The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 172

It was a memory probably more than a year old.

It was a rainy day that ruined your mood.

The words she heard then often lingered in Lortel’s mind.

“Didn’t I tell you before that power gained through betrayal is eventually lost through betrayal? Even though I was so vigilant and careful, it didn’t make any difference.”

The Golden King Elte, who was captured, sitting on the convoy headed towards the imperial court as he stared at Lortel through the wooden bars.

He had a cold expression and a fishy smile.

“Look at me. Do I look ridiculous?”

The robe he wore, which was always luxurious, was now torn here and there and covered in dirt. His bushy beard and mustache were also soaked in blood.

The sight of him sitting on the floor of a dirty wagon, drenched from the rain… He looked too ruined to be considered a merchant who once ruled the continent.

As soon as the convoy departed, Elte Kehelland looked straight at Lortel as he spoke.

“It’s better not to laugh. Look right at me.”

She expected him to curse and be angry at her, but… unexpectedly, he spoke calmly as he looked at Lortel.

Looking at his arms, she could see his sleeves were completely ripped and soiled, not suitable to be called a wealthy man’s garment.

In the back of the narrow convoy, so small he could not even spread his arms wide, he smiled wryly as he spoke to Lortel.

“This is your future.”

As she watched the carriage moving away, Lortel felt a strangely unpleasant feeling.

Those who prospered by betraying others would eventually fall to ruin by being betrayed.

That was a phrase she often heard, from the churches all the way to the merchants. It was a saying that was quite common.

Betrayal was like a magic sword. Once wielded, it stuck to you until death, leaving behind a curse.

Once branded as a traitor, no one would believe in you any longer.

So, it was only when necessary that people continued their relationship with you, based on their own interests.

However, no one wanted to do long-term business with someone who had a history of betrayal, nor would they want to build a relationship of trust that went beyond their personal interests.

If one seized power through betrayal, they must live in solitude until the day someone usurped that power.

The moment one became complacent and lowered their guard, the sword of betrayal that they once wielded would move to another’s hand as they pierced through the original betrayer’s chest.

Once that forbidden weapon fell into your hand, there was no way to escape.

Especially in the world of commerce, where trust and credibility were priceless.

While heading towards your inevitable downfall, struggling to hold on for even one more day… When the time came, you would have no choice but to face your death humbly.

Until that day came, no one would believe in Lortel Kehelland.

At least in the world of merchants, those who ascended to power through betrayal always ended up like that.

The pouring rain.

Lortel Kehelland frowned as she watched the departing convoy.

For her, who always smiled like a snake, it was a pretty serious expression.

* * *

“What’s with this atmosphere?”

The same question was asked once more, but this time the person that was being asked was different.

Inside the clean and gorgeous private villa, after changing clothes and sitting on a rocking chair by the fireplace, Lortel looked at Bell as she stood quietly next to her and asked directly.

“Why is there a strange atmosphere between Ed and Yennekar? As if they are being careful and respectful to each other, like newlyweds who just spent a night together?”

“……”

“And why do you keep avoiding eye contact, Bell?”

Lortel’s question was sharp. Bell broke out into a cold sweat as her brain ran at full power.

While working at Ophelis Hall, she had gone through all sorts of crises. It was the first time she had ever faced such a checkmate.

She tried to use her wits to find a way to somehow manage the situation, but of course there was no way to solve it.

So, in the end, Bell has only one option. To merely convey the facts as they were.

“Lady Yennekar and Young Master Ed kissed.”

She succeeded in summarizing it in one line.

She only uttered one sentence, but Bell nearly choked saying it. Struggling to look up at Lortel’s expression, she was surprised to see that she was rather relaxed.

“……”

No, she was just frozen.

“Are you flustered?”

“…A little bit?”

“It is enough to catch anyone off guard.”

“No. Actually, looking back, it’s not something to be so flustered about. In the first place, I was the one who kissed him first.”

