"Chepesh Jerome is out of bounds! Bout 3 also goes to Izelin!"With the referee’s declaration of victory, the training field filled with a swelling heat.Waaah-!An underdog’s victory is always the kind of thing that excites everyone, and today was no exception.If even casual onlookers felt that way, the Izelin side’s tent—whose students were the very winners—was so full of cheers that ears rang.A perfect victory snatched at a time when no one was expecting it at all.Students stood up from their seats, hugging one another and dancing. Some people even burst into tears.It was, truly, a cauldron of emotion."……."Yulina, who had been waiting in the Izelin tent, was at a loss for words as she looked at the scene.She had brought Beatrice all the way here, but she had not come expecting to witness something like this.Beatrice gave a small smile as she looked at Yulina, who couldn’t find her words."That’s unfortunate for you, Yulina."At that, Yulina shook her head."No, Your Highness. I wasn’t hoping for Izelin’s defeat in particular. If anything, in my heart I hoped they would win.""That said, you probably didn’t want to see Loen go on a winning streak. Right?""……."She couldn’t deny it.Beatrice gave a short chuckle at the sight of Yulina and then rose from her seat."The match is over anyway. Let’s be on our way, Yulina. It was more fun than I expected. The result was surprising, too. Thank you for bringing me.""……Yes, Your Highness."Yulina bowed her head and stood up as well.Then she looked around, feeling faintly overwhelmed.Izelin’s students were hugging one another and bursting into tears all over the place.She didn’t like Loen’s victory, but the fact that Izelin Academy had wrested a win from Jerome was truly moving.She didn’t know the full history of the conflict between the two academies, but before long, today’s result would surely be splashed across the newspapers and spread everywhere.Stories of emotional upsets like this go over well with the public.The Newspaper & Broadcasting Club members, who sniff out gossip like ghosts, wouldn’t miss this."That aside… the Union’s one and only public authority."Beatrice spoke softly as she looked off toward the far dueling ground."I wonder if Loen truly knows what that means.""……?"When Yulina tilted her head, Beatrice gave a small chuckle and then shook her head."It’s nothing. Let’s go, Yulina."***The burning heat of the Territorial War cooled, and things reached the stage of wrapping up the formalities.Right after the defeat, Chepesh took every student under her and all but fled back to her academy.But there were still Izelin’s students here, onlookers who had come after hearing the rumors, and the Relief Paladins Elena had brought.Before everyone gathered here, Elena proclaimed Izelin’s victory."The 77th Territorial War returns as a victory for Izelin. Pursuant to the Union’s ordinance on Territorial War, Jerome Academy shall, as of this moment, cease all hostility and agitation against Izelin Academy and its students, vacate Izelin Academy, annul the land transaction contract concluded with Izelin’s former student council president, and return Izelin’s territory."Elena continued."In addition, as compensation for the damages incurred, Jerome Academy shall pay a total of 10 billion Krone to Izelin Academy—5 billion Krone in the first year, and the remaining total within five years thereafter. If this is not carried out, then under the law on Territorial War established as Union territory, all students of Jerome Academy shall be expelled."Thump-.After reciting the contents written in the contract, Elena stamped her seal."Waaah!"As soon as she stamped it, Izelin’s students let out a cheer.Though not present at this site, the contract bore Jerome Academy’s seal as well, so its effect stood firm.If they do not carry it out, they will be forcibly expelled from Union territory.No matter that the current Union leadership is little more than figureheads; the law itself is inviolable.If the terms of the contract are not fulfilled, Elena, as observer, will take the censors of each house and march into Jerome Academy.…10 billion Krone. Since the feel is almost the same as modern won, that’s about 10 billion won.That is the compensation Izelin obtained from Jerome Academy through this victory.A small sum if small, a large sum if large.Money cannot fully soothe the injuries and mental strain the students have suffered all this time, of course, but at least for the next few years, Izelin Academy won’t be strapped for funds.Jerome Academy will take a slight hit to their finances, but it is not an expenditure that will make the academy reel.Their home country will provide that amount of support without much trouble anyway.The bigger issue is that Jerome’s invasion of Izelin has been thwarted by this.Given the situation, if they truly insisted, Jerome could withdraw from the Union and then strike Izelin, but…Izelin isn’t land attractive enough to warrant paying that kind of price.Izelin is a small state with a population of only about five hundred thousand.Its geopolitical position isn’t all that valuable either, and while there is a Dark Magic Stone mine, its quality isn’t suitable for processing, so the economic value is low.Of course, there’s the established setting that Izelin once gained independence from Jerome’s federation, so there are racial and cultural similarities.But it’s not to the point that they’d accept the huge bleeding of withdrawing from the Union just to attack, so the probability that this incident will break Jerome’s ambition to invade Izelin is exceedingly high.If they get itchy, they’ll probably go invade some neighboring country that isn’t a Union signatory.After stamping the contract, Elena handed it to me."You worked hard, Loen.""What do you mean, worked hard. This was thanks to your help, Elena. I owe you my thanks.""True enough. If not me, who else would roll up their sleeves for a touchy issue like this?"Elena threw her chest out proudly and boasted of her contribution.Though she didn’t directly influence the win or loss, Jerome will likely find it rather awkward with Elena, who served as observer for this Territorial War."