How to Survive at the Academy
chapter-97

Election Battle for the Student Council President (10)

Silence pervaded the Ophelius Hall.

Lortelle Keheln stood silently blocking the exit to the central corridor.

Seeing him, Zix… grabbed Tanya, who was running beside him, by the shoulder.

“Uh, what?!”

Zix pulled Tanya toward himself and hid her behind his back.

“Ah!”

Guided by Zix’ strong grip, Tanya stumbled before regaining control of her body.

“Why so sudden…”

“Stay still.”

Zix’ intuition was almost always spot-on. His instincts, honed and sharpened in the wild, had saved him from crisis numerous times.

This time was no different, as Zix’ instincts screamed a warning.

Whether she was merely resting or not, she donned a lace slip dress with a light yarn coat. Her abundant auburn hair, waving like the sea, was completely let down.

“Lortelle.”

Zix was aware, to a certain extent, of Ed’s social circle.

Most who recognized Ed’s true value became special to him, and despite a narrow circle, Ed’s acquaintances were a formidable lot.

Knowing that Lortelle also had a particularly close relationship with Ed, Zix adjusted his stance cautiously.

He held the sword handle but wanted to avoid combat with Lortelle if possible.

Lortelle’s magical proficiency and reflexes were so remarkable that even the strict Professor Glast had placed her name in Class A.

However, when it came to real combat sense and instincts, she wasn’t yet at a level to keep up with Zix. If they fought, Zix would likely win.

It might be a disadvantage for Zix in a straightforward firefight, but in a one-on-one combat scenario, exploiting abilities and environment to their limits, few could best him.

Yet, the true dread of Lortelle did not stem from her combat skills.

Once Lortelle Keheln set her sights on someone, she invariably led them to ruin. Even her adoptive father couldn’t escape her clutches.

One must never be deceived by her tender appearance and dignified speech, mistaking her for a kind and benevolent aristocrat.

Zix Effelstein knew it all too well – she was a rose with thorns, envenomed enough to kill an elephant in moments.

If one were to list those who must never be made enemies in the Sylvania Academy… she would effortlessly rank within the top three.

The figure silently waiting by the door did not seem friendly in any aspect.

─It’s certain she has heard of Ed’s death.

Given the commotion Lucy has been causing outside, it would be stranger if she hadn’t heard.

Thus, Zix had no choice but to shield Tanya.

“We should evacuate, Lortelle.”

As Zix suggested this, Lortelle, hidden in the shadows, slowly lifted her head. The effect of Ed’s death on her emotions, what thoughts she harbored towards Tanya – it was impossible to gauge.

All Zix could do was silently wait for her response.

Unexpectedly, Lortelle lifted her head with an elegant smile.

“So, Zix… if you’re speaking this way, what have you been doing here instead of escaping?”

Practiced tone as usual.

The attire might be more casual and informal, but her composed demeanor was unchanged, which made Zix feel incongruity.

Keeping his tension, Zix carefully watched Lortelle, who proceeded calmly.

“It’s dangerous, we need to evacuate. Don’t you think, Zix? And you too, Tanya.”

Even Tanya seemed to sense the abnormality, yet not appearing hostile, it was difficult to reply.

“Lortelle.”

Zix did not release his grip on the sword handle.

And he asked to the point.

“Have you heard about Senior Ed?”

Lortelle’s brow twitched subtly.

A reaction missed by most, but quick-witted Zix caught the emotional turbulence.

“What do you think?”

“Right, you won’t just let us go.”

“What are you saying, Zix? I have no reason to stop you.”

Lortelle’s eyes narrowed and she smiled placidly. But Tanya and Zix could not take a single step.

“In a simple one-to-one combat, I couldn’t possibly beat you, Zix.”

A long list of Lortelle Keheln’s abilities would leave anyone’s mouth sore.

But foremost, her unyielding composure in any situation could be considered her epitome of strength.

Whether Tarkan was smashing the student council building or a hair-trigger situation caused Professor Glast’s magic tower to rise, she never panicked, never lost her rationality.

She’s a machine-like monster of reason, always finding and acting on the best approach – even Lucy, always so aloof, was swept by rage in such a situation, while Lortelle bit down and maintained her cold rationality.

