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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Wow, I’m more nervous than I thought I’d be.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at Althric Senior, who muttered to himself while adjusting his glasses.
Having looked forward to this day, seeing him actually get nervous about the real deal seemed a bit over the top.
“Calm down, Althric Senior. You’re good at acting.”
[T/N: the reason I added senior is because he’s using more formal language so you guys should know for the future.]
“That’s right. Thanks. If I do well here, maybe I can get into a famous troupe.”
Althric was genuinely passionate about acting, making him the best actor among our drama team.
“It’s a relief you could still perform in the play.”
Rin approached me, having been found unconscious with Sen during the attack but suffered no serious injuries, allowing her to participate in the play without issue.
“The stage has changed, though.”
Originally planned for the academy’s auditorium stage, the bug attack had completely destroyed it, so we ended up using a much larger stage in Elgrid.
It was a sudden request, but the dean managed to sort it out impressively. Hearing the royal family would attend, the stage owner gladly agreed to lend it to us.
“It feels like we’ve become professionals.”
In truth, the festival was already ruined.
Although it was the last day, the bugs had destroyed all the stalls, making our play both the start and the end of the fourth day’s festival.
“Alright, everyone, despite everything that’s happened, let’s do our best.”
Professor Veritio stretched out his hand with a smile, and the drama team members stacked their hands on top, cheering each other on to boost morale.
“Huh.”
On the opposite side, Seria Deloa, a senior with emerald hair, blinked at me. Having already decided she was a female version of Ares to me, I ignored her, thinking she still believed I was a fish in her pond.
“Does she have something in her eye? Should we go pick it out?”
“…”
May, frustrated, and Rin, glaring coldly at Seria, made her quickly retreat, but I had no intention of stopping them.
In fact, I wanted to praise them.
“You’re not charmed by her, are you?”
“Talk sense.”
“That makes sense. You’re as unapproachable to her as you are to everyone else.”
“…”
I wondered if I should keep my time with Eris a secret.
Incidentally, Eris had also taken a ticket to see today’s play. I had gotten it specially from Professor Veritio and handed it to her yesterday.
She might be snacking with Tana and Eve while waiting for the play by now.
“Let’s go.”
The curtain rose, and Professor Veritio’s narration echoed across the vast stage.
—
After the play.
“Wow, that was really fun! Amazing!”
Eve, uncharacteristically, jumped around happily, and Tana too had a satisfied smile.
“Who knew Gerry had such a backstory. The confession and closing his eyes at the end was really memorable.”
“Um.”
Eris seemed puzzled, so I asked her.
“Why? Didn’t you like it?”
“No, it was fun. But, honestly, I couldn’t empathize with the female leads.”
“Really?”
“Yes, especially the character with the same name as mine. I couldn’t relate at all. Both heroines end up with the male lead, right?”
“That’s right.”
Eris, sharing a name with Seria Deloa’s character ‘Eris,’ likely found it easier to immerse herself in that role.
“How can someone share their man with another woman? I could never understand that.”
“Really?”
Swallowing hard, Eris nodded as if it were obvious.
“What woman would want to share her man with another? The moment I see that, boom!”
Watching Eris make a fist and mimic breaking something sent shivers down my spine.
Hearing this, the other two approached Eris, intrigued.
“Have you been in many relationships, Lady Eris?”
“Being an elf, you’ve lived so long, you must have experienced all sorts of relationships. Do you have any stories to share?”
“Uh, well…”
Confused by Eve and Tana’s questions, Eris’s eyes began to spin.
Though I wasn’t sure exactly how old Eris was, she had lived at least 100 years.
I would have thought she’d experienced romance at some point, but…
‘She really hadn’t.’
Back then, she had brushed off all advances from men in her pursuit to become a sentinel, leading to a time when men stopped approaching her altogether.
Rumors spread that she was a fortress against men.
And once she earned the title of ‘Guardian of Yggdrasil,’ Eris became an unattainable flower perched upon a cliff, out of reach for other elves.
Our Lady Elf, though age-old, was practically a novice in matters of love.
‘Now that I think about it, there was a reason she explained this to me.’
At the time, I half-listened, wondering why she brought it up, but it seems she had feelings for me even then.
“Ah, I should be going now.”
Eris awkwardly excused herself from the questions, having mentioned she would return to Yggdrasil today.
With the festival over and today being a day off, we decided to see her off at the entrance to Elgrid.
“But weren’t you supposed to teach or monitor Ares?”
I wondered if it was okay for her to leave so suddenly, but Eris answered with a click of her tongue.
“I don’t want to waste my time on him. Considering his level, it seems there won’t be any major issues for about 5 years, and I think I should seriously discuss his disposition at Yggdrasil.”
“By disposition, do you mean killing him?”
When Eve raised her hand to ask, Eris shook her head.
“No, there’s a way to completely remove that power from his body. Of course, it might be so painful that he could die.”
“Ugh.”
As Tana made a disgusted face, Eris firmly responded.
“If you had to choose between a 100% chance of death and a 50% chance, you’d naturally choose the latter, right? That’s as far as our kindness goes.”
I thought, isn’t it a bit unfair for Ares? Suddenly gaining power but risking his life for being deemed unworthy.
Well, I didn’t say anything since I knew it would take years for the elves, who have so much time, to actually act on it.
