Chapter : 183
During the turbulent exam period, my days of throwing glares and backhanded attacks at Hilbert increased for no particular reason.
Ugh. Sure, it was venting, but really, it was because I empathized with having a runaway child!
I had finally received a letter from Rapidem saying the children had crossed the border.
Rapidem seemed strangely excited, saying he’d follow them, but I felt uneasy.
Tracking them abroad was surely more dangerous than at home, and above all, I felt guilty for wasting Rapidem’s valuable manpower.
I wished someone would come and help busy Wolfgang, at least.
“Since Benjamin isn’t sticking around at home…”
“What?”
“Well, our house has a business-trip addict.”
“That’s true for our house too.”
Casey cut in on my muttering and replied sulkily.
Ah, he must mean the mother, Marquess Grainger. From what I heard, she seemed to leave home almost as often as Benjamin.
“Stop the idle thoughts. So, the answer to this problem is…”
“I don’t know.”
“Sounds like your future.”
After spending days and nights stuck with such kind and loving friends, both in the library and even the dormitory…
“…Heh, I’ve become stronger!”
When I laughed with dark circles under my eyes, my classmates naturally avoided me.
Even Mercedes.
He looked not just exhausted but a little horrified. Seems the last exam period was hell for him too.
Phew. Fine. Anyway, it was the big day of the exam.
I forced my heavy eyelids open.
I’ll show them! The results of hellish special training…!
I failed.
Once again.
I really failed.
Hard to believe? Me too. But I really did fail.
“J-just below the cutline…”
Crazy.
Seeing my grades only intensified the despair.
Especially when I saw the grade for that subject, curses flew out naturally.
“Theology, damn it…”
“Sis, what are you complaining about after falling asleep?”
I was left speechless by Franz’s cold factual observation.
Right. After staying up for nights, I had dozed off.
Of all times, during the first exam in Theology!
But somehow, I just couldn’t help falling asleep as soon as I saw the words. My eyes just closed on their own.
Anyway, since I completely ruined Theology—the one subject that could have lifted my average—there was no hope left for my grades.
“This can’t be… The world can’t do this to me…”
“That’s exactly what we’re saying.”
Casey glared at my frustrated face with a deadly seriousness.
Her eyes screamed she couldn’t forgive me for dozing off despite her teaching me so diligently.
Yeah, I had no face to show. Even just last semester, I’d barely improved my grades and she’d celebrated.
That aside… I’m terribly sorry, but…
“So, I can’t go home?”
This was the most important thing to me right now.
Really? I can’t go home? Do I have to be left behind at school for the entire break, embarrassingly?
My friends nodded as if it were obvious, and I tore at my hair in despair.
“Argh, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have triggered the Vivi article…!”
“Is that important?”
Yes! That’s the most important thing!
Of all times—when Bastion and I were at our peak popularity and attention—this disaster strikes!
Next week, every newspaper except the Patrons might plaster my articles all over the place.
“Is Asha Bastion a witch? A saint…? No, the ultimate idiot!” as the headline.
“Ah, my social reputation…”
“Hm, it wasn’t much to begin with, so maybe it’s okay?”
Kind Sophie patted my gloomy back and comforted me.
Honestly, Sophie… you don’t like me, do you?
I barely moved my lips, then cupped one ear and spoke wistfully.
“By the way, don’t you guys hear something?”
“What? The sound of our sis’s future ending?”
“Something like that… I heard our father laughing mockingly from the estate…”
It would become a lifelong embarrassment.
I’d probably be Bastion’s first and last failing student. Ha, I didn’t want to go down in history like this.
“I should’ve studied earlier. And you guys, what were you doing letting me slack off?”
“Kill her, seriously.”
Casey finally exploded, grabbing my hair.
Even the others, who would normally pretend to stop her, completely ignored me.
Thus, physically and mentally battered, I still had one more bit of bad news waiting…
“The miracle at the southernmost border of Amanta? The priests of the Holy Nation gave blessings of healing…?”
What kind of blatant sugar-coating for the Pope is this?
Could Hugo have been a hidden agent of the Holy Nation?
