The Demon Prince goes to the Academy - Chapter 277

Olivia Ranze was on the dance floor.

“You’re not going to learn more about the sword?

‘Yes. Father.’

“Why?

“I don’t want to learn more skills that could hurt someone, even if I’m not going to use them that way.

‘…….’

I knew it was pointless.

I already knew I’d learned enough; I’d been told in third grade that I had nothing left to learn.

Still, Olivia Ranze was afraid to get any more violent. She was afraid that it was getting easier and easier to hurt someone. Olivia stayed away from violence and the possibility of violence.

But now, Olivia held the sword.

Controlling the power flowing through my body, something I hadn’t done in a very long time, was too easy.

Olivia is about to enter a tournament.

Unlimited class tournaments.

And Miss Temple.

No Miss Temple, no unlimited tournaments.

Olivia wasn’t interested in any of that.

It doesn’t matter if that annoying first grader named Ellen shows up or not.

‘Ms. Olivia. You don’t have to push yourself like this anymore.’

‘……No, that’s okay. There’s still time.’

“I understand the situation, but no matter how tight our facilities budget is, Ms. Olivia is still a student.

I don’t know what else.

Money.

I need money.

There are countless war orphans from the Demon War.

Just as a country can’t alleviate poverty, an empire can’t provide for so many war orphans.

There’s a hole in the ground somewhere, scattered with children who don’t have enough to wear or eat. Olivia had been sponsoring them since she left her service in the Demon War.

But without her background as the daughter of a crusader knight, Olivia was running out of money to support them.

Olivia can’t abandon them. She may have abandoned her faith, but she hasn’t abandoned them.

“If Reinhardt knew, he’d say something.

I didn’t tell Reinhardt, because I knew I’d be told to stop doing stupid things.

The prize money for the tournament and Miss Temple is huge. The prize money would be enough to keep his organization afloat for a while.

I know that a policy to support war orphans will be announced soon. For a little while, they just need to provide something to eat and wear with their own hands.

That’s it.

That’s why Olivia Ranze took up the sword.

‘For a year or so……. Okay.’

I hung up my sword in third grade.

However, there have been times when I’ve had to take up the sword for unavoidable reasons.

I went to Darklands to serve, but I couldn’t just serve.

There was a time when I was both disillusioned and grateful that I had power.

I’ve been holding on to it ever since.

I’m confident we’ll win, but I don’t think it will be easy.

I’m going to have to do some work to regain my senses. Just as I was about to calm my mind and draw on my strength.

“I wish you were born later.

-fast

“Ugh, really!”

-Kang!

Olivia threw her sword away in a sudden burst of heat.

What’s the big deal?

Olivia sulked for a while alone in the rehearsal hall, her face bright red.

At that moment, the door to the performance hall opened and someone walked in.

-delay

“Olivia, there you are.”

Obviously looking for Olivia, the other person smiled brightly and approached her.

“Oh, yeah. Radia.”

Olivia’s shenanigans are limited to first grade, but she’s still sweet and kind to fifth and sixth graders.

It was not fifth grade, but sixth grade, B-2, Radia Schmidt. She walked up to Olivia with a big smile on her face.

“I haven’t seen you with a sword in a long time. Are you going to play in the unlimited tournament again?”

“Ah……. Yeah. I will.”

“I see……. Well, that’s too bad. I thought I might have a shot at winning this time.”

“Is Radia in on this?”

“Oh, I didn’t realize, this is your last chance, Windsor’s moving out.”

“Oh……. I see.”

If you’re in sixth grade, you’ve already graduated.

From there, it’s understandable to want to compete in an unlimited tournament and see what you’ve been working on for six years.

Radia Schmidt looks at Olivia with the water lily sword, still glowing.

But Olivia felt her breath catch in her throat, like there was something stuck there.

“But you know what, Olivia?”

“……what?”

“Holy power. Not to be used.”

“……Yes, that’s right. I know.”

It would be absurd for someone who professes to have renounced their faith to use divine powers. Whether it’s possible or not.

Unauthorized use of divine power is common.

If all goes well, you will be trained in the temple and become a full priest.

If you refuse, you will be referred to the Inquisition.

So Olivia shouldn’t use her powers in public.

