Chapter 88

Chapter 88

The Student Council President Election War (1)

The greatest slayer of warriors in this world is none other than arrogance.

Beware of those who, confident in their abilities, charge bravely and valorously, believing such acts to be virtues.

Do not hold in high regard those who constantly risk their lives to assert their existence to the world.

Fear, Clevius.

Fear is your weapon.

If the moment to flee ever comes, run away so fast that you almost lose your tail.

Do not risk your life for pride. Do not become obsessed with honor either.

You do not need to forcefully confront every crisis and challenge that comes your way. You do not need to hurt yourself by attempting the impossible.

Live like that, and there will come a time when your feet wont move, even if you could normally run away as fast as youve always done.

There will certainly be a time when your feet are stuck to the ground and refuse to move.

In front of trials that the whole world declares impossible, you feel the need to stand firm, gripped by your legs.

Although your whole body trembles as if it might go mad, strangely, your hand gripping the sword is filled with steadfast strength. As though ensnared by inertia, your body yearns to move forward even in the face of certain defeat.

What drives you in such moments is not pride or honor, but a conviction of an entirely different kind.

If its not that, then run away. Beg for your life in a disgraceful manner and survive by cowardice.

Survive ignobly, even if you have to roll in the mud, and wait for your time. Never sacrifice your safety for high honor and glory.

Do not live the life of a hero. Do not walk the thorny path that nobody forced upon you.

The flower that blooms atop a cliff may appear noble, but ultimately, it is the tough weeds that fill the garden. I hope you never forget this truth.

Duel Application

After the snowstorm had ceased, the Ophelius Hall became bustling with students preparing for the next semester. The duel application presented by first-year top student Wade Callamore against Clevius arrived during the peak of the snowstorm.

Clevius rose from the bed in his private room and sat at the table where the maids had prepared refreshments. In a room where the curtains always cast a shadow, he grabbed a handful of snacks, biting and chewing loudly. Then he shook, a curse slipping out as he hunched over and looked at the floor.

Why Why the f**k does it have to be me

A bead of sweat trickled down beneath his dark circles heavy with gloom. Clevius did not even respond to the genius swordsman Wade of the Callamore familys challenge. However, he couldnt withstand public opinion demanding an answer and eventually expressed his intention to forfeit. He neither wanted to get hurt in a pointless fight nor be humiliated in front of everyone.

People said it was typical of Clevius, and he wasnt even dissatisfied with their assessment. Maybe this was better. It was preferable to fade into obscurity after being branded a coward than to be beaten miserably in public.

Clevius hesitantly lifted the curtain of the window. A comforting light briefly entered the dark corner of the room but stopped short. The view outside showed that winter was fully over, and spring had brought life bursting forth everywhere.

It was the scenery that gloomy Clevius hated the most.

That bastard Wade, with his personality, will probably keep throwing duel applications everywhere

Clevius had heard rumors about Wade too. They were about how full of himself he was, craving recognition. He boasted of defeating all the seniors, and the rumors even spread among the first-year students.

Being the first target was both misfortune and a stroke of luck. Once the next target was decided, the first target would quietly be forgotten.

A dogs life

As spring blooms with beautiful flowers and Sylvania Academy revives with its unique romance, Clevius, enshrined in darkness in the corner of his room, turned his back on that radiant romance.

He was surely a man belonging to the darkness.

As if to say, what of it, the fluttering petals outside the window seemed to declare.

It was a new semester.

*

Spring comes when you start to forget about it, which is what makes it so special. Looking at the world awakening from a blanket of white snow and the warm sunlight nurturing the blossoming flowers, I realize that its been a year since I started this life.

Last year at this time, I was kicked out of Ophelius Hall and haphazardly set up my life in the forest, but now I have a decently established camp and cabin filled with useful furniture.

Once a body that drenched in sweat like a river by attending just one class, has now become well-trained enough that jogging to and from class feels easy.

Oh my, a familiar face.

While I was taking advantage of lunchtime to buy supplies for the lab from the residential building to take back later, I noticed a familiar girl sitting at Laplace Bakerys terrace near the bridge that led from the living quarters to the professors building.

Her infamy had grown enough that no one was unaware that beneath her ever-smiling, outwardly kind facade, she probably harbored hundreds of sly plans.

Its just after the opening ceremony, and youre already working on lab tasks, Senior Ed.

I waved my hand casually in response to her greeting.

If you want to check on the girls state, just look at her hair. If her reddish-brown locks, once loose, are now neatly tied on one side, it means shes relaxed.

In important meetings or formal situations, shes the opposite, letting her hair down and adorning herself with various accessories.

As expected, shes a figure with a substantial role in her company, so shes not someone one can easily approach.

Lortelle, she smiles widely and gestures to me, inviting me to sit and have a cup of tea as if that was all she had in mind.

