The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 202

Bell was surprised when she stopped by the camp to clean Lortel’s Villa.

It had been more than five days since Ed Rothstaylor had gone to Cledric Monastery to attend the ceremony.

Five days of being gone meant, for those in the wild, that there was time for weeds to grow, food to spoil, and water to dry out. Not just anyone could adapt to a life in the wild, which required spending every moment of the day productively.

So, Bell had thought that while Ed was away, Yennekar would struggle to maintain the camp. That was because Ed was the one in charge of maintaining the camp.

However, the camp was surprisingly well maintained, looking rather neat and tidy. It was actually much neater than when Ed was in charge.

Like Yennekar, who had a more delicate personality than Ed, everything was neatly arranged—from tools, to ingredients, to firewood.

Seeing Bell’s surprised expression, Yennekar—who was reading a book in front of the campfire—cleared her throat as she put her hands on her hips and had a proud expression on her face.

“I am surprised to see how cleanly you have maintained the camp. You are quite talented at maintaining the camp.”

“I’ve already lived at this camp for a few months! I should be able to at least do this much!”

After saying that, she revealed a boasting figure, her chest puffed out. Rather than Bell thinking she looked cool, she felt rather proud of her.

It was true that, after being around someone long enough, you started to pick up on some of their quirks. As Yennekar had been living in the camp with Ed, she had naturally come to accumulate the skills necessary to do basic management without much difficulty.

She may have used spirits for physically intensive chores, but she wouldn’t have been able to use them for delicate or skillful tasks.

“Since Ed is coming back today, I have to show him that I’ve been able to keep this place going with no problem.”

“I see. But… uhm…”

According to Ed’s original schedule, he was supposed to return that night, after the ceremony at Cledric Monastery concluded.

The reason Yennekar worked extra hard to make the camp even tidier was because she wanted to see Ed’s surprised and delighted reaction when he returned.

“Due to an urgent matter within the monastery, his return to school has been delayed. I have just been contacted, so l came here to tell you.”

“…Hmm? Is it urgent?”

“He seems to be getting caught up in something complicated. I think he’ll be fine and come back soon, but… I’m still worried.”

“I see… Ed… I’m worried. He hasn’t been looking all that well recently.”

“Is that so? I never thought that.”

“Ever since he got caught up with that strange reagent, it seems like he’s been thinking a lot.”

Yennekar closed the large Elementalism book on her lap and placed it on the side of the tree stump. Suddenly, the book started to float in the air as the spirits around Yennekar appeared, taking it away.

“Maybe he really is having a hard time…?”

“Come to think of it… I recently told him some useless things as well. Maybe I should have refrained.”

“Useless things…?”

“It’s just… I had something I wanted to tell Young Master Ed. So, I revealed some of my past to him.”

Curiosity sparked in Yennekar’s eyes.

She was already curious, knowing that it was a story that made Ed fall deep into thought. It was also a story about the past of the head maid of Ophelis Hall, Bell Maya. It was hard to not be tempted to listen to it.

“What did you say…?”

“It’s not a very pleasant story. Also… There are some parts I didn’t give him details about. Since the story involves Young Master Ed’s personal life as well… It’s a bit difficult to share…”

As expected, she was trying to keep her mouth shut.

In Ophelis Hall, she always had a strong, work-oriented attitude, never making so much as a blunder. However, when she came to the camp, she started to become much more relaxed, making mistakes more often.

But what could she do? It was already too late.

Yennekar was already filled with curiosity.

Yennekar had her cheeks out as if she were pouting. At most, though, she would clench her fists as she shook them furiously in frustration. Even when an herbivore was angry, they only ate grass.

However, it didn’t feel right to leave her frustrated like that, so Bell let out a deep sigh as she sat down across from Yennekar.

“At one point, Young Master Ed was rather pessimistic about life and tried to kill himself.”

As Bell got ready to explain the story, Yennekar’s face turned bright like a child’s.

However, as soon as she heard the first sentence, her face immediately hardened. Since he only ever showed a strong and reliable side to him, she never thought he would ever make such an attempt.

However, thinking about his story and background, it wasn’t all that strange for him to be pessimistic about life.

“I… I had no idea…”

“Nowadays, he is doing his best to move forward and live life to the fullest. Which is great, but… I just hope he never has those thoughts again.”

“I see… So, why was this connected to your past, Bell?”

