Chapter 191: After a Long Night (1)
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
It felt a bit strange to just call it a stretching sound.
Assistant Professor Cleoh opened the glass door of Trix Hall's main entrance as she looked out at the rising morning sun. She burst into tears from how pleasant the morning air she missed was.
Alongside Professor Kaleid, who didn't even pretend to do his share of the work, she had finally ended her extremely long watch duty.
Her blonde hair, which had become frizzy from staying up all night, was sticking out all over the place. Her eyes were completely disheveled and she looked dead on the inside.
There was no trace of dignity as she stretched like an old man.
Just a few years ago, Assistant Professor Cleoh was a pretty and young honor student within Silvenia. One who exuded an atmosphere around her that made it difficult for people to hastily talk to her.
Over just a few years, she was thrown into society and had completely changed. No longer did she try to wear pretty makeup or fix her unruly hair.
Was the decision to become a professor too reckless?
Even while taking in the fresh morning air that cooled her lungs, bringing tears of joy down her cheeks, she still wasn't feeling all that great.
"Why are there records of medical personnel being dispatched at dawn?"
"Ah, yes… A student was injured near the North Forest."
"Ugh. A student got hurt?"
"Yes. I have prepared the report, so you can check it out. There is no need for you to take any further action, as the incident has already been reported to the deputy headmaster."
The next worker on duty, who was in the middle of the handover procedure, clicked his tongue as he read through it.
"Just what happened last night…?"
"There were quite a few incidents. The Elte Store located on the eastern side of the commercial district collapsed. Even though it happened outside of the education district, it wasn't something we could ignore."
"Huh, the Elte Store? What happened? Have you finished the investigation?"
The worker pushed his glasses up, speaking as if he were flustered.
After closing the door that had been opened for ventilation, Cleoh entered the watch office and spoke.
"They say it was an explosion caused by the lack of risk inventory management."
The answer was really simple.
"Risk inventory management?"
"It seems that magic items engraved with an explosion spell ended up causing a chain explosion in the Elte Company's warehouse."
While checking the list, the worker responded as if completely bewildered.
"The Elte Company, the ones who distribute nearly every type of item there is, made such a mistake?"
"Well, there were no serious injuries or casualties, but… The financial loss they will face will be significant."
Assistant Professor Cleoh spoke without blinking.
The reason the Elte Store was destroyed was because of an accident that occurred during the distribution of goods.
"Is the handover done? Can we finally leave?"
Sitting on a chair in the office with his legs stretched out, a man with a book on his face got up.
He grunted as he stretched, standing up and then staggering around like a corpse.
"Ahhh, that was too long."
He was clearly exhausted after spending nearly the entire night in that seat.
Though, from the start, Professor Kaleid always looked like an exhausted mess.
"Ahhhh, I should go back to my room and rest. Do they still have beer at the general store in the commercial district?"
"Ah, yes… Good work, Professor Kaleid."
"Cleoh, aren't you coming?"
Shooting a corpse. He was making sure she would stay back to report and submit the documents.
Cleoh responded while holding back her tears.
"The school's opening ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow. So, this morning I need to go over to the auditorium in the student union building to make sure everything is coming along okay."
"That…"
After working all night, she still had a pile of work waiting for her in the morning. No one could blame her for crying.
Professor Kaleid put one hand on her shoulder as he clenched his other fist.
"Good luck, Cleoh! They always say you should work hard while you're young!"
After saying that, Professor Kaleid staggered away towards the front door.
Watching the drunk man wobble away with his hands tucked away into the pockets of his white coat made her want to throw a rock at his head.
"By the way, where is the injured student? Since I'll be taking over, I should go and check on them…"
Then, the next on-duty worker asked Assistant Professor Cleoh about the student.
"Ah… Ed Rothstaylor? From what I know, he should be at Trix Hall's infirmary right now. They finished all the urgent care, so he should be resting…"
"He's not there anymore."
"…Pardon?"
Professor Kaleid, who took out a cigarette while stopping at the front door, suddenly spoke.
"Cleoh, when you went to check the hazard area, he left Trix Hall with Lucy Mayreel. I clearly saw them running away as I sat here in the watch office."
"H-Huh… He left? And you didn't stop him?! He was seriously injured!"
"Don't worry."
Professor Kaleid, who was smoking, suddenly looked up at the eastern sky.
The sky was still a rather dark red, but the darkness was slowly being pushed away by the rising sun.
"I got orders from Deputy Headmaster Rachel. Do not touch him. Let him do whatever he wants."
* * *
It was impossible to not be in awe upon seeing the Elte Store destroyed.
Though, a destroyed building was always quite a sight to see—regardless of the circumstances.
Seeing something that had once stood there firmly for days, months, or years suddenly collapse… It was only natural to feel as if your life had collapsed, or that the world had completely changed.
Perhaps the employees who came to repair the building were all thinking the same thing as they looked at the remains of the building, at a loss for words.
The last day of summer break.
As all the students returned, they were in complete shock upon seeing such a major accident. However, their daily lives didn't collapse.
"You've come up with quite the spectacle of a plan, unlike your usual self."
"No, I didn't expect it to blow up this big, either…"
No one seemed to be paying any special attention to me as I stood outside, looking at the Elte Store with Lucy wrapped around my arm.
In the first place, the Elte Store's collapse was disguised as being caused by an explosion.
It was an extremely simple excuse that felt as if someone from higher-up had personally covered it up.
Even the employees who were restoring the building felt that something was strange.
"Alright, let's head back to the camp."
"Okay,"
With Lucy holding onto me tightly, it was hard to keep my balance as we walked.
The distance from the commercial district to the North Forest wasn't short. If I were to sprint, I could get there quickly—however, l wasn't in good enough physical condition to do that.
Lucy looked at me as if she were worried, but she didn't try to stop me either. It seemed as if she was okay with what I was doing.
Lucy followed me all the way to the forest while clutching my arm tightly. Every time a hanging vine or branch appeared in our way, she used magic power to cut it down.
As I tapped her witch hat to thank her, Lucy would hang onto me even tighter, as if she were in a good mood.
However, as if she would suddenly get embarrassed, she would start squirming around and fixing her posture to avoid leaning on me so much.
And like that, the two of us walked through the forest for a long time.
When I walked that way with Lortel the night before, it was so dark that I could barely see in front of me.
With the morning sun starting to rise, filling the forest with its light little by little and cutting through the fog, it was a rather strange feeling.
As we continued to walk, Lucy's hair also started to shine under that sunlight.
Lucy's hair seemed to take in light like a sponge. At sunset, it was dyed red, and at sunrise, it glowed softly.
"You know, I like this forest."
Then, Lucy suddenly said something that seemed out of place. She spoke without any warning.
"I like the smell of the grass while walking through the forest at daybreak."
In the early morning, Lucy's voice was heard alongside the bugs buzzing in the grass.
"That's why I hope it doesn't disappear."
"Would an entire forest disappear so easily?"
"Not the forest, but the smell of grass."
"If the forest is there, it will always smell like grass."
Listening to me, Lucy buried her head in her forearms and sniffed.
She then closed her eyes and spoke softly.
"Not necessarily."
It wasn't easy to read Lucy's mood, as she only had subtle changes in her expression.
Even though I lived with her back at the camp for a long time, I still found it difficult to gauge how she felt past that expressionless face.
Since it was difficult to read her through that expressionless face, the only choice was to figure it out from the tone of her voice or her actions.
Just because we made eye contact didn't mean we were always communicating directly.
Just like the difference between a dog wagging its tail and a cat straightening its own. What people did when they felt good also varied.
However, it wasn't difficult to figure her out after seeing her put her head in her arms, sniffing, and exhaling deeply as she rubbed her face.
She looked extremely satisfied. It would take more time and effort to figure out the reason behind it, but either way, seeing her look satisfied made me feel relieved.
"Hello, Lady Lucy"
However, that satisfied expression quickly faded.
