How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 83

Come spring (1)

It is only mixed with water. The early evening sky looked up from Aken Island was always like that.

A red energy radiates from the western sky, where the sun is slowly receding, but it loses its color as it moves into the vast expanse.

Even so, it’s hard to say that it’s completely dark. There are occasional separate studs.

That scene is not to be called evening, but it cannot be called broad daylight either… It convinces us that the word ‘early evening’ should have been created.

Breathing becomes steady, and the body leaning on the altar gradually loses strength.

The early evening sky has the power to calmly weigh people’s hearts.

It is the end of the day and the beginning of the night. The world at that intersection slowly accepts the darkness.

[ I know that? I tend to believe that there is such a thing as beauty that transcends time and values. ]

[The clear proof is the sky. Even works of art worth a thousand gold can be interpreted in different ways and people have their own tastes… but no one would think that a sunset like that isn’t beautiful. That must be what unchanging beauty is. ]

“Sounds difficult.”

[It’s not difficult, it’s annoying to understand. Anyway, humans don’t know how to be moved by the short subject of life. ]

The wind wolf, which had shrunk considerably in size, was lying on the altar and running its tail.

Since he is smaller, he is more affectionate than dignified. His soft voice seemed to match the scenery of the setting sun… I started to fall asleep for no reason.

It was worth it. Today was an exhausting enough day.

– ‘Ed seems to be having a hard time, so let’s rest at the altar for now. After all, the only thing left to do is clean up the magic engineering supplies and check the number.’

Thirty minutes had already passed since assistant professor Claire said that and disappeared halfway up the hill with the other students.

From my point of view, it was a truly grateful consideration. Because, as assistant professor Claire said, I was exhausted.

[A life without curves and dryness is the most terrible curse that humans can experience. You have to be moved by trivial things and know how to give meaning to everyday things. huh? ]

“You are surprisingly emotional.”

[I like to be a little emotional. you said it last time ]

Talkative, according to Yenika.

It is understandable how such an evaluation was made against this wolf.

[If human life is like the four seasons, then the life of a spirit must be a long winter. If you live a desolate life without twists and turns, you will have a sentimental side out of necessity. A long, long life is often more of a curse than a blessing to the person concerned. In fact, even if you’re a human, it won’t be much different. ]

“Since you talk like you’re so philosophical, I don’t have anything to answer.”

[So, what I’m saying is, go on a date, you Hwasang. ]

Merilda licked the top of her foot and let out a sigh through her nose.

[If you’re really at a loss, I’ll coach you. A style like yours is thorough and flawless in everything, but there are many cases where you are insensitive to yourself. The fact that he collapses from overwork and gets hurt often is the clear proof. ]

“You… just as you’ve heard…”

[Ojiryap wide? I’ve already heard that kind of thing, so there’s no point in pointing it out again. Anyway, Ed, you match well with a person who is more dedicated than anyone else and can provide for you without hesitation. Should I say it’s the style of the jogangjicheo… Find someone like that. ]

As if obsessed with something, Merilda whispered in her ear.

[If you look for people around you, you won’t find it. He’s kind, lively, friendly, moderately strong, so you can depend on him… Don’t you know how emotionally helpful it is to interact with and develop with someone like that? ]

“Is it something to talk about in a combative way?”

[If the summons are released this time, you don’t know when you’ll be able to summon me again. We should talk about everything when possible. And I’m not saying anything wrong. Right, Mug? ]

[You are right! Merylda! ]

Mug, who had a strong military discipline, snapped at the shoulder and straightened his back.

Merylda didn’t sign a contract with Yenika. She is just friendly with her.

In other words, mugs did not have a direct relationship with Merilda.

Still, it seems that the military discipline is strong, and it seems that they are treated according to Tarkan because of their deep friendship with Jenika.

I don’t know if I know the world of the spirits.

[ Ed. Merilda-sama’s advice is a precious treasure that always becomes blood and flesh, so it is accepted like a holy war among our lower spirits! Why don’t you pretend to be deceived and listen carefully to Merilda-sama’s words? ]

[Are you cheating? Are you done, mug? ]

[ No, that… that’s… Sin, sorry! This candle mug made another mistake! You’re cheating! Apologize with death…]

Also, before Mug trembled and banged his head, I gently put my hand on the wing and reverse-summoned it.

