How to Survive at the Academy
chapter-117

Joint Battle Practice 2 (3)

“The Romanticist Adel.”

Her actions witnessed in <sylvania's fail-class="" sword="" saint=""> can be summarized more easily than expected.</sylvania's>

Meddlesome Elvira boss battle.

The sight of her smiling broadly while watching the duel between Taili and Elvira among the spectators.

Glasclan Subjugation Battle.

Despite being trapped in the faculty district due to the barrier ritual of Velosper, she cheerfully played the lyre.

Alchemy Department Academic Conference Explore.

After the event, she was seen sitting atop the statue of the herb gatherer of the Alchemy Department building, singing a song.

Glaest Subjugation Battle.

Upon Taili’s request, she joined the party to rescue Ayla and began actively employing support magic.

Student Council President Election Battle.

She was seen amongst the crowd, observing the progress of the election.

And then…

From Act 3 Scene 5, starting with the second joint battle practice, she begins to be involved with Saint Claris and gains significant importance.

The past, which begins to be revealed by Archbishop Verdio, was darker than expected.

Afterward… Romanticist Adel dies by the hand of the Archbishop.

Players learn about this during the wrap-up phase of this joint battle practice event.

After defeating several freshmen students who challenge one after another, and even the department heads Josef and Wade, Alchemy Department head Claude eventually appears.

After subduing Claude, in his frustration, he consumes the taboo potion “Blood of the Evil God” and becomes corrupted. The player must directly suppress the dark magic-wielding Claude, now infused with the power of the Evil God Mephibler.

After quelling the rampaging Claude, players finally exit the dueling arena, and it’s then that they hear the news of Adel’s death, concluding the episode.

To lead into the next episode, the current one ends with the shocking revelation of Adel’s demise. The news shocks players, compelling them to rush to see the next scenario.

From there, it leads straight into the final chapter of Act 3, the Lucy Subjugation Battle.

The story between the Saint of Doubt, Claris, and the Telos Sect’s attempt to punish her becomes the bridge that leads from this joint battle practice event.

Of course, this is the flow as ‘I know’ it.

Sadly, the world’s flow has already gone astray.

* * *

“Although I can’t afford to spend much time, I think it would be nice to converse even if just for a moment. I feel like I would like that.”

Claris smiled antiquely. The eyes of a few guards following her and the students beyond them subtly converged toward us.

Claris has always been indifferent to the world, and it’s the first time I see her approaching someone to initiate a conversation.

Claris seems to be ready to receive an important guest, perfectly poised and presentable, making me doubt that she and the thoughtless Kaily could be the same person.

“Greetings… Your Holiness, the Saint.”

I managed my expression as much as possible while naturally receiving Claris’s words.

Claris sat neatly and smiled with glittering eyes, then sneakily glanced toward Yenika. Yenika, sitting beside me, hiccuped and then bowed her head bashfully.

“My… My name is Yenika Failover… Your Holiness…. It’s an honor to meet you up close….”

Her voice is hesitant, understandably so, in the presence of a Saint of the Telos Sect.

The Saint is always revered in the sacred cathedral, and believed to be the most blessed and purest follower of Telos.

Even those living in the countryside couldn’t be ignorant of the majesty of the Telos Sect. Nearly a third of the population of the Cloel Empire are its followers.

For a girl like Yenika, it’s impossible not to be nervous with the idol of such a sect right in front of her.

“But… I’m sure… Your Holiness, you were supposed to be greeting the Holy Emperor today….”

Yenika couldn’t finish her sentence. She must have bitten her tongue, as she started mumbling and shaking her head.

Then she tearfully looked at me for help. I took over Yenika’s words and continued.

“I heard the Holy Emperor and the Archbishop are visiting soon. Is it alright for you to be here?”

“As you can see, I’ve finished getting ready. Moreover, the Holy Emperor will be visiting Trix Hall, right? The path to Trix Hall passes by this student hall, so it conveniently fit into my route.”

She said with a smile.

Looking at Claris, she seemed the epitome of purity – her hair, skin, and demeanor. She was so exceptionally white that the non-white parts stood out even more.

Its fundamentally white backdrop made the red irises bloom more intensely. And atop her white hair, a red butterfly hairpin made its presence known.

Her crimson school uniform coat and dark blue skirt couldn’t overshadow her radiant whiteness.

“Your route coinciding…?”

“I thought that Ed, as a senior, would be here around the time of the joint battle practice pairings announcement.”

Essentially, it means ‘I came to see you.’ The room filled with a wave of astonishment, though it wasn’t evident on the outside, I could clearly feel it.

