CHAPTER 103
CHAPTER 103
Letter at Home
“...Oh. To return the opponent ace’s pitch exactly as it was, that’s impressive.”
Idnia admired it.
Even if Isolde looked like a refined young lady of high society, she seemed to have a bit of a fiery temperament.
Even if her team lost, it was as if she was showing off that their magic was superior to the opponent’s by returning the ace’s techniques in kind.
She likely intended to convey that message.
We may be inexperienced in Wizard Ball and lose matches, but our magic is better.
That was probably the meaning behind it.
“Miss Isolde managed to strike out all the opposing batters and barely held off the disgraceful innings….”
“Her relatives came and said they had something important to discuss, right? With Professor Buremhyde’s personality, I didn’t think he would let a key player leave just because relatives came. So why?”
“They were members of the capital’s guard.”
“So the public security officials can, if necessary, halt community matches held in open areas like riverbanks or parks.”
“Ah, I see.”
Idnia finally understood.
So that was why Buremhyde had allowed Isolde to leave just because her relatives had come.
In the end, the remaining team members played poorly and suffered a cold defeat.
“So Miss Isolde wasn’t injured or anything like that, right? And she didn’t suffer from mana exhaustion either?”
“Yes. I’m not sure about mana exhaustion.”
“She was called away briefly, and in the meantime the match ended in a cold defeat.”
At that moment, the signal bell began to ring.
Lunch time was ending, and it was almost time to prepare for the next class.
“Ah, we didn’t finish eating yet.”
“No, in fact I’m full, but it feels wasteful to leave the food.”
“Can we take it with us?”
The students expressed regret, but Buremhyde cut it off firmly there.
“Do you plan to take it back to the dorm? That’s not allowed. It’ll attract pests. The leftovers will be handled—what’s been touched will be disposed of, and what hasn’t been touched will be gathered and used to supplement dinner for everyone.”
“What? But this is a Wizard Ball club gathering… Can’t we eat it again at dinner?”
When Atos said that, Buremhyde looked at him as if asking how that could be.
“Ah, so you mean this food belongs to you, and you intend to eat it all yourselves.
Are you saying you don’t care about others suffering with inferior food?
Of course, since you’re part of the Wizard Ball club, you can claim full rights to this meal….”
Buremhyde muttered quietly, “Even after playing so poorly….”
Idnia chuckled as she heard that faint voice.
A dragon lord who once devastated the Albion region now speaking of consideration and courtesy toward others—how ironic.
“Now then, that’s enough for today. Eating too much will make your bodies sluggish. And next time you win, Professor Buremhyde will host another gathering. Isn’t that right?”
When Idnia asked, Buremhyde nodded.
“Ah, yes. Something like that.”
“Good. That’s motivating.”
Idnia shut his mouth before Buremhyde could further dampen the students’ morale and returned to the classroom.
Of course, while doing so, she quickly wrapped some bread and doughnuts in a handkerchief to take with her.
“…….”
“We should too.”
The other students also took as much bread, pastries, doughnuts, and cinnamon rolls as they could.
It was a scene hard to believe coming from youths that included the crown prince of the Holy Eldar Empire and royalty from its subordinate principalities.
‘Hmm. Isolde’s expression looks poor. I’m a bit worried, but maybe I’m overthinking it. If it’s a personal issue, it’s not something I can interfere with. Still, I’m concerned.
More importantly, I should plan the next garden and farming strategy… As expected, I’d like to treat the seedlings and seeds beforehand with a sodium hypochlorite solution.’
A sodium hypochlorite solution was widely known in Korea under the brand name “bleach,” a disinfectant.
She intended to wash seeds and seedlings with it, then apply a rapid-growth potion afterward.
That was Idnia’s next plan.
‘With just salt and water, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make, so that’s not an issue. But the hydrogen and chlorine produced as byproducts are a waste.’
Modern chemical plants link processes together, passing byproducts from one process to another. What is waste in one process becomes a valuable material in another.
Releasing such valuable materials into the environment would itself cause serious pollution. She didn’t intend to produce such large quantities as to cause serious pollution, but Idnia still wanted to design the most efficient process possible, minimizing waste and maximizing output.
‘That means I’ll need various things… But asking Heukrang to procure them won’t work, since he’s already gone to find seedlings and seeds. And I can’t take leave again. This creates an inefficient gap.’
Idnia regretted Heukrang’s absence.
However, that afternoon, after classes ended…
“Lady Idnia Katze Betelgeuse. A letter has arrived.”
Gatekeeper Gibbs stopped Idnia and handed her a letter.
While letters were usually placed in the dorm rooms for other students, Gibbs personally delivered Idnia’s.
‘What is this? Did he check the contents?’
Idnia briefly wondered, but the letter had a seal, so that was unlikely.
She accepted the letter and thanked him without showing it.
