Episode 142
Riel, the female servant of the Schugenhartz Family, passed through the hallway of the Academia. She couldn’t comprehend the current situation.
“I can’t take the servants with me… What’s going on?”
“Riel, it’s a rule for the security of the Academia. It can’t be helped.”
Her twin sister, Rina, said soothingly, but Riel kept grumbling.
“They say I can’t take only ten people. We have three Schugenhartz family members here, and they say I can’t have even that many servants? Is that reasonable?”
“It’s not about the number; it’s the school rule that prohibits servants from entering.”
“Exactly! Such a pointless rule. So who’s supposed to carry my bag and run errands for me?”
“You have to do it yourself.”
“What?!”
Riel looked at her as if saying there was no way she would do such annoying tasks, while Rina snickered quietly.
Their conversation didn’t continue for long because the second son of the Schugenhartz family, Belo, reached their destination.
Belo’s eyes lit up with a smile as he faced someone.
“How have you been?”
“You’re here. Brother.”
The one who called Belo “brother” was the third son, Vargan.
Vargan shot a sideways glance at the two women following him. Riel, the servant, glared disapprovingly, while Rina smiled brightly and greeted Belo.
At this moment, four direct siblings of the Schugenhartz family had gathered.
Normally, they didn’t meet unless there was a special reason, making this a rare sight indeed.
Belo noticed a woman deeply bowing behind Vargan. She was Vargan’s personal servant.
“Alicia, right? It’s been a while.”
When Belo acknowledged her, Alicia expressed her gratitude for him remembering her name, even though she was just a servant.
During her time in the Schugenhartz mansion, Belo had always been out and about, so they had only crossed paths a few times.
Before Alicia could lift her head after expressing her thanks, Riel, with a suddenly inspired expression, stepped forward and grabbed her hand.
“Alicia, let’s work together as my personal servant during the festival.”
“Uh…?”
“I’ll pay you handsomely. After all, it’s better than following that guy around—Ouch! What was that?! Why did you hit me?!”
When Vargan smacked her on the head, Riel huffed in annoyance.
He spoke with a look of disbelief.
“Is there such a thing as a robber amongst robbers? Why flaunt that you’re the only blemish in our family?”
“Now you’re just talking nonsense. It’s your fault for losing. Besides, you’ve always had Alicia with you, so it’s fine to lend her to me for the festival.”
“You’re still as vulgar as ever and have no etiquette towards your seniors. They must have carefully selected the appropriate teachers for you, yet this is what I get…”
At this point, Vargan showed a reaction that was both remarkable and somewhat scary, indicating his exasperation, while Riel gritted her teeth, ready to retaliate.
However, her younger sister, Rina, preemptively stopped her actions, thus preventing the situation from escalating.
By preventing her actions in advance, the situation neither escalated nor calmed down.
Alicia is a servant of the Schugenhartz Family, but the crucial point is that she is subordinate to Vargan.
“Tch. Then just lend her to me for today.”
Riel, unable to give up yet, softened her tone.
The second son, Belo, had not left the Academia, the eldest son was absent, and she did not want to accompany the third son, Vargan.
Riel planned to leisurely explore the Academia today, on the first day of the festival, guided by Alicia.
Vargan sighed deeply at Riel’s confident demeanor, gave a brief greeting to Belo, and said he would take his leave.
Looking as if he had no desire to continue the conversation, he headed off to another place alone.
Riel shouted at the disappearing Vargan.
“Hey! I’m taking Alicia with me! Don’t make any excuses later!”
Vargan’s reply echoed back.
“I’ll leave the choice to Alicia, so do your best to persuade her.”
“That’s basically the same as saying yes… Hey! But where are you off to all of a sudden?”
“……”
“I’m sure you heard that, don’t act like you didn’t, Rina?”
Rina shrugged with an awkward smile, and it was Alicia who answered.
“She’s going to meet Lady Erica.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes, today the young master is scheduled to be with Lady Lilian from the Portlet Family and Miss Erica.”
“Ugh. I should be careful not to run into her then. It’ll definitely become a hassle with families and all.”
Riel frowned as if she saw a bug, but her gaze was still directed towards where Vargan had left.
“But what’s up with that again?”
“…What do you mean?”
“It’s been years since they’ve seen each other, yet recently his behavior towards his fiancée is exactly the same as it used to be.”
