episode_0033

Going back in time a bit, it’s day 3 on the deserted island.

The combination of Princess Beatrice, Ruth Spero of unknown origin, and commoner Milia.

“… … Is this okay?”

“Oh, Your Highness? Is there a problem… …?”

“There’s no problem, that’s why.”

was cruising.

Despite my expectations, there really weren’t any problems.

Beatrice looked around the ‘base’ they had created themselves.

A well-made log cabin, fish drying on a drying rack, fish traps placed in the stream right next door, and even a rustic chair made to look like it had some spare room.

Even now, she was sitting on that chair, eating coconut with Milia.

Everything is going smoothly.

It’s really going so smoothly.

‘I didn’t know Milia’s abilities were this great.’

The reason things turned out so well was not because of Beatrice’s determination or the power of Ruth, who was a 6th-grade member. Of course, that is not to say that they were insignificant.

If I had to name a biggest reason, it was entirely thanks to Millia.

Surprisingly, Millia was not a second-class wizard, which is common in the administrative field, but a third-class wizard.

“With this level of skill, wouldn’t it have been okay to enter the field of magic?”

“That, that. How dare I… … … .”

“Even if Ruth cuts and moves the logs, it’s all done by Millia, who magically designed the log cabin, the traps, and the drying rack. It’s not for nothing that she was invited to join the student council.”

“You are too kind… … .”

It seems like they are buried by the 6th-grade Ruth and the nominal 5th-grade Beatrice, but when it comes to 3rd-grade wizards, they are by no means just any ordinary level.

A first-class person who has virtually no magical power in his body, and a second-class person who has magical power but is capable of performing a variety of magical acts.

These people make up the majority of the continent’s population. Every finance minister Beatrice knows is a first-class person.

Even though there are many commoners in the administrative field, most of them are second-class, and only a few are first-class. This is because if you can use even a little bit of magical power, you will have a great advantage in physical ability and brain power.

In the long history of the administrative field, there have been very few instances of a top graduate being a first-class citizen, the most recent being Adam Keynes two years ago, and the previous record going back 20 years.

So I expected it to be a 2nd grade, but I never thought it would be the beginning of a 3rd grade.

‘Honestly, I don’t have the talent to go any further than this.’

Even though he is weak, his skills in making things using telekinesis magic, cutting magic, etc. are quite impressive. You would believe him if he were a craftsman from the Carpenter’s Guild rather than an Academy freshman.

Beatrice asked in a bright voice, excited at having won the lottery.

“Do you dream of joining the carpenter’s guild?”

“Huh? Uh… … That’s right. Yes. ”

“With this level of skill, you could have joined a guild right away without any problems, right?”

“That… …I really wanted to come to the academy. It would help my career too.”

“Sure, that’s right.”

A normal 3rd-grade magic carpenter is definitely great, but a 3rd-grade magic carpenter from Grandis Academy is given an even greater premium.

Beatrice nodded as if she understood, looking gently at Milia, who had somewhat anxious eyes.

Although Millia’s eyes twitched violently, that was a natural reaction to having royalty in front of her. Beatrice didn’t think much about it, since it was a reaction she had experienced many times in her life.

While we were chatting like that and eating coconuts.

thud!

“… … I caught it.”

“Ruth! Did you make it again?”

“We’re going to start disbanding right away, so both of you, turn your eyes.”

“ㄴ, Yes! I understand… … .”

Kwajik!

Naturally, Ruth, who was in charge of hunting and food, started butchering a dead boar on the spot.

It was a rather rough action, but the women who had become accustomed to Ruth over the past few days immediately turned their heads. The bloody sound of flesh being cut and bones being torn apart rang out.

After waiting for about 10 minutes, the completely dismembered boar meat is hung on a drying rack, and the blood and internal organs are washed or drained in the stream water.

At first, the smell of blood was unfamiliar, but it got better after a few days.

“By the way, Ruth, you seem very familiar with this kind of dismantling and survival, right? It was Ruth who first set up the building site.”

“As expected, you are a 6th grader… … !!”

“I’m used to it because I’ve had a lot of opportunities to do this kind of thing. I’ve been in environments that are more severe than this for a longer period of time.”

“Is there anything worse than this…? Have you been to a war zone?”

Stop.

Ruth paused for a moment at Beatrice’s questioning words.

He shook his head and continued washing the knife in the stream.

“… … … There were just a few things going on.”

“Anyway, it’s trustworthy.”

“Yes!”

Millia built houses, traps, and drying racks.

Ruth secures more than enough food through hunting.

So what does Beatrice do?

“Ah, it’s almost time. I’ll go clean up and come back.”

“Your Highness the Princess?”

“Milia?”

“No matter how much I think about it, I shouldn’t be doing something like that… … … Cleaning the bathroom? That’s something Her Majesty the Princess should be doing.”

“I think we’ve already talked about that part. The most useless people do odd jobs.”

“Your Majesty! What do you mean you are useless… … .”

“That’s right. Ruth made the food, and you, Millia, made the whole life. So the rest is my job. It’s a natural division of labor.”

“Your Majesty… … .”