I had such ridiculous thoughts.
I picked up and put down the latest issue of Patronage delivered to the dorm, opening and closing my eyes repeatedly.
Even so, the printed magazine didn’t change.
‘Really… why did they publish this as an article?’
Even if the quack priests’ healing miraculously worked and the critical patients recovered, if left alone, it would’ve been just a rumor making the Holy Nation look good.
But now, solidified as fact, it only increased the world’s respect and expectations for the Holy Nation, and then…
“Will this actually make things more difficult?”
I muttered to myself without realizing it.
It just felt that way.
After all, the sacred power in this world…
Knock. Knock.
The sound of knocking snapped me out of my daze.
Leaving the magazine on the bed, I opened the door and found Sophie and Casey.
“Huh? What’s up?”
Still have hair left to grab?
I guarded my slightly thinner hair with wary eyes.
But they seemed to have let go of any resentment about my grades. Or maybe they simply had no time to care at this point.
“We heard from Professor Julian.”
What news could that be?
Looking unsure if it was good or bad news, they glanced at each other and spoke.
“…The failing students will go to volunteer work instead of remedial classes.”
What kind of trick is this?
“Yes, yes, society always suddenly picks up momentum like this.”
Several issues related to faith, which had been slightly stagnant recently, suddenly gained momentum.
Temples visited in droves, donations increased, myth-based performances more frequent, and volunteer activities… etc.
Apparently, the driving force behind this surge was that person’s influence.
“…Her Majesty the Empress’s record-breaking expenditure on relief.”
She clearly set the stage.
Especially, Lev Academy planning winter break volunteer activities unusually fast was entirely under her control.
Hmm. Suspicious. What grand plan does our Ingrid have?
Those who are clever may be one step ahead, but Ingrid feels like she’s thirty to forty-five steps ahead.
Moreover…
“Seriously? You guys are all coming too?”
The students standing before me for the upcoming winter break ceremony all nodded.
Well, even non-failing students could join volunteer work if they wanted, but really? It seemed like it would be too exhausting.
Of course, since they were still young, they weren’t sent into dangerous slums.
Still, they’d have to run around carrying supplies, facing all sorts of hardships.
Worried if they were overexerting themselves to follow me, I glanced around, and each gave their reasons.
“I cannot ignore an event personally planned by Her Majesty.”
Of course. If the Crown Prince personally leads it, the royal goodwill effect doubles, and it reflects well on Mercedes too.
Mercedes got a realistic pass. Next?
“Starting with Professor Julian, most choir members decided to participate.”
“Well, if there’s a chance, we could even sing from afar.”
Heavens. How considerate.
Sophie and Casey’s kindness made me wipe a small tear.
And…?
“My father told me to stay by your side and mock you.”
Here’s where it gets tricky.
Wolfgang, who normally wouldn’t send a letter to his sons, actually sent such instructions?
Surely you’re not coming along for that reason too.
I gave Levi a suspicious glare.
But for a moment, seeing that he clearly had no intention of leaving my side, I felt a bit awkward and turned my gaze—only to be distracted by his hand.
“…Uh, what’s wrong with your hand? Is it hurt?”
Looking closely, Levi’s palm had several cuts, from tiny scratches to moderately deep slices, all showing where a blade had brushed.
If he uses a sword on campus, there’s only one possibility.
“This happened at the club?”
“…Yeah.”
“Ugh, can’t live like this. Be more careful.”
So upsetting.
I lightly slapped Levi’s arm so it wouldn’t hurt, and he looked at the arm I’d hit, feeling the sting anew.
Meanwhile, I glanced at the remaining one.
“…Aren’t you going home quickly?”
“I’m on my way anyway. Doing good is fine, isn’t it?”
Right. The Lev Academy volunteer sites are just slightly outside the system.
Along with Hilbert, who stubbornly joined in, the perfect volunteer group was formed.
A few days later, we arrived at the destination in a huge academy carriage.
I recalled Ingrid’s enigmatic, half-smile, whether kind or sinister.
“Perverse…”
Now, the Alchemist Tower had completely collapsed.
From there, I could see a small slum.
