Chapter 112
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 112
Dusk fell, and dinner was finished.
I had spent the evening grading mock Divine Magic exams with Garfield before heading to Freya’s office at the appointed time.
The night air was cool as I arrived at Ishtal’s main headquarters. I stopped before the drawbridge and quietly looked up.
Impressive.
The towering castle walls and the surrounding moat were reminiscent of a crusader's fortress. Gazing up at the overwhelming sight, I was reminded once again why the Ishtal territory was known as a giant garrison city.
Freya was making tireless efforts to shed this cold, intimidating image. The sports festival she had recently hosted was likely an extension of that goal.
After taking in the view, I approached the main gate. A few members of the guidance committee on guard duty stopped me, but they soon stepped aside with displeased expressions.
“You’re here.”
As I passed through the gate, a student wearing a red armband greeted me. It was Teon Fleber, one of Freya’s aides.
I gave him a slight nod.
“Working late, I see. Lead the way.”
The interior of the headquarters also resembled a fortress. To reach Freya’s office, one had to navigate a labyrinth of winding paths. In the game, it was easy to get lost without a guide.
If I really had to, I could have just turned on the system map, but a first-timer navigating these halls with ease would only arouse suspicion. It was better to quietly follow my guide.
“Yes, it’s complicated, so please follow me closely.”
I followed Teon into the complex interior. The corridors consisted of bare concrete walls lined with rows of heavy steel doors. The structure was so bleak it could have passed for an underground bunker.
I didn't know if they had left it this way for the sake of "tradition," but if it were me, I would have painted everything in bright colors and torn out those hideous steel doors.
Clomp. Clomp.
As I followed Teon down the hall, we occasionally passed other Ishtal students. They didn't say anything outright, but they all shot me glares as they walked by.
Noticing the atmosphere, Teon turned his head slightly.
“I’m saying this out of concern, but it would be best not to respond to any provocations from the other students.”
“What happens if I do?”
“You may find yourself in an unwanted ‘duel.’”
“A duel, you say?”
Duels were the classic method for resolving disputes between Union students. They shared certain similarities with the territory battles between academies. While the outcome of a duel didn't affect one's competitive ranking, it was legally binding. Failure to comply could result in expulsion at worst, so it wasn't a system to be taken lightly.
Knowing this, I asked with a hint of confusion, “As I understand it, duels require mutual consent. A duel cannot proceed if one party refuses.”
Teon corrected himself as if he had misspoken.
“Ah, I don’t mean a duel in the formal sense. It’s a bit cruder... the term ‘fistfight’ would be more appropriate.”
“…”
So he was saying I’d get my ass kicked if I acted up.
Well, just like when that brute Dondol came at me before, Ishtal was fundamentally a place where fists spoke louder than the law. It was understandable, to a degree. Changing this perception was Freya's goal, but given the temperament of the student body, such a culture was probably unavoidable.
Teon added, “Public opinion of you was never great to begin with, but I imagine it’s worsened since you claimed the final prize in the treasure hunt, Lord Roen.”
“Does that include you, Teon?”
He shrugged.
“It would be a lie to say no. But official duties take precedence over personal feelings. I trust that you will conduct yourself in a way that avoids unnecessary trouble, Lord Roen.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
After our brief conversation, we arrived at Freya’s office. Teon bowed and opened the door, gesturing for me to enter. It seemed he would wait outside while Freya and I spoke.
“You’ve arrived. Please, have a seat wherever you’re comfortable.”
Despite it being well past working hours, Freya was still in her neat school uniform. Her shoes, however, had been swapped for a pair of fluffy-looking slippers. The frog design was quite cute.
“I’ve prepared some refreshments, so please help yourself.”
I sat on the sofa and turned my gaze to the table. There was black tea, with warm steam rising from the cups. The fragrant aroma suggested it was of high quality.
And then...
Is this… a cookie from hell?
On a plate lay several lumps that looked like black coal. At first, it was hard to tell what they were, but upon closer inspection, they appeared to be some sort of brownie.
“…”
As I showed a moment's interest in the snacks, Freya’s eyes seemed to sparkle. Her gaze urged me to try one.
Don’t tell me… she made these herself?
With a trembling hand, I picked up a piece of the charcoal. It was a "cookie" of a shape I couldn't believe was made with ingredients from this world. I had absolutely no desire to eat it, but there are some things in life you have to do, whether you want to or not.
I steeled myself and put the cookie-shaped object into my mouth.
The moment it passed down my esophagus, a single log message appeared.
[You have ingested a poisonous substance. Entering a stunned state.]
I momentarily lost consciousness before my eyes snapped open.
Did I just… pass out?
Realizing what had happened, I forced my jaw to move again. It had frozen mid-chew.
Crunch. Crunch.
The unpleasant crumbling of burnt flour and undissolved lumps of sugar filled my mouth. The outside was charred black, but the dough inside was undercooked, giving it a sickeningly moist texture.
For a moment, I wondered if she had invited me here to poison me.
I forced myself to swallow the remaining cookie and washed it down with the black tea. Throughout the entire process of ingesting the "poison," my expression remained perfectly placid.
