How to Survive at the Academy
chapter-196

I knew this would happen (4)

In this treacherous world, magic alone is insufficient for survival.

On the night she first succeeded in learning a high-level spell, Trissiana Bloomriver returned to her dormitory and gazed at the moon, deep in thought.

The high-level explosion magic ‘Demise.’

The tremendous explosion she created by pouring all her concentrated mana accumulated over several days shattered the multiple layers of barrier spells erected by the faculty for safety.

Her achievement elevated Trissiana to the position of top student in the magic department, placing her amidst the praise of all her peers.

“…”

However, in the realm of magic, there exists a heaven-sent genius named Lucy Mayrill.

As long as one lives in the same era as her, reaching the pinnacle of the magic field is an impossibility.

Trissiana held no aspirations to be the best.

The geniuses leading the age were a different breed entirely. During her four years at the Sylvania Academy, Trissiana felt the wall between herself and them more acutely than anyone else.

Her story isn’t unique.

The trio of department leaders among Sylvania’s current senior class—

Diak Elfellan of the combat department.

Trissiana Bloomriver of the magic department.

Dorothy Whitepeltz of the alchemy department.

These three epitomize the senior class of the Sylvania Academy: a gathering of ‘mediocres.’

A stark contrast to the ‘Golden Generation’ coined for the current freshmen and sophomores, as well as the juniors, who, despite everything, had produced such prodigies as Yenika Faelover, Ed Rothtaylor, Drake, and Atalante.

The trying best among the mediocres.

Trissiana could not deny the ironic appraisal that was a blend of both compliment and insult.

For this reason, she doesn’t seek to define her worth solely by her magical abilities.

Even though she’s reached the difficult-to-attain seat of the top student in the magic department, she never considers this position as her everything.

While it may be a dream role for some, to Trissiana, it’s nothing more than a passing stage.

It’s now the second semester of her senior year. The time to consider graduation approaches.

Graduation signifies a new beginning; one cannot advance by merely being content with the position of the academic department leader.

Life after graduation.

Now that this future is within her sights, Trissiana never acts rashly.

“…”

In the quiet space of her personal room at Ophelius Hall, Trissiana closed a book on elemental studies.

It was a peaceful scene, the lax atmosphere of early evening following the conclusion of the day’s academic schedule when everyone relaxes.

The tranquil views of early dusk seen from her window will soon be unavailable after another half year.

With the end of her academic life as a student nearing, she must return to the Bloomriver family and contribute at the forefront of magical research—a time to live vigorously.

Trissiana skimmed through the letters sent by the family head, Sinir Bloomriver, kept in her drawer. She had kept in close contact throughout her academic life, still holding onto her dream of becoming the next leader of the Bloomriver House.

Rebels, troublemakers, problem children.

The Bloomriver House had always been packed with such figures, always treated as outliers, with perhaps only the Anis House capable of standing toe-to-toe with the eccentricities of the Bloomriver bloodline.

Born amidst such troublesome surroundings yet endowed with a sober and calm temperament, Trissiana often felt like an outsider.

But she was not alone.

The first to emerge, a practical and realistic type of head of the house… Sinir Bloomriver.

Thanks to her, the Bloomriver House has just barely managed to retain its honor as a noble family.

And the one who received Sinir’s influence most deeply was Trissiana Bloomriver herself.

“Tanya Rothtaylor and Ed Rothtaylor…”

Recently, signs of a power shift emerge within the aristocratic circles, coinciding with changes to imperial authority.

Her much-admired head of the house, Sinir Bloomriver, seemed to be betting on the Rothtaylor family in this reshuffle.

– ‘Tanya Rothtaylor has an interesting plan in place. I’m thinking of siding with her.’

At the start of the term, returning to Sylvania was Tanya Rothtaylor, the student council president.

Many were curious about her actions. At first glance, she appeared sharp and ambitious, but lately, she seems visibly tired, frequently grumbling and heaving deep sighs.

Though the edge seemed to have worn off, Trissiana still saw an unyielding tenacity within Tanya.

– ‘The influential families of the empire might split and clash. When that happens, it would be detrimental not to firmly side with the victors. Therefore, Trissiana, while nothing has yet unfolded, firmly align yourself with the Rothtaylor.’

Sinir’s advice always struck the crux of the issue, as if reading the thoughts of Trissiana planning her life after graduation.

– ‘Relations built too late after the events are never truly heartfelt. If you wish to genuinely walk in step with them, then you must connect with them when they are most fragile and humble… only then can you establish long-lasting affiliations.’

What exactly did Sinir Bloomriver see in the Rothtaylor family?

Unknown for now, but Trissiana does not doubt her judgment.

