How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 270

[Abduction] Double arm scales (11)

Caldem Rental Hall is a place made to receive the most valuable guests in the commercial city of Oldeck.

It is a huge inn that owns four large buildings at the entrance of the old deck, and the two top floors of all the giants are ultra-luxury rooms for entertaining the highest-class VIPs.

It’s hard to imagine a single guest using both floors, but when you’re the continent’s most distinguished guest, that much doesn’t even count as luxury.

He has been entertaining many distinguished guests visiting Oldeck for a long time, so he has considerable accumulated know-how.

However, no matter how much it was, it was an excessive demand to prepare to greet the saintess of Carpea in one day.

As soon as they heard the words of Director Oldek, they mobilized all their resources and prepared to greet the VIP, but no matter how you look at it, it was hard to see it as a treat worthy of Saint Clarisse.

It was a great struggle just to prepare this much in almost 6 hours, so there was no particular complaint at the level of success.

In the first place, I visited without notice. It was all because of the sudden whim of her saint, Clarice.

“Originally, I was planning to visit the ecliptic and host a worship service…”

“Thank you for making such a sudden change of schedule. I owe a lot.”

“Well, I knew that I wasn’t someone who would urgently call for no reason. Sir Ed. There must have been a good reason for making me do this.”

The way he called Ed was very stiff. There are too many eyes to see.

The place is the top VIP room of the Caldem rental hall. In fact, this place, where many of Saint Clarice’s assistants are sitting, is not much different from the office of Saint Seonghwangdo.

As the Knights of the Cathedral kept their eyes on every single step of the saintess, it was clear that they would be furious if they dealt with Ed the way they would at the Sylvania Academy.

Ed was well aware of that fact, so he did not question Clarisse’s unwillingness to be friendly. Inside Clarisse, it was just uncomfortable.

“…This fight over the rights of Elte Co. will be of great benefit to the future.”

Anyway, since the saintess Clarisse was called to the old deck in a way that she didn’t understand, it was time to take care of it.

First of all, he moved when he saw the name Ed Rosteiler, but it is not a problem that can be solved with loyalty alone.

A person with the title of a saint is more like an institution or a group than an individual.

Just by her movement, the schedules of the success rate were disrupted quite a bit, and many servants had to move at the same time.

So, I had to give a reasonable reason why Saint Clarisse had to go this far. That was a problem that was directly related to Ed’s own trust.

“Erasing a huge debt to the next president of Elte Firm is, above all, important for the formation of the saintess’ own power.”

At those words, the saintess’ aides secretly glanced at each other.

Clarisse carries the prestige of the Church of Telos on her back, but she is not absolute.

Seonghwang and the archbishops are constantly looking at the situation while pretending not to be so… If you look at the things that are power groups, they all look similar.

After all, even the servants of the gods cannot completely escape the swamp of strife.

Conflict is human nature.

In order to have a power completely independent of them, it is necessary to hold as many forces as possible in one’s arms.

“The deal with Elte Co. is… yes, it’s Sir Ed’s ‘blueprint’.”

The mutual solidarity of Seonghwangdo and Elte Company.

Saint Clarice guarantees that Elte Corporation, led by Lortel, will be able to take up most of the logistics distribution.

Then, from Lortel’s point of view, in addition to the enormous economic benefits that come from the logistics and distribution of success, the voices are getting louder even in the power structure inside the store. Since I asked for such a large deal, there is no other backing like this to keep the position of the next president.

And from Clarisse’s point of view, Seonghwang-do’s voice and influence on the inside of Seonghwang-do will be greater by holding Elte Company, which is in charge of most of the distribution of Seonghwang-do, in its own hands.

The more the logistics dependency of the success rate is focused on Elte Corporation as much as possible, the louder the voice of Clarisse, who owes the company’s owner a debt.

In this process where each other exerts influence for each other’s internal solidarity, it is Ed Rosteyler who plays the role of a middle bridge between the two.

