“Ahhhh······.”
I dropped the wooden sword on the floor and sprawled out.
My right arm, still healing, hurt like hell.
The doctor definitely said to stay still for a week······ but that was impossible.
Just when I heard a *crack* in my joints, it stopped, so I don’t think my shoulder will dislocate again, right?
“Hoo······.”
Today, I tried using ‘Selection and Concentration’ for my Agility stat.
As the name suggests, the higher it is, the faster your body becomes.
Of course, having a high Strength also makes you faster, but Agility is different from the get-go.
While Strength simply increases muscle power, Agility slows down your ‘perceived time.’
If Agility is extremely high, you could even see bullets flying in slow motion.
That means your body also moves quickly, but hitting something at that speed couldn’t compare to just using ‘Selection and Concentration’ on Strength.
So it might be better to use Strength for attacking and Agility for dodging.
“I have three stats left······.”
Strength. Mana. Vitality.
Once these three stats exceed 10, the shop will open.
If my hypothesis is correct anyway······.
Unless a surprise situation arises, the shop should open within three days.
Ideally, I’d want to open it before the semester starts to check for any needed items.
Since that won’t work time-wise, I’d have to handle the upcoming events right after classes with just my current abilities.
“Next is magic.”
Dragging my tired body, I sat down in a corner stacked with books.
Yesterday, I succeeded in casting Gravity Magic.
Considering most students master Gravity Magic at a young age, there’s nothing to be proud of.
I’m still far behind, so I need to at least try to keep up······.
Anyway, I can’t rely solely on tricks; I need to steadily improve my basic skills too.
This time, I’ll challenge myself with Barrier Magic.
It’s one of the most basic magics alongside Gravity.
But unlike Gravity Magic, which will eventually be replaced by the superior Telekinesis Magic, Barrier Magic can be used by anyone, from beginners to grand magicians.
I don’t expect any other functions, so let’s start by enclosing a space with a Mana Curtain.
*Woooooosh*
“Ahhhhhh······! It feels like I’m almost there!”
I thought this would be quick.
Well, it’s not that complicated.
Barrier Magic is just wrapping space with mana, right?
I’m not even bothering to think about functions like shock absorption, sound, or light blocking.
But it’s still taking so long?
I threw the book in frustration and closed my eyes again. After all, closing my eyes doesn’t block my sight, so I deliberately switched off my visual perception.
“Hoo······. Let’s take it slow and try again. Relying on my senses.”
I had focused too much on the spell so far.
What’s more important than creating the spell is stabilizing and maintaining it.
I once again pieced together a simple spell and infused it with weak mana.
I repeatedly struggled to keep the wavering spell stable, shaping its form.
A perfectly shaped cube came to mind, leaving no room for gaps.
As I restored my sight-
“Wow······.”
An opaque cube floated in the air.
I finally succeeded.
Although the mana was so weak that anything could pass through, it’s still a useless barrier.
“Wait. It’s not entirely useless.”
Thinking about it, I realized I could do something with my barrier.
I immediately crafted another spell to expand the barrier.
This time right in front of the entrance door to the training room.
Even though it would be destroyed the moment someone steps in, I included a simple function.
When it gets destroyed, it would signal me.
It won’t help in stopping intruders, but knowing that someone has entered allows me to respond, so it’s not completely meaningless.
If I spend my efforts on creating a strong external barrier, the chances of this flimsy barrier catching someone unaware would be high.
In that sense, it might be the hardest barrier to detect.
“Shall I call it a day?”
Maybe it’s because I pulled an all-nighter yesterday and pushed my body two days in a row.
Sleep is crashing over me like a tidal wave.
I should sleep a bit early today.
So I turned off the lights in the training room and opened the door.
“Oh······. Early? My foot.”
It was already late.
Looking at the full moon setting in the west, it must be around 3 AM.
I really lose track of time once I step into the training room. Should I get a clock or something?
Emilia is probably already asleep.
I carefully opened and closed the door quietly to slip into the dark mansion.
Just as I tiptoed and was about to head up to the second floor-
“Are you coming in now?”
“Whoa, damn it!”
I was startled by the sudden voice.
Turning around, I saw Emilia turning on the lights in the living room, rubbing her eyes.
“What are you doing? Not asleep yet?”
“I was going to sleep after seeing Hainkel-san come back safely. Confirming the master’s safe return is a basic duty for an attendant.”
Ah······. I didn’t think of that.
If I come back late, Emilia can’t sleep.
While I could oversleep the next day, Emilia has to wake up early for work.
For Emilia’s sake, I should probably adapt to an early sleep and early wake-up pattern.
But I can’t do that every day······.
“From now on, try not to wait up past midnight.”
“No, I’ll wait until you come back to sleep after-”
“Don’t wait past midnight. If I see you yawning the next morning, I’ll make you go to bed immediately.”
“······Yes.”
I forced her to accept it.
A lack of sleep is the root of all illnesses, after all.
I saw many soldiers getting sick after standing chronically malfunctioning shifts back in the army.
If Emilia gets sick because of me, I’d lose her cooperation forever······.
It’s best to be as cautious as possible about even minor things.
Well, Emilia isn’t set up to be a sickly cute girl, so I’m not overly worried.
“Good night.”
“Sleep well too, Emilia.”
“Yes. Oh, but um······.”
“What?”
Just as I was about to enter the bedroom, Emilia’s voice halted me.
Turning around, she was holding an oil lamp in one hand and fidgeting with her clothes with the other, looking unsure.
