Chapter 73: Baron Ashro’s Estate 4
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 73: Baron Ashro’s Estate 4
"I'm joking, just joking! I’ll be back without a single scratch."
I had made the joke to tell her not to worry about my injury, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.
"You really won't get hurt?"
Johanna spoke as she tightly gripped my uninjured hand with both of hers.
Was it because her usually vacant eyes were now rimmed with red, as if she were about to burst into tears? Or was it because she was standing so close, holding my hand and looking up at me?
My heart skipped a beat.
I knew I shouldn't, but a wicked part of me suddenly wanted to see her cry. If I were to shake off her hand right now and say, 'The only person who's ever managed to hurt me is you, Senior Johanna,' I’d probably get to see her tears. But I didn't do it.
I wasn't such a piece of trash that I'd say something like that just to see her cry.
"Of course. Professor Elicia is coming with us, so it’ll be hard to get hurt even if I tried, right?"
Not only was Professor Elicia, one of the strongest people around, coming along, but the Emperor’s Shadow would likely be lurking near the Baron’s estate as well.
"But still..."
I had said it to reassure her, but Johanna still looked worried. She didn't let go of my hand.
"Senior, if I get even slightly injured during the mission, I’ll grant you any one wish you want. No questions asked."
"…Anything?"
"Anything. In exchange, if I come back without a single scratch, how about you grant me a wish?"
"Okay..."
Only then did the worry fade slightly from Johanna’s voice, though she still kept her hand firmly clasped around mine.
"Senior, could you let go of my hand now?"
"Why? Do you hate me holding your hand?"
"No, it’s not that."
To be honest, I didn't think it would be so bad to keep holding it.
"Then why?"
"Isn't your class still going on?"
"Ah..."
Johanna let out a small gasp, finally realizing she had run out in the middle of a lesson. I had been injured, she had taken me to the infirmary, and now we were sitting on a bench. Class wasn't over yet.
"I was planning on watching more of the training for my field study anyway, so let’s go together."
"Okay."
We left the bench and walked back toward the outdoor training ground where Johanna’s class was held. As we arrived, every student on the field stared intently at us.
Patter, patter, patter.
A woman with a brown bob cut rushed toward us the moment she saw us. It was Jenna Suguro, Johanna’s best friend. I expected her to speak to Johanna first, but Jenna addressed me instead.
"Are you okay?"
She seemed concerned that I had been injured because of her sword.
"Yes, I'm fine. I should be the one apologizing for jumping in so suddenly."
"No. If it wasn't for you, Johanna would have been seriously hurt. Thank you, truly."
Jenna bowed deeply to show her gratitude. The other students began to whisper among themselves as they watched a second-year bow to a first-year—and a noble to a commoner at that.
However, Jenna seemed unfazed by the murmurs, acting as if she were simply doing what was right.
"You don't have to do this. The priest said I'll be fine in a day."
Once I reassured her, Jenna finally straightened up and turned to Johanna.
"Johanna! What were you thinking? Getting distracted during a spar! Do you have any idea how worried I was? If Loki hadn't been there, you would've been badly hurt!"
Unlike the way she spoke to me, she scolded Johanna. Yet, her voice was thick with concern.
"Sorry."
Jenna continued to lecture her for a while. Johanna stood there quietly, accepting the scolding as she acknowledged her mistake.
Ten minutes later, once Jenna had finished, Professor Gedra spoke up.
"Class isn't over yet. Resume your sparring."
At the professor's command, the second-years went back to their practice. I watched them until the end of the period. Being second-years, they were stronger than the average first-year, but they were severely lacking compared to the students in the Special Class.
With the exception of Johanna, they were at a level where I could win without even using illusion magic.
* * *
Loki was currently wandering the Academy grounds alone.
After class, Johanna had wanted to stay with him, but Jenna had dragged her back to their classroom, insisting they still had work to do. It was too early to go to sleep.
‘Should I head to the library?’
As expected of the continent’s premier educational institution, the Academy’s library was massive. It felt as if all the world’s knowledge was stored there, with an uncountable number of books lining the shelves.
As he was walking through the vast library, he spotted Clara.
Perhaps because of her pale skin, her black hair and red eyes stood out remarkably. She was frowning at a book as if struggling with a difficult problem, but the expression only made her look more beautiful.
"Miss Clara~!"
