Quite some time had passed since I first entered
In the process, I got along well with certain people, forming a special relationship with them. There were also a lot of people who I ended up getting forcefully involved with, and now we had somewhat ambiguous relationships.
But that's just how human relationships normally are. You can't get along well with everyone.
I'd lived a busy life.
I was currently taking a break, but when I first came to Acken Island and crawled on the dirt floor, there were barely any days where I was able to sleep properly.
The reason I lived like that was simple. I had to survive.
Each semester, there were a few real threats that threatened my life.
Shortage of food, suffering from the cold or heat, or getting sick… aside from the issues of my survival, there were many times I had to fight for my life because of the enemies in the storyline… Certainly, every moment I lived, there had been a series of threats.
Reality was different from the movies.
Even when you bickered with the opposite sex like you were on a school trip or enjoyed walking on that tightrope of a relationship while clutching your pounding heart, time continued to pass, and the seasons changed.
Engaging in a playful conversation and enjoying such a bright atmosphere, there wouldn't be any time to take care of the cabin, spreading out the hunting traps, or waiting for your prey to get caught without having it go bad.
Even on a battlefield where bullets flew, there were couples who exchanged words of love.
Only in a movie was it possible for a beautiful love story between two lovers who went against their cruel fates to exist.
However, on a real battlefield, love was nothing more than a weakness.
The tragedies that struck always took place without any foreshadowing.
One day, when you see your lover on a stretcher with a bullet pierced through her head and her cold lifeless eyes… That feeling of love turned into a curse that corroded your body and mind.
The main character might feel as if the world is particularly cruel to him, but in reality, the spotlight never shone on him.
Even the death of his lover was just a passing background moment, like the deaths of the other soldiers.
Looking at such a scene countless times, you will naturally come to realize it.
A situation in which a blade was right below your neck. If you had the time to put up one final struggle before your death, you must completely focus solely on your survival to stay alive.
How many times had I nearly died just on the journey to Rothstaylor Mansion?
The reason I was able to survive in the face of numerous threats that put my life at risk was because I focused solely on surviving.
Because of that longing for survival, my comrades always called me a 'cockroach.'
Even if you threw me naked into the middle of the desert, I would somehow survive until I died of old age.
I always made self-suggestions.
Prioritizing my work and doing what was necessary first, I was a mechanical device that needed to stay rational and logical anywhere, in any place.
Whether it was a battlefield where countless people died, or an academy that was full of love and romance.
If there was a blade right under my neck right now, the first thing I would prioritize is my survival.
I lived such a life until I left the battlefield and started to relax a bit. There wasn't much that could shake me.
My cold-hearted reasoning had always clearly determined the importance and priorities of my work.
"A person who has a frozen heart."
Only then did an old memory buried in the other side of my brain come to mind.
"Your harsh reality made you like that, but the world isn't just days filled with cold snow and rain. Surprisingly, there are also many sunny and warm days as well."
"But if you get too used to looking up at a snowy and rainy sky, it will rain tomorrow as well… The human psyche is what forces you to think like that."
"I hope that one day you will meet someone who can melt that ice in your heart like snow."
Memories from the battlefield or memories after retirement? I couldn't remember which it was all that well… But it was a rather sad voice.
"Until then, even if it's cold, keep your collar tight and bear with it. You are strong, so you can do it."
* * *
"Ed, you always worry about a lot of things, but this time it feels different."
Yennekar Palerover spoke with a heavy voice and serious expression across from him at the campfire.
Unfortunately, the reason I was embarrassed wasn't because it was a heavy and serious issue. It was simply because I was busy thinking about how to react to Merilda's whims.
If I suddenly went and kissed Yennekar because of Merilda's whims, wouldn't it be fine?
Being embarrassed and cringing because I kissed her would quickly pass. So, if I decided to, I could quickly just grab onto Yennekar's lower jaw and match our lips.
However, I also needed to consider Yennekar, who was on the receiving end.
After kissing her all of a sudden, she'd be confused as to what just happened.
Once she found out that I kissed her because I was forced to by Merilda's shallow whims, I didn't think she'd be all that happy.
In order to gain information about the remains of the ultimate spirits, which Merilda knew, I would need to casually go and kiss her… However I looked at it, wasn't that too irresponsible?
Maybe it would be fine if it were someone I didn't really know. However, Yennekar Palerover was a close colleague of mine who I had known the longest since I'd come to that world.
I didn't want to treat her poorly.
If that were the case, wouldn't it be enough to just kiss her, person to person? Regardless of Merilda's whims.
I wasn't sure. Thinking back on it, I didn't think that was it, either.
No matter how I felt about it, once Yennekar learned the truth she would surely think that I had kissed her because of Merilda's whims.
Then, there was only one last possibility.
I could tell Yennekar the entire truth and ask her if we could kiss.
…I wasn't an expert on dating, but I knew that the last choice was the worst.
"I'm sorry, but I can't say it, Yennekar. I think this is a problem that I will have to slowly think about by myself."
After saying that, I tried to change the subject with her.
However, Yennekar started to puff out her cheeks and open her eyes wide, as if she took my message a different way.
"…Really?"
Was she heartbroken?
Was she sad because she thought we were able to share everything with each other no matter what person it was, but in the end, there was something that I had kept hidden from her…? Yennekar started to grunt.
"Uuuugh!"
For a while, Yennekar made strange noises as she pounded her feet.
From my point of view, I had nothing to say. The only thing I could do was stare at Yennekar as if embarrassed.
"…Ed, can I ask you a strange question?"
"…Ask whatever you want."
"I'm debating whether it would be better to ask you more about it to somehow make you tell me your worries. Or would it be better to pretend that I don't see it?"
"…You're asking me about that?"
Yennekar sighed deeply as she grunted.
She then looked up at the sky, thinking carefully, as if trying to decide on what to say.
At some point, the sun started to set. For me, I was thinking about the fact that it was only now nighttime.
Ever since I started resting, the days had become noticeably longer. It felt rather luxurious, since I normally spent my days splitting them up into several parts to get all of my work done.
"I'm afraid that you will be bothered by me."
Suddenly, as if she finally succeeded in figuring out what to say in a single sentence…
Yennekar spoke.
"What?"
"I don't want to be a burden to you, Ed."
From my point of view, I had no idea what kind of thought process she had to come to such a conclusion.
Yennekar Palerover had always been someone who wanted to be helpful to me without ever really causing me any harm.
It wasn't like Yennekar to worry about being bothersome or a burden to me… Wasn't that someone the people around her should be worried about, rather than Yennekar herself?
Seeing such unexpected worries come from her, I looked at Yennekar with an absurd expression on my face.
"Y-You look like you have mixed feelings… Ed."
"No matter what I say, you're only going to take it as me being polite to comfort you. So, I was thinking about what I should say so you don't think like that."
"I-Is that so…?"
"Well, I guess I can't do anything besides say it in a straight-forward manner. How you take it is up to you."
After saying that, I also looked at the setting sun as I casually spoke.
"You've never been a burden to me, Yennekar."
Not too exaggerated, but not too heartless.
Telling the truth as-is was the answer to most problems.
"That's all it is."
Yennekar listened to me as she stared blankly at the campfire for a moment. She then smiled softly.
Was she happy with that answer? Or was it a feeling of relief?
I couldn't really pinpoint which one it was. The human heart was like that, a burning campfire that shot sparks here and there.
Since human emotions were so complex, it was impossible to say that the psychology behind Yennekar's warm smile was just one thing.
