41 – Episode 5. You were just pretending to be a fool? (3)
“Looking at the student council room again, it looks really well maintained.”
He said while touching the gold frame that was attached to the wall.
The student council room was luxuriously decorated compared to other places in the academy.
It was absurd that it was an unnecessarily large room, but there was a luxurious sofa and table in the center, and there was even a fireplace and a painting of the academy’s garden on the wall.
There, the neatly arranged furniture sparkled subtly as if jewels were embedded in it. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the sight of money being wasted on useless things.
“I didn’t invite you to take a look at the student council room. “Close your eyes.”
“Isn’t it a bit too much to turn a blind eye?”
Student council room located in the building where all the administrative departments that manage the academy are located. Within a day, I was called here again.
“If you mess with something unnecessary and your documents disappear, you will be held responsible. “Sit quietly there on the sofa.”
Miné, sitting in front of the desk by the window, warned. She was working tirelessly with her ink pen and doing her paperwork.
“Ah, yes.”
I answered obediently and sat down on the sofa.
I was leaning back on the sofa and was disgusted by the pile of papers piled up on the table. I felt like I would develop a phobia of paper because I thought I would have to touch this after graduating from the academy.
“But if you called me, wouldn’t it be okay if you told me your business right away—?”
“I’ll tell you when I get my head straight.”
He cuts me off as if telling me to keep my mouth shut.
“Your hair style is fine.”
Although I knew it didn’t mean that, I said it while looking at the platinum-blonde hair tied in a ponytail. Then, for a split second, her ink pen stopped moving.
“I was talking about thoughts, not hair. “Are you acting stupid?”
“Is that so? “This is so embarrassing.”
“When I talk to you, I feel like I’m becoming a fool too.”
“That means I’m an idiot.”
When I joke, she glares. It feels like he can slaughter a person with just his eyes. I slowly averted my gaze and stretched.
“Ah, I’m feeling tired after studying for a long time.”
“Are you studying? “It’s ridiculous.”
Mine snorts and flips through the papers.
“Wow, are you ignoring me?”
“Isn’t it negligible? “The Department of Public Administration is at the bottom.”
“That’s right.”
I can’t deny it.
But the grades this semester will be different.
The class wasn’t that difficult and I had strong support from a top student named Mayu, so I was confident in showing that I was different from that idiot Abel.
“But why are there so many documents? “It’s still the beginning of the semester.”
“There are a lot of things because it is the beginning of the semester. “We plan to resume club activities soon, so we need to distribute the funds provided by the academy.”
“It’s a club…” ….”
I muttered as I looked through the pile of documents.
Now that I think about it, the prisoner who entered school this year had a hard time for about a year because of the club.
Now that the time has come, she should give Mine some help in advance by telling her to do so. She’ll need help later.
As I was thinking about that, a familiar window appeared in front of me.
[Quest has arrived.]
[Would you like to view? Y/N]
“…… What?”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
I glanced at Mine and looked at the window that appeared in front of her.
Is there any quest that could come up in this situation? Have the elves arrived in the capital?
I read the quest thinking I should prepare quickly, but a quest different from what I expected appeared before my eyes.
[Cats are better off alone.]
Category: Sub (Ruco cat).
Deadline: 6 days.
『As you know, Ruko Cat is a beastman who caught the eye of Emperor Frey by revealing his overwhelming genius in creating magic circles.
I was planning to bring him to the Academy to develop his talents, but Emperor Frey is not very interested. The response is that it’s good if it helps you, and it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t.
He entered the academy by order of the emperor, but due to the emperor’s neglect, Ruko will soon lose confidence and become intimidated by bullying from students.
Until she is noticed by Mine, she will not be able to fully demonstrate her talents, and will not be able to adapt to her academy and will be used here and there and then wander around.
But because Beral began to move in earnest due to your actions, you cannot just sit by and watch Ruko wander.
You need to help Ruko skip the wandering period and get noticed by Mine by producing immediate results.
The first stepping stone to that end is to create an environment so that Ruco Cat can participate in club activities on his own.
From Noble mtl dot com
Originally, club activities require at least 5 people to be recognized for opening, but no one will object even if special treatment is given to Ruco Cat brought in by the emperor.
However, Mine has a magic circle research club, and she will not allow another similar club to be created. Because I think it’s inefficient.
However, even this will change your mind if you encounter Ruco Cat, so be sure to suggest it.
