“The Age of Prosperity? Definitely… magic was too advanced….”
I barely managed to answer the suddenly strange question.
Commonly called the ‘Age of Prosperity.’ A brilliant magical civilization from long ago that could only be guessed at through a few existing artifact relics.
About the Forgotten Age, all that was known was that despite having a small population, it had achieved an outstanding magical civilization. With neither its origins nor its destruction known, it was simply called the ‘Age of Prosperity.’
It was Saint Tors, now called the Main Deity, who recreated the world after everything was destroyed. Through her power, the world found light and civilization again, and the founding myth of the empire was that Torusian was established under her.
Various theories existed about the destruction of the Age of Prosperity, but the prevailing belief was that the arrogance of mages who defied nature angered the earth, bringing about their own destruction.
This was precisely why the people of the Torusian Empire looked up to mages yet the majority considered mages, including the Yanox Ducal family, ominous and gloomy.
It was also for this reason that they excessively revered those with divine power.
“Then do you think divine power is a more善 virtuous force than mana?”
Divine power was fundamentally a mysterious force different from mana. For instance, healing a person’s wounds was one form of divine power.
With magic, one could stop bleeding, support bones, and invigorate the body. However, healing dying life force itself or receiving prophecies of the future was the domain of divine power.
Because of the mages who supposedly brought about destruction, priests were wary of them, while mages found it absurd that they should be objects of fear when even the grounds for destruction weren’t clear.
In the past, I too would have thought divine power was a more virtuous force, but now that I knew I was possessed into a work of fiction, it held no meaning for me anymore.
“…Uh, no…? Since they possess different types of power, I don’t think they can be divided into good and evil. Above all, I’m not even devout….”
“Hmph. I thought you were an ignorant fool since you’re always spacing out during class, but you’ve got quite a decent head on your shoulders.”
Professor Mahoff lightly tapped my forehead and snorted. Then he said to my aunt as if to show off.
“Lionel Mellans—I can’t say he’s an outstanding student, but even without talent, he’s an admirable student who doesn’t know how to give up. It must be thanks to the Lady’s proper guidance.”
My goodness. At Professor Mahoff’s truly rare praise, my jaw dropped, and my aunt blushed with delight as if she could jump for joy.
Meanwhile, he looked at my aunt’s notebook lying beside her and reached out his finger to touch it.
<Mellans boy. Don’t trust the shrine people too much.>
‘Huh? Suddenly?’
Don’t trust the shrine too much? But the shrine is… on the Saint’s side, right? The Torusian Empire was founded thanks to the Saint.
While I was momentarily speechless at the letters appearing on the blank paper, Professor Peter suddenly intruded on our table.
“Well, well. Isn’t this Mellans boy, our budding economic talent?! Ah, Lady Cicero, I presume? My, Mellans boy is so brilliant that I’ve been wanting to meet his guardian.”
By the time I came to my senses at the jovial old professor’s appearance, the letters in the notebook had already disappeared, and Professor Mahoff was resuming his meal as if nothing had happened.
“Lionel. What’s wrong? You’re spacing out.”
Cesare poked my elbow firmly, asking if I was okay.
“Oh, no. It’s nothing. Cesare, does the cafeteria food suit your taste?”
“Aside from the wine being shitty, it’s passable.”
The wine selection was indeed a bit disappointing. The student council bastards are minors too, so they’re probably amateurs when it comes to adults’ wine.
“That’s how everything the student council bastards do turns out.”
“With your discerning eye, you would have chosen well.”
“Of course! I’ve been reading wine export lists since I was 5!”
Afterward, I tried to time it right to ask the professor more about the memo while avoiding people’s eyes, but Lady Kitty also joined our table to greet my aunt, so I couldn’t ask in the end.
Thanks to that, I got quite a scolding about Jaina’s letter, but since it was what it was, it wasn’t too unpleasant.
The light and pleasant conversations calmed my uncomfortable feelings somewhat, but it was an evening where I couldn’t stop this strange feeling that something was going to happen.
* * *
Slurp.
I swallowed the drool that was about to unconsciously flow out and pinched my thigh again. I’d pinched it so much that the inside was bruised blue.
This was the academy’s executive council room where I’d been indebted not long ago. Once again, several old folks had gathered and were talking about me along with my aunt.
Meanwhile, the sofa was so large and comfortable that I couldn’t help but keep dozing off. When I sneakily looked to the side, my aunt’s eyes were sparkling as she even took notes while listening intently to what the executive council members were saying.
“We’re not an academy that focuses on grades, but the fact that Mellans boy is below average is not honorable.”
“We recommend attending social salons during the break period. We’ll introduce you to wide connections in high society.”
“However, for a commoner, his peer relationships aren’t too bad. Though it’s concerning that he has many friends with poor reputations.”
Most of it was my slander disguised as concern.
