Chapter: 111
‘How did you find out?’
“Clumsy Young Lady. How did you know? Are you a stalker? Gross. Disgusting.”
“It’s already common knowledge. Lady Alrn.”
Common knowledge?
I clearly sneaked out last night without anyone noticing, so how did rumors start?
As I tilted my head, Joy pressed her forehead with her palm.
“The dorm supervisor mentioned that the Young Lady had disappeared last night.”
Ah, that’s right.
Since I went out around dinner time, it’s no surprise that the dorm supervisor realized I was missing.
So that’s how the rumors spread.
It wasn’t a huge problem.
Sure, the supervisor would scold me, but that’s all.
They won’t be able to do anything to a daughter of the Count’s family like me.
If they tried to punish me, I could just rattle off various accidents that occurred at the academy, and they’d back off on their own.
How many incidents have I gone through so far?
I have the right to do this!
Do you know how much I’ve struggled to keep Benedict from coming to the academy?
When I was about to die at Nakrad’s hands, I was told that it wouldn’t matter if I graduated from the academy, so just come back already?!
I managed to convince him to stay back with the excuse of unfinished business at the academy, but nowadays, he’s been pestering me daily through the crystal.
Dealing with a creepy uncle who insists on chatting a little longer every time is mentally exhausting, really.
“And that’s not all. There are people who’ve seen you running toward the academy from the back alley this morning. There are students everywhere who noticed you showing up to the exam in armor covered in small wounds. It’s obvious to anyone that Lady Alrn wasn’t in the dorm last night.”
I couldn’t bring myself to say anything amidst the blunt listing of facts.
This meant everyone at the academy was aware that I hadn’t spent the night in the dorm.
Sigh. What other bizarre rumors might spring forth now?
The people at this academy are quick to pounce on any juicy tidbit thrown their way.
Watching them compete with dishonest manipulation makes me wonder how to respond.
Fortunately, it’s been a bit easier lately since Joy or Arthur typically intervene.
“So please answer me. What were you doing yesterday?”
How should I explain this?
I went to prevent a disaster from occurring during the academy’s test?
That sounds too insane to share.
I went to help a friend?
But I only have Joy as a friend.
That one’s out too.
I did business with people from the underworld.
That would definitely fuel some ridiculous rumors, so nope.
As I rolled my eyes, trying to conjure up a plausible story, Joy sighed.
“Is it something that’s hard to talk about?”
Is it really hard to say?
Should I mention I went off to do something unbelievable?
How would I convincingly explain that I tackled the dungeon created by the Apostle of the Evil God during the academy’s exam?
If they hadn’t seen the whole process, they’d most likely think it was nonsense.
“Well then, let me ask this: It wasn’t something bad, right?”
‘Of course not!’
“I’m not a clumsy Young Lady, so why would it be anything ill? Of course not.”
“That’s all I needed to hear.”
I worried about what she might ask next, but Joy backed off more readily than I expected.
“I trust you won’t do anything foolish. But could you at least tell me next time you’re going off to do something? I was really worried, you know?”
The moment I saw Joy shrugging her shoulders with a smile, I felt tears welling up.
Joy! That’s unfair!
My favorite character cares about me!
Ah! So moving!
What should I do? Can I record that line?
Is there a way to immortalize it at the top of the log for life?
Even while I was internally freaking out, my outward reaction remained composed.
It seemed the Mesugaki skill decided that such a display of excitement was unworthy of a Mesugaki.
While I wanted to hug Joy and jump around, the Mesugaki skill took a different route.
All it made were minor movements with my hands and the corners of my mouth.
Feigning to hide my smile and sporting a mischievous pout.
‘Thank you so much! Joy!’
“Hmm. You were worried? Was it because there’s no one to protect the scared and pathetic clumsy Young Lady?”
“It’s not like I’m that much of a coward.”
Seeing me in my usual state, Joy seemed to relax and shrugged lightly before turning back toward the other young ladies.
Now that Joy had left, should I start what I originally planned?
‘Grandpa.’
[I’ve been scouting as well. Just hold tight.]
According to the game story, that student who used the magical tool doesn’t get caught at the time.
It’s partly because the uproar that followed made all traces of the magical tool vanish, but the real issue is that the tool itself possesses the Evil God’s power, making it difficult to detect.
But I have a way to track that person down.
I have Grandpa, the mace-slash-high-performance detector.
He can pick up scents from nearby monsters to those far away in the dungeon.
In matters concerning magic, he’s sharper than anyone else, so it shouldn’t be hard to detect the use of a magical tool.
My prediction was right.