Bell pondered for a moment on how much she should say. She then started to smile faintly, as if she thought it would be okay.

“Actually, I didn’t tell Young Master Ed everything. In a way, I actually left out the most important part. Even the same story can have a completely different meaning depending on how you tell it.”

“…Is that so?”

“…Would you like to hear it?”

* * *

There was silence among the nuns.

The wooden coffin that was being carried down the central corridor was stacked with wreaths to pray for the well-being of the deceased. 109 years old. The old lady who bluffed nonsense, saying she would at least live for another 100 years, had suddenly died without any warning.

The death of an elder who devoted eighty years of her life to the Telos Religious Group alone. The death of the abbess in charge of the Cledric Monastery.

No matter how important the ceremony being held at Cledric Monastery was, it couldn’t take precedence over the death of Abbess Austin.

She was heavily respected by members of the group, as she had always shown her faith.

She could have risen to the ranks of a high-ranking clergy within the Holy Father Building, but she chose to raise the nuns, who each had their own stories, like her own daughters at the far-off monastery.

She never wore a high-ranking uniform, full of expensive religious ornaments. She never bothered to do so, as such expensive clothes would only get dirtied quickly as she worked in the monastery.

The sleeves of her uniform were completely wrinkled after constantly rolling them up. The only furniture in her room was a desk, a chair, a bed, a bookshelf, and a wardrobe, all of which were in poor condition.

Her personal belongings consisted of only a few spare robes, a holy book, and a brass bowl for prayers. She was much too frugal for a person who had lived for over a century.

The coffin that contained the remains of the elder slowly went down the corridor. Both the nuns who were carrying the coffin and the nuns watching were all in tears.

* * *

“There is clear evidence of murder.”

Assistant Bishop Melinir’s report.

Sister Melinir, who had neat and tidy hair, spoke briefly and boldly at the podium.

After lunch, Saint Clarice summoned all of the distinguished guests, high-ranking nuns, and outside visitors to the chapel, which was located in the heart of the monastery.

Entering the splendid chapel, there were all kinds of tables, relics, and various other supplies prepared for the guests to pray.

In the first place, that was where the grand ceremony was originally planned to be held. However, all previous schedules had been canceled.

“This… is top secret and must not be spread among the nuns.”

The podium in the chapel. Normally, that was where a high-ranking clergy would stand as they led the prayers. It was being used to address the situation instead.

The abbess’s sudden death caused confusion, but the exact cause and circumstances regarding it were not announced.

In the first place, the duty to take the initiative in the investigation and publish information regarding it rested on the diocesan bishop who managed the entire coastal area, including the monastery.

However, the diocesan bishop of the district just so happened to be Abbess Austin herself. Since she couldn’t conduct an investigation into her own death… It was inevitable that confusion would spread over the management within the monastery.

Ultimately, there were only a few people who had the power and authority to control and organize the chaotic situation.

Three representatives stood at the podium.

Assistant Bishop Melinir, who was an executive within the monastery. She personally managed the nuns under Abbess Austin.

The second princess, Persica. Holding the power of the imperial family, she had the direct authority to rectify the situation.

Finally, Saint Clarice, who had the authority to have the final say in all matters regarding the Telos Religious Group.

News of a death inside the monastery was already spreading around Zahul’s frontier territory.

Soon, the imperial family would send additional investigative personnel. Until then, as to who had control over the situation inside the monastery… It was clearly divided between the three of them.

The goal was to calm the nuns who resided in the monastery so they didn’t panic. When the imperial investigative personnel arrived, they would hand the authority over the scene to them.

However, Saint Clarice only called on the guests and high-ranking clergy to gather in the chapel. After personally hearing Melinir’s report, she decided that it was for the best.

“After checking Abbess Austin’s body, there are clear signs of a dagger wound. Considering that the cause of death was excessive bleeding, with traces of struggle at the scene… It’s impossible to see it as a natural death.”

She was 109 years old. Hearing that she died in her room, the first possibility that came to everyone’s mind was a natural death.

However, Assistant Bishop Melinir completely denied that possibility.

“The abbess was always taking care pf and managing herself. She was always willing to do manual labor and from my point of view—after seeing her physical condition every day—she was perfectly healthy.”

Assistant Bishop Melinir knew the kind of repercussions her next words would have, but she clenched her fists as she continued to speak.

