The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 222

Daike’s Waiting Room.

Seeing Daike fall unconscious and receive simple treatment, Balveron Elpelan clicked his tongue.

The man wearing expensive aristocratic attire had a rather slender, thin frame—very different from Daike, who had inherited his blood. He had a frail face and a beard that made him appear somewhat haggard. It would be difficult to consider him a tremendous warrior, but he was quick-witted and possessed a certain eloquence.

Although it was difficult to imagine someone as frail as him as the head of a prestigious house of warriors, there was no doubt that he had put House Elpelan back on the right track after a rather difficult period. Since he was born with talent in politics rather than combat, he could never have imagined that Daike would be beaten so horribly in a duel.

While he had heard rumors about Ed Rothstaylor beforehand, considering the difference in physique, he had never imagined that Daike would be defeated by him in a duel.

Princess Selah must have been very disappointed… After ranting like that… shit…

Since House Elpelan had received Princess Selah’s favor, they had to prove their worth whenever an opportunity arose. She always mentioned House Elpelan in important government meetings, placed members of the house into key positions within the imperial household, and appointed several of them as apprentice knights of the Imperial Knight Templars so they could continue carrying the name of a prestigious house of warriors. From House Elpelan’s perspective, it was all thanks to Princess Selah that they had any success at all.

Because of that, they may have lost faith in their own will as warriors, instead becoming obsessed with political power.

As the number of talents born into the house decreased over time, the appearance of Daike Elpelan had been unexpected. The results he produced were certainly a positive sign. Simply being the top student of the fourth-year combat department was enough to live a life of honor after graduation. Since graduating from Silvenia with excellent grades and standing alone was enough to be recognized as great talent, Daike was expected to become a capable individual representing House Elpelan.

However… had he overestimated Daike too much?

Seeing his heavy body struggling to breathe in front of him… Balveron let out a deep sigh.

What a useless bastard… To think I believed I had found an unexpected treasure…

Creak.

Suddenly, someone entered the waiting room without knocking.

Already unhappy, Balveron frowned as he looked their way. However, the wrinkles in his expression smoothed out in an instant. He quickly jumped forward and knelt before the person who had entered so abruptly.

“P-Princess Selah…!”

The Princess of Frost, Selah, entered Daike’s waiting room escorted by her guards. She could also be considered the one who held Balveron’s life in her hands.

“I-I had no idea you would personally come all this way. If you had told me in advance, I would have sent someone—”

“Don’t bother. I only came because I had something else to do nearby.”

After saying that, she looked toward the unconscious Daike and clicked her tongue.

Although he only caught a glimpse of her expression, Balveron’s heart began to pound wildly. Disappointing Princess Selah was directly tied to the rise and fall of House Elpelan.

Before Princess Selah’s influence, House Elpelan had lived off its own achievements, focusing on strengthening its techniques and values as a house of warriors. However, after becoming entangled with the imperial household, they struggled to escape the grasp of politics.

When they were not involved in politics, they managed well enough on their own. But once that power had fallen into their hands, it became something they were afraid of losing. And standing at the center of that power was none other than Princess Selah.

Being entangled in politics placed many restrictions on the house. That said, it was clear that once Princess Selah became emperor, House Elpelan would quickly rise to the center of the empire. Until then, they had to maintain their relationship. If they succeeded, Balveron Elpelan himself could become a grand duke that even Krepin, in his prime, could not look down upon.

“Princess Selah. I’m sorry we couldn’t fulfill what we promised you. We of House Elpelan put our full efforts into this, but—”

“You don’t need to make excuses. No one could have known Ed Rothstaylor would grow so strong so quickly. I won’t reproach you.”

Princess Selah didn’t look as upset as Balveron had expected.

In any case, her goal of displaying her influence and achievements to the public—and to Emperor Kroel—had been achieved. Although being praised by Ed Rothstaylor instead of Daike Elpelan was not part of the original plan, the result still favored her, so it was not a major issue.

However, she was not someone who was generous toward the mistakes of her subordinates.

“However, just because I won’t reproach you doesn’t mean I’m not disappointed. I feel ashamed that I felt joy when you spoke so highly of him.”

“I-I apologize, Princess Selah… I was short-sighted!”

“Good. I’m glad you’re aware of your short-sightedness. My trust in you was short-lived as well.”

Princess Selah’s cold eyes were the same as always.

Once you became her subordinate, you could no longer escape her. Princess Selah was strict and ruthless toward those under her command.

“The expectations I had for House Elpelan have been cut short. It’s quite disappointing.”

“I-I truly… have no excuse.”

