A few days later.
Regardless of my desperate wishes, Eldain Academy is in full swing with the nightly self-study period.
Beginning at 7:00 p.m., classes will be held in the Academy's second floor, with each professor in charge of a freshman class taking turns teaching once.
For example, Hans is teaching the first class now.
He's a professor of an extra position that's not often featured in the game, so I don't remember much about him, but he's in charge of a class on physical fitness.
"Stamina," he said, "is like national strength. ...So, in a nutshell, it's like national power, no matter where you are or what's going on. Whether you're using magic or any other blade, if you lack stamina, you're bound to lose in the long run, so please don't be fooled by outward appearances and neglect your stamina training. Do you understand?"
In short, he was saying the same thing I struggled with when I first started taking stats: stamina is darn important.
Of course, unlike most people, I have a clear limit.
'15… I can only grow to half the size of everyone else....'
I can't help it.
It's new, but I should blame myself for putting traits in when I first set up the character. Once you start blaming the world, it never ends.
I set my jaw for a moment and looked around.
I could see the so-called elite students in class.
Leon, sitting at the far end of the room, looked quite focused. For a kid whose main focus is magic, he should be bored, but he's holding up well.
Hajiya, without that kind of responsibility, he wouldn't dare to be called the young patriarch of the commanding family.
"To improve your physical strength, you basically need repetitive training and weight. And above all, regular intake of protein is a must, and...."
This time I turn my gaze to the other side of the room, where Talia is. She's listening to the lesson with a twinkle in her eye. My worries are eased.
'I'm glad to see she's doing better.'
I'd been worried that she'd been chipping away for a while after hearing about me and the Princess, but she seems to have gotten over it pretty well.
Of course, it's still a little scary when her eyes meet mine and she laughs without meaning to, but....
This was definitely a better situation than I first thought.
Is this a result of Emma's hard work?
I don't know, but it was good news for me.
What if things start to go wrong with the Steiner family and Reinhafer?
I don't have the power to stop it, not yet. So for now, I must hunker down and hold my breath.
Waiting for the right time, tackling the main story and reaching the end.
That's the best I can do.
"Student Nox von Reinhaber. Name the three most vulnerable points of entry for magic-using mages and martial artists."
Instructor Hans asks abruptly.
I shake off the rush of sleep and sit up stiffly.
"Top, middle, and bottom dantain."
"Correct, sit down."
Hans said, beaming with pride.
Was he just happy that he had imparted knowledge to a country bumpkin?
I've never been in the professor's shoes, so I don't know.
I sat still, thinking about the settings in Inner Lunatic.
I thought back to my answer earlier about the upper, middle, and bottom dantain.
Upper dantain.
This usually refers to the head.
It concentrates horsepower and is often used to process complex math through circuits. Almost all students have access to one.
Middle dantian.
This refers to the heart area.
It's a natural source of horsepower and acts as a pump to pump blood throughout the body. It's quite unwieldy, so you'll need to be an intermediate student to open it.
Lower dantain.
This refers to the area about two nodes below the navel.
It opens the door to the mental world, which in simple terms means creating a space for your own internal practice.
As you can see from the description, those who can do this are often referred to as sages and are considered to be the sages of the continent.
For example, Noah, who reached the pinnacle as a wizard.
Or Luna, who reached her peak as a swordswoman.
However, once this place is sealed, no one will ever be able to use a sword that contains magic and enchantment again, so it must be handled with care.
'Well, that's a long way off for me....'
Anyway.
The setting itself seems to borrow from martial arts and video games.
Inner Lunatic was known for its ability to incorporate materials or settings that seemed to be okay here and there into the unique atmosphere of the work.
With the setting fresh in my mind, I waited for the professor to finish his lecture.
He sighs as he spies a familiar, perfumed woman sitting next to him. Princess Penelope. She's sitting next to me now.
"What is it? Do you have some kind of business with me?"
"No. You're just overly self-conscious."
She asks naturally, so I quickly deny it.
Penelope giggled.
Earlier, as we sat down. She said to me
-I know you're a potential groom, but you're engaged anyway… if I don't sit next to you, people will get suspicious.
-....
There's no denying it.
In Eldain, this kind of interaction and romance is encouraged in the first place.
It's not uncommon for nobles to congregate and try to grow their families and expand their ranks.
Naturally, the academy has no reason to discourage this.
... But isn't it a bit much for a princess to do this?
I thought about it, but eventually swallowed it down.
I can't think of anything else to do.
I'll just have to hang in there.
It's only a week, and by the end of it, I won't have to worry so much. There's no professor watching over me, and I've already memorized all the tricks to the Academy's underground labyrinth.
Ding dong~!
Soon enough, the first class was over, earlier than I expected. It's called nighttime self-study, but Korea is a country infamous for its education.
Was it because I had lived there?
I didn't find it too difficult.
Of course, I don't remember actually doing the palm tree, but....
Anyway, being Korean, I'm cautiously guessing that I might have been victimized (?).
