Chapter 116

Chapter 116

Joint Combat Training 2 (2)

Greetings, Lady Clarice, the saint. I am Bell Maiya, the head maid who will be assisting you with your preparations today.

Bell Maiya rarely takes part in practical frontline duties.

Although her competence in practical matters had been well-proven since her days as a senior maid, she has devoted much of her time to administrative duties since ascending to the position of head maid.

There are not many individuals of such noble status that Bell Maiya, herself now quite valuable, would personally attend to. Even within the Ophelis Hall, filled with esteemed guests, there is only one head maid.

Normally, even a saint would receive service from a verified senior maid. The head maid would not make outings for such tasks.

However, today was an extraordinarily unusual day, necessitating Bells personal intervention.

Its already that time.

I will help you with your hair.

The saint occupying the top-floor private quarters of Ophelis Hall was a fake.

A decoy wrapped in layers of magic had been set up to guard against possible conspiracies and to fulfill the real saints wish to move more freely around the school.

But today was the day of important visitors.

The Holy Emperor Eldain and his close confidant, Archbishop Verdieu.

They were the pinnacle of the Telos Order, whom Saint Clarice sincerely admired.

It was impossible to send out a proxy on the day of their visit. It was necessary for Saint Clarice herself to greet them in person.

Of course, it was unlikely that Eldain and Verdieu were unaware of the decoy, but it would have been discourteous, regardless of the circumstances, to meet such exalted guests with a substitute.

Therefore, it was time for the minor noble of the frontier, Kyril Ekne, to temporarily disappear.

The decoy would be sent to a discreet location, and it was time for Saint Clarice to take her place.

Thank you.

The girl revealed a soft smile as she sat in front of the luxurious vanity for her preparation.

Only a few were aware of her dual identity and attending the academy as a substitute: Principal Obel, the three major deans, and Bell Maiya, who practically managed her living environment.

Today, the real saint would visit, and involving a senior maid might risk exposing any oddities.

Therefore, Bell Maiya, who was well-informed of the saints status, had personally come to assist with the preparations.

Yet, Bell felt that her worries were unfounded.

Gone was the wide-eyed and innocent Kyril Ekne with the chestnut hair, curious and excited by everything

Instead, seated before the mirror was the saint with cold, white hair and crimson eyes.

There was an air of dignity, so profoundly different from the substitute, that one might doubt they were the same person.

Clarice was a girl who had grown up under the adoration of the faithful, living her life within the Order.

The carefree appearance of Kyril, when relieved of the burden of her duties, was enveloped by the dignity befitting a saint once she assumed her rightful place.

Bell, recalling Kyrils excited clapping and shining eyes, marveled at how Clarice could feel like a completely different person.

Lady Bell.

Yes, Saint Clarice.

As Bell carefully brushed the smooth, white locks, she responded cautiously.

It was supposed to be the day of the joint combat training, wasnt it?

Yes, unfortunately, it coincides with the Holy Emperors visit which made it difficult for you to attend.

Clarice expressed silent disappointment.

She had been struggling to keep up with her studies and had no time to socialize with her seniors.

Although she wasnt particularly interested in inter-year interactions, she had hoped to meet the second-year student, Adel Ceris.

The joint combat training would have been the perfect opportunity, but due to unfortunate timing, Clarice had to miss out on the practice.

But with her status, she couldnt neglect meeting with the Holy Emperor, an unavoidable reality.

In truth, Clarice didnt see much value in something like joint combat training under the current circumstances.

The fact that the Holy Emperor and the Archbishop were visiting during this time held significant implications.

Clarice regarded it almost as a special inspection. Given that both men had always been exceedingly concerned with every aspect of the saints life, they were likely intending to check on how well she was managing with her school life, if the environment was adequate, and whether she had encountered any dangers.

Frankly, she doubted her assurance.

Was the school environment safe? It hadnt been long since it had experienced several upheavals even before Clarices admission.

Last year, one student attempted to conquer the Student Council building and summon a high-ranking dark spirit, while a professor was caught fleeing with a valuable relic of the academy.

