The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 89

[To my father, who I have the utmost respect for.

Hello father.

As you are spending a lot of time in the Emperor’s Castle, I am notifying you through this letter that I am getting used to and doing well in my daily life.

However, it is worthy to note that I am no longer sending it from the usual Rothstaylor Household but instead, I am now at Silvenia Academy. My days of being cradled in that mansion are over, and I feel I have finally taken a step forward to becoming a proper magician.

As it is my first time living away, there are many things I am not used to. However, just like you have always told me, I am doing my best to live a life without forgetting my honor as a member of House Rothstaylor.

It has already been over a month since my immature self has left the mansion.

At this point, I feel I am starting to understand what challenges I must face on my own. I am starting to understand the importance and reason that the vassals often said I needed to leave the house to broaden my horizons.

I would love to write to you about all of the highs and lows and the interesting stories I’ve experienced thus far, but it would most likely be multiple pages long. I couldn’t possibly take away your time so unnecessarily, as you are always working your utmost for the Empire.

Still, as you were worried about having me go off on my own to study, I wanted to tell you that I am doing well.

At times it was difficult to adjust to Silvenia’s atmosphere, where students are all equal, plus the rather tight academic schedule… Still, now I feel like I’ve become a proper student.

Not only that, but I’ve also been able to meet many nobles and esteemed people, so it feels like my view of the world has really broadened.

Even though it was only a few words of greetings, I was able to talk with Saint Clarice of the Telos Religious Group. And now we are something like friends… or maybe it’s closer to just say classmates. I have also heard that the third princess of the Empire, who is adored by many, Princess Penia is also attending Silvenia. Though, I have yet to meet her, which is a shame.

My goal is still the same as I confidently declared the day that I left home. Thus, I am working hard to become the youngest student council president in Silvenia to raise our family’s honor. However, in actuality there are many difficulties that are in the way.

Recently there have been rumors that Princess Penia will also be running for student president, and at this moment beating her is a near impossible task. Though even if it seems impossible, I will clench my fist and continue to move forward.

I also met my upperclassmen Lortel, who you introduced me to. Even though she is only a few years older than me, it feels like she is already a fully grown merchant… It made me think that I still have a long way to go. Soon, negotiations for the Sage’s Seal will take place, and I am already worried about whether I am suited enough to be our family’s representative.

Other than that, I have met many of my upperclassmen, who are famous within the school. Each and every one of them are individuals that show great talent and skill within their field.

As expected of the land of learning, many of my upperclassmen have skills comparable to those actively in duty, despite still being students. I continue to try my best and strive to be like them. I feel like my passion for learning here at school is burning.

And… even though it’s difficult to say anything is certain, as it is still early… there’s something to say about my older brother, who had been excommunicated.

It goes without saying that he is a stupid person that brought shame to our family’s name. He is someone that stains our family and needs to be taken care of right away.

However, after coming to Silvenia and meeting him… I’m not sure the best way to say it, but something felt different about him.

I’m not sure how you will perceive what I am going to tell you. But to my father, who I have the utmost respect, there is no way I would dare lie to you.

What I’m trying to say is… It definitely felt like my older brother had become hard-working and sincere. They say that people can’t be changed, but… It definitely felt as if he was a different person.

You may be taken aback to hear me say these words. It only makes sense… Considering that when I left the house, I was full of zeal to punish him.

I still don’t fully trust him yet. As I said, human nature isn’t something that could possibly change so easily.

Even if it’s already been a year since he was excommunicated, the human brain isn’t something that can change so drastically. Even if the entire world continues to say how hard-working my older brother is, it’s not something I can easily accept. I have witnessed his true colors for years, after all.

But still, after a busy day, coming up to my private room in Ophelis Hall as I look up at the sunset… A certain memory comes to mind.

It’s a distant memory now, but back then… a memory with all three of us siblings, when Arwen was still alive.

At that time, I was still too young to fully remember everything, but fragments of it remain in a distant place beyond my consciousness.

I have a thought that back then, Ed wasn’t always such an arrogant and devious bastard… Though, I’m sure in this regard you should know much better than I do.

I once had a strange dream.

It took place in the small garden behind our mansion. It was spring, when the lilacs and daffodils were in full bloom.

