Honestly, I hate to say this, but—
I think Wolfram von Lohengrin has scattered quite a lot of things around him.
Right? Isn’t that true?
No, let’s be honest.
I’ve scattered Fortune Cookies here and there. I’ve even given out snacks made with Shining Pâtissier for free sometimes.
It’s not like I’m saying “I gave you things, so now you give me more” or anything.
It’s just—wouldn’t it be nice if there were favors freely exchanged between us? That’s all.
I said that to Nefty.
She stared at me blankly and tilted her head.
“Things for decorating your office?”
“Yeah. It’s such a barren place. I’m trying to get one decorative item from the people around me.”
“…Hmm. Hmm. I don’t have anything impressive to give you, though.”
“It doesn’t need to be impressive. Just one item to decorate the office—that’s all.”
“Hmm, hmmmmmm.”
Nefty pondered for a truly long time.
Hmm.
No matter how I look at it, asking for a gift from someone who came from the countryside on scholarship and is working hard feels like a stab to my conscience.
Plus, since I’m an Imperial descendant, she’d probably feel the pressure to give something fitting that status, multiplying the burden.
“If you don’t have anything, forget it.”
“No, I was thinking about it, and I remembered I have this.”
Saying that, Nefty handed it to me.
**[Nefty’s Fork]**
**[Room Item]**
**[A fork owned by Nefty. Can be easily purchased at Zefflin street stalls. When decorated, slightly increases the success rate of defense-related skills.]**
Are you serious?
**[It has been used once.]**
You’ve even used it before?
—
“Hmm. Something to display in Master’s office, you say.”
“It doesn’t need to be impressive. Just one item.”
“Yes. A symbol of our connection. Then I’ll give this.”
Emily handed me an old ladle.
**[Old Ladle]**
**[Room Item]**
This slightly increases cooking skills. It’s not a bad item for me.
“I’ll treasure it and display it well. Emily.”
“Yes, Master. The ladle will be happy too.”
Room items are random—you never know what the other person will give.
Usually, it depends on affection, but if things go wrong, you really don’t know what’ll come out.
Emily’s old ladle is given in the middle of the story—after Emily’s route opens, to be specific.
But there’s no way I opened Emily’s route, so the trigger must have gotten tangled somewhere.
Anyway, I started decorating the office with this and that.
“Then I’ll be going now. Master.”
“Hm. Practice your cream stew. Do your best.”
“Yes!”
Saying that, Emily bowed her head and withdrew.
Ahead of you, battles with the Dark Cooking Faction of the Black Flag await, so hang in there.
“Now the only ones left are Ayla and Mille-feuille, I suppose.”
On the other hand, the school regulations compendium Eve gave me is an item you can receive fixedly even without opening her route.
But back then, it was definitely brand new.
Moreover, the explanation that she underlined it for her blood relative wasn’t in the main story at all.
So is Eve saying “Please actually read the school regulations!”—but did she forget that I have them memorized?
The Student Council President giving a student the school regulations compendium.
I know all too well what that compendium signifies in the main story.
**[From now on, you will memorize this school regulations compendium, recite it fluently.]**
**[And assist me until the very moment you graduate from this school.]**
**[Fufu. Half of that is a joke. However… don’t stop until the end—hone yourself on this ground of learning.]**
**[I’ll be waiting for you. Kelter.]**
Being asked by the Student Council President to become a member of this school.
That small act of consideration becomes a small source of vitality for Kelter, who is suffering from early-dropout friends, the darkness called the Black Flag, and nameless enemies wielding curses—and for us who empathized with that Kelter.
And she gave that to me.
“…”
There must be a bug in the message, I suppose.
If not, Eve’s head must have a bug in it.
“Either way, it’s unpleasant.”
—
Eve von Lohengrin’s self-reflection is quick.
If she made a mistake in the past, she reflects deeply and learns from it.
And right now, she was taking that very action.
“Uwaaaaaah…”
Sitting in her chair, tilting her head up toward the ceiling, covering her face with both hands, and kicking the air with her feet.