When we arrived at the camp… Bell Maya was sitting next to the campfire she had lit.
The head maid of Ophelis Hall.
The natural enemy of the Archmage Lucy Mayreel.
That satisfied expression she once had, as if everything in the world was great, had turned into cold sweat and trembling, wide-open eyes.
…It was quite the sight to see.
* * *
"I asked you to check the room assignments today because school starts tomorrow."
"I-I'm going to. I-I'll do it today."
"That's a relief. I was worried you wouldn't show up at the opening ceremony, and instead would have run off somewhere to take a nap."
"I-I never thought of that."
The campfire was lit, and the camp had been somewhat cleaned up.
It seemed she had gone back to Ophelis Hall late last night, yet she still managed to come back to the camp around sunrise. She even somewhat cleaned up the mess that was left behind.
It was unbelievable to see what she had accomplished, to the point that I could only open my mouth in awe.
"Do you really sleep, Bell?"
"Sometimes I take a nap in the middle of work. And when I don't particularly have anything scheduled, I sleep for a longer time."
"Still… People are not machines…"
Bell stood up politely as she nodded her head, greeting me.
"Were you able to rest peacefully last night, Young Master Ed? It doesn't particularly seem like you did, but…"
"Well, I was seriously injured."
"I have a rough idea of what had happened after I arrived at the camp. Though, I'm glad it doesn't seem like your life is in danger."
It felt as if it only happened a few hours ago.
But during that time, Bell had returned to Ophelis Hall, took a quick nap, washed herself, quickly changed clothes, and returned looking as ready as ever.
She then cleaned up and organized the mess that was scattered around the camp, erasing any traces of the fight that had broken out.
"You should hurry back and rest. Pretty soon, you'll be busy again with the students returning."
"Yes. Most of the students from Ophelis Hall have also returned, so I don't think I'll have much free time anymore."
"In the first place, it doesn't make sense for you to take care of both Ophelis Hall and the camp. It's not like you have two bodies."
"That's true. For the time being, I won't be able to devote much time towards the camp. However, I came because I wanted to see if you were okay, and there was something I needed to tell you."
Bell placed an iron pot above the campfire as she boiled water. It seemed like she was planning on preparing a simple breakfast.
I waved my hand in the air, telling her to hurry back to Ophelis Hall.
Bell, who looked at me with a dissatisfied expression on her face, eventually nodded her head.
"But what did you want to tell me?"
"Today, Lady Tanya is returning to school."
Tanya Rothstaylor.
The one at the center of House Rothstaylor's catastrophe.
She told me to go back to Silvenia first, while she stayed behind to gather support and take care of the aftermath.
She was in the middle of stepping up to become the next head of house.
Although she was in a rather politically delicate position, she still succeeded in gathering power. Despite the circumstances.
Rumor was that the head of House Bloomriver and House Callamore had joined sides with her…
I wondered how she managed to pull that off.
"I think you should meet with her."
"Of course I will. Tell her that I'll visit her at Ophelis Hall."
After saying that, Bell turned to Lucy.
Lucy, who was holding my arm, trembled as if she had just been stabbed by a sharp object.
"Well then, Lady Lucy. If you want to prepare for the school's opening ceremony tomorrow, you'll need to go and check that everything is prepared. I'll make sure to dress you up and inform you of what you should do."
"No, I can do it myself."
"No. I will help you."
"No! I can do it myself!"
Lucy, who had said the same line twice, tried to take a step back. However, at some point, Bell had managed to put her hands tightly under Lucy's armpits, holding her.
Lucy was now hanging in the air after being caught by Bell. She didn't even try to resist, as it seemed as if tears were welling up in her eyes.
"Now that I'm busy, I should head back to Ophelis Hall."
"Didn't you just come here to grab Lucy?"
"Of course not. How could I anticipate Lady Lucy appearing in a place like this? It was just…"
Bell spoke without changing her expression.
"I just happened to be here at the right time. It's all luck."
"..."
And with that, Bell bowed her head and said farewell. There were still a bunch of things I wanted to ask, but there was no need to bother Bell any longer.
After all, the semester was starting again. The maids of Ophelis Hall had to return to their main jobs properly.
It would be best if she just considered taking care of the camp as a part-time job over break.
It would be great for me if Bell took care of the camp, but if I became too accustomed to it, I would start getting lazy.
Living in the wild, it was crucial that you never lost those senses.
"But, what about Lortel?"
I asked one last question as Bell was about to leave.
The most crucial person behind the fiasco with the Elte Store last night. Lortel's whereabouts were still a problem.
"Do you still not know even after seeing me come to the camp this early in the morning?"
Bell spoke in a friendly tone.
"She is my employer. As in the past, and still now. So, please take care of the rest."
Having said that, Bell disappeared into the forest, holding onto Lucy.
Seeing Lucy not even trying to struggle was a strange feeling.
Truly, the only person in the school who could properly control Lucy was Bell…
* * *
Even after a long, dark night, the sun would still rise again.
As if to prove that fact, the morning sun started to shine brightly, greeting me.
As sunlight slowly lit up the camp, all signs of the once-gloomy darkness and rain disappeared.
Occasionally, the light reflected from the remaining puddles and shone in my eyes, but that didn't bother me.
Seeing the camp as it was, I really felt as if my daily life had returned.
However, I knew that there was still a lot left that hadn't been concluded.
The night was long, many people were involved, and a lot took place… However, ultimately there were only two crucial things I needed to check.
What happened to Taylee?
What happened to Lortel?
The answer to those two questions came down to whether my efforts last night had paid off or not.
I lifted my head for a moment and looked across the campfire.
I still remembered seeing Taylee standing there in the rain with his teeth clenched, not giving up until the very end.
First, I needed to check the basement in Lortel's villa.
With that thought in mind, I headed towards Lortel's villa. My body was still a little sore.
I pulled the door open gently, seeing that it wasn't locked. That made sense, as Bell had just come out of there.
And what I saw when I opened the door… was as expected.
"Oh… You're back already."
"..."
"You were quite injured. You should have rested longer."
There were still traces of a large number of people storming inside and searching around.
Furniture was toppled here and there as books and writing tools were rolling on the floor.
The entrance to the wine cellar, which I had blocked, was also opened. All the way inside would be the basement. Piles of gold and treasures that would clearly prove Lortel's embezzlement.
The imperial convoy came and searched everything. So, they also should have found the mountain of gold coins.
And yet, Lortel Kehelland was not arrested.
Sitting at her desk in the middle of the villa, she was smiling like a fox.
I propped up a nearby chair, sitting on it. It was difficult for me to stand any longer.
"I have a lot to ask."
"About what happened last night?"
"Of course."
"Shall I tell you the entire story slowly? Or should I jump to the conclusion?"
My body was still in pain, although I didn't let it show. I didn't want to worry Lortel.
"Start with the conclusion."
"There are three conclusions."
Lortel spread out three fingers. The index finger, middle finger, and ring finger.
"Ayla took Taylee back. She looked rather shaken up, so you should probably meet with her again and talk about it… Though, that seems to be quite a hassle to do."
She was answering exactly what I was curious about. Then again, that was also what Lucy had told me.
Even though Lortel didn't know about Velbrok, she had quite the intuition.
Lortel folded her ring finger.
"The embezzlement case of the Elte Company was completely covered up. This is the part that I'm also a bit puzzled about. I still haven't quite figured out how it happened. It would make more sense if they were suspicious of me. I'll have to look into it more after I fix up the building again."
I had somewhat predicted that as well. It probably went as I had expected.
Lortel folded her middle finger.
Then, with her index finger still stretched out, she hurriedly came over to me. As I sat in the chair, she pressed her lips against mine.
That smile of hers said that she was completely satisfied.
"…What?"
"The last thing is that I became yours. Isn't that the most important conclusion?"
Saying that, she immediately went and hugged my head.
