Chapter 26
Translator: True Detective
### Chapter 26: Academy, You Say?
[I can feel my Spirit Vessel. Right here, inside the Academy.]
"......Yes?"
At the abrupt remark, my footsteps stopped dead.
[I do not know the exact location, but judging from the distortion of the felt energy, it seems to be embedded in the Otherworld (I-myeon-se-gye).]
"That pitch-black place Senior was in?"
[No. The Otherworld is a place like the back of a thin piece of paper overlapping with the material world. The place I stayed was the heart and abyss of the world.]
Why is the setting so complicated.
I already have a mountain of things to care about, but it feels like the worldview has become one layer thicker.
*'You said Senior's Spirit Vessel's concept is fixed and immutable even after a thousand years.'*
[That is what's bizarre. I have no memory of placing my Spirit Vessel here. Whether someone moved it, or the Spirit Vessel dug in on its own...... it doesn't make sense at all.]
The great Eleanor shows embarrassment.
If it's to this extent, it really means someone intervened artificially.
......Wait a minute.
*'Senior, don't tell me that ghost disturbance wandering the Academy is related to Senior's Spirit Vessel?'*
At my question, Eleanor inside my sleeve was silent for a moment, then answered.
[I have no memory of commanding vengeful spirits myself, but since it's such a miraculous object, surrounding residual thoughts or souls of the dead might have made a nest there as they please. Just like ants gathering at a sweet honey jar.]
"......."
So to summarize.
It means this person is unintentionally causing a massive nuisance to the Academy.
Normally, I would have grabbed my head saying 'Eleanor again...' but.
This time, conversely, my head spins fast.
If it's a disturbance that already broke out anyway, it's better for me to take the initiative.
*'Let's see. If I do this well, I can untie the tangled thread at once?'*
Retrieve the Spirit Vessel to help Senior regain some energy.
If I solve the ghost disturbance as a bonus in the process, the original work's route will also roughly match up.
On top of that, if I even get the justification of solving the case as a bonus and clock out early from this tiresome Academy?
Get the Spirit Vessel, fix the original work too.
After that, I just have to leisurely clock out to the lab and be a salary thief.
It's the so-called catching two birds with one stone.
It was then.
*Click―. Clack―.*
Regular sounds of shoe heels breaking the silence approached.
Lifting my head, before I knew it, we had arrived in front of the Academy gate.
"Rihan von Hayes, and Yveline von Estal. What are you doing standing blankly here?"
A middle-aged man with chestnut hair neatly slicked back blocked our front.
The gaze flashing behind gold-rimmed glasses is quite sharp.
"I am Professor **Volkan** of the Academy's Practical Combat Department. I have been put in charge of you."
****
We naturally followed behind him and entered the school grounds.
Professor Volkan stared piercingly at the bundle of documents in his arms the whole time he walked.
Eventually, he looked back at me and opened his mouth.
"Rihan. I doubted my eyes looking at your answer sheet. You completely ignored all existing development methods."
"......."
What is this saying.
I haven't even seen the exam paper.
"But the result is perfectly spine-chilling. Especially the magic circle interpretation in question 7 was at a level where even the active faculty would have to lie sick in bed for a few days. It's the first time in Academy history seeing such a genius answer sheet."
Ms. Celly, what on earth did you submit.
I didn't even go near the exam hall.
It seems she, a Chief Researcher, solved the problems and threw it in under my name.
She's a more capable woman than I thought.
"......You flatter me."
"No, it's not flattery. Because even I, a professor, took a long time to understand it from the middle."
Professor Volkan clicked his tongue and moved his gaze to the side.
"And Yveline. You gave up admission with overwhelming scores, may I ask the reason you returned only now?"
Yveline shrugged as if annoyed.
"Just, a reason arose that it had to be here."
"......The thoughts of geniuses are truly unknowable."
Professor Volkan burst into a hollow laugh and shook his head.
"Good. Originally, it is the rule for transfer students to go through verification from the lower classes, but your records make that process a waste of time."
Professor Volkan turned his body towards us.
Behind his back, the magnificent spires of the Academy can be seen.
"Go to the top class, Class A. Prove for yourselves there whether that ability of yours will work in actual combat too."
****
Professor Volkan stood on the podium, cleared his throat, *Ahem*.
At the intimidation coming from his massive build, the noise in the lecture hall subsided in an instant.
The panoramic view of Class A where silence settled came into view at a glance.
Indeed, befitting the main stage of the original work.
Heads that anyone can see have 'I have a narrative' and 'I am a protagonist' written on their foreheads are positioned everywhere.
[Rihan. The things here are at least a little worth looking at.]
Eleanor gave a brief evaluation.
*'Senior, this is the place where the most elite in the Empire gather. If this place is unimpressive, the Empire would have already perished, you know?'*
[Hmph, it's not to that extent. In my eyes, they are still just fledglings with soft fuzz.]
At that time, Volkan opened his mouth.
