Chapter 77
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Return to Routine
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After the Abyss Worshipper raid incident.
The investigation team tasked with uncovering the truth worked tirelessly to identify those behind the attack.
But it was practically an impossible mission.
After all, every single Abyss Worshipper responsible for the raid was dead. There was no one left to dig secrets out of.
A week later.
The investigation team deemed the raid a senseless atrocity committed by deranged mages and announced they were closing the case.
The families of the fallen special forces agents received hefty compensation payments. Naturally, the students who had nearly been abducted were promised medical care and rewards as well.
And today marked the tenth day.
Most of the students swept up in the incident had regained their composure and returned to everyday life.
The Abyss Worshipper uproar that had shaken the academy thus drew to a close.
‘But it’s not completely finished.’
A real big one still loomed ahead.
According to the main scenario of the original story, Abyss Worshippers would eventually lead monsters in an assault on Arsen Academy.
Still, Noa had no reason to fret.
‘Because by then...’
She’d have long since graduated from the academy.
So in cold terms, it really had nothing to do with her. As she finished her thoughts and tried to pull herself from her musings.
Suddenly, a sigh echoed from across the room.
“Haaah.”
A sigh so heavy it seemed to sink into the earth.
It was Ivela.
Right now, Noa and Ivela were hunkered down in an empty classroom, each cramming for exams.
But hardly any time had passed before Ivela started sighing nonstop.
“Ugh, I don’t get a single thing.”
Ivela buried her face in her desk.
She kept groaning as if the book’s contents refused to stick in her head.
That was when Noa piped up.
“Want me to help a bit?”
“Really? You can explain it?!”
“Yeah, unless it’s super tough.”
Truth be told, difficulty didn’t matter.
One of Noa’s traits, Exploration, let her grasp even the trickiest stuff.
The moment she got an answer.
Ivela shot up like she’d been waiting for it.
She plopped down right next to Noa and jabbed at the part that had stumped her.
“Then explain this for me.”
“Hmm, let me check it first.”
Noa peered at the book Ivela had been staring at.
To get a sense of it ahead of time. It didn’t take long before she fully understood the section Ivela had pointed out.
“Lucky me, I know this one.”
“No way, for real?”
“Yep. You do it like this...”
Maybe thanks to Noa’s thorough breakdown.
Ivela finally seemed to get it, piece by piece. Though some bits still eluded her even with the explanation.
‘Makes sense, though.’
Not as bad as Ullan’s, but Ivela had academic penalties too.
Noa blinked on the sly.
To pull up Ivela’s status window.
Thanks to getting pretty close with Ivela lately, Noa had been able to view her features starting three days ago.
‘Ivela’s got two penalties.’
Jealousy and poor comprehension.
But jealousy wasn’t much of a penalty here. The original Sword Princess never fell in love or dated anyone.
‘Jealousy doesn’t have to trigger only over romance, of course...’
Still, no real issues.
Thanks to Ivela’s Comradeship feature. It kept jealousy from flaring up much among the seven heroes.
In other words, as long as she avoided romance, she only had one penalty.
‘Poor comprehension.’
This kicked in mainly when learning new info, knowledge, or academics. It cut understanding to half the average or less.
So unless explained super simply, she couldn’t grasp the material at all.
‘Swordsmanship’s the exception, though.’
Her S-grade trait, Sword’s Blessing.
Plus the Swordsmanship Genius feature meant no penalty for sword-related studies.
‘Looking at it this way...’
Ivela basically had no penalties.
Steer clear of romance and focus solely on sword training, and both stayed dormant.
That was probably why.
The original Ivela was the most fan-favorite named character among the seven heroes.
‘But why am I stuck like this?’
Frailty and crap stamina to boot.
Penalties fatal not just in fights but daily life too. Feeling glum about it, Noa let out sighs of her own.
As the two girls sighed away.
Drrrrk!
The classroom door slid open abruptly.
Ivela’s eyes widened a touch. Like she’d spotted a welcome face.
“Ah, Ullan!”
It was Ullan, who’d been studying with them.
Back from the bathroom, his face was soaked like he’d just splashed water on it. Ivela whipped out a handkerchief right away.
“Wipe with this.”
“Much appreciated.”
Ullan took it and dabbed his face.
The handkerchief was drenched now. After meticulously drying off, he bowed his head slightly.
“Thanks. I’ll launder it and return it.”
“N-no, it’s fine. Just keep it.”
“But etiquette says you should wash and return a borrowed handkerchief...”
The guidebook said so.
And keeping it like this felt off.
But Ivela shook her head.
“It’s okay, just take it.”
Like it was no big deal.
She practically snatched the handkerchief back and tucked it away tenderly, like a treasure.
As they settled back in.
Noa suddenly eyed Ullan.
“Why do you get nosebleeds so often?”
The reason Ullan went to the bathroom.
He’d been reading when blood suddenly gushed out. And this was the third time already. Ullan’s reply came.
“Overload.”
“Overload?”
What the heck?
Noa furrowed her brow.
Like it made no sense. As she started to ask what he meant.
“Right, speaking of which, Ullan.”
Ivela beat her to it.
Her face lit up like she’d just remembered something.
“Did you read the letter I gave you last time?”
“Hm? Letter?”
“The one from my house.”
“Oh, that. Yeah, finished it.”
Ullan nodded.
