Chapter 257

Chapter 57. Tangled Tails (5)

7.

After parting ways with Noa, Ulan arrived at the Student Council Hall.

However, since it was much earlier than the promised time, neither Iris nor Kamila was in sight.

Of course, that didn’t mean no one was there.

“Ulan!”

A melodious voice rang in his ears.

Soon, with steps as light as feathers, someone came rushing towards him. It was Fertisha, with her snow-white hair.

“You’re up surprisingly early!”

“That’s the same for you, Ulan. Weren’t you talking late into the night yesterday? Aren’t you tired?”

“I’ve never been one to need much sleep.”

“Hehe, me neither!”

Fertisha beamed a bright smile.

Ulan gazed at her blankly and recalled what had happened the previous night.

It was well past midnight when the Spirit of the Abyss had come to him, allowing him to converse with Fertisha.

Eventually, perhaps because it was so engaging, she had come to find him at the dormitory, and they talked until dawn.

‘But…’

Something was different from the previous night.

Unlike the ghastly face he had seen earlier, Fertisha now wore a bright expression, just like usual.

Yet, he felt uneasy about it.

The moment he saw her smile, a strange discomfort washed over him. As he narrowed his eyes and observed her, she suddenly spoke.

“By the way, I’m so excited!”

All of a sudden, she twirled around, her smile blooming like a flower. Her eyes sparkled as she continued.

“This is my very first election campaign! I have no idea how I can help, though.”

With a smile that appeared devoid of any worries or concerns, Ulan couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Now he understood the source of his discomfort.

“You’re just like before in that regard.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about how you force a smile when you’re in a tough situation.”

Not long after they had joined forces in his past life, Fertisha had not shared her troubles or worries with the other comrades.

She always appeared bright and put effort into maintaining that facade, as if suffering from an obsession to always be cheerful.

“So let me ask you again.”

He pierced through her façade with a sharp gaze.

For a fleeting moment, Fertisha’s mouth fell shut, as if she was at a loss for words. She averted her eyes, trying to escape Ulan’s piercing gaze.

But it was a fruitless endeavor.

Realizing she was trying to avoid the conversation, Ulan swiftly grabbed her arm.

“What are you hiding?”

“Uh, um…”

“Speak. If you consider me a comrade.”

Right after Ulan’s words ended, Fertisha’s eyes widened in surprise.

After a moment, she sighed as if she had resigned to her fate, realizing she had no place left to run.

“That’s unfair. I didn’t want to say anything, but it’s hard to avoid when you put it like that.”

Her complexion darkened.

She looked a bit haggard, resembling the face he had seen at dawn. Fertisha, who took a deep breath, finally spilled her story.

“Actually, this weekend, I’m supposed to return to the Imperial Castle. I need to apologize to my brother for causing him worry over this issue.”

Her full lips parted, revealing the conversation she had with Rimer. Once she finished explaining, Ulan’s gaze remained unchanged.

“Be precise.”

“Huh? About what?”

“Whether you are just visiting the castle or if you’re returning permanently isn’t clear.”

She was at a loss for words.

A mixture of disbelief and the ominous feeling he sensed earlier returned to her mind.

Silence engulfed the moment.

Seeing her hesitate to answer, Ulan spoke in a level tone.

“Fertisha.”

“…Yes?”

“Do you remember what happened in Zone 5?”

Of course, she remembered.

The event had left the most intense impression on her life. Nodding silently, Ulan continued.

“There I swore to you. That I would get you out of the castle this time too.”

Just like he had done in his past life.

Or, even earlier, he had sworn to take Fertisha out of her cage. With the pride and honor of a warrior, he had vowed to do so.

“So speak.”

His eyes, like flickering candle flames.

Meanwhile, opposite him, her ruby-red orbs were as serene as a lake. Soon, Ulan whispered in a voice as solid as a rock.

“So I can keep my oath.”

At that moment, Fertisha felt an unexpected sense of calm wash over her. It was as if the worries and concerns she had carried melted away like snow.

“…That’s incredible.”

Without even realizing it, she spoke up.

She wanted to share this feeling.

“Why do I feel so at ease just from hearing Ulan’s words, even when nothing has been resolved?”

A faint smile blossomed on Fertisha’s lips, one that held genuine comfort rather than the forced smile she had shown earlier.

And from there, she began to share the emotions and speculations she had felt from her conversation with Rimer yesterday.

“…So it’s not confirmed yet, but somehow it feels like if I go back to the Imperial Castle this time, I won’t be able to return.”

A strong conviction lay behind her speculation.

Having heard similar words from Noa, Ulan nodded calmly, not disturbed.

A little while later, having finished her explanation, Fertisha took a deep breath and glanced at Ulan again.

“So, um… if you could…”

“Got it. I’ll help.”

“Oh, I haven’t even said anything yet!”

“I know without you saying.”

After more than a decade of friendship, they understood each other’s intentions with just a glance, just an action. Seeing the awkward smile on Fertisha’s face, Ulan spoke again.

“I am a child of the prairie.”

After striking his fist against his chest once.

His ruby-red eyes burned like flames.

“And the children of the prairie never let go of what they capture.”

Be it an item, treasure, or even a person.

And it was no exception, regardless of who the opponent was. Even if it were the Emperor of the Empire.

With determination, Ulan proclaimed, “So don’t worry. I’ll prevent your fears from becoming reality.”

“Yes, thank you, Ulan.”

Perhaps having felt Ulan’s resolve, Fertisha smiled brightly, as if shaking off any remaining anxiety.

Just as their conversation was wrapping up.

“Oh, Ulan!”

“You arrived earlier than I expected.”

Familiar faces appeared.

Ivella and Delia.

