Chapter 26

Matthew's attack, claiming there was insufficient evidence, was fierce, and Lavi stared intently at the paper of the academic assessment he had obtained. This event, which had been held multiple times since elementary school, was something Lavi had mostly discarded the results of. In other words, she had been barely passing. She lacked both the physical strength and the leisure to study. Not just barely passing, but often on the verge of crashing into the ground, she frequently missed school. Incidentally, the results of this assessment were posted with real names, and the rankings could be clearly confirmed. It seemed that the nobility were creatures who loved rankings.

And while it was called an academic assessment, it also included practical tests of magical power. Since it was forbidden to know the total magical power of other nobles, the test content was limited to the manipulation of magical power.

Still, no matter how much they said they didn't want to show off their own strength, it was inevitable. As the weather got hotter, the academy would also allow the use of magic for cooling purposes, and friendly matches would be held.

Anyway, for now, it was the academic assessment. Walking down the path to the courtyard, Lavi confirmed that Sai was following closely behind. As usual, the distance between them was gradually closing. He stopped abruptly. Then, changing her usual route, she tried something different.

Instead of going outside, she proceeded into the school building. Of course, Sai followed. Although Lavi had never used it, she was a student of the magic academy and had the right to use it. So she decided to go to the library. She found a random book and sat down in a chair. The material was inferior to the chairs in Lavi's room at the duke's house, but it was well-worn and comfortable. Opening the book, she noticed Sai standing at a loss at the end of the library. Poor guy.

After pretending to think for a while, she realized she couldn't block the aisle, but she also couldn't stand near the books. He wandered around the walls, unable to find a good position, and looked uncomfortable, his lips tightly pursed.

"Um, S... Sir Narsol?"

She almost called him by the name in her heart, but Lavi and Sai had only had a proper conversation when Baldur visited Lavi. She saw his face every day, but it didn't feel that way. When Lavi spoke, Sai slowly turned his rugged face towards her. "Would you like to sit down?" She couldn't bear to watch, so she tentatively asked.

Sai stared at the table with his gray eyes and quietly sat down. On the opposite side, at the end of the row. It was far away. "Um, it's fine if you sit next to me," she said, knowing he was monitoring her and honestly finding it bothersome.

Sai thought about Lavi's words for a while. Then, slowly, he pulled out the chair next to her. Sitting side by side, she was overwhelmed by his height and bulk. Sai's name was not for nothing. When she turned to look, he was just curiously peering at the book. She was surprised by the pressure of his well-trained muscles.

They stared at each other for a while, and then, unexpectedly, Sai broke the silence. "Aren't you going to the courtyard today?" His voice was still low. It was a good voice, and she was impressed, but she also felt his consideration for not asking why she always went to the courtyard. Or perhaps, having seen her play in the pond so persistently, he had realized something he shouldn't have.

"I have an exam," she said.

There was no point in lying. Sai narrowed his eyes and read the titles of the books on Lavi's desk. They were all about the Holy Maiden.

This time, she decided to take it seriously. It wasn't a whim; the conditions were right. Sai was there, Nelra wouldn't interfere, and she currently had the physical strength. Moreover, if her escape succeeded, she would likely live as a common citizen, not a noble. In that case, such study opportunities would never come again.

She didn't know what knowledge might help her in the future. Besides, Matthew had created the questions, and his obsession with the Holy Maiden meant that the test would likely include a lot of information about her. Knowing about the Holy Maiden could be a strategy against Nelra.

"I was just trying to pass the time. Do you have a problem with that?"

To avoid seeming too serious about studying, she forced a snappy tone. But Sai, without changing his expression, replied, "No, nothing." He was still a man of few words. Lavi huffed and pretended to be aloof, then immersed herself in the book.

What exactly was a Holy Maiden? Was the first Holy Maiden, like Nelra, also a user of the subjugation magic? No matter how many books she opened, there was no such mention. It only said that the Holy Maiden's power still protected the country.

--- There was a time when she felt a sense of unease.

Now, Lavi, with her game knowledge, understood the subjugation magic in detail, but when she was under Nelra's control, she had desperately searched for information. Yet the knowledge she gained was limited to the fact that it was a forbidden magic, and those controlled had a mark on their chest. The only ways to remove it were if the controlled person's magical power exceeded the user's, or if they died. There was no mention of this anywhere.