“Thank you, Mr. Gibbs. I was actually waiting for this.”
“Oh, it’s nothing….”
Though he said otherwise, Gibbs clearly looked pleased.
‘So that’s it. He just wanted to receive thanks from the sole daughter of the princely house.’
Gibbs was a sly man who was weak to authority and power, yet covetous of them.
He likely wanted to assert himself in some way—receiving thanks or even scolding from future high-ranking nobles or powerful figures of the Empire.
‘Well, this much can be overlooked. His slyness is a bit much, but pretending not to notice isn’t difficult. I don’t want to cause unnecessary trouble.’
Idnia, in a genuinely innocent manner, accepted the letter with gratitude. Her polite and courteous demeanor brought Gibbs immense satisfaction.
To think that the sole daughter of the Betelgeuse princely house, which had even produced an emperor of the Empire, was bowing her head in thanks to him!
Though Idnia had only given a light bow, in Gibbs’ mind it had been exaggerated into a deep formal bow.
‘I should leave quickly and read this.’
Idnia passed by Gibbs with a smile and returned to her room, where she opened the letter.
There were two letters—one from her aunt, and one from her father.
Idnia first read her father’s letter.
“To my beloved daughter Idnia.
It feels like just yesterday I was holding your tiny hands, moved by the preciousness of that small, fragile life, yet before I knew it you have grown so much and left your father’s arms to pursue your studies.
Looking back, this unworthy father has failed to properly safeguard what our ancestors left behind, and instead has only lost things, giving you nothing but the name Betelgeuse.
In truth, I know you have done much to support the affairs of the principality. I am deeply ashamed.
The retainers miss you dearly. When someone is absent, a place feels empty, and since you were the pillar of Betelgeuse, your absence leaves a vast void they deeply feel.
The servants also miss your presence. But I have sternly reprimanded them. While you are diligently pursuing your studies at Dunaice Academy, they must fill your absence and show they can manage without relying on you forever.
Yet even I, each day, feel concern as I look at the empty room where you once were.
Do not worry. When I reflect, you have grown on your own and become an adult at far too young an age.
More than worry, I feel regret and shame toward you.
In the meantime, while searching the house, I found some academy coins from my own time as a student.
Although academy coins are normally discarded after each semester, this includes a certificate signed by the headmaster confirming they can be exchanged, so it should still be valid.
I am also sending some useful books. Many of these were used during my academy days.
After parting with your mother, the memories of her became too painful to face, and in avoiding them, I failed to think of these when you left for Dunaice Academy.
Please forgive this weak father, who claims to be a descendant of the Overlord Yurik.”
Inside the letter was a voucher exchangeable for academy coins, and from outside her room, she heard the sound of items being delivered.
It seemed Gibbs’ animated armors were placing the packages sent along with the letter into her room.
“Hm. Father is as he is… but does he not know that Mother is still alive?”
Idnia wondered whether her father truly did not know that the former saint Flora had not died, but instead had become queen among the demonkin and was now inciting a succession war among them, or whether he knew but chose not to mention it because it would be an uncomfortable topic to bring up to Idnia.
The fact that the former saint Flora was alive and had sided with the demonkin was highly significant information within the Empire, and also something that would bring disgrace upon the Trinitarian Church that had appointed her.
However, from the Empire’s perspective, it was also information they would prefer to keep hidden.
Many citizens were devout followers of the Trinitarian Church, and exposing the church’s disgrace in front of them would not lead to anything good.
From the perspective of the demonkin first prince, Kais, it might not matter if this fact were revealed, but rather than causing minor confusion within the Empire, it would be more beneficial to use it as leverage to establish formal trade routes and form an alliance with the Empire. In other words, this information was not yet something to be openly revealed.
‘But… hmm. The amount of these academy coins is enormous.’
Idnia was surprised at the amount her father had sent.
There were vouchers for ten thousand academy coins.
Even when converted at current rates, it was a substantial sum. Should she convert it into cash?
‘With this amount, I might even be able to buy the hidden items in the academy shop.’
When Draken Katze Betelgeuse, the Betelgeuse duke, was a student at Dunaice Academy, the principality had not been as impoverished as it was now, and had possessed considerable wealth and power.
Although it did not rival the lands of House Caliestra, known as the granary of the world, it had abundant high-quality timber, wine, cheese, and grain, and through trade with the smuggling Sea Beast tribes, it acquired iron ore, copper, tin, zinc, and lead, enabling industrial development.
However, given the duke’s personality, he would not have brought the principality’s assets to the academy to indulge in luxury.
These enormous academy coin vouchers were earned within academy dungeons.
They were promissory notes received in exchange for treasures obtained by exploring the deep dungeons beneath Dunaice Academy.
‘Perhaps I could even use this to buy dungeon entry passes.’