Chapter: 165
The warm and beautiful sensation of stepping out of my lodging after a long time, it’s been a week. Now it’s time to return to the inspector, Carl Krasius.
[Congratulations on your release.]
You little shit.
And just like that, the warm feeling vanished. The Crown Prince must’ve been so giddy about sending this message, right on time too. Does he have nothing better to do?
But then again, they say to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Imagining the Crown Prince being released today after being put on probation by the Emperor made me somewhat understand his actions. I would’ve probably done the same. I can’t stand being teased.
Release, my foot.
I really wish he’d at least write it correctly. It’s not imprisonment; it’s probation. What’s with him treating it like imprisonment when he’s the one who decided on the probation?
I couldn’t even laugh it off because writing just one more report would land me in actual jail. Are the capital’s prisons warm?
Even if they were, they’d probably be colder than my communication crystal.
[You’ve been through a lot.]
[I heard you’re returning to work. Please let me know if you need anything.]
[There haven’t been any issues for the past week. Please return comfortably.]
The flood of messages warmed my communication crystal. In turn, my heart regained its warmth.
This is it, this is how greetings should be. My time at the academy hasn’t been wasted after all.
These are from people I’ve known for less than a year.
The principal, the vice principal, and Villar are all people I only met in March. The only time I’ve seen the principal was during official imperial events; it was just a quick greeting.
Compared to that, I’ve known the Crown Prince for two years, and what a piece of work he is.
[Congratulations on the end of your third probation! If you come to the capital, I’ll give you some tofu!]
After reading the message from the 1st Manager, I quietly put away my communication crystal.
I suddenly realized there truly is a floor beneath the floor.
*
I had promised Marghetta that she would be the first person I would visit once my probation ended. There was indeed a minor incident involving the lewd demon, but a promise is a promise.
How could one build trust if they can’t even keep such a minor promise?
“Did you really come here first?”
“I promised Mar, so of course I’m here.”
To be honest, apart from the club room, I didn’t really have anywhere else to go. It seems she overestimated my range of activities.
Fufu, thank you.
But I didn’t want to dampen Marghetta’s happiness, so I held back any unnecessary comments.
“Meeting Carl is great, but please let me avoid having to go look for you first.”
“I’ll try.”
She made a somewhat grumpy request for me to not undergo any more bizarre probations at the academy.
I responded that I would try, but honestly, it wasn’t entirely up to me. The Crown Prince’s state of mind is beyond my understanding.
Moreover, if I were to be subjected to ordinary probation or imprisonment, Marghetta wouldn’t be able to come see me even if she wanted to.
There’s no need for her to look for me.
The prison is in the capital, so as a student, Marghetta wouldn’t even be able to attempt a visit.
Anyway, since I couldn’t visit, it felt like a monkey’s paw wish. Of course, I refrained from saying this out loud.
After lounging around for a few more hours, I headed to the club room. I wondered if she would bring up that talk about polyandry like yesterday, but she didn’t mention it. It still puzzles me—why did that come up suddenly?
*
My steps toward the club room felt light. Finally, it’s the day my oppa is released.
No, not released, just the end of his probation. Rutis keeps calling it a release, so I ended up saying the same thing.
I mustn’t make a mistake.
Mentioning his release in front of oppa, who likely feels bitter about being put on probation, would only cause him more pain. I absolutely cannot do that.
It would be embarrassing to make a mistake when seeing him after a long time. Although I visited him every day, seeing him in the club room feels different.
I like our one-on-one meetings too. However, the club room is packed with my memories of oppa, making it feel even more special.
“A week flies by, doesn’t it?”
Erich said nonchalantly while I gathered my resolve.
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but glance at Erich. No matter how mild the discipline was for oppa or how trivial the issues were, that comment felt too indifferent, you know?
“Have you ever met oppa?”
I asked if he had done his family duty as well.
Thinking back, this whole mess started when Erich selected oppa for the four-person event. He looked genuinely remorseful when Rutis fainted.
“I was going to, but then I changed my mind.”
Erich’s expression as he said this looked somewhat regretful.
“Someone told everything to Mother.”
“Everything?”
“About her second son getting dumped.”
It was my turn to quietly lower my gaze.
Because I was the one who turned him down.
Moreover, if Mother looked at me with pity after hearing that I was rejected by Carl oppa, my heart would surely break. And there’s no way I’d have the courage to face the person who blurted out unnecessary things to my mother.
Oppa was too much.
This is definitely oppa’s fault. No matter how much of an oppa he is, that’s a mistake I can’t defend.
But something feels off. Did oppa tell their mother that Erich was rejected?
How much did he say?
A chill ran down my spine. If oppa merely mentioned that Erich had been rejected, it could be seen as unfortunate. But what if he also revealed who did the rejecting?
Then I’d just be the lady who rejected her second son to oppa’s mother. And what a lady that would be, wanting to become the eldest son’s wife.