It was forbidden to know the total magical power of others. This rule seemed like a countermeasure against subjugation magic. On days when magical power increased or decreased, it was not to be known outside the family. This rule was often overlooked, but it was still followed, though not considered very important.

While riding in a carriage to the academy, Lavi had thought about this inconsistency, as if it had been forgotten by everyone.

While frantically searching through books, she suddenly noticed a letter that said "To you" and quickly closed the page. Who was enjoying love letters or romantic encounters? There were few serious users of the library, and the unused space even housed the records of past students, though they were locked and required permission to view.

Lavi sighed heavily, realizing she would likely end up at a dead end. During this time, Sai had quietly sat and watched her every move. He was a serious man, she thought, despite being ordered by the prince.

He shouldn't be in such a place. The Narsol family, while lower in rank than Lavi's Heathfen family, was essential to the country. Trusted by the royal family, they provided their strength in return. Sai was Baldur's shadow, but it was not a dark shadow. It was a bit humiliating to think of herself in such a way.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable, perhaps because she had been subjected to constant, silent stalking recently. She felt more at ease with him nearby. While thinking about this, she flipped through the book, hoping for something useful for the exam. Sai's mouth moved as if he was about to say something, then he inhaled sharply and exhaled quietly. What was that about?

"Sir Narsol?"

"Yes, just Sai is fine."

"Then, Sai."

Considering the formality, she usually thought of him as Sai in her heart. It was better to get permission than to slip up, she thought, nodding and continuing. "Is there something you want to say to me?" She would accept any criticism or anything else with enthusiasm. Her mental strength was reliable.

"No," Sai shook his head after a moment.

It wasn't that concerning. She turned back to the book, but a sigh escaped her lips. The lack of progress was frustrating. "Lavi," Sai asked this time. Calling her by her first name was common in this country, though it varied. Lavi preferred using family names.

"Is there something you're worried about?"

"Um, well, yes."

If she was worried, it was about the future, which seemed to be heading towards death. But she couldn't say that.

"Of course, it's about the exam. Especially the manipulation of magical power, which I'm terrible at."

That was true. Manipulating her meager magical power didn't amount to much. Dripping water from her hand didn't accomplish anything. But everything would eventually become strength. She couldn't keep running away from her weaknesses. However, she had no idea where to start, and effort alone wouldn't change anything.

As she thought, her mood sank. She had always thought she was moving forward, even while looking back, but perhaps she had just been treading water. Praying to the gods wouldn't help; the books were just different versions of the same thing. These were also made of magic paper, expensive and durable.

"Would you like me to help you?"

She thought she was hallucinating from despair. She repeated the words in her head, but they were real. "Huh?" A surprised, high-pitched voice escaped her.

"If it's a bother, it's fine."

"No, not at all."

Why him? He was on the prince's side, and she couldn't understand why. "So, you mean, you'll give me direct guidance?" Sai, with his usual stern look, nodded slowly. "No, no." "I understand your grade level and the scope of the material. I can help with the written part as well."

"That would be a burden for you, wouldn't it?"

Sai was two years older than Lavi. He was always circling around her, and he had a lot of other responsibilities, including sword and magic training. He would also have exams at the same time. "It's not a problem," he said. She remembered that in the game, he was an excellent student, though unremarkable.

"Why me...?"

She was confused. Despite this, Sai said, "You mentioned you were worried about the exam." She tried to make sense of it. Realizing his words were insufficient, he clarified, "Is it strange to help someone who is trying hard?" His words were still lacking.

She remembered the game's setting. He was the common-sense character, recognizing and helping others' efforts. Despite his intimidating gaze, he was a helpful and kind boy. He was a hard worker, recognizing and supporting others' efforts. No, this was just his personality, not just a game setting.

She struggled with whether it was okay to rely on him. Despite everything, Sai was on the prince's side and might be connected to Nelra. But it was a rare opportunity. After hesitating, she bowed.

Sai was more thorough in his guidance than she expected. In the courtyard, where she usually played with water, he taught her about manipulating magical power. The changes might have been small, but she could indeed circulate her magical power more efficiently. Many nobles in the coastal country of Whity had water magic, and Lavi was one of them. Despite this, Sai never mocked her.

The exam results were surprisingly good for Lavi. However, they were average, unremarkable, and when reporting to Sai, she was extremely nervous, apologetic, and even embarrassed. From Sai's perspective, the score was probably shockingly low.

But he praised her. He genuinely praised her for her efforts.