Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.26 – The Girl Got a Family...? (1)
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Sunlight blazed especially fiercely from the sky.
The heat proved that the season when the sun's power grew strongest had arrived quietly.
The southern continent generally lacked distinct seasons, characterized by its cool climate. Yet the region around Pendragon was unusually sweltering.
Scholars speculated that the fiery energy from 'Sacred Mountain Vulcan,' located near Pendragon territory, rampaged every summer, making the weather hotter than elsewhere.
However, in a continent where magic, mysteries, and fairy pranks coexisted, such phenomena weren't all that strange. Few batted an eye at unusual weather.
Compared to the eastern continent's 'Great Rain Period'—half a year of nonstop rain from a botched spell—or the central continent's year-long 'Great Blizzard' after angering the fairies, Pendragon's mere heatwave felt like good fortune.
Thus...
"—Though we call it summer break, those who know, know. For the next two months, we'll hold rituals for Vulcan and the other fairies. We must remember we're not the only ones living on this continent. We humans are just one group among many races and nature itself, coexisting here. We can't act like arrogant imperialists claiming dominion over the continent. Moreover...!"
...or so they said.
In short, even this oppressive heat should be endured gratefully.
"When's this gonna end?"
"Shh, what if he hears you?"
"I'm just saying, I feel like I'm gonna pass out from dehydration..."
"Wouldn't collapsing be better? They'd send you to the infirmary."
"You...! ...Genius?"
The cadets listening to the chancellor's speech wore expressions beyond boredom—pure torment.
Though gathered in the auditorium, with hundreds packed in tightly, the heat was unrelenting.
Enduring the same spiel for over an hour in this swelter naturally made their faces pale.
Yet no one dared complain to the chancellor.
Who could retort to a former prime minister hailed as a legendary statesman from the era of war gods?
Thus, cadets dozing off wasn't surprising.
"Lady Karin, can't you get the chancellor to stop? He's your grandfather, right?"
"I'd love to, but once Grandfather starts a speech, even family can't intervene. To stop him, it'd take one of his few old friends dropping by unexpectedly."
"Like who?"
"Hmm, the former head of House Tristan, or His Majesty the former king... or maybe Duchess Felicia."
"...Better to just listen to the end."
Those names would spell bigger disaster.
The noble lady, who'd clung to faint hope, deflated completely.
Karin, her beautiful violet eyes gleaming, offered only a polite smile.
A smile like a mask.
Unlike her lively demeanor with that timid gray-haired boy, she seemed unusually subdued.
Then.
"Ughhh..."
"......"
"Haaaah..."
"...Lady?"
"Haaaah!"
"...Irene?"
"Hm? Did you call me?"
"...Haha, you seemed troubled."
The girl ignored "Lady" but responded to her name.
Karin never felt her looks drew much praise, but next to this girl, she inevitably fell short.
Among mystical races famed for beauty—mermaids, sirens, fairies—this girl evoked a fairy with her mysterious blue gemstone eyes and golden-thread hair, enchanting even women.
Irene Windler.
The academy's top celebrity: a mage expected to define her generation—no, her era—and Duke Galahad's foster daughter.
Others hesitated to sit near such a girl, so Karin had no choice.
But now she regretted it.
"You've been sighing nonstop... I got worried."
With her openly moping, how could Karin ignore her?
Irene kept sighing, forcing Karin to speak up.
Then.
"Sorry, I don't mean to show it, but something's weighing on me."
"That sounds tough."
"It's just... ugh, never mind."
"If you say so..."
"But still!"
"......"
...Ah, this girl's a handful.
She sensed it instantly.
This girl was high-maintenance despite her looks.
Talking to her was the wrong choice.
'...I miss Derek.'
That cute, puppy-like gray-haired boy with adorable reactions.
She enjoyed teasing him, not counseling near-strangers.
Still.
"Hm? Lady Karin, feeling the heat?"
"Pardon? Ah... yeah, a bit."
"Here you go."
Snap!
Whoosh.
"...Oh my."
"Hehe, cool, right?"
"Yes, incredibly so..."
The girl's water mana swept over her, leaving Karin utterly refreshed.
Not just sweat—dust and grime vanished instantly.
And the coolness lingered.
Karin blinked.
"I'm a water and wind mage, after all. Easy peasy, hehe."
"Wow, that's amazing!"
Now Karin genuinely decided to butter her up.
People warm to kindness first, after all.
Karin Alensia de Guinevere.
She figured she could befriend this troublesome girl too.
...Irene's worries were nothing special.
'Am I fading into the background?'
Her presence felt dimmer, or chances to chat with appealing guys dwindled...
Somehow...
[Your screentime has dropped. Like a cameo who shines once then exits stage left in a movie or drama.]
'Ughhh!'
The ghost girl's brutally honest jab was undeniable!
Irene wanted to groan.
But.
'That'd make me seem petty. Levi's safe, that's what matters...'
The culprit making Irene insecure and brooding was ironically no issue—but sulking felt too spiteful, so she couldn't even vent properly.
Levi Fault.
Her friend, safely back at the academy, now threatened Irene's spotlight, fueling her gloom.
'...Am I too narrow-minded?'
[Took you long enough.]
'You're supposed to be on my side!'
[Side of what cuteness?]
'...Tch.'
Irene felt the world's woes.
The girl's safe return to the academy was a week ago, met with warm welcomes.