They approached Ulan with bright expressions, but upon spotting Fertisha beside him, their eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Huh? What’s with the look?”

“…It looks suspicious.”

“Me? Why?”

“Are you really asking that?”

“I’m genuinely asking.”

Fertisha wore a perplexed expression.

Delia gritted her teeth, as if she found her puzzling. Meanwhile, Ivella glanced around, searching.

“Hmm? But where’s Noa?”

“She said she had something important to attend to.”

“I see. Then it can’t be helped.”

Ivella nodded silently.

As the scheduled time approached, Iris and Kamila also made their appearances.

After a moment, Iris carefully examined the faces of Ulan and his comrades, then politely bowed her head to everyone.

“Thank you sincerely for gathering here on your day off. Please lend your strength during these last three days.”

The election campaign wraps up in three days’ time.

The following day, voting starts, and the results will be announced that afternoon. In other words, they only had those three days left.

“Then let’s move.”

With a determined voice, Iris and her accompanying team headed towards the area where the election campaign was permitted.

8.

The election campaign of the Student Council President candidate, Iris Senior, turned out to be surprisingly straightforward.

She went to the places where students gathered, such as the library, dining hall, and plaza, to appeal for support.

“Nice to meet you, cadets!”

In the plaza set up in front of the general library, Iris stepped onto the platform. In a calm tone, she continued speaking.

“I am Iris Senior, a second-year student from the Military Department, running for the post of the next Student Council President.”

And so began her appeal for support.

However, few showed much interest in her speech. It was to be expected since they had already seen countless campaigns like this for over a week.

But soon after, someone stepped onto the platform following Iris. The moment this person made their presence known, the students gradually turned their attention to the stage.

“Hey, look over there.”

“Whoa? That’s Ulan, isn’t it?”

The tall figure standing to Iris’s right was a bare-chested man, despite the cold weather before winter. It was Ulan.

“I heard he…”

“Was caught up in the Demon Beasts’ attack during the school trip, but he’s already back?”

The news about Ulan’s group had spread throughout the academy by then. As students looked at Ulan with curiosity, several suddenly widened their eyes.

As if they had just recalled something they had overlooked.

“Wait, more importantly…”

“He’s with Iris, isn’t he?”

“Does that mean he’s supporting her?”

Various speculations began simultaneously.

Several students sparkled their eyes, like hyenas looking for an opportunity. Because of the rumors that Ulan had forged some sort of contract with the Empire.

If the rumors turned out to be true, it wouldn’t hurt to get close. While everyone shared a similar thought, a girl suddenly raised her hand high.

“Hello!”

A spirited voice echoed through the plaza.

Stepping forward was a girl holding her identification document, smiling brightly.

“I’m Edeline Ryuodefield, affiliated with the Election Management Committee. If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask a question?”

“Ah, yes. That’s fine.”

“Thank you for your cooperation!”

Edeline smiled at Iris who readily accepted her request, then immediately turned her gaze at the barbarian Ulan, who was still beside Iris.

“Now then, I’ll ask Ulan Cadet a question!”

“Go ahead.”

“Coming here today means you support Iris, right?”

The question everyone had been wondering about came to light, drawing the attention of all students to Ulan.

Curiosity, excitement, tension — a range of emotions filled their expressions.

Receiving all those gazes, Ulan gave his answer without hesitation.

“That’s correct.”

“Is there a reason for that?”

“Because I deemed it the right thing to do.”

Such a simple reason.

Edeline seemed momentarily dumbfounded, closing her mouth in surprise. Following her, another silver-haired girl stepped onto the platform and supported Ulan’s stance.

“I also agree with Ulan’s opinion.”

“Di, Delia Arpen?!”

Edeline yelped in shock.

It was a stunning revelation that another prominent figure had joined Ulan.

“Wait, are you also supporting Iris along with Ulan?”

“Yes.”

With a curt response.

Delia nodded, standing next to Iris as proof of her declaration.

The two most famous new students at Arsen Academy, Master and High Mage, expressing their support for Iris left Edeline and the students wide-eyed.

“Next, I shall announce my pledges.”

Perhaps realizing there were no more questions?

Iris cleared her throat briefly and proceeded with the speech she hadn’t finished earlier.

At that moment, the atmosphere in the plaza shifted.

The previously disinterested students began to focus on Iris’s address one by one.

The reason was simple.

They became curious about Iris as someone who had gained Ulan and Delia’s backing. As everyone concentrated their gazes on Iris, Ulan silently summoned his Spirit.

It was to carry out the related mission apart from being beside Iris.

『Detection』

It was to find the eyes of surveillance.

To do so, Ulan spread his Spirit wide to scan for any presence within the area.

However, he yielded no significant results.

He glanced at Delia, only to see her shake her head. That meant she hadn’t found anything either.

Ulan’s gaze darkened further.

But it wasn’t due to disappointment.

The possibility that the gaze Iris had felt was likely that of Rakus’s minions had increased.

‘Rakus’s minions.’

Creatures specialized in surveillance and concealment.

Their combat abilities ranked among the lowest among all minions, but they excelled in hiding their presence.

‘Of course, it’s not impossible to find them.’

Just as they were specialized in surveillance and stealth, there were Heroes who specialized in tracking and detection.

The hunter of Demon Beasts he had met in Shulfern, Sven Isaac.

‘If only he were here…’

Things would have been much easier.

Sighing due to the pointless regret, Ulan pressed his lips together.

But that disappointment didn’t last long. Blaming someone not present wouldn’t fix anything.

Just as he was about to withdraw his Spirit —

“…!”

Suddenly, he felt a gaze.

A boundary that could be sensed through detection. At the edge of the area, he sensed a gaze watching him.

It was clear hostility.