Chapter 118

Pang-! Pang-!

The sound of Eddie and Joy swinging their rackets echoed through the practice field.

The sun had set, and the sky was growing dark.

At this hour, the only members remaining in the practice field, aside from Eddie, were all pro members.

Regular members usually enjoyed Rancross until just before sunset and then returned to their dormitories, but Eddie stayed and practiced until night like a pro member.

That’s why everyone thought it was natural for him to stay late.

After 9 o’clock, the team players began to pack their things one by one.

“I’m heading out first, Joy. Clean up well and head in.”

“Yes, good night, senior.”

The upper-grade players gave Joy a light wave and left the field.

Joy had grown quite close to the Plameus players.

Her outstanding performance in training and her diligent attitude without cutting corners had won their favor.

Eddie, who worked hard like a pro member despite being a regular member.

And Joy, who was diligent as a pro member.

Thanks to their consistent behavior, the people of Plameus no longer found it strange for the two of them to stay behind together.

Therefore, it was extremely convenient when they had things to discuss just between the two of them, like now.

Flick-

Confirming that all the players had left, Joy put down her racket, took out her wand, and drew a large arc in the sky.

Instantly, a mana dome with a soundproofing spell was created.

It was a much more advanced form than before, when she had patched up the four sides and the ceiling with five mana barriers.

Hum- Hum-

Eddie touched the inner wall of the dome to check the soundproofing effect and nodded with satisfaction.

Joy had certainly grown.

And she was diligent.

Even though she must have been swamped with student council work and Plameus activities, she had split her time and excellently carried out her magic training as well.

“But Piling is still too much for you. Don’t be greedy.”

Although he knew the expectant gaze fixed on the back of his head, Eddie spoke firmly.

“Tsk.”

Joy swung her innocent wand in the air, expressing her disappointment.

Eddie moved his wand and added Invisibility to Joy’s mana dome with Piling.

Then, the figures of the two standing on the court were completely concealed along with the sound.

“So, tell me now. What exactly happened at the General Student Council meeting today?”

“Haha…”

Eddie scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

From his conversation with Kylie right here last night to attending today's General Student Council meeting, Eddie hadn't had a chance to tell Joy about the plan.

It wasn't intentional.

It was just that there was no time between the series of events to give Joy a heads-up.

So, Eddie decided to explain the plan in detail now to the somewhat sulky Joy.

“What happened was…”

.

.

.

After hearing the whole story, Joy was too amazed to close her mouth.

The move Eddie had made last night was far bolder than she had thought.

“You even told her that Kirhausen has a conspiracy? Isn’t that too dangerous?”

“This is about moving the Penrose family. I can't hide my cards when I'm trying to borrow such immense power. It’s a matter of whether it will work even if I show my hand honestly.”

“I see… So now we have to wait for senior Kylie’s response. Will she really accept the proposal?”

“The Penrose I know will. Once they find out about Kirhausen’s facility in the Valcon Ruins, this is something they must step in for, if only to set justice right.”

“But what if the Penrose family doesn't step in even then…”

“Then I’ll have to assume they are no longer the Penrose of old.”

At the ominous possibility Joy mentioned, Eddie answered in a low voice.

Hoping that such a thing would not happen, he thought of a person from his memory.

The first member of the Penrose family he had a connection with in his previous life, and the current great elder of the Bernhard imperial family.

The Dowager Empress, Gwen Angelavita Penrose.

The proposal he had made to Kylie this time would also reach the ears of the Dowager Empress.

And the Dowager Empress' intention would ultimately determine whether the Penrose family would accept this proposal.

Because she was an elder of the imperial family and at the same time had a strong influence on her family.

‘The decision-maker of the family is the Dowager Empress' older brother, the head of the family, but since the two are close, their opinions will surely align.’

So, the Penrose family’s response to this proposal was, in effect, the Dowager Empress' intention.

Eddie’s proposal was certainly a good opportunity to keep the Dallie family in check.

But whether it was a good enough opportunity to wage an all-out war with Kirhausen, a great family of the magical world, would be questioned even within the Penrose family.

Because Kirhausen was also a huge family, fighting them would require a great deal of effort.

However, Eddie believed that the Gwen Penrose he knew would willingly fight that battle.

If Gwen’s stance towards his past self remained the same, then the current Kirhausen would be an enemy to Gwen as well.

‘In my past life, Gwen and I were good political allies.’

But it was the current Kirhausen that killed that ally and even his son and daughter-in-law.

So if the Penrose family hadn’t changed, Gwen would surely hold animosity towards the current Kirhausen.

‘I hope that feeling hasn’t changed. So that I can be good allies with Penrose in this life as well.’

With that hope, Eddie wore a slightly bitter expression.

To have to desperately hope that something, of all things, ‘animosity,’ remains in someone’s heart.

For a moment, his mind went blank, as if the purpose of his life, revenge, had taken much away from him.

And seeing Eddie’s expression, Joy shook her head as if she couldn't stand it.

Then she approached Eddie and slapped him on the back. Pang-!

“Ah! What was that for all of a sudden?”

“You’re making that face like you’ve lived through the whole world again.”

“…I’m just a little tired.”

‘Tired, my foot. I’ve seen you make that face so many times already.’

Swallowing her feeling of pity inwardly, Joy picked up Eddie’s racket that was on the floor and handed it to him.

