novelraw Chapter 126 : Chapter 126
Chapter 126 : Chapter 126
126
“There is too much to handle. First, there's money; second, there's money; and third, there's money!”
Gwen said that, pointing to the pile of documents stacked on her desk.
I glanced through them and, as she said, most of the documents were administration-related.
‘The expected problems have started to erupt.’
It was a situation I had already predicted as problems that could arise after Avril left.
“Don't worry. Small Guild Master Abrahal has decided to support us instead of Advisor Avril.”
“……! Really?”
“I received a down payment worth one carriage load. Let’s make do with that until then.”
I took the documents and looked at the amounts here and there.
Most of these documents are created for reporting administration that occurs sequentially, and for payment approval.
That meant if I analyzed the timeline well within these, I could line up the budget coming in and going out.
Then the approver just needs to assemble which of these amounts to use first, and where to pull money from to fill in the gaps.
“There must have been money allocated for student meals previously. Thanks to this exchange conference, nearly a month's worth of meal costs would have been saved. Let's start by moving the cost of food ingredients saved for that time and expense to other places.”
“Not buying reserve food ingredients?”
“Reserve is bought when there is surplus.”
“Uh, that document is for the production cost of pamphlets for next year's incoming students…….”
“Not needed.”
We went to the Empire under the pretext of an academic exchange conference, caused a huge incident, and returned.
As a result, our academy didn't need to ask people to come.
Even without promotion, people of the Empire and parents would beg us to please accept their children.
“At times like this, formalities can be brazen. Because they are not people coming to see our glory and honorable appearance.”
“Uh, uh-huh…….”
“Remove everything except the cost for swordsmanship training.”
Like that, I went back and forth between documents, continuing to diet the costs.
I changed the money that had to go out to sequential payments as much as possible, and in many cases, turned it towards exchanging goods or providing labor.
After finishing the paperwork for about an hour like that.
“……Unbelievable. This is crazy.”
The documents that filled the table disappeared neatly, leaving only about 20%.
All Gwen did in the meantime was repeat soulless answers like "Yes, yes" and stamp her seal.
Correcting documents occasionally and making a few notes was secondary.
“You really were the top student of the Imperial Academy……! Your ability is truly displayed when doing administrative processing work.”
“It's very basic paperwork. It's embarrassing to call me top student or whatever over something like this.”
It was nothing more than basic arithmetic calculation.
Anyone at the level of a first-year student at the Imperial Royal Academy would be able to handle work of this extent.
However, Gwen shook her head strongly.
“My father once told me that. Teacher Cassian's swordsmanship ability is a little lacking, but his heart for students is deep, and above all, he is very useful to the academy!”
I did assist and help with various administrative processing tasks since I first came here.
But I didn't know he would have rambled on about that even to his daughter.
Gwen's face darkened slightly as she talked about such things.
“By any chance, did you see…… my father?”
“No. I only heard rumors that he was enthusiastic about making the exchange conference happen.”
“Why on earth did he leave this place? What is Avril thinking…….”
Just in case, I had casually brought up the story of the Chairman even at the drinking party with Abrahal.
However, Abrahal also shook his head, saying he didn't really know what use a Chairman of such a rural territory would be.
That meant Avril was here and made plans related to the Chairman.
“It's okay. He is someone who will live well wherever you drop him. He was originally a Ranger, too.”
“A Ranger?”
“Yes. It is said that in the past, Akarind Academy trained Rangers to explore deep inside the canyon where harpies are. He graduated from that curriculum as the top student, worked as a Ranger in the Belmein Kingdom for a long time, and returned to the academy after retiring.”
According to her explanation, he started investing in the Akarind Academy foundation and the Belmein territory with the money he saved while working in the kingdom.
And as time passed, he was naturally recommended as the Chairman.
“So he wasn't a merchant who owned the foundation from the beginning.”
“Originally, my father didn't like the commercial world that much. That's why he sang songs about education, education. He believed that the power not to yield to merchants or external forces comes only from education.”
So that's how he could handle all external pressures related to the Delinquent Prince or whatever.
“How is Dwayne doing?”
“He has gained quite a bit of weight. He eats well and has started receiving training consistently.”
“Was there no external pressure from the Empire or elsewhere?”
“Lady Ulf blocked it well. Now that Teacher is here, you or other people will have to block it.”
Gwen, slowly regaining her senses, handed over school affairs one by one.
Relations with the outside and education during my absence, etc.
Hearing those things made reality sink in anew.
I returned to the academy.
And now daily life begins again.
“Understood.”
“Please meet student Yuria once. After going out with Teacher Berlis, it feels like something has crumbled even more. Should I say unstable, you know what I mean, right?”
“Understood.”
It was time for education.
