Chapter 585
Simon and Eshu, having finished buying ingredients, were walking toward the meeting place with baskets in both hands.
Since many of the groceries were fresh items that needed to be eaten quickly, they didn’t want to put them into subspace, so they carried them directly.
“I’ll carry that.”
“No, no, it’s fine.”
Simon took the basket that Eshu was struggling to hold.
“Oooh~”
Eshu raised her eyebrows and gave him a knowing look. Simon frowned.
“What’s with the ‘oooh’ all the time.”
“President, be honest.”
She approached with a mischievous expression.
“Be honest. That last lottery suggestion—did you rig it because you wanted to go with me?”
“...What?”
Simon stared, dumbfounded. Eshu snorted and covered her mouth with her hand, laughing.
“It was sooo obvious!”
“......?”
Simon’s expression asked, ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Eshu widened her eyes.
“You like me, don’t you?”
“Who said that?!”
Simon’s voice suddenly rose, flustered.
“You kept sending me signals.”
“Signals?”
“During the second-year inauguration you saved me, when I asked the Death Knight boy for bone adhesive it was you who lent it, you kept me from bumping into the Dullahan, and this time you rigged the bet so we’d be paired together. And then~ and then~”
Simon sighed deeply.
“If I made you misunderstand, sorry. But that’s not it.”
“Oh, really?”
“It’s not.”
She clasped her hands together.
“Then that’s a relief! Because actually, I like someone else!”
“I see.”
Simon nodded with an indifferent face.
“Who do you like?”
“Wha—”
Eshu made an exaggerated shocked gesture, covering her mouth.
“Trying to get through school the easy way, huh? Just bluntly asking a girl that kind of question? Did you think I’d answer coolly if you asked boldly?”
“If you don’t want to, fine.”
“Ahaha! I’m joking, joking. You’re not going to bury me with the Student Council President’s power just because I rejected you, right?”
“I don’t do that.”
Eshu glanced around, then whispered in a low voice.
“Actually, I liked someone else in first year, but in second year it changed.”
Simon’s ears perked up.
‘Could it have changed today? If so…’
“Our department rep, Hector!”
‘...Oh, for f—’
Simon bowed his head. Toto’s rival—of all people, it had to be Hector.
Hector, though he didn’t look it, was surprisingly popular among female students. Even back in Class A of first year, there had been someone who liked him.
“...Looks like it’ll be quite the contest with the class rep.”
“Who’s the class rep?”
“No, no, nothing.”
As Simon walked with the basket, he asked abruptly,
“What do you like about Hector?”
“What do you mean, why? He’s tall, broad-shouldered, and totally manly!”
Eshu’s voice grew heated.
“He’s a high noble, so usually he’s kind of gentlemanly, but when he scowls and curses? So hot! He’s good at both sports and studies, and since he’s from the Moore family, if I land him, my future’s guaranteed! Who wouldn’t want that?”
‘Hmm.’
Hearing someone gush about Hector like that was new to Simon. He realized just how overqualified Hector was.
“Don’t you think our names even match? Eshu Moore! Lady Moore!”
The only problem was that Eshu was letting her imagination run wild all by herself.
Listening silently, Simon snorted.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Nothing.”
Simon chuckled.
“It’s just... it’s been a long time since I had such a comfortable, silly conversation.”
“What do you mean, silly!”
She shrieked.
“What’s more important than romance in school life?”
Eshu was, as far as Simon knew, the most normal friend of the opposite sex he had.
It made sense. Around him were the next Chancellor, nobles from the Ivory Tower, the daughter of the Vampire Lord, and even an actual Saint if you went further.
All of them carried unique burdens and circumstances. But Eshu, being ordinary, could jump into anything without hesitation, like an unpredictable spring.
Maybe she was the one truly enjoying student life at Keyzen to its fullest.
‘She’s fun.’
Just a few days ago, he’d been fighting the Ivory Tower Master, worrying about Keyzen’s fate, wondering about the identity of the Executioners, and pondering the peace and future of the Dark Alliance. And now he was discussing crushes and who liked who in school with Eshu. It was strangely refreshing.
“So then.”
Simon stuck his hands into his uniform jacket pockets and smirked. He decided to just enjoy this.
“What do you think of Toto?”
“Eh...?”
Eshu tilted her head at the sudden question.
