Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Peaceful Midterms Week (4)
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"Hey, Liv. What's got you in such a good mood?"
During exam week, the library was packed so tight there wasn't even standing room. Liv shook her head at Karen's question.
"Nothing special."
"Nothing special, my foot. Who in their right mind grins like that while staring at that?"
The book Karen pointed to was a reference paper for the 'Practical Black Magic' exam starting in three hours.
Liv hesitated for a moment before answering.
Just as her friend said, her good mood stemmed from a different reason entirely.
—No, that was seriously impressive. I've never seen anything like it in my life.
—Wow~ So even Baroness Greenwood just casually whips out brand-new spells like that?
—Will you show us more later?
'I got praised.'
In fact, for someone as popular as Liv at the academy, she was just as often the target of envy, admiration, or outright jealousy.
A baroness with no land or real holdings—just a name.
Plenty of people looked askance at someone like her rising above them.
The professors vied to recruit her to their magic towers, but they had no reason to shower her with undue favors before she chose one.
After all, if she shared their school's magic theories or teachings and then joined a rival tower, it'd be a disaster.
What she usually got from them was calculated goodwill and empty flattery—nothing more, nothing less.
That was exactly why Liv, always short on cash, never begged for help from anyone but her friend Karen.
Better to draw a line from the start than fail to reciprocate later.
So Louis's pure, unadulterated praise felt like rain in a drought to her.
Sure, he probably didn't grasp image magic all that deeply, but he still called her spell amazing.
"Right? Something's up. Did someone confess to you or what?"
"Nothing like that."
Of course, spilling this to her friend would just earn her a fiery lecture for being foolish.
"It's just... comfortable. Being around them makes me feel at ease."
"Them...?"
Karen stared at the book in Liv's hands with a face like she'd bitten into a bug mid-bite of bread.
'Ah, no wonder her grades suck—stuck in classes with weirdos like this.'
If her friend was thinking that far, there was nothing more to say.
Obsessed with academics like that? She was clearly destined to wither away in some dusty library.
"Anyway, how many exams do you have left?"
"Three for me. Once today's done, just 'History of War' and 'Mana Circuit Theory'."
"Lucky... 'History of War' is a report substitute, right? Liv, help me out?"
"Too busy with mine. Oh, right—I need to borrow that history book too. Better request it now. One sec."
Liv stood up. All security-rated books required librarian approval for checkout.
Normally quick, but during peak times like this, it could take a while.
The topic she'd chosen for her 'History of War' essay was none other than the second major battle at the Ravière Defense Line, where her father, Paris Greenwood, had died.
The two battles, dubbed the 'Ravière Heights War,' were the largest clashes that had ever pushed humanity to the brink of extinction.
Her father had lost his life in the second one, earning a baronial title for his valor.
"I'd like to check out some books."
"Yes, your request list?"
"Here."
"We're backed up right now—come back this evening."
"Okay."
She still vividly remembered her last goodbye to her father as she left Greenwood Forest, her childhood home.
He never returned, and now even the exact spot in that forest—now split by a massive canal—where he lay was unclear.
But one thing was certain.
Her father had been a hero who saved the nation.
Back at the canteen, I dove into full-on trap-making mode.
Sure, I knew squat about magic or worldly affairs, but I prided myself on my knowledge of all things combat-related.
Traps included. Especially since our party never had a rogue, so this stuff often fell to me.
On battlefields, improvised traps from ropes or corpses worked fine for hiding or alerting, but here? Materials everywhere meant better options.
I looped snares over branches, jammed sharpened stakes densely into dug pits below.
Strung thin wires between trees, hid cans packed with ignition stones and explosion scrolls at the ends.
By sunset, I'd turned the canteen grounds into a Vietnam-esque guerrilla paradise.
I left the main paths and front entrance clear—where students usually passed—but loiter around windows or the back door carelessly, and you'd be picking your bones up later.
Dodge one, and linked traps triggered next. Even escape routes outward had reverse setups.
