Chapter 45

Hearing the chirping of birds, Karin slightly opened her eyes.

Beside her head, she felt comfort and softness.

Her whole body was wrapped in a pleasant sensation of warmth and coziness.

Karin pulled the blanket closer to her.

She wanted to sleep a little longer.

Just five more minutes…

“…Huh!”

Something came to her in her half-asleep state, and Karin quickly sprang up.

‘Where am I?’

It was the room assigned to her from the very first day of the school trip.

The room was dark, but faint light seeped through the curtains that covered the window.

When she drew them open, the space brightened fully.

‘…I came back.’

The room that had seemed smaller, and even the totem bag she thought she had lost.

‘Everything’s the same…’

Scenes of overcoming trials and facing ghosts passed through her mind.

But everything she had gone through in the Rekorox Mansion…

‘Was it a dream?’

It had been too vivid for something that only happened in a dream.

Could it have just been a bad nightmare?

Unconsciously, she reached for her pocket.

‘…It’s gone.’

The totem she had tucked away before sleeping was missing.

‘It’s nowhere.’

She looked under the blanket and under the bed, but the result was the same.

If she had used the totem, then was it not a dream?

‘If it wasn’t a dream, then why did I wake up in bed?’

…She had no idea.

She felt a strange sense of unease, as though the boundary between reality and dream had collapsed.

As she sat on the bed and looked around again—

Clack. A sound came from the room next door.

Step, step. Someone opened a door and walked down the hallway.

The room next door… that was where Villed was.

‘Did Villed wake up too?’

She carefully opened her own door so as not to make a sound and peeked out.

There was only one person walking down the hallway.

Dark blue-black hair, wearing training clothes, that tall back…

It was definitely Villed.

‘Where is he going?’

Should she follow him?

Driven by pure curiosity, she trailed behind him.

From the third floor to the second, from the second to the first-floor lobby.

She looked around as she followed, but saw no one else.

‘Are they all still asleep?’

That was the strange part.

Villed descended to the lobby and walked toward the door.

Karin hid behind a decoration and peeked her head out to watch.

He placed his hand on the large door and pushed with strength.

Creak.

As the door opened, Karin blinked.

A strange phenomenon appeared.

A girl with light brown hair stood before Villed.

She wasn’t human. A normal human… wasn’t transparent.

‘A ghost…!’

She looked familiar somehow.

It was the ghost of Rekorox she had seen in the nightmare.

She thought the ghost might attack Villed.

…but there was no malice in the ghost girl.

Instead, she smiled brightly.

Thank you.

The ghost girl said that and disappeared.

‘…Thank you?’

It looked like she had said more.

But no sound reached her. She could only read the shape of her lips mouthing “thank you.”

‘Why did the ghost change like that?’

Her memory felt cut off.

She couldn’t figure out the full story.

‘What exactly happened…’

As she struggled, clutching her head to force her memory—

At that moment, she saw it.

Villed smiling warmly as he gazed at the garden.

‘…Ah.’

Karin’s eyes widened at that sight.

…So he too.

Could smile like that.

A pure smile, free of deceit or pretense.

One he had never shown anyone.

Karin turned her eyes to the garden too.

‘It’s beautiful.’

The once dreary garden now brimmed with vibrant green life.

Buds sprouted on dead trees, and colorful flowers bloomed.

Villed watched it leisurely.

‘…Maybe he’s not as bad as I thought.’

Though it had been a short time, she had observed him closely.

Through the process of overcoming trials, she thought she had glimpsed his nature and inner heart.

She had even suspected that, at worst, he might betray them.

‘He does have terrible rumors about him… and I saw him doing bad things with my own eyes…’

That much was true.

No matter how much she told herself she could trust him, her past memories blocked her.

It wasn’t easy to believe in him just like that.

But…

Villed had shown her through his actions.

‘In that terrifying situation, he never once used his teammates as bait or betrayed them.’

More than that.

He had recognized her worth and acknowledged her as someone needed.

‘How long has it been since I was of use to anyone…’

Villed had given her a role, and she had been accepted as a person. She might have even felt a little happy.

Through that, Karin could at least admit one thing with certainty.

‘He doesn’t seem like someone who would do bad things anymore.’

Yes.

Even if she knew nothing else, she could believe in that.

But one question remained.

‘Villed’s… true identity, what is it?’

Everything about him was a mystery.

Villed, once called a failing student, turned out to be far more capable than the rumors said.

On top of that, he had acquired all the information about the mansion and saw through the entire test.

‘But Elined and Heidel seemed completely unaware of the details of this exam.’

Weren’t they also nobles from the four great families?

Why was Villed the only one with such information?

Even if he had somehow obtained it through secret channels…

‘Staying calm and following the information exactly would still be extremely difficult.’

It was only natural for Karin to feel doubtful about Villed.

‘If I stay closer to him, will I find out?’

Before she realized it, the way she was looking at Villed had become the same as how she looked at totems.

Just as she had curiosity and interest in totems.

She now wanted to know who Villed truly was.

As she thought that, she felt a presence behind her.

Someone was there? The moment she turned around—

She nearly lost her breath.

“P-Princess?!”

“Shh! Shhhhhhh!”

Princess Arlhardt placed a finger on Karin’s lips, gesturing for her to be quiet.

Karin widened her eyes in surprise and quickly nodded her head.

The princess hid behind a decoration, peeking out as she looked at Villed.

…Was he an ally or an enemy?

