Chapter : 137

After the sudden chase ended, I returned to the General Affairs Office.

There was no wind, so why did Yuno's hair seem to be flying in a rage?

It's just my illusion, right? Probably?

I blinked and looked again, and thankfully, Yuno's hair was calmly in place. But his angry face was no illusion.

"Yuno, I am innocent."

I immediately raised both hands to signal my surrender.

I'm sorry I broke the window, but that was the only way to escape!

Cecilia-sunbae was coming at me with the intent to tear me to shreds!

However, my surrender alone wasn't enough, and Yuno's anger showed no signs of subsiding.

Am I going to die at Yuno's hands?

Just as my skin started to tingle from his murderous intent, a knock sounded and the butler entered.

A savior! I greeted the butler with a bright smile.

"Is something the matter?"

"I've been told that Miss Laurel Arens from the Academy has arrived."

At the butler's explanation, I stealthily glanced at Yuno.

Perhaps because he had his own share of working me hard, Yuno lightly nodded his head.

"I won't forget this favor!"

After bowing with gratitude, I immediately left the General Affairs Office.

However, waiting for me in the reception room was not only Laurel, but also Cecilia!

What the... Cursing, I tried to run away without looking back, but Laurel-sunbae caught me.

"Sunbae, let me go!!"

An assassination attempt like this! The justice of this world must be rotten!

As I struggled, Laurel-sunbae asked coolly.

"Will you be quiet before I knock you out?"

At Laurel-sunbae's threat, I shut my mouth and obediently gave up resisting.

Please, just spare my life. With the mindset of not wanting to die like this, I relaxed my body.

As Sunbae finally let go of my hands, I plopped down onto the floor.

"Why were you trying to run away?"

"Why don't you hear the details from Cecilia-sunbae?"

I did leave after telling her to have a good talk with Viscount Loren, but in my eyes, she's still nothing short of a time bomb!

If anything, it's impressive that I didn't use attack magic the moment I saw her!

I proudly puffed out my chest, but as soon as Sunbae's gaze landed on me, I immediately averted my eyes.

I'm definitely intimidated. Yep, I'm scared.

"You could just run away with teleportation magic like before. You're making a big fuss."

"I think there was a bit of luck involved in succeeding."

From what I felt, it was a success achieved through half luck and half desperation.

Now that I know the sensation of using teleportation magic, it should be much easier from now on.

But easier is easier, and saving my own neck comes first.

"Did you have a good talk?"

"Yes."

Judging by her expression, it seems I'll live. I barely suppressed a cheer—

"But that doesn't mean you can be forgiven right away."

"Sunbaenim?"

This is ominous. A premonition that something very bad is about to happen washes over me.

I quickly tried to split space with my fingertips to use teleportation magic again, but Sunbae beat me to it.

"Be at the training ground by 6 a.m. tomorrow."

"What?"

"I'll watch over your training."

"I don't do separate training."

I have not the slightest interest in things like training.

At my bold answer, Cecilia's brow furrowed.

"Do you think you have a choice right now?"

"Isn't this tyranny?!"

Please, just save your junior!

I looked at Laurel-sunbae with a desperate expression, but Laurel-sunbae turned her head as if she had seen something she shouldn't have.

She betrayed me!! Is she really going to abandon me like this?!

"How could you do this to me, Sunbae!!"

"Is there a reason I can't? You little punk!"

At Sunbae's threat, I immediately tucked my tail between my legs.

Am I the neighborhood punching bag now?

This is sad. Is this the karma for teasing Viscount Loren, who is older than me?

If that was such a big mistake, then I was wrong!! So please, stop your daughter!!

"Isn't it a good thing for you if Cecilia-sunbae teaches you?

There are so many people at the Academy who want to learn from her."

"I'm a mage, though?"

"You think mages don't do close combat?"

Laurel-sunbae scoffed lightly.

That's not it, but... while getting caught up in all sorts of incidents at the Academy, I've rarely had anyone's cover when I had no choice but to use magic.

I've rolled and tumbled like a swordsman.

It was only recently, when fighting Benaya Ignos, that I had the cover of Lucian and Ferdiel.

Even then, Benaya was targeting me whenever he had the chance, and it was very dangerous.

"Mages are usually the first to be checked. Haven't you felt it too?"

"I've felt it so much it's a problem."

Did first-years usually have to fight this much?

I thought for a moment, then thought of Lucian as a comparison and quietly shut my mouth.

Well, Lucian has rolled around so much that I'm not in a position to say anything.

"I'll let Yuno know."

"Cecilia-sunbae, you're trembling right now, aren't you?"

"No."

"That's not a no, is it? Yuno is a bit scary."

"I said no."

As Cecilia-sunbae clenched her fist, I tightly shut my mouth and nodded.

Laurel-sunbae, who was watching, burst out laughing, puhahaha! but I decided to hold back my tears and look away.

If Sunbaenim says so, then it is so. Life is quite sad.

* * *

Yuno was quite fond of the new, diligent slave, no, intern.

Even a collateral branch of a count's family would be more than enough to ignore a commoner like Yuno, but the intern, who was the direct heir, always used honorifics with him.

He liked that, and on top of that, he was diligent and fast at his work!

He had threatened him about being late, but he didn't actually care much about the fact that he was late.

