Chapter 122 - Spirit of the Guardian Tree (1)

Zenia angrily slammed the underwear onto the bed.

"What is this, what did we miss? We had the key. So who was it?"

Haley pouted and said, "If they didn't sneak in... did our junior bring them directly?"

Zenia muttered to herself as if betrayed, "And here I thought they were innocent... This pisses me off."

Zenia reached under her skirt and slid her underwear down to her feet.

She threw her worn underwear onto the pillow with all her might.

With a soft thud, it stuck to the pure white bedding.

Haley shouted, "You crazy bitch! How can you throw what you were wearing!!"

"I thought their innocent act seemed strange. This is too annoying."

"Still. Are you going to attend class like that?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with that? I can't be the only one doing this."

"..."

"You should leave one too."

Haley frowned and struggled internally for a moment.

Being from an imperial noble family, getting caught doing this could result in immediate house arrest.

"Ah... damn... I don't know."

Finally, she, too, removed her underwear and awkwardly threw it onto the bed.

Zenia raised one corner of her mouth seeing the Art Club president's vulgar deviation.

"I think this year... our freshman will collect the most."

Not all freshmen receive equal welcome ceremonies. Whether positively or negatively, those who stood out and were talked about naturally received more attention.

Haley nodded along with Zenia's words.

"...Despite Hubert and Georgia and all that, our freshman is definitely the best."

And as direct seniors, it was desirable to increase their junior's value. Even if they pretended not to care, who received more attention became a point of comparison among classmates.

"Let's go. It's class time."

Having finished their business, they left room 31F.

Leaving the door wide open.

***

Everyone arrived at Eternia's dock and transferred to waiting carriages headed for campus.

Trisha and I took a different route toward Silveryn's mansion.

Perhaps from accumulated fatigue hitting all at once, my body felt drained.

Unlike others, Luna and I had continued until the end of practice and fought more intense battles. Naturally, we were more tired than others.

We looked terrible. Not having properly washed for a week, we reeked of dirt and sweat.

In the carriage, Trisha kept nodding off until she finally laid down on the seat.

After arriving at the mansion, I carried the deeply sleeping Trisha inside on my back.

This would be her last stay at this mansion. Well, she could come again someday if the chance arose.

Though she was in better shape than me, she looked just as disheveled. Since I couldn't put her in bed, I laid her temporarily in front of my room's fireplace and lit a fire.

Then, I took my long-awaited bath.

While scrubbing off accumulated grime in the steaming water, I discovered the teeth marks remaining on my shoulder.

Though days had passed, they were as clear as if just bitten.

Even massaging firmly with my hands wouldn't erase the marks. Perhaps Trisha was actually a vampire.

Returning to my room after bathing, I noticed Trisha's discarded clothes like shed skin.

The trail led from the fireplace to the bed.

Pulling back the covers revealed Trisha's crown curled up inside my bed covers. Pure white hair. She had even removed all her artifacts.

"Wash before sleeping."

She mumbled in a half-asleep state, "Mmm, don't care... wanna sleep."

Using my bed however she wants when it’s not even her own. I can't even pull back the covers because she carelessly threw off her clothes everywhere.

I sighed and sat at the desk.

I took out Sion's letter that I'd momentarily forgotten about.

I hesitated to read this letter.

[To Candy]

It was definitely addressed to me.

I prepared myself mentally and broke the seal. Then, unfolded the letter inside.

"As expected..."

It wasn't a letter written by Sion. As I'd predicted, it contained a message from her master, Geshin Grig.

A Sword Master counted among the continent's top ten showing interest in me.

Back at the orphanage, I couldn't even speak to nobles, yet now I had received a letter from a Sword Master.

I held my breath and checked the contents.

[...I heard from Sion about the battle at Mount Grace's summit. Sion says you're the real overall first-ranked. I hear you wield a unique sword with swordsmanship I've never seen.]

[...I'd like to invite you to dinner. I don't mind if you wear your mask, so please visit without burden.]

An address in Rigbed was written along with a date and time. Looking at the date... this was two days after the circulatory system practice ended, the day after tomorrow. Barely any time to think about it. I'd planned to consult Silveryn but this was quite troublesome.

Additionally, there were bills that could be exchanged for gold coins. A considerable sum equal to two or three months' salary from my time as a craftsman.

What's this? I don't understand the intention behind including it. Is it for carriage fare? This is too much for that.

