How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 201

Giving Meaning (4)

“The Star Changryong, Velbrok, is resurrected.”

It was on the 4th day of the monastery visit, a little after lunchtime, that I brought up the story.

The private room of the saint who is reluctant to approach all the people of the monastery. At the top of the steeple, located in a magnificent size, Saint Clarisse was raising her prayers while gazing at the open sky.

The largest prayer meeting organized by Cleric Monastery is only one day away.

It is the time when young ladies and representatives of influential families who have come from all over the world to serve as representatives of famous aristocratic families set up a monastery room and wait for the prayer meeting.

The process of waiting for the distinguished guests who visited every day went all the way to the shore at the Austin Abbey, and dragged them back in when the tide was low.

In particular, when the head of household was baptized by the Church of Telos, it was customary to send one of the key members of the family to prove its faithfulness and reaffirm the relationship of trust between believers.

The same was true of the Ross Taylor family. It seems that Tanya attended most of the prayer meetings, but she doesn’t seem to have a very good memory of herself.

Actually, it deserves it. This monastery is truly astonishingly devoid of anything. It is a place where even famous VIPs have to sit in a room the size of a rat’s tail and chew grass.

As it was such a place, when the 4th day came and it was the time for VIPs to visit, the atmosphere involuntarily heated up. Just the fact that there are many visitors makes it a departure, and it feels like a different sense of upliftment circulates inside.

Anyway, it was a time like this, and a brief gap when the gaze toward the saintess was relatively reduced was the best time to bring up my story.

“…yes?”

“Actually, I wanted to tell this story.”

I was in charge of managing the saintess’ life and meals. There were quite a few opportunities to be alone during the day. At least at the Sylvania Academy, it was an almost impossible task.

Now, when the saintess’s schedule is relatively free, and the eyes of the monastery are diverted to several distinguished guests, now is the most appropriate time.

“There were very few people who could say this without hesitation. That’s why… In fact, I followed the saint all the way to Cledric Monastery.”

“…”

“I saw the future. The Holy Changryong Velbrok will resurrect without any warning, devastating the island of Aken and causing a disaster that will remain in the history of the Chloel Empire.”

It is neither a joke nor a speculation.

At my words, which I brought out in a neat manner, Saint Clarice stopped eating for now. No, she had already finished her meal in the first place, but she might have sat down a bit longer to chat with me.

“I don’t doubt it, but would it be all right if I ask what the story is based on?”

“I couldn’t tell anyone because there was no evidence.”

“…”

“I’m in a position to demand unfounded trust. That’s why… I’m here to tell the saintess who I’ve experienced the fragments of the future I saw.”

On the day of joint combat practice, Saint Clarisse and I spent time together watching the calamity caused by Velbroke over and over again.

The revival was delayed a little by taking Velbroke’s fang into the territory of the Margrave of Zahul… The fact that Velbroke’s sealing ceremony had already reached its limit did not change.

“I can’t stop it alone. We need people with practical influence who can mobilize a large number of people. Saint Clarisse… She’s not lacking in that area.”

It’s only natural to react to what this is absurd. However, if the opponent is Saint Clarice, the story is completely different.

For her, the revival of Velbroke is not a fairy tale. She is a girl who has already seen the scales covering the sky over Aken Island many times.

“…If what Ed-senpai said is true, then we can’t just sit still.”

“We need to rally as many forces as possible. At least we need to be able to summon all the elite soldiers of the imperial and church forces to Aken Island.”

“If it’s a matter of that scale… I can’t decide arbitrarily, even if I’m in the position of a saint.”

We were talking about the coastal scenery seen from the window of the private room.

Even though it was a sudden and serious story, Clarisse accepted it with a momentary breath.

“I have to convince the Holy Emperor of the story of Velbrook to fully move the power of the Church.”

“That… will not be easy.”

“If I use my status as a saint, I can justify whether it’s an oracle or a precognitive dream. However… if things don’t go as predicted, my authority will be affected.”

Clarisse is a saint of the Church of Telos, and she is the closest listener to the voice of God.

He reigns as an agent of God, but his current position may be jeopardized if the image of him as a person who misreads his voice is captured.