“…Pardon? The two of you have kissed?”

Bell asked in amazement as Lortel gasped.

“…I made a slip of the tongue.”

“…It’s okay. I’m good at keeping secrets.”

“No, it is not something to hide in the first place. In fact, it might be better to show it off in public if possible.”

Lortel, who wore skirt-styled pajamas with her hair braided to one side, had a different feeling to her than usual. Rather than being a cold-hearted merchant, she looked more like a girl.

Unlike in Ophelis Hall, where she always had to maintain dignity, or in the Elte Store, where she had to maintain the cold-hearted nature of a merchant… In her private villa, it was okay for Lortel to act rather relaxed.

It was much better and more comfortable than she had expected, so Lortel was rather excited to return to school. Although she had accumulated so much wealth, there weren’t many places she could rest comfortably without that burden on her shoulders.

“You want to show it off in public?”

“Yes, that’s right… I’m the first person to have kissed Ed… It’s probably best to go and talk about it to set the facts straight…”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“…No, that’s not it. I also have a sense of shame.”

Although she was a bit like a fox and a snake, Lortel was also a girl of a tender age.

She couldn’t proudly boast that she had kissed someone. And in terms of dating, it wasn’t like she was at a level that was higher than Yennekar. Rather, she was closer to rock bottom.

“Haah…”

She dreamt of living at the camp, where she could run into Ed whenever she had the chance. However, as soon as she arrived, her mood was ruined upon seeing Yennekar and the atmosphere that was in the air.

She was somewhat prepared to fight against Yennekar, but it was still much more of a headache than she had anticipated.

Lortel took a deep breath as she pressed on her throbbing head.

“After I dealt with all the work that had built up at Oldek and cleared the time to come back early, Acken Island ended up being completely different than I had thought. It seems I can’t have a single day of peace.”

“So… Miss Lortel.”

“…What is it?”

“Are you planning to use any other means…”

Bell was asking a rather personal question, unlike her usual self. She was a maid who was talented, making sure to always draw a line with her employer and ensuring that she did not cross it… But now, she was asking such a question with a desperate expression on her face.

In fact, Bell had already expected that reaction. As for the crazy relationships that circled around Ed Rothstaylor, she has already given up on controlling them.

It was true that she had been trying to push the progress with Yennekar along, but in reality, that didn’t fix the situation around Ed.

Rather, it ended up adding to the chaos even more. It couldn’t be considered a solution to the problem.

So, Bell had to ask her. By chance, was she up to something else?

“I’m not sure… Well, I certainly cannot sit still.”

“……”

It was so difficult!

Bell Maya didn’t want to root for a particular person.

That was because all of the women around Ed had their own reasons or their own complicated life stories.

She had clapped upon seeing Yennekar make progress, but more than that, she was just happy that there was some progress in Ed’s relationships.

As the head maid of Ophelis Hall, she saw all of the girls up close. So, it wouldn’t be strange to say that Bell actually knew them much better than Ed himself.

In the end, Bell was still nothing more than a middleman, but… she didn’t lose to anyone when it came to having good sense.

“Lady Lortel is already so busy… but I guess there are some things that can’t be helped.”

In the end, as her servant, the only thing Bell could do was respond appropriately to Lortel.

It was a frustrating position to be in, but Bell wasn’t in a spot where she could take the initiative to fix the situation.

“Still, I didn’t have a choice but to go back to Oldek during break…”

“It seems like you were quite busy in Oldek.”

“Rather than busy…”

Lortel was about to say more, but then shut her mouth. From Bell’s point of view, it wasn’t that strange.

No matter how comfortable she might be with her, Lortel was still in a position where she had to be careful about what she said. Working in Ophelis Hall, Bell had grown constantly seeing people in such positions.

The same was true for Lortel. No, rather, Lortel was in a rather special position.

“Those old foxes in Oldek… they live by only thinking about how to take from others.”

