The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 162

The power of the Kroel Imperial Family was massive.

However, upon looking through the history books, you would realize that wasn’t always the case. From margraves who gathered their own military forces to grow in power to grand dukes who invaded into the deepest parts of the central power within the Imperial Family—sometimes, their power was comparable to that of the emperor himself.

However, under the rule of Emperor Kroel, who was considered to be a perfect ruler, there were no nobles who would dare overthrow him.

He started after ending the war with the non-humans, re-established distributions and the monetary system to increase efficiency of commerce, reclaimed the northern territories, and directly acted towards the establishment of the Imperial forces training course to raise the level of the military.

In addition to that, he was sincere enough to directly arbitrate both large- and small-scale disputes between various territories. He used his ability to hire loyal subjects and control them strictly, while always acting kind towards the empress.

“It’s been two years since older brother Lindon has been locked up in his room.”

“Hmm…”

The emperor’s private garden.

It was excessively large for a garden, exclusive to the emperor. It was more suitable to call it a park than a garden.

At the wooden pavilion in the center of the garden, the second princess, Persica, and Emperor Kroel were playing a game of chess.

“It would be great… If you give me some energy.”

Emperor Kroel was famous for being the perfect monarch. However, there was one thing he lacked compared to others: the heir to the throne had yet to be decided.

It has already been quite some time since Prince Lindon had given up his right to the throne, locking himself in his room. If he came out and declared his intention of reclaiming the throne, Emperor Kroel would summon the imperial teacher at once to prepare him.

However, he continued to lock himself in his room, cover himself with a blanket, and only ate the food given to him… It was a troubling issue for Emperor Kroel.

“My only brother isn’t well, and my two sisters are currently away… There’s no one that I can speak with openly, so I feel rather depressed, Father.”

“I know you usually stay in the library and don’t come out. You are rather sly, Persica.”

“Still, I also want to see the faces of my family. That’s why I came here to meet with you, Father.”

Persica smiled at Emperor Kroel as she spoke.

The majority of the authority and power within the imperial household came from Emperor Kroel.

The emperor not only controlled the imperial army, but all of the famous magicians and alchemists that worked for the imperial family, as well. They were all individuals who greatly looked up to Emperor Kroel.

All of the officials within the imperial household held the same respect towards him. He was someone who had held such a position for a long time without any issues.

However, the problem was his successor. Among the three princesses, which one of them would inherit the power and authority that came with the throne?

At the start, Penia held the highest power—but after she entered Silvenia, Selah’s power rapidly rose.

The key personnel of the imperial household… The prime minister, the knight commander, and the head housekeeper were all close to Selah.

Each of them were individuals that held a great amount of experience and authority. Selah’s power was growing tremendously, having their support behind her.

Only the commander of the north, Magnus, as well as the chief alchemist of the imperial household, Delum, remained silent, not showing any support to anyone in particular.

The two of them were quite wise and only showed interest in the will of the new emperor. They weren’t the type to concern themselves with who would become the next emperor and the new order of power. Aside from those two, everyone else quickly moved towards the side of Selah.

During that time, Persica had only stayed far away by herself in the library reading books.

I have to start taking action slowly now.

The Kroel Imperial Household wielded an undisputed power while accumulating achievements and power over the years, and there were many times the three princesses had benefited from that power.

Now, the utmost concern was which of them would end up inheriting such a tremendous power. It was about time for Persica to start taking action.

“Father, have you heard of the great treasure that the great sage Silvenia left behind?”

Right at that moment Persica was about to act in earnest—

Before Emperor Kroel could respond, a soldier suddenly ran in, bowling politely as he made a report.

Since he was making such a sudden report so late at night, it was probably an urgent matter.

As the soldier began to report on the tragedy that occurred at Rothstaylor Mansion, Princess Persica and Emperor Kroel both hardened their expression.

The two of them looked as if they were lost in their worries.

* * *

“You saved our lives. You surely deserve a reward suitable for your deeds!”

“Thank you so much… I will personally report to the Princess and the Emperor so you can receive a grand reward suiting your heroic deeds!”

“I owe you my life…! My life had almost been taken by those Rothstaylor fellows… Those… horrific bastards…”

Yennekar Palerover was wriggling her fingertips, unsure of what to do.

