---

“The northern part of the kingdom, huh—”

The northern region of the Aisiliah Kingdom is quite famous.

The tales surrounding the northern nobility, centered around the Alenarr Marquis Family, as well as the deadly cold winters, are hard to miss. But there’s something even more significant to consider.

At the northernmost tip of the kingdom lies territory as treacherous as that of the Count’s House, filled with monsters galore. It’s no wonder that when scolding a disobedient child, stories of monsters from the north come up right after the dreaded tales of the Demonic Realm beyond the Count’s territory.

Because of this, the information regarding the eradication of cultists and the delay of calamities in the north made my head spin.

“The connection between the eradication of the cultists and the northern disaster delay…”

The reward can only be obtained by weakening the forces that worship the Demon of Gluttony. This can only mean one thing: that demon is lurking in the north.

If the Demon of Gluttony truly resides there, referring to it as a calamity would be an understatement.

“This is troublesome.”

Unlike Siabel, who teased Aria, saying that chasing bears was her everyday life, the monsters from that area are infamous for their massive size and brutal nature.

The real issue lies in how much a demon raised by such monsters could grow. According to the Status Window, it seems that it’s already devoured enough prey to ensure a disaster.

If the north turns upside down, Shione and I would surely get dragged into it too.

“Indeed, it’s a lot to take in right away. Sion, you too, must have a lot on your mind. My apologies, Lady.”

For a moment, my attention was caught by the Status Window, and it seemed that Shione was lost in thought similar to Epheana’s.

The request that the Academy directly assist in eradicating the cultists was an important one. Not anticipating an easy answer, Kelvine picked up on Epheana’s words.

“Currently, the Headmaster has gone out to investigate another location… The information acquired now will be incorporated into our next plan once he returns.”

Well, in a way, the Headmaster might actually be dealing with something more urgent than this. He’s likely to bring back more information from that place.

“If we have Your Highness’s help, it will certainly be invaluable… I will ask once again then.”

Yet it seems our Shione is not ready to give up on her magic. They left the room, postponing their answer for later.

Despite being busy, we felt somewhat relaxed after the immediate crisis passed.

The attention was inevitably focused on the dilemma of whether or not to respond to their request for help, affecting not just Shione and me but even Sion, who had been listening to everything.

It was Sion who broke the silence first.

“…Right now, Evan is at the joint training camp. If the bandits target the trainees there, it could put Evan in danger.”

The joint training camp isn’t just any ordinary training; it involves the prestigious families from the southern region of the kingdom, including the Feiosha Marquis Family, known for their extraordinary lineage.

“If the Count’s House steps in to assist, it could help mend the strained relations between the Count’s House and the Marquis Family that have recently become awkward.”

Even though there’s no talk of it now, the broken engagement between the two houses is a matter of pride. Since discussions about the engagement were initiated by our Shione from the Count’s House, the interactions between the two families lessened significantly, resulting in a rather cold relationship.

Getting to know the Feiosha Marquis Family, renowned for their vast wealth in the southern region, wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.

“Moreover, even if the Academy behaves this way now, having debts to them could benefit us in the future.”

What’s even more significant is establishing that debt with the Royal Academy. Being in debt to the Academy means our support isn’t limited to this place alone; it can also contribute to maintaining the authority of the royal family.

If fortune smiles upon us, we might receive an even greater reward.

However, the one laying out these facts, Sion, wore an expression filled with worry contrasted with the expected rewards from this event.

“But above all, the most important thing is safety. What the chief professor Epheana requested was to turn the tides on the situation they’ve been prepping for the most. Even having the Duke and Ray face two demons won’t be an easy feat.”

The more I see, the more I realize how skilled Sion is with words, able to charm others with his sharp tongue.

He shows a surprising concern for others, especially since he was a bit embarrassed to meet my sister’s gaze, averting his eyes to face me instead.

“Thinking of it the other way, we, me and Shione, could be seen as those who achieved results even amidst such greater peril.”

I couldn’t let Sion’s worried atmosphere continue; I had to flip it.

“Personally, I believe we should accept Epheana’s proposal.”

