Chapter 92: Sepia Rivayden 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 92: Sepia Rivayden 2
"Clara, long time no see."
After entering the Special Class and exchanging brief greetings with the other students, I approached Clara. As usual, she was tucked away in a corner, buried in a book.
"What do you mean, 'long time'? We saw each other yesterday."
Clara didn't even look up from her pages as she spoke. The book she was reading was the old, tattered volume I had subtly 'lost' in the library the other day.
"By the way, that’s a peculiar-looking book."
"This is the one you—"
"I had no idea you were into antiquarian books, Clara. How sophisticated," I interrupted, feigning total ignorance.
"Sigh... Fine. Why are you talking to me?"
When I continued to play dumb, Clara let out a heavy, weary sigh.
"Well, you see... I just wanted to say congratulations on taking first place in the midterms!" I chirped, clapping my hands loudly.
At the sudden ruckus, the other students in the Special Class began to turn their heads toward us.
"And here! A gift from me."
I channeled my illusion magic to manifest a shimmering banner above her head.
[Heartfelt congratulations to Clara on her 1st place finish! ദ്ദി ˃ ᴗ ˂ )]
"Tsk."
Pop.
With a flick of her finger, Clara’s magic dispelled my hard work into nothingness.
"Sob! I worked so hard on that! You’re so heartless!"
I had taken first place in the practical exam, but Clara had secured the overall top spot for the midterms. No matter how much I dominated the physical portion, I had scored a flat zero on the written exam. Clara, on the other hand, had pulled a perfect 100 on the written and took second in the practical.
"Do you... have any intention of actually studying?" Clara asked as I turned to head back to my seat.
After the exams ended yesterday, I had told the Special Class that I didn't get a zero because I forgot to write my name, but because every single answer I guessed was wrong. Thinking back to their stunned expressions still made me chuckle.
Professor Elicia had mentioned that if I had scored even a 50 on the written portion, I would have been the overall ranker.
"Huh? Studying is a bit... much. I was planning on guessing during the finals, too," I said, waving my hand dismissively.
It wasn't that I had intended to fail from the start. But honestly, how was I supposed to memorize the entire history of this continent? Besides, spending a single second running was more valuable to me than staring at a dusty page.
Seeing my utter distaste for the word 'study,' Clara didn't push the subject.
"Aren't you happy you got first place, Clara?"
"Actually, I'm just glad I don't have to hear people obsessing over who's first and who's second anymore."
Clara spoke sarcastically, clearly annoyed by the drama I’d stirred up yesterday. I gasped and covered my mouth with both hands, acting scandalized.
"Heavens! Clara, are you really the kind of person who childishly judges people by their rank? I'm a little disappointed..."
Whoosh.
Without a word, Clara conjured a ball of fire that danced menacingly in her palm.
"Eek! I feel like you've been getting angry way too easily lately, Clara!"
"You're as energetic as ever today, I see."
Fortunately, Clara’s magic vanished as Professor Elicia entered the room.
"Loki."
"Yes!" I answered loudly, grateful for the professor’s timely intervention.
"If you guess on the next one too, you'd better be prepared for the consequences."
It seemed she had overheard my conversation.
Professor, if you're going to smile, please let your eyes join in. It’s much scarier when only your mouth is grinning.
* * *
Later, while I was lounging in the Special Class after lunch.
"Pushover."
I heard a voice from behind me. I didn't even need to look; there was only one person who called me by that nickname.
"Sepia."
"What are you doing?"
I was currently sprawled out on a makeshift bed I’d constructed by shoving several desks together.
"I'm photosynthesizing. I'm exhausted from my mental battle with Professor Elicia earlier."
"We're underground, though?"
"Isn't it a bit prejudiced to think you can't photosynthesize just because we're underground, Sepia?"
"Stop the bullshit."
Her rough way of speaking never felt like it belonged to the daughter of a Marquis. Sepia walked toward me, her pink hair fluttering.
"We have the same next class."
"Is that so? Then we can head there together in a bit."
Thud.
Sepia sat on the edge of my desk-bed.
[Kyu-kyu!]
The spirits that had been perched on Sepia’s shoulder hopped over onto my head. By now, both Sepia and I were used to the spirits flocking to me.
"Do you want to photosynthesize with me, Sepia?"
Sepia began poking my side rhythmically as she spoke.
"I." Poke. "Told." Poke. "You." Poke. "To stop." Poke. "The bullshit." Poke.
"Hahaha! That tickles, Sepia!"
"That’s the point."
And so, I drifted off for a bit while chatting with her.
* * *
"Ugh... ow, ow, ow."
I was currently walking down the hall, rubbing my lower back and neck.
"Tsk, tsk. Of course your back hurts after sleeping on desks. Are you an idiot, Pushover?" Sepia nagged beside me.
During the last practical exam, I had confirmed that I no longer had nightmares even without Yerika nearby. Perhaps because it had been a while since I’d taken a nap, I had slept quite soundly. If only the 'mattress' hadn't been a pile of hard wood.
"Ugh... my neck..."
"Sigh... Pushover, take off your shirt."
Startled, I wrapped my arms around my chest and recoiled.
"Are you... taking advantage of the fact that no one is around to jump me? Eek! No! I'm not that kind of guy! Stop!"
