Chapter 102
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Academy Tour
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the third main quest wrapped up and we entered the rest period, time flew by incredibly fast.
"Young Master, congratulations!"
"Young Master, you're 12 now!"
"You seem a bit more mature somehow!"
I hadn't done anything special, but the year had changed, and I was now 12 years old.
"Don't lie."
"...?"
"I've only grown 0.5 cm in two years..."
But there was one issue: despite diligently following the System's guidance for two years to neutralize the side effects of the experiments, my height had barely increased.
"Young Master's gotten prickly!"
"Must be puberty!"
"Hing hing, that's sad..."
Of course, the maids' teasing was as lively as ever.
"...You sisters want a scolding?"
One thing that had changed was that I now openly got angry with them.
Having soaked up quite a bit of Belverk essence by now, I felt like I was gradually taking on the family's temperament.
"Eek, Young Master's mad."
"Sorry!"
"Run!"
The maid sisters giggled as they fled, clearly not seeing it that way.
"Hoo..."
I sighed, watching their retreating figures as they escaped before I could grab them.
"Hey, rookie."
Suddenly, Lilien peeked her head through the door, smirking as she called out to me.
"Finally 12, huh?"
"..."
"Must be nice getting older, right?"
I'd always been close with Big Sister Lilien, but spending the last two years together had made us even tighter.
"By the way, I'm 15 now."
With a three-year age gap, she wasn't my elementary school buddy anymore, but in the mansion, she was still the closest to me in age.
"Debutante ball's coming up soon, I hear."
"Ah, yes."
"Unlike some country bumpkin, I'm growing tall and proper."
What had this sister just said to me?
"Big Sister's grown tall, but some parts stayed the same, huh?"
I frowned and pointed at Lilien's chest, counterattacking her smug grin.
-Kwachak...
A sharp blade flew straight at my face right after.
"Wanna die?"
Lilien's eyes had turned crimson as she thrust the knife at me with a cold expression.
"Even so, you can't touch your own faction."
Of course, the knife she'd aimed at my face was blocked by Schwarz, who appeared behind me, embedding into the wall instead.
"...Think I'm a pushover just 'cause I've been chill lately?"
Yet Lilien gripped her knife harder, pressing forward.
-Kwagagak...
Her blade scraped the wall as it inched toward my throat, but by then, I'd already responded.
"Big Sister, your knife skills have dulled."
"Tch..."
"You dragged it out too long, though."
My eyes crimson as well, I'd drawn my knife from my pocket and aimed it at Lilien's throat.
"How the hell are you copying my ability?"
"It's a secret!"
"Ugh, damn it..."
Having grown close with Big Sister Lilien over the past two years, stuff like this happened pretty often.
And unlike when I first arrived at Belverk, I'd gotten a little stronger.
My base stamina and strength were still pathetic without Crimson Eyes, but I could now maintain the 'Skill System' for a few minutes.
Of course, her ambushes had helped that system grow a lot.
"Remember this."
"..."
"One day, I'll pin you down and crush you..."
Having failed to take me out again today, Lilien growled coldly in my ear.
"Wanna grab dessert later?"
"...What?"
"They've got that strawberry cake you like."
But I'd gotten pretty good at handling Lilien by now.
"...Hmph."
Sure enough, she rolled her eyes for a moment before snorting and sheathing her knife.
"Do whatever."
She whipped her head away and muttered as she left the room.
"Ugh..."
Right after, the overload from maintaining her ability hit me, and I sat down dizzily.
"Young Master, are you okay?"
"Hehe."
"Even if you're close, you can't just poke at your rival like that."
Schwarz caught me from behind and nagged as usual.
"That was Big Sister's way of showing affection."
"Pardon?"
"She doesn't attack when I'm drained like this."
I grinned innocently in response when—
"Even so, arrogance is dangerous."
"Ah, Mother."
"A moment's carelessness can turn into a life-threatening crisis."
Mother suddenly opened the door, her expression slightly stern as she spoke.
'Does Mother not age?'
Though kids and adults change differently, Mother seemed even more beautiful after two years.