Gradually, the mana from the mana stone ran out. The conversation with Merilda couldn’t last long either.

Merilda tried to maximize her magical efficiency by completely miniaturizing her massive body, but the high-ranking spirit is a monster that eats up magical power just by its existence.

It wasn’t manifested, and just by communicating in the form of a spirit, a lot of mana was sucked out.

It is a spirit that has not yet been dealt with. Since it was a form of forcibly contracted by overloading mana… This kind of penalty was unavoidable.

[Anyway, Ed, you must be tired too. There were two kids who saw me summoned. Wouldn’t it be crazy if I told the bachelor? It would be nice to go up to class A like Jenika did. ]

“I wonder if that’ll happen. The academic staff aren’t stupid, and if they hear rumors, they’ll tell me to summon you again. Of course, they won’t have the magic left to do that.”

[That’s right… There’s no way to prove that you signed a contract with me. Even if you prove the fact of the contract, if you can’t handle it properly like this, it won’t mean much as a Elementalist. ]

“Rather, they’ll ask how I signed the contract. I don’t want to reveal much about the ring yet. The source isn’t very clean.”

[Then, how are you going to deal with the testimony that you summoned me? ]

“I’m going to pretend that it’s an illusion that I showed by improving the illusion disk. No one was actually seriously injured… I can say that I did the wind you caused.”

[Anyway, preparation is one thing…]

Merilda sighed heavily and licked her foot.

It’s okay to compare it to a weapon, but if Mug is a rifle, Merylda is more like a bazooka… no, it’s more like a tank.

The value and power of each shot are different, but the preparation time is long and the amount of resources consumed is enormous.

Unlike Mug, who can handle it without any burden, Merilda really sucks people’s mana to the limit, and even if that happens, she can’t reveal less than half of her power.

Certainly not yet a spirit that I can handle at my level.

If you’re going to make good use of Merilda, an external means of supplying magic power will be indispensable, just like using the magic stones prepared by the school this time.

Anyway, the value for money is garbage. It’s not the magic formed naturally in the body, but the magic that was artificially transfused.

The fortunate part is that I dabbled in magic engineering. Magical efficiency and response are one of the most profound fields of study.

If you use magic engineering well, you will have a chance to use Merilda well. If he came up with a more systematic method, rather than a primitive form of mana supply and demand like a mana stone.

“Come to think of it, Yenika doesn’t seem very energetic. Do you know anything?”

Suddenly, I remembered the image of Yenika staring at the bonfire with a weak face. After all, Merylda is Jenika’s best friend among best friends.

[ Oh, why are you worried? ]

“Isn’t that obvious…?”

[Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…]

Merilda let out an eerie smile even after trying to sway her words.

[In a way, it’s an obvious story, but there’s no way I can easily shake off his reluctance to talk about it himself. i won’t tell ]

“You’re acting extraordinarily well.”

[Who said that to whom? Anyway, don’t worry too much, that’s for him to take care of himself. No… But it wouldn’t hurt to worry a little. While I’m interested in it, maybe it’s okay to pay a little more attention and stomp my feet a little? ]

“First of all, I hope you get rid of the habit of talking to yourself suddenly while talking to people.”

[I’m sorry. I guess I was also influenced by Jenika. ]

Merilda brushed her tail a few times, straightened her head, and looked up at the reddish sky.

[It’s time for Yenika to grow internally. That’s how things are in the original world. Just because you act nice and naive doesn’t mean the world will treat you nice and naive. ]

“I sympathize with you a hundred times.”

[ okay. so it’s okay It’s a process that everyone experiences at least once and realizes for themselves. That the world is not like a storybook. In fact, there’s nothing special about what you’re supposed to do. You just have to stay still. don’t go anywhere ]

Merilda’s peculiar playful tone disappeared, and she spoke in a whisper while looking up at the sky.

[I told you. It is said that the life of a spirit is only a long winter, but the life of a human is close to the four colorful seasons in its own way. It will be a long winter for Jenika. ]

He spoke in a philosophical tone as if it were nothing, but Merilda’s voice alone made me realize it enough.