I remember climbing up the mountain road that smelled like flowers. It seemed like both of my hands were being held as we went up. One of them was definitely my older sister, Arwen. But the other hand, which was stronger and bigger, it was probably…

As I continue to write it out, it seems that I am getting off topic. It’s been a while since I had the chance to write to you about my current situation, so it seems I got overly excited. I wonder if this is just the excitement that comes from leaving the mansion and coming here to study… but just writing a letter to you makes me happy.

Either way, I think I need to continue keeping a close eye on my older brother.

If he really did become a new person after being excommunicated, I wonder what the reason could be. Or maybe the fact that he was excommunicated was enough to trigger such a change.

Thinking over it, rather than turning over a new leaf… for some reason it feels like he returned to his original self. Though, this may just be me overanalyzing everything.

But still… if he really did come back to his senses, why could that be? There is no way that an opportunity to turn over a new leaf would come so easily for a person like him.

Or, if he really did just go back to how he originally was, why did he act like such an idiot in the first place? There couldn’t possibly be a decent reason. And even if there for some reason was one, at this point it’s impossible to know.

This is another night where I am going to be full of complicated thoughts. Looking out the window at the cherry blossoms at night, my heart feels warm. But on the other hand, I can’t help but feel nervous about the unresolved problems and uncertain future that awaits me.

Still, as long as I can calm my mind for a while, my confidence will take the place of my worries. I’m sure I can do well. Confidence is important.

After talking about various things, this letter has become rather long. I hope you aren’t having any problems with your work. I am also passionate about doing well in my studies and I will continue to do my best to become a person who does not bring shame to House Rothstaylor.

From Tanya Rothstaylor. A daughter that truly loves her father.]

The letter was folded into thirds before being put inside an envelope.

The office of the empire’s prime minister was full of glorious decorations. Krepin Rothstaylor, who was conversing with the famous Prime Minister Bandela, fell into contemplation for a moment.

“What’s wrong, Duke Krepin? Was it some important news?”

“I apologize. I just needed a moment to clear my mind.”

Pondering the contents of Tanya’s letter, Krepin was lost in thought.

He had a significant expression on his face.

***

“Hmm. Hmngh!”

Personally, I call this ‘Teacher Mode Yennekar’.

She had both of her hands on her waist as she pushed out her chest.

Her throat didn’t seem dry at all, but seeing her let out a fake cough, I can’t help but think she looks more adorable than dignified. Though, I’m not sure what she is thinking about this.

“Being able to handle mid-ranking spirits means that you will be treated as a proper Elementalist wherever you go, Ed. Usually, those that can use two or so mid-ranking elementalism spells before graduation will be treated as esteemed honor students.”

“It must be quite important then.”

“It is normally a level in which those who are naturally gifted with magic power and spiritual resonance from a young age can reach with steady effort.”

Yennekar, who was now a third-year student, could handle even high-ranking spirits freely. That alone should state just what level she was at.

“Ed, just a year ago you weren’t even able to use a low-ranking spirit. People wouldn’t believe me if I told them that you already grew to such a level in just one year.”

“Well, I ended up sacrificing my physical health to come this far.”

“That’s not good, Ed. Achieving something is important, but you also have to think about your health!”

The scenery of the North Forest was certainly worthy of being called a spring day.

It was a time where the fresh vegetation that had been dormant during the winter was finally starting to show itself. Weeds were already starting to grow around the campfire.

The brutal cold that attacked me was now a thing of the past. Even the snow that had stayed around for a while, hiding under the shade, had now completely melted away. And the bees were flying around the flowers, which were blooming in fields of grass.

The scenery was similar around my cabin as well.

The butterfly fluttered through the air as it landed on Lucy’s nose as she slept on the roof of the cabin.

Lucy wiggled her sleeves in the air a few times to chase the butterfly away, though it continued to wander back around her nose persistently. Eventually, she got up and slammed it down with her magic power. The butterfly that picked the wrong opponent had just disappeared.

It was a pitiful butterfly.

“Ed, your growth rate is really fast, and your resonance level has also risen quite a bit. You even made a contract with Merilda, so you should be able to handle a mid-ranking spirit contract now.”

Yennekar spoke with a smile on her face, as if she were proud. I was grateful to see her so happy, rejoicing in my growth as if it were her own.

“Anyway, there are some mid-ranking spirits I brought over for you to pick from. Would you like to try resonating?”

I nodded as I focused magic power around my eyes. Slowly, my resonance level reached that of a proper Elementalist, revealing the appearance of various spirits all around us.

