How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 144

Golden Return (2)

Roth Taylor’s estate is located in the heart of the empire, in the most thirsty land, with an enormous size. Its location is truly exquisite.

If you wanted to enter the zodiac, Chloeron, from the western coastal area of ​​the continent, which was filled with many bustling cities, you had to pass by Ross Taylor’s territory almost unconditionally.

Its appearance seemed to embody the image of the Roth Taylor family protecting the Chloe royal family, so the imperial people used to call this Roth Taylor estate the Shield of the Empire.

In fact, those who have passed through the Roth Taylor estate understand why this place was called the golden land of the empire.

Meadow where the warm sunlight languishes down. A gentle road stretches straight out. The wide open landscape is like a paradise.

If you look at such a peaceful road while leaning against the wall of the carriage, the worries that filled your head will soon melt away and you will be able to relax while listening to the sound of the carriage wheels rolling.

The same is true of Tanya, who has spent almost her entire life in this Ross Taylor manor.

As the carriage entered the Roth Taylor estate, familiar landscapes came into view. As usual, it’s time to get drunk on the scenery of this peaceful Ross Taylor estate and find peace of mind.

“…”

However, Tanya’s complexion was dyed blue. He felt the cold that would rise only in winter, and was staring straight ahead as much as possible.

A wagon that can seat up to 4 people. It has two long seats facing each other.

Excluding the coachman, there were only four people in the party, so there were only as many seats as there were people.

However, one seat is empty. Because Lucy Mayreel isn’t sitting in her seat.

“Yeah…”

To Tanya, Lucy Meiril, a senior, seems like a person with a 4-dimensional tendency that is difficult to understand in many ways.

From Tanya’s point of view, who witnessed both the sleepy-looking appearance as usual and the furious look from the top of her head… It’s hard to tell how to treat Lucy.

Normally, his brother, Ed, is the type to control Lucy, but this time the situation was subtly different from usual.

Lucy sitting on Ed’s lap, exhaling swiftly like a little baby bird. The figure lying down curled up is in stark contrast to the usual stretched figure, and Tanya can’t get used to it.

And Jenika, who was sitting right in front of Lucy and staring at her, was sitting right next to Tanya.

Seeing that it wouldn’t be strange if even a light beam jumped out of her eyes right away, Tanya straightened her back and even breathed carefully.

As I hold my head down so as not to show the cold sweat pouring out of me, it seems that the memory of being scolded by Jenika once again comes back to life.

“…”

Every woman around Ed Rosteyler is terrifying.

Jenika like a celestial girl, Lucy like fluttering feathers, Lortel looking like an adult… For Tanya, who has checked the other side of the scene once, her body trembles when she recalls the memory of that time.

Even though who Ed gets involved with is a major issue that could change her family relationship, Tanya couldn’t say anything because of the accumulated trauma.

-wickedness.

Yenika slipped up from her seat.

Indeed, Ed Rosteylor himself is asleep, leaning against the wall of the wagon.

It was a long journey that required two nights in the open air. Gradually, the party was quite tired, and it was time for everyone to talk less and lose their energy.

It’s not that strange that he fell asleep in the wagon. However, Lucy, who had been asleep, turned around and talked in her sleep, and in a drowsy state naturally climbed onto Ed’s lap and rolled up his body.

I wonder if Jenika, who was watching that, couldn’t bear it any longer… She gently pulled Lucy out of her body and put her back in her chair.

“Yes, Jenika-senpai…”

“It’s dangerous to sleep like this…”

After saying that, she sat down again, but Lucy quickly bent over, looked around with a drowsy face, and climbed back onto Ed’s lap.

It doesn’t seem like he’s just drool talking, it feels like he’s regained consciousness a bit.

Yenica tried to pull Lucy down and sit her down on a chair, but Lucy climbed onto Ed’s lap and went to sleep. I really wanted to be poisoned.

“Ugh… well…”

In the end, the only way to stop Lucy from climbing onto Ed’s lap is to block the path.