Fortunately, she didn't look worried.
"I see…"
But hearing the words she said after, I realized that I had dug my own grave.
"Then I will question you about it, Ed!"
"…What?"
"What are you worried about? What is it?! Tell me already!"
Did I choose the wrong option?
Yennekar spoke while shaking her arms with an excited expression on her face.
"Your worries are also mine, so tell me quickly!"
Yennekar put down her wand and luggage as she took a small wooden chair from the corner of the camp, sat down in front of me, and faced me.
Her back must have been pretty hot, because it was close to the fire. But acting as if it were nothing, Yennekar sat right in front of me, looking straight at me.
"..."
"I won't move until you tell me."
"Then you're going to start sweating on your back. Isn't it uncomfortable…?"
"It's even more uncomfortable to see you struggling with something by yourself."
At that point, Yennekar was acting even more stubbornly as she clenched her teeth and stomped on the floor.
At that point, I couldn't say anything, but I also couldn't really ignore it, either. It would have been better if I didn't even bring it up in the first place.
As I thought about what to do over and over again, I finally opened my mouth.
"If we think about the problem together, we'll find the solution in no time! So, don't struggle on your own for no reason and tell…"
"Can you kiss me just once?"
Yennekar couldn't finish her sentence as she froze.
* * *
"M-Merilda, seriously… Why is she saying such useless things? "
Was the color of human skin bright red and not flesh?
Yennekar, who had just been stubbornly standing right in front of me with her back to the campfire, had now widened the distance between us like before. She went to a flat rock far away as she turned around and sat down.
Rather than her face blushing, her entire skin tone itself had changed as she repeated the same words.
"I-It's definitely something worth worrying about Ed…. S-Since I'm right in front…. N-Nevermind. But how much did Merilda say…? Huh…?"
I couldn't hastily say something, since I couldn't tell if she was murmuring to herself or if she was talking to me.
However, I told her exactly what I was thinking about without beating around the bush.
If Merilda pushed me to go and kiss Yennekar like that, then it would only be unfair to Yennekar.
I am not a person who is so greedy that I would play with another person's heart.
However, there was one thing I had to make clear.
"I feel embarrassed saying this, but there is something else to say…"
As I slowly opened my mouth, Yennekar glanced at me. The way she sat with her back straight and completely attentive made it seem like I was an extremely important person.
"So… About… the feelings… you have for me… I roughly know… In fact, not knowing about it at this point is ridiculous."
"S-Stop! S-Stop for now!"
Yennekar covered her mouth with a trembling hand as she avoided eye contact.
I felt bad seeing her tremble and stomp on the ground as if she were an herbivore in front of a bunch of predators.
"Ed, I can't breathe…"
"..."
"A-Alright… Well…! That's how it is! Yes! I am… Uhm… Why would I have acted so kindly towards you if I didn't feel anything?! In fact, that's obvious! There's no need to get embarrassed and ruin the mood over this, right?! W-We are both grownups! S-So why should we start acting awkwardly with each other?! Ah! Ahhh!"
Saying that, Yennekar's eyes looked more nervous than anyone else in the world.
It was probably because I thought of Yennekar as a girl who came out of a fairytale that I couldn't help but nod my head. She had that side to her.
However, if Yennekar Palerover was like the main character in a fairy tale, I was a cockroach struggling in the gutters of a harsh reality.
Chewing my way out of there, a part of it still remained.
"I'm sorry. Because I am like this…"
"H-Hmmm… ?"
"I've lived in an environment where I was constantly worried for my survival, so I had to put everything else aside."
On the other hand, there was also the weight of the tragedies I had seen.
Those who saw the sight of their loved ones being shot and carried away on a stretcher all fell apart.
The reason I had hostility towards that wasn't because I thought it was pathetic to be in a relationship even when one's life is on the brink of imminent danger.
For a person who might die at any moment to recklessly get close with another only added on another burden.
In a situation where you couldn't even take responsibility for your own life, how could you think about the person who would have to deal with your death?
The pain of a broken heart was temporary, but it would eventually heal. However, the pain of losing someone was much more likely to last a lifetime.
It would be difficult for them to ever get back on their feet, and for most people, they would usually collapse, unable to overcome the pain.
Had I known that, I would have acted more carefully.
I shouldn't have interacted with others carelessly.
I had gone through many hardships. The storyline twisted a lot, and the development of the story had also changed quite a bit, but… Regardless, I made it that far by prioritizing my survival.
The battle for imperial power, the war within the house, and the subjugation of Velbrok. The remaining hardships were something that I needed to take care of soon. However, the remaining hardships were much more severe and difficult than the ones I had overcome already.
If I could overcome all of those hardships and finally hold a Silvenia diploma in my hands…
With the abilities I had gained, the things I'd gone through, and the connections I made, if I could finally leave Acken Island and live my life to the fullest…
If all of the disasters that were to happen according to the storyline of
When that time came, would I be able to break free from my fear of death… And dream of an even bigger future?
Would the day come where I could finally escape from worrying about, 'How will I survive', and instead start to worry about, 'How will I live?'
"I became like this, living such a life. I'm not a person that deserves to be loved."
The sound of wood burning in the campfire.
At some point, the sun had almost fully set, and the night was slowly creeping in.
As was typical of night in the northern forest, it was completely at peace.
Living in the camp all that time, it seemed at some point I naturally also became a part of the forest as well.
"Don't say that, Ed."
Suddenly looking at her, her expression was rather calm. At the same time, she looked quite sad.
She was no longer red, and it seemed like she had regained her composure.
"You aren't as cold-blooded as you think."
"Thank you for saying that."
"I mean it. It's just like you said earlier. I'm worried that no matter what I tell you, you are just going to take it as me being polite to comfort you. That's exactly how I feel right now."
Yennekar turned around again as she looked straight at me.
"The reason you thought so hard about it and were embarrassed was because you were being considerate of me. Like you said, if you kissed me because of Merilda, I would have probably felt rather upset. But right now… I'm happy…"
"..."
"I-It might sound a bit silly, but… A-Anyway… You thought correctly. Seriously… M-Merilda! Doing something so useless! S-Seriously… T-To make us worry about something like this!"
Once again Yennekar started to tremble as she breathed heavily.
"Anyway… Just pretend I didn't say that earlier, Yennekar. Kissing you like that wouldn't be polite to you. We don't need to play along with Merilda's whims."
"E-Ed… But the remains of that spirit Merilda spoke of… Don't you need them?"
The remains of the ultimate spirit.
It was a mysterious artifact that would dramatically increase stats related to my elementalism, which was slowly growing slowly… But there were many other ways to discover it by grilling Merilda.
There was no reason to have to go through with this.
"I'll take care of it, so just… pretend that you didn't hear anything. Either way, even if you're okay with it now, I'm not fine with it. I really don't want to use you like some tool."
"E-Ed. I'm happy to hear that, but… In fact, I came up with a groundbreaking method."
"…What?"
Yennekar took a deep breath as she continued to speak hesitantly, as if reading out an awkward line.
"In short, you were considerate of me, right? Even if I told you that it was fine, you don't want to do it because it would make you feel gross as if you were using me…?"
After saying that, Yennekar came down from the rock as she came up to me and spoke.
"Actually, the solution is easier than you think."
"I'm anxious…"
"W-We can just change the subject of it…"
"What?"
"Not you, but I'll do it."
Before I could even ask what she was talking about, it happened.