Literally a blanket kick. An expression of sheer embarrassment.
Why. Why did she give such a gift?
At first, she was just going to hand over one copy of the school regulations!
Why did she go and underline parts by hand, or mark places saying “Pay attention and read this”!
“Aaaaaugh…”
To begin with, Wolfram von Lohengrin has the school regulations memorized.
The conversation they had when she usurped the Student Council President position is proof of that.
**[Next Student Council President. Do you remember Zefflin Academy Regulations Article 1, Clause 8?]**
**[…Huh? Wait, Article 1, Clause 8. Clause 8?]**
It’s only been three months—how could she forget?
“No… I don’t acknowledge Wolfram, I don’t…”
Giving the school regulations compendium means accepting the other person as a member of this academy.
And underlining parts and giving it—doesn’t that contain the true intention of wishing them to be reborn as an excellent member of this academy?
Thinking that, Eve couldn’t control her expression. Me? Why? That madman?
But Eve von Lohengrin.
Sixteen years old, knowing learning and realizing the meaning of growth.
She already knows in her head how to break through this situation.
Very simple.
Go to Wolfram von Lohengrin—the older brother above her.
And just like in those childhood days.
Ora…
Ora…
Ora-beo…
“Receive this *ora* (aura), you vermin.”
Then fire a Light Cannon at his head—wouldn’t that neatly solve everything?
Thinking that, Eve seriously pondered the words spoken by the child inside her—then stopped.
“What’s done is done. Yes.”
Yeah. It can’t be helped.
More than that, right now she has to do her work as Student Council President.
“My lord. I have guided the sprouts to the front of the Student Council building. What shall we do?”
“Normally, a written greeting would suffice… but I’d like to see their faces.”
“Then shall I escort them here?”
“Yes. I’ll leave it to you.”
“Yes, my lord. I’ll go now.”
Saying that, Silpia left, and in the empty Student Council room, Eve looked up at the ceiling and let out another inexplicable laugh.
“I’ll spare that life today. Fufu. Ufufu. Fufufu… But don’t misunderstand. It’s not like I’ve acknowledged you as a member of the academy!”
Eve von Lohengrin.
It was the summer of a sensitive sixteen-year-old.
—
I asked Ayla if I could get about one decorative item.
“Decorations to hang in Wolfram’s office?”
“Hm.”
My pitiful stats right now can’t be raised directly.
The five consecutive skill-cancels from last time were close to a miracle from heaven; usually, you’d get about a 3-point increase.
Naturally, not every episode boss fight gives stat boosts.
So I need to raise stat corrections somehow to survive and keep living.
So this isn’t me groveling for gifts.
Rather, it’s an exchange of friendship.
Yeah, it’s an exchange of friendship!
“It doesn’t have to be anything grand. It’s just that it’s too bare and not pleasant to look at.”
“Ah, I see. I see. Hmm… Could you give me a little time to prepare? I’ve been busy with various things internally and externally. And finals are coming up soon, right?”
“…Of course.”
“What’s wrong, Wolfram? You look so serious.”
“Nothing.”
In the original, Ayla Triasta doesn’t take her finals.
Because she gets expelled for plotting rebellion within Zefflin.
But now… that probably won’t happen.
I know the curse hasn’t gone near Ayla.
So if things continue like this, Ayla can graduate from Zefflin.
Thinking that, I felt a strange sensation.
From Kelter’s perspective, the upcoming battles with the Black Flag, the villains inside Zefflin, the arrangements the Emperor has prepared, external expeditions—I don’t know how those will unfold from my standards—but the Witch of Rebellion, the Lady of Ambition from Act 3, is smiling innocently right in front of me.
Come to think of it, I wonder how that little druid she used to hang out with is doing. Well, when the time comes, she’ll show up on her own. She’s like a flying squirrel, so chasing her down is a pain anyway.
Anyway. Did she say “internal and external”?
“Is there an external problem?”