Yenika stomped her feet, and then she climbed onto Ed’s lap and sat down.

“…”

Then he meets Tanya’s eyes and bows his head shyly, but he doesn’t get off Ed’s lap.

When Lucy suddenly raised her eyes and looked at Yenika, Yenika straightened her back as if asking what to do.

Compared to the diminutive Lucy, Jenika is taller. In addition, the space in the carriage is not that comfortable, so I am worried that if I stir her curvy body here and there, she might accidentally touch it here and there.

Still, Yenika gritted her teeth and defended Ed’s knee. As if this was the last of her pride, Tanya couldn’t say anything.

“…What.”

Shortly thereafter, Ed woke up, jumped up and down, and had to hit his head on the ceiling of the carriage.

* * *

“It should arrive sometime tomorrow.”

We have just entered Ross Taylor’s manor, but we still have to go a long way to get to the mansion.

Lucy, clinging to Ed’s back, and Yenica mercilessly glaring at Lucy.

In the meantime, Tanya was clenching her teeth and biting into the bacon.

encampment… Even so, thanks to all the luxurious tents and camping equipment the coachman had brought, it wasn’t that hard.

Between four people sitting around a campfire and having dinner… Even though it was midsummer, a cold chill was circulating.

Tanya knows how strong Jenika and Lucy are. From her point of view, the situation in which the two of them are sparking like that is fear itself.

In the first place, the two girls were feared by Tanya even before they fought like this. It is like lighting a fire next to a gunpowder keg that is about to explode at any moment.

Ed, on the other hand, looked awkward, but managed to mediate between the two and maintain the situation tactfully.

“Oh, brother…”

Tanya’s fatigue was already at its peak. It was this kind of atmosphere throughout the journey. I couldn’t help but tremble in between.

“You two, you two are very close…”

Tanya’s sense of politics on the day accurately caught what she had to do right now.

You have to get on the line well.

Which of the two should cling to to survive… You have to make sure of that. In the end, the key is who Ed has a crush on.

“…”

Ed glared at Tanya as he stuffed the bread into his mouth.

We had many conversations while riding in the carriage.

How did Ed get to know people like Jennica and Lucy? What kind of life did he lead after he was excommunicated? What trials he had, and how he got through them.

It was a journey worth admiring just by sitting still and listening, and along the way, Tanya also came to understand deeply what Jenika and Lucy meant to Ed.

Yenica is Ed’s best friend, competitor of the same age, and they have a lot of affection while living together.

In particular, there is an image of Ed who has always been by his side, supporting and cheering him on since his bare-fisted days… There were many times when Tanya would also momentarily put her mind at ease.

On the other hand, Lucy is often Ed’s strength, or a solution when he is cornered… He is a trustworthy helper. Ed is the only person who deeply understands Lucy’s feelings and life history, and Ed’s existence has a greater meaning than I thought for Lucy, who is searching for the reason for living right now.

He pretends not to, but Ed also seems to be emotionally dependent on Lucy for a lot. That’s why each other has a special meaning to each other, and it was hard to imagine the two of them apart.

The problem is that there is one man and two women. In fact, if you look at how the bachelor goes back, there are more than two.

It’s hard to imagine what kind of mess it would be if Lortel got involved, so Tanya swallowed a gasp. It’s fortunate that Ed was the only one who brought him with him at once.

In the midst of being buried in the atmosphere, the coachman talked to Tanya.

“Miss Tanya, when you return to the mansion tomorrow, you will begin by talking about the sealed negotiations.”

“Ah, that’s right. It’s been almost a year since the seal was handed over, so even if we push for the purchase of the seal now, we won’t be so suspicious of the public.”

As soon as the seal of the wise man is handed over to Lortel, if he says it’s good and buys it again, there is a possibility that the connection between Elte Firm and the Ross Taylor family will be exposed too openly and cause suspicion.

That’s why the Ross Taylor family was estimating the right time to purchase the seal. From now on, Elte Corporation will start to want to realize the profit of the seal… Now is the time to actively negotiate the purchase.

