episode_0045

XLI.

The Evergreen Festival is originally held around spring, shortly after the new semester begins. Evergreen students’ amazing inventions, knight department students’ sword dance demonstrations, and other events took place outside of Evergreen Academy, not inside.

However, after the appearance of candidates and the sudden progress of candidate competency evaluation, Evergreen Academy’s festival ‘Evergreen Festival’ was moved to the fall.

― From the Evergreen Academy school newspaper

◈

The itinerary to Evergreen was really quick. After leaving the temple, a warp gate appeared not long after walking. Time was delayed even further because of the high-ranking priests who followed from the temple.

I was sick of those fanatics and hurried to the warp gate. I pretended not to hear the mournful voice calling out from behind me, saying, ‘Proof of the oracle!’ With all my heart.

As soon as he arrived at Evergreen so quickly, Dean Hu said ‘Don’t move’ with a look on his face as if he couldn’t be bothered to walk and teleported to the Dean’s office. Me and the two Arcana too.

“I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

“Evergreen Festival… Do you know that?”

“Oh, I know roughly. It’s a festival held here, right? Even commoners came to see it and nobles came to see it. ah! Eating, drinking, and sparring? Bimu? You say you can see things like that? When do you do it? I miss you too.”

“… You really know it roughly.”

Why? Why do I feel angrier when the dean looks at me with pitiful eyes than when he calls me ‘crazy’ later? huh? I feel dirty too.

“To be precise, the Evergreen Festival is hosted by Evergreen Academy, but it is not held at Evergreen Academy.”

“Of course. At Evergreen Academy… . I beg your pardon? What is that? I drank alcohol, but I am not drunk driving? What is that?”

“I don’t know if you saw it as you entered Evergreen Academy, but you must have had to pass through a fairly large site before entering the academy. Do you remember?”

“Ah, that huh… ! Yes.”

Almost shabby? I almost said that.

Of course I remember it. Although it was only for a moment, it was a place that made me very disappointed at the time. An old castle that is old and shows traces of time… Rather, it was a place where the atmosphere of ruins was felt.

“This is the space where the stadium where candidate competency evaluations are conducted is located, and where the Evergreen Festival is held. So most commoners and those who don’t know the facts tend to think that Evergreen Academy is there. This is also what I hoped for.”

“Yes… … ? Why?”

Is there really a need to make things so complicated?

Just as I was surprised to see the true nature of Evergreen Academy, wouldn’t I be able to show Evergreen Academy to others and feel a sense of superiority?

I don’t know about other places, but wouldn’t Dean Hu have wanted to do that to the Alfonso Empire or the Cleton Empire?

Evergreen is filled with a movement system called Foot, a beautiful and majestic-looking sculpture called the Wizard Tree, and magical amenities that were ahead of their time.

“It may seem foolish for me to do this, but it is a matter of qualifications. There are two grand propositions in founding Evergreen Academy. One is fair opportunity. The other is a special talent.”

“??”

“I don’t know about you candidates, but… . No… . If the candidates are special, then they are special too. There are no requirements to take this Evergreen Academy exam. Anyone can see it. Unless you exceed the age limit. Even the cost of taking the test is free. And there is only one condition that determines whether you pass or fail. Talent! You can’t show the inside of Evergreen to other idiotic nobles. Because those bastards don’t qualify.”

“Honestly, I don’t understand a single thing, but then you don’t have to hold festivals.”

Yes.

In the first place, wasn’t Dean Hu the ‘real crazy guy in this district’ who didn’t pay attention to anyone on the continent? If you don’t do it, it’s okay.

“Festivals are necessary. It is also necessary to form a close bond between Evergreen Academy and the city-state of Evergreen… . Because I have to solve other problems too. Anyway, leaving the painful problems behind.”

“??”

“They say that the Evergreen Festival has been in disarray due to the appearance of the candidate. Because they are the ones who ruin the academic atmosphere. However, while looking at the competency evaluation yesterday, a suggestion from the academy student council came in. After the competency evaluation is over, I want to continue the atmosphere and hold the Evergreen Festival.”

“Yes.”

“Actually, academy students have suffered damage in many ways because of the candidates, so I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to listen to their request.”

“So?”

“I don’t understand what you mean at all.”

It was just as he said. I didn’t understand at all why Dean Hu had bothered to say this to me. So I nodded confidently.

“For academy students, a festival is a kind of self-promotion. An opportunity to reveal yourself in front of many nobles. This is especially true for students who are about to graduate.”

“Hmm.”

