Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

162 – A Moment of Respite

Mmm, good.

Professor Oliver’s

proposal was smoothly

foisted off on someone else,

so now I can truly focus solely on my own work.

Well, even when I say ‘my own work’, there isn’t anything particularly special about it.

There were quite a few

supplies that the Great Forest and

the Royal Family tossed my way as support this time,

so I had to ponder how best

to utilize these, and

since I even went all the way

to the Great Forest to receive the Spirit Stones,

I needed to research them quickly as well.

“Speaking of which, I’d like to at least know

about when exactly he awakens…”

At least roughly when I could use this spirit stone,

that’s what I wanted

to know, if at all possible.

If that were the case,

I wouldn’t have to waste

time elsewhere on useless things.

Besides, I even have Charlotte’s letter of recommendation in my possession.

Judging by its contents alone,

it seems she’s trying

to entrust me to someone…

Of course, considering the

status of the person who gave it,

under normal circumstances, most

would probably accept me,

but who knows how long it will be valid, so

I had to go and show

my face as soon as possible.

I don’t know who my teacher will be, but

it would be good

to leave a good

first impression,

or so I felt.

“…First, let’s return to the dorm─”

“Hey, you! Stop right there!”

“Heh, no way I’m stopping! Kyahahaha!!”

Several sets of footsteps rushed past me as I was about to head back to the dorm.

They were incredibly excited,

their faces blooming with smiles,

chasing each other.

Pure and happy faces,

seemingly without a care in the world.

Watching them like that,

for some reason, I felt a bit more relaxed.

Of course, it’s also true that

my own heart is unusually anxious…

But really, isn’t this, in a way,

a natural thing?

Not long ago, I saw the face of the b*stard who killed my mother, after all…

It was the one keeping their wits who was the abnormal one.

At least, right now, it felt utterly

impossible to remain still.

No, I didn’t *want* to remain still.

Remaining still felt like

coming to a dead stop.

Like my little sailboat – the nation –

that barely navigated the ocean on wind alone,

would be swallowed by a wave without a breath of wind to accompany it.

I had to move endlessly,

and move again.

If I didn’t use my limbs as oars,

I just couldn’t see myself

enduring what was

coming.

…Why this sudden fit of self-pity, you ask?

‘…I don’t know…goddamn it.’

It’s not like I hadn’t feared the future countless times.

Situations like this, I’d faced

at least dozens,

maybe hundreds of times.

So why now, of all times,

is the dark future

approaching me so terrifying?

≪User’s negative emotions are being expressed.≫

≪Activities to aid psychological stability are recommended.≫

‘…Maybe I’m—’

“Excuse me, young master?”

“Ella?”

What snapped me out of my

brief reverie

was a maid, one who,

like the fellows who had passed me a moment ago,

always wore a serene and gentle smile

and possessed the eternally beautiful

silver hair.

I wasn’t sure why she, who should be in the dormitory, was standing before me, but

what mattered now was

A certain ease

settled upon my heart, at least a little.

The instant I saw her.

Like a clogged drain

unclogged with a satisfying *plunk.*

“You’ve been staring blankly into space for a while now…”

“Ah…”

“Are you feeling unwell…?”

Perhaps I had been walking,

silent and still, for quite some time.

Judging by the way the surrounding scenery

had shifted without my notice.

The towering academy buildings

that had been before my eyes just moments ago,

or the scattered, lofty trees,

tall enough to be visible even

from within the academy walls,

had vanished in an instant.

And replacing all of it, now filling my vision,

was the familiar interior

of the dormitory, seen countless times before.

“…When did I get here?”

“Huh? You’ve been here

since a little while ago, haven’t you?”

“…Me?”

“Yes, you came in and then

didn’t say a word, just

stood there silently…”

According to her,

I had returned to this room

and done nothing,

staring blankly at nothing

for nearly five minutes.

She had, of course, tried speaking

to me several times before,

but I hadn’t registered so much

as a single syllable…

It was clear, then, that

her voice simply hadn’t

reached me.

‘I don’t recall being

so preoccupied that I…’

“Young Master, are you, perhaps,

feeling unwell again…?”

For a moment, I pondered

my current

physical condition,

and Ella’s worried,

overflowing eyes looked up at me.

Bright, sparkling eyes.

Eyes that seemed as though

they might shatter

at any moment.

Unlike others, her pupils were clear and focused, engulfing me.

“Young Master, are you really, perhaps,

unwell again—”

“I’m fine, you don’t need to worry.”

“..Truly?”

Slightly averting my gaze

from Ella’s eyes, which seemed

to hold some suspicion,

I excused myself, saying

I had some errands to run.

She had always had

many younger siblings to care for,

so even though she pretended otherwise,

she worried a great deal.

