episode_0048

“Sigh.”

Rosalind Wenford sighed deeply as she walked around the Academy’s grounds, which were filled with colorful flowers in full bloom.

Normally, I would be drinking coffee at Café Blanc Les Loises with my best friend Diana.

But for some reason, I can’t seem to get my hands on anything these days.

‘Why do I have no appetite these days?’

My current situation is that I feel depressed, my heart hurts, and I can’t even sleep well at night.

All of these symptoms had been going on since the day I took on the role of an actor in with my junior.

‘… … Balthazar.’

Originally, he was just a close junior.

I don’t know why, but things seem different these days.

A face that is handsome enough to be considered beautified, beyond the peapod, the fine muscles in his arms and shoulders that somehow give off a sense of strength and comfort, and a wide, cozy embrace that gives off an inexplicable sense of stability.

Especially when I think back to when I went to see the Vanderbühne Theater show and instinctively hugged her… …

“Ugh.”

I’m trying to hide it for fear of my friend worrying, but if I had explained the current situation to Princess Diana, she would probably have come to a clear conclusion.

Most likely, it’s the early symptoms of a very serious love sickness.

It was just then.

“Ah, Mr. Wenford! You’re here?”

Academy faculty members often come running from the other side.

He said, looking at Rosaline who was standing in a somewhat reserved posture.

“Student Wenford, would you mind coming to the Dean’s office for a moment? The Dean has a favor to ask of you.”

“I, so what you want to ask me is… … ”

“Isn’t Wenford a model student who is well-known on campus? He is also one of the top students in terms of student evaluation scores given by professors. I thought he would be the best person to ask for this favor, so I called him.”

The academy’s dean explains while stroking his bushy beard.

He continued speaking, glancing sideways at the girl in the corner of the dean’s office.

“Hello. I am Maya, a candidate for the current generation of sword warriors. Starting today, I will be attending Bronde as an international student.”

A freshman in school uniform sitting with a beautiful sword in her arms.

She was a half-elf beauty with blue hair like the clear sky and yellow eyes that stood out.

“Don’t think too hard about it, just help Maya adjust to school life. Don’t worry, we’ll recognize it as volunteer work and give you extra credit.”

“Excuse me, but you mean academy admission? Sorry, but is that possible in the middle of the semester?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m just coming in as a simple international student. If that’s awkward, you can call it a ‘tour’ instead.”

“Aha… … ”

“Besides, isn’t she a candidate for the warrior officially certified by the Vatican? You can think of it as a kind of special privilege from Bronde’s side. Bronde’s creed is that the door to learning is wide open to everyone.”

The Dean lightly waved his hand and glanced at the warrior candidate on the other side.

He takes out his seal and acts coy as if he’s going to stamp the additional credit documents right away.

“Anyway, please take care of yourself, Rosalind. I hope it won’t be too much trouble.”

“Yes, sir. ”

It may be a bit of an unexpected request, but if you think of it as part of your on-campus volunteer work, it’s not a bad idea.

It’s just to help you adjust to group living, so it won’t take more than a week at most.

Since the midterm exam season is just over, isn’t your schedule pretty relaxed?

Besides, if what the Dean said is true, that girl is a worthy candidate for the position of Hero, just like Phantom. There’s no reason for her to turn down the opportunity to build connections with future Heroes.

… … But could it be Rosalind’s own illusion?

Somehow I got the feeling that the other person wasn’t that unfamiliar.

Golden pupils that stare back at you.

I don’t remember exactly, but I have a vague feeling that I’ve seen this somewhere.

Then the dean clapped his hands and turned to the candidate for the Sword Warrior and said.

“Okay. Then first, please guide Miss Maya to the girls’ dormitory. As Senior Bronde, I hope you will guide her well, Student Wenford.”

“… … ”

“… … ”

Rosalind and Maya leave the Dean’s Office and head to the girls’ dormitory.

An awkward silence continued to flow between the two.

In fact, this awkward atmosphere wasn’t exactly Rosalind’s fault.

Maya, who has a uniquely indifferent personality, gives short answers and keeps her mouth shut no matter what you ask her.

Even the kind and lively Rosaline was unable to carry on a conversation with her for more than two words.

‘Oh, that’s uncomfortable.’

A feeling of suffocation I haven’t felt since my father, Lord Wenford, returned to politics.

As it was a holiday, there were almost no students, so I pursed my lips as I climbed the stairs.

While I was thinking that it would be nice to resolve this ‘burden’ as soon as possible and get some breathing room.

“… … you.”

“Huh? Oh, no, yeah? ”

Rosalind responded politely to Maya’s voice without knowing what was going on.

The fact that I was a candidate for the warrior position and not an ordinary student unconsciously put pressure on me.

It was to the point where he didn’t feel any problem even though Maya, a mere student, called him ‘you’, a full-time student.

Maya, who had been staring at Rosalind like that, added quietly.

“Woohee?”

“Huh? Oh, you knew it?”

Rosalind belatedly understood the meaning and clapped her hands.

She asked with a somewhat subtle anticipation.

