Chapter 123

“Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”

The回归者的 desolate gaze swept over the boy in front of her.

“I should’ve considered the possibility that Joker could personally come to the academy under the name Evans… But it’s still too early to jump to conclusions…”

Sunlight streaming through the window illuminated the radiant golden hair of the回归者.

“Even though he doesn’t look exactly like how I remember him… Joker’s a master of disguise. Changing his appearance would be nothing to him. What we should really focus on is that signature cunning smile.”

A trickle of nervous sweat ran down her spine.

“It’s hazy, but there’s about a 70% chance it’s Joker. Never thought I’d encounter him like this… I need to keep my expression managed. Even though I’m turning away from Joker, my face or emotions might reveal something through my eyes.”

She straightened her posture and swallowed hard.

“Hmm… Why would Joker come here? Is it because of Maria? If that’s true, things are progressing smoothly. It means Maria is getting along well with Joker… Ah, that’s right.”

Her pupils trembled as she reached that realization.

“Damn it, Maria isn’t the regressionist right now. She’s still an immature child mentally! If she drinks the wrong water from Joker, she might cross a point of no return! That’s something I must prevent… But Maria did say Joker is repenting…”

Her heart pounded heavily.

“If I interfere between them… Joker might think I’m annoying him or become suspicious of me. In the worst case, I could end up being killed by Joker or fall under investigation… Damn. For now, all I can do is watch without doing anything rash if it really is Joker… What is he trying to do to Maria?”

The boy’s hand tapped the back of the white-haired girl, who burst into giggles. Beside them, the dog-like familiar snored while resting on the desk.

At a glance, it was a peaceful scene. They truly were enjoying a pleasant peace. However, the heart of the回归者 watching from the side was filled with anxiety.

“When people worry and get tense too much, they feel pain in their abdomen. It’s because their digestion gets disrupted.”

That was exactly what the回归者 was experiencing right now.

“My, my stomach hurts… Ugh…”

***

Mornings at Eden Academy are mainly theory and writing-based classes. However, I have no intention of attending lectures.

Am I better at math than the teacher teaching it? No, I’m not. But the teacher is teaching at a level suitable for first-year academy students anyway.

And even if I’m not as good at math as the teacher, solving first-year math problems is as easy as eating candy lying down. Other subjects aren’t much different either.

So what am I supposed to do sitting in class when I don’t plan to listen?

Swoosh-

“Hehe, what did you write?”

“That’s for you to guess, Maria. You can figure it out by focusing on the sensation on your back.”

“I need to concentrate on the lesson…”

“Saying you can’t sense things while concentrating is just an excuse. It means you’re limiting yourself. Think of it as double-casting practice.”

“Oh… So this is part of training. Mr. Evans seems to be a deep thinker.”

No, I’m just bored and playing around because Maria is in front of me.

Each time I poke Maria’s soft back with my fingers, she responds with a smile while still focusing on the lesson. It’s amazing how she can do both.

“Muuuwhine…”

Arū seemed unable to adjust to sitting on a desk in the classroom for the first time ever, fidgeting and expressing his boredom.

You might think someone who endured 18 years of solitude in a pitch-black cave would have immunity to boredom, but Arū had completely lost all tolerance to it during that time. It had become a sort of trauma.

“Arū, are you bored?”

“Muuu…”

“If you’re sleepy, you can sleep. Can’t sleep?”

“No… I’ll sleep…”

After muttering that, Arū neatly folded his arms on the desk and buried his head in them. It was a sleeping pose that seemed universal among students worldwide.

Whoosh- Bang!

“Kyaa!?”

“Student! Don’t fall asleep!”

However, Arū’s nap didn’t last long. A piece of chalk flew like lightning and struck his forehead. Though to me, it moved as slowly as falling snowflakes.

Arū sat up while drooling on the textbook he had ostentatiously placed out. The teacher who threw the chalk scolded sharply.

“How can you sleep on the first day of class?! Aren’t you that famous student? The teachers had high expectations for you after hearing about your outstanding performance in the combat evaluation!”

She was a female teacher with round glasses lenses and thin frames. Her subject was mathematics. Seeing her hit Arū’s forehead accurately from that distance made me realize the saying about Eden Academy teachers excelling in both academics and martial arts wasn’t exaggerated.

