Episode 117
Lucid Academy was abuzz with excitement. It was the time of year for the annual Academic Festival, and the selection of representatives for the Academic Presentation was always a lively affair.
Fortunately, the Magic Department representative had been chosen without incident. And the Theology Department representative had also been selected smoothly, albeit for a different reason.
Julietta, the head of the Theology Department, had regained her senses, and Valerian was the only suitable candidate among the un-brainwashed Ravanta Theology students.
Valerian, having just been informed of his selection by Julietta, walked towards the back garden of the dormitory. He spotted a boy leaning against a tree, his eyes closed.
He wasn’t praying, so Valerian approached him and slung an arm around his shoulders.
“Lucius, how are things going?”
“…”
Lucius, annoyed by the interruption, frowned, his eyes opening slowly. He spoke coldly,
“…Are we close enough for such familiarity?”
“Don’t be so stiff. We’re the same age, which makes us friends.”
Lucius, his face a mask of indifference, shrugged off Valerian’s arm. Valerian looked disappointed, but Lucius, unfazed, asked,
“The others seem eager to pick a fight with me. Are you here for the same reason?”
“Ah, Llewellyn seems to dislike you intensely. But haven’t you noticed he’s been avoiding you lately? Have you seen him?”
Lucius glared at Valerian, annoyed by his question. Who cared about Llewellyn’s whereabouts? Valerian, undeterred, grinned and offered some advice.
“Llewellyn is stressed out these days. He’ll probably yell at you if he sees you, so just ignore him.”
The Swordsmanship Department sparring competition always caused a commotion, but this year was especially bad.
It was because the Magic Department representative had been chosen so peacefully.
Even the selection process was usually a spectacle.
Only a few students were eligible, and the rest would gather to watch. But with no competition in the Magic Department, they had all flocked to the Swordsmanship Department.
The Theology Department, thanks to Julietta’s stern warnings and the promise of the apostle’s blessing, had managed to keep most of their students from participating in the other departments’ events.
But the Academic Department students, who were busy writing their papers in the library or their dormitories, were understandably annoyed. Especially Llewellyn.
Lucius, of course, wasn’t interested.
He turned away coldly and closed his eyes, dismissing Valerian. But Valerian lingered, his gaze fixed on Lucius, so Lucius finally asked, his voice laced with irritation,
“Do you still need something?”
“Don’t you want to be the representative?”
“What?”
Lucius’s eyes snapped open. Was he mocking him?
Valerian, his eyes wide with sincerity, continued,
“Regardless of which god you worship, you have the strongest Holy Power in the Theology Department.”
“Ha.”
Lucius couldn’t help but scoff. He hadn’t wanted to be the representative, but he hadn’t expected Valerian to ask such a question seriously.
If he was trying to mock his status as a hostage, he was more cunning than Llewellyn.
Lucius retorted, his voice sharp,
“First, I’m a hostage, so I can’t participate. Second, I have other obligations. Is that clear enough?”
“I see.”
“Now leave.”
Lucius glared at him, but Valerian remained rooted to the spot. Lucius’s patience was wearing thin.
Fortunately, before he could snap, Valerian spoke,
“Don’t overwork yourself.”
“…?”
Lucius couldn’t believe his ears. Why was Valerian worried about him?
“You should be more concerned about the princess. Worrying about a hostage is pointless.”
“But you saved Sister Julietta.”
“I didn’t save her. Professor Caroline and the princess did. If I hadn’t given her that prayer altar, none of this would have happened.”
“But you were just following orders—”
“Let’s be clear.”
Lucius finally understood Valerian.
He wasn’t cunning. He was, in a way, more foolish than Llewellyn. It would be more beneficial for him to openly dislike Lucius, like Llewellyn did.
Lucius glared at him, his voice cold and sharp,
“Even if I did save Julietta, I don’t expect your gratitude. And even if you’re trying to exploit my guilt, I won’t help you without the princess’s permission.”
“…”
Valerian’s orange eyes widened in shock. Lucius, without a shred of guilt, turned away.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
But Valerian’s next words were completely unexpected.
“You’re hard to get close to.”
“What?”
“Even harder than Llewellyn. Why are you so prickly?”
“…”
Lucius was speechless. He wanted to be friends with him? Why?
He stared at Valerian, who smiled cheerfully and turned to leave.
“Anyway, sorry for interrupting. I’ll see you around.”
Valerian walked away, waving.
Lucius, still puzzled, watched him leave.
As soon as Valerian was out of sight, Alexia’s playful voice echoed in his mind.
[You’re quite cold towards the boys, aren’t you? Just like with Llewellyn.]
‘He was fun to tease. This type is just annoying… Why are you asking?’
Lucius complained, but Alexia’s reply was dismissive.
