~Chapter 132~
Haben gave the order. I hid behind a picture book and glanced around the room.
“What are you doing? I said bring me the pen!”
“Okay…”
I answered quietly and stood up.
Slowly, I picked up the pen and turned around. Then I went to Haben’s desk and dumped out his pencil case.
“What are you doing! Are you crazy, touching my stuff?”
He sure could introduce himself loudly.
“You told me to bring the pen.”
“N-no! Not my pen! Hey! That one’s really expensive… It’s real jewels!”
I picked up the pen that clearly looked expensive. Then I slowly handed it to Haben.
“Here, I brought it.”
“Are you serious! Give it!”
As Haben reached out, I dropped the pen right onto his palm. Since I’d already taken off the cap, red ink got all over his hand.
“Oh, sorry. My hands are a little shaky…”
I looked at the pen with raised eyebrows as it fell to the floor.
“Really sorry…”
“Ah, come on!”
It must have been really expensive, because Haben quickly bent down to grab his pen.
“You little brat!”
I’d stalled long enough—someone should show up soon…
Just as Haben was about to jump at me in anger—
“What’s going on over there?”
He’s here.
With a loud noise, Professor Yuliophe entered, frowning.
“Is this a fight?”
“No! Professor! This… this girl! She touched my things!”
Haben rushed to complain to the professor.
“What are you talking about? Haben, you started bullying Jerdin first!”
Sortie couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up. The girls around us quietly agreed, “That’s right, that’s right!”
I calmly flicked the note from Jerdin’s desk so it would fall to the ground.
Yuliophe bent down and picked it up.
“Did you write this, Haben?”
The professor asked, frowning. Haben hesitated and stepped back.
“N-no! I don’t know anything about it!”
“But the ink is the same color as what’s on your hand, Haben.”
“Uh, well… that’s just…”
The professor sighed.
“You’ll get penalty points for causing trouble at camp. Even if it’s only ten days, Academy rules still apply. If the guilty person apologizes, I’ll let it go this time…”
“He’s a commoner and he talked back to me!”
“Haben Abelus, that’s 20 penalty points. At our Academy, you cannot insult others by using social status.”
Haben backed away at the professor’s strict but tired voice. He breathed angrily.
“Once you leave the Academy walls, everyone will bow to me anyway…”
“Haben Abelus, another 20 penalty points. If you reach 100, you’re expelled. You’re number one so far. Great progress.”
“Ugh…”
Getting expelled would be a big shame for any family.
Haben finally closed his mouth, looking upset.
“If you cause more trouble, I’ll add a 60-point bonus on the spot.”
Coughing, Professor Yuliophe opened another energy drink and turned around.
“Okay, everyone, take your seats.”
Whack.
A boy purposely hit my shoulder as he passed.
I ignored it and sat down.
‘Wow, I actually got into a fight at school.’
This was new for me.
I rarely argued with anyone.
Honestly, when you’re busy just surviving, fighting isn’t worth it. If there was a conflict, it was easier to just ignore it.
‘But Haben… you idiot.’
I could feel him glaring at me from behind as I opened my book.
‘I didn’t help Jerdin—I helped you.’
I sighed.
Looking around, my eyes met the fluffy-haired boy.
His curly bangs almost covered his eyes, so I couldn’t tell if we really made eye contact. But since his shoulders shook a little, he was probably looking at me.
‘Jerdin Camel…’
Honestly, his name sounded familiar from the start.
‘He’s just a quiet commoner now, but later he becomes a noble.’
Unlike the Abelus family, which slowly falls, Jerdin will rise quickly as a new noble.
‘He’ll graduate from the Academy, work at the palace, and get a title. That happens when Licht becomes Crown Prince—it was just mentioned briefly.’
And that’s not all.
Every business he tries will succeed, and he’ll become super rich.
That’s actually why the Academy lets commoners in.
They want to find talented people.
The current Emperor wants to hire talented people, so it’s possible.
Most people like Jerdin get a baronet title that isn’t inherited, but he’ll actually become a count, which is rare.
‘Anyway, Haben, don’t complain later. Staying quiet is best for you…’
That’s the way for you to survive.