In fact, Trissiana has already familiarized herself with Ed Rothtaylor and has cooperated with his requests, albeit somewhat unwittingly due to the trouble caused by her sister Patricia.

Although it felt somewhat involuntary, establishing a point of contact with the Rothtaylor House was indeed good news.

“…”

Having set down Sinir’s letters, Trissiana looked out the window as the sun began to set.

Since attending Sylvania, she’d become endlessly pragmatic, her gaze still steady.

“With just magical abilities alone, you cannot survive in this perilous world.”

She mused aloud, a sentiment she’d repeated often.

Even Trissiana, the top student respected by all other seniors in the magic department, had come to feel the wall separating true talent after attending Sylvania.

While her view of the world became more cynical and practical, it was not in her nature to indulge in despair.

“Conduct, reading the atmosphere, and…networking.”

It was uncertain how the noble houses’ power would shift, but ultimately what mattered was who would end up on top.

One had to carefully choose sides to survive the tumultuous world of the nobility.

If Sinir Bloomriver had placed her bets on the Rothtaylor, then Trissiana would also strive from her position.

Although it may prove difficult to get close to student council president Tanya Rothtaylor due to the difference in their years and lack of commonalities, Ed Rothtaylor was a different story.

Closer in age, with the added advantage of Trissiana being his senior in the magic department, it would be best to offer him assistance or incur a favor while he was still weak. This is likely what Sinir desired.

The key was to maintain a friendly relationship with Ed Rothtaylor.

It was an investment in the future.

Reminding herself of this policy, she nodded to herself.

– Bang!!

“Sister…!”

Her impetuous younger sister, Patricia, burst into Trissiana’s room.

Startled, Trissiana spun around to look at the door.

Covered in leaves as if she had just walked through the forest, Patricia gleefully exclaimed,

“Success! I did it! The clinical trial…! Didn’t I tell you?!”

“… What?”

“It really works! Isn’t it amazing!”

The unease that had been building up turned out to be a real concern.

“The effect seems to be more formidable than expected! I secretly mixed it in to test…and sure enough, the clinical response was…”

“Have you lost your mind, Petrin?! Did you actually use this on someone?!”

“No, no…just a little bit…just to see if it worked or not…”

“Did you get their permission?!”

Trissiana promptly shoved books and letters into the drawer and pressed Patricia for answers.

Patricia hesitated and avoided eye contact as she stammered,

“Well, it’s not poison or anything…”

“…”

“And, you know… I wasn’t planning anything bad… I meant it like… as a love emissary…? Cupid…? Like that…”

“…”

Silence.

Faced with her sister Trissiana’s quiet stare,

Patricia sensed that the atmosphere was very wrong and began to perspire heavily.

“No, I mean… perhaps the result… might not be that terrible? Look, let’s just calmly observe the situation first and…”

“Think before acting rashly in the heat of a moment! So who is it?! Who did you give it to?!”

“…”

“Please tell me. We need to fix this, apologize even… Who?!”

“Uh…uh…that…”

A vague sense of dread returned to Trissiana.

Patricia had the knack for causing major problems in the worst possible ways, with Trissiana always left to handle the fallout.

Patricia shuffled her fingers nervously, struggling to continue with an evasive gaze.

“Ed Rothtaylor.”

Trissiana felt a chill drain from her face.

She comprehended the meaning of utter dismay in that very moment.

Closing her eyes tightly and gasping for air, she muttered under her breath,

“I knew it! How am I supposed to survive this?!”

*Lortelle stood dumbfounded before a bucket, as if the world had turned upside down.

Dealing with the day’s academic activities and managing trade had left him exhausted.

But the thought of returning to his villa after wrapping up the daily chores had him humming with joy. For Lortelle, who lived with the notion that home was merely for sleeping, the prospect of a pleasurable return was a novel excitement.

Upon reaching the camp, the first thing Lortelle witnessed was Ed and Yenika leaning against a large bucket filled with drinking water, side by side.

“*Cough*, *Huff*…”

“*Groan*…”

“…”

Three characters appear.

First, there’s Ed Rothtaylor.

Overwhelmed by some inexplicable fervor, he groans in discomfort, face buried in one hand.

His other arm tightly encircles Yenika’s shoulder, seeming to restrain her, as if telling her to stay put by his side.

Next is Yenika Faelover.

Her checks flushed like apples, sitting docilely next to Ed like a complacent bride, helpless and not knowing what to do.

Last is Lortelle Keheln.

Simply observing the two. The end.

“… What are you doing…?”

Disturbed by the sudden closeness, Lortelle first sought an explanation for the situation.

Ed’s condition in particular seemed off, prompting worry that he might have fallen ill.

