The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 71

Winter had fully arrived at the Right Mountain, a majority of the trees left with thin and bare branches.

Thanks to the evergreen trees that would show up here and there, the greenery of nature hadn’t completely disappeared. For the most part, you could only see the bright light reflecting off of the snow-covered ground.

Halfway up the mountain, I brushed off the snow that had piled up on a flat rock. After checking to see that it wasn’t too wet, Anise and I sat down.

“Even though it’s not that big, I guess itisstill a mountain. There are a lot of dangerous areas, and given the season, some students might end up getting seriously injured if they slip on the snow. While we are supervising them, we need to make sure to be on top of things, I guess.”

Anise’s neat, grayish-brown hair was untied and let loose. As soon as we entered the mountain, she untied the string holding her hair up after saying that the back of her neck was cold.

Her hair fell down to her shoulders, moderately wavy and fluttering in the air. As she brushed through it with her hands, a pleasant fragrance gently wafted through the air.

“Phew… It’s exhausting… But it seems like you’re not too tired, Ed?”

“Since it’s about time we take a break, let’s rest for a bit.”

There was not a single other person out in the Right Mountain. Well, the season might have been part of it, but not all. In the first place, there wouldn’t even be students that would want to go out there on their own accord.

Besides the sounds of the birds flapping their wings and the crunching of the snow we stepped on, it was completely silent. While a strong gust would occasionally blow by, revealing the ground hidden underneath the snow, it wasn’t enough to break the silence.

“Thanks, Ed. Your stamina is quite impressive, but this is taking a long time because of me… yet you’re still being so considerate…”

Anise touched the tips of her fingers as she lowered her eyes, as if she were embarrassed.

“So… I think I’ve been misunderstanding you quite a bit, Ed.”

Anise awkwardly looked up at me before shyly looking away again.

“Misunderstanding?”

“I knew a bit about you from before. And… Since I’m best friends with Yennekar… I was worried that she might be spending time with a bad person… So, I think I ended up treating you a bit coldly…”

When I thought about the times Anise had been cold to me, none of them were that big of a deal.

Every now and then, she might have looked at me with cold eyes and tried to avoid being near me… But that was it.

Well, my reputation within the school during the first semester was awful, so I could fully understand why she did that. It wasn’t just Anise. Most of the students within the school had avoided me. So, it wasn’t like Anise in particular was someone that treated me poorly.

In the first place, I was so preoccupied with trying to survive that I didn’t pay much attention to it.

“It’s fine. It didn’t bother me much. I’m sure you had your own reasons, so I understand.”

As I gave a general response, I skimmed through the on-site survey checklist written out by Assistant Professor Cleoh.

Halfway up the mountain, we should check if there is any flat land where we can set up magically engineered items. We should also check the cliffs, just in case they’re dangerous, and prepare safety equipment if needed. We’re also supposed to go to the top and check the altar, which is a pain in the ass, but…. If we hurry, I think we can finish before the sun sets.

I wanted to get things done as soon as possible because I still had a lot of work left to do back at the camp.

However, it wasn’t like I could unwillingly drag Anise along, as she didn’t have much stamina to begin with. Also, since I had been making sure to not overwork myself again, it wasn’t a bad idea for me to take breaks often.

“Ed… You are more dependable and hardworking than I thought.”

Anise spoke as if she were embarrassed, twirling her hair around her finger. She slowly looked back at me again.

“I’m so relieved that someone like you came to the lab to help. It was hard being a senior assistant all by myself… I’m sure you know this too, but Assistant Professor Cleoh is a bit clumsy. She’s a very promising scholar, but still…”

“That’s true. You must have gone through a lot.”

“Y-yeah, that’s true, but… It’s fine.”

Anise gave a wide smile as she lightly grabbed onto my arm.

“Now that you’re here, Ed.”

“But I haven’t even really done anything yet…”

“From now on, you’ll help me. Look at this, we’ve already nearly finished surveying this place.”

Anise jumped up from her seat, moving right in front of me and staring straight at me.

“Of course, the other two guys would be helpful enough. But the fact that you’re here, Ed, gives me a lot of strength.”

“……?”