You drink tea alone here, Lortelle? Thats surprising.

Well, I was just taking a break on my business trip. Ive finished important discussions, and once the staff wraps up the inventory check, I was about to leave.

Inventory check?

Could we get another cup of tea here, please?

While smiling, Lortelle quietly communicated with an attendant close by, who then darted off swiftly. The one who had rushed off was an ordinary employee, but the one who came back carrying tea was the owner of Laplace Bakery himself.

A man who once worked in the royal palace kitchens and owned several well-known eateries in the capital, sweating profusely, places another cup of tea before us. After bowing politely and asking if we needed anything else, he returned to the kitchen.

It seemed some sort of finalization was taking place in the kitchen, according to Lortelles words.

Ive never seen that man wearing such an expression before.

Well, he must be nervous about something. After all, you can dust anyone and find some dirt.

But what right does your company have to go through a bakerys storeroom? Is it okay for just any business partner to do that?

We are merely business partners, but since the bakery orders all its essential ingredients from Elte Trading, theyre rather attentive to us. There arent many places on Acken Island that can handle the volume Laplace Bakery needs apart from Elte Trading.

Volume aside, Laplace Bakery uses a lot of high-quality ingredients, especially those where freshness is crucial. Unless the trading house has a lengthy history in distribution and has proven reliability, it would be hard to trust and commit.

In a city with a sizeable market, different trading houses might have competed for orders, but on the limited scope of Acken Island, story changes.

If Elte Trading refused to supply them, Laplace Bakery could find their business becoming difficult literally overnight.

Lortelle wore the most benign smile in the world.

Exclusive power can be quite fun at such times, dont you think? It create authorities that otherwise wouldnt exist.

It seems youre the only one having fun, judging by the expressions of everyone else.

Dont be so sour. Although youre absolutely correct.

Lortelle chuckled and then swept her fingers across her teacup.

There is some legitimacy to our position after all. It seems like theyve been caught making fake orders.

Fake orders?

Yes. Placing bulk orders for goods they dont need, then canceling them as delivery dates approach. In the end, theyll always get caught, but theres always a vendor that tries to pull this.

I set down my bags and took a seat opposite her, lifting the teacup prepared by the owner himself. It smells more fragrant and intense than usual, as if it was made with special care.

Its an obvious story, but during the snowstorm, there were some difficulties in getting supplies to Acken Island. The roads froze, and carriages were unable to travel.

Unavoidable, due to a natural disaster.

Yes, thats right. Thus, most of the vendors in the residential area were waiting their turn for supplies. We were trying to supply materials quickly to areas with higher demand and more urgent needs

It was all too predictable from there.

Laplace Bakery, eager to get supplies quickly, artificially inflated their order with unneeded items. As delivery neared, they kept only what was essential and canceled most of the rest.

They might have thought that the scale of Elte Tradings inventory would allow such a move to slide by, but it was a rather naive assumption.

Of course, you would say that, right? Anyway, you seem to be in good health, and your studies are progressing faithfully, so thats comforting. How have the items for Demonic Engineering I gave you last time been?

Ive used them all. I trained in Demonic Engineering over the break.

Oh, any successful outcomes?

I pondered for a moment on how to respond then nodded. Depending on results alone, it was a huge success.

Through an unrealistic schedule and day-long Demonic Engineering training, by the day before school started, I had finally completed a prototype of the legendary grade Demonic Engineering equipment. Since I hadnt had the chance to use it practically, it remains a prototype.

Thats good to hear. Since its been useful, its a positive thing for me too. Unfortunately, I was too swamped with problems over the break to take care of everything.

Problems are that many? Like the incident at Laplace Bakery?

Lets just say, that incident is part of the problems. The immediate main concern is a shortage of liquid funds. My wallet is a bit tight.

Lortelle is short on money. Though it seems hardly plausible, on closer inspection, the issue became clear.

Assets and cash are two completely different concepts.

Due to unexpected expenses, it looks like there will be a delay in assessing the situation and restoring lost funds after the loss of a chest of gold coins from the main storehouse that was being transported by carriage caught in an avalanche. That means available funds are rather tight.

Regular cash inflows from the trading firm have been disrupted. Such disasters seem periodic for a firm her size.

Thats why even with so much assets, Im in a situation where I have to tighten the belt. Branch office is also avoiding unnecessary expenditures. I will personally not spend where not needed, and I intend to reduce even the necessary ones.

Is the cash situation that tight?

Just a temporary bottleneck. Its not desperately short on money. Ordinary lifes basic needs are still well secured. Its just that, Im a bit short on extra spending power.

Basic needs as per Lortelles standards would have different monetary units to begin with.

These variables are mostly due to the aftermath of the snowstorms that hit near Acken Island. Although its spring, the effects of winter remain firmly in place.