Eddie asked what it was for, but Joy silently turned around and picked up her own racket and a nearby glob.

Eddie realized Joy’s intention and let out a small laugh.

Since no one could see or hear them anyway, she was suggesting they do something to lift their spirits.

Pang-!

Joy hit the glob she had tossed in the air and asked in a loud voice.

“So, how long will it take to get a response from senior Kylie?”

Pang-!

Returning the glob, Eddie also answered in a loud voice.

“Well, I think it will take at least a few weeks. It could even take a month.”

“That long?”

“There will be serious discussions within the Penrose family before and after the investigation. The Dowager Empress, who is busy with state affairs, will also participate, so it’s bound to take a long time.”

Pang-!

“Then we’ll have some free time for a while. Oh, by the way, what’s up with that young master?”

Pang-!

“Young master? Who.”

“Marcel Kirhausen.”

At the sudden mention of the name, Eddie’s posture wavered slightly.

He tried to catch it with mana but ended up swinging and missing.

The glob that fell to the floor turned into golden mana particles a moment later and disappeared.

Eddie watched the mana particles scatter into the air and took a small, deep breath.

He had just been thinking that it was about time for a reaction from Marcel.

“I think it’ll be soon. For Marcel to make a decision.”

“How do you know that?”

“A hunch.”

“What?”

“After sticking with him for a few months and observing his psychological changes, I’ve developed a hunch. I can now roughly predict how long it will take for him to make a big decision.”

“It’s surprising to hear you, who always moves with certainty, talk about a hunch.”

Joy hummed and created another glob.

Then, after some thought, she carefully continued.

“Then does your hunch also tell you this? Like… what kind of decision Marcel will make.”

Eddie stared at the spot where the mana particles had been until a moment ago and remained silent.

Then he turned his head, looked at Joy, and answered.

“Yes.”

* * *

Marcel lay on the infirmary bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The geometric pattern on the ceiling, visible above the faint lighting.

If he followed the pattern with his eyes, he would soon find himself looking at the right wall of the infirmary.

And there was something that inevitably came into his field of vision.

It was the two pieces of paper on the bedside table next to his head.

Marcel slowly reached out and picked up the papers.

One was the midterm report card he had received a week ago.

The other was a letter his family had sent him a few days ago.

Marcel’s gaze first went to the report card.

He had excelled not only in the subject-specific grades but also in the final grade.

2nd place. The rank of the final grade Marcel had received.

The 1st place was Joy Lixiodor.

He knew because the names of the top student overall and the top students for each subject were written on the report card.

“……”

Marcel’s gaze, which had been on his rank, soon trembled slightly.

It wasn't because he was disappointed at not being 1st.

It was because of Eddie’s name, which was at the end of the list of top students for each subject.

The top student for the last subject, ‘Mana Application Practice,’ which was the mock duel exam, was Eddie.

Marcel stared at Eddie’s name for a long time.

‘Maybe this is the real grade he could get at the academy.’

Not the grade he got as the second-top student upon admission, following him.

As that thought continued, his gaze naturally shifted to the family letter next to the report card.

The letter was written in his father’s own hand.

But after reading the first handwritten letter from his father since his admission, Marcel despaired.

[So do not have any more contact with that brat at the academy. Everything he says will be to bewitch you and harm Kirhausen.]

Marcel’s hand, holding the letter, trembled.

The ‘brat’ his father was referring to was Eddie.

And Marcel already knew what ‘everything he says’ that his father was so wary of was.

“Haaah……”

Marcel let out a trembling, painful breath.

The first measure his family took upon hearing the news that he had fallen ill was to separate him from Eddie.

And then his father’s letter was delivered.

And that, through the new personnel the family had planted in the academy.

Click-

Just as Marcel was lost in thought, the infirmary door opened and someone came in.

Seeing who it was, Marcel’s face turned even paler.

“Is your headache any better, young master?”

A woman wearing an academy nurse’s uniform but speaking formally and calling him ‘young master.’

She was a mage of Kirhausen who had been newly hired as a nurse at the academy a few days ago.

She was also the one who had delivered Furas' letter to Marcel.

Marcel turned his head away from her and stared out the window as he answered.

“It’s much better.”

“That’s a relief. Here are the textbooks and writing utensils you asked for.”

“Thank you.”

“It is a good attitude to not neglect your studies even while you are unwell. Is there anything else you need?”

“No. And please don’t call me young master at the academy. Even if you are a person of the family, here we are a nurse and a student.”

“…Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

The nurse left the infirmary with a ‘good night.’

As the door closed and the footsteps faded, Marcel turned his head and looked at the things she had left behind.

There were other people from his family at the academy besides that nurse.

It was impossible to meet Eddie while avoiding all their eyes.

That was why Marcel felt that Eddie was once again amazing.

‘He even predicted this situation of being monitored and taught me a way to make contact…’

Marcel slowly sat up and picked up a textbook.

Then he tore out the first blank page and wrote a short memo on it.

His hand movements as he folded the letter into a paper bird were flawless.

‘Done.’

He aimed his wand at the fully folded paper bird and recited the short spell Eddie had taught him.

Then the paper bird moved its wings and floated into the air.

Click-

As he opened the window, the paper bird flew out and disappeared into the night sky.

Soon, a cool night breeze swept through Marcel’s hair.

Feeling as if his lingering headache was being washed away by the wind, Marcel stood in front of the window for a while.

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