I felt a hand on my shoulder as I stopped breathing for a moment.
As for Yennekar, she has a timid temperament and often hesitated in everything she did.
However, there were times when the situation became rather extreme, and she ended up making a quick decision. Also, times where she had to show daring determination.
I didn't realize that she had such a temperament until it happened.
For a while, only the noises of the grass bugs spread through the forest. Aside from that, there was only silence.
There were only two mouths that could speak, but both of them were being covered.
"Heub…"
Yennekar quickly took a step backwards afterwards, covering her mouth.
Her eyes widened as she glanced towards me a few times. And then, as if realizing what she had done, she started to tighten her shoulders.
"…Uhm… Yenn…"
"Ahh! I'm tired! I came by boat from my hometown, so I'm really tired! I feel like I'm going to pass out! See you tomorrow!"
Before I could say anything, Yennekar ran into her cabin, making a fuss.
It was because she had lost her breath when she made eye contact with me.
Then, with a bang, the door to her cabin closed.
"What…"
Left alone in front of the campfire, I looked at the poker that had fallen to the ground.
"…Wait a minute…"
From my position, should I have been given some time to say something?
For me, it happened completely out of the blue… It was difficult to grasp the situation.
Anyway… There was a strange sense of awkwardness.
The problem was that Yennekar and I lived next door to each other.
Seeing Yennekar suddenly tense up and run away in a fuss after making eye contact… Starting tomorrow, we were going to have to keep seeing each other, as well… That was a major accident.
If she had just kept her composure and said, 'there, now it's done', I could have responded to her appropriately.
Instead, she had run away like that… So, what about me…?
Worried about tomorrow morning, I wiped my face over and over again.
-x-X-x-
Until she smelt the morning air, it didn't feel like she had properly started her day.
Bell Maya, who had been living in the same pattern for the past ten years, was used to waking up with the early morning air before the sun even rose.
The chirping of sparrows was heard throughout the rose garden of Ophelis Hall.
There was still quite some time left until morning would come, but Bell Maya was already wearing her maid outfit as she crossed the hallway on the first floor of Ophelis Hall.
The hardworking senior maids had already opened all of the windows in the hallway during the early dawn. It was very important to ventilate the hallway with the fresh morning air.
She would greet the other maids who were cleaning in the morning, sign the logbooks of the maids who had been working throughout the night, and go to inspect the various ingredients that were delivered to Ophelis Hall's cafeteria.
The inspection itself was a job that the senior maids took care of, but Bell Maya, the head maid, had to go there to make sure that everything was going well.
Because of the strict food policy at Ophelis Hall, about 15% of all the groceries that came in from the Elte Company were rejected on the spot every day.
Vegetables that had gone a little bad as they were being transported, or livestock products that weren't fresh, wouldn't be paid for.
You might think that they were being too unreasonable from the perspective of the supplier, but in the first place, the orders placed at Ophelis Hall were all for the highest-quality ingredients. They didn't complain about their large orders in the first place.
The profits generated by major business partners such as Ophelis Hall were so massive that the amount discarded during inspection was nothing to fret over.
However, as for the ingredients that didn't pass inspection, it didn't mean that they were returned to the company.
In the first place, if they brought it all the way back to Oldek—the freshness of the ingredients would greatly worsen. Also, the costs for transporting them were too high.
Thus, because there was little to no benefit in doing so, it was better for them to use their time and funds to do something else, rather than bringing it back to Oldek.
In other words, ingredients that did not pass inspection were discarded at Ophelis Hall. Normally, the delivery workers or the maids on duty took a few.
As for the dairy products and spices, Bell Maya also… thought of grabbing them and bringing them back to Ed's camp, as they were difficult to obtain.
It was going to be discarded anyway, so it wasn't really a crime.
"Here is the checklist, head maid. By the way… that is…"
In any case, the checklist needed to be approved by the head maid.
The only difference was whether the senior maid would go to visit the head maid with the documents or if Bell Maya was already at the location to sign it.
Bell, who accepted the checklist, tilted her head for a moment while looking at the prices of the various ingredients written on it.
"Food prices have gone up a lot. Compared to before break… It's definitely troubling."
"I checked the production and distribution of crops, but there were no major issues…"
The senior maid lowered her head as if she were apologetic.
Bell shrugged as she continued to check the price of items on the list. It was definitely an unnatural rise in price.
"I will explain that."
It was a boy who was at the location as a representative for the Elte Company. His name was Dune.
He wore a beret and looked rather cunning.
"The price of logistics from Oldek to Acken Island has risen overall. In fact, it's not just ingredients, but the prices of school supplies and magic supplies, especially magic engineering supplies, have risen quite drastically. As a result, other items that need to be delivered have also increased. We have to charge at least this much to make a profit, so it's something that we can't help."
"Was this matter approved by the deputy director, Lortel?"
"Yes, of course~"
Bell Maya looked at the cunning-looking boy as she thought things over for a bit.
In any case, her job was to look over the documents, not to make a political judgment about their decision.
The list of prices presented by the Elte Company showed a consistent upwards trend for all of their items.
"I understand."
Bell nodded as she signed the checklist.
* * *
Whack, Whack, Whack!
When Bell Maya arrived at Ed's camp, there was a periodic sound, as if someone were hitting a tree.
Nearing the river, she could clearly tell that the noise was Ed chopping wood.
His condition hadn't fully healed, but he had already started working.
Bell gripped the wooden basket full of various ingredients as she entered the camp.
The campfire was still burning as a familiar-looking suitcase was lying next to it.
The wooden luggage made from birch wood of the Pulan region belonged to Yennekar Palerover. Judging by the wand lying next to it, it seemed that Yennekar Palerover had returned last night.
Summer break was slowly coming to an end, and it was already time to start preparing for the next semester, so it wasn't that strange for her to already be back at school.
"Hmm."
Bell took a short breath as she looked at Yennekar's cabin.
Before going over to tell Ed to stop working so hard, she wanted to say hello to Yennekar. Putting the basket full of ingredients on Ed's workbench, she went to Yennekar's cabin, knocking on the door.
Knock, knock
Creak
As soon as she knocked on the door, the door opened on its own.
Bell tilted her head as she looked inside. There, she saw Yennekar lying on the bed, buried like a corpse with her head covered by her pillow.
"Lady Yennekar… ?"
"Oh, Bell…! It's you, Bell…! I-I was surprised because I thought Ed had come in!"
"Ah, I apologize…"
"Oh, no… There's no reason for you to apologize…"
Bell was confused, but she didn't let it show. As always, she succeeded in responding calmly and quietly.
"I see you have come back. Are you sick? Your complexion is a bit… it doesn't look great…"
"Oh, uh… I-It's because I didn't sleep well."
"It's been a while since you last slept in this bed, so that makes sense. You look very tired."
"Yeah, ah, no… well… I just had a bunch of thoughts, that's why."
"A bunch of thoughts…?"
"Yeah, they were just random thoughts! It's nothing that great and there's no need to be so curious about it. It was just miscellaneous thoughts!"
Yennekar grabbed her pillow tightly as she sat up, raising her upper body.
"S-Seeing your face after such a long time really makes me feel as if I've come back to Silvenia. H-Have you been well?!"
"Are you sure you're okay? If you are sick, I can give you some medicine."
"N-No, I'm really fine! I got a little hot last night, but it wasn't because I was sick or anything! I-It was just that… I just got a little hot for another reason!"