Im not exactly in a good mood. Just yesterday, I denied a request from a shaky business to repay a transaction whose due date is far from over.

Their circumstances werent that good either, it seems.

Everyones struggling. Especially when it comes to managing money.

Lortelle fluttered her hair caught by the blowing spring wind.

Dont worry. Managing money is my specialty. Now that Ive set my mind to it, theres no way Ill increase unnecessary expenses any further.

With that, she smiled again like a fox.

I remembered her icy gaze upon the men in the bakery. Regardless, Lortelle has a nature that becomes cold like metal when engaged in business matters.

Dont worry. Senior Ed, by the way, why are you heading to class without your books?

As we dived deep into the array of teaching buildings, the classroom was not far.

Me? I have to stop by the library to borrow them.

Youre borrowing books for the class? If its the student library, you have to go all the way to the outskirts near the teaching building.

Just think of it as running for exercise. If I slack even a little with my physical conditioning, my body weakens quickly.

Its not a distance to be running! Just buy from the academys

Lortelle stopped herself in mid-sentence. Books arent exactly cheap to pile on, particularly for a student. Sylvanias textbooks are all high-grade material.

Still, it doesnt make sense to be sprinting back and forth between the library and the lecture building, although for me, it seems as routine as breathing.

Suddenly, Lortelle began to sweat bullets. She took out her wallet and trembled, rummaging through its content.

What could be so painful She doubted with tormented eyes and then hesitantly asked.

How much all of them, combined?

I politely refused.

*

Did you check the library organization? Senior Ed.

Seeing Zixs face after the new semester started feels like its been a while.

After finishing the elemental studies class and pushing through the crowd into the square of the education building, Zix, who had been leaning against a nearby tree, approached me.

Yes, they handled it well. Thank you.

It was nothing. I used magic to work, so it didnt take long. But, Senior Ed, have you heard about Wade?

Wade? The first-year chief?

Zix nodded.

The recollection slowly comes back to me. Episode 3, Act 3, the start of the student council presidential election.

The story of Wade Callamores challenge. As far as I knew, this challenge continued until Act 5.

Wade, born with innate swordsmanship talent and overwhelming martial power claiming the position of first-year chief, was not satisfied with just that position. He challenged each departments chief to duels, defeating them all, and even went on to challenge the older students.

Wade, who wanted to win them all within his limits, swept through the academys famous figures and chiefs, and even after a close battle with Zix in tatters managed to win.

Of course, Zix was quite exhausted and couldnt use his full power, and the outcome mightve been different otherwise, but a loss is a loss.

Wade, once making a rampage as if he were about to take down all the academys strong players, eventually loses to Taely in a joint combat exercise.

For a first-year, his feats are commendable. Until his defeat against Taely, the opponents he faced were by no means weak. He was indeed worthy of being called an ace student of the first year.

The promising students are all sent to the dueling arena by this freshman. I heard hes also interested in you, senior.

Well, thanks for telling me in advance. Take care of yourself, too.

Theres a welcome party for the freshmen tonight. Will you come and see his face?

I knew Wades face more than familiarly.

No, its okay. I have other plans for this evening.

Plans for this evening?

Yenika agreed to help out with spirit magic.

With the mana suppression from the ring dying down, I was slowly able to use my full magic power.

After completing the medium spirit contracts, at least in the third year, no one but Yenika would be superior in spirit magic.

Plus, acquiring intermediate magic, filling up with basic magic proficiency, and a little more progress in mana sensibility training Id be among the top ten in the third year.

Theres a taste of accelerating the training with visible progress. If you see results, it indeed adds interest to the training itself. I wonder if this is what people who hang out in gyms all day feel like.

With that, I waved goodbye to Zix and left the square.

Looking back at the view of the plaza, its a lively scene of the academy.

Though I thought I wouldnt care much about such things, seeing the vibrant academy somehow raises my spirits.

The fresh air specific to the new academic year lightens my steps.

Over the hill, I walked across the teaching building complex.

*

Hmm I shouldve mentioned it after all.

Negotiating the line in interpersonal relationships is invariably difficult.

Zix muttered to himself as he watched Ed walk away, leaning back against the tree.

Along with the library information, maybe I shouldve also mentioned Princess Phoenia.

Since Zix and Phoenia were classmates, their paths often crossed during lectures. Phoenia usually surrounded by her escort was difficult to approach, but it was different during classes.

Princess Phoenia looked especially dispirited since the holidays.

However, when conversations about Ed would come up among Zix or others, Phoenia would bizarrely tilt her head to listen or seemed keenly attentive.

At first, it felt like a misconception, but the more he watched, the more the name Ed Rothtaylor seemed to provoke a reaction from her.

Im still not fully convinced

Zix leaned against a tree in one corner of the plaza, staring vacantly at the clear high sky. Its been a while since it was so clear.