Please guide Ruko so that she can utilize her talents safely without wandering.』
[Clear conditions]
[Persuading Mine to acknowledge Ruko Cat’s special provisions 0 / 1]
Reward: Enhanced growth of Ruko Cat.
In case of failure: Ruco Cat’s growth is weakened.
“Hmm.”
I didn’t know there would be a quest for a guy I haven’t met yet.
Anyway, you created an environment where you can do club activities alone. Rather, it feels more isolating.
But I also understand Quest’s thoughts.
Considering that in the original work, the club members used the budget given to the club for themselves, and when Ruko presented research results on the magic circle, they took it away as if it were their own, so it would have been better to give them an environment where they could do it alone.
Students won’t recognize the beastman Ruko Cat anyway, and it will only cause them stress.
If Jeong was worried about being alone, all I had to do was pay attention to him. They might reject Abel after hearing his reputation.
“It’s because we’re talking about a club.”
“What is it?”
“There is a beastman tribe that entered school this time, right? Ruco Cat.”
When the story of the beast people suddenly came out of her mouth, her pen tip stopped. Mine’s golden eyes, looking down at her documents, turn to me.
“…… I know. “She’s never even had a conversation.”
“Why don’t you consider allowing that child to do her club activities on her own?”
“What does that mean?”
“That way, Ruko’s talents will be able to be showcased more.”
She is staring at me. A drop of ink on the nib dripped onto the document. Belatedly, Mine put the pen into her inkwell.
“It’s talent… ….”
Mine muttered, putting aside the documents in front of her. Instead, she placed another document down in front of her and picked up her stamp.
“From what I heard, that child’s talent lies in magic circles, not magic.”
“Yes.”
“…… A club that studies magic circles already exists. Since it was created by the Department of Magic, wouldn’t it be helpful to the barbarians as well? “She must have accumulated knowledge over a long period of time at the academy.”
She said so, read the document and put her stamp.
As Mine said, she has a magic circle research department created by the Department of Magic. As she has been active in the club for a long time, she expects that the depth of knowledge she has accumulated about magic circles will be considerable.
It is no exaggeration to say that a magic consumable called a scroll was created thanks to that club.
But if you send Ruko there, she may have her achievements taken advantage of or her talents may be eaten away by bullying.
In order for her genius to be displayed 100%, she first had to be supported by an environment.
“Please allow the club to share the knowledge it has accumulated, but to conduct separate activities.”
“Why bother doing that? Wouldn’t it be okay to just join that club? “She was planning to invest more of her budget there.”
“If you do that, you won’t be able to study properly. Because students will bully you.”
“It seems like she is speaking with the assumption that she will absolutely be bullied.
“That’s right.”
Mine paused at the answer that did not go through her head. She looks at me again, forgetting to stamp the document.
“…… This is the child that His Majesty the Emperor brought with him. “Even if she were a barbarian, she wouldn’t be easy to mess with.”
“I guess it is now. Everyone will think that His Majesty the Emperor is interested.”
“Are you saying it won’t happen later?”
“Yes.”
“…… If you achieve results, His Majesty will keep watching. “If she doesn’t achieve results, it means she’s not good enough for that.”
Mine said emotionlessly while reading the next document.
Ugh. I’m not saying this because people on the other side are taking advantage of all that achievement.
“If you neglect it, you will regret it.”
“… “What do you think you know about those barbarians?”
“It’s not that I know…” …. “I accept His Majesty’s intentions and hope that the child will grow up safely—”
“That’s a lie.”
Mine cut me off right away as if my words were not worth listening to. And then she observed me carefully with her sharp eyes.
Perhaps because she is the main character, there is a feeling of intimidation just by looking into her eyes. I’m so scared that I feel like I’m going to babble about this and that.
“You don’t move for His Majesty the Emperor.”
It stabbed me sharply, as if looking into my thoughts.
“That’s right. Then…… “What if it’s for the princess?”
“… What?”
I smiled.
It’s not a lie.
The reason I made Clara a saint, the reason I raised Lina, and the reason I tried to save Jan was so that Mine could overcome the Veral Church and fight against her demons.
“Does this seem like a lie again?”
“… ….”
She didn’t answer anything. I just watched in silence to figure out my intention.
“There is still time, so think about it. If you do anything, it would be okay to meet Ruko Cat. “When I see that child’s talent in front of me, my thoughts will come to mind.”
If you’ve said this much for now, it’ll be okay.
If this doesn’t convince you, you can say something additional later. There are still six days left.
“Ah, but if you meet Ruco Cat, please tell him he is a beastman, not a barbarian. “It would be better to gain favor that way.”