As I quickly summoned Miche and buried my face in her scruff, letting out a deep sigh, Miche tilted her head as if asking what was wrong.
Her cute face was somewhat comforting, but at times like this, she seemed like a really living creature rather than my imagination.
“And there’s a history of withdrawal application—are you aware of this, Lady?”
“……?”
When I heard the story about how I’d applied for withdrawal in the past to escape from Cesare, I snapped wide awake.
<Withdrawal? What happened? Was something difficult?>
At my aunt’s worried gaze, I almost burst into tears.
Actually, that trash Cesare put an addiction on me, trying to spend all our merchant guild’s money and overthrow the empire.
I desperately held back the urge to say this and smoothly made excuses.
“I just… didn’t think there was much more to learn from attending the academy…. I thought I’d follow grandfather around and quickly help with the merchant guild work.”
<Grandfather wants you to finish school. Your sister would want that too.>
Having nothing to say, I just stared at my toes when my aunt held out her notebook again.
<Lionel. You don’t just learn academics at the academy.>
“I know. Love, courage, friendship, hope.”
I recited the words that grandfather, quite the romantic, always emphasized. Something about school days being the most romantic, or whatever.
But for me now, everything was screwed up. Love is ruined, courage is just a vessel, and as for friendship—aside from Lucy, I only have dimwitted muscle-heads and mastermind lackeys. Hope? What hope is there for me, called a pervert and human trash?
“Still, it’s heartwarming to see you putting effort into raising your nephew.”
It was finally a consultation with an end in sight. My aunt and I left the executive council room carrying a list full of things ‘recommended to guide Lionel onto the right path.’
“Don’t think about making me do this. I’m using it as kindling today.”
When I playfully held up the list and spoke, my aunt giggled and bonked me on the head.
Just then, accompanied by an extremely strong perfume scent, an enchantingly beautiful young woman appeared and glanced at me sideways. It was a dangerous dress with a deep neckline in an intense red color.
“Excuse me, but is this the executive council room?”
Her tone wasn’t polite at all—it was an aggressive tone that seemed to press down and crush the other person. Moreover, she couldn’t contain herself and more rudely snapped at my aunt.
“Are you mute? Not even answering—really annoying. Are you ignoring me?”
Is this woman crazy!
“Are you insane?”
“What?”
My aunt quickly grabbed me, but I couldn’t hold back and stepped in front of her.
“My aunt injured her vocal cords and can’t speak, but are you actually insane?”
The woman seemed momentarily flustered and stepped back, then widened her eyes as if finding this situation amusing.
“Did you really think she was mute?”
“Apologize.”
“I’m sorry~. I thought you were ignoring me. Being ignored by nobles is my daily routine, you know.”
The woman surprisingly obediently bowed and offered an apology to my aunt. The woman with red-painted nails smiled coquettishly and opened the door to the executive council room. Then she glanced back and said to me.
“Astol has committed a great discourtesy, so I shall protect you.”
“Astol?”
If it’s Astol, that’s definitely Cain’s family.
“Wait! Cain had a sister?”
When I shouted as if crying out in shock, as if she heard it, the woman’s loud laughter flowed out through the closing door.
* * *
I tried to talk about Cain’s sister, but for some reason, Cain hadn’t shown his face even once since homecoming started.
He even skipped all his classes for several days and wasn’t in his dorm room either. According to Cesare, he was playing alone on the back mountain swinging his sword, but he wouldn’t tell me the details.
My worry about Cain was brief, as I was too busy with the homecoming ball happening this evening.
“Lionel, stop eating cookies! You’re getting crumbs on your dress!”
“Lucy, I’m hungry.”
My voice came out thin and delicate because of the transformation potion. Right now, I looked like a complete woman from the outside.
“Other people are skipping even lunch to fit into their dresses, you know?”
“Everyone’s really amazing….”
Lucy took out a handkerchief, brushed off the cookie crumbs that fell on the dress, and pressed it into my hand. It was a pretty handkerchief with a blue dove embroidered on it.
“I’ll lend you this. If something dirty gets on you, wipe it with this.”
“Hey, this is pretty good satin. It’s imported, right? You’d have to go all the way to the northern region to get something like th—”
“Lionel, mouth. Chee~se.”
At the word “cheese,” I quickly shut my mouth and stretched my lips long. In that gap, Lucy applied lipstick.
“It’s lipstick with confusion magic on it. If you wear this, no one can recognize who you are.”
“How is it? Can you tell who I am?”
When I grabbed the hem of my dress and twirled, Lucy smiled broadly, looking satisfied.
“It doesn’t work on me since I already know who you are. Perfect! Now go to Cesare Yanox.”
Lucy pushed my shoulders toward beyond the dormitory.
The water was spilled now. Ju Shinyoung! If you’re watching, let me get through just today safely. Please. I delivered a lot of hamburgers for you.
