episode_0220

The Violets pondered the professors’ gradually changing attitudes during the first week of the second semester.

“They suddenly changed. Why?”

“I don’t know!”

Upon careful thought, it seemed to be because I had displayed extraordinary skill. That was a headache. I couldn’t avoid answering the barrage of questions, and out of pride, I somehow managed to solve the problems or answer them. As a result, everyone’s reactions were dynamic.

“How could she…”

“You’ve prepared well. What you just said was…”

“This is a big problem…”

“What should we do from now on?”

No matter how much I thought about it, the sparring match back then was the decisive blow. After that, even the first-year students looked at me differently. If I had known it would become this troublesome, I should have just swung haphazardly and lost. This was my fault.

But, like the other professors, why did the close-quarters combat professor suddenly point me out that day?

“It seems that green-haired professor spread some rumors!”

“No way?”

Suddenly, I remembered Professor Albert solving my problem.

“Now that I think about it…”

“Why did he solve it?”

Normally, the professor would have nagged us, saying, “Your skills won’t improve like this, so please sit down and try to solve it on your own.” Yet, he readily helped us. Feeling suspicious, I went to find the professor in his room.

“Professor-nim, I have something to ask. Why did you help us that day?” I explained that since that day, Professor Sharia had been persistently clinging to me. Sure enough, the professor looked at our faces and smiled, a rare playful glint in his eyes.

“Indeed, my prediction was correct. After solving such a difficult problem, it’s only natural for them to be completely drawn in.” Only then did I realize that the professor had intentionally helped us.

“Since that day, the professors keep clinging to me… If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have asked for help.”

“I helped you precisely for that reason. You need to study!”

The professor looked at me with a pathetic gaze.

“Does it make sense to just goof off with such great skills? You’ve come to a good academy, so from now on, you should focus on studying. You have enough ability! Why are you trying to waste it?”

“It’s bothersome…”

“How did a child who finds everything bothersome manage to commit terrorism?”

“Punishing bad guys is fun.”

Professor Albert shook his head from side to side upon hearing my words.

“Sigh, fine… But you’ll have to struggle a bit for a while.”

“Yes. I understand…”

The Violets became sad. It wasn’t that they didn’t know the importance of learning, but being seen as honor students by everyone was too much of a burden.

“The strategy of concealing our strength has failed!”

With the disguise strategy a bust, all that remained were the Violets who hadn’t concealed their strength.

“For now, we should just quietly attend classes.”

While the Violets had their consultations, the Academy Violet checked the time. Before long, it was time for the consultation.

“Violet Ruzilin, right?” There were two main types of consultations we had to undergo. One was a bi-weekly meeting with the Principal-nim, and the other was going to the academy’s counseling office every week to tell the Counselor-nim what had happened that week.

“How was your first week of this semester?”

“It was fun.”

The counselor didn’t ask complicated questions. All I had to answer was primarily what I had done and how I felt.

Of course, there was also a peculiar test that seemed simple. The counselor placed drawing paper and colored pencils on the desk.

“Student, this is a simple test. Draw a house, a person, and a tree here. Understood?”

“Yes.”

First, I drew a smiling Violet in the center. Then, I added a large mansion with many windows and trees surrounding it.

“I need to earn a lot of money and live in a place like this!”

As I drew, it looked a bit empty. So, I drew my friends, one by one.

“Who are those people?”

“They’re my friends and acquaintances!”

Excluding the detective agency brokers and business contacts, I drew everyone I considered important.

“The house looks a bit empty!”

“Let’s build defensive structures!”

After drawing for a while, a magnificent picture was born.

The finished result was several versions of myself smiling brightly in front of the mansion garden, and friends holding hands and laughing together around them. The place we were in was a large, stylishly designed mansion equipped with various turrets and weapons. Around the mansion were fences, barbed wire, and large barred gates, and the surroundings were full of lush green-leafed trees.

“I’m finished!”

“You drew it well.”

After that, the Counselor-nim asked me various questions about the drawing. I answered all of them.

“You did well.”

“Goodbye!”

A consultation, huh? Nothing special.

**

A few hours later, in the Central District’s Inspectorate office. Sophieel reviewed the consultation results sent by the academy a little while ago and spoke.

“Violet’s consultation results for this week are out. There are no major anomalies at the moment.”

As the scholarship officer examined the received data, Sophieel’s eyes caught sight of the colorful drawing, sketched with colored pencils, on the tablet screen. The counselor’s analysis was attached as a note beside it.

[Drew herself large in the center, smiling brightly. Possesses a self-centered perspective and a positive self-image.]

[Drawing multiple versions of herself superficially reflects her unique ability, but also suggests an awareness of her various facets…]

Sophieel then focused on the gigantic mansion drawn in the background.

[The mansion is unusually large and externally very opulent. Indicates a strong desire for material success. The numerous windows also hint at a desire for interpersonal relationships, as previously observed…]

[However, the mansion is isolated from the outside by obstacles and closed doors. Inside, turrets and military weapons are depicted. The mansion is surrounded by shrubs…]

[While she desires contact with others, she shows a considerable tendency to be reluctant about exposing her private domain. Excluding those she perceives as friends, she mostly exhibits a hostile view towards outsiders, and can be described as defensive, or even aggressive, in nature.]

