Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: The Graduation Ceremony (2)
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The carriage entered the academy grounds and came to a stop near the grand hall.
The area around the hall was already bustling with countless carriages and people. The students were inside the hall, so most of these were parents.
Was it because of the dinner party at night? The parents were dressed quite splendidly.
"I'll be right back, so go ahead inside the hall and wait."
"Yes."
I got out of the carriage alone. Diana had said she had some business to attend to and headed off somewhere.
It seemed like it was to prepare for the Blaz clan raid I'd mentioned.
'I feel a bit guilty.'
I wondered if I'd unnecessarily worried my mother, who had come to celebrate her daughter's graduation.
Pushing aside the nagging feeling, I entered the grand hall.
The moment I stepped in, I spotted an assistant instructor with a weary face guiding the parents inside.
It was a face I remembered.
"Instructor Gelsia?"
"...Ah. Balkan?"
It was the academy assistant instructor I'd gone to the Labyrinth with during that academy commission last time.
Instructor Gelsia recognized me too.
We weren't close, but since we knew each other, we exchanged formal greetings.
"Fancy running into you here. No way you're a parent, right?"
Strictly speaking, I wasn't a parent, but explaining all that would just be a hassle for both of us, so I simply nodded.
"Yeah, something like that. Anyway... you okay?"
Instructor Gelsia's face didn't look fine even as a polite exaggeration.
Her dark circles were deeper than before, and she looked on the verge of collapse.
Moreover, her unfocused, trembling eyes were etched with intense anxiety.
"...A slave on the verge of liberation is always like this..."
"Ah, congratulations."
"Haha..."
It seemed Instructor Gelsia was finally free from Professor Mangkostil's clutches too. It was the dream of all the graduate students fulfilled.
However, Instructor Gelsia's expression as she nodded wasn't bright.
"Is something wrong?"
Animal instinct.
Feeling an odd chill, I pried a bit unnecessarily.
"...No, it's nothing. Personal matters."
She brushed it off, telling me not to pry. Family issues—what could I say?
But why?
A chill ran down my neck, and the uneasy feeling grew stronger.
"I saw on the guest log while coming in that they brought in fifteen oak barrels. Wine for the dinner party, right? Could you give me a hint about what kind?"
"......Pardon?"
"Ah! I used to work at a tavern, so I'm a bit interested in this stuff."
Total bullshit. Honestly, I knew jack about wine tastes.
But Instructor Gelsia stiffened at the keyword "oak barrels," then relaxed with a look of relief at my mention of personal interest.
"...Andoa Clu Blue Roitche Gold. It has a unique green apple aroma that's exquisite."
"Is that so? The dinner party's already got me excited."
"...Haha. Yes... Parents' seats are on the second floor."
Instructor Gelsia practically shooed me toward the second floor.
Looking back, a line had even formed for entry.
"If there's anything bothering you, feel free to tell me anytime. As an explorer, I can take on combat requests too."
"...If something like that comes up, I'll contact you."
A polite refusal in roundabout words. I had no choice but to head up to the second floor.
Sitting in an appropriate seat, I sank into thought.
"Tch. Suspicious."
"What is?"
I answered without flinching at the voice from right behind me.
"That instructor. She had this oddly guarded vibe."
"......"
Ellie fell silent at my words.
"...Uncle. Why don't you get startled when I talk to you from behind all of a sudden?"
Ellie puffed out her cheeks and plopped down in the seat next to me.
It was Diana's spot.
"The surroundings are a bit noisy, so I was on alert."
"Hmph..."
Not my usual haunt, so unlike in the Labyrinth, I had my senses heightened and was constantly vigilant.
That let me quickly detect nearby unfamiliar or familiar presences.
Ellie had been stealthily following me ever since I climbed the second-floor stairs.
"Tch. I was trying to scare you."
"Work on hiding your presence better next time."
"Ugh..."
Ellie, in her school uniform, sighed and propped her elbow on her knee, resting her chin on her hand.
She gazed down at the students seated on the first floor and spoke.
"She's the top graduate."
"Impressive."
"Right? Even I think it's pretty amazing. She even got recommended for the royal court mage position."
"Speaking of, how'd that go?"
Ellie had gone to the royal palace inner quarters a few days ago to decide her future path.
Become a royal court mage and build a successful career?
Or try something else to broaden her horizons?
"...Still thinking about it. I don't know what I really want to do."
Ellie sighed deeply, chin still in hand.
Her life's direction would change based on her choice. Ellie had a lot on her mind.
Time to show some adult understanding.
I patted Ellie's back reassuringly with my thick hand.
"Ellie's smart, so she'll do great no matter what path she picks. If I have to give advice, do what you want. Whatever you choose, I'll support you from behind."
Ellie needed to regain her confidence quickly and hone her skills for progress on that portal research I'd asked her about.
The mysterious portal phenomenon unique to the Labyrinth might be tied to its secrets.
And I believed that Ellie, the acknowledged genius mage, would one day uncover them.
"......"
Ellie held her breath briefly at my words, her face flushing as she stared at me intently, chin still propped.
"Uncle."
"Yeah."
Her red hair, red eyes, twitching elf ears caught my eye one by one, and then her red lips parted cautiously.
"...You do this sweet with your foster mom too?"
Not the reaction I'd expected.
I thought the praise would switch her to positive mode, and she'd yell something like, "Hehe! Of course! I'm a genius after all!" like usual.
"...? Yeah. Diana's my benefactor."
"...Benefactor..."