“Just in time, Roland-sama, one of the people in power at Elte Corporation, is participating in this social gathering, so let’s talk about it.”

“In fact, talking with Lortel is the fastest and clearest way… but I don’t know what rumors will circulate if I meet in private with the top decision maker of Elte Company while wearing the status of student council president within the school…”

“It would be more convenient to set a rough estimate or conclusion and pursue it after school starts.”

When the coachman said so, Tanya nodded.

And the moment I was about to take another bite of the herbal tea the driver gave me…

“Yenika Failover.”

A voice called out the name.

For an instant, her eyes focused on Lucy, who was sitting with Ed’s back wrapped around her.

Lucy Meiril, this is the first time I’ve ever seen her address someone’s name directly. That guy, that boy, that man, that grandpa, that person. Aren’t you the girl who always referred to someone with pronouns?

It used to be an established theory that people didn’t memorize other people’s names because they were bothered by it, but now was the moment when that theory was broken.

Ed must have been amazed, too, and he raised his eyes and looked in Lucy’s direction.

Lucy then speaks straight, looking at Yenika.

“Do it in moderation. There are a lot of spirits around here too.”

At the end of this long confrontation, a preemptive strike was finally launched.

Tanya took a deep breath, then tensed and unable to exhale.

“…What?”

“The spirits are always gathering near the camp, and whenever something happens, they run to you and report it chatteringly.”

I guess I can anticipate what Lucy is going to say. Yenica momentarily tightened her shoulders, and she broke out in a cold sweat.

“Just by looking at it, you’re seeing every single move of this kid. Don’t you think you’ll feel like you’re being watched day and night…?”

At those words, Yenika caught her breath and gave Ed a sidelong glance at Ed’s expression.

From the start, Ed Rosteylor was always aware of the fact that there were spirits all around him.

Of course, the northern forest wasn’t full of spirits anywhere, but at least the spirits were always coming and going near the camp.

Ed wasn’t paying much attention to it because he wasn’t doing anything that would make him look good.

However, like Ed, Lucy, who often goes to camp, seems to be bothered… Clinging to Ed’s back, he spoke directly to Yenika.

“It’s insidious.”

“That… that… the spirits do whatever they want…”

“I could have made it impossible, but you didn’t. Pretending to be innocent while doing everything…”

Tanya raised her eyes and glanced at Yenika. Yenika must have looked at Tanya’s heavy gaze, and twitched her fingers while avoiding her gaze.

Ed, worse off, said as he stuffed the bacon and bread into his mouth.

“It’s okay. I don’t really care. Well, since I’m in my position, there are safety reasons, and the spirits are chatty.

“Look…! The person in question doesn’t care…!”

“But, that… I didn’t think it would be at the level of reporting every move…”

As Yenika gasps again, Lucy turns around and lands on Ed’s lap. Yenica narrowed her eyebrows, but she couldn’t help but notice Ed.

“Giggigguk… did you feel bad?”

“There’s nothing to feel bad about… but, well, I didn’t know. Don’t worry too much about it.”

“Ugh…”

Yenica pursed her lips and couldn’t say anything further.

He had never given orders to report on Ed’s every move, but that didn’t stop the spirits from babbling about Ed.

Because the quality of the crime did not get better because of unwritten willfulness, Jenika had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

“It’s dark, it’s dark, it’s dark…”

Lucy was just sitting on Ed’s lap and talking like that. As always, she opens her blank half-moon eyes and speaks in a sleepy voice, but with a strange hint of laughter mixed in.

Yenica hated Lucy and couldn’t stand it… Unfortunately, it’s all facts. It is said that it is impossible to refute.

“If it were me, I’d be sorry, but I’d stay as far away as possible–“

Lucy’s chattering cheeks were pulled by Ed, and Lucy’s small cheeks were dragged away.

“Take it in moderation. You know better that Yenika couldn’t have done it with bad intentions.”

“Ed…!”

When Yenika nodded with emotion, Lucy puffed out her cheeks and tugged at Ed’s necktie. His face is full of dissatisfaction, but he cannot use force against Ed, so he protests in his own way.