“Ray, what’s the reason?”

“Well, what Shione just mentioned is one of the reasons.”

After all this chitchat, we are left with no choice but to take action.

“The Princess’s interest is directed towards us, Shione and me.”

The lavender-haired princess, Aisiliah, has pointedly mentioned us.

“Your Highness has commanded that the Academy share the information they obtain with Shione and me swiftly. Furthermore, she expressed her desire to observe how the Academy changes through our involvement.”

The biggest concern lies in the word “wish.”

Noble speech always carries underlying meanings. The higher their status and the more renowned their names, nobles operate differently, keeping their power in check and controlling their circle through complex speech.

In a situation where rhetoric is crucial for calculating interests and guiding conversations according to their desires, the reason the royal princess, born into such nobility, mentioned a “wish” is far too evident.

“Princess Aisiliah Adelhaite is destined to become the next queen. It would be beneficial for us to respond to her interest.”

As I spoke, Shione’s eyes began to sparkle.

Our Shione is bursting with that kind of bright reaction towards me.

“Ray, you’re right, Sion. Plus, now that you’ve been injured like this, we can’t just stand idly by.”

Contrary to Sion’s worries, our course of action seemed well decided.

“Just as Ray said. We made it back safely from such places, so we refuse to lose to a bunch of demon-crazed maniacs.”

*

The information has been compiled.

The Headmaster has discovered traces of the shamans and successfully interrogated a newly discovered enemy for more information. It became increasingly likely that they were targeting trainees who were receiving practical training around the city surrounding the Academy.

Shione and I agreed to respond to the renewed request for cooperation.

“I feel like we came to the Academy just for a vacation, but… I just don’t get why something must happen at such a time in the Academy.”

Shione was testing the tension of her bow one last time.

She seemed to be deeply focused since my voice hadn’t reached her, and she gave me no response whatsoever.

So, I cleverly redirected Shione’s attention.

“I recall that it was quite comfortable when you were embarrassed wearing your school uniform.”

“…Huh? Wh-why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”

“Don’t you think the same?”

After all, they welcomed us during the victory ceremony, and with the abolishment of the Slave Document and the knight’s appointment ceremony, I’d confidently assert we enjoyed a level of comfort we wouldn’t find in the Great Forest or with the Kalia Marquis Family.

Yet, it seemed Shione misunderstood something again, shaking her rigid body while saying,

“Ah, so you really liked the Academy uniform, huh…?”

“……?”

“Hmm, it’s a bit shocking that you brought it up all of a sudden… but I’ll try to make an effort…?”

“No, what do you—”

Before I could even finish, she dashed away with all her speed, avoiding my gaze and resumed checking her equipment.

If I said anything more here, I was sure I’d end up being shot with an arrow from her hand, so I too lost interest.

“Well, at least thanks to the cultists stirring up trouble—”

I found myself realizing that an unexpected crisis was approaching the northern part of the kingdom.

There’s a massive difference between facing something blindly and being somewhat aware of what’s about to happen.

Gaining a clue about the Demon of Gluttony is a pretty good outcome in itself.

“Once this matter concludes, I should dig for more information regarding the northern kingdom.”

Once the situation is resolved, I’ll weave together other bits of information that the Status Window provides. If I let Shione know, we might find out about the movements in the north without much difficulty. After all, Epheana is also a direct descendant of the Alenarr Marquis Family, so it wouldn’t hurt to ask her subtly.

Thinking this way, I finalized my preparations by collecting a handful of potions for mana and stamina.

As I got ready, I turned once more to confirm Shione and said…

“Shione, I’m all set now—”

As soon as our eyes met, she had been staring intensely at me for quite a while.

I had to swallow my words and gauge her mood.

Her gaze was filled with determination. I never expected to see such an expression on Shione, one usually reserved for those with burning ambition ready to chase after their dreams.

“Now that I think about it, it would be good for Ray to wear one too.”

“Huh?”

“The Academy uniform. Ray can borrow Sion’s.”

“…….”

What on earth is she saying?

Shione was way more serious about the school uniform than I thought.

 

---