Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Form the alliance, but I will hold the blade
The next morning at breakfast…
The atmosphere among the students had changed.
Originally, regardless of dormitory, they had all gotten along casually, as if they were just there to have fun.
But now that they had understood the academy’s intention to pit them against each other with shop points and Aka Coins,
the students were wary of one another.
What they had thought of as mere lodging, their dormitories, were in fact groups, identities, practically small nations.
Now that they realized this, the dining hall where all students gathered was filled with a strange tension.
Although Crown Prince Rudolf had declared an alliance among all dormitories, no one believed it would last long.
Not even Rudolf himself, who had proposed it…
“Alright, alright. Sit separately and eat! And whisper love that transcends status! Hostility between dorms? Then all the more reason for love! Love that surpasses barriers shines brighter, does it not?!”
Though formal classes had not yet begun, the Succubus Queen Sadia seemed delighted to oversee student discipline, and she was once again supervising breakfast.
At that moment… Lorenzo Medici Mazdari, prince of Mazdari and head of Notos Dormitory, raised his hand.
“What is it, Student Lorenzo?”
“May we season the food? For example, adding salt or pepper…”
“Ah, that’s allowed. But do you even have such things? Bringing them in through servants should have been prohibited.”
Though Sadia questioned it, the moment permission was granted, Lorenzo took something out from his coat.
It was a hand mill for grinding pepper.
He carefully ground something into powder and sprinkled it over the tasteless vegetable soup.
Strangely, everyone could smell the sharp, appetite-stimulating aroma of pepper even from that distance, as if they all had heightened senses.
After just a single day of avoiding sweets, peppered foods, and salty dishes, their senses had already sharpened that much.
And it wasn’t just Lorenzo.
Other Notos students also took out containers of seasonings, grinding pepper and adding salt and sugar into their soup.
“Wait…”
“…That sweet smell?!”
“Oh ho. Look at these guys?”
Sadia immediately realized what was happening.
“That’s pepper and seasoning! Is that salt or sugar?”
“No matter what, there’s no way this awful vegetable soup can be saved just by seasoning it a little.”
The students watched with half anticipation, half doubt as Lorenzo, the Mazdari prince, began to eat.
He scooped up the soup slowly, savoring it—first smelling it, then looking at it, and finally placing it into his mouth.
Everyone swallowed hard as they watched.
“It’s better.”
The moment Lorenzo said that, the Notos students eagerly began devouring their food.
It was still poor-quality food, but with seasoning added, it had become far more edible.
“Wait a second!? Aren’t they openly breaking the school rules?! And… is that allowed?”
Karl, prince of Oxbach and head of Boreas Dormitory, protested to Sadia.
Sadia snorted.
“That was disappointing, Karl. With that attitude, you won’t be receiving my energy drain.”
“…What?”
“As long as you don’t get caught, it’s fine. A mage is one who overturns reality.
Didn’t you hear what Magram said yesterday?
The school will exploit and devour you.”
“….”
What kind of professor says that outright?
But Sadia, whose blood seemed to burn hotter than anyone else’s, spoke with blazing eyes.
“Rise, boys and girls!
Resist oppression and accomplish the task of revolutionary love!
Burn your youth!”
“Um, the oppressor here is you…”
“Ah, of course I’ll oppress you. What’s the fun without obstacles?”
“So that’s how it is? Heh. To think academy professors are like this…
Lorenzo. You knew all along!
I have to admit, I’m impressed.”
Karl of Oxbach realized that Lorenzo had thoroughly analyzed the academy’s ecosystem, its founding principles, and the tendencies of its professors before arriving.
From the start, the four students from Notos being sent to the punishment chamber had been part of securing the smuggling route.
“Wait a minute. Didn’t we form an alliance and agree not to fight each other?”
“But…”
“What happens now?”
Students from other dormitories, especially those from Euros, trembled.
If the alliance held, it would be fine. But if it broke, the smallest dormitory, Euros, would be in the most danger.
And yet Notos had openly begun its offensive.
And this was only the beginning.
After breakfast came preparation time.
Servants arrived at the dormitories.
But they all wore shocked expressions.
Idnia learned the reason through Black Wolf.
“Master, this is bad. Just as you warned, the southerners have moved…”
“What happened?”
“They bought out the entire general store in the village!”
“…What?”
Idnia was startled.
In Awakening Girl Concert, Lorenzo, the head of Notos and prince of Mazdari, had used his servants to establish a smuggling route and open a black market, dominating the competition between dormitories and the Aka Coin market.
But he had never gone as far as investing capital into the village itself.
Yet now… wasn’t this far more aggressive than in the game?
Hm. The future is shifting.
Is it because I gave up my role as the villainess?