It’s not a simple matter, it’s a foreknowledge of Sung Chang-ryong, whose world is threatened. It is a problem that cannot be passed over simply as an excuse of being confused or misunderstood.

Forcing me to bet my position as a saint, my everything, on a story told by one person named Ed Rosteyler… It’s not easy anyway.

That’s why, Clarisse asked for a reason to convince the success.

Apart from whether Clarisse herself believes in my words, whether or not she can convince the crowd is a completely different matter.

“I did think of that. Why did senior Ed, who lives a busy life and uses every day like gold, followed me to the monastery?”

“…”

“I don’t think he really came for me alone. He must have moved for the sake of various political judgments or the big picture. The time to feel savage about that fact has passed. When you’re in a position like this, it’s a daily occurrence.”

It’s strange to apologize here.

Even taking all of that into consideration, Saint Clarisse was just happy to be living with me at Cledric Monastery.

“You said it as if you were in a position to demand unfounded trust, but you don’t have to worry about that.

“Saint…”

“At least, it must be a question that I can’t answer right now. Even if I trust Ed, that doesn’t really become the basis for holding the entire Church of Telos in my hands and moving it. I’ll try everything.”

It’s different from when we were chatting about the scenery in a nice way.

The saintess Clarisse often shows herself as immature, ignorant, and intoxicated with a strange romance… After losing her Adele, she felt more calm and rational.

Aside from achieving internal growth, the situation itself was just serious.

“I’m also embarrassed that you accepted it without adding or subtracting than I thought.”

“There’s something I vaguely realized while in the position of a saint. If you’re drunk on peace, you won’t be able to cope with sudden tragedies. Tragedy… always comes when you’re at the most peaceful.”

Clarisse continued to speak clearly, though her eyes were vague.

“So please tell me everything. What does Ed know? What will happen in the future.”

“If we talk about it, it will take a long time.”

“Rather, I’m happy. I finally feel like Ed is relieving me of the burden I’ve been carrying internally.”

Contrary to the expectation that she would be taken aback, Clarisse smiled softly.

“I’m ready to shoulder it.”

*The imperial family is the main character no matter where they go.

Princess Sellaha, who reigned like a protagonist in the social church of the Duke of Roth-Taylor, was like that, and Princess Penia, who received everyone’s attention among the freshmen in Sylvania, was like that.

That fact was no different from Princess Persica. At the monastery, ladies from all noble families were introducing each other and exchanging greetings, but none of them could carelessly talk to Princess Persica.

A lofty figure and dignified behavior are natural for members of the royal family. Beyond that, it felt like I was wearing an aura that made it impossible to speak carelessly.

Let alone Persica, it is difficult to talk to Tune, the knight who follows and escorts her.

So, even if they ran into her in the corridors of the monastery, most of the young ladies would just bow their heads and pass by.

“Most of them are only bibles or religious books… It seems that the quality of the bookshelves is hard to match those of the Imperial Library. That’s understandable.”

The place where Princess Persica was sitting was a fairly large library on the lower level of the monastery.

There were many old books, but most of them were in the head of Princess Persica.

She was a person who showed an obsession with books and knowledge to the extent that she was called the specter of the library.

Knowledge and information are the essence of the world. If the ruler is ignorant and uninformed, he will never be able to maintain his position for long. That was Persica’s unwavering values.

That’s why, whenever Princess Persica had free time, she was always concentrating on reading books in the library. As soon as she arrived at the monastery, it was truly hers to retreat into the library prepared inside her.

The problem is, it’s not the time to just read books.

As the conflict over the imperial authority is intensifying, Emperor Chloel will also feel the burden.

The easiest way to end the heated conflict over imperial power is to officially declare a successor.

However, it is not possible to arbitrarily choose a successor to lead a great nation. He must have suffered in his own way, but rumors circulated among his subjects about when the conclusion of his suffering would come out.

Perhaps, at the upcoming regular meeting of the imperial family, the support of the influential people in the empire for each princess will be investigated. In order to refer to one’s judgment when deciding on a successor.

The most important thing for Emperor Chloel is whether he has the capacity to take over power without making a big fuss and continue to lead the empire in its heyday.

