The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 147

, Act 3, Chapter 7. The final boss in The Invasion of Gregore Cathedral. The Princess of Frost, Selah.

A scenario where Krepin’s real face was revealed to the public and House Rothstaylor began to collapse fully.

She was a person that symbolized that the end of House Rothstaylor was nearing.

“Don’t be hesitant when talking to me about Penia. She is also precious to me, as we share the same blood. So, I don’t want to hear anything bad about her, either. However, since you’ve become close to her, you should know it well. Her becoming the emperor… Don’t you think it’s a bit much?”

When I saw Selah in my room, I was sure of it. The story was now steadily entering Act 4.

Also, the fact that the final battle of Act 3, the Lucy Subjugation, had been completely skipped.

The story has changed so much already. It was at the point where it had become difficult to predict what would come next.

Was it really okay?

In my head, the final scene of Act 3 in flashed through my head.

The image of seeing Lucy stand on the top of Right Mountain, looking up at the sky while being rained on. Only at the end of Act 3 was she able to finally shake off all her burdens of the past.

However, as always, one change led to another.

Taylee’s growth had been incredibly fast, but now that he had entirely skipped over the boss fight of Act 3… I didn’t know if Acts 4 and 5 would play out normally.

The final boss of Act 4 was Krepin Rothstaylor, who wielded the power of an Evil God. The final boss of Act 5 was the god-destroying Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok. Could Taylee really take down both of them…? At that point, I could only shake my head.

Even though there were events that happened at the end of the scenario, which seemed far away, the story had already taken a great turn and the end was now nearing. If I stopped getting involved, after doing all that I did in the first half, then a major disaster could take place.

That fact put a newfound pressure on my chest.

“Come to my side. This is my proposal to you. But for you, this is also a great opportunity.”

Selah looked at her hands for a bit before reaching out towards me.

The imperial family seldom shook hands. At most, only five or six times a year.

That was because there were very few people within the empire who could maintain eye contact and shake hands on equal terms with the imperial family.

So, allowing me to shake her hand was an act of utmost respect from Selah’s point of view.

“How could I dare touch the hand of the first princess? Even though I am a member of Duke Rothstaylor House, I wouldn’t dare touch your noble and precious body.”

“Haha, you flatter me. Then, I wouldn’t mind if you agree to it verbally…”

After saying that, Selah shut her mouth.

She frowned looking at me kneeling on one knee, not moving one bit.

“…I was rejected.”

“I only respect your nobleness.”

“Penia has no desire for imperial power. As for me, I tend to be on the ambitious side.”

Didn’t she tell me to get off of the sinking ship?

However, I was already well aware that the ship which would sink was Selah’s, not Penia’s.

“Your father Krepin will be on my side. As you are under him, you must also choose wisely.”

The Princess of Frost, Selah, cooperated with Krepin’s plans to obtain the power of an Evil God. In the end, however, she was unable to fully control its power as she was eaten alive by Mebula.

It was rather gruesome compared to the other characters of Act 4.

“According to your words, Princess, Princess Penia has no interest in imperial power at this time. However, as you said, that is only for now.”

“Do you think that child is fit for the throne?”

“In an age of peace like we are currently in, the emperor needs the same virtues as Princess Penia.”

I couldn’t bluntly tell her ‘I know your future in which you will face a gruesome end. That’s why I won’t take your side.’

Ultimately, I had no choice but to use another excuse. I just happened to have such a letter to help with that… Right now, there was no better excuse than Penia.

“I have no doubts that Princess Penia will become someone worthy of the position of emperor. Even though you say she has no intention of becoming the emperor right now, I will continue trusting in her and waiting.”

“Ha… I don’t know what happened in Silvenia, but it’s incredible to see you supporting her to this extent.”

I was ready to get yelled at if she became furious, but to my surprise, Selah only smiled softly, looking straight at me with her bluish eyes.

“I’m salivating.”

“Pardon?”

“To be honest, I like looting.”

