Chapter 85 – Deciding Match During Field Practice (3)

“Ah, Teacher!”

Late at night, after returning from the western forest expedition, I arrived at the shop. Adela, seated at the counter, stared absentmindedly into the distance but quickly perked up and waved at me.

“Welcome back! How was it?”

“It was fine. Nothing unusual here?”

“Nope! Here’s today’s earnings!”

She handed me a small pouch of coins—barely sorted, of course. I fished out a few silver pieces, roughly 40 in total, and handed them back to her. For a Rochear family heiress, this sum probably meant nothing, but paying her was the least I could do.

“Well done. Here’s your wage for the day.”

“Wow~.”

“Oh, and starting tomorrow, you don’t have to watch the shop anymore.”

“What? Why?!”

“You have field training coming up, don’t you? Go practice with your group.”

During the magic dueling tournament, I had been her primary instructor, leaving her little time to synchronize with her two teammates after classes. This time, I wanted to give her the chance to focus on her peers.

But to my surprise, her expression darkened.

“Teacher…”

“Hmm?”

“Do you not need me?”

Need her? Was she really asking me about her value to my life?

“Uh…”

“Teacher?”

“Give me a moment to think.”

Assessing Adela Silvesta’s necessity in my life… Let’s ignore the unaccounted-for amount of bread she’s consumed for free. Even so, the chaos her presence has caused—like Rochear knights demolishing the shop and a near diplomatic meltdown with the North Sea families—had been nothing but a liability.

Her antics since had been no better. She triggered traps outside the shop during midterms, nearly led a student council revolution with her antics, and destroyed the shop herself during my brief absence.

Adela had only been enrolled at Farencia Academy for six months, yet half of Captain Mark’s grievances tonight could be traced back to her. Was further analysis even needed?

“T-Teacher…?”

I glanced at the iron dogs, who were lazily watching us. They were definitely more useful.

“I am important, right? Really important?”

The 40 silver coins she held in her hand… It was tempting to weigh their value against hers.

“Please… answer me!”

“It’s okay, Adela.”

“What?”

“A person’s worth isn’t determined by their usefulness.”

Right. I’m no economist. Having her by my side was reason enough. She provided company, and sometimes it was amusing to watch her bumble about. She was more decorative than practical, but that had its charm.

“I used to keep sea monkeys when I was a kid.”

“What’s that?”

“Tiny creatures that look creepy up close but are cute from a distance.”

“Are you saying I’m cute?”

Farencia’s living disaster… No, Adela, sidled closer, her curly hair brushing against my cheek. I let my arm rest lightly around her waist, which was enough to make her beam.

“Hehe…”

Satisfied with my response, I prepared to send her back to her dorm. But before I could, she leaned her head on my shoulder.

“Teacher.”

“Yeah?”

“I want to love only you.”

“…”

“It hurts to see someone else smiling by your side. That’s why the shop was destroyed.”

I already knew. Jealousy was never a trivial emotion.

Unable to hide her emotions, Adela had confronted Liv head-on in the past.

“They say the Rochear family’s unique magic allows them to create their own magical domains.”

She formed a small, crooked spike in her hand with magic, its surface sharp and jagged.

“My heart must be impure.”

“It’s not.”

“If we left here together…”

Her voice trailed off, and she shook her head.

“No, I’m sorry.”

This was the same request I had already declined. Adela was continually hurting herself with her unfulfilled desire to have me all to herself.

“Walk me to the dorm, please.”

“…Sure.”

I didn’t respond further. I didn’t apologize, nor did I encourage her to get along with Liv. This was something they would need to resolve themselves. Taking sides would only complicate matters further.

Perhaps things would improve if I were a noble, but before we tackled issues like marriage alliances, it was better to let love unfold naturally.

“Let’s go.”

I held her hand and walked her to the dormitory.

“I’m sorry, Carl.”

“Oh, no! Not at all, Princess! Master Everett has taught me so much already, and if he has decided to leave for further training, I fully support his decision!”

Erzebert offered her apologies to Carl, as Everett Windguard, her escort, had decided he could no longer mentor Carl. For reasons unknown, Everett had declared his swordsmanship inadequate and requested to return to Hookslaw.

Erzebert secretly felt relieved, but it left Carl without a mentor.

“I’ve already learned a great deal. There was never any promise he’d continue indefinitely, so this is more than enough.”

“Even so… Oh! Have you decided on your field training group?”

“Uh, not yet.”

“In that case, would you like to join mine? Consider it a small token of gratitude.”