"You got hot, but you aren't sick? You shouldn't be too quick to come to that conclusion on your own, Lady Yennekar."
"N-No I'm sure of it! I didn't get hot because I was sick! It's my body, so I'm sure of it!"
Why would a person's body heat up without them being sick?
Bell hesitated for a moment, as she couldn't understand. Then, another possibility came to mind.
The quick-witted Bell quickly realized that Yennekar's behavior was unusual.
However, it was still a possibility that was difficult to even guess, so she decided to just test her luck.
"It seems that Young Master Ed has been cutting firewood since early in the morning. His health has not fully recovered yet, so if he starts going back to work already, his condition might get worse."
"I-Is that so…?"
"Yes. So, as his caregiver, I want him to hold back a little… Would you like to come with me to talk to him?"
Yennekar was living in the same camp as Ed, and she was not the type of person who hated him, either… It was a suggestion that she had no real reason to refuse.
"N-No thanks… I'm a little…"
But Yennekar was holding her pillow tightly as she swallowed her breath. At that point, Bell Maya was convinced.
Something happened last night.
It was clear from the fact that Yennekar's luggage was still outside, as she didn't' bring it into her cabin. There was also her strange attitude, as if she was pretending that she was fine.
Yennekar and Ed, who were reunited after a long time… Who knows what kind of conversation they had while looking at each other with the campfire between them… One's imagination could run wild.
It was a private matter, and that secrecy deserved to be kept, but… Bell Maya was only human…!
No matter how professional a maid she was, she couldn't completely control her curiosity…!
Not only that, but it was also Ed's camp, not Ophelis Hall. That meant it was an environment where she could be free from the heavy burden of being the head maid…
Bell Maya's unchanging principle of always acting like a professional slowly started to crack.
In fact, Bell deserved it. Considering her dedication, being curious about something like that wasn't all that great a crime.
However, it was impossible to ask Yennekar for the details.
As a veteran, she decided to elicit Yennekar's confession with a quick attack.
"…By any chance, did you sleep with Young Master Ed last night?"
Bell knew that couldn't be the case.
"What are you talking about?!!! We didn't go that far!!!"
With a completely startled expression, Yennekar raised her voice, frowning.
"…'That far'…?"
"Huh."
In the end, Yennekar couldn't escape from Bell Maya's palm.
Her eyes widened as she tried to belatedly close her mouth. However, the trap had already been set.
"Then… How far did you go…?"
Checkmate.
* * *
[ Magic Skills Details
Grade: Proficient Magician
Specialized Field: Elements
Common Magic:
܀ Fast Casting Lvl 13
܀ Mana Sense Lvl 14
Fire Element Magic:
܀ Ignite Lvl 18
܀ Point Explosion Lvl 4
Wind Element Magic:
܀ Wind Blade Lvl 16
Spirit-type Magic:
Spiritual Resonance Lvl 18
Spiritual Understanding Lvl 18
Spirit Manifestation Lvl 13
Sense Sharing Lvl 13
Resonance Level: 8
Spiritual Efficiency: Perfect
Innate Skills:
܀ Blessing of Fire Fortune (Temporary Immunity to Fire)
܀ Explosion (Low-level Explosion)
܀ Increased Ability of Fire-Type Magic
Resonance Level: 5
Spiritual Efficiency: Really Good
Innate Skills:
܀ Water Lioness' Blessing (Temporary Immunity to Flames)
܀ Manifestation of a Water Source (Intermediate Water Magic)
܀ Increased Ability of Water-Type Magic
Resonance Level: 6
Spiritual Efficiency: Normal
Innate Skills:
܀ Storm's Blessing (Periodically Neutralizes Damage)
܀ Updraft (Intermediate Wind Magic)
܀ Increased Ability of Wind-Type Magic ]
"Huff, Huff…"
When I was in good shape, I was able to cut firewood for two hours and be completely fine. But in my current state, I was exhausted just working for thirty minutes.
My body had not yet fully recovered. However, if I started rehabilitation now, I should be fine when the curriculum started at the beginning of the semester.
Wiping away my sweat, I continued looking over my magic skills.
Through various hardships, I was now close to being a master at beginner level magic.
As for Wind Blade and Ignite, there were only a handful of magicians who had more firepower than me.
My magic power efficiency had also fully developed. It had almost reached a point where I could use it as easily as breathing.
Now, I wanted to increase the number of intermediate spells I could use. Advanced magic as well, if possible.
As for intermediate magic, as long as I followed along with my classes, I would likely be able to learn a few. But for advanced magic, it was a completely different story.
Normally, most people were unable to use advanced magic before they graduated.
Even when you became a full-fledged magician, you still had to train for many years to reach the realm of advanced magic.
Students who wielded advanced magic… They were so rare that there were only one or two students who were capable of such a feat in each grade level.
Currently, there were less than ten students who could use Advanced Elemental Magic at Silvenia Academy.
Lucy Mayreel, Ziggs Eiffelstein, Trayciana Bloomriver, Atalanta, and a few other honor students in fourth year.
It was too greedy to expect student magicians to be capable of using advanced magic. That was why advanced magic wasn't included in the school's curriculum. It was a field that was only allowed to some geniuses.
In other words, it was an area that could not be reached through the school's regular classes… I had to find another way.
"Well, if you're having a hard time in school or if Assistant Professor Cleoh is acting like an ass, you can come and tell me about it. Because if there's one thing that I'm really good at, it's harassing someone."
"Then, I'll teach you how to handle advanced magic."
What suddenly came to mind was Professor Kaleid, who I had faced in the final exam.
There weren't many professors who could teach advanced magic to students. Because advanced magic itself was so complicated and difficult to learn, it wasn't an easy task to teach it.
And I just happened to be a student assistant in Assistant Professor Cleoh's lab. So, that meant I can easily meet with Assistant Professor Cleoh's advisor, Professor Kaleid.
However, there were already so many rumors about Professor Kaleid…
He was constantly drunk and always smoking. He really was the worst of the worst. Without his experience, there would be no way he would be able to make a living. He was the definition of a person who lived life haphazardly.
Because he was a professor with such poor rumors about him going around, no one wanted to learn magic from him.
"Hmm…"
I remember seeing Professor Kaleid several times in the setting book.
The three professors that followed the guardian Obel Forsyth to Acken Island to teach: Inquirer Glast, Outlaw Kaleid, Amputator Zellan.
From the setting books, I thought he was a great person. In reality, it seemed that was not the case. Though, from my position, there were too many things that I was still unsure about when it came to him.
Should I think about it a bit more?
Deciding to organize my thoughts, I took a break.
Clap, Clap, Clap
As I took off my top and splashed cold water from the river onto my face…
Bell came out of the bushes near the camp… as she started to clap her hands.
It was strange to see the veteran maid, who was always composed and barely changed her expression, suddenly appear while clapping her hands like that.
"You were here, Bell?"
Clap, Clap, Clap
"..."
"So, this is where you were, Young Master Ed."
"Why are you clapping your hands…?"
"Just… I was a little touched."
As if she knew something, Bell had a complex expression on her face that seemed as if she was relieved.
"Even a relationship that looks like it will be stagnant forever starts to move forward with time… I've worked as a maid for a long time, and there were many moments when I felt rewarded and proud… And now, it feels like another page has been added to those many experiences…"
"You're talking quite a bit compared to your normal self… Well, whatever…"
I hadn't been chopping wood for that long, but I was already quite exhausted. I poured the river water over my head again as I took a deep breath, sitting down on a flat rock.