Yennekar was the one who responded to her in shock. Her shoulders trembled as she stared back and forth between me and Selah. She looked like a terrified mouse. It made me start to feel sympathetic for her.

I looked at Yennekar and shook my head. I was trying to tell her to stay still.

“I’m not sure the meaning of your words.”

“In most cases, one’s principles and beliefs are most beautiful when broken. I want to see just how far your convictions towards Penia will go.”

Selah’s thoughts were completely incorrect.

The reason I spoke in support of Penia wasn’t because I really wanted to support and follow her from the bottom of my heart… It was simply for my own safety. Right now, I have no intention of being close to Selah.

“Well, there is still plenty of time. The social gathering will last for five days… So, I hope that, during this time, you’ll realize just how big the gap between Penia and I really is. If you change your mind, you can always tell me.”

“Thank you very much.”

“It’s nice to see you being polite to the very end. I wonder what will happen when those principles and beliefs of yours shatter? Well… I’m sure it will be great…”

Selah touched my cheek with her cold hand. She had a strangely faint smile on her face. Even her smile was extremely cold.

“Flowers in a flowerbed are much too easy. A person’s heart is much more cunning. We tend to pay more attention to the grass on a cliffside than the roses in a flowerbed.”

“You think of me too highly.”

“Alright. I will see you again.”

After saying that, Selah flicked her hair before leaving the room with a smile.

Dest, her butler, was already waiting for her in front of the door.

* * *

“Thinking about it makes me feel bad…!”

Yennekar was squeezing her skirt tightly, getting angry.

In front of Selah, she couldn’t let it show that she was angry. But the moment she left, she started fuming, saying ‘I should have told her that…’ She was acting like the rather timid person she is.

However, when Selah was right in front of her talking about romantic relationships and having a child, her cheeks were completely red… Well, thinking back on what happened, I guess her emotions could have changed.

But now she felt bad? Did she think she was being looked down on? Hm?

I understood why she felt angry, but… Unfortunately, if you were to get angry at the first princess, you would only be giving yourself a death sentence.

“I’ve been at the top in my grade for a long time and it’s not like I’m weak. I might be a commoner, but does that mean I’m someone who deserves to be looked down on? No, she is still the princess, so I can’t get angry with her… maybe just a little…? Like an adult…? I’m not an easy person either~ Why did she act so cunning like that? Just like Lortel…?”

“Yennekar…”

“Even though I might not be as high and mighty as her… Still, sitting still holding in my anger… Errrgh… Errghhh…!”

“Yennekar, you’re not the type to get so angry over something like that.”

“But she kept on bothering you, Ed~!”

After spitting out the words that were in her mind, she trembled suddenly looking at me.

I took a deep breath as I pushed the table towards the chair Yennekar was sitting on. As I pushed the table, the cup of tea the maid brewed was right in front of me.

Yennekar took a deep breath as she picked it up and drank it… She then asked me, while fanning her face with her hand,

“Still, Princess Selah is quite the beauty. Right?”

“Having a few servants next to her the entire day, they are bound to take care of that.”

“I think she had come here because she wanted to recruit you, Ed… What will you do…? If you keep rejecting her like that, won’t it be bad for you?”

She spoke looking into my eyes. It seemed like she was feeling strangely worried about it, so I decided to clearly state it now.

“As I said, I will never be on Princess Selah’s side.”

“Th-That much…? I didn’t realize that you supported Princess Penia so much. And even during the student council president election…”

“Well, for that. Uhm… my reasons are complicated.”

After saying that, I decided to continue talking about what we were discussing earlier.

“So? What did you find after looking around the mansion?”

“Yeah, the mansion is really big and a hassle to look around, but… Mugg was able to gather some information.”

“Mugg?”

“He said that he could feel an oddly large amount of magic power reacting underneath Duke Krepin’s personal study. But… According to the structure of the mansion, underneath his study is supposed to be the kitchen. There’s no way you should be feeling such a large amount of magic power in a kitchen where the servants are working.”

