Chapter 42 (2) - A Depressed Kendo Player Possesses a Bastard Aristocrat

."Well then... I'll be off to class."

"Yes, Young Master!"

I adjusted my tie, which Rachel was straightening, and bid her farewell as I left the dormitory.

As I opened the door, a cool breeze enveloped me.

Autumn, which had entered November, carried a gentle chill.

I shivered slightly and stepped outside.

The blue sky, with a few scattered clouds, boasted beautiful colors.

Unconsciously, I fell into thought as I walked.

The banquet hall attack and the Imperial Palace visit.

It had already been a month since those two events.

I had been living a peaceful daily life in the midst of the swiftly passing time.

No other incidents had occurred, and the quests in my status window had been quiet.

Of course, there was a lot of commotion with the attempted assassination of the Princesses and the Saintess and the return of the Seekers...

But that was Allen's problem to deal with.

"Ugh...!"

I stretched with a long exhale.

It had been about two months and fifteen days since I possessed Raiden's body.

I finally felt like I could breathe.

I rummaged through the front pocket of my coat and pulled something out.

It was a small box that resembled a cigarette case.

Inside were thin sticks that emitted a green light.

It was the 'Deathweed' that Milliam had sent me in a large carriage some time ago.

I stared at them for a moment before picking one up and putting it in my mouth.

Then, I took out my magic lighter and lit the end of the stick.

-Click, sizzle...

Thin smoke rose as the lighter set the stick ablaze.

"Haa..."

As I inhaled, the herbal scent of the death weed seeped into my lungs.

Refreshing scents, like those you'd find in a forest, wafted through my nose.

"Haa..."

White clouds of smoke escaped my mouth and drifted into the air.

At the same time, my head cleared, and the gloom that had been weighing down my heart began to wash away.

"...This is really good."

My mind, which had been troubled by the dream, felt refreshed in an instant.

It was clear that this world's tranquilizer was several steps ahead of the modern one.

Or maybe it was something else entirely.

As I stared blankly at the dissipating smoke, a familiar mechanical sound suddenly rang in my ears.

-Ding!

[You are experiencing 'Status Effect (Hallucination, Auditory Hallucination)' due to the side effects of consuming 'Death Weed'.]

[Skill 'Iron Will' negates Status Effect (Hallucination, Auditory Hallucination).]

'Iron Will' as always.

Definitely effective.

Well, it even negates the side effects of the special skill of Sorrow.

This much is nothing.

Feeling a little better, I smiled and continued to exhale the smoke.

At that moment...

"Brother!"

"Raiden!"

I heard two familiar voices from behind.

I turned my head slightly and looked in that direction.

"Ariel and... Your Highness."

As I waved my hand lightly, Ariel came bouncing towards me and threw her arms around me. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the NøᴠᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

"Good morning!"

"Yes, good morning."

Ariel, clinging tightly to me, purred and melted as I stroked her hair.

As I was poking and prodding her squishy cheeks, Lucy, who had followed behind, greeted me with a light bow.

"Good morning, Raiden."

"Good morning, Your Highness. I trust you slept well?"

"Of course."

After a brief exchange of greetings, we started walking together.

Perhaps the biggest change in my life over the past month.

It would probably be Lucy's presence.

After what happened at the Imperial Palace.

The relationship between Lucy and Raiden began to return to what it once was.

Thanks to that, a new color has been added to the realm of my life, which was once filled only with brown and red.

Well, as I spent more time with Lucy, I naturally got caught up with her followers more often.

But I haven't had much chance to get close to them.

They weren't exactly on good terms with me in the first place.

It was still awkward between us.

As I was chewing on such idle thoughts.

Lucy, who was walking beside me, suddenly clapped her hands as if she had remembered something.

"Ah, right! Speaking of which..."

"......?"

"We have our school trip next week, right? Have you checked the group arrangements?"

"......Excuse me?"

School trip?

What is she talking about...?

As I tilted my head at the unfamiliar story, Lucy asked me with a slightly surprised look.

"Don't tell me, you didn't know about the school trip...?"

"Ah, yes..."

Come to think of it, I think there was a school trip event in the original story.

But that was after Allen became a second year... so around next year?

Wait a minute.

Since it's originally for second-year students, Lucy and I are supposed to go this year...?

I asked, realizing it belatedly.

"Do you happen to know when it is?"

"Three days from now."

"......It's really just around the corner."

"You really didn't know..."

I pressed my forehead at the slight headache that was building.

Why didn't I know about this?

I'm sure it was mentioned a few times during class. Was that when it was?

I let out a soft sigh and took another drag from the death weed in my mouth.

"By the way, what do you mean by group arrangements?"

"We're divided into groups for activities during the school trip. Don't you think it'll be fun? It's completely random, so it's a bit of a shame..."

"Hmm..."

Group activities.

It sounds uncomfortable just hearing about it.

I held back from saying such a thing and just groaned.

"Did you check, Your Highness?"

"Huh? Of course, I did. I checked as soon as it came out last night."

"I assume we're not in the same group... obviously, right?"

"Yeah... Unfortunately."

"......"

I knew it would be the case, but I still had to ask.

Well, there must be nearly a thousand second-year students.

I didn't expect it anyway.

I stroked my chin with a bitter silence.

Now that I'm in a different group from Lucy, I guess the group arrangement is ruined.

The only person I'm close to at the academy is Lucy.

"It should be on the bulletin board over there. Want to go check?"

Lucy asked, pointing to the bulletin board set up near the carriage stop.

I nodded at that.

'Well, I should at least check...'

We quietly made our way towards the bulletin board.

Various notices were lined up on the whiteboard.

We had to find the notice about the 'Second Year School Trip Group Arrangement' among them.

And among them, we had to find the name 'Raiden Lishite'.

About three minutes after we started scanning the bulletin board.

"Found it!"

Ariel shouted, pointing to a spot on the bulletin board.

I turned my gaze to where Ariel's finger was pointing.

And indeed, there it was, the group with my name on it.

We all looked down at the names of the group members listed below my name.

[Second Year School Trip Group Arrangement: Group 4]

1. Raiden Lishite

2. Margaret Phyler

3. Golden Boy

4. Violet

"......Huh."

I stared at the list, dumbfounded.

Then, I grabbed my head and muttered under my breath.

"I'm screwed..."

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