"Is something wrong?"
"Yes. I have news for you."
I snapped out of my idle thoughts and listened as Mother spoke seriously.
"We have a place to go."
"Where?"
The next moment, I had to doubt my ears.
"The Imperial Academy."
Wait, did I hear that right?
"Am I enrolling or something?"
Suddenly shifting a romance fantasy to academy arc was basically betraying the readers!
This was a cliché that killed stories, not rom-fan ones!
"Of course not."
"Phew..."
"Your personal tutors cost more than that academy anyway."
I sighed in relief at Mother's follow-up.
"Plus, the academy's full of impure boy-girl mingling."
"...?"
"And if something happens, I can't rush there immediately."
Her overprotectiveness felt a tad stronger, but at least this rom-fan world wouldn't turn into an academy story.
"Then why are we going?"
But why go to the academy suddenly?
"The reason we're going this time is simple: we were invited."
I tilted my head at the question, then my eyes lit up at Mother's answer.
"Did Big Sister Uriel invite us?"
It'd been two years since I last saw her—maybe I'd get to reunite.
"The inviter is the academy dean, Marquis Magnaris."
"Ah."
"He asked for help with a special class."
Apparently not Big Sister Uriel.
Still, going to the academy meant I could see her again—nice.
"I never accept requests like this usually..."
"...?"
"...but we agreed on fitting compensation."
I wondered why Mother, who rarely granted favors, agreed to this hassle.
"Did he have some leverage on you...?"
"Anyway, prepare to go out."
Finding out wouldn't be easy, but for conquering the unconquered Mother, it might be worth trying.
"Since we're going, I'll let you tour the academy too."
"Wow!"
I quickly started prepping for the academy trip.
'Mother handles the teaching, so I can just watch from the side, right?'
Excited at the thought of leisurely touring in comfort.
About a week later. Academy Dormitory B Wing.
"Hey, heard about that?"
"Huh?"
New students who'd just enrolled and moved into the dorms clustered in the lobby, chatting.
"Special instructors from the Belverk Ducal House are coming today."
"R-Really?"
"And that infamous youngest son too..."
Their excitement for school life chilled instantly at the mention of the recent academy-shaking topic.
"Disgusting."
"Must be an evil bastard..."
"Shh, if it reaches Lady Uriel's ears..."
They lowered their voices, glancing warily as they continued.
"You know what?"
"W-What?"
"Belverk's youngest son has a hobby of eating women."
One mentioned the recent empire-spreading rumor, paling several faces.
"Not just eating—he drains their blood first, then torments them slowly..."
"S-Stop!"
"Ugh... worst."
No matter how disinterested in the world, every imperial—noble or commoner—knew Belverk horror stories inside out.
In the empire, Belverk wasn't seen as a normal ducal house but as an unknown terror like a natural disaster.
"C-Can a guy like that even come here?"
"S-Scary..."
Inexperienced students naturally feared the most shrouded youngest of that house.
"...What choice do we have?"
"Unless they're imperial family, Belverks can tear people apart in broad daylight without punishment—they're untouchable."
The lobby turned icy as one student muttered shakily.
"...Best to stay out of sight for the week."
Silence fell.
"..."
The long, unbroken silence was broken not by the students, but—
-Druruk...
Marquis Magnaris toddled in through the lobby entrance as usual, addressing the gathered students.
"All dorm students, listen up."
"...?"
"Special instructors from the Belverk Ducal House have arrived!"
The marquis grinned widely, pointing at someone behind him.
"Get along well for this week!"
Silence again.
"H-Hi..."
In that hush, a timid figure fidgeted, then stepped forward hesitantly.
"Iku."
But he tripped, nearly falling—a boy with an innocent look.
"Hello..."
Face flushing deeper, he sniffled and spoke again.
"I-I'm... the youngest of Belverk..."
"..."
"K-Kairen!"
The boy finished with effort and darted behind Marquis Magnaris.
The lobby students' faces went blank.
"...Hic."
For reference, the hiccupping Kairen had been assigned to Dormitory B Wing—the girls' dormitory.