'Still, it's a bit exhausting....'
Though technically, that's because of Penelope....
Since I can't say anything, I decided to keep my mouth shut.
"Why don't I go first?"
"Go on in. Princess."
Penelope was the first to bow, followed by Echidna, who also bowed. Naturally, I did not bow.
It's hard to be an asshole to an princess, I suppose, but not to others, especially not to the one who bullied and belittled me on a regular basis.
Anyway, the two of them left the room first, and I packed up my things. I stuffed the class materials into my back pocket and stood up from my seat.
I feel a strange sensation of a cold breeze blowing behind me.
'What the hell....'
This is followed by the sensation of being confronted with a primal fear.
A very unfamiliar....
I felt like I was being eaten.
I quickly spun around, and there was Talia, her smile wiped off her face.
"What's up, Nox?"
What?
The question burns deep.
It wasn't unusual for Talia to pop in on me like this, and I wasn't particularly uncomfortable with the behavior. It happens so often.
But today, for some reason, I felt a little anxious. The so-called crisis sensors kicked in. My antennae twitch.
'Is there a chill in the air… like Dean Noah?'
I consider the thought, then clamp my mouth shut.
Thalia, whom I had expected to be angry, was… smiling.
I felt frightened, and looked around for help. Eleanor, however, shrugged and disappeared, leaving Leon to hang his head and walk away.
She and I were the only two people in the lecture hall.
[Talent 'Master of Acting' shakes strongly!]
It was a close call.
Faced with a dead-end situation, I couldn't maintain my poker face well enough to keep my act together.
What is my situation now?
I'm just back in contact with my ex-girlfriend, albeit against my will.
'This kind of storyline… doesn't even happen in dramas these days!'
I screamed to myself and took a step backwards.
This is dangerous.
"Hey, Nox. There's something I wanted to ask you."
Talia's eyes are dead. Her mouth is smiling, but inside, she's in a state that's probably impossible to guess.
Perhaps the best course of action is to walk away.
"... I'm a little busy right now, so I'll have to go. We'll talk about it later."
Gulp.
(teog.)
I calmly turn away, but I can feel her body heat on my shoulder.
This… I can't run anymore.
As I stand there in despair, Talia approaches me and speaks.
"Tell me about what happened with the Princess Penelope... I wanted to hear it from your own mouth. Was there something between you two?"
"Um...."
I stammered, trying to think of a way to deflect, but quickly gave up.
It was something I'd tried to avoid bringing up as much as possible, but at this point, I couldn't avoid it. Just in case, I walk out of here without opening up to her about my time in the Imperial Castle?
That's something I should never do, even if I had three lives to live.
Besides, I don't need to improve my relationship with her....
The last thing I needed was for Talia's sanity to be shaken. Wasn't she one of the core members of the Baal slaying expedition?
Well. Which also means she's one of the members who's going to kill me, but... you can't make a key player evil anyway.
I'm the only villain here.
"I wouldn't say there wasn't..., but it wasn't the kind you're thinking of."
"What kind I think of?"
Talia's eyes curve like a half-moon.
"Oh! Do you mean the one where you got engaged to Princess Penelope?"
Thud. If my heart could make a sound, it would have sounded something like this. I suddenly realize that Talia is not in her right mind.
It feels like there are words like 'without discussing the schedule with me' at the end. I'm starting to hear hallucinations now.
Desperately, I blame one person.
'Penelope… I understand playing with me, I understand using me, but what do I do with her, what if she runs away....'
Then it happened.
A calm voice leaked out from the disheveled(?) Talia.
"But I'm not really worried about it."
"…What?"
I didn't realize how badly I sounded.
She continued.
"Actually, when I think about it, it's not really something I should worry about. The Princess must have a lot of potential suitors anyway, right?"
'Well, right now, there's only me....'
I swallowed hard at the words.
Even I could see through this.
"I mean, the chances of actually getting married would be low... and if Nox suddenly disappeared or something… well, you'd never get married anyway, right?"
Why would I disappear?
I couldn't ask.
It seemed like I could disappear forever.
'Shit....'
('jenjang....')
There's a shadow of a smile on her face.
I quickly lowered my eyes in fear.
Then, was it because I was panicking too much?
I blurted out something ridiculous.
"... He doesn't wear ties."
"Huh?"
"The Princess."
Talia's eyes widened at my words, and her expression, which had been a forced smile, returned to normal for a moment. A puzzled, "Huh?" look.
Then she blushed lightly.
She turns away for a moment and begins to chatter softly.
"I see… Nox should probably wear a tie. Yeah… That'd give him a bit more of a chance, so maybe it's okay...."
Chances?
But again, I didn't ask.
I value my life above all else.
So let's just shut up for now. There's no disagreement that it's for the best.
I think so, but a distracted Talia interrupts me with a wide smile.
"We can save the last resort for later!"
Last resort....
I breathed a small sigh of relief, hoping I'd never have to hear it.
