Chapter 225
Chapter 225
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 225
Chapter Title: The Nightmare Has Returned (4)
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Professor Lertia's farewell party was quite grand.
There were several reasons why the farewell party had to be on such a large scale, and it wasn't solely due to the students' respect for Professor Lertia.
"Princess Luriel and Princess Aila are attending the farewell party."
It was because of that rumor.
Some students mustered the courage to ask Aila directly, and it turned out to be true. Once the rumor was confirmed, the most dramatic reactions came from the noble-born students.
Aphria Academy is prestigious.
Though many talented children from humble backgrounds enroll and that often overshadows it... there are also plenty of students from renowned families studying there.
'First Princess Luriel.'
With the disappearance of First Prince Isaac, she was all but confirmed as the next ruler. However, due to rumors calling her the 'mad dog'... few nobles had meaningful interactions with her.
For such a person to show up at the farewell party.
To students from prestigious families, it was a golden opportunity. The students' respect for Professor Lertia combined with their zeal to seize this special chance... and the party ended up larger than necessary.
"This should do it..."
"What about food for Table A? It looks like we're short one tray here..."
They had rented out an entire hall.
The long tables were laden with all sorts of dishes. The farewell party, grander than most noble social gatherings, buzzed with constantly moving students.
There was just over an hour until the party started.
Professor Lertia had already arrived and was chatting lightly with the students. Glancing at her, the student representative who had planned the event patted their racing heart.
'Having two princesses show up is nerve-wracking, but...'
There was a more pressing issue at hand.
"Wouldn't we need a stage to express gratitude to Professor Lania? I think we should."
That was what Princess Aila had said when she came by during preparations. Not just her, but three top students were with her.
"She's surprisingly sensitive about that kind of thing. If we don't handle it, it'll become a huge hassle later... very, very huge."
The boy shaking his head.
Belnoa, former top student of the Battle Mage Department.
"I agree it's necessary. Professor Lania has done so much for us. This is a chance to reflect on our gratitude to our teacher..."
Rak van Grace, current top student of the Battle Mage Department, emphasizing 'great' for some reason.
"I'll help. Do you have ledgers to manage? I can assist with additional budgets or paperwork."
Resti Eleanor, next Lord of the Ashen Mage Tower, who had greatly helped with preparations.
All of them demanded one thing.
Make a spot for Professor Lania, one of 'satisfactory' quality to her. Of course, it wasn't an unreasonable request.
'Not unreasonable, but...'
As student representative, they had no idea what level would satisfy Professor Lania... and had agonized over it for days.
'So, I entrusted it to those two who know her well...'
The representative glanced at one side of the hall. There, Belnoa and Rak were decorating a table.
"How about adding more meat here?"
"Why meat? Isn't this enough?"
"Professor Lania likes meat. When she visited the North last time, she ate a ton of it..."
"...Really? She likes meat more than I thought."
"No one hates meat. Meat over grass. Clear out these salads and..."
"Are you insane?"
Rak kept trying to remove the salads, while Belnoa smacked the back of his head, calling him crazy. The student representative's expression turned subtle watching them.
"Hmm..."
...Was entrusting it to them the right call?
While the representative pondered, time steadily passed. Just as the party was about to start, the awaited guests entered the hall.
"Ah, seriously, you're not still sulking, are you...?"
"I told you, I get it. This is the seventh time, Professor. We all know already..."
Professor Lania looked somewhat pouty for some reason, her arm being dragged by Princess Aila. Behind them were Resti and Chloe.
Clack.
They finally entered the hall.
The bustling students stopped in their tracks and turned toward the door. Looking at the professor standing there... the students who prepared the event swallowed hard.
Lania van Trias.
Who was she?
To be honest, during the first semester, the students hadn't seen her as 'human' like themselves.
'Somehow... different... a different kind of...'
She just didn't seem human.
It felt like looking at a near-perfect doll. A doll that couldn't understand human hearts. But that was only for the first semester.
What about the second semester?
The image that came to mind was Professor Lania raising her voice to defend the honor of Battle Mages.
"Battle Mages are a class created directly by the great Ashen Wizard!"
Her passionate speech in class.
"No need to feel intimidated. Victory is seized. Fundamentals are proven. Our fundamentals are seized and proven through victory. Have confidence..."
Her fervent eyes preaching the fundamentals.
"Ah, fuck, let me go! Let go!"
And...
"I won. I won, got it? Let go! Shoot! Shoot, you fuck! Who the hell falls from that? You fall?!"
An astonishingly ugly side.
Those moments that set the faces of duel spectators ablaze flickered through the students' minds one by one.
Yes.
Since the second semester started, Professor Lania had shown human sides often. Not a perfect doll that couldn't understand humans...
'Someone a bit odd.'
That was the impression shifting to.