The letter from Count Deorg. He’d started it ten days ago and wrapped it up the day before yesterday.
“Really? Then...”
Ivela trailed off, glancing around.
She lowered her voice and asked.
“...can I ask what it said?”
“Sure, no problem.”
Nothing secretive about it.
Ullan nodded readily.
He recalled the seven-page letter’s contents.
‘Mostly updates.’
It started right after Istan left the academy for the count’s domain.
Upon arriving.
Istan launched the blood purge.
Not just the servants who’d tormented and snubbed Ivela and her mother, but the countess and her cronies who’d persecuted them were all targets.
The probe dragged on over a week.
And uncovered more dirt.
While Istan was at the front lines, the countess had been sneaking around with other retainers.
As a result.
Servants got thrown in jail for insulting nobility. Retainers lost lands, wealth, and titles.
The countess didn’t escape unscathed.
She was booted from the domain immediately and sent packing to her family. Plans were to try her on various charges later.
‘Next...’
Word on Ivela’s mother.
Idelin Elead had been officially added to House Deorg.
Once the divorce finalized, she’d be wed as the proper countess.
Finally, news on Himmel.
Sent off with Istan, but not to the domain—instead, the southern front’s front lines.
No returning to the empire until he manned up.
That summed up the letter.
After quietly reviewing his memory, Ullan boiled it down to one line.
“Just your standard ‘hope you’re well’ stuff.”
“Really? Nothing but pleasantries?”
Ivela sounded surprised as she double-checked.
Ullan nodded silently, but then a memory flickered.
“Oh, there was one part I didn’t get.”
“Huh? What part?”
“The last bit.”
Lucky, he had the letter in his pocket.
Ullan unfolded the crumpled paper.
The postscript on the seventh page read:
『P.S. I heard the details from my daughter. I’ve prepared a modest gift for the two of you, so I hope you make some fine memories with it.
Please take good care of my daughter.』
That was the whole postscript.
Ivela tilted her head.
“Modest gift?”
“This.”
Ullan pulled it out like he’d been waiting. It looked like a ticket.
What’s that?
As Ivela squinted. Noa beside her blurted it out.
“It’s a hotel voucher.”
“...Ho, hotel?”
“Yeah. See? ‘Valid for two days in an imperial hotel suite, any date from April 30 for the next six months, free of charge.’”
“April 30 is...”
The day midterms ended.
Followed by the weekend.
Ivela planned to use her outing pass. To spend the time alone with Ullan in the capital.
The moment it clicked.
“...!?”
All the pieces fell into place.
Ivela’s face flushed beet red.
With lightning-quick hands, she snatched the voucher from Noa.
“I-I’ll send it back!”
“Send it back?”
“Dad—no, Count Deorg must’ve sent it by mistake! Yeah!”
Ivela babbled incoherently.
She was clearly flustered, which was odd, but Ullan shrugged it off. If it was a mistake, returning it made sense.
“Got it. Handle it for me, then.”
“L-leave it to me!”
Forcing a smile.
Ivela clutched the voucher tight.
‘What was he thinking?!’
Face still burning.
Ivela fought to calm her pounding heart. She’d write a letter the second she got back to her room.
As she cooled her cheeks.
Noa watched Ivela steadily.
‘Definitely better than the original.’
The original Sword Princess, Ivela, was known for her emotionless face and icy demeanor.
But now? Totally different.
Her expressions were richer, her faces more varied than in the original.
‘All thanks to Ullan.’
If Ullan hadn’t pulverized Himmel in the qualifiers, Count Deorg never would’ve come to the academy.
No reconciliation, and Ivela might’ve endured Himmel’s bullying like in the original and dropped out second semester.
‘We wouldn’t be buddies like this now.’
It veered hard from the original plot, but Noa preferred this.
A happy future for Ivela beat a tragic one any day.
‘No turning back now.’
Ivela after Ullan.
Two named characters already off their original story paths. So Noa decided to shift her goals.
‘Ignore character stories from here on.’
It was out of her hands anyway.
No point stressing over it. She’d focus on reliable events, hidden pieces, and rewards.
‘Not total monopoly...’
But snag rewards that’d help down the line. Noa resolved as much.
Then the clock tower bells rang.
Ding! Dong!
Noon.
“Whoa, lunch already.”
“Eat first, study after?”
“Solid plan.”
Ullan’s stomach growled from all the morning nosebleeds. He and the two girls rose in unison.
On the way to the cafeteria.
Another named character popped into Noa’s head.
‘Wait, come to think of it...’
Hadn’t seen Dilia lately.
Figured she’d at least say something since her prophecy nailed it.
Or was she still in the hospital?
The thought prompted a question.
“Um, Ullan.”
“Yeah?”
“Is Dilia still hospitalized?”
“Yep. Out tonight, apparently.”
Ullan nodded.
That explained her absence.
Still recovering, huh. Noa pressed on worriedly.
“Longer than expected. Was she hurt that bad?”
“Looks fine on the outside. But the mana shock drained her vitality bad. Takes time to bounce back, she said.”
But much improved now.
Her weak voice was back to normal, stamina recovering decently. Ullan smiled faintly as he answered, and Noa grinned in relief too.
Except for one.
The golden-haired girl walking beside Ullan.
Ivela Elead.
She wasn’t smiling.
Chapter 21. Lightning Strike