WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Irevi
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 99: I’m Thinking of Something Else
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“Father. We’re here.”
“Cecilia.”
Seeing the two of them standing side by side, it truly sank in that they were father and daughter.
Blue hair and sharply narrowed eyes. The two of them looked far more alike than either did to Senia, with her gentler eyes.
After dismissing those around him, Regnar looked at me.
“So, this is your answer? You’ve double-checked your calculations, right?”
“At least for today, I don’t think it’s the wrong answer.”
“At least for today...”
Cecilia’s eyes widened at the exchange between Regnar and me, unable to understand what it meant.
After staring at me for a moment, Regnar turned away.
“Rest.”
His expression was stiff.
I wondered if I’d earned his dislike, but Cecilia unexpectedly spoke up.
“Father seems to be in a good mood.”
“...Huh? That?”
“Probably? I’m not completely sure, either.”
Then I suppose it was fine.
Once we finished greeting Regnar, we headed straight for Alicia.
Given the circumstances, my steps toward her felt strangely heavy.
Come to think of it, what was the relationship between Cecilia and Alicia like?
I didn’t think I’d ever really seen the two of them interact.
Still, Alicia hadn’t shown any hostility toward Cecilia on the train ride back after we defeated Eliver.
‘It’ll be fine, right?’
“Kuhuhut. You’re late.”
“Since it’s a banquet hosted by the Imperial Family, I wanted you to see me at my best.”
“Oh? Yet you went to Duke Ren before coming to me?”
“There was someone I really wanted to introduce to Father.”
By rank, Cecilia should have greeted Alicia before going to Regnar.
That remark about being late was probably pointing that out. Naturally, Cecilia was the one being rebuked, since she knew etiquette well.
‘...She’s openly showing hostility.’
When Cecilia naturally slipped her arm through mine, Alicia laughed.
“Kuhuhut. Your greed is excessive if you intend to keep the Empire’s hero all to yourself.”
“Oh my.”
Oh my?
I turned toward Cecilia in surprise.
Senia would’ve been one thing. I never imagined Cecilia would be the one to let out an exclamation like that.
“Halibal is my partner. Wouldn’t the Empire’s heroes be Your Highness and Aren by your side?”
“I see. As expected of the Ren House, your sword is quite sharp.”
“Thank you for saying so. Then may we excuse ourselves for a moment?”
Cecilia tried to lead me away.
“Wait. I have something to tell Her Highness.”
I stopped her.
I had to inform Alicia about Climmud.
At the very least, she needed to know there was a bishop at the banquet.
As if she had been waiting, Alicia cut in.
“Kuhuhut. Even though this is a formal occasion, there’s no need to call me ‘Your Highness’ so stiffly. Call me Alicia, as you always have.”
‘...I only called her that once.’
The moment she finished speaking, Cecilia’s grip on my arm tightened.
Coldness practically poured from her eyes.
Alicia ignored it and deliberately brought her ear close to my lips.
The people nearby began murmuring at the sight.
“If there’s something you wish to say, say it. Quietly, so Cecilia Ren can’t hear.”
When she formed a thin soundproof barrier with mana, Cecilia’s gaze turned even colder.
Cecilia was magic DPS, but she wasn’t a conventional mage, so she couldn’t break the barrier.
Squeeze.
Instead, she expressed her objection by gripping my arm even harder.
No. This was starting to hurt.
Yet Climmud was likely still walking around the banquet hall even now.
I had no choice but to make a decision.
Reluctantly, I brought my mouth close to Alicia’s ear.
“A bishop from the Tartarus Cult has infiltrated the banquet hall.”
Alicia’s shoulders stiffened.
“He’s disguised as Lady Termina Whiteusher’s butler.”
“...Are you certain?”
“Yes. I felt the same sensation I did with Eliver.”
“Does that side know you’ve discovered his identity?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Do not make the first move under any circumstances. Act as though you know nothing. I’ll handle the rest.”
With that, Alicia dispelled the soundproof barrier.
