NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9 - Entrance Ceremony (1)
Entrance Ceremony (1)
-woooooong!!!
The Lachesis Loop Train passes above me.
They say because it levitates with magic power, there’s not much noise or shaking.
My honest impression seeing this new technology…
Due to gathering of national dignitaries today, those exceeding regulation cargo cannot use the Loop Train.
I’m jealous. Insanely. So I want to ride it.
“It’s fucking far, making me curse……”
Profanity comes out automatically.
I’m passing through the campus grounds with the luggage cart after leaving the platform.
Seems horses are prohibited inside the Academy so you have to pull luggage carts yourself.
And after going in somewhat deep,
Just like during the tutorial, crude explanations greeted me.
[ep. Lachesis Imperial Academy] [Start!]
Lachesis Imperial Academy.
Located in Atlas, a metropolitan city in the Empire’s heart Phellos, and as seen earlier, has an airship platform within the Academy.
This explains that the Academy’s scale itself is city-level.
The feeling is so fresh I forget being tired. Because finally, the first button of this damn game is being fastened.
“Huff… let’s see.”
In the yellow booklet just received, the Academy’s overall grounds were drawn in black lines.
I found my way comparing the simplified map and Academy view.
Befitting its Imperial reputation, it’s a place where the Empire’s developed civilization is concentrated.
Buildings with colorful roofs were built with designs pursuing both classic elegance and practicality.
From the main building’s professor research wing, to practice rooms, dormitories, training grounds, dining halls, halls, banquet halls, noble-exclusive facilities…
The entire Academy resembles a ridiculously large amusement park.
“Whew. As expected of rich people, it’s nice?”
It could be considered a perfect upper version of the university I attended.
But even this perfect Academy had an essential problem. That is.
“The common point of all schools nationwide, the damn far distance to the dormitory.”
-crumple.
I unfolded a small paper note.
Come without being late
Neat and dignified writing written concisely.
Rein disappeared leaving only this note.
“Don’t tell me she’s sulking.”
Kuk. Makes me laugh. That can’t be. A being like Rein who wouldn’t shed blood or tears even if squeezed.
They say the entrance ceremony for servants including slave workers like me will be held informally tomorrow.
Equal only on the surface. Clear discrimination but what can you do.
This is the game I chose.
Therefore, I have the fate of pulling her luggage cart to the dormitory before this event ends.
“Can’t something like this be handled with magic.”
While grumbling like that and going further for a while, an unbelievable sight unfolded before my eyes.
-heeyah!
-hurrah!
The steep uphill road toward the dormitory.
Servants who seemed in similar circumstances as me were pushing luggage carts up this uphill.
“What is this……”
Looking at the map, this is clearly the shortest route.
-creak creak.
-heeyah!
The slope looks about 60 degrees with some exaggeration.
Better to be possessed by pyramid-building Egyptians than climb this.
-argh!
Asking about the situation, pulling luggage carts up this hill to the dormitory is apparently
a kind of rite of passage testing retainers’ loyalty to knights.
Truly a barbaric initiation.
-heeyah! -yah! -hurrah! -ha! -going with guts and determination!
Indeed, the knights’ retainers were effectively climbing up while sweating profusely as if they had prepared for this situation.
The smell of sweat seems to spread here.
“Did all magic department servants take the detour?”
Though the side road needs to go around, the slope is much gentler.
“Right, should take the detour?”
-creak.
Unlike knights, magic department’s spellbooks and experiment materials are numerous and heavy, adding to the luggage cart’s weight.
Especially Rein packed so much of something that my cart was the largest in size among them.
“Haah.”
The dizzyingly high uphill makes me sigh again just looking at it.
Finally, just as I was about to move my feet choosing flat ground.
-rustle.
The note in my pocket rustles.
Come without being late
“Agh.”
It’s not even ‘come before entrance ceremony ends.’
‘Come without being late’
Actually in Rein language, this is practically saying to be on standby.
“…Right. Can’t resist the shortcut.”
Got decent Seven Deadly Sins points, but if I irritate Rein’s nerves more, as per the warning our relationship, no, my life might be ruined.
‘Should try the new skill.’
Anyway, don’t I have the newly acquired ability ‘Equivalent Exchange’?
“Good.”
I decided to try breaking through this uphill while testing too.
Focus my mind. The trigger words were certainly……
“With…with blood…I shall pay…the price…”
Maybe because I hesitated from embarrassment, nothing happened.
-ding.
[Must set usage amount for spell to be cast]
‘…Ahem… remaining Blood amount?’
[Remaining Blood: 45]
More filled than expected. Last evening there was definitely only 13 and I’ve only eaten vegetables until now.