Wow.
A sigh escaped me involuntarily. What a situation. Mother would probably disapprove.
I really hope that’s not the case. I hope oppa didn’t go into details.
“He’s here.”
Erich’s words made me quickly lift my head. Light was seeping through the club room’s window.
Strange. Just a moment ago, I’ve been so eager to see oppa, but now I feel a tinge of hesitation.
However, the tension filling my chest dissipated the moment I saw oppa.
“Oppa.”
“Ah, you’re here?”
Seeing him wave and welcome me brought a slight smile to my face.
Right, what’s the use of worrying now? If oppa had already told Mother in detail, I could just work hard to make a good impression from now on. And if he hadn’t, well, that would be a relief.
Let’s not worry.
Honestly, I’m looking too far ahead when my relationship with oppa is still so uncertain.
That’s a sad conclusion, but it feels like trying to run before I can even walk.
“Rutis came, but you didn’t even show your face.”
“I sent a gift instead. You received it from Rutis, right?”
“Did you prepare that too?”
“I bought the box.”
When I turned back to oppa, he was having a weird argument with Erich. Normally, he wouldn’t act like this, but it seems that being cooped up for so long has made him very bored.
*
Days have passed since my release from probation. Still, nothing particularly special has happened.
It’s getting to the point where I’m beginning to feel anxious. How big of a storm is brewing underneath this calm?
It’s scarier when it’s quiet.
There’s a law of effort conservation in this world. You either relax now and then hustle like mad later, or you maintain a consistent pace. Regardless, you have to hit your quota.
So, this peace feels like the calm before a storm. Thank goodness it hasn’t led to a situation where anyone’s incompetence has been revealed yet.
It’ll work out somehow.
I’ve been fretting alone while living the life of an academy inspector for a few months now. It seems like I’m starting to learn how to think positively.
Yes, it will work out somehow. After all, I’m not the only civil servant here in this academy.
Thinking that, I took a bite of a cookie, and surprisingly, my mind felt at ease.
Thanks, you jerk.
Months of struggling, and then under probation made me realize that what I needed was to let go.
Could it be that the Crown Prince intentionally took on the role of the villain to provide me with this realization?
It’s complicated, isn’t it?
“Is it because the names are different from ours?”
A voice broke through my reverie.
When I turned my head, I saw the members twiddling with pens instead of the usual flour and eggs.
They’re really working hard.
There’s always that one teacher who enjoys springing pop quizzes. It seems that since the academy is a gathering place for many, they have such teachers too.
But maybe it’s somewhat of a mercy that this isn’t a surprise test this time; although, informing us the day before a test isn’t really merciful either.
Thanks to that, the members are cramming in knowledge as if their lives depend on it. Given their royal and noble statuses, failing is simply not an option.
“How do you translate Sareitou Dobra Gala?”
“It’s the Gala of the Dobra clan that rules over the Sareitou tribe.”
“What’s the difference between a tribe and a clan again?”
Erich’s defeated muttering filled the air. Such a scene evokes a deep sense of sympathy. Ah, the image of a college student under pressure.
Of all things, why history!?
And hearing a familiar name, it appears related to the North. I hadn’t anticipated hearing that bastard’s name at the academy.
As I idly watched them, I decided to approach the members since I had nothing else to do and recognized something.
“Think of a clan as a family. The head of that family is the clan chief.”
All eyes were on me.
A collection of such clans forms a tribe. Usually, the largest clan’s chief becomes the tribal chief, similar to our own concept of territories and lords.
“Oh.”
Erich nodded, seeming to grasp the concept. It wasn’t too complicated; just different terminology.
“And this is written incorrectly. It’s not Sareitou but Sarei, and not Gala but Tala.”
I corrected their spelling errors too. Getting the tribe’s name wrong is one thing, but what’s this Gala thing? Is it a show?
Despite my correction, Erich just blinked.
“Uh, oppa. The teacher taught us this way…”
I shook my head as Louise spoke.
They might’ve taught it incorrectly. The script in the North is different, so it seems they misinterpreted it.
I don’t know who the teacher was, but can they know better than me? I’ve even been formally introduced to that bastard.
“I am Sarei Dobra Tala! The sword of the great Kagan, the fury of the wolf!”
Looking back at it, what a ridiculous situation. What was he doing prancing around with a knife in his throat?
“But you should probably write it as he told you to. Don’t mind what I said.”
“Ah, okay.”
While the translation error was amusing, Mr. Gala Show, the fury of the wolf—what a mischief indeed.
*
The day after I corrected Gala to Tala, a teacher unexpectedly stormed into the club room. What’s the rush? It’s still morning; are there no classes happening?
“Inspector! I’m truly, truly sorry, but could you spare some time!?”
However, his overwhelming enthusiasm made it impossible for me to refuse.
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