I composed myself, trying to find the right response that matched the situation.

“It’s an honor.”

“Is it really such an honor, Senior Ed?”

A compassionate smile with each phrase, probably her habituated way of interacting with her followers in the cathedral.

“The anticipation of meeting the Holy Emperor must be nerve-wracking.”

“It is exactly as you say.”

I took the opportunity to steer the conversation.

My connection with Saint Claris is limited to last winter when she suddenly showed up at my cabin and I sent her away with a logical reason, ensuring there was no grudge.

Yet, in the midst of this critical period, she sought me out without warning.

First, I had to deduce her reasons.

“The Holy Emperor is indeed sharp and wise, but Archbishop Verdio also has the ability to see through others’ thoughts… A person might wonder if he’s using some kind of mind-reading skill.”

“Indeed. He must be quite extraordinary. However, the coachman has been pacing outside for a while now. Surely, you don’t have time to spare here…?”

“Well, about that, Verdio’s ability to read minds is quite fascinating. Could it be some kind of holy magic…?”

“Maybe. Holy magic is certainly difficult for outsiders to understand in depth. But, now that I think about it, perhaps….”

“That’s true. An outsider might indeed struggle to grasp the principles of holy magic. Archbishop Verdio’s ability to perceive all thoughts… it’s quite a mystery, isn’t it…?”

…

There’s a strange lack of connection in our conversation…!

Whether it’s intentional or not, Saint Claris predominantly steers the conversation towards Archbishop Verdio, aware that there are many ears around.

I took a breath and a sip from the beverage on the wooden table to gather my thoughts.

Apologizing to Claris, I took a deep breath.

And looked directly into Claris’s eyes.

Close up, the tension was palpable, her face subtly flushed. Clearly, Claris herself was anxious as well.

Considering her continuous references to Verdio’s abilities, I begin to suspect her intentions.

I know that Claris is the Saint, and if I were to encounter Verdio, it could reveal to the sect that I am aware of the Saint’s true identity.

Continuing to hide her real identity is crucial for her to attend school as Claris, a situation that she’s naturally not fond of. So, of course, she would want to quickly meet me to convey this.

However, she couldn’t send someone else.

“If you see Ed Rostailer, tell him to avoid Archbishop Verdio at all costs.” Passing on such a message through a confidant would make it blatantly obvious that I must know something about the Saint’s secrets.

Not a fool, one might surmise that I’m privy to her mystery, which would be counterproductive.

Sending a sealed wax letter wouldn’t be practical given the time constraints. Hence, she took advantage of the aligning paths to come and tell me directly.

Indirectly hinting at it through casual conversation, she hoped that I’d pick up on her signal.

Now that I’ve pieced it all together, the words Claris most wants to hear from me are these:

“Given that far-reaching ability… Archbishop Verdio must truly be remarkable. Of course, a disgraced one of low status like me won’t have the privilege to meet them in person.”

“…Is, is that so…?”

Claris, furrowing her brows with faint hope, appeared to seek confirmation.

I firmly reassured her.

“Yes. I’ll be too busy with the joint battle practice anyway, and considering my enormous social discrepancy, apart from that, I have a hectic schedule that would hardly permit my attendance at the Holy Emperor’s event, so it’s unlikely I’ll ever have to meet Archbishop Verdio.”

“……”

“…Absolutely.”

With my assurances, Claris’s face began to regain its color.

As if she feels that our wavelengths aligned perfectly, she quickly composed her expression, her lips briefly curving upward in delight.

No matter what, the essential nature of this girl is still the frolicsome girl, Kaily Eckne.

Circumstances may have forged her into the holiest maiden in the world, but when joy blooms, her true self surfaces.

Of course, she is adept at restraining her reactions, having lived a life of self-discipline.

“Um… Your Holiness.”

Despite her actions, there’s a critical flaw in the Saint’s approach: the multitude of observing eyes.

To the public, her reasons for showing up so swiftly and precisely may seem awkward.

There’s nothing amiss about Yenika’s question then.

“So… You came all this way… just to see Ed?”

Until now, Claris, anxious about the possibility of my involvement in church events leading to a meeting with Verdio, has been anxious.

Once I dispelled her greatest worry, she abruptly became aware of her surroundings.

“Ah… well… that’s… right…?”

After addressing the urgent matter, other concerns come to light. These include the very souls around us.

The gazes converged.

