How to Survive at the Academy
chapter-202

Meaning Assignment (4)

“Sacred Dragon Bellbrook is returning.”

The story was brought up after lunch on the fourth day of the monastery visit, when it was already past noon.

The personal chamber of the Saintess, a place all the people of the monastery are reluctant to approach. Located at the very top of the spire, impressively grand in size, saintess Clarice was there offering prayers while gazing into the vast sky.

There was just one day left for the grand prayer assembly organized by the Cledric Monastery.

Nobles famed from across the regions, young aristocratic ladies here in place of their houses’ leaders, and influential family representatives occupied monastery rooms, each anticipating the assembly.

Every day, the procession of distinguished guests waiting at the coast was met by Abbot Cledric Austin, who would, at low tide, lead them to the monastery in throngs—an ongoing routine.

If the household leader had undergone baptism by the Telos Order, it was customary to send a key member of the family, proving their piety and reaffirming their trust among the followers.

The Rothtaylor did the same. It seemed that mostly Tanya took care of participating in the assemblies, but she did not have fond memories of them.

Understandably so. This monastery truly has nothing. Even renowned guests are merely given a mouse-sized room where they must chew on grass.

This place begins to buzz discreetly by the fourth day as guests pour in; their mere presence constitutes a deviation from the norm, bringing a different kind of exhilaration that circulates within.

Nevertheless, this period—when the attention on the Saintess wanes ever so slightly—was the golden opportunity to share my story.

“… Yes?”

“The truth is, I wanted to talk about this.”

I was in charge of managing the life and meals of the Saintess. There were plenty of opportunities to be alone with her throughout the day. At the Sylvania Academy, such a thing was almost impossible.

Now that the Saintess’s schedule had lightened, and with the attention in the monastery dispersed among the various guests, the timing couldn’t be more suitable.

“There were hardly anyone I could discuss this with without reservation. That’s why… I followed you to the Cledric Monastery.”

“…”

“I have seen the future. Sacred Dragon Bellbrook will resurrect without any sign and turn Acken Island into a wasteland, causing a calamity that will be remembered in history by the Clorel Empire.”

No jest or speculation.

With my words clearly articulated, saintess Clarice stopped eating. No, she had already finished, but perhaps she remained seated to converse with me.

“Is it okay if I ask for the grounds of your story? Not that I doubt you.”

“I have been unable to speak to anyone because I don’t have evidence.”

“…”

“I am in a position where I need to ask for trust without evidence. Therefore… I came to talk to you, saintess, the one who experienced fragments of that future with me.”

On the day of the joint combat exercise, saintess Clarice and I witnessed the calamity caused by Bellbrook repeatedly by turning back time.

Though Bellbrook’s resurrection was slightly postponed by smuggling his fang into the territory of Baek Jachaul, the limit of Bellbrook’s sealing ceremony was undoubtedly approaching.

“I cannot stop it alone. We need someone with practical influence, capable of mobilizing a large force. You, saintess Clarice… are well-qualified in that regard.”

It would be a natural reaction to consider this absurd. However, Clarice was not just anyone.

For her, Bellbrook’s resurrection was not a pie-in-the-sky story. She was the girl who had seen, more than once, the dragon’s scales covering the skies of Acken Island.

“… If what Senior Ed says is true, then I cannot sit idly by.”

“We need to gather as much power as possible. At the very least, we need to call upon the elite forces of the royal and order factions to Acken Island.”

“If the scale is as large as you say… even in my position as the Saintess, I can’t decide alone.”

We were discussing the view of the coastline from the private chamber window.

Despite the suddenness of the intense topic, Clarice took his words in after pausing just to catch her breath.

“To move the forces of the Order fully, I will have to convince the Pontiff about Bellbrook.”

“That won’t be easy…”

“As a Saintess, I can use my position to justify it, whether through an oracle or a prophetic dream. However… my authority would be affected if the prophecy does not come true.”

As the Telos Order’s Saintess and the one perceived to be closest to the voice of god, losing her credibility could jeopardize her position.

It’s not just a simple matter, but a prophecy about Sacred Dragon, a direct threat to the world. It’s not a problem that can be lightly dismissed with excuses like confusion or misjudgment.

Asking her to stake everything on the words of one man—Ed Rothtaylor—without any evidence, however, is not easy, even considering the seriousness of the situation.

Thus, Clarice asked for grounds to persuade the Pontiff.

It’s a separate issue whether Clarice believes in me; convincing the Pontiff is an entirely different challenge.

“I did think about that. I wondered why Senior Ed, who is always busy and cherishes each day like gold, would follow me to the monastery.”

“…”

“I don’t believe you are here solely for my sake. You must have made your move based on various political considerations and the bigger picture. The time when I felt resentful about such things has passed. It’s commonplace when in a position like mine.”

It would be odd to apologize at this point.

Despite everything, saintess Clarice was simply happy to have me spend time with her at the Cledric Monastery.