“…That is definitely suspicious.”

Our main purpose was to collect material evidence to accuse Krepin of conducting evil deeds. It wasn’t going to be easy to find evidence of what he was trying to hide, but it felt like we had found a clue.

“I think it would be better if we went to see it ourselves. But… The study that Duke Krepin comes and goes from frequently seems to be locked when he’s absent. I think it’ll be difficult to investigate.”

“Alright. We still have five days, so let’s take our time looking for an opportunity. I will attend the social gathering schedule as diligently as I can so that I don’t look suspicious.”

There was a lot of work to do in five days.

I had to diligently participate in the social gathering so that he wouldn’t be suspicious of me. I had to find out what Krepin’s intentions were in regard to reinstating me. I needed to investigate the origin of the magic power under Krepin’s study. And at night, I needed to read the letters that I found in the cabinet of the desk.

I still hadn’t even read half of the letters between Arwen and Ed. Most of them were basic greetings, so I needed to organize them. I didn’t have enough time to properly determine the contents of the letters yet.

If I continued to stay up all night like I did last night, the servants would begin to think something was strange. That was why I needed to split my time up. The most important thing was to avoid looking suspicious. Krepin was already keeping his eye on me, so even a trivial mistake would be reported to him immediately.

“My door will always be open, so if anything happens, you can come to my room. It doesn’t matter whether it’s day or night. Just remember this location.”

“H-Here…? In Ed’s room…? Any time?”

Yennekar started to blush again as she glanced around the room. She finally lowered her head, bowing quickly.

“I-I got it…”

It was unsettling to see her move around like that.

* * *

The first night of the Rothstaylor Social Gathering.

The first day of the social gathering was the shortest.

That was because, towards the later days, the number of distinguished guests increased, and the venue moved to a larger location.

It was a five-day schedule that got busier the more time passed. That was why, on the first day, the attendees felt as if they were simply resting in anticipation of the upcoming event rather than running around in excitement.

An artfully arranged dinner was arranged in the first-floor lobby of the mansion. The orchestra off to the side played music quietly. Nobles clinked their wine glasses between tables.

There was the sound of chattering here and there, hearty laughter, and those who asked for a light-hearted dance.

The people who were gathered in the lobby were nobles trying to meet with each other and raise the name of their estates. However, they never wanted to sit in the center seat.

Even though it was only the first day, there were still a few people who had quite the name.

In particular, there was Margrave Zahul, who was dressed in fancy clothes with a chubby body. He was talking to the other nobles, whose estates were near the border.

Because he was someone who managed the large granary in the southern tip of the Empire by himself, he received much favor from Emperor Kroel.

For a while, various conversations were taking place around Margrave Zahul. Then, when the atmosphere seemed to have built up to a certain extent…

Parting through the crowd, the Princess of Frost, Selah, entered. A cold silence passed through the crowd.

She was elegantly dressed in a pure white dress. Young nobles and the wealthy elderly alike marveled at her beauty.

She walked through the crowd with a graceful yet confident elegance to her. However, no one could hastily speak to her first.

She wasn’t someone a regular or lower noble could talk to. She was a member of the imperial family.

But at the same time, it was ridiculous for such a noble guest to be left alone. Thus, it was necessary for the person with the highest status among them all to take the initiative.

However, who was going to be the one to talk to the Princess of Frost, Selah? It was only the first day, so the majority of distinguished guests had yet to arrive. It was hard to find someone suited to talk to her.

“Greetings, Princess Selah. It is an honor to meet with you like this.”

At that moment, Tanya, who was talking with other nobles in a corner of the lobby, broke through the crowd.

Tanya was dressed in a neat ruffle dress. She gently raised the hem of her skirt with both hands as she curtsied in a polite manner.

“I am the current heir to House Rothstaylor, Tanya Rothstaylor.”