Though Langwang, the physical education teacher, was an exception.

“Urrr… Woof! Evans said it’s okay to sleep!”

“Evans? What’s that? A religion you believe in? If religious doctrine requires you to sleep at this time, I’ll specially allow it!”

“Religion? God? No! Evans is a… person!”

“A person? Even if he’s your parent, I cannot allow it! At least during this class, you must follow my instructions as your teacher!”

Wow, this teacher has some serious aura. Even if Arū emitted waves of anger that would make most people unable to look directly at him, she showed no signs of backing down.

Of course, right now I’m suppressing his killing intent by grabbing Arū’s tail under the chair.

“Grrrrr… Bad! Bad!”

“Arū, just meditate during this time. Don’t bother picking a fight. Anyway, in teacher vs student situations, the student always loses unless the parent is the emperor.”

“Muuu… But you said it’s okay to sleep…”

“What can we do about this strict teacher? Just wait for the next class. There will be a more relaxed teacher eventually.”

However, contrary to my expectations, every teacher at the empire’s top academy refused to allow Arū’s sweet slumber.

“Muuuuuuu…”

In the end, Arū spent the time until lunch break in a way that felt like his body would melt away.

“Ugh… Maria, I’ll go to the infirmary for a bit…”

“Eh? Sir Hero, are you feeling unwell somewhere? Let me heal you with divine power. Tell me where it hurts.”

“No… Just feeling a bit bloated… I’ll go take some antacids…”

“Ah, I see… Understood. Should I help you walk?”

“No, it’s fine…”

Divine power is healing magic. While best suited for cutting and broken wounds, stimulating metabolism is the role of antacids.

It seemed the hero’s body hadn’t properly digested breakfast, causing indigestion. He wobbled toward the infirmary as soon as lunchtime arrived. I took Maria’s wrist and led her alone.

“Maria, let’s go eat lunch.”

“Eh? Yes. Will Lord Arū join us?”

“Muu? Go? Where?”

Having dozed off throughout class, Arū raised his body while asking, with saliva pooling at the corners of his mouth.

“Where are we going? We need to go eat. Aren’t you hungry?”

“No! Don’t want! Hungry!”

“Right, right… That’s why I said let’s go to the cafeteria. Wow, it’s like raising a kid. Why is this guy so dumb? Is it because he’s half dog and half human?”

“Haha, Lords Arū and Evans really have a good relationship, sharing such casual jokes.”

Since our conversation seemed natural to her, Maria broke into a gentle smile.

“Not a joke… This guy really is dumb.”

“Muu? Grrrr! Not dumb!”

“Then what’s 9 times 9?”

“…Muu? So… 9 nine times… 9 and nine… ”

Arū clutched his head and started counting with his fingers. How would he possibly calculate 81 using only ten fingers?

“18?”

He managed to somehow calculate a number over ten using finger arithmetic, but that’s all.

I snorted and turned to Maria, who had thought my question to Arū was a joke and chuckled awkwardly.

“Ah… Haha, maybe he doesn’t know. Memorizing multiplication tables isn’t the ultimate truth of everything.”

Her perfectly round white eyes carried an unmistakable look of shock.

“Still, how could someone not know the multiplication tables…”

To Maria, who grew up in the clergy valuing intellect as virtue, Arū’s lack of knowledge about something as basic as multiplication tables must have been quite the revelation. Despite knowing it was impolite to show, she couldn’t hide her astonished expression, which was rather amusing.

“Hahaha! 18 indeed! Truly befitting someone who guessed on all the written tests and got assigned to Class A solely based on practical skills!”

“Muu! I’m great! Everyone says I’m great!”

“Right! Who cares if you’re thick-headed? As long as you’re strong in fights, that’s what matters!”

I placed my hand atop Arū’s fluffy head and swept it like cleaning dust with a broom. The dimwitted Arū laughed heartily without a care in the world.

“By the way, I don’t know anything about the two of you.”

While walking to the cafeteria together, Maria asked a question.

“Excuse me, may I inquire about where the two of you are from?”

“…”

Finally, someone asked that question.

The answer has been decided from the beginning. I’ll respond according to the identity Beatrice prepared for me.

“Is it rude? Then it’s fine if you don’t tell me.”