Though they said to come without burden, I couldn't help feeling burdened. But what could I do—I couldn't refuse a Sword Master's invitation.

...I suppose I should go.

The next day, I waited in the back seat of the classroom for the final circulatory system lecture. Still not fully recovered from practice fatigue, I felt half dead. Students began filing in and taking their seats.

Then, a group of five or six female students started coming up to my row.

Several from the group looked my way and greeted me.

"Hello~"

I'd never met them before. Thinking they must be greeting someone else, I watched with lifeless eyes.

They complained half-jokingly, "Why won't you greet us back~"

They nudged each other, giggling before going down to sit in the lower rows.

Are they greeting me? 

If so, that was an ominous sign. How would strangers know to greet me?

Soon after, an unfamiliar female student holding thick books to her chest came up to my row and gave the same greeting.

"Ah, hello."

"..."

When I looked at her with suspicious eyes, she seemed flustered and half-covered her face with her books.

"Ah, sorry."

Then, she scurried down.

I needed to take this current situation of strangers acting familiar seriously. Until before practice, this hadn't happened in my memory.

Since I maintained a dual identity. Clearly, something had happened regarding my status, for better or worse.

Most likely it was related to circulatory system grades. Perhaps it became known that Luna and I were in a group, or maybe the school accidentally revealed who brought the horn.

And several students looked my way, giggling and whispering.

Something felt off. The atmosphere suggested I had caused trouble or became the subject of rumors.

Just then, Luna entered the classroom. She took a seat around the middle row without giving me a single glance.

The gazes toward Luna weren't as intense as those toward me. 

What could it be? 

I wonder if Luna knows something.

Then Professor Candinella stepped onto the podium and the restless atmosphere settled.

She checked her pocket watch once and leisurely waited for late students. She didn't scold those coming in late.

Finally, Candinella surveyed the full classroom and spoke.

"The reason I'm here is to announce the schedule for the second Soderton circulatory system practice."

The classroom atmosphere plummeted terrifyingly.

"That's a joke. I'm here to explain how grades will be calculated. Relax."

She lifted and then dropped everyone's hearts before beginning to explain the bonus and penalty criteria for this practice.

She continued with straightforward explanations of how many points a student received for reaching certain areas, and deductions for failing to reach others.

Everyone's faces were stiff as they calculated their scores in their heads while recalling their practice experiences.

When the explanation ended and question time began, about thirty students raised their hands simultaneously.

Candinella said, "Lower your hand if it's about your personal grade. Come find me after class."

Five lowered their arms while the rest remained rigidly raised.

When she pointed to one, a male student asked loudly, "Was there anyone who brought back the fantastical beast's horn in this practice?"

Including seniors, only two people had ever brought back the horn.

This topic had been the biggest talking point among first-years. Even those unconcerned with top ranking couldn't ignore it because of the love potion.

Candinella surveyed the classroom with a faint smile.

"Lower your hands if you were going to ask the same question."

Everyone lowered their hands.

The classroom suddenly became mouse-quiet.

"First, I won't say who it was. It's obvious you'd harass them chasing after the potion and top ranking. There's also concern about theft."

She paused briefly before continuing, "And... there is a student who brought the horn. That student completed the task cleverly, bravely, and in a unique way. It's a shame I can't explain the process to you all."

No one dared speak carelessly.

"Though I can't tell you who ranked first, since the love potion affects the mental system, anyone who thinks they might have been given the drug should come see me privately. I'll help with the antidote. Now, any other questions?"

Everyone maintained silence. No one dared venture guesses about who accomplished such a difficult feat.

She announced the end of class and called out several student names.

"Ah, Hubert, Sion, Damian—I need to discuss dormitory matters with you, so come see me!"

Several female students turned to look up at me, giggling.

"...?"

Soon after, students rose and flooded out of the classroom.

And those called gathered before Candinella standing at the podium.

She carefully looked over the faces of all three of us including me and said, "Well, looking at you, it seems you haven't been marked as hateful. That's fortunate in this misfortune. Haa, even when told to keep the welcome ceremony moderate, they still cause trouble like this. Hubert and Sion, you two will need to move to temporary dormitories depending on the extent of damage. Go find the Witdruff Hall maid or supervisor."

The guy called Hubert bowed his head properly and answered, "Yes, thank you."

Damage extent? What strange events occurred in the dormitory while I was away?

Candinella stared at my still-uncomprehending appearance and said, "Damian, you... haven't checked your dormitory yet, have you?"