Even though he had infinite faith in the precarious yet steadily growing elemental magician, he was worried on the other hand. Saying that there is nothing to worry about with words.

Still, there is a certain confidence in the calm voice, so it is more relieved than anxious.

[Still, spring always comes. Originally, the seasons go round and round. ]

“You can say something hopeful.”

[Oh, I’m originally hopeful. Useless pessimism doesn’t help. …will it be enough soon? It would be a pity to consume your mana anymore. ]

Certainly, Merilda does not have that gigantic body, but rather takes the form of a small wolf, yet consumes mana that is quite difficult to handle.

“It’s not easy to handle just because it’s smaller in shape.”

[I’m usually a bit on the expensive side. Even Inama is uncomfortable with taking such a small form. Of all the shapes you can take, it’s the one that is most considerate of your magic efficiency. ]

“Really? Are there many forms that can be taken other than this?”

[Still, following my image is the most comfortable. Among them, this wolf shape is the best. ]

Then, Merilda’s voice is playful again.

[ why? Would you like to be a little more beautiful girl? It’s possible, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It’d be nice to have an eye candy, but your magic won’t be able to handle such a delicate form. ]

“Okay. Stop talking useless. It’s just that I didn’t think the difference in magic efficiency between the giant wolf form and the current form was that great.”

[Oh, that’s a story I don’t know. Well, since you used the power of the mana stone, you must have failed to sense it properly. Unlike the magic naturally formed in the body, such magic is very dull. ]

Little by little, the wolf’s body is scattered through the wind. The mana that was forcibly accumulated in the body was flowing out, and even the spirit sensitivity was not functioning accordingly.

At least, the sensitivity will come back once the vacation is over.

[A spirit like me doesn’t make a contract with just one person. Did you really think you handled all the magical powers by yourself? ]

Merilda, who said goodbye for a while and disappeared, did not add a word to the end.

– Hwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh

The altar that was finally left alone. As the setting sun goes down, the long, slanting shadows.

Total silence except for the occasional rustling of trees in the wind.

“Eww, kew.”

I told him to rest as much as possible, but I forced myself to stand up and look at the altar stone.

As I pondered over Merilda’s words, I finally let out a deep sigh.

The top of the tombstone stretched out into the sky.

I gazed at the place, then put my foot on the protruding part of the tombstone and started climbing.

*

– ‘What is it, Senior Onyx?’

– ‘Ah, no… I think there was someone at the top of the altar just now… Hmm… Did I look wrong…’

With a sulky body, he stepped on the protrusion on the side of the tombstone and climbed straight up toward the top.

The top of this right mountain with only an altar standing alone and an open field. It is not appropriate to think that it is a space where people can hide.

Rather than hiding, it might be a more appropriate expression to just say invisible.

After climbing for a while, we reached the top of the tombstone.

It is also the highest point at the top of Mt. The panoramic view of Aken Island comes into view without any obstacles.

If you stand upright against the fluttering wind, you won’t see anything else, giving you the illusion that you’re floating in the air.

“…”

We sat next to Lucy watching the setting sun.

Why are you here, when have you been here, what are you doing… I didn’t ask useless questions.

This is because Lucy is a human being who is not strange no matter where she is.

If it was a sense of incongruity, I felt it.

No matter how enormous the amount of Mana Stones was, there was no way they could handle high-ranking spirits as naturally as flowing water. I did all the mana required for the manifestation or communion itself with my own power, but other mana contributed to bringing out Merilda’s full strength at the time of the battle.

If it is magic that can intervene in the manifestation of Merilda’s power, it must be the person who signed the contract with Merilda, and if so, there is only one person who should be put on the line of suspicion.

“I didn’t know you would help. Thank you.”

“I was kind of ignoring it.”

If Lucy had been sitting here since the beginning of the exam, it would mean that she was actually watching most of what happened on the Orn Mountain.

It’s a what-if story.

Even if I ended up in a situation where I couldn’t stop the freshmen alone and was overpowered, Lucy wouldn’t have stayed still.

He acts as if he doesn’t care about the world as if he’s bothered by everything… but he’s a guy who knows how to roll up his sleeves when the time comes that he wants to step up.