Since Clarices arrival, the school had been disrupted by an attack led by a disgraced noble involved in a murder caseit had been quite tumultuous.

Still, Clarice had not been directly involved, so it wasnt particularly dangerous, but it did attract a lot of gossip.

Furthermore, Clarice had made a promise to Archbishop Verdieu before leaving the Holy City.

As Kyril Ekne, attending school, should her real identity be discovered or revealed to the public, she would have to give up her life as a student.

Her admission to Silvenia was partially coerced, so she had to accept these conditions.

The past few months at the academy had been a freedom-filled dream for Clarice.

There were hard and scary times, but it was distinctly different from her cloistered life of constant prayer at the top of the Holy City.

Clarice was not yet ready to return to the Holy City. To avoid that, she needed to smoothly handle the Holy Emperors visit.

Rather than rashly display bravado, it was a time to stay quiet and patient. Although she yearned to participate in the joint combat training, Clarice held back, knowing that chances to meet Adel would come again.

Its okay to relax your mind, Saint Clarice.

Does it show that much that Im nervous?

Seeing the flicker at the tip of her long lashes, Bell gently reassured her.

Im just excited to see the Holy Emperor and the Archbishop after such a long time. I want to make a good impression and really show them that Im doing well. Thats probably why Im so nervous.

It seems youre enjoying your school life.

Yes. I want to stay in this Silvenia until I graduate. Just that thought makes me even more nervous.

Bell had no particular way to alleviate her nerves. Merely hoping that Clarice could calm her mind was all she could do.

With a stroke of the comb through her beautiful hair, Bell remained silent. When nerves take hold, everyone has a different way to relax.

Clarice seemed to sense Bells mood and quietly acquiesced to her hands.

As she was being made up, Clarice hoped for no unexpected complications.

Apart from external events, there seemed to be no factors to worry about. The disparity between her role as Kyril and as Saint Clarice was immense, and it seemed unlikely anyone would quickly realize the truth

Yenica sighed deeply, sitting at the wooden table in the student council building. Across from her, I sipped on a drink and responded with a knowing nod.

Time has passed, and the day of the joint combat training is upon us.

First-year students will spar with second-years, and third-years with fourth-years, with results reflected in their gradesan annual practice event that slightly changes depending on the teacher in charge.

Last year was a tournament format, whereas this year is an open-challenge style.

All first-year students of Class A are vying to be first to advance, intensifying the competition. Consequently, everyone seeks a strong opponent, influencing this years challenge method.

However, there were two issues. First, the third and fourth years lacked such enthusiasm for competition. Second, the strongest students faced no challengers at allleaving the strongest student, Yenica Phailover, a third-year top seed, to duel with those considered surplus, with no one brave enough to challenge her.

Until the fight time, we wont know who the opponent is

Do you have anyone youd like to challenge personally?

Ah wouldnt that be a bit presumptuous?

She seemed shy at the idea of issuing a direct challenge. Typical Yenica.

The student council hall buzzed with students checking their pairings. Yenica and I sat at a table outside the hustle, awaiting the crowd to dissipate.

It seemed I too lacked challenging opponentssomewhat acknowledged as a strong third-year.

Indeed, the third year noticeably lacks talent, overshadowed by the formidable names in the protagonist generation. In contrast, my year feels quite unfortunate.

Its unsurprising Ive risen to a position of strength given all the training Ive done, sparing no sleep.

Ed still reading that book Lucy gave you

Suddenly, Yenica puffed her cheeks, spotting the book in my hands. Wanting to keep its contents secret, Ive hidden the cover with a jacket.

Whenever I can, Ive been diligently reading the Sacred Otium Manuscript, practicing its magic and familiarizing myself with its flows.

Mastering it is a tremendous advantage; even most faculty struggle with Sacred Magic, and if such a privilege exists, one would be a fool not to use it.

However, even with commentary from a master of Sacred Magic, it is profoundly complex, needing more practice.

Its quite an important book. Ill be reading it for awhile.

Until the staff announced the pairings and commencement of bouts, we needed to wait here.

