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Finally, next week arrived.

I spent most of my time reading books in the university library, the “Wall of Truth.”

It wasn’t that I suddenly developed a refined hobby.

As the chairman of a prestigious university, I felt the need for knowledge, so I was cramming at the last minute.

I read every magic book in the library that I could get my hands on.

Using “Greed,” I crammed the history of magic, the structure of magic formulas, and their applications into my head.

The magical knowledge I had only vaguely understood through settings began to become clearer.

Of course, it was impossible to master the vast amount of knowledge that filled the library in just a few days.

No matter how much “Patience” I had to control the rampage of “Greed,” there were clear limits. I made sure to read carefully, ensuring my personality wasn’t eroded by my traits.

As a result of studying day and night, I reached a level where I could at least pretend to be an expert.

The reason I went this far was simple.

“Count, we’ve arrived.”

As I stepped out of the carriage through the door Helga opened, I was greeted by a large banner announcing the academic festival.

The academic festival of the prestigious Meikhael University was an annual event where professors presented their research and were evaluated.

Originally, the evaluation of professors’ research was led by the chancellor, Mondri, but I ended up participating as well.

As the chairman, I could have stayed in the background, but my personality wouldn’t allow it.

Besides, if there was promising research at the festival, I needed the insight to recognize it.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Normally, students would be everywhere at this time, but today, the entrance was filled with those attending the festival.

Groups in cloaks, the equivalent of a university professor’s uniform, and nobles who clearly looked like royal officials.

Among them were also some familiar faces.

“Long time no see, Count Ruelberta.”

The man who recognized me and greeted me first was Odell Riumin, the head of the Riumin family and the prime minister of this country.

“Ah, I should call you Chairman here. A young chairman like you is rare, so it doesn’t roll off the tongue easily.”

“It doesn’t matter. Either is fine.”

“Then I’ll just call you Count.”

Although the Ruelberta family’s finances support the university, this is a state-run national university. The royal family also has the right to be involved in this event. And Odell came as a representative of the royal officials.

I knew he would come, but there was an unexpected guest beside him.

“…Nice to see you, Chairman.”

“Hmm.”

A young woman in an oriental-style blue dress bowed politely to me.

It was Sia Riumin, Odell’s only daughter.

“I brought my daughter today to have her guide me around the school. At my age, my sense of direction isn’t what it used to be.”

“I see.”

“By the way, Count, did you know? My daughter ranked first in the recent exams.”

“Ah… Father?”

Sia looked at Odell in surprise.

Regardless, Odell proudly continued.

“Ah, I’m not saying this just because she’s my daughter. I’m merely stating facts. She’s been a top student since she was a child, never missing first place. Seeing her rank first in the university exams, she’s nothing short of a genius of the century.”

“Fa… I mean, Father. That’s enough…”

“Today’s inspection of the academic festival is also at the request of His Majesty, but I intend to be stricter than ever. It’s absurd to think that those less capable than my daughter are teaching her. Those who lack the ability to teach her have no place in this university. Absolutely.”

“Father! What are you saying?!”

“I agree.”

“Chairman?!”

I agreed with Odell’s last statement.

If I’m paying their salaries, they better be worth it.

Odell and I chatted about this and that, our rare agreement making the conversation flow. Sia kept her head bowed the entire time, likely due to Odell’s constant bragging.

Soon after, Odell left with the royal officials.

I noticed Helga beside me making a subtle expression.

“Helga.”

“Ah, yes. Count.”

“What were you doing?”

“Um… I smelled something strange.”

The wind carried white petals, likely due to the approaching festival.

The scent of burning incense tickled my nose.

“Is this the smell of flowers?”

“Yes. It’s called the Flowering Year, which blooms only for about a week each year. Many people will come to see it during the festival.”

“I see… It must be even more beautiful during the festival.”

Helga gazed at the petals with a look of admiration.

I casually asked her,

“I thought you weren’t interested in festivals.”

“That’s true. Festivals, or any crowded places, require too much attention to protect you, and they’re too noisy…”

Helga was indeed like that.

She always thought of everything in terms of me, not herself.

“But isn’t it the same for you, Count? You don’t like crowded places either. Hehe…”

“True.”

As Helga said, I didn’t particularly enjoy crowded places either.

Especially after possessing Tristan, the attention made it even more unpleasant.

But maybe Helga was different.

She looked excited watching the petals flutter.

I picked up a petal stuck to Helga’s collar and handed it to her nonchalantly.

“Then maybe you’d enjoy a festival without too many people.”

“No. It doesn’t matter if there are many or few people.”

“…?”

Helga smiled softly as she took the petal.

“Every day with you is a festival for me, so it’s fine.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yep.”

Helga cutely replied, putting the petal in her pocket.

Watching her, I decided it was time to head to where Mondri was.

But a group of people approached me as if they had been waiting.