Dawn had already passed, but it was still not quite morning yet. I was now a morning person.
"I brought some ingredients that were discarded during our inspection this morning. I put them on your workbench, so when you have time, you should eat."
"Thanks. I owe you a lot. But… There is no way to pay you back. If you run into any trouble while working at Ophelis Hall, let me know. I will help you however I can."
"That's okay. There are many things that I have to take care of at Ophelis Hall as my personal duties. In fact, seeing that your condition and life has improved quite a bit makes me feel relieved."
"Thanks for your concern, but… Shouldn't you take care of your own body as well? It looks like you lost a bit of weight recently?"
Bell tilted her head as she stood with her hands clasped in front of her.
"I did lose some weight, but… It's nothing to worry about. The first thing you learn as a maid in Ophelis Hall is to take care of yourself. You have to always have a clean appearance, always be presentable, and maintain a healthy body to be able to serve properly."
"If that's what you say, then I guess it's fine… But it must be exhausting to live a life so perfect."
"Well, If we're talking about taking care of our bodies, then you are the issue, Young Master Ed… Aren't you in a condition where you shouldn't be working yet?"
I nodded my head roughly as I checked my body, which had no strength left.
I tried moving my body around, but it didn't move as easily as before. I couldn't count on Bell forever, so I'd have to get better soon…
"I think I can at least manage the basics in the camp."
Compared to before, I could now use a bit of magic power. I'd gained enough strength that I can at least carry on with my daily life.
"When the semester starts, I'm sure you will also be busy. So, I need to start taking care of myself again."
"But aren't you still recovering your magic power? Won't you run into problems when you study magic?"
"I'll just have to try my best. Aside from magic, I also have other things that I needed to pay attention to as well."
"Other things?"
I looked at the entirety of my camp as I spoke.
"Making the cabin a bit bigger. That's one of my goals for next semester."
In terms of magic, becoming capable of advanced magic.
In terms of survival, a major expansion to the cabin.
For now, that was the plan I had.
Aside from that, there were plenty of other things I wanted to do. For example, crafting a special bow, signing a new low-ranking spirit contract, crafting additional legendary magically engineering items, and training my celestial magic… For now, I was sure of my major goals.
In particular, it was very inconvenient to have to go to the soul library every time I wanted to train my magic engineering.
The act of going there itself was difficult, but the problem was when it snowed or rained, or I had other schedules to take care of.
If you always had time to practice magic engineering, you needed to set up your own workshop at the camp.
However, if I built a new cabin, the heating efficiency would be lowered, and it would require more effort to manage.
That was why I thought it would be better to do some construction and build a second floor to my cabin.
"I want to increase the number of rooms a little more and make a second floor to use as a study and workshop."
"Then, you will need quite a bit of materials and manpower."
"I plan on asking Yennekar and her spirits to help, as well as discuss construction personnel and materials with the Elte Company. Since this is a financial matter, I have to think about it carefully."
"Can you afford it?"
"Since I became the top student in my school year, I now don't have to pay any tuition. So, I plan to invest that extra money into the camp."
Bell had a strange expression on her face.
I sat on a flat rock as I stared at her face, wondering what was wrong.
"I'm surprised that you still have no plans to return to the dormitories. Life would be much easier there."
"This is my home now."
It was a camp that I built after crawling through the dirt and persevering through various hardships.
Even when I was completely exhausted and needed a break, in the end, I chose to come back to the camp.
"Anyway, you don't have to help me with the basic management anymore. Whether it's cleaning or gathering firewood, I've recovered enough to be able to do those things myself."
"That is nice to hear, but I have to come to camp regularly anyway, so don't worry too much!"
"Hm? Why?"
I realized it after I said it, but I already knew the answer.
Bell took out an old-fashioned key from her pocket as she showed it to me.
"I was going to do some cleaning in the villa today…"
Bell's expression looks strangely complicated.
"Lady Lortel is returning to school tomorrow."
* * *
Yennekar was holed up in her cabin, not coming out until after lunchtime.
Occasionally, I could hear the sound of her hitting the walls of her cabin, throwing her pillows around, and such, but… I pretended not to know.
For now, it looked like she still needed some time. It was clear that it would only have the opposite effect if I went to see her first.
[It's been a long time since I've felt so satisfied]
As if she drank a ton of nutritious medicine, Merilda, whose complexion had improved dramatically, was in a bright mood.
"…Now, keep your promise."
[Of course.]
After lunch, the fire was lit again. That was to prevent unnecessary wild animals from approaching and to boil some drinking water.
I wanted to prepare lunch, but Bell, who was cleaning Lortel's villa, had come out, stopped me, and started preparing the ingredients herself.
I ended up sitting in a corner of the camp, having a small conversation with Merilda.
[The spirit's remains aren't accessible all the time. So, I'll let you know when the time comes.]
"…Is that all you're going to say, and then just move on?"
[You don't believe me? That's a bit disappointing.]
Playfully talking back to me, Merilda opened and closed her sinister eyes as the wind blew by.
[It's not time yet. When the wind blows stronger.]
"..."
[You won't regret your choice. I'm sure of it.]
After Merilda spoke, she shut her mouth as a breeze blew through the camp.
Late summer was also a great time to be outside at the camp, since the tall grass helped cool down the heat.
Because of the bright clear sky that was unique to summer, and the forest full of vitality… I couldn't even feel the scorching heat.
Rather, I felt the faint scent of autumn in the passing breeze.
Ed Rothstaylor, third year, second semester student at Silvenia. Could he rest a bit this break?
I'd been running around without a break, so maybe it would be fine to take it easy for the next semester. There was still a lot of work left to do, but maybe it would be worthwhile to take a short break.
With that thought, I also closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the passing breeze. I hoped that I'd be able to rest a bit during the next semester.
And that was how break came to an end.
Tanya, who was extremely busy with the affairs of the house. Princess Penia, who must have been nervous while preparing for the competition to the throne. And Lucy, who went to the imperial court on my behalf. They all must have been thinking about returning to Acken Island soon.
How would things at Rothstaylor Mansion be finished up…? For me, who was recuperating on Acken Island, there was no way to know.
I just hoped everyone was doing well on their own.
* * *
That evening, a letter from the imperial family arrived at the camp.
Naturally, I thought it was a letter from Princess Penia. Surprisingly, the person who sent it was Princess Selah.
'The First Princess of the glorious Kroel Empire, Selah Einer Kroel.'
The letter was full of flowery words, and just looking at it, it seemed luxurious. It was rimmed with a gold frame and there was a seal that symbolized the Kroel Imperial Household.
"..."
Sitting by the campfire, I opened the letter with a puzzled expression on my face.
'To Sir Ed Rothstaylor,
At the Kroel Imperial Household, an Imperial meeting was held to determine the policy of treatment towards the survivor of the Rothstaylor family, and their successor.
However, it was concluded that the truth behind the events were not fully understood, so it is necessary for the related parties to appear.'
The strangest thing was… The title by which she was calling me. It had been upgraded to 'Sir Ed Rothstaylor'.
I started to have a strange feeling about it.
'Lady Tanya Rothstaylor has participated in the investigation as Sir Ed Rothstaylor's replacement. However, the conclusion has yet to be completed… Thus, the policy of treatment was also put on hold for the time being.
'However, we have decided that we need to return the talents of House Rothstaylor, who currently occupy key positions, back to their original houses. Thus, there will be quite a few people who will be unable to be reinstated in the process.'
