Chapter 74
When the wind blew, Arlhardt opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw when she opened them was a pure white curtain and lavender swaying gently in a vase.
“……”
As she looked around, it was a familiar sight.
It was the private ward that belonged to her large villa.
“...Ah! You’ve awakened!”
Beside her was a maid, with a trace of tears welling in her eyes.
She had been nursing her with all her heart.
“The doctor said that you only needed to rest for a single day, and it turned out to be true. What a relief.”
As the maid said, it seed a full day had passed since she had fainted and woken up.
Then…
“...Has the incident been resolved?”
“Yes, Lady Curio and the knights apprehended the culprit. To think that person would do such a thing…”
The maid’s eyes also showed a hint of bewildernt.
It was understandable, for Arlhardt’s three most trusted aides—one of them had betrayed her.
‘…He didn’t have bad intentions, though.’
Arlhardt did not see Verdi as purely evil.
Although it was a misguided way, he only wished to bring her sister back to life.
She had known since she was young how deep the bond between her sister and Verdi had been.
He must have wished to revive her sister, even if it ant killing Arlhardt in the process.
‘But I have no intention of dying.’
The Princess herself realized through this that she was also soone precious to others.
If she treated her life carelessly, she would bring great harm to Curio and Ren, who had risked themselves to protect her.
Moreover, even the Black Knight who helped her told her that she must survive.
“Even when Lady Curio was wrapped head to toe in bandages like a mummy, she tried to co to your side. Lord Ren and the knights had a hard ti stopping her.”
“That sounds just like Curio.”
Arlhardt let out a small laugh as she spoke.
‘…Sister, I must let you go now.’
Looking at the lavender in the vase, that was the thought that ca to her.
For the sake of those who protected her, she would no longer live burdened by guilt.
She would carry only the good mories and move forward.
…That aside.
‘The one Sister ntioned…’
Who could that “witch” be?
She suspected it was the mastermind behind this incident, the one who had ensnared Verdi and Clara.
‘There are too many things I don’t know.’
Arlhardt sighed with frustration.
“Ah, I’ll prepare a communication to the Empire. It would be best for you to deliver the ssage of your safety directly…”
“Yes. Please do.”
When Arlhardt nodded with a calm expression, the maid briefly left the room.
As Arlhardt gazed out the window, she suddenly blinked.
A fleeting fragnt of mory brushed past her mind.
“You too have suffered much, being born a Princess.”
‘Yes. I’m sure it sounded like Villed’s voice.’
Was it a dream?
Her mory of the Black Knight lifting her up and saying that lingered faintly.
His mask had shattered, and beneath it was Villed’s face.
‘…Why does Villed co to mind?’
It kept bothering her.
After a brief hesitation, she threw out a question to the maid who returned with the communication device in hand.
“By any chance, do you know what happened to Villed?”
“Ah… the young master of Dedenkman? He… pfft.”
The maid suddenly stifled a laugh.
As the Princess furrowed her brows in curiosity at what was going on, the maid quickly straightened her face and bowed her head.
“My apologies. He was found fainted inside a park trash bin. He was so tightly wedged in that the knights struggled greatly to pull him out.”
“…Is that so?”
Yes, of course it couldn’t be.
For a fleeting mont, she wondered if Villed was the Black Knight.
‘It was just a misunderstanding.’
But why on earth did she dream about Villed?
Then, who truly was the Black Knight?
‘…If we ever et again, I want to give him my thanks.’
She had a feeling they would cross paths once more.
Swoosh.
When the wind blew by the window, the flowers swayed gently along with the curtains.
Arlhardt simply gazed quietly out the window.
Royal Academy Yggdrasil Livestock Shed.
A dim evening, a bonfire in front of the storage room.
“Ha…”
I sat there, letting out a sigh.
“This isn’t working…”
That overwhelming combination technique which had overpowered Verdi.
I had been pleased when I obtained it, but the joy was short-lived.
Fusion Rate 1%
‘It doesn’t go up any further…’
No matter how much ti passed, the fusion rate remained stuck at one percent.
When I extended a finger, a black fla flickered to life.
At best, it was no more than the size of a lighter’s fla.
‘So it was only because it was the tutorial that it reached one hundred percent.’
It was a little disappointing.
But I was satisfied enough that I had safely cleared the Lunatic-difficulty episode and confird that I still had room to grow.
‘Co to think of it, Lunatic had appeared so suddenly.’
Upon checking again, fortunately, this world had reverted to normal difficulty.
‘This ti I survived thanks to the combination technique tutorial.’
I cannot guarantee such luck will co again next ti.
Also, there is no guarantee that Lunatic will not appear again.
‘I thought I had grown a lot… but I’m still far too lacking. I need to grow more.’
I wanted to prepare in case Lunatic appeared again.
At the very least, I must not fall behind the protagonist.
‘For now, it’s fortunate the story is flowing as it should…’
In the end, Clara’s corpse was retrieved by the Empire, and Verdi was taken away.
‘That guy won’t expose my identity.’
No, he can’t.
According to the official storyline, Verdi claid to have no mories.
It must have been due to the witch’s black mana erasing them.