There were so many spirits around the camp that it would be impossible to count them all. Most of the places Yennekar went ended up like that.

It was truly a spectacle to see dozens of spirits following Yennekar. Something that couldn’t be seen unless you had the proper spiritual resonance level. I started to realize once again just how much that girl was loved by the spirits.

Meanwhile, Merilda, who was larger than my entire cabin, was wrapped around a tree. And Takan, who sent a chill down my spine the moment I locked eyes with him, was laying down by the river.

There was so much power gathered in one place that I wondered if it was even okay. But all they did was lay down, relaxing in the nice, cool spring breeze.

Even if it was part of her spirit’s corps or a high-ranking spirit, in the end everyone was taking part in the relaxed and drowsy mood.

It would be meaningless to count every single low-ranking spirit there was, but there were six to seven mid-ranking and only two high-ranking spirits. Merilda and Takan.

Yennekar didn’t make a contract with every single one that gathered around her, but she had with most of them. And that in itself was surprising.

“Isn’t it insane to bring around this many spirits with you regularly? You can’t help but have a high level of spiritual resonance, so aren’t you always able to see all of them?”

“Hm? I guess that’s true. But I’m used to it already, so it’s fine. Since everyone says they like me, there’s no reason to get rid of them.”

Yennekar smiled as she patted a baby snake that climbed up her forearm.

“Mid-ranking spirit contracts are definitely different from that of a low-ranking spirit. Just because you have enough magic power doesn’t mean for certain that you will be able to sign a contract. First, you are going to have to find a spirit that has a good resonance with your innate flow of magic power. Even if you have an absurd amount of magic power, this isn’t something to worry about. However, you aren’t at that level.”

“It seems a lot more difficult than when I made a contract with Merilda.”

“That’s because Merilda got along well with you in the first place. Ed, you are suited towards the elements wind and fire. Though, since we are going with a mid-ranking spirit, in my opinion it would be better to avoid those two when making a contract.”

Making a contract with a spirit that was suited towards the elements you worked well with might be easier to do and utilize, but in various real-life situations things would be difficult to deal with.

Even if I wasn’t at the same level as Yennekar, who could handle all sorts of every element, it was still best for me to try and make a contract with as many different elements as possible. That way I would still be able to fight, regardless of the terrain or other environmental conditions that I faced.

“Usually, to make a contract with a mid-ranking spirit, you would have to travel through mountains and fields just to find a spirit that matches your wavelength. That’s why Elementalists tend to think that making a contract with a mid-ranking spirit is nothing short of fate. But for you, Ed… You’re in a special situation.”

“Rather than looking around, they are all sitting together here as if it’s a market…”

“There’s nothing wrong with being able to do it more comfortably, right?”

With a smirk, Yennekar waved her hand.

All kinds of mid-ranking spirits started to appear from the crowds of spirits. They definitely looked different than low-ranking spirits.

Fire birds, deer made from the ground, winds that formed the shape of a leopard, and eagles that were spraying water. The first thing I noticed was that the size of them was at least that of a human’s upper body. The bigger ones were nearly the size of an entire tree.

“I already finished talking with the spirits. Now, you can ‘nominate’ any spirit that has good magic power resonance with you and fits the element you are looking for.”

“N-Nominate…”

The Elementalist class characters from suddenly came to mind.

There was a certain romance that came with dealing with nature, walking through forests and rivers, and walking alongside spirits that were fatefully met. Although they weren’t as innocent and naive as Yennekar might be, they were still all relaxed and compassionate beings.

When talking about making a contract with a mid-ranking spirit, the first thing that came to mind would be that fateful encounter.

The illustrations that came only with being an Elementalist. That feeling of embracing nature, looking up excitedly at a giant wolf or eagle while surrounded by mother nature. There was that type of romance that came with it.

[Contestant number 1, Mid-Rank Water Spirit Pelo. The Blessing I have is the ‘Water Stone Blessing.’ I will flap my wings once to show you. Now…]

Sitting by the campfire, I watched the line of mid-ranking spirits come up, one by one.

At some point, Mugg had flown over to my shoulder as he also paid close attention to each spirit, constantly saying ‘hmm…’

“Y-Yennekar… Wait… Nominating one of them… Feels a bit strange…”

“Hm? It feels strange? Are you already busy with your schedule today? If today is bad, should we do it another time?”

