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Episode 7
Riley (3)
I looked at Riley, who was maintaining a calm expression even though she was lying.
Actually, I knew from the beginning that that kid was a troublemaker.
In the first place, if he was in his right mind, he would not have even thought of sneaking into the library in the middle of the night.
But even so, it is like that.
I’ve always thought Riley was a girl with some common sense and goodness…
I really had no idea this guy was this crazy.
[What? The Bailerk family? You’re talking nonsense! I’ve never heard of a family like that in all the thousands of years I’ve lived!]
“That’s not possible. The Bailerk family actually exists.”
[… … .]
“Don’t you believe it? The Bailerk family is located near the Haslpart Mountains, at the forefront of the Allied front… … .”
[No, that’s not important right now, haa, this guy is really hitting hard.]
It was confusing.
I feel like my head is in a mess.
I couldn’t even tell where Riley’s words began as truth and where they began as lies.
[Hey. Be honest. Are you really from the Thieves Guild? Or are you kidding me?]
“That’s true.”
[… … .]
Why can’t I believe this?
I have doubts for no reason.
“It’s absolutely true. I swear that everything I’ve ever said, except for my imaginary friend Michael Bylerk… .”
[What the heck! Then what does this mean that my roommates went down to their parents’ house because it’s vacation!]
“Ah. Right.”
Riley paused for a moment.
She answered immediately in a nonchalant voice.
“What. That was a lie too.”
[… … .]
“It’s true that it’s vacation, but we haven’t gone back to our hometowns yet. It’s a week before school starts, so the students have already moved into their dormitories.”
[… … .]
“But really, everything is true except those two things.”
A confession that is said very confidently, without any change in expression.
My blood pressure was slowly starting to rise.
I’ve lived with grimoires for thousands of years, but this is the first time I’ve encountered a human like this.
I wondered if I would ever meet a more shameless person than him in my life.
[Okay. Let’s hear why he told such a lie in the first place.]
“Didn’t I tell you? I did it because I felt it was unfair to me.”
[No, what the, this is really ridiculous.]
“Are you not surprised? I felt the same way when I first heard about the fictional character, Mr. Tyburn Handrake, from the Book of Magic.”
[Ha, what… … .]
bang-!
bang-!
“Hey!!! Riley you crazy bitch!!! Open the door!!!”
This is driving me crazy, seriously.
Our conversation was interrupted by the girl’s screams coming from outside the door again.
“AAAAAHHHH!!! Open the door!!! AAAAAHHH!!! AAAAAHHH!!! Seriously!!! I’m so pissed!!!”
“… … .”
[… … .]
After hearing that scream, I felt bewildered and asked Riley another question.
[Uh, let me ask you one more thing.]
“yes.”
[Why on earth was the door locked?]
“I did that to keep my roommates out.”
[… … .]
No, that’s right.
What on earth was the reason for keeping my roommates out of the room?
When I was dumbfounded and didn’t say anything, Riley added some more explanation.
“Actually, didn’t I tell you that I’m still being bullied?”
[Yeah, that’s right.]
“When it’s time to go to bed, my roommates beat me up in the room. They say it’s some kind of prank they play among friends.”
[… … .]
“But yesterday, before bedtime, he just beat me up. He said I needed to do some exercise to empty my stomach before dinner.”
[What… … .]
How rotten is this fucking Academy?
You’re hitting on a perfectly healthy kid by saying you exercise before eating.
I could never understand why this gathering of trash was called an elite educational institution.
[No. Wait a minute.]
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“yes?”
[But you just got beaten up by them because of your personality? I don’t understand.]
The kid who would thoroughly repay even the smallest jokes was just quietly getting beaten up by the other cadets.
It made no sense at all.
As expected, Riley nodded and quickly answered my question.
“Of course, I fought back every time.”
[… … .]
“But I lost.”
[… … I am proud.]
I answered in a pitiful voice.
“But there is a reason why I lost.”
[What is it?]
“They’re nobles. If they mess up something big, they’ll get expelled.”
[ah.]
So, you had no choice but to let it go?
Hmm.
That certainly makes sense.
As I said, the Retemis Academy was still heavily influenced by the nobility due to the nature of the institution.
That’s why a special admission student like Riley could easily be expelled if he or she causes a major accident.
Especially if it’s an accident that seriously injures a noble cadet.
[… … .]
Well, that could be the case.
By the way, I only knew Riley as the type of person who would retaliate without regard to consequences if she was wronged.
It seems that he was a child who knew how to clearly distinguish between right and wrong and to practice moderation.