……I’m sorry to put you in that position.""No need to be sorry. It’s all self-inflicted anyway. In any case, I see you differently now, Loen."Elena gave me a bright little smile and then spoke to Illeina, who stood beside us."Miss Illeina, too. You must have gone through a lot of heartache. I’m glad it all worked out like this."At Elena’s kindly words, Illeina bowed her head.The conflict with Jerome was completely settled as of today.Perhaps her emotions were welling up a bit; Illeina’s voice was trembling slightly."Th-thank… you.""Oh, what did I even do. Square your shoulders. Lift your head. The students are all watching. If you cry here, things that could be settled won’t be. At times like this, you have to show a confident face.""……Yes."Illeina swallowed down her emotions and raised her head again with a calm face."Well done. And because this has made things a bit awkward with Jerome… it looks like it’ll be hard to expand our diocese into Jerome. In that sense, may we open a branch of our Order in the Kingdom of Izelin?""Ye… yes?"Illeina’s eyes went wide at Elena’s proposal.The Holy Kingdom Celestia. The Holy Order that serves the God of Light, Lu.For that Order to put down official roots in Izelin is, in a sense, close to military support.If a branch is established in Izelin and clergy carry out missionary work in that zone, that means the Paladins and forces who assist them will also be stationed there.Expanding a diocese, in itself, carries a measure of deterrence against war.Of course… that’s a double-edged sword.I quietly stroked my chin.Elena might have no ill intent, but someone could use this as a pretext to attempt interference in Izelin’s internal affairs; depending on the case, it could be poison.The choice was Illeina’s.And wisely, she avoided giving an immediate answer."I truly appreciate the offer, but that’s not something I can decide at my level…""Hehe, I’m joking. But if you’re interested, contact me anytime. Our Lu Order is open to all."Tap tap-.Elena turned the mic back on and addressed the students gathered here."All right. With that, we bring the Izelin vs. Jerome, Jerome vs. Izelin Territorial War to a close. At 7 p.m. this evening, a modest party to celebrate Izelin’s victory has been prepared, so those who wish to participate, please remain here~."With Elena’s announcement, cheers again rose over the training field.Waaah-!And in the midst of those cheers, I tilted my head.'A party…?'What the hell. We didn’t prepare anything like that.No matter that I predicted victory, I hadn’t drunk the kimchi soup to the extent of preparing a party in advance.Illeina wasn’t the type to do that either, so in that case…When I gazed at Elena, she spoke with a smile that revealed nothing of her real intention."Hehe, when you swaggered onto the dueling ground making big boasts, I called people to prepare a party on the spot. On a day like today, an after-party is the best. Of course, I’ll bill you later.""What? Sorry, but I don’t have money.""What are you talking about. Your house is filthy rich. You’re rich too. You spend money like water in daily life, but this is what you’re stingy about?""……."If you bring up my usual conduct, I’ve got nothing to say, but right now I really don’t have money.Thanks to Aslan cutting off my allowance, I’m at the point of having to sell the things I already own.Yet you want me to cover the food and drink for a crowd of over a thousand gathered here. That’ll easily run into tens of millions of Krone.With an awkward face, I called for Illeina."……Illeina."She nodded and readily offered to cover the amount in question."Don’t worry. We’ve got compensation to collect from Jerome, after all. I’ll pay. And no matter what anyone says, it’s a party to celebrate our victory."***The next day.Sunday, greeted after the (somewhat) frenzied after-party.As a token of thanks for Elena’s help yesterday, I attended Saintea’s Sunday Mass and then returned to the Student Council President’s Office.When I dragged my tired body back, Ciel greeted me."You’ve returned.""……Yeah."Illeina, Philip, and Josefin were already in the office, having tea and snacks.I looked at Illeina and spoke."So you were already here, Secretary."At the word secretary, Philip beside her tilted his head."Huh? Her Highness the Princess, secretary?""Yes, that was a term in the contract."The contract Illeina and I exchanged before deciding on cooperation with Izelin.Among the personnel needed to maintain the General Student Council, the first person recruited after my secretary Ciel was Illeina.As of today, she was appointed Secretary of the General Student Council.Not that there’s any particularly grand duty. It’s practically an honorary post."I’ll send the formal letter of appointment soon.""Yes."Illeina nodded. That wrapped the secretary matter.Next, I asked Ciel:"Did you hand Josefin the additional medicine?""Yes, and I passed on the dosage instructions as well."What I had given Josefin previously was a kind of elixir.It reduces immediate pain and boosts the body’s immunity, but it isn’t a fundamental cure for the rare disease Joshua is «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» suffering from.So this time, with help from a student in Eredor’s Department of Pharmacology, I made a treatment appropriate to Joshua’s illness and handed it over."Good. Once he takes the medicine, Joshua’s condition should improve in the near future. If it does not, contact me at once.""Understood. Truly… thank you."Josefin bowed his head to me in thanks.For someone normally taciturn, it was the greatest courtesy he could show.Thanks to me, his little sister would get better, and he would no longer have to betray Illeina, so it was only natural."I’ll accept your thanks formally after your little sister is fully cured. Next."I sat on the sofa and spread open the contract I had drawn up with Illeina.Rustle-."According to the contract, we’ll carry out civil engineering work for your Izelin Academy. Yes, the pretext is the reconstruction of the old dormitory. But the true purpose is to excavate the relic sleeping beneath your academy grounds.""A… relic excavation?""Yes."One of the Three Great Divine Tools in the academies: the Cognition Acceleration Stone.Since I personally led Izelin to victory, it’s time to reap the harvest.

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