You must enter the tournament with your divine power sealed. Radia Schmidt shook her head at the notion that Olivia already knew that.

“You mean you can beat me without using divine power?”

“Oh, no……. I don’t mean that…….”

Radia Schmidt wasn’t being sarcastic, she was genuinely curious, but it was an awkward question for Olivia. At Olivia’s confusion, Radia Schmidt shook her head.

“Of course, Olivia, I’m sure you can do that.”

It was a cheerful tone without a shred of inferiority complex. But the words that followed were enough to send shivers down Olivia’s spine.

“Olivia, don’t deny the divine within you.”

“…….”

“Come back to God. Where you belong.”

Olivia couldn’t quite meet Radia Schmidt’s eyes.

My hands broke out in a cold sweat, and a chill ran down my spine.

This obsession was something Olivia lived with every day.

The members of the Circle of Grace also ask if they should consider restoring their faith, claiming that what happened to them was an aberration on the part of the Crusaders’ leader.

Radia Schmidt is not a member of Grace. She is an aspiring paladin who serves the war god Als.

Moshi was a friend who always emphasized that although the gods are different, they should be united in the will of the five great masters.

Olivia was getting tired of this.

“I told you, Radia, I……. I gave up everything…….”

“It’s okay, Olivia, you may have had a lapse in judgment, a momentary lapse, you may have gotten lost.”

Radia Schmidt’s abysmal black eyes stare at Olivia.

“So, let me set you on the right path.”

“…….”

“We’re, like, friends.”

Olivia’s lips quivered as she watched Radia Schmidt smile broadly.

What is the right path to take, and how does it guide you?

Fear.

At some point, Olivia became increasingly afraid of her friends of faith.

So.

I don’t know why I keep going back to Reinhardt.

Olivia thought so.

* * *

Monday’s exams were over, so I was once again being pestered by Harriet and Ellen to study for them.

Honestly, I should be training for tournaments right now, not studying for exams unless I’m going to get first place.

Anyway, last place wasn’t really because I was stupid, it was because I needed the achievement points. I can beat Ludwig without studying!

Even if you only need to solve half of the problem, that’s still possible!

“This will come up, memorize it.”

“I already memorized it.”

“Memorize more, then.”

“……Okay.”

But they wouldn’t know that, so they stuck to me and pointed out the expected test questions.

That feels good.

You know, the kind of……. that makes you feel like you’re losing time.

It’s a weird situation.

You’ve already filled out and submitted your application for the Year 1 tournament.

Qualifiers will be held this weekend, and if you make it to the main event, the tournament will begin on the first day of the festival.

I was in the middle of studying when Herriot let out a mewling sound and stretched.

And then he glared at me.

“You, Miss Temple, are you really going to take her?”

“……? All of a sudden?”

Herriot looks at me with a pointed look.

“Why is that?”

“Just say, I’m going to take it or I’m not. Just say it.”

“I’m not going to go see it, unless it’s filmed.”

“Uh……. Oh, yeah?”

Herriot gives me a look of amusement.

In the first place, I’m a throaty man and time is gold.

There’s no time for leisurely contemplation of such things, the Black Order could be approaching at any moment, the Vampire Council is going to have to do something soon, and there’s Charlotte.

Who has time to play?

Herriot giggles inexplicably, then turns back to his book.

“If I go to see it, you’re going to shoot it?”

But Herriot hasn’t moved, and now Ellen is asking for it.

At that, Harriet’s gaze snapped from her book back to me.

“You’re not going?”

“I’ll take it when I see it.”

“What are you talking about, I’m not going to take it, I’m not going to take it!”

Why is he doing this all of a sudden?

When I told her I wasn’t going to go, she said, “Yeah?” and nodded.

It’s not like I go to see Miss Temple. Rather, if I’m in desperate need of achievement points and I’m dressed as a woman, I go.

I’m not interested in that!

And since I can’t pass myself off as a Temple student, I can’t pass myself off as a woman!

[Event Occurred – Miss & Mr. Temple Contest].

[Vote in the Miss & Mr. Temple contest; if everyone you voted for wins, you will be rewarded].

[Reward: One of each of the winner’s talents].

…… also sucks.

There’s a dirty trickster trying to drag me through hell again, desperate to get me in trouble somehow.

