Chap 25-I Helped a Lot

 

“That’s right. I came from ‘home.’”

Home. A word that refers to the Thieves’ Guild; guild members belonging to the Thieves’ Guild call it ‘home’ when referring to the Thieves’ Guild from the outside.

Since she said she was from there but answered ‘home’, it was obvious.

She was a helper from the guild.

This elf must have forged the attendance book and student record.

“So you were the helper.”

“Of course. I helped a lot. I moderately modified the attendance book and student record.”

As expected. To manipulate things to the point of getting even Schperen in here, you’d have to be quite skilled.

Even my master, she wouldn’t move herself because of her position, and she can’t just send anyone to manipulate it.

Then it’s better to use an elf who is relatively easy to gain trust.

There were also new students coming in here, so there was no problem with manipulation right away.

Thanks to that, it became natural for me to be here.

They planted a pretty good spy.

In this case, I have to explain it properly to our princess.

“What exactly does she do, this elf?”

“She’s certainly an unusual elf. Can you really use the Oath of the World Tree so carelessly?”

The Oath of the World Tree. I heard it’s very serious.

It’s like risking your life if you lie to the king. The existence of the World Tree must be very important.

“I don’t care about some big tree. Elves who still worship big trees in the Great Forest are very inferior elves.”

Her values are different from ordinary elves.

That’s why she came all the way here.

And if she’s involved with the Thieves’ Guild, it means she has a lot of stories.

She looks like an ordinary elf, but she must have her own circumstances.

“So, this elf is…”

The problem is that Arietta is also here right now.

Arietta still doesn’t know that the Bathory family’s main base is the Thieves’ Guild.

This nutritious elf, Ruru, isn’t bringing up that story either.

Of course, it’s good to say it openly, but it would be troublesome if she said she wouldn’t learn the secret manual I gave her.

I’ll talk about it later.

I have to get through it here appropriately.

“She is an elf with great infiltration skills sent by our Bathory family.”

“Isn’t that illegal?”

“Illegal? Ruru, are you illegal?”

The Thieves’ Guild isn’t normal, but.

Frankly, the elf wouldn’t be working illegally.

Schperen probably agreed to work first.

“That’s rude. I came after seeing the part-time job advertisement. I’m legitimately paid and also do errands for Bathory something.”

“An elf doing a part-time job. That’s amazing.”

“It’s all social studies.”

It’s funny that she’s studying social studies in the Thieves’ Guild, but.

Well, she seems to be living diligently in her own way.

Those races are usually stiff-necked, but Ruru seems to be quite active and sociable.

“Should I call this diligent?”

“No, but doesn’t the World Tree say anything?”

“Either way, you don’t get punished for flaunting the Oath of the World Tree. Isn’t it the same as humans not dying just because they don’t believe in the goddess? Above all, don’t equate me with those tree-hugging forest elves who suck up to the World Tree there.”

An elf denying the World Tree.

Frankly, I also think the World Tree is just a big tree.

Of course, if I say this to the elves, they’ll foam at the mouth. Even that elven bitch from the hero party was like that.

-The World Tree is just a big tree.

-You ignorant! The World Tree is like a goddess to humans!

-I’m non-religious, you damn pointy-ear.

How dare you bring up a goddess to me.

And then I hit her on the head.

“She must have her own circumstances.”

“That’s… true.”

“Anyway, she’s getting paid a lot over there, so you can entrust most things to this elf nutritionist, Ruru.”

Since the elf race is highly trusted. It’ll be easy to use her as an alibi if something happens.

It’s not like the master sent reinforcements—well, the master seems to have been trying to help Arietta by infiltrating someone into Schperen from before.

Then the question is how far that help can go.

Now that she’s infiltrated into Schperen, it’s worth trying various things.

For example, tearing off expensive ornaments and leaking them to the outside.

“How far can you go?”

“Hmm. I can copy most things and the written exam papers for all subjects, including the swordsmanship department, magic department, and priest department, which are practical subjects.”

This red-haired elf proudly puffed out her chest and boasted.

Exams.

That’s not bad either.

After all, the competition for the throne will be long.

Then it’s right to keep her in check at Schperen for a while.

It would be good to lower her exam scores as well.

“Have the exam questions already been released?”

“That’s not it, that’s just what I mean.”

“Hoo. Then I’ll ask you then.”

“No, Ciel. Are you going to cheat on the exam?”

Cheating. That’s harsh.

Schperen’s difficulty isn’t that hard.

Before, I saw that most of the subjects in the morning, including mathematics, were things I learned under the kingdom or my master.

I don’t know about perfect scores, but I can maintain the top ranks.

It’s not my job.

It’s perfect to pin it on someone.

“No, I thought I could use it cleverly.”

“What.”

“I’m going to make a cheat sheet and put it on Arnold or Ailia’s desk.”

“Ah.”

In fact, putting it on Ailia’s desk is the best option.

Ailia’s classroom is a year above us, and it’s difficult for us to approach, so it’s not bad to put it directly on Ailia.

It would be perfect to make Kailon the culprit.

“Anyway, it’s obvious even if I don’t take the exam. First of all, there’s nothing I can’t do, and the princess will be the same.”

“Of course. I’m confident in my written exams. Anyway, it’s still far away.”

