Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Killing Two Birds with One Stone
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"...I won't ask why."
Beatrix let out a sigh as she tossed those words into the dimly lit training ground.
"That's enough already. It's starting to get hard to clean up after you."
"..."
She followed up by looking at her friend of ten years with a worried expression.
The sight of Elnor sprawled out spread-eagled in the middle of the training ground, drenched in sweat, was incredibly familiar.
Whenever this woman felt her head getting a bit muddled, she'd always come here and sweat until she was soaked through. It was a routine she'd kept for ages.
But still.
"...What the hell is all this? The budget's gonna blow at this rate."
It was a well-known rumor around the academy that the Tristan Duchess had recently rented out the gym and training hall exclusively for herself, subjecting herself to training that bordered on self-abuse.
Beatrix sighed as she surveyed the training ground, which looked like it had been hit by a storm.
Elnor silently wiped her sweat and casually tossed aside the magic dumbbell she'd been using for strength training just moments ago.
It was an item embedded with magic stones on both ends, allowing the user to adjust the weight at will.
Beatrix glanced over absentmindedly, then paled as she read the number etched on it: 750kg. She whipped her head toward Elnor.
She'd been lifting this with both arms?!
"...How many sets did you do with that?"
"Only 300 reps."
"..."
Yeah. The rumors were spot on.
It was utterly ridiculous that anyone could work out like this, but this had long surpassed the realm of training.
It was straight-up self-harm!
"...What the hell's wrong with you, exactly? Lately, you haven't been seeing anyone, just holing up in the training hall. I knew you were serious about working out, but you've never gone this far before."
"..."
Elnor silently wiped her sweat, staying quiet.
Beatrix's expression soured in tandem.
It was the old Elnor she used to see all the time.
Stubbornly hiding her inner thoughts, refusing to show any emotion no matter how pigheaded it made her seem.
She'd once said she'd been taught as a child that showing emotions was the root of 'weakness.'
So this attitude made it simple.
Unlike before, she'd resolved to erase that 'weakness' as much as possible.
And her next words fit right into that context.
"...I just realized I was dreaming too big."
"What?"
"Our cursed bloodline always draws in tragedy."
Elnor's low, gloomy voice echoed through the dim training ground.
"...That man handled everything so well for so long, I just forgot for a moment."
"...What are you talking about?"
"If I fail to protect that man next time too—if he gets hurt because of something related to me. If, heaven forbid, if somehow—"
He dies.
A few images flashed through Elnor's mind.
From the first time they'd met, he'd ended up a battered mess right in front of her.
The second time, he'd come back half-dead from handling some mess somewhere.
And just recently.
Really.
Right before her eyes, she'd nearly lost him.
Without being able to lift a finger, just watching helplessly.
The soul-shredding pain and helplessness still burned vividly in her nerves.
'...The Foreseer.'
Elnor clenched her fist as she recalled the masked woman.
No.
She couldn't let a woman like that take Dawood from her.
So this level of training was nothing.
She had to get stronger—stronger—
"...I get how you feel, Elnor."
Beatrix barely suppressed another sigh threatening to escape and looked at Elnor.
"But we should handle the urgent stuff first. It's a summons from the imperial family."
"..."
Elnor’s eyes widened as she shot to her feet. She looked pleased to hear it.
"...His Majesty summoned me?"
"The Princess... no, she's ascended now, so the Empress. His Majesty unfortunately won't be attending."
"..."
Elnor's expression soured again.
Beatrix gave a wry smile and continued.
"It's been a while since you last saw her, hasn't it?"
"...She's always been busy."
"She still keeps tabs on your news religiously. Given her personality, there's no way she'd ignore her childhood best friend."
"I know."
She said that, but she seemed a bit sulky anyway.
Well, yeah.
If you asked who the two people in the world Elnor could open up to were, one would be Beatrix herself, and the other the Princess—no, Her Majesty the Empress.
And it had been years since they'd seen each other, so this pouty reaction was understandable.
Beatrix chuckled and handed her a document.
"But it seems she's planning to stay at Elpante soon. That's why she wants both you and Grand Duke Tristan there."
She finally let out the sigh she'd been holding back.
It wasn't a sentence she'd relish saying, given Elnor's usual demeanor.
But the response was surprisingly unexpected.
"...Perfect timing, then."
"What?"
Was that really Elnor speaking?
As Beatrix echoed back in disbelief, Elnor continued in a calm tone.
"There's something I need to find out from that old man."
"Find out? What?"
Beatrix pressed, but Elnor clamped her mouth shut instead of answering.
Words she'd heard before flashed through her mind.
Devil's fragment, devil's vessel—from the spirit speaker who'd confronted her earlier.
And.
-Even so, the Tristan Ducal House has a pretty ancient vessel lineage. It's ridiculous they couldn't resist at all. Didn't your mother teach you how to use it?
What that meant.
At the very least, she needed to ask a 'related party.'
Elnor's red eyes gleamed fiercely in the darkness.
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"...What are you thinking so hard about?"
As class ended, Talion looked at me—propped against the desk with my chin in my hand—and spoke up.
"About the lecture I just heard."
The Emperor's visit to the academy is imminent. I don't want to give Atalante any leverage, so I've been attending classes diligently.
"Oh, come to think of it, you've been showing up faithfully lately. How's the studying going?"
Talion said that as he glanced down at my notebook, packed full of notes.