“Uhm… It’s not that… I… Actually… Nevermind…”

[Then, we will continue with contestant number 2…]

As I looked at each spirit that came in one after the other, I felt this weird sense that it was all wrong, though I couldn’t really explain what it exactly was.

That romantic encounter with an elemental spirit as you crossed paths through nature. That fateful contract. The refreshing illustration of seeing your character rub their face against a giant wolf in a lush forest.

…Was that right…?

It felt more like trading used cars than making a spirit contract…

…Was that… really okay…?

***

The queen had fallen. It was because she couldn’t deal with the knight’s blade, which had attacked her side.

The priest that was watching hurriedly cut the throat of the knight, but it was already too late. A dead queen could never come back.

The opposing soldiers advanced forward as the king quickly hid behind a wall.

More knights came out, creating pressure from the other side as the soldiers hastily moved into a defensive line. There was no place to escape to, not anymore.

In the end, the king that hid behind the castle wall watched the soldiers die, one by one, before quietly choosing to commit suicide.

It was checkmate. Now, less than half the chessboard was Penia’s pieces.

“Is something bothering you, Princess Penia?”

The freshmen welcome party.

The event held at the student center at the beginning of the semester was just a ceremonial routine for upperclassmen. But for the freshmen, it was a meaningful and exciting day, as it was their first semester.

Their upperclassmen were talented individuals that had been honing their craft for several years in Silvenia. A place that had a history of producing many of history’s greatest men. Nearly all of them were individuals that could hold up their end in their respective fields, so the freshmen felt they had to meet them and become closer when given the chance.

However, unlike the freshmen, upperclassmen in Silvenia were not required to participate. Though, there were some students that were recommended by the school to participate.

For each grade level, some of the higher-ranking students must participate to show the difference in skills and make their stances known. It would mean nothing if only the excited freshmen were to participate.

In other words, basically the top students of each grade were encouraged to participate, though if they refused, they weren’t forced to attend.

The top second-year student Lucy Mayreel, who was the major cause of interest among the freshmen, reported her absence due to personal reasons (a nap). Of course, the school staff already expected that to some extent.

However, they didn’t think that the sincere third-year student Yennekar Palerover, who actively participated in every academic event without exception, would decline due to her own personal circumstances (Ed’s Elementalism Class).

Because of that, the freshman welcome party that time around seemed a bit lackluster, as only two upperclassmen attended… But once news came around that Princess Penia would be attending at the request of the school, the news of the other upperclassmen not attending became meaningless.

That was because the freshmen had started to realize just how wide the spectrum of students were at Silvenia with the presence of Penia alone.

Among all the second-year students at Silvenia Academy, she is the most noble one.

Even among all the freshmen students, there were hardly any students that held the status to be able to talk to her face-to-face.

No matter how much Silvenia Academy tried to keep all students equal, when a person of imperial blood was involved, the story completely changed.

Common people and aristocrats that came from the outskirts couldn’t even dare try to speak to her. Even high-ranking aristocrats and nobles would only take a glance at her. Children of influential people would try to show their courage by approaching where she was seated but would feel suffocated the moment they got close to her.

In the end, there was only one person that was able to speak properly to her at the freshmen welcome party.

Heir to House Callamore, one of the three great swordsman families and loyal members to the imperial family. First-year student Wade Callamore. An acquaintance of Princess Penia.

“Every time you speak, you sound so nervous.”

Her white hair fluttered from the wind that came through the window, sending a chill down his spine.

“That was quite a move, Wade.”

“That’s not it. If you had properly moved your pieces, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome it.”

“But I did move my pieces properly.”

“No. Even though you knew of my move, you chose to not move your pieces.”

Wade picked up some of the fallen soldiers as he rolled them between his fingers a few times.

“You shouldn’t be hesitating over sacrificing your soldiers, Princess Penia.”

“Thanks for your advice, but it’s fine. By applying the theory of monarchy to a game of chess, it’s a class that will never end.”

“Do you have some sort of bad memory that’s like that?”

“When I stayed with the imperial family, the teacher that taught me… with a game like this, they liked to teach me something in a metaphorical way.”

Wade and Penia had a quiet conversation.

The students that were far away didn’t dare to intervene.

Since Wade came from a family that was traditionally loyal to the imperial family, he was able to have such a conversation with her.

“It’s similar to what you were trying to tell me, Wade. If you pay too much attention to the word sacrifice, then you won’t be able to see the bigger picture of the entire battle.”

