When El arrived at the classroom, the professor had yet to come, and the students were busy exchanging trivial matters of daily life.
He immediately spotted that tall, brown-haired figure—Pino Lavade—chatting nonchalantly with those around him.
“El, over here.”
Karen waved him over.
El sat beside him and noticed Christine was there as well. She offered a polite smile, seemingly unconcerned by the awkwardness from the morning.
“Did you hear, El? Your princess has announced a full investigation of the cultists in the Upper City. The Royal Knights are responding immediately. This is going to be big.”
Karen relayed this explosive news to El.
El was surprised. Cielsa’s speed was almost frightening; they had only talked about it at noon yesterday, and it was already being put into action. “What do you think?” El asked.
“This is a risky move. She can use this as an excuse to strike at her opponents, but if she fails to get any results, Her Highness’s prestige will surely be affected.”
Karen analyzed calmly.
“Although her influence won’t be weakened, the room for maneuver will become much smaller if something like this happens again. In other words, Her Highness will lose the initiative.”
“This is a bold offensive, and I believe in Her Highness’s decision.” He concluded.
That… more or less matched El’s own thoughts. Karen saw clearly through the noble struggles, possessing the qualifications of an Eastern Grand Duke’s heir in every respect.
But that was the perspective of an onlooker; El was already deeply involved. He needed to cooperate with Cielsa’s operation.
For example, the claws of the demon cult had surely infiltrated the Academy, and what he needed to do was to notice anything strange within the school in time and expose the rotten nobles hiding there.
“El, take a look at the event proposal I’m in charge of.”
Christine interrupted El’s thoughts, pulling him back to reality.
Christine was also a member of the student council, mainly responsible for design and documentation—such as the soon-to-be-held Freshman Support Event, organized to help new students adapt to the Academy.
He quickly accepted Christine’s draft. In the process, a few of her slender fingers softly brushed across El’s palm, making his heart feel a little itchy.
El glanced at Christine’s smile, but found nothing unusual. Her entire face seemed to say, “Quick, look at my draft.”
“So, what do you think?”
“Hmm… There’s nothing wrong with the rest of it. After all, it’s the same old event held every year—senior students helping out freshmen with difficulties. Just copy the usual. But the key is this—”
“What do you mean, the follow-up mixer event is everyone holding a Test of Courage together using Dream Magic? Who would even like such an event?”
Karen cut in, “That’s where you’re wrong, El. I actually think it’s a fresh idea! The mixers in previous years have all been too boring. This time, the event sounds so fun I think it’ll really bring everyone together.”
El rubbed his forehead. “Looks like I’m the one who’s out of touch… Well, I’m only responsible for coordinating with the Academy anyway. The details are up to you.”
“Don’t be so uptight all the time. At this rate, El, you’re going to turn into a bookworm,” Christine teased.
“I don’t really think so. El actually has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. He’s been helping out freshmen for a long time—he even got someone accepted as a Sword Saint’s disciple. Who knows, maybe this afternoon he’ll be rushing off to find her again.”
Karen didn’t spare El either, bringing up the matter of Vita.
El felt rather helpless. The worst part was that Karen was completely right. He couldn’t find any reason to argue back.
Fortunately, the professor entered just then, and the classroom quickly quieted down, granting El some peace at last.
Though class was in session, El, in order to make better use of his time, was also studying the magic problems he’d been wrestling with lately. Time passed by swiftly in such circumstances.
“Class is over, El. You’re a little too focused,” Karen reminded him.
El emerged from his magical reverie to find there were hardly any students left in the classroom. Christine had her own things to take care of and didn’t disturb El.
“You go ahead. I still have to head to the training grounds this afternoon.”
“That’s rare. In my mind, you’ve always been the theory type. Whatever you say.”
Karen headed off to the Academy cafeteria, while El made straight for the training ground where he’d agreed to meet Vita.
What El hadn’t expected was that Vita was already waiting for him at the training grounds.
“El-senpai, didn’t you have lunch? Why are you here so early?” Vita asked with concern.
“…That’s what I should be asking you, Vita. Why didn’t you go to the cafeteria?”
“Well…”
After some pressing, she finally admitted the truth, looking a little embarrassed.
The Royal Academy’s facilities were all top-tier.
The cafeteria chefs were certified culinary experts, the library housed many unique tomes, and even the dormitories were equipped with temperature and humidity-controlled magic arrays.
Ordinarily, even minor nobles couldn’t afford such luxury.
But the Academy itself had massive funding and subsidies from the royal family, making these expensive resources affordable.
