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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Doll of the End, Sage (3)
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Rose asked me, her voice tinged with annoyance.
"Should we give them a hand?"
"Leave them be."
"Right, I knew Camel would... huh?"
"It's a ducal family's romantic squabble. You, a viscount's daughter, wouldn't be any help getting involved."
Knowing Rose's personality, I said it flatly.
I told her not to stir up trouble out of worry, but to stay put.
"What's this? You're suddenly worried about me. What on earth do you want in return...?"
"Welcome, students."
Rose's reply, as she subtly extended her hand toward me, was swallowed by a voice imbued with mana.
My gaze naturally shifted forward, as did Rose's, her lips now pursed in a pout.
A middle-aged man with light blonde hair and a neat uniform came into view.
"I am Dian van Ranunculus, and I'll be in charge of Class A."
As he introduced himself in a low voice, a buzz went through the classroom.
"Wow, that's insane. A knight from the Hero's Party is our instructor?"
"Unbelievable...!"
"He's so handsome..."
"Are we incredibly lucky right from the start?"
Most of the hushed voices carried a hint of admiration.
It was a natural reaction. Dian was not only from the Hero's Party but also a hero who had achieved tremendous feats in the war against the demon race twenty years ago.
To the students here, Dian was nothing short of an idol.
'Is it because he's from the Hero's Party, indeed...?'
When I looked at Dian with my Heavenly Eye, there was something about him that set him apart from other professors.
'If only he were interesting, it would have been fine.'
A sudden pang of pity struck me. It was painfully clear that those gazes, brimming with respect, would soon morph into expressions of utter contempt.
"By the way, this professor dislikes rigid hierarchies. Therefore, I will speak informally. Like 'MZ,' haha."
Sure enough. From his very first words, Dian began to *really* push the boat out.
"What's MZ?"
"No idea, is it something they say in the Demon Realm?"
"It might be on the test. Let's take notes just in case."
The students, still unaware of what a disaster that mouth truly was, quietly whispered amongst themselves.
"Alright, I'm sure you all know this already, but in case there are any students who don't, I'll briefly go over the curriculum. The first-year students of the Combat Faculty here..."
They will take common classes for one year.
In their second year, they can choose their major, and double majors are also possible.
In their fourth year, they can be dispatched for practical training throughout the empire.
Exams are held twice a semester, primarily practical, and graded on a curve.
For any other questions, you can ask at the faculty office or the professors.
Dian performed the miracle of elaborating for an entire hour on what could have been summarized in just five sentences.
"Why... why do I feel so sleepy?"
"It's already so boring..."
"Strange. My specialty is clearly active listening, but I can't hear a thing."
"He seems to talk an awful lot of nonsense..."
Had he cast some kind of sleep spell?
By the time the orientation was drawing to a close, countless students were rubbing their half-closed eyes, struggling desperately to stay awake.
It was then that a remark escaped Dian's lips, one that made every student's eyes snap wide open.
"Haha, it looks like everyone's tired on the first day. How about I give you a quiz to wake you up, then? I'll grant special bonus points to the student who gets it right."
The atmosphere in the classroom shifted in an instant.
To what extent? Rose, who had been dozing and even drooling, suddenly tapped my arm and spoke to me.
"Camel, we *have* to get this right."
"...Wipe your drool before you talk."
Slurp. Rose wiped her drool, her eyes still bright and fixed intently on Dian. Her hand was already half-raised, ready to shoot up at any moment.
'I'm terrified, though...'
Honestly, I was terrified. I had no idea what kind of quiz Dian, with his atrocious sense of humor, would come up with.
'This never happened in the game.'
That old man, he seems oddly excited, I mean.
Despite my apprehension, all the new students except me had eyes gleaming with excitement. Dian, who had been lost in thought, finally began to part his lips.
"On this continent, there are eight kingdoms and one empire, the Icelos Empire, to which this Aden Academy belongs."
What? It's a serious question?
"That means there are nine rulers on this continent. Among them, the highest burning sun is, of course, His Majesty Emperor Sikar von Isbant of the Icelos Empire. So then..."
It seems I worried for nothing after all.
Right, Dian is a professor, after all. He wouldn't carelessly give a question that comes with bonus points.
"Who holds the lowest status among these rulers? Oh, the red-haired student over there. Your name?"
"It's Rose van Darmian."
What? When did she raise her hand?
"Tell me."
"It's His Holiness Pope Dalién de Barok IV of the Holy Nation of Elderath."