Thus, Lortelle posed the question to Yenika, who appeared to be more composed.

“Uh, huh?! Huh?! When did you get here?!”

“Just now.”

“You arrived so quickly?! Why did you come back so early?!”

“The moon is high in the sky. It’s already late night.”

“Oh, is it?! Why did you come back so late?!”

Yenika’s thoughts were clearly scattered, and her voice was unnecessarily loud, signaling an inability to think straight.

While asking meaningless questions, she blurted out,

“The weather’s cold! No, it’s not the time to be cold! It’s hot! Or not! Is it early fall now? But summer is still summer, right? Is it cold?! Is it hot?! Lortelle, are you cold? Hot?”

“…”

Yenika Faelover… has malfunctioned…

Her pupils spinned in confusion.

For Lortelle, this was far from a pleasant sight.

“Did you say she took a potion?!”

Before going to bed, he had brought some budget documents to review. Holding them close to his chest, Lortelle sat next to the campfire.

After causing quite a commotion, the emergency meeting between Lortelle and Yenika was underway, with Ed still gripping his face and groaning beside them.

Having quenched her thirst with several gulps of fresh cold water and after basking in the cool breeze, Yenika seemed to have regained her senses… She sat next to the crackling campfire and reported everything to Lortelle.

“Ah, I mean, it’s ridiculous, but… were you really sitting so casually next to the bucket in such a situation? Shouldn’t we move Senior Ed to a bed and let him rest?”

“I, I thought about that too! I did, really!”

“You’re saying that after seeing you slump your shoulders with that haggard expression, sitting side by side for so long?!”

Lortelle gave Yenika a look of incomprehension.

“Now you’re telling me that while Senior Ed’s condition is critical, you were filling your own desires?!”

“That, that makes me sound like a really weird person…!”

“That’s not a wrong statement!”

“Ugh, uh…!”

Clearly, there was no rebuttal.

Yenika felt terrible not because she had been overpowered by Ed Rothtaylor’s will, but also her own nature prevented her from lying in response to Lortelle’s interrogation.

Yenika bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Don’t raise your voice too much… my head… it hurts a bit…”

Ed was groaning while pressing down on his temples. Lortelle sighed worriedly as she looked at him.

“For now, get some rest. I’ll contact the merchants to get some painkillers.”

“No, it’s fine… How are you going to the merchants at this late hour?”

Despite a pained expression, Ed struggled to refuse Lortelle’s kindness.

“There’s no need to run around so late. I can manage the effects of the medicine somehow… Just rest, Lortelle… ugh…”

“Ah, but Senior Ed, still…”

“You’ve also been busy all day with school and merchant work. You don’t need to exhaust yourself helping me. I already owe you too much, and I’m not looking to receive more. Rather, I should be repaying it.”

“Y-Yes…?”

Ed pressed his face tightly and spoke with difficulty. Lortelle swallowed her words at his reply.

“I clearly know you’re working hard, so how could I ask you to worry more for me.”

“But that’s not what…”

“I’m always grateful, so focus on yourself instead of just my well-being. It’s harder for me to focus when you’re overworking yourself.”

“Uh…”

Lortelle tried to respond, but eventually turned her head away, speechless.

Turning her flushed face toward Yenika, Lortelle spoke.

“What is this…?!”

“…”

“This is definitely a bit dangerous…?”

Despite understanding some of Ed’s feelings, hearing them expressed so bluntly was a different kind of shock.

Lortelle wasn’t used to being treated so kindly and sweetly, as if by a person under the influence of alcohol. It’s an understatement to call it merely ‘sweet’.

It’s one thing for a usually stoic person to reveal their sincerity, but handling such stark gap is difficult for anyone, including Lortelle.

For Ed, it’s merely because he doesn’t have the luxury to beat around the bush. However, for Lortelle and Yenika, the approach had completely different implications.

It’s overwhelming, more than just pleasant!

Kindness… can it be this heavy…!

“…”

“…”

For a brief moment, Yenika opened her crescent-shaped eyes and stared back at Lortelle.

Lortelle, who had been questioning Yenika just a moment ago, now awkwardly averted her gaze.

“Ed has to attend scholastic classes tomorrow, what should we do…”

“If he’s suffering this much, it’s right to skip scholastic classes.”

“I know, but… It’s not just about school… and he has a schedule to go to the Cledric Monastery with the saintess…”

“Cledric Monastery…?”

Lortelle doubted her ears upon hearing this.

Lortelle, much more informed about the world than Yenika, knew a thing or two about Cledric Monastery, the holy place of the Telos Order.

It was surprising to hear about taking Ed, famous for being a male-restricted area, but if it was Saintess Clarice, it might be plausible.