She had already been backstabbed before by the former head maid, Elris.

She herself had also tried to backstab the previous head of the Elte Company, Elte Kehelland. Naturally, there were going to be countless merchants in Oldek who would also attempt to backstab Lortel.

That was why Lortel was much more cautious than before.

There was no one in the world who she could completely trust. She would only have partnerships with other people as long as their interests were in line with each other.

Sadly, Lortel’s relationships had been like that her entire life.

“If I don’t go back to Oldek periodically to get rid of all the lurking backstabbers, I’ll never know if I might one day wake up with a knife stabbed in me. When the weight of one’s power is heavy, more people will try to covet it.”

“Then you must have had quite the hectic time this break.”

“Things like book manipulation and embezzlement are cute. However, the corrupted old foxes that have been in the upper headquarters since Elte Kehelland was the boss, they’re starting to gather to betray me. After all, I am that man’s adopted daughter… That’s more than enough reason to expel me.”

Bell had to be careful about what to say after hearing that.

It seemed it was a sensitive issue, even for Lortel. That was why Bell, who was good at conducting herself, was quite hesitant.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to put you in such a spot. I’m sorry. I’m telling such a depressing story.”

“No. Working at Ophelis Hall, I see a lot of people with complicated circumstances. You don’t have to feel uncomfortable because of me.”

“Anyway, you have an atmosphere around you that softens people’s hearts, Bell. It made me even end up talking about useless things…”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

As Lortel fell back into her armchair, Bell cleaned the remaining food off the table as she spoke.

“Anyway, it seems that you are doing your best to keep your place and live a fruitful life. So, it goes without saying, but I don’t think you have to worry yourself and stress about such things.”

Bell always spoke in regard to theory. Even though it was theoretical, in the end it was the right thing to say.

She did not offer any words that would help her, but they were honest enough that they held a mysterious power to heal another’s heart.

“In this world, isn’t everyone doing their best to try and make a living? So, there will be times where good things happen and bad things happen.”

“You always have such a way with words, Bell.”

Lortel closed her eyes as she let out a deep sigh.

“When you have money and power in your hands, quite an interesting thing happens. By the time you come to your senses, you’ll realize that it was eating away at your life. In the end, making it difficult for you to live a life without money and power.”

“I’ve never had both, so I can’t empathize with that…”

“What I’m certain of is, whether it’s money or power, it’s better to not have either in the first place.”

What did Lortel want to say? Why was she saying such a thing?

Trying to figure out her intentions little by little, Bell continued to listen without responding.

“Being entangled with money and power, it becomes your entire reason. So, if I were to lose both… Then, for the rest of my life, I would have nothing but loneliness.”

“Lady Lortel…”

“Yeah, but what’s so different about me? Of course, I’m also afraid. My skills in magic, my talent at conversation, and my past achievements will all be in vain.”

Lortel had lived in the cruel world of merchants since she was a child, when she could barely read.

“If I lose money and power, what will I have left? Both me and those around me, it will all be empty.”

“You don’t have to think that way.”

“Thanks for trying to make me feel better, but I also know how to view myself objectively to some extent.”

Lortel, buried in the armchair, felt more relaxed than usual.

Every time she went to Oldek, she felt that reality ate at her more and more.

After all, Lortel’s authority came from money and power.

Her numerous achievements at a young age and the skill at bringing profits into the hands of people, that was why people looked up to her and lowered their heads.

The employees of the store, her business partners, the heads of her competition, the head of Oldek’s back alley, and even the captain in charge of the ship… The core of every human relationship Lortel had built was through money and power.

In Bell’s eyes… Lortel looked extremely lonely.

She was at an age where she shouldn’t know about the harsh realities of this world yet. In a romantic place such as Silvenia, she was at an age where she should have dreams and goals to reach far away.

She ended up becoming an adult much too early, as she had to stand up on the road by herself with nothing.

It couldn’t have been an enjoyable experience.