In order to do so, it is most important to receive the support of both the internal forces of the imperial family and various powerful forces in the empire.

The fact that he tried to hold the Elte Company, the most famous merchant in Sangdo, and he tried to gain the full support of the Imperial Knights forces, was all to prove that point.

The important thing is to receive more overwhelming support than the two sisters, Selaha and Penia, who are born with the same bloodline as himself.

In order to do that, it is important to call one’s own forces, but it is also important to keep the opponent’s forces in check.

Isn’t it a much more efficient situation to take away one of the opponent’s power than to increase one of my own?

That’s why Princess Persica came all the way to this distant Cledric Monastery under the pretext of a prayer meeting. To appease Abbot Austin, who supports Princess Penia to the core.

Preparations for that appeasement… it was all over Perhaps, Abbot Austin could never refuse Princess Persica’s offer. The investigation into her character and temperament had already been completed.

“Hmm…”

The problem is Ed Rosteeler.

As the most famous survivor of the Ross Taylor family, he is also one of those who support Princess Penia.

If he could conciliate him, he would be able to take out one more of Princess Penia’s key supporters.

“Your thoughts are getting complicated.”

The head of the Austin Abbey is like a great mother of the Church of Telos, respecting even the holy emperor and the holy woman.

Ed Roth-Taylor is a key surviving member of the Roth-Taylor family, who is currently at the center of controversy at the Imperial House meeting.

Even if only these two people were brought into my power, it could be said that they had made tremendous progress in the imperial competition. With that alone, the results of this business trip to the monastery could be considered a truly great success.

The problem is that Persica has little information about Ed.

Selaha and Fenia met Ed, but to Persica, the existence of a man named Ed Roth Taylor is completely in the fog.

He is a person who must be judged only by the information and rumors that have been handed down. Even Princess Persica didn’t want to face her without prior information, so she tried to gather information in her own way… It’s not smooth.

“Do you think you can placate it with money?”

“According to rumors within the monastery, drinking wine while looking at the vineyards stretching all the way to the horizon from the huge fortress built of gold is a hobby…”

“Is there a vineyard of that size in the Duchy of Ross-Tyler…?”

“I… I don’t know… Anyway, it doesn’t seem like he’s obsessed with money. Considering the fact that he didn’t fall for Elte Co.’s conciliation, that’s certain.”

Next to Princess Persica, who was seated in the reading room of the monastery library, the escort knight, Tune, stood with a puzzled expression on her face.

The method of conciliating people ultimately boils down to one of three. Money, fame or power, and justice.

“How would you like it if I suggested that if you seize the power of the imperial family, you will be promised a position of at least a second chancellor or higher?”

“I have already grown up as a scion of the ducal family. I honestly don’t know if I will be swayed by honor or power.”

“According to what you know?”

“Rumors within the monastery say that he rejected the position of chief magic researcher, who boasts the highest authority within the imperial family, after being threatened.

“…I don’t think the imperial family made such an offer, right?”

“…I was puzzled too.”

“Well, the rose palace doesn’t manage anything about academic research… It may not come up to me, but…”

Princess Persica accepted Tune’s report documents with a puzzled face. Upon her arrival, Tune’s workmanship was unmistakable as she sprinted around and gathered information.

“No, in the first place, what the hell are these rumors about? Common sense seems to be full of nonsense…”

“…There are a lot of things that were omitted from the reporting documents.

“for example?”

“Such as making ice freeze with the look of your eyes, or stopping a person’s heart with just your voice…”

“…”

“Something like breaking walls with a single swing of a dagger, being able to handle a number of high-ranking spirits, knowing a lot of powerful people in the Old Deck underworld, being completely fascinated by Saint Clarice…”

The scary thing about the rumors about Ed that Tune is reciting one by one is that some of them contain fragments of the truth.

Those things also bizarrely intertwine with the background knowledge about Ed, making judgment difficult. Like a smoke screen, the exact image of the character Ed is not revealed in the head.

“They hide the power to split the sea with a single arrow, or high-level magic pops out with the flick of a finger…”

“Enough of that… that’s it…”

“…”

“Now I don’t even know…”

To be honest, I don’t think all of this is true. It can’t be.

