Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Spirit (3)
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The air of the training grounds at dawn—if you don't breathe it in, it doesn't feel like the day has truly begun.
For Krena, who had lived the past three years at the academy following the same routine, the air before the sun had fully risen was familiar.
Running laps around the training grounds, the cautiously rising sunlight filtered in calmly, accompanied by the chirps of sparrows welcoming the light and the cries of grasshoppers from somewhere nearby.
It was still too early for morning proper, but Krena wasn't the only one standing in the training grounds.
"Why."
Krena wiped off her sweat once according to her set routine, then approached her.
The girl handed Krena a towel as if she'd been waiting.
"Why? It's the day we're supposed to go today."
"...Do we really have to go?"
"Yes, we really do."
A sigh escaped Krena's lips on its own.
She wanted to run away right then and there. If the girl in front of her weren't in the same club, she would have bolted.
"Bell, shopping is no fun."
"That's because you don't know any better."
"I went last time too..."
"This time will be different."
Bell said that while furrowing her brow.
Bell Cardia.
Daughter of the Cardia Margrave, famous as the lord of the northern Winter Castle.
Bell, who normally wouldn't have anything to do with a commoner like Krena, cut her off with a bright smile.
Krena inwardly sighed as she wondered how many times this made that Bell had dragged her shopping.
Ever since she'd first spoken to Krena after enrollment.
Something about how her clothes were too shabby for her looks.
Honestly, she couldn't even remember the details, but Krena had nodded along.
Only then did Bell smooth out the slight frown on her face.
Krena was in Class B, but Bell was in Class A.
So if she bolted the moment classes ended, she could probably survive the day unscathed.
However, Krena didn't do that.
No, more precisely, she couldn't.
"Krena~ You absolutely can't escape this time."
The moment classes ended and she tried to leave, Bell had been standing by the door.
With a spine-chilling smile.
"Let's go."
Krena furrowed her brow but nodded.
"By the way, I heard a new member joined our club?"
"Yeah."
"Who is it?"
"Deron Phillasia."
"Phillasia? You don't mean the Phillasia Ducal House?"
Bell made a fuss even though she knew there was only one Phillasia family in the empire.
Krena nodded as if it were routine.
"I heard he even caught a demon recently. With professor help, though."
"Yeah."
"Why would a promising talent like that join our club? Not many people even know it exists."
"He said he didn't want to join a club with regular classes."
"I see. Must've heard the rumors. Or maybe Duke Phillasia told him."
Muttering that, Bell opened the door to the clothing store.
It was a luxurious-looking place, well-known even in the imperial capital.
And the place where Krena would temporarily become a human mannequin.
"How about this one?"
"Too expensive."
"This?"
"...Do I have to try it on?"
Bell puffed out her cheeks, but Krena avoided her gaze.
For a commoner like her, the prices in this clothing store were outrageous.
One outfit cost dozens of silvers at the low end, up to 10 gold at the high end.
Some even soared to 40 or 50 gold.
Simple activewear for a few silvers was far more comfortable than those fancy garments.
Thinking that, Krena desperately dodged Bell's recommendations.
Ding-a-ling.
The door opened with the bell ringing. Someone seemed to be entering.
Krena naturally turned her gaze that way.
'...Junior?'
The promising talent they'd gossiped about before coming to the store—the scion of the Phillasia Ducal House.
Deron Phillasia was entering the clothing store.
A slender woman's hand was clasped in his.
"Wow, an elf?"
Bell glanced toward the entrance, drawn by the sight as well.
Deron's elf clearly caught the eye with her appearance.
As expected of a much-praised elf; she shone the moment she entered the store.
"That's Deron Phillasia, right?"
"Yeah."
"So he's a southern noble too? Bringing an elf slave even after enrolling at the academy."
Krena had no intention of correcting Bell's prejudice born from northern life, but she sensed it wasn't the case.
A skill honed from often reading people's minds through synchronization.
She naturally approached Deron.
"Senior?"
"Yeah."
"Were you here too, Senior?"
"Yeah, I got kidnapped."
"Pardon?"