“However, the topicality of the Academy Festival has decreased a lot due to the candidates.”

“Ah! That’s not it.”

“Okay. i think so too. It was not because of the candidates that it became a hot topic, but because of the corruption that occurred at the Academy.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“What?”

“Topic. Don’t you know the word for ‘subject to talk about’? When it comes to topicality, it is something that cannot be matched on the continent. It’s because of you. It has decreased because the old man has been living in seclusion. That topicality.”

At my words, Dean Hu’s face turns red and he waves his hands as if he is embarrassed.

“Aww. Even if it’s me, I’m not that famous.”

“Huh? What are you talking about? Recently, what the old man did as soon as he broke out of hiding became a hot topic, right? So much so that the entire continent knows. What did you do then?”

“No matter what you do, just like usual… … .”

After thinking of something, the Dean’s face hardens. Just as I had hoped.

“That’s right. As usual, I have to do crazy things that no one can do. Since there is no such thing, it is less topical.”

“… no it’s not! You bastard!”

Bah!

After the tendons popped out one by one on his forehead, the dean stood up excitedly and tried to swing his fist, but it was blocked by the clown’s side.

Is there any way that a wizard could move faster and beat me than a clown, who is like a martial artist? That power has been lifted, too.

After reciting the incantation while groaning as if his hand had been hurt, the dean glared at me and expressed at length how much respect and popularity he had.

“… So that’s how much I am!!”

“Yes, yes. Why are you bragging so shamelessly? Let’s say so. So?”

“So, they want to hold the Evergreen Festival properly. At this time when all the nobles are gathered.”

You can just do “, right?”

“Ho? Is that so? You also agree with having a festival, right? It’s a no-brainer.”

I wonder if paying without a deposit is the right term to use at this time. Unstable. For some reason, I feel like I’m in a sticky swamp up to my ankles.

“No. Decide whether to agree or not later, and then finish what you were talking about.”

“It’s a shame. It doesn’t work. Sheesh. We’re talking about holding a festival, and that’s one of them… … .”

What is it? Why is that old man looking at me while trailing off his words?

It’s ominous. It’s ominous. okay. I’m going to pretend I don’t understand and leave. Should I say my stomach hurts? Or are you tired?

Moreover, it is even more ominous because it ends with the semi-honorific ‘horse’ rather than informal speech.

“Ask the winner the right to fight you in the battle simulation contest that is a regular part of the Academy Festival… … .”

“Huh? With whom?”

“With you.”

Later, the dean pointed his finger at me and said, but he just hated troublesome things. In times like this, it would be better to pretend not to know and get away.

“Plus, some graduates want to dance with you.”

“Who is it?”

“You! Yes, you! You bastard!”

“Ah… . I’m tired. I couldn’t listen because I was tired. Who are you?”

“You! You! You bastard! It’s you!”

“Oh, I fell asleep. I guess I’m sleepy. So what?”

“You! And you didn’t doze off!!”

Dean Hu emphasized his identity by shouting loudly, and I muttered things like “I’m tired,” “I’m sleepy,” and “my stomach hurts,” and very awkwardly but naturally distanced myself from Dean Hu.

Since I had just entered Evergreen Academy anyway, I immediately put my foot on the ‘foot’ and waved.

“No! Well, there are all these idiots!!”

After running around from there, I headed towards the dean.

◈ ◈ ◈

Candidate competency assessment has now become a continent-wide concern.

How could it be that the emperors of two empires visited in person?

The two emperors tried to use their positions to increase the number of guards, but Dean Hu sent a reply saying, ‘Bullshit fun!’

In the end, the actions of the two emperors, who called the number five without exception and then did the bizarre thing of filling all five of them with quasi-superhumans because of the dean, were an issue.

And the semi-superhumans from the two empires, who had suddenly been demoted to the level of bodyguards, came to my room in the dormitory as soon as I arrived at the academy.

The message was mixed with all kinds of rhetoric, but to sum it up in one word,

-Our emperor wants to see you?

It was.

And of course my answer is,

“Yes. I hate it.”

It was.

I should say that it is natural here again, but there was no way the semi-superhumans belonging to the empire would ignore my actions like that.

Some of them radiated energy or drew weapons.

What happened?

What happens? What happens?

You can see that I’m talking to the two superhumans in a normal, nonchalant way.

but,

“Mister, Aunt. You don’t like me, right?”

The two semi-superhumans were lying at the feet of the clown and listening to me in a position where they were smelling the carpet on the floor. If anything, it was unusual.

How did this happen?