Chapter 59: Don't Try to Understand (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 59: Don't Try to Understand (4)
The Rias Territory.
It was the most rugged region among the Empire’s borders, and the House of Rias, which governed it, had protected the area for generations with their formidable military might.
That was the extent of the information I had.
There was no need for me to know anything more than that.
While it was supposedly a major stage for the plot after the Academy arc…
That was a problem for the RoFan protagonist group.
My plan was to drag my damn prince back to our kingdom and stay holed up there no matter what.
I truly believed that place had absolutely nothing to do with me.
That was why.
“People actually live there?”
After hearing the special lecture on the Rias Territory, I couldn't help but wonder why anyone would inhabit such a place.
“Hey. It’s my home territory, you know. Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
“But seriously, how do you even survive?”
“Marie, even you…?”
Even the Fire Spammer raised her hand to ask a question filled with pure bewilderment. Taylor’s explanation of the Rias Territory contained many things that defied common sense.
“The natural wildlife is full of predators, and it’s crawling with monsters.”
“There are dungeons everywhere, and unidentified dungeons pop up periodically?”
“Even monster waves break out on a regular basis.”
“Wait, aren't you a citizen of the Empire?!”
Even Uncle Aeryun had to chime in. The Rias Territory was truly an inhospitable place for human life.
“That’s why the people from Rias are so strong.”
“Because all the weak ones are dead?”
“Is that how it works?”
Naturally, it wasn't as if Leon or Dale didn't have regions similar to the Rias Territory. Any nation considered a continental power tended to have areas like that on their borders.
However, those places were usually designated as forbidden zones, and troops were dispatched periodically to manage them.
No other country would settle down and rule such a place as a formal territory like Rias did.
“Indeed. It’s only possible because it’s the Empire.”
Seeing Uncle Aeryun’s face full of pride, the Fire Spammer and I whispered quietly to each other.
“If he’s so proud of it, why did they make such a fuss about trying to beat Leon or Dale and end up bringing us here?”
“And they’re constantly being breached by dark mages anyway.”
“No, more importantly, the Rias family is the one doing all the hard work to hold the line. Why is this guy, who has nothing to do with it, acting so smug?”
“Taylor, you jerk! You’re supposed to be on my side!”
Leaving behind Uncle Aeryun and Taylor, who were trading verbal barbs, I asked Taylor a question I was genuinely curious about.
“Is it really okay to take students to a place like that?”
No matter how well the House of Rias managed the territory, it was a place full of variables.
Most of the students weren't just nobles; this year’s freshman class included quite a few nobles from other countries.
If something went wrong and Prince Ellen or the Magic Spammer’s prince got hurt, it could turn into an international incident.
“By the standards of ordinary students, it is a bit dangerous. But as I said before, the Academy currently has full faith in the talent of the first-year class.”
The Academy’s judgment could be considered reasonable if viewed objectively.
That is, if this world wasn't a RoFan novel.
“Daisy is going too. Won't that be dangerous?”
“The Saintess? True, there are rumors of groups targeting her. But rest easy. We are Rias!”
Taylor’s words were full of pride, but unfortunately, they didn't inspire much confidence.
Because…
“That’s exactly what Uncle Aeryun used to say.”
“Urgh!”
Uncle Aeryun used to talk like that before the Academy was breached. Even after it happened once, his reaction remained pretty much the same.
“He’s right, Taylor. You have to be careful of the Saintess… of Daisy.”
Uncle Aeryun seemed to have gained a decent understanding of RoFan tropes, but unfortunately, his audience was Taylor, who had zero understanding of such things.
“No, what are you talking about? Why would we need to be careful of the Saintess?”
“That’s…”
Uncle Aeryun tried to explain, but…
“Aaaargh!”
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't find a way to explain the phenomena he had witnessed.
He could only clutch his head and let out a scream.
“Anyway, what are you going to do?”
“W-What about what?”
Leaving the bickering Imperial duo aside, I asked the Fire Spammer about her afternoon plans.
And for good reason.
“Today is the closing ceremony. It’s your last chance for a date, isn't it?”
“Guh…”
At that fact, tears began to well up in his eyes again.
Good grief, this Fire Spammer girl.
“W-Why are you looking at me like that?! You’re in the same boat!”
“No, I’m not.”
“W-What? You’re not?”
Why does he look so shocked?
“Of course not. I have a date.”
It was damn frustrating—someone wanted one but couldn't get it.
“Two of them, actually.”
“……”
And I really didn't want to do it, but I had to.
—We will now begin the closing ceremony of the Founding Festival…
Along with the announcement echoing from afar, a massive pile of logs was set ablaze.
The so-called campfire.
It was something I’d seen more in manga than in novels, and more in school life stories than in RoFan.
…I still didn't quite understand why they were having a campfire in a medieval RoFan setting, especially at an Academy full of nobles.
But that wasn't what mattered right now.
“You really don't care, do you?”
As I muttered quietly, Senior Loreliya tapped her chest with a confident expression.
“Didn't I tell you to trust me?”
Just as she said, even in a space crowded with students, there were surprisingly few eyes on us.
At most, there were a few lingering gazes from the Flower Arrangement Club members.
Of course, two of those gazes were quite intense.
But even those vanished shortly after, accompanied by the fireworks signaling the end of the festival.
“Since I got the final day, I feel like I’ve won.”
“What’s there to win between fakes?”