Ed continued the story while pressing Lucy’s head.

“Anyway, when you arrive at the mansion, you’ll meet your father right after having a brief luncheon. Or you can have lunch together.”

Now that the Roth Taylor mansion was close, we had to talk in advance about how we would move from tomorrow.

“After introducing you guys and having a little chat, we’ll talk about the social church… and each of us will be assigned a room. I think it would be better if Lucy was assigned the closest room to me.”

“Eh… Why?”

Yenica asked, startled.

“Yenika needs to get a room a little farther away. Use the spirits as secretly as possible to check the overall structure of the mansion.”

“I’m familiar with the structure of the mansion, brother.”

“There’s a big difference between hearing it in words and actually checking it. Also, check the flow of magic carefully and find unnatural or suspicious places.”

Pressing down Lucy’s hair and sweeping it down, Ed said firmly to the party.

“We came here to find evidence that could expose Kreffin Ross-Taylor’s true intentions. Let’s not forget that fact. In addition to the testimony of us as insiders, if we find evidence that can be shown, Kreffin’s location will be determined in its own way. I will shake.”

“…”

Yenica and Lucy didn’t react much to that, but Tanya’s expression cast a shadow.

Tanya is a girl who respects Crepin all her life and has lived for the glory of Ross Taylor.

My perception must have changed a lot over the past few months because I’ve heard the truth behind it, and I’ve even had the experience of being directly accused of murder… Still, as the daughter of the Roth Taylor family, the situation in which Krepin was brought down would inevitably make her feel complicated.

The human mind is not so easily organized. Ed wanted Tanya to hold her heart, at least while she was with the Ross Taylors.

Then, Lucy opened her mouth.

“You don’t have to go to the next room. I have to keep an eye on you all the time.”

The Roth Taylor Mansion is virtually insignificant.

That’s why Lucy always seemed to be trying to protect me.

Lucy hugged her knees and spoke in a blank voice.

“Let’s just use the same room. Just ask for it.”

Silence prevailed again.

Tanya got goosebumps and couldn’t bear to see Yenika’s expression.

“What, what are you talking about…?”

“You have a mission to keep a close eye on the inside of the mansion, but my job is to keep him safe.”

“Eh, Ed… such a stupid thing…”

Yenika was speechless. It was because he could see Ed, who was resting on her chin and thinking seriously.

No matter what anyone says, Ed himself is risking his life right now. The stakes were too high to take so many risks giving one reason or another.

Seeing that, Yenika was distraught.

* * *

The outer walls enclosing the Roth Taylor mansion were visible from afar.

Its scale was astounding, and it looked more like a village than a mansion.

There is also a small garden, and a clock tower with a huge family coat of arms rises.

The main building of the mansion, a shabby building used by servants, a warehouse building, and a building built for garden management… Only five or six buildings are immediately visible.

This is the hometown where Ed Ross Taylor and Tanya Ross Taylor were born and raised, as well as the headquarters of the Ross Taylor family who rule the continent.

A mansion of a size worthy of its majesty. It was much larger than Ophelis Hall, where the distinguished guests of the bachelor’s office huddled together.

In fact, it is natural. If the mansion of the most powerful person is smaller than the dorm of a bachelor, there is no prestige.

When the mercenaries guarding the main gate of the mansion greeted them politely and opened the gate, a beautiful path decorated with roses and roadside trees led to the mansion.

When the coachman led the horses into the mansion, all the villagers and vassals who stopped by on business bowed their heads toward the carriage politely.

Here, members of the Ross Taylor family are emperors and gods. It is a place where the power of Duke Roth Taylor, who commands the territory right in front of his eyes, is stronger than that of Emperor Chloe, who is located far away in the ecliptic.

After riding in the carriage for a long time, he saw numerous maids and servants lined up at the entrance of the mansion.

“We’ve finally arrived.”

When the coachman politely opened the carriage door, the entrance of the huge mansion came into view.