Both Saint Clarice and Lortel Kecheln… In the end, they are only moving based on their trust in Ed.

The saintess’s aides swallowed dry saliva when they saw Ed, who was quietly lowering their heads.

A map of the great empire. It feels like I am drawing the movement and composition of numerous powers overlaid on top of it.

The attack on the Elte store this time will likely go beyond an accident that occurred in the course of a power struggle within the store.

People’s attention will be focused on Clarisse, who eventually arrived at the scene, and Lortel, who will become the new owner of Elte Firm.

In the process, the name of the crazy nobleman who beat and crushed Elte Firm might be quietly buried…

It is the blonde aristocrat who actually made the plan.

Usually the real power in this kind of thing is the human beings who are hiding under the water without being exposed on the surface.

The aides felt as if they had sneaked a peek at the piece, so they had no choice but to hold their breath quietly.

“From my point of view, this is an offer with no reason to refuse. Sir Ed.”

Listening to Ed’s explanation, Clarisse kindly smiled.

He couldn’t smile as cheerfully as he did when he saw him at the Sylvania Academy, but it was an open laugh in his own way.

Anyway, I had no intention of rejecting Ed’s offer.

“There are plenty of reasons to run the wagon to such a faraway place, ahead of schedule.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“I will give instructions to the assistants for the details of the contract. However… the story of the aftermath of this attack…”

After talking that far, Clarisse saw two people with their heads bowed on their knees near the entrance to the VIP room.

One is Bell Maiago, a maid who is calm and respectful.

The other is a girl who hesitates and doesn’t know what to do… Lortel Kecheln.

Unable to overcome the solemn atmosphere of the scene, Lortel was breaking out in a cute cold sweat.

“If Lord Lortel is in that state… I’m in trouble too… I’ll have to start working as the next lord soon…”

“…there is nothing else I can say other than that time will take care of it.”

“It’s not urgent, so it doesn’t matter, but I don’t think Slog will stay still.”

I had just gotten out of the chaos of the store and returned to the rental house.

For Clarisse, who has not completely grasped the situation, there is no choice but to be worried in many ways.

“…it’s okay if you don’t worry about that part.”

Ed closed his eyes and said.

“Slog Keldrux is dead. I, confirmed.”

*

“You worked hard. I sent a telegram to Miss Tanya saying that the Elte company was also finished.”

“You suffered too, Bell. Everything was done neatly as instructed.”

The lodging that Bell had arranged was substantial, if not luxurious.

It was an inn where many sailboats along the coast could be seen at a glance, just in line with my instructions to place it in a place with a good view of the pier.

Roadside trees stretching down the low hill, and even the horizon visible far away.

As I lay my arms on one side of the table and still feel the wind outside, I felt exhausted.

Lortel, who had been accompanying Belle, was already fast asleep on the bed on one side. The peaceful appearance of the world makes even the viewer feel at ease.

“What is your return schedule? The Sylvania Academy’s semester begins soon, so you should return soon so you can go to Aken Island in time for the school opening schedule.”

“okay. I’m considering it, but there’s still a bit more work to be done in the old deck. First of all, I have to hand over Lortel to Secretary Rienna.”

Until the curse is lifted, Secretary Rienna will take good care of her.

Currently, Secretary Rienna seems to be dealing with renegades at the store… so she’ll be busy right now.

“That… Master Ed.”

“I know even if you don’t say anything. It’s the first time you’ve been away from the mansion for such a long time, so the mansion doesn’t make sense. ”

As others have said, Bell is the key person in charge of the mansion.

There wasn’t enough manpower to replace Bell, so it was obvious what the mansion would look like. There’s no way Bell isn’t worried about that.

When I entered the room, I made sure that Bell had packed her things and put them away. At the point where she hadn’t set aside her own room, it was clear that she was getting ready to go back.