Sometimes pouting, sometimes jealous. From those petty behaviors, students felt her humanity.
Not just a perfect doll, but human.
In short, the psychological distance had shortened a bit. Students knew Lania wasn't just perfectly flawless anymore.
"P-Professor Lania."
Because they knew.
"We've prepared a seat for you..."
The student representative mustered courage and spoke.
Professor Lania slowly raised her head to look at them. Meeting her bluish eyes, the representative continued.
"Do you like it?"
Pointing to the seat prepared for her.
The table where Belnoa and Rak were still bickering. Lania's eyes widened looking at it. Her lips twitched.
"Hmm..."
A brief hesitation.
"What is all this..."
What followed seemed dry at first glance.
But the students didn't miss the slight tremor in her voice.
Pretending stoic, but her quivering lip corners... the students clearly saw.
Acting like she didn't.
Pretending she had no expectations.
'But actually, she likes it...!'
The representative clenched their fist.
Suppressing the urge to whistle, they vigorously pointed to the seat prepared for Professor Lania.
"Please, come on in, Professor Lania!"
2.
What in the world is all this?
From the moment she stepped into the farewell party until now, Lania had to focus all her nerves on keeping her gaping mouth closed.
'Seriously, what is all this...'
The scale of the party was extraordinary.
It rivaled the banquets she'd seen. Of course, this wasn't her first time at such an event.
'I attended a few with Kyle, but...'
Those banquets weren't solely for just Kyle and her. They were filled with nobles' blatant stares and schemes to squeeze out more.
So, this was the first.
A party she could purely enjoy.
"Professor Lania."
"...Y-Yes?"
"Your lip corner's been twitching since earlier. Shall I get you a fan to cover your mouth?"
Aila's teasing voice echoed in Lania's ears. Lania touched her mouth, wondering if it was true... but felt no tremor.
"It was a lie. You got flustered, huh?"
"No..."
This princess again.
As Lania sighed shortly, Aila, sitting beside her with chin propped, gazed at her.
"Glad you seem to like it."
"...Feels good."
A celebration seat.
Knowing students made it just for her... it was quite touching.
'Was I... too harsh?'
Such a thought crossed Lania's mind.
If she'd known students were preparing this for her, maybe she should've postponed the provocation plans.
"Hmm..."
A vague guilt made her groan.
"Should I reduce assignments..."
Just as the nightmare was acquiring a human heart.
The hall grew noisy again. New guests had arrived.
Creeeak.
The hall door opened, and two knights entered. One was known as the princess's guard knight, the other a Royal Guard Lania had seen around Aphria a few times.
The one-eyed Royal Guard with an eyepatch.
He stepped aside after opening the door and bowed. The guard knight then announced the visitor.
"From Princess Luriel."
Silence fell over the hall as someone passed the bowed knights and entered.
Click.
Steady heel sounds.
Platinum hair close to silver swayed. Sharp eyes peered through the strands. Cool golden eyes swept the hall.
"Ho."
First Princess Luriel.
With a short exclamation, she looked at the student representative.
"Are you the one who prepared the farewell party?"
"Y-Yes..."
"A familiar face. Daughter of Duke Demet? I think I saw you once with him."
"You remember... an honor..."
Luriel nodded lightly.
"Much better than Duke Demet."
"...Pardon?"
"The future of House Demet looks promising. Seems they have a gift for children. Duke Demet raised a fine one."
Was that praise better than her father, or an insult that even a mere student outdid him...?
As the representative wondered, Luriel continued unperturbed.
"I'll enjoy it briefly. Good work."
Either way, she'd been praised.
Taking it as an honor, the representative bowed slightly and stepped back... Luriel crossed the hall.
As eyes focused on her, she stopped in front of Professor Lania.
"Long time no see, Professor."
A tone like old acquaintances.
"From your expression, you seem to be enjoying it quite a bit."
"...That obvious?"
"Very. It's unfamiliar."
She chuckled softly.
Watchers' eyes wavered. Even without meeting Luriel, many knew her rumors.
The iron-blooded woman of the palace.
Some demeaned her as a mad dog, others praised her imperial qualities. Common to all: First Princess Luriel was extremely cold and rational.
'Trusts no one lightly, pursues perfection alone... ignores nobles' voices, the iron-blooded woman.'
One who trusts no one.
Yet she laughed as if genuinely amused. At Professor Lania, no less.
'...She knows the princess too?'
Not an ordinary connection.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Author's Note
I tried ordering McMorning today.
McMorning is a special menu you can only order at McDonald's until 10:30. Truly, a 'special food' only for morning people...!
For someone like me who usually wakes up at 11, it was something I wanted but couldn't have. But today, I finally succeeded in ordering it.
I even set an alarm to wake up early and order McMorning.
It was so delicious...