I intentionally stalled, making Maria misunderstand while adjusting my voice before speaking.

“It’s not that. It’s just… I’m a bit worried if Maria will still treat me as a friend after hearing where I’m from… I’m not from a particularly reputable place, you see?”

“Ah? No, there’s absolutely no need to worry about that! How could one judge a person solely by their origin? I will absolutely not turn my back on you, Mr. Evans.”

With that firm assurance, we’ll become even closer friends.

“Right, since I have to reveal it eventually… Then I’ll tell you, trusting Maria. Actually, I’m not originally from the Empire.”

“Well, most people here aren’t, right? This is Eden Academy, where students from any country can attend without discrimination. I’m from the Holy Nation too.”

“That’s true. The place I come from is called the Dark Nation. Have you heard of it?”

“…”

The criminal nation, Dark Nation. A complete mess where drug cartels openly run the country behind the scenes, government authority and police forces are entirely controlled by gangsters’ money. Still counts as one of the Seven Nations due to its size.

Nationwide overflow of drugs and marijuana, underground fighting clubs lurking everywhere. Most citizens have committed some crime at least once, naturally leading to terrible law enforcement and diplomatic relations.

But the Dark Nation doesn’t collapse. Why? Because other nations use its criminals and cartels when they don’t want to dirty their own hands. Where there’s light, there must be shadow. And that’s why it’s called the Dark Nation.

That’s why its very name starts with “Dark”.

“Ah… So you’re from the Dark Nation… My goodness…”

Maria’s darkened expression.

“Did you react this way because the elders of the church told you not to associate with people from the Dark Nation?”

“Ah, how did you know?”

Wow, they really said that? That’s bad. I chose the chaotic Dark Nation as my background specifically to make me harder to track. If this is the case, I might have to say it was all a joke and change my origin story.

“So Maria thinks I’m scary too? Because I’m from the Dark Nation?”

“Huh…! N-No! I momentarily had such shameful thoughts, but judging someone by their origin is wrong! It’s due to my insufficient cultivation! I shall reflect on this!”

“It’s fine, everyone does it. People smile at you when they don’t know your background, then look at you like a piece of trash upon learning you’re from the Dark Nation. Like, how can such garbage be walking around normally on the streets? Not all Dark Nation citizens are criminals though.”

“Does that mean, Mr. Evans hasn’t committed any serious crimes despite growing up in the Dark Nation?”

“…Honestly, I’m human too, so I’ve done petty thefts, pickpocketing, muggings a few times. Had to survive, you know? It’s a crazy neighborhood. But I swear, I’ve never committed any violent crimes. Now I’m deeply repenting, which is why I entered the academy.”

“Such a backstory! Don’t worry, I’ll help you! As a saintess, I give you my word!”

Maria earnestly grabbed my hands with her soft fingers enveloping mine.

Ah, what should I do? She’s beautiful beyond words.

If I were an ordinary student, I’d probably be so moved right now that I couldn’t speak. Unfortunately, all I feel now is pride in our Maria’s growth, but acting is second nature to me.

Feigning emotion, I covered my mouth with both hands as if overwhelmed and teared up.

“Hehe, see? Mr. Evans really is a good person.”

Maria smiled gently at me like that. My tears are crocodile tears from enjoying this farce immensely, while Maria will probably never realize that. I’ll tell Night Maria about this later.

“Still, the elders said not to associate with people from the Dark Nation, right? Is it okay to disobey their words?”

“Generalizations are never correct in any situation. Though I’ve only known you for a day, the Evans I’ve seen is incredibly kind! You guided me when I first came to Eden Academy in a daze and became my first friend! I trust the Evans I’ve personally seen and felt more than the Evans unknown to those elder priests…”

“Maria…”

Oh my, listen to her. She’s adorable beyond belief.

If I were an ordinary student, I’d probably be so touched right now that I couldn’t speak. Unfortunately, all I feel now is pride in our Maria’s growth, but acting is second nature to me.

Feigning emotion, I covered my mouth with both hands as if overwhelmed and teared up.

“Hehe, see? Mr. Evans really is a good person.”

Maria smiled gently at me like that. My tears are crocodile tears from enjoying this farce immensely, while Maria will probably never realize that. I’ll tell Night Maria about this later.

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