Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Peaceful Midterm Exam Week (6)
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The streets were quiet. The only sound was the metallic clanking from the two dogs following behind.
"Did you refuse to lend her the books?"
Surprisingly, Liv was the first to speak. Even knowing they were elite soldiers from the Ravière Mountains, she didn't cower.
Her black eyes gleamed purely under the gaslight.
"That's right."
"Why?"
Mareill chuckled lightly at the look in her eyes that promised protest if he didn't give a proper answer.
The top student in the Magic Department, was it? He'd already investigated everything about her on the way here.
A peerless genius flooded with offers from all the magic towers. But right now, she was just a fledgling sprout.
His sharp eyes caught the trembling hand at her waist. She was still too green to maintain composure before Penheim's hounds.
"Stop investigating Paris Greenwood."
"Why?"
"It's causing noise."
"Noise...?"
Noise regarding her father's death? While Liv faltered, Mareill pulled two envelopes from his pocket.
One sealed in red, the other in black.
He undid the red seal and read the document inside. His expression was flat, but his tone biting.
"Paris, your father was a commoner from the north who organized a militia in the Ravière Mountains' foothills during the Great War. Well, he was posthumously made a baron."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Hear me out. The forces he led weren't just soldiers—they absorbed locals, hunters, temple reinforcements, and most of the nobles who'd lost lands and families and gathered in the mountains for a last stand. He built a massive army."
That's right. And her father had fought with all his might to hold the mountains against the demons. Without mastering any great magic or swordsmanship.
Paris's feats were acknowledged by everyone there, which is why Liv qualified to enter the academy now.
But Mareill's next words plunged her into massive shock.
"But during the Second Ravière Heights Battle, he defied the high command's retreat order and kept his entire force in Greenwood Forest to the end."
And—
"That decision cost 170,000 soldiers and civilians their lives in a single night."
"...!!"
"He died there too."
Liv's legs gave out. She collapsed onto a roadside bench, shaking her head in denial.
"No, the history books clearly say...!"
"Glorious battle, right? But cross-check the records, and you'll find inconsistencies."
"That's impossible! That many people couldn't have died in an instant!!"
"What invaded the Ravière Mountains then was one of the Demon King's Four Great Evils, Karvius the Evil Annihilator. With two archdukes already dead, there was no chance of victory."
The other forces in the mountains had withdrawn early. From prior experience when a defense line broke, Penheim and Monarch's leadership knew no unit could face one of the Four Great Evils.
Yet Paris ignored it and led all his followers to their deaths.
The result was惨烈.
Unable to even graze Karvius's scales, they were annihilated in Greenwood Forest. A one-sided massacre.
"Most academy books lack security ratings. But we have access to far more accurate information."
"No, that can't... be..."
"Read it yourself. Take it if you need to. But I won't allow you, his child, to write about Paris Greenwood."
It would torment the families of the sacrificed and expose the kingdom's shame. Handing her the envelope, Mareill said as much.
It couldn't be. Her father couldn't have been that kind of man.
Yet the papers he gave her—communication magic logs from the mountains, survivor testimonies, casualty stats, and postwar commendation meeting minutes—proved her wrong.
Then, Liv noticed the black envelope he held.
"...What's that?"
"Guess."
Quick-witted Liv realized immediately. It had to be a higher level of intel than the red one.
She reached to snatch it. At the same time, she activated Mana Coercion and Water Ball.
Boom—!!
Dazzling light flashed and an explosion roared. Liv grabbed the envelope before Mareill could dodge, then tried to retreat, but agony exploded in her arm.
"Ngh...!!"
The iron hound was gnawing her left arm. Her white shirt soaked with blood. Mareill calmly remasked and said,
"Let go, or it breaks."
"..."
"Gutsy."
Crunch!
The chilling sound made Liv flinch instinctively. But she didn't release her grip.
Panting raggedly, she looked up and saw the dog that bit her had curled into a ball, shrinking.
Mareill casually retrieved it, lit a cigar, and shrugged.
"Can't kill a student, after all."
Infuriating. But confirming the truth came first.
