Ch.57XX Tina (2)

XX Tina (2)

Tina’s life hadn’t changed much since becoming the successor and reuniting with the dean who had brought her here. She continued acquiring knowledge and exploring ruins.

The only difference was her increased meetings with La•Pa.

She didn’t know what that name was short for, nor did she care.

“So, how have you been lately?”

“Nothing special. I just sit at my desk studying, and occasionally dash out to explore when they discover some ruins.”

“My daughter, still grave robbing like in your pickpocketing days?”

“How is it grave robbing when I have government permission to search for artifacts!”

“Ah, legal grave robbing then.”

“Well, when you put it that way, I can’t really argue…”

Tina did think her aptitude for archaeology stemmed from that. As they say, old habits die hard—the opportunity to legally plunder ancient treasures was too tempting to resist.

Of course, any artifacts she found didn’t become her property but went to the Imperial Cultural Management Department.

While others searched for artifacts out of boundless curiosity, Tina did it for fun. She was fundamentally different from the start.

“In a way, that could also be called curiosity.”

“You’re better at packaging it than I am.”

“Of course, I’m not the dean for nothing.”

“Speaking of which, why do you hide your appearance like this?”

“Hm? Me? I haven’t really been hiding… As you can see, I look ordinary. Maybe that’s why everyone mistakes me for a servant?”

“No, I mean why do you deceive people with that appearance?”

“Ah, that’s what you meant.”

La•Pa’s demeanor suddenly changed, as if just remembering something.

A numbing pressure.

Even though only her pupils had changed to vertical slits, Tina felt suffocated.

“Come to think of it, you could see through me. I’d forgotten.”

But unlike their first meeting, she didn’t freeze up.

She had trained herself.

As an archaeologist, exploring ruins came with dangers.

Since she primarily explored royal tombs and similar sites, they were filled with traps and guardians meant to deter grave robbers.

Many dragon ruins existed as well, so surviving such dangers required proper training.

“Hmm, you’re not scared anymore?”

“Not after experiencing it a few times.”

“Yes, yes. You seem to be ripening nicely…”

La•Pa stood up and walked around Tina, examining her as if appraising something, making Tina sigh deeply.

The pressure remained, but she was no longer frightened. Regardless of her own strength, she knew La•Pa truly thought of her as a daughter.

This was also her intuition.

The certainty that La•Pa would never be a threat to her.

“Yes, I think this will do.”

“What will?”

“This, a gift for you.”

That’s why Tina accepted La•Pa’s gift without suspicion.

A red orb. Inside it, flames flickered like pupils.

“What is this?”

“A gift.”

“No, I mean what is it used for?”

“A scholar who wants answers without investigating? How disappointing.”

“Then it’s not a gift but homework.”

“Haha! I wonder who calls this child a genius.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.”

La•Pa was the only person who understood Tina. After all, she was the one who recognized Tina’s intuition early on and brought her here.

“Then let me teach my study-averse daughter.”

“Hmm?”

Tina was only half-listening to La•Pa as she examined the red orb in front of her eyes.

Suddenly, La•Pa grabbed Tina’s chin and pushed the orb into her mouth.

“It’s an elixir.”

“Keh! Kuhup!”

Feeling the red orb sliding down her throat, Tina coughed repeatedly as if choking.

La•Pa watched with amusement while Tina glared back reproachfully.

A red jewel slipped into their everyday playfulness.

“Haah… So what kind of elixir is this?”

“Hmm? You’ll find out yourself later. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

“Tsk, another troublesome…”

Tina could only sigh at La•Pa’s behavior, which seemed no different from her usual pranks, and didn’t suspect anything.

“Oh, right. You have a mission. That’s why I called you today.”

“What? You’re only getting to the point now? I thought you just called me for idle chatter again…”

“Talking business during meals ruins the appetite, doesn’t it?”

“Ah, yes… let’s go with that.”

Tina scratched her cheek.

She thought it was rich coming from someone who had just shoved an orb down someone’s throat during a meal.

“Did they discover some ruins? Finding an entrance? Disarming traps? Or interpreting murals?”

“Hmm, unfortunately it’s not ruin-related this time.”

“Ugh, solving difficult problems then? Do you know how much basic knowledge it takes to guess at one of those?”

