How To Live As An Academy Extra Villain

✦ Chapter 121 – Ellie (6) ✦

「Translator – Creator」

𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝

“Ergo, Kisha… step outside for a moment.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“As you wish.”

Varion gestured for them to leave. They bowed and quickly retreated. I thought I saw Ergo wink at me as he passed by.

Once the atmosphere had settled, Varion cleared his throat and turned to me.

“You must be curious.”

“…About what, Your Majesty?”

“About what we were discussing inside.”

“…I wouldn’t presume to intrude on such a private conversation.”

“It’s fine. It’s nothing too serious. We were simply discussing… your reward.”

“A reward? But I didn’t do this for a reward. That wasn’t my intention at all.”

“Of course, of course. I understand. However, it is also important for those who have received a kindness to show their gratitude.”

Varion reached into his robes and produced a small, heavy object.

It was a golden medallion, about the size of a plum, emblazoned with the image of a roaring lion and a shield, intricately crafted and clearly of high value.

Weren’t the lion and the shield the symbols of House Canias?

“This is a high-ranking medallion, bestowed only upon direct descendants of our house… or those deemed worthy.”

“With this, you are granted certain privileges,” Varion continued. “Access to the palace and the imperial treasury, the authority to command our knights, the right to withdraw funds from the royal coffers… ”

“That’s not enough.”

Alkmene muttered softly nearby. Varion sighed, looking slightly pained.

I couldn’t understand Alkmene’s comment. There wasn’t a single detail in Varion’s explanation that could be considered lacking. In fact, it was overwhelmingly generous; each right felt like a heavy burden.

“I can’t possibly accept such an excessive reward. Please, reconsider…”

“I knew you would say that. But I’m afraid I must refuse your refusal. Consider it an imperial decree.”

Varion shook his head firmly, as if expecting my response.

“If you don’t wish to use these privileges, you can simply keep the medallion in your possession. Think of it as a token received in advance.”

I had no choice. I hesitantly accepted the golden tablet, my mind still reeling from his words. He had said something about an “advance payment…” but I couldn’t quite grasp the implications.

No, it felt as if my mind was actively avoiding understanding them…

“…Thank you, Edwin. As the father of a daughter whose life you saved… I can never truly repay you. But as the Emperor… well, that’s a different matter.”

Upon seeing me accept the insignia, Varion finally smiled in satisfaction. However, his friendly demeanor ended there. His tone changed abruptly as he continued speaking.

“Father…! I specifically told you…!”

Alkmene started to protest again, but Varion cut her short.

“Edwin Reed. There are many stories circulating about you at the academy. Rumors of bullying commoner students… and more recently, persistent conflicts with the Hero.”

“………..”

“And then, there’s the incident with the Hero’s fiancée. I hear you forced yourself on her and then challenged the Hero to a duel… which you won, quite brutally, I might add.”

As Varion finished speaking, I felt a wave of icy cold emanating from my side. I didn’t need to look to know who it was coming from. I made a mental note to explain myself to Alkmene later.

“Of course, rumors aren’t always accurate. I don’t believe everything I hear. But most people do, and that’s the problem.”

Varion’s face was etched with concern.

“Edwin, ever since the Hero’s selection, all eyes have been on the academy. And your position there… it’s a delicate one, to say the least. You’re at odds with the Hero, a symbol of peace and unity. And you’re closely associated with House Cilla, our family’s sworn enemy.”

“…………..”

“I’m not going to question your motives, nor will I try to control your actions. But don’t expect me to… endorse you, either. As Emperor, I cannot let personal feelings influence my decisions. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

He was speaking as a ruler now, not as a grateful father. His message was crystal clear — while he was personally grateful, as Emperor, he could not officially acknowledge me or offer any further support. Truth be told, that was exactly what I wanted.

“Of course, Your Majesty. I am grateful for your… understanding.”

“…Thank you, Edwin. Convincing my daughter was… challenging.”

“F-Father…!”

Varion chuckled, clearly relieved. Alkmene, however, was mortified, her cheeks flushed crimson as she glared at her father.

“However, if you prove yourself worthy… perhaps one day, I will be able to acknowledge you publicly. And I believe you have the potential to do so.”

Varion patted my shoulder. Then, as if remembering something, he added another remark.

“Oh, just one more thing.”

“…Yes? ”

“About those rumors… I’m sure they’re exaggerated, but… do be careful about your behavior, Edwin. You seem to have inherited your father’s… tendency towards…”

—Smack!

“Varion, that’s enough! Let’s go.” Clythinae interrupted, grabbing her husband’s arm and dragging him away. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Edwin. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

With a final nod and a chuckle, she disappeared out the door.

And this left just Alkmene and me in the room.

She approached me, her voice barely a whisper.

“…I’m sorry about my father. He can be a bit… overprotective.”

“…I understand. It’s okay. And after what you’ve been through… well, I can’t really blame him.”

“And I’m fine… so don’t worry too much about it…”

“…About what?”

She leaned in closer, her face so near I could see every detail.

