Chapter 51
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Silver Sweet Potato
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"Ahh... Almost dislocated my jaw."
If I'd stretched that yawn just a bit longer, my jaw might've popped out and my mouth would've torn open.
I'd slept plenty, and this body of mine could go days without sleep without any issues, but for some reason, drowsiness always hit right after eating.
I walked through the open woods, squinting against the piercing afternoon sun.
'I'll circle that area one more time first...'
Today, a day earlier than the outdoor class cadets would arrive, I was out here inspecting the site where the Lofty Academy students would be camping.
Tomorrow morning, the Knight Department and Swordsmanship Department cadets would depart from the academy and hike here.
Until then, I had to stand watch and double-check for any potential issues around the area.
Doran had offered to send academy staff in my place, but a bunch of useless people just creates noise without results.
Even if it was just for one day.
This was the perfect moment when all the heirs of prominent noble houses would gather in an open field.
The ideal timing for a hit-and-run.
With the rumor that the academy was holding an external class, they'd assume security would be tight.
If anyone had taken a commission or was prepping an assassination right now, it meant they were confident they could pull it off and escape.
Guys like that might slip past even academy staff.
I couldn't just trust faceless, unproven academy employees and lounge at home—this was where Rike would be staying.
'They've turned this into a full campground... Places like this are pretty rare, though.'
The location and terrain were perfect, beyond reproach.
Whether by design or not, the academy had cleared the forest center into a flat, spacious clearing with a clear line of sight, making crowd control a breeze.
On one side, firewood, sleeping bags, and heaps of teaching materials for the class were stacked up.
'With all this prepped, isn't this just a field trip?'
Even basic cooking ingredients and utensils were provided by the academy. Was this really a class?
Just looking at this showed how overly worried the academy was about this exercise.
Doran and the staff weren't prioritizing education—they just wanted everyone to return safe and sound without incident.
After the dean's arm incident grounded them, this was their first step forward. Nail it, and the rest would follow like footprints.
If this class went off without a hitch, Dean Doran would reap the biggest external benefits.
Boldly acting in this situation would crack open at least a small breathing hole.
-
As I strolled around like it was a walk in the park, someone stepped out from behind a tree.
It'd been ages since I'd loaned her that artifact to test out, and now she was finally back.
"How's the item?"
Eclair had come all this way hooded and robed, fully covering her face and body in case anyone recognized her.
Only now, certain no one was around, did she pull back the hood to reveal her face.
"...Where on earth did you even get something like this? I've never seen or heard of anything like it, not even in the imperial court."
▷ Equips built-in armor.
▷ Can be repaired using mana.
-Oh, my aching finger...! The unfinished edge makes me love it even more.
She fiddled with the brooch I'd loaned her, genuinely amazed.
After trying it once, she was in awe not just of its durability but its convenience, her eyes sparkling like a kid with a new toy.
I'd seriously considered giving it to Chloe at first.
That might've resolved the immediate issue, but impulsive moves born of impatience could've caused bigger headaches later.
I wasn't planning to end it with just this once anyway.
"Not uncomfortable?"
"I found it stifling and couldn't stand it."
"This is comfortable enough to pass for custom-tailored by a master artisan... And using mana lets you adjust the armor's shape and appearance to some degree, so no one would peg you for a woman... Incredible."
...Not just repairable—it had that ability too?
A surprising fact I'd never known.
Still, no plans to wear the armor again myself.
Even Rike found it too uncomfortable after one try and gave up.
"What about the voice?"
At my question, Eclair pulled a thumbnail-sized paper from her pocket.
It was an exclusive item from some mage group specializing in magic tools.
Stick it on a helmet, face-concealing robe, or hat, and it alters your voice.
But it makes the modulation obvious to anyone listening.
Despite being revolutionary, the empire wouldn't allow sales if it was undetectable, or so they said.
"Good. Keep the armor—return it when you're done. Class starts tomorrow morning, so come back then."
"...Nothing I can help with?"
"Not really? If you vanish suddenly today, won't your sister get suspicious? Dinner time's approaching."
"Being away for a day or two on business isn't unusual. She'll assume that's it without me saying anything."
Eclair scanned the surroundings, clearly unwilling to leave without pitching in somehow.
"You heard from your sister that she's heading out for class, right?"
"Yeah... Something about spending the night outside, so she must've mentioned it."
I could picture it without asking.
No proper encouragement—just a curt "Got it."
As that thought crossed my mind, Eclair shot me a glare.
"...You're giving me a very rude look right now."
"Me?"
I pressed my lips tight like a guppy and played dumb. With a sigh, she relaxed her intense gaze.