“Not that either. I think you’ll quite like this assignment.”

With a mischievous smile, La•Pa gave Tina her mission.

“From now on, you’ll be joining the Hero’s party.”

“Hero’s party? Hero… What?! Hero?! A Hero has appeared?!”

“Yes, recently.”

“This is the first I’m hearing of it! It wasn’t in the newspapers or anywhere else.”

“Hehe, our intelligence network is quite good, isn’t it?”

“But there’s no such department! They’re all desk-bound scholars who’ve mastered nothing but paper-pushing. At best, their specialty is how well they can spin their fans, right?”

“Well, that’s true. Let’s just say this intelligence network reports directly to me.”

“Hmm…”

Tina fell silent.

Despite how close they’d become, she still didn’t know what La•Pa did. Not only that, she’d never heard her proper name beyond the nickname she’d been taught.

A sense of intimacy yet a clearly drawn line, a distance.

Would it be okay for her to ask what kind of intelligence network it was?

She was the successor, after all.

Of course, her intuition wasn’t raising any alarms.

Neither confirming nor denying.

Neither one way nor the other.

That’s why Tina felt she shouldn’t ask.

Noticing this, La•Pa leaned back in her chair and said:

“Hehe, no need to worry. How about this? ‘By the divine power of the great heavenly god, we have located the holy sword. Ahem!'”

“Ah, yes.”

Tina decided not to ask.

It didn’t seem like she’d get a straight answer anyway.

“So what do I need to do? Steal the holy sword or something?”

“…Tina, you’re a scholar. I’d appreciate if you didn’t forget your role.”

“I was joking?”

“Hehe, is that so? Well, I only have one order for you.”

La•Pa brought her finger right in front of Tina’s eyes and said:

“Become friends with the Hero. And with everyone in the Hero’s party.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes! Ah, no. Let me be a bit more specific this time. The Hero’s companions include those who might join later.”

“Hmm… well, alright. Though I’m not sure if I can become friends with them.”

“You’ll do fine.”

“You think so?”

“Yes, it’s my intuition. The feeling that you’ll definitely succeed.”

La•Pa moved her finger away from Tina’s eyes with certainty.

Tina’s pupils had already changed to match La•Pa’s.

“Good luck, Tanha.”

“I keep telling you, I’m Tina, not Tanha. Are you senile?”

***

Tina joined the Hero’s party and eventually became friends with Esmeralda.

She thinks they would have become friends even without the order.

No, the order itself was just an excuse, La•Pa’s consideration for Tina who had no peers among the scholars.

Esmeralda was an interesting person.

A bit naive, but serious in battle and willing to sacrifice herself for her companions.

She truly had the character and personality befitting a Hero.

The Saintess, Eirene, seemed pure and unworldly, while Millia was inarticulate but kind.

And what about Lug?

Though he’d been struggling lately, he was a diligent friend who always quietly completed his tasks.

“Yaaawn…”

After disarming the traps in the ruins while other scholars investigated the architectural style, Tina was alone, unable to contain her boredom as she yawned.

“I wonder what they’re doing now.”

Her friends.

Though Tina occasionally played mischievous pranks, she was a rare conscientious person who genuinely cared for her friends.

Of course, her sticky fingers sometimes caused problems.

But they were all good people who forgave and understood her.

“I want to finish this job quickly and see them.”

Tina was kind.

She had no ulterior motives and believed in what her friends showed her at face value.

Of course, her background and surroundings were quite problematic.

But at least she was always sincere.

“Huh? Is someone coming?”

As she was yawning and absently watching water droplets fall from the ceiling, Tina got up when she felt slight vibrations from behind.

Scholars typically moved in groups of three for efficiency.

But the group approaching now numbered seven—too many for two groups, too few for three.

Something was definitely happening.

Tina quickly moved toward their direction.

And then…

“Oh…!”

She smiled genuinely at the sight before her.

Along with a group of scholars were her friends.

Knowing Esmeralda’s personality, she could easily guess the situation.

‘These guys came without telling me to surprise me.’

Tina was touched by this, and—

“First, restrain her so she can’t cause trouble! Millia! Tentacle attack!”

“U-um! Okay!”

“Whaaaaat?!”

Her friends promptly subdued the clueless Tina.