Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: If You Do It, It Works. (3)
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#3 Their Circumstances: The Circumstances of Some Students.
“Yawnn…”
A second-year student at Yuglasia Academy let out a yawn as he trudged out of the dormitory.
He figured it must’ve been because he’d hung out with friends from other academies until the crack of dawn the night before. Rubbing his head, which ached faintly from the hangover, he set off for school.
Sure, they called them the Empire’s Four Great Academies and were rivals, but that was just within the empire.
Aside from standout commoners from places like Mercaria, nearly every student had crossed paths at least once in high society.
Sure, some cut ties over academy rivalries, but most tried to get along, thinking ahead to life after school!
Especially this year—Yuglasia had gotten weird somehow, and meetings with folks from other academies had dropped off sharply.
But that was in the past!
Now, with a Swordmaster on the scene, they could even leave campus freely during breaks.
At this rate, there’d be plenty to look forward to even after vacation ended!
When his buddy from Arsia Academy bragged about sparring with Arsia’s top swordsman, his mouth had itched with envy!
The empire’s most promising next-gen Swordmaster candidate?
Our academy just had a straight-up Swordmaster!
He’d wanted to shout it, but the academy wanted to keep it under wraps until the Imperial Tournament, so he held his tongue.
And so, after some wine and late-night chats with old friends…
Even if it was light booze, the alcohol had done him in—he was late.
Well, the others from different academies were probably still dreaming or just waking up.
“Ugh… gonna be a little late.”
Classes started at nine, but arrival was by eight.
Even sprinting flat-out, he was already late, so he decided to stroll.
But this student didn’t know.
The academy’s order had changed starting today.
And the moment he realized it, he cursed his own laid-back self right then.
Exactly five minutes later.
“Huh?”
The front gate, usually wide open, was shut tight. Only the small side door—used by on-duty professors at night or for quick exits—stood ajar. Even seeing the academy like that, the student sensed nothing amiss.
And the price for that came the instant he slipped through the side door.
“Urgh, a latecomer!”
“Gyaah!”
His legs gave out in an instant, and the student plopped down on his butt right there.
Because the one greeting him so enthusiastically was none other than that silver devil!
“Wh-why are you…”
Overwhelming presence.
That natural dignity made honorifics slip out on reflex!
Yuglasia students might badmouth professors off-campus, but never that silver devil—the terror was on another level.
And that silver devil, possessor of such aura, flashed a grin at the student staring up in abject fear.
“Because you were late, obviously?”
A smile that handed out one-way tickets to hell.
#4 Their Circumstances: Lady Aris Lil Retia’s Circumstances
“Gwaaaaaah!”
“I-I’m alive…”
Screams erupted from behind.
If I’d been just a bit later, that’d be me wailing.
Realizing that, cold sweat trickled down my spine.
Good job, past me!
Precisely: the me from ten minutes ago, who’d started running to avoid being late!
No wonder my gut had felt off when I nearly overslept this morning!
If I’d shrugged it off like usual—“Eh, a little late’s fine”—?
-Aww… so close… really so close…
I’d freaked out seeing the devil muttering that while eyeing the clock at the gate!
Back then, I hadn’t grasped it meant “just missed.”
But the moment the front gate slammed shut right at eight, beholding that beaming devil, it hit me!
If I’d been late, I’d be dead meat!
-Aris, from tomorrow, I’ll wake you no matter what. Whatever it takes.
-Yes, wake me! Whatever it takes! Possess my body anytime, I don’t care!
Normally, you don’t say that to a summon—especially a mighty high-class one.
Least of all to a god-tier summon, top of the top, with a contract.
Handing free rein of your body to something with a strong ego? Insanely risky.
But dodging that devil was riskier.
Not life-threatening, sure—but mentally? Disaster.
Get hit by it enough, and you seriously ponder if clean death wouldn’t be merciful.
So to evade the devil, I’d yield body control anytime.
“Gwaaaaaah!”
“Better hurry inside.”
Another agonized howl echoed, and I quickened my pace.
But then.
“GyaAAAAH!”
“Again?”
As break time wound down, a familiar wail from down the hall.
Sure, pain makes people scream.
But this soul-rending vibe? Devil beatings only.
Which meant…
“Why’s that devil out during break?”
Dread prickled, but my feet dragged me toward the screams.
Knowledge is power, they say.
And surviving in devil-infested Yuglasia meant knowing what earned a beating.
“Gwaaah…”
“No running in the halls?”
The devil wagged a finger at the first-year sprawled in tears and drool.
So… that kid got pummeled for dashing through the corridor?
Days—one, two—passed like that.