[From where you’re standing, northeast. The person you toppled over before. Do you see them?]
Not long after, Grandpa found traces of the magical tool.
As I turned my gaze in the direction he indicated, I spotted a young lady standing behind a tree, looking perplexed at a black stone.
I remembered that girl.
She was the one who blocked my path when I tried to visit Joy in the infirmary last time.
What was her name again?
Oh, I remember she led several young ladies around Joy.
What did the Mesugaki skill call her?
I can’t recall that either.
Hmm. What was it? A working student?
What’s important is that I’ve noted the weakness of the young lady who really despises me and spreads bad stories about me.
Watching her frown made me feel all the fatigue in my body vanish.
My lips were already twitching uncontrollably.
How should I seize this opportunity to mess with her?
I can mess around without any guilt, right?
Mesugaki skill.
Right now, at this moment, I’ll release the chains around your neck.
Go ahead and do whatever you want.
Should I just try saying the word I can get her to shout the most?
“Pathetic♡”
I was all set.
Alright, let’s go!
With perfect reasoning and justification, I’ll go torment that young lady.
*
Damn it. Why isn’t it working?
I should have made such a loud racket by pouring mana into this stone that even I would notice it.
And amidst all that noise, Lucy Alrn should get hurt!
Why isn’t anything happening?!
I’m channeling my mana!
Work! Just work!
Hurry up and punish that arrogant Lucy Alrn!
If that Evil God can’t even do this much!
“Hey.”
As I cursed the black stone inwardly, I nearly jumped out of my skin at the voice coming from behind me, quickly hiding the rock.
“What are you doing here, pathetic Young Lady♡? Are you planning to act as grim as you look?♡”
The moment I heard her piercing, annoying laughter, I knew without even lifting my head who had approached.
“Lady Alrn.”
The one she hates the most right now.
The spoiled brat who stole away the one she admired most.
Lifting my head, I bit my lip at that mocking gaze directed at me from above.
“What brings you here?”
“Just wondering what you’re up to alone?♡ Oh! Did you decide to ostracize yourself at the academy?♡ It suits you~!♡”
As Lucy Alrn spat her words, something deep inside me simmered, but I fought to suppress it.
There was a Partran Young Lady present. If she saw me yelling at Lucy Alrn, it would surely earn her ire.
I couldn’t let that happen.
I didn’t want to be hated by her.
“Ha. The one being ostracized here is you. A lonely Young Lady with no friends.”
“Not true! I have friends!”
“Liar again.”
“I have Joy who loves me♡ Right?♡ Unlike you and your gloomy self!♡”
“That’s your whole thing!…”
Unable to hold back any longer, the resentment bubbled up in my voice, but Lucy Alrn reached out and covered my mouth.
I desperately tried to pry her hand away, but it was hopeless.
There’s no way a trainee knight like Lucy Alrn could be overpowered by a wannabe magician like me.
Seeing the panic in my widened eyes brought an even more insufferable smile to Lucy’s face.
“Calm down, pathetic Young Lady♡ You really want to let everyone know you believe in the Evil God? Is this a cry for attention? So gross~♡”
How could she know.
As my eyes viciously darted around, Lucy’s giggles echoed in my ears.
No way. She must be mistaken.
How could a brat like Lucy Alrn know about this magical tool that even the professors at the academy failed to notice?
“Do you think I wouldn’t know?♡ That stone— it’s a gift from that flashy guy, isn’t it? Are you in denial?♡ You really are pathetic, crawling under the Evil God’s influence like a little worm. How stupid!♡”
Flashy guy.
Even though she wasn’t explicitly referring to someone, I knew instinctively who she meant.
The one who handed me that black stone.
The man who insisted on being referred to as Darkness.
The one who gifted me that stone along with various information.
Lucy Alrn wasn’t just threatening me blindly.
She came to me already knowing everything.
“Are you finally putting the pieces together, pathetic Young Lady?♡”
You’ve fallen right into my trap.
Even after Lucy Alrn removed her hand from my mouth, I couldn’t say a thing.
I couldn’t utter a word.
Even as a student, I still had a sense of nobility from spending a lot of time in high society.
At the very least, I had the basic political savviness.
And right now.
Trapped by the very person you must never let down and stuck under a weakness, I had to stay calm.
Otherwise, the one standing in front of me— the one known to have connections with the Church of the Lord— would surely wear her usual annoying smile and roast me alive on the stakes.
“Shall we find somewhere quiet to talk? A place where even pigs can grunt without worry?♡”
“…Yes.”
The only thing permitted for me was to nod my head in agreement.
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