episode_0074

Leaving behind the demons who had arrived and departed (died) as they pleased, a simple cleanup was carried out.

There wasn’t really anything special about the cleanup.

Because I couldn’t do anything about Delphi City Plaza, which was shattered and ruined everywhere due to my fight with Antikrea.

I’m originally an expert at burning and destroying what’s well-made, not at creating or producing anything.

Collapsed and broken buildings, fountains, or plazas won’t charge me for restoration costs, will they?

Still… honestly, if Antikrea had caused even more havoc, there was a possibility that the entire city of Delphi would have been encroached upon by her magic, so it’s not my fault.

Seeing this plaza, which until just now had been a ferocious forest and then a burning hell, return to its original state, my heart calmed slightly.

First, our cute Pisces trotted away just now, saying, ‘See you later, Master-nim!’ and returned to their home.

In the first place, Pisces isn’t affiliated with the Academy, and being recognized by the Emperor or Leon would be no good for my subordinate.

It seemed the fellow quickly caught on that I didn’t want them to reveal themselves and quickly disappeared.

Anyway, what a clever and cute fellow. A pleased smile spread across my face at the thought of doting on them when we’re alone.

“Tsk. You said you’d only think of Rosalie when you’re with Rosalie~”

As Rosalie-ssi made a cute complaint beside me, I openly and quickly leaned my body against her.

As I leaned in with a languid air and wordlessly acted cute, her brief complaint vanished, and she gently caressed my face.

“You must have been very tired… I don’t know how Ras possesses such power, but it certainly didn’t seem easy to handle.”

Rosalie-ssi, who wasn’t merely a pretty health teacher or healer but a former combat priest, would naturally have realized that my power and cultivation were extraordinary.

Only twenty-one years old.

Furthermore, the otherworldly demonic arts were excessively vast and ferocious for a young master of the Etgard Merchant Guild, who clearly lived in a world far removed from battlefields or combat.

Considering that she was a priestess who served the Celestial Gods, it was not strange at all for her to be suspicious of my cultivation, including the Nine Heavens Extinguishing Flame Art.

However, instead of prying into various stories, she merely gently caressed my tired self and encouraged me.

That kind of attitude, saying she would wait patiently without growing anxious until I was ready, until I told her.

Because her affection and trust in me were deep, she could wait for me so warmly and generously.

Having been hurt waiting for a love that never returned despite pouring out affection, and then suffering a terrible betrayal, I am weak against and thirsty for such pure and deep affection.

As I was savoring the feeling of floating buoyantly from Rosalie-ssi’s unusually deep, sweet, and soft body scent and sense of security…

[Ahem…! I apologize for interrupting your sweet time as lovers…. but I would like to make time to meet you separately. May I ask this of you?]

Agh… startled me!

As a deep male voice suddenly echoed in my mind, I was startled and glared at the Emperor with wide eyes.

[I will send someone soon… probably next week. So please wait comfortably. Ras Etgard.]

A man who was the Emperor of a nation was ‘asking’ a mere merchant’s son with cooperative rather than condescending words and tone.

I don’t know much about the previous generations, and my evaluation isn’t generous either… but I tend to be a little weak against people who are polite.

[Understood. Imperial citizens must, of course, obey His Majesty the Emperor’s words. But was there really a need to speak telepathically…?]

The Emperor then smiled a little wryly and answered my question.

[Originally, I came secretly on an incognito trip to check if my children were attending the Academy well. Skada did see me… but anyway, can you hide the fact that I was in Delphi from Leon?]

It turns out that the ‘pushover’ Emperor was also an overprotective parent?

Watching the Emperor, who had come to secretly monitor his children, I imagined our fiery father secretly disguising himself and hiding in school to observe me.

Hmm… it would certainly be a very burdensome sight.

Anyway, from what I remember, the Emperor before the regression wouldn’t have been able to secretly attempt that kind of ‘Dad’s not sleeping…! Study hard…!’

His body was visibly weakening due to the constantly attempted ‘deterioration’ curses using La Lergo.

Chronic illnesses acquired from a harsh life on the battlefield since his youth and the hardships of time.

Finally, the narcotic cigar, Kashroom, further ravaged the Emperor’s declining health, which was already suffering from curses and chronic illnesses, so at this time before the regression, the Emperor would have been completely bedridden.

In a way, it’s because I killed La Lergo and blocked Kashroom from being presented to the imperial family that the Emperor’s health has changed 180 degrees, right?

Anyway, I’m his lifesaver, so isn’t there something in it for me…? With that expression, I looked at the Emperor and answered his request.