'As the decision has been made, in regard to Lady Lucy Mayreel, who attended the meeting as Sir Ed Rothstaylor's representative, we would like her to immediately return to Acken Island.
'There was a small disturbance by Lady Lucy at the imperial meeting, but it was decided to acquit her in thanks to the merits she acquired during the Rothstaylor disaster.
'However, even after that, she continues to stay in the Imperial palace in her private room for several hours, holding onto the Imperial household's chef, entering the forbidden section within the top of the palace, and running around underground… There are so many problematic actions that she has taken that it is impossible to write them all down in this letter.
'No matter what we do, she refuses to return to the school. I hope that Sir Ed Rothstaylor will personally send her a letter urging her to go back.'
"..."
"Who is the letter from, Young Master Ed?"
"…Hmm."
I already knew that House Rothstaylor would be dealt with at the Imperial Central Meeting.
Well, it was obvious what had happened.
Those who supported and those who were against House Rothstaylor must have been split, fighting fiercely with each other to decide whether Rothstaylor's authority should be maintained or taken away.
In the process, there must have been various debates over whether I should appear in front of them, be protected, or be executed.
However, it seemed that Lucy was not sitting quietly in the meeting room. Although they needed her there as 'a necessity'… It seemed that she had caused such a commotion that they had already taken away her merit of getting rid of Mebula.
Not only that, but it seemed she was also causing a riot inside the imperial palace. In the end, Princess Selah had to bow her head and send me a letter of request.
In other words, the contents of the letter were long, but… In summary, the key points were as follows:
Lucy Mayreel.
Please, take her back.
"That girl… Just what in the world is she doing in the Imperial Palace…?"
The letter was written in a proper and political tone, but beyond that, the feelings of Princess Selah's were clearly visible….
I suddenly… felt somewhat bad for her…
-x-X-x-
"Lucy Mayreel."
About a week before school started, Princess Penia invited Lucy to her private rooms.
"It's about time… for you to go back to school…"
In the center of the empire's capital, Kroelon, the Kroel Imperial Palace reached all the way up to the sky.
There were a total of eleven palaces and twenty-one annexes, all centered around the central spire. Looking down from the sky, it would feel as if a large village were located there in the capital.
Among them, the Rose Palace—which was located northeast of the central spire—was primarily used as a living space for the royal family.
The marble building, located on the outermost edge of the Rose Palace, was the reception room built exclusively for Princess Penia… Inside of it, Lucy Mayreel sat, tired.
Anyone would be astonished to see her lying lazily on her back in that room.
It was Princess Penia's private reception room within the Rose Palace, which was considered the most luxurious and refined place in the entire royal palace.
Even the highest advisors inside the royal palace would lower their eyes when they entered that room. Yet there Lucy Mayreel was, lying on the sofa with a sleepy look in her eyes.
At first, people were startled by her actions. However, as Lucy Mayreel continued to stay in the imperial palace for a long time, everyone slowly got used to it.
In the first place, she was always that kind of person.
Rather than fitting into her surroundings, she was a person that made the people around her fit her.
She was a person with enough power and skill to do that.
"..."
Lucy looked at Princess Penia, who was sitting opposite her, with blank eyes.
From Princess Penia's position, it felt as if she were sitting at the negotiating table with the fate of the imperial family in her hands.
Since she was attending Silvenia Academy with Lucy Mayreel, weren't they somewhat acquainted already?
The imperial palace hoped that Princess Penia would be able to persuade Lucy and send her back.
"It's already been a few days since you caused that chaos at the imperial meeting."
"…Is that so…? Time sure flies…"
It had been an imperial meeting to discuss what they should do with House Rothstaylor.
Selah's opinion was that they should get rid of the members of House Rothstaylor, and that both Tanya and Ed should be brought to the imperial court to discuss the incident and be held accountable.
Penia's opinion was that the members of House Rothstaylor should be held on standby for the time being. As they already had Tanya and Lucy representing the incident, they should leave Ed Rothstaylor alone for now.
Persica's opinion was that House Rothstaylor should be stripped of its title and only those with abilities should be kept. She also thought that Ed Rothstaylor should be detained until the situation came to an end.
Selah, who was hostile, Penia, who was friendly, and Persica, who was relatively neutral to House Rothstaylor. The three of them were at odds. At that moment, Lucy broke into the conference hall.
With all of the entrances closed off with advanced light and elemental magic, she sat down at the conference table in front of the emperor, looking down on everyone else with cold eyes. Seeing her threaten everyone with her enormous amount of magic power, Princess Penia was dumbfounded.
She was a hero who had gotten rid of Mebula herself and saved the lives of dozens of high-ranking nobles… yet she looked so gruesome.
She didn't like that the flow of the meeting was moving towards arresting Ed Rothstaylor.
That was how Lucy ended up committing a crime, one where it wouldn't even be strange if she were sentenced to death over it. She somehow managed to avoid it thanks to the fact that she had accumulated a large number of great deeds at Rothstaylor Mansion.
It was no easy feat to throw away all of the praise she received in an instant, yet she definitely went ahead and did that.
"Actually… It doesn't matter if I don't graduate…"
The only reason Lucy Mayreel attended Silvenia Academy was because of Glockt Elderbane's wishes.
He asked her to help deal with the crisis that would one day befall Silvenia. However, he also wanted Lucy to grow up while enjoying school life.
Though, that wasn't happening.
"Still… You've already been attending for two years. It would be a waste of the time you spent there, so shouldn't you just go ahead and graduate?"
"Hmm…"
"Don't you want to go back to that cabin in the camp already? I'm sure the imperial palace is comfortable, but still, you spent most of your time back at the camp."
Lucy nodded her head as she listened to Penia. Thinking of it, it'd been a while since she had last seen Ed Rothstaylor.
In fact, since she had been flung into a fit of anger, she had forgotten. Either way, she would eventually have to go back to Acken Island.
"I also have to go back to Acken Island before the start of term, so let's go together. It'll be more comfortable to ride with me back to school in a well-equipped imperial carriage."
Hearing what Penia was saying, Lucy had no reason to shake her head.
She had ridden in Selah's carriage to the imperial palace, but when she returned to Acken Island, she would have to ride back in an uncomfortable private carriage.
Since she was going to have to travel a long distance regardless, it was better to ride in the comfortable imperial carriage.
"Then… Should I do that…?"
Lucy spoke as if she agreed to the offer.
As Princess Penia heard that, she nodded her head and looked at the servant next to her. The servant then walked outside as they reported the news to a group of other servants waiting outside.
"The Archmage said she is returning to school!"
"Finally! She's finally leaving!"
"Hurray! Hurray!"
"We are finally going back to our daily lives!"
"Princess Penia! It was all thanks to Princess Penia!"
Because Lucy—who was brought to the palace by Selah—gave the servants a hard time whenever she could, they all started shouting in joy.
Their shouts could be heard all the way inside Princess Penia's reception room. Though, Lucy didn't look as if she cared as she lay on the sofa lazily.
Penia took a deep breath. She felt relieved, as if she had finally solved one thing.
Penia, who had arrived at the imperial palace quickly… had managed to regain her loss of power to some extent.
Most people were still on Princess Selah's side. However, it felt as if some of the workers in the palace, including the middle managers—especially those within House Rothstaylor, who were close to losing their positions—were on Princess Penia's side.
Still, it would be difficult for her to face Princess Selah's power head-on… Right now, the amount of power Princess Penia possessed wasn't enough to threaten her.
