Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Festival Date (1)
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As summer drew to a close.
A cool breeze blew in as if rewarding the students who had endured lectures under the scorching sun, and the students moved about busily amid it.
Today was the once-a-year Summer Festival. Students set down their pens, professors set down their teaching duties, and for this one day, everyone took a breather to enjoy themselves leisurely.
‘If it were the original timeline, I would have taken Aria around to various places.’
Of course, in the game, events like this didn’t just pass by—they showered players with bonus stats, skills, or items.
It was a kind of festival for the users too.
‘But there’s no need for that now.’
Aria was no longer the hero.
There was no need to mechanically drag her around to all the spots like in some scripted walkthrough.
That girl could just enjoy whatever she wanted to her heart’s content.
And there was nothing for me to collect in her place either. Most of those rewards were things a professor like me couldn’t even obtain, and even if I could, they wouldn’t be useful anyway.
In the end, this festival would just flow by uneventfully. It was simply a time for a bit of rest.
Perhaps because of that.
I had momentarily escaped the clamor outside and was sitting alone in the research room’s cool air, eyes closed.
Around me, there were none of the usual—no chattering Pindenai, no Black Necromancer who strangely shrank only in front of me, no Owen, no Iluania.
Everyone had gone out to enjoy the festival, so I was taking a brief rest by myself.
It wasn’t completely quiet.
The voices drifting in from beyond the window were quite lively. But time like this, where I could be utterly alone, was quite precious.
In my previous life, I couldn’t exorcise ghosts, so I was constantly tormented by their visits.
In this life, I had lived far busier than before.
Yes, just a short break.
That was enough.
Creak.
But then the research room door opened with a light creak, and light footsteps cautiously entered.
Slowly opening my eyes, I saw Elenoa Luden Griffin blinking her large eyes at me.
I had known it was Elenoa. The footsteps were light and formal, and she was the only one bold enough to enter my research room without knocking.
“Deus.”
“I’ve clearly told you to call me Professor.”
She usually called me properly but would slip up like this once in a while, so I deducted points each time.
She’d always make a tearful face and apologize. How could someone so clever fail to learn?
But today was different.
Elenoa giggled and whispered.
“I’m not a student right now. I’m a princess.”
“…….”
I wondered what she meant, but the answer soon entered the research room. Her face was hidden by a bizarre festival mask, but the faint aura emanating from her body already revealed her identity.
The formal yet confident footsteps and innate dignity were beyond what an ordinary noble could possess.
With a flick, she removed the mask, and golden blonde hair cascaded down. It was King Orpheus who appeared.
“Haha! Long time no see, Deus!”
He stretched out his arms exaggeratedly, making a fuss as if he meant to surprise me.
But upon seeing His Majesty the King, I slowly stood and bowed my head. I kept it to the bare minimum since I didn’t like excessive courtesy.
“I greet Your Majesty.”
“……You’re no fun at all.”
Orpheus looked disappointed. I showed no particular reaction, and the grand mage Rockpellican, who followed behind, also entered and exchanged greetings.
“All the urgent matters regarding the Meias Tribe have been sorted out. And with my little sister’s academy having a festival at just the right time, I sneaked over.”
“I’ll summon the Dean.”
Shouldn’t we properly host him with utmost care? But Orpheus shook his head.
“No, that won’t be necessary. I don’t want to ruin the festival atmosphere just because of me. It’s a stage for the students, after all.”
“My thanks for your consideration.”
As expected of Orpheus.
He knew that if word got out of the king’s surprise visit, the one-day festival meant for the students would shift its focus entirely to him. It was a small act of consideration.
“Well, Rockpellican and I will enjoy ourselves on our own. More importantly…….”
He cleared his throat and glanced at Elenoa.
“At festivals like this, don’t men with interest in women tend to approach them?”
“That does tend to happen.”
The festival heat could indeed embolden someone to boldly approach a student they’d been eyeing.
“Ahem, and there might be those with impure intentions toward our Elenoa, right? She’s exceptionally beautiful and a royal besides.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Elenoa shot him a look of exasperation and pressed. Orpheus cleared his throat again and pretended not to hear as he continued.
