episode_0115

“Huh? But…”

“There’s no ‘but’ about it. You’re well aware of the rumors circulating about me, aren’t you?”

“Um… Well…”

“You know, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know.”

“And yet, you approached me anyway. That means you must have some expectations, right? Or am I wrong?”

“Expectations? No! We just genuinely wanted to check on Grave Young Master’s condition—that’s all!”

Sure.

Even when my reputation had hit rock bottom, these two had talked to me without prejudice.

I had approached them because I’d known about them since the previous world, but even so, Dave and Sheryl now were proving to be far more impressive than I’d expected.

Despite deliberately mimicking Elia’s stiff speech patterns, there wasn’t a trace of discomfort in their reactions.

“Alright, now that you’ve confirmed I’m fine, what if I told you to leave?”

I posed the question. No matter how Dave answered, it wouldn’t change my mind—but humans are creatures who can’t help but test things out a little.

However, Sheryl swiftly shut down my mischief.

“We don’t have the right to say that. I’m gonna call you Eric.”

Before I could respond, Sheryl pulled a crumpled stack of papers from her pocket and shoved them at me.

“Read it.”

“What’s this?”

“The newspaper we worked our butts off to make. If you still have something to say after looking at it, I’ll take it.”

Taking the newspaper from Sheryl, I quickly skimmed the front page. Though the headline was sensational, the content itself was perfectly reasonable.

It framed my incident with Cecilia as an unfortunate accident, highlighted Chris’ frantic efforts to save both of us, and even included interviews with students hoping such a disaster wouldn’t happen again.

Apart from being a school paper, it was exactly the kind of article I wanted.

“Impressive. I didn’t expect a school newspaper to go this far. Honestly, this is surprising.”

“It wasn’t just us. Chris knew we were making it and helped in every way he could.”

“Chris did?”

Sheryl nodded.

“We’ll talk details after today’s classes. Not now.”

“I see.”

Though unsatisfied, I nodded obediently—she wasn’t wrong.

“Sorry if I sounded suspicious. We’ll discuss that later too.”

“Mhm. Owning up to your mistakes honestly—very commendable.”

“It’s fine. If we’d heard rumors like that floating around, we wouldn’t have stayed quiet either.”

Dave’s understanding words gave me slight comfort as I turned my attention back to the front of the classroom.

Class was still unbearably dull.

After dragging myself through the lectures, I waited for the two in an empty academy classroom.

“Did you wait long?”

“No, not too much.”

Once they sat down, I spoke.

“First, I’m sorry, but I’m not dropping my guard until I hear your explanation. It might feel unfair, but I’m in a pretty precarious position right now.”

“We get it…”

“It’s fine.”

I bowed slightly in thanks.

“So, explain. What happened at the academy while I was locked up for two weeks? I’ll be here for years—I can’t afford misunderstandings or unnecessary trouble.”

“Before that, can we ask first? There’s something we wanna know before we talk.”

“What is it?”

“The premise was this: ‘Eric Grave went insane after losing his heir position to his adopted sibling.’ Was that completely fabricated? Or if not—”

“I was never insane to begin with.”

In the original story, Eric wasn’t insane—far from it. He was a self-sacrificing fool who died for others’ sake.

He’d openly revealed himself as a Prophet, leaving him paranoid about assassination.

To avoid his fate, I’d acted like a madman to hide my prophetic abilities—until now. This time, I’d chosen to live properly and confessed to them, but in past loops, how many times had I longed to yell, “I’m actually sane!”?

Yet no matter my resolve, my reputation in those loops had been unsalvageable—branded a lunatic, nothing I said was believed. Thinking back, it’s a bitter memory.

“Haah… Should’ve acted out a little less.”

“Young Master Grave?”

Dave snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Hm? Just call me Eric. Sheryl already is.”

“N-No, I’m still uncomfortable…”

“Fine. I won’t force you.”

Now that I think about it, a Duke casually telling a rural noble to drop formalities would be burdensome. Sheryl casually calling me Eric and shoving a newspaper in my face is actually incredible.

“Where were we?”

“You admitting you pretended to be insane.”

“Ah, right. Yes, I’ve been sane from birth. Before I entered the academy, there were no major rumors about me in social circles, remember?”

“Mmm, that’s true.”

“I can’t explain the full reason yet, but I had to act that way. Of course, some people got hurt because of my antics. To them, I’m sincerely sorry.”

Even if I avoided outright crime, my actions were undeniably disruptive—vandalism, digging holes, trespassing in the armory…

I’d tried so hard to seem crazy that now, the rumors were boomeranging back.

But no apology would undo the damage. Something like “I had no choice!” won’t reach those who’ve already suffered.

A grand excuse—”for the world’s sake”—can wait until after I’ve properly guided everyone, including Lucilla.

“I’ll compensate those affected in any way possible—materially or emotionally.”

“If the professors heard you say that, they’d faint from shock.”

“Owning up to mistakes isn’t easy for anyone.”

“I’ll have to do it often anyway. Eventually, professors and nobles will get used to it.”

“But then why stay at the academy?”

“Because it’s the easiest place to meet nobles’ heirs. Do you know how hard foreign nobles work just to step into Phend Academy’s doors?”

It’s only natural to learn about nobles from other nations too.

“Just… to network? That’s too much hassle.”

“Hassle?”

“The Grave Ducal Estate isn’t even an hour’s walk from campus. If you want connections, wouldn’t social events be better than sitting through lectures?”

“That’s exactly why I need to stay.”

“Huh?”

I explained to the puzzled Sheryl.

“Upper nobles—including Grave—have mansions near the academy and palace. Rural nobles’ heirs are the ones who need outreach.”

Upper nobles never stray far from imperial power. I can visit them anytime—there’s always a party, or I could host one.

But rural nobles’ children struggle just to survive here, carrying their families’ hopes.

Just look at Dave and Sheryl—they’re easily top-ten talents here.

No matter how hard they try, they can’t bridge the gap with central nobles.

Phend Academy claims meritocracy but can’t fully resist tradition—bottom-ranked students are expelled without hesitation.

“Where do you think expelled students go?”

“Home? Even if they couldn’t make it here, passing the entrance exam alone makes them valuable back home.”

“Right. And you think they’ll stay quiet about rumors from the capital?”

“Ah.”

Rumors in the capital are traceable and controllable. But rural gossip spreads wildly, distorts, and eventually circles back—too late to stop.

Denials are easy, but I won’t add to Elia’s burdens.

Whether it’s a Duke-Count scandal or a Young Master-Saintess one—none of these stay as mere gossip.

Even if we stay silent, factions beneath us will scramble to protect their interests.

If the Demon King invades, we all die anyway. No time for petty games.