As victims mounted, a classmate rushed up clutching a little notebook.
“L-Lady!”
“We’re just same-year students here—call me Aris.”
“Lady Aris! Look at this!”
A small notebook.
Cover read “Student Handbook,” stamped with Yuglasia’s crest.
“Student handbook?”
“Yeah, the one from orientation! And…”
He flipped it open frantically, shoving a page at me.
The school rules section.
“Every victim of the devil broke these, Lady!”
“What…”
Page after page.
I’d tossed mine or shoved it in some dorm corner.
Now I scanned the “School Rules” entries indifferently.
Yeah. Everyone the devil nailed had violated these.
“Alright, tonight I’m digging out my student handbook!”
Good thing I’d kept my mouth shut about the silver devil’s rampage.
If I’d blabbed, they might’ve spun it as “You broke rules—you’re at fault,” slapping on extra penalties.
Living comfy by following rules ain’t bad.
Yeah, rules matter—a lot.
Laws exist to be obeyed!
-Aris, you’re brainwashing yourself!
-Can’t help it to survive! Deny all you want—reality won’t budge! So I change myself!
-Aris… sob…
The goddess sniffled. My plight that pitiful?
Nah, I’m fine.
Just follow rules—no reason for devil beatings!
-Now the self-brainwashing’s seamless!
Rummaging my room, I luckily found the handbook. Pored over it, double-checking for violations.
“Skirt length? Skirt length is a rule too?”
“Hang on, hair length? Oh, my bob’s fine.”
Tweaked everything—no loopholes.
I’m the silver devil’s certified punching bag.
Slacken once? Wham.
Swordmaster or not—can’t take hits for petty rule breaks!
-Aris, Swordmaster now—wanna throw down with the devil?
-I lose, it’s over!
-My contractor indeed! Wise!
Even as Swordmaster, no urge to fight the devil.
Nah, attack and it’d grin: “Swordmasters must be tougher, huh?” Then pummel away.
Legendary Grandmaster level to even prep for that devil.
All that effort to obey every rule…
“How’s it this perfect…? Even a crack army couldn’t maintain order like this…”
Father dropped by again—gawked in awe.
“Father?”
“You’ve got superb professors.”
Beaming with genuine pride at me, I itched to yell it was brutal violence’s doing—but with the devil grinning beside Professor Niserwin, I zipped it.
Yuglasia’s rep with parents soared. Trust in Professor Niserwin ballooned.
***
“This I didn’t see coming…”
Retia Marquis’s sudden visit shocked me—big time—but the gains outstripped expectations.
Tweaking the timetable and rules, I’d tossed in some half-remembered middle- and high-school regs off the cuff.
Then smacked violators with the steel bat—and boom, perfect compliance.
Marquis saw, loved it, left thrilled. Sparked fresh buzz in high society about Yuglasia.
“All thanks to me!”
“You’re the best!”
“Moar, moar praise! Build my goddess statue in the quad!”
Students en route bolting back the other way.
“Here, mana stone.”
“Whine, this tastes awful.”
Whining, yet that itch for free playtime strong—chomps the mana stones he smuggled from class.
Sounds like crunching bones—but nah, just mana-infused rocks!
No way they taste good!
“Urgh, you know and still feed me these flavorless lumps! Least slather some seasoning!”
“Season a rock? Butter and honey maybe?”
Back when honey butter was all the rage—honey butter on rocks? Honey Butter Stone? Sounds marketable!
“Kinda sounds like sweet rock. But prob’ly still meh.”
Crunch-crunch, chatty as ever.
“Chew long enough, gets a walnut vibe sometimes.”
Feels walnut nuttiness from rocks, huh.
“Said it tastes like chewing walnuts—not that mana stones taste nutty. Anyway, Master, letter came—time to prep for Imperial Tournament, right?”
“Yep.”
Morning mail: reps from Empire’s Four Great Academies to confer pre-tourney.
Yuglasia student rep? Student Council President Nerkia.
…
“Prof rep’s you?”
“Kinda tricky.”
Dye the hair, grow a beard, act the part…
But parading this mug outside? Dicey.
Suspicion brews—next thing, full doxxing.
Wanna stay campus-bound if possible…
“How ’bout trusting the student prez?”
“What’s my favorite saying?”
“The axe you trust chops your foot! But you don’t trust prez anyway—so who cares if it chops!”
Not “won’t chop”—“chop’s fine”…?
“Fine, one shot at trust.”
And our student prez Nerkia repaid my faith handsomely.
“Awesome! Way to go, Student Council President! Declaring victory over the other academies! Incredible!”
Repaid my faith—with that trusty axe right to the foot.