[Well, I suppose so. It’s not difficult, and I don’t associate with Leon anyway.]

[Thank you. I will offer appropriate compensation when we meet next. If you need anything, feel free to say so in advance. I’ll try to prepare it, as long as it’s not excessive.]

As expected of an Emperor, his ability to understand things without being told felt quite astute.

But honestly, what’s a payment like compensation to the Emperor?

The Emperor is always practically the wealthiest person in the Empire.

After all, in Sephiroth, the Emperor’s nation, there’s nothing material the Emperor can’t possess.

I quickly answered, lest the Emperor change his mind.

[Can I perhaps obtain an elixir that contains strong Yin energy? The stronger the Yin energy, the better.]

At my words, the Emperor looked puzzled, but he didn’t pry further.

[Understood. I’ll have to see if there’s anything useful in the imperial treasury. Anyway, I look forward to our next meeting.]

The Emperor, whom I thought was a pushover but was actually a cheerful and good person, coolly turned and swiftly disappeared after ending the telepathic communication.

Since people who readily offer elixirs are good people, the Emperor was undoubtedly a good person too.

Anyway, with the Emperor gone, it was now time to somehow gather up the fallen, useless ones and return to the Academy.

Should I use a communication orb to have people come pick them up? Ugh, those useless ones. They all just collapsed. Among them, except for our pretty Marisa, they’re all useless.

I cautiously brought up the matter of the cleanup with Rosalie-ssi.

I hesitated slightly, feeling like it would be too much ‘business is business’ in this good atmosphere, but what needed to be done had to be done…

“Teacher-nim, shouldn’t we start heading back to the Academy now? Oh, since the demons are gone, we can use the communication orb.”

“Ugh… honestly, I just want to stay like this all day… Ras smells so good, I don’t want to let go…”

Rosalie-ssi held me tightly in her arms, purring loudly like a cat that had smelled delicious food.

It was a tempting moment, but also very dangerous, as I truly felt I could just stay nestled in her addictively pleasant embrace all day long.

So, somehow, I had to… persuade our ‘Mommy’…

However, the moment I opened my mouth, my head suddenly began to spin dizzily.

Before my eyes, everything blurred like an illusion, my five senses and the world mixing chaotically…

I already knew all too well when I felt this way.

“….Teacher-nim… I’m so sleepy…”

The feeling of exhaustion that unfailingly came after using my mental power (心力) like crazy, back in my weaker days before the regression, now completely overwhelmed my body and mind as Rosalie-ssi’s divine power buff completely wore off.

“…Z..z…z….”

Like a fading flame, I quietly let my head drop and lost consciousness.

It was time to rest.

*

‘Hehe… Ras smells good… Sometimes, I need time to have him all to myself. Ahem..! I’m clearly the main wife~’

After properly opening his Heart Realm in the recent battle, Ras’s entire body, like a burning flame, was completely open and activated, then slowly returning to a stable state.

Thanks to this, the pleasant scent that had been emanating from Ras, which had become slightly milder after he obtained the folklore/saga from Sephir, was now wildly raging and being emitted towards Rosalie.

Rosalie, who had sent Pisces home first and now had Ras all to herself, appeared on the surface to be a generous and benevolent ‘Mommy’…

But inside, she was actually giggling heartily, wearing a sly (?!) ‘main wife’ smile…!

While tightly embracing Ras and doting on him, Rosalie had caught on that the Emperor and Ras were having a conversation, but it wasn’t particularly important to her.

To Rosalie, the Emperor was merely a highly-placed old man who occasionally asked her for various favors.

Anyway, her thought was to enjoy this short, precious time she had just gained to its fullest, as deeply and intensely as possible.

Thus, Rosalie was tightly embracing Ras in her abundantly soft and cozy embrace, effectively marking her territory.

‘Hehe..! This isn’t fulfilling my personal desires. Ras also loves being held in my arms. Pisces-ssi is quite excellent… indeed, but still, they can’t do this much for him, can they?!’

However, Ras, with his exceedingly strong self-control, soon displayed an utterly businesslike attitude, suggesting they clean up the situation and return.

Rosalie tried to dissuade such a Ras as if throwing a tantrum, but—

“….Teacher-nim… I’m so sleepy…”

—when she saw Ras drop his head into her arms with a thud and fall asleep with those words, she finally came to her senses.

“What have I done?! Ras must be incredibly exhausted from fighting so hard… Rosalie, you’re so selfish… Please punish this greedy old lamb…”

A startled Rosalie quickly took out her communication orb and sent a situation briefing and rescue request.

“Hehe… but I can stay like this until the rescue team arrives, right? By the way, what has he been eating these days? His face has gotten even prettier, hasn’t it? Hehe… I wonder if it’s because I’ve spoon-fed him so much love?”

On Ras’s softly breathing, sleeping face, there was not a trace of the boiling madness and fighting spirit he had displayed within the Laurava just a while ago.

“Actually… his fierce appearance from earlier was cool and charming, but his current look is the cutest. Our Ras is just adorable when he’s sleeping.”

Looking at the face of the handsome young boy, who was graceful, soft, and clear… completely at ease, Rosalie was simply pleased.

Thus, she was able to fully enjoy their time together until the rescue team arrived.

During that time, Rosalie, whose divine power was running low, shrewdly poured it into her beautiful boy ‘only’, gently injecting it. Fortunately, it is said that no one witnessed this.

*

The invasion of the Academy and Delphi by high-ranking demons.

This ‘invasion’ incident, which could be considered the first in Leone Academy’s history, was enough to stir up a commotion among the audience.

Of course, the invading demons, including Deurosa of Maugen Dorf Forest, who is now completely forgotten… were only three in total.

Nor did the demons inflict any truly significant damage on Leone and Sephiroth.

However, heroic tales are usually born from a bit of truth seasoned with many embellishments.

Anyway, true to students of an age who love to gossip, ‘story flowers’ about the battle with the demons were blooming all over the Academy campus.

In fact, from the perspective of most students, who had quietly maintained a state of alert within the campus, they indeed needed something stimulating to chew on.

Thus, rumors were wildly spreading among a group of students gathered and resting.

“I heard multiple high-ranking demons invaded, and Delphi City was half-destroyed…!”

“Wow… But still, seeing that they won, the Academy is indeed the Academy. Who played the biggest role?”

“Probably the Prince-nim or Princess-nim? They say both of them are no different in martial prowess from the professors.”

Chatter chatter…

That Leon overwhelmed the demons with his unique magic, and Skada struck a demon’s neck with a sword…

That Garett confronted them with his refined fierce spear arts and met a glorious end… (*He didn’t die)*

That Ras, who rapidly emerged as a rising star, rampaged wildly and tore them all to shreds….

These various shabby, or quite accurate, rumors, whose minimum authenticity had not been confirmed, were already blooming and circulating from somewhere even before the attack party passed through the main gate.

Similarly, rumors about those who ‘truly’ confronted Haimon inside the Academy were also swirling like a storm.

Naturally, heroic tales of Irha, who risked his life confronting Haimon, were spreading…

“I heard Professor Tiria shattered the main building! I had no idea she was such a powerful witch!”

Such heroic tales were circulating that, if Professor Tiria heard them, she would tremble with anxiety and likely cry out, “Please… please stop it..! I don’t know anything!”

And one more thing.

This wasn’t a heroic tale, so it couldn’t properly bloom into a full-fledged rumor amidst the triumphant atmosphere.

However, the story about ‘the bitch who unhesitatingly abandoned her comrades and tried to betray them’ was also carefully scattering a seed or two, gradually taking root.

Anyway, it was at that moment, when everyone was enjoying the news of victory and chattering away.

Someone came rushing, panting, towards the gathered students and shouted.

In a voice filled with urgency, like that of a war correspondent…

“The attack party’s back! I heard it was a really fierce fight. I peeked, and they all looked completely battered!”

“Gasp! Battered? Where can we see them now? Is everyone okay…? Surely no one died…??”

The students then hurried like a herd of rabbits to meet the heroes of this small war.

Thus, the procession of heroes that the students stealthily arrived and witnessed…

It was indeed the sight of desperate individuals who had barely received emergency treatment at the end of a truly fierce battle.

For they were all haggard and weary, being transported on stretchers, laden with injuries.

However, within this procession, which resembled a funeral procession, only one spot presented a slightly unusual scene.

“Hey… but what’s Teacher Rosalie holding…? And in a princess carry?? Her expression looks genuinely happy, by the way. I’ve never seen such a happy smile from her before!”

“..????”

The strange sight discovered by a male student instantly drew attention.

“Professor Rosalie is princess-carrying Ras Etgard!”

“It’s true…? But don’t the two of them have a really strange atmosphere…? Was Professor Rosalie always like that?”

With the exclamation of a sharp-eyed student, Ras gained the nickname ‘Princess Ras’… a slightly embarrassing one.

And the subtly flowing pinkish, suggestive aura between the two of them also… began to quietly spread as an underground rumor.

On the morning of May 14, 998, ‘rumor flowers’ bloomed brightly in various fragrant hues at the Academy that day, instead of ‘affair flowers’.