- Bear cub, you okay now??
- Glad you're back safe, milady.
- Don't vanish without a word again, miss.
Worries, relief, and scoldings poured in, but Levi took it all with sunny cheer.
- Thanks, and... sorry, everyone.
...Mere days apart, yet she'd matured noticeably. Classmates chalked it up to her ordeals.
No one pried for details.
They assumed the instructor handled it.
...And sure enough.
- I-Instructor?
- What are all those bandages!?
- ...Did you fight a hundred trolls?
The instructor appeared wrapped head to toe.
Cadets who knew his prowess were aghast.
Him, that injured...?
They half-feared some ancient sealed beast revived.
But he brushed off their horror calmly.
- Adults have secrets kids don't grasp. Don't pry.
Dismissing concerns, he nagged as usual.
- ...That excuse doesn't fit right now...
- Ahem!
- ......
- Anyway, remember: Bear cub never submitted resignation papers. She just had a stormy phase and skipped classes.
- At my age?
- Everyone's different; it hits early or late. Hers was late.
- ......
- Re·ply.
- Ah, ow!
...Thus Levi's runaway phase ended anticlimactically, though questions lingered.
Why was the instructor so battered? And Levi Fault...
- Oh, no need to call me Fault anymore. ...I abandoned the name.
- ?
Why discard her family name...?
Many mysteries remained, but cadets shelved them.
The key was her return.
They decided not to dwell.
...But soon.
- Um, Instructor. Where do I apply to be a teaching assistant?
...Her shocking choice forced attention.
Seeing Levi—formerly Levi—pursue TA duties stunned everyone.
Especially.
- L-Levi, Lady Levi! Why enter this inferno of a library?!
Damian Pollet.
Lee Han's TA (slave), he'd long shed his polished debut look for a ghoul-like haggardness.
Not all TAs were like that.
Just Lee Han dumped everything on him.
Everyone knew Levi aimed for his TA spot, so Damian had to dissuade her.
Plainly.
'Hey, that's hell up ahead.'
But undeterred, she submitted cheerfully, joined swiftly, leaving all agape...
- Hmm, this is doable?
She found it so easy, she blinked in surprise.
- Huh?
Was Damian exaggerating?
No.
Even with two TAs, it was grueling labor.
But to her, after 19 years of true hardship and torment...
- It's almost too easy, hehe.
- ......
Yes, simply easy and comfy.
Later, it became why Damian came to fear and revere her. She adapted overnight, unveiling new facets.
Training harder than before.
Treating cadets more warmly, kindly.
Giving her all...
- Master, how do I do this?
- Master, are you tired?
- Master—!
Devoting herself utterly to the instructor.
Bolder yet brighter, she evoked lush greenery.
Her face beamed with pure vitality, no shadows.
...Cadets grew curious anew.
What exactly happened between the girl and instructor?
Irene Windler, watching...
- Huh?
Spotted chaste, pure affection in the girl's gaze, freezing in a dumbstruck expression.
That devotion aimed at...
[Arina, looks like a rival maid just spawned?]
- ......
...the sturdy knight.
Irene sensed dire crisis.
Already facing a golden retriever-cute, fairy-mysterious maid rival—why another powerhouse?!
Thus...!
"—Ahem, so your friend turned rival, stirring complicated feelings."
"N-No, that's not..."
"It is. Obvious."
"......"
"Hoh."
Well, well?
'This is more fun than I thought?'
She'd listened idly at first, but it hooked her.
Compared to Grandfather—no, Chancellor's hour-long drone, this fresh girl's love talk was delightful.
Compare apples to apples.
'Hm, not bad, that guy.'
Yet admiration for the guy too.
To monopolize the academy's top beauty and men's first crush, Levi...
Impressive.
'Young Master Roan, didn't peg you for a heartbreaker.'
Misled by Irene's silence on the target, Karin misunderstood, newly impressed by the northern lion.
...Never dreaming it was that uniquely drawn knight.
Meanwhile, the knight skipped the closing ceremony.
Even a wild one like him risked the chancellor's summons, but luckily.
"Hoho, we meet again so soon."
"......"
...power player perks spared him.
Marquis Jenimia.
...Had come to see Lee Han.
Lee Han didn't hide his unease.
"Here for revenge...?"
"Hoho, drop the formalities; they don't suit you. Makes my skin crawl."
"Suits me fine."
"Cheeky, hoho! But oddly pleasing."
"......"
...He edged away slightly.
The overly chummy marquis embarrassed him.
"Fierce as a lion yesterday, meek as a lamb today, heh."
"I know when to mind manners."
"Manners? After thrashing my knights?"
"No deaths, so fine."
"...Infuriating trait."
But soon.
"Yet I like it."
The marquis, already fond of this knight, overlooked his quirks.
Incompetents' arrogance repulses; the strong's is confidence.
Thus, the marquis.
"Revenge? Not my interest. Though my knights might disagree—they're already training through injuries. Next time won't be easy."
"Looking forward to it."
Great news.
No fleeing; they sought payback.
Truly glad tidings.
...However.
"......What?"
The marquis's next words closed the gap Lee Han had opened.
Understandably.
"We both hate long talks, right? Straight to it: that girl betrothed to me? —I've decided to adopt her as my daughter."
"......Skipped a few steps there."
Absurdity demanded it.
This guy...
'Heatstroke?'
Lee Han shot him a profoundly irreverent glare.