Students who had been gathered near the Student Union eagerly awaiting the draw were trying to act indifferent, but their eyes were discreetly drifting towards this direction. The situation was clearly unnatural, so the best response would have been to act as naturally as possible…

“Getting nervous before meeting Lord Seonghwang, and yet… dragging a carriage all the way here just to meet… Ed…”

“No, that’s not…”

Her hasty arrival from afar… It looked to everyone else like the actions of someone in a special relationship.

Clarisse’s flustered behavior was as precious as a thousand pieces of gold, because a saintess like her who always had to display love and dignity could not afford to act disgracefully.

Maybe if she were Kyrie, who had cast off her burdens, she might have shown such weakness, but not Clarisse, who had lived her life as a saintess from a young age. She wouldn’t easily show anything other than equanimity.

If she maintained her composure as Saintess Clarisse, not as Kyrie Eknel, she could handle any unorthodox situation without succumbing to disgrace. Once her mind was settled, it was like a fortress of steel was established within her.

However, the weak point was that the other party involved was a man.

In the Patriarchate where the saintess lived, from the entrance to the whole corridor, it was a men-free zone. Even the Patriarch himself did not step foot into that sacred area, and the guards at the entrance would undergo a cleansing bath just by stepping on its threshold.

Unless she was out on official duties, there were virtually no chances for her to have proper encounters with men, especially those of her age.

The only experience she had with male-female relationships was what she saw secretly in second-rate romance novels brought by Adel.

Given how detached she was from relationships between men and women, she would not be adept at handling situations where she was associated with a young man in such a context. Just like young girls who blush even with a simple hand-hold, she was bound to react with flushed cheeks rather than adept quick-wittedness.

“No, this is… uh…?”

Sadly, such a reaction only accelerated misunderstandings.

To others, it seemed there was no reason why someone like me, with no particular connection, would rush to meet her at such a busy time, even summoning a carriage rapidly.

Normally, one could come up with some hastily constructed excuse, but it’s not that easy, especially when one’s face is reddened with embarrassment.

“That… so… uh…? Me too… I’m human… and… I get nervous too, right…? So… that’s why…”

It was clear she was about to misspeak. However, as a commoner, no one dared to interrupt the saintess mid-sentence.

“That… sometimes… you just end up thinking about someone you want to see… wanting to meet someone, someone who comes to mind… wanting to see their face… that sort of…”

“……”

“No, I mean… just… because I get nervous…? I wanted to see them without a real reason… just… wanted to meet…? That kind of person, you know…?”

It seemed she realized the more she talked, the stranger it sounded. She stopped herself and read the atmosphere around her.

Though not voicing it out loud, the observing students were unanimous in their shock.

They had never seen the always dignified Saintess Clarisse blush and dart her eyes around like this. As a result, Clarisse made a worst-case decision to flee.

“Suddenly… it’s time… Lord Seonghwang will be arriving soon…!!”

She covered her face and rushed into the carriage.

Already anxious about time, the coachman quickly cracked the whip, spurring the luxurious carriage forward.

“……”

“……”

After the saintess fled like lightning, silence hung heavily in the air.

The bullet-like gazes of astonishment, and sitting right at the center of it all, was I, burying my face in my hands in exasperation.

* * *

The joint combat training utilized two of the three buildings in the Student Union complex.

The 1st- and 2nd-year sparring took place in Nail Hall, and the 3rd- and 4th-year sparring happened in Gluckt Hall, so the two groups did not mix.

Of course, the buildings were adjacent. It would be easy to go there, but unless you’re a fool who gets lost, there is no reason to switch buildings. My plan was to finish my own sparring and then check out what was happening in the adjacent building.

“Phew…”

I managed to leave the startling developments involving the saintess behind and slipped away from the scene.

First, I had to part ways with Yenica. Our arenas were different within Gluckt Hall.

Yenica’s sparring was set in Arena 7, deep inside, while mine was in Arena 3.

“??? ??????”

Yenica still seemed unable to grasp the saintess’ words and reactions, hitting question marks into thin air with a frozen face. I could only hope it wouldn’t affect her combat. She was likely to easily suppress most students anyway.

“Phew…”

Pushing through the students lingering outside, I felt rewarded as I entered the building.

If they weren’t immediately scheduled for a bout, the majority waited on the terrace. Things were somewhat quieter once inside the building’s corridor.

Yenica is terribly bad with directions. Just to be sure she could find her way to her arena properly, I waited until I saw her enter and then I made my way to Arena 3.

As I walked, I skimmed the draw. My randomly assigned opponent turned out to be Kordack from the battle department — a seasoned 4th-year warrior known to wield axes and clubs like a savage in combat.

“Hmm… If it comes down to close combat, I’m at a disadvantage.”