“That’s correct, Princess Penia.”

From the beginning, Wade was reading Penia’s dismal expression from her eyes.

The benevolent Princess Penia, who walked the halls of the imperial household, had a completely different atmosphere to her than the current princess.

Back then, she was an adventurous and active monarch that was ready to roll up her sleeves for the sake of her country at any moment.

Despite the dispute over succession between the three princesses, she was a strange girl that would push forward with more momentum and passion than anyone else on even the most unrelated topics.

However, seeing how she was in Silvenia, she was like a balloon that had been deflated.

He didn’t know what happened, but the unique self-confidence that she had always worn like armor had now completely disappeared.

Wade knew the reality that came behind those lifeless eyes.

Those were the eyes of someone that had suffered from repeated failure and constant pressure.

“It seems like you’ve gone through a lot here in Silvenia.”

“It’s just… I’ve become more self-reflective.”

Princess Penia stared at the chess piece that she held onto. It was a soldier.

Whether they disappeared after being used as a mere scapegoat or got promoted up a rank, in the end they were just puppets that moved and acted in according to a monarch’s words.

A single pawn’s sacrifice and death. No major cause could be achieved when focusing and worrying on such a microscopic thing.

“I thought I would be better than anyone when it came to insight on people.”

“I also think the same. But it’s also an important virtue to recognize that sometimes you could also be wrong. Doesn’t this mean that you are steadily growing up, Princess?”

“I’m not sure…”

Burying herself on the sofa for the VIP guests, Penia looked up at the ceiling with empty eyes.

The issue that she couldn’t deal with that kept coming up was Ed Rothstaylor. It was useless to even try and cover her ears. The news of him would somehow always clearly reach Penia ears.

The reason that soldiers on a battlefield were used as a scapegoat was because it was a necessary strategic decision.

That was only possible because the monarch had a large picture view of the entire battlefield, so that they could make rational decisions.

However, getting rid of Ed Rothstaylor was nothing like a strategic decision. It was simply because her field of view was narrow, and she didn’t see the bigger picture.

Even if Ed Rothstaylor was really using Penia for the sake of escaping from the darkness in House Rothstaylor… In the end, it was the same.

Even though Princess Penia recognized such a possibility, she didn’t treat Ed any differently.

At first, it felt like a thorn that was pricking her neck. Thinking it was just a small mistake she made, she ignored anything related to Ed.

However, as time went on, he grew his presence within the school and managed to change everyone’s evaluation of him in his own way.

Intervening in the school’s crisis, he rescued Yennekar. He clenched his teeth as he did his utmost to survive, living in the forest while keeping up with his grades. He received recognition from many students and even rose to the ranks of one of the most talented third-year students. Yet up until the very end, Penia continued to turn her head away from him.

And what was the reason behind it? After a lot of thought, Penia was finally able to find the answer.

And once she realized it, an unbearable shame came over her.

The reason Penia consciously ignored Ed… was because his very existence, living a healthy and exemplary life while making a name for himself through achievements, was proof that Penia made a mistake.

What a childish and one-dimensional feeling.

It was delusional to think that hiding your eyes and looking away from your mistake would be able to free you from that guilt.

Hiding behind the high and noble status of being a princess, she faced a disgusting sense of relief knowing nobody would ask about her sins.

How shameful was it to act like a mere preschooler, committing a mistake only to close their eyes and cover their ears, acting like everything was okay.

The reason she had almost failed to realize that fact was because… she was in Silvenia Academy.

In the Kroel Empire, the imperial family’s word was law.

Every chess piece that had been thrown out due to wrong judgment died with a smile. They didn’t struggle to overcome any sort of pain. Whatever the consequence of Penia’s poor judgement there was, it was all acceptable and right.

However, they were at Silvenia Academy, where the virtue of learning was emphasized over the status of nobles.

Most of those discarded chess pieces… they shed tears of blood, ground their teeth, spat curses, eventually dying a tragic death.

The difference was too massive. And the weight that came upon her shoulders was all too different.

“I was just… afraid.”

She closed her eyes, keeping them shut for a moment.

Ed Rothstaylor, who was covered in blood, raised his head up from the abyss.

With a body covered in wounds, he dragged his body along right in front of Princess Penia’s face as he spoke.You made me like this. I am a good man and a hardworking person, but my life has been ruined in vain by your poor judgment. Yet, I clenched my teeth and survived all the way until the end to plant my two feet right here and stand in front of you.