Among the interns, there were some who took coming to work in the afternoon for granted, so what was being late for one day?

At this rate, he was an excellent intern who could be given a perfect score.

If only he were a little less involved in incidents.

"I'm asking you, Yuno."

Yuno stared blankly at Cecilia, who had finished her request and tightly closed her mouth.

Cecilia de Loren, the heir to the family who resembled her mother more than her father, exuded her father's presence when she kept her mouth shut.

The students at the Academy praised that appearance as the 'Lily Knight of the Academy,' but she herself was said to hate it.

"Young Lady."

"I'm asking you, Yuno."

...Is this an automated response magitool?

At the sight of Cecilia repeating only her request, Yuno finally waved the white flag.

Training with Cecilia in the morning, and personal magic lessons at night... At this rate, aren't they trying to create a human weapon rather than an Academy student?

Perhaps that would be beneficial for the mental health of those around them.

The 'Theo Lisitoel' Yuno had briefly seen was the eye of the storm itself.

"As you wish. Did I have any other choice but to accept in the first place?"

Unfortunately, he had to give up some of his morning time, but in any case, he still had much more to do than a normal intern.

Although he couldn't entrust him with just any work, Theo was single-handedly doing the work of a proper administrator.

Besides, his diligence was also a bonus point. No matter how hard it was, he would definitely get the job done.

"......"

Even as the evaluation of Theo continued, Cecilia remained silent and stared intently at Yuno.

"Is there anything more you wish to say?"

"...If there's anything I can help with, let me know. I'll help."

"Are you being serious?"

Cecilia's face contorted as if she wanted to bite her tongue and die.

"Yes, I'm serious."

She doesn't lie about things like this.

Even in Cecilia's judgment, Yuno was doing far too much work.

She really wanted to avoid administrative work, but she also didn't feel comfortable condoning Yuno being overworked.

"As the heir, I should help too."

"Tell me your real intentions."

"In any case, if the intern gets beaten up in the morning, he won't be able to concentrate on his work.

So I'll have to fill in for him."

That's more like it. In any case, Cecilia was a decent administrator in her own right.

Although she openly showed her dislike for the work, whenever she returned to the fief during the vacation and caught Yuno's eye, she would invariably help with the administrative work.

This summer vacation, he was planning to just let it go since an excellent slave, no, worker had come, but since Cecilia had volunteered first, there was no need to refuse.

"Then you can come to work with Theo."

"...Yes, I understand."

Did I say the wrong thing?

Cecilia was belatedly filled with regret, but it was too late to take it back now.

"Could you possibly reconsider—"

"I'll see you tomorrow, Young Lady."

I guess not. Cecilia looked at Yuno with a face full of disappointment before she had no choice but to obediently retreat.

* * *

No matter how I thought about it, I couldn't let Cecilia-sunbae push me around like this, so I decided to ask my father for help.

"Cecilia?"

"Yes!"

Please, save me!

I looked at my pondering father with a desperate face.

I couldn't spend every morning in a lesson disguised as a beating with Cecilia-sunbae.

"That wouldn't be bad."

However, my father lightly trampled on my desperate wish.

"What part of it isn't bad?"

Unbelievable words.

Regarding my flawed durability, I also think I need to raise my resistance stats somehow and escape the fate of a soft sweet potato.

But that doesn't lead to the conclusion that I have to get beaten up to raise it!

"Cecilia is a quite excellent mentor at the Academy."

"But I don't want to?"

"Theo."

My father looked at me intently.

In his gaze full of concern, my complaints slowly began to subside.

Right, I have a bit of a history of causing trouble, so I can't really complain to my father.

I understand his worries to some extent, and I can see why he's positive about Cecilia-sunbae's education—

"There are quite a few people in the Academy who want to receive teachings from Cecilia, so it will be a good opportunity for you."

My head knows it's a good opportunity, but my heart is resisting to the end.

But I don't want to learn by getting beaten up!!

+++

LapidemyBunnyPrincess Lv. 30 (+8)

-Class: Writer (Unique)

-Titles: Possessor, Contractor of the Ancient Demon, Contractor of the Light Spirit

-Health: 80

-Mana: 125 (+75)

-Strength: 12 (+3)

-Agility: 15 (+7)

-Physical Resistance: 15 (+10)

-Magic Resistance: 45 (+40)

-Intelligence: 50 (+5)

-Luck: -99~99

※Penalty: Nearsightedness

+++

It's been a while since I checked, but my stats have gone up this much?

I was so surprised that I blinked, then remembered I was in front of my father and quickly closed the system window.

My Strength, Agility, and Physical Resistance stats are too low...

+++

Sudden Quest (Repeatable, 0/40)

You have been given the good fortune of receiving excellent teachings from an Academy senior!

Missing a good opportunity to fill in your weak stats is a choice only a foolish human would make.

Please do not miss this opportunity and enjoy it!

Reward: 1 stat increase in Strength, Agility, or Physical Resistance per 2 hours

Failure: None

+++

At this point, it's like they're holding a knife to my throat and threatening me, asking if I really won't learn.

Even if it's random, it's an opportunity to raise my lacking stats by a whopping 40.

It would be stupid to miss this.

"I understand."

In the end, I had no choice but to hold back my tears and say yes to my father.