“Kuhuhut. That was a very interesting story, Halibal.”
“...”
“Your partner is scared, so I’ll let you go for today.”
“...Thank you.”
“Then enjoy the banquet.”
Alicia left with Aren, and Cecilia pulled me away as well.
As she dragged me along, I glanced back. Alicia was still watching me with a smile.
At that moment, Cecilia’s hand rose to my cheek.
“Where are you looking?”
Her touch against my cheek was incredibly soft.
“Look at me.”
She turned my head so I was looking down at her.
Because of where we stood, the bare skin revealed above her dress caught my attention all too clearly.
“I won’t ask what kind of relationship you have with Princess Alicia. I came to like you too, after clearing dungeons with you.”
She no longer spoke indirectly. Nor did she try to hide her feelings for me.
“But Her Highness can’t beat me. At least not tonight.”
“...”
“Because Halibal is by my side right now.”
She pulled my arm close again.
As though it were truly her own arm.
I obediently let myself follow her lead.
Before I knew it, we had left the center of the banquet hall and were heading toward a quiet terrace.
Once the noise around us faded, Cecilia asked,
“You said you wanted to learn noble etiquette, right?”
Her face came so close I could feel her breath.
“Should I... teach you now?”
That was when it happened.
“Cecilia!”
“...Eek.”
A group of young ladies came running over from afar.
Not every noble child enrolled in the academy. In fact, across the Empire as a whole, far more didn’t attend the academy.
“Cecilia! It’s been so long!”
“My Lady! It’s been so long!”
“Oh my, it really is you? You’ve become so much prettier than before!”
The group surrounding Cecilia seemed to be acquaintances from high society who didn’t attend the academy.
“But who is this? Could he be the rumored...?”
“I’m Halibal Velder.”
Cecilia openly looked annoyed.
Was it because our rare moment had been interrupted?
“...So, what is it?”
“What do you mean, what is it? We came to see you! But did you really come with the Funeral Sword as your partner? That’s amazing!”
“Cecilia, how has life at the academy been lately? It’s been so hard to see you.”
“That’s right! Are you Sir Halibal? We’ve heard so much about you!”
The young ladies clung to Cecilia and wouldn’t let her go.
I tried to remain by her side, but their constant chatter pushed me back a step.
Eventually, Cecilia gave me an apologetic look and whispered,
“I’m sorry, Halibal. I’ll finish up with them quickly. Can you wait a moment?”
“Okay.”
I nodded and stepped aside toward the wall.
Cecilia was immediately swept up in their wave of chatter.
While waiting, I looked around.
There wasn’t a single person I knew.
Following Cecilia had brought us deep into a quiet corner of the banquet hall.
“Are you alone too?”
At that moment, a young lady approached me.
She was the white-haired upperclassman who had been with Climmud earlier.
Termina Whiteusher.
“You’re Halibal Velder, the first-year student, right? So you’re the rumored Funeral Sword.”
“...That’s right.”
“I’m Termina, a second-year. Shall we talk for a bit? It’s too noisy here.”
She pointed toward the terrace, where no one else stood.
Behind one of the terrace pillars, the figure of a huge man flickered into view.
He hadn’t even concealed himself properly.
It was Climmud.
He probably never intended to hide in the first place.
I had already told Alicia in advance.
She warned me not to act rashly.
Still, this was an opportunity.
The enemy I had been watching had approached me first.
Was it a trap? That was unlikely.
This was the heart of the Empire.
Regnar, Adeline, and the Empire’s greatest forces were gathered here. If the Tartarus Cult’s goal was only to assassinate me, there was no need to do something this reckless.
More importantly, it was Termina, not Climmud, who had called me over.
Like Valerius, she was most likely trying to recruit a promising first-year.
I wasn’t making the first move.
I was only accepting an invitation.
If anything, this was better. It was a perfect opportunity to observe him up close while pretending not to know who he was.
I looked toward Cecilia for a moment.
She was still surrounded by the young ladies, chatting with an irritated expression.