“I’m returning to my residence now to rest. We’ll discuss today’s affairs at a later date.”

“I-I understand…!”

Balveron knelt on the floor as he apologized.

Watching him stare at the ground with a trembling, shame-filled voice, he resembled an herbivore before a wild beast…

It was such a ridiculous sight that Princess Selah had to hold back her laughter.

“To suddenly be praised by my enemy… What a strange day this has been.”

Princess Selah recalled Ed Rothstaylor, who had looked up at her from the center of the arena. Earlier, he had casually adjusted his clothes with Lucy and Tanya standing on either side of him.

Now, in contrast, she looked at Balveron before her.

Watching him tremble on the floor was pitiful. One could even question whether he truly belonged to the nobility.

She compared him to Ed Rothstaylor—who accomplished everything he said he would with a confident, dignified expression, never backing down before anyone, not even the imperial household.

A close aide was expected to flatter and kneel, but at the same time, they needed determination and will.

A talent wasted on Penia.

Having once fallen to the bottom, he had clawed his way back up on his own. Because of that, he understood what it meant to be a high-ranking noble, as well as the ugliness of human nature. As a member of House Rothstaylor, he possessed basic political skills, overwhelming combat ability, and impressive personal connections.

Although they were political rivals, if she could gain his favor, there would be no better close aide.

Princess Selah, who deeply understood what it meant to be a monarch, knew this well. To rule for a long time, a capable group of aides was essential.

She would never have considered it at first, given their hostile relationship that left no room for conciliation. However, after he publicly showed favor toward her, the situation had changed drastically.

Of course, Selah was no fool. She was certain Ed Rothstaylor had a reason for doing so. There was still not enough information to determine that reason clearly.

Did he act of his own accord? Or was it because of something Penia had said? What was he expecting Selah to do in response? What was his ultimate goal?

“When I make judgments, I don’t take emotional considerations into account, nor do I particularly think of politics. There is simply one basis for my judgment.”

“Who deserves to be emperor? I have judged that you, Princess Selah, are the right person for the position.”

“Haha.”

Recalling her conversation with Ed, Princess Selah smiled bitterly. His flattery felt good, even though she knew the words themselves were empty.

It was amusing how the burst of laughter and the cold sweat he caused somehow only made her want him more.

Those words of praise from Ed Rothstaylor were engraved deeply in her heart—unlike the cheap flattery of others, which meant nothing to her.

Even before those who possessed overwhelming power and authority by lineage alone, he never backed down.

Thus, Ed Rothstaylor never broke a sweat before Selah, who was born with the blood of the imperial family that reigned above all.

I want him.

The corners of her lips rose, forming an eerie smile.

I want to bring him to his knees. Put him under my control and wield him…!

The gleam in her eyes was like that of an innocent child who had found a toy she desired. However, the pride and insidious lust for power engraved deep within her were far removed from innocence.

I hate to admit it, but I feel like I’m in love… Haha… How amusing.

This feeling was separate from honest romantic love—closer to a twisted sense of possessiveness.

Princess Selah simply labeled it love without thinking deeply about it. After all, the exact nature of the emotion didn’t matter to her.

Was there anyone who could shatter her warped pride? At the very least, her butler Dest had long concluded that no such person existed within the empire.

Like a rose blooming on the edge of a cliff, the only person in the empire to whom she ever bowed her head was Emperor Kroel. That was how it had always been—and how it would always be.

At least, that was what Dest believed.

Ed Rothstaylor could become an immense source of power if she could persuade him. He was skilled in politics, quick in judgment, formidable in combat, well-connected, high in status, and rich in future prospects.

However, for Princess Selah—who did not concern herself with how those beneath her thought—there was one thing she had yet to realize.

Ed Rothstaylor was a poisoned holy grail.

Balveron Elpelan glanced at Princess Selah, careful not to meet her eyes. She wore a mischievous smile.

As he continued to look up at her… Princess Selah’s expression only grew more intriguing.

***

Yennekar Palerover’s face drained of all color.

Feeling uneasy, she headed toward Ed’s waiting room. However, upon seeing Orte and Saila chatting with Bell Maya, she nearly fainted.

Seeing Ed Rothstaylor sitting on the sofa with a bewildered expression was the final blow.

“We fully understand the pride you servants have, but we also have pride of our own, having worked on a ranch all our lives. That’s why we’d like to cook the meat for Young Master Ed with our own hands…! Please think of it as the useless pride of commoners and allow us just this once! I promise you won’t be disappointed! As a man, I can’t back down here!”

Listening to Orte’s fiery passion, Yennekar felt a headache coming on.