“So, won’t you protect our Elenoa a bit? You don’t need to stick with her all day—just the morning should suffice.”
Now understanding her brother’s intent, Elenoa let out a soft exclamation but held her tongue.
Her quick mind had already judged that silence was to her advantage.
Caught in the siblings’ sly scheme, I replied calmly.
“Does Princess Elenoa intend to enjoy the festival in her capacity as a princess?”
“……Ah, uh.”
“If so, I will accompany you. But that will come with many restrictions.”
If she was acting as Princess Elenoa rather than student Elenoa, my demeanor toward her would naturally have to change.
Seemingly not wanting that either, Elenoa hesitated.
“Hey now, can’t you just treat her as a student while you’re with her?”
“That’s impossible. Even my mere presence as her professor could lead to unfavorable rumors about Princess Elenoa.”
If she was acting as a princess, I could naturally serve as her guard.
But if she was acting as a student, there was no need for me to stick by her. It would only breed strange rumors.
This was my minimal resistance.
“Just do it.”
“…….”
“That’s a royal command.”
With nothing left to say, the king pulled out the royal family’s ultimate weapon. I gazed at Orpheus for a moment before bowing my head.
“I shall obey.”
* * *
“S-Sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter. And please speak comfortably. Right now, I’m escorting you as the princess.”
In the end, things went as King Orpheus wished. I wasn’t fool enough not to guess the intent behind pairing me with Elenoa.
Even so, I couldn’t act according to that intent. I already had a fiancée, after all.
I responded while keeping personal feelings at bay as much as possible, but Elenoa smiled instead.
“R-Really? Deus!”
“Yes, Princess.”
“Hehe! I like calling you by name like before. Calling you Professor feels like it overlaps with Aria and creates some wall.”
I wasn’t sure about that, but if Princess Elenoa liked it, then fine.
“So, is there anywhere you’d like to go?”
“Hmm, ideally somewhere that won’t draw other people’s eyes?”
After pondering briefly, Elenoa seemed to recall a good spot and suddenly grabbed my hand.
It was so abrupt that I was a bit startled, but she took off running as if it were urgent.
At first, it felt like I was being dragged around by a tomboyish princess. But seeing her ears flushed red from behind, I realized she had mustered quite some courage.
So I pretended not to notice.
The place Elenoa brought me to was the academy rooftop. It was empty, peaceful, with a cool breeze blowing.
“Wait just a moment.”
Her face flushed bright red, Elenoa turned and left the rooftop, soon returning with a canvas and paints.
“…….”
Having prior experience, I immediately frowned, but Elenoa hurriedly shouted.
“N-No! I’m not drawing anything weird! I just wanted to paint you with you right in front of me! It seemed like a perfect chance…….”
Her voice grew smaller as she spoke, losing confidence.
“Is that no good?”
Looking up at me slyly, I let out a soft sigh and replied.
“Should I strike a pose?”
“No! No need! Just stay comfortable!”
She brightened instantly, pulling out her brush and slipping on a white beret she’d brought.
Since no pose was needed, I simply sat on the rooftop bench and quietly watched her.
‘Her form is coming out quite well.’
Elenoa’s eyes, peeking at me as she painted, were utterly serious.
I’d worried she might draw something bizarre again and ruin it, but her focused expression put my mind at ease.
It didn’t take long either.
After about thirty minutes of diligent work, Elenoa beamed and held out the painting.
She had drawn it remarkably well.
I recalled she was already quite skilled with portraits before, but now it was truly professional level—good enough not to be outdone even in Claren, the city of artists.
A girl talented in many fields; once she immersed herself in painting, she grew at an astonishing pace.
“Excellent.”
“Hehe, right?”
Pleased, Elenoa plopped down beside me. Then she suddenly whipped her head around and looked at me.
“Deus, is this place real?”
Her eyes brimmed with anticipation.
Normally, I would have ignored it.
But today, of all days.
“You know that magical girl I mentioned last time?”
“Oh! Oh! Yes! Yes!”
