episode_0054

The day after returning to the academy.

I was spending time in the library after a long while.

It was a facility prepared inside the dormitory.

As I mentioned last time.

Gallimard fundamentally operates on a ranking-based distribution system.

Students in higher ranks enjoyed more privileges, allowing them to lead a more comfortable academy life.

The dormitory was no different.

My rank was the top of the year.

Thanks to that, I was assigned the best room.

It was almost comparable to a mansion, to exaggerate a little.

The spacious library I was currently in was also a special facility found only in the top student’s dormitory.

I always came here when I had a lot on my mind.

“Hmm.”

It was the same now.

Since I had something to worry about, I naturally found myself in the library.

I was sitting on the sofa in the center.

“Oh dear… I’ve ended up with something difficult to deal with.”

I fiddled with the black case.

It was a palm-sized box I had received from Neria a few days ago.

A low murmur escaped my lips.

*Click.*

Opening the case, I saw something small and sparkling inside.

It was a gem radiating a vibrant blue light.

I tapped its surface with my fingertip.

Then, a strange sound echoed, and the air around the gem distorted.

Like heat haze rising.

‘As expected, it’s a dangerous item.’

Bergen Velzen.

Beside that hellish laboratory, numerous vast canyons were located.

This gem was found deep within that abyss.

‘So this is why the time axis around Velzen was distorted.’

The gem’s true identity was a dragon’s heart.

A very long time ago, even before the Empire was founded, there was a dragon that reigned supreme in the world.

A creature said to be the strongest in history.

At the same time, it was an existence shrouded in mystery.

‘Its lore was never fully revealed in the game.’

Even within the game, only brief mentions of it remained; no detailed information was ever disclosed.

I had scoured through every event booklet, but it was no use.

All I could do was make deductions based on the limited information available.

‘The dragon that protected the world suddenly met its demise… and its corpse was buried between vast canyons.’

Hundreds of years passed like that.

Just as it seemed to be slowly forgotten in the desolate land, a black mage exiled to escape the Empire’s pursuit discovered the location.

He soon realized that the time axis in the surrounding area was distorted.

And decided to build a research institute in a secret location.

This was the origin of Velzen, as written in the lore book.

“It certainly has an overwhelming aura.”

Even though long ages had passed.

It was broken, worn down, and fragmented… but it was still a heart that exuded a powerful aura.

If an item like this fell into Baobab’s hands, it would become quite troublesome.

I personally retrieved it to prevent its misuse.

And I also had a few things to test at the same time.

In short, while destroying Velzen, I also picked up a myth-grade item.

Now, what happens next will be important.

“I wonder what kind of reaction I’ll get.”

Just as I was deep in thought, alone.

*Knock knock.*

“Hmm?”

Someone knocked on the library door.

A somewhat clumsy knock, indicating the person wasn’t yet accustomed to proper etiquette.

I immediately realized.

“Come in, Irene-yang.”

*Creak.*

With a gentle creaking sound, a girl with orange hair entered.

She was a fox in neat attire.

It seemed she had gone to sleep late yesterday.

She appeared to have just woken up.

Thick fatigue was visible in her dark pupils.

I put the case back into my pocket and calmly greeted the fox.

“Good morning.”

“Sorry… for waking up late.”

“It’s alright. I prepared breakfast on the table, have you perhaps eaten?”

“Yes, it was delicious.”

“I’m glad it suited your taste.”

As I offered a faint smile, the fox approached the sofa.

Irene hovered in my sight.

I tilted my head and asked.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“Just…”

The fox found it difficult to speak.

Hesitating like that, Irene finally clenched her fists and parted her lips.

“…I felt like I had to say thank you.”

“Suddenly?”

“I never properly said it. I don’t want to just keep quiet when I owe you my life.”

“That’s surprising. I thought you didn’t trust me.”

“That’s… a separate issue.”

“Huhu.”

The fox subtly avoided my gaze.

I let out a soft laugh.

Perhaps she couldn’t trust humans, yet couldn’t bring herself to hate them.

It was a moment that revealed her unique kindness.

The girl, who had been silent for a moment, soon let out a faint murmur.

“You’re difficult, as expected…”

“Me?”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

“I pride myself on being quite transparent, actually. Where else would you find such a pure character?”

“…”

“Your gaze is quite disrespectful.”

Her black eyes were narrowed.

Feeling inexplicably indignant at her reaction, I firmly grabbed the fox’s tail that was gently swishing nearby.

*Squeeze!*

“Gasp?!”

“It’s soft, as expected.”

“W-wait! Why my tail again…!”

“It’s a punishment.”

“T-tell me, I mean, tell me the reason… *Hngh!*”

“Think about it yourself.”

A meaningless back-and-forth.

We continued our pointless conversation in the library for a while.

***

The next day.

I left the dormitory to attend lectures.

-You don’t need to attend classes for about a week. -All three of you should rest comfortably in the dormitory. -I will arbitrarily fill in your attendance.

The accident during the midterm exam.

Selena gave the children a week of rest to calm their shaken minds.

Thanks to that, I could comfortably be absent from the academy and returned just as classes resumed.