The feeling of our lips touching left me bewildered.
She really was a girl who was well-versed in catching people by surprise, no matter how vigilant they might be.
Without even giving me a chance to pull my head back, Lortel pushed her lips against mine for a long time.
It wasn't the first time I'd experienced a surprise kiss, but it was my first time having such a long one.
Lortel held onto my head as she pressed her lips tightly against mine for a while.
That mischievous smile on her face was like the Lortel I always knew.
Finally seeing that face that I hadn't seen all night… I felt at ease seeing her back to normal.
The words she said afterwards were unexpected.
"Was I your second time as well?"
"..."
Seeing her smile like that, I calmly answered her.
"That's not my second time."
"…What?"
That mischievous expression of hers, so like a snake, quickly disappeared as her eyes widened.
"..."
"..."
"…Then, who was your second?"
Thinking about how I should answer that, I quietly stroked Lortel's shoulder.
"Anyway, I'm glad that you are okay."
Lortel gently put her hand on the hand that was on her shoulder… I closed my eyes as I felt her warmth.
A villa in a deserted camp. There was a gentle warmth in the early morning forest.
Exchanging the warmth of our hands, we stayed silent like that for a while. The two of us felt a strange sense of satisfaction between us.
After a while, Lortel slowly opened her eyes and asked again.
"So… Who was the second…??"
Surprisingly, she was quite an obsessive girl.
-x-X-x-
"...!"
Taylee woke up in Dex Hall's infirmary.
Taylee had been asleep for almost an entire day. His body, which had gone completely past his limits, was still screaming. He could barely move his stiff muscles.
"Heuk…!"
All of a sudden, Taylee stood up with his throbbing body. The scene he saw just before he lost consciousness was still vivid in his mind.
After making his way through the Elte Store, he finally reached Ed and eventually defeated him. Just before being completely subdued by Lucy, who appeared towards the end, Ayla showed up and hugged him.
As soon as he saw Ayla's face, a sense of relief flooded his body, and he lost consciousness.
"..."
After resting for a while, he finally saw Ayla, who was down by his knees, asleep with her head buried into the bed.
She was covered in minor scratches, but there didn't seem to be any major injuries. Sighing in relief, Taylee leaned back on the bed.
The facilities of Dex Hall were somewhat outdated, but the structure itself was rather clean.
A large window behind Ayla, who was breathing softly.
A pure white curtain fluttering on that large window.
At the warm sight of the morning breeze blowing in, Taylee felt a sense of relief.
"Thank goodness…"
After saying that, he wiped his face.
A lot had happened last night, but in the end, Ayla was able to escape safely.
After confirming that fact, he could now think about everything else that happened slowly.
"Oh. You're awake, Taylee."
What was the deal with the chaotic mess that took place over that long night?
Right when Taylee was about to think about it, someone called his name.
There was a boy sitting next to Taylee's bed, holding a fruit knife.
A boy with messy hair that fell down to his shoulders, an impressive build… and someone Taylee was well acquainted with.
"Ziggs…?"
"Wait, Taylee. I'm going to show you 'The Rabbit Apple'. A special advanced technique I learned from Elka."
Saying that, Ziggs held onto the knife as he cut the apple carefully, like a sculptor making a piece of art.
"This is the first time I've been stuck from the planning stage. I'm confident wielding a knife delicately, but having the aesthetic sense to leave part of the skin and make it look like a rabbit… It's truly an outstanding idea. You will also be surprised when you see it."
"..."
"The first steps should be to cut it into quarters vertically… And leaving some of the skin behind to make it look as if it is the rabbit's ears… It certainly requires an incredible aesthetic sense. This job requires an incredible amount of precision… it's not going to be an easy fight…"
A seriousness was exuding from him as he excessively dedicated himself to cutting the apple with a cold sweat running down his face.
Taylee looked at him as he spoke, completely puzzled.
"Ziggs… What… are you doing here…?"
"It's like it looks. I came to visit you, and Elka taught me a secret technique to cut the perfect apple in the shape of a rabbit to give you as an apology. Unfortunately, this task is much more treacherous than I imagined."
"..."
"I'm confident in my swordsmanship, but it's hard to imitate the series of artistic cuts that can naturally form the shape of a rabbit. Maybe it's because I've lived in the savage wilds for a long time…"
"No, I mean… why are you here taking care of me…?"
Taylee tried to get rid of his puzzled expression as much as possible, but to no avail. He couldn't look past the bizarre situation, no matter how hard he tried.
"Hm? Because we've known each other since we were first years… Or is it because I'm not a woman? Is that why you don't want me to take care of you…? Taylee, I had no idea you had such boorish values."
"That's not it…"
"There are many cases where males live under the complete care of females in the wild. I guess this is a matter of human instincts, rather than values… Then, me showing-up here must have been too short-sighted."
"It's not that. Back at the Elte Store, you were clearly trying to stop me."
After saying that, Ziggs, who had a determined expression while cutting the apple, suddenly looked as if he had finally understood.
"Oh, was that the problem? If that's the case, you don't have to worry too much."
"…What?"
"I didn't do that because I don't care about you. What I'm trying to say is, everyone has their own circumstances, right?"
Ziggs spoke as he carefully cut the apple into quarters with his trembling hands.
"In that situation, I had no choice but to join Ed's side. I already agreed to help him beforehand, and it seemed he had his own personal reasons."
"There is no one in this world without a story. I even have one of my own."
Those were the words that came out of Ed's mouth when he had his foot on Taylee, standing in the pouring rain.
Unlike the way he imagined, that evil appearance of his after abducting Ayla and fighting against Taylee… It was much more serious and anguished than he had anticipated.
"Regardless, Ayla's life was at risk. There's no justification for you to take the side of someone who was going to kill her."
"Ayla's life was never at risk, Taylee."
"What…?"
"In the first place, Ayla was the one who agreed to Ed's plan… At the very least, Ayla's life was never in danger."
Give me proof.
Even though Taylee tried to say that, he couldn't cough up the words.
In his final attack, Ed had jumped in the way without keeping a safe distance, taking the brunt of Taylee's wild attack.
Ed had risked his life to protect Ayla, who was sleeping in the wooden shelter.
As a result, Ed was cut down by Taylee's sword and ended up seriously injured.
Taylee lost his breath. He looked down at his empty hands.
With those hands of his, he almost hurt Ayla. That heavy truth began to weigh on his shoulders at once.
And the situation was the same at the Elte Store.
Aside from Clevius, who could not control his powers, no one showed bloodlust towards Taylee.
Not only Elvira, but Ziggs also fought solely with the intention of stopping Taylee. Even then, it was clearly evident that neither of them tried their hardest.
When he reached Yennekar, she only continued to watch him stand up over and over again, despite being capable of destroying him at any given moment.
Even Trayciana, who chose to not stop Taylee and instead went to rescue the employees from the collapsing Elte Store.
If they had been determined and had attacked him at once, Taylee wouldn't have stood a chance. He remembered the way they were all slowly waiting for him to make his way through the store towards them.
Ayla Triss' safety.
Now that the most important thing to him was secured, it was as if a wave of reason slowly started to rush through his head.
"Kaaaak!"
Ziggs suddenly let out a scream, as if he had been stabbed by a knife.
As Taylee looked up, startled, he saw the carefully cut apple peel slip away.
"Shit… it's not symmetrical… Plus, the rabbit's head is twisted. This… is a failure…"
"Why are you so obsessed with a rabbit shaped apple…?"
"I was just impressed with Elka's delicate craft, and I wanted to try it myself."
After saying that, Ziggs began to peel the skin off the apple.
"Anyway, since you've been lying in bed the entire day, I'm sure your body is rather stiff all over. The new semester will start soon. It's going to be a big event that everyone has to attend, so you should lie back down for a few more hours and rest up."
"Wait, I still need to hear more about it."
"Yeah, I understand. That's why I came here. I'll tell you what happened as much as you want to hear, so let your body recover."