Could there have been psychological reasons behind Violet’s actions of gathering illegal weapons and equipment through suspicious channels? Her gaze shifted to the friends laughing together around the main character.

[Drew friends together, seems to desire forming more positive interpersonal relationships with the subjects in the drawing…]

In the drawing, girls with various hair colors were smiling brightly around Violet. Silver, purple and light pink, wavy shimmering gold, shy black, and even on the outskirts, people she seemed to have seen were drawn.

‘The closer to the center, the more important the people must be. I know who these people are. And…’

Sophieel let out a short laugh. Inside the mansion, in a corner a little distance from Violet, there were a black-haired man and woman in suits. Though it was a rough drawing, judging by the hair colors and shapes, it was clear who she had tried to depict.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hahahaha! Seijis, quickly, take a look at this!”

The scholarship officer approached with a puzzled expression and examined the drawing on the screen his sister was pointing to.

“Isn’t this you and me?”

In the drawing, a black-haired woman with a bright smile stood beside a man with a somewhat serious and strict expression.

“Look at the expression. This looks exactly like you, doesn’t it? What do you think?”

Sophieel chuckled audibly, admiring the cute idea.

The scholarship officer’s feelings became complicated upon seeing his own depiction in the drawing. He wondered what kind of impression he had given this student to be drawn like that.

“…Yeah.”

The scholarship officer stared blankly at the screen, but an unmistakable bewilderment settled in his eyes.

**

On the first weekend at Aegis Academy, the remaining selves decided to look around the academy. The clones who went out with friends were currently moving busily. Violet No. 14 was currently speeding around Aegis Academy on a motorcycle.

“Kalia! Step on it harder!”

“Alright, alright! Stop being so wild, and hold on tight!”

“Yahoo! This is thrilling!”

The fierce wind brushing against my face felt like it was blowing right through my chest. I had given Kalia a motorcycle as a gift, thinking it would suit her well, and it seemed she liked it more than expected.

Before I knew it, nameless delivery motorcycles zoomed past, honking loudly.

“Oh, wait. What are those? Are they you?”

“That’s right, they’re the Delivery Violets! Hurry, go faster!”

“What? Are you crazy? Anyone would think we’re a biker gang! Ah, no. Stop!”

While No. 14 enjoyed the thrilling drive, No. 781 was being led by Daphne to shop at a nearby clothing store.

“The school uniform should be enough… I can just touch clothes and copy them, right?”

“Then what’s the point of shopping? Come on, try this on. It’ll look good on Violet!”

“Hmm…”

Unlike the Violets who were paired off with friends, the Academy Violet was alone. Irene was busy in a video conference.

No. 881 was walking alone in the academy when she spotted Adela Unnie, dressed in stylish going-out clothes.

“Wow, Adela Sen… Unnie!”

“Violet!”

We smiled broadly and hugged affectionately.

“How was your first week? Have you been well?”

“Yes, it was really good!”

We sat on a nearby bench and talked about the past week.

“Word has spread quite a bit, you know? How often Violet’s story comes up among the professors. Even the student council talks about our cute junior.”

Sipping the hot chocolate Adela Unnie handed me, I looked up. When I asked what kind of rumors they were, Unnie brought up the matter of me solving problems and the sparring match.

“As expected of Violet. The professors’ praises are ceaseless. It’s only the first week, and you’re already receiving the attention of the entire school. I wonder what will happen next?”

“Hehe…”

Adela Unnie stroked my head, as if I were commendable.

“It might sound exaggerated, but I believe in you, junior. Violet will become an incredible talent in the future.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course! Sometimes I feel that our junior tends to underestimate her own abilities.”

My heart swelled with the beautiful senior’s generous praise.

“Are you perhaps interested in student council activities? Seriously, if it’s Violet, becoming the next student council president wouldn’t be a problem.”

“But you’re the current student council president, Senior-nim.”

“I’m planning to graduate in a year.”

“Ah…”

I was flustered by the farewell with Adela Unnie arriving sooner than expected.

“Then I won’t be able to see Senior-nim often after graduation.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be around the school for a while because of family matters. I’ll come to see you often even after I graduate.”

Her clear eyes held a kind smile.

“Oh, right. And could you do me a favor?”

“What is it?”

“When it’s just the two of us, please call me Unnie. Okay?”

“Yes, Unnie!”

I readily agreed to the request to clearly distinguish between public and private matters.

Suddenly, as the topic of graduation came up, a brilliant idea struck me.

“Oh, right, Adela Unnie. You don’t have to go out of your way to see me. I’ll come to you directly!”

“Huh? What do you mean…”

I immediately continued to explain to a puzzled Adela Unnie.

“Isn’t it inconvenient to contact and make appointments? Later, I’ll make a Violet for you to keep by your side!”

Adela Unnie, realizing the true meaning of my proposal, was momentarily flustered but then burst into a radiant smile.

“That’s a truly wonderful idea!”

We also felt it was a truly wonderful idea. If things went well, we might even be able to live in the Cascadia mansion?