“It can’t be helped. This all happened because I wasn’t there. The ball… that, too… ”

Her voice was calm, almost serene. As if she was simply stating a fact.

“Unlike my father, I’m very… open-minded. Don’t let it bother you. It’s not a flower’s fault if it attracts insects.”

“Alkmene, I… ”

I needed to explain; to tell her that things weren’t that simple. But before I could speak, her slender finger pressed against my lips, silencing me.

The implications of today’s events were clear. The golden medallion, the way Alkmene was looking at me, the way her parents were treating me… it was all too obvious.

“…So, I’m okay. Really. You’re my Ed, aren’t you? In the end, it will all work out according to destiny. Those other insects… you can use them and discard them as you please. It’s okay…”

Her voice was still calm, but something dark and unsettling flickered behind her golden eyes.

* * * * *

The early appearance of the High Priest left many questions unanswered. However, what seemed to have the most significant impact was the fact that Cecila and I had defeated the necromancer of the South.

I had no knowledge of the connection between the necromancer and the Cult. The story never explicitly mentioned any direct link, though it was established that the necromancer served the Demon King. The High Priest’s goals were also shrouded in mystery.

However, Cecila had once mentioned that she heard the necromancer, Becky, mumble something about a twist before being annihilated.

If some clandestine plot to incite chaos was underway, the necromancer’s demise could have severely disrupted their plans.

If they had orchestrated the audacious attack on the imperial palace to make up for this loss, it might somewhat make sense.

At least I could take comfort in the fact that the High Priest was bound to the east by the curse of the land. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have needed to send his minions to attack the palace.

The area where the search party had been wiped out was most likely the edge of his territory. And if I remembered correctly, he wasn’t at full strength yet. He must have exhausted a substantial amount of his strength during the previous encounter and probably wouldn’t appear in person for a while.

However, there was nothing immediate I could do. The eastern ruins covered half the empire, and even the emperor couldn’t search the entire area.

Besides, the important events in the story were told from Eugene’s perspective. Trouble seemed to follow him wherever he went.

And even if I knew the exact time and place of those events, which I didn’t, it was almost certain that things were already diverging from the original storyline.

I briefly considered telling Varion about the High Priest, but I quickly dismissed the idea. Everyone knew there were forces working in the shadows, and the Emperor had no direct control over the eastern part of the Empire.

Lost in my thoughts, I ended up staying at the inn for another day. I had been given ample time for my leave, and the imperial family showed no signs of letting me go.

The feasts continued, and it was late at night before I was finally allowed to retire to my room. In the middle of the night, I was woken by a commotion outside my door. I peeked out and saw Alkmene, in her nightgown, being dragged away by a distressed Ada.

Was she been trying to sneak into my room?

“I’ll be heading out first.”

“…Yes. And next time, you can call me Ellie… hehe… I’m looking forward to it…”

The next morning, I was preparing to leave the inn, receiving an overly warm farewell from everyone. The golden-haired girl fidgeted right in front of me.

It was decided that Alkmene’s recovery would remain a secret for the time being. Maintaining the ambiguity of her situation was deemed more beneficial for her safety, a consensus nearly everyone agreed upon.

Alkmene was adamant about returning to the academy a week after I did. No one could dissuade her, especially after she insisted that she would be safest by my side. The events of the previous day were still fresh in everyone’s minds, and her argument, however outlandish, was surprisingly effective.

And she had a point. The palace was still vulnerable, and the Emperor and Empress were the primary targets. Besides, no one outside the inner circle knew Ellie’s true identity.

“Farewell, Edwin.”

“Sir Ergo.”

“…One last time, young man. Are you absolutely sure about your decision?”

“Ergo, give it up. You shouldn’t insist on such matters with our junior from the Magic Department…”

Ergo, still holding onto my hand, looked like he was about to cry. Kisha, on the other hand, was beaming.

It had all started at dinner the previous night. Ergo and Kisha had been excitedly discussing my future prospects. When I told them I planned to join the Magic Department, Ergo looked as if the sky had fallen and silently drowned his sorrows in drink.

“Hehe. You’ve made a wise choice, Edwin. Here, take this.”

Kisha grinned and offered me a handful of shimmering blue pills.

“…What are these?”

“Garnika’s Breath. Keep them safe and only use them if you experience a rebound. They’ll instantly restore your mana heart. They’re very precious, so only use them in emergencies.”

They were exactly what I needed, especially for dealing with the mana drain from using Flame of Purification.

“Consider it a welcome gift to my new junior… and a small token of our gratitude for saving our princess.”

“These are too precious… Thank you… Kisha… Noona…”

“H-hehe… Oh my…”

Kisha’s face lit up. I couldn’t believe this cheerful, almost giddy woman was the same person who had been so prickly the previous day.

“Tsk tsk. Mages… always so easily swayed,” Ergo muttered, shaking his head. Alkmene, however, was staring intently at Kisha, her brow furrowed in thought.

“…Is Kisha an insect too…?” she wondered.

— End of Chapter —

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