“Are they beast people? ….”
She muttered, covering her mouth.
“But you’re not going to tell me what you called me for? “I think it’s a waste of time at this point.”
Mine sighed and put down her seal. Her hand went down from her desk, and when she came back up she was holding a white envelope. She looked like she had taken it out of a drawer.
“A letter has been sent to you from the imperial family.”
“Oh. “It came sooner than I expected.”
“What… ?”
I jumped up from her sofa and took the letter she was holding. She opened the envelope on the spot and checked its contents.
「Abel Sirius. Your recent actions have been interesting. I want to hear everything about what happened from first to ten directly from your own mouth, so please enter the palace by 5 o’clock the day after you receive the letter.
There is no right to veto, so please come without saying anything.
– Fray Illuston Perator
I laughed at the command, which was almost like a warning.
Did you even consider the possibility of rejection in advance?
Anyway, I had to meet the emperor in order to use him, so I had no complaints.
“Did you expect His Majesty the Emperor to contact you?”
“Of course.”
“How?”
“Catena Prison is a prison managed by the imperial family, right? Since they were not ordinary criminals but dark elves, they would naturally have caught the attention of His Majesty the Emperor. Even if he didn’t end up in prison, the professors are also imperial knights, so he would have heard all the information early that morning.”
I looked at Mine’s eyes full of doubt and blurted out her words. Honestly, considering that most people in the academy are members of the imperial family, not knowing is even weirder.
“But the elves didn’t come? “It’s not written in the letter.”
“Well. That’s all it says there. “You’ll find out when you enter the palace tomorrow, right?”
“I see.”
By the way, seeing as you know the contents of the letter, it looks like you opened it. Is this why the sealing wax was loose?
Well, Mine thought that I might be Payton’s limb, so it was natural.
“But if your business was to deliver a letter, wouldn’t you have just given it to me?”
“…… You are my brother… What do you think of Peyton?”
Instead of answering my question, she hinted at her question.
“You’re the next emperor, right?”
“Is that all?”
I realized what Mine meant by his strange gaze looking up at me.
Aha. Are you thinking about it?
He hesitated to give her the letter he had no choice but to give anyway, thinking that if she entered the imperial court, she might meet Peyton.
If I support Payton, Mine’s plan will inevitably go awry.
“Yes. “I have no idea.”
“I see… ….”
“Why? Are you worried that I may have a close relationship with His Highness Peyton?”
“What?”
Mine flinched. It was a very faint reaction, but I noticed her agitation. Perhaps it was because of her usually emotionless attitude that she was able to see it much better.
Is that why? I started laughing without realizing it.
“What is that smile?”
“It’s nothing. Of course, I have followed His Majesty Payton’s words at times, but you don’t have to worry. “Because I’m on the princess’s side.”
“I never particularly wanted you to be on my side. “I have no intention of believing it.”
“It doesn’t matter what the princess wants. “The princess will trust me anyway.”
“What…?” … ?”
“Do you know what’s fascinating about people?”
I raised the corners of my mouth even more and said something a little unexpected.
“The more people hear the same words over and over again, the more they think those words are true.”
“What?”
“So, let me say it one more time.”
I put my hand on the table and slightly leaned my face towards Mine.
“I am on the princess’s side.”
It was a very cocky behavior that made Mine angry, but it was intentional. It was because I felt that the attitude toward Abel was somehow less sharp than the original.
“… ….”
Looking at her
She took her hands off the table and straightened her back, looking at her.
Unlike the original, his personality is not as strong as expected.
Considering the personality of the main character in the original work, this was behavior that would never be tolerated.
Since Abel is from the dukedom, she may not directly cause harm, but she at least asks, “Do you want to die, Abel Sirius?” It is true that she should have threatened him by saying the same thing.
What caused her to change?
Did losing to Lina have an impact? Or is there some other reason?
I’m not sure, but this is good news. If I did well, I thought it would be worth persuading this side.
“I’ll just go. “If you meet Ruko Cat, please say hello.”
I bowed silently and turned around. There was nothing behind me except a slight rustling sound. I leave the student council room and close the door without a sound.
Anyway, it’s difficult to change Mine’s mind all at once.
Unless I save her right before she dies, she won’t trust me until the end.
But you don’t necessarily have to be trusted. If she thought he was useful to her, that was enough for her.
Anyway, the Beral Church is a problem that Mine also needs to end, and it would be enough for me to just give a little bit of strength to it.