Taylee and Ed.
Seeing the two of them, who were opposites—like hot and cold water. Ziggs felt mixed emotions thinking about those two.
"Ayla was also saying something strange. So, listen to Ayla and my stories first."
Ayla was asleep with her head buried in Taylee's lap.
Looking at Ayla's face, Taylee shook his head as if bewildered by what Ziggs said.
* * *
Dune Grex.
After a long, long night, he thought that the power structure around the Elte Company would have completely changed.
When the sun rose on the morning of the first day of school, Dune Grex would become the new deputy director of the Elte Company's Silvenia Branch.
Using Ed Rothstaylor as bait, Slogg, the new director of the store within Oldek, would win over the favor of Princess Persica.
Eliminating his rival, Lortel, he would reign as the ruler of the Elte Company.
Under him, Dune would become a powerful individual that would be able to control all of the money within the Elte Company.
The imperial convoy would take care of arresting Lortel, the school would stay silent under Deputy Headmistress Rachel's orders, and none of the employees within the Elte Company would take Lortel's side.
It was a perfect plan with hardly any variables.
All he had to do was lock Lortel up tight and hand her over to the imperial convoy. And like that, the plan would be complete.
A plan that should have gone smoothly, without any issues. On the morning of the new semester, Dune Grex would be sitting in the office of the deputy director as the new leader.
"Dune Grex."
However, he was bound, sitting in an interrogation room within the royal residence.
"The basic investigation of the Elte Store has been completed. We have also confirmed the money located in the basement of the villa that you set up."
"Princess Penia…!"
Tied up since that morning, Dune Grex, who was completely tied up and hadn't even been served a meal… raised his voice as soon as he saw Princess Penia enter the interrogation room.
"Why?! Why…!"
"You bastard! How dare you raise your voice to her…!"
Some of the guards who followed Princess Penia entered, yelling at him.
"To the third princess of the Kroel Empire, Princess Penia…!"
Princess Penia, who barely used her imperial power. Ever since she came to Silvenia, she tried her best to avoid using it.
However, contrary to Dune's information, Penia had completely taken control of Persica's convoy, putting them under her.
Princess Penia gently raised her hand as she stopped the guard. The guard bowed his head as he stepped back.
She then sat down across from Dune as she began to speak slowly.
"I'm going to be honest with you. I don't get along all that well with Lortel Kehelland either."
Penia and Lortel were like water and oil.
It was a well-known fact to those who knew them.
"Still, there is no evidence that the origins of those gold coins found in the basement of her villa are illegal."
"That can't be…! Princess Penia! There are various documents to use as evidence to prove that! Even though the building collapsed, still…"
Dune was clearly trying to suggest something.
"Please ask Poel, who is in charge of the ledgers. Or Lienna, the chief secretary, to testify on behalf of that! They have the evidence to prove that Lortel was embezzling…!"
"Dune, I told you already. The investigation is over."
Princess Penia's attitude towards Dune was now cold, unlike before.
When dealing with those under her, she always listened fairly, with understanding and attentiveness… However, her attitude towards him was the complete opposite of what he had heard.
Only then did Dune notice. Princess Penia entered the interrogation room already doubting Dune.
"There is no such evidence."
"What… Did you say…?"
He was sure he prepared everything.
He gathered key personnel to ensure that proof of her embezzlement was secured. He had planned it for several years. Something like that was the very basics.
There was no way those documents were simply lost. Dune was sure of that.
"Rather, you were the one who was stealing the store's funds little by little, Dune."
"…What?"
"I didn't even have to look through all of the ledgers. I was able to find proof of it right away."
Princess Penia shared the blood of the noble Kroel Imperial Family.
Embezzling public funds, deceiving workers… Such improper behavior was inexcusable.
Imperial power was only established through strict loyalty.
Completely different from the culture of merchants, whose embezzlements would be overlooked if they could do their job well.
In the eyes of Princess Penia, Dune had already become the worst of the worst for committing embezzlement. To her, who could easily see through other people more than anyone else, Dune's intentions were clearly visible.
Princess Penia never trusted Dune. That fact had finally entered Dune's mind.
"Consequently, it seems highly likely that the construction of Lortel's villa was to hide your embezzlement. Looking at the amount there was in the basement, that seems to be the case."
"Princess Penia!"
"Just because you say my name earnestly doesn't mean my decision will change, Dune."
Princess Penia no longer looked benevolent and kind as she once had. That kindness was something directed toward good and faithful people, not traitors who would commit inexcusable acts.
"This can't be happening…! This, it has to be a trap…!"
Dune appealed to Princess Penia, desperately calling out to her.
"This is… yes. It's Lortel Kehelland's plan to temporarily get rid of me…! I… I'll prove it! If I can just get in contact with the people within the Elte Company…"
"Dune."
Saying his name in a cold, sullen voice, Dune continued to clasp his tied hands together as he desperately shouted.
"I'm not asking for help for free…! If you're interested in competing for the throne, I am working with Princess Persica. It's true. I can prove it!"
Those who were cornered would do everything they could to survive.
No one in the world wanted to die. Until he could accept that it was all over, he would continue to try and escape by any available means.
"You need to use me, Princess Penia! If I work for you and act as a double agent against Princess Persica, she will never know what hit her! I can't go against you now, so please just use me as you need to!"
"..."
"It's not a bad suggestion! I'm the perfect chess piece for you to use! This… is a chance for you, too, Princess Penia!"
If nothing happened, Dune would end up being escorted back to the imperial household. Knowing that fact, Dune had to put up his final fight there.
"I know my worth, Princess Penia. If you leave me like this, Princess Persica will cut me off and pretend she doesn't know anything. It means nothing to her to cut off a mere merchant like me."
"..."
"But it's a different story if you publicize it instead! Please use me! I am your best weapon to inflict a fatal wound on Princess Persica, depending on how you use me!"
Being pushed to the edge, it was his last fight.
He pushed on the chair with his hands tied behind his back, pushing himself forward. He yelled out in complete desperation.
His offer was a perfect chance for Princess Penia if she wanted to fight for the throne. From a merchant's point of view, his proposal was reasonable and made sense.
However, that was only from the view of a merchant.
"Dune Grex. Listen carefully."
However, Princess Penia was completely different from the world that Dune Grex and Lortel Kehelland lived in.
Princess Penia slowly approached Dune's ear as she whispered.
"No one would hire someone whose purpose is to betray."
Those who sought to ascend to power through betrayal would only end up falling to the ground because of it.
Merchants who were unable to make even a single person one of their own… Those who thought of everything as a means of self-interest and transactions.
Princess Penia was a person who despised such people.
Dune stopped breathing upon seeing Princess Penia's cold expression.
"Take him to the imperial palace."
After her brief order, Princess Penia stood up and left the interrogation room.
Seeing that determined attitude… A feeling of despair began to slowly creep up on Dune.
* * *
Even though the Elte Store collapsed, there were still some parts that were fine.
The warehouse for storing valuables was built with a strong frame, so it was safe from the aftermath of the collapse. Many rooms on the west side of the Store were unharmed, as Taylee's attack didn't reach them.
That was also where the temporary office of the deputy director was. An empty office above the valuables warehouse.
A place where employees were busily moving around, carrying construction materials. Heading west, going up the outer stairs, and turning down the hallway at the end of the third floor, you could find the room.
The size of the office was much smaller compared to the original deputy director's office, but it still had room for everything.
"You went to Trix Hall and negotiated with Deputy Headmistress Rachel overnight?"
"Well, if issues started to arise in the commercial district because of this, it would be a headache. If Rachel managed to keep in contact with Dune and try to push him as the next deputy director… That would also have been an issue."
Lortel's villa in the camp had also been cleaned up. Ed had also recovered his stamina somewhat after taking a break.