"But…"
The sudden question she brought up was her considering whether continuing to attend Silvenia Academy was the correct choice or not.
In the first place, the reason Princess Penia attended Silvenia was because she had no desire for the throne.
However, if she started to confront Princess Selah head-on, then aiming for the throne became an inevitable goal.
If that happened, moving away from the imperial palace and staying on Acken Island would become a major weakness.
Nevertheless, Princess Penia decided to head back to Acken Island for now.
Right now, she needed to take Lucy back to Acken Island, and she wanted to meet with Ed Rothstaylor to check on his condition.
"Perhaps… This could be my last semester at Silvenia."
Suddenly having such a thought, Princess Penia felt a strange feeling inside of her.
* * *
"Finally! She's finally leaving!"
"Hurray! Hurray!"
"We are finally going back to our daily lives!"
From outside the window, the voices of the servants shouting could be heard.
"Ed Rothstaylor."
Princess Persica's office was located among the private offices within the Rose Palace.
In the second princess's office, there were an unreasonable number of books piled up. You could barely see the floor and walls of the office.
A girl sat among the piles of books as she scratched her chin, thinking deeply.
After Prince Lindon gave up on the throne, there weren't any significant variables in the competition for the throne within the family.
However, seeing Princess Penia and Selah argue over what to do with Ed Rothstaylor… It seemed that they were both holding a key that Princess Persica didn't know about.
That wasn't good… There must be a reason why the other two princesses were so obsessed with him. She couldn't even guess the reason, she was so out of the loop from them.
Even Lucy Mayreel, the number one contributor to the resolution of the incident, was openly defending him. No matter how she looked at it, he was an unusual man. A variable that should not be taken lightly.
It seemed that she needed to learn more about that man. Being left behind didn't suit Persica's temper.
However, it was extremely difficult for her to meet with him in person. It seemed that he was currently living on Acken Island, which was located on the southwestern tip of the continent. The physical distance between them was too great.
Normally, it wouldn't be unheard of for a princess to use her authority to summon someone. However, at that point, the decision on whether he would appear in the imperial court or not had become a major political issue. It wasn't going to be an easy task to summon him alone.
With the situation like that, she had no choice but to personally go and see him on Acken Island. However, it would be too politically obvious if Princess Persica were to travel there all of a sudden.
Selah and Penia were constantly watching and being wary of Persica. There was a high possibility that Ed Rothstaylor would be wary as well.
Princess Penia was originally a student at Silvenia, so it wasn't all that strange for her to return to Acken Island. Persica was an outsider.
"Right now… There's no justification to forcefully meet with him."
Persica fell into anguish, looking through all kinds of history books that were piled up to the side.
The former heir to the Rothstaylor family, and a man who was once famous for being a fool. Though, recently his reputation had begun to recover.
However, since she had never met him in person, Persica felt as if Ed Rothstaylor's entire existence was hidden mysteriously under a veil.
Either way, she thought that she needed to remain particularly conscious of his existence. In some ways, it seemed like he would greatly influence the competition for the throne.
As such, Ed Rothstaylor was slowly becoming a major factor that the three princesses were contending for.
* * *
"Are you expanding the camp?"
"For now, I only want to make it a little more decent. Most of it I'll take care of myself, but there are definitely some parts that are going to require a helping hand."
"Hmm…"
The next day, Lortel returned with a different impression than expected. Though, it wasn't a dramatic change.
Her foxlike eyes and cunning appearance were still there, but her reddish-brown hair, which was tied to one side, seemed slightly longer than before.
Was she consciously growing her hair out, or was the hair that came down her back just fluffier than before…? Either way, rather than the clean and precise feeling she gave off before, she felt a bit warmer.
As a merchant who even used her appearance as a weapon, I thought that there was likely a reason for the change.
"Of course, I'm not saying that I want your help for free. Since I am now the top student, I have a lot of leftover money from my tuition. So, I'm planning on investing that money into the camp."
I felt that it probably wouldn't be polite to talk about business with Lortel, as she had just returned. At the same time, I felt as if Lortel actually preferred to talk about money and business. She had always been that type of girl.
"Well, we can use a spare carriage to help procure the materials. It's not like you're going to be building a large building, so the construction of the cabin should be finished quickly. It won't cost all that much."
Lortel's personal belongings, which were brought over by the store's employees, were piled up near the bonfire.
The wooden house Lortel built wasn't big enough to call it a villa for the wealthy. That was because Lortel was well aware that building a large villa by herself would make it feel out of place.
Lortel's Villa, which fit perfectly on one side of the camp, had been cleaned by Bell Maya the day before.
I took a sneak peek inside. The space inside was a little bigger than my cabin, and there was clean furniture inside as well.
It wasn't all that luxurious, but it felt like it had everything.
"If you are going to make a second floor… Do you plan on putting your personal workshop on the second floor as well?"
"You really are sharp."
"While we're building it, should I go ahead and add a room for me as well?"
"..."
I didn't bother answering as Lortel smiled bewitchingly.
"I guess you can't take a joke. Anyway, it won't cost that much, so the store will go ahead and take care of it."
"No, you should take my money."
"What?"
After thinking for a bit, I finally handed Lortel a leather pouch with some gold coins inside of it.
"Oh my, I didn't realize you would be paying me so casually like that. Weren't you trying to save as much as you could?"
"I feel like I keep owing you more and more, so I'm planning to pay you back in any way that I can."
As if not expecting me to say such a thing, Lortel looked at me for a moment with a puzzled expression on her face.
After a while, she quickly fixed her expression and smiled as if she knew what I was thinking.
"If you keep giving me favors, I'm going to start taking it for granted. If you aren't careful, people will quickly start to look down on you."
"Oh, my. You're right, but… I'm not sure."
Lortel then smiled brightly. I had no idea she could make such an expression.
"I'm still not going to take your money."
"...?"
"If I did, wouldn't it feel like we're drawing a line because of a business relationship? People who are close usually borrow a small amount from each other without expecting them to pay it back."
"Did you, of all people, really just say that…?"
Wasn't she a demon that carefully calculated every single cent and chased after those that owed her until they reached hell?
In fact, I heard that the recovery rate of Lortel's loans in the Commercial District exceeded that of 90%. In other words, unless there were unavoidable circumstances or a natural disaster, she would make sure to get it all back.
"Take it."
"It's fine. I don't need the money."
"I said take it."
"I won't take it."
We continued to argue with each other for a while. It felt as if something about her really had changed.
Wasn't Lortel someone who used to always ask for money in return?
I even heard stories about how she demanded Silvenia pay her back and argued all the way to the penny during negotiations about deliveries… It was strange that such a girl didn't want to take my money.
"Ed… The world isn't all about money…"
"Is that something you should say?"
"One's heart is more beautiful than money. How could someone try to evaluate others' favor with money? It's not a good habit to put a price on everything."
Unfortunately, putting a price on everything was Lortel's specialty.
"To be honest, I want this debt to be placed on your heart, Ed."
"What does that even mean?"
"If I treat you favorably and don't take your money, even when you open your wallet so casually like that… Then you'll feel a debt in your heart, right?"
Lortel sat on the other side of the campfire. Just how many tricks and hidden schemes did she go through while spending her break at Oldek?
Seeing her look even more like a fox, I let out a gasp as I nearly bit my tongue.
"To me, that's more valuable. And it's the habit of those who live in the world of business to invest in the more valuable things."
"…What happened in Oldek?""
"..."