"As expected of you, brother. You organized all this in the meantime? You'll definitely score high on the note-taking—"
"Nah, I'm giving up on grades."
"..."
Talion stared back and forth between me and the notebook in sheer disbelief.
"Then what's all this?"
"The Saintess organized it for me."
"..."
Talion fell silent upon hearing I'd used one of the top faithful believers as my personal note-taker.
"...You had a woman like that do that for you and you're still ditching studies?"
"What can't be done can't be done."
Talion clutched his head like he was losing his mind, but I meant it.
To make up for all the credits I've skipped so far, I need a perfect score on the written exam no matter what. But honestly?
I've never thought of myself as dumb, but the workload Elpante demands from students is no joke. No amount of cramming now will get me to perfect-score level.
I'm getting one-on-one tutoring from the Saintess on the subjects, and even with the continent's top expert, I'm barely keeping up.
At this rate, I won't meet the 'qualifications' to face the Emperor.
'...The Emperor.'
Setting aside the mere title of 'ruler of the empire,' that person is a key to unlocking Elnor's exclusive quest, 'The Family's Madness,' later on.
Even if I'm busy, I can't half-ass the meeting.
"...So how do you plan to handle the comprehensive evaluation? It's not far off now."
"Simple."
I said that and plopped a copy of the notice from the central bulletin board onto the desk.
True to its roots as an institution fostering combat talents, Elpante prioritizes achievements in that field above all.
You could see it clearly in the scoring for this comprehensive evaluation.
The highest points went not to 'theoretical knowledge' but to the practical combat exam.
For second-years like me, crushing it here could skyrocket your score.
If I scrape average on the written with the Saintess's insane tutoring, my shot at a comeback is right here.
"I'll sweep this one."
"...Brother, aren't you nominally a priest?"
"..."
"Priests are usually the devout types focused on volunteering or theology. Why come up with something you'd expect from the knight or magic faculties...?"
Fair point.
Don't be so picky.
My problem-solving methods so far have never been typical priest-class stuff anyway.
"But isn't the practical exam format always randomized?"
When I tossed that question at Talion, he stroked his chin and nodded.
"It is, but you can roughly predict based on who's overseeing. This time it's Sir Konrad, Dean of the Knight Faculty, so a mock siege is the most likely."
Mock siege... probably that one.
A few elite upperclassmen holding off a horde of underclassmen from entering a designated area.
I'd run into that content a few times in the game.
"We did that format back in freshman year too. Eliya took top score then. She'd be a big help if she were here."
"...So what the hell's she doing?"
Casa told me to send her back once, but it's been days and she hasn't returned to Elpante.
She said she's delayed sorting Liruya stuff, but what about that guy?
"Who knows... I heard she applied for an extended stay. Looks like it'll take time before she comes back."
I frowned slightly at Talion's words.
It'd be great if the guy hurried back. Then I could sort out next-chapter stuff.
Chapter 4, 'Dark Night,' has three core figures.
Eliya, who'll become the holy sword's master, and Peynol, the chapter boss.
The last one's.
"..."
I silently gazed at the amulet on my arm.
[Why?]
'There's that.'
I chuckled inwardly at Caliban's voice and replied.
This guy.
The soul who's set to shine as the 'hidden card' in this chapter.
He's even got experience taking down a vessel filled with that person's fragments once. Right now he's just the neighborhood bro who teases me, though.
"..."
Anyway.
"Mock siege, huh..."
That clears up what I need to do.
Gather teammates.
I'm second-year now, so high chance I'll be on defense.
"Max team size is three, right?"
"Yeah, but I probably can't help this time. I'm grouped with classmates on the assault team..."
"Nah, it's fine. Can't keep owing you."
Still disappointing, though. I could trust Talion.
Headache enough already, and now hunting for teammates on foot.
Yuria's traits make real safety hazards likely, so no using her in exams. Elnor teaming with me might violate academy rules outright.
Above all.
[System Log]
[ Target 'Elnor' is experiencing extreme helplessness! ]
"..."
Her status isn't normal.
Unlike Yuria or the Saintess, she's avoiding all contact with me, so hard to fix.
This one'll take time to normalize.
'...Already swamped.'
So much to do.
Prioritizing, Peynol's 'woo me within a month' is most urgent. Highest risk if failed.
His personality means rushing won't work, so leaving him be for now.
But skip even one class, and I'm done. Gotta pour time here.
Plus, that grand assassin stalking my blind spot nonstop.
No immediate attack vibe, but the watchful gaze never lets up.
"..."
Hmm.
Hmmm.
I close my eyes, pondering briefly.
No choice.
If they're gonna hassle me like this, I have to go radical.
Soothe Peynol, shake the assassin off my tail, and ace the practical on top?
"Talion. One favor."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"There's a magic faculty student with red hair in the back mountain clearing. Peynol."
I stand and continue.
"Tell him I want to see him."
"Sure, no problem. But where are you headed?"
"Last teammate hunt."
I sigh and add.
"There's one person I know whose skills are out of this world."
Out-of-this-world rare—only two on the continent.
With enough 'prep work' to not kill me outright, what I'm about to do should land decently.
'...Handle both at once.'
Manly trait.
When annoyed, knock it all out together.
[...You insane?]
"..."
[Too lazy for separate flings, so multitasking now?]
Never said that.
Don't fabricate.
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