My first thought is that the flower-headed nuns were fascinated by Ed Roth Taylor and their imaginations ran wild.

… Actually, that is the correct answer.

However, it’s her background on Ed Rosteyler that complicates Persica’s head.

Princess Selaha and Princess Fenia are obsessed with him more than necessary. He is a survivor of the Ross Taylor family, which was on the verge of extinction, and who has endured life-and-death risks in Sylvania several times… He is an expert in ‘survival’ itself.

In fact, Ed Rosteiler has once turned Persica’s plan to take over Elte into a nuisance, and he is even receiving full support from Lortel Kecheln, who is currently in power.

He is a person who is surprisingly well-received, and such a consistent evaluation is bound to be accompanied by a reason.

So, I thought he would be an extraordinary person, but… ‘Even if you do this… Isn’t that too much… ?’

Still, isn’t there such a thing as degree?

It was rather strange that such a flying and creeping person had not entered Persica’s information network until now.

“As expected… Wouldn’t it be better to meet again?”

“You’ve come this far, but you can’t just go to the prayer meeting. Make a seat. But… you’re a little nervous.”

Princess Persica closed the book she was reading and let out a deep sigh.

“Well, it’s all nonsense anyway. It’s an important process to verify it.”

For now, I decided to dismiss all rumors about Ed Rosteiler as nonsense, and withhold judgment on the still imaginary Ed Rosteiler.

This can’t be true.

*

“Hello, Master Ed. I’ve heard from the Abbot of Austin. You’re coming to the monastery as rumored. I’m Mary, the second daughter of Count Flossin. The patriarch gave full support to Princess Fenia, so she won’t be with the Duchess Roth Taylor. We have a special bond. Please, I hope that a good relationship will continue.”

“Hello, Master Ed! Where’s Grandma Wang?! I’m trying to get that… mending my habit… but Elinir in charge of repairs must be busy! Ho, can I… ask you a favor…?! Shi, sorry if I’m rude!”

“Boss Ed. Have you eaten? They say that the monastery cafeteria has good quality lamb meat. All the nuns seem to be enjoying themselves on their way to the cafeteria.”

“Where did Granny Austin go?! Why did I get a penalty point when I was locked up in my room last night?! Gyaaaagh! Ah, ah… Master Ed. There you are…”

“I need to check the progress of tomorrow’s prayer meeting… The abbot who entered the room has no answer… Ho, by any chance… can you watch it for me…? Master Ed directly manages the saintess’s schedule… You have authority, right?” …?”

I returned to my room after dealing with the noble ladies who approached me politically all day long and the nuns who approached me about the daily life of the monastery.

When I closed the door, which was simple but had everything, the sky was already full of stars.

A monastery on the periphery of nothing.

As there are almost no light sources, the number of stars in the sky is magnificent. The unfolding Milky Way was shining almost like daylight if I added a little exaggeration.

“Whoa…”

Wild survival life is tiring in another way. I swept my face and looked out the window for a moment while sitting on a shabby wooden chair.

After spending the whole day in the center of fuss and attention, I finally find myself sitting alone in the dark late at night.

It was only then that the night sky I looked up at was the same as usual, and it felt rather comforting.

Being unchanging over time often gives a strange sense of psychological stability. It is understandable why the little wizard, who had changed his big witch hat, always sits on the roof and looks up at the sea of ​​stars.

“Did he feel this strange sense of stability too?”

I have exchanged many exchanges with Lucy in many ways, but I still don’t feel like I fully understand the wizard.

There are times when I lie down here and there like a stray cat, and there are times when I am more serious and mysterious than ever before, playing between buildings… It’s a person who can’t tell if he’s serious or stretched out. Well, maybe both.

“…This is not the time to be thinking like this.”

Tomorrow is the long awaited prayer meeting. Princess Persica, who is supposed to be resting in her room somewhere in the monastery, will also attend the prayer meeting tomorrow, and she will come face-to-face with me.

Basically, mornings in monasteries are early. If you go to bed early, you will be able to respond to Princess Persica in a normal condition.

I wanted to sleep soon, so I quickly lifted the duvet.

Naturally, Lucy was sleeping in my bed.

“…”

I thought I heard something like a strange whistle earlier, but wasn’t it an hallucination?