Wasting no time, I immersed myself in the book, while Yenica, seemingly annoyed about something, watched me with her cheek propped on the table. After minutes of fidgeting, she broke the silence.

What shall we eat tonight? I forgot to check the camps food stores Do you remember, Ed?

Well there should have been enough meat We got some leftovers from Lorel Halls kitchen and put them in storage; lets just salt them and grill them up.

Ah, then I should ask Clara for some herbs. It gets more fragrant and tender when we grill with them.

Indeed worth a try.

Exchanging such ordinary talk that it might shock outsiders into thinking were cohabiting, I realized anew that Yenica lived right beside the camp, and I swallowed a breath.

Even after academic pursuits conclude, wed pack up together, return to the forest in the north, prepare meals side by side, chatter by the campfire into the night, and when time came, depart to our separate cabins with see you tomorrow and sleep well.

But about Lucy

Lucy?

Yeah visiting the camp often

She fiddled her feet, propped on her hands, with a murmur.

Dont you care, Ed?

What can I do if I did? Can I physically stop her? Its best to think of her as a natural disaster.

Its just Lucy belongs to Ophilius Hall. If she keeps coming to camp, wont the maids scold her?

Thats for her to handle. And youre probably right; the maids seem prepared to confront her.

The maids of Ophilius Hall were likely the only ones within the academy who could control Lucy, elite as they were.

While Yenica continued swinging her feet in the air, suddenly, a commotion arose from the center of the student council hall.

The crowd parted, and the murmuring died down.

Please make way!

The Saintess is passing through! Please make way!

Sylvanian Academy strictly limits external guard personnel from frequenting its campus.

With a multitude of elite and prestigious students, permission for personal guards would disrupt the academys operations. Therefore, except for special reasons, one cannot employ personal guards.

However, two exceptions transcended these rulesone being Princess Penia Elios Clowe, who resides in the royal dormitory with an entourage of soldiers, and the other being Saintess Clarice, occupying the Ophilius Halls grandest room on the top floor.

Wow!

Yenica appeared to have seen Saintess Clarice for the first time. Indeed, they were in different grades, with little intersection.

A natural dignity overwhelming the crowd, impeccable white hair flowing over her body, and eerily red eyes captivating those around her.

Always appearing in sacred robes heavily laced with sanctity before the public, now in uniform, she exuded an air of mystery.

She too was part of the academy, presumably there to confirm her battle pairing. With all eyes upon her, she strode across the public square before the student council hall.

From my secluded corner, I observed her approach. Distance made her appear slight, an imposing figure wrapped in grace and nobility.

I was determined to witness closely every moment of this joint combat exerciseto see if events would unfold as I knew or diverge unexpectedly. Assessing the twist in the scenario was crucial to coping with future developments.

Already, I noticed differences from my expectations. According to my knowledge, Saintess Clarice shouldnt have been participating in the exercise due to coinciding obligations to greet the High Priest.

But her presence to check the match list suggested her participation, possibly indicating a delay in the High Priests visit. If so, what might have caused such a shift?

Contemplating the current situation, I was interrupted.

Er Oh

Startled, Yenica lifted her head from the table.

Having captured everyones focus, Clarice bypassed the main entrance to the hall. Instead, she glanced around and, recognizing me, confidently strode in my direction. The piercing gaze of nearby students felt overwhelming.

Saintess Clarice had never casually interacted with anyone during her time at the academy, given her exalted status and the constant danger it entails.

Yet, she approached me, sitting gracefully opposite at the table, embodying grace.

Hello, Senior Ed.

Her voice, like crystal drops, fell silent in the midst of the crowd. Everyone seemed puzzled as if to wonder why the Saintess would greet me familiarly.

Regrettably, their confusion matched mine. Even with the timing, I could surmise that the person before me was indeed Saintess Clarice, but I had no grasp on why she would greet me here.

I intended to send a letter at first, but I wanted to meet you quickly, so I came directly.

With her casual bombshell, the ensuing silence was deafening.

In the midst of this, Clarice smiled subtly, refined as ever.

Shall we have a chat?

Managing my expression, I closed my book and set it on the table.