“Ed… I’m sorry if saying this hurts your feelings, but… You were excommunicated from your family, right?”

Was it right to say her expression had changed? It was the same smile, but it felt different.

That gentle smile she showed me didn’t feel as bubbly as it used to. Now, it was rather like she was enduring some type of pain.

With a bitter smile, she put both hands behind her back as she leaned forward. It was as if she wanted to see my expression.

“To be on your own, attending such a brilliant school… I know just how difficult that is.”

It was strangely different from seduction. It was as if she were stimulating in a mature way, as well as a sense of kinship from being someone of the same age.

Slowly stepping forward, she rubbed my arm and continued talking without getting rid of that bitter smile.

“I was the same. As soon as I entered this school, my family started to fall apart. But I still wanted to continue attending this school… so I held out on my own.”

“That… must have been hard.”

“Yeah. It was.”

Anise stared blankly up at the sky. It seemed like she was recalling the past, where she had endured everything by working on her own every minute of the day.

“It felt as if I was spending a long winter all alone.”

She certainly gave off the impression that she was doing well. But I suppose it was proof that, whether it was financially or something else, she was able to sort all her problems out on her own.

“I guess that’s why I felt a sense of kinship when I saw you, Ed. Surely… your life here at the school mustn’t have been easy. Not only that, but there were also all those terrible rumors going around about you.”

“After getting used to it, things started to get better. You shouldn’t be so distressed over everything. You’re doing a good job holding it together, you know.”

“Haha. Thanks. We… have a lot in common.”

Saying such emotional things for no reason… I had started to offer words of comfort and sympathy to her.

Well… Did she always have that sort of image? Rather than being so emotional like that, didn’t she normally have a more cool-headed and realist-type personality?

We weren’t that close, so I wasn’t sure of that, but… either way, she still seemed oddly different from the image I had before. I guess you really needed to learn everything about a person to see what they were like.

“As expected, you really are strong and dependable, Ed. I’m glad that I was able to clear up the misunderstanding with you. Ah… Uhm… I don’t know if it’s because we were talking about such emotional things, but… I’m starting to get hot…”

Anise fiddled with her fingers again as she soon started to make a fuss, quickly turning around.

“Ah… This was all a bit embarrassing! Well, since we rested long enough, let’s hurry on up to the top! Let’s finish this up quickly! Be careful not to fall! There are a lot of jagged rocks around he—Aaaaaahhhk!”

Right when she was finishing her sentence, Anise fell. Coincidentally, she fell towards me, falling into my arms.

“Ahhhghk!”

Anise started to make a fuss again as she pushed her arms against my chest, quickly breaking free.

“I-I’m sorry! I tripped over a rock!”

“Be careful.”

Since it seemed that there were dangerous jagged rocks over there, I tried to go around her to clean it up. However, I didn’t see anything in particular. Did she just happen to slip on the snow?

Anise quickly fanned herself as she began to cool down her face. It was certainly an embarrassing situation to be in, so I waited for her to slowly pull herself together.

“W-Wait a moment… I… Why am I so hot…? I’ll calm down in a minute…! Just sit down there and wait for me…! I’ll be right back…!”

Still fanning herself, she quickly hid behind an old fallen tree off in the distance.

I sat back down on the flat rock as I exhaled. Absentmindedly, I watched as my breath spread through the air. When I looked up, I saw that the entirety of Right Mountain was now covered in a blanket of white snow.

It was quite a gorgeous view.

***

“It’s ambiguous.”

Sitting on top of the roots of an old tree, Anise had composed herself.

“On the outside, he is dependable and hardworking… but is he just faking…? Since he knows that I am best friends with Yennekar…?”

Anise tilted her head as she held her chin, agonizing deeply. His response wasn’t good enough to come to a conclusion.

However, she had followed her plan of action perfectly.

An impression of looking capable on the outside while being weak on the inside, all while needing to be protected.

Being a like-minded person, one that has also endured a difficult life at school. Doing so, she could create a sense of kinship with him.

Since she wasn’t sure whether he preferred someone more mature or cute, she went with trying to mix the two to some extent. After using some subtle skinship, she even ended up faking an accident falling into his arms.

