HTACS 95

Chapter 95

“Graduate school feels like it will be a new lighthouse for my life. Shedding my former weak self, that is.”

What is she saying? She’s really lost it.

This is exactly why she’s called a broken case.

Isolde Cruel.

To put it bluntly, she’s a [fanatic who never doubts the path she believes in].

So if Wolfram von Lohengrin was once the belief she followed, now that he’s fallen from grace, graduate school has become her belief.

I’m serious.

She truly believes in graduate school.

She truly believes that graduate school is the lighthouse illuminating her path ahead.

Of course, she doesn’t believe only in graduate school.

That’s why she’s truly insane.

Ugh, this is so annoying.

“…**[I see. Do your best.]**”

“Yes. President.”

“**[But Isolde Cruel. Let me give you one piece of advice. Take it to heart.]**”

“Please speak.”

“**[Do not become too intoxicated by the abyss.]**”

“…Excuse me?”

Well. That’s all I have to say to her.

The rest is up to you.

However, if you go too far… hmm.

I might have to clean it up myself.

**[Automatic Imperial Bloodline usage mode ends.]**

“Then devote yourself fully to graduate school life. I’ll be cheering you on from afar.”

“…Yes.”

What advice can I give to someone aiming for graduate school in the Knight Department?

A humanities graduate student would honestly be better.

—

With that, Isolde Cruel left the spot, and I cast my gaze around.

Not that I could look too intently—everyone would just flick their eyes away, bow their heads, and tremble—so I just rolled my eyes.

And there, in the distance, I met eyes with that person.

Ayla was right next to me, all high and mighty, so she caught my attention—but she wasn’t looking at Ayla.

Unlike the other nobles, she was staring straight at me.

With my 2 stamina, I put all my strength into walking over there.

It’s okay. This body is still moving.

“Wolfram?”

Ayla’s eyes went wide. Her expression asked, “Why did you come all the way here?”

Those two are sworn enemies, so if I talk to Regina for no reason and get hit by Ayla’s black crystal, I’ll lose more than I gain.

So let’s separate Ayla first.

“Ayla. Would you mind handling the distribution of what we prepared?”

“Oh my, I thought you were going to do it yourself, Wolfram?”

“I’d like to leave that stage to you. After all, I still need to remain in the shadows.”

“Fufu. I’ll take charge of that great undertaking for a while. But since you’re making me work, I’ll add a little bit of my own flair, alright?”

“Hmm.”

As I nodded, Ayla left with a bright smile.

After sending her off, I turned my gaze to Regina Siela before me.

Wow.

Look at those eyes—slightly clouded.

Wait. Has she already started going off the rails?

Is this probably… stage one?

If it’s not managed here, her eyes will gradually grow more clouded. Past stage four, stage five, and all the way to the end, she’ll be completely gone.

And then she’ll drag Kelterus to a flower field and…

Ugh.

“…I greet His Highness Wolfram von Lohengrin, Imperial Prince.”

“The young lady of the Siela family. Have you been well?”

“Yes. Thanks to Your Highness’s consideration.”

“Spare me the formalities. We’re not close enough for you to speak to me like that, are we?”

I need to somehow pry this crazy girl off.

No—that’s not what matters right now. I have something to give her.

Before that, let me ask one thing. If she already has one… it won’t be much help.

“Young lady of the Siela family.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Please speak.”

“Did you obtain the item I mentioned before?”

“You mean the precious object imbued with blessing. My abilities are insufficient, so I have not yet acquired it.”

“Tch.”

I clicked my tongue involuntarily.

That means I have to give it to her after all.

If I don’t, someone in Zefflin will die.

Though I won’t be the one.

“But may I ask why you told me to obtain such an item? Would you permit me to know the reason?”

How should I dodge this?

No.

If I answer truthfully and it somehow reaches Eve’s ears, I’ll have to explain “how much” and “why” I know everything—but Regina Siela isn’t on good terms with Eve to begin with.

She holds an enormous inferiority complex toward Eve.

So even if I tell her, it probably won’t be a problem.

