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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Tap. Tap. Tap.
Martina tapped her fingers on the table, observing the lovesick girl.
Mystical purple hair. A doll-like face. A delicate blend of shyness and anxiety.
She possessed the kind of beauty that could make any boy’s heart flutter.
But she seemed oblivious to her own charms, sighing and gazing at the garden.
Martina was burning with curiosity.
Who was the object of Elisa’s affection?
‘The person Elisa likes… it must be a man, right?’
While same-sex relationships existed, Martina didn’t think Elisa was that type.
Those who preferred the same sex usually had a certain… tell.
‘What kind of man could it be?’
It wasn’t anyone from the Magic department. If it were, she would have known.
Martina slowly dredged her mind for useful information.
‘Not from the Magic department, and someone she has regular contact with… Not the Knight department either. Elisa isn’t the type to be proactive.’
She doubted Elisa would be interested in the sweaty, brawny knights.
There was little interaction between the two departments, aside from the occasional mandatory sparring sessions, and they weren’t exactly on friendly terms.
The three major departments of Kalon Academy—Knight, Magic, and Theology—were practically sworn enemies.
While the Theology department was generally peaceful, the Knight and Magic departments were fiercely competitive, with injuries occurring almost annually during their interdepartmental competitions.
It was unlikely that Elisa would have a crush on a knight.
‘If not the Knight or Magic departments, then Alchemy or Theology…?’
But there was practically zero interaction with those departments.
Martina smiled encouragingly at Elisa, who was nervously avoiding her gaze, and continued her mental deduction. Fortunately, she had a pretty good clue.
A very obvious clue.
“Miss Elisa.”
“Y-Yes?!”
‘How cute.’
Elisa, the gloomy aura replaced by a shy, girlish demeanor, was undeniably adorable.
At least, Martina thought so.
With the gloom gone, all that remained was a beautiful young woman. Even her timid nature could be considered charming.
‘I wonder what the man who stole Elisa’s heart thinks…’
Tastes varied.
Some preferred bold women, others preferred demure ones. What was Elisa’s beloved’s preference?
After a moment of contemplation, Martina thought of a particular man.
‘Could it be… him?’
There weren’t many options, considering Elisa’s extreme shyness. In fact, there was only one real possibility.
“Is the person you like… the Saintess’s knight escort?”
“N-N-N-N-No…!”
‘So it is.’
Such a blatant reaction couldn’t be a denial. Martina smiled gently at the blushing girl.
Now that she had confirmation, she could proceed.
“Miss Elisa, what do you want to do?”
“W-Well, even if you say that…”
Elisa’s eyes darted around nervously.
Having spent several months in the same building as Johann, she knew that confessing wouldn’t be easy.
Her rivals were formidable.
Milia, with her relentless physical affection, and Renny, a colleague who openly expressed her admiration. And then there was Karina, who outclassed her in both status and beauty.
Did she even stand a chance?
She was a skilled mage, but one was the Saintess, and the other was one of the most powerful knights on the continent.
Even Milia, the seemingly weakest competitor, had slept with Johann.
‘I-I don’t stand a chance…!’
A wave of despair washed over Elisa, and she covered her face with her hands.
Martina, understanding her feelings, smiled sympathetically.
This was a common occurrence during relationship counseling sessions. She approached Elisa and gently patted her back.
“There’s no need to be discouraged. It’s not over until it’s over. It seems he’s not seeing anyone at the moment, so don’t give up. The important thing is to never lose heart.”
“Miss Martina…”
Elisa looked at Martina with gratitude.
Martina smiled and took Elisa’s hand. The soft, warm touch brought tears to Elisa’s eyes.
“Now, tell me about him. The more information I have, the better I can advise you.”
The relationship counseling session had begun.
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“Johann, is something wrong?”
“…My ear itches.”
Was someone talking about me behind my back? I scratched my ear and scanned my surroundings as I pushed Karina’s wheelchair towards the Theology building.
I was wary of any potential fanatics, or attackers.
The frequency of their approaches had decreased since Karina started wearing the veil, but the Theology students still tried to get close to her whenever they could, kneeling and praying from afar, shedding tears of gratitude, or even kissing the ground where Patrasche had walked.
…Creepy bastards.
Even the cults back in my world wouldn’t be this extreme. I glared at the fanatics and continued pushing the wheelchair.
Ten minutes until class.
We had to hurry.
“If you experience any ringing in your ears or pain, please tell me. I can use basic healing magic.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not that.”
If it were, I would have sought treatment already. I didn’t want to waste Karina’s energy unnecessarily.
Karina, seemingly pleased with my answer, hummed a hymn, enjoying the pleasant weather. It was one of the few moments she could relax.
With her beautiful voice as my background music, I continued walking.
The Theology building was just ahead.
As we were walking, Karina suddenly stopped humming and asked,
“Johann, do you remember the rumor about the library?”
“The one about the hidden archive?”
“Do you think it’s true?”
I hadn’t expected her to be interested in that rumor.
I looked down at Karina. Her pink hair was visible through the translucent veil. Even the specially crafted veil couldn’t completely conceal her vibrant hair.
“I didn’t know you were interested in such rumors.”
“I’m nineteen years old, you know.”
Her slightly petulant tone made me smile.
Nineteen.
An age that was both young and old.
What was I doing when I was nineteen? I would have been a senior in high school, preparing for the college entrance exam… I vaguely remembered my university days, so I must have taken the exam.
I wasn’t sure if I did well, though.
Well, it didn’t matter now.
I couldn’t go back, and I didn’t want to.
I was already a resident of this world.
“Johann, what do you think? A hidden archive containing a wish-granting artifact…”
“It’s not entirely implausible. The hidden archive does exist.”
My answer seemed to surprise her. Karina turned to look at me.
I couldn’t see her expression through the veil, but she was probably wondering how I knew.
Imagining her surprised face made me smile.
“Remember when I created the emergency escape routes for the academy a few months ago? I also created one for the library. That’s when I discovered the hidden archive. It’s quite large.”
While it was called a hidden archive, it was more like a story-driven event dungeon.
What was the lore again?
The first or second headmaster… He had created it, hoping for a worthy successor.
Rumors circulated about it—that those who entered would become Archmages, that it contained a wish-granting artifact.
But no student had ever entered the hidden archive.
The ancient headmaster had set the requirements too high.
A talent that appeared once in a millennium. Such a person wouldn’t appear easily.
And even if they did, there was no guarantee they would be a mage.
That’s why the hidden archive remained a legend, a whispered rumor.
But recently, the rumor had started spreading among the students.
Knowing the original story, I was puzzled by the rumor’s premature resurgence.
The mastermind was probably the same, but I couldn’t understand why they were acting sooner.
Or perhaps the rumor had already been circulating, and the timing simply coincided with the protagonist hearing about it?
If that were the case, we still had some time.
“I didn’t know the hidden archive actually existed.”
“This is a very old academy. There are many secrets hidden within its walls.”
“Really? Can you tell me about them?”
“Of course.”
I had been everywhere in this academy, after all.
In the game, at least.
“I look forward to it.”
Her voice, filled with anticipation, made me smile.
It had been a while since I had heard such a tone.
What stories should I tell her?
I mentally reviewed my repertoire of academy anecdotes as I entered the Theology building.
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