I Possessed a Character in an Academy Without a Protagonist – Chapter 76

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Um… Ms. Emilia? Could you please let go of me first?”

“No.”

“…”

Something soft gently settled on my back with a thump.

As that soft something rubbed against my back, I had to focus all my senses on the feeling to deduce what it was.

Judging by the height and texture… it was likely a cheek.

Yes, this sensation could only be Emilia’s soft-looking cheek.

“Let me stay like this for a little longer.”

“…”

“I was the only one who didn’t know. While you were on the brink of death again this time… It frustrates me so much. I can’t stand it.”

I wasn’t just on the brink of death, I had practically died and come back, but I decided not to mention that.

By the way, it seemed the Intelligence Agency’s strategy had changed while I was away on the training.

Had Emilia’s aggressive charm offensive begun?

It seemed she was trying to gradually close the distance while pretending to be an innocent and pure maid, but did they think they could win me over with just this?

If that’s what they thought, they were probably right.

My heart was already racing uncontrollably.

“I need to make up for it somehow…”

“Make up for what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe satisfaction?”

“Satisfaction?”

“Yes. Even the noble young masters and misses can’t do this, right? Only I can hold you like this, Mr. Hainkel. Thinking about it that way, I feel a sense of satisfaction.”

“…”

What an odd… way of thinking.

I wondered if this was also dialogue instructed by the Intelligence Agency.

Emilia must be having a hard time saying things she didn’t mean.

At that moment, I suddenly broke free from Emilia’s arms and turned around.

I thought I might be able to see Emilia’s flustered face.

“Oh…”

But it was I who was taken aback.

Emilia was looking up at me with deep eyes. Right in front of me.

As I flinched in surprise, Emilia approached, wrapping her arms around my waist.

“Hoo…”

I placed my hand on Emilia’s head to stop her.

Then I slowly and gently stroked her hair.

It was such a natural gesture that even I was momentarily perplexed.

But I didn’t stop.

I thought Emilia would pull away in surprise.

“Mmm…”

“…”

But Emilia just closed her eyes and tilted her head to an angle that made it easier for me to stroke.

At this point, I felt competitive.

Let’s see who stops first, you or me.

‘This isn’t right?’

After stroking for quite a while, I finally realized something was off.

Wait, what am I doing?

Why am I stroking Emilia’s hair?

“Ahem, ahem…”

“Ah.”

I cleared my throat and removed my hand.

I was starting to feel strange too…

By the way, it felt like Emilia’s acting had evolved to another level.

Even her expression of disappointment when I removed my hand was perfect.

“Mr. Hainkel. Could you bend down for a moment?”

“Huh?”

Wondering what it was about, I bent my waist slightly.

Then Emilia took out a handkerchief from her pocket and brought it close to my head.

It was a handkerchief infused with magic.

Was there something on my face?

“Hmm…?”

Emilia started wiping my head.

No, rather than wiping…

It would be more accurate to say she was stroking my head while holding the handkerchief.

She rubbed for quite a while, though it wasn’t clear what she was wiping off.

“Was there something on me?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure.”

“…”

I was at a loss for words.

I was about to question her, but seeing Emilia’s bright smile, I lost the will to do so.

“I’ll go rest now.”

“Ah… Yes. Please do. Oh right, Mr. Hainkel!”

I heard the sound of running footsteps behind me, and Emilia appeared in front of me again.

With an envelope.

“This letter arrived for you the day before yesterday.”

“Thank you.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing.”

The sender was Falen Armstrong, Captain of the Holy Knights.

I thought the letterhead looked quite elaborate, and indeed the sender was no ordinary person.

The Holy Knight Captain was such a reticent person that he never contacted me except when negotiating to buy shares.

It should be fine to show this to Emilia.

I glanced at Emilia, who was tilting her head curiously, and opened the envelope.

So it had finally come.

The civil war event.

The southern region of the Empire was originally the territory of the beastkin, but the Empire invaded by force and turned it into a colony.

All the beastkin living there became slaves.

The slaves who had not forgotten that resentment, along with the beastkin from the Great Forest, had finally risen in rebellion.

Originally, it would have ended as merely a disturbance, but Duke Lorraine, who ruled the colony, went so far as to mobilize regular troops to join the beastkin and declare an independent state.

The curtain had risen on the largest war since the Freya-Trude War.

What?

Why are they asking me about this?

“Ah.”

The moment I wondered, I quickly realized the reason.

Come to think of it, I was essentially the owner of the Holy Knights, monopolizing 90 percent of the shares.

Whenever the Holy Knights faced difficulties and their stock price plummeted, I kept scooping up shares until I had surpassed 90 percent.

The effects of investing so much money were about to show.

The Holy Knights would demonstrate their potential to the entire Empire in this civil war.

After the civil war ended, they would likely be hired as the Emperor’s guards and enjoy their heyday.

“Could you bring me a pen?”

“Yes, certainly.”

I received a pen from Emilia and started scribbling a reply.

My answer was already decided anyway.

The beastkin and Duke Lorraine must have risen up with their own sense of justice and ethics, but there was no choice.

The only option was to strike down those who threatened the unity of the Empire.

One force to check the Empire, the Kingdom of Trude, was enough.

There was no need to let the Empire walk the shortcut to a bad ending by wasting national power due to pressure from both north and south.

