Chapter 91: Sepia Rivayden
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 91: Sepia Rivayden
Croa Academy stood as the continent’s undisputed premier educational institution.
No one could deny that fact.
As such, Croa Academy was the pride of the Croa Empire, and the Empire was never shy about utilizing that prestige. There were two primary ways the Empire showcased the prowess of Croa Academy’s students to foreign powers.
The first was releasing footage of the freshmen's midterm exams to other nations.
Last year, it was Johanna Freya’s highlights; the year before that, it was Joden Adelian’s. Through these displays, Croa Academy repeatedly proved itself as the finest academy on the continent.
Of course, that didn't mean they revealed every single ability a student possessed. Public footage was carefully curated.
However, there were a select few who could view a student's unedited actions throughout the entire midterm exam: the student's family.
Since Loki had no family, normally no one should have been able to access his full footage.
Yet, deep inside the Imperial Palace—a place an ordinary person could never hope to set foot—a beautiful girl with cascading blonde hair and piercing golden eyes walked down the hall.
"Hehe."
The girl, Yerika Leonhart, stared at the bead in her hand, stifling a giggle that threatened to escape.
This bead contained the complete, unedited footage of Loki’s practical midterm exam.
Unless one was family, obtaining raw student footage was an impossibility, but nothing was truly impossible when backed by the absolute power of the throne.
I’m sure Mr. Clown did a great job, right?
After secretly asking the Emperor for Loki’s footage, Yerika dismissed her maids, ordering them to wait outside. She entered her room and sat on the edge of her bed, her heart fluttering.
Yerika had spoken with Loki on the phone until just before bed the previous night, and she had learned that he had received a zero on his written exam.
To think Mr. Clown was actually bad at studying.
Yerika giggled as she recalled that unexpected side of him.
She had been worried about his failing grade, so Loki had explained his plan to reassure her. Recalling the peculiar strategy he had described, a sudden wave of anxiety washed over her.
"What if Mr. Clown made a mistake?"
If Loki, who already had a zero on the written exam, also received a low score on the practical, there was a high possibility he would be expelled from the Academy.
"...Wait, does that mean Mr. Clown would become my guard knight immediately? Hmm..."
In the silence of her room, Yerika’s lips curled upward. Perhaps Loki being expelled wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
"He did promise to become my guard knight after graduation anyway. But three years is just so long."
With her heart split between wanting him to succeed and wanting him to fail so he’d be forced to her side, Yerika pulled something out of her Pocket Dimension necklace.
It was a doll that looked exactly like Loki.
Lucas had retrieved the doll Loki used during Professor Idra’s class and handed it over to Yerika. Since then, she had modified it with various magic tools and artifacts.
Now, the doll could never be cut by an ordinary blade, nor would it burn in fire or be ruined by water.
"Hmm. I’m still a little worried..."
Yerika muttered to herself, gently tapping the head of the Loki-lookalike doll.
For the record, the total cost of the artifacts and magic tools Yerika had lavished upon this functionless doll—which merely resembled Loki—could easily buy several mansions in the capital. The magic tools she used were typically reserved for priceless national treasures or ancient family heirlooms, making them astronomically expensive.
Yerika received a monthly Dignity Maintenance Allowance, and since she had little interest in jewelry or typical luxuries, her funds had been accumulating steadily until now.
Squeeze.
Yerika hugged the Loki doll tight and started the video.
The footage showed Loki’s every move during the practical exam, completely unedited.
"..................."
Even though Loki had finished much faster than the professors expected, the footage was still over three hours long. For those three hours, Yerika watched the entire video without moving an inch, clutching the doll tightly to her chest.
Tap, tap.
Yerika compared the doll Loki held during his "fake broadcast" with the one she was holding. Aside from the size, there wasn't much difference.
"I want that one too..."
Yerika’s small whisper echoed through the large, luxurious room. She began to seriously contemplate how she could get her hands on the other doll as well.
The video showed Loki lying comfortably in the monitoring room, giving "advice" to the struggling students...
"Mr. Clown is so kind, even worrying about the other students like that."
In the eyes of Yerika, who was already wearing thick rose-tinted glasses, his trolling was perceived as pure benevolence.
