Chapter 64
Chapter 65
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Preparation Stage
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sunlight seeped through the gap in the window.
The warm morning rays pierced my eyes, and I slowly opened them.
"...Ugh."
I rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed.
An unfamiliar ceiling.
An unfamiliar bed.
I stared blankly for a moment, still groggy from sleep,
then spotted the school uniform jacket hanging in the closet and realized this was the academy dormitory.
I swept back my messy bangs and muttered to myself.
"...Ah, right... I enrolled..."
It had already been a week since I started at the academy.
Even now, I sometimes woke up thinking I was still at the Noir estate.
People really didn't adapt easily to new environments, did they?
I poured water from the teapot on the bedside table and took a sip to wet my throat.
Then I gazed leisurely out the window.
The darkness outside was gradually lifting.
It was still closer to dawn than morning.
Since I'd be busy all day again today, I figured I deserved this bit of leisure.
This relaxed dawn feeling I'd never experienced before in my life.
'Or maybe... I've already adapted.'
Suddenly, I recalled the morning after enrollment.
Back then...
I hadn't woken to the dawn sunlight.
I'd woken because the house was unusually quiet in the early hours, wondering if something had gone wrong.
That memory brought a short sigh.
A quiet dawn at the Noir estate was simply impossible.
When everyone else was asleep,
it was the noisiest, busiest time for the Noirs.
Maybe because I was so used to that racket.
A quiet dawn like this actually felt unfamiliar now.
'Though... it'll probably get noisy from morning on instead.'
I wondered if my life would ever have a truly quiet day.
With that thought, I gave a wry smile.
I set down the teacup.
I tidied up the messy bedding.
The dormitory bed, a bit firmer than my own,
was starting to feel comfortable now that I was getting used to it.
Or maybe...
it was because I was staying up while everyone else slept, wearing my body out.
"...Ugh, I'm dying. For real."
I massaged my shoulder, which cracked with a pop.
The past week.
I hadn't gotten much sleep.
I had to investigate the threats looming over Ruena.
'Three weeks left now...'
I hadn't uncovered any information in the past week.
I'd only done the preliminary preparations to gather what I needed.
This was the academy, after all.
Students, faculty,
and all sorts of staff gathered in one place.
And—
a fortress with centuries of layered security that didn't yield easily.
Not the best place for a thief to sneak around.
Especially...
when I was here as a student.
Noir.
Eliad.
In a situation where everything was tangled up,
if I got caught wandering alone late at night...
The disciplinary committee would convene that very day,
and my name would be splashed across the imperial papers and gossip rags.
Everything—my job included—would go up in smoke.
So—
The past week had been spent purely on preparations.
Mapping the security systems,
guard personnel and patrol routes,
and detection magic tools scattered everywhere.
I'd been steadily building the optimal environment for me to move around.
And thanks to those efforts—
I could probably make my first move as early as this week.
'A centuries-old academy... Tricky, but actually a blessing in disguise.'
Yeah.
In a long-term battle, centuries of buildup were preferable.
Unlike imperfect new facilities constantly touched by human hands,
an old, systematic fortress didn't change easily.
The flaws were,
and the structure was,
much harder and more complex to discover,
but once mapped, they stayed the same for a long time.
'In fact... the flaw I scouted a few days ago hasn't changed even once.'
Truly fortunate.
Impregnable yet utterly lax.
That contradictory crack was the perfect breathing hole for a thief like me.
Of course—
I hadn't done it alone.
I'd gotten help from an authority in this field.
My big sister.
Rapina Noir's help.
I'd visited the Noir estate last weekend.
There were too many things that would take time alone.
My first weekend at the academy.
Ruena had sulked terribly, clearly expecting to spend it together.
But... no choice.
This job needed my sister's hand.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ As soon as I entered the Noir estate, my sister greeted me with a smile.
"Welcome back, my fourth little brother. How'd the entrance exam go?"
"What I asked for?"
"...This guy, straight to business without any affection, huh? Never changes."