Wherever she looked there were high-ranking nobles rushing towards her. As they all rushed towards her, trying to give their thanks and share a word… for Yennekar, who had lived her entire life as a commoner, it was an unfamiliar situation.

She had seen nobles at Silvenia Academy before, but most of them were the young children of noble families. At Silvenia Academy, the policy stated that she didn’t have to greet them respectfully and graciously.

However, now that she was outside of Silvenia, she was unsure how to behave around them. Overwhelmed, unsure of what to do, she continued to get praised by real nobles. Not just a noble’s child.

I’m exhausted…

Among the people gathered in Rothstaylor Mansion, waiting for the arrival of the Imperial Family, Yennekar—who was in the center of all of them—was sweating profusely.

After the nobles finally scattered away, the last person to approach her was Saint Clarice of the Telos Religious Group.

“There you are, Yennekar.”

“A-Ah… Saint. Thanks for earlier. Because of you…”

“We need to get Ed away from here.”

Since there wasn’t much time, Clarice got straight to the point. Of course, that was after making sure that there was no one else around listening in.

“…Pardon?”

“Ed is the perfect person to use for politics right now. Of course, he would be able to take care of himself, but right now he is unconscious. We need to give him time to heal, figure out the situation, and figure out a new course of action.”

Clarice whispered as she looked straight at Yennekar.

“The public opinion of House Rothstaylor is extremely poor right now among the nobles who have suffered. I may be able to quell some of the negative public opinions with my testimony and influence, but it would only be temporary. After all, right now an entire House has committed treason against the empire.”

“B-But that’s not true… Ed was the one who fought the most against the head of the house, Krepin… You also saw it. And even Princess Penia clearly saw it as well…”

“Those with power will twist the truth if necessary.”

Clarice knew that fact better than anyone else, as she had lived her life at the top of power.

If she actively tried to vouch for him, it would be of great help. However, if a princess suddenly took the opposite stance, things would become complicated. The moment the issue became a problem between the imperial household and a duke’s house, it no longer ended with Krepin Rothstaylor. The incident would most likely have an adverse effect on Ed Rothstaylor as well.

Ed Rothstaylor was in a special position.

The cleanest method would be to sneak Ed Rothstaylor away to the Holy Father Building through some excuse.

“There’s no reason to execute Ed. That’s… strange to even suggest, Saint.”

“It’s because Ed is a person who has inherited Rothstaylor blood.”

Most likely, the established forces within the imperial household would try to completely erase the existence of House Rothstaylor.

Not only members of the house who held important positions within the imperial household, but even those who were closely related to House Rothstaylor would likely have to resign from their positions.

In order to fill those newly vacant seats, there would be a battle between those with power. There was no need to explain just how important it was to take those seats.

Because of that, it would be better for them to get rid of the remnants of House Rothstaylor. If a person who held Rothstaylor’s prestige appears, then the power structure within the imperial household wouldn’t be reorganized.

That was why it wouldn’t be a case where it ended with ‘Krepin’s personal retaliation.’

Rather, there was a higher chance that they would make it a bigger deal and call it ‘House Rothstaylor’s misdeeds’ to try and bring down all of the power of the household.

When one had high prestige and power, everyone would support and praise them. However, the moment they see them backed into a corner, everyone would rush in to bite at them like hyenas. The struggle for power was always like that.

Saint Clarice sat firmly at the top of the Holy Father Building and had seen quite a few power struggles before. It was no different even among high-ranking priests.

She didn’t want to become polluted by such a reality, so she tried to keep her mind clean, focusing on prayer. However, that didn’t mean she didn’t realize the truth that came with power.

No one knew how the unconscious Ed would be used in the current situation. However, Clarice had whispered to Yennekar about her ominous gut feeling.

“So, if we can come up with a good cause and find an opportunity to leave then…”

“But even at the Holy Father Building… Would it be any different…?”

Those were words that one would never dare say in front of the Saint who represented the Telos Religious Group.

The only reason she could state her doubts was because Yennekar herself wasn’t a believer of Telos.

“Pardon…?”

“I don’t think you will try to use Ed and harm him, but… Those who are in a higher position than you may have a different opinion.”

Yennekar was pure. So, without beating around the bush, she bluntly stated her thoughts.

However, inside the Telos Religious Group, was there even a person who was higher than Saint Clarice? Yes, there was exactly one.

And that was the Holy Father, Eldane.