“Ah….”
Alicia couldn’t quite respond.
Her knowledge about the relationship between Vargan and Erica was limited, so she had no idea what had happened.
As Riel’s curiosity about what had happened to Vargan and Erica showed on her face, Alicia looked at her with a long smile.
“If you serve me as my personal attendant for today, I might tell you what I know. I might not know everything, but I have quite a bit of information.”
Riel suggested it, knowing Alicia wouldn’t refuse, for her own amusement.
*
The Festival at the Academia is glorious and colorful.
Historically, it had one of the strictest entrance checks, yet laughter echoed from people who came from all over the world.
A circus featuring mysterious animals and familiars thrilled the crowd.
The smell of skewers marinated with countless spices and seasonings grilling, along with the fragrant scent of flowers and fruits, delighted the nose.
Due to the size of the Academia, the shops varied by area, and at the central fountain, which could be called a plaza, bards and musicians showcased their talents.
“Of course, our Erica is the prettiest.”
“You really don’t have to say that…”
“You don’t need to be shy. I’m not saying it just because she’s my daughter; I truly mean she’s as lovely as a fairy.”
“…….”
In front of the fountain, Lilian gently stroked her daughter Erica’s hair. With every touch, her silky hair flowed gracefully.
Erica wore an ambiguous expression.
Outside, where others were watching, she didn’t reject Lilian’s affection as she treated her like a child, but the feeling of embarrassment dominated her senses.
Even while feeling this mixed emotion, Erica quietly observed Lilian with both eyes.
Lilian appeared very composed.
Even as Vargan slowly reduced the frequency of his curse, it seemed there were still no visible side effects.
If things continued like this, she thought they might not have to continue the treatment even if it meant fabricating his voice.
Whether she knew Erica’s feelings or not, Lilian smiled like a young girl and spoke.
Not knowing or perhaps ignoring Rika’s feelings, Lilian said with a smile like a young girl.
“I wish our daughter’s friends could come and see.”
Erica had never been one to make friends easily, so Lilian worried about that.
Before coming to the Academia, her only friend was Bantlo. He was everything to her.
However, it seemed that her lovely daughter had gained one more close friend recently.
“Diphelia… or should I call her Saint?”
“You can just call me Diphelia.”
“I absolutely want to see that girl. She’s supposed to be here until tomorrow. Can’t you work something out, even for a moment?”
“…I’ve promised to hang out with Bantlo and Diphelia tomorrow afternoon. Maybe then…?”
“You mean you’re going to play with friends…?”
Lilian gasped in surprise and delicately covered her mouth, while Erica mumbled softly.
“It’s not like playing… we’re just hanging out together.”
“When did our little fairy grow up like this…”
“……”
Lilian’s voice trembled like a parent shedding tears at a graduation ceremony, and for some reason, Erica couldn’t look her in the eye.
Erica had never shown a single moment of fitting in with her peers in social gatherings, so it was no wonder that sentimental Lilian reacted this way.
…Just as a sweet melody was ending, a man approached.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
The tall man moved gracefully with an elegant gesture.
His actions could easily be perceived as excessive or overly charming, but with him, it conveyed a natural dignity.
Lilian lightly greeted and replied.
“No, it’s fine, Vargan. We just arrived too.”
“……”
Erica observed Vargan with sharp eyes.
Every small gesture, expression, and tone made him an ideal fiancé in her eyes.
Unless one knew his true nature, they wouldn’t realize this was all an act.
Vargan extended his hand with a gentle tone.
His hand pointed toward the direction they would be heading.
“Well then, shall we go?”
*
Amidst the ongoing festival.
A knock sounded on the door of Professor Lucien’s office located in the main building.
Lucien permitted the entrance, and a male student timidly walked in.
As he approached the desk, Lucien sipped his coffee and asked.
His tone was indifferent.
“What’s the matter, Borg?”
Ocell Lampit Borg.
The male student who expressed his dissatisfaction during Vargan’s speech on entrance day and ended up collapsing.
“I believe I told you not to come until I called for you.”
He was also a disciple of the Formist, a branch of the Goddess Church.
“……”
Borg, despite having come on his own feet, couldn’t find the words to speak.
After being forced to swallow Vargan’s familiar, and with the confirmation of Bishop Caliculea’s death, Borg’s standing within the Formist was practically nonexistent.