The recoil of the ring also started to weaken, so it didn't seem like using magic power would be as much of an issue as before. His treatment after being cut down by Taylee was also taken care of.
Still, Ed didn't seem to be in perfect shape, as he struggled to move his body freely. Lortel took a deep breath upon seeing him like that.
"I'm surprised you managed to convince that stubborn deputy headmistress. She's even been giving Headmaster Obel a hard time lately."
"Well, I'm not someone who is incapable of making deals with stubborn people at the negotiation table."
"I heard that Dune promised to give up on the monopoly over some school supplies, as well as increasing the customs fee… So, it's quite surprising that she would take your side, despite what he promised her."
Ed took the bandage off his arm as he put a new one on.
"What did you promise that stubborn lady to make her take your side? And to do it all in one night, as well."
"Well, I basically promised everything Dune had, as well. However, I also added a cherry on top."
"Cherry?"
"Something that Silvenia Academy was desperate to have. Well, I needed to survive, so I had no choice but to make the deal."
When Ed looked at Lortel with a puzzled look on his face, Lortel spoke with a smirk.
"The heart of Silvenia. It'll look good when it's back in place."
"…You promised to return the 'Sage's Seal'."
"It was a difficult proposal for her to refuse. Even for me, I had to clench my teeth and bite my lips to offer it."
Lortel smiled as she sat down at her simple desk.
"Originally, it was an item that was intended to be re-sold to House Rothstaylor. However, since that fell apart, I should just be grateful that there was another use for it."
"Whatever the case, the school must be ecstatic because of this."
"Normally, the person who intervenes and mediates is the one who makes the most money. So, wherever there is a fight, there will always be a merchant."
For the school, the seal was a symbolic treasure rather than an economic asset.
Notes about Celestial Magic that were left by the Great Sage Silvenia. That alone was the main reason Silvenia Academy wanted to get it back, regardless of the cost.
"Anyway, a large-scale opening ceremony for the new semester is scheduled in the afternoon. So, I didn't expect you to come to the store this morning. Do you have time for this?"
"Unlike you second years, we third years don't really have as strict a schedule. I'll still have to show up, but I promised to go with Yennekar later."
When Yennekar's name was mentioned, Lortel pursed her lips.
Yennekar had an absolute advantage by being a fellow third year student with Ed.
Thus, she was in a position to accompany him to academic events, unlike Lortel, who was a year younger than him. Lortel felt a sense of distance from Ed upon remembering that fact.
Lortel looked at Ed with squinted eyes, but Ed was busy concentrating on putting pressure on his arm with the bandage.
Even after continuing to ask him who his second kiss was, Ed never revealed the fact that it was Yennekar. It didn't seem like he was ever going to tell anyone, either.
So, what did Lortel have to do to create a romantic relationship with him?
Since he wasn't revealing who he had kissed to Lortel, that meant he also felt a strange romantic atmosphere and tension around Lortel.
Recognizing another's attitudes and reading their inner feelings. Lortel was more confident in doing so than anyone else.
Ed was serious towards the women around him, but that didn't mean he treated any of them particularly like a lover.
He wasn't someone that could clearly differentiate the sense of distance between a good female friend and a lover.
However, because he had such a tendency, it was possible that one day he would 'suddenly come to his senses' and end up in a relationship… Such a miraculous relationship could form.
That was good news for Lortel.
However, there was a problem.
Even though she realized all of that, what was she supposed to do? Lortel didn't have an answer to that question.
Unfortunately, she didn't have experience when it came to games of tug-of-war in a romantic relationship. She had never experienced such a romantic youth.
Even though she could identify counterfeit gold coins at a glance, it was difficult for her to understand the intricacies and depth of love.
However, at the moment, it wasn't time for her to push. Rather, it was time to pull. She was confident of that fact.
Ed had put himself in a bad situation to rescue Lortel. Since he had pulled her, it was now her time to try and pull him back.
Wouldn't he feel pleased if she were to show a sensual smile and say something romantic? And the moment she was about to try and say something with such intentions…
"Since I had some time, I came here to see you."
Instead, it felt as if her hand had suddenly been pulled towards Ed.
"...What?"
"Weren't most of the employees here also involved in Dune's plans? Even if that wasn't the case, isn't it going to be hard to get them all under your control again?"
"Well. For me, that's a piece of cake."
"This isn't an issue with your skills, but rather other mindsets."
Ed spoke bluntly, but in reality, he was being quite considerate towards Lortel.
"You must be upset, since so many of your employees laughed behind your back and joined Dune's side."
"Ah, Ed. You should know, you can't be a merchant if you're bothered by such minor things."
"I knew you would say that."
"..."
Ed then disagreed with what Lortel was saying.
A devil crazy about gold coins. The greedy merchant of the Elte Company, Lortel Kehelland.
Rumors circulated around the world talking about Lortel like that.
"You said you hate being alone in a crowd."
Something that Lortel had told him herself.
"To be honest, knowing that fact… It's not easy for me to ignore you."
"..."
"In short, I came to see you because I was worried about you. That's all."
During last night's fiasco, Ed Rothstaylor had pulled Lortel as close to him as he could.
However, weren't human relationships meant to be a game of push-and-pull?
When one pushed, the other pulled. And when one pulled, the other pushed. Feeling that rhythm completely break, Lortel was completely bewildered.
"B-But… Ed."
"What?"
"It was supposed to be my time to pull…?"
"What?"
"Nevermind. What I'm trying to say is… If you keep pulling me like that, I don't know how I'm supposed to react… I can't keep on pushing you…"
"What the hell are you even talking about?"
Lortel hesitated as her lips trembled. She then spoke clearly.
"To be straightforward, l'm embarrassed…"
"..."
"..."
"..."
Has she ever been embarrassed before?
Ed looked at her as if thinking that question.
In fact, Ed also felt the same to some extent. But seeing Lortel's embarrassed smile and her eyes that kept darting around… it also made him drop his guard.
Her usual strong and active attitude had suddenly broken down, and now she was acting embarrassed and flustered… In fact, seeing her act like that only made Ed more embarrassed.
She was the one who had taken the initiative to kiss and flirt with him.
She was the one who was always saying nonsense, because she was just that type of girl.
"A-Anyway… I just wanted to say thank you."
Lortel spoke as she slammed her hand on the desk suddenly.
"Thank you, Ed. Thanks to you, I survived. It's all because of you."
"…Did you take care of the rest?"
"Yeah. However, there is something strange."
Lortel spoke while tilting her head.
"Dune spent several years preparing this plan thoroughly. Collecting embezzlement money over time and then hiding it in the basement of my villa."
"Yeah. Since he had to frame you, it must have taken some time."
"Yet in the end, the charges Dune had against me were all dismissed. I thought for sure he would have manipulated the books to charge me as the culprit."
The day after the incident, Lortel had already regained control of the Elte Company.
It all happened extremely quickly.
"I figured they would even open a hearing to analyze the authenticity of the ledger. But since this entire situation was settled smoothly without me needing to do anything, it's strange."
"Well, I have something to say about that. Actually, I came here to tell you this, as well."
As Ed said that, the office door suddenly burst open.
At the time, no one would be willing to enter the office so recklessly. That was because the entire store was being careful of Lortel.
In particular, the employees who actively participated in Dune's plan were unable to even breathe.
Nevertheless, the one who opened the door of the office and entered… wasn't even an employee of the store.
"…I'm here."
With a somewhat upset expression on her face, a girl with her neatly braided pink hair hanging down entered. The number one elementalist of Silvenia Academy.
"…Yennekar?"
As soon as she saw Lortel's face, Yennekar inflated her cheeks. In any case, Yennekar was an ally who helped Lortel reclaim the Elte Company.
Despite her grumbling, Yennekar was one of the people Ed had asked for help.
"Uh… Uhhhhh…"
And the girl who came in alongside Yennekar… was Lortel's head secretary, Lienna.
After tidying up her elegant red hair, she followed behind Yennekar shyly.
