Chapter 30

029. The Ghost Incident at the Dormitory (5)

As black magic scattered and rose into the sky, I could clearly hear it.

It gathered into one, uttered a single phrase, and then flew away.

"...Thank you, President."

"To still call me President... No, to them, I was the last President, wasn't I?"

Right after that, Zolf collapsed on the spot.

From the way he twitched, it didn't seem like he had passed away.

Weakling.

Even though I thought that, I too felt my legs give out and I sat down on the spot.

【Congratulations on your graduation.】

I didn't have the magic power to activate those final words.

Instead, it seemed to have taken my physical strength. This is a function that didn't exist in the original story; what's going on?

Anyway, as I lay there, an urgent voice came from far away.

"Mr. Wolfram! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Take care of the injured."

"Yes, yes!"

I gestured for Nephthys not to come closer, and she quickly turned to check on Eve and Kelthers.

I lay there, lost in thought.

The story had become quite tangled, but even if it was just the prologue, it had surpassed what I could handle.

Kelthers had become a Jammin Coolpiece, Eve had been knocked flying, and Wolfram had gotten involved. Who would have thought it would unfold like this?

But I managed to stop it.

Just like Kelthers had resolved the grudges of the expelled students in the original story, I too had resolved their grudges and brought the situation to a close.

"Perhaps, this was partly due to luck."

Whether it was because my heartfelt words as the former Student Council President resonated with them, or because of the friendly feelings Zolf had for me, or the strength of the royal bloodline skill.

Anyway, anyway.

"I won. I survived."

That's all that mattered.

By not stopping to think and doing everything I could, Wolfram von Loewengrin survived once again.

"Ha, I really can't handle this."

I needed to retrieve the clear item, but I didn't have the strength to do so.

I'll lie here a bit longer and then go to the reward room. I just need to catch my breath for a moment.

There's plenty of time. The first act is over.

"How did this happen!"

"......Huh?"

It seems it wasn't over yet.

"Zolf was here! And Student Wolfram too? What exactly is going on...!"

"Professor Rantica Grace...?"

"Hmm. This is quite a serious matter. Was this caused by Zolf? We should return to the lab and hear the full story."

"......Yes?"

"Student Wolfram, you should come to the lab as well. We need to hear a calm and proper account, so please prepare yourself."

No, wait.

Wasn't it over?

Suddenly, a professor appears? Does that even make sense? No, no, this is really not right. Hey, hey, just stop. Don't come near me!

Just as the professor's hand was about to reach me, a voice wrapped in light came from behind him.

"No. We'll handle the questioning first."

"......What?"

"Eve."

Even as she received the professor's angry and confused reaction, Eve continued without hesitation.

"This incident in the first-year dormitory, shortly after the new semester began, is a problem that I, entrusted with full authority by the royal family, must resolve."

"......Hmm, hmm. But the one over there is my student."

"I can't hand him over. To avoid confusion in the investigation, we will handle it first."

"Hmm, but as a professor, I have my dignity. ...Even if I give up on Wolfram, I need to take Zolf."

"I will formally submit this to the royal family. If His Majesty approves, we can discuss it then."

"......Hmm. I understand. I'll withdraw for now. We'll see each other at the graduate building later."

With that, Professor Rantica clicked his tongue and withdrew.

Wow, Eve is really stepping up.

Even if Eve von Loewengrin is the Student Council President and has absolute power, the professor is still a renowned figure in the empire.

This confrontation must be quite a strain for Eve... Why is she suddenly taking this stance?

What could possibly come from investigating me and Zolf...

Could it be to completely get rid of me? To throw me and Zolf into the sea in front of Jefrin?

While I was trembling, the light executioner, Eve, approached me.

No.

Please, save me.

"Wolfram... Are you, um, well, I mean, are you... okay?"

"?"

What did she just say?

***

When Eve von Loewengrin regained consciousness, the situation was almost settled.

After regaining her composure by holding her head, the first thing Eve did was a 'self-check' to confirm who she was, how old she was, where she was born, and what she was studying. Then she moved on to 'interpret' the current situation and why she had fainted.

The overly capable mage, Eve, quickly figured out why she had fainted and why she was here.

BOOM!!

The sound of something collapsing inside startled Eve, and she hurriedly moved towards the hall.

Staggering.

"Ugh...!"

But a clear mind and a weak body are different things, and her legs wobbled badly.

But she couldn't stop.

Ironically, after being hit by that thing, she understood what it was.

It was a manifestation of will. The colorless magic power that had gained direction due to strong emotions.

And those strong emotions were the regrets of the freshmen who had been expelled and wanted to graduate.

Worse still, the will of the graduate students who wanted to graduate had also been added, causing it to go berserk.

So this was something the Student Council President had to handle.

"I can do this. I can handle it."

She didn't know how she had made it out here safely after fainting, but her body was trembling.

She had almost died. She had fainted for the first time in her life. If even a small rock had fallen on her head, she would have died.

"Still, I have to go."

It's okay. She took a deep breath.

Her magic power was at most 17, the human limit. If she used her full power, she could end it in one strike. She had fainted due to a sudden ambush, but she was now ready to counterattack.

