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Since he greeted me with a smile, it seemed appropriate to maintain a neutral attitude for now.

“I’ve had no significant issues, Luon.”

Luon blinked slowly. As befit someone with the epithet of a nobleman, even his smallest gestures appeared refined.

“That’s good to hear. But were you serious about leaving Lethe?”

…It seems I must draw a clear line here. Getting involved would only bring trouble to me.

“Yes, that decision hasn’t changed.”

I expected Luon to show hostility. However, his face remained unchanging, as if he could understand.

“If you ever change your mind, feel free to return. I will take care of the matter with Rendal myself.”

His friendly demeanor made me doubt if this was the same man I remembered. Outwardly, he maintained his dignity, but hadn’t he just kicked someone in front of a professor? The calm madness hidden beneath his handsome exterior was like the surface of water, expressing itself explosively when disturbed. Though my decision to leave should have provoked him, his eyes only reflected genuine goodwill.

Therefore, a non-committal response seemed best.

“I’ll consider it.”

Luon nodded with a gentle smile. Then, the professor pointed his staff at Luon’s neck.

“If you’ve said everything you needed to, come with me. We’ll address what happened just now this evening.”

“Then, I shall take my leave. Until we meet again.”

Luon said this and left. Watching his retreating figure, I felt a twinge of sympathy. Although donation students lived in better conditions than those in Schlaphe, being under such constant supervision from professors must be uncomfortable. Yet, what choice did they have? These students were marked for disposal by their families. From what I heard, the special hall was created because some expressed their betrayal through extreme anger or even committed suicide out of despair.

After a year without major incidents, they would be freed from surveillance, but Luon would never truly enjoy freedom. Like most bosses, he was destined to be defeated by the main characters. I turned my thoughts away from Luon and back to what I needed to do. Right, I was about to stand in line to register for classes.

As I turned, something tripped me, drawing my gaze downward.

“Eek!”

A guy with a parted hairstyle was sitting on the ground, looking up at me in fear. The reactions of the two behind him were similar. Oh, right. There were those guys who picked a fight.

“H-Hersel… The freshman who supposedly threw Bidon off the wall?”

“And the eldest son of the Tenest family. If you don’t want to get hurt, back off quietly.”

The two left their leader behind and disappeared quietly. I addressed the remaining guy in a gruff tone.

“I was going to register for a class. Did you have any objections?”

“N-no… nothing.”

“Hmm, I remember there being something, but you say there wasn’t. Are you calling me senile?”

“It was a joke, just a joke.”

Feeling suddenly bored, I made a slight feint as if I would knee him. The guy flinched, spreading his palms in a defensive gesture and groaning.

“Eek!”

This was surprisingly fun.

***

The special hall was directly below the principal’s office. Occasionally, Principal Arkandric would come down with snacks and take care of things, but those who rebelled faced severe punishment. The traces of this were hidden behind the paintings hanging on the walls.

“Luon Al Banas. You dared to commit violence with a professor watching?”

As Arkandric grabbed Luon’s head, the students in the special hall thought another painting would be added.

“Yes. I accurately struck his solar plexus with my foot.”

Luon’s indifferent tone, as if having a casual conversation, made Arkandric’s forehead veins bulge.

“…It’s good to admit it right away, but it seems you need some discipline.”

Arkandric threw Luon against the wall.

Bang!

Luon hit the wall like a nail. He then pulled himself out and nonchalantly brushed the debris off his head and shoulders. Satisfied, Arkandric picked up a large basket from the floor.

“Today’s snacks are here.”

The large basket placed on the table was filled with a variety of snacks, from cookies to bread.

“And Luon, don’t be late for today’s training.”

Arkandric, who believed Luon was a suitable candidate to learn his swordsmanship, dragged him to train every day. Despite this, Luon shook his head.

“I told you I’d come when I feel like it.”

“Tsk. Others are begging me to teach them, yet you’re so indifferent.”

Clicking his tongue, Arkandric left the special hall. Only the students remained.