“That’s right. I played Woohee during the performance of Farewell My Concubine. So, do you like Farewell My Concubine too?”

“Yeah. I like it.”

at las!

As the conversation finally began, a bright smile appeared on Rosalind’s lips.

The fact that the first word he said was ‘Woohee’ clearly means that he enjoys watching Phantom’s plays.

I was so happy that I almost cried at the thought that we had finally found some common ground in this suffocating atmosphere.

“Maya, you love Phantom’s works too, don’t you?”

Taking advantage of the momentum, Rosalind tried to engage in the typical schoolgirl chatter with shining eyes.

“Admiral Lee, Julius Caesar, Chaplin comedy, Exodus, and the dialogues. And the new Cthulhu Mythos? Of course, I’m a coward, so I haven’t seen the Cthulhu Mythos, but still… … ”

“No.”

“Oh, really? You don’t like it that much?”

“Yeah.”

This time again, the answer came out as a short answer like a knife.

It is a calm tone, without any emotion or malice.

Thanks to that, the atmosphere that had been revived for a moment cooled down again.

Rosalind coughed and asked the reason in a sly manner.

“Why? Even though the themes are different, they are all unprecedented masterpieces. Why do you like Farewell My Concubine but not the other works? They are also performed periodically.”

Maya’s answer to this was simple.

“There is no Hang-woo.”

“… … Hang-woo?”

What on earth does this have to do with Xiang Yu?

Maya, who was looking at Rosalind in confusion, slowly raised her arm and pointed it at her chest.

A shiny orichalcum medal hung next to the Academy’s insignia.

Maya declared with great firmness, pointing to the words written on its surface.

“I’m not interested unless it’s a story about Xiang Yu. That’s why I only like Farewell My Concubine.”

Evil is real, small king

‘Sword’ Warrior (Candidate), Maya

“Hmm, the little prince… … ?”

Even if it’s true that evil is evil, if he’s a tyrant, he’s a tyrant. What does a small tyrant mean?

“I want to be strong like Xiang Yu. But I won’t walk the path of blood-stained tyranny like Xiang Yu.”

Maya pointed out the word and explained it to Rosalind, who was puzzled.

“That’s why my teacher told me to imitate Xiang Yu’s strengths and learn from his weaknesses. So I won’t become a tyrant. Instead, I’ll become a lesser tyrant who takes a different path from Xiang Yu.”

“S, Master?”

Who are you, teacher, out of the blue?

I bit my lip slightly because the conversation didn’t make sense at all.

Even though he is a half-elf, he is still a human being just like himself.

Then, there should be communication, but I only heard the feeling of someone talking to themselves while looking at a wall.

An ordinary person would have felt the power of this Maya and unilaterally distanced himself from it.

… … However, the psychology of Rosalind, who was recognized by her junior Balthazar as an angel, was different.

‘I really need to take care of you more.’

The so-called anxious feeling of leaving a newborn baby at the water’s edge.

That’s why Rosalind couldn’t bear to ignore Maya.

There was a moment when I was monologuing that perhaps it would take more than a week to help me adapt.

“What about you? Do you like Hang Yu?”

“Huh?!”

Rosalind blushed at the surprise question.

Balthazar, who played Hang-woo, and himself, who played Woo-hee. This is because the love performance that took place on stage suddenly came to mind.

“Ah, hmph… … That, that’s why… … ”

As Rosalind was flailing around like a broken clockwork doll, Maya blurted out nonchalantly.

“I like you. Hang-woo.”

“… … Ah! That, that’s right! I like it too! Hang-woo! ”

Rosalind, who realized the meaning of the words too late, nodded and mumbled.

Well, even the Sword Hero candidate wouldn’t know who played Xiang Yu.

That’s a secret shared only between himself, Balthazar himself, Professor Gabi, and the Gelorusina staff.

Phew, Rosalind asked with a sigh of relief.

“Do you admire Xiang Yu’s strength? His courage that brought everyone to their knees with force?”

“Yeah. As Hanshin said, strength is the best. The stronger you are, the better. ”

“Really?”

“But even if I gain power, I won’t use it as cruelly as Xiang Yu.”

The Orichalcum medal hung proudly on her chest. Maya muttered as she ran her finger over the words written on it.

“I am a candidate for the warrior. So I will only kill the truly bad guys. I swore that I will never forgive the evil of this world.”

“… … ”

Maya has some quirky corners, but her mind itself isn’t annoying.

On the one hand, Rosalind regained her warm smile as she looked at the innocent, childlike girl.

It occurred to me that maybe becoming close to her wouldn’t be as difficult as I thought.

“Here? Maya, this is the room you’ll be staying in.”

A single room on the 5th floor of the dormitory, room 503, with no separate roommate assigned.

Rosalind said, taking out the key to a room that would be a little lonely, but would be more spacious.

“If you’re bored, you can come to my room. It’s right downstairs, room 401. Let’s go to a cafe together and see cute cats and squirrels.”

“I will. Thanks, Woohee.”

“Oh, no. Woohee is a character’s name. My name is Rosalind Wenford.”