“So, I am risking my life to protect my vested interests. I don’t have any great reasons, such as accumulating wealth or proving my ability.”

“……”

“Because for me, this is all I have.”

For a bard who traveled the world lightly, a lute around their neck was the best treasure.

For beggars who walked the streets, an empty can used to collect coins was the best treasure.

Lortel was no different. However, hers was only slightly larger.

To her, that was all she had left. So, holding onto it tightly, afraid that someone might snatch it away… Were they any different than a child’s tantrums?

Was it too much of a stretch to compare her crude inner self, which was like a sly and heartless fox, to that of a child’s tantrums?

With a forced smile, Lortel hovered by the fireplace.

“But don’t you also have Young Master Ed?”

“……”

“At the very least, I think Young Master Ed looks at you as yourself.”

Bell was sharp. She always hit where you least expected it.

“That’s why you’re obsessed with Ed, aren’t you?”

A boy who was always sitting by the campfire, sharpening his bow with a dagger.

He was a man who somehow seemed to be out of touch with reality.

Whether it was three coins or piles of gold, he always looked back with blank eyes. It seemed as if he was always just greeting Lortel truthfully.

He was a person who was completely out of touch with Lortel’s views of the world.

From the cold streets of Oldek to Acken Island, where Silvenia was located.

She’d met a lot of people, but she could easily say that he was the most unusual of them all.

Trust that can be exchanged without cost. How much would you have to pay for something like that?

How valuable was having mutual trust that could be obtained without money?

“There are quite a few people like Young Master Ed in the world.”

“……”

Human beings were truly sad. They were designed to crave more of what they could not have.

So, for Lortel, communicating with Ed was as anxious as walking with an expensive piece of glass in your hands.

If there was a slight change, the relationship between them would end up being defined by profit and loss… It would become a transactional relationship.

So, if such a relationship, one based on transaction, formed… It would be no different than a relationship that was maintained through money.

Maintaining that balance was a suffocating and stressful job for Lortel, who had learned everything while living in the world of merchants.

Whatever way things turned, she was afraid that even the slightest twist would destroy the mutual trust she had built with Ed.

Fear.

Right. The name of that emotion was fear.

It was like clenching a handful of sand with your fist. Even a little carelessness would make it fall through your fingers, disappearing into dust.

But if she opened her fist too late, there would be nothing left. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t afraid.

“Actually, recently I’ve been feeling countless different emotions that I haven’t felt before in my entire life.”

“I see. You have been in a lot of pain.”

“No, it’s not painful. Rather, it might be better to say that I am happy.”

Feelings of loss, jealousy, monopoly, love, fear, ecstasy, heart pounding, tension, anxiety, a sense of accomplishment, and relief.

It felt like pouring lubricant into a heart that had hardened like a cold machine after living in the cruel world of merchants.

She had spent her entire life as a merchant who built walls, drew lines, and observed others’ behaviors from the outside—regardless of who it was.

For Lortel, those new thoughts and feelings were rather special. It was as if she was a blind person who had finally come to see the world in full color.

She didn’t think of a business representative on the other side of the negotiating table. Rather, she thought of the boy who sharpened his bow by the campfire.

Instead of looking for the trick within the contract or how much of a profit she might lose… She thought about what that boy was thinking, what he was worried about, what he ate during the day, what he would be doing tomorrow, and things along that line.

The sound that tickled her ears reminded her of his crackling campfire in the camp as the warmth permeated through Lortel’s body.

Seeing Lortel slowly close her eyes and rest peacefully, Bell also closed her eyes without saying anything more.

If every moment that Lortel spent pushing and pulling with Ed was like a treasure for her, then it also had its own value.

In the first place, it wasn’t Bell’s place to judge another’s value. A maid’s job was simply to assist with her housework and her life.

With that thought in mind, Bell busily prepared to leave for work.

