Chapter 140
Without a moment’s hesitation, Vargan rejected Frieda’s proposal, and Frieda forced an awkward smile.
“Uh… right. You must have prior commitments…?”
She had already heard about his promise with Alicia. Frieda had no intention of interfering with Alicia’s schedule.
She had always seen how devoted Alicia was toward Vargan.
Even if she coveted the seat next to Vargan, she had no desire to forcibly push Alicia aside to take it.
However, if that prior commitment didn’t solely refer to Alicia…
“So, do you also have plans with Erica…?”
Vargan answered calmly.
His voice was dry, showing no consideration for Frieda.
“Yeah.”
“…….”
Frieda slightly bowed her head to conceal her expression.
She knew even the faintest hint of a reaction would be noticed by Vargan, so she hid it even more.
A small-framed woman with noble features.
The second daughter of the grand noble Portlet family, rivaling the Schugenhartz family.
Born with everything, even the title of Vargan’s fiancée, effortlessly acquired.
Portlet Troa Erica.
Frieda didn’t know what had transpired between her and Vargan. All she knew were the things she had seen at the Academia.
The conversations and attitudes shared between Vargan and Erica.
She only knew a few rumors.
Frieda forced her lips into a smile.
“…Erica must still be loved by Vargan, huh?”
Originally, Frieda didn’t envy the nobles.
She had clawed her way up from a harem background, enduring countless hardships, and while she felt a twinge of dissatisfaction at how they seemed to enjoy such privileges as if it were their birthright…
Complaining about her origins wouldn’t change anything.
No one would acknowledge her past anyway.
She couldn’t survive with such a fragile mindset.
But Erica was different.
That petite noble lady who effortlessly snagged the position Frieda desired, and even from such a position, always maintained a chilly attitude, pushing Vargan away.
“…Erica is lucky.”
It triggered Frieda’s calculations.
At the same time, it didn’t sit well with her.
“…….”
Vargan silently looked down at Frieda.
Just a moment ago, Frieda’s cheerful face had a shadow cast over it.
Shadows linger in the cave.
Vargan finds himself pondering about a certain character named Frieda.
Moments when she clung to him in the original story, tormenting Erica.
Despite being a noble lady of the Portlet Family, Erica constantly had her self-esteem trampled by a woman named Frieda.
Frieda never directly harmed Erica, but it would probably have been better for prideful Erica if she had.
Frieda had a knack for dominating the atmosphere.
She shaped and exploited the frame that painted Erica as a pitiful character overshadowed by her, all to fulfill her own survival and desires.
However, the main blame for the situation falling this way mostly belonged to Vargan. It was Vargan, knowingly or unknowingly, who had pushed Frieda to move alongside him.
In the first place, it was Vargan who chose Frieda as a tool to separate Erica from him.
…Even if he regretted that choice later, it was far too late.
“Frieda.”
Vargan called out to her, lifting his head completely.
Looking into Frieda’s reed-like light brown eyes, he spoke.
“I think highly of you.”
Her strong spirit.
A desire for advancement that sticks out even in a world with a rigid social structure.
And the initiative and cunning to back it up.
“I truly wish to keep you by my side for as long as possible.”
Arbol Frutal has many talented individuals, but none can replace Frieda.
She was a precious human resource and a woman of significant worth.
“…But,”
Suddenly, a distortion appeared in Vargan’s eyes as he gazed at Frieda.
A drop in a vast lake.
That small change, slipping from a blade of grass, struck the surface of the lake, and Frieda felt that tiny ripple.
Vargan said.
“If you think of doing something foolish to Erica…”
That small clash sent out waves of clear hostility.
At the same time, it was a clear warning.
“I won’t let you off the hook.”
*
“Ugh…choo!”
Erica, walking down the hallway.
Startled by an unexpected sneeze, she hastily pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth. Meanwhile, Diphelia, in a wheelchair next to her, inquired.
“Is Erica catching a cold?”
“No, I don’t think so, it just came on suddenly… ugh-choo!”
Hearing Erica’s small sound, Diphelia covered her mouth and chuckled. When Erica gave her a puzzled look, wondering why she was laughing while putting away her handkerchief, Diphelia replied.
“I’m sorry. Erica’s sneeze just sounded so cute that I couldn’t help but laugh.”
“…I know it’s weird, but that sound just escapes me… I should fix it.”
“You don’t have to. I think it’s nice because it’s so Erica-like?”
“Me being like myself… is that a joke?”
Diphelia assured her that it wasn’t, laughing as she continued the conversation, walking alongside Erica.
As they walked, they passed a certain door and encountered a woman with softly glowing golden hair stepping out.
It was Francesca, a Second Year Student.
“Oh, hello.”
“……”
Diphelia bowed slightly to greet her, while Erica merely nodded her head.
He simply lowered his head.
Francesca threw a quick glance at the two but soon ignored them and moved on.
Although the two had never spoken with Francesca, they greeted her because they knew she was part of the Student Council last year.
As Francesca walked away, a small bird perched on Diphelia’s shoulder suddenly turned to check the nameplate of the room she had exited.