Whether it was Josef, Aeg, or Tanya or Kylie… Even if he eventually defeated me and completely subdued me, after that, I would have had to face Lucy who jumped off the tombstone.

It is easy to imagine what it would look like.

Lucy on top of the altar, falling with rising dust, wearing a hat and slowly rising to her feet… is probably an impenetrable wall.

From the beginning, this test… was the height of absurdity.

“I don’t think it’s a good place to take a nap.”

“I didn’t come to take a nap.”

“then?”

“Actually, I went to the cabin to take a nap…”

I haven’t been to the cabin almost all day today. It was because I was busy with schoolwork and didn’t have time to spend on camp maintenance.

“I don’t like empty cabins very much.”

At those words, I lowered my gaze.

As we sat side by side and gazed at the sky, which was gradually getting darker, Lucy’s expression still did not change.

The fluttering white hair and white jade-like skin absorbed the light of the setting sun, and the tone was more subdued than usual.

I fluttered my surplus sleeves and walked as if I was floating and reached the camp, but the campfire was out and the cabin was empty. I woke up thinking someone would come soon, but the dreary atmosphere of the camp I saw in my sleep is still the same.

It is said that the Archmage Glockt ended his life in a cabin in the Rameln Mountains.

It was not difficult to imagine what the scenery would have been like after he passed away, so it was difficult to give Lucy a reaction.

“So I took a little walk.”

Having said that, Lucy blankly looked at the sky.

Unfortunately, this ‘altar of change’ reached at the end of the walk… is where Lucy stands right at the end of Act 3 to deal with the apostles of Telos.

It’s ironic.

The death of the prophet Adele.

Clarice realizes the Lord’s will and the darkness of the Saints and turns into a saint of disbelief.

The apostles of Telos come down to condemn Clarisse.

Lucy tries to protect Aken Island from the apostles according to Glockt’s will.

The generation of protagonists, not knowing the inside story, stop Lucy according to the Archbishop’s message.

Even the frame of being an unbeliever was attached by the saints within the tangled thread, but he does not even complain a word.

The highlight of Act 3 is just Lucy looking down on all things while standing between the punitive force and the apostles.

Princess Penia’s Imperial Guard, Lortel’s Guild Mercenary Corps, Saint’s Cathedral Knights, the main character’s generation’s Lucy Subjugation Corps, the high-ranking staff of the school, and finally the headmaster Obel Forcius were all smashed, and more than half of the apostles of Telos were destroyed alone. Even removing it…

A role that ends up being overpowered by Taylor, who has learned the last sword ceremony.

It is only after all the inside stories are revealed that Lucy understands why she tried to kill the apostles of God… maybe she is the protagonist of a tragedy.

It is belated understanding that hurts more than misunderstanding.

‘Actually, that guy wasn’t a bad guy either.’, ‘I didn’t know why he did such a crazy thing, but now I can accept it’, ‘I can’t imagine he had such an inside story’

Well, it is represented by this sentiment, and it turns out that the truth was different… It might be helpful to immerse yourself in the scenario.

However, if the person himself becomes the person who gets caught up in such a fate, can he not express any dissatisfaction?

Well, maybe it’s because of her innate nature, or she thinks it’s meaningless to say it… Lucy embraces everything by herself in the end.

And I don’t have the heart to stop Lucy from doing that.

Cold-bloodedly sacrificing Lucy for love affairs… It’s not such a bold act.

It’s because just going on like this is not a bad ending from Lucy’s point of view.

It is only after this third act is over that Lucy… she will be able to live her own life, releasing the burdens of her heart that would not have been strange even if she carried them until the day she died.

If she doesn’t shake off that burden, anyway, Lucy can’t escape the shadow of Glockt’s death forever.

– ‘Sylvania Academy is a treasure built by my teacher, Sylvania Robester, who devoted his life to the advancement of learning.’

– ‘There are so many trials that have already been observed in this precious treasure. Of course, it only looked right in the eyes of Sylvania-sama, who is a researcher of astronomy.’

– ‘The ground hardens after rain, so this Sylvania Academy will overcome most trials on its own… but there will surely come a trial that cannot be overcome without your strength.’

