Episode 59
“Ugh…”
After finishing her morning class, Alicia headed to the laboratory.
She clutched her swollen forehead, her eyes brimming with tears. Usually, she’d bounce back by the next day, but this time it was worse. The throbbing wouldn’t stop.
Every time the pain hit, memories of last night came flooding back.
Alicia had to spit out words of affirmation about herself until he was satisfied. The slightest hint of sadness or hesitation would result in the terrifying punishment of a slap.
…She had never been hit this many times in a row before.
Just then, someone lightly touched her back.
Startled, Alicia’s body reflexively reacted.
“I-I am amazing…! I’m superior and beautiful beyond anyone in the world!!”
“Alici…a?”
“…E-Emily?”
Realizing the person who touched her was Emily, Alicia let out a deep sigh of relief, only to immediately blush. She stammered, her mouth opening and closing aimlessly.
It was a familiar sight to Vargan, but it was Emily’s first time witnessing Alicia like this.
Noticing something was off, Emily lifted Alicia’s forehead.
“W-What’s this…?! Did a giant hornet sting you?!”
Emily added, wondering how big a bee had to be to do this. She looked at Alicia with concern.
“Oh, it’s fine…! It’s nothing, Emily!”
“Nothing?! Look at that bruise! …Could it be Vargan did this? Really?! Is he crazy?! How did it get this bad? Ugh!”
As she began to raise her voice, Alicia quickly scanned her surroundings and covered Emily’s mouth.
“It’s really fine…! It’s all my fault! Please be quiet… We’re near the laboratory!”
Alicia shook her head like a terrified child. This was the first time Emily had seen Alicia act this way.
With her mouth covered, breathing became difficult for Emily, and Alicia, realizing it too late, hurriedly removed her hand.
Emily coughed and rubbed her throat.
“I-I’m sorry, Emily…! I didn’t mean to… Ah, what should I do….”
Alicia flusteredly cast a healing spell on Emily. Although she was desperate, Emily wasn’t actually hurt, so the spell had no effect.
Puff, puff? Emily’s body trembled.
Alicia, even more shocked, increased the intensity of the healing spell.
“Ahahahah?! You can stop now, Alicia!”
“Y-Yes? B-but…!”
“Who heals like this? There’s a limit to overprotection, you know!”
“There is a limit to overprotectiveness.”
Only then did Alicia retract her healing magic. Emily, wiping the tears from her laughter, said:
“Oh, really… I never thought you’d be flustered and clumsy like this. Wow, now that’s something amazing to see.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I always thought you were some superhuman, acting without a single gap or flaw. But then again, you did seem embarrassed around Vargan a lot.”
“Ugh….”
Alicia, her ears turning red from embarrassment, lowered her head to hide her shame. Emily found Alicia’s new reaction surprising yet cute, and couldn’t help but laugh.
“I can’t believe you hid such cuteness all this time.”
“…Please don’t tease me, Emily.”
Covering her face with both hands and at a loss, Alicia made Emily stop teasing and continue with her admiration.
“Wow… It’s so intimidating when a pretty person also has this kind of charm. I think I understand a bit why Vargan treated you that way… but still, that was too much. Do you want me to cast a recovery spell?”
Alicia shook her head, trying to remain calm.
She’s a servant of the prestigious Schugenharz.
She can’t show such a fragile side to the outside world.
Alicia took a breath and managed to calm down.
“…So that’s how you’ve been hiding it all this time.”
“……”
“Are you really sure you don’t need a recovery spell? It looks like it might linger.”
“…It’s fine. It’s a punishment for myself for causing concern to the Young Master.”
“That sounds like it exceeds just being commendable… Still, if you insist, then I won’t argue. Alright, then…”
While pondering for a moment on how to change the subject, Emily recalled something suitable.
“By the way, how are you planning to handle the assignment?”
There are seasons in the Academia when mountain-sized assignment bombs drop during the 1st and 2nd semesters.
During these times, professors with unique personalities give out their assignments for evaluation. Naturally, based on grades, students can earn Cattia.
“Which assignment are you talking about?”
“Our professor’s, of course. It was assigned so easily that it’s actually a bit troubling because it’s too easy.”
The assignment given by Louisa, the head professor of Class 1, went like this:
“State what you want to achieve before you die.”
“Yeah, that one! You can decide the length and format yourself, and it isn’t even related to heroes…. Each student’s answer will definitely be different, so I have no idea how they’re planning to evaluate this.”
“Since we still have time, I think it’s fine to take it slow and think it through.”
“That’s true, but it’s just so vague… Hmm?”
The two, heading towards the laboratory, stopped in their tracks. They were in front of a newly allocated spacious room, not the cramped one they were in before, and they hesitated to enter.
A huge number of students filled the area.
Are they the new recruits of the Research Society?? They looked around, but there were too many and no familiar faces. They didn’t seem to be newcomers.
Murmurs filled the air.
? A first-year student captured a Level 3 Threat?!
? I heard he defeated it with his fiancée!
? No, the fiancée got knocked out and the top first-year did it alone!
? Is that really the point? This is an intelligent creature! I’ve never heard of a first-year capturing an intelligent creature before!
……
“I was definitely surprised too, but I didn’t think it would become a big issue… talking about us.”
“Yeah….”
“How do we get in there?”
“How do I get in here?”
*
Rumors really do spread like wildfire.
Today, the Academia is buzzing with two incidents.
One is about me—the “Bishop, Caliculea Hunt.”