“A problem… not really, but there is something I need to pay attention to.”
“What kind of thing?”
“It’s nothing big. Just really trivial family matters.”
…
Based on my guess, it’s because of those “trivial family matters” that you became the Act 3 boss, you know.
What if it blows up into a big incident like the mine monster case last time?
“Even if it’s a trivial family matter, tell me about it. It’s not like it’s someone else’s problem, is it.”
Now she’s saying it’s not someone else’s problem.
“Eh?”
“Hm?”
“Not someone else’s problem—what, what does that… mean?”
What does it mean?
Well.
The Triasta family and I are in a mutually beneficial relationship.
Thanks to the ores coming out of your house, I’ve been able to make a living lately.
“Exactly what it means.”
“…Uh, ahem. I-is that so? I see, it’s not someone else’s problem. Hmm. So Wolfram thinks of it that way… not someone else’s family… Well, it’s really not a big deal.”
Ayla fidgeted in a strange way, then went *ahem* and cleared her throat before continuing.
“Wolfram, do you know about the Sprout System?”
“The Sprout System? I know it.”
I know it.
It’s one of the reasons Eve’s route becomes overwhelmingly easier.
I began explaining the Sprout System as I knew it.
“It’s a system that gives promising young talents whose admission for next year is confirmed a preliminary experience of Zefflin.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
No matter how difficult the entrance exam is, true talent deserves to be respected.
Take Eve von Lohengrin as a prime example.
Putting her bloodline aside, who would dare say to Eve, “Be careful, you might fail the entrance exam”?
Eve, whose position as Zefflin’s top student was confirmed from the moment she was born, roamed Zefflin even before enrollment through this Sprout System.
And saying she had nothing to learn from the undergraduate faculty, she experienced Zefflin’s graduate school labs and built close friendships with the professors.
At the same time, this is why Eve’s route becomes easier.
You can find out who will enroll next year and build up affection with certain characters in advance.
Should I say she’s holding onto all the “youthful” talent, or that she can legally tamper with promising prospects likely to be called up to the first team?
“It’s really just a trivial external concern. And a family matter. Not someone else’s story… it’s really at that level of a problem.”
“…Ah. I see. I understand.”
The Sprout System. And external concerns that are also family matters.
Putting those pieces together, a vague answer seemed to emerge.
“I told her to come here… and she’s arrived just in time.”
“Hm.”
*Thud! Thud!* The sound of footsteps shaking the earth struck my ears.
I looked at the giant figure walking from afar and nodded.
“I see. That child has come.”
“Yes.”
A child who, if raised well, will definitely grow into a top-tier character.
A girl who uses an unconventional battle style rarely seen even in D/Z SAGA.
Not fighting with her physical body, but displaying overwhelming talent in wielding her authority—the princess of the Black Crystal Legion.
If you want to breeze through the story, she’s a genius you absolutely must recruit.
“Orab-eo-niiii! Please catch me!”
Spica Triasta.
She jumped *thump!* from atop the golem and flew straight toward me.
Seeing her jump straight at me, she was clearly committed.
I instantly looked at Ayla, and she nodded, flicking her finger.
“**[Black Crystal: Absorption: Restraint: Fixation]**”
Immediately, black crystals spread through the air, binding both arms and legs of the jumping Spica while gently setting her down.
“I never asked you to catch me, sister! I asked Wolfram orabeo-ni to catch me!”
“Taking such frivolous behavior doesn’t befit the pride of the Triasta family. Rebellion must be elegant!”
“No! Repeating outdated practices is not pride! That’s not revolutionary!”
Declaring that, Spica took her eyes off Ayla, looked at me, and beamed brightly.
“Wolfram orabeo-ni! No matter how I think about it, one year is way too long! A revolution must be carried out the moment it ignites! A revolution that misses its timing is bound to end as mere fantasy!”
“…Is that so.”
“Yes. So before it’s too late… I came to visit in person!”
Spica said that with a bright smile.
Wait.
Weren’t you supposed to come here to study?