– ‘When the time comes, even if you see this old man… will you please lend me your strength…? Lucy.’

dying archmage.

Only Lucy herself knows how much weight the story she had with her bare bones holding hands with difficulty would remain.

Shake off the soggy emotions and look at the panoramic view of Aken Island, which is cool and open again.

The size of the spread out Sylvania Academy is quite grand.

From the new semester… Now, the people who use that huge lot are starting to split in half.

After Fenia and Lortel split the forces of that school in half, in the end, the fight for justification and political warfare repeat.

Sylvania’s failed swordsman act 3, the beginning of the power conflict part… It will already be activated during the student council president election at the beginning of the semester. The main turning points that determine the direction of the scenario in earnest also begin to appear one after another.

It’s a long fight, but there will be gains.

Like that, I was looking down at Aken Island for a while.

– Tak. Whiik.

Lucy gets up before she knows it, comes close to my knee, and presses down on one side of my knee to flatten it.

When the work is completed satisfactorily, he lies down on his stomach and talks as if it is nothing special.

“I haven’t noticed this lately either…”

It is said that he is waving his arms in a daze.

“Actually, I guess I’m a bit lonely.”

It’s not a very natural thing to go up to the top of the right mountain even if it’s a walk.

Next time you leave the cabin for a long time, should I say something in advance?

Lucy is too bright in the east to do that… I have nothing to say either.

The energy of the setting sun gradually weakens, and the calm starry sky increases its power.

The time when night and day change, seasons change.

The night is coming. And spring comes.

*

“You came earlier than expected.”

“In that corner of the house, I wanted to run out as quickly as possible. Ehehe.”

As Belle Mya tried to accept the load, Clara shook her head and smiled broadly.

Now that you’re a maid, you can’t make people do things like this. It’s not even the person in charge of me in the first place.

After saying that and carrying the bag, Bell sighed deeply again with a very uncomfortable face.

In the first place, Clara does not wear the Ophelis crown, despite coming from a fairly famous viscount family.

You can’t call him a noble just by looking at his appearance. Wearing only a simple flared skirt and a single-colored blouse, and her bobbed hair combed straight down like a ponytail, she is a village woman full of vitality.

If you were to sit them side by side with anise and ask which one of them seems to be a descendant of a nobleman, he would choose white anise out of a hundred.

“You managed to pass this vacation well somehow, hoo!”

He hates a family that is overly authoritative, so he wants to stick to school as much as possible, but he still has to go back to his hometown periodically to say hello to his family, so he goes back to his hometown once during vacation.

Then, as if roasting beans in a flash of lightning, he finishes only what he has to do quickly and returns to school in a flash.

Even though there is still a little vacation period left, it is obvious just by looking at her hurriedly running back to school.

“Anyway, I almost got a scab on my ear because of the vassals’ nagging. Ugh, really… I didn’t even know…”

Clara grumbled like that, and handed Belle the present she had brought from her hometown. It seems that he stopped by the rose garden to give this to me.

When Bell opened the package, there was a luxurious mug inside. Bell politely thanked him.

Clara smiled brightly and said it was nothing, then looked towards the school building again.

“Sup, haa~! After all, this is the hometown of my heart. The warm air of my hometown! Rather than my hometown overflowing with idiots who don’t know anything and say stuffy things… Sylvania is the best, with lots of friends who exchanged their hearts. !”

Smiling broadly, he picked up a bag full of presents and greeted Belle.

“Anyway, it’s good that Bell looks healthy! I’m going to leave! I’m worried that he might have burdened himself because he was too excited to run out of the stuffy house.”

“It’s not like that, but…”

“Anyway, I need to see my bachelor friends. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them…! I bought a lot of delicious snacks, so I’m already ready to invite Anis and Jenika to the tea party.

I sent a letter in advance, but they both said they would come. I’m so excited to see you after a long time. There are so many stories to give and receive in a friendly way… It feels like my heart is pounding! Haha… I must have grown up too. Good job then, Mr. Bell!

“

Clara walks away with her arms waving in a lively manner.

Belle couldn’t say goodbye to Clara, who was walking away with a completely excited look.

I was just standing still, holding my mug tight… and sweating profusely.

It was a rare face for Bell.