Since I stepped into the Academia this morning, I’ve been struggling to shake off the persistent crowd. Erica had the same experience. Instead of attending our morning classes, we both ended up being interrogated.
What kind of guy was Caliculea?
Did he know he was hiding there?
Why did he even go there?
They bombarded me with questions, which was quite a hassle. Of course, I didn’t reveal that I had planned this; to them, it looked like I was caught unaware, without any solid evidence or reason. That wasn’t even the main reason we were being questioned. We managed to get through it, albeit not entirely smoothly.
Actually, it wasn’t smooth at all.
With people’s chatter buzzing all day, my head was spinning.
Just a heads up, Erica and I received a ban on going out for the semester.
The other incident involves Liam.
Surprisingly, Liam continued to follow the usual storyline without Emily. After the Class Battle, he got involved with the Research Society at the request of his group member, the Spirit Summoner, and discovered their secrets.
Under the pretense of helping illiterate commoners, the Research Society exploited them from the inside. They made contracts, infused them with mana, and stamped them with both parties’ seals of consent.
Naturally, these contracts were unequal, tricking those clueless fools into getting themselves entangled.
Once Liam realized this, he broke free from the shadows and successfully brought it to light. He must have gained a significant level of experience from this encounter.
Well, it may have overlapped with my situation, somewhat overshadowing Liam’s success, but at least he solved it.
Right now, though…
“Shut your mouths and step aside.”
The noise and students filling the hallway suddenly fell silent and parted like the Red Sea.
Just from this scene, you can tell.
These nosy rumor-mongers, incapable of breaking even the simplest curse, are nothing but a bunch of fools.
I walked through the open path, opened the door to the Research Society, and stepped inside, reinforcing the soundproofing and sealing magic as I shut the door.
I could still see the stupid looks on their faces until the door closed. I almost wanted to sweep them away like garbage.
Creak…?
The moment the door shut, silence enveloped the room.
I could feel sixty-four pairs of eyes fixated on me from behind. Fortunately, the selected personnel knew how to be patient, waiting for me to speak first.
I moved forward.
With each step I took, my footsteps resonated in the room, echoing with a refined rhythm.
And then, I arrived at the central table.
“I’m glad to see you all again. As you know, I am Schugenharz Troa Vargan, the head of Arbol Frutal. First, let me say congratulations.”
I smiled at the chosen talents sitting before me.
“You have been selected.”
*
After a brief speech and an explanation of the ideals behind Arbol Frutal, we settled down according to our respective groups.
Normally, the executives of the Root would gather, but since today was the first day, even the heads joined their respective groups for explanations.
Currently, I was with the members of “Mokdae.”
“…So, to reiterate, now that you are part of Arbol Frutal, you are required to fulfill your regularly assigned time and tasks. Being a senior does not grant you any exceptions. Are there any other questions?”
“There’s nothing else to address. Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
“Wow… You really look alike. Those eyes are a carbon copy, aren’t they?”
With a cheeky comment like “Can I take a closer look?” Alexeria pokes her face in. Behind her, her fiancé Bracchium gently pulls her back to her seat.
After being held back, Alexeria puffs out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
“Why not? I just wanted to see him closely since he looks like Rain.”
“Just sit still. That’s rude.”
“But I’m a senior!”
“He’s the head of the research society.”
Alexeria turns her head abruptly and takes her seat, deliberately emphasizing her sulkiness.
Believe it or not, this woman named Alexeria is a fourth-year student who was the student council president two years ago and just returned from a leave of absence.
By the way, “Rain” seems to refer to the current student council president, Rheincarven. At least she’s not calling him “Lime,” so maybe that’s a relief?
Alexeria soon perks up and asks, her brightness almost blinding.
“When I first came in, you spoke informally, but here you’re using honorifics. Is there a special reason for that?”
“…….”
I’m the type that avoids these questions.
Why does every decent person seem to have a screw loose?
“If there are no further inquiries, we’ll wrap up this meeting.”
“Oh, I’ve been ignored~!”
“…….”
Just as I tried to break free from the podium, second-year Francesca, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. Her deep-set eyes fixed on me.
“Schugenharz Troa Vargan, your name has been praised as a prodigy throughout the kingdom since childhood.”
“It seems you have some questions about me.”
Francesca slowly nodded.
She was someone with whom a conversation could flow smoothly, so she took a seat opposing me.
“What are you curious about?”
“After 13, your actions ceased to be known. Occasionally, very rarely, you’d hear whispers that were more akin to slander than praise.”
“I didn’t realize I was still regarded with such interest; it’s an honor.”
Clink.
She picks up her teacup. Taking a sip of the still warm tea, she asks,
“Why did you go quiet all this time only to become active again?”
Vargan had completely changed his personality at 13. Once the center of attention in social circles, he vanished as if to live silently.
To live quietly here means he had set up measures to ensure the rumors wouldn’t spread while engaging in mischief.
Rumors about him killing the Portlet Family’s servant or practically ceasing his magical studies had barely circulated.
Then suddenly, he reappeared at the Academia, stirring whispers once again. Although the country is different, Francesca, who has lived her whole life in the noble circle, seemed to have quite a bit of info on Vargan.
“Or perhaps… there’s a reason that necessitated it.”
As she sips her tea, her words seem half-hearted but contain a hint of certainty.
She turns her eyes slowly to face me.
“It’s hard to speak carelessly, but to put it simply…”
I flashed a smile.
With eyes that anyone would assume belong to a kind person, I confidently replied.
“For the peace and stability of the world. That’s how I’ll summarize it.”
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