Besides, I already told her to get an item with a blessing—it’s hard to dodge the reason now.

“Tell no one. A merchant’s tongue is cheaper than anyone’s, but without the right price, they won’t open their mouth.”

“A fitting statement. I will keep it absolutely secret.”

“**[Do you swear?]**”

“Yes!”

…Good.

Since she swore while I spoke with imperial bloodline authority, she likely won’t blab to anyone.

“A curse is approaching Zefflin.”

“…What, did you say?”

“That’s why I meant for you to prepare a blessed item.”

“Yes. My incompetence is… If that is the case, does that mean I, I am a target of the curse…”

“Quick-witted.”

“A-ah… ah…”

Regina’s eyes clouded over.

This is troublesome.

If she gets cursed here, it’s truly dangerous. The curse accelerates her “cloudiness.”

Think about it.

Regina Siela takes pride in being “the eldest daughter of the empire’s greatest tycoon family.”

At the same time, she despairs at the “Imperial Family that could kill her at any moment.”

What drives her is “being the eldest daughter of a tycoon” and “Mana 21.”

But the curse renders her powerless. Makes her despair. Makes mana utterly useless.

So if she gets cursed, she’ll break down even faster. The time limit is truly short.

That’s also why the Regina route is difficult.

Anyway, if Regina goes off the rails, there’s a high chance someone will end up in that stabbing-strangling ending.

Though I won’t be the one.

“Take this. It’s something that can help you avoid it. A precious object imbued with blessing. I give it to you.”

“…Yes?”

So what’s the way to avoid Regina’s cloudiness?

Simple.

Treat Regina sincerely in every aspect.

Push forward with nothing but truth, without lying.

Whether Kelterus’s sincerity reaches her heart or not—that’s the core of the Regina Siela route.

So…

First, I toss it purely.

“I thought you wouldn’t be able to prepare it. It’s a talisman and a pastry imbued with blessing. Don’t eat it.”

“Why are you giving this to me…? You, an imperial grandson, giving a blessed item to me…?”

Regina’s eyes fixed on me intently.

A hint of cloudiness returns. Honestly, that’s what scares me more.

Hold steady.

My legs are trembling with fear, and I want to run away right now.

But this isn’t the time to run away in fear—it’s time to take one step forward!

To save some nameless person who might one day suffer that flower-field-stabbing-strangling ending!

Nameless one, take note. You, whose name I don’t know—know that I am saving you right now!

“The reason? It’s nothing grand.”

“Please tell me your true intent. …Please.”

Regina Siela clasped both hands to her chest and gazed at me.

Her desperate gaze is annoying.

She’s so clingy.

Well.

I can say with certainty—I have no personal feelings toward Regina Siela.

I just like D/Z SAGA.

The Zefflin that’s become reality is also… a bit different from my expectations, but enjoyable nonetheless.

I don’t have stamina, but at least I’m not Lee Young-jin, who couldn’t live without painkillers because of a herniated disc.

And Regina Siela—though I could never fully understand her—is also a heroine whose ending I’ve seen.

Honestly, I don’t want to see her hit rock bottom.

So, leaving out emotions and speaking more broadly—

“How strange.”

“…Excuse me?”

“If you know a future where someone becomes unhappy, do you really need a reason to stop it?”

“…A-ah.”

At those words, Regina’s voice trembled violently.

Why is she like this?

“Then keep it safe.”

“Y-your Highness Wolfram von Lohengrin. Please, grant me one request.”

“What is it?”

“Could you, just once, call me not ‘Regina Siela’ nor ‘young lady of the Siela family’—but simply ‘Regina’?”

Ah, this…

Hmm, no. I think this might have been a line on the path to Regina’s happy ending. Or maybe not. What was it—there was something the Regina fans [Call Her Lady Siela] used to say. “Just calling her name once becomes some kind of major trigger.” Was that it? That it was the biggest foreshadowing… Is that right?

“…”

“Please.”

Was there really a flag like that?

I gave up on understanding her psychology in the first place, so I don’t really know.