He did look a bit flustered by it, but it still seemed like he was still being a bit more rational. It was all too ambiguous.

She thought that she might need to wait and watch over him a bit more, but since he hasn’t fallen for her despite how much she had done already, he probably wasn’t a playboy.

“Hmm… Am I getting too immersed in this?”

Since she said that she would properly check on him, it was all just method acting. Talking about how her school life was like a harsh winter, she wondered if a bit of her underlying sincerity ended up getting mixed in.

Well, what could she do? Paradoxically, a perfect lie was made when a little bit of the truth was mixed into it.

She thought that she must have laid an effective blow, at least to some extent, so soon enough there would be a reaction from him.

“B-But also… I didn’t really notice before, but his body is quite nice.”

Anise opened and closed the hand that had just touched Ed’s chest. He felt much firmer than she had expected.

When you considered that he acted like a nerd, his stamina was also quite good. She thought he was a rich, snobby aristocrat that grew up not knowing anything, but he was unexpectedly quite smart. He wasn’t at the level that you could consider him just for his looks.

Sure, an innocent girl like Yennekar might have fallen for that, but… Anise had background information on him.

He was still a descendant of the powerful House Rothstaylor. Even though he might have quieted down a bit, that didn’t mean his past notoriety wouldn’t show itself again.

After all, physiognomy was a science, so she didn’t have a single doubt in Ed’s true personality. When she thought that it had to be his way of hitting on women, she was all the more convinced.

With the way she is acting, it would be a piece of cake for a playboy like him, one that switched their masks and constantly rotated between women. It was only natural that someone as innocent as Yennekar would fall for him.

“Yeah, that’s all it is.”

Anise nodded her head as she caught her breath.

She put a thick mask on top of her skin.

***

The reconstructed Ophelis Hall looked much cleaner and more sophisticated than before.

Of course, Tanya—who had just stepped foot into Silvenia for the first time—couldn’t tell the difference.

She simply admired the appearance of the dormitory that even compared to that of the Rothstaylor residence. When she had applied to enter early, she didn’t think it would be so beautiful, especially given that it was still under construction.

“The maids have organized all the luggage you have sent. You will be in Room 2 on the third floor.”

The esteemed daughter of the most powerful family in the continent, the Rothstaylor Family, had made her entrance. Naturally, the one at the top that was in charge of Ophelis Hall had come out personally to greet her. Bell Maya.

As she politely gave her greetings and provided information, Tanya politely bowed her head in return.

“Please, use my attendants to finish the process of moving in. Before that, there is something that I need to attend to.”

“I understand.”

Out of Tanya’s magnificent carriage, her servants—dressed in high-class attire—stepped out one-by-one. They were all well-educated and looked stunning.

Accompanied by only a few servants, Tanya started heading towards the commercial district.

Even though she didn’t have particularly high stamina, she still liked to walk. Slowly looking around the school grounds, she breathed in the cool winter air.

As expected, even Silvenia’s education district was full of romance. It was a land of study, where each honorable and talented individual bettered themselves to be reborn as a shining talent.

She started to get even more excited as she thought of the fact that she was now a fellow individual, one that could work amongst all of them.

“As your father, I’m very delighted to hear of your intentions. I will fully support your ambitions.”

Krepin Rothstaylor. A benevolent and dignified duke in the Kroel Empire.

Before leaving the Rothstaylor residence, the final conversation she’d had with her most respected father had given her strength.

Prior to leaving for Silvenia, she had conveyed the two resolutions she had to her father.

In Silvenia, the land of study—where countless talented young individuals gathered—she would become the youngest student president to bring honor to her family’s name.

As for the disgrace of House Rothstaylor, which had not yet been completely dealt with, she would personally make sure that he left the glorious Silvenia.

All of Tanya’s ambitions were determined solely for the glory of her family’s prestigious name. Krepin was so impressed with that fact that he took notice of her.

And of that fact, Tanya was all too proud.

With the tragedy of the eldest daughter Arwen, and then excommunication of the eldest son, Ed, she had somehow ended up becoming the successor of House Rothstaylor.

It was hard for her to get rid of her inferiority complex, which might have risen due to the fact she had been given such an undeserved honor.

