Chapter 44
Chapter 45
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Academy Enrollment Preparations
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Who was it that said that?
Time flies like an arrow.
They were right.
It felt like just yesterday that I was taking lessons with Ruena at the Eliad estate to prepare for academy enrollment.
Yet now, enrollment was right around the corner.
The academy is supposed to be a place to learn,
so why do we have to study just to get in? That's still a mystery to me.
But looking back, it wasn't a loss at all.
My abilities,
my knowledge,
everything had grown far beyond what it was before.
Thanks to that, I even landed a job,
and best of all, the salary is pretty generous, so I'm fairly satisfied.
'If only it weren't basically babysitting my childhood friend….'
On top of that—
a few more worries had cropped up.
First, having to show my relationship with Ruena to outsiders.
Of course, we already do that now.
It's not some relationship we need to hide, nor one that could be hidden anyway.
Merchants,
nobles,
scholars,
teachers, and so on.
Lord and retainer.
Within that rigid dynamic,
dealing with Ruena as her lord in front of strangers had become routine.
The problem was—
the unique circumstances of the academy.
The academy.
A place where many nobles and a few commoners coexist.
Regardless of status, they first mingle under the name of friends.
Intrigue brews within,
and discrimination based on status differences is inevitable…
But honestly, that's none of my concern.
I'm used to blending in,
and while our house is a perennial count family, it's still one of the Founding Houses at its core.
No one will openly treat me with disdain.
Besides—
I'm the retainer to the heir of the Eliad family.
'With my mana, I'm guaranteed at least Class C, so there'll be some gossip….'
They'll chatter about it endlessly, no doubt.
The young lady of the Eliad family is in Class A,
but her retainer is so lousy at magic he's stuck in Class C.
Why would she pick someone like that? And so on.
Noble society reveres face as much as it delights in tearing others down.
They're experts at beheading with words.
It's their daily routine to chew and gnaw at a single flaw until there's no juice left.
Every time I see it, it's utterly pathetic and revolting.
'They should sweep their own paths clean instead of badmouthing others behind their backs—that's what really tarnishes their reputation.'
But—
I was a noble too, for now.
If I wasn't opting out of noble society, I'd have to live like that my whole life.
And now,
I'm the retainer to Ruena Eliad—
just a clumsy childhood friend who needs a lot of hand-holding to me,
but to the outside world, the center of noble society and the Eliad heir who draws all eyes.
Whether I wanted it or despised it,
until I quit this job, I'd have to navigate those rumors.
I did feel a tiny bit sorry for Ruena.
Maybe because of me,
scandals might start tarnishing her reputation the moment she enters the academy.
Of course, that's my take on the gossip.
'Mana for administration, really.'
A retainer just needs to handle administrative duties well and support their lord properly.
Expecting anything more is on the expectant fool.
My lord and childhood friend thinks the same.
No,
she never expected that in the first place.
She's not the type to demand it,
and above all, she seems content with me as her retainer.
In fact, everything involving preparations and actions by Ruena's side was my responsibility.
Organizing documents,
reports and deliveries,
grasping flows and preliminary investigations, etc.
And…
stepping in to prevent her mishaps before they happen.
'That's actually the hardest part….'
It's fine when we're deep in official duties,
but whenever she relaxes a bit, she always makes some minor slip-up.
Every time I handled those slip-ups discreetly—
really,
truly,
I was grateful for my thief bloodline. For real.
'Is that why the Grand Duke so readily allowed a thief as his retainer?'
As expected of Grand Duke Eliad.
When I saw one move ahead, he was already seeing at least five.
So—
no matter how much they blabber, time will reveal the truth eventually.
That I'm not by her side for nothing.
Above all, since the money fountain himself, Grand Duke Eliad, approved it, no one else's opinion matters.
Anyway—
my worries weren't about the slander against me…
but about anything tarnishing the name Ruena Eliad.
I had no idea what mishaps that klutz might cause at the academy.
The academy isn't just a formal place.
It's primarily a place linked by the name of friends under the framework of learning.
Yet—
it retains all of noble society's elements, so you can't act entirely casually.
A private setting at first glance,
but one where you must mind your public position.
That's the academy.
She has a tendency to loosen up especially in private settings.
Clumsy,
giggling and smiling,
accident frequency skyrockets.
No guarantee that wouldn't happen at the academy.
Because there, we're not lord and retainer—we're friends.
Of course—
that's just how Ruena Eliad is, so I'd make do.