“That Death Knight boy is just... kinda... well, you know?”
“What about him?”
“I mean, it feels awkward saying this since you’re his close friend, but, well, you know! For me, at least, I like guys taller than me!”
She raised her palm above her head to demonstrate.
“Big! Dependable! Manly! That’s my type!”
‘That’ll be tough.’
Her ideal type was the complete opposite of Toto.
“Then just curious—back in first year, who did you like?”
“Obviously the half-giant, Shatel Maer! Ughhh! I just wanted to be wrapped up in that massive body!”
‘...Her tastes are solid.’
How could someone’s preferences be this incompatible? Simon sighed inwardly.
“But why are you suddenly asking me this?”
Her expression sharpened.
“Could it be...?”
“That’s what I should be asking.”
Simon retorted shamelessly.
“We still have a lot of group projects left. I was asking about Toto’s role as a teammate. If you answer like that, it’s weird.”
“Oh, uh... right?”
Having slipped in a jab, Simon started walking ahead.
“Come on, the others are waiting.”
“President! Hey! Wait! You totally played me just now, didn’t you? Hey! Stop!”
* * *
The one-eyed gentleman arrived late at the scene.
“......!”
And witnessed a horrific sight.
The assassins who had gone ahead were all dead, dangling from webs, bleeding. Some had even triggered a “suicide curse”, perhaps to prevent being interrogated.
‘Simon Follentia did this?’
Pressing against the wall, he looked into the alley.
A man with blue hair was walking forward, eyes glowing. Even from a distance, the oppressive Darkness and killing intent leaking from him were palpable.
—We’ll continue the assault.
“No. Retreat.”
The gentleman raised his communication crystal, his face grave.
“...That is not Simon Follentia.”
If they made a wrong move, that one man could annihilate them all.
Now that it was confirmed not to be Simon, retreat was the only option.
* * *
Simon and Eshu safely rejoined the rest of the group.
Loraine and Serne seemed to have fought again.
After the Ivory Tower incident, he had hoped their relationship might improve, but that had been a foolish hope.
Their relationship was still terrible, and poor Toto—caught in the middle—looked twenty years older from the stress.
“You’re here?”
“Simon!”
At least with Simon’s arrival, the atmosphere eased a little.
Watching Simon get wedged between Loraine and Serne, Eshu let out a quiet, awkward laugh.
‘...Honestly, not bad.’
She gazed at Simon’s face, then looked at the future Keyzen chancellor and the Ivory Tower successor glaring at each other on either side of him.
‘But seriously! How could a plain commoner like me ever compete with them?!’
No matter how much she liked romance, she wasn’t about to make enemies of those two.
It would be better to date someone she could have peace of mind with. That’s what Eshu thought.
“Eshu! What are you doing?”
Simon gestured.
“Ah, I’m coming! I’m coming!”
Loraine summoned two Skeleton Horses, while Simon pulled out a Golem Core.
Loraine, Eshu, and Toto mounted the Skeleton Horses. Originally, Toto and Serne were supposed to ride the same horse, but Serne ended up clinging tightly to Simon’s back on the Golem Core, which led to yet another petty squabble.
In any case, they returned safely to the base camp where their lodgings were located.
Some students went out hunting, while others studied in the lecture halls. Though it was group lodging, the largest classroom was left open until dawn so students could prepare for midterms.
The dorms were divided into four rooms for the male students and four for the female students. Simon and Toto slipped into a room that still had vacancies.
“Oh, President!”
Inside, a card game was already underway. A familiar student waved.
“Wanna join?”
That was probably the leader of Team 4.
Though Simon didn’t know how to play, he figured he might as well experience what games other students were into.
And then—
“Hahaha! President, another bust!”
“Even the great Keyzen top student has no luck!”
Simon’s hands trembled as he laid down another weak hand of cards.
“...One more round.”
“Oh, that’s the spirit!”
“Competitive, aren’t you?”
Simon spent a surprisingly pleasant time hanging out with kids his own age.
‘So this is what group lodging is like.’
With a satisfied smile, Simon lay under his blanket. Behind him, the students who had been stripped of their coins by the now-rules-savvy Simon clutched their heads in despair.
* * *
The next morning.
“Yawn...”
Since they had planned to eat breakfast early, Simon rubbed his eyes and stepped outside the dorm.
A white world awaited him.