Literally does everything else.

Picking coconuts, cleaning toilets, doing laundry, checking on drying racks, watching to see if anyone steals food, cleaning the area, preparing meals, and patrolling the area.

Anyone can do it as long as they have a healthy body. That was Beatrice’s role right now.

‘… … It’s harder to use magic than I thought.’

Beatrice’s own countermeasure for this test where she couldn’t get the artifact.

The idea was to create a space inside the body that contained only the artifact’s magical power.

It’s a crazy idea, just as I heard. Knights and fighters who have reached the 7th rank can create a fake organ called the danjeon to store their energy separately, but magicians don’t necessarily need to do that. The whole body is just like the danjeon, so why do they need something like the danjeon?

However, for some unknown reason, when magical power is stored in Beatrice’s body and heart, the magic used with it becomes uncontrollable.

That is why what Beatrice had been researching for the past month was the space that contained magical power, also known as the Mana Heart.

‘If you were to say it was a success or a failure, it was a success.’

Could it be because she is a genius acknowledged by even the Great Wizard? She succeeded in creating a small space inside her body without harming her life through the magic power she absorbed from the artifact.

If it were before, my entire body would have been torn apart, let alone creating space, because of the uncontrollable magic.

In any case, the magical power contained in that space is somewhat unstable, but the magic does not run wild or go out of control.

It was her greatest achievement and her innovative method.

‘It’s too small.’

The problem is that the space is still too small. At this level, the magical power is smaller than that of Millia. Even a single high-level magic spell can drain all of the magical power.

That’s why Beatrice planned to take on all the chores from the beginning.

… … It’s a bit calculated, but if she, the princess, does something like this, it makes a big impact. It’s easy to give the impression that she’s done enough for one person.

Of course, it will also help with scholarships.

‘But still, cleaning the bathroom is a bit weird.’

I’ve gotten used to it. I didn’t feel as uncomfortable using the outdoor toilet as I thought I would since I’ve put down many things.

I think I might be surprisingly suited to this kind of life.

The moment Beatrice, who was thinking like that, was about to get up to work.

“… … !!”

“This, this is!”

“Let’s go right now. Everyone, bring your extensions!”

Something falls from the sky above the island, accompanied by a magically amplified voice.

That’s rule number 6. Look at the sky.

A box that falls to a random location at a random time.

It contained all sorts of items, including food, water, and survival kits, and it played a huge role in keeping students with no knowledge of survival from giving up even on the third day.

Anyway, as soon as they confirmed the supply, Beatrice and Millia ran out, led by Ruth who was holding a sword.

If there was no one to guard the stronghold, the food and water stored there could be plundered.

“Ugh… … !!”

Kkwaduk!

[chain barrier]

Beatrice only has a limited amount of magical power to use, but her talent hasn’t disappeared.

She squeezed all the magical power in her mana heart and unleashed the most advanced defensive magic. It would be difficult for an average student, even someone at Chloe’s level, to break through those several layers of barriers.

Anyway, it doesn’t take that long to check the supply, so you can go and come back quickly. The only thing that’s missing is the fight for the supply.

Ruth and Millia, who had confirmed Beatrice’s magic, increased their speed even further. The acceleration magic Millia had already used was sparkling beneath everyone’s feet.

Tadah!

How long did you run like that?

Beatrice’s team was soon able to find a supply crate lying on a small plain in the middle of the island.

“I knew you’d be the first to come running. Knight Ruth.”

“… … … As expected.”

“How is it really that fast… … ?”

“I, water, breath.”

The time is evening, and the sky is already tinted orange.

Even though she slowed down for Beatrice and Millia, Ruth is still a 6th-grade swordsman. When she’s running, restrictions don’t really matter.

Still, there was someone who arrived at the supply box faster than them.

A weirdo wearing full plate armor in this hot weather, carrying a greatsword on his back that is as tall as he is.

A promising prospect who has become the youngest ever knighted.

The youngest knight, Kaeren d’Este.

He was looking straight at Ruth with a ferocious smile.

“It’s been hard because the timing wasn’t right, but today is the time to make a decision!”

“… … How many times have I said it? According to the rules, use of force between students is prohibited. ”

“What does that matter! Knights duel, no need for external shackles! Come on, share your swords with me! Knight Ruth!”

He may sound like a madman, but even so, Kaern is a 5th-grade swordsman. In the martial arts field, he is the strongest, even losing to Leesha more often than he wins, except for Russ.

Moreover, its speed is comparable to that of a 6th-grade Ruth wearing that kind of armor.

I don’t know why he doesn’t take off his armor when he’s sweating profusely because it’s so hot, why he calls Ruth a knight when he’s not, and why he’s walking around alone while the other team members are gone.

All three had to move because of the youngest knight, who was objectively crazy enough.

While Ruth was dealing with Kaern, Millia and Beatrice had to carry the supply crates, which were quite heavy for them to carry alone.

“If you come at me, you’re disqualified. Grades are something you have to worry about, right? If you want to get away from the baronet you hate so much. ”

“… … Well, that still bothers me. I don’t know why you know my situation so well. ”

thud!