“Room 110. Professor Lucien”
Each professor at the Academia had their own office to conduct business.
This particular room belonged to Professor Lucien, who was in charge of the first-year Class 2 and was famous for his golem mastery.
Most of the golems in the Academia were under Professor Lucien’s care. The students were able to face these golems in practical training thanks to him and his associates.
Diphelia expressed her doubt.
“What business could the second-year senior Francesca have with Professor Lucien?”
Professor Lucien wasn’t currently teaching second-year classes.
There seemed to be no reason for Francesca to meet with him separately.
In response, Erica answered casually.
“Since they’re from the same family. They must have had something to discuss.”
“You mean Professor Lucien and Senior Francesca?”
“Oh, well, you might not know. Both of them are from the Ocel Kingdom’s Victoria family.”
Although this was well-known among the nobility at the Academia, the two didn’t flaunt it, so one could easily overlook the connection.
After Francesca’s father was killed by the top-ranked hero Sylvester, the one who took care of her, having lost both parents, was her uncle, Ocell Victoria Lucien.
Francesca’s father, Niklas, had been executed for the grave crime of leading a forbidden research in necromancy and attempting to overthrow the Academia.
Most members of the Victoria family tried to erase Francesca’s existence to remove the stain left by that disgrace; however, Lucien opposed this and protected her.
“I had no idea that heroes or professors didn’t use their family names…”
Diphelia nodded, realizing something new.
However, even Erica, who was entrenched in the nobility, didn’t know much about Francesca.
“Similar to Schugenharz…”
Since being handed over to her uncle Lucien, they hadn’t heard any news about her.
She hadn’t appeared in social circles that rarely showed themselves, and nobody knew where she was or what she was doing.
Then, suddenly showing up and enrolling in the Academia, Francesca was now maintaining the second place in her year as an outstanding necromancer.
“Now that I think about it… It’s strange.”
Erica suddenly felt a bizarre sensation.
Her father Niklas had been executed due to forbidden necromancy.
Moreover, after her mother passed away, Francesca had said she would cease her studies in necromancy.
Yet now, she was researching necromancy.
Even with the scars of that pain in her past.
“Erica, what’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. I just… ”
While she was responding to Diphelia’s question, Erica suddenly caught sight of a blemish in her field of vision.
She saw it.
At one end of the hallway, a woman with fox ears and a tail was swaying, which was quite bothersome.
Frieda noticed Erica’s gaze and their eyes crossed.
“…Tsk.”
Frieda clicked her tongue as if she had seen something unlucky and walked away. Erica, who had engraved Frieda’s reaction in her mind, exclaimed in disbelief.
“What the heck was that…?!”
“She seemed to be in a really bad mood. I guess something happened…”
“Diphelia, what are you talking about? Didn’t you just see? She looked at me and then clicked her tongue and left!”
“Was she?”
“She definitely did. That rude fox…! What’s her problem all of a sudden?”
It seemed like Frieda hated Erica.
Erica didn’t like Frieda either.
Erica’s small feet slammed against the floor, exuding a chill.
“Why does Schugenharz keep someone like that around him…?!”
Because of this, the seed of thought about Francesca, who was planted in that floor, remained unripe.
*
After her conversation with Lucien, Francesca returned to her dormitory.
Without any waste of time, she immediately resumed her research.
Even feeling Vargan’s absence while working alone, she diligently completed her unique spells.
Recently, she hadn’t been able to go to the tomb, as Clemens seemed to be keeping an eye on the scent somehow.
‘It’s okay… I’ve already gathered all the materials I need anyway. I can manage without the rest.’
Francesca opened a huge book and began reading the notes she had written.
The carefully written script gradually transformed into Francesca’s handwriting from the middle.
This was proof that Francesca was continuing her father’s research.
‘There’s really not much left now… Soon….’
Once immersed in her research, Francesca didn’t think about taking a break even as the room darkened.
One hour.
Three hours.
Six hours passed….
The moment she had long waited for was finally right in front of her.
And then.
Wham—.
The sigils for the unique spell floating in the air emitted light.
It drove away all the surrounding darkness and sparkled more brilliantly than the stars. The sigils that had been wandering everywhere began to change shape anew.
As if seeking their partner, the sigils connected with one another.
Sigils that shone only in blue began to be dyed in various colors, each uniquely.
Francesca stared blankly at the phenomenon.
Tears did not flow.
However, her hands trembled violently in response to her emotions, and her breathing became irregular.
Francesca had poured a lot of time and effort for this moment.
The sigil she had prepared for a long time was practically complete.
Now, if only she reached out to connect the sigils… preparing for her father’s aspirations would be finished.
Her trembling lips parted, and a voice seeped out.
Soft, delicate.
It was the voice of a child missing her parents.
“Dad… Mom…”
Francesca’s arms shook like dry branches.
That thin arm extended towards the sigil.
Finally, Francesca’s hand touched the sigil.
The intense mana’s energy spread like smoke and enveloped her. Francesca gradually activated the mana within her body.