His breath steamed in the frigid air, the wind cut through him, and the sound of students shrieking with laughter echoed around.
‘So noisy already in the morning…’
Thud!
A snowball smacked Simon right in the face.
“Pffft—puhahaha!”
Snow slid down his cheeks as he grimaced. Across from him, Eshu clutched her stomach, laughing hysterically.
“President! Your face—priceless! Kyahahaha!”
Simon silently crouched, packed snow into a ball, and sprinted forward.
“Kyahhh! He’s coming!”
“Wahaha!”
Students were having a full-blown snowball fight all over the place.
On Roke Island, it was rare for snow to pile up this thick, so everyone was excited. Snowballs flew everywhere.
“Die!”
“Argh! What did you put in that snowball?!”
The air was full of laughter. Some students lay on the ground, exhausted and gasping, while others dumped buckets of snow on each other’s faces.
They were releasing the stress that had built up from the field evaluation and midterm prep.
“How pitiful.”
Wrapped in thick winter clothes, Fitzgerald was sculpting snow into his own likeness—sitting solemnly in a chair, striking a thoughtful pose.
“Instead of wasting time on frivolous games, you should be cultivating your artistic—”
Thud!
Another boy ran up and kicked the snow statue apart before bolting away. The head tumbled off, landing in the statue’s lap.
“Look at that Dullahan lecture reference! Spot on!”
“Puhahahaha!”
Fitzgerald’s face turned murderous.
“You’re dead.”
He summoned skeletons from subspace. They set up launchers, gathered snow, and began bombarding indiscriminately.
“Hey, no fair using undeads!”
The laughter grew even louder.
Then—
“Hyaaaap!”
Another student was energetically throwing snowballs.
Her long pink hair streamed behind her as she swung full-force, nailing her targets with perfect accuracy. Students dropped one after another.
And then—
‘Oh no! Noooo!’
Simon’s face contorted in silent anguish.
‘Why is she blending in so naturally?!’
It was none other than Erzebet. Horrified, Simon rushed over.
She had just teamed up with another boy to take down Fitzgerald, then calmly high-fived him.
“Well struck, sir!”
The boy nodded dumbly, dazed.
“Uh, yeah... wait, you’re in our department... right?”
“Ohoho! You don’t recognize this lady? How cruel! I am Elizabeth Weffer of Summonology—”
Her words were cut off as a beet-red Simon dashed over, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her away.
“What the hell are you doing?! Why did you come here?!”
He pulled her behind an empty building, cold sweat running down his face.
Erzebet casually spun webs to form a barrier and smiled.
“I urgently needed to report to the Legion Commander.”
She relayed what had happened yesterday.
While following White in the guise of Simon, strange assassins had suddenly attacked. She’d tried to scare and torture them for information, but they killed themselves instead.
Simon folded his arms.
“...Assassins, huh.”
“Do you suspect anyone, Milord?”
A memory of that distinctive-looking butcher surfaced in Simon’s mind.
“Erze. Head back to the village immediately and track someone down for me.”
They struck first.
Simon intended to mobilize the Legion.
* * *
“Phew. Cold.”
The teaching assistants were also trickling outside.
The head TA, warming herself with hot coffee, smirked at the students locked in their snowball fight.
“Such energy first thing in the morning.”
“They’re kids, after all. Honestly, they’re cute. That’s what youth should be like.”
“True. Meanwhile, I’m getting old—my back...”
Thud!
A snowball slammed right into her face.
The junior TAs watching froze in terror. The culprit, Eshu, leapt up and shouted,
“Got her!”
“Hahahaha!”
Slip—
The snow fell from her face, revealing the head TA’s murderous glare, seething with rage.
“I let you brats have some fun, but now...!”
She stretched out her arm. With black magic, she gathered snow into a massive snowball the size of a house.
“Eek! Using black magic is cheating, TA!”
“Take this!”
“Kyahahahaha!”
Students and TAs alike were now embroiled in chaos.
And just then—
“....”
Aron, stepping out of the dorm in shorts and a T-shirt, stared blankly at the insanity.
‘Too noisy to sleep.’
Expressionless, he quietly sipped his morning coffee.
“Professor incoming!”
Whoosh!
A snowball flew straight at Aron’s face.
The Summonology Department had just reached the brink of its greatest crisis, one second away.
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters