Chapter 89: Back to the Academy
Chapter 89: Back to the Academy
The morning after I held Iris and Elisha.
I had ordered room service to get a bite to eat before we headed out, and I’d just stepped out of the bathroom when I saw it.
“Tower Lord… Lady Elisha… the shadows under your eyes… Oh. No. It’s alright. It’ll be alright.”
The mother of the elf family I’d called from the room next door to join us for breakfast was clutching Iris and Elisha, gently patting their backs.
Meanwhile, her husband and son were staring at the floor with grim, somber expressions.
…What is this?
I looked at Carla, bewildered.
“Shh.”
The cheeky girl just gestured for me to be quiet and refused to answer.
So I’m just supposed to watch? What a brat.
After giving Carla a sharp glare, I took a proper look at the huddle of elves.
Iris and Elisha were dressed in comfortable, casual clothes, as the outfits they’d worn yesterday were now ruined.
However, while Elisha had a similar build to Carla, Iris was smaller, leaving her clothes with a rather baggy fit.
I’ll need to buy some clothes before we leave. Not just for Iris, but for the elf family too—they need proper attire.
Anyway, what was that about the shadows under their eyes?
Looking closely at the two priestesses’ faces, they certainly looked more exhausted than yesterday. Their dark circles were quite prominent.
I suppose it’s only natural to look haggard after being put through the wringer all night.
As I nodded to myself in understanding, the elf father spoke up.
“It… it really is alright. You saw it too, didn’t you? Our master isn’t such a bad man.”
“That’s right. O-of course, it was very different from what I expected… but we’re fine. Really. We were prepared for this much from the start, weren’t we?”
“Sniff… You don’t have to pretend to be okay for my sake. Even through that thick soundproofing magic, I could hear the faint sound of screaming.”
Ah. So they heard?
Thinking about it, it makes sense. No matter how good the soundproofing is, screams loud enough to bring the house down are bound to leak out.
If nothing else, they definitely heard Elisha’s screams while I was giving her that foot massage.
Realizing the situation, Elisha hurriedly shook her head.
“N-no, that’s not it! Those screams were… Yandel made me kneel and hold my arms up, and then he started massaging my numb legs so hard it sent sparks through me! That’s why I screamed, so there’s no need to worry!”
“…Lady Elisha, there’s no way a lie like that would work.”
“Eh? But it’s not a lie….”
“Sigh… I understand. You’re uncomfortable talking about it in front of others, right? Then please, tell me everything later when we’re alone. I am always on your side, and the Tower Lord’s too.”
“But it’s not… it’s really not like that….”
Despite her protests, Elisha couldn’t bring herself to explain everything clearly. Iris seemed to be in a similar predicament.
Well, I suppose it’s not easy to admit with your own mouth that your first forced experience as a slave felt so good you fainted multiple times.
I could see why Carla was just standing there watching.
The subtle misunderstanding and the way Iris and Elisha were stammering were actually quite entertaining.
But we couldn’t stay like this forever.
To clear up the misunderstanding and end the bickering, I intentionally made my presence known and approached the two priestesses.
“Ahem, ahem.”
They had been so engrossed in their conversation that they only just noticed me. The moment their eyes turned toward me, I moved quickly, snatching Iris and Elisha toward me.
“Master?”
“Yandel?”
I tucked a woman under each arm. My hands naturally settled on their waists and hips, pulling them close enough that their chests were pressed firmly against me.
If this had been yesterday, they would have been uncomfortable, even if they didn't outright refuse. But now, they accepted my touch quite naturally.
While the elf family stood frozen in shock at the sight, I pulled my lips into a smirk and whispered to Elisha.
“Was it ‘Pikkyak’? That was pretty cute. Want to try it one more time?”
“Yandel! You really… do you have any idea how much I hurt yesterday?!”
“I think I’d know if you squeaked one more time….”
“Hmph! Go ahead and try! I won’t react the way you want this time, no matter what!”
Elisha snapped her head away, and then Iris tugged on my sleeve from the other side.
“Master, Master. Was Elisha truly that cute yesterday?”
“Yeah. Want to see for yourself next time?”
“I would appreciate that.”
The distance between us had clearly closed. Chuckling at the dazed expressions of the elf family who had noticed the change, I continued.
“Nothing happened that you need to worry about, so let’s all sit down. I have a lot to discuss before breakfast arrives.”
“Oh, ah. Yes. Understood.”
The elf mother sat down, still looking a bit dazed.
Only after the husband and son followed suit did I release Iris and Elisha.
“Ah, before that. Carla, run a detection spell.”
“Yes, Master.”
A small murmur. Mana spread out like a gentle breeze.
Carla, who had her eyes closed for a moment, shook her head.
“It’s the same as yesterday. I don’t sense anything unusual.”
“Good. Then let’s get straight to the point.”