"I—I told you to stop the bullshit! I'm trying to apply some muscle rub, so just take it off already!"
Hearing her explanation, I sheepishly pulled off my top. Man, she really should lead with the 'medicine' part before telling a guy to strip.
"You should have just said so from the start."
Slap!
Sepia smacked my back hard with her palm.
"Aaaagh!"
"Be quiet! You're the weirdo for interpreting it that way in the first place!"
Sepia began applying the medicine to my neck and lower back. The cooling sensation definitely helped.
"Next time I fall asleep on the desks, I'll have to ask you for a rubdown again, Sepia."
"Wouldn't the normal thought be to not sleep on the desks next time?"
This class was being held outdoors. When we arrived at the training ground, I saw Professor Gedra and the rest of the students waiting.
"This class will involve pairing up for simple weapon sparring. Even mages and spiritists will find it helpful to learn the basics of close combat, so pay attention."
It seemed to be the same curriculum Johanna was taking when I observed her before.
"Now, form your own pairs. It doesn't matter who you pick, but it is recommended for a close-combat specialist to pair with a mage."
Most students quickly formed pairs with their friends. A crowd immediately gathered around Sepia. Her background as a Marquis's daughter, her genius talent for spirits, and her striking appearance made her a natural magnet.
"Lady Rivayden, if you don't have a partner yet, would you like to—"
"Would you care to join me? I am from the family of Count Cramo..."
"I ranked 27th in the midterms, perhaps we could..."
Watching the students try to woo Sepia, I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh. There was a guy bragging about being from a Count’s family to a Marquis’s daughter, and another guy bragging about being 27th to the girl who ranked 4th.
Step, step.
Sepia ignored the swarm and walked straight toward me. As she approached, the other students turned their envious glares in my direction.
"Pushover, you don't have anyone to pair with, right? I'll do it with you," Sepia said, extending her hand as if she were doing me a massive favor.
"It’s an honor, but... the stares are quite intense. I feel like I'm sweating already, and the sparring hasn't even started."
These were likely students who had been waiting for any chance to build a connection with her. Since the Special Class was isolated underground, these afternoon sessions were the only opportunity for regular students to interact with us.
"So, are you doing it or not?"
"Of course I am. I look forward to working with you," I said, taking Sepia’s hand.
"You don't have to spar today. Introduce yourselves to your partners and talk. Discuss the weapons you use, your styles, or anything else."
Hearing Professor Gedra’s instructions, I bowed politely to Sepia.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Loki. Might I ask what your name is, fair lady?"
"..........."
Thwack.
"Don't play around."
Professor Gedra gave me a light flick on the forehead as he walked past. He really was as stiff and old-fashioned as he looked, though he was a good professor nonetheless.
Among the paired students, some were exchanging awkward greetings as if meeting for the first time. But Sepia and I just spent the time chatting about mundane things.
"From the next class onward, partners will spar with wooden swords. Today, I will teach you the stances and basic characteristics of various weapons."
As Professor Gedra’s lecture continued, I turned to look at Sepia. Unaware of my gaze, she was focused intently on the professor’s words. It seemed that losing to Lucas yesterday was still weighing heavily on her mind.
"Basically, when facing a spear..."
As a spiritist, she seemed to be trying to compensate for her weak close-combat skills with a weapon. While that might work for an ordinary mage, it didn't really suit Sepia’s innate style. The reason she was working so hard, however, was clear: she wanted to kill the person who murdered her parents.
Letting the professor’s words go in one ear and out the other, I fell into deep thought.
* * *
After Gedra’s class ended, Loki spoke to Sepia as she was heading back to the Special Class.
"Sepia, a gentleman asked me to deliver this to you."
Loki handed her a luxuriously wrapped envelope. Her face contorted in annoyance, and she tore it open on the spot.
[...I will be waiting at the after-school training ground.]
The letter contained lines so cheesy they could have been ripped from a third-rate romance novel, ending with a request to meet at the training ground.
"Tsk."
Sepia crumpled the letter in her hand. It wasn't that she had never received such letters before; normally, she would have just ignored it. But the fact that it had been delivered through Loki—and that he had actually done it—annoyed her to no end.
And this Pushover actually delivered it just because he was told to. Unbelievable.
"What does it say?"
"I don't know!"
After snapping at the clueless Loki, Sepia marched toward the training ground, intending to unleash a barrage of curses on whoever was wasting her time.
"Sigh..."
Arriving at the training ground, Sepia let out a deep sigh when she saw the figure standing alone inside.
An academy uniform. A red cloak that both suited and didn't suit the attire. And a mask that was identical to the usual one, except for the color.
"Sigh... Pushover, was it you who called me?"
"Pardon? I am not that handsome fellow named Loki."
He could have at least tried to disguise his voice. Aside from the mask being black, he looked exactly like the usual Loki.
"So, Pushover, why did you call me here after school?"
"I told you, I'm not Loki," he insisted.
Sepia was about to snap at him again, but her eyes widened at the words that came out of his mouth next.
"..........."
With trembling eyes, Sepia lunged forward, grabbing Loki by the collar.
"What did you just say?!" she screamed.
Loki looked at the murderous Sepia and calmly repeated the words he had just spoken.
"The person who killed your parents... I know who it is."