, it was a situation where neither Tanya nor I could be happy.
Krepin Rothstaylor had already tried to kill me once.
He carefully tried to hide his actions, not leaving any material evidence behind, but Tanya and I knew the truth all too well.
"Well, I thought I should at least tell you, which is why I called you over as soon as possible. What do you think about it?"
"Well, since things became like this, I should at least answer him…"
I rubbed my chin as I fell into deep thought.
Krepin Rothstaylor's plans to assassinate me were unsuccessful.
So, wouldn't he try to assassinate me again? Why was he instead trying to talk with me?
The first thing that came to my mind was the possibility that he had still not yet fully recovered enough of the Evil God's magic power to use the Cause and Effect Determination.
The Cause and Effect Determination he used last time he tried to assassinate me was a difficult power to wield, which made it quite effective.
So, he might have been frustrated at having to leave me alone in Silvenia until his next opportunity to assassinate me arrived.
There was a high chance that was why he was calling me back to the mansion.
If that were the case, then accepting his offer without thinking things through would just be suicide. It would be the same as willingly walking into an enemy's mouth.
Nevertheless, I spoke sternly.
"Then, let's go back to the mansion together over this break."
"..."
Tanya looked at me with concerned eyes.
"Brother, if what is written in the letter is true then that would be great, but…"
"I have an idea, Tanya. For now… Let's just go back and try to figure out Father's intentions."
* * *
When I came back to the front of Obel Hall, Yennekar was waiting for me.
She looked rather peaceful, her head drooping as she sat on a bench under the shade of a tree in the midday sun.
When I sat next to her, patting her shoulder to wake her up, she woke up smiling in an embarrassed manner.
She really was a girl with an energy that made the people around her feel strangely comfortable.
Since it was time for exams, she should have been busy. Even though I told her that I would steal the position of top student from her, she still waited around for me to come back.
I knew she had a good personality, but I was rather worried about her seeing it to such an extent.
"I have business to take care of at Ophelis Hall, so I'll get going first."
"Ophelis Hall? Why there? In the first place, you can't even enter there, Ed?"
"Well… I'm going to ask Miss Bell for a favor. Well, I should be able to sneak in through the back door. However, having two people break in might be a burden to her, so you can head back to the camp first, Yennekar."
"Well, alright… Don't forget to eat, though. Will you be back by evening?"
I nodded my head as I said goodbye to Yennekar and headed towards Ophelis Hall.
Suddenly, there was a lot of work to take care of.
First, I needed to prepare for the exams as I had originally planned.
Even if I couldn't take the top student seat that semester, I could always just work harder to try and take it next semester… But it would be rather heartbreaking having to pay twenty gold coins just for a semester's tuition. That was why I really wanted to win that semester.
So, while I thoroughly prepared for the exams, I also needed to make preparations for after the test when I went to the mansion.
"Hello. By chance, is the Head Maid here?"
After asking the maid that was standing guard by the main entrance of Ophelis Hall about Bell Maya, I sat down in the nearby garden, waiting quietly.
The maid that was standing guard knew I was quite close with Bell Maya, so she immediately went to call on her.
Going back to the Rothstaylor Mansion was an extremely risky decision.
That was the absolute territory of Krepin Rothstaylor, a place where everyone and everything revolved around him, so there was no way to know where or how you would end up screaming in pain.
I wanted to do everything I could to defeat him right away, but unfortunately, the timing wasn't right.
If I hastily subdued Krepin, who had the full support of the Imperial Family, I would become a traitor to the empire. Since his position in the empire was still strong, I needed to wait until it was torn down.
However, the biggest variable that would end up pushing him into a corner was none other than Princess Penia. But she wasn't showing any signs of movement.
In the first place, she didn't even become the student council president. However, she was still in a position where she could act hostile towards him, so I wanted her to take action, but… Strangely enough, she remained silent.
It seemed that she wanted to maintain a quiet lifestyle more than I thought she did. Had her heart really changed that much?
If that were the case, I would have no choice but to take down Krepin myself.
Sacrificing humans to make a contract with an Evil God. That truth about him, as well as his forbidden research being revealed to the world… I needed such a reason and justification to be able to defeat him.
And in order to secure that physical evidence, there was no surer way than to directly go into Rothstaylor Mansion and investigate it myself.
Whether it was the location of his secret lab or the testimonies of the people there, I needed to collect it all to undermine Krepin's prestige.
"What brings you here, Young Master Ed?"
"I'm sorry. You must be busy, Miss Bell."
"No, the things I need to check over today are already nearly finished. However, it's strange to see someone that doesn't come by here very often."
After school, I never came near Ophelis Hall unless there was a particular reason. I'd just been too busy dealing with the issues that had been piling up in the camp.
"Well… Is it okay if I enter Ophelis Hall for a bit?"
"Inside Ophelis Hall…? Well, on principle, I shouldn't allow it. However, since you're a trustworthy person, I don't really mind. You can spend some time inside at my discretion."
"I see. Thank you…"
"Still, I would like for you to tell me what's the matter. At least out of courtesy…"
There was no reason to hide it.
I nodded my head, telling her my business as if it wasn't a big deal.
However, Bell scratched her chin for a moment, thinking things over. She then spoke to someone else, as if asking me to wait for a moment.
She said something to the nearby maid, who acted startled, before she quickly ran up the stairs of Ophelis Hall.
It really wasn't a big deal, but it felt like they were making a fuss.
"Since it's an unauthorized visit, I would rather you enter through the back door. There are a lot of people that are looking at the front door."
"I'm in no position to complain."
"I also need you to stay next to me. Since it's an entrance for the maids, if you enter alone, you'll gather some unnecessary attention."
Nodding my head, I followed Bell Maya to the back door of Ophelis Hall.
After walking around the massive building for some time, we finally reached the back door. The shape of the door looked rather familiar.
Thinking of it, I remembered escaping through that door when Lortel took over Ophelis Hall and made a commotion. Only then did I realize that it was made for the maids.
An entrance where only women in neat maid uniforms came and went. I was the only man.
"Isn't exam season soon? Is your studying coming along well?"
"Ah, yes. This time I'm feeling a bit greedier than usual, so I'm going to put in more effort than usual."
"I see. Since you are famous for the speed at which you achieve things, I'm sure you will get good results. Though, recently there have been some changes within the faculty for the Elemental Studies course. Wouldn't that be an issue?"
Just like that, we continued to talk about the upcoming exams.
She was normally so quiet that she would never bring up such a topic first. So, to the people that knew her, it had to be an unusual sight to see.
However, after thinking about it for a bit, I was able to infer her intentions without much difficulty.
Before, the eyes of all the other maids were fixed on me. Even from my point of view, the fact that I was in a place like that felt completely unnatural.
That was why Bell had been purposely talking to me.
As long as I continued to walk while speaking naturally with the Head Maid of Ophelis Hall, no one would be suspicious of me—no matter how out of place I looked.
"If we head out this way, we will be in the main hall, in the hallway that the regular students take."
"I owe you for this."
"It's not a big deal."
Even though we went out to the main hall, where the other students walked through, I could still feel all the maids around us being cautious of Bell Maya and me. Well, she was the top manager in charge of the facility, after all.
I trudged up the stairs as Bell Maya quietly followed behind me. Reaching the third floor and turning the corner, I could see the long corridor stretching all the way down at a glance.
"Young Master Ed. There is something I need to tell you."
"Yes?"
"When the exam schedule starts, will you be taking a break from your camp-related work?"
"Well, at least the basics."
"I see."
I wondered why she would ask such a question. However, I didn't ask any further, as I figured she had a good reason for the question.
As we walked down the hallway again, she called on me once more.
"Then… Are there any disruptions with your school schedule?"
"I've been getting used to it all, so there's no issues."
"I see… Well… I guess…"
And just like that, every time I tried to walk across the hallway she would bring up an unimportant topic and drag the conversation around.
It felt as if she were stalling time to keep me from crossing the hallway.
"If I stay here for a while, I'll only end up interfering with your work, Miss Bell. So, I'm going to go and quickly take care of my business and leave."
"No, please wait. This one is a very important question."
"What is it now?"
"Hmm… It's difficult to put into words. Can you give me a minute to think?"
Why on earth was she thinking so hard about coming up with a topic to talk about?
Still, I waited, as I figured there was a reason for everything Bell was saying. But then, I heard a door close from a room in the distance.
A maid had come out in a complete sweat. It was the maid that Bell had sent off earlier.
With a strangely refreshed expression on her face, she smiled as she disappeared to the other side of the hallway with light footsteps.
"Nevermind. We can talk about it later. Take care of your business first."
And then, Bell ended up pushing me along.
When I glared at her in suspicion, Bell closed her eyes. Then, like always, she returned to being an elegant and well-behaved maid.
Well, I wanted to take care of the things I had planned to do, so I started walking down the hallway again. I passed by Tanya's room before reaching the room next door.
Either way, if I was planning to go to the Rothstaylor Mansion, I would need some insurance. After all, that was somewhere my life really was at risk.
And that was also what I wrote down in my reply to Krepin.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity after being excommunicated. I can't stop myself from shedding tears from your grace.
Since being excommunicated, I have continued to reflect on my sins to become a better person. As evidence of this, my magic skills have improved quite a bit, as has my body. I have also built up a wide network of connections suited as a member of House Rothstaylor.
I am thankful to you for forgiving me, and I want to show you how much I've grown.
I want to prove my skills in front of you and introduce a colleague of mine that has become a special friend.
Using that as an excuse, I was thinking of bringing along someone that would fight alongside me in case of an emergency.
And when I thought of the most reliable person I could bring, I didn't even need to explain who it was.
Knock, Knock.
I knocked on the door. I looked at the nameplate on the room, which was clearly written as "Lucy Mayreel.'
After waiting for a minute, the door opened. Lucy looked more timid than I expected as she stuck her head out of the gap in the open door… It was completely different than what I was expecting.
"…Hi."
Her cleanly combed white hair shone.
Her pure white, ruffled pajamas showed off her innocence to the max. It matched perfectly with her petite physique as well.
I didn't see that usual uncaring appearance of hers. Rather, I instead thought she looked more like a girl.
The only part that was the same was the hat she held onto tightly, as if she were acting strangely embarrassed.
"Pardon us, you were in your room dressed up as usual. Sorry to bother you. Like usual… you were sleeping…"
It was strange to hear Bell Maya keep emphasizing the word 'usual.'
"I'm sorry for bothering you while you were resting, Lucy. You haven't been coming to the camp much these days. Have you been busy…?"
"Hm? No…"
She had a strangely shy voice. It felt as if I was being rather rude to her or something.
Though, I suppose it was rude of me to visit her in her room while she was resting.
However, it wasn't like we didn't usually get along well. She would randomly show up at my house, and occasionally I would throw her aside. Neither of us really minded it at all.
That was why I tried to talk to her in a friendly way as usual, but I felt really uncomfortable hearing her strangely quiet and shy voice.
I guess coming to see her in her room was crossing the line. However, since she came to my camp on her own, wasn't that a bit unfair?
However, since I was making a request of her, shouldn't I at least have some courtesy?
"You look completely different than at the camp. I guess this is how you usually look when you sleep. I'm surprised, Lucy."
"Uhm… Well…"
"You look really good. I was really surprised."
I was trying to lighten the mood by throwing out compliments to hopefully get to the main point.
She then put that big witch hat over her face to cover it before stepping backwards. She seemed a bit shy, so I waited for her.
"So… You said you had some business to take care of… What is it, Young Master Ed?"
Bell Maya appropriately intervened to speak on behalf of Lucy.
I opened the door a bit more, looking down at Lucy before speaking in a straight-forward manner.
"Lucy, after the exams are over and break starts, come to my hometown with me."
"…What?"
"And let's greet my father together."
"..."
"..."
It wasn't just Lucy—even Bell Maya was left speechless as a moment of silence filled the area.
Lucy put her hat on tightly as her breath caught. Bell checked her ears over and over to see if she had heard it wrong.
…Only after seeing their expressions did I realize that the way I said it was a bit wrong.