Getting accepted into Silvenia, she felt a new type of recognition… Thus, Tanya had regained her motivation. She once again wanted to get recognized for her own abilities in the upcoming first-year student assignment examination.

She was probably the first of the new students to move into the dorms.

When she thought about the upcoming student president elections, there wasn’t much time left. That was why she wanted to meet as many people as she could within the school, make her name well known, and bring people to her side.

A deed that had never been accomplished in Silvenia’s history. A first year Student President. Achieving that spot was Tanya’s primary goal.

“There are a lot of ‘important figures’ within the school. It is important to persuade each and every student. Ultimately, however, if you want to become the student president it is important to gain key people that can control the public as your allies.”

That was her father Krepin’s golden advice. It was also his help.

“There are also a few ‘important figures’ I met within the school. If there is something that you need to take care of on my behalf, get to know them and make an offer to gain your position.”

Tanya slowly ran out of breath as she kept walking.

Growing up in the Rothstaylor mansion, she was an esteemed daughter that was raised like a princess… She had never really done anything on her own before.

She did everything for the glory of her family’s prestige, but in actuality she hadn’t done a single thing.

She now had her opportunity. While she was in the position to represent her father, she was also able to build her own name as Tanya Rothstaylor.

***

“It’s strange.”

Tanya finished talking with a big smile on her face.

Her own aspiration to become the student president. Her volition to get rid of the trash that was Ed Rothstaylor to restore the glory of her family’s name once more.

And if others were to support her, what could she do for them? What type of promises could she make?

Brushing off such things, she started to smile once again.

She was a girl that was like a rose about to bloom. The first-year girl was overflowing with ambition as she sat down at a table, facing one of those ‘important figures’ sitting right across from her.

“Anyway, there’s a long way to go until the student president elections, and there are many things I need to take care of as a new student, so this is just a lighthearted agreement. If you support me, I can aggressively make propositions with my influence on your behalf even in regard to the rules inside the commercial district. Other than that, I’m sure you know well what it means to have the student president as an ally.”

And adding onto that—

“There isn’t much that you will have to do. Just support me during the election, and other than that… Please lend me your help in getting rid of Ed Rothstaylor. I still don’t have an ounce of trust in the school’s method of handling it. The more certain I can be about the job being finished, the better it is. After all, I want to receive as much help as I can going forward.”

Tanya continued speaking in such a relaxed manner, though she still thought about what Krepin had told her.

“Silvenia will do their best to treat you according to your status, but the main point of it is that it is a land of study. Even the princess, who is studying there now, must be respectful when talking with her teachers. Don’t make a mistake and mistreat others that are in a higher position than you. Every single person there that is older than you is your senior, so treat them as such.”

One’s grade came before one’s status. Of course, the person she was talking to also knew of Tanya’s status and treated her with respect. Still, she didn’t want to overstep her boundaries or sound too cheeky.

Tanya had already heard many rumors about her upperclassmen at Silvenia, who were talented individuals that had already proven themselves.

And before her eyes was one of those rumored ‘influential people’ that she always heard about. It was a matter of more than status. It was about ‘achievements and ‘competence’.

No matter how lowly her background might be, no one could look down on her because of her proven ability. Wasn’t she someone that even veterans, who had experienced it all, could only acknowledge and lower their heads towards? The person in front of her was like a lion that would even devour the other ‘influential people’.

The elegance that she exuded was no different than that of a noble. If it weren’t for Tanya’s status from being a Rothstaylor, she would have never had the honor of personally meeting such an influential person.

“Keep this in mind when you meet the person that I will introduce you to. You must respect your opponent. Especially when it comes to negotiation and deals, she is an opponent that you can never relax in front of.”

“Her and I… We previously met in regard to the Sage’s Seal. That is still something I need to finish negotiating with her over, so you can take care of it as my representative. I’m sure it’ll be a good experience, but… Hm… Nevermind. Stay strong, Tanya.”

***

Lortel Kehelland was staring back at the incoming student, who was staring at her with sparkling eyes.

“……”

After hearing the whole story, Lortel slowly closed her eyes and opened them again… She then smiled back at her.

“…This sounds fun.”