The reason why the academy operates the reverse carriage 24/7 and the reason why there’s always someone managing the students’ weapons around the clock is this:
Even at midnight, students might need to take their weapons home. No, it’s not just the weapons. There are students who might have to pack their bags and head home at any time.
If it’s a situation where they have to pack up and leave at the dead of night, it’s easy to imagine them going into hiding. Of course, that’s not the only case, but more often, it’s because a major incident suddenly breaks out in their family.
Like when a lord croaks and the family has to take over right away, or when they hasten a wedding at home, or in extreme cases, it’s due to border disputes that require the family to join the fray.
The noble society is always full of unexpected variables. Plus, the academy isn’t exactly compulsory education. If a situation arises where one has to drop out, it might be better to just bow out, even if it’s disappointing.
So even if they accept as many incoming students as possible, by the time graduation rolls around, about 10% of the students will drop out for various reasons.
…And here I am, using that emergency system just to catch an elemental snake.
“……”
I mean, not that I’d suffer any disadvantages in school life or anything.
It’s just… how should I put it?
Thinking back on it now, I wonder if I should’ve just bought the quest reward with money instead.
Leo and Claire might have a bit of trouble, though. The Grace Baron’s estate isn’t broke, but they wouldn’t waste money on useless things. In the game, they only gave out just enough for “barely enough living expenses,” so it was impossible to fully upgrade weapons with just money coming in without quests.
Even if I don’t do any sub-quests, money comes in from main quests, so it’s not like I can’t upgrade weapons at all… but still, the money was pitifully insufficient to equip the characters with full sets.
In fact, unless I focus on upgrading the characters I primarily use in the first playthrough, managing gold is quite tight. There are other places to spend money aside from weapons and armor; Marmaros for instance.
But I’m a crown princess, after all.
If I need something, can’t I just shoot a letter to the Emperor?
…That thought only started to creep in now.
“……”
My backside feels oddly cold.
I got up. I had been sitting on the corpse, tied up and dragging it along, and boy, that cadaver was freezing as if it were made of ice. If it had been ice elemental, I wouldn’t have even thought to sit on it.
It’s the end of April, but it’s still chilly in the early morning. Even with a coat draped over my shoulders, that cold aura seeped in.
…Should I just wear it? Instead of draping it over my shoulders?
“……”
I thoughtfully rested my chin on my hand.
And then dismissed the thought.
It looks cooler having it over my shoulders.
I’m not a middle schooler, but in this world, many soldiers dress like this. So did Jennifer and the other soldiers.
So in terms of this world, it’s the latest trend.
Better to follow the trend a little rather than look uncool by not following it.
Plus, the coat has a string in the front to keep it draped like a cape.
Even the navy officers in One Piece wore their coats draped over their shoulders, right? It’s a pretty common sight by Japanese subculture standards.
As I gazed down at the corpse of the elemental snake with a hole in its head, I suddenly heard the distinct clop clop clop of horse hooves from afar.
“Sylvia?”
Claire’s surprised voice rang out.
I turned my head to see her looking my way, having rolled down the carriage window.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Claire leaped out before the driver even had a chance to open the door.
“What are you doing here at this hour?”
That’s what I want to ask.
It’s all because of you guys.
Of course, I couldn’t say that from the moment I turned back time.
“…I just went outside and completed a request that was posted on the board.”
“At this hour?”
So, is it really something you should be questioning me about at this hour?
Ah, well, when I think about it from their perspective, I guess I could seem incredibly quick to rise. Even if I only sleep a few hours a day, thanks to meditation and training… what’s the point of explaining? Anyway, the time seems to be early even by their standards.
“Did you have something to do?”
“……”
Hmm.
Not really.
It’d be a bit weird to answer that I came out early just because I got motivated after seeing you two complete a quest first. Anyway, it’s not like they’d understand if I told them, and I can’t very well reveal that I turned back time here.
But as I hesitated in my response, I wondered how Claire interpreted my silence, as her expression turned wistful.
“Is it about the imperial family…?”
Hmm.
“I can’t say right now.”
It’s not that I have nothing to say, so let’s just leave it at that.
After all, it’s not even a lie. I didn’t say a single word about being here because of the imperial family’s orders. Plus, there’s a reason I can’t tell her right now.
Upon hearing my response, Claire bit her lip.
“Could you help with loading this corpse?”
“Oh, sure.”
As my words made the driver fidget since he wasn’t sure whether to get back into the carriage or not, he quickly got to work, opening the iron trunk at the back and pulled out a thick cloth. It looked shiny, probably painted with something for waterproofing.
Just typical of the reverse carriage the academy operates. Students often seem to take these items as proof after completing requests.
