CH 85

The day after the ball ended.

I woke up early in the morning to meet Astina.

It wasn’t specifically for Astina that I woke up early.

It was merely a combination of my morning exercise routine and the opportunity to see her.

"I'll come by whenever I have the time."

“You’ll return in half a year anyway. There will be a lot to learn, so you don't have to force yourself to come."

At my words, Astina gave a faint smile.

"I'm coming because I want to. I'm not forcing myself, don't worry."

With those words, she stepped into the carriage.

"Ah."

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she opened the carriage window to glance at me.

"You seem to have put in some effort this time."

Confused by Astina's comment, I tilted my head.

“What are you talking about?”

Astina gestured towards the main academy building.

"The final exam results are out, aren't they?"

"......Ah."

With that, Astina departed, leaving me to rush towards the academy's main building.

“What’s this?”

[

1. Evan, Rudy Astria

2. Rie Von Ristonia

3. Luna Railer

...

]

I stared blankly at the rankings.

Evan and I.

We were tied for first place.

"How on earth..."

I was at a loss for words.

Up until now, I had taken care of every incident.

Sure, that gave me plenty of practical experience, but it also meant sacrificing time for theoretical learning and other academic studies.

Not to say that I slacked off on my studies.

I had also been diligently studying and had given up on other extracurricular activities to focus on academics.

"This shouldn't be happening, should it?"

Evan had more time on his hands than I did.

Why then did we receive the same score?

I just couldn't understand.

If I had scored perfectly, it might have made some sense.

But that wasn't the case.

There were definitely questions I didn’t know, and I had submitted partial answers for some.

Yet, receiving the same grades as Evan in these finals implied neither of us scored perfectly.

"This is just..."

I ruffled my hair in frustration.

“This is annoying."

All the sacrifices I've made so far.

All the things I've given up.

It felt as if they were all going to waste because Evan hadn’t put in the effort.

Of course, these rankings were based on final exam scores, so Evan could still be the top student overall.

However, I can't be sure of that either.

Since Rie had taken first place in the joint practical, she could potentially outscore him.

It was unpredictable.

I had always assumed Evan would consistently produce top results.

But that wasn't the case.

“Sigh…”

The reason I had pushed Evan to grow until now was because of the skill he had shown in the final scene.

A skill only Evan could use.

The magic Evan would acquire once he completed his growth in the academy.

But now, doubts began to plague me.

Should I truly trust Evan in this manner?

Can Evan truly master 'that skill'?

Evan's skills are growing at a rate faster than I expect.

But, was this necessarily a good sign?

Would Evan be able to maintain this pace of improvement?

"Hmm......"

My mind was in turmoil.

The shifting futures, and Evan's unpredictable behavior.

Thinking about the impact of these on the world felt overwhelming.

Yet, one thing was certain.

I couldn't simply trust Evan.

I couldn't leave everything to him.

I had to find a new path.

Both to prevent the unforeseen events along the way, and to ensure that everyone in the academy survives in the end...

---

---

At the heart of the Empire, within the Astria family mansion.

Tap, tap, tap, tap....

Ian sat behind his office desk, rhythmically drumming his fingers on the table.

Before him lay a document.

A report detailing the incidents at the academy involving Vice Principal Oliver and the Fred family.

Among the names in the report, one stood out.

Rudy Astria.

The biggest factor in the incident.

Indeed, Rudy Astria was that very person.

While it was Robert who ultimately resolved the issue, it was Rudy Astria's initial intervention that provided him the opportunity, making Rudy the hero of the whole event.

This fact offered Ian both discomfort and advantage.

The Astria family was spared scrutiny primarily because of Rudy's actions.

Wouldn't it seem strange that a family member had caused the incident and another from the same family had stopped it?

Of course, those familiar with Rudy's position in the Astria family believed such a scenario was plausible.

With no incriminating evidence against the Astria family and Rudy's actions working as their defense, there were no grounds to investigate them.

"Hmm...."

Yet, despite this advantage, Ian was not pleased.

Actually, had Rudy not intervened, their family wouldn't have attracted any suspicion at all.

Everything would have proceeded smoothly, bringing greater benefits.

They would have acquired Levian's spellbook and Luna Railer, making significant strides in their research.

But now, that had been ruined.

All their plans have been disrupted, including the loss of Vice Principal Oliver and the downfall of the Fred family as collateral damage.

And the one who caused this upheaval was Rudy.

No matter how one spun it, the main disruptor of all their plans wouldn't be viewed favorably, even if he brought some benefits.

It was irritating.

"What on earth is this guy trying to do?"

Ian's initial intention was to merely use Rudy and then discard him.

But if Rudy was going to jeopardize his plans, there was no reason to stand idly by.

The head of the family had already lost interest in Rudy.

And Ian never truly felt that he needed Rudy.

Regardless of Rudy's talents, if he wasn't an asset to the family, then he was a liability.

Given his recent actions, he seemed more like a threat to Ian’s position as the family head rather than an asset.

Rudy Astria.

Had all his past behaviors in the family so far been mere pretense?

And was he now revealing his true colors?

If that were the case, Ian was ready for a confrontation.

Ting, ting.

Ian tapped the bell on his desk.

A butler soon entered the office.

"You called for me?"

Looking at the butler, Ian instructed,

"Fetch me some stationery."

The butler cautiously asked,

"Which stationery would you like, sir?"

"Just a regular one will do."

He then added,

“I'm going to send a letter to Liberion Academy.”

Ian decided, it was time to call Rudy back to the family.

---

---

Luna and Rudy were studying alone in the library.

The disappointment at the ball.

Astina had taken Rudy away, so Luna couldn't dance with him.

But she found solace in the thought of spending the upcoming break with Rudy.

Just the two of them...

As she was lost in her daydreams, a problem arose.

"......You're not going back to the capital?"

Rie unexpectedly appeared, bringing a stack of books to the library.

Rie, who usually didn’t visit the library, was now here to study.

"It's not that I won't go at all, I'll just go slowly,"

Rie replied cheekily, taking a seat next to Rudy.

"Wha...!"

Luna's eyes widened.

It was a significant problem.

When two people sat at a table, it was natural to sit across from each other.

That was common sense.

But with three?

The seating arrangement changed.

One could sit next to someone else.

Luna wanted to sit next to Rudy.

If Ena or Riku had been there, she could've sat next to Rudy, but when it was just the two of them, she couldn't.

Although she could brazenly sit next to Rudy, Luna didn't have the audacity to do so.

Rie's smug smile only intensified Luna's annoyance.

Lost in thought, Luna was pulled back to reality by Rudy's voice.

"So, you're planning to stay in the academy for a while?"

"Um... Yeah, why?"

Rudy then slid a book between Luna and Rie.

"Rie, Luna," he pointed to the book, "Can you help me?"

"Huh?"

"Wha?"

Rie and Luna stared at Rudy in confusion.

Until this moment, Rudy had always seemed to shoulder his challenges alone.

Usually, when he asked for help, it was to assist someone else, not himself.

But today, Rudy was different.

"Can you help me?"

The book Rudy pointed to was about elementals.

Specifically, it described how to subdue them when they go berserk.

It detailed various methods related to the topic.

"I'll explain everything about what's to come,"

Rudy said, his expression serious.

"My elemental, Priscilla, and......"

His finger tapped the book,

"What's going to happen to me, in the future."

---