"Forget it... No academy-issued spareswords around? If I use my own weapon, Chloe might recognize it."
'If you knew, you should've brought your own...'
Tense around her little sister, perhaps.
Watching her full of gaps in private made it hard to suppress a rising sigh.
"Wait here."
I ducked into the pre-set tent and pulled a sword from my inventory.
Emerging, I tossed the whole thing to Eclair.
"Don't worry about breaking it—use it freely."
▷ Regenerates the dull blade.
-A basilisk's eye makes for excellent material.
Tak-!
Eclair snatched the spinning sword hilt out of the air and inspected the stone blade closely.
Finally, she ran a finger along the edge and nodded.
"A stone sword, not metal... I keep saying it—you've got a lot of wondrous items."
"Adventurers are all like that."
"...I wasn't expecting a real answer. Thanks. I'll use it carefully."
Whoosh-! Whoosh-!
She swung it a few times in the air before sheathing Rock Breath at her waist with ruler-straight precision.
...
...
Nothing tripped Eclair's senses, nor my own sharpened by Romerius Potion.
At best, wild beasts or small critters.
Or monsters no better than goblins or kobolds.
Just our casual mana leaks were enough to instinctively drive the monsters away from the campsite.
"With this level of prep, you know what to do without me spelling it out, right?"
At my words, Eclair—arms crossed on a tree stump—trembled slightly.
"I know...!"
Doesn't sound like it.
But no further meddling from me would fix this.
"You'll get more than a few chances."
The root reason Eclair couldn't approach Chloe with big steps, just hovering around.
She couldn't properly grasp that the child Chloe—who was like a trauma to her—and the adult Chloe now were different people.
That childhood shock had scarred Eclair for life.
Living chained to trauma and the past like that could be called a severe mental illness.
No words from an outsider would resolve it.
She had to experience it herself with her own eyes and body, judge it, and shatter the wall to step out.
Eclair's fractured psyche wasn't stopping there—it was spreading like complications.
She couldn't even guess how Chloe felt about her.
Convinced Chloe was an angel-hearted child above all else, and that rejection was only natural, she convinced herself before even starting... It wasn't a joke; I wanted to flick her forehead.
'If it unravels just once, it'll clear right up.'
For now, just looking at her choked me up—god knows who set this up—but watching her gravely serious face alone made me chuckle.
'Well... This makes her Akarite, and that makes her Dreitna.'
The sisters divided fans fiercely in the game too, but back then, I loved these stifled emotions.
Facing it in reality was more vertigo-inducing than expected...
Still, unlike the game, I believed a fizzy soda payoff awaited.
This wasn't baseless hope.
I could push this commission forward by summoning the silver sweet potato called Eclair because—even imperfectly—I knew Chloe's heart.
Rike had already subtly probed, offering help.
From here, drawing out Chloe's true feelings fell to this frustrating woman.
...
Eclair suddenly asked out of nowhere.
"By the way, aren't you an adventurer?"
"Of course I am? Tomorrow I'm an academy instructor, though."
"...That's not what I meant. I'm grateful for the help, but... how should I pay the commission fee?"
"Commission fee? Oh, right, I should get that."
I'd been hanging it as "debt" to call in when needed.
Her sharp only when it suited...
With her bringing it up first, better to lay it out properly now.
"If it's imperial rates, even I'd be in a bind..."
"Don't need money right now? The empire overloaded me last time—it's a hassle."
I made a circle with my fingers and held it before Eclair's eyes.
"Not money? Then what should I pay with...?"
She looked even more troubled that money wasn't it.
Picturing Rike vividly in my mind, I sat across from Eclair.
"Not sure if this matches, but... just once—"
...
...
Eclair's face lit up with surprise at my proposal.
"Insurance, huh... I get the terms. The target is your lover?"
"Yep. She's an imperial citizen with a solid identity. No wanted criminal or fleeing felon, so relax."
Eclair hesitated, glanced at the brooch in her hand, then nodded resolutely.
"...Understood. Assuming no issues like you mentioned or equivalent, I accept."
"I'll keep it within bounds that won't tarnish the name and fame of Eclair, so no worries."
If no chance ever arose to use her, that'd be best anyway.
"But shouldn't you tell me who? Even as your lover, I can't guess."
Introduce Rike to Eclair and call her my lover?
After hashing it out with Rike—who hesitated to go public for various reasons—we judged that Eclair of all people would be fine to tell.
She'd never blab.
I saw no big issues, and anyway, I needed to know who to protect if things blew up.
"...You'll know when you see her."