Nevertheless, reason and logic don’t always go hand in hand.

Although she lived a merchant’s life, weighing everything against gold, even she occasionally strayed from the scales of rationale. That is, when Ed was involved.

Lortelle would not stand in Zix’ way – because in combat, Zix was superior.

So, it was hard not to wonder.

“If it weren’t me… if it were just Tanya, what would have been your plan?”

Calm and orderly as she appeared, there was no certainty that her interior mirrored her exterior. The girl never honestly reveals her innermost thoughts.

Therefore, no amount of disorder tainting her insides would ever be discerned from her exterior.

But occasionally, a fleeting trace of her true sentiments surfaces.

“I would have killed her.”

A chill ran up Tanya’s spine.

Her expression was still calm and orderly. Her tone had not changed. Yet, a sharp threat sliced through the atmosphere.

“You’re lucky, Tanya. You should be thankful Zix was with you.”

Tanya’s expression vividly reflected in Lortelle’s amber eyes as she guarded the corridor – possibly…

“That’s reckless, Lortelle.”

“True, Zix. It seems you’re on Tanya’s side.”

Zix couldn’t argue.

All evidence suggested Tanya was the culprit behind Ed’s assassination.

The conspiracy aligns with Tanya’s consistently hostile behavior toward Ed. Coupled with the Assailants who appeared to be agents of the Rothtaylor household – well-known to directly serve Tanya – it’s clear. Rarely do retainers act without their master’s directives.

Zix’ decision to trust Tanya’s innocence once more was led by emotion over reason. Based on his experiences, he surmised Ed wouldn’t want Tanya to face a terrible fate.

Lortelle always preferred rational action, which is why she clashed terribly with the emotion-driven Zix.

“So, instead of killing her outright, you would have resorted to torture to extract a confession. It could be a different story, then.”

Zix swallowed dryly upon seeing Lortelle’s ever-smiling face. She was clearly not in a normal state. As calm as she looked on the outside, something twisted lurked within.

“Your nails seem well maintained, Tanya. Fortunate, indeed.”

Tanya shuddered, hastily concealing her hands behind her. The subtle threat in Lortelle’s words was laden with a chilling implication.

Just the thought of her nails remaining intact was enough to send shivers down her spine.

“No, I didn’t…! It’s not true…!!”

“Stop, Tanya. She’s not someone who can be swayed by emotional pleas.”

As Tanya attempted to protest, Zix stopped her calmly. Lortelle’s expression remained unchanged.

Just quietly, she allowed them passage.

“Proceed.”

Lortelle never engages in a fight she can’t win. She only chooses battles she’s certain to triumph in.

It’s the dignity of someone who has weathered the stormy fronts of business from an early age.

This was not Lortelle Keheln’s battlefield. Unlike a domain where swords clashed and magic flew, she operated in the shadows, seizing control of the battlefield itself.

If turned into an enemy, a terrible fate was certain.

In making Ed an enemy, it went without saying – Lortelle would also become a foe. Although Tanya wasn’t ignorant of this, the reality sending waves of fear flooding through her was overwhelming.

Zix kept a wary eye on Lortelle.

She really didn’t move an inch. Was she truly not planning to stop them? Or was this all still an act, a part of her scheme?

It was indistinguishable.

One might devise a way to outmaneuver an opponent with brute strength, look for an alternative compromise, or rely on sheer determination to win.

But with someone as cunning as Lortelle, any action taken was shrouded in doubt, like staggering through smoke, making her a truly headache-inducing adversary.

As the standoff stretched on with no clear answer.

“Then, Lortelle…”

– Crashing noises!

“Ah, whoa…! Ah!”

[ Be careful! Are you hurt?! ]

“Uh, I’m fine…! But the window… oh no… It’s all broken… This has got to be expensive, I don’t have that kind of money… What am I going to do… uh…”

[ You think someone’s going to go around looking for the culprit and asking for damages because a window got broken right now? ]

A girl who had smashed through a corridor window and slid inside caught everyone’s eye. The sound of rain that was heard outside now echoed directly into the corridor.