“Master. Why are you being so cautious? What is it you wish to discuss?”
“The detection was just a precaution. It’s just…”
I shrugged nonchalantly and continued.
“About what I mentioned briefly yesterday. Our plans for the future. I want to talk about them in more detail.”
“By future plans, do you mean making us your researchers and guards, Yandel?”
“Exactly. Though I should correct one thing: Elisha, you’ll be attending the Academy with me as my attendant.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’ve already settled everything with Professor Iona. As a reward for taking down Edmerec, I asked for the authority to have an attendant accompany me to all Academy events.”
“Then, perhaps…?”
“That’s right. As long as I don’t get expelled, you’ll be able to attend most classes with me.”
“Ah.”
“Since I have permission to bring you as a guard, there’s no need to hide the fact that your Mana Core is intact, either.”
“…….”
“Oh, and don’t tell me you don’t want to go now. I promised Professor Iona I’d accept a leave of absence in exchange for bringing you along. She’s the type who doesn’t care about status as long as she gets to hunt cultists, right?”
I said it jokingly, but instead of laughing, Elisha’s eyes welled up with tears.
“Yandel… you. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“…It’s a bit embarrassing if you’re happy enough to cry. Just so you know, it won’t be exactly comfortable. You’re going as an attendant, not a student, and it’s basically announcing to the people who used to crawl at your feet that you’ve become my slave.”
“That is no reason for me not to be grateful for the expectations and consideration you’ve shown me.”
“…….”
Now it was my turn to be silent.
It’s embarrassing when you put it like that.
After a brief, awkward silence, I cleared my throat and spoke again.
“Ahem. Anyway, that’s the plan for her. Next is what the rest of you will be doing.”
“Do you have specific research in mind? Or perhaps a dungeon you’ve scouted?”
Iris, who had been watching us with a satisfied expression, asked eagerly.
I reached out and toyed with Iris’s long, flowing white hair as I nodded.
“I don’t have any research for you right now. Same for dungeons. I’ll get you a mansion in Rahim City, so feel free to do whatever research you want. …Except for spirit summoning.”
“Ugh… you poke where it hurts, Master. Fine. I have a few things in mind, so I’ll organize them and report back later.”
“Good. Actually, what comes next is the important part….”
“Are you referring to the transmission of the Sylvan Magic Tower’s secrets?”
“Exactly. If possible, I want to learn at least the basics right now.”
Once I return to the Academy, I’ll likely be facing a lot of trouble for a while.
Until now, Elisha had acted as my shield, but now I have to handle the attention and malice directed at me all on my own.
Living Academy life while keeping both Carla and Elisha as slaves? And as a commoner?
Of course, most people would assume I’m no ordinary commoner since I bought the two of them.
Plus, there are rumors that I defeated Archbishop Edmerec, so they’ll be even more cautious.
…But the world isn’t filled only with sensible people.
There will definitely be those who pick fights because of my low status.
Whether they’re students or professors.
“In the end, I need to show them something.”
“I think I understand. You mean you need something that can shut everyone up right now?”
“Exactly. I know that most ‘secrets’ are advanced techniques that would be difficult for me to learn right now. But isn't there something?”
“If that’s what you need, I have just the thing. It’s called Element Combination. It’s a bit tricky to learn because it relies entirely on elemental affinity, but its power is undeniable. First, let’s see what your affinity is….”
“Ah, wait. So there is something, right? I’ll listen to the details later while we’re moving in the carriage. There’s one more thing that’s even more important.”
“Hmm… very well. We still have a few days before we reach the Academy, so we won’t be short on time. But something more important than what we’ve discussed? What could it be?”
“When I bought you all, I dropped 100,000 gold in cold, hard cash, right?”
“It was truly impressive.”
“And I acted like I had some massive power backing me up.”
“Aha? Is your benefactor reluctant to reveal their identity? Come to think of it, you said you came with Professor Iona’s permission. A vampire who has lived since before the Great War would certainly have the wealth to handle 100,000 gold. Could it be…?”
“Ah, no. That’s not it. I don’t actually have any backing at all.”
“???”
To the bewildered Iris, I gave the plausible excuse I’d prepared in advance.
“All that gold I’m throwing around? I got it all from an abandoned Dragon Lair.”
“A… Dragon Lair?”
The people around me blinked in surprise at the name of a race long thought to be extinct.
Only Carla nodded with an expression that suggested she’d realized something.
“I’ll explain that part later. The point is, I have a massive amount of money from an unprovable source, and other high-ranking people have found out about it.”
“…If they investigate thoroughly, they’ll discover that you’re just an ordinary Academy student with no backing whatsoever.”
“Exactly. So, here’s the thing.”
I took a deep breath before speaking my next words.
“Why don’t we take this opportunity to start a secret society?”
Even I thought it sounded a bit insane.