I resent you. I despise you.

“Princess?”

“I’m sorry, Wade. I was thinking about something else for a moment.”

Penia raised her head energetically as she brushed her elegant platinum hair back, taking a deep breath.

“Still, thanks to you I was able to organize my thoughts. Forever running away from our mistakes isn’t something that one should do. It’s…a stupid thing to do.”

“I’m glad that you are making progress.”

Once you have recognized your mistake, you needed to think about how to improve yourself.

Princess Penia was able to stop herself right before falling into the swamp of depression, barely grabbing ahold of herself.

Gathering the chess pieces and putting them back together, she repeated to herself.

Regardless of what had happened thus far, now it was only a matter of fixing the relationship. First things first, she had to brush it all off and apologize for her wrongdoings.

As fast as possible, she needed to meet with Ed Rothstaylor and have a discussion with him.

With that in mind, Princess Penia remembered her schedule.

It’s a completely full one. Even if she only took care of the extremely important events in her schedule, it seemed like it would still take four days before she could make time. If she moved quickly, then maybe she could shorten it to three.

Then, with a minimal number of escorts guarding her, she would visit Ed Rothstaylor at his camp. Sitting by the campfire, saying everything that’s on her mind, and having a direct conversation with him.

She made up her mind as she nodded her head.

That gloomy energy around her was starting to dissipate a little, as it seemed that there was a clear path that opened up for her to take. It was a refreshing feeling that she hasn’t felt in a while.

In the morning, three days later, Princess Penia heard the news of Ed Rothstaylor’s death.

***

Imbuing Deadly Poison.

The magic circle engraved along the sharp, dark blue dagger’s blade was ominous.

The poison magic that the first-class engraver hired by House Rothstaylor spent days and nights perfecting was finally done. The deadly poison magic was considered one of the worst there was, as you would struggle and die just by touching it a little.

There was no point in even trying to count just how many gold coins went into imbuing such a thing. What was certain was that it was, by no means, a small amount.

Careful, in case even the tip of his finger got cut, Krepin Rothstaylor put the dagger into its sheath. He then held it out to his trusted aid.

The aid that politely took the dagger hid it under his robe. Then, the assistants standing on both sides of him knelt in front of Krepin.

He had told Tanya Rothstaylor in advance through a letter.

It seemed that having her take responsibility for both becoming the student council president and the negotiation for the Sage’s Seal with Lortel would be too much. So, he decided to send a trusted vassal to assist her. Even though they were being sent out for business reasons, he was sure that the school would allow it.

Though, the real purpose behind sending the vassal wasn’t to help Tanya. Rather, there was a shadier reason hiding beneath the water.

Krepin returned to his room as he took off the glove on his right hand. He placed his hand, engraved with a hideous pattern, on the crystal ball as a huge amount of magic power erupted from his hand.

One of the powers granted to Krepin Rothstaylor by the evil god ‘Mebula’.Cause and Effect Determination.

It was one of the highest tiers of magic, one that worked by specifying a certain action or variable that you have caused. Then, the results of such action or variable would be projected onto a crystal ball.

It requires a lot of magic power, so it couldn’t be used often. Still, being able to check in advance the consequences of your actions before an important event… It was an incredible ability that was similar to fraud.

Then, before long… the ‘result’ was shown through the crystal ball.

The scene shown was…

A cliff with rain pouring down. It seemed to be a coastal area near the northern part of Acken Island.

Inside the crystal ball was Ed Rothstaylor. Enduring a brutal and bloody battle, until his body was dripping with blood and covered in injuries. Despite enduring for so long, in the end he was stabbed in the abdomen by the dagger that the vassal pulled out.

Dark red blood spurted from his mouth as he took a step back, little by little.

A girl with light pink hair that arrived too late screamed out. The vassal then pulled out the dagger as he pushes Ed away with his foot. And just like that, Ed fell down the distant cliff.

The rain continued to fall on the girl, who ran towards the cliff.

With her head lowered, she slowly turned around, looking back up at the vassal.

And with that, the crystal ball’s projection ended.

“……”

Sitting down at his work table, Krepin put on his glove again as he let out a sigh.

“This isn’t a great feeling.”

However, the expression on his face didn’t budge.

“But still, this is a necessary sacrifice.”