I buried myself in the back of the chair and put my feet on the table.

As the midday sea breeze blows through the curtains, the drowsiness creeps in.

“You can go back first. I have about two things left to do at the old deck… I’ll finish it and go.”

“Thank you for your understanding. When you return home, I will prepare in advance so that you will not show the embarrassing side of the family.”

Whatever the case, Bell suffered quite a bit on this trip to the All Deck.

He rode a wagon to this far distance, and as soon as he arrived, he ordered a lot of miscellaneous things… The accumulated fatigue would not be normal.

All the big things have been done.

I thought I’d get out of the mansion for the first time in a while and let it rest for a while without paying attention… To say that I’m going back to work right away.

– Whiik.

He lifted up the wooden luggage bag he had prepared in advance, put it on the table, and checked to see if he had left anything behind.

I stared at Bell, who was still playing with her hands with an expressionless face, and suddenly said something.

“Hey, Bell.”

“…yes?”

“How long have you been a maid?”

Leaving the family of Baron Planzel, passing through Cledric Abbey for a while, to the House of Ophelis and the House of Rosteiler.

If you ask Bell, who has lived her entire life working as a maid, you won’t be able to count them all with both hands.

“… I have never counted the exact number of years. As I said, by the time I grew up, I was already doing this…”

“I see.”

“yes. Is there anything you are concerned about?”

“…no.”

I asked as if tossing my body in the chair.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Thank you for your consideration. However, since I am taking a break from time to time, I am not overdoing it. Taking care of your condition is also important.”

“Rather than consideration… just curiosity. I don’t know what it feels like to do one thing for the rest of your life.”

“…Do you mind if I ask why you are suddenly asking such a question?”

“…well.”

I hunched my chin and looked out the window.

The sun floating in the blue sky and midheaven. The sea breeze brushing your chin.

Occasionally the sound of sleeping Lortel whispering and the rustling of curtains.

“When do you think you will feel the need to retire?”

“Retirement… you mean…?”

“okay. The time when I think I have to quit my job that I have lived my whole life as a career… I wonder what time it will be…”

“…I’ve never really imagined it. Let’s think about it…”

Belle stopped moving her arm and at the same time looked out the window and talked.

“…Do you remember when I was working at the Ophelis Hall?”

“of course.”

“Eris-sama, who was the head maid of the previous generation… the ending wasn’t good… but her body didn’t follow her, so she made the decision to quit her job. I guess I might be the same. I think I will continue to work as long as my body is moving.”

Bell finally lowered her gaze, closed her eyes and said.

“Anyway, quitting what you’ve been working on all your life and retiring… it’s not an easy decision.”

“…okay.”

The pier outside the window, which I looked out with my chin on, was still full of busy merchants today.

“Well, everyone must be like that. I’m sorry for asking useless questions.”

“no.”

So, I surrendered myself to a little sleep.

Perhaps around the time the sun sets and the moon rises, the Lienna secretary or the government office will contact you.

Until then, it’s time for sweet rest.

Relaxing my overworked body, I exhaled quietly.

*

– Koogung, Kung!

I woke up to the sound of something hitting.

Before I closed my eyes, the sun was up in the middle of the sky, but when I woke up, the sun was setting.

Under the sky as if reddish paint had spread, the people on the pier busy with their livelihoods were finishing their day.

The sound of seagulls croaking also felt secluded.

The table near the window where I was sitting was also completely dyed red, and a different scenery unfolded in an instant.

It was quite dark inside the room, and it seemed that it was a nap and that he had slept longer than expected.

I was pretty tired.

“…”

There was a letter Bell had left on the table. He didn’t want to wake him up, so he seemed to have left for the mansion on his own.

I gave permission in advance, so there shouldn’t be any problems.

I brushed my bangs a few times, got up, and kicked out the rest of my sleep.

My mouth was dry and I wanted to drink some cold water, so I lifted the teapot. But it was empty.