* * *
'...I don't understand. Why even I would act like such a child.'
I thought for a moment, remembering the incident with Nox earlier. Then I looked at Echidna, who was waiting beside me, and asked.
"Echidna, do you have any idea? Why did I… why did I suddenly act like that?"
"You mean your betrothal to Nox von Reinhafer...?"
"Yes."
Moonlight streamed through the window into the interior of the top floor of Sidus Hall.
I can see Echidna's troubled expression clearly.
I lie still in my bed, bathed in moonlight, and think of an alien presence.
Nox von Reinhafer.
The subject who dared to usurp my command, a princess, and make a fool of my brother in the imperial castle.
An overwhelming talent, indeed.
'Where on earth did he come from and suddenly appear? No matter how you look at it, he hasn't done anything untoward so far,... so why has his reputation been so poor until now?'
It doesn't really make sense to me.
No doubt Nox is strong and selfish. But… he's not evil, even if he doesn't express it well. From what I've seen, he's more of a good guy.
So why does he have to pretend to be bad?
My instincts aren't always right, but for some reason I think Nox is putting on an act. But here again, I'm stuck with the question.
I completely understand the acting part.
But... to get what?
What is he acting for?
He already has enough money and power in his family.
Not only that, but he can get his hands on anything, and he doesn't have to be the victim of a power struggle like he was.
There has never been less bloodshed between brothers at house Reinhafer.
My thoughts drift off into a tangent, then stop, and a smirk creeps across my face.
Yes, he's acting, and so am I.
Penelope von Arkheim-.
I have a pretty name, but what the world calls me is The Princess.
I must always present myself to my people with grace and decorum. It is my duty as the Princess of Arkheim, the Great Empire.
That is why I must always look good, even when I am sick or in pain. I may not be a very good person, but I trick myself and look in the mirror every morning and say to myself, "You are strong."
You're a strong person.
You deserve people's respect.
You are....
not to someone, but to fool myself.
I do it every day.
"It's ridiculous."
Again I see the face of the man who made me feel so bad.
Nox. In fact, at first I thought I was going to go all out to get him.
He had the makings of a kingmaker, so to speak.
Talented, but unbacked.
He has no backers, so if you help him, he could quickly rise to the top.
Even Dean Noah has already approved of Nox.
I don't like the fact that he's a member of the Underworld, but he's a scoundrel. If I can get him to turn against his family and rely on me, I might be able to get him on board somehow.
That's what I suggested in the first carriage.
Join me.
Abandon your family and join the Empire.
But Nox refused at first.
I assumed it was a simple fear of the House.
One, it wasn't.
Two. When I offered again after defeating my brother, the crown prince.
He gave me the same answer once again.
So I had to show him the best I could offer.
I didn't care if it was in restraints or whatever.
I didn't care if it was a restraint. ... Of course, I never thought I'd convince him to walk down the aisle.
"Are you sure you're okay, Princess Penelope, you've already turned the Imperial Family, the Senate… the vassals of House Arkheim upside down."
Echidna anxiously reported the actions of the Arkheim Empire's High Priestesses and bureaucrats. Since choosing Nox as a candidate for marriage, scandals have erupted among them.
It's a cause for concern, but not a serious one.
By my standards, anyway.
"It's okay, Echidna, don't worry."
"Princess...."
I calmly reassured her.
It's just that I have one goal.
To build an empire where everyone can live, and to do that, everyone has to pull together a little bit, and someone has to be sacrificed for the greater good.
I know this better than anyone.
I also know that everyone's definition of a good cause is different.
And how many times I was almost sacrificed for that cause.
'There have been 132 assassination attempts on my life.'
I feel like I'm exercising my memory for nothing.
Anyway, thanks to these assassination attempts, I've always had to live on edge. My nerves are on edge every moment. I'm always exposed to fear.
I suffer from all sorts of nagging illnesses.
But that's why I need to be more unwavering. That's why I can't help but give the same answer again.
I've said it hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times.
"It's really okay, Echidna, I was just making what I thought was the most rational decision. The empire I'm building needs Nox, and I need him, and... is at least as handsome as he is."
"That's… true enough, but...."
Echidna, who couldn't deny it even in this situation, was cute.
She's always offered to take care of me since I was a kid, and she's actually helped me a lot.
I want to protect her with my own strength.
But in the end, the most important thing was the benefit of the majority.
If the many can live, the few must sacrifice.
It was inevitable, and it was the Emperor's virtue.
One life is not worth the same as 100 lives.
So I must try harder.
It is true that my brother's forces have been weakened by Nox's efforts.
But if I can't bring down Prince Louis, I'll naturally lose the balance of power.
That's why I need Nox.
And now he needs me to save his life.
For our mutual benefit.
For the sake of the 'greather good', we are bound together.
I had no doubt in my mind.
"I don't love Nox."
That's why I said it so calmly.
"But if the price of my love can buy so many people. That love, I might pay for it in a lump sum. what, … … If it was that face, I might really fall in love with it."