episode_0038

A powerful and strong Monday dawned.

Until last week, I was the boss of the shabby ‘Black Rose Vine’ gang in the back alleys of Sephiroth, but now it was time to return to being an academy honors student.

With gifts bundled in my hands, I lightly stepped out of the dormitory.

My dormitory roommate swallowed his saliva, eyeing the gifts in my hands, but he wouldn’t get a single one.

That bastard who still secretly reports my movements to Leon, you won’t even get half a bean, punk.

He was a guy too worthless to even spare a moment to talk to, so I quickly walked into the classroom and unpacked my things.

Alright, then, like an honors student, first…

The first place I headed was Professor Isera’s guidance office.

For your information, Professor Isera’s gift was bought under Rosalie’s initiative.

‘Hehe~ Ras. Isera secretly loves it when someone looks out for her like this. She probably feels some kind of bond with you, so if you don’t bring her a gift, she’ll probably get really sulky. Though she’s cute when she pouts…’

Ah..! Rosalie Mama’s great lessons on social life.

In truth, I had many things to be grateful for to Professor Isera, so I had always wanted to give her a gift, big or small, at some point.

Knock-knock-knock!

“Enter.”

The more I saw this person, the more peculiar her entire manner of speaking and behavior became.

Things like “my little Ras,” or the peculiar *haoche* [a slightly formal, somewhat dated speech style] she just used that was neither honorific nor condescending, or how she didn’t even ask who it was when I came to see her…

Anyway, as I awkwardly opened the door and entered, Professor Isera’s face lit up as she welcomed me.

“Ohh..! My little Ras has arrived. Your face… it’s become very radiant. As if you’ve consumed some kind of elixir.”

Professor Isera approached me, then patted and pinched my face, examining me from all angles.

“Ohhh… Professor-nim, please maintain your dignity…”

I feigned a slight look of disgust, but Professor Isera’s touch was unexpectedly pleasant, so I only pretended to be disgusted.

Unlike Rosalie, her touch was a bit rough, and the way she touched me felt unrefined, but I liked that I could feel her genuine affection through it.

“Understand that I’m just happy because my beloved student has returned completely fine. So, did you come to the guidance office to greet me this morning?”

Her tone was cool, like a true soldier, but the undeniable, sparkling anticipation transparently reflected in her eyes…

Those transparent and honest eyes immediately made me understand what Rosalie had said.

“I had many things to be grateful for over time, so while I was in Sephiroth, I made sure to bring you a separate gift, Professor-nim.”

“Ohh…!! As expected of my little Ras, you are truly excellent. First of all, thank you very much. To think of your master even in a foreign land…”

Professor Isera opened the gift box with a delicate touch, unlike her usual self.

“My goodness..! Ras, you truly are…!”

The gift I had prepared for her was a pair of combat gloves, crafted from platinum and high-grade magic gems, enchanted with an inscription called ‘Iron Demon’s Imprint’ for fighting.

In fact, it was an item I had custom-made after my regression for my own use, but I decided to just give it to Professor Isera.

Anyway, I didn’t particularly need combat gear right now, and if I did, I could just have my own made again later.

“They’re thin and flexible, but since they’re enchanted with the Iron Demon’s Imprint, you can infuse mana during combat to increase their hardness. Their utility is better than ordinary gauntlets.”

“What did I do to deserve such a high-class gift…? But truly, thank you.”

It was simply because in my past life, when I was caught in a false accusation of rape and presumed guilty, she maintained neutrality until the very end.

“Last time, you intervened with Blaber, didn’t you? I could have been severely injured or crippled then… so I owe you a great debt.”

Of course, even without that, she is a fair and excellent professor.

“If anyone bothers you from now on, tell me. You are my top student from now on.”

Of course, her proud posture as she put on the gloves with a solemn expression made her seem slightly less fair, but that made it even better.

After all, fairness simply means taking my side.

“It’s a glove cartel in the making, then. I look forward to working with you.”

At the words “glove cartel,” Professor Isera chuckled, then, as if something occurred to her, she spoke to me.

“Oh, Ras, there’s something I need to tell you regarding the last evaluation.”

Ah, now that she mentioned it… I had completely forgotten about the failed evaluation, as I had gone to Sephiroth immediately after being discharged from the hospital, after lying in bed.

“Firstly, your incident has been processed as an ‘unforeseeable severe disaster.’ That means… your group will have another chance at the evaluation.”

“Oh… that’s excellent news.”

Honestly, I had thought it would end with the lowest score, so I was planning to give the top three honors students something, whether it was an elixir or money…

“However, since it is a second chance, there was an argument that proceeding with the same difficulty would be slightly unfair. You will be taking a re-test with a slightly increased difficulty.”