Of course, this wouldn't stop Roshiar troops or knights outright, but lethality? Sky's the limit.
Why hold back? Friendly fire risks now and then.
Snap!!
Mid-setup, a trap sprang outside.
Sighing, I went out. Adella, lured by bait bread, dangled mid-air in a snare.
"Caught me~."
"Jeez."
Wouldn't anyone think bread in the middle of a path was suspicious?
Good thing I skipped the barbed wire—nearly hurt her bad.
"Didn't I tell you not to come till exams are over?"
"I didn't come to the canteen. Just passing by."
Smooth talker.
Even as she triggered every trap she wandered into from afar.
I spun the dangling Adella—rope around her waist—round and round.
She screamed like it was a carnival ride, loving it.
"Studying hard? Fail and you're fired, y'know."
"I am! With the princess's help, top of the class is in the bag... Whoa, dizzy."
What a brat.
If Adella snagged year rank one, did this academy have a future?
Lehel should at least resign as chairman.
Stopping the spin, I rummaged her bag. Crumpled papers rained out.
Fresh exam sheet from just now—ink still wet.
Tricky questions, but answers even I could follow? No top score here.
A scolding slipped out.
"What'll you do if you slack off and tank your grades? Won't get into your dream magic tower."
"Ugh...!"
"Last time, Baroness Liv never put her books down even working here. Do half that."
"Teacher...?"
"How're you gonna survive later? Huh? Join some podunk adventurers' guild in the boonies, hunt monsters for scraps?"
"I-I'm living with you, so it doesn't matter!"
Felt like scolding a delinquent kid. And this one straight-up refused independence.
If I'd left her alone, Roshiar would've shaped her up.
Starting to get the Snow Duke's grand intentions.
Estelle Sylvestra de Roshiar... Still not missing you.
"Adella."
No choice—I lowered my gaze more. Bending down, our eyes met as she hung there, staring.
"You really think you can keep coming here?"
"I... do."
"For real?"
"..."
Her face darkened.
Yeah, after years watching students here, how could I not know? Pharenchia Academy is harsh on the untalented—and harsher on the lazy.
Using magic most in this world can't? That's talent proven.
That's why Adella hit me hardest. Born with Roshiar's unique magic—overflowing gifts—yet wasting it.
'Couldn't help it to survive, sure.'
But now it's solved. Time to step up.
I'd lend a hand to help this little North Sea flower bloom.
"No repeating a grade this exam period, and I'll grant one wish."
"For real?"
"Yeah."
"Anything!? Seriously!?"
"I said I will."
"Really...? Mmph...?"
I lightly covered her noisy mouth. Felt her jolt and flail from the rope in my other hand.
Tongues brushed lightly—no karma transfer. First pure kiss, come to think?
"Heh..."
Unlike before, Adella even closed her eyes. Her reopened blue ones avoided mine.
"Even... more than this?"
"Told you."
"..."
"You'll study hard now, right?"
Nod.
Her head dipped lightly. Her brain kicking back in made me happy too.
"Pardon? What did you say?"
After her last exam, Liv stopped by the library—and reeled at the unexpected news.
The librarian shrugged, handing over the request list slashed with red ink.
"Checkout denied. You can only borrow the two at the top."
"Why? Already taken? Original damaged...?"
"No, both Pharenchia and Thessalon have copies. But this time... security violation."
Security rating? Fine for high-tier grimoires, but these were plain history books. Stuff classmates borrowed too—B-rank at worst.
"Can I... know the reason?"
Liv had to press. But the librarian just shook her head, clueless.
"No idea. Happens sometimes—same book, denied based on circumstances."
"Sigh... Fine, I'll reapply."
Reluctantly leaving, Liv unfolded her denied list.
[Reason for Denial: No Viewing Permissions.]
Bold red text, stamped seal. Ink smudged but clear—not the royal family or seven towers.
Broken sword, arrow-pierced black shield, ringed by long mountain ridges. Liv's slender finger traced it.
"This is... the Ravière Mountains?"