Chapter 205
Chapter 205
Didn’t they say not to judge a person by their appearance?
It wasn’t wrong—but it wasn’t a rule that always applied.
People rarely stepped out of the place they stood in.
Like right now.
Whether she was overflowing with motivation, or because she thought she had been looked down on by Keirin, every time the female student before me drew a breath, her long golden hair trembled with it.
Her green eyes were opened unusually wide as she glared at me fiercely.
This female student was the Empire’s Princess.
Someone furthest removed from construction work.
Even if the Empire were to fall, the Princess would never personally build a house.
So no matter how carefully I explained it, I thought it would be difficult for her to grasp construction work easily, but……
“I understand.”
With just a single explanation, the Princess nodded.
I didn’t know whether she had understood everything I said.
But that doubt vanished quickly.
When the Princess opened her hand, a staff and a magic tome appeared in midair.
At the top of the staff, a fist-sized blue gemstone shone brilliantly. It was a top-grade magic crystal of over 90% purity.
As she flipped through the pages of the magic tome, the Princess softly recited a short incantation.
Then she lightly tapped the staff against the floor, and a faint light spread out, sweeping across the walls and floor.
The slightly separated gaps in the wooden floor fitted themselves together, and the rough surface became as smooth as if it had been perfectly sanded.
“……Is this how it’s done?”
After closely examining the work area, the Princess asked me curiously.
I was inwardly impressed, but I suppressed my emotions as much as possible before speaking.
“It’s perfect.”
“I told you to stop with the empty flattery.”
The Princess shot me a sharp glare. It seemed she thought I was just trying to curry favor.
“Your Highness, this isn’t flattery.”
It was the truth.
Arlehardt’s work was flawless.
What should have taken several hours—reinforcing the walls and finishing touches—was completed all at once.
It was as if the hands of a seasoned artisan had passed through, precisely distinguishing what should remain and what should be erased.
As capable as she was, there was no need to explain anything twice.
“……She’s better than I expected.”
That really was the case.
Her talent in handling magic was one thing, but the Princess herself had quick comprehension.
No wonder she was the Academy’s top student.
“Then what should I do next?”
The Princess adjusted her grip on the staff.
They said even whales would dance when praised. Though she tried to appear calm on the surface, her expression subtly showed she was waiting for the next task.
“Then I’ll ask you to handle this next.”
I gave my instructions politely, and the Princess executed them perfectly.
Of course, it wasn’t just her.
“Young Master, I finished everything you asked for~!”
“Mr. Villed, I’ve attached all the hinges. Look at this! It opens really well, right? Please tell me the next task!”
At some point, instead of working directly, I had shifted into a position of giving instructions to others.
And the elite manpower carrying out my orders were destined to grow into heroes who would determine the fate of this world in the future. Yet here they were, using their abilities to build a mere house.
If this were a game, it would be a ridiculous situation.
“Well, from my perspective, this is a jackpot.”
How many opportunities would I have to use such manpower this comfortably?
Since the opportunity had been given, I might as well make full use of it.
Although Lupina from the Academy staff, who usually helped with the construction, was absent due to administrative work, the work speed was several times faster than usual.
“Lupina specialized in fire and water magic, so she couldn’t use spells particularly helpful for construction.”
As expected, in this world of magic, even building a house was best done with magic.
Thanks to the Princess and Keirin being able to use earth- and wind-type magic useful for construction, we had significantly reduced the time required.
And so, as we focused intently on the work, half a day passed.
By evening, the sky had already been dyed gold.
And…… thanks to their help, we ended up completing it in just a single day.
“Wow…….”
Though slightly covered in dust and wood shavings, Lapin’s eyes sparkled like the sunset as she looked at the house.
Letting out a breath of admiration, Lapin tightly grabbed Sia’s hand beside her.
“Sia, let’s live here together.”
“Ugh, I’m fine…… n-no.”
Sia trailed off while avoiding Lapin’s gaze.
She tried to gently pull her hand away, but couldn’t fully free herself. Only the tips of her ears turned red.
After walking around the house once, Keirin strode through the front door and examined the interior, nodding repeatedly.
“Waa~ It’s way better than I expected! It’s cozy and just right!”
“Someday, I’d like to live in a house like this too……!”
Ren’s eyes sparkled as he exclaimed.
The Princess didn’t say anything, but as she looked at the completed house, her gaze seemed somewhat proud.
“So, Young Master. You’re grateful that we let you build such a wonderful house, right?”
Keirin said proudly, shrugging her shoulders.
She was right. It was thanks to them that we finished about a week earlier than expected.
I acknowledged what deserved acknowledgment and curved my lips upward.
“Yeah. Thanks for helping.”
“Hehe.”
As if she had been waiting, Keirin grinned and raised both arms high.
“Alright, since the house is done, let’s have a party! A party!”
“So that was your goal all along.”
When I said that, Keirin burst out laughing.
“But isn’t finishing this early good for you too, Young Master?”
“……Of course it is.”