Bell Maya, facing his enthusiasm head-on, looked deeply troubled.

“U-Uhm, no! You can’t! No matter what, you are not allowed to enter Young Master Ed’s residence…! Never! That’s not allowed!”

Had Bell Maya ever spoken so firmly before?

She usually tried not to offend others, rejecting them gently and indirectly. Seeing her act this decisively was extreme. However, as the head maid of Ophelis Hall, she couldn’t back down—especially given Ed and Yennekar’s situation.

Though uncomfortable, it was something she had to do.

Watching Bell struggle like that, Yennekar nearly burst into tears.

Unable to stand by any longer, Yennekar rushed inside and shouted.

“M-Mom! Dad! W-When did you get here?! You can’t come in here! Ed— I mean, Young Master Ed! You’re being rude!”

“H-Huh?! Yennekar! When did you get here? We were looking for you, but when we couldn’t find you, we came here first!”

“M-Mom…! Dad! What are you doing?!”

“What…? We haven’t done anything wrong, so why…?”

Yennekar hurried forward, grabbed her parents’ arms, and dragged them away.

“Ed— no, I mean, Young Master Ed! I’m sorry! I couldn’t inform you in advance, and things ended up like this… I’ll explain everything later…! N-No, I mean—would you give me the honor of explaining later…? A-Ah… never mind!”

Trying to speak politely all of a sudden, Yennekar’s words became hopelessly tangled.

Still, that didn’t matter. She just needed to get her parents out of the room.

“What’s the rush, Yennekar? I don’t have anything urgent to do, so we can rest for a bit. Your parents are valuable guests to me.”

Ed tried to calm her, completely unhurried.

Given how frantic everyone else was, his composure was oddly unsettling.

At that moment, Yennekar realized something.

She hadn’t explained anything about her current circumstances to Ed.

No—rather than that, she had deliberately avoided it. Not wanting to worry him, she had made excuses, saying she had informed her parents and that they were understanding.

She still remembered the day she was kicked out of Ophelis Hall. When Ed asked if she was alright, she said she was fine. She told him her parents understood and that they would somehow manage to pay her tuition.

She had even said that living together at the camp wouldn’t be a problem.

Because Yennekar never wanted to inconvenience Ed, she had never told him the full truth.

From Ed’s perspective, her parents must have seemed incredibly open-minded and supportive. In reality, Orte and Saila were indeed generous people, and they might have understood if she had told them the truth.

But that wasn’t the issue.

It was the rumors.

After graduation, she would have to return to her hometown for the rest of her life. Knowing that, she was certain all sorts of embarrassing rumors would spread.

For Yennekar, who still felt embarrassed just holding hands with a boy, such gossip would be unbearable.

The older women in town gossiped far more obscenely than one might imagine. There had been times when Yennekar covered her ears while passing by them because their stories were too shocking for her innocent self.

And now, those rumors would be about her.

Hell was coming. Her warm, beloved hometown of Pulan would soon transform into a burning inferno of gossip… and that had to be stopped.

Though tragic, it was a problem that concerned Yennekar alone.

“E-Ed…! I-I mean, Young Master Ed…! There are things I haven’t told you yet, and I think it might be best to explain them properly later, if you have the time. But you’re busy, so maybe for now I should take my parents and leave—please don’t misunderstand, we mean no disrespect, and I just hope you’ll take that into consideration!”

“Yennekar! Why are you rambling like that? You haven’t changed since you were little! Whenever you got in trouble or lied, you always mumbled a bunch of nonsense like this. Isn’t that right, honey?”

“That’s right! Haha! Our Yennekar can’t tell a single lie! As parents, we don’t know whether to be proud or worried!”

Orte smiled broadly and patted Yennekar’s head.

“Oh my, you look like you have a fever. Why is your face so red?”

“Now that I think about it, why are you acting so strange all of a sudden? It’s like you’re hiding something. Yennekar… why are you behaving like this in front of Young Master—”

Saila suddenly fell silent, as if something had just clicked.

What could Yennekar be hiding from them?

Seeing her stand in front of Ed with her arms spread, breathing heavily… an unsettling possibility formed in Saila’s mind.

Blushing cheeks, trembling pupils, her small body positioned protectively in front of him—what could that mean?

What Yennekar was hiding was simple.

“H-Honey…”

“Hm? Saila? What’s wrong? Does your stomach hurt?” Orte asked cheerfully, completely oblivious.

When they arrived on Acken Island, they had assumed Ziggs was the kind man Yennekar had mentioned before and had even asked him about her. Ever since Yennekar had hinted about a man during the last break, they had been burning with curiosity.