Excluding one person standing apart, three people approached Luon. The man standing apart glanced at those approaching Luon, then left the room.

“Are you okay, Luon?”

“Besides a slight headache, nothing much.”

“Ugh, that brute. He was practically trying to kill you.”

The man seemed to recall being slammed into the wall during the entrance ceremony, clutching his head tightly. Luon turned his gaze from him to the basket filled with snacks.

‘Disciplinary love, huh…?’

There was a hint of genuine affection in Arkandric’s violence. Seeing him cut through steel during training made it clear that slamming someone into the wall was like tossing a misbehaving child onto a bed. Luon picked up a warm piece of bread from the basket with a soft gaze.

“Arkandric is sincere. He wants to reform us.”

The bread still retained its warmth. Savoring the warmth transmitted to his hands, Luon traced a graceful curve with his eyes. But his gaze remained clouded.

“But that’s not our style.”

“Agreed, Luon. I don’t want to stay here for a year.”

“The surveillance is killing me. So, what’s your plan?”

In response to the men’s questions, Luon bit into the bread and answered succinctly.

“First, we need to earn the old man’s favor. His swordsmanship is quite useful.”

After swallowing the bread, he continued.

“Besides, we can’t harm him with our current skills. Unless we find a special method, we should quietly bide our time.”

“A special method?”

“There must be one. This place is strange. I’ve heard many odd stories, like graduates hiding unusual tools or secret spaces, and even students occasionally disappearing.”

Some even claimed that the academy hid cursed items created by dungeons. Though it sounded far-fetched, this place was atop a dungeon. Moreover, occasional warnings about something to be wary of appeared in the rule mirrors, so it was worth checking if the rumors were true.

“First, we need to find a way to neutralize the old man. Until then, sharpen your skills. This place is filled with whetstones, perfect for getting stronger.”

The academy was a place determined to raise students’ levels, even if they resisted. It offered knowledge hard to obtain outside and ample time for training all day. The two men nodded obediently. However, the man who had been silently listening spoke in an uncomfortable voice.

“I understand your plan. But why are you leaving Hersel alone? Do you really intend to reinstate him as president?”

The other two agreed on this point.

“I think the same. Even if we overlook his departure, Hersel messed with our subordinates. If we leave him be, there won’t be any order.”

“Right, Luon. We said we’d handle this. But if you intervene like this, it’ll be troublesome.”

Luon replied with a relaxed gaze.

“He has a unique charisma. Even with his meager strength, he has a talent for swaying people. Moreover, he’s now strong enough to easily defeat Bidon. The rumor that he survived the monstrous bird might also be true.”

The initially opposing man frowned.

“…I’ll admit that. But in truth, you’ve built Lethe to what it is today. It ran smoothly even without a word from Hersel for nearly a year. I’m against his return.”

Luon looked at him with cold eyes. The man flinched and closed his mouth.

“It’s still uncertain whether he’ll return. It’s too early to discuss this. If he accepts the offer, we’ll talk about it then. For now, don’t mess with him.”

The three nodded slowly. Luon probably had his own thoughts, but hopefully, it wasn’t out of some misplaced affection.

***

It had only been two weeks since I enrolled. Exhausted by the string of incidents since the start, I decided to empty my mind for a while.

Despite that, thoughts kept surfacing. From being marked by Rockefeller during the entrance exam to joining Schlaphe Hall, enduring a defense battle after just two days, and defeating Bidon. And now, I had caught Luon’s attention, making it impossible to relax.

“I already miss the mansion.”

It was tough for just two and a half months, but it was peaceful after the festival. I needed a stress-free, peaceful daily life. Fortunately, I held papers that would let me taste such a life, even briefly. Letters from Mircel and Niasel.

…Good kids.

It was gratifying to see my efforts rewarded. It seemed my letter had made it through Frost Heart’s harsh censorship and reached them properly. Feeling a bit emotional, I decided to set everything aside for a moment and read Niasel’s letter first.

But the hallway grew incredibly noisy.