“Specifically, can I know the details?”

In truth, I was quite upgraded over the past two weeks, so a slightly higher difficulty than a forest exploration wouldn’t be much of an issue.

“You will participate in a practical multi-on-multi battle. Suitable individuals from the student council will come out and engage in a team battle with your group.”

The opponents are the student council… Honestly, I lacked confidence.

The confidence… to lose.

*

After a pleasant conversation with Professor Isera about the additional examination, I went to find Professor Tiria.

Since she was my homeroom professor, I had to report my return, and I also had a token gift for her.

Our homeroom professor, true to her reputation as a collector of high-end handbags, was delighted to receive a popular handbag from a merchant guild.

She sent me off, telling me that if I had any questions about lingering effects, I could feel free to visit her.

When I returned to the classroom, the area around my seat was a bit bustling.

“Ras is back.”

“A capital trip with just Rosalie Mama…!!! He must have saved the country in a past life…!!!”

“What kind of outrageous talk is that to someone who’s dating Lizley? Lizley was already in a bad mood last week…!”

Although lately I had gained a slight image as a wicked hooligan who beat up Blaber and made Irha run errands for bread, in the past, I was originally a soft-hearted guy.

Because of that, the kids were quite happily welcoming me back.

I casually tossed some desserts I bought from a well-known bakery in Sephiroth to the welcoming kids, and they happily ate them.

This is why one needs a lot of money… Rinaldo will become a good merchant guild leader and bring in a lot of money, right?

As I sat contentedly, a simple and loud voice hit my ears, breaking my thoughts.

“Ras, today it’s asparagus mayonnaise bread! It’s been warmed up in my arms, so the mayonnaise must have melted.”

Ah…! That Irha.

“Hey! Why do you keep bringing weird stuff? If I didn’t know better, you’d buy something I wouldn’t eat, and then you’d eat it yourself, wouldn’t you?”

“It’s a misunderstanding. I’m really not doing it because of gluttony… I bought it because it looked delicious…!”

Irha protested, but asparagus mayonnaise bread was truly a bizarre bread I had never heard of in my life.

Looking again, it seemed Pisces was indeed the best henchman after all.

“Tsk… in the short time I haven’t seen you, has your henchman management become even worse? Is your frail body alright?”

Meanwhile, the honorific-speaking noble lady Marisa, who had arrived at school, glided like a ghost and spoke to me.

I was happy to see her after a long time, so I also greeted her brightly.

“Oh. Marisa, welcome. I’ve revived to full condition. Today, I might even aim for the top of the grade, perhaps?”

“Hmm. You’re in such a confident state, but unfortunately, today is not a sparring day for Ras… *Nyam*…!”

Marisa quietly took in my words, then, swift as a hawk snatching prey, she grabbed the asparagus mayonnaise bread heading for Irha’s mouth and put it into her own.

“My bread….!!”

See? It’s true she buys weird stuff just to eat it herself.

“Hmm… So lunatics eat things like this. Still, this is indeed proper food. Compared to mint chocolate, which couldn’t even be called food.”

Then, without a change in expression, Marisa quickly crunched through the bizarre food, eating it all up.

“Isn’t it true that friends should build their friendships by sharing bread in this way? Perhaps this is the taste of friendship. With that, I’ll take my leave.”

Waving her hand as she quickly returned to her seat, Marisa was… somehow even more peculiar than usual.

*

“Ras’s group is going to face the student council in the additional examination?”

“Yeah. It seems they’re making it slightly more difficult than the original exam for fairness. Instead of removing the survival variable, they’re increasing the combat difficulty, I guess?”

During lunch, Emma was having lunch with her boyfriend, Garett Shabrier, for the first time in a while, instead of Lizley.

Lizley, who seemed to have been suffering from a headache all morning, had left, saying she wanted to be alone for a bit.

Emma’s boyfriend, Garett Shabrier, was a second-year student and a member of the student council, so he had quick information about Ras’s additional examination.

“Right… the student council… Has it been decided who will participate? What about you, Oppa?”

“It hasn’t been decided who will participate yet. It’s not like third-years or the Princess can go against first-years, so suitable second-years will probably participate. I probably won’t, though?”

Garett had been a considerable prodigy since his freshman year last year, and even now, he was a skilled individual ranking among the top 5 in the second year.

Elegant yet nimble wind magic and spear mastery were Garett’s specialties.

The reason this man, who wasn’t bad in either looks or personality, was dating a venomous woman like Emma was because their families were close, leading to their natural encounters.