‘I still don’t know.’

The princess let out a deep sigh.

…Villed.

‘One thing is certain, he’s no ordinary person.’

Though she had yet to see with her own eyes the power Villed was hiding, he had easily cleared the second trial.

Surely, his personal skill would be flawless, needless to say.

His ability to assess and handle people, and his strategic skills, were also outstanding.

The traditional challenge of conquering the Rekorox Mansion given to Yggdrasil freshmen.

Through Villed’s strategy, it had been brought to an end for the first time in fifteen years.

‘He doesn’t even seek out professors to demand recognition for his achievements.’

He merely watched the scenery with ease, free of worry.

What was even more astonishing…

‘How did he uncover Luga’s true identity?’

A power unnoticed even by the headmaster and professors.

‘I don’t know what kind of person Villed truly is…’

But one thing could be declared with certainty.

He possessed abilities beyond that of a mere student.

And he was concealing them while living as though he were a failing student.

‘That’s an act carried out with clear intent…’

Like how he immediately noticed Curio’s surveillance.

He did not easily allow anyone to uncover his secrets.

‘The more someone hides in a veil, the more suspicion they draw.’

To strip away that veil surrounding him, she would have to continue observing him.

The princess briefly turned her gaze away from Villed.

“…”

Beside her, a sky-blue-haired cadet stared at her, frozen like a mute with a mouth full of honey.

That student was also in the same group as Villed.

She must have observed him very closely.

Perhaps she could glean something about Villed’s nature, some suspicious signs or hints.

The princess spoke, with a faint trace of expectation.

“You were in the same group as Villed, weren’t you? What kind of person do you think he is?”

“Huh? Ah? Uh… I don’t really know but…”

At the princess’s question, Karin stammered as she replied.

“…Someone like a totem?”

“?”

Princess Arlhardt found herself even less certain about what kind of person Villed was.

The first-floor study of the Rekorox Mansion.

Professor Feria was reading documents with tired eyes.

Dark circles hung heavy under her eyes, as though she had stayed up all night.

“…Hm?”

Her half-closed eyes suddenly opened wide.

She rose from her seat and focused as though sensing the flow of the air around her.

‘What’s going on.’

The aura of ghosts that had enveloped the inside and outside of the Rekorox Mansion had disappeared.

The only possible reason for the end of something that had lasted over a hundred years…

‘Did they finally break through?’

That must have been the only answer.

A few hours ago, she had confirmed that fifteen people had reached the final trial.

‘So the structure was that the ghosts vanished if the last trial was conquered.’

Rekorox, designated as a training ground by Yggdrasil for the past fifteen years.

Since the start of these retreats, for the first and last time, they had reached the end of the trials and even succeeded in overcoming them.

‘These freshmen… it seems quite a capable batch has rolled in.’

Professor Feria pulled a document labeled ‘Evaluation Grading Sheet’ from her bag and sat back down.

Meanwhile…

The silence of the morning was broken by sounds from the hallway.

Clack, clack.

A cadet strode briskly along.

‘…I can’t accept this. I refuse to accept it. This kind of thing.’

Elined glared, fists clenched tight.

When she stepped into the lobby, she saw the princess and a low-ranking cadet she did not know by name.

To Elined, they were beneath her notice.

Her cold gaze fixed only on Villed, who stood at the front door.

‘Villed.’

The scoundrel who tarnished the name of the Four Great Families.

The failing student she had deemed so far beneath her, not even worth comparison.

Was now radiating considerable potential.

‘How does a failing student possess such talent.’

As much as it stung, his strategy had been flawless.

It was as though he was proving the superiority of the bloodline of the four noble families.

‘And in that situation, he didn’t shrink back.’

In a place filled with honors students, he confidently voiced his opinions.

She had heard he had lived quietly ever since being assigned to the livestock shed, abandoned by his family.

She had thought it was because he had lost his confidence, but that was nothing but a misconception.

‘He spoke more confidently and with more composure than before.’

And yet, since he was still labeled a failing student.

It meant he had not fully realized his own talents.

Yes, that must be it.

‘Before those talents fully bloom…’

If she could seize him in her grasp.

If she could make Villed her subordinate…

She might even surpass Heidel.

‘To earn the head’s recognition, I must graduate as the top student.’

Elined’s goal was to surpass Heidel of the main family and become the heir of the Finjer family.

As much as it pained her, her talent was still beneath Heidel’s.

So… she had to increase her numbers.

Had not all the wise kings in history surrounded themselves with excellent vassals?

That was why Elined sought to gather power.

Yggdrasil was the place where talented people from all over the world gathered.

If she could recruit capable followers there, surely she could surpass Heidel.

‘And judging by the way he looks now, it seems he’s at least ready for a conversation.’

At the start of their enrollment, Villed had been like an untamed wild horse.

Now, it looked like he had moved past that stormy phase.

Could it be that living in the livestock shed… had helped him settle down?

Whatever the case, she would find out if she spoke with him.

“…Elined! We made it back alive! We really came back!”

Was someone else awake too?

Torono was running toward Elined, crying.

Without even sparing him a glance, Elined spoke.

“Get lost.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Torono stiffened, then walked away quietly.

And before long.

Creak, creak.

The sound of doors opening repeated several times.

“Everything’s back to normal!”

“Wait, could it really have been a dream?”

“We lived! We lived! Hooray!”

Small echoes rose from the upper floors.

Everyone here had awakened from their long dream.

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