The perfect enticing piece, Ed Rothstaylor, had come to him on a silver platter. So, would they truly treat his wounds and protect him in the Holy Father Building?

According to common sense, such a situation would never be the case. Coming to a decision for the betterment of his people, he could never be swayed by human affection. That was a law that followed both efficiency and rationality.

Saint Clarice had some control over the high priest, but not to the extent of Holy Father Eldane.

If Eldane had a different opinion than the Saint, she wouldn’t be able to do anything to prevent it.

However, Eldane wasn’t that wicked of a person. Although he was well versed in politics, he wasn’t a person who would sell his soul like that. She was nervous about having to rely on his kindness, but… Clarice felt that if she asked him directly, it would be fine. There was a high enough chance things would all work out.

But for Yennekar… She didn’t trust Eldane. That couldn’t be helped.

Ed Rothstaylor had experienced several severe injuries while fighting with the apostles of Telos, and the person in charge of that group was Holy Father Eldane.

Eldane’s appearance back at Silvenia Academy was both indecisive and corrupt. Yennekar had witnessed it up close.

“But… Still…”:

Clarice tried to say something but was left speechless.

Yennekar looked towards Ed, who was asleep leaning against Lucy, as she got lost in thought.

There weren’t that many soldiers who were stationed at the Rothstaylor Mansion at the moment. She was exhausted after managing all of those spirits for an extended period of time, but she still had enough power to help Ed escape.

Once the imperial army arrived and entered Rothstaylor Mansion, it would become increasingly difficult to escape.

“Yennekar… What are you thinking about now…?”

“Huh…”

At Clarice’s sudden words, Yennekar gasped. She then looked towards Clarice as she grinned.

Just by looking at her, Clarice could guess what Yennekar was thinking.

“You’re not having… any reckless thoughts right now, right?”

“In case they chase after him…”

Yennekar thought that at this point, Ed shouldn’t fall into the hands of any group with power.

The best course of action would be for Yennekar to run away with Ed, taking him back to her hometown of Pulan.

It was on a secluded mountain far from any group that held power.

The people that lived there were all kind. It was a mountainous area where various medicinal herbs were grown. The air was great, making it perfect for recuperation. Plus, it was in a secluded mountain and difficult to find. If Yennekar were to ask them, the entire village would unite to hide Ed.

If that happened, even if the army searched for hundreds of days, they would never be able to find him. That was because it was impossible to know the geography better than the locals who lived there.

That way, no one with power would be able to find him easily. Then, Ed would be able to slowly recover his body and come up with a new course of action.

“There’s some risk, but it’s still best to take Ed to the Holy Father Building. I’ll take responsibility and watch over him so that nothing bad happens. It will definitely work if I personally ask the Holy Father. It’s too dangerous for you to take responsibility of him alone, Yennekar.”

“I don’t think it’s dangerous. I can protect him myself.”

“But right now, you are a hero who will receive an imperial reward. If you do something like this… Then you will instantly end up on the run.”

“I can be a fugitive if necessary. I don’t really care about being labeled a hero or given a reward.”

Yennekar looked towards Ed, who was unconscious, as she replied without hesitation.

The conversation had gone astray. As Clarice came to that realization, she continued to speak in a more urgent tone.

“Yennekar…!”

“Ed has to escape to a place nobody else can find.”

They bickered with each other for a while. The atmosphere wasn’t usual, so the soldiers nearby started to look towards them.

It wouldn’t be good if anyone heard of the plan, so Clarice got closer to Yennekar, whispering to her.

“You’re doing this… It’s because you have an ulterior motive…! Right now, it’s a matter of his safety…! And you can’t judge that while acting like that…!”

“U-Ulterior motive… That’s…”

In truth, to her there was no romance when it came to the two of them escaping.

When Ed hid in the cave under the cliff as the rain fell down during the student council election… For Yennekar, those times remained as a beautiful memory.

Memories of when they hugged for the first time as they looked at each other’s faces were causing heat to rise to her head.

And Yennekar was a completely honest individual. She was completely awful at lying.

“Th-That’s… not it at all….”

“S-See that…!”

“Th-Then what about you, Saint? Don’t you really just want to run away with Ed and keep him under control on your own…?!”

“Absolutely not…!”

She answered with complete certainty, but…

Clarice also had the experience of running away with Ed dozens of times to escape from the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok.