Her pink, braided hair was completely soaked, as were her clothes. The white blouse and blue skirt clung to her body, drenched by the rain.

As she wrung out her wet skirt and shook her head like a puppy, she caught sight of Tanya and brightened.

“Ah, I found you! Tanya!”

But as she shouted, suddenly aware of the corridor’s atmosphere.

“…”

Tanya was trembling, Zix was sweating, his hand poised over his sword, while Lortelle watched coolly with icy eyes.

“Um… Did I misread the situation…?”

Yenika stopped squeezing the water from her collar.

Merilda, who was peeking through the window, sighed.

[ No, you came at just the right time, it seems. ]

*

It wasn’t something he had never done before.

Once again, he had been defeated. Already accustomed to defeat, it was a taste too familiar.

“Ugh, kuhuk… erk…”

No matter how much he tried to push himself up from the ground, his body lost strength before even reaching halfway. He could only manage to lift his head and as he looked up, he saw a man clad in a robe, looking down at him—Clevius.

As soon as he stepped into the rose garden, he checked his surroundings, as if it would be troublesome if someone saw him.

Regrettably, in the mostly evacuated rose garden, there wasn’t anyone to witness him.

Students or maids trapped in the time jail were irrelevant, and at most, there were only a few like Clevius or Elvira, who lay collapsed nearby.

The pouring rain and the resulting mist made it difficult to recognize faces, even if there were signs of life.

Lieutenant Water Spirit ‘Lioness Lacya’ vanished in an instant, her form appearing unstable at first glance. It seemed she had been summoned with the last remnants of a strength that had reached its limits.

As a result, only those left were Lucy, Elvira, Clevius, and the robed man.

Looking up close, he was able to recognize that blond youth wearing noble features, a familiar face.

“What the… X-“

Clevius let out a hollow laugh, barely holding himself up with his trembling arms.

“You were still alive, you bastard.”

“…”

“Ah, kuhuk…”

Clevius, who spat a mouthful of blood, forcefully looked up at Ed.

“Really.. you piece of… X^… If I had known it would come to this… I… ugh… kuhuk…”

“You held up. Clevius.”

“Yeah… why… are you being a jerk…??”

Among the streaming rain, the ravaged boy, faced drowning in pent-up resentment and frustration, couldn’t help but let it all out.

“Being a jerk…! X^…!!”

No one said a word. Clevius’s outburst was just his own insecurity. Nonetheless, Ed listened silently.

There was a hint of surprise in Ed’s gaze, though.

Clevius had withstood ‘Slothful Lucy’ for nearly ten minutes. How many in this academy could manage such a feat? Even Ed, well-versed in Clevius’s combat abilities, could scarcely believe it.

“Yeah… I was really… beaten like a dog… I know that… I’m ugly, stupid, and pathetic, I know that… better than anyone else… X^…!!”

Clevius clenched his fists and teeth, trembling.

“I knew it, too. I knew all along that charging in was senseless. That no matter how much of a scene I made, staking my life, I’d never measure up… Yeah… that’s why I wanted to run, but with my damn legs not moving, what do you expect me to do…”

In the eyes of the coward, the rose garden was filled with fools.

How could such mortals possibly stop a monster? The only ones who tried were idiots and lunatics…

Maids trapped in the time jail, their successors, the grade leaders who tried to hold the line… and even the girl alchemist who always grumbled at Clevius.

These fools were the usual figures Clevius had grown tired of seeing throughout his life.

Leaving them behind and fleeing to safety, he lived by declaring the impossible as such, without foolishly exposing himself to danger.

Everyone wanted Clevius to behave this way. He had been taught it was the wise approach and he believed it, too. How many more would need to perish challenging the blood of a demon swordsman was something even he couldn’t predict.

One becomes accustomed to defeat; the pain and the blow to one’s pride fade away until you can nod and agree with anyone who insults you as a coward, a runner.

Or at least, that’s what should have happened.

“How much longer… do I have to keep running away like a piece of X^…”

The image of a hero, charging into a massive army with a sword drawn. The portrait of the Nortondale family founder, Bellbrook Nortondale, seen in a picture book.