Thrilled that I was responding and talking about the magical girl, Elenoa’s eyes sparkled as she replied.
The sight was so innocent that I nearly smiled without thinking, but I steadied my lips and continued.
“She comes from something called an animation. It’s a format where you draw many pictures and make them move.”
“Ah! Like kids doodling on book edges?”
She got it right away. I nodded and confirmed.
“There’s even a profession called voice acting, where they add voices to it.”
“Voice acting?”
“They speak and act as if they’ve become the magical girl.”
“Ooh! Voice acting! Voice actor! I want to try something like that too!”
She seemed too embarrassed for magical girl cosplay, so I thought she might like this instead—and sure enough, Elenoa stomped her feet excitedly.
Good call sharing that. But suddenly, I noticed Elenoa looking at me.
“Oh, that’s not it.”
Covering her mouth, she grinned mischievously.
“What are you saying? Of course it’s real!”
“……Is that what you wanted to hear?”
The line from before, when she realized her dream wasn’t real.
I wondered why she wanted to hear it again, but Elenoa answered a bit shyly.
“It’s the one time in my life I felt fate. I wanted to experience it over and over.”
Then, cautiously, she placed her hand over mine.
“Princess…….”
I could excuse the earlier hand-holding as for moving around, but not now.
As I called to her to draw the line, Elenoa cut me off firmly.
“That’s an order from me, a royal, Deus.”
Her voice carried real weight. It was serious and imperious, yet so pure it seemed it could break easily.
“Just stay like this a little while.”
“……As you wish.”
The hand with which Elenoa gently grasped mine trembled slightly. She no longer looked like the giggling girl from moments ago.
“Hey, Deus. Ever since that day, I’ve come to love dreaming so much.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
It was a somewhat abrupt confession, but not a bad one.
For the girl who once feared sleep to now love it was naturally good news.
“Sometimes I still have nightmares, creepy ones, or scary situations in my dreams.”
“…….”
“To be more honest, that happens more often. I guess I haven’t fully escaped my traumas yet.”
The emotion conveyed through her lightly trembling hand was unmistakably fear.
I recalled entering her dream on behalf of the royal family, where her mother, Hiran Luden Griffin, appeared as a grotesque figure.
Of course, that was because Griffin’s evil ghost had possessed her body.
But to Elenoa, for whatever reason, her mother remained a terrifying presence inside her.
“And yet you like dreaming.”
When I asked carefully, Elenoa’s head gently rested on my shoulder.
“Yeah, I still like it.”
Closing her eyes tightly, as if dreaming herself, she poured out her hazy emotions.
“Because I can see you.”
“…….”
“No matter what nightmare I have, no matter what monster chases me. You always come find me and save me. Deus…… no, Kim Shin-woo.”
Like a spoiled child, she rubbed her face lightly against my shoulder. Still with eyes closed, she smiled faintly and lowered her head.
“I want to see you again. Not as Deus, but as Kim Shin-woo.”
“…….”
“That’s why I love dreaming. Because I can see you. Because I can meet you again.”
She continued, adding.
“So that’s why I drew you like that, I guess. Waking up means parting in the end. It’s too regrettable.”
Elenoa clung to me like she was pleading.
I knew well what feelings she harbored for me. But could I accept them? No.
“I cannot accept your feelings.”
A firm rejection.
I thought I had to cut them off clearly, even if it hurt her.
“Hehe.”
But Elenoa bumped her forehead lightly against my shoulder and laughed.
Her relaxed reaction, which I hadn’t anticipated at all, momentarily froze me.
Slowly opening her eyes, Elenoa looked up at me with those clear golden irises.
“I told you, right? I meet you in dreams every time, and lose you every time I wake.”
“…….”
“I meet you every day, and lose you every day.”
Elenoa Luden Griffin.
In the game, the fallen princess who executed her brother, the current king Orpheus, and dreamed of rebellion to claim the throne herself.
Today too, I had lost you.
Habituated to her changed, innocent demeanor, I had forgotten.
“I’ll try harder tomorrow.”
How strong a girl she was.