"..."
Lortel's puzzled expression quickly darkened. For Lortel Kehelland, Secretary Lienna was nothing less than a traitor.
"I was late because I needed to attend the imperial investigation. My testimony was important."
"I see. Thanks, Yennekar."
"B-But Ed…"
Yennekar glanced at Lortel as she spoke.
"Lortel is causing you too much trouble."
When Lortel saw Yennekar's expression, she smiled for a moment. She had a habit of smiling when there was something difficult to deal with.
"Thank you, Yennekar. Did you personally bring over that traitor so I can punish her?"
"You really don't know anything. Well, I guess it can't be helped."
After escorting Secretary Lienna into the office, Yennekar took out her wand and spoke.
"Then, I'll go out to the entrance of the store. I heard that, due to the circumstances, I'm not allowed to stay inside the store for long. However, since Ed is registered as an employee, it's okay for him. I guess I'm the only one who's not registered here."
"Oh, Yennekar. I forgot to register you. Due to my negligence… I'm sorry. Next time you come, I'll make sure to process and register you."
Even though she smiled like that, everyone knew that the next time Yennekar came, she would still be treated like an outsider.
"Well, either way, thank you for helping me."
She didn't forget to add a hint of sincerity as well.
Regardless of their rivalry, she was still someone who had helped Ed in his plans to regain control of the Elte Company.
Yennekar was about to say something, but with a bothered expression on her face, she grunted and left the office. Did she feel some sort of sincerity in Lortel's thanks?
"…So, haven't you thought about it?"
"About what?"
"The reason I was so deeply involved in an issue with the Elte Company."
Ed looked at Lienna, who was trembling. He told her to come sit down.
With his bandaged hands, he handed her some tea as she spoke quietly.
"It's because there was a spy attached to Dune."
"…What did you say?"
Ed lifted up his teacup, taking a sip, and then continued.
"Isn't it strange that I knew you were tied up inside the store, as well as the internal structure of the entire building? I've only gone in and out of your office a few times, after all."
"That's true…"
"Not only that, but when the building was in chaos and everyone was evacuating, there was one person who was running around inside, gathering all the proof of Dune's falsified ledgers. Who do you think that was?"
The ledgers Dune had prepared.
Hearing that, Lortel's eyes flickered for a moment.
It wasn't that Dune's plan was lax.
Dune certainly had the proof to arrest Lortel on embezzlement. However, someone had gathered it all beforehand and burned it.
All while complete chaos was ensuing, and everyone else was busy trying to escape from the collapsing building.
"However, there was one person who was running around inside the building without escaping right away."
"..."
"From the start, the first person to offer me a contract was none other than Secretary Lienna."
While Ayla and Ed were talking at the Terrace Cafe, Secretary Lienna suddenly came to see him.
And like always, she spoke shyly.
"I'm here because of an offer regarding the Elte Company."
While Dune had gathered the help of various employees to try and bring down Lortel,
in the eyes of that timid girl, the sight of them trying to take down Lortel… they all seemed like monsters.
"Please save Deputy Director Lortel!"
Her favor, which was also a decisive factor for gaining Ayla's agreement with Ed's plans… She had been on Lortel's side from the start.
Although she was following Dune's orders, she was still on Lortel's side until the very end, unnoticed.
Someone who was timid and full of fear. Someone who ran away in fear just at the sight of Yennekar.
Nevertheless, that sense of righteousness of hers kept her moving.
"She's one of your people."
Ed took a sip of his tea as he spoke calmly.
Maybe she was just a little girl who didn't talk much and wasn't the best secretary. Nevertheless, until the very end, she was faithful towards Lortel.
Lortel opened her eyes wide as she looked towards Lienna.
Lienna didn't do anything wrong, yet she still shuddered in surprise.
"Even if I didn't take your side, this girl was always there for you, willing to save you, Lortel."
"..."
"Did you forget the promise you made with me last winter? How could you forget, even though you came up with it?"
Ed tightened the bandage around his arm. He was satisfied after properly dressing it himself. He then stood up from his seat and looked at Lortel.
The snow that had been falling had finally stopped. Only silence remained in the forest.
In the middle of the fallen snow, with a campfire between them, Lortel spoke to Ed.
"Even if I turn everyone else in the world into my enemy, please be on my side."
"You already have people behind you, Lortel."
She used to live in a place where no one was on her side, always alone. But in the end, Lortel managed to overcome it on her own.
The battle to recapture the Elte Company that took place over that long, long night… No matter what happened, it would have always ended in Lortel's victory.
He only wanted to engrave that fact into Lortel's heart.
Ed walked over to her, putting his hand on Lortel, whose eyes were trembling. He then patted her a few times.
"Thank you, Ed. Thanks to you, I survived. It's all because of you."
Those words didn't sit well with Ed.
"You survived because of the people you have gathered on your side."
"..."
"So, don't thank me for what happened."
After saying that, Ed patted Lortel on her shoulder once more before turning around.
"Then, I should go and get ready to head to the third year's opening ceremony. Yennekar is also waiting outside… So, I'll have to take my leave first. Take care of the rest."
"…Yes."
"You're going to come to the opening ceremony, right?"
"After I finish a few things."
"Alright."
Thud.
After saying that, Ed opened the office door and left.
* * *
"…Euh…"
Lortel, who was left alone with the timid Secretary Lienna, bowed her head in silence for a moment.
She looked down at her empty hands.
A world where you started empty-handed and ended empty-handed. She lived her life certain that on the day she died, she would be empty-handed.
Remembering the rainy streets of Oldek.
The dark alley full of vomit and wasted food.
A young girl with reddish brown hair, standing there blankly, staring at the sky.
Finding leftover bread while digging through the trash can.
Picking up the bread in both hands, she removed the moldy parts and shoved it into her mouth.
A time where she wandered without ever knowing the reason as to why she was living. That gloomy sky she looked up at still remained in her heart.
After putting the rotten bread in her mouth, all that was left was a few leftover crumbs in her empty hands.
How many years had passed since then?
Thinking that she would live the rest of her life empty-handed, only to realize one day that her hands were full.
"..."
Lortel sat across the desk for a moment as she lowered her head. She wiped her face with both hands as a faint sobbing sound was heard.
"Eh, eh…"
Lienna, who was sitting on the sofa, didn't know what to do as she awkwardly freaked out.
Not knowing how high you'd climbed. Only after looking behind you at the scenery would you realize it.
To know what was in your hands, you first had to open your clenched fists.
After ten years, the girl who barely came to realize that simple fact… continued to weep silently.
Secretary Lienna had no choice but to tremble in her spot awkwardly.
* * *
It seems that his specs were good enough to defeat Velbrok. Taylee was stronger than I had expected.
So, in that regard, things looked hopeful. However, there were still things that needed to be done.
In preparation for Velbrok's revival, to minimize the damage as much as possible, I needed to gather as many forces as possible.
From the Knight Templars, the Imperial Guards, the talented people within Silvenia, the mercenaries of the Elte Company, and various other powerful families within the Empire.
In order to be able to defeat Velbrok—which would end the entire story—without any casualties, we needed to mobilize all means possible.
I couldn't let my mind wander until the very end.
With that thought in mind, I left the Elte Store.
Come to think of it… I also heard that Tanya was returning to Silvenia. There was so much for her to take care of, it seemed that she was only able to return to school right before the break was over.
I should go and see her first.
There were too many things that hadn't been settled yet with House Rothstaylor. Though, I need to go to the opening ceremony first.
As I stepped out of the building, I saw Yennekar with her cheeks puffed up, leaning against a tree across the street. Seeing her act like that, it was clear that she was angry.
So, maybe the first thing I would need to do was make Yennekar feel better? As always, I had more work to do than I originally thought… However, I needed to thank Yennekar, who had helped me greatly.
I raised my arms as if surrendering as I headed towards Yennekar.