"Is it already this late...?"
After finishing the video, Yerika checked the time. It was an hour before her scheduled call with Loki.
Squeeze.
Giving the doll one last firm hug, Yerika tucked it back into her Pocket Dimension necklace. She hid it because she’d be embarrassed if he caught her with it during their call, yet she felt too anxious to leave it anywhere else.
Having stowed her treasure, Yerika called for the maids waiting outside.
"I’ll do the usual today."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Instantly surrounded by several maids, Yerika began to apply light makeup. It was so subtle that someone unfamiliar with cosmetics wouldn't even notice she had applied any.
"Princess, may I ask why you apply such light makeup every night?"
"Hmm... That’s a secret."
Yerika spoke while placing her index finger to her lips, mimicking a certain someone’s signature gesture.
The maids had no idea that Yerika spoke to Loki every night. Ever since the mission at Baron Ashro’s estate, Yerika had started video calling Loki, and she applied light makeup every single time. Yerika, who was already lovely enough without it, became even more enchanting once the finishing touches were applied.
I was really terrified last time.
Back when the mission at Baron Ashro’s estate was underway, neither Loki nor even Lucas would pick up her calls. Loki hadn't answered until dawn.
That day, Yerika had talked with Loki until very late. When she looked in the mirror after ending the call, she had been shocked to see dark circles under her eyes.
Of course, Loki would have thought she looked pretty regardless, but Yerika felt differently.
"Good work."
Once the makeup was done, she dismissed the maids. Beaming at the thought of talking to Loki, Yerika called him a little earlier than usual.
Ring...
Loki answered so quickly it was as if he had been waiting for the device to light up.
[You called earlier than usual today? This makes it hard for me to be the one calling first.]
At the sound of his playful voice, Yerika’s lips automatically curled into a smile. On the communication device, she saw the now-familiar mask.
Smiling brightly with the hope that one day she would see what lay behind that mask, Yerika replied.
[Hehe, I was faster again today.]
And so, Yerika spent another night talking to Loki until she drifted off to sleep.
* * *
After finishing a patrol with Johanna and the Disciplinary Committee, I was walking across the Academy campus toward the Special Class building.
The Disciplinary Committee activities were so entertaining that I was almost sad they were coming to an end. As I walked, thinking it was about time to start my own club, I spotted a familiar hair color.
Pink hair—a rarity both in reality and in this world. Even if I hadn't seen the hair, I would have known who it was by the spirits hovering around her.
"Miss Sepia! Good morning."
"Hey, Pushover."
Sepia turned around to look at me, having heard my voice. Come to think of it, Sepia was the only Special Class student I ever ran into on the way to school. Perhaps our commute times just happened to overlap.
"Is something the matter?"
"No, what do you mean? Nothing's wrong."
Unlike her usual self, her expression was dark. It seemed she was still bothered by her loss to Lucas. Just as I was wondering how to comfort her...
"Excuse me..."
Several students blocked our path. I didn't recognize any of them.
"About yesterday... when we protested your score? We're sorry. It was the exam, and I think I just got a bit too heated."
Starting with that one student, the others began to offer their apologies as well. Among them, some were likely sincere, while others were probably just swept up in the mood or apologizing because they didn't want to be on the bad side of the practical exam's top scorer.
As I was debating how to respond...
"You said all those things yesterday, and now you think a single apology fixes it? And can't you see we're on our way to class? Are your eyes just for show?"
""We're sorry!""
When Sepia spoke up with an irritated scowl, the students trembled and scrambled away. Watching them flee, Sepia let out a hollow, appalled laugh.
"Ha! After the way they complained about your score yesterday, where do those bastards get the nerve to even talk to you?"
"Well, who knows? Maybe they really did want to apologize."
"This is exactly why I call you a pushover!"
Sepia shouted at me, seemingly frustrated by my lack of spine, and began walking faster. It seemed Sepia mistakenly thought I wasn't getting angry because I was too "nice."
To be honest, I didn't care what they said. That was why I wasn't particularly angry. Even when they were apologizing, my only thought was how to send them away as quickly as possible.
However, since I did care about Sepia being upset...
"Miss Sepia, wait for me!"
I lengthened my stride to catch up with her.