My sister grumbled as she handed over what I'd requested.
Codes and contact networks used only by the Noirs.
I'd messaged her in advance via communication,
asking her to prepare the necessary materials and equipment.
After explaining everything, she smirked and slapped my shoulder.
"So, what fun thing are you up to at the academy?"
"You don't need to know."
"Hmm—? ...Our fourth's gotten bold, talking back to big sis now?"
"...Just personal business."
"Personal business? Oh hooo?"
A shiver ran down my spine.
Memories of being hounded by her all weekend flooded back.
And that was just her.
Then Second Brother showed up and tormented me too.
Trisha was busy teasing me about my abysmal summoning grades.
Big Brother subtly tried to foist work on me, like he needed public duty help.
'...I really hate my family.'
I finished washing up in the bathroom and put on my uniform.
Cool morning air seeped through the neatly buttoned clothes.
I smoothed out my shirt wrinkles and checked the mirror.
'Good enough.'
There were lots of eyes here.
Even as a student, being Eliad-affiliated meant setting an example.
'Though... the one actually bearing the Eliad name isn't exactly exemplary.'
I could picture it without looking.
What a mess that guy must be in.
With a long sigh, I left my room.
To wake the Eliad heir in the room next door.
It was about time to get up.
Sure enough.
Ruena Eliad was rolling around in bed, one with the blankets.
Arms hugging the pillow.
Legs kicked up over the covers.
Messy hair covering her face.
Somehow, she hadn't changed even at the academy.
'Please... tense up a little.'
A long sigh escaped me automatically.
I quickly locked the door and approached Ruena's bed.
"Hey."
"Mmmuuuh..."
"Ruena."
"...Muuung..."
"Get up. It's morning. Breakfast then class."
A mumble came from under the covers.
Definitely human language, but hard to understand.
...Luckily, I could make it out.
I gently shook her shoulder while listening to her murmurs.
"Mmmuuuh... Nyaaa..."
"Yeah, first class today is with a super strict professor."
"Muung...?"
"Yep. I baked cookies last night too. Peanut ones today."
"...Really?"
Finally, something intelligible leaked out.
That meant—
Ruena was about to get up.
The blankets rustled slightly.
Pink eyes, half-lidded, peeked through her blue hair.
"Peanut... cookies?"
"Yeah. You like those too. Loaded with butter."
"...Celen baked them himself?"
"Yep. Baked them last night. Barely slept because I was so tired making them."
I bragged a little on purpose,
and the blankets rustled more vigorously than before.
Ruena's hand emerged, groping in the air.
I chuckled and took it.
"...Just five more minutes..."
"If you don't get up now, I'll give all those cookies to Marian."
That instant—
Her grip on my hand tightened fiercely.
Hard to believe she was half-asleep moments ago.
"Aaaah—! That hurts—!"
"...What?"
"If you want your share, get up quick. No 'five minutes' excuses."
Only then did Ruena bolt upright.
Sitting on the bed, rubbing her eyes—it was adorably childish, just like when we were kids.
I chuckled and smoothed her tangled hair with my hand.
"...All the cookies are mine, right?"
"You're still in bed. Get up and get ready."
"...Okay."
Ruena nodded faintly.
Still groggy, she wobbled,
but moved determinedly, unwilling to miss those cookies.
I chuckled at the sight.
One good thing about the academy.
I had a perfect threat to wake Ruena instantly.
Even if that threat was endangering her life.
I carefully supported the still-sleepy, stumbling Ruena.
"Hey, hey, snap out of it."
"Ugh... It's 'cause you woke me so roughly, Celen..."
"...You're blaming me for this?"
I shrugged and headed to the bathroom.
I shoved her in,
gave her back a light pat to wake her up, and shut the door.
"Three minutes."
"...Ugh, five."
"Everything's five minutes with you."
I pressed my forehead, hearing her grumbles through the door.
Who was I doing all this for?
I didn't expect thanks, but mornings would be easier if she prepared smoothly.
I sighed, glancing at the cookies stuffed in my pocket.