Chapter 168

The bodyguards who came as escorts didn’t interfere with the academy’s affairs. They merely followed their charges like shadows.

All thanks to Grand Mage Merlin’s stern warning.

“If there’s been a murder, I understand why you don’t trust the academy’s security, so I won’t stop you from being here. But under no circumstances should your presence disrupt classes!”

So while they sat in on lessons and were in the same classroom, they had no presence whatsoever. They could only stand silently at the back of the classroom without even chairs, never causing any commotion.

Still, the students weren’t entirely comfortable.

Of course not! Even having just your own parents visit makes students fidgety, let alone now when the ones behind them were generals from various nations – the Continent’s Greatest Swordsman, the Royal Knights’ Captain, Holy Knights… These were people of immense prestige.

Just currying favor with them could mean they’d likely become your senior coworkers in the future. The students gleamed with admiration, watching them longingly, while also behaving impeccably to avoid catching unwanted attention.

However, I paid them no mind. Instead, my interest leaned toward Maria’s two Holy Knights—her personal guards.

“Emelia, that guy just peeked at Lady Saintess, didn’t he? Isn’t that suspicious? Shouldn’t we eliminate him?”

“Kelt, please show restraint. This isn’t a battlefield.”

“I know… but it’s best to cut off potential threats early…”

Kelt and Emelia, both from the Holy Order. Among them, Kelt was actually my warden from the Babel Tower in my past life.

Later, I found out that right after the murder case broke, the Holy Order had issued Maria a recall order, deeming Eden Academy unsafe for the Saintess.

Maria told me this herself.

“Is that so? Then why are you still here, Maria?”

“Because I didn’t want to go back. For the first time, I’m outside the Order, spending time with people my age. And, uh, I’ve met a great friend too!”

People her age? Maria is anything but ordinary compared to other students.

“Great friend? Who?”

With a bit of hope, I asked.

“T-t-that’s…! I can’t tell you! Umm…”

Maria blushed bright red and bowed her head. I had hoped to hear my name come from her lips, but I felt a little disappointed.

Anyway, Maria refused the Holy Order’s command to return and stayed at the academy, with the condition that two Holy Knights would accompany her. In other words, if anything happens that catches Maria’s eye, she’ll be forcibly recalled to the Order.

I don’t want that. I’m here at Eden Academy because of Maria. If she leaves, so does my reason to stay.

Thus, it seems I can’t recklessly cause trouble anymore—I need to avoid provoking the Holy Order further.

But it wasn’t all bad. After all, I got to meet a familiar face—someone like Holy Knight Kelt.

“…Emelia.”

“…Kelt.”

“Did…did I just see something strange? Is Lady Saintess blushing?”

“N-no way… The Saintess wouldn’t harbor such feelings of affection!”

Oh wow, don’t figure out too much. If you try to take Maria back to the Order, I might just kill you and bury you.

When I first met the Holy Knights, I thought Kelt and Emelia would be nothing but annoying. Turns out, that was just my unfounded worry.

They didn’t approach Maria casually. Always keeping a distance, shadowing her, occasionally asking if she needed anything. Perfectly behaved bodyguards.

Even after school was the same. When Maria and I spent time alone together in the library, Kelt and Emelia kept watch from afar, staying inconspicuous.

But sometimes, when Maria and I got close, creating a warm atmosphere…

“Evan-sama, please read this passage. ‘In life, no two days are ever the same. Though experience may have limits, interpretation does not.’ Isn’t that a wonderful quote?”

“Hmm, yes.”

“Kyaaah! W-was that Evan-sama’s breath just now?!”

“Huh?”

“A-ah, never mind… Let’s keep reading the book!”

In other words, whenever Maria turned as red as a ripe apple.

“Emelia! Shouldn’t we stop this? Is it okay to leave it be?”

“Well… We’re not sure yet if this is just shyness or actual affection…”

“Anyone can see it’s love! The Saintess is practically tied up in knots! That parasite-like guy next to her is definitely making moves!”