* * *

“By the way, I got food supplies from the Elte Company… but the price has increased a lot. From now on, I think we will have to reduce the order quantity a little by the delivery price. Or we will have to ask the school to raise our budget.”

“Oh my… I see. Because of some circumstances, the prices around Acken Island are on the rise.”

“I see… I was very surprised when I checked over the price list this morning. Ophelis Hall will try and figure out what to do about it as soon as possible, so for the time being, can you keep the prices as they were? Because of Ophelis Hall’s operation policy, the deterioration in the quality of a meal is unacceptable.”

She spoke about business as briefly as possible.

In the first place, Lortel’s private villa was a place for her to rest. Bell wasn’t so ignorant that she would try to talk about logistics and distribution in such a place.

After finishing all the basic tasks, Bell opened the door to head back to Ophelis Hall.

Just before she said goodbye, she briefly brought it up so that they wouldn’t have to worry about it later.

“Hmm… I expected that the cost of food delivery would go up, but… Was it that much of a burden?”

“I thought you were aware, since I figured you had signed off on the unit prices?”

“It was because I was absent. While I’m away, the issues within the Silvenia Branch are usually taken care of by Dune. So, it was also probably him who came up with the prices and settled on it.”

Lortel flipped the collar of her loose pajamas as she spoke, tilting her head.

“However, while I was expecting an increase in inflation, I did not know that it would be this much. I’ll have to check it out myself tomorrow. Are there still any documents that were left over from the store?”

“It was dealt with yesterday and today, so it will probably still be there.”

“I see. We will try and maintain the distribution for the time being. Ophelis Hall is a good business partner, so we have to take care of at least this much. Judging by the amount we distribute to you, it is unlikely that there will be a loss.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Bell politely said farewell to Lortel. It seemed that it was time to end talks about business.

“Oh, right. Bell. Next time you come, bring some wine. The kind I personally kept in my room when I was at Ophelis Hall.”

“Bringing it is fine, but… can you keep it?”

“I personally ordered a small wine cellar for the basement of this villa. I haven’t checked on it yet, but…”

“I haven’t received the basement key yet. The basement has only been recently completed, so I haven’t had the chance to properly clean it yet.”

“Is that so? That’s a bit sad. Next time, please get the key and clean it up.”

“I understand.”

After saying goodbye, she closed the door and left the villa. Her nice and beautiful villa looked rather decent, even at night.

Looking a little further across, she could see Ed’s camp. It was already midnight, but the campfire was still lit.

When she got a little closer, she saw a blonde boy sitting around the campfire. He hadn’t gone to sleep yet, as he was still watching the fire while he smelled the grass of the forest.

In the middle of the forest filled with only the rustling of leaves, the boy was sitting alone.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Bell grabbed her bags as she glanced at Ed while she passed through the camp.

Ed was sharpening his arrows with his dagger. Or was he doing something else?

“……”

“Don’t make that face. It doesn’t require much effort to fix my equipment. It’s the perfect type of work, perfectly suitable for rehabilitation.”

“I didn’t… say anything…”

“……”

Bell already knew from experience. Ed was not the type of person that could be stopped.

However, Bell’s concerns were in a slightly different area.

Seeing Lortel feel much more at ease, thinking about the meaning behind her relationship with Ed… Bell started to sympathize with her and had mixed feelings.

Whether it was Lortel, Yennekar, or Lucy, everyone had their own way of relying on Ed.

However, Ed only had one body. Why couldn’t humans be divided into three? God was really unfair.

With mixed feelings, Bell sat across from Ed for a moment.

“…Why are you making such an expression? Well… I just had some time, so it’s fine to sharpen my arrows a bit… I won’t overdo it, so don’t worry…”

“It’s not like that. It’s just…”

Bell sat as she looked at Ed for a long time with a distressed look on her face.

“Can you… do something like shadow cloning?”

“…Did you eat something bad?”

“Never mind… I’m sorry…”

And like that, the night at the camp darkened.