“It may be shameless to say this when I’m asking for trust without evidence, but you don’t have to worry. I trust you, even without it. If Senior Ed says so, then Bellbrook must truly be a genuine threat.”

“Saintess…”

“At least, I can’t give you an answer right away. Just because I trust Senior Ed doesn’t mean it’s enough grounds to move the entire Telos Order at my whim. However, I will do my best within my capacity.”

The conversation about the scenery seemed different now.

Saintess Clarice might appear naïve, unaware of worldly matters, and caught up in a strange romance, but after losing Adelle, she seemed to have matured, becoming more composed and rational.

It wasn’t just personal growth; the situation itself was severe.

“It’s surprising how candidly you accept this.”

“Being in the position of a Saintess, I’ve learned something. If you’re intoxicated with peace, you can’t deal with tragedy when it suddenly hits. Tragedy always comes during the most peaceful times.”

Looking distant yet determined, Clarice continued.

“So tell me everything, without leaving anything out. What you know, what’s going to happen.”

“It might be a long story.”

“Actually, I’m glad. It feels like you’re finally unburdening me of the weight you’ve been carrying inside.”

Contrary to my anticipation of panic, Clarice simply smiled faintly.

“I’m ready to share the burden.”

*Wherever royalty goes, they are the protagonist.

Princess Sella of the Rothtaylor Duke House reigned like a protagonist even at the social gatherings, and so did Princess Phoenia, who received everyone’s attention among the Sylvania freshmen.

The same applied to Princess Persica. Although the ladies gathered from various noble families exchanged greetings, nobody dared speak rashly to Princess Persica.

Her noble demeanor and dignified conduct were to be expected of royalty, but she exuded an aura that made her unapproachable—more than that, it felt like a forcefield wrapped around her.

It was difficult to strike up a conversation even with Knight Tune, who followed and guarded her.

Therefore, when they encountered her in the monastery corridors, most ladies would simply bow their heads and pass.

“It seems like it’s mostly scriptures and religious texts… The quality of the library can’t compare to the one in the royal palace. It’s understandable.”

Princess Persica was sitting comfortably in the rather large monastery library on the lower floors.

She was familiar with most of the old volumes there as if she were a ghost of the library, notorious for her obsession with books and knowledge.

To her, knowledge and information were the essence of life. A ruler cannot hold power for long if they are ignorant and not informed. This uncompromising belief was Princess Persica’s.

Thus, whenever she had free time, she was always buried in the depths of the library, focused solely on reading books. It was quite characteristic of her to hunker down in the library as soon as she arrived at the monastery.

The issue was, it wasn’t the time to just read books.

With the imperial succession dispute intensifying, Emperor Clorel must also be feeling the pressure.

The simplest way to resolve the heated succession conflict would be to announce a successor officially.

But one can’t carelessly decide on the heir to lead a great nation. The Emperor must be agonizing, but word is that the court deliberates on the empire’s influential supporters’ stances regarding each princess—likely to reference for his determination.

What Emperor Clorel most values is whether the power transfer can happen smoothly, without major disruption, leading the empire into a continued golden age.

For that, obtaining the support of internal royal forces and various credible empire factions is most crucial.

That’s why she tried to grasp the Elte Trading Company, liked by the renowned, and sought full support from the royal knight order—all to prove that point.

The important thing is to garner more overwhelming support than her two sisters of the same bloodline, Sella and Phoenia.

It’s essential to grow one’s forces, but it’s also crucial to check the opponent’s.

It’s much more efficient to steal one of the opponent’s forces than to simply add one to your own.

That’s why Princess Persica came to the distant Cledric Monastery for the prayer assembly—to make overtures to Abbot Cledric Austin, who staunchly supports Princess Phoenia.

The preparations for that persuasion… were all complete. Likely, Abbot Austin couldn’t refuse Princess Persica’s proposal. Investigations into her character and temperament were already concluded.

“Hmm…”

The problem is Ed Rothtaylor.

As the most renowned amongst the survivors of the Rothtaylor family, he is also one of Princess Phoenia’s supporters.

If I could persuade him, I would be drawing one more critical supporter away from Princess Phoenia.

“My thoughts are becoming complex.”

Abbot Austin is like the mother of the Telos Order, respecting even the Pontiff and the Saintess.

Ed Rothtaylor is at the center of controversy in the current imperial conference, the core surviving member of the Rothtaylor Ducal House.

Pulling just these two people to one’s side could mean significant progress in the succession contest. That alone would make the monastery mission a great success.

The problem is that Princess Persica has almost no information about Ed.

Sella and Phoenia have met Ed, but for Princess Persica, the male figure of Ed Rothtaylor was shrouded in fog.

Judgment must be made based on information and rumors passed down. Princess Persica did not wish for an encounter without prior information, and despite her efforts to gather what she could, it was not straightforward.

Do you think he can be swayed with money?

“According to rumors within the monastery, his hobby is to drink wine while gazing at the vineyards stretching to the horizon from a massive castle made of gold…”

“Is there a vineyard of that scale in the Duchy of Rothtaylor?”