“Hey, hey! You said we’re going out for dinner, let’s go together!”
“Daniel! Why are you leaving without saying anything?”
I saw May and Rin, running towards us from behind.
I had been avoiding them on purpose to meet Eris, but they ended up following us.
I had to act calmly.
Pretending as if nothing was wrong, I faced the time bombs that could explode any moment without knowing what they might do next.
“I was just seeing Eris off because she’s going back.”
“Really?”
“Hmm.”
May and Rin looked at me strangely, but they followed us after deciding it was okay for now.
In front of the west gate of Elgrid, we said our farewells to Eris. Honestly, I didn’t want to let her go.
‘But she allowed me access to Yggdrasil.’
She seemed to have a good impression of me because she said I could visit during the holiday if I was able.
This meant I now had two passes to enter Yggdrasil, including the one Professor Veritio gave me.
‘Who should I take with me?’
It wouldn’t be bad to go twice myself, but it seemed like I wouldn’t have the time.
“Well, I should be going now. Though it was a short time, thanks to all of you, I had a chance to change many of my stereotypes about humans.”
“Take care.”
“Come again.”
Eve and Tana said goodbye with a smile, and I naturally said the same.
“Wait.”
“Just a moment.”
What now?
Suddenly, May and Rin stood on either side of me.
They looked at Eris and me alternately with serious eyes, then leaned towards me.
“What was that sentimental goodbye all about?”
“I’ve been greeting Daniel for 18 years, and I’ve never heard him use that tone before.”
What are these two on about?
I might have let a bit of emotion slip through, but they caught it?
I tried to brush it off, claiming they were making no sense, but they kept pressing.
“What’s with her? You met that elf for the first time yesterday, right? Or is it because she’s busty and blonde, just your type?”
“Hmm, a woman like her?”
May, who didn’t hold back with her words, and Rin, who looked at Eris as if she was prey, didn’t let up.
Eris, not understanding the situation, looked at me for an explanation, and I told her to ignore them.
Then, we heard the sound of wheels rolling.
Turning my head slightly, I saw Adriana, her face hidden under a robe, dragging her luggage.
“I was looking for you. I wanted to say goodbye.”
Adriana gave a slight smile.
The despair she had shown yesterday was gone, replaced by a relieved expression.
“So, you’re leaving.”
I answered calmly, having already heard from the dean yesterday.
Adriana had decided to leave Aios Academy and return to the Black Forest a part of the Demon Realm Forest where her clan lived.
‘It was fate that brought her here in the first place.’
Now that it was over, there was no need for her to stay at the academy.
“Do you remember what I asked?”
“Yes, I’ll investigate thoroughly and come back.”
“Thank you.”
Since I couldn’t go directly to the Demon Forest, I asked Adriana to inquire with the witches of the Black Forest or the ancient beasts about the ‘Earliest Apocolypse’ Apviel mentioned.
It was a dangerous request, but Adriana readily agreed.
“Well, that’s how I can come to see you again.”
“Huh?”
Adriana approached me slowly.
I saw her raise her tiptoes, but May and Rin moved quicker.
They blocked my mouth with their hands and glared at Adriana, who stopped and looked back and forth between them.
“What are you doing?”
Confused, I asked, and May and Rin answered in turn.
“She definitely had that ‘I’m going to kiss you’ look. You should have noticed.”
“He’s mine.”
I’m not yours, though.
I pushed their hands away, and Adriana chuckled, asking me if it was always this competitive.
Without a direct response, Adriana smiled and continued on her way, passing me.
I thought she would leave without another word, but she stopped right beside me, turned slightly, and asked.
“Thanks to you, I was able to not lose myself. I’ll keep struggling to survive from now on.”
I nodded, affirming her resolve, and she left Elgrid.
Though we weren’t close, saving her once seemed to have suddenly increased my internal closeness to her.
Relieved, Rin and May watched.
Eve and Tana were spectators in this drama.
And then…
“Daniel seems more popular than I thought?”
Eris looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“Just a moment!”
Feeling the need to explain, I tried to catch her, but Eris smiled awkwardly and waved her hand.
“I’ll be going now.”
And with that, she left.
***
“Thank you very much.”
Professor Veritio and the dean bowed their heads and left the hotel room.
They expressed deep gratitude to the princess, prince, and queen who had come to watch today’s play.
“It was better than I expected, wasn’t it, mother?”
Princess Ainis smiled, and her mother, Queen Isabel, nodded slightly.
“Veritio’s plays have always been excellent since we were in the royal palace. I didn’t expect much since it was performed by students, but it was surprisingly good.”
“Ah, I was so bored.”
Prince Alois, on the other hand, sighed and muttered.
“I wouldn’t have come if it weren’t for the youngest.”
The other two agreed with his sentiment.
They had come all the way to Elgrid to watch because they heard the youngest was playing the leading role. The performance was above average for students, but if it wasn’t for the youngest, the three of them wouldn’t have come.
Then, a blonde girl entered the room.
Different from other students, she carried a certain grace and a gentle smile, always on her lips. Elise entered the room and spoke.
“Mother, thank you so much for coming.”
At Aios Academy, she used the alias Elise, following Ares around, but her real name was Elise de Frisia, the third princess of the Kingdom of Frisia.
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Yep, garbage harem coming.