“We might be fakes, but that side did steal my fiancé, didn't they?”
“Didn't he say he wanted to return the favor himself?”
“That makes it feel even worse. To have something taken away when I didn't even want it… doesn't it feel like a total defeat?”
“So you got your revenge?”
“I suppose so?”
Seeing her humming and nodding, she seemed genuinely delighted.
“That’s why it’s a shame. To think only the first years are going to the Rias Territory.”
“The rumors are already out?”
“As expected, you knew as well, Adam. The rumors are spreading among the Student Council and a few other involved parties. It’s been a bit buried because of the Founding Festival… but once today passes, everyone who needs to know will know.”
“When will the official announcement be?”
“The first class of next week. They say they want to maintain the festive atmosphere until the end of this week.”
It’s going to be hell starting next week, then.
“No wonder they said they were skipping midterms to celebrate the Founding Festival.”
“They just crammed everything into the field trip and final exams.”
“Why is a field trip becoming an exam?”
“Didn't you know? The 'study' in 'field trip' means to polish one's learning. In other words, it’s a journey for learning. In that sense, this field trip for the first years will probably be the one that best captures that meaning.”
After saying that with a small chuckle, Senior Loreliya reached out her hand.
“A campfire calls for a dance.”
“Do nobles even enjoy campfires?”
“Nobles are human too.”
It was still a statement I couldn't quite wrap my head around.
In Leon, they didn't do things like campfires for kingdom events.
Does the Empire do them?
I couldn't, for the life of me, imagine them stacking logs and throwing a festival in the middle of the Imperial garden.
“Please go easy on me.”
“Don't worry. This is my specialty.”
I was half-dragged out and spun around a few times.
Occasionally, I felt a sharp gaze, but since she was also spinning around with another man, wasn't it a draw?
What was more surprising was seeing Violet also dancing with the other RoFan male leads at least once.
I guess this sort of thing is common in the Empire.
“Hmm, come to think of it. That friend you’re watching. I heard you were the one who pulled him over to the Leon side?”
“Did Uncle Aeryun tell you everything already?”
“He had to. This matter is more troublesome than you think. My father is even getting personally involved.”
“Yet you’re still doing it.”
“Well, it’s a promise. And since we were the ones who made things annoying first, I have to pay a bit more attention.”
“It feels more like your father is doing it than you, Senior…”
“I had to act all cute for my father for the first time in ages to make that happen. Do you have any idea how hard that is at my age?”
I could understand that, but…
“You know this is a disaster of your own making, right?”
At my question, Senior Loreliya replied with a smile.
“I know. So, let’s play together in this disaster.”
She uttered some truly ominous words.
After the first date ended, I headed to the location for the second date.
Naturally, Daisy was supposed to be there…
“You’re here.”
Instead, Princess Hestia was there, holding a sword.
“You’ve done a good job of running away until now, haven't you?”
“I haven't been running away, though.”
“Do you think I wouldn't know you ran off after dumping Ellen on me?”
The Princess was surprisingly quick-witted.
“For someone who says that, you didn't seem to care much about Ellen yourself while you were busy receiving lessons from the Sword Emperor.”
“……”
At that one remark, Princess Hestia averted her eyes.
Ever since arriving at the Academy, she had been neglecting her duties because of the fact that she could receive lessons from the Sword Emperor every day.
“H-How did you…”
How did I know?
“Senior Lucia was crying while looking for you, Princess.”
No matter how much of a figurehead President Senior Lucia was, she couldn't handle tasks that only a Princess could do.
So, every time she wandered around the Empire looking for Princess Hestia, the Intelligence Bureau people who were naturally following her would ask me what they should do.
“L-Lucia is really something.”
To think she’d blame Senior Lucia here.
Once they returned, it looked like the Captain would be bombarded with Senior Lucia’s resignation letters for a while.
“A-Anyway! That was all just training to defeat you!”
Shing.
Raising her sword, Princess Hestia tossed the sword she was holding in her other hand toward me.
“Come at me.”
Her confident expression was the same as ever.
“No, why are you thinking of having a sword fight in the middle of another country’s festival?”
Honestly, I had no reason to fight.
“What, are you scared?”
She put on a highly provocative expression, but I had no reason to fall for it.
“No, seriously. And you’re going back home after the second semester anyway. I’ll beat you then, so why don't you go watch the closing ceremony, Princess?”
Perhaps my sincerity reached her, as the Princess lowered her sword with a scowl.
“I saw it earlier, and it was just people circling around some burning wood. Isn't sparring much more fun than something so boring?”
“The people of the Empire seem to enjoy it. Why don't you give it a try?”
“Dancing is like swordsmanship. You can't do it alone. Or are you planning to be my partner?”
“Well, I could do that much.”
I had just finished being a dance partner for my fake lover anyway.
For the sake of my own country’s Princess, a simple dance was…
“But why are you picking up the sword again?”
I was going to dance with her, but this woman picked up her sword again the moment I agreed to be her partner.
“The dance of Leon is the sword dance.”
“……”
Taking a stance with a smirk, Princess Hestia glanced to the side and spoke.
“Besides, we have someone here to observe, so we can dance without restraint.”
Following her gaze, I saw the Sword Emperor leaning against a tree with a somehow gratified expression.
Wait, why is that man here?
“Then, I’ll go first.”
“Sigh…”
Watching Princess Hestia swing her sword with light footsteps, I ultimately had no choice but to dance once again.