What do I care about the despair of a silver-spooned young lady who has everything in the world?

While I was lost in thought, the entire hall stirred.

“Ahem. Everyone in attendance. Could I have your attention for a moment?”

From somewhere, I heard the voice of rebellion I was most familiar with.

—

Ayla struck a magnificent pose and amplified her voice with mana, making it resonate through the hall.

Quite an advanced technique. It requires meticulous mana control.

She even made stairs out of black crystal, and a platform on top, from which she was giving her speech.

Just how well does she handle mana? Is she a monster?

“I’d like to thank everyone who graced this occasion today. Of course, no one shines as rebelliously as me and His Highness Wolfram von Lohengrin!”

Is that a greeting or a provocation?

Truly a remark befitting Ayla.

“Of course, there may be those who don’t appreciate my rebellious attitude, but what can you do? It’s an undeniable fact—I became the third-year top student!”

Isn’t that massive aggro?

Wow. As expected of Ayla.

“Of course, I don’t intend to just talk. At this very gathering, I’ll be presenting a new ‘rebellious concept’ distributed by the revitalized—no, even grander—Triesta family! Now! Bring it in!”

At her command, carts rolled in.

Piled high with pastry sets.

Those are the stock of pastries I made for practice.

I brought them in case they might appeal to the nobles.

“Those who’ve heard the rumors may know—this is the new ‘rebellious item!’ A product that activates all sorts of buffs the moment you eat it! Regardless of your mana stat! Do you understand how monumental this is?”

At those words, the hall grew restless.

That’s right. “Purely benevolent, good-aligned buffs” are not affected by magic resistance.

Is this still an era where even that isn’t widely known?

Well, anyway.

“I won’t say who that great person is. Everyone, just guess. That concludes the rebellious gift.”

With that, Ayla smiled brightly and slowly descended the black crystal stairs, stopping before me.

“Ahem. Wolfram, I’m back.”

“You openly advertised it as rebellion. Isn’t rebellion supposed to be covert?”

“Oh my. Don’t you think it’s about time we became great?”

“…”

At first, Ayla smiled wryly, then soon let out her usual “hehe” laugh and brushed it off.

Well, I suppose. Since these are pastries I brought to give away anyway, packaging them like this doesn’t really matter.

“Shouldn’t we head back soon, Wolfram?”

“Hmm. You’re right.”

More than anything, my stamina is at its limit.

Can I walk back… My biggest regret is not bringing Patrasche.

Just as I was thinking that, something suddenly rose beneath my feet.

A transparent, smooth black crystal foothold sprouted from under my feet, firmly securing my ankles.

“…Now. Like this, I can just pull you with my mana, right?”

“…Ha. I see. You’ve learned a fine spell, Ayla.”

“I can’t neglect my own training either. I thought, if you can make a carriage out of mana stones, then sliding black crystals might achieve something similar.”

“Impressive.”

Amazing. Ayla is amazing!

“Well then, Lady Siela? His Highness Wolfram von Lohengrin is expressing fatigue. We’ll be taking our leave.”

With that, Ayla smiled politely and gently took my arm.

Since it’s moving with your mana, you don’t really need to do that, do you? I thought—but Ayla showed no sign of letting go.

Break free with my own strength? Haha, what a joke.

“Ah…”

Regina Siela stared intently at me.

Hmm. Come to think of it, what did she ask again?

She wanted me to call her by her first name?

I’ve been calling her “young lady” all this time, and I might actually get stabbed for that… so I suppose I should compromise.

I called her by that at the last tea party too, so it should be fine.

“Then ‘Regina Siela’—we’ll be going now.”

“…Ah.”

Regina clenched her fist tightly.

“Let’s go, Ayla.”

“Yes, Wolfram!”

With that, Ayla began to silently slide the foothold.

Oh, oh. This is more fun than I thought.

It feels like riding the world’s safest electric scooter.

I could feel Regina Siela staring at us from behind, but I desperately ignored it.

“Yes. Right now… with this… someday, surely.”

Regina’s voice, scattering into the distance, never formed a complete sentence.