Lucy Mayrill, who was sleeping on the bed with a good expression on her face, hugging my pillow.

why are you popping out here? Before the question could be asked, Lucy opened her eyes in a daze, perhaps feeling empty because the blanket was gone.

Then, he made eye contact with me, and broke out in a cold sweat.

“Oh, hello.”

“Why are you here…”

Have I lost my sleep?

Lucy lifted her upper body and looked down with her eyes hesitant.

“S-I was taking a walk… I happened to…”

“…”

Even if you look at it, it looks like you are hiding in a monastery. Without thinking deeply, the true identity of the rumor that the monastery is haunted must be this girl.

It looks like he fell asleep after trying to lie down in bed for a while. I knew it would be like this.

“Since the walk is over, now I have to go back to the Ophelis Hall. I’m going to get scolded by Bell. Then… Enough…”

“…just be honest with yourself.”

“I followed you in the luggage compartment of the wagon. I just wanted to come to the monastery.”

As I stared at her with bewildered eyes, Lucy eventually confessed it all.

“I heard a story from Grandpa Glockt before…”

This… It was not talked about on the island of Aken. It was a situation where I couldn’t figure out why I wanted to follow the monastery.

Lucy twisted her white hair through her fingertips and spoke with difficulty.

“They said they’d seen this monastery before. I remember talking about how beautiful and majestic it was, and how memorable it was… I, too, just wanted to see it.”

This is Lucy, who rarely talks about her inner life.

Even after coming to this monastery, he didn’t show his face in particular, he was just looking around the building.

Climbing on the roof of this huge monastery, wandering around the basement and facilities between the rooms… Was it people-watching in moderation? It roughly coincides with rumors about ghosts… After all, the true identity of the ghost rumor was Lucy.

“Then the abbot caught me.”

“Of course… How long did you think you wouldn’t find out…”

“Maybe it’s because he’s old, he’s familiar with Grandpa Glockt… He told me a lot about Grandpa Glockt.”

I sat on a wooden chair and listened to Lucy’s story.

Sitting on my bed, holding the pillow tight… Lucy’s slow conversation was vague for some reason.

“Actually, it seems that he was just ignoring me walking around the monastery. After talking to him, he was more understanding than I thought.”

“I guess so. Even if you look at it, you look like a bold and bold person.”

“Yeah, so… we sat side by side on the roof of the monastery and talked about this and that while looking at the stars.

“worry?”

What was the worry for the girl who had been sleeping for a long time and took a nap?

However, Lucy took a deep breath and hugged the pillow tightly.

that… Rather than feeling ashamed or ashamed, it was rather sad.

“…what the hell were you talking about with Abbot Austin?”

“…it is a secret.”

“…Yes, there is no reason to ask.”

I didn’t really expect her to follow me to the monastery, but it seems that Lucy was quietly touring the monastery in her own way.

Well, I didn’t suffer anything, so I just said that it was ridiculous. But, does Lucy have a story she wants to tell in her own way? He had a troubled expression on his face.

“Hey.”

After finishing the prayer meeting schedule tomorrow, we will return to Aken Island.

I was about to tell him to get back in the wagon instead of the luggage compartment on the way back.

“What is a meaningful life?”

Lucy’s attitude of suddenly giving a strange philosophical thought was strange. What the hell were you talking about?

Of course, I can’t give you a clear answer, so I’m just talking openly.

“I don’t know either.”

“I guess so. Yes.”

“Anyway, I’m going back to Aken Island after paying my schedule tomorrow… Next time, don’t get in the luggage compartment. The wagon seat is a little short… Well, getting on your lap would be more comfortable than the luggage compartment.”

Having said that, I checked the schedule for tomorrow.

If you finish all the things that will be done tomorrow, you should go back to Aken Island. There are plenty of things to do when you go back.

There were many things like this, but I thought that I could finish it anyway and go back to Aken Island.

Of course, things don’t always go as expected.

Still, there was a degree of change in the sudden situation.

the next morning.

Austin, an elder of the Church of Telos and the abbot who has been in charge of Cledric Monastery for decades.

She was found dead in her room.

It was just a few hours before the prayer meeting was held.