I shook my head and stared forward.
Once things settled down, Professor Yuliophe took us to the library.
Haben was scared of getting more penalty points, so he didn’t bother anyone else.
We all sat together in the children’s library we visited yesterday.
“Now, I want to show you all this book.”
The professor pulled out the old book he’d been carrying.
“Does anyone know what this is?”
It’s an old book!
“That’s right, it’s an old book. Can anyone read the ancient language written here?”
Me!
“Of course not.”
Yuliophe smiled tiredly.
“Hardly anyone can read ancient language. Plus, because of the war, many scholars who knew it died… Sorry, that’s a bit sad.”
The professor’s face grew darker as he touched the book.
‘Ah…’
I watched the professor’s gloomy face.
I remembered hearing something like that.
‘Academy scholars died while retrieving old books from the western border…’
That was when black monsters were everywhere. Honestly, people dying was common.
But for those left behind, it was never easy.
Professor Yuliophe clapped his hands to lighten the mood.
“Anyway! I brought this to show you all that our library is full of important old books. So, what’s the first thing you’ll do when you go home?”
“Register for the Academy entrance exam!”
“That’s right!” the professor nodded like a salesperson.
Then a kid asked,
“Is that book really that great?”
Professor Yuliophe smiled and took a drink.
“It’s a very important document. It holds records from thousands of years ago.”
“But it looks dirtier and older than my new book…”
“That’s why it’s special,” Yuliophe said, smiling.
“If something gets old, it means time has passed. That makes it meaningful.”
The kids tilted their heads. I raised my hand and spoke.
“My dad says people get older every day, but that just means they get wiser. Is that the same?”
Yuliophe looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
“Exactly. Some things are valuable because they are old.”
“But how did a book last thousands of years?”
“That’s our Academy’s pride. The way we preserve old books—”
Suddenly, Yuliophe stopped talking.
“Professor? Are you okay? Maybe you need your drink?” Sortie asked beside me. Yuliophe smiled weakly and drank again.
“Thank you. Anyway, our old book library has a special environment for keeping old books safe.”
The kids clapped, not really knowing why.
I stared at the book in Yuliophe’s hands.
‘So the professor knows the old books are being erased.’
This old book was in really good shape.
But what caught my eye was a little bookmark stuck in the middle.
‘He marked the spot that’s turned blank.’
Yuliophe carefully opened the book to the bookmark.
“This is a document about Bamiless, the capital. The title is Scenes of Beautiful Bamiless.”
“I can’t read any of it!”
“It’s written in ancient language. Back then, everyone used it, since there were no separate countries.”
Yuliophe explained.
“Is it different from our continent’s language?”
“Totally. Our language is basically like the Empire’s, but the ancient one…”
He paused. I could guess what he’d say next.
“It’s like the ancient language of the Magic Kingdom.”
I gently closed my hand into a fist.
“That means wizards used to live on this continent.”
“Wow, that’s cool! Could I have been friends with a wizard?”
“Maybe! Now, let’s look inside together.”
Yuliophe slowly turned the pages.
Since it was full of pictures, the kids were interested.
‘I should visit him later.’
I looked at the professor’s tired eyes.
‘But if I just go up and talk, will Yuliophe avoid me?’
And I can’t just blurt out that I know the secret of the old library.
‘How can I naturally get on his good side…?’
Hmm. I crossed my arms and thought. I felt like Liam once said something helpful about this…
Break time.
“Um, excuse me.”
As I was packing my bag, someone came up to me.
“Huh?”
“Uh, thanks… for earlier. And yesterday too…”
It was the fluffy-haired Jerdin Camel.
His light purple hair covered his eyes. His cheeks were thin, and he was shy, speaking softly.
I gave him my kindest smile.
“No problem. But…”
I suddenly stood up and leaned close to Jerdin’s face.
“Wh-what’s wrong?”
“If you’re really thankful, remember today for a long, long time, okay? If you ever write an autobiography, you can use this story.”
“I don’t really get it, but…”
Jerdin nodded shyly.
“I think I’ll remember it for a long time…”
Dad, I’m now friends with someone who’s going to be one of the richest people on the continent…
