“Those are not words one would expect from the Age of Glory.”
“Whether it is the Age of Glory or the Dark Age, human nature does not change. It is the natural order for weak individuals to be weeded out from a group. That is even more true at your age. Helping one bullied child does not change the truth.”
“So you knew.”
“How many children do you think I have seen here? It is your instinct.”
“Even so, not everyone lives by their instincts.”
“Nothing good comes of going against the natural order. It does not help the Empire, either.”
I looked at Kaila and fell briefly into thought.
From a certain perspective, what she said might not be entirely wrong.
But I had not expected her to say it so boldly in front of a student.
She had probably never belonged to the side that was weeded out, the side she spoke of.
That was why she could speak that way.
Then I suddenly wondered.
Did Kaila know what she was saying?
Did she understand not merely the surface logic, but the true intent lurking beneath it?
Then she called to me.
“You.”
Kaila had stopped stretching and was standing straight as she looked at me.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
I smiled.
“No, Teacher. I listened to you well. May I carry out the Independent Project with Lumin?”
“Before that, what was that just now?”
I answered politely.
“I was listening to what you said, Teacher.”
“You do not like what I said?”
“No. Even if I do not agree with it completely, it had a point. I think it is a subject worth considering.”
“Not that crap. I have good instincts, you know? Tell me honestly what you were thinking just now.”
Had she caught me?
Kaila was strong.
She had been born with talent and grown strong easily, and she had likely never faced an equal in her life.
To her, the weak must have seemed not like fellow humans, but like another species lacking something.
But everything was relative.
When she someday encountered an opponent she could not resist, she would become one of the weeded-out individuals she spoke of.
Would she still speak proudly of the survival of the fittest then?
“What was it?”
Kaila walked toward me.
“Armand Draco. You are a descendant of House Draco, right? And an Extinction, at that?”
“Yes.”
“Is that why you have such unsettling eyes?”
She raised the corners of her mouth.
“Do you remember how pitifully House Draco bent its knee to the Empire? House Draco was trampled because it was as soft as you. The Empire won, and House Draco was weeded out. Those processes piled up again and again until the Age of Glory came. Look at you. In the end, you bowed your head to the Empire and crawled into the Ivory Tower. Am I wrong?”
I did not react to her provocation.
“Teacher, I only came to speak about the Independent Project. I would like to carry it out with Lumin of the Lion Class. I have already received permission from Teacher Aurelius. I ask that you approve this matter.”
“Do not change the subject. Answer what I said.”
“What answer do you mean?”
“What was that earlier?”
Kaila tapped the nape of her neck.
Her bloodlust pressed in on me.
“What did you do earlier? No, what were you thinking?”
“I.......”
That was when it happened.
The door to the faculty office opened, and someone walked in.
“Teacher Kaila.”
It was none other than Aurelius.
Without even acknowledging me, he spoke in a businesslike tone.
“You forgot these documents.”
“Ah, those. Did I leave them behind? I have had a lot on my mind. Thank you.”
“I will see you at the meeting.”
“Yes.”
As though it had all been a lie, Kaila extinguished her bloodlust. She briefly glanced through the documents Aurelius handed her.
“Armand Draco.”
“Yes.”
“Do whatever you want with the Independent Project.”
I immediately bowed my head.
“Thank you, Teacher.”
Keeping her eyes on the documents, Kaila waved her hand dismissively.
I followed Aurelius, who was passing through the door, out of Kaila’s faculty office.
Aurelius walked toward his own faculty office without saying anything.
I did not know whether he had helped me or had truly come because of the documents.
Voices and the flow of mana could not leak out from the Ivory Tower’s faculty offices. He could not have known what was happening between Kaila and me. Kaila had looked as though she truly had forgotten the documents as well.
I would consider myself lucky.
I spoke to Aurelius’s back.
“I will see you at the end-of-day assembly.”
“All right.”
The sound of his staff grew distant.
As I descended the spiral staircase, I let out a sigh.
I had meant to resolve the Independent Project easily with the Temple in the Dark Forest as its topic, but in the end, I was going all the way to the Island of Wraiths.
There had been nowhere else suitable to use as an excuse to include Lumin.
What could I do?
I was doing it because I had to.
Just as I had to attend the Lumen Patronage Gathering this weekend.
***
Recently, the first-year students had been in a frenzy over the Independent Project.
Whenever there was a break, people were looking for groups or discussing their assignments everywhere.