Loki waved his hand as he approached her.
"…Be quiet. This is a library."
Clara’s frown deepened when she saw him, but she didn't move to stop him from coming closer.
"There’s no one else here anyway, so isn't this much okay?"
Loki said as he sat down across from her. Since it was during class hours, the library was deserted. Of course, if he tried to walk out with a book right now, he’d be caught immediately.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see your face, and I thought I might read a book."
In truth, he was just bored.
"You’ve seen my face, so if you’re going to read, do it quietly."
"Then wait here while I go grab something."
Loki went off to find a book and returned about twenty minutes later. He was carrying two thick volumes, and for some reason, his uniform was covered in dust.
"What on earth were you doing?"
"Man, those books were hidden away. Took me a while to find them."
Clara ignored him and went back to her reading. Ten minutes passed, and she glanced up at Loki. Only a single page of his thick books had been turned.
"Sigh..."
Loki’s head was nodding up and down. It was obvious to anyone that he was asleep. Clara placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a light shake.
"If you’re going to sleep, go somewhere where I can't see you. Your head bobbing is distracting."
"Hwaaaa~ Should I?"
She really couldn't understand why he had come to the library in the first place. Loki stretched once and started walking toward the exit.
...Just like that?
"Put your books back before you leave!"
"We’re friends, so why don't you do it for me, Miss Clara~?"
Loki waved his hand and walked right out of the library.
"Sigh..."
A sigh escaped her lips automatically. The reason she didn't stop him from approaching her, despite his attitude, was likely because he was one of the few who didn't chase after her for her background or her looks.
"Tsk."
Clara recalled a man who had tried to talk to her during the last break. He claimed to be a third-year and rambled on about magic, but it was all stuff she had learned five years ago. She knew he wasn't talking to her because of magic. So, she had told the noisy man to get lost.
Clara looked down at the thick books Loki had brought. They were books she had never seen before.
‘There’s no title?’
The covers were blank, and the books looked old and worn. Clara closed her own book and opened one of the ones Loki had left.
"..........."
Flip.
Clara quietly turned a page.
Flip.
The next.
Flip.
The next.
Flip.
Next.
Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip.
The only sound in the quiet library was the rustling of pages as Clara turned them. She lost track of time as she read the book from cover to cover. She wanted to take it with her, but that was impossible for now.
"Ha!"
Clara, thinking she should borrow it during lunch, noticed a small note tucked into the back of the book and let out a hollow laugh.
[This book isn't registered in the library, so whoever reads this is free to take it.]
She didn't recognize the handwriting, but at the end of the note, there was a crude drawing of a mask. If she hadn't read the book, this note would never have been found.
When Clara finally left the library, she was carrying the two old books in her hands.
.
.
.
Baron Ashro’s Estate.
"My Lord, the Special Class students arrive tomorrow. Will everything be alright?"
"Dammit! I never should have accepted that stuff!"
Baron Ashro exploded in rage at the butler’s words. If he could have just distributed the drugs and squeezed money out of people, he could have become a central noble instead of a backwater lord!
"We have very little money left. Soon, we won't even have enough to pay the servants."
"Those low-lifes can be paid later! The problem is I don't have the money to give him!"
He had paid a staggering amount of money to that man in exchange for the drugs. On top of that, the man demanded regular tribute payments.
"If Cardinal tells people he stole the drugs..."
"Ha! Who would believe the word of a thief?"
"But do you think the Special Class can catch Cardinal?"
"Do you know how many high-ranking nobles are in that class? Even the Crown Prince is a member! Even if they can't catch him, who knows? If I act pitiful enough, they might help me out."
He had originally intended to hire mercenaries, but he didn't even have the funds left to hire anyone capable of catching Cardinal. The Baron rubbed his stomach. On the day Cardinal had appeared at the estate, the thief—who had done nothing but run away—had kicked him in the gut right before vanishing.
"Cardinal...!!!"
.
.
The next day.
After the Special Class arrived at the estate, while the Baron was busy acting as pitiful as possible in front of the Crown Prince and the high-ranking nobles...
"I cannot even imagine the depth of your sorrow at losing your family heirloom. I will make sure to catch that wicked thief!"
A masked lunatic among the Special Class students suddenly grabbed the Baron's hand and spoke with grand confidence.
"By the way, what exactly was the heirloom that Cardinal stole?"