Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Peace of Our Time
It wasn’t easy to immediately understand the contents of Magram’s broadcast.
However, the academy students were elites gathered from all across the Empire.
Especially the dormitory heads, who were the very pillars that would one day lead the Empire.
“Basically, they’re trying to spark competition between dormitories, right? Fine by me. I welcome a fight! We northerners never back down from battle!”
Karl, the head of Boreas Dormitory where students from the northern kingdoms gathered, also known as the Grand Duke of the North, welcomed the situation.
“Rudolf! Lorenzo! I’ve been wanting to compete anyway, so this works out nicely! Show me what you’ve got!”
Lorenzo Medici, a prince of Mazdari and the head of Notos Dormitory, which consisted of students from the southern kingdoms, had already anticipated this situation.
Having heard the details beforehand from his academy-born aides, he was the one who had set in motion the students who ended up receiving massive penalty points this time.
As a result, many Notos dorm students had been caught and sent to the punishment chamber…
“We have successfully smuggled in various seasonings and sugar, Your Highness.”
From the very beginning, Notos Dormitory had predicted the academy’s restrictions on supplies and the squeezing of students. They had instructed their servants to hide prohibited items like seasonings and sugar along the route when traveling to and from the academy.
The academy gate was located in Dunaise, and to reach the academy-affiliated village of Black Cow, one had to use a transfer gate. However, the path from Black Cow to the academy could be traversed on foot.
They had hidden sugar along that path and had students secretly slip out to retrieve it.
“It was worth sacrificing so many students before the academy tightened its security.”
“But the amount we brought in isn’t that much. And we took a huge number of penalty points. Was it really worth it?”
“Wouldn’t it have been better to cooperate with other dormitories? If we just compete among ourselves like this, the only one profiting will be the academy.”
Lorenzo’s aides voiced their doubts.
Sugar was indeed expensive, but the amount they had brought in wasn’t a significant burden for people of their status.
Was it really worth taking such losses just to smuggle in something so trivial?
However, Lorenzo spoke with conviction.
“Do you really think that Karl would ever join hands with me? And Rudolf, despite appearances, is quite combative as well. As the Crown Prince selected through the Elector system, he must want to demonstrate overwhelming superiority over the princes of other duchies during his academy days.
And he should.
Therefore, peacefully resolving things through cooperation between dormitories is impossible. The academy professors wouldn’t allow it either.”
Lorenzo took out his pocket watch.
It was a special magical device equipped with a communication function that allowed remote conversation with others who possessed connected devices.
“This is Medici One calling Medici Four. Respond. Are you able to communicate?
Report signal strength.”
[Ah, Medici Four here. Signal is clear, and communication is currently possible.]
“What are Zephiros’s countermeasures?”
[Direct confrontation. And… they plan to recruit Euros. Ah, communication out.]
The spy Lorenzo had planted in Zephiros Dormitory cut the call shortly after.
But he had delivered everything that needed to be said.
“Hm. Direct confrontation, is it…”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that since Zephiros already has the most shops, the largest population, and exceptional individuals like Rudolf and Isolde Polzen, they intend to crush us head-on through official means. A very Caliestra-like approach.”
When one has superior numbers, power, authority, and economic strength, there is no need for tricks.
If you can win by charging straight in, there’s no need for cunning schemes.
“And recruiting Euros, huh. Isn’t that something every dormitory is thinking?
The problem is that Idnia Katche Betelgeuse is not an easy opponent. It’s hard to tell what she’s thinking.”
Lorenzo smiled as he recalled Idnia, who had openly displayed her desire for the Saintess.
“You seem to like her.”
“Yes. Honestly, I do. Ah, don’t worry. I know my position well enough to feel it in my bones.”
Dinner was still terribly tasteless.
During that dinner, the four dormitory heads gathered at one table without anyone explicitly calling for it.
There was only one reason why the dormitory heads, who had already finished eating, had come together.
“You’ve heard the professor’s broadcast… Dormitory head of Euros, Lady Betelgeuse?”
“Just call me Idnia. I’ll call you Rudolf as well.”
“Ah, yes. Lady Idnia.”
It took less than ten seconds for the two, once former fiancés, to settle how they would address each other.
“So. What proposal do you have? I assume it’s a proposal for cooperation?”
“Yes. I would like to secure the full cooperation of Euros Dormitory.”
“What kind of cooperation specifically?”
“To respond to the academy’s Aka Coin system and their scheme to force excessive competition among students… let’s put it that way.”
Hm. As expected of Crown Prince Rudolf. That’s a commendable stance.
Idnia highly evaluated Rudolf’s statement.
To be blunt, cooperation between dormitories was impossible.
The professors’ schemes were no joke.
In the game, it was only indirectly expressed, but their manipulations reached a level where one would question how they could still call themselves educators.
All dormitories would inevitably be torn apart and forced to clash with one another.
Yet even knowing that, the Crown Prince proposed that all students unite and stand against the academy.
When I played the game, I thought he was just a bland character designed to be universally liked, or at least not disliked. But experiencing it firsthand, it’s not that simple.
A classic, orthodox character might seem unappealing in games, comics, or animation because it’s so common.
But in reality, the righteous path is far more difficult and demanding than any shortcut.
Despite not being a fool, Rudolf proposed not a secret alliance, but a coalition for the benefit of all students.
“Hm. Crown Prince Rudolf, you speak idealistically. Are you saying that all students should resist Aka Coins through restraint and patience?”
Lorenzo, the prince of Mazdari, asked. He had already learned through his spy that Zephiros planned to crush everyone head-on if necessary.
