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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Why did Bella approach me?
I couldn’t understand why she would use Elisa’s name to get my attention, especially since they didn’t seem close.
Bella… Ah, what was her last name again? Archer? Arle? Asher?
Ah, Asher.
Something like that.
Her family was a mid-tier noble family with connections to the royal family.
She had a sharp, almost unpleasant face and a voluptuous figure that might appeal to some, but I found her rather disagreeable.
The typical jealous type who couldn’t stand seeing others succeed.
Her personality was a tangled mess of inferiority complex and envy.
She hid it well behind aristocratic manners, but unlike the typical image of a rational mage, she was overly emotional.
The title of “witch,” usually associated with the gloomy but kind-hearted Elisa, was more fitting for Bella.
She was the main villain of the library event.
Driven by her desire to become the top student, she coveted something within the hidden archive and spread rumors to open it.
The plot was somewhat flimsy, but it was a minor event, so it received decent reviews.
The main story itself had plenty of plot holes, so it wasn’t that surprising… I wasn’t sure if the True Ending DLC addressed those issues.
Anyway, the protagonist of this side story would likely be Shuri, the top student in the Magic department.
Mages were naturally curious, so she would be interested in the hidden archive. Bella would be waiting in ambush near the entrance, a monitoring artifact hidden nearby.
She would follow Shuri into the archive as soon as the door opened.
So, I had a lot of work to do.
First, I had to figure out Bella’s intentions after her unusual contact with me.
Then, I had to subtly guide Elisa and Shuri towards the hidden archive and ensure they entered it. And I had to make sure they obtained the hidden rewards within the archive to boost their stats.
I needed to prepare.
I had to subtly influence Shuri and Elisa, secretly escort and protect them, and prevent Bella from interfering.
There was a chance they might not be able to clear the hidden archive, but it was designed for talented students, so they should be able to manage.
The important thing was to maintain control of the situation. To be able to suppress any unforeseen circumstances.
That was the only way to maximize the benefits of the ancient headmaster’s legacy…
…Should I really do this? But that was a bit…
“Johann? Johann~?”
A hand flapped in front of my face like a freshly caught fish.
I blinked, finally noticing Milia.
I had been too lost in thought.
“What is it?”
“I’m done with my questions!”
“Alright, wait a moment.”
I approached Karina, who was chatting with Elisa and Martina, and excused myself.
“We need to get going.”
“Oh, of course, Mister Johann. May the rest of your classes be peaceful, Saintess Karina.”
Martina gave a graceful farewell and rejoined her group.
I looked at Karina, who seemed to be in a good mood, and said,
“You did well in class.”
“Thank you.”
“Johann, are you going to eat that spicy meat again for lunch?”
“I’m still deciding.”
I had tried every Korean dish on the menu, so I was thinking of trying something different.
I loved Korean food, but it wouldn’t hurt to try some local cuisine.
“You really like those dishes. They’re so spicy that no one else orders them, but you eat them like it’s nothing… Is it your hometown food?”
“…Yes, it is.”
I gave a vague answer.
My unclear origins were useful in situations like
this. People would just accept any explanation. Viola was probably thinking, ‘He must be from a faraway land.’
“I see.”
“Hometown? You said you don’t remember your past, Johann.”
“…The food triggered some memories.”
It was a flimsy excuse, but fortunately, no one questioned it further. They seemed to consider my past a sensitive topic.
“C-Congratulations…”
“Congratulations. If you’re starting to remember things, there’s a chance you’ll recover more memories.”
“Thank you, Karina.”
I pulled the wheelchair back from the lecture hall desk. It rolled back with a rhythmic clicking sound.
The others stood up, as usual. Time to go.
We headed towards the dining hall. It was still relatively empty since we were early.
We had to order quickly to avoid the lunch rush. We walked straight to the counter.
The receptionist, who had been standing idly by, gave us a nervous smile.
“Welcome. What would you like to order…?”
“Cream pasta for me!”
“Steak, please.”
“S-Salad for me…”
“You’re only eating salad?”
Milia looked at Elisa with an incredulous expression.
…I agreed with her, but girls her age were often concerned about their weight, so it wasn’t unusual.
Though none of the people around me seemed to care about their diet.
“O-Oily food might make me gain weight…”
Why was she looking at me while saying that?
I needed to decide what to order.
I scanned the menu.
Mostly western dishes, with a few Korean options sprinkled here and there. I was thinking of having spicy pork with rice… A tug on my sleeve made me look at Elisa.
“N-Not me…”
I looked down and saw Karina holding my sleeve. I couldn’t hide my surprise.
“I’ll have the same as Johann.”
“…Two more spicy pork with rice, please.”
“Certainly.”
…Could she handle spicy food?
The spicy pork here wasn’t excessively spicy, but it could be quite a shock for someone who wasn’t used to it…
“I was a bit intimidated by the red color… but it’s surprisingly delicious!”
“It’s not too spicy?”
It seemed spicy to me.
“It’s a little spicy, but I can manage with healing magic…”
The Saintess using holy magic to eat spicy food.
Well, as long as she enjoyed it…
I stared at Karina, mesmerized by the unusual sight of the Saintess eating spicy pork with rice.
Even with the red sauce smeared around her mouth, she looked beautiful. It was a strange feeling.
She was so beautiful that even her messy eating habits seemed… alluring.
It was unsettling.
“Johann, I want to try some!”
“M-Me too…”
“Mister, can I have a bite?”
“…Sure.”
Should I order another one?
Surrounded by requests for a taste, I reluctantly pushed my plate forward.
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“Why won’t it open…?”
Was I not worthy?
Bella stood in a corner of the library, frowning at the entrance to the hidden archive she had discovered.
She radiated an aura of displeasure, but she ignored the stares of the other students.
That wasn’t important right now.
“I’ll have to find someone else to open it…”
She bit her lip and glared at the unyielding door. It was useless if she couldn’t open it.
She knew why it wouldn’t open.
‘Why am I not worthy…?’
For nineteen years, she had been hailed as a prodigy. She had never met anyone her age who could surpass her. But the reality of being outperformed by a beastkin mage and a gloomy girl was unacceptable.
Her lips twisted in a grimace of frustration.
A red line appeared on her chin.
A drop of liquid, either tears or blood, fell from her chin and blossomed into a crimson stain on the floor.
But she didn’t notice.
“With this, I can…”
Become the best again.
The girl, her heart filled with venom, finally noticed the blood and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her chin.
The handkerchief was stained crimson, but she didn’t care.
A small cut was nothing.
Her heart was already covered in scars.
“I’ll have to… use bait…”
A sinister glint appeared in Bella’s eyes.
It was the look of someone who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted.
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