Originally, if you hunted beasts in the same spot, the pieces of Marmaros would automatically express themselves, but this world is real. That convenient system doesn’t exist. To extract Marmaros from a monster’s corpse requires specialized processing.
And since I didn’t know the process in detail, it was safer to take the whole carcass rather than just part of it.
Claire and Leo probably thought the same way.
To prevent any blood from leaking and staining the trunk, we wrapped the corpse in layers and hoisted it into the trunk before getting back into the carriage.
“By the way, Sylvia, you’re amazing.”
In the returning carriage, Claire said with a smile.
“To take down a beast with a single kick.”
“It wouldn’t have been a big deal even if it were you two.”
And I had plenty of time to catch it with that single kick. If I missed or misfired, I could just turn back time.
“No, still. It’s pretty tough to handle something that big with just one swing of a sword,” Claire remarked while glancing at Leo, who nodded in agreement.
There was an actual hint of admiration in his eyes, which surprised me.
“Well, it does seem a bit strange to be surprised now. Sylvia managed to hit an enemy even in that almost blind situation back then.”
“…It’s nothing special.”
Since Claire’s praise made me feel embarrassed, I tried really hard not to let my expression slip as I turned my gaze out the window.
*
“The condition of the corpse is good. We should be able to extract excellent Marmaros from it.”
The academy staff looked a tad impressed as they checked the corpse with a single bullet wound in its head.
“However, it will take time to extract the Marmaros. Therefore, I will draw out Marmaros with the same element as this elemental snake. Would that be alright with you?”
“That’s fine.”
I nodded.
Thus, rewards come in this way.
Regardless of the process, the outcome wasn’t really different from the game. This Marmaros, too, would’ve been extracted from other elemental snakes or beasts.
The Marmaros drawn from a mana stone and that extracted from living beings with specific attributes are fundamentally the same substance. However, each process does have its pros and cons. Extracting raw mana stones from mines gives a large quantity of high-quality Marmaros at once, but the mines themselves are dangerous.
On the other hand, hunting beasts like this can yield a somewhat stable output, but there aren’t many beasts that can produce high-quality Marmaros.
In fact, the Marmaros I received this time was far less impressive and smaller than what I got from Jennifer last time. But it’s not completely useless.
In the game, it was somewhat low in attribute value, but in a way, it’s handy because it doesn’t take up too many slots and can fill in awkward gaps.
Marmaros is widely believed to be found in nature. So there’s a theory that high-quality mana stones condense where ley lines converge deep in the earth, or they can be extracted from top predators that feed on various creatures… this is how it’s explained in the settings.
If we’re talking about “top predators,” then could it be asked if Marmaros can be extracted from humans as well—
Indeed. The highest quality Marmaros can be drawn from humans. They aren’t coated with mana all over like beasts, but using the innate mana in their bodies to cast spells and unleash blade techniques makes them humans in this world’s lore. Isn’t it strange that they can’t extract Marmaros from them?
Of course, in general, such acts are frowned upon. However, settings like this that “deliberately” incorporate such elements often feature characters that defy such normal common sense.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Crown Princess. You being the first one to succeed in a request will serve as a great example to other students.”
Oh no, I hope that doesn’t happen.
I’ve already had enough hassle dealing with just two diligent people; if all the academy’s students try to imitate me and work hard, then the rewards I could receive would drop.
The quest rewards increase as you progress.
So after completing the request, I stepped outside and suddenly handed the Marmaros I’d been holding to Claire.
“Take this.”
“Eh?”
Claire took the Marmaros I handed her with a blank expression.
“What? Why?”
“It’s not something I particularly need.”
Right. I didn’t need it. Now that I got it… I realized this wasn’t something worth going through so much trouble for.
“Oh, um… thanks?”
Stunned, Claire muttered her thanks while looking confused, and Leo was staring at the both of us, surprised. I turned away.
… I should just hurry back and doze off.
*
“…I’m not particularly tired,” I said, yet Alice looked at me with disbelief. Her eyes narrowed.
“Is this about your Father?”
How is it that everyone’s thoughts align so perfectly?
Well, I guess the Emperor should seem a bit suspicious. Who would believe someone who blatantly acts like “I’m plotting something”?
So, I’ve decided to offload all of the misunderstandings about me onto the Emperor.
After all, since he’s the one being suspected, no one will mind if I pile more onto it.
Plus, I didn’t even have to lie to create those suspicions.
“……”
All I have to do is keep my mouth shut and be still.
“……”
Alice’s eyes narrowed further as she looked at me.
I’m sorry, Your Majesty.
If you want to complain, perhaps act a little nicer in your daily life.
Or perhaps criticize the protagonists who wake up at dawn to start training.
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