Carl couldn’t believe his ears.

As a minor noble from southern Bahran without significant title or land, partnering with a princess for the final exam equivalent was unimaginable. Erzebert herself was already an exemplary student.

“R-really? I can’t possibly…”

“It’s fine. Besides, there aren’t many in our year who handle swords as well as you. I would’ve asked you anyway.”

“Th-thank you! I’ll do my best!”

“Good. I look forward to working with you.”

Having secured a reliable frontliner, Erzebert rose from her seat. Competition for talent was fierce for this critical field test. She intended to recruit a third member who was a talented mage from a prestigious family.

“Next, I’ll ask one of the distinguished magic families to…”

Thud!

Erzebert froze as someone grabbed her sleeve. It was Adela, who had been sitting next to her, chin in hand, staring blankly out the window.

“Adela?”

“…”

“D-don’t tell me… you don’t have a team yet?”

A nod.

Cold sweat formed on Erzebert’s forehead.

“Oh dear, I hope you find one quickly. We really must hurry with our own preparations…”

“…”

“L-let go of me, Adela! The final evaluation isn’t like the midterms! I need skilled teammates!”

Adela didn’t release her grip. Instead, her hand froze solid around Erzebert’s sleeve, binding her in place. With a vacant gaze, Adela muttered softly.

“A… noble family… of magic.”

“Well, yes, Rochear is a noble magic family, but you’re not the one, are you? Let me go! Phi, help me!”

“Phi—!”

“Augh! Why are you attacking me, Phi?! Stop! Agh!!”

Without moving from her seat, Erzebert had effectively secured two team members.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Karen stepped off the carriage, stretching as she did. The platform was crowded with second-years returning from their magical training. As Professor Vincent performed a final headcount, Karen took a deep breath of the fresh Farencia air.

“Ah~ Finally, I can breathe again. That foggy place was suffocating. Right, Liv?”

“Yes, it really was.”

Karen couldn’t shake the odd vibe coming from her best friend. Something about Liv felt… different.

“Liv? Is there something on my face?”

“Huh? Oh, no… nothing.”

Though there were no obvious physical changes, Liv’s aura was undeniably altered. Her once dull black hair now glimmered with a captivating violet hue under certain angles. The subtle fragrance she exuded seemed to draw every eye in the vicinity.

“Let’s go. We should unpack and get some rest.”

“O-okay.”

Even her gentle smile and serene voice, already beautiful before, now carried an entrancing quality. Karen couldn’t fathom what had transpired during Liv’s time at the magic tower but couldn’t help wondering.

Had Liv… found someone?

Returning to the academy, Liv unpacked her belongings and picked up a few souvenirs she had brought back before heading toward the shop. At her waist hung a staff twice as long as her previous one, made of Yagum wood.

Knowing Louis tended to nap behind the counter during quiet afternoons, she entered the shop silently. The two iron dogs noticed her approach.

“Shh.”

With a raised hand, Liv erased her presence entirely. She quietly slipped past the guards and sat beside Louis, gently brushing his hair aside. His eyes opened instantly, startled to see her.

“Baroness Liv?”

“I’m back, Boss.”

She handed him a small bracelet she had bought from the magic tower as a gift. Louis thanked her and placed it in a drawer. Liv realized she still didn’t know what he truly liked or enjoyed but had anticipated his practical nature and avoided anything too cumbersome.

She pulled out another gift.

“I also got you this.”

“What is it?”

“A puzzle. It’s a magical puzzle from Phecda Tower.”

The 1160×850 jigsaw puzzle was titled Baldur’s Nightmare. Composed of 3,000 pieces, all in shades of white with faint fog-like patterns, it was infamous for its mind-bending difficulty and cryptic design.

“Oh, this looks fun. I’ll enjoy working on it when I have some free time.”

Surprisingly, Louis seemed genuinely pleased with the simple, childlike pastime. Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Liv’s spirits lifted. But Louis’s next question quickly brought her back to reality.

“By the way, Baroness, are you participating in the first-years’ field training?”

“Oh, that?”

She had already discussed it with Professor Vincent on the carriage. Unlike the first-years, who operated in teams of three, the second-years stationed in the dungeons worked solo. Participation wasn’t mandatory, especially for those returning from the grueling training at Phecda Tower.

The faculty had recommended rest for the returning students, given the demanding schedule.

“Yes, of course, I will.”

Liv didn’t hesitate to declare her decision. Why?

“It’s the perfect opportunity to mentor the younger students.”