“I can’t stand it anymore. I’m going!!!”

“… … … This kind of thing.”

Kwajik! Chaengkang!!

Ruth’s sword blocks Kaern’s greatsword as he accelerates while stepping on the ground.

Even though it was clearly a charge that was carried out with his body weight, Ruth blocked it with one hand. It was natural since he was restricted to using only one hand, but at the same time, it was a hand gesture that clearly showed the difference in skill between Kaern and Ruth.

Of course, Kaern paid no attention and continued to attack.

“I’ll make sure you use both hands!”

“… … It’s not time yet.”

“Then, as a knight, all you have to do is forcefully bring that time back!”

Woof!

“You… …!?”

In that moment, something that looked like sword energy appeared on Kaern’s greatsword.

Slam it straight down on Ruth!

Kwaaang!!!!

A loud roar, trees uprooted, a gust of wind, billowing smoke, a crater created by the sheer impact.

It was enough to scare Beatrice and Milia, who had been secretly collecting supply crates since the conflict began.

“A sword… …? No way, Kaerin Destega has reached rank 6!?”

“… … No, Your Highness. It’s just appearances. ”

“Well, it seems like it’s really not enough for a 6th grader.”

The smoke clears, and Ruth is seen inside, having taken the blow just now with one hand.

Ruth, who had simply responded to Beatrice’s surprise, glared at Kaern with slightly different eyes.

“… … No way, at the entrance ceremony?”

“That’s right! At that time, Knight Ruth, I superficially copied the swordsmanship you showed me! If I continue to train like this, I’ll definitely be able to become a 6th rank someday… …!! Fighting you was a good choice after all! You are the best training material!!”

“Tsk.”

I wonder if he just swung his sword without thinking. But giving up on the midterm exam seems like a stupid idea.

It may have been the fact that I had always rejected all of Kaeren’s duel requests.

Only then did the other students who had gathered around the supply box flinch at the sight of the huge hole in the middle of the plain, and Beatrice and Milia, who had gathered the supplies, stood guard over the surrounding area.

“Stop! Kaerin Dest, use of force between students is strictly prohibited in this exam!”

“Ah, no more coconuts… … .”

“Put down your sword, Kaerne Desté. You are disqualified.”

The examination supervisor and several professors who came running from afar surround Kaeren and Ruth.

One of the female professors was lamenting something, but anyway.

Even though he only shared a sum and was disqualified from the midterm exam, Kaern’s expression was satisfied. It was as if fighting Ruth even a little bit had really helped him a lot, but he still held onto his sword as if he had some regrets.

Kaern, who continues to clash swords with him, and the test managers, who each generate their own magical powers or energy as he continues to ignore warnings.

In that atmosphere that was gradually becoming overheated.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Who… … … Adam, Treasury Secretary?”

“Meet the Minister of Finance!”

“Hey, Chief Financial Officer! Weren’t you with the Chairman? What brings you here… … .”

“I received a call from the test manager, Darkun. The chairman is behind me, so I came to check the site first. ”

The finance minister appeared with bleached hair and wearing old robes.

“… … … Ah.”

While everyone, including the students and examination administrators who had gathered, were whispering, keeping silent, or fidgeting as the finance director appeared,

Ruth looked straight at Adam as he walked out of the jungle.

The setting sun, a cigarette in his mouth, his head slightly lowered as if looking up at him as if to say, ‘What on earth are you guys doing?’

He doesn’t look as tired as before, as if he had just slept somewhere. His eyes, which had been bloodshot and slightly red, are now normal.

He’s just an ordinary, ordinary man, just like any finance minister we’ve ever met, except he’s no longer tired.

… … Rather, because of that appearance, there seems to be something overlapping.

“Ah, ahh… … … .”

“Lou, Ruth?”

“Ruth?”

Memories overlap. The memories of the ‘before’, the sights are forcibly superimposed on the field of vision.

Yeah, that was the case back then too.

After hearing that the Academy had collapsed, the chairman had died, and Chloe had followed Adam.

Ruth had been wandering around for a while, but due to circumstances she ended up in a small kingdom on the outskirts.

And what I saw there was.

Likewise, the setting sun, the sight of a cigarette in one’s mouth, the gaze looking up with one’s head slightly lowered.

And that appearance that didn’t look tired at all.

Behind it was a burning castle. There was a burning village. There were corpses dying in the fire. There were crows flying around to eat those corpses.

In a place filled with only death and ruins.

Ruth met Adam. She had met him.

That’s why.

visor!

“Hey, wait, Ruth!? Put your sword down! What the… … !!”

“Ruth Spero! Put that sword away! Why are you pointing your sword at the Treasurer!”

“Protect the Minister of Finance!”

“… … … … .”

“… … Student Ruth?”

Ruth just couldn’t figure it out.

The person in front of you right now.

Is it Adam Keynes, the benefactor who came to him and helped him when he was at the bottom for all time, or is it just an ordinary finance minister?

… … Or maybe it was Adam Keynes, who went around burning and destroying the world with Chloe.

No way.

I couldn’t be sure.