But need to consider that Rein predicted blood drinking tonight.
’15…no let’s do about 20.’
“With…with blood…I shall pay the price…about 20?”
-slosh
For a moment a holy grail containing blood inside my body appeared sloshing then disappeared.
-ugh!
And pain like my heart being squeezed rushes in.
“Fu…fuck.”
Dry heaves come up. Enough to regret using it.
-thump! thump!
Like a migraine, heartbeats accompanied by pain adjust my forward vision.
“Huff…huff.”
And around when the pain stopped, a status window popped up.
-ding.
[Used 22! (Error range -5)]
“…There’s error range too?”
Having a proficiency system, it’s detailed for a trash game.
Well, compared to magic, considering strength magic with similar effects is 3rd circle, should look positively at the spell succeeding itself.
[Spell maximized!] [Strength increases by 66%!] [Time remaining: 10 minutes] [Remaining Blood: 23]
“……Ow.”
The reward was as big as the pain.
66%. Far exceeds the originally indicated coefficient.
Literally strength surges. Body feels tingly.
Feels like invisible core muscles supporting me.
-tap.
I put my hands on the luggage cart’s handle.
And took a spirited step forward.
“Let’s gooo!!”
Soon in the Lachesis Main Hall where the entrance ceremony will be held.
Vice President Eliana Serius would take charge of the new student oath and brief congratulatory speech in place of the vacant president position.
A man who was Eliana’s retainer appeared beside her.
“Lady Eliana, shortly.”
“Hah.”
A small sigh escaped between her plump lips.
“Lady Eliana?”
When the man asked again, only then did Eliana answer.
“…I know.”
New student representative oath.
Originally should be done by a new student, but due to noble school characteristics there’s much gossip about representative selection reasons so the president takes charge.
‘Do I have the qualifications……’
It’s clearly a position representing new students.
The girl like a single white flower was worrying whether she had the qualifications to fulfill this small duty given to her.
“The demon’s human underling, Lee Ha-yu……”
That man’s eyes from the airship clearly felt like asking to be saved.
‘But why……!’
But what about the behavior shown?
Throwing away human dignity and pride, trying to prove loyalty to his master in the lowest posture.
Of course she values loyalty and oaths in chivalry, but essentially couldn’t understand a human going that far for demon folk.
The bespectacled man beside her spoke as if not understanding Eliana’s feelings. “Are you thinking about that one? He’s completely turned to demon folk. There’s no hope for rehabilitation!” “Don’t speak carelessly, Jordin. Everyone is equal students once at Lachesis Academy.” “Lady Eliana…!” Though she says that, of all things the subject is House Asphodel.
A vampire family that’s fought with her holy knight family House Serius since the past. -clench. Just thinking about it makes her fist tighten. Actions taken so far considering the president’s vacant position.
As long as she’s here, her goal was to embrace everyone at least in the Academy.
Therefore, the man called Ha-yu felt like an existence like ink dropped on paper.
But soon she steadies her heart while shaking her silver hair.
‘Stop thinking about it. Like Jordin said, need to focus on immediate matters now.’
She clears her head with morning meditation every day.
Has matched words and actions with a heart like calm mirror-like water. ‘Need to calm down.’
She headed toward the window to firm her resolve.
The main building with the Main Hall is relatively high in the Academy so surroundings enter view at once.
Probably by now, new retainers corresponding to juniors would be climbing to dormitories for the knights they serve.
“Indeed this doesn’t skip this year either.”
As a noble it was a culture hard to understand at first, but that much made her develop tender feelings for retainers too.
Everyone is climbing slowly while fighting hard. Her heart feels at peace at this parade of upright beliefs.
“…???”
Eliana steadying her heart like that witnessed a sight making her doubt her eyes.
“N…no way…”
Her gaze was on just one place.
Lee Ha-yu, a black-haired man rare to see, climbing the pure white uphill entered her view.
“Magic department should have another road……”
Never thought a magic department servant with heavy luggage cart could climb that road.
Moreover, even burly knights consistently train just for this one day.
In her memory his body wasn’t that developed with muscles.
But he was already heading toward the end while twisting his body, writhing in pain.
“Don’t tell me she gave punishment…?”
Or it might make sense if it’s drugs or black magic taking the blood donor’s life.
“You go too far…… Arein…!”
Acted rashly on the airship. And Ha-yu is bearing all the aftermath responsibility.
As a knight, she felt shame at the moral responsibility.
Only the fragmentary thought that ‘He is being extorted by his master. Very unfairly.’ possessed her.
-crack.
“Ha-yu. Hold on a little more.”
Eliana’s resolve grew firmer.
“I will…! Surely save you.”