“Yes. But think about it carefully. After all, the people aiming for the throne will all try to get perfect scores.”

If the basic education at Schperen is also low, they won’t be able to challenge the throne.

Of course, the factions will be maintained separately from that, but at least in a relationship that balances equal power, if one side has even a little noise, it means that the balance will be broken.

Then it will soon lead to a muddy fight.

“That’s right?”

“Then everyone is in the same place, in the place of perfect scores.”

“Then.”

“Yes. Let’s spread the filth.”

Spread it on only one side.

This is the key. Well, I said I’d spread it on Ailia, but.

“Won’t they find out who framed them?”

“I’m confident I won’t get caught. And it’s not yet. We have exams before vacation, but I understand it’s still far away.”

That’s a shame.

Because I can’t do it right now.

“The performance evaluation is scheduled to be held soon.”

“Already?”

“That’s right. We do practical training regularly. The swordsmanship department has dungeon practice, deathmatches, and so on.”

Dungeon practice will probably use the dungeon owned by Schperen.

Deathmatches are basically throwing students into a forest and making them fight each other. I can roughly guess.

“Okay, I got it. You can go back. It’ll be suspicious if you’re tied up here for too long.”

“Okay.”

The elf with the strange way of speaking leaves.

“By the way, that elf’s way of speaking is unique.”

“Well, she may be old even if she looks like that. Old elves sometimes have a unique way of speaking.”

“Swinging a sword a few times and throwing them into the dungeon. Doesn’t that make sense?”

Usually, it wouldn’t.

Those who haven’t been properly trained will obviously die like dogs.

But what if they have basic physical strength and don’t fall behind in strength-to-strength at least?

During sword-swinging practice, they even told them how to correct their posture and how to swing. It’s up to the students to use it.

They even made them run around the training ground with three or four sandbags attached.

Is that what makes them worth it?

“I don’t know much about the world over there. Maybe it’s that. They’ve done basic training, so they’re telling them to build their skills by hitting their bodies directly.”

Most adventurers have their own fighting style and training routine.

Gustav probably does too.

Frankly, the students in the swordsmanship department probably don’t know anything.

Even Edenberun, who learned separately from his family, is just that.

Gustav is going to throw the kids he trained into actual combat to gain practical experience.

“Does that actually work?”

“Whether it works or not honestly depends on the individual’s ability. If they don’t have the will, they’ll eventually be eliminated.”

They must have the will to fight.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons why they’re throwing them into dungeon practice.

Once they’re put in a crisis situation, people are bound to fight. That may be the case, but whether this works is another matter.

For example, some people give up and resign themselves.

Of course, it’s one thing if they’re facing goblins.

Schperen students are all elites, so they have at least the will to fight. If it’s just that much, it’s not bad.

“Deathmatches are literally fighting.”

“It’s not a problem to worry about right now, is it?”

“That’s true, but.”

“I heard that the third prince, Kailon, and Ailia are in the same grade, so it would be fun to see them fight.”

We are freshmen.

Those two are already a year above us.

It just so happens that those with the right to inherit the throne are like this. For us, it’s a little less burden on our shoulders.

To summarize.

The third year currently has the Lion King Alexander.

The second year has Ailia and Kailon, those two.

At least we are freshmen, so we have the shield of the grade, but those two don’t. Moreover, they are already conscious of each other.

Would Schperen like it if they did that because of the succession to the throne?

It’s good if they cut each other’s flesh like that.

“They’re making them fight like that?”

“Yes.”

No, they’re probably already having a war of nerves.

From now on, watching that will also be a stimulus to this boring Schperen life.

Chirp!

Someone poked my shoulder, and a crow was sitting there.

It even came with a letter attached.

-The hero party will come to find the Holy Sword soon. The Emperor will call you up soon, so be prepared.

The hero party is coming to find the Holy Sword.

What this means is one thing. In the end, it means that the kingdom also found out about this.

“Oh, this has become difficult.”

“What is it?”

“Ah, it’s a letter from the head of the family.”

“What’s wrong?”

“The hero party is coming up soon.”

Should I say it’s late?

Well, since the Holy Sword was in the imperial palace, the kingdom must have been in turmoil.

They must have had to manage or conceal public sentiment.

The relationship between the empire and the kingdom depends on how the thing that the hero should have is in the empire, rather than how it is.

It depends on this hero party’s visit.

“To the capital? For what? Come to think of it, I heard the news that the imperial army is being beaten by the Demon King’s Army.”

“There’s nothing to worry about over there.”

Of course, I can’t just say there’s nothing to worry about because it’s a matter of human life.

At least the hero party won’t step in.

In the first place, those guys wouldn’t move to that extent, and the kingdom wouldn’t want it either.

The empire wants the heroes to tarnish their reputation by doing stupid things.

The kingdom wants the empire’s power to be cut down.

Moreover, the Four Heavenly Kings are targeting the hero party.

They don’t come out seriously either.

“Come to think of it, the second graders will have practical training today.”

“Oh, that’s good. The siblings will fight tenaciously.”

Sibling fight.

Siblings who get along well get along very well.

On the other hand, if they have a bad relationship, they fight as if they were enemies in their previous lives.

In that situation, how much more would those two who hate each other fight?

Going to see it later will give a stimulus to this boring Schperen life.