Of course, only someone with that kind of personality could have escaped the Thieves’ Guild alive.
[So you locked the door because you wanted to get some petty revenge?]
“No, that’s not it.”
Riley shook her head, denying my question, then continued.
“I just woke up yesterday and before I knew it, it was time for the library to close.”
[… … .]
“But the Magic Book Master disappears after midnight… … .”
[In short, he locked the door because he didn’t want anyone to get caught leaving the dorm in the middle of the night.]
“yes.”
[hmm.]
Sure, if you’re caught leaving your dorm in the middle of the night at the Academy, you’ll be subject to some pretty serious disciplinary action.
In retrospect, this could be said to have been a good thing.
okay.
Convinced.
[Then that’s a good thing. By the way, hurry up… … .]
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Hey!!! Open the door!!! Won’t you open the door right now?!! Do you know where we slept because of you?!!!”
[Okay… … . Hurry up and open the door before those kids get even angrier… … .]
“I’m going to get hit by them again.”
[Then just lock the door for the rest of your life.]
“… … .”
Riley sighed quietly and got out of bed, opening the door.
Squeak─.
“Hey, you!”
Three or four cadets rushed toward Riley with menacing expressions.
What happened after that?
I could see Riley being trampled by her other roommates.
* * *
“Ugh, ugh… … .”
[… … .]
After Riley’s roommates stepped on her, she left the dorm room for a while.
I stared at Riley lying on the floor.
She was twisting her body from moment to moment, as if the aftereffects of the beating had not yet subsided.
This is really fucking annoying.
Although it appeared as if it had been trampled roughly, there were no visible wounds.
Because her roommates relentlessly beat the parts hidden under her clothes.
This was a scene that showed how viciously the other cadets had tormented Riley on a regular basis.
what?
The academy under the Imperial Family is a place that nurtures outstanding talents?
[That’s funny.]
This academy was definitely a group of idiots who produced traitors, as well as a torture institution that taught professional lynching.
Otherwise, the other cadets wouldn’t have bullied Riley like that.
[Are you okay?]
“yes…….”
At that moment, Riley, who had been lying down, came to her senses and got up from her seat.
She sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling her clothes tangled, and let out a sigh.
“You don’t have to worry. How much pain would it cause if you hit those children who were raised preciously like greenhouse flowers?”
[No, okay. Well. It won’t hurt you at all.]
Of course, from Riley’s perspective, the violence of the other cadets will not feel like violence.
That makes sense, since she was once a member of the Thieves’ Guild.
For her, who has seen and experienced worse, this bullying must seem like childish pranks.
But what worried me wasn’t the intensity of the harassment.
Persistence.
And gradualism.
This bullying will continue until Riley graduates from the Academy.
As time goes by, this intensity will only get stronger.
Why?
The other cadets’ purpose in this harassment is to make Riley drop out.
This bullying will not stop unless she walks out of the academy on her own two feet.
[What I’m worried about here is nothing else.]
Is Riley’s psychology being undermined by constant bullying?
To be honest, I wasn’t worried at all.
Even though we only had a short time together, I knew that Riley was a girl who wouldn’t be discouraged by bullying.
but…….
[Even if you go to the academy, you won’t have enough time to learn magic from me, and if those kids get in your way, when are you going to learn magic?]
“… … .”
There are definitely time constraints when attending an academy.
It meant that my time to teach Riley was limited.
Free time after all classes are over.
A short break during a mobile class.
Or weekends or vacations.
As we were attending the academy, we had to make the most of this precious time.
But what if even these precious moments are taken away by other cadets who bully Riley?
At that point, there really is no answer.
“Then what should I do… … .”
[It’s simple. There are two ways.]
I continued.
[Either you endure this life and learn magic from me. Or just drop out of the academy.]
“… … .”
Certainly, the classes at the Academy will be beneficial.
Because it was a class provided by an elite educational institution under the imperial family.
The classes here will definitely help Riley become an excellent wizard.
But are those lessons really more beneficial than my teachings that created countless archmages?
I don’t think so at all.
“Then, if you leave the academy, what kind of life will you have?”
[It’s certain that life here won’t be as stable as it is here.]
Should I say that it feels like I’m gambling every day?
Of course, can we really call life at the academy, where bullying continues, stable?
Still, the free accommodation provided by the academy was a huge merit.
If Riley were to leave here and live outside, she would have to be self-sufficient for everything, including food, clothing, and shelter.
And I can assure you that this was by no means an easy task.
[But if you go out, you are guaranteed that much freedom. You will also have more time to learn from me.]