“I… am not sure myself. Regardless, he doesn’t seem to be someone fixated on money. Considering he didn’t give in to the persuasion by Elte Trading Company, it’s safe to say that.”

Beside Princess Persica, who was seated in the monastery’s library reading room, her knight Tune stood with a troubled expression on his face.

The ways to tempt someone ultimately come down to one of three things: money, honor or power, and justice.

“What do you think about proposing that if he supports the royal power, we can guarantee him a position at least at the level of a high minister?”

“Being raised as a noble of a ducal house, it’s truly uncertain whether he would be swayed by honor or power.”

“And from what you’ve gathered?”

“Rumors within the monastery suggest he even brazenly refused the prestigious position of the head magic researcher at the royal court. He delivered a lengthy speech that true scholarly research is not accomplished through authority.”

“… We made no such offer from the royal court, did we?”

“… That puzzled me as well.”

“Well, academic research is managed by Rose Palace anyway… It would not have been reported to me…”

Princess Persica received Tune’s report with a bemused look. Tune’s efficiency in speedily collecting information since his arrival was undeniable.

“Now, what in the world are these rumors? None of them seem plausible, just filled with absurdities…”

“… I omitted quite a lot from the report. There were things I deemed too nonsensical to even report.”

“Such as?”

“Things like his gaze can freeze ice or that his voice alone can stop a person’s heart…”

“…”

“Or that a single swing of his dagger could split a wall, that he can control several high-ranking spirits, he’s cozy with the powers of the Oldec underworld, or that Saint Clarice is utterly charmed by him…”

The terrifying aspect of these rumors about Ed is that some fragments of truth are mixed in with them.

These speculations, entwined with the actual background knowledge of Ed, make it challenging to discern the facts, like smoke obscuring a clear image.

“Rumors that he hides the power to split the ocean with a single arrow, or that high-level magic springs forth with just a flick of his finger…”

“Stop it… that’s enough… I’m getting perplexed…”

“…”

“I truly can’t tell anymore…”

The idea that all this could be true simply doesn’t make sense. It’s nonsensical.

The first thing that comes to mind is that the inne Derpity of half-hearted manuscripts written openheartedly by nuns enthralled by the personna of Ed Rothtaylor Kight. Perhaps that was the truth.

Nonetheless, Princess Persica was confused because of the background information about Ed Rothtaylor Kight.

It’s perplexing why Princesses Sella and Phoenia are excessively fixated on him. He is a survivor of the nearly extinct Rothtaylor house and an expert on ‘survival’, having braved life-threatening dangers several times in Sylvania.

In fact, Ed Rothtaylor has previously thwarted one of Persica’s plans to take control of Elte Trading Company and receives the implicit support of the current ruler, Lortelle Keheln.

Individuals, who receive consistently high praise without fail, are often so for a good reason.

While she expected him to be a remarkable man, these rumors seem… excessively exaggerated, right?

There should be a limit to this.

If someone this extraordinary has escaped Persica’s intelligence network up until now, that would indeed be strange.

“Still… perhaps it would be better if you meet him in person?”

“Having come all this way, it would be improper to attend the prayer meetings and leave. Arrange a meeting. However… I must admit, I’m a bit nervous.”

Princess Persica closed the book she was reading and let out a deep sigh.

“Well, it’s probably all rumors anyway. But verifying that is also an important process.”

For the time being, she decided to dismiss all rumors about Ed Rothtaylor as hearsay, reserving judgment on the still-imaginary figure of Ed Rothtaylor.

There’s no way this could be true.

*

“Hello, Mr. Ed. I have heard about you from the abbess of Austin. As rumors have it, you are here at the monastery. I am Mary, the second daughter of Count Flocine. My lord father supports Princess Phoenia wholeheartedly, thus we have a close bond with the Rothtaylor ducal house. I hope for continued good relations.”

“Hello, Mr. Ed! Where did grandmother go?! That… I wanted to get some habits mended… It seems Sister Eleanor who’s in charge of mending is busy! Uh, could you please… help with that…?! If that was rude of me, I apologize!”

“Mr. Ed, have you had your meal? There’s word that the monastery cafeteria has received some good quality lamb today. It looks like the nuns are eagerly heading there.”

“Where did Austin go?! I was the only one stuck in my room all night, why are there demerits on my record?! Ahhh! Oh, Mr. Ed. You’re here…”

“I should check on the arrangements for tomorrow’s prayer meeting… The abbess went into her room and hasn’t responded… Huh, could… you please check on it…? Since you directly manage the saint’s schedule… you have the authority, right?”

After spending the day dealing with noble ladies approaching for political matters and nuns talking about monastic matters, I returned to my room.

When I closed the door of the room, which was simple but had everything needed, the sky was already full of stars.

In this remote monastery where nothing else exists.

With almost no source of light, the stars in the sky are astonishingly numerous. The Milky Way stretched across the sky, almost brith.