She's a bit unusual.
That was the thought. Too nonchalant to call it a kidnapping.
"Why are you suddenly heading over there, Krena!"
Another female student popped out from behind her.
Someone who'd never appeared in the original story, but I remembered her.
"You're Senior Bell Cardia, right? Nice to meet you."
"Uh... And you're Deron Phillasia?"
"Please, just call me Deron."
I bowed lightly. Bell Cardia. I'd memorized the faces of all the notable noble children before coming to the academy.
'Eldest daughter of the margrave.'
The moment I saw her, I thought things were looking up.
Wouldn't it be easier for another woman to dress her up than a guy like me?
"I'm out."
"Want me to pick out some clothes?"
Krena shook her head, and Bell's eyes sparkled.
At least one fish on the hook... or something like that?
"Any budget limit?"
"None. Just bring her back looking sharp."
"Must be the heir to a ducal house. Generous! Okay!"
I had about 100 gold on hand.
Even if the clothes here were pricey, at most 30 gold...
"You'll regret it."
"Pardon?"
I startled and looked at Krena. She gazed up at me like someone pitiful.
She kept muttering that I'd regret it.
The eerie atmosphere gave me chills.
Nah, no way.
Krena had already taken Medea into the changing room.
From her expression, I had a feeling it wouldn't end moderately.
"Junior."
"Yes?"
I was checking the gold I had available when Krena spoke up.
"Why did you join our club?"
What did that mean?
"Other clubs require regular classes, right? This one doesn't seem to have that..."
"Is that really all?"
A cold gaze I'd never seen before poured from Krena's eyes.
Intensely wary of me.
"Yes, that's all."
I met her gaze fully and nodded.
Nothing to hide.
I had definitely joined 'Shelter for the Weary' thinking it guaranteed club time without the obligations of other clubs.
"Fine then."
The moment she heard my answer, she dropped her wary gaze.
She had grounds to suspect a bit, but she showed no hesitation.
As if she was certain of something.
"As the rumors say, you don't have to show up to our club."
"..."
"But on designated days, everyone must attend. Except for unavoidable circumstances."
"Designated days?"
"Yeah."
It wasn't in my plans, but it was doable.
I could claim academy-adjacent opportunities during non-attendance times.
The issue was how often those designated days were.
"Today the 12th?"
"Yes. June 12th."
Krena nodded and muttered.
"Then the designated day is soon."
"When exactly are these designated days?"
"We don't know either."
"Pardon?"
"They change every time."
Could you even call them designated days then?
As I made a puzzled face, she smirked and spoke.
"Our president is a bit unique."
"You mean His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince."
"Yeah. And inside the academy, call him president. Status doesn't matter here."
Krena added that the president had said so himself.
I furrowed my brow, wondering if she was serious.
The Crown Prince of all people said that?
The Iliad Academy accepted everyone regardless of status, but only to a certain extent.
You couldn't say the heir of a count's family was on the same level as a commoner's daughter.
The nobles would never accept it.
Yet the Crown Prince, with the noblest blood in the academy, said something like that.
That might cause a stir.
'I'll have to check out one of those designated days to know.'
"The president sure is... unique."
"Right?"
Just seeing the margrave's daughter and a commoner chatting freely suggested it was upheld to some degree.
Right then, Medea and Bell emerged with the clothes selected, so we cut the conversation.
"That comes to 68 gold."
At the clerk's calm voice, I felt like my head was splitting open.
Behind me, Bell sparkled with excitement as she handed the clothes to Medea.
She looked bewildered but meekly took the bag of clothes.
That bag alone was 4 gold.
About 4 million won in Korean currency.
My head spun.
I'd thought at most 30 gold—how did it hit 68?
'How expensive can clothes be...!'
The moment I turned to check Medea's new outfit, I had no choice but to acknowledge Bell's eye.
She wore something like an upgraded uniform, and I couldn't imagine anything more fitting.
"Yes, payment received."
In the end, all I could do was ignore Bell's smile desperately and pay for the clothes.
Krena's words about regret echoed in my head.