‘There’s no way she’ll get out of there anytime soon.’
“Sounds good.”
I accepted her offer.
When we headed onto the terrace, Climmud, who had been standing near a pillar, politely bowed.
He poured a drink into a glass with a kindly smile.
Termina spoke first.
“I heard the first-years cleared the Evil God’s Abyss this time?”
“Yes. Aren Bright, Her Highness, and the Saintess did.”
“That’s incredible. We couldn’t even imagine doing something like that in our first year. Once you become a second-year and go to the front lines, it really feels like you’re dying. Isn’t that right, Climmud?”
“My lady has always completed her duties admirably.”
Climmud smiled warmly, like a bear.
It was a disgusting smile.
He had probably worn that expression while controlling Necledin to shatter Mine’s mind and drive Alicia to the brink of death.
‘If only I could take his head right now.’
But I had no evidence. If I killed him here, I’d most likely be arrested for murder.
Perhaps that was what they wanted, too.
“By the way.”
Termina leaned forward.
“Are you interested in joining a Club?”
“A Club?”
“Yeah. You know what happened at the entrance earlier, right? With Valerius. I think everyone with any sense noticed it. What about you?”
As expected, this was it.
It was about Club recruitment.
Whether that was fortunate or unfortunate, I couldn’t tell yet.
“Banquets hosted by the Imperial Family are unusual. The Club Heads sent students here so they could get to know you first-years in advance. Naturally, the order I received was to try and recruit one of those three, but...”
The three were Aren, Alicia, and Mine.
“Then Climmud gave me some interesting information.”
So this was where Climmud had gotten involved.
He had deliberately redirected Termina’s attention from one of the three to me.
‘Is he testing me?’
Did he intend to recruit me into her Club, monitor me, and uncover my weakness?
“What information?”
“Climmud said you were the key to this raid.”
“Rumors are always exaggerated.”
“Really? Aw, that’s no fun.”
When I casually deflected the question, Termina pouted.
No one spoke for a while.
It was good information.
She hadn’t come solely because she blindly trusted Climmud. She had made her own judgment and come to test me.
At least that meant the Whiteusher Marquisate hadn’t fallen into Climmud’s hands.
Still, it wouldn’t benefit me if the conversation ended here.
“Which Club are you in, Senior?”
“Oh, we’re in the Swordsmanship Club. Our Club Head is the top student among the third-years.”
‘Of all things, the Swordsmanship Club.’
In the original game, joining a Club was always beneficial.
Naturally, I had planned to join one as well, and the Swordsmanship Club had been my first choice. It increased swordsmanship proficiency.
And if the Club Head was the top third-year...
“With your skill, I’m sure our Club Head would welcome you. What do you think?”
The Swordsmanship Club Head, Sword Army Solmera.
The academy’s third-years were among the strongest combatants even in the original game.
Solmera, the top student among them, was a monster in her own right.
A Swordsmanship Club led by someone like her.
It was an appealing offer.
The problem was that Climmud was involved in the offer.
Still, openly refusing here would be strange.
As a swordsman, I had no reason to reject an offer from a Swordsmanship Club led by the top third-year.
A hasty rejection might even make him suspicious.
In that case...
“It’s an appealing offer, Senior.”
“Right? So you’ve heard Senior Solmera’s name too?”
“I was considering joining the Swordsmanship Club myself.”
“Then it’s settled! Let’s work well together from now on, Junior!”
“But.”
I cut her off.
“I’m thinking of something else.”
“What? Don’t tell me another Club has already made you an offer?”
“No. When the second semester begins...”
I had no intention of being obediently led around by Climmud.
More than anything, there was the vague picture that had been forming in my mind since my private conversation with Regnar.
“I’m thinking of starting a Club myself.”
I glanced at Climmud.
“A Club that makes clearing the Dungeons of the Evil God its highest priority.”
The moment I finished speaking, I didn’t miss the cold gleam that passed through his eyes.
Footnotes:
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