Ch.2323. Short Winter Break (1)

With the end-of-term evaluations finished, it’s essentially the start of a short winter break from now on.

Though it’s a break that lasts at most a week, or as little as a day, it was enough time for Michelle to look into something.

By the time the heavy rain and landslide had subsided, most exams were finishing up, and a sea of students poured out of the examination halls all at once.

Because of this, Michelle had trouble finding Senia among the crowds of students dispersing immediately after the end-of-term evaluations.

Of course, she eventually managed to spot the girl with her distinctive medium-length brown hair carrying a sword.

So she had just followed after Senia, and was now organizing her thoughts before knocking.

‘Alright.’

As respectfully as possible. Make it clear that she had no intention of eavesdropping to avoid any misunderstandings.

And when her apology is accepted, that’s when she’ll ask. Whether Junon somehow managed to awaken her unique magic.

After taking a deep breath, Michelle knocks on the door of the physical training room that Senia had entered.

Knock knock.

“Are you Senia from Class 2-D? I have something I’d like to ask you. Could you spare a moment?”

The door opens as if her voice was heard clearly, and a female student with a cold impression and somewhat sharp features responds expressionlessly.

“You want to see me? That’s a bit surprising.”

“Is it…? Am I perhaps interrupting something important?”

“Not really. But you know well, don’t you? How we’ve been treated. I’m wondering why you’d want to meet me despite that.”

As you can see, Senia, like Junon, doesn’t have a particularly good impression of students from the upper classes.

For those classified as inferior students by their standards, it’s difficult to view the elite students from the upper classes in a positive light.

Moreover, with the title of a noble lady from a high-ranking family attached to her, it was the perfect recipe for Senia’s prejudice.

“Treated? What do you mean?”

However, Michelle doesn’t know. She doesn’t know what daily life is like for lower-class students who are bullied, as the nobles have thoroughly concealed it.

“Do I really need to spell it out? Or are you pretending not to know?”

“I’m sorry, but I really don’t understand what you’re talking about. Could you explain in more detail? Or… if you’re upset because of me, would it be better if we set up a proper appointment to meet later?”

Seeing Michelle’s genuinely confused reaction, Senia couldn’t press further.

‘She really didn’t know?’

She had thought nobles were all composed of people who never lowered their pride.

At most, she figured Professor Jake might be the only one who fell into the category of a normal person.

But looking at Michelle in front of her, she was taking a humble attitude and trying to accommodate her.

From the beginning, she had knocked and used a tone close to a request, so it wouldn’t hurt to test her once more.

“So you’re saying you had no idea about the oppression against the lower classes at the Academy?”

As Senia spoke with a testing tone, Michelle’s face, which had been anxious about possibly offending Senia, gradually began to harden.

Senia knew some details about the suicide incident mentioned by the Grand Duke, and hearing this, Michelle was overwhelmed with shock for a while.

“How could this be…”

Michelle murmured weakly due to what Senia had told her.

She was realizing that something unimaginable had been happening within the Academy.

‘I didn’t want to believe it, but…’

Senia, watching Michelle, was also considerably surprised.

She had thought all the high-ranking people banded together and viewed the lower classes merely as objects of amusement, but it seemed that wasn’t entirely the case.

Come to think of it, there are actually ringleaders, instigators, and most of the actual perpetrators are just underlings, aren’t they?

It’s clear that certain nobles are completely covering up this matter and disguising the atmosphere.

That must be why there are so many exceptions like this.

“I was wrong to misunderstand you. So I apologize. I thought you were the same as them, but my prejudice was incorrect.”

“No… you had every reason to… I would have been suspicious too.”

Though her complicated feelings were clearly visible, what good would it do to doubt Michelle any further?

It was time to get back to the main point. There was a need to conclude this conversation for now.

“So what did you come to see me about?”

“Ah… well…”

“Don’t hesitate, just speak freely. I’m the one who made the mistake, so how can I respond if you act like that? And we need to address your business too.”

This was only possible because of Senia’s characteristically straightforward personality; someone else might not have been so understanding.

To Senia, who coolly apologized and moved past the earlier incident, Michelle also carefully offers an apology.

“I’m sorry. It definitely wasn’t intentional… I accidentally overheard you talking with a student named Junon.”

“I’ve talked with her several times. Which conversation specifically?”

“…From the part where you said Junon from Class E defeated Silvia.”

“Ah, of all things, that… That’s a bit difficult for me to explain.”

As Senia ran her hand through her hair with a troubled expression, Michelle waved her hands and said:

“No, no! I’m not asking you to explain.”

Then what was she here for?

Senia tilted her head, expressing her confusion.

“I wanted to ask about Junon, the student you were talking with.”

“Ah, so that’s what it was?”

By coincidence, their common interest had become Junon, who more than anyone else wanted to avoid both of them.

***

With the end-of-term evaluations over, a short winter break had arrived.

Due to the nature of Levrant Academy, where a semester is quite long, the breaks naturally had to be shorter.

Students always complain, but it’s actually the school’s consideration to ensure students aren’t rushed during lecture times.

As a result, Levrant’s winter break was at most a week long, and at its shortest, ended in just a day.

However, this winter break is, coincidentally, five days long. It’s three days longer than before the regression. I think it’s because there haven’t been any incidents requiring time to resolve.

‘Things are changing properly, right?’

After finishing physical training, I stood in front of the bulletin board near Megrez Hall for a brief rest and to check my upcoming schedule.

And I ask myself:

Am I successfully changing things to prevent the same future from repeating?

Are there clear changes visible in the way I’m changing things now?

For now, I can answer Yes.

Michelle seems to have become quite close with Erica after spending the end-of-term evaluation as a pair.

Senia also seems to have proceeded just as before the regression, receiving help from Lady Ophelia during the fourth stage test.

I haven’t encountered the other Tembris members yet, so things are progressing smoothly so far.

If there’s anything concerning, it would be my contact with Senia?

Even though there were no encounters with Michelle, and even though I warned Senia, I still feel uneasy somehow.

“Sigh, I hope nothing happens.”

Junon had been staring at the bulletin board for a long time.

And four people were hiding, spewing malice toward Junon, who was absentmindedly staring at the bulletin board.

“Hey, are you sure about this?”

“Of course. I spent a lot of money on this item. It should be enough to deal with someone like him.”

“Why are we using that on him anyway?”

“What do you mean why? He’s been climbing too high, so we need to teach him a proper lesson to make him come to his senses.”

“Right. I don’t care about the others, but Junon never changes. He needs to be dealt with properly.”

Vesta and Pallas couldn’t tell the other two that Junon had the ability to stop their magic and knock them unconscious in ways they couldn’t understand.

If they said it wrong, it might seem like they were admitting defeat.

“Hmm… you’re not wrong. It’s tiring for us too because of him.”

“That’s why I always pray that he’s not my responsibility. It just gives me unnecessary headaches.”

Having been defeated once, Vesta and Pallas had purchased expensive magical tools in preparation.

“Now, let’s go teach that arrogant bastard a lesson.”

A sinister smile spread across their faces at the thought of getting revenge on Junon, but unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to get their revenge even if they met him.

***

“The weather is nice today. Should I hang out the blankets to air?”

Having let go of everything, Silvia’s heart felt so light it could float away.

She couldn’t understand why she had thought she needed to be tied to the Count’s family all this time.

Her noble status. The meaningless sense of superiority over the lower classes. The world looked different after letting go of such hollow things.

She had inevitably received help from Junon for her first steps.

Once she left the Count’s residence, she realized she was just a child who had only learned to flaunt dignity and grace.

So she asked and learned one thing at a time.

What she felt while increasing her life skills was that, contrary to how nobles compared or disparaged it, the dormitory was a livable place.

She tried cleaning herself, which was usually done by maids, and sometimes laughed when she noticed soap suds on her cheek after washing her uniform.

It was hard work, but quite doable. She wondered why she had thought it was something she couldn’t do.

And she realized anew how truly futile it had been to cling to a rope that was about to break.

“Still… I’m not making much progress with my written studies.”

Since nobles focused on mana training and magic refinement—that is, practical skills—written subjects were still overwhelming for Silvia.

But even this overwhelming feeling wasn’t bad.

“I’m just going to ask him, so it should be fine… Yes, it will be fine.”

She had a pretext to meet him—the one who had willingly forgiven her sinful self, the one who somehow made her feel at ease when she relied on him.

Until just a few days ago, the corners of her mouth, which she had rarely raised, were now lifting effortlessly.

Standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, Silvia brushed her ash-white hair a few more times with a comb, checking if it was disheveled, then picked up her bag and left the dormitory.

Silvia’s gaze was fixed solely in the direction of Junon’s dormitory, and today she was able to spot him standing in front of the bulletin board earlier than usual.

However, Silvia’s eyes soon widened in shock.

“Of course. I spent a lot of money on this item. It should be enough to deal with someone like him.”

The magical tool in Vesta’s hand caught Silvia’s eye.

‘No way… they’re going to use that on Junon?’

The magical tool he was holding was designed to burn and scald flesh, inflicting a status ailment called “burn” that causes extreme pain.

When Silvia was a five-year-old child, she once burst into tears in front of the Count because learning etiquette was difficult.

That magical tool was the reason Silvia stopped crying from then on. It was, after all, a tool for torture.

“What do you mean why? He’s been climbing too high, so we need to teach him a proper lesson to make him come to his senses.”

“Right. I don’t care about the others, but Junon never changes. He needs to be dealt with properly.”

Having overheard their whispering and realized who their target was, Silvia’s eyes completely flipped with rage.

“Hm? Isn’t that Silvia?”

“Oh, you want to join us too? Yes, for educating Junon, Silvia would be—”

“Shut your disgusting mouth.”

With those words, the four who had been plotting against Junon ended up rolling on the ground.