“Chairman! You’re here!”

“…What is it?”

It was none other than the professors participating in the academic festival. I couldn’t remember their names…

“Do you remember me? I’m Professor Zeon Bypher, in charge of Magical Dynamics. These are Associate Professors Philip and Simon.”

“…Right.”

I vaguely remembered those names.

“You haven’t been in your office lately, so we haven’t had a chance to meet. Did you not see the letter I left?”

“…A letter? No, I didn’t.”

Helga must have sorted it out along with the love letters.

“Ah, what a relief. I was worried you were ignoring me since I didn’t get a reply. I’m so glad to see you now!”

The portly Professor Zeon kept wiping his sweat, while the associate professors behind him all bowed deeply.

Their posture made it clear what they wanted to say.

But I pretended not to know and asked,

“So, what do you want to tell me?”

“Ah, it’s just that the permanent magic formula system through magical interaction we prepared for the festival isn’t quite ready to be presented yet…”

“So you can’t present it?”

“Haha… We’d love to, but it’s a project that requires a lot of time and budget, so it’s a bit difficult.”

In short, they wanted to be exempt from the evaluation.

They were shameless, but they had some confidence.

“Once this project is completed, Meikhael University will rise to an unparalleled position. The former chairman also recognized the value of our project, so he exempted us from the festival evaluation until now.”

For a moment, I wondered if Arthur really did that, but of course, he wouldn’t have.

Arthur was too busy with other businesses to pay close attention to the university’s operations.

This guy probably explained the situation to Arthur, who had no knowledge of magic, through a letter and asked for an exemption.

I decided to test him.

“Then why are you telling me instead of Chancellor Mondri?”

“Of course, Chancellor Mondri is excellent, but we thought your insight would be more accurate… Haha.”

Of course, if they told Mondri, they’d be exposed…

“Besides, the Bypher family and the Ruelberta family aren’t strangers, are we? It’s better to discuss things with someone you know well.”

“…Not strangers?”

Wait. Don’t tell me…?

“Have you forgotten? We’re tenth cousins, aren’t we? Hahaha.”

We were strangers.

I almost got scared for a second, you jerk.

Suppressing my anger, I spoke to Professor Zeon.

“So, you’re saying you have nothing prepared for today?”

“Huh? Yes… We have something prepared, but it’s too embarrassing to show… Haha.”

“Then it’s a good thing you came before the festival started. You don’t have to participate in the festival ‘specially.’”

“Th-thank you!”

“I should be the one thanking you. I won’t have to deal with parasites like you anymore.”

“Ah, Chairman, there’s no need to thank… Huh? Parasites? Did you just say parasites…?”

“Yes.”

I looked down at them with eyes full of “Pride.”

They were truly pathetic.

Zeon’s face crumpled like a rotten apple. Despite my blatant insult, he did well not to let anger slip into his words.

“That’s going too far…!”

“Too far? Isn’t it you who’ve been wasting money on that research for years?”

“Y-you don’t understand the potential of permanent magic formulas through magical interaction! If this succeeds…!”

“Then explain it to Mondri and the royal officials at the festival. They’ll recognize the value of your research.”

“…!”

My firm attitude left Zeon desperately searching for words.

“They won’t understand! If you don’t recognize us, we’re-”

“Then how do you plan to solve the mana loss?”

“Huh?”

“Your research, you said it’s a permanent magic formula, right? So, how do you plan to handle the mana loss when the formula flows?”

“Uh… That… Ah, Philip! Simon! Why aren’t you explaining this to the Chairman?!”

“Huh? Professor?”

“Didn’t you prepare the details? Go ahead and explain.”

“We thought you had everything prepared, Professor.”

“You idiots…! And you call yourselves associate professors?!”

They were passing the buck, clearly unprepared for my question.

Thanks to the knowledge I gained from the library, Zeon’s so-called permanent magic formula wasn’t unfamiliar to me.

Because Albert Groble, the workshop master, had already completed it.

I spoke to them in a cold voice.

“Have you not even solved that yet?”

“W-we just need a little more time!”

“You’ve already had time. All you have left is today’s festival.”

“But we don’t have anything to show today…”

“Then do what parasites do and struggle. I’ll watch to my heart’s content.”

With that, I turned away from them.

“That’s all from me. If you have more to say, do it through my bodyguard.”

“Ch-Chairman…!”

“Wait! Please wait!”

“Ahem.”

Helga’s voice cut through their desperate pleas.

“Professors, it seems your intelligence is too low to understand the Chairman’s words.”

“W-what did you say?!”

“Ahem. Listen carefully. I’ll explain the Chairman’s words in a way even monkeys like you can understand.”

Helga spoke with the same solemnity as if she were imitating me.

“Parasites. Participate in the festival. If you have nothing to show, then at least put on a clown show. I’ll watch to my heart’s content.”

Wait. I didn’t say that.

 

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