“Oh, it’s nice to meet you. I was going to meet with you after seeing your brother in the afternoon, but to see you come here to meet with me… You are certainly reliable. It seems House Rothstaylor’s prestige lives up to its name.”

“Thank you for thinking as such. However, I must apologize for the small size of the venue, as it is only the first day.”

“Well, it’s not like I don’t know how the social gathering hosted by House Rothstaylor usually goes. I’ve heard that it gets bigger as time passes. So, you don’t have to worry, as I was the one who had come early in the first place.”

Selah smiled as she looked around.

To an ordinary person, the current venue alone was enough to be considered a splendid luxury. However, considering the large number of distinguished guests, it was definitely small for a banquet.

However, this was only a temporary venue, as it would later change places. That was why Selah could gladly accept her apology.

“Th-That boy—Isn’t he the previous heir that is being reinstated.”

“Certainly… he looks rather impressive. Compared to before, his physique seems to have grown quite a bit.”

“I also think he’s become much wiser. He looks like a completely different person.”

At that moment, murmuring started to erupt from the crowd. That was because Ed Rothstaylor had entered.

Selah was the most noble of all that were there. And yet, the focus of the murmuring wasn’t her.

Ed quietly sat next to Krepin, discussing something with him and quietly attending the dinner party.

However, the crowd couldn’t help but focus their eyes on him.

Looking at his blonde hair, which was neatly tied in the back, the impression he had was completely different than before.

He wore a well-suited brown banquet jacket with gold bands. He looked rather slender, as the clothes were a slim fit, but if you looked closely, you could tell his shoulders were rather large and he was taller than one would expect. He was a typical handsome man.

“Ohh. Seeing him dressed up, the impression he gives off is certainly different.”

Selah smiled as she clinked glasses with Tanya.

“You have a good older brother.”

“Yes. I am quite proud of him.”

Selah regarded it as empty words, but Tanya was quite sincere about it.

“Yes. This is a big opportunity for him. I hope he is able to learn a lot.”

Selah smiled as she brought the glass to her mouth.

Either way, there weren’t many distinguished guests on the first day. The only person Selah needed to meet with was Sinir Bloomriver.

Sinir didn’t have a particularly close relationship with House Rothstaylor. That was why it felt as if Sinir’s attention was towards Selah instead.

As for Selah, she had the same amount of interest in Sinir as she did with Ed Rothstaylor. She took a sip of her glass as she fell into thought.

As it was only the first day of the gathering, the scale was rather modest and there were no particularly large events taking place. It was only the beginning.

Once the first night came to an end, the bigger names would begin to arrive. That was when Selah would become quite busy.

So, in a way, today was the last day to purely enjoy the banquet.

Thinking of things as such, the food started to taste better. And like that, Selah spent her time enjoying the atmosphere of the banquet.

* * *

The morning of the second day of the social gathering.

After breakfast, it was around the time the morning sun started to clear away the fog.

The banquet that had been held the previous night had ended quite early. After all, it was only a time to get to know each other and understand the atmosphere.

The guests would rest in their assigned rooms in the morning. In the afternoon, they could enjoy some refreshments in the garden, the roof of the mansion, or on a nearby hill. Then, after dinner, the banquet would begin in earnest.

The natural atmosphere of the Rothstaylor Estate was rather beautiful and calming. Just walking around was enough to make it feel as if your heart was healing.

So, even though it was a rather empty schedule, the guests would be able to spend their time relaxing how they wanted to.

Though, the servants were quite busy. Even though it was an annual event, it seemed as if they were handling everything quite skillfully.

Amongst them, the busiest was the head of house, Krepin Rothstaylor.

Every time a distinguished guest arrived, he had to personally go and greet them.

It would have been fine if he didn’t greet some of the lesser nobles, but there were also a few individuals that were so esteemed, he couldn’t possibly refuse to greet them.

That also included the Princess of Frost Selah, Margrave Zahul, and Sinir Bloomriver.

However, the distinguished guests that arrived on the morning of the second day were completely different in terms of nobility. It was not just Krepin—Ed and Tanya also had to come out.

The head of House Rothstaylor was someone that was considered the highest authority on the continent. So, someone that needed to be personally welcomed by not only him, but also all of his direct descendants… It seemed unrealistic.

However, when the front entrance of the mansion—made of iron bars—opened, you could see a magnificently large carriage that left a profound feeling around you.

Ed had already seen that carriage before.

Thunk, Keeek.

The carriage stopped as music began to play. It was as if a military general were marching.

One of the servants that was driving the carriage quickly jumped from the driver’s seat. They went over to the carriage’s door as they politely opened it. The first to appear was Archbishop Samuel, who was dressed in a holy robe.

He looked rather slender with a slightly gloomy appearance. It was probably because he was not used to these events.

He was the new Archbishop that succeeded the previous one, Verdio, who was removed after being excommunicated. Thus, he still wasn’t used to the position of Archbishop.

He stepped down the stairs of the carriage as the real esteemed guest stepped out.

“Ohh.”

“That person…!”

“Th-This is the first time I’m seeing her in person…!”

Murmuring was heard from the servants. Since I had heard it, that meant Krepin, who was next to me, did as well. It was a major mistake to make, but Krepin didn’t immediately scold them, considering the atmosphere.

The majesty of the person stepping down from the carriage was astonishing enough that even a veteran servant could make such a rudimentary mistake.

Although she was small, one couldn’t hastily approach her from the divine grace that exuded from her body.

A neat, dress-like robe wrapped around her body. Her hair, which was as white as her outfit, was wrapped around her shoulders. Even though she was completely white, her eyes and the butterfly pin on her were a fierce red, like a rose that bloomed alone in a snowy field.

The Saint who stood at the top of the Holy Capital. The one who represented the will of God, who came down to Earth.

“It must have been a long journey. It is a great honor to have you visit, Clarice.”

“It’s been a while, Sir Krepin. I feel much better seeing you look much healthier over the years.”

Clarice gave her greetings to Krepin.

She then turned her gaze towards Tanya and me.

“This is my official heir, Tanya Rothstaylor. As well as my son, Ed Rothstaylor, who will be reinstated during this social gathering. I heard that you are also a student of Silvenia. You must already be acquainted.”

“Yes. Tanya is the student council president that I am proud of, and Ed is my dear upperclassman, who I have much respect for.”

Dear upperclassman.

Saint Clarice, who only called Krepin a sir, went so far as to show her respect for Ed by calling him a dear upperclassman.

She didn’t make it stand out as much as she could have, but that comment alone made the people there feel that something was strange.

Clarice grinned as she walked past Krepin to shake Tanya’s hand.

“S-S-Saint…”

“Even though it’s a lot of work, you have always done a great job acting as our student council president, Miss Tanya. I am always watching over you.”

“Th-Thank you…”

One might think that saying ‘I am always watching over you’ is just proper etiquette as the Saint, but she actually meant it.

Of course… Tanya had no way of realizing that. She only stood there greeting the Saint with a look of reverence.

Clarice smiled as she then came over to me, shaking my hand.

“It feels rather special to see you again in your hometown like this. After a long trip, it feels like a rather romantic meeting.”

“It’s an honor.”

“What do you mean, it’s an honor? It’s an honor for me.”

As we exchanged greetings, I quietly waited for her to stop shaking my hand.

It was not polite to pull your hand away from a superior first, so I quietly waited for her to let go of my hand… But Clarice only raised her other hand, grabbing onto mine. She then looked at me with eyes that twinkled like the stars.

“……”

“……”

Like that, Clarice continued to tightly hold my hand for a while not paying attention to the gazes around her. She continued to look straight in my eyes.

As the murmuring started to grow, Krepin and Tanya stared intently at me. The servants started to furrow their brows more and more.

The second day of the social gathering.

It was already starting to look like things would get noisy. It felt as if the back of my head was starting to heat up.