“All of the nuns inhabiting this monastery are daughters who owe their lives to Abbess Austin. To put it bluntly, they have no reason or motive to harm her.”

Taking in a deep breath, she spoke of only the objective facts.

“And her death just so happened to be during the yearly ceremony where various outsiders come to visit the monastery. For the abbess, who got along well with all of the nuns in the monastery, to suddenly be found dead during a period where outsiders came to visit… The circumstances tell a story.”

After that, Melinir paused for a moment, as if making sure to choose her words carefully. However, the point of her story had already been conveyed well.

In the chapel, distinguished guests and noble girls from influential houses all over the world were seated.

Aside from the daughters of various counts, there was also the successor of the Toles Company, the sole daughter of the imperial prime minister, and the disciple of a famous magic tool craftsman.

All of them were girls who traveled all the way to the monastery to show their sincerity towards the Telos Religious Group.

And to such people, Melinir said, “So, everyone… I believe that all of you are potential suspects, given the circumstances. This is an understandable suspicion to have.”

Thud!

Hearing that, Count Lokast’s daughter stood up from her seat, stomping her foot on the floor. At the same time, various other daughters from noble families also stood up.

“What are you saying?! I came all the way here to show my respects towards the Telos Religious Group, but now you are treating me as a murder suspect?!”

“Are you kidding me?! How can you even guarantee that the nuns inside the monastery wouldn’t hold a grudge against the abbess?!”

“I am going to write a letter to my house! To come all the way here, only to be treated like a murderer!”

“Please calm down. You are in the presence of the saint and princess.”

At those words, all of them quickly swallowed their breath. Since they were still young and immature, they had forgotten.

Behind Melinir, two girls sat on opposite ends of the table: Princess Persica and Saint Clarice.

Even by combining all of the authority of every noble family gathered in the room, it couldn’t even compare to the authority those two held.

So, all of the young girls had no choice but to hold their breath.

After a moment of silence, Saint Clarice raised her voice at the podium.

“It is difficult to identify a suspect based on a simple motive. Abbess Austin was always kind and merciful to all. Not only that, she was someone who lived her life quietly, alone in the monastery, praying.”

Clarice’s speech made sense.

“Why would someone hold a grudge against someone like that? At the very least, there wouldn’t have been any personal or private emotional resentment towards her. Being the kind and heartfelt person she was, for someone to murder her out of emotional resentment… It’s hard to believe.”

The possibility of an emotionally impulsive murder was negligible. Then, was it a political or ideological reason?

There was only one person who would benefit from Abbess Austin’s death in the room.

The abbess fully supported Princess Penia. Now that she was no longer in the world, Princess Persica was the one who was able to reap the benefits in the competition over the throne.

Some of the noble girls seemed to have reached that conclusion. As they swallowed their dry saliva, they looked at Persica by the podium.

Princess Persica, who was sitting in a dignified manner… slowly closed her eyes before opening them again.

“There seems to be a few girls here who are looking at me with disrespectful thoughts in their heads. Are those the daughters of Viscount Lokast, Count Flosin, and Baron Kelcus? I’ll remember this.”

As if she had read their thoughts with a glance, Princess Persica threatened them.

All of the young girls of noble Houses, who had their own personal suspicions, quickly shook their heads in astonishment. They whispered under their breaths, saying that it wasn’t what they were thinking. Princess Persica stood up as if she was tired of hearing from them.

A girl who knew how to control a crowd. As if to prove that fact, she spoke in a strong voice that stemmed from the pit of her stomach.

“There is no need to hide the fact that I am working towards claiming the throne. But to murder Abbess Austin… Do you think I’m the type to go through with such ridiculous means?”

The crowd was silent.

“Even if it meant removing one of the influential individuals that support my sister Penia, to put my hands on the life of an elder of the Telos Religious Group… For you to all think that I am stupid enough to not know right from wrong… I suppose this is my fault. For you all to see me as such a shallow leader! I must reflect on myself!”

Murdering Abbess Austin while being blinded by imperial power meant nothing less than turning the entire Telos Religious Group into an enemy.

If she were really planning to do such a thing, she wouldn’t have done so at a time where she would so clearly fall under suspicion.

“What is the purpose of having power gained through putting people’s lives on a scale? I am a person who holds himself to higher morals. So, I hope you don’t continue to insult me.”