The worry was…

“Going to the Cledric Monastery… in this state…?”

Normally, Ed was always rational and composed, and he never caused unnecessary trouble. His self-management was flawless.

But now, in a state so overwhelmed and sweetly accommodating… going to a place like Cledric Monastery might result in a colossal disaster.

However, the authority of Saintess Clarice in the Telos Order can reach the heavens.

If she has set the schedule, it cannot be easily canceled.

“…”

Lortelle’s face began to pale.

Yenika, unaware of the circumstances, looked puzzled, but Lortelle calmly regained her composure.

“Well, until Ed overcomes the effects of the medicine, someone reliable has to stay with him.”

“Um, I agree with that…”

“Then it’s best if he stays at the merchant’s facilities. They have proper medical amenities, and there’s a variety of medicines; maybe we can find an antidote for the potion effects in the stock.”

Lortelle tried to logically suggest taking Ed to the merchant building…

“No, that won’t do…! Staying in this familiar environment will be better for resting, and we can look for medicines even without Ed…!”

“But still, it might be better if…”

“No, no way…!”

Yenika rejected Lortelle’s opinion headstrong.

Whether Ed rests at the camp or at the merchants, it wouldn’t matter much. The camp might even be more familiar to him.

Most importantly, Yenika didn’t want to leave Ed, in his peculiarly sentimental state, alone with Lortelle.

“Besides… being exposed to too many people isn’t good…! It’s better he rests alone at the camp! Ed wouldn’t want to be in public in his current state…!”

“…”

“Trustworthy people… that’s right, safe people, it’s best he stays quietly in a place where they can keep an eye on him!”

With those words, Yenika raised her voice.

Her cheeks reddened and her breath quickened… Lortelle couldn’t help but reflexively argue back.

“I’m sorry, but right now you look like the most dangerous person to me…!”

“Me? Dangerous?!”

“Can you deny it?!”

“There’s no way…”

Of course, she couldn’t really insist there’s no danger, nor could she lie about it, and that frustrated Yenika Faelover. But what can she do? That’s who she is.

“This situation is not necessarily dangerous, but just because it’s not necessarily non-dangerous doesn’t mean that it’s automatically dangerous!”

“See! You’re trying to obscure things with incomprehensible excuses again!”

Lortelle also raised her voice. It’s rare to see her step up with such sincerity.

“Ugh…”

Caught in the middle, Ed groaned, pressing his temples as he sat by the campfire.

Silence passed, and Yenika and Lortelle faced each other again, calming themselves. This was not the time for a clash of opinions.

“Well, if neither Lortelle nor I can stay, we should find a trustworthy third party, right?”

“What time is it now? Do we have the luxury of time for that? And we can’t be sure to find such a person.”

“But, but… we can’t just leave Ed like this…”

As they wracked their brains, a moment of contemplation settled in.

“What’s the matter with you two?”

Perhaps this could be called the entry of the saving pitcher.

As if dropped from the heavens—a person both Yenika and Lortelle trusted and whom they could confidently leave Ed with had arrived.

“…”

Perhaps Belle Mayar came looking for Lucy who hadn’t returned home, even as bedtime approached.

Or maybe she came to tend to Lortelle’s residence as per contract.

Despite the busy schedule, the head maid Belle Mayar managed to stop by the camp, holding a pile of discarded clothing for sewing practice.

After finishing her duties in the Ophelius Hall, she just dropped by the camp.

Although she said she would send a staff member, it’s very typical of Belle Mayar to carry the clothes herself.

“…?”

Seeing the look of salvation on the faces of Yenika and Lortelle, bell could not help but feel puzzled for a moment.

*

“The Rothtaylor Family, the Bloomriver Family, and the Callamore Family seem to side with Princess Phoenia.”

In the Rose Palace, section 2, the personal room of Princess Persica, ruggedly built man who served as the captain of the royal knights spoke. His beard was long, and he stood tall. Mention his name, and everyone in the royal household would bow their heads.

Only royalty could stand unflinching before his authority.

True to this fact, the girl looking up at the large mural in the main hall kept her head high.

The painting by an artist from the Fellan region depicted the grandeur of Clorel’s Palace. Even to Persica’s experienced eyes, it was majestic.

“Would it be alright for us to remain still while Princess Phoenia and Princess Sella have attracted the support of influential families? I boldly ask for your opinion.”

Princess Persica gazed at the painting silently, then cracked a faint smile.

“We should observe the situation a bit longer.”

Amidst the turmoil of fluctuating power, all the court officials were on edge.

Yet, in the midst of it all, Princess Persica seemed oddly at ease—a sight that unsettled Brigade Captain Dyrus.