There was one thing that bothered her.

The figure of a man she had seen before fainting.

The person next to her who had a weak body.

"There's no way he's here... right?"

But given his unpredictable nature, there was no guarantee he wasn't.

"If he is... No. That idiot...!"

Wolfram's status was known to her: Strength 2, Magic 3.

There was no way he could withstand someone with 17 magic power.

Eve, with her wobbly legs, made her way towards the hall.

And there she saw it.

"【Let it be so】"

Though she had never acknowledged it before,

she couldn't help but acknowledge the radiant aura

of the former Student Council President who once stood at the pinnacle of Jefrin.

"Take it. Zolf. You've done enough."

The sight of him, with only 2 Strength and 3 Magic, conversing with someone several times his power.

The way he overcame the insurmountable wall, not by numbers but by sheer human will.

Eve gritted her teeth.

She felt as if she was being shown the path she should take as the Student Council President of Jefrin.

"【Congratulations on your graduation. You've worked hard.】"

"For what? Now?"

Why didn't he show this side during his term?

"Why are you doing this now? It's too late."

***

Eve, who had approached confidently, just stared at my face and sighed deeply before snapping her fingers. I guess I'm about to die. It was a short life.

"Nephthys. By order of the Student Council President, calm the first-years down and prevent them from leaving their rooms."

"Understood."

With that, Nephthys quickly went up to the second floor. No, don't go. Protect me.

"Wolfram."

"What is it?"

"Let's fix your condition first. 【Light Window: Rapid Healing】"

With those words, the window of light quietly approached me, began to spin, and I soon felt my strength rapidly recovering.

It seems they don't intend to kill me here.

"...Thank you."

"It doesn't look good for a royal to be lying like this."

"I'm just a regular student now. Not the President, and not a royal in Jefrin."

As I stood up and brushed off the dust, Eve's expression was unusually dark. What's wrong?

"Anyway, this is quite a mess. The Student Council will have to pay for the repairs."

"Indeed."

The series of events caused by Zolf had completely destroyed the first-year dormitory hall. The first-years on the upper floors of the dormitory must have been startled awake by the noise.

Still, the lockdown must have been effective; only Jammin Kelthers had come out. Or perhaps the seal that forbids defiance of the royal family was at work?

"Wolfram."

"What is it?"

"I get the gist, but can you explain it?"

"......Hmm. It's not difficult."

I explained to Eve why this had happened.

The current situation of the graduate students. The professor's instructions. Zolf's escape.

"I see."

"Will that kid be expelled?"

I glanced at Zolf.

It's a shame, but if he caused this much trouble, someone has to take responsibility.

And Zolf, regardless of his background, is a criminal.

However, the response was unexpected.

"It could go either way."

"Even after causing this much trouble?"

"It wasn't just the graduate student. It was the accumulated grudges of Jefrin that created this. It might be hard to hold him solely responsible. I plan to proceed in that direction."

"Why?"

"If the graduate students keep causing trouble, the empire might weaken. I don't want to imagine a graduate student with over 20 magic power becoming a professor's private soldier."

"All loyalty should be directed towards the empire."

Eve nodded.

"Politics is ultimately about justification, background, and interests. By claiming that the oppression of graduate students is unjust, using the royal family as a backdrop, and offering a few research projects to conscientious professors, we can divide them."

Scary. Eve is really scary.

"Also, I'll try to propose a bill through the Chancellor."

"What kind of bill?"

"A bill that legally defines graduate students as human beings?"

I nodded in agreement. That's necessary.

"You're considerate."

"Hmph."

However, in the original story, she didn't grow this much so quickly. What happened?

While I was lost in thought, Eve muttered something.

"Big brother...?"

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Wolfram, I thought you were acting out of character by stepping forward."

"Hah. I agree, it wasn't like me."

"......Have you developed a desire for power again? Is this an effort to reclaim the Student Council Presidency?"

I didn't answer. It wasn't worth responding to.

What is she talking about?

However, Eve, interpreting my silence in some way, sighed deeply and spoke softly.

"First, come back to the Student Council and do some odd jobs. There might be an opportunity."

"Absolutely not. Why would I go there? You handle it alone."

"EEEEEEK!!"

With that, Eve stormed off in a rage.

What's wrong?

Why is she angry?

***

After that, Eve started to grumble and, after calming down, picked up Zolf, glanced at Kelthers, and disappeared. Hang in there, Kelthers.

Anyway, in this hall, now empty of the ghost, Zolf, the professor, Nephthys, and Eve, I headed towards the clear room.

There, a single item lay.

"......Where did this drop from?"

I tilted my head, but since it was the item I expected, I decided not to worry about it.

"The order is reversed, but I finally got it."

I read the system message that appeared before me with a grin.

You have obtained the Glove of Order.

Your Experience Gain has increased by 10%.

The set effect with the Glove of Balance has been activated.

You have gained a minor resistance to all Status Ailments.

You have randomly learned one 8T skill!

The Act 1 ending item, the Glove of Order, and the beginner set effect.

"Even though it was tough on my body."

The result was incredibly sweet.

Ah, so sweet.