As she spoke, she never forgot to try and justify herself and her morals. Princess Persica was a rational person.

“Do you all really believe I am the only one paying close attention to the battle for the throne? All of you nobles who have gathered here… Even if you won’t admit it, aren’t you also paying close attention to the political landscape, trying to join sides with the future emperor? Depending on which of us claims the throne, there are going to be many Houses affected by it. Especially those who are closely intertwined with the imperial family. It’s difficult to believe that I am the only one here who will benefit in regards to the throne.”

After saying that, Persica slowly moved on to the next story.

“We have already received a few reports regarding Abbess Austin’s last known schedule. Last night, at low tide, she brought a few noble girls into the monastery. After completing basic procedures, she went to her room. After that, she did not formally come out to do any tasks.”

Persica summarized the report she received with a clear announcement.

The last eyewitness testimony came from a nun who went to the bathroom late last night. In her testimony, she stated that she saw her walking down the corridor of the monastery saying, ‘I am going to catch a ghost.’

That meant Abbess Austin was still alive until late last night.

“She was going to catch a ghost?”

Hearing Clarice’s question, Princess Persica answered.

“Recently, rumors have been circulating among the nuns that there is a ghost roaming around the monastery. Well, it might just be a wild animal making noise or the young nuns’ imagination running wild at night.”

“…I see…”

“Anyway, with so many guests coming to visit, she must have gone to confirm the identity of this ghost.”

However, she was then found dead in her room.

At that point, I started to feel nervous.

With the topic of a ‘ghost’ becoming the center of the conversation, there was only one person who would end up being mentioned.

“I also had my personal escort knight examine the situation to avoid any suspicions beforehand. However, all the guests and their escorts who have come to the monastery have been accounted for. It was easy to check, as we had the locations of each of your private rooms, but… That doesn’t account for an ‘uninvited guest’.”

“…Uninvited guest?”

A loud roar spread through the crowd.

“During Abbess Austin’s death, there was an uninvited guest here at the monastery. We are unsure of how she entered the monastery, as we recently had no idea that she was even here.”

Persica immediately said her name without hesitation.

“Lucy Mayreel.”

Some people knew the name and some didn’t.

She was the top student in Silvenia Academy’s Magic Department and had the title of being a rare genius magician… Recently, she even defeated the evil god Mebula, her name becoming a hot topic among the imperial household.

“As we were investigating the situation this morning, we confirmed she was present. From what we heard, she was wandering around the monastery after sneaking into a carriage on her own accord… Are you here right now, Lucy?”

The noisy crowd began to look around. They all looked as if they had trouble believing that the rare genius wizard known as Lucy Mayreel had come to the monastery.

But maybe she really was in the crowd.

Wheek.

A small stature and sleepy eyes. An oversized school uniform that didn’t fit with a large witch hat.

A girl that I was familiar with stood up from the corner. She stretched her tired body… As she stood up straight.

Everyone was looking at her.

Lucy slowly walked forward towards the center of the room, stepping on the red carpet that stretched towards the podium… Persica continued to look at her with indifferent eyes.

“Speaking truthfully, you are the only guest here who is easily able to approach Abbess Austin and completely disappear afterwards.”

Princess Persica’s voice spread throughout the quiet chapel.

Lucy Mayreel, who looked up at her quietly, didn’t change her expression.

Accused of murder.

Seeing how indifferent her attitude was towards the accusation… The suspicions of the crowd started to grow.

Saint Clarice suddenly stood up from her seat. She was the only person who could respond to Princess Persica’s authority.

“Wait! Lucy Mayreel has no reason to harm Abbess Austin!”

“Isn’t discussion about a motive already over, Saint? In the first place, it’s nearly impossible to find someone with a real motive to have harmed Abbess Austin. That’s why, right now, we should identify the ones who were most likely to do so among all of the remaining suspects.”

I also felt something was strange.

I agreed a hundred times over that Lucy Mayreel had no reason to harm Abbess Austin.

And if Lucy really did harm Abbess Austin… Why would she remain?

By remaining, it was only natural that she would be accused of being the criminal. So, why would she purposely remain at the monastery?

“At the very least, she should cooperate with the investigation. Of course, if she wanted to, she could escape from this monastery without any problems. However, such an action would only be an acknowledgment of the crime.”

If Lucy swung her arm just once, she could send all of the guards standing by the podium far away.