Attending the Royal Academy meant giving up outside income. For students with financial difficulties, the Academy provided part-time positions, essentially another form of support.
Vita’s previous job was sorting materials for a professor in the Alchemy Department—two Imperial Silver Coins a day, paid daily. It was an offer impossible to find elsewhere.
But after transferring to the Knight Department, she was no longer allowed to keep that job. With limited savings, she decided to be frugal; for lunch, she had only the white bread she’d bought in advance.
“Huh? Why didn’t you say something sooner? The student council could have helped you arrange a job with the Knight Department!” El couldn’t believe it was for such a ridiculous reason.
“I don’t really know anyone in the Knight Department. The person assigned to help me is annoying—he keeps calling me a ‘commoner’.”
Vita used to be a pushover, but now she was different. Aside from El-senpai, no one could make her bow her head anymore.
“I was thinking I’d bring it up with Mr. Wald next time in class. I just felt that, after saying I wanted to ‘be your sword’, asking for your help right away would be too embarrassing…”
Vita admitted, her face blushing furiously.
El was at a loss for words. Very quickly, he took out two Gold Dragon coins from his Ring of Holding and handed them to Vita.
The Gold Dragon was minted by the Aisoria Dragon Court in the west of the Leon Empire, the only currency accepted throughout the continent.
The Empire’s own Imperial Silver Coins and Imperial Copper Coins were minted by the royal family, and their exchange rate with the Gold Dragon fluctuated. In the current prosperous times, one Gold Dragon equaled about fifty Imperial Silver Coins—enough for a family to live comfortably for three months.
“El-senpai, this is…” Vita shook her head, wanting to return the coins to El.
El stopped her and said, “Vita, didn’t you say you wanted to become my sword? Just take these two Gold Dragons as maintenance for my sword. I can’t have people thinking the Regis family can’t even afford to feed you, can I?”
El realized that whenever he and Vita disagreed, as soon as he mentioned her being his sword, she became completely obedient.
So, in order for her to accept his help with peace of mind, he used this reason.
At this moment, El had no idea that all things come with a price. The price for making Vita obedient would slowly reveal itself in the future.
“This is too much. It feels just like…” Being kept by El-senpai. Vita’s already crimson face looked like it might catch fire.
“It’s fine. If it’s not enough, just ask me for more. Don’t make things hard on yourself. As for the Academy jobs, forget them—they’re too much of a waste of time.”
El’s advice didn’t annoy Vita; instead, she turned even shyer, almost like a little wife.
Two Gold Dragons was no small amount—El himself hardly used that much in his daily life. The Regis family was rich, but El wasn’t one to waste the family fortune. Household matters were usually left to Ivena.
“I’ll have my lunch first. Could you wait a moment? Or, Vita, would you like to have some too?”
El took out the honey-butter cake Ivena had baked and offered it to Vita.
The cake had a crisp crust and a warm, golden interior that made one’s mouth water at the sight.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you, El-senpai.”
El cut a slice for her. “No need to be polite.”
She put the cake in her mouth, barely chewing; it was so soft it melted right away.
The rich milky aroma and elegant, subtle sweetness exploded in her mouth, sending a wave of happiness flooding through her soul.
Vita felt a warmth flow through her body, so comfortable she almost wanted to cry out.
She looked at El in shock. “This is amazing, El-senpai! Where did you get this cake?”
“My family made it for me. Tastes great, right? I’m really lucky to have her by my side.”
El’s expression was gentle, as if boasting about his greatest treasure.
Her? Vita’s expression stiffened, a sense of crisis blooming in her heart.
Since coming to the Royal Academy, Vita had tasted her share of delicacies at the cafeteria, but nothing as good as this—not in her whole life.
Compared to this cake, the rest was simply nothing.
El thought the same. In Ivena’s words, she had trained her “Sweets Making” to Lv8, the highest a mortal could hope to achieve.
By way of comparison: in terms of combat, Ivena’s Archery Mastery Lv8 was, according to her, around the standard for entry-level master professionals at mid-Lv6.
The cafeteria chefs were probably barely Lv5. Ivena’s cakes had already reached the conceptual level of deliciousness; they wouldn’t spoil even if left out, utterly beyond normal standards.
If she wished, she could make sweets that glowed or gave those who ate them instant energy. Ivena just didn’t bother with that.
This level of food—across the entire continent, El alone might be the only one able to enjoy it any time he wished.
“All right, now that lunch is done, let me test your current level.”
El stood up and spoke to the still thoughtful Vita.