“Is it war?”

“It seems so.”

“You won’t be going, right Mr. Hainkel?”

“…”

Emilia asked with a subtle look in her eyes.

She spoke as if she was worried about me, but her true intentions were obvious.

She was asking me not to interfere with the southern colony’s attempt at independence, which was supported by the Kingdom.

I’m sorry, but I will interfere.

By any means necessary.

“No. I’m not going.”

I’m not going.

For now, at least.

Of course, if the suppression forces performed well, I might not need to go myself.

But in the worst case scenario, a situation might arise where I had to go personally.

“That’s a relief. War is very dangerous.”

“Yes. It is a relief.”

I hoped the Holy Knights would perform well enough that I wouldn’t have to exert myself.

Things could get too noisy otherwise…

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Lichtenburg Mansion.

Iris, wearing a black nun’s habit, slowly stepped inside.

As soon as the front door opened, someone burst out.

“Iris! Welcome! It’s been a while since you’ve come to our house, hasn’t it?”

“Yes. It’s been a while. I’ll be intruding.”

Iris gave Erica a gentle smile.

She had been worried that Erica might be depressed after that day.

But Erica didn’t seem particularly gloomy, perhaps because she wasn’t that close to Schlus.

“Thanks to the class cancellation, we have time like this. But do you know why classes were cancelled today?”

“Well. There’s no official word, but there’s a rumor that the professors are gathering for some kind of meeting.”

“Ah. Because of the rebellion…”

Erica nodded in understanding.

An unprecedented situation had suddenly occurred, with four castles falling into the hands of the rebel army.

Although the Imperial Academy was far from the south, it was plausible that they would hold an emergency meeting to devise countermeasures.

“Let’s go. Julia is waiting.”

“Oh my. Isn’t this the first time I’ve met Julia since we were children?”

“Hehe. But actually, she hasn’t changed much since then?”

Erica excitedly took Iris’s hand and pulled her along.

Soon, they climbed the stairs and arrived at a balcony overlooking a lush green garden.

There, a table was already prepared with tea and snacks, and Julia was waiting in a wheelchair.

“I brought Iris!”

“Wow! Sister Iris! I heard you became a saint? Belated congratulations!”

“Thank you, Julia. You seem to have become even prettier since I last saw you.”

“Oh, such flattery…”

Julia smiled without a hint of embarrassment.

She was used to being called pretty, having heard it countless times through dozens of reincarnations.

Still, she thought it wasn’t entirely insincere coming from a saint directly appointed by the Papal Office.

“There’s tea and cookies. Help yourself.”

“I’ll gratefully partake.”

“Come on. Why act so formal between us?”

“It’s become a habit, so this feels more comfortable now.”

As she sipped her tea, Iris felt herself relaxing.

She had visited the Lichtenburg mansion many times before, but this was the first time she felt so at ease.

The difference between when Lady Lichtenburg was home and when she wasn’t was this stark.

She made a mental note to only visit when the lady was out next time.

That woman always tried to tie everything to politics, which made interactions quite uncomfortable.

“By the way, I heard Schlus is healthy. Trie relayed the news.”

“Trie? That green-haired girl who carries a sword?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Hmm. They’re close, huh.”

“No. For now, they’re just at the level of talking to each other.”

As someone who frequently visited Schlus’s mansion, Iris had to establish at least a minimal acquaintance with Trie.

“He’s healthy… That’s good.”

“Did something happen to Schlus Hainkel?”

“Ah, no. Iris, shall we talk about something else?”

As Julia showed interest, Erica hastily tried to change the subject.

Schlus was probably still after Julia even now.

That pedophile…

For Julia’s sake, she didn’t want to talk about Schlus.

“Is there some reason you’re uncomfortable?”

“I’m curious too! Iris, Sister Iris! Please tell me what happened to Schlus!”

“Fufu. Schlus is older than Julia. You should use formal language.”

But Erica couldn’t say that fact in front of Julia.

In the end, Erica could only watch with a deep sigh as the conversation about Schlus continued.

Iris explained everything to Julia over a long period.

“He, he died and came back to life?”

“It was probably a spell that made him appear dead. It seems the details of how it happened have been classified.”

“Can’t we just ask Schlus directly?”

“Well… The atmosphere has been a bit strange lately. I feel hesitant to visit.”

“Why is that?”

“Actually, this is a secret.”

“Yes, yes!”

Watching Julia, who seemed unusually excited, Erica rested her chin on her hand.

Was she planning to tell Julia about her foresight as well?

“Do you know who Schlus likes?”

“It’s just a rumor, but I heard he’s engaged to the Crown Princess. They say they wear matching rings…”

“Fufu. That’s probably a coincidence. Schlus is in love with his attendant, Emilia. But when I tried to visit last time, I saw them being so lovey-dovey that I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt…”

“That’s impossible! Schlus definitely likes Julia!”

Unable to listen any longer, Erica shouted.

Belatedly realizing she had said something she shouldn’t have, Erica covered her mouth.

Julia, whose cheeks had been pale, was now looking up at them with a bright red face.

“Is that true…?”

“Ah.”

Tears rolled down Julia’s eyes.

But her face looked strangely happy.

She was crying, yet smiling at the same time.

Seeing this, Erica was at a loss for words.

She had never seen her sister like this before.

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