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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Ally
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“...”
I was speechless at his fundamentally different way of thinking.
‘Was that even possible...?’
Seeing me with my jaw dropped and eyes blinking, Axel clicked his tongue.
“Anyway, you need four-leaf clovers, right?”
Axel asked confidently.
“How many do you need?”
* * *
‘I really can’t keep up with the way these high-and-mighty people think.’
A commoner to the bone, I could never think that way in a million years.
Axel had suggested a very simple method: ordering his subordinates around.
I let out a deep sigh and opened my book.
‘First, let’s get through class.’
Today, once again, I found myself in a classroom to attend a lecture at the Ivory Tower.
Classes were held every morning, but attendance wasn't actually mandatory.
Under the Ivory Tower's belief that knowledge cannot be advanced by force-feeding it, all classes were voluntary.
Instead, there was an exam every six months, and failing it meant merciless expulsion.
Because not a single slip-up was tolerated, most students attended classes even though they weren't compulsory.
‘Honestly, I'm confident about the exams, so I could skip class.’
My legendary intuition would undoubtedly kick in and lead me to the right answers, after all.
But for the time being, I planned to diligently attend my classes.
Of course, it wasn't because I had any interest in these alien-like studies.
The invitation committee had yet to reach a decision on admitting Eugene Kroiche to the Ivory Tower.
While special invitations without an entrance exam were occasionally granted, they were reserved for those who had achieved great academic renown.
An invitation to the Ivory Tower by divine revelation was unprecedented.
However, the Ivory Tower was an educational institution founded to interpret the prophecies God had left for the empire.
If so, shouldn't they naturally accept a student who had received a divine revelation?
With the situation being so complex, opinions among the scholars seemed to be divided.
‘Which means I need to appear diligent until the invitation is confirmed.’
The scholars would only invite Eugene Kroiche to the Ivory Tower if I seemed like a trustworthy Saintess.
‘And...’
I glanced over at Leonid, who was sitting a short distance away.
Unlike the other children who were chattering in small groups, Leonid sat all alone, like an isolated island.
‘It bothers me.’
It was only natural.
I couldn't help but be concerned, seeing Servian's son being so openly ostracized at the Ivory Tower.
After a moment's hesitation, I picked up my heavy book and plopped down in the seat next to Leonid.
It seemed there was an unspoken rule to leave the seat next to Leonid empty, because the moment I sat down, the chattering children fell silent.
The air in the classroom grew so cold you could feel it, but I feigned ignorance and casually opened my book.
Just then, one of the bullies who had thrown paper at Leonid yesterday snickered and approached me.
“Birds of a feather flock together, I guess. You two look good together.”
It was the same boy who had framed Leonid with his booming voice.
‘Eight? Nine years old?’
He was much larger than the other kids, so he seemed to be the oldest in the classroom.
Still, he was just a brat not even ten years old, and his posturing just looked ridiculous to me.
I deliberately pretended not to understand the Loudmouth's sarcastic remark and gave him a bright smile.
“Yeah. Thas wight. Me an' Leonid awe birds of a feader. 'Cause we'we smawt. You'we dumb, so you hang out wif dumb people, wight?”
“W-What did you say?”
“Why? Isn't dat what birds of a feader means?”
As I blinked and asked, the Loudmouth's face flushed red.
“Hey! Who are you calling dumb?”
“I jus' said. You didn't unnerstand? You weally awe dumb...”
So dumb it's sad...
As I gave him a look that said just that, the Loudmouth slammed his hand on the desk with a thump.
Timid Lesia's body flinched instinctively.
The Loudmouth, thinking he had thoroughly intimidated me, scoffed and sneered.
“‘Dumb’ is a word for fake students like you and Leonid. I got in by passing the exam fair and square, you know?”
“Me an' Leonid passed the test fair an' square too.”
“Ha. I'm sure you *took* the test.”
The Loudmouth shrugged exaggeratedly and raised his voice for everyone to hear.
“You have the Church and the Ducal House of Elpinade, and he has the County of Call and a hero for a father. With such powerful backers, couldn't you have gotten the exam questions in advance? How else could a little kid like you possibly pass the test?”
“Yeah. It's impossible, wight? Fow a dummy like you.”
The Loudmouth's face, which had brightened at the word ‘impossible,’ crumpled at the words ‘a dummy like you.’
“An' the Ivory Tower's tests awe fair. Awe you doubtin' dat?”
“Ha! Of course I am! It's suspicious no matter how you look at it, isn't it? Right, guys?”
The Loudmouth looked around, seeking agreement.
But even the troublemakers who had been laughing along with him just yesterday couldn't utter a word of agreement, their lips sealed tight.
“Wh-What... Why isn't anyone saying anything...”
Just as the flustered Loudmouth was about to say something to his cronies.
“Mr. Kalson. What is the meaning of this? Are you saying the Ivory Tower's exams are suspect?”
“Hup!”
The Loudmouth whipped his head around in surprise.
Standing there was the scholar in charge of the under-ten classroom, glaring coldly.
“Th-Th-That's! That's not what I meant...”
“No. That is precisely what it sounded like. I wonder how you can study at an Ivory Tower you don't even trust, Mr. Kalson.”
“I mean, I, that's...”
“There's no need to say more. If that's what you think, perhaps it would be best for you to go home immediately.”
“N-No, sir! I would never...!”
“Come to my office after class.”
The scholar cut off the Loudmouth's excuses sharply and stood at the lectern.
‘Tough luck, kid. You should've checked the time before you went on a rampage.’
I watched the pale-faced Loudmouth stumble back to his seat and swallowed a laugh.
‘You're only king when it's just us kids.’
In front of an adult, you're just a clueless child.
I cheerfully opened my book, only to feel a sharp gaze from my side.
When I turned my head, Leonid was staring at me with a strange expression that was hard to describe.
He seemed to be trying to figure out whether I had done it on purpose or if things had just happened to turn out this way.
‘Yep. Lesia is just an innocent four-year-old!’
I put on an innocent, goofy grin, and Leonid whipped his head around, burying his nose in his book.
It was such an aggressive act of avoidance.
‘I mean...’
You didn't have to turn away *that* fast...?
‘Did I smile too stupidly?’
I reflected on my actions and touched my face.
‘Next time, I'll aim for a moderately stupid smile!’
* * *
After class.
“Mr. Kalson. Follow me.”
“Y-Yes, sir...!”
The Loudmouth, drenched in a cold sweat, scrambled to follow the scholar.
He was probably in for a very in-depth discussion with the Ivory Tower's scholars.
I hadn't understood a single thing from today's lecture either, but my heart felt incredibly light after taking care of that annoying pest.
‘Now that the Loudmouth has been taught a lesson, the others won't dare bully Leonid so openly.’
They were all kids who had passed the Ivory Tower's exam, after all.
This incident would have made them realize that bullying Leonid was tantamount to questioning the Ivory Tower's authority.
Whatever they thought on the inside, they would act sensibly on the outside.
‘I should boast about this to Servian later.’
I hummed to myself as I gathered my book.
Why are books on difficult subjects always so thick?
Even with just one book, it was so heavy that my small body staggered.
As I grunted and walked forward, the book was suddenly lifted upwards, and my hands felt empty.
Following the direction the book had gone, I looked up to see Leonid's face above me.