"Why do you think so?"
"Because His Holiness himself proclaimed that 'All are equal under the Heavenly Gods.'"
Rose answered with a confident expression, even clenching her fist.
Some of the students who witnessed this nodded their heads or sighed in regret that they hadn't raised their hands first.
Just as I, too, thought it was the correct answer and was about to offer Rose my congratulations.
"Student Rose, unfortunately, that's incorrect."
"Eh?"
"Take your seat. Alright, next."
Dian coldly motioned for Rose to sit down, then gave a chance to another student who had raised their hand.
While Rose wore a blank expression, the names of the eight rulers were soon called out one by one in the classroom.
Nevertheless, Dian's expression remained utterly cold.
"Unfortunately, since there's no correct answer, the bonus points will be nullified. So, the orientation will conclude here..."
"No, Professor! So what *is* the correct answer?"
Just as Dian was about to end the class, a girl who had answered with the name of the King of the Raven Kingdom asked, her voice tinged with annoyance.
"Hmm... I'll tell you specially today."
With a look as if he were granting a great favor, Dian paused, then finally announced the answer.
"It's the minimum wage."
Simultaneously, the atmosphere in the classroom plummeted, becoming as frigid as the ice magic of a 9th-circle Archmage.
"Haha, pretty MZ, right?"
It was a quiz that was more deserving of derision than 'MZ'.
****
After the grueling orientation finally concluded.
I sent Rose away first with a suitable excuse, then followed Sage and the scoundrels who were tormenting her.
"Hey, can't you even talk?"
"This isn't your family mansion, so why are you so timid? Hey, say something."
"No, but why does she have no expression? Does she think she's hot stuff or something?"
As I watched, the level of torment only escalated.
If it were up to me, I'd step in right now, line those scoundrels up, beat them senseless like monsters, and then hand them over to 'Whitey,' but...
'And I can't do that because of you.'
Seeing Fran approaching Sage from the other side, I quickened my pace.
Fran, her face etched with anger, drew steadily closer.
My steps quickened to match hers.
"You lot..."
"Hey, your name was Fran, right?"
I arrived in front of Fran just before she could reach Sage.
"You..."
"Could we talk for a moment?"
"For a moment..."
"Ah, are *these* guys bothering you? Hey, you lot."
When I turned around, the scoundrels surrounding Sage flinched and clamped their mouths shut.
I said to the one with green hair, who seemed to be their leader, in a gentle tone.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop making a scene and just clear out."
"...Okay."
"Why are you taking *her*? She's not your friend, is she?"
"She's, um..."
"Clear out."
Since they were equivocating, I spoke while subtly exuding mana, and they trembled, then scurried away.
What a bunch of pathetic idiots.
"Your name was Sage, right? Are you okay? Why were you just letting them do that to you?"
'Look at this punk?'
This guy, who's supposedly the protagonist, takes advantage of me chasing them away to talk to her first?
Truly an utterly despicable sight. Well, it doesn't particularly matter right now, though.
"I'm fine."
Sure enough, Sage said exactly what I expected, then shook off Fran's hand and continued on her way.
"Uh..."
Fran, utterly dumbfounded, merely stared after Sage, unable to utter a single word for a long moment.
"Hey, Fran."
Feeling frustrated, I called out to Fran first.
"Ah, sorry. You said you wanted to talk to me."
Fran scratched her head and apologized.
Seeing that, I frowned and spoke.
"Don't meddle."
"What?"
"You're supposedly a Hero Candidate, why are you acting like this when you know better? It's clearly a ducal family's romantic squabble. Why are you trying to interfere? Are you going into politics or something?"
"No, that wasn't my intention..."
"Leave it alone. Or what, are you going to pick a fight with the Astrea family?"
When I spoke in the same cold tone I'd used with Rose, Fran bit her lip and fell silent, as if dumbfounded.
How long did she stand there like that?
Fran muttered to me with a stiff expression, then left.
"If it's necessary."
It wasn't a bad answer.
Right, a protagonist should have that much spirit. Of course.
'Still, it won't do.'
Actually, the ducal family's romantic squabble and all that was merely a pretext.
What I wanted was for Fran to have no contact with Sage whatsoever.
"Hey there, top student?"
As I was thinking that, a cunning voice reached my ear.
"Could we talk for a moment? I have a good proposition for you."
Turning my gaze to the source of the voice, I saw a familiar figure.
"Senior Phase."
It was the person I had been waiting for.