Without beating around the bush, I bluntly asked her about it.
It seemed that regardless of how good Lortel was at speaking, she didn't expect me to say something that would stab her so deeply… She was completely speechless for a moment.
Lortel sat across from me at the campfire as she stiffened for a moment. She then smiled casually again.
"It's not good to surprise me like that, Ed."
"I'm just asking."
"I can't say. Something may have happened, or maybe nothing happened at all. To me, I was just doing my regular work."
Lortel gently lowered her hood. Only then did I see all of Lortel's hair.
The hair that gently flowed down the back of her neck looked even fuller… It made Lortel look much more mature.
"While I was away, people that were supposed to be my close aides filled their back pockets."
"Are you saying you've been betrayed?"
"Actually, it's a bit too dramatic to say I was betrayed. In the first place, this is a place that's full of people who are desperate to get their own share and run away, even if it means selling an eye. That fact is also true for those I thought were my close aides."
Lortel raised one hand as she rubbed her thumb and index finger, continuing to speak.
"No matter where I am, if I leave my seat for a period of time, this type of thing happens. Embezzlement, information leakage, damage to goods, spies… When I went back to Oldek for the first time in a long time, the company was in quite a bit of chaos… Though, I managed to fix things quite a bit."
"Is that why you felt bad? Because your employees stabbed you in the back?"
"No way. Do I look like someone who would feel bad because of something like that?"
There was definitely no sadness hidden behind Lortel's smile.
However, that didn't mean she was fine.
Constantly getting betrayed and harassed, she had come to think of it as normal.
"Everyone is just trying to take just a bit more to survive. I also used to do that quite a bit before I took my seat."
"..."
"It's just been a while since I've gone back to Oldek and seen such a thing… I just felt as if many people were trying to harm me there. But at the very least, here on Acken Island… How should I say it? There is this unique romance in the air."
The scenery of students gathering at Silvenia Academy to study… It certainly made those who were harmful and stubborn relax.
While you were there, it was definitely not easy to maintain that grit you once had. People were more influenced by their environment than they realized.
"I told you, we are the same. Coming back after a long time and seeing your face, I'm reminded of that thought again… I guess I've become somewhat emotional."
"You're now emotional? In what way?"
"I'm not sure. It's just…"
Lortel started to quiet down at the end. I wasn't sure what she was trying to say.
No, it felt a little different than that.
The reason Lortel was strangely hesitant was because she was still reluctant to expose her weaknesses truthfully.
She lived in a world where it was common sense to take advantage of those who exposed their weaknesses.
However, did she only stop herself temporarily?
I watched her wrap her arms around her knees as she spoke self-deprecatingly.
"I have a strange desire to give and receive unconditional favors."
A cold-blooded person who was desperate to steal everyone's money, even if it was just a single penny.
It was a rather harsh evaluation for a girl, but the people in the commercial district all looked at Lortel like that.
However, she shook her head, refusing to accept even a single penny of my money. If you were to find the reason for her actions, ultimately it would be related to her lonely life.
"Well, it's not the first time I've spoken about it… So, there's no reason for me to be so shy."
"If you keep acting like that, people will treat you as a pushover."
"Who will? You will? To me?"
Lortel shook her head as she pointed at herself. She then started to giggle. Seeing that refreshing smile of hers, she felt like a completely different person than before.
"Hahaha. Don't worry. I still have a line that I need to keep. So, you don't have to worry about that."
"I didn't plan on doing that, either. I intended to receive your favor as a favor."
At least from my point of view, there wasn't much confidence I could instill in Lortel. All I could do was hope she did what she needed to do.
"Anyway, I still have to pay for this. This is a personal issue of mine, not yours."
"You're quite stubborn in that regard. Well, I guess I can take a few coins from you."
Lortel smiled softly as she continued to speak like usual.
"Still, why don't you treat me like a pushover?"
"What?"
"Even if I'm a pushover, there's more of a difference than you think between knowing I am one and not."
Lortel had an expression on her face as if she were relieved, so it was a bit difficult for me to say anything back to her.
"I'll let you use me while I know about it. So, for the time being, you can speak to me without holding back."
"..."
"I must confess, you're the only person around me that I treat like this. At the very least, it's been a long time since I could laugh so sincerely like this."
Lortel closed her eyes as she felt the breeze of the forest.
She seemed rather relaxed, so I didn't want to bother her.
"It feels good to be back on Acken Island. The air is much cleaner, and the environment is more comfortable than in Oldek."
For a while, Lortel enjoyed the breeze of Acken Island to the fullest.
"By the way, once the construction of the cabin starts, he won't have a place to sleep."
Bell Maya, who had finished most of her work at Ophelis Hall, carried Lortel's luggage as she placed it inside the villa.
Lortel was used to calling upon a servant to assist her. She sat by the campfire silently as she warmed herself up.
The cool autumn wind passed through Lortel's reddish hair.
"I guess that's true. I'll have to find a solution for that."
"Why are you looking so far away? My villa is right next door."
"This isn't the time to joke. I might really end up sleeping on the streets."
"Oh my…"
Lortel held her chin as she smiled bewitchingly.
"I wasn't joking, though."
"..."
Although Lortel's villa wasn't massive, it is still quite spacious for Lortel alone.
That said, there was no way I was just going to move in and live with her.
"Even after I said that, you still don't seem to be all that surprised. Hmm…"
"Why have you been making comments like that for a while?"
"I just wanted to see you panic for once. If I keep flirting with you like this, then surely you will be left speechless, right?"
"In the first place, what would you even do if I said I really planned to move in and live with you?"
"But you don't want to do that."
"What if I do?"
Lortel laughed softly as she brushed her hands over her clothes.
As I sat quietly watching her… she slowly started to tremble.
"…Eek…"
"..."
"R-Really…?"
Since she was someone who always attacked others, she had a rather weak defensive wall. That was the characteristic of someone who was good at pushing but bad at pulling.
Anyway, I really didn't want to move in with her. However, imagining what it would be like if I really did move into Lortel's villa, spending a few days with her, I felt a strange sense of reality hit.
I took a deep breath as I lowered my head. Lortel calmly fanned her face as she regained her composure. It seemed that the conclusion to that question had been reached.
Lortel let out a sigh, as if the situation was ridiculous. She then took a moment to calm her breathing.
And the moment she was about to say something…
Flop.
As Lortel and I looked at each other through the campfire—
Suddenly, another girl came and took a seat.
She had been stuck in her cabin all day, hitting the wall and throwing her pillow.
Perhaps she had finally calmed down, as she barely managed to walk over and sit down at the campfire.
"..."
Although more than a day had passed since that major incident, her cheeks were still bright red, as if she hadn't calmed down yet.
Perhaps because she heard the conversation that I was having with Lortel from inside her cabin, she had come out. Dragging her body over, she sat down, wriggling her finger around.
Maybe she didn't want to leave me and Lortel alone by ourselves? It clearly felt as if she was thinking that as she came out and sat down.
As for me, I was also worried about Yennekar's condition, which had become a mess after rolling around in bed all day… Though, I was currently more concerned about her mental health, as her cheeks resembled a bomb that was about to explode.
As we all sat there, unable to say anything first… An awkward silence remained for a while.
"..."
Yennekar blushed as she tried to figure out what to say.
Lortel, who was watching her from the other side of the campfire… finally ended up saying something.
"What is this?"
I couldn't tell if she was talking to herself or to someone else.
"What is… with this atmosphere…??"