A marble staircase decorated with flowers spreads out magnificently. A procession of servants lined up on either side with their heads bowed. Seeing this, Jenika, a commoner, held her breath.

Of course, Lucy doesn’t seem to care at all.

“You went through a lot of trouble on the long journey.”

Tanya was the first to nod as the coachman bowed and stepped out of the way. Naturally, she got off the carriage with an escort and handed her luggage to the attendant.

After that, Lucy and Yenika, who were sitting outside, got off.

Lucy jumped down casually, and Yenika was at a loss as to whether the surrounding gazes were burdensome.

I’ve never been treated like this in my entire life, so it’s embarrassing. While fiddling with her fingers, she walked away, but when the attendant politely asked for her luggage, she was startled and backed away.

Anyway, Yangban is a bad person.

Next, I got off and naturally handed over my personal luggage to the attendant.

-Kwagang! Kang!

At that moment, a small wooden bag containing my belongings rolled across the floor. It must have seemed that he let go of the strength in his hand too early when handing it over.

For a moment, the noise spread through the front door, and there was tension among the servants. As if a huge disaster had arrived, tension spread among all of them.

“S-I’m sorry…! Master Ed…!”

Suddenly, the servant who was carrying my luggage hit the floor with his head.

“Oh, I was nervous to see you after a long time…! His majesty was dazzling at the sight of him returning home in gold, so this lowly thing made a mistake…!”

As if a trauma remains, he apologizes with all his might and cries.

I can guess what Ed Rosteiler’s words and actions were like on a regular basis.

I didn’t say anything, I just picked up the wooden bag myself. Then, the servant flinched and took a defensive posture. He probably thought I was going to swing the wooden bag and hit him.

Looking around, the workers lined up didn’t even move. However, if you look closely, you can see that he is sulking and sweating.

“It’s okay. I’ll lift it myself.”

I said that and followed it through the front door while holding the wooden bag.

Between the lowered heads, that strange silence continued. I think I know the identity of that strange sense of incongruity… I didn’t have to make a fuss.

* * *

The first thing you see when you enter the front door is a huge portrait.

Behind the statue of an eagle that symbolizes Roth Taylor’s majesty, there is an enormously large portrait occupying the huge wall.

Usually, it is a place to hang a picture of the founder of the family or the current family head.

It is to clearly tell the people who visit this mansion who the origin of this family is.

However, the portrait hanging in the lobby of the Ross Taylor family is of a young woman.

The wide open eyes are full of vitality, and the flowing blonde hair is as rich as the benevolent heart.

The subtle smile was also so old-fashioned, it made me feel warm just looking at it.

The name was written respectfully beneath the portrait.

“Arwen Roth Taylor.”

“You’ll see Arwen’s portrait after a long time. Brother. When you were in the mansion… You strangely hated this portrait.”

After talking that far, Tanya took another breath. She was worried that maybe she had made her mistake.

I shook my head, only to look up at the large portrait again.

He is no longer a person in the world.

I am not even in a position to talk about it in detail.

It’s just that Crepin’s intention to hang such a large portrait of Arwen… I was just curious.

Is it longing for the daughter who left first? Or is it to pay homage to her life as a model for her as a daughter of the Ross Taylor family?

If you’re not the party, you probably don’t know.

“You’re here.”

At that time, the large wooden door at the top of the stairs in the lobby opened, and a man appeared with four or five servants.

“You’ve had a hard time coming a long way.”

He was wearing a thick cloak and a fancy dress made of all kinds of expensive fabrics.

The reason why you look young for your age is not that complicated. because he is a rich man

I looked up at Krepin, who was standing right on the railing, and spoke slowly.

“Long time no see, father.”

What are you going to say about that?

In the midst of silence… Finally, Crepin opened her mouth.

“Yes, I was very worried about you. I missed you. Ed, my son.”

The appearance of Crepin, who is relaxed and smiles widely.

None of the party could feel the solidarity of the family even when they saw that affectionate face.

The fact that all the layers and layers of that face are masks… Because you know.