"These are the transfer students who will be taking classes with our Class A from today. Yveline of the Estal Duke family and Rihan of the Hayes Viscount family. Now, everyone pay attention. You two, give a brief self-introduction."
It finally came.
The devilish self-introduction section.
This is the same in the previous world and here now.
Because destiny inside the Academy will be decided depending on how the first impression is set.
"Let's start with the Princess of Estal. Step forward."
At the professor's instruction, Yveline took a step forward indifferently first.
Looking at her expression, she seems to have no particular interest in the students.
"Yveline von Estal. Don't talk to me. Because I hate annoying things."
"......."
Is that a self-introduction?
I slyly checked the surrounding atmosphere.
But eclipsing my worry, applause and cheers poured out in the lecture hall.
"As expected of the Princess of Estal...... The presence is no joke."
"Look at that indifferent gaze. The level is really different."
Right. This was a romance fantasy, wasn't it?
Genre correction is truly a convenient thing.
Because even that kind of arrogant attitude is packaged as noble dignity and drawing applause.
No, maybe the authority of a Duke family is just amazing.
****
As Yveline stepped down from the podium, all eyes pierced me.
Gazes mixed with subtle disregard, like 'Just how amazing of a guy is he to come with the Duke's daughter' rather than curiosity.
I recited very quietly to Eleanor in my bosom.
*'Senior. I'm going to do it now, so absolutely do not laugh.'*
[Do not worry. I will solemnly watch your heroic self-introduction.]
Is it just my feeling that her voice is already trembling while saying that.
"Phew......."
What I must obtain here at the Academy is clear.
First, solve the ghost disturbance wandering the school.
Second, somewhat correct the twisted flow of the original work in the process.
Third, and most importantly, retrieve Eleanor's Spirit Vessel.
The first and third are practical matters, so I just have to roll my body.
The problem is who corrects this twisted original work.
Originally, Yveline von Estal was supposed to be the main villain of this novel.
But the current her does not commit indiscriminate evil deeds like before.
I also have no intention of leading her to the path of a villainess again for the development of the original work.
There's no way I'd do such a thing when Senior Selene is even present.
If so, against whom do the male leads and Yuna have to grow?
The answer was simple.
*'Right, I'll bear the cross.'*
I swallowed dry saliva, made a very annoyed expression, and opened my mouth.
"I am Rihan von Hayes. I came with high expectations hearing it's Class A where the Empire's talents are gathered but...... it's more ordinary than I thought. To the point where the name Practical Combat Department is a bit meaningless."
The lecture hall becomes quiet for a moment.
"Conversation will only flow if our levels match each other, but I'm already a bit worried about the future. I hope you won't take up my time with unnecessary business if possible."
Most are looking at me with dumbfounded expressions.
But my interest is not these onlookers.
*'How will the original protagonists react.'*
In the end, the important ones are them.
I maintained an arrogant expression.
And slightly turned only my gaze to check each of their reactions.
Damian in the back seat by the window rested his chin and raised the corners of his mouth as if interested.
Yuna in the front row tilted her head.
Crown Prince Edwin looked at me with indifferent eyes.
And Silas from the Magic Tower furrowed his brow sharply.
Befitting a romance fantasy, their reactions were all different but.
One thing is certain.
"......What did that bastard just say?"
"He said he's from a Viscount family? Isn't he crazy?"
I am now perfectly marked by everyone in this lecture hall.
I can hear it already.......
The sound of my peaceful school life crumbling.
[Pfft......! Rihan...... Keuk, kukuk! It was perfect! It's so unlucky that my insides feel refreshed!]
Eleanor giggled, desperately holding back her laughter.
The doll's body trembling is transmitted intact.
*'You said you wouldn't laugh! Do you think I'm doing this because I like it!'*
I also want a pink school life.
But this is the best for efficient Spirit Vessel retrieval and protecting the original work.
My mind is comfortable thinking that if worse comes to worst, I can just pack my bags anyway.
Professor Volkan cleared his throat once.
"......An intense self-introduction. Now return to your seat."
I headed to the back seat deliberately pretending to be confident.
Whether she knew my struggle or not, Yveline was smiling brightly as if satisfied, leaving the seat next to her empty.
It seems she judged that my crazy guy strategy was effective in driving away students other than herself.
****
Yveline pressed her body closely towards me.
"Rihan, you were cool just now."
Yveline whispered lowly.
"You know I spoke unluckily on purpose."
"I know. But it's the truth, right? Is there a kid here superior to you or me?"
......There really isn't.
Right now, in this lecture hall, she was the only 2nd Hierarchy mage.
But from my perspective, this kind of dividing levels itself didn't have much meaning.
Having even exchanged blows risking my life with the 6th Hierarchy Cassian, there's no way I'd be scared of brats who just achieved 1st Hierarchy.
***
Professor Volkan indifferently packed up his bundle of documents.
"That's it for today."
The moment the professor opened the door and went out.
As if waiting, one guy got up from his seat and strode over towards me.
*Bang!*
What roughly slammed my desk.
Was a male student who looked quite bulky.
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