The Goddess Church had identified that Borg was under Vargan’s control and effectively cut him off.
Even the minimum shared information rarely reached Borg, and he was left with no trivial tasks assigned to him.
With no particular information or tasks, the message to wait had left Borg feeling abandoned.
The Church had not disposed of him due to the potential uproar his death might cause at the Academia.
Borg tightened his shaky hands and bravely spoke.
Although he couldn’t reveal information about Vargan due to the curse, he could ask about the Goddess.
“Why… why aren’t you giving me the right… the right guidance?”
“……”
“I’ve lost count of how many months it’s been. Am I truly waiting for the guidance that the Goddess gave me…?”
“…Borg.”
“Professor! We have a sign of our shared faith… the Divine Bug is dwelling within us! W-why are you…”
“Proof of the same believer… Isn’t the Divine Bug present! W-why are you…!”
“Borg.”
Lucien’s voice, usually weary, firmly weighs down on him.
The overwhelming language on the tip of Borg’s tongue is swallowed back down along with his saliva due to the reaction of his emotions.
Lucien merely states calmly.
“That is the Goddess’s will.”
“The Goddess’s… Is that really the Goddess’s…?”
“Please leave.”
I will consider this as mistrust towards the Goddess.
Lucien said and issued a guest-sending command.
Borg had many things to say. Questions to ask, words to hear.
However, he had no choice but to back down at that one sentence.
Because he didn’t want to be abandoned.
As a sincere and naive believer following the Goddess.
With heavy footsteps, he returns to his original place.
……
After Borg leaves and the door closes.
When the soundproof magic that enveloped the room begins to swirl again, a ‘man’ appeared in the desolate room that no one else occupied but Lucien.
No, he had been ‘there’ from the beginning.
He undoubtedly existed even when Borg had dropped by, but he just couldn’t be noticed.
Lucien calmly sipped his coffee despite the man’s appearance. The man bursts out in anger.
“How long do I have to hold onto something like that? That kind of trash just drags the Goddess Church down!”
“Blurans. He is also a faithful believer… though he may take a longer route to follow the Right Path.”
“It makes my stomach turn when I see such frustrating individuals!”
The man, called ‘Blurans’, roughly twisted his neck in agitation.
Regardless of what he did, Lucien conveyed the remaining instructions he had received to him, and Blurans’s mood changed suddenly.
“Ha ha ha! Good. Very good. I like it.”
Blurans clapped his sturdy thighs in satisfaction.
Suddenly, he licked his lips and asked.
“But are you really okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“Francesca. You’ve been with her for quite a long time.”
“That’s right.”
At his lukewarm response, Blurans chuckled joyously. It seemed he hoped Lucien would express weakness.
“So, you don’t feel any affection? You are a person, not Altife!”
However, Lucien firmly cut that off as well.
“No, I do not. Protecting her and her beginning to research summoning magic again… it’s all just part of the path guided by the Goddess.”
“Don’t hold back; sometimes you can cry like other humans! I want to see that and have a laugh, huh?! Ha ha ha!”
After a long bout of laughter, Blurans’s mood shifted again. This time it grew serious.
“…So, when did you say I can start rampaging?”
“The timing is the last day of the festival.”
“That signal is when the Ancient Dragon begins to move, right?”
“That’s correct. We will also bring in the additional ‘set’ that has been waiting inside during that brief moment of chaos.”
For a moment, thinking about the impending chaos in Academia, a long grin stretched across Blurans’s face.
He expressed his excitement and let out a fierce snort.
“The stage for the Archbishop selection is in Academia…! Ha ha! …No, no, no, more than that. The fact that we can catch that guy! Our goal being that guy is so thrilling I might explode!”
He jumped out of his seat and shouted.
With an unwavering smile, he called out to Lucien.
“Lucien! Make sure to line up well! Who is our target this time?!”
Among the four bishops who already possessed power comparable to that of archbishops, Blurans gasps with fervor.
“I’m so looking forward to the moment I catch the Chancellor of Academia, Gulemashia! I’m so excited I can’t even sleep! Right, Lucien?!”
Despite his feverish enthusiasm, Lucien calmly replies.
“Yes. I too am very much looking forward to that day.”
…If he dies, Academia will surely crumble.