In reality, Emma was full of intentions to ‘transfer’ if a man with better conditions than Garett appeared, but this pitiful fellow was unaware of that…

“Hmm… I wish you would participate, Oppa… Honestly, Ras, he’s too insolent. You saw yesterday, right? How he kept contradicting me, not giving an inch…”

Emma, who knew Garett’s skills well, tried to roughly coax him, but Garett merely responded with an awkward laugh.

“Haha… well… there’s no such thing as winning or losing among peers. And Ras is dating Lizley, so it would be troublesome if their relationship became too bad, wouldn’t it? Since you’re close with Lizley…”

“I don’t care! Did you also get all smitten with Rosalie or whatever her name is, Oppa? What’s so pretty about a woman like that for everyone to make such a fuss…”

“I’ve never been smitten… Have I ever once looked away from you?”

Garett swallowed the sigh he couldn’t outwardly let out, but…

“Then why can’t you say she’s not pretty, or that she’s not that great? Were you secretly thinking that deep down?”

As if remembering yesterday’s humiliation, Emma’s persistent interrogation, grasping at absurd straws, made him quite fatigued.

“She’s not pretty. Phew… Well, for now, I’ll ask if I can participate. Though it’s highly likely I’ll be rejected.”

“Ugh… this is really annoying. I’m in a bad mood now. Ras… how can I make him miserable? It would be perfect if you went out there and crushed him in front of the entire student body…”

At the time, he naturally thought he would be rejected, so he had just said it to change the subject, but…

“Garett, you’ll also be participating in this additional exam for the first-year little ones.”

“Huh?”

Garett was a little surprised by the announcement from the charismatic Second Princess, whom he respected immensely.

“Ras Etgard. They say he’s very skilled. Professor Isera and even that annoying Leon have vouched for him, so I’m very curious about his abilities.”

“If I, an unparalleled genius spanning the entire generation, were to go out there, wouldn’t I be trampling on budding sprouts? I can’t do that. Wahahaha!!”

Even amidst all this, the Second Princess never forgot to boast, but Garett didn’t feel any particular resentment towards her words.

After all, the lineage of the Sephiroth Imperial Family was akin to an untouchable guarantee of talent.

At this time, Garett had no idea there was something beyond genius.

*

[Come up to the rooftop for a moment. I have something to say.]

Upon receiving Ras’s message, Lizley pressed on her slightly aching head, which throbbed from scheming.

“Hah… He was giggling with other girls all day… and now this?”

Irha, Marisa, and even Rosalie, who had come to the classroom during break time.

Every single one of them was annoying, but the one who made Lizley most angry was Rosalie.

Unlike Irha, who was a foolish and poor commoner, or Marisa, who somehow kept her manners while observing Lizley, Rosalie was a different kind of woman.

‘Ras~ Could you come to Teacher-nim’s lab for a bit during lunch or after school? The blood test results are in, and it might be a long discussion.’

*Eudeuk* – I barely suppressed the urge to spit on that gently smiling, fox-like face.

“That sickness of his… how much longer is he going to milk it? Was he even really sick? Using it as an excuse to freely kiss and be intimate for a week… and now even at the academy? Hah…!”

Of course, Lizley had no idea how their trip to Sephiroth had actually gone, but well… don’t people usually imagine things based on their own experiences?

Rosalie and Ras, embracing each other, kissing, naturally entwining their bodies, and whispering dizzyingly sweet words into each other’s ears, had appeared as nightmares in Lizley’s dreams for the past few days.

“It’s not… love. Right… It’s just because I get angry when someone touches my things… That’s all it is…”

Muttering as if reciting an incantation, Lizley went to the rooftop where Ras was.

She usually didn’t pay much attention when meeting Ras, but today she even touched up her makeup, looking into a hand mirror.

“You’ve come.”

“Yes… Did you have a good trip to the capital? Was Sephiroth enjoyable?”

She was in an awkward position, caught between Leon and Ras, between power and money, but it’s hard for a dog to abandon its habits [a proverb meaning old habits die hard].

Lizley looked at Ras and delivered a sarcastic greeting, as if venting her accumulated temper.

“How are you still the same? It’s not like I went on a pleasure trip… And your first words to someone who was sick are ‘was it enjoyable’? Ugh… never mind.”

Ras lightly brushed off Lizley’s sarcasm, as if he had expected it.

Anyway, today’s meeting wasn’t for arguing, but for making an announcement.

“Hey. The engagement is off.”

“What…?”

And these five merciless words left Lizley utterly dumbfounded.

Surprisingly, it was still Monday.