“See? Then let’s have a party right now—”
After chattering excitedly for a while, Keirin suddenly closed her mouth and blinked.
After thinking for a moment, she continued.
“It’s a bit late, but should we invite Miss Pinzher too? It’s more fun with more people. We can even play Magic Board Game.”
“That’s something Mr. Villed should decide.”
Ren said, looking at me.
Since I was the owner of this place, he was asking my opinion. There was no real reason to refuse. In the end, I nodded.
“……Do as you like.”
“Right? You think it’ll be fun too, Young Master? I’ll contact her right now!”
Keirin placed her hand near her ear, saying, “Mm, mm,” as she nodded. Then she smiled brightly at me.
“She says she’s coming right away!”
This was Elined’s private villa.
Elined was dressed in a white blouse close to indoor wear.
She sat in a rocking chair, wearing glasses she didn’t normally use, quietly turning the pages of a book.
But perhaps she had been reading for too long.
She closed the book for a moment and looked at the sunset outside the window.
That was when a Magical Communication call came through.
……It was Keirin, saying everyone had gathered and asking her to come to Villed’s barn.
Elined stood up immediately.
Without hesitation, she changed into her Academy uniform and spoke to the elderly gentleman waiting outside the door.
“I’m going out. Please prepare the carriage.”
“At once.”
Elined boarded the waiting carriage and headed toward Villed’s barn.
As she gazed at the evening glow outside the window, she naturally fell into thought.
It wasn’t merely because she was intrigued that she left so quickly.
Of course, she did intend to build camaraderie as well, but……
Her main purpose lay elsewhere.
Yes. A conversation that inevitably had to be brought up.
……About the enemy within the Academy.
Together with Villed and the others, it was time to hold a meeting regarding future plans.
Elined had not neglected her training during the break.
Of course, she had always been diligent, even before.
But that had all been to surpass Heidel of the main house.
The adults had told her to give up.
They said Heidel becoming the head of the Pinzher family was already decided, and that as someone from a branch family, she could never become the head.
But Elined clearly remembered her grandfather’s words.
“Try.”
Though from a branch family, if she wanted to become the successor, she should challenge it.
……The opportunity had been given.
To seize it, she had worked tirelessly from a young age.
And recently, she had found a way to get very close to the position of head.
……To eliminate the enemy within the Academy who was targeting the Princess.
Contributing to the royal bloodline would be more helpful than simply graduating at the top of the Academy.
Of course, she wouldn’t give up on graduating top either.
As she thought about what to discuss with the Princess’s group at Villed’s barn, she looked out the window—
And Elined blinked when she noticed ‘something.’
The golden sunset stretched long along the horizon.
And at its center……
“……That is.”
There was a house built at Villed’s barn.
Not a simple cabin, but a two-story wooden mansion.
The gently sloped roof shone like it had been gilded in gold by the sunset, and the glass windows sparkled in the evening light.
“I heard he was building a house, but I didn’t think it was true.”
No, Villed couldn’t have built it alone.
He was, after all, the second son of Dedenc.
He must have hired workers.
After getting off the carriage and looking up at the house—
The door opened, and with the warm light from inside, familiar faces appeared.
“Miss Pinzher! You made it!”
Everyone inside welcomed Elined.
It felt so reassuring and heartwarming. Was this what camaraderie meant?
Seeing them, Elined almost found herself smiling foolishly like Keirin.
But she had to maintain noble dignity, so she greeted them calmly.
“Alright, let’s party! Party! Young Master, I’ll help with the cooking too!”
It seemed they were about to prepare a meal.
Elined had intended to dine with them and then proceed with the meeting……
……But it seemed she would have to cancel it.
Elined, Arlehardt, Villed, Ren, Lapin.
Their common point was that they had directly confirmed the existence of the enemy within the Academy.
However, there were two people here who fell outside that commonality.
‘Sia,’ whose presence here was unclear.
And ‘Keirin,’ who had not been at the clock tower when they encountered the witch.
But Keirin was a once-in-a-generation talent, and she even had the Princess’s and Ren’s absolute trust.
Her personality might be somewhat noisy and tomboyish, but she wasn’t evil.
Then, was Keirin someone who could be trusted?
Let’s think—what if Keirin were the ‘enemy within the Academy’?
Keirin had always been by the Princess’s side.
Even when the Princess was defenseless.
There had been countless opportunities for assassination.
But Keirin had never even attempted it. No—she wasn’t the type of person who would even entertain such thoughts.
Yes. They had spent a year together as classmates.
So Keirin could be trusted.
……But the remaining one was a different matter.
“Sia, let’s live here together.”
“I-I said I don’t want to.”
The silver-haired female student bickering with Lapin.
“……Sia.”
The only person here who could not be trusted.
“There was someone among our classmates who cooperated with the enemy within.”
Elined had been investigating for some time who that accomplice might be. She had even narrowed down several suspects.
……And one of them was ‘Sia.’
As Elined looked at Sia, her eyes narrowed naturally.