As I passed by, I overheard all kinds of rash plans.
Yet even so, we were the only insane group going to the Island of Wraiths.
“There’s no way a group like that exists.”
Lulusha shook her head.
“Why do I have to go somewhere like that?”
“Devout believers should help one another.”
“You said your faith wasn’t deep.”
“Actually, it is.”
Lulusha had recoiled at the suggestion of going to the Island of Wraiths, but when she heard Lumin would be coming as well, she seemed to grasp the rough circumstances. After a long sigh, she nodded.
That was how the group going to the Island of Wraiths came to consist of Karl, Lumin, Lulusha, and me.
The lineup itself was good.
Karl and Lulusha were capable, of course, and though it felt awkward to say so myself, my Attribute was merely sealed; I was proficient in every field.
As for Lumin, in my opinion, he had unparalleled talent in the Arcane Path of Life Spirits alone.
The problem was that the Island of Wraiths was not a place to be taken lightly.
We needed to make a good plan.......
But for now, I had to deal with what was right in front of me.
In other words, I had to make the best possible impression on patrons and wring Donations out of them.
“Everyone, straighten your clothes.”
Sorin said from ahead of us.
I was currently on my way to the Lumen Patronage Gathering with Sorin and Lulusha.
The Lumen Patronage Gathering was a long-standing social event in Ark.
Several Ivory Tower clubs were scheduled to participate, and students from other academies who needed sponsorship would also attend.
There were several academies in Ark besides the Ivory Tower.
In the Empire’s Age of Glory, it would make no sense for such a large city to have only the Ivory Tower as a higher academy.
But none of them could compare with the Ivory Tower.
“The Ivory Tower always draws people’s attention, so watch your words and actions. Avoid getting into disputes if possible.”
“Understood.”
We arrived at a large white building in the center of Ark.
Thick columns stood at regular intervals, supporting a roof decorated with countless statues.
“This is Lumen Hall. You have your invitations, right?”
“Yes.”
One could not even enter the Lumen Patronage Gathering without an invitation.
Without Mrs. Mary’s favor, I would only have been able to watch from outside.
We handed our invitations to a staff member, had our identities verified, and entered.
The Lumen Patronage Gathering was already underway.
All kinds of food and drinks were laid out on tables, while the light broken up by chandeliers scattered down in tiny fragments above them.
Well-dressed people were gathered here and there, chatting, and now and then, an Ivory Tower uniform came into view.
Mrs. Mary welcomed us.
“Sorin, Armand! You made it!”
She personally pressed a drink into each of our hands.
“It is champagne. Have a glass and talk with people. Did only the two of you come today?”
“Lulusha came too......, huh?”
Sorin looked around in confusion.
I pointed in one direction.
“She is over there.”
As soon as we arrived, Lulusha had gone wandering in search of delicious food.
Mrs. Mary smiled.
“It is always nice to see Miss Lulusha eat so well. We are going to see Count Koel. He is waiting over there.”
“Thank you.”
Count Koel, wearing all manner of insignia, wore a sullen expression among the crowd. The moment he saw me, he smiled.
“Count Koel, it is good to see you again.”
“Welcome.”
Since Count Koel was rarely so warmly welcoming toward anyone, the people around us took notice.
“Who is this student?”
“His name is Armand Draco.”
“Draco.......”
When the name Draco came up, they looked at me and tried to determine whether I was connected to the name they knew.
Mrs. Mary spoke.
“Armand is from the North. Now, as an Ivory Tower student, he is a member of the Empire. He is a genuinely promising student who cooks well and has good manners.”
Then the people nodded as though they understood.
But their reactions varied slightly.
Some welcomed me with smiling faces, while others looked me up and down with displeasure.
Count Koel raised his glass.
“Welcome the descendant of House Draco, noblest among nobles. Everyone, let us toast.”
“Excellent.”
“Let us toast.”
With Count Koel going this far, the mood turned more favorable.
“Count Koel must be reminded of his youth. We welcome Armand, who set down the arduous duties of the North and became a member of the Empire. Ah, would it be discourteous for an imperial citizen to say that?”
“No, it is all right. Thank you.”
“Which club did you join, Armand?”
“The Mystery Society.”
“Oh, the Mystery Society.......”
Everyone showed interest.
The Mystery Society was one of the Ivory Tower’s influential clubs, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Glory Society and the Rose Order.
Its true nature was that of a gathering of good-for-nothings, but outsiders did not know that much. Even if they did, they only knew it superficially.