However, Lucy didn’t resist. She quietly put her arms behind her back as she accepted the restraints.

At that point, I was also deeply debating about whether I should stand up and defend Lucy.

As I said, if Lucy Mayreel really did kill her, she could have easily escaped. No one else in the room might know that, but Clarice and I—who both went to school with her—knew that fact well.

Although she was rumored to be powerful, Lucy Mayreel’s full strength went beyond one’s realm of imagination.

Frankly, even the long sea path between the monastery and the coastline could easily be jumped over with her advanced spatial-type magic—all without making a single sound or flash of light.

Since that required an astronomical amount of magic power, a normal person wouldn’t even be able to imagine it.

A closed-off monastery that could only be entered during low tide. Eyewitness testimonies of both the nuns and guests who walked around the monastery at every hour. In a place where everyone lived close together, it would be difficult to establish a murder plan carelessly.

Yet she was a person that was free from all of those issues. A talented individual who could have done the deed entirely behind the scenes.

What was the reason for her to remain and be accused of being a suspect?

…If I actively expressed that fact, maybe I could help her. While I couldn’t completely rid her of the title of prime suspect, at the very least she wouldn’t be immediately arrested.

Not only me, but Clarice was also thinking heavily about this situation as she frowned by the podium. However, the reason the both of us didn’t immediately bring up that possibility… It was obvious.

Seeing Lucy’s calm expression… We both sensed that it was intentional.

Was there something she couldn’t tell me? Something going on behind the scenes?

Being put in restraints with a peaceful expression on her face, Lucy was dragged over to the podium by a soldier.

All the noble girls there looked at her in surprise, as if they couldn’t believe it. It must have been a major shock to find out that the famous rare genius wizard of Silvenia was labeled as the most likely suspect of Abbess Austin’s murder.

She never even uttered a word to defend herself. She only had that lazy, calm expression on her face.

I sat mixed in with the crowd of noble girls as I looked up at the podium, deep in thought.

The rare genius magician who was Silvenia’s pride and joy was now being arrested by an Imperial Guard on the charges of hiding in the monastery without permission to murder Abbess Austin.

Tomorrow, she would be transferred over to the investigation team sent by the imperial household.

Although she was a girl that couldn’t actually be detained in the first place, becoming a criminal was a completely different story.

* * *

Knock, knock.

After the meeting, Saint Clarice ordered the guests to return to their own rooms.

With the current situation, they needed to constantly confirm where everyone was and guarantee their safety until the investigation team arrived. After all, as they were all distinguished guests from influential houses, they all came with a few personal escorts.

I also sat in my small room as I tried to put the pieces together in my head.

Then, late at night… I heard someone knock on my door. At that hour, there shouldn’t have been any nuns walking around looking for guests… Puzzled, I opened the door to see a familiar face.

“Sorry for bothering you late at night, Ed Rothstaylor.”

Standing in the dimly lit hallway was the bishop who had reported the circumstances of Abbess Austin’s death earlier at the podium.

Assistant Bishop Melinir. A close aide to Abbess Austin and the person who was in charge of managing the monastery.

She had a troubled expression on her face. She looked as if she were debating quite hard about whether to knock on my door or not.

“How can I help you at this hour?”

“I came here because I have something to tell you.”

Given the circumstances, it was not a good idea to walk around late at night.

There was no way Melinir was unaware of that fact. However, it was also clear that she wanted to keep it a secret, avoiding the eyes of others.

“I will jump straight to the point. I know that the person who murdered Abbess Austin… wasn’t Lucy Mayreel.”

“……”

As I stared at Melinir, she continued to speak with a hesitant expression on her face.

“I… I think I know who the real culprit is… I’m sure… it’s someone from within the monastery… But… But… If this becomes public… the effect it will have on the Telos Religious Group… It’s hard to even imagine…”

When I looked down at Melinir’s forearm, I could see her trembling.

“Try and speak calmly. Take your time and breathe slowly.”

“…Abbess Austin… She has a great secret that cannot be told to anyone else. A secret so great that it may even destroy Cledric Monastery itself… And among the nuns… I am the only one who knows the secret.”

Melinir was not only trembling in her forearms, but also her voice.

“Please… before something happens… can you please report my story to the saint…?”

It was an unexpected situation.

I frowned as I listened to what Melinir was telling me.