I took light steps.

*Thud thud.*

As I was crossing the path towards the carriage stop.

Voices could be heard from somewhere.

“Young, Young Master…?”

“He’s coming this way.”

It was none other than the villainess and the protagonist.

The two of them, standing side-by-side outside the stop, soon spotted me walking and offered greetings.

I offered a gentle smile.

“It’s been a week since we last met. I hope you’ve all been well.”

“Well… we’ve been alright, I suppose.”

“I-I also feel like I had a good rest for the first time in a while.”

“That’s certainly fortunate.”

Snake, Pilot, Vain One.

The children exchanged simple small talk while waiting for the carriage.

They were asking each other about the things that happened during the past week when they hadn’t seen each other.

As they chatted amiably, Emilia, who was walking ahead, suddenly spoke.

“Speaking of which, the school trip schedule is already just around the corner.”

“Y-yes, it really feels like time is passing incredibly, qu-quickly.”

“Well, a lot of things have happened.”

I gave a bitter smile.

With the regular academy schedule piled on top of various accidents, it had truly been two months that stormed by.

The school trip seemed to be scheduled for two weeks later.

I truly hoped it would be peaceful without any disturbances until then.

“I, I need to at least f-finish my overdue assignments before the school trip…”

“You fell behind on assignments?”

“Y-yes… I tried to solve them by myself, but th-they were too difficult.”

“How low-level. Just as expected from a commoner.”

“I-I’m sorry… someone as incompetent as me shouldn’t be at the a-academy, right?”

“…Th-that’s not what I meant to say, exactly.”

The villainess and the protagonist, conversing among themselves.

Perhaps thanks to their shared near-death experience during the last exam, the two had visibly grown closer.

The protagonist quickly became dispirited at the sharp words.

The villainess, who acted as if she was teasing, became flustered and didn’t know what to do when the other person actually sulked.

Their chemistry seemed surprisingly good.

“Wasn’t the Young Master helping you with your studies?”

“He was. But I thought it would be a nu-nuisance to ask him every time…”

“So you struggled with it alone?”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“I’ll help you from now on too. You can ask me if you have any difficult problems.”

“The Lady…?”

“Ahem! I am a generous person, you see.”

I wore a contented smile.

Although it still felt a bit awkward, it was a relief that they seemed to have grown much closer.

I mischievously inserted myself between the two.

“Oh my, oh my… are you trying to go elsewhere when you have a much better teacher right here?”

“…Why are you butting in again?”

Emilia reacted sullenly.

I shrugged my shoulders, grinning broadly.

“It’s just that you two looked so good together.”

“We don’t get along…?”

“You’re just playing hard to get again. When you were in the infirmary, you were holding Regia-yang’s hand so tightly…”

“Th-th-that kind of talk isn’t necessary!”

The villainess flared up as if embarrassed.

Her blue eyes flashed in annoyance.

I felt like teasing her for no reason.

With a mischievous eye-smile, I slowly stroked Emilia’s head.

Like calming an angry cat.

“There, there, calm down.”

“…”

“It’s always important to maintain peace of mind.”

“…It’s because of you.”

Emilia, unable to get angry.

She bit her lip as if suppressing her anger, then soon spoke in a subdued voice.

“Of course I’d react sharply when you’re provoking me.”

“In that case, I should tease you even harder.”

“What?”

“Because I like it.”

I cheerfully continued my attack.

“Personally, I like that side of the Lady.”

“…Huh?”

“If possible, I’d want to be by your side forever, you could say.”

“W-w-what are you suddenly talking about…!”

Top-tier teasing that swept over her.

Perhaps shocked by the powerful barrage, the villainess couldn’t speak for a while.

She trembled, then eventually dropped her head.

“You… you’ve been too aggressive since last time.”

“Well, because I like it.”

“T-t-that is, I heard it last time, but still, being this reckless…!”

“Is it not okay to be reckless?”

“Ugh, ughhh…”

Had her limit finally been reached?

Emilia sank, unable to offer any retort.

Today’s bullying was also successful.

“Huhu.”

As we were filling the time with such trivial chatter.

I suddenly realized that Regia, standing next to me, was quiet.

She was gazing silently at the distant sky, as if lost in thought.

I called the girl softly.

“Regia-yang?”

“…Ah.”

The girl came to her senses belatedly.

Regia blinked her hazy eyes a few times, then let out an awkward laugh.

“S-sorry. I tossed and turned a bit in my sleep…”

“It’s alright. It wasn’t anything important anyway.”

“Th-that’s a relief…”

“Hmm.”

She seemed to lack energy.

She was always somewhat like that, but today she looked particularly helpless, I should say.

I had noticed a hint of it earlier when she was talking with Emilia, but seeing her like this now, it definitely felt strange.

“…”

The Pilot lowered her gaze to the ground.

I watched her slumped shoulders and muttered to myself internally.

‘If she’s this gloomy… is it because of that, after all?’

Regia, looking listless.

It seemed serious this time.

Lost in thought like the girl, I soon cleared my mind and began to formulate a plan.

‘I’ll have to create an event for her.’

For the mental care of our protagonist.