It was not merely a gathering that looked like good-for-nothings. It truly was a gathering of good-for-nothings.
“The Mystery Society. I have heard much about it. I hear its president is an exceptional student. What do you think?”
“You mean Senior Yurik. That is exactly right. I respect him.”
Naturally, that was a lie. I respected his magical skill, but not him.
When it came to his behavior, well.
At the mention of the Mystery Society, people began talking about Senior Yurik at once.
“I hear the Imperial Family and the Round Table have taken an interest in him.”
“It is widely rumored that Yurik is the Ivory Tower’s greatest talent alongside the Imperial Princess.”
“I see.......”
Sorin, who had been listening, chimed in.
“Armand is the Manager of the Mystery Society. He serves as its practical operator. You could say he is the student Yurik trusts enough to entrust with that role.”
“Ah, is that so?”
“Yurik and I are in the same class, so we talk from time to time. Yurik values Armand greatly. An outstanding senior and junior are leading the Mystery Society in harmony.”
“Oh.......”
Sorin, I truly appreciate it, but you were capable of speaking so normally.......?
In any case, thanks to Sorin, people’s gazes became even more favorable.
I could see the shape of it now.
If I used Senior Yurik as a selling point, I could secure Donations for the Mystery Society.
Could this not have been accomplished simply by having Senior Yurik come himself?
But even so, he would never have stepped forward.
Donations would be an afterthought to him. He was the sort of person who would send me here and enjoy watching me suffer.
One noblewoman asked me.
“Armand, is there a reason the Mystery Society suddenly came to the patronage gathering?”
“That is.......”
Our Club Subsidy was cut, and we were in danger of being driven out of the clubroom, so we came to fill the gap.
But I could not say that honestly.
“It is because the Mystery Society plans to participate actively in external activities from now on.”
Sponsorship was not simply given away. There had to be something in return.
I would start by issuing an empty promise.
“Really?”
“Suddenly?”
“Yes.”
“Would it be fair to say that this sudden change in direction is due to Armand’s appearance? For example, that the newly appointed Manager Armand wants to move the Mystery Society more actively, unlike before, like the Glory Society or the Rose Order.......”
That was a sharp question.
The correct answer was no.
Not at all. You are overthinking it.
But then they would not give me any money.
“Something like that.”
Then people’s expressions changed.
One by one, those who had been lingering nearby gathered around.
In this world, the fact that the Mystery Society, which had remained still, was taking an active role was a considerable change in its own way.
I smiled as though the matter was ambiguous.
“But I cannot say it is entirely because of me.”
“Could that mean Senior Yurik?”
As though I could not bring myself to answer, I closed my mouth and shrugged.
Their reaction grew even better.
“As expected.......”
“It seems his heart has changed.”
“Boys grow up. Yurik must be gradually learning more about the world.”
“Well, well.”
But that attention did not have only a good effect.
As I had said before, students from all kinds of clubs were here.
“That’s a lie.”
The one who said it was a student wearing the same Ivory Tower uniform.
“The Mystery Society came here because it has a problem. Isn’t that right?”
“What do you mean?”
“That’s exactly what I mean. The Mystery Society didn’t come here for any grand reason. It came because a problem arose and it’s trying to patch it up. Any student who knows anything would know that.”
He tilted his head as he looked at me.
“You shouldn’t deceive your patrons like that, Junior.”
I checked the blue epaulet on his shoulder.
He was a senior, but since he was trying to interfere with me, he was now just a senior bastard.
“A problem? I do not know what you mean.”
“Are you pretending not to know?”
“What problem are you referring to?”
“Do you really want me to say it?”
“I have nothing to hide.”
“Fine.......”
The senior bastard swept his curly hair back and looked around at the people nearby.
“The Mystery Society recently had its Club Subsidy cut.”
The people around us began to murmur. He raised the corners of his mouth and continued.
“So it’s in danger of being driven out of its clubroom. That’s why it came here, trying to scrape by somehow. It seems you all have your fantasies about the Mystery Society, but it’s little more than a gathering of nobodies. And if something like that happened, should its president not come himself? Isn’t it too much for the Mystery Society’s president to leave it to a freshman who just enrolled?”
The mood soured.
Then the senior bastard added something I could not easily let pass.
“How pitiful. You were driven out of the North, and now you are about to be driven out of your clubroom too. Keep your chin up, Junior.”