The butterfly effect is quite severe.
Idnia admired Lorenzo’s unexpected move.
“So we brought the items that Saint candidate girl requested…”
“Ah, right. I’ll pass them along.”
Idnia called Marie.
“Here. The items on your list, along with the receipt.”
“Th-this is expensive. Ah, no, thank you. I mean… it’s just…”
Marie was overwhelmed by the much higher prices than expected.
“Prices in Black Cow village are too high. And now that the shop owner has changed, it’s chaos. I bought secondhand where I could.”
Black Wolf handed over the receipt.
“Did prices change after the southerners bought the shop?”
“No, not yet. Still the same as before.
But they’ll go up soon, right?”
“Yes. Otherwise, there would be no reason to buy the shop.”
Marie gasped.
“What? They’re going to buy the village and raise prices by force? If they do that, the other dormitories won’t stay quiet.”
Especially Karl Gustav Oxbach, with his fiery temper.
It could even lead to bloodshed among students…
“It’s fine. They just don’t fully understand the academy’s structure yet.
And speaking of which, Magram’s class is coming up soon, isn’t it?”
“Yes?”
“It’ll be fine, so don’t worry, Marie.
At the very least, I’ll protect you and the students of Euros.”
“…Ah, Lady Idnia.”
Marie’s face flushed.
Even though she’s supposed to be my rival… Lady Idnia is just too cool.
While the other students trembled with anxiety, Idnia remained calm, as if this was nothing at all.
How could someone the same age feel so different in presence?
She truly felt like someone on an entirely different level.
“Ha. Impressive. I’ve been outplayed, Lorenzo Medici Mazdari.”
Karl rushed to Lorenzo as soon as he heard about the situation in the village.
“What do you mean?”
Lorenzo feigned ignorance.
“This isn’t something you can do without preparing from the start.
To think you’d even consider buying the village. So those four who went to the punishment chamber yesterday were all part of your plan too?
You’re not someone to be underestimated.”
“Karl of Oxbach, let me give you a piece of advice. Never underestimate anyone.
Consider it advice for your future.”
It was already rude enough to talk about underestimating someone right in front of them.
Lorenzo couldn’t help but say it, amused by Karl provoking him despite knowing he was hiding his abilities.
And oddly enough, Karl seemed pleased.
“Thanks for that. But even if you bought the village, those shops in Black Cow still have to pay taxes to the academy. How much is it?”
“Yes, 20 percent of revenue.”
“Then even if you raise prices, all you’re doing is increasing the academy’s tax revenue. Doesn’t that go against the idea of protecting students’ rights against the faculty?”
“Yes. So let me state this clearly. First, do not break the alliance. Second, do not act against Notos Dormitory. If any student violates this, we will be forced to apply external pressure.
There’s no need to explain what position we now hold to exert such pressure, is there?”
“…Ha. So that’s how you’re playing it? With justification, you don’t even need to run a business? Fine. Very fine. For now, you’ve got the upper hand.”
Karl admitted defeat for now and stepped back.
But from his tone, he wasn’t someone who would stay down.
Even before the professors had made their move, the dormitory alliance was already beginning to crack.
After the turbulent morning preparation period, classes began.
Baroness Willem’s class proceeded much like yesterday. After watching a horrific illusion crystal video that Idnia could barely endure, a quiz began.
It was a lesson to test how much of the textbook students had understood after reading it in full.
Read an entire textbook in just one day and answer questions?
With all these other exhausting classes, and even after causing mana burnout, is that even reasonable?
My body still aches from the aftereffects of mana burnout…
The students were dumbfounded by the absurd assignment.
However… there was one student who raised her hand enthusiastically at every question.
“Yes. Miss Isolde Polzen.”
“It is the activation phrase for spirit realm negotiation.”
“Ah, correct. Miss Isolde Polzen earns one shop point.”
Isolde Polzen dominated the quiz.
She was already favored by Baroness Willem for being the daughter of the same consort.
By continuously answering questions, she had already earned three shop points in a single class.
She already had 2 points from being the top entrant, and now 3 more from one class? Does that make sense?
Isn’t that favoritism too much?
Other students were dissatisfied, but they couldn’t object.
Baroness Willem had clearly stated that points would be awarded for correct answers before asking each question.
It just so happened that only Isolde could answer them.
As a result, Isolde alone earned three points from the quiz, bringing her total to five and placing her firmly in the lead.
At the same time, Zephiros Dormitory’s total score rose to nine, easily surpassing Euros, which had been tied for first.
Although all dormitories had agreed to unite against the academy, Zephiros had no intention of giving up its lead.
Even if Notos used aggressive methods, as long as they maintained overwhelming first place, it would be the others who broke the alliance first.