Everyone feared and gave up on the curse of blood borne by the demon swordsman in Clevius’s veins, except for his brother, who affirmed his ties to the Nortondale family until the end.

The top students who trembled in terror at the mere thought of facing the High Fire Spirit Tarkan, and Ed Rothtaylor who came up with a strategy against all odds.

Sword Saint Taely who didn’t lose hope, lunging towards Professor Glast among the rising towers of mana.

The maids, the grade leaders, and even Elvira who tried to fulfill their duties in the face of the invading Lucy.

Those imbeciles, their sense of defeat gnawing away deep within their hearts…

Like a light shrouded in darkness, forcing one to face their pathetic, tarnished self.

Anchoring feet to the ground, drawing swords that had lost their edge.

Diving headfirst into trials deemed impossible by all, like fools.

“Really… I’m… a stupid, pathetic, trash piece of X^… I know… I know that…”

Clevius had lost too much blood. It was time to take a break.

Unable to continue, he lost consciousness and collapsed.

…

Solitude is a disease that leads to death, a curse that slowly eats away at the heart, affecting everyone equally.

People lean on each other because of this. Even for a girl who lives her life looking down on worldly matters with indifferent eyes, this deadly ailment is inevitable.

Sadly, she couldn’t understand the terror of solitude, for she had Gluckt during her youth. His presence, with his wrinkled hands gently stroking her hair, always there but also seemingly absent, guarded the girl from the terror of loneliness.

However, such self-awareness is hard to come by.

It’s natural to only realize the pain once something is lost.

The robed boy’s figure that flashed into view made Lucy’s knees nearly buckle.

Rubbing her eyes in case it was a hallucination, the boy remained in sight.

She didn’t react dramatically. She wasn’t the type to yell and charge into an embrace.

“Sorry about that, Lucy. I couldn’t let you know in advance. There were reasons I had to pretend to be dead.”

But as that voice she thought she’d never hear again reached her ears, reality set in.

“The situation was critical, life and death, and there was no chance to prepare or send a word.”

As Ed approached Lucy, walking through the rain, he seemed uncertain until he faced her and firmly delivered the message.

“I’m alive. Here, like this.”

Lucy looked up at Ed blankly.

His robust frame, his wet golden hair, even the scent of grass that clung to his body, they all confirmed it was indeed Ed Rothtaylor.

Her expression didn’t change, yet the large teardrops streaming down her face were clearly not rain.

Then, without a word, she leaped and grasped Ed’s chest, burying her face in the wet fabric of his clothes.

“I thought you had died,” she mumbled through the dampness, her tone uncommonly soft for Lucy.

Amidst the gentle rain, Ed wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her as she cried for a long time under the drizzly sky.

Spring rain washes away what was, preparing the world to reveal something new.

Just like the tides of emotions—vent openly, regain composure, and even the most stable relationships can take on a new phase, starting with a slight discomfort.

Lucy, held in Ed’s embrace, pouring her heart out, eventually grasped those delicate feelings hidden within her solitude.

Even if she overlaid Gluckt’s face onto Ed’s, the feelings she held for each were fundamentally different.

The warm touch of Gluckt’s wrinkled, caring hands on her head, and Ed’s pressing grip as he comforted her tearful breakdown—they were similar but also strangely distinct.

As the rain slowly stopped and moonlight peeked through the clouds, Lucy, who had been snuggling into Ed’s embrace, caught her breath.

Realizing that difference doesn’t take much once you’re aware of it.

Suddenly, Ed wobbled, catching his balance in surprise.

Lucy, who had been crying in his arms, abruptly stopped her tears, pushed against his chest, and raised her head.

Staring up at Ed with disbelief, both were equally astonished.

Her eyes still glistened with tears, but her emotions were clear and honest.

Like a cat startled by an unexpected predator, heat rushed to Lucy’s face.

“Lucy?” Ed called her name simply, but her heart felt ablaze.

Unable to form words among her shaky breaths, Lucy stumbled backward.

She who towered like Mount Tai, even the academy’s top sorcerers shook in her presence, now trembled before the unknown face of Ed. Her features brimmed with nothing but shock.

Ed—to Lucy, represented an unimaginable change in the landscape of her world.