Chapter 130
Translator: uly
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Whisper Board (1)
Scarlet maple leaves blanketed the campus in full autumn glory.
Sitting in the student council room, gazing out the window, a cool breeze occasionally tickled her cheeks.
The long road stretching from Akasha Hall's main gate.
There, Gallagher, the 2nd Class Political Officer of the Royal Special Inspection Team, gave a light bow.
Erzebet waved goodbye to the departing man, then sank back into her armchair with a deep sigh of relief.
The investigation into the senior hunt was finally over.
But less than a minute later, she straightened up again.
Not everything was resolved yet.
"Piy."
"Quiet, Piy. How could you abandon me and run off to Louis like that? No snacks for you for a while."
"Pi..."
Chatting idly with Piy, she skimmed through the various agenda items that had piled up in the student council during her trip to Skandal.
Among them was something that made her frown.
It was absurdly listed, but she couldn't deny the permit.
They had helped her and Adella during the sewer suppression operation.
'I'll have to tell them to beef up security at Privity Hall.'
With a heavy heart, she stamped the approval and moved to the next document when—beep!—an alarm spell chimed.
At exactly the same moment, someone knocked on the door.
Knowing it was her punctual guest, Erzebet tidied the papers and invited them in.
A second-year in a blue cape with elegant black hair cascading down opened the door and bowed lightly.
"Pardon the intrusion, Princess."
"Come in, Baroness Liv Greenwood."
"Liv is fine."
"Then... Liv. I've heard the gist from Louis. You awakened your unique magic path...?"
"Yes."
This year since her enrollment, Pharenchia Academy had seen major upheavals.
From the freshman victory in the magic duel tournament, to the Roshiar invasion, the saintess transfer, and now the senior hunt.
Rumors swirled in the capital, but the royal ministers wouldn't be more shocked this year.
Nothing topped the birth of a new archmage.
Thud.
Liv placed a notebook on the desk.
Erzebet knew what was inside.
"It's the automaton production method. Found it in the 1st Class restricted section of Uzet Great Library. I didn't have time to memorize it perfectly, but over half matches, so it should have research value."
"Half..."
Erzebet's expression darkened.
Just half.
Even Goliath took over a decade to restore the Ironclad blueprints.
What chance did she have, knowing nothing?
But she couldn't voice her disappointment to Liv.
One who awakened a unique path didn't owe the royals anything.
The world would revere such a great mage anywhere.
Liv offered it due to Louis's request—and her own ask.
"I'd like a title and territory near Greenwood Forest."
"Because it's your birthplace?"
"Yes. And where my father passed."
Liv paused, gazing at the autumn leaves outside.
Even if they fell indifferently to be trampled, someone had to remember how beautifully they replaced the sky.
"I'd like a reinvestigation of the Second Raviere Defense Line incursion."
"Pardon?"
Not demanding royal rewards or medals for past merits.
She needed neither; she'd claim the latter herself.
Even if meaningless, she wanted those sacrificed at the Grand Canal recorded in official histories, not just Goliath's secrets.
Their deaths she'd witnessed were no shame.
"I can grant territory, but reinvestigation might be tough. As you know, Great War records are heavily damaged."
As expected, Erzebet hesitated.
It was beyond her immediate power.
"Even if I push it in the council, it'll drag. We'd need credible witness testimony at minimum."
"Testimony... So you're inclined."
For Erzebet, a new archmage's support was politically huge.
Plus, an academy alumna.
That was half the reason she was here.
"Not immediately, but I'll try within my power."
"Thank you."
That sufficed.
Her heart lighter, Liv waved her hand in the air.
Another identical notebook appeared instantly; she handed it over.
"This is...?"
"There were two. The other half."
Liv smiled and stood, leaving Erzebet reeling from the choice.
"Then, I leave it to you, Princess."
With the kidnapped graduates including Darling released, the academy regained stability.
Professors sweated through royal inspections on their grad students, but classes continued.
Yet lately, odd rumors spread among students.
Freshman Adella Sylvestra de Roshiar and second-year Liv Lavre de Greenwood were intimately involved with the canteen owner.
In the academy—training ground for mages and social hub for nobles—such gossip was sweet nectar to youthful hearts.
Commoner romance, two women vying for one man.
Word was the broadcasting club had caught wind.
Of course, favorable buzz owed to Louis's striking looks spreading and his recent event appearances.
'Idiots, took you long enough.'
Caroline propped her chin, staring at autumn leaves till class ended.
Lectures and neighbors' chatter barely registered.
Blame the unidentified holy power from the sewers.
Faint, detectable only by her as saintess, but pure as a relic's aura.
'Louis said he's just the canteen owner, but...'
Dominating vast sewers, subduing her instantly—canteen owner material?
Her wrists still ached recalling the humiliation.
Post-Skandal digging on Erzebet yielded nothing but classmate Kal—no standout men.
Suspiciously clean.
'But he didn't lie...'
Only way: see for herself.
Scrape!
Class over, Caroline bolted up.
Sewers sealed by chairman post-grad expulsions—no going back.
Feet led to nearest spot sensing that power: the canteen.
Students watching her whispered anew.
"Hurry and wipe that down! Clean over there too!!"
"Yes, Comrade Adella!"
Students efficiently dusted furniture and adjusted lights on Adella's orders.
Everyone buzzed preparing the cafe's reopening.
Urgent matters passed; time to resume business.
Adella and Liv would help, but minor issues lingered.
"This is Boss's spot. Don't touch."
"Nuh-uh~ Boss sits at the counter with me, all lovey-dovey~!"
"No way—!!!"
Adella bickering with Lev, who came to the canteen instead of Liv (off meeting Erzebet as arranged).
No bloodshed like before, but petty sniping inevitable.
Ducks picking fights with Ironclads, Piy joining chaos—canteen bustled sans customers like a marketplace.
'How'd it come to this?'
Fierce entry competition, no sales yet.
Lamenting more critters than people, another intruder arrived.
— Hey, Louis.
Caroline tapping the locked glass door.
Prepping, I opened it; she strode in, eyeing everywhere.
"Nice setup you've got..."
"What do you want?"
"Looking for something. Ever hear anything buried under the academy grounds during construction?"
She yanked shelves, tapped floors, peeked behind counter thoughtfully.
"Nope."
"Didn't bury anything yourself?"
"Why ask suddenly?"
"..."
Awkward silence.
Her snooping too.
"No business, leave. Not open today."
Ironclads growled; I approached, politely refusing.
Housebreaking's illegal.
(I'd evicted the princess and city lord under kingdom law.)
"Then what's with them?"
Her dewy, apple-fresh eyes pointed to Adella and Lev still squabbling over my seat.
No hesitation:
"My girls."
"..."
Lips pursed, she glared.
Line drawn at counter: in vs. out.
Hurt by ejection? Or jeweler's clerk glare—fresh from buying Estelle's necklace yesterday.
After long quiet, her shocking words:
"...You don't mean if I wanna go in there, become one of your girls."
"What nonsense? Letting outsiders in the stockroom's weird."
Keeping trusted folks nearby's natural.
Lev dodged Adella's icicle, flew my way, snapped at Caroline:
"Right! Outsiders out! Boss hates it!!"
"..."
"Visit again, add Saintess to the barrier blacklist."
"Hmph."
Glared at basement door long, then turned away.
"That won't work on me."
With some ace up her sleeve.