The weather was nice. The sky was bright blue.
-x-X-x-
[To my mother back at home,
Are you in good health? This is not an official letter, so l will address you as my mother rather than as my head of house.
It has been about three or four months since I started preparing for my graduation from Silvenia Academy. I think I will be able to complete the graduation process without any major issues. Preparations for the graduation exam are also going smoothly.
There was a time when I was satisfied just seeing the name Trayciana on the list of the top students in the magic department… It's a strange feeling when I look back now, thinking about how my long academic journey is coming to an end.
After completing my studies, I plan to return home and continue my research. The eccentric image the Bloomriver family holds has improved a lot recently, and the research facility back home is well-equipped.
It must be thanks to you, Mother. Thank you for always doing your best as the head of house.
By the way, like you instructed me to, I am still maintaining close contact with Ed Rothstaylor.
We recently ran into each other in the morning, and he asked me for a personal favor. So, we've gotten a bit closer. It was obvious that I only helped him 'on behalf of House Bloomriver', but… we got along quite well, either way.
As you told me to, I'm trying to get close to him, but… there's something I'd like to ask you.
It might be rude of me to ask, but wasn't it a politically dangerous decision to become close with House Rothstaylor right now?
The decision on how to deal with House Rothstaylor is the main issue within the imperial household currently.
I've also heard of the horrors Krepin Rothstaylor caused.
I know House Bloomriver isn't currently the greatest either, but wouldn't it be risky to ally with a house that's in such a precarious situation?
Silvenia Academy is a special environment where the children of various noble families gather on a small island.
There's House Kroel, House Callamore, House Whitefeld, House Elpelan, House Aniston, House Nortondale, House Islan, House Shapilon… It's difficult to list them all.
Although their power varies greatly, there are many prestigious houses within various fields here.
If you were to include those who are of direct lineage to nobles alongside other children of influential families, there are too many to count.
Even being in a place like this, I have a headache just thinking about whose side I should be on.
Of course, politics are always divided and complicated like this, and I know that we cannot be completely free from such power struggles.
However, if confrontation between families intensifies seriously or houses gather to form power… things will only become that much more complicated and serious.
I've always been a worrywart. I pray that I am just overthinking things.
Although I'm telling you my opinion, I will continue to follow the orders you give me. You can just think of this as a minor anxious rant of mine.
For the time being, I will focus on preparations for my graduation. You don't have to worry about me too much.
The problem is… Patriciana.
I'm helping her graduate in more ways than one… However, every time I see her, I can't help but think.
That girl… Is it really okay for her to graduate…?]
Thud!
"Sister Tracy!"
"...?"
Patriciana broke into Trayciana's room while she was busy writing a letter.
Patriciana was usually holed up in her secret laboratory, not coming out for long periods of time. However, when she did come to Trayciana's room in Ophelis Hall, it was usually because she caused an incident… or would cause one.
In the present case, it seemed that she was going to cause one.
"Look at this! I finished the red forget-me-not reagent I mentioned last time!"
"..."
"No one can even tell it's a reagent because it barely has any magic power…! Don't be surprised, this is a really scary potion...! Uhhhh… Ehhh…"
The 'Red Forget-Me-Not Reagent', which temporarily confused someone when consumed. Thanks to Patriciana's special improvement method, it was given an even worse effect.
"It's a fantastic drug… Now, it causes them to feel half-asleep and in a daze. They completely give up everything they've been holding back and will listen to your orders with no issues."
"..."
"In a way, it can be seen as a love potion. If you want to make sure they have the same feelings as you, you can mix a moderate amount in their food to change their mind. What do you think? Don't you think I can sell it to the aristocratic girls within this school for a high price?!"
Trayciana put down the quill she was using to write her letter, then turned towards Patriciana.
"There are downsides, such as having some trouble properly controlling their bodies and acting as if they are drunk… But as time passes, it will disappear more and more. It's completely safe! Well, their memories over the period of time will be gone, but… aside from that, it's safe! They'll be completely fine once they wake up from a nap…!"
"Then, what's the difference from just drinking…?"
"…Uh…?"
Trayciana sighed as she watched her sister accidentally explain.
"This isn't the time to make such an insidious potion… Patrin… We need to prepare for graduation…"
"Huh? Well, uh… Y-You're right, but… No problem…! I'll manage to deal with the graduation exams somehow!"
Trayciana looked back down as she frowned. She glanced at the letter she was writing again.
"Anyway, I need to prepare for clinical trials. If I explain it to the students on campus, I'm sure someone will be interested!"
"You don't have any friends to ask, Patrin."
"..."
A sudden arrow of truth. Patriciana grabbed her chest as she let out an 'euk'.
"I-I have friends."
"There's no point in lying between us."
"Th-Then I can just make them."
"I've already heard that for a few years now…"
That was correct. Patriciana was extremely socially inept.
Among the other students who locked themselves up in their labs, there were quite a few who didn't get along well with other people. Patriciana was one of the worst.
"You… You don't know anything…!"
With her back to the wall, Patriciana ran out of Trayciana's room.
Thud!
Creak.
The opened door swayed back and forth from the aftermath.
Trayciana sighed as she picked up the quill again. She felt that something was wrong.
Anxiety that crept up on her made the tip of her nose itch.
Moments where she had a gut feeling that Patriciana was going to cause an incident… That was what was happening at that very moment.
* * *
[ Name: Ed Rothstaylor
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Academy Year: 3rd
Species: Human
Achievements: Resolute Survivor (1 year) / High-ranking Spirit Summoner / Proficient in making legendary-grade magic engineering products
Vitality: 16
Intelligence: 17
Dexterity: 19
Willpower: 14
Luck: 12
Combat Skills Details ≫
Magic Skills Details ≫
Life Skills Details ≫
Alchemy Skills Details ≫ ]
[ Life Skills Details
Grade: Intermediate Craftsmen
Specialized Fields: Woodworking
Handicraft Lvl 19
Design Lvl 18
Collecting Skills Lvl 17
Woodworking Lvl 18
Stonemason Lvl 11
Hunting Lvl 20 (Master!)
Fishing Lvl 15
Cooking Lvl 10
Repairing Lvl 8 ]
I thought I had been neglecting training my basic Life Skills, but surprisingly, they had grown quite a bit.
Was it because I had to keep doing tasks to survive, like maintaining the cabin and gathering food?
Some of my basic life skills had almost reached the level of Mastery, so it was time for me to move on to Advanced Production Techniques.
"..."
I sat by the campfire covered in sweat as I finished checking my stats window. I then wiped my face with a piece of cloth.
As I breathed heavily, I took another look at my exhausted body.
It had been three days since the opening ceremony ended.
My wounds had healed, and I was able to take care of my daily life and maintain my camp. That also included tasks that required quite a bit of stamina.
My magic power, which had been limited because of the ring's recoil, had nearly fully returned. It seemed like it was a good time to start training to get stronger.
More than anything else, it seemed like my life skills had made incredible progress. So, rather than just basic tools to survive, it would also be possible to make a variety of different equipment to use strategically in fights.
'Advanced Production Techniques'.
A skill that was unlocked after becoming somewhat proficient in basic life skills… It allowed you to create equipment that had their own special effects or imbue various upgraded elements in them.
For characters who invested primarily in life skills, it was considered the ultimate goal. However, that meant the conditions to achieve it were that difficult.
It took a lot of effort to unlock both Magic Engineering and Spiritual Infusion.
Now, my personal goal was the 'Bow Crafting' skill.
After the skill 'Craftsman's Spirit' was unlocked, the bows I personally made would be much more powerful…
Since you could make a bow that would have various bonus stats in itself, I remember the tech tree behind it was considered fairly broken. It was also known as a 'raw tree' because the bow by itself was already strong. When you combined it with other bonus stats, that power could be doubled or even tripled.
Of course, no matter how good the results were, if it took too long to achieve, the efficiency would suffer.