While only a few students passed by occasionally, the corridor leading to the sparse arena resounded with the echo of my footsteps on the marble floor. As I walked rhythmically along, I noticed a student in a flowing skirt seated at a corner turning into the arena.

“♩ ♬ ♪”

“……”

It was somewhat embarrassing, admittedly.

Adel seated on the floor, plucking a lute.

She was notoriously unpredictable in where she might appear next, always showing up in the most unexpected places. Though I expected this, being directly confronted with it was still unsettling.

“What are you doing here?… This is Gluckt Hall. As a 2nd-year, you should be in Nail Hall.”

“Oh, we meet again, Senior Ed.”

With a brilliant smile, scattering petals from her hair, Adel strummed the strings a few more times.

“It’s amazing how fate works. They say you end up meeting by just following the wind, so it seems like we are closely connected.”

Adel smiled wryly back at me, I shook my head in disbelief. There was a limit to being carefree.

“Aren’t you participating in the joint combat training?”

“How could I not? It’s almost time for my match to start. I’m scheduled a bit later.”

Smiling brightly, she stood up, dusting off her clothes then gave me a slight smile.

“Perfect timing. It’s just about time for me to head out~”

With that easygoing remark, Adel passed by me and headed towards the exit.

As Adel walked past, I simply stood still.

“……”

As our paths crossed, a tumult of thoughts that had been accumulating unleashed a flood in my mind.

That’s right.

After this joint combat training ended, Adel Seris would meet her death at the hands of Archbishop Verdio.

――I knew that fact.

The problem was that I did not understand the precise details of her demise.

My knowledge gained from playing “The Failings of the Sword Saint of Silvernia” was entirely from the perspective of the Sword Saint Taily.

That very Sword Saint boy, likely on the receiving end of younger students’ challenges in Nail Hall right now in Act 3’s midpoint, who has grown strong enough to be ranked among the powerhouses of the second year, known as the shining stars.

From Taily’s point of view… I had no way of knowing the exact circumstances of Adel’s death.

Because the joint combat practice and Patriarch’s visit to Silvernia happened simultaneously, and Adel’s murder unfolds amid it.

The only information I could glean from the protagonist’s perspective was that it was all due to Archbishop Verdio’s machinations. He did not leave Adel, who had run away with the Order’s secrets, in peace but punished her with death. That was the result.

It was the catalyst that triggered Saintess Clarisse to begin investigating the corruption committed by the high-ranking clergy of the Telos Order.

Clarisse, the Saintess of Distrust.

The vision of the bloody saintess gazing up at the stars setting among the burning trees of the Righteous Mountain felt vividly vivid, like it was being thrust in front of me.

The situation snapped back to the present.

Adel, making sounds with her strides, was heading towards the exit along the corridor. Maybe this was the last living image of Adel.

Knowing of her impending death, was it right to just let it happen?

The first thing that came to mind was the moral law. Is it right to let someone walk toward certain demise without intervention?

In the past, I would have weighed her life against the course of events, but having traveled through Act 1 and 2, the flow of history has twisted so much it’s now uncontrollable. If I’ve already gone so far as to install Tanya as the student council president, then perhaps sticking to the original course of history holds less meaning.

If that’s the case, all that’s left is the question of morality.

But, not knowing the complete truth about her death… What could I possibly say to persuade her? If I warned her, “You’re going to die, so just stay here,” would she even cooperate?

To spread a false alarm, implying without any evidence that the sacred clergy meant to kill an innocent girl… would anyone believe it?

I’d likely just garner contempt as a conspiracy theorist and erode any trust in me even more.

I suddenly remembered an old professor who had died under the bright moon, atop the ancient tree.

Of course, Professor Glast’s death is entirely different. At that time, my abilities were insufficient, and even if I had tried to intervene, I wasn’t dealing with someone who would listen.

But what about Adel? If my actions could potentially save her from death… was it my duty as a human to exert every effort to rescue her? If so, then I should move immediately.

Just when I was about to plunge into deep contemplation…

“Hey.”

Without a moment’s pause, I blurted out my thoughts. Maintaining my gaze, I simply let my voice carry.

“Ed, Senior?”

“You’re going to die soon.”

Without hesitation, I threw in the conclusion right away.

The response could go any number of ways. Maybe disbelief at my abruptness, or mild laughter at the perceived joke. Whatever comes back, I’ll find a logical explanation in return.

“I know.”

With a smile across her face, Adel simply replied and walked out the door.

And with that… a long silence lingered in the empty corridor of Gluckt Hall.