* * *
Heavy rain was still falling.
Holding an umbrella, I headed to the dormitory where Yuria was staying.
Knock knock.
“Yuria.”
I called her name, but no presence was felt inside the building.
“I'm coming in.”
I opened the door without waiting for an answer.
CREAK― The door opened with a noise.
It felt like a door that had been neglected and unused for a long time.
As I entered the dormitory building, the sound of rain outside subsided slowly into a muffled silence.
Inside the room, it was still dreary.
Not a single light was lit, and the furniture arrangement was still desolate.
In the corner of that room, Yuria was sitting quietly hugging her knees with her head bowed.
“Yuria.”
“…….”
Yuria didn't answer even when I called.
I took a step closer to Yuria.
And I felt a deep darkness.
‘Ha.’
It was the energy emitted by the air filling this room.
The sound of rain outside was submerged in the energy of this room and sank slowly.
It was a sensation like sinking into deep water.
It was the room of Yuria, who would become a Saint, not anyone else.
To think dark energy filled the room of such a person.
It was a dangerous signal.
I approached close to Yuria and sat on the floor.
She didn't say a single word while I came close.
As if dead, she seemed stiffened hard like an insect.
“Did you hate saving the Necromancer?”
I brought up the main topic immediately.
In the current situation, talking about how bad the weather outside was, asking if she knew how the story of this academic conference flowed, or even saying I met The Spear God seemed meaningless.
“I heard you saved Berlis. Thank you.”
“……I do not know why God gives me such trials.”
“Do you think it is a trial?”
“No, I think it is a punishment.”
Yuria's head slowly lifted.
Rough skin and greasy hair that seemed unwashed for days.
But what was more serious than all those aspects of her appearance was her expression.
She was clearly dying.
“I have thought about it endlessly, but as expected, I should have died in the past. I am receiving punishment for greedily wanting to live for no reason.”
“Isn't it you yourself, not an external existence, making that a punishment?”
“…….”
“Just live a life where that is not a punishment.”
“That choice eats away at me. Every moment of abandoning God, seeking truth, and judging good by myself…… is painful.”
Asking and answering about good was originally that hard and painful.
But saying that's how it originally is wouldn't save her.
‘Is that really the only way?’
For the past month, I pondered deeply about Yuria.
When I first met Yuria, I thought Yuria would awaken if I taught her basic philosophy and knowledge of life.
Life is long, and living is always busy and desperate.
It was true that I thought Yuria's worries would also fade gradually as the demon approached day by day.
‘I thought too lightly.’
Because she is a child who will become a Saint.
So I thought she would be more interested in saving people and taking care of those around her than her own worries or life.
But if that's not it.
“Do you just want to go back?”
Blink.
Blink.
Her eyes closed and opened as if flowing slowly.
Dead eyes approached towards me.
“Not throwing off everything you believe and filling it anew, but just going back to where you lived from the beginning and filling your faith.”
The problem with Yuria right now was that she had too many worries.
She attended all meetings just because she was a regressor, and moved together whenever a demon appeared.
It was also because she was the only person among us who could manifest healing abilities with holy power.
But keeping Yuria in this state here seemed like greed.
“Wouldn't your life be more peaceful and happier if you were with the Saintess or other people in the Holy Kingdom?”
“Are you…… abandoning me?”
I smiled bitterly.
It could look like that.
It could be seen as us abandoning you in the end because we lack the ability to solve your worries.
“I am trying to save you.”
“Clearly I love that place…… grew up there…… and that place is my everything. But that place rejects me, abandons me, and eventually punishes me…….”
Yuria's voice began to tremble little by little.
Her eyes turned red and moisture filled them.
It was the first time she showed tears.
“In the end, am I abandoned, even by Teacher?”
Perhaps because of the tears.
For the first time, Yuria looked like her age, eleven.
“No.”
I shook my head.
“Rather, I am asking a favor of you.”
“…….”
“Individual name Sacer.”
I heard it from Rozalin while coming back in the carriage.
The worst, most heinous demon that appeared in the Holy Kingdom.
“I heard the people of the Holy Kingdom catch that demon?”
And that the Holy Knight Commander takes that Fantasy.
“They say that Fantasy can recover my body and maintain my life.”
“……If it is Sacer's Fantasy, that could, be possible.”
Yuria barely swallowed her cry and looked at me.
“Settle down in the Holy Kingdom and grow your strength. And finally, when the demon appears and everything is over…… how about being there to bring Sacer's Fantasy for me then?”
Yuria bowed her head again.
She seemed lost in thought.
I slowly closed my mouth, waiting for Yuria's answer.
After a little time passed like that, the moment Yuria's head lifted slowly.
THUMP.
A strong vibration resonated nearby.
It was the third demon.