Life skills were neglected by most players because the process of reaching a high enough level to accomplish such a feat was too arduous and difficult.
For the 'Bow Crafting' skill… The prerequisites for acquisition were as follows:
Handicraft level 15, Woodworking level 15, Design level 15, Hunting level 20, Repairing level 10, and Bow Proficiency level 15.
When all of those conditions were met, an advanced production skill slot would open, and Bow Crafting would be possible.
Even though things had been so chaotic the past few months, my woodworking was at level 18. Though, it felt like I hadn't touched wood for quite some time now.
However, to raise the proficiency of not only woodworking but also those other life skills to 15 or higher was, frankly, much too cruel.
"Hmm…"
If I could just raise my repairing level a bit more, I would be able to unlock Bow Crafting.
There was nothing particularly difficult about gathering the materials for it, either. I remembered everything about high-performance bows, after all.
Beast Slayer, thousand-year-old wooden bow struck by lightning, Kohelton shortbow, etc… Whatever it was, what was important was that I made it.
Fortunately, unlike magic engineering, no recipes or formulas were required.
"Ed, are your injuries okay?"
"It doesn't hurt at all. I don't think the wound was all that deep compared to the amount I was bleeding."
"That's a relief…"
Well, the bow wasn't the problem at the moment.
Yennekar wasn't sweating profusely like me, but… it still looked like she was having a hard time.
Looking around, partially trimmed logs were scattered all over the camp.
After the morning class, Yennekar and I came back to camp. Since then, we'd been trimming logs all day.
We could work rather efficiently because we could cut the trees down with magic and transport them thanks to the spirits… but the effort it took was the same.
Still, I felt a sense of emptiness. When I first built the cabin, I had to spend weeks just trimming those logs.
However, now that I was working alongside Yennekar, the efficiency at which things were getting done wasn't just two or three times faster, it was more like a hundred or a thousand times.
"I'll have to redraw the design first. Building a shabby cabin versus a full-fledged two-story house are on completely different levels of difficulty."
"Isn't it better to leave something like that to the experts?"
"Well, I could get help with the design, but… I thought it would be better to make it myself."
The reason things were so chaotic at the camp was because I was in the process of expanding my cabin.
I was planning to upgrade my simple, one-floor shabby cabin into a proper two-story cabin.
Lortel made an offer to build it, but I declined. There were two reasons for that.
First was that my life skills proficiency and exp would rise tremendously after completing such a large construction project.
Second was that, since it was my camp, I wanted to work on it with my own two hands.
Because of that, the moment classes finished, I came back to the camp and started working on trimming logs all day long.
"If possible, I want it to feel more like a well-built building than a shabby log cabin… But that might be too much for me to do. Well, I guess it can't be helped that it'll always feel a bit shabby."
"Still, even doing this much is incredible, Ed."
Yennekar's spirits could be considered the equivalent of 100 people's manpower… I was rather fortunate to have her help.
Surprisingly, though, it seemed like they liked working.
Then, I had a rather bizarre thought. Spirits were spirits, so they shouldn't have the same mindset as humans, right?
"But… you have to take care of your school life as well. Since you're an honors student, if you use up all your stamina doing this, won't you have trouble in class?"
"It's okay. I've gotten better at managing myself now. There's still a lot of work left for me to do, so I'll have to keep working at it."
Saying that, I took a deep breath. I felt rather motivated, as that was the first proper exercise I'd had in a long time.
As she crouched down to rest, covered in sweat, Yennekar awkwardly fiddled with her fingers.
"If it's too hard, you can take a break. There's no rush to expand my cabin. Just do what you can at your own pace."
"Ah, no… it's not like that… But is there really a lot left you need to do?"
"Hm… "
I thought about how to answer and decided to just say this:
"I'm just busy with my school life."
At that point, the scenario was coming to an end, and I needed to start preparing for the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok.
The most important thing was to join forces with various powerful houses and influential people… but I didn't know where to start.
In regard to other houses, it seemed that Tanya somehow managed to bring several other houses to our side.
Those were the rumors, but I hadn't been able to confirm it myself yet.
I heard that Tanya had returned to Ophelis Hall when the new semester started, but because I was healing my injuries and Tanya was busy with the student council and family affairs, I couldn't meet with her.
Still, my own blood-related sister had returned, so I should go and see her in person.
Tanya was probably extremely busy, so I figured that I should be the one to make some time and go meet her at Obel Hall. It was just that I hadn't had the time recently.
Once I saw Tanya, she would probably explain how she brought over other houses to our side. A detailed policy would then be decided after a proper meeting.
As for imperial power, there was Princess Penia. It seemed that she was acting rather more favorably towards me than I first thought, so that was reassuring.
However, the imperial family was currently in the midst of a dispute over imperial power. So, I didn't know how much I would be able to rely on her to help me with the scenario.
Thus, the most likely place to help me was… The Telos Religious Group.
"Let's finish today's work here."
I spoke while wiping away my sweat.
"..."
Saint Clarice would most likely believe anything I said about the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok.
Because of that, the group that she was a part of… would most likely lend me their power as well.
The problem was finding the time to have such a serious conversation. Saint Clarice was always disappearing.
Sometimes she showed up as Saint Clarice. Other times she was the childish aristocrat known as Kylie Eckner.
Because she kept disappearing, I hadn't been able to meet with her. In the first place, it was already difficult to schedule a private meeting because of the huge difference in status. That was also true with the princess.
For the moment, I needed to somehow try and find her. Saint Clarice's help in defeating Velbrok was absolutely necessary.
* * *
"I'm… going to go to the Cledric Monastery for the time being… Haaah…"
As if knowing my concerns, Saint Clarice had come to my cabin that evening.
As if she had come secretly, she was only accompanied by a couple of guards.
"…What?"
"I was told that I did not have to attend this year's ceremony, but… the school said they would excuse my absence… I don't need that unnecessary understanding from them…"
She was always kind and courteous towards the other students, showing a benevolent and mature attitude.
Her lowered, holy-looking white hair and that red hairpin she always wore were just like I remembered. Everything she wore looked high-grade.
However, Clarice—who suddenly appeared at my camp—was rather depressed and ready to burst into tears.
"Of course, I know that as the saint, hosting such a large religious ceremony is a very important task… And I've already had the luxury of spending a year immersed in a romantic school life…"
"…Saint…"
"And Cledric Monastery is a place that only has horrific food. A place where you can't help but think shouldn't exist…"
Even if you were not a member of the Telos Religious Group, it was a famous place that everyone had heard of at least once.
Not far from Silvenia, up along the western coast of the continent towards the end of Countess Fes' estate.
A majestic monastery built on a small, rocky island off the coast… There was no bridge to it and there were no docks for ships, either.
However, twice a day by the coast, a sandy road leading to the monastery was opened due to the tides.
A place that could only be entered during a brief moment… A place that felt completely detached from the rest of the world. A place of great religious significance.
Although the size of the rocky island was small, the scale of the Cledric Monastery was rather large. In addition, since it was a strictly restricted area where men could not even go near unless they were high-ranking clergymen that were recognized by name or maintenance workers that had no choice but to enter, it was impossible to go inside. In other words, you had to be at least the level of the Holy Father or the Archbishop.
"And I heard that, for some reason, a lot of distinguished guests are attending the ceremony this time… I think l'll have to bring my own food when I go."
"Distinguished guests?"
"Yeah… Many distinguished guests usually come, but it seems that this year there are people of a higher status coming. And, since I'm the face of the Telos Religious Group, I'll have to attend with a smile on my face…."
"Specifically, who is coming? And you're the saint, is it okay for you to say those things?"
Saint Clarice let out a heavy sigh as she looked at the campfire before answering.
"A lot of people come from all over, but… If I had to pick just one representative…"
The name that came out of her mouth was one I was familiar with.
"Supposedly, Princess Persica of House Kroel is coming personally."
I quietly frowned.