With blood dripping from her hand, Liv carefully opened the envelope. But...
"It's... empty?"
"We can't see black-level either."
Leaving dazed Liv behind, Mareill snapped his fingers to dispel the barrier.
Spotting approaching students in the distance, he vanished without greeting.
He figured the warning was enough—she wouldn't want to expose her own father's shame.
"Ugh...!"
Alone, Liv clutched her arm, trembling.
Why didn't Paris Greenwood receive medals from the royals after the war? The answer to the question she'd always harbored was this.
The night air felt bitterly cold. Pain, injustice, agony, confusion—all negative emotions swirled.
A different evaluation of her father from the world's. A sinner who'd led countless to death, the worst commander.
She wanted to look away from reality, but the red envelope thrust before her was stained with the victims' blood.
"What do I do... sob!"
Tears she'd held back finally fell to her knees. The collapse of her mental pillar—her father—was a massive shock.
Her chest heaved, unable to breathe properly. Vision blurring, her staggering steps shook under the light.
'Healing... need to heal first...'
To the temple. But her feet wouldn't move. After a few steps, she collapsed again.
At the edge of her vision, she saw the darkened canteen.
'Right... the owner's definitely...'
Before, when she asked if he knew Paris Greenwood, Louis had answered:
He was an excellent knight.
He hadn't reopened yet, but nights after closing were his alone time.
In this world's bare room without TV or smartphone, he killed time decorating the second floor.
Bending scrap metal into a phone stand, scratching glass with his nail for a highlight centerpiece.
DIY, right? Never tried on Earth, but assembling handmade Legos until sleep claimed him often brought morning.
"Oh, done."
Today, he recreated a distant memory: pull out the last gum, and a cockroach pops from the wrapper.
High completion.
Especially pinning a real bug instead of rubber—more vivid horror than the original. Save for later.
Deep in midnight tinkering, a faint knock from downstairs reached his ears.
Hm... not great.
Students sometimes visited late, but he wasn't thrilled.
Opening for one sleepless kid, and they'd all come whenever, ruining his happy hobby time.
This was a canteen, not a convenience store. Work-life balance always first.
Ignore, and they'd leave soon. He adjusted the spring in the cockroach's rear.
Like the bug's twitching legs going still, the two soft knocks ceased.
'Gone?'
No footsteps away. Instead, soon a small sob.
Damn it.
Reluctantly, he threw on a light jacket and descended. Found Liv collapsed at the door, bleeding.
"My god, Baroness! You okay?"
"Owner..."
"Inside, now."
Blood chased away late-night drowsiness. His empty side felt naked without a sword.
He seated Liv behind the counter, grabbed potions and bandages, and examined her wound carefully.
"This is..."
"Beast bite. Pretty big. No saliva or tooth residue visible—familiar?"
"Y-yeah, probably. How'd you...?"
Bite to check. Luckily, not deep.
Intentional bite from that size would've caused heavy bleeding. Thank goodness.
Reaching to lift her clothes for treatment, their eyes met. She, always staring sharply, averted hers.
"Gonna lift it a bit."
"...Okay."
She hesitated, then nodded. Removing cape and long tunic revealed bloodied shirt.
His unbuttoning hands trembled again. He clicked his tongue softly, persisted, but slipped.
"I'll... do it."
Impatient Liv undid buttons herself, pulled sleeve, exposed injured arm.
Small groan of pain, white shoulder bared. Black bra strap too.
"..."
"..."
Bolder than expected.
"N-not like that. Just coincidence today..."
"Didn't say anything."
"..."
"..."
Silence made it awkwardly tense. He refocused on treatment.
Wiped crusted blood, poured potion, bandaged.
Liv tensed her slim shoulder, arm extended.
"Might scar—go to temple tomorrow for proper healing."
"Yes..."
"Bone's intact, luckily. Who did this?"
"Owner."
She hesitated at his question about the culprit, bit her lip, then spoke heavily.
"You said before you knew my father, Paris Greenwood."
Quite sudden question.
"What kind of man was my father?"