“… … .”
[Know for sure. Life in the Academy or life outside. The pros and cons of both are clear.]
After hearing what I said, Riley thought for a moment and then asked the question again.
“The better choice between the two is… … .”
[None. Again, it’s a matter of choice.]
If Riley were to leave the Academy and live outside of it, she would have a rough few years to make her mark.
Start as a mercenary, build up basic public service, then go to the magic tower to start researching, and improve your standing as a magician… … .
Besides that, there are many other difficult things to go through.
But what about the Academy?
All you have to do is hold out for 5 years and graduate, and that’s it.
Then, scout offers from all sorts of magic towers and guilds promising a spot come in.
And that’s not all?
Cadets who graduate from the Academy with excellent grades are sent directly to the Ministry of Magic, which is under the direct control of the Imperial Family.
The status of Letemis’ graduates within the empire was thus high.
[So it’s entirely a matter of choice.]
A free life with an uncertain future outside?
Or a life of oppression with a guaranteed future at the academy.
Actually, it wouldn’t be bad no matter where you chose.
I’ve said it many times, but I was confident that I could make Riley an archmage no matter what the circumstances.
[So, choose without any pressure.]
“… … .”
[It’s just a difference in method, the results of this choice won’t change.]
After hearing my words, Riley closed her eyes and began to think carefully.
How many minutes passed like that?
Finally she opened her mouth.
“I chose.”
[What is it?]
“Academy. I think Academy would be better.”
[Are you okay? Like I said, the bullying from other kids will continue, right?]
“It’s okay. The bullying here is nothing compared to what I experienced at the Thieves’ Guild.”
[Yeah, whatever.]
If you’re okay with it.
“I’m actually very comfortable with my current life. This is my first time living in such comfortable accommodations. This is my first time eating delicious food provided by the Academy.”
[… … .]
“I lived my whole life in danger as a member of the Thieves’ Guild. Every day felt like a gamble.”
Riley stared into space for a moment, then said with a faint smile.
“So, I got tired of this adventurous life.”
[… … ]
“I want to live a stable life for once.”
[okay.]
I understand.
I have lived for thousands of years on grimoires.
Living through those vast years, I have had countless experiences.
And many of those experiences involved getting involved with the Thieves’ Guild.
Through such things, I have seen the true nature of the Thieves’ Guild more than anyone else.
That’s why I knew very well what kind of life Riley had lived in the Thieves’ Guild.
Why does she pursue such a stable life?
Why don’t you try to live an adventurous life anymore?
I could understand so well.
[Good choice. Academy.]
Academy.
There is nothing bad about it.
Because it is stable and the future is guaranteed.
If you think about it a little, you will be able to find solutions to the disadvantages that come with living in the academy.
In fact, I had trained an academy cadet to become a great wizard in a previous episode.
To be exact, I enrolled the kid I was raising into the academy, but whatever.
And if you make good use of those experiences.
I think I can make life at the Academy with Riley more than worthwhile.
[Then shall we start right away?]
The starting point has been set.
Accordingly, short-term goals for how to raise Riley began to become more concrete.
So now.
It was time to really start raising a wizard in earnest… … .
“But now that I think about it, I wonder if it was really necessary to go to the academy.”
[……what?]
“No. That’s right.”
Riley shrugged and continued.
“Since there is a magic book anyway, why should I go to the academy and endure bullying from other students?”
[… … ?]
“Hmm. After thinking about it again, the Academy isn’t really for me. Let’s just drop out.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Riley started to hug me and head straight to the professor’s office.
I asked back in a bewildered voice.
[… … So suddenly? You just changed your choice so suddenly?]
Riley replied quietly with a faint smile.
“Actually, from the very beginning, I had no intention of staying at the academy. Why would I want to go to this boring academy?”
[… … .]
“Every day, the same schedule, the same classes. Just thinking about it is so boring.”
Riley walks through the main building of Letemis with light steps.
The sunlight streaming in through the windows was painting the main building’s hallway a crimson hue.
“From the beginning, my life was all about gambling. At every turning point, my life changed drastically.”
[… … .]
“It was the same when I decided to escape the Thieves Guild, and it was the same when I took a risk and infiltrated the library to find the Book of Grimoire.”
Stop.
Riley stops walking.
I took advantage of the gap to examine her expression.
“Honestly, even you, Madoka, wouldn’t a stable life be fun?”
[… … .]
“So let’s try that gamble one more time.”
Riley was smiling.
It was the brightest expression I’d ever seen on Riley’s face.