Ellie murmured for a moment, then stared at me fixedly.
"Uncle. I have something to—"
Beeeep!
A sharp noise rang out, like setting up a mic before a broadcast.
–The dean's speech will begin shortly. Graduates and parents, please take your seats.
It really was a broadcast. The bustling students and parents began finding their places.
"...Gotta go!"
Ellie jumped up from her seat.
"Weren't you about to say something?"
"...Hmph. I'll tell you later. I'm the top graduate today, so I'll be giving a speech—watch me closely."
Ellie grinned brightly and waved wildly at me.
"Your daughter's so lively. I wish mine was like that."
"...Is that really your daughter? The way she looks at her dad is... kinda weird?"
"Father-daughter incest baby-making sex..."
"Such vulgarity...! Don't demean pure family love like that. Isn't it heartwarming to see a father and daughter getting along?"
"No, she calls you 'uncle' to begin with. Are you really family?"
That drew even more attention from those around us.
I was already getting stares for the helmet-and-suit combo, but now it was excessive.
I gave a wry smile, waved back at Ellie, and turned my gaze back to the first floor.
"Oh dear... Ahem... Our Royal Academy..."
The hunched old lady with a cane, the dean of the Royal Academy, had begun her speech.
It was as boring as I'd imagined.
Just as the dean's speech was wrapping up, Diana returned.
"Phew. Made it just in time...!"
"You're back? Saved a seat for you."
"Ah, thank you, Balkan."
Diana placed her handbag on her lap and sat demurely.
"...? It's... warm..."
"Ellie came by. Everything go okay?"
"Yes. I told them to prepare for any contingencies, and they said they'd increase security. Professor Mangkostil stepped in personally. Adding five more assistant-level mages makes me feel a bit better."
The person she'd met was Professor Mangkostil?
'Come to think of it, she has explorer experience too.'
Probably a connection from back then.
Anyway, thanks to Diana's efforts, security was bolstered.
I felt more at ease, but didn't fully relax.
–Next, the representative speech from the top graduate, Ellie Ordia.
Turning at the announcement, I saw Ellie ascending the podium.
"Top graduate... Wait, Ordia? I've heard that somewhere before."
"No way, that...?"
"That's right! Ellie Ordia! Diana Ordia's daughter! I heard about her from my son!"
"She has a daughter...? And she's here? Diana Ordia?"
"I only know the name, not what she looks like."
"Saw her at the retirement ceremony—sharp eyes like she's seen the world, sleek elven figure..."
The surroundings grew noisy in an instant.
They glossed over "Ellie" but latched onto the surname "Ordia."
'This is bad.'
Coincidentally, it was the situation Ellie hated most.
Her inferiority complex and sense of defeat toward Diana's lofty reputation was the biggest cause eating away at her.
Sure enough, Ellie's face stiffened rigidly as she stood before the podium.
'I thought it had gotten a bit better...'
I'd thought I'd made some progress by bridging the gap between Diana and Ellie to make them a loving mother-daughter pair.
But it still wasn't quite enough.
They'd started resolving emotional rifts through talks, but erasing the root cause—Ellie's inferiority complex—needed more time.
She unfolded the crumpled speech paper clutched in her fist.
Ellie stared at the paper with a frozen expression for a long while.
"......"
Silence blanketed the vast hall.
"What? Why's she just standing there?"
"Pfft. Forgot her lines? Always acting so aloof—serves her right."
"Heh. She's gonna embarrass herself."
"Gives us dinner party gossip now."
Focusing my hearing, I caught some sleazy-looking graduates whispering and snickering at Ellie frozen on stage.
Ellie's elf ears twitched incessantly.
Her hand gripping the paper trembled.
Ellie's hearing was extremely sensitive.
Every whisper in this grand hall was probably swirling in her ears.
Hearing jeers full of inferiority and jealousy directed at her in a place like this... Of course she'd freeze.
'...Those bitches...'
I was pissed just hearing from afar—how must Ellie feel as the target?
I couldn't let her life's final graduation ceremony be ruined like this.
"You can do it."
Ellie's ears perked at my quiet mutter.
Focus returned to her wandering red eyes.
Ellie, who had been standing dazed on the podium, slowly lifted her head and looked toward the second floor.
Through my helmet, ruby-red eyes met mine.
I shouted loudly at Ellie, who stared blankly at me.
"Have courage!!! Ellie!!!"
A thick, resounding voice echoed through the silent grand hall.
"You can do it!!! Hang in there!!"
The booming voice I pulled from my core—the one I used to taunt giant beasts—rang out, drawing all eyes.
"Fighting~ Ellie~"
Diana called out with a pleased smile, and the positive vibe began spreading through the hall.
"Hang in there, Ellie!"
"Give us a cool speech! When else do you get this experience!"
"If you're born a woman, you gotta try this too! Others wish they could! Ellie! Ellie!"
It might be flattery toward Ellie as Ordia's daughter.
But separately, no adult hurled malicious words at students about to end their studies and face a new world.
The atmosphere spreading from the second floor soon engulfed the first floor... and reached Ellie.
"Uh, uh...!"
Ellie, face beet red and elf ears twitching wildly, finally regained her composure.
She took a deep breath, stepped back from the mic briefly, and looked at me on the second floor, mouthing silently.
– Thanks. Un...
Her lips, about to say "uncle," clamped shut.
– ......Oppa.
A new term slipped from her lips.
Confidence returned to Ellie's face as she opened her mouth.
The representative graduate speech was quite a success.