“Found him! We found Makdal! He’s here, Ricks!!”

“Aaargh! Leave me alone, you lunatics!”

Patience. They’ll pass soon.

“H-Hersel! Please open the door!”

Makdal was banging on my door. My stress peaked, and I placed the letter on my desk, opening the door to shout.

“Quiet!!”

“I-I’m sorry. But there’s a reason. Please let me in for a moment. I have something urgent to tell you…”

Makdal pleaded with teary eyes, clasping his hands together. More concerning were his dark circles and even more sunken cheeks.

“You seem in worse shape than before.”

“D-don’t even ask. They now invade even at dawn, tormenting me.”

Just then, Ricks and his gang crowded in front of my door. They didn’t look well, with bruised eyes and swollen cheeks. Yet, their eyes shone with a fervent glow, like that of a fanatic believing in their righteousness.

I had no choice but to speak to Ricks calmly.

“…Let’s call it a day.”

“What do you mean, Hersel? You told us to get stronger by fighting him. We’ve been training daily, seeing progress. We can’t waste a single day.”

The others supported Ricks.

“Yeah, we even came up with a new strategy.”

“This time, it feels good. I think we can win.”

“Makdal, come out from behind there!”

These crazy guys. I had to side with Makdal, fearing they’d break my combat training device.

“Are you trying to wear Makdal down to death rather than beating him in skill?”

Ricks looked down at the ground, ashamed.

“That’s true… Attacking day and night, he must be exhausted. Maybe we thought we were getting stronger, but it was an illusion.”

I encouraged Ricks, making sure not to demoralize him completely.

“No, you are getting stronger. Just look at him, fleeing all the way here. Isn’t that proof?”

Then, I subtly nudged Makdal.

“Y-yes. I almost got beaten up today, you jerks!”

Ricks and his group lifted their heads, smiling creepily at Makdal. Feeling pity for Makdal, who was experiencing hell without Bidon, I added.

“Take a rest today, Ricks. Inform the others too.”

“Alright, we’ll withdraw for today.”

As Ricks and his gang left, Makdal started to complain.

“Those guys are crazy. Especially that Ricks, he’s a complete lunatic. He keeps bringing his gang, no matter how much I beat them up, they never give up…”

Ricks indeed had a stubborn streak. It meant he could turn any necessary task into a daily routine. He also had a trait called ‘Gentle Charisma’ that motivated his group.

“Just relax and rest in your room. You have a break today.”

“Sorry, but can I ask you a favor?”

“What?”

“Could you please tell them to stop tormenting me?”

“No. Go away.”

This guy was now trying to shirk his duty just because I sided with him once.

“T-then, can you at least accompany me to the cafeteria?”

“Cafeteria?”

“Yes, I’ve been unable to even lift a spoon because they keep barging in.”

So that’s why he lost weight.

“Didn’t you hear Ricks? They won’t bother you today.”

“I don’t trust them. I just want to have a peaceful meal this once.”

He seemed paranoid, almost to the point of neurosis. I reluctantly took him to the cafeteria and bought him everything he wanted. Makdal cried like a child, thanking me repeatedly.

Having regained some peace, I returned to my dorm room and read Niasel’s letter. The first page was filled with childish drawings. No, the next page was also a drawing, so it seemed to be a picture diary.

“Oh, they started raising a parrot?”

The next drawing depicted Niasel learning magic. I clicked my tongue, observing the pictures closely.

“Seriously, they must have turned a blind eye because she’s a girl. I had to enroll in the magic department secretly.”

Yet, a smile crept onto my face. Just hearing about these mundane things felt purifying. My mind, soaked in the harsh environment here, also felt clearer.

“Tsk.”

Unfortunately, the picture diary ended there. Next, I decided to read Mircel’s letter.

My expression drooped as soon as I opened it. It was just one page with a single large sentence.

But the sentence Mircel wrote was quite troubling.

[Brother, how have you been? I’m bored to death. I want to go there too.]

He wants to come here?