I've dealt with her clumsiness my whole life; it's as natural as breathing.
But other nobles won't tolerate it.
All of it would become fodder to chip away at her reputation.
'Hope it'll be okay….'
As the enrollment date approached,
those worries increasingly took over my mind.
And sure enough—
it wasn't okay at all.
Grand Duke Kasian Eliad had called me to his study, which was unusual.
"Retainer Celen."
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Be especially cautious at the academy."
"…Understood."
What else could that mean?
Plug leaks inside before they spring outside.
As expected, that hefty salary wasn't for nothing.
With three years at the academy,
my solo workload was about to multiply accordingly.
'Oh man, my head….'
I glanced at Ruena.
She seemed just as concerned about her behavior at the academy lately,
clearly minding even the smallest actions when we were alone.
Of course, not all efforts yield immediate results.
'She's still dropping crumbs everywhere….'
Her effort was commendable, so I'd let it slide.
If I stayed alert and responded quickly, we'd manage somehow.
As I habitually swept up the crumbs, I said to Ruena,
"I told you not to drop them."
"…Huh? B-but… when I use tongs, they keep falling."
"You drop them even eating with your hands."
"Uuu…."
Ruena pouted her lips and fidgeted with her fingers.
"I was really trying to be careful this time…."
"Yeah, I know. Still…."
I started to chide her but swallowed it back.
You're the next Grand Duke.
Eyes are everywhere.
Maintain decorum.
As her retainer, I should admonish my lord,
but as her childhood friend, I couldn't bring myself to scold her.
I knew too well that I was her one and only respite.
If even I whipped her into shape,
she'd have to live purely as an Eliad her whole life.
Stiff speech,
rigid expressions,
cynical eyes only.
That… honestly scared me more than any rumors about her.
House Noir hates losses more than anyone.
The best I could do was protect both sides of her.
'I'm totally unqualified as a retainer in so many ways.'
If only a husband
or someone more suited
could take this position.
Focused on one role, they'd act far more like a proper retainer than me.
"Celen. Hey."
"What."
"Let's stick together at the academy too."
"……Sure."
I answered her bright words a bit halfheartedly.
Whether she wanted it or not,
we'd be in different classes, but I planned to stick close anyway.
Partly because I'm her retainer,
but more so because something else had been nagging at me.
Certain futures I'd glimpsed in the past.
Forces targeting and threatening Ruena at the academy too,
just because she was the "final boss."
Futures are linear, so they might have changed—but they might not.
Even a 0.1% chance,
I had to block it completely.
That's my job as retainer and childhood friend.
Above all…
if Ruena got hurt at the academy, the blame would fall on me.
'Should've taken a moderate salary….'
No use regretting now; I'd already committed to too much.
No matter how much I earn, it vanishes in a blink.
That's salary for you.
'Some of it was for academy mishap contingencies…. They won't cover equipment or compensation….'
Times like this, my family's thieving heritage was a curse.
If there's a next life,
I'll pick a job where I can boast openly in front of the guards.
As I mentally sorted my unofficial supplies and theft gear, I said to Ruena,
"Ruena."
"Yeah?"
"Instead of just sticking close… expect my nagging to be dozens of times worse."
"Kek."
Ruena dropped the cookie she was eating.
My nagging must be that unbearable.
Recalling the countless scoldings I'd given her, I felt a tiny twinge of remorse.
As I cleaned up the cookie,
her voice came.
"Still…."
"Still?"
"If it's you, Celen… I like it."
"……."
Good thing I was bent over picking up crumbs; my sincerity was hidden.
If I'd been standing,
my ridiculously flushed face would've been on full display.
I hastily donned my iron mask.
Then, acting casual—
I lightly bonked her crown with the document binder, as usual.
"As if. You always pout and make that death-glare face whenever I nag."
"Owww, that hurts—."
"It hurts because I hit you. How many times have I told you not to drop crumbs on the documents—."
"Waaah, waaaah, waaaah—!"
She'd said nagging from me was fine just moments ago,
yet here was Ruena Eliad, plugging her ears and shaking her head with a grimace.
'Good grief….'
Yeah.
This was Ruena Eliad.
Not the ruthless Grand Duke Eliad, but an ordinary girl who couldn't even keep cookie crumbs in check.
So surely, the future had changed too.
…Or so I thought.
"…Found you. Ruena Eliad."
On the very first day of academy enrollment, guys targeting her appeared.
…This is insane. For real.