“What, do you think the Saintess is someone who falls for tricks easily? Besides, seeing her make friends and seem happy, we shouldn’t dare interfere, right?”

At times like that, it annoyed me. Because I worried they might take Maria away.

So I brought out my secret weapon.

“Bark.”

“Huh? What’s that dog sound?”

I’ve got a reliable ally too, even if he’s sometimes a pain in the neck.

“Aaaaah! A-a-a werewolf?!”

“Bark! Play with me!”

“Uh, werewolf student? We’re not part of this academy, so maybe you should play somewhere else…”

“Nope! Bark! Play with me!”

Out of sight and earshot of Maria, Aru pounced on Emelia. Despite trying to pull her away, the strong Aru didn’t budge an inch.

This way, I solved Aru’s boredom and dealt with those pesky Holy Knights at the same time.

And thus, I always had uninterrupted private time with Maria in the library.

By the way… what’s Frey doing right about now?

While I’m curious about her too, today my attention leans more toward the person beside her.

The Continent’s Greatest Swordsman. Blood Sky Blossom, Liliard.

She’s undoubtedly a supreme warrior, yet her identity remains unknown even to me.

A superhuman who suddenly appeared one day on the continent and became the Empire’s Continental Greatest Swordsman.

No one knows who trained her or what swordsmanship she uses. All that’s certain is that her skill has reached unparalleled heights, and she’s achieved countless feats on the battlefield for the Empire. She’s a mysterious master.

But I wasn’t particularly interested in Blood Sky Blossom Liliard. Back then, I was too busy obsessing over how to torment the Heavenly Hero, and during the war between the Demon Realm and the Continent, she mysteriously disappeared.

Not my main focus, but I am curious.

Where on earth did Blood Sky Blossom disappear to back then?

***

The Hero of the Continent and the Sun, Frey Dr. Siegfried.

“Ah…”

The room was filled with the deep sigh of a girl whose radiant hair seemed to contain the sun’s glow.

The Absolute Swordsman known as the Continent’s Greatest Swordswoman, Liliard, giggled in response.

“Hero-sama, aren’t you sighing too deeply? Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“Of course I’m uncomfortable. How could I not be with the Continent’s Greatest Swordswoman standing right next to me?”

“That’s strange. Normally, humans consider it an honor to be around me.”

‘Well, I’m not just any human—I’m a regressed returner from destruction! You’re slightly less crazy than Joker, but still!’

Frey gritted her teeth.

I finally managed to escape from Evans thanks to the Saintess’s help, only to end up in this predicament. Frey couldn’t help but feel her fate was truly unfortunate.

“By the way, what does our Hero-sama usually do? Carrying the weight of the continent’s destiny, do you dedicate yourself entirely to training?”

“…That’s classified information. By imperial law, a hero’s martial arts must remain secret.”

“How prickly. Are heroes normally this brusque?”

Ignoring Frey’s mood completely, Liliard chuckled wickedly, her alluring smile stretching into a curve.

She didn’t seem particularly tense despite the recent murder.

Frey easily guessed why.

‘Shit…! Not only has the Western Duke of the Demon Realm come to the academy, but Queen Lilith herself?! Could Joker have summoned them? There’s no way the Empire would send the Continent’s Greatest Swordswoman just as a bodyguard unless she volunteered…!’

Indeed.

Blood Sky Blossom, Liliard.

Her real name is Lilith.

Her true position: Queen of Succubi and Western Duchess of the Demon Realm.

She infiltrated the human world disguised as a human for the Empire to weaken the continent before the full-scale Demon War began.

And now, her presence here at Eden Academy as the Hero’s bodyguard…

‘Right, she’s definitely here. That damn demon race bastard.’

It was because she received intel from the Northern Duke of the Demon Realm that a masked demon who mocked her and escaped years ago at a Demon Realm auction house was hiding in the academy.

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