Perhaps, if I had remained

in the dormitory,

I would have had to listen

to her not-quite complaints.

Besides, recently I’d been

constantly bedridden, so

her worries seemed to be

slowly reaching their limit.

No matter where I went,

she kept trying to follow me,

and brushing her off each time

was a rather tiresome task.

Well, most of the time I just

gave up first, though.

‘…Ha, should I try the library, perhaps?’

Nothing else to occupy me, anyway.

I’d simply head to the Academy’s

library and sift through

information about spirits,

perhaps find a bit more.

As the Academy harbored

students aspiring to all manner

of paths, its library contained

literally every field of

book collection imaginable;

so even if it was a hard-to-find

book on spirits, there should

be at least one with some mention.

‘…Ah, I didn’t bring my spirit stone?’

In that instant, it dawned on me that

the bag I’d taken to the Great Forest

was still back at the dorm.

But I’d only realized this after

leaving the dormitory already.

Going all the way back to

get it felt a bit… ambiguous.

‘I probably don’t need it anyway.

I remember its appearance well enough.’

Besides, it’s not like anyone

would give me trouble just because

I wasn’t carrying a spirit stone…

It should be fine.

*

*Pasasak─*

The sound of leaves rustling passed, and

*Jororeureu─*

In its wake, the small stream

gathered, merrily flowing along.

It was hard to believe that until

recently, everything here was scorched bare;

Such beautiful scenery surrounded me.

Truly, it was a space where the

life force of the forest ran wild.

This place goes by many names.

Humans call it the Great Forest, but…

It wasn’t necessarily

the forest’s name, you understand.

Where the World Tree took root, that was the elven dwelling.

The villages of men

were determined by men themselves,

and so too, this forest

held a proper name.

A name given by

the elves, residents of this wood,

descendants of the World Tree.

Elven Wood.

The forest of elves,

enclosing the World Tree, the first tree,

within this woodland,

still numerous

elven homes were

stationed throughout,

but due to a recent,

unforeseen raid,

a portion of their forest was destroyed,

and even now, they were

laboring to rebuild the wood.

“Hmm, it seems the foundations are mostly laid, then.”

“Lady Sylvia!”

“Hm? What is it?”

This was the land where they had to live.

Not even the smallest bit of shirking

could be permitted.

And so, regardless of age, gender,

or station,

everyone pooled their strength,

cultivating the forest, rebuilding the village,

and succeeding in establishing

the village’s foundations

in a far shorter time

than anticipated,

and now, Sylvia, their overall leader,

an elven princess, was

taking on the final work,

right at the roots of the World Tree.

The offering of mana-water.

Following the forest alone,

worshiping the World Tree,

the mana-water, imbued with

the elves’ very magic,

was no different than their hearts,

melted down into

holy water incarnate.

They offer it each time,

wishing for the

well-being and peace of themselves and the forest.

“Princess, this…”

“Understood.”

Click-clack─

Each time the sound of

her shoes echoed,

the heads of those around her bowed involuntarily,

and finally, she reached the place where the

World Tree’s roots lay.

A place where one could feel

all sorts of magic circles and

the energies of spirits.

The place where the World Tree’s roots lay,

maintaining strict security so that

no one could enter unless they were royalty,

but Sylvia now was the

sole heir of the elf queen,

also a priestess of the World Tree.

“God, I have come to this place

to commemorate the

pure glory of the elves and nature.”

Creak─

Her body shone momentarily,

and at the same time,

the enormous tree that

had blocked her path until just now

vanished,

and the surrounding air shifted.

“….”

The previously bustling elves

The laughter and chatter faded into nothing.

Around her stretched wide meadows, and the sea, a river – everything.

As if the entirety of nature

had been gathered into this space,

a landscape unfolded.

And before her very eyes,

something bloomed, *pop*, into existence.

At first glance, it might have seemed a simple seedling,

but from that tiny stem

flowed an aura of the spirit realm,

distinct and otherworldly.

Sylvia knelt before it,

guided by instinct.

Only the Primordial Tree could exude such power.

Without hesitation, she tilted the leaf-bottle

filled with arcane-imbued water towards the sprout.

A single drop landed upon a leaf, and at that moment,

nature coursed through her.

“…!”

[Thank you.]

Along with that beautiful voice,

her surroundings

shifted once more.

Elves and spirits, unseen just a moment ago, now stood there.

“Lady Sylvia, are you alright?”

“..Yes.”

“L-Lady Sylvia? Where are you going…”

“Most of the tasks

must be finished by now, wouldn’t you say?”

“Y-Yes, they are, but…”

“Then I should return.”

I am, strictly speaking, still a student.