Clarice remembered all the memories of seeing him being crushed by the rubble of a building, falling rocks, the scales that rained down from the sky, and the last words he always said.

Heat started to rise to her face as Clarice quickly tried to calm her breathing.

And somehow, she succeeded in responding to Yennekar’s words.

“No… way…? Yeah, definitely not!”

Never mind, she didn’t succeed.

“L-Liar!”

“Why would I lie about that?! Do you think I want to bring Ed to the Holy Father Building so he can admire my position and authority? Do you think I want to watch him every day as he recuperates, enjoying the beautiful outdoor scenery while eating snacks at the top of the Holy Father Building together…?”

“Why are you so specific…?!!”

Yennekar and Clarice glared at each other as they breathed heavily… Then, an awkward silence returned as they calmed down.

“I-I apologize, Saint. I must have gotten too excited.”

“No… I should be the one apologizing for raising my voice.”

After politely apologizing to each other… another moment of awkward silence passed by.

“Anyway, I will have to bring Ed over to the Holy Father Building. If he is threatened, I can hold a holy trial at the Holy Father Building… And through said trial, we can help him be free from the accusations… As long as the imperial household doesn’t argue against us…”

“No… We need to think about if that is really the right choice…”

The farmland of Pulan or the Holy Capital Karpea.

…Of course, the two of them wouldn’t lessen their opinions.

They glared at each other as they were unable to come to an agreement, all because there was no room for compromise between the two.

* * *

It felt as if she had just gained an army of thousands.

Penia, who saw Lortel’s face, suddenly had that thought.

Lortel was close to Ed Rothstaylor. She didn’t have a good relationship with Princess Penia, but either way, the enemy of one’s enemy is an ally.

Even though Lortel was a person who clung to profits regardless of the situation and wouldn’t hesitate to do dirty deeds to maintain a friendly relationship with those in power… Now that Ed’s life was at stake, it was a completely different story.

Penia and Lortel didn’t get along well, but for the present situation alone, Lortel and Penia would be on the same side.

So Penia spoke confidently.

“Ed Rothstaylor should be treated like a hero. We must congratulate him for his efforts on an imperial level and help him restore the ruins of House Rothstaylor. He will be able to fix his broken house.”

“My god, Penia! Are you saying that you want to keep a house that had rebelled against and nearly overthrown the imperial household? Who would ever agree to that?”

“The person who stopped the imperial household from being overthrown was a member of that house.”

After saying that to Selah, Penia looked towards Lortel, who was standing still.

The reason Lortel joined the negotiating table between the princess must have been to voice her opinion. She was a businessman who had experienced it all and was a master of negotiations.

By utilizing her position and the current situation, she would be able to come up with a compromise that could resolve the situation as smoothly as possible. That was because it was Ed’s life at stake, not just anyone.

“I’m not sure. At the very least, I don’t think the nobles who were held hostage would be convinced.”

“…What?”

However, Lortel spoke the exact opposite of Penia’s expectations.

No matter how cold-blooded she was, she thought that she would always protect Ed Rothstaylor’s life.

However, Lortel continued to speak with a relaxed expression on her face, as if she didn’t care.

“It would be more politically convenient for the princesses to completely eradicate the ruined House Rothstaylor. All this time, House Rothstaylor has been occupying key positions within the Imperial Household, sharing the power of the emperor.”

“As expected, such a talented individual who leads such a business at a young age would have a different perspective.”

Selah looked at Lortel with a satisfied expression. Now Penia realized it.

Human relationships were like a tightrope. The key was the person holding that rope.

Lortel was sitting between Penia and Selah.

However, she ended up grabbing onto Selah’s rope.

Selah slowly closed her eyes as if that were to be expected. She didn’t worry a single bit.

If one were to ask between the two of them, who would become emperor? Without a doubt, they would choose Selah.

Even Penia couldn’t deny that fact. After all, she lived her life never showing a desire for power.

Normally, she wouldn’t find it strange that Lortel would take Selah’s side, but… Either way that was the current situation.

“If you take this opportunity to deal with Ed Rothstaylor, it will be advantageous for strengthening imperial power in the future. He is a very cunning and talented individual. If you don’t deal with him now, he will become a major stumbling block later on.”

“Lortel Kehelland.”

She called out the girl’s name coldly. Lortel didn’t move a single bit.

Rather, she smiled casually as she clearly responded to Princess Penia.

“The truth doesn’t always make a profit. And I am a profit seeker.”

She continued to speak clearly.

“I just decided that it would be more profitable to create a relationship with Princess Selah.”

“Do you think Yennekar Palerover and Lucy Mayreel will stand still?”

“There are various ways to keep those two in place. If we secure Ed Rothstaylor’s body and hide him away, they won’t be able to act hastily. As long as we have his life at stake, that would be enough.”

The threat that they could take Ed Rothstaylor’s life at any moment. In doing so, the two of them wouldn’t be able to act.

But if Ed Rothstaylor really were killed… that meant Lortel Kehelland’s life wouldn’t be spared, either. There was no way that she didn’t know of that fact.

So, did that mean Lortel had other additional means prepared to subdue those two? Penia couldn’t even imagine it.

“Lortel… You…”

Princess Penia felt anger rising up her back.

She realized that Lortel Kehelland and her would never be compatible with each other.

Still, no matter how cold-blooded she was, Penia thought there would at least be a line.

However, it seemed that Lortel was a person who would casually cross over that line for the sake of profit and power.

Was she really a merchant who had become so heartless?

Thinking that, Penia’s cold eyes looked straight at Lortel.

That day, when Penia was right in front of Takan, overwhelmed by the chaos… The look of contempt that Lortel had looking towards her.

This time it was Penia who was looking at Lortel with that same contempt.

Penia and Lortel were people running completely parallel to each other. Their two lines would never meet.

Realizing that fact once more, Penia let out a deep sigh.

She then stood up as she spoke in a clear yet cold tone.

“Don’t think I’m going to just stand still.”

As if she didn’t want to talk any longer, Penia quietly turned around as she left the tent.

Her eyes burned with anger and didn’t match her nickname as the Princess of Benevolence.

However, Penia couldn’t just stand still and do nothing.

“You have a good eye for people. That must be why you are so capable and powerful at such a young age.”

“A desire for power and success is only natural for a human to have. Those who hide such desires are those who I can no longer trust. So, it’s only natural that I would feel a closer connection to you, Princess Selah.”

After Penia left, the atmosphere of the tent—where only Lortel and Selah remained—was much more relaxed.

There was nothing greater than this for Selah, who still wanted to create a strong relationship with the Elte Company.

Despite Lortel being between Penia and Selah, she had openly taken Selah’s side. At the very least, that meant that Lortel, who held a great influence over the Elte Company, wouldn’t be taking Penia’s side.

There was no reason to say just how crucial that was for the competition for the throne.

“As for which of you two will most likely become emperor, I would of course have to choose Princess Selah’s side.”

“Yes. Penia lacks the qualities of an emperor. Though, she is the perfect benevolent princess.”

Selah took a sip of her tea as she spoke as if it was a shame.

“Penia knows it as well. Playing in the flower gardens alone wouldn’t be enough to make an empire prosperous. A monarch is someone who paves their own way.”

“But there’s enough value in living the life of a princess. Princess Penia must know that as well.”

“Yes. It’s a good thing.”

Selah smiled contentedly as she turned to Lortel, saying,

“Having you and the Elte Company on my side is quite reliable. If I gain the throne, then I have plans to make all the ports on the west side of Oldek a part of your Elte Company.”

“Then I will do my best. However, you must not completely look down on Princess Penia.”

“Yes. I know that as well. There are a lot of people who support her.”

Selah pursed her lips as she thought things over for a moment. Lortel took the time to put down her teacup as she spoke in a soft voice.

“That’s right. Taking Ed Rothstaylor back to the imperial household can also be a dangerous decision. While it is a place where you hold the strongest of power and influence, at the same time it’s a place where Princess Penia’s voice is quite strong, isn’t it?”

“Penia lost much of her power when she attended Silvenia Academy.”

“However, there is also the variable of Princess Persica. In any case, if you’re planning on using Ed as a source for your imperial power, you would also be bringing him to a place with your rivals. Somewhere where they might be able to flip things on you.”

“You’re right… Those risks… I thought of them before as well…”

Lortel spoke quietly and slowly, like a whisper. Those words that were going into Princess Selah’s head was one that she couldn’t deny.

She was someone who had openly sided with Selah even when the benevolent Princess Penia was right there. It was as if she had crossed a river of no return.

So, the words she said were that much more sincere, as if they were seducing her.

“Not only that, Yennekar Palerover and Lucy Mayreel are going to be much harder to control than you might think. They are much stronger and difficult to deal with. If you want to control them, you have to quickly hide Ed Rothstaylor and imply that you could take his life at any given moment.”

“Sigh…”

“If you bring him over to the imperial household as such, it might end up working against you. They are people who could easily break through the main gate of the imperial household if they needed to.”

Selah had also witnessed the power of Yennekar and Lucy. She was well aware that Lortel wasn’t speaking nonsense.

Even if she borrowed the high authority of the Kroel Imperial Household, they were still individuals who could not be easily defeated. She was well aware of that, but she didn’t think that they would try to break through the imperial gates and ignore the imperial household’s authority, ruining their future.

“Then it would make more sense to hide that man somewhere other than the imperial household. A palace no one could find easily.”

“Princess Selah.”

Lortel’s voice continued to seduce her.

Ever since she was young, experiencing countless negotiations that went back and forth… she was a master of negotiating.

“If you go all the way to the western bay of the Commercial City of Oldek, there is a large space with a lot of big warehouses.”

However, there was a difference between a negotiator and a con artist.

She was a great negotiator, but she was also a natural con artist.

Negotiation or fraud?

She was a merchant who played on that ambiguous boundary line between the two.

“It’s a place where goods that travel across the continent are loaded. The warehouse complex is rather large, as it is in Oldek as well. There are a large number of warehouses and the items loaded into them change every day. So, even the owner of those warehouses doesn’t know what goes inside. And aside from the owner, there is no reason to ever go near the warehouse.”

“Ohh. Is that so…”

“It’s so large that if you were to get lost inside, it would take an entire week to exit. Who cares about what goes on inside those warehouses? Absolutely no one. Whether its fruits, clothes, books, or minerals…”

Lortel grinned as she spoke softly.

“Or even a person.”

There was nothing more to say about who that person would be.

“If you can control Ed Rothstaylor’s life in secret like that, there will be many benefits. In the future, depending on the political situation, if it becomes difficult to benefit by publicly throwing his life at the stake then we can disguise it as if he died from excessive bleeding after being poisoned or strangled. Even if his death were to fall under suspicion, it would be under the responsibility of the Elte Company. That way, you wouldn’t have to take any risks.”

“Ohh. Are you saying it doesn’t matter if those charges have fallen upon the Elte Company?”

“We live in a relationship of trust, and I want to form a new, trusting relationship with you. This is just a means to verify it.”

That meant that if such a moment were to arise, she believed that Princess Selah would take care of it. It was as if she was taking a disadvantageous position. It was only natural, considering their difference in status and authority.

It also implied that they would help each other and maintain a long-term give-and-take relationship.

There was no relationship as reliable as one where you each knew the other’s weaknesses.

“If you want to run a large business, risk management is important. It’s what we do best.”

Little by little, that slick tongue of hers started to make its way through Selah.

She had sided with Selah while making Penia her enemy.

She understood the importance of power better than anyone else. She was a girl who was ready to sell her soul for profit.

“Would you like to make a purchase?”

Selah responded by gently pushing the corners of her lips up.

Lortel smiled quietly beneath her hood as she nodded and stood up from her seat.

“Then, Ed Rothstaylor’s body will be given to the Elte Company and taken to Oldek.”

By the time she realized it, everything she wanted was in her hands.

Anyone who fell victim to that tongue of hers would fall over as if possessed, thinking they had a treasure in their hands. Mistakenly thinking that they were making the logical choice.

And just like that, the conman ate its new victim.

Ed Rothstaylor was to be taken to Oldek.

Lortel came out of the tent as she patted the hem of her robe… Smiling mischievously, like a fox.

* * *

“……”

Lortel, who walked over to the central garden to check Ed’s condition, was completely speechless.

Once she saw Ed, who was extremely injured and unconscious, she lost her breath. However, she didn’t lose her sense of reason.

The ability Lortel had to maintain her composure was the best in the entire world.

But more than that, she had a bigger headache upon seeing Yennekar and Clarice glaring at each other in a battle of wits.

After listening to them talk for a moment, she could guess the reason as to why they were fighting.

“Ahh…”

“Lortel…?”

Clarice and Yennekar swallowed their breath as they looked at Lortel.

Even just looking at the situation, her head began to throb.

It… wasn’t going to be an easy fight.