Yet here Rudolf was, proposing an alliance.
“Yes. Not just Euros, but Notos, Boreas, all dormitories. Even if someone wins, rather than monopolizing facilities, they should be shared among all students. If we fight among ourselves, won’t it only benefit the academy?”
“Then will Zephiros share the facilities it secures with all dormitories free of charge?”
“Yes. If it is mutual.”
“Hm… understood. Notos Dormitory agrees to the alliance.”
“Euros will agree as well.”
With Idnia joining, three dormitories formed an alliance in an instant.
Karl of Boreas clicked his tongue as he watched.
“How boring. So we’re not fighting, but cooperating? Fine, I’ll cooperate too if that’s how it goes… but I can’t guarantee I’ll stick with it to the end.”
“Was there a need to say that?”
“I told you, I’m straightforward. And the professors won’t just let this alliance stand.”
“….”
The academy, which had created the Aka Coin system, would never sit idly by while students formed alliances and shared everything fairly without competition.
Everyone knew that.
But for now, the alliance was formed.
Now then, looking at the current dormitory shop standings…
Surprisingly, first place was tied between Zephiros and Euros.
Zephiros led with a total of six points.
Crown Prince Rudolf: Entrance second place 1, Dormitory Head 2, Command 1
Isolde Polzen, the Emperor’s illegitimate child: Entrance first place 2
Euros was tied for first in points but had more penalties, effectively placing second.
Idnia Betelgeuse: Dormitory Head 2, Command 1
Marie, Saintess of Astraea: Crystal Golem subjugation 2, Wolf discovery 1, Entrance last place -2
Third place was Boreas.
Karl, Grand Duke of the North: Dormitory Head 2
Fourth, and last place, was Notos, tied in points with Boreas but overwhelmingly higher in penalties.
Lorenzo Medici: Dormitory Head 2
His subordinates:
Rex -5, Breguet -5, Patek -5, Filipe -5
Each dormitory head remained optimistic about the current situation.
Rudolf, the head of Zephiros, had no doubt that they would continue to maintain first place.
To maintain the alliance, it would be best for Zephiros to remain overwhelmingly in first place. Euros may be tied in points, but their total number of students is too small. They might hold in the short term, but in the long run, they will fall behind.
We have Isolde.
In overall capability, we are not inferior in the slightest.
And by forming study groups to raise every student’s abilities…
We will overwhelm the other dormitories through collective strength.
No matter what tricks the professors use, as long as we maintain an overwhelming lead, the alliance will hold.
Lorenzo of Notos was delighted with the alliance.
Heh. Rudolf is too rigid.
We have already secured the essential supplies needed for academy life.
And not only that, we can continue to use this route.
Let’s call it a smuggling route.
Well, an alliance is fine.
We’ll maintain the alliance while strengthening our internal foundation.
When this alliance eventually breaks,
we will dominate even the areas beyond the academy’s rules.
Crown Prince Rudolf and Karl of the North…
those two are the immediate threats.
As for Idnia Katche Betelgeuse of Euros, her personal ability seems exceptional, but with only 32 members…
What a pity.
I would have liked to have a proper match with her.
Karl of Boreas was equally optimistic.
Everyone selected here will eventually join the Black Iron Warrior Corps.
I’ll train them all in the martial spear techniques and raise them into the strongest combat mages.
In the academy’s curriculum, combat mages can earn massive points.
When that time comes, we’ll see who holds the blade.
The immediate threats are Rudolf and Lorenzo.
Idnia is unfortunate. The Betelgeuse Duchy has fallen, leaving her with too few students.
And Idnia of Euros…
was already taking action.
“Hm. As expected.”
After asking her roommate Marie for permission, Idnia left the dormitory at night and surveyed her surroundings.
The moving suits of armor, illuminated by the warden’s lantern held by Gibles, patrolled the grounds, watching for intruders.
But those armors, tasked with all sorts of menial duties, were slow and had a narrower detection range than expected.
Evading them isn’t difficult for me. Let’s see if this works too.
Idnia picked up a stone from the ground and threw it toward the wall.
Swoosh!
As the stone struck the wall, the moving armor turned toward the sound.
In that moment, Idnia lightly leapt out the dormitory window and descended outside.
The exterior was completely covered in fog.
As expected, it’s sealed with fog until the path opens.
If you touch this fog, it leaves a record, right?
A spell called the Fog of Surveillance.
But if you go upward…
Idnia released the power she had been suppressing and returned to the form of the Overlord.
Then she placed her foot against the dormitory wall.
“Hup!”
She ran up the wall in an instant, reaching the rooftop.
Standing atop the chimney, bathed in moonlight, Idnia spoke.
“As expected, the Fog of Surveillance doesn’t cover the upper parts of buildings.”
The academy’s professors and wardens ordered students to obey the rules… but penalty points were only given if you were caught.
In other words, anything was allowed as long as you didn’t get caught.
In truth, the academy subtly encouraged this.
A mage is one who overturns common sense.
If one merely follows rules obediently, they can never achieve greatness as a mage.
At least, that was the belief of the academy’s founder when designing its curriculum.
“Now then…”
Idnia ran across the rooftops, leapt to the adjacent building, and arrived at the lecture hall.
The lecture hall was also covered in the Fog of Surveillance, but it couldn’t stop her from entering through the chimney.
Descending into the fireplace, she made her way to the alchemy classroom.
There, the workbench she had seen before… a workbench with a dedicated magic wand attached… awaited her.
“Bingo.”
A grin spread across Idnia’s face. Her teeth gleamed in the moonlight, giving her the fierce look of a true overlord.