Come to think of it, I was exhausted and thirsty before I went to sleep, so I drank it all. I guess I should go to the inn lobby and get some fresh water.

“Ugh, uh, uh…”

I stood up from my seat and stretched out once.

In the room, only Lortel is seen sleeping with the blanket covered. I grabbed the teapot and left the room and headed towards the lobby.

Stepping on the thumping wooden floor, I went downstairs to the lobby and asked the seated clerk for more water.

The staff who received the teapot with a friendly smile quickly poured out cold water.

“Can I buy those… clothes if you need them?”

“…yes?”

“Ah, if you don’t mind… I asked you a stupid question…”

“…?”

I expressed my doubts about the employee’s bizarre question, but I decided not to pay much attention.

After accepting the kettle full of cold water, I went up the stairs and returned to the front of the room, when I heard a strange presence from inside.

Apparently, young Lortel, who had been fast asleep, had awakened. Since he fell asleep earlier than me, he must have woken up sooner than later. Lortel must have been very surprised, and he must have been very tired from going back and forth, so he needed to be comforted.

I nodded to myself and opened the door and entered.

“Hey, Lortel. wake up——”

– Kwadangtang, bang!

When I opened the door and entered, Lortel on the bed was startled and pulled the blanket over me.

“…”

I wondered why I was so surprised, but I trudged into the room and put the kettle on the table in front of the window.

And we sat down on a chair and talked leisurely.

“Bell went back first. He’s busy too, so it’s going to be hard to stay with him all the time. Don’t cry because there is no bell, and for the time being, I’ll probably talk to Elte Firm’s secretary Rienna…”

Talking so calmly, I felt strange. Should I say that the image of Lortel curling up inside covered with a blanket looks unnatural…

“…Lortel?”

Then, as I moved my gaze near the bed, I saw several pieces of clothing lying on the floor.

These are the clothes young Lortel was wearing…

…At this point I started to choke.

“…Lortel… you…”

…

………

no answer coming back

Lortel’s body, which has become one with the futon and does not come out… somehow… looks bigger than usual.

W… Here… There’s nothing good about forcing an answer hastily. I am a person who is a little far from delicacy, but there is a minimum of notice.

Suddenly, my throat felt more burning, so I drank another glass of cold water.

In the stillness, only the sound of drinking water gulp spread. The hellish silence continued.

After drinking the water several times, I put down the cup and wiped my face dry once.

However, it is impossible to stay still like this forever.

I wiped my face several times, let out a short, heavy breath, and walked slowly over to the bed where Lortel was lying.

Then, sitting on my bed, I called Lortel slowly.

“……hey…”

“…….”

“When… did you wake up…”

“Ha… about an hour… it’s been…”

Even if you just listen to the tone, it is clean and clear. It was Lortel’s voice I knew.

“…”

“…”

“If it’s not too much, the state of your body right now… the situation… I’d like to explain… whether you’re sick or have any side effects… what your psychological state is… It’s necessary…”

“…”

I looked at Lortel under the blanket and said as calmly as possible.

“That… body… condition… I think it’s okay…”

“…okay…”

“It’s been a while since I woke up… I heard senior Ed was sleeping…”

“…”

“Oh… the clothes… didn’t fit… so… I was embarrassed… so I tried to just put on a blanket and leave… but… it didn’t work out the way I thought…”

I think I now know how the employee’s bizarre question just popped up.

“So… that… sorry for the gibberish…”

“No… speak slowly…”

Perhaps… all the memories… while under the curse came to mind…

Dark history… It’s too grand and deadly to express all of it with just one simple word.

Lortel… spoke painfully in a crawling voice.

“I… senior Ed… please don’t misunderstand and listen…”

“…”

“……I want to die……”

Yes….. It’s worth it…

It’s just the beginning….. Cheer up… It’s a fight with yourself…..

I’m going to eat my heart… hard…!!