What to do.

Say you’re never going.

A powerful event has happened that you can’t miss. If you go to the contest without telling me, you can enter at…….

You’re not going to like this.

And the most likely to win Miss Temple is Olivia Ranze, so I’ll definitely be voting for that, because it’s one of her talents, and it’s a giveaway.

It’s weird not to do this.

Couldn’t you have gotten me up earlier? If you hadn’t told me you weren’t coming!

Uh.

Now that I think about it, that’s kind of weird.

If I go to the Mr. Temple contest and I win, what’s my reward?

I don’t have a president-elect, I already have my talent.

[If she is crowned Miss Temple, she will be given a “talent option”].

A real one.

Mr. Temple’s got nothing, even if he does get elected.

Being Miss Temple is a talent option…….

……No. No.

That’s just not possible in the first place.

Even then, it’s hard to beat the already established Olivia Ranze.

That’s no different than the bullshit about 4,000 points for winning a cross-dressing contest.

I can’t stomach it, so that’s what I have to do to get to Miss Temple.

“Miss Temple is leaving.

“Mr. Temple?

“Miss Temple.

“……You’re a guy, right?

“Is there a law that says a man can’t go to Miss Temple?

‘????’

Why would I do such a crazy thing?

Anyway.

I’m not a contestant, but I should go to the Miss Temple contest.

You can’t afford to miss an event like this.

Even if I say I’m not going and sneak over, I’m sure I’ll be found out at some point, and what happens then will be entirely at Ellen’s mercy.

If I didn’t take Olivia, I’d be like, “Why did you go there if you’re not going to take him?

“That……. I’ll give it a try. I can do it…….”

Suddenly, Ellen and Harriet’s eyes changed as they watched me flip.

“Oh, no! It’s a festival! And it’s part of the festival! And, uh, well, you gotta enjoy the festival, uh, uh…… ah, don’t you?”

“…….”

“…….”

Even as I spoke, the atmosphere was so murderous it made my skin tingle.

No, but thanks for this event……. I really appreciate it…….

Why do I feel like shit…….

To lighten the mood, I felt compelled to say something, so I decided to cast my bullshit.

“No! I could be going to see Mr. Temple, not Miss Temple!”

“I bet you’re going to see it, you idiot!”

-Pak!

He slapped me on the head for talking nonsense.

“Ooh, why did you hit me!”

No, we’re picking Mr. Temple and Miss Temple together in the first place, so we’ll get to see both Miss Temple and Mr. Temple!

Even as I endured their cold stares, I was lost in thought.

Miss Temple and Mr. Temple…….

Uh.

Does that give me two free talents?

If I get both Miss Temple and Mr. Temple right, do I have two talents?

Not in the first place.

This…….

I think I have to guess both Miss Temple and Mr. Temple?

On the miss side is Olivia Ranze.

Who is Mr.?

Olivia Ranze isn’t in the original because she wouldn’t have been in the Temple at the time.

Scarlett, from Class B, was originally crowned Miss Temple. Scarlett, who was scorned for her red eyes and red hair, was crowned Miss Temple. That was a pretty significant episode, as was Ludwig’s tournament.

In the original, Mr. Temple for this festival was Bertus.

He’s a prince, he’s handsome, and now he’s going to be Bertus again?

If Bertus runs and is elected, he will receive the Swordsmanship talent, as I already have two of Bertus’ talents, Swordsmanship, Enchantment, and Enchantment Manipulation, except for Swordsmanship.

There’s no telling what one of Olivia Lanchester’s talents will be. It could be divine powers, which wouldn’t be a bad thing. He seems to be just as much of a monster as Ellen, so I’m sure he’d give a lot…….

Good.

It’s as good as it gets.

Even if you don’t, you’ll still be better with a sword than you are now, given Bertus’s swordplay talent.

“Me, wait.”

Ellen and Harriet seemed even more frustrated as I stomped out of the room.

“No, I’m not going anywhere, I’m going to see Bertus!”

“…….”

“…….”

But the way he looked at me when I told him I wasn’t going, and then turned around and said I was, I didn’t trust him.

a.

I’m giving the real event a little early…….

No, you gave it to me late on purpose, to give it to me as soon as I said I wasn’t coming.