But now, after raising Yennekar all these years… Saila’s instincts were screaming.

Yennekar stood close to Ed, her face completely red.

As Yennekar froze, Bell walked over to Ed and quietly raised her hand to whisper into his ear.

Ed’s expression stiffened briefly, his pupils widening slightly—yet he showed no great surprise.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Saila spoke.

Calmly, she recalled a conversation she’d had with Orte and Yennekar during the break.

“Uhm… Young Master Ed. I saw how skilled you were in your duel, but… by chance… are you also good with a bow?”

“Hm…? Yes… well… I’m not bad at it.”

“Oh my… My dream is to have a drink with my son-in-law and shoot targets together… No, drinking is still too early.”

“He’s good with a bow…”

As the memory replayed, Saila’s expression froze.

Like a statue, she stood motionless.

“Hm? Saila? What’s wrong? If you need the bathroom, you should ask quickly! There’s no shame in things like that! Hahaha! Were you embarrassed? We’re long past the age for that kind of embarrassment! Kehah!”

Standing beside Orte, who was completely oblivious, Saila stared at him with an expression as though a meteorite had just struck the earth.

There was no sign of him ever closing his mouth.

***

“During the festival, sales definitely increased significantly. How about taking this opportunity to diversify our ingredient sales?”

“I’m not sure. It wouldn’t be wise to change policies based solely on a temporary surge. Secretary Lienna, you need to consider the bigger picture.”

“A-Ah… Y-Yes…”

Sipping tea as she reviewed the documents Lienna had brought, Lortel removed her hood and glanced out the window.

Festive energy filled the commercial district, with far more people crowding Acken Island than usual.

Enjoying the atmosphere was pleasant, but as a merchant, missing such a lucrative opportunity would be unforgivable.

The Elte Store was distributing a wide range of products and holding large-scale sales to increase profit margins. Still, the festival had only just begun, with much more to come.

Princess Selah was currently on Acken Island, so maintaining their symbiotic relationship required Lortel to visit her at least once.

Within the school, Deputy Headmistress Rachel had also been actively requesting increased sales. Given Elte Company’s recent friendliness with the student council, it seemed the school was responding in kind.

Their relationship fluctuated between cold and lukewarm, but increased sales meant increased profits, so Lortel had no objections.

“Hmm…”

“What’s the matter, Deputy Director Lortel?”

“It’s nothing. Just… lately, most school decisions seem to come from Deputy Headmistress Rachel. Headmaster Obel has rarely handled official matters. Even during the Dune incident and the negotiations over the Sage’s Seal, it was Rachel who represented the school.”

“Isn’t Headmaster Obel just busy?”

“That’s true, but still…”

Reading the request, Lortel shrugged thoughtfully.

“When Ophelis Hall was destroyed, he traveled across the empire gathering funds to rebuild it. But suddenly, he’s stopped showing himself…”

“Do you sense something odd?”

“I’m not sure. Perhaps I’m overthinking something minor. Still, it’s worth noting. Developments within the school are important information for us.”

Afterward, Lortel signed the papers and placed them atop the completed stack.

Glancing at the remaining documents, she stretched.

“Since I arrived early, I’ve gotten through quite a lot. The rest are just routine reports, right?”

“Yes. You’ve handled all the noteworthy items. The rest are standard documents requiring your signature for procedural reasons.”

“I can’t do sloppy work… but I’m getting tired. If nothing’s urgent, I think I’ll take a short break.”

She moved to the window and sat on the sill, stretching her arms as she relaxed.

Enjoying the cool breeze, she gazed at the school steeple in the distance and the road leading toward the northern forest beyond it.

“I wonder what Ed is doing. His duel should be over by now. He’s probably working near the campfire, like always.”

With her usual fox-like smile, she told Secretary Lienna she would take the remaining paperwork with her.

“I’ll finish the rest at the villa. Since it’s not urgent, tell them it’ll be done by tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll have someone deliver the documents to you.”

“No need. It’s not a long walk, and we shouldn’t waste manpower.”

Humming cheerfully, Lortel gathered the remaining documents.

After straightening her clothes, she checked her reflection and pinned a blue rose hairpin in her hair—her favorite accessory.

Then, documents in hand, she left the Elte Store.

Because she usually worked late into the night, Lortel often looked like an exhausted businesswoman on her way home. Recently, however, her steps had felt noticeably lighter.

Secretary Lienna had grown accustomed to that side of her. After seeing Lortel off, Lienna prepared to leave work as well.

Secretly, Lienna… was also enjoying the festival.