It was all thanks to Roen's trait, [Ironclad Face].
What a relief.
Click.
As I set the teacup down with a steady hand, Freya asked cautiously, “H-How does it taste?”
“It has a rather… whimsical flavor.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind. It’s delicious. If there are any left, I’ll take them all with me.”
“Ah, that might be a bit… I was planning to share them with my aides.”
“No, I’m taking them all. I insist.”
I couldn’t allow any more victims.
“If you insist.”
“Handmade cookies, I see. What’s the occasion? I was under the impression you never touched the kitchen.”
Freya’s father and the head of the Gunhild family was the Thunder Sword Wodanaz Gunhild. According to the long-held principle of the man who ranked among the continent's ten strongest: "A hand that wields a sword must not wield a kitchen knife."
Because of this, I knew he had forbidden Freya from cooking. Baking didn't strictly require a kitchen knife, but Freya had stayed away from the kitchen all the same.
Freya said, “To commemorate the success of the sports festival, I wondered what I could offer my aides who worked so hard. There are other rewards, of course, but I wanted to treat them to something I made myself.”
“Hmm.”
It seemed that with the success of the festival, Freya had decided to change a little herself. It was a good change. The current Freya was still like a chick that hadn't broken out of its shell. To be reborn as a true ‘Hero,’ she would have to go through several more stages of growth.
“I understand your sentiment. So, you said you wanted to repay me? I assume it wasn’t just with these cookies.”
Who in the world repays someone with poison?
At my words, Freya slowly nodded.
“You made a request of me before. Since you helped me, I will exercise my voting rights for you just once.”
“Even if it means bending your principles?”
“…I hope it won’t come to that. But yes. A debt must be repaid.”
Freya nodded, her expression firm with resolve.
“Good.”
With that, I had obtained what I originally wanted. The day would come when I would need her power.
“And this is a personal token of my gratitude.”
With a soft clinking sound, she handed me a gift. It was a belt, the kind swordsmen often use. With its soft leather finish and golden embroidery, it was clearly a high-quality item.
“I noticed you usually carry your sword in your hand. It will be much more convenient if you wear this on your waist.”
I accepted it with a bewildered expression.
“…I was told that the practice sword you bought me last time was the last favor you’d show me.”
When I needlessly jabbed at her, Freya glared.
“This isn’t a favor, it’s a token of gratitude!”
Same difference. No need to shout.
I shrugged and put the gift into my bag.
“I’ll accept it gratefully. Though I don’t know if I’ll have a use for it.”
It would be presumptuous for a non-swordsman to walk around with a sword at his hip. Still, something like the Azoth Sword could probably be worn without attracting too much attention.
“Also, please accept this.”
Freya, who had been fuming for a moment, took out something else. I opened the box and checked the item inside.
A brilliant light poured out. It was a gauntlet of beautiful silver, looking as if it were woven from dragon scales. It was the [Silver Scale Gauntlet] she had previously offered as a donation for the sports festival.
My eyes widened. “You’re giving this to me?”
“Yes. Thanks to Ishtal’s victory, it has returned to my hands. Please accept this as a token of gratitude from the academy. The sports festival was a success largely thanks to you.”
“…I’ll accept it gratefully.”
I had no reason to refuse. It was a top-tier item that not only granted immunity to all poisons but also prevented instant death from a single blow.
I nodded and placed the box containing the [Silver Scale Gauntlet] beside me.
What a windfall.
Before Freya could change her mind, I brought up another topic.
“How is your older sister? Has she made a full recovery?”
Freya’s sister, Verdandi Gunhild. I had heard that after a long hospital stay following Gillean's attack, she had recently been discharged.
“Yes, she is currently resting at our estate outside the city. She said she will return to the Union once her probation is over.”
Knowing Verdandi’s personality, she would have tried to take all the responsibility and leave the academy. But seeing as she planned to return, Freya must have persuaded her well.
“Ah, speaking of which.”
My mention of Verdandi seemed to lead Freya’s thoughts to her replacement, Zimmer.
“Did something happen between you and Professor Zimmer? His attitude toward the students seems to have softened considerably lately.”
“I wouldn’t know.”
There was no benefit in revealing my connection to Professor Zimmer. He was, for all intents and purposes, a spy I had planted. To ensure his future activities, the fewer people who knew, the better.
But why was she asking me? Did she think I had pulled some strings regarding the change in the grade distribution?
In any case, when I played dumb, Freya replied as if she understood.
“Hmm, well, it’s a relief either way. When he was treating student Garfield so harshly at first, I was very concerned.”
I remembered Freya’s reaction when Zimmer first kicked Garfield out of his lecture. She wasn't the type to let something like that slide.
“So, in my personal opinion… I was thinking that even after Professor Verdandi’s probation ends, it might be good for Professor Zimmer to continue teaching for a little longer. What are your thoughts?”
“Are you suggesting that Professor Zimmer continue teaching not just for the three months of probation, but for the entire semester?”
“That’s right.”
Freya nodded.
For me, this was an offer that couldn't be better. I smiled inwardly as I looked at her.