[Just because.]
He could tell she was shrugging, a mischievous glint in her voice. She was probably concocting another ridiculous delusion, so he warned her,
‘Don’t even think about saying I like the princess. She’s only nine.’
[I know. And I wouldn’t let you get away with it if you were interested in a nine-year-old Elonia.]
Alexia’s response was surprisingly firm.
Technically, the princess was much older than him, considering her past life, but still. What kind of parent would approve of an older boy being interested in their young daughter?
And in Ravanta, such behavior would be punishable by death, regardless of their status.
Lucius, having no romantic interest in Elonia, remained silent.
A gentle breeze ruffled his hair, and Alexia spoke again, her voice tinged with sadness.
[Sorry for pestering you. I was just curious. It’s a bit lonely, seeing the children I love living their lives without me.]
Her voice was filled with a mixture of loneliness and envy.
Lucius, after hearing her confession, understood her feelings.
She couldn’t be with her loved ones.
It must be agonizing.
He didn’t know how to comfort her, so he remained silent. Just then, his piercing grew warm.
Only Felix and Tristan contacted him through the piercing.
Lucius moved to a secluded area and answered the call.
“Your Highness, Tristan.”
[You’re late in answering.]
“I was outside, on missionary work.”
The two men appeared on the screen, standing in a dense forest.
Lucius knelt down, his head bowed. Tristan, his lips pale, spoke,
[Apostle, my power is weakening. The surveillance at the Rossi estate has intensified, so we can’t deliver the prayer altars. And the academy is also under heavy surveillance.]
“It’s my fault.”
Lucius lowered his head further. Felix, his voice cold and sharp, said,
[It seems Emperor Artius has discovered the prayer altars.]
Lucius looked up, feigning surprise, and almost gasped.
Felix’s eyes were blazing with fury. Tristan, speaking for him, said,
[Apostle, the Academic Festival is our opportunity.]
“…”
[We’re working on securing a new supply of prayer altars. So show them your power. Turn the academy into a land blessed by Heilan, until the new supply arrives.]
He hadn’t told Elonia, but his apostle’s power was a double-edged sword.
He could use it to create a sanctuary and suppress Tristan’s power, but he could also use it to amplify Tristan’s power.
The choice was his.
[Can you do it?]
Tristan’s eyes gleamed with a chilling intensity.
Lucius, without hesitation, nodded, his red eyes shining.
“Of course, Your Highness. Your orders will be obeyed.”
Meanwhile, at the Magic Department training grounds,
Elonia, chosen as the representative for the Academic Presentation, was receiving private tutoring from Caroline. But she seemed distracted. Caroline, unable to ignore it any longer, asked,
“Elonia, you seem to be having trouble focusing.”
Elonia, her cheeks flushing slightly, averted her gaze, then sighed and confessed,
“…There’s something on my mind.”
“What is it?”
Elonia hesitated, unsure how to begin. Even Caroline, who knew her true identity, might find this difficult to accept.
She remembered Lucius’s words.
“If I had to choose, I would say it’s alive. So don’t worry. It seems like it wants to protect you.”
The voice attached to Lucius could only be her.
But Elonia couldn’t understand.
How could someone who was dead exist in such a form? No, Lucius had said she was alive, in a way.
Was it because she had been an apostle, that she hadn’t completely left this world after death?
Even then, it didn’t make sense.
Elonia’s existence had been a source of trauma for her.
So why would she want to see Elonia again? Why would she want to protect her?
Elonia slumped to the ground, her mind a mess.
She rephrased her question, channeling her Chelon persona.
“…Caroline, how would you feel if you had a child you didn’t want?”
Caroline’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected question. She rested her chin on her hands, her eyes closing as she thought. After a long pause, she replied,
“A child… I can’t even imagine, so I can’t answer your question.”
“I see.”
“I apologize for being unhelpful.”
Elonia shook her head. She also couldn’t imagine Caroline having a child.
Caroline wanted to ask more, but she sensed that this wasn’t something she should pry into. But she wanted to cheer Elonia up, so she casually badmouthed Heilan.
“Heilan again? Those people never give anyone a moment’s peace.”
“…That’s true.”
“This is why I dislike those who are overly reliant on God. If you want something, you should earn it yourself. These youngsters these days…”
Caroline clicked her tongue, her last words laced with genuine annoyance.
Elonia chuckled. She felt a little better.
She stood up and adjusted her grip on her rapier.
“I should get back to training. I don’t have time for this.”
Casting a large-scale spell that would cover the entire academy was still beyond her capabilities. She would injure herself, just like before.
And she couldn’t risk destroying the entire academy.
She was receiving guidance from Caroline to prevent that, so she couldn’t waste any more time.
The Academic Festival was just two weeks away.