“Rosaline, Wenford?”

“That’s right. Just call me Rosalind. Okay?”

Rosalind gives the answers as if she were a toddler learning language for the first time.

And Maya just stares blankly at her and nods her head quietly.

It was during this time that a strange friendship was blossoming between the other world’s Xiang Yu and Yu Xi.

Foodduck!

Cow! Cow!

“Huh?! What, what is it?”

Suddenly, a few black feathers fluttered across the hallway. Rosalind was startled and stumbled backwards, screaming loudly.

A large window in the hallway installed right next to the door of room 503.

Suddenly, a rainbow owl flew over the railing and landed with its claws out.

A sparkling necklace hung around her neck, and a crumpled letter was held tightly in her beak.

“Huh? A military-use heraldry bird?”

Rosaline, whose father was Lord Wenford, was instantly recognizable.

A creature raised through magic to quickly transmit information on the battlefield.

It nods its head, signaling Maya to come over.

And Maya approached and held out her hand.

Phew!

Foodduck!

He immediately spat the letter onto his palm and flew out the window.

“What’s going on? Why is Jeon Seo-jo suddenly at the academy?”

“I got a letter.”

“Letter… … ?”

Maya mutters next to Rosalind, who can’t hide her embarrassment.

She said, staring at the reddish seal on the envelope.

“An urgent letter that only the warrior candidates can open.”

“Aaaaah, Cthulhu is coming! To fight with the yellow-clad king Hastur for supremacy over the continent!”

“Shut up, honey.”

“Hehehe.”

The double room I returned to after finishing a late afternoon lecture.

I was killing time having a silly conversation with my roommate Maurice.

“Oh, the influence of the Cthulhu Mythos. It’s truly beyond imagination. I don’t know about anything else, but how did it help to arrest the demon worshipper organization that was active throughout the empire?”

Maurice was giggling and joking around. He tapped me on the shoulder and said in an admiring voice.

“There are rumors that Phantom wrote the Cthulhu Mythos as a warning after receiving a call from God. Is that true? Did he really receive a revelation from the gods in his dreams?”

“What nonsense are you talking about? If I had received something like that, I would have immediately changed my career to a priest.”

“Hehe, really? But you can’t become a priest? I want to keep watching the Phantom masterpieces. Besides, what will happen to Senior Rosalin and the Princess if you declare your sympathy?”

“mouth.”

A conversation that was roughly passed off as a joke.

But honestly, I was taking this situation quite cautiously.

Even if it is an outstanding work, it is still like that. It is surprising that a mere horror play can cause such a collective seizure and lead to such an unexpected aftermath.

A result that is literally on a different scale than anything that has happened before.

Suddenly, the weight of the medal of honor for the brave candidate for the pen hidden in the drawer next to the half-empty philosopher’s stone began to feel real.

If someone misuses a pen, the repercussions will be uncontrollable.

‘If I mishandle my pen, I might end up with the same disastrous results.’

So I started to feel strongly that I needed to be a little more careful from now on.

Not for the sake of contributing to the world, nor for any moral or lofty purpose.

In order to prevent the other world where he is reincarnated as the current Balthazar from falling into the abyss of chaos and evil.

‘……good.’

Since I’ve already made up my mind, I decided that it would be better to choose melodrama as the theme for my next work.

Evil can come out of horror or political drama, but it can never come out of a touching narrative.

Of course, in Korea, melodrama is often criticized as a ‘sentimental drama.’

But this is a criticism that only applies to melodramas that force tears.

A well-made melodrama can bring out warm emotions in people and induce a touching catharsis.

Doesn’t this instill in the audience a sense of reciprocity, understanding, and empathy?

‘Then, it is important to decide who to use as the subject for the melodrama to be 100% effective.’

Who is the great person whose life was so touching that it made your heart swell just by hearing about it?

Car was clicking his tongue while thinking alone.

“Oh, right. Take this, Balthazar.”

Morris said, putting his hand in his bosom as if something suddenly occurred to him.

“What? A letter? Another one from Her Highness the Princess?”

“No? It looks like it came from the Vatican.”

Maurice shrugs and hands me a piece of paper.

He pointed to the purple seal on the letterhead and explained.

“Here. It seems like it’s structured so that no one but Phantom can read it because it’s stamped with a magic seal. It seems like the seal can be broken by holding the Pen’s Hero Candidate Medal.”

“Really?”

A letter sent so secretly that you have to use the Medal of Honor for the Hero?

What kind of news are you trying to convey that requires so much security?

Is this some kind of top secret notice regarding the Lovecraft Foundation, which is being founded this year?

Phew!

A magical wax that crumbles like flour when brought close to the Orichalcum Medal.

I took out the stationery after shaking it out in the public trash can to keep the desk from getting dirty.

And the moment you read what’s inside.

“Huh?”

I couldn’t help but frown slightly in surprise.

“3 days later, a summons for the warrior candidates in the capital city from the Cathedral of Esseldro? Is there an urgent notice for the safety of the warrior candidates?”