It’s a rare sight for Emilia’s character.
Is there something she wants to say?
······Or is she just pretending?
“Ah, it’s nothing······.”
“Okay. Sleep well.”
“Yes. Understood.”
I closed the door after regaining her cool composure, feeling a bit perplexed about what she was about to say.
What exactly was she going to say?
With a slight sense of curiosity, I roughly undressed and fell into bed.
And I immediately lost consciousness.
*
“Haa······.”
Back in the bedroom, Emilia let out a deep sigh and stood before the desk.
After confirming that the door was securely closed and that the recognition-disruption barrier was deployed, she took a letter out from the drawer.
It was a letter she received from an intelligence agency agent while she was out buying groceries.
The contents detailed information about Schlus Hainkel.
As she read it, Emilia couldn’t help but sigh.
To summarize Schlus’ past: “Suffering, suffering, and more suffering.”
He was born without a mother. She died during childbirth due to an illness she had before birth.
His father, a noble’s guard, and he lived what was not exactly a happy life but a somewhat peaceful one.
Until the war broke out.
At the start of the war, there was no problem.
Since Schlus’ father was a privately hired guard, he wasn’t subject to conscription.
His territory, Eisburg, was close to the border, but there was probably no worry since the Empire had completely overpowered the Kingdom and pushed the frontline dozens of kilometers back at that time.
After annihilating more than 90 percent of the Kingdom’s military power within two years of the war starting, everyone was relaxed during winter.
The Kingdom’s great offensive began in that harsh winter when the Empire was busy retreating.
While the Empire forces were casually preparing for winter, the Kingdom’s army surged forward. Some units even crossed the border completely.
And that region happened to be where Schlus was staying, Eisburg.
A fierce battle began.
The soldiers of Eisburg had to face the Kingdom’s army alone, without support from the Empire, and they managed to defend the territory.
Many people died, including Schlus’ father.
Thus, young Schlus was left alone, without family, relatives, or friends, scrambling between the countryside and city to earn his daily bread.
During that time, a ceasefire was established, and the next year, Schlus suddenly came to the capital and managed to be accepted to the Imperial University as the top student······.
‘What the hell.’
Emilia had expected him to be the son of a wealthy bourgeois but was completely mistaken.
He had never been wealthy even for a moment in his life and had never received a proper education.
How did he suddenly come to the capital and pass the Imperial University after spending all his savings······?
It didn’t seem to be just a touching success story.
There was definitely something suspicious going on.
If there wasn’t······
What would have happened to her brother, who was similarly placed and became a killing machine as a young soldier?
Somehow, someone climbs up from bottom life while Schlus is doing well without getting famous. What does that make her brother who lives in the shadows?
He took in and raised a sister who shares no blood and lived more painfully than anyone else.
Why is it that some receive rewards, but her brother receives nothing at all?
‘It’s really······ unfair······.’
Emilia crumpled the letter and lowered her head.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
She realized that Schlus had achieved everything by himself from start to finish.
There was no help from parents.
Yet, Emilia’s inexplicable hatred didn’t fade.
In fact, it only intensified.
*
“Mmm······?”
“Is there a problem?”
“No.”
Did I see something wrong?
Let’s check one more time.
‘Inventory.’
[Black Tea]
[Status: Poison]
[Description: This black tea is contaminated with paralysis poison. A minuscule amount could be fatal without resistance.]
“······.”
I definitely didn’t misread.
Poisoned black tea.
Since Emilia brewed tea that she didn’t even ask for since morning, I checked, and this is what I found.
I stole a glance at Emilia’s expression.
Still expressionless and standing straight, she was staring at me.
From that expression, I couldn’t read any emotion or intent.
Is she really a pro spy, then?
‘Did I do something wrong?’
So far, I haven’t done anything that could harm the intelligence agency.
If that’s the case, this isn’t a directive from the intelligence agency but something Emilia is doing on her own.
Why? Why?
There wouldn’t be any benefit in killing me now.
In fact, it just brings disadvantages.
If I die from poisoning, Emilia would have to run away before being identified as a suspect.
Then the intelligence agency wouldn’t be able to monitor the Imperial University anymore.
‘I don’t get it, damn it.’
In the end, I gave up on trying to understand-
*Clang*
“Ouch.”
“Please remain still. I’ll clean this up and bring you a new one.”
“No, I’ll just skip the black tea today.”
“Understood.”
Pretending to make a mistake, I pushed the teacup off the table.
Logically thinking, there’s no reason to behave this way.
She’s supposed to be a character who knows basic common sense······.
What happened?
“Then, how about water?”
“Uh. Thanks······”
[Underground Water]
[Status: Poison]
[Description: This underground water is contaminated with paralysis poison. A minuscule amount could be fatal without resistance.]
“No. I’ll just skip it.”
“Alright? Then how about some milk······.”
“That will do too.”
What the heck is wrong with her today?
She might as well just stab me in the face openly.
I’m going insane.
“······Agreed.”
Emilia flinched a bit and retreated with the cup.
Is her slightly sulking expression also an act?
She truly acts remarkably well.
Just as I was pondering this, Emilia raised the cup to her lips.
“Wait, Emilia!”
“Yes? Ah······.”
I jumped from my chair and grabbed Emilia’s wrist.
Just before the cup reached her mouth, it was flung away, spilling the water.
Emilia looked at me in disbelief, but I tried to ignore it.
‘It’s not Emilia. Then who is it?’
The one who poisoned the tea wasn’t Emilia.
Then who on earth······?