The Empire intended to recall the Princess, but—
With her strong opposition, and with Luga declaring he would never leave her side again, she would be able to continue studying at Yggdrasil.
‘Seems the festival ended in a muddled way too.’
While everyone was enjoying the festival, a huge commotion broke out, causing it to be stopped.
So cadets were relieved that the incident ended, while others regretted that the festival ended early.
‘The Student Council must have been in an uproar over missing McGrim’s performance.’
Apparently, McGrim herself said she would perform again at Yggdrasil later.
That would let them recapture the festive atmosphere at least then.
One way or another.
It didn’t matter to .
‘Because I already achieved my goal…’
I took out my notebook and the Pay System receipts and began settling the accounts for the festival.
It was my first ti writing a ledger, but it wasn’t too difficult.
‘Since everything was completely sold out, the calculations aren’t complicated.’
V’s Equipnt Workshop and V’s Cafeteria.
Even with the short operating hours, everything was sold out and earned a huge profit.
After deducting all Pay System fees, paying Rupina, Lapin, and Karin their wages, and compensating the motorcycle owner, the money left was…
‘15,000 gold.’
For soone like Villed, who received family support, it might not have been much.
But for , both as myself and as a gar, it was a massive sum.
‘This secures next sester.’
I had succeeded in preparing the expensive tuition fee.
Even after paying the 10,000 gold tuition, I still had money left.
The remaining 5,000 gold was enough to live lavishly for a whole year.
‘Of course, I don’t plan to spend all of this as living expenses.’
I should try investing.
I stood up, looking around the livestock shed grounds as I thought.
Around , there were only a few trees and open fields of green grass.
Every ti I saw this empty landscape, I had the urge to try sothing.
‘I want to expand the farm.’
It was the sa in the ga.
One could have their own territory, expand buildings, or create fields for various uses.
The benefits from that were quite substantial.
‘I also have abilities specialized in farming.’
Boogie’s ability could make fruits and plants grow faster.
Not only did they grow quickly.
Their taste improved, or they could even grant clarity of mind when eaten, giving special effects.
‘Sure, I could just make money from it.’
But it might also affect my health—or even my stats.
‘Better than doing nothing, at least.’
It would be a waste to leave it unused.
If it could be put to use, I should do so.
“Villed!”
A voice ca from the storage room.
When I turned my gaze that way, I saw Karin holding a ladle.
– Beep!
And Lapin hugging the sea otter tightly.
“It’s done, co sit down.”
I entered the storage room and sat down, using a wooden box as a chair.
Karin filled a bowl with soup and handed it to .
“at soup is the best for regaining strength. I often cooked it myself, but I don’t know if it will suit your taste. Lapin, how about you?”
Lapin, who had been eating first, briefly set down her spoon and gently nodded.
“Mm, I feel stronger.”
“Right?”
Karin replied with a smiling glance.
The nine of us trapped inside the barrier.
We had only undergone a few simple questions from the knights before being released.
‘Because Queens and the others had described the barrier as a terrifying place.’
The inside of the barrier had been portrayed like the pits of hell.
…Maybe for them, it really had been hell.
Perhaps that was why Karin worried about us and ca personally to cook soup.
When I lifted the spoon and tasted the soup, a small exclamation slipped out.
The at was tender, and the seasoning with pepper made it flavorful without being greasy.
When I gave a thumbs-up, Karin smiled in relief.
“By the way, Rupina was really amazing… She looked so focused that I almost fell for her. There were so many custors too. You saw, right? She was so popular.”
Karin kept the conversation going.
She must have wanted to cheer us up, after the hardships we supposedly endured in the barrier.
Though in truth, Lapin and I were completely fine.
Still, I was grateful that she cared enough to co personally.
“Right. The final exams are less than a month away. Want to start studying together from next week?”
Karin clapped her hands as she said this.
…It was a tempting suggestion.
‘Co to think of it, all three of us are at risk of failing.’
Karin had a subject she was confident in, so she would narrowly avoid failing.
But if Lapin failed, it could affect the storyline.
Lapin wasn’t soone who couldn’t study—she just didn’t.
Simply having her read the introductory texts would be enough for her to avoid failing.
Knowing that, I accepted readily.
“That doesn’t sound bad.”
“Good. Then let’s et here and study together starting next week.”
“Here?”
When I asked, Karin shrugged as she answered.
“The library will be too crowded during exams, but here it’s quiet and nice, don’t you think? I like it.”
During exam season, the library would be packed with upperclassn.
Even in the ga, it had been hard for first-years to get a seat.
As Karin said, it was better to study here in comfort.
“…Alright.”
As I scraped up the last of the soup, I fell into thought.
‘The only episode left until sumr break is… the final exams.’
To earn extra points, I also had to write a thesis on .
It would be busy with many things, but once this episode was done, I would have a bit of ti to rest during the vacation.
‘It’s already July. Ti flies.’
It had been over three months since I ca to this world.
Though only three months, so much had happened.
‘…Half a year from now.’
I quietly looked at Lapin.
“Nom.”
On a snowy winter night.
Atop Yggdrasil’s clock tower.
Lapin, who would then have beco a boss, might be soone I would have to kill with my own hands.
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