How to Survive at the Academy
Chapter 259

TL: TangSanFan

ED/PR: Tanthus

『Side Story』 Blossoms of the Wind (9)

『If things have come to this point, it’s beyond help. I’ll tell you the location where the corpse of Tir Kalax is buried.』

The following morning, as I rose from bed, I saw Merilda sitting on the shelf, swinging her legs back and forth.

Speaking for myself, I had become tired due to using too much divine power, and Yenika likewise had little energy and quickly went to bed.

“…”

As I gazed at Merilda with a vacant expression, she tilted her head awkwardly and spoke.

『What, what’s wrong… Still half asleep?』

“No, it’s just that you were supposed to tell us in the first place. It’s frustrating how you’ve been delaying it and now you’re bringing it up as if you’re doing us a favor.”

『Well, yes, but… I didn’t expect to have to convey such an unpleasant tale…』

Despite being Merilda, she looked quite downhearted. She somewhat bashfully lowered her head and then peered up as a girl her age might do. She glanced over at Yenika again to make sure she was still asleep.

『I didn’t expect Yenika to be so disheartened.』

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s something to be so discouraged about. The situation that Keitin faced and Yenika’s situation are entirely different.”

『I agree. Still, you may have noticed that Yenika harbors a sense of inferiority in her heart.』

Resting her chin on her hand, Merilda spoke openly.

『For her, just exchanging feelings with you is such a blessing she doubts whether she even deserves it.』

“Comparing herself to a high-ranking spirit… it puts me in a difficult situation too…”

『Once you’re smitten, the person you like appears to be the most wonderful being in the world. Have you ever loved someone even briefly?』

“To put it in such terms diminishes it to a petty issue…”

『It is a petty issue, actually…』

“…”

Merilda sighed deeply and then hopped down from the shelf. True to her nature as a wind spirit, her movements were impressively light.

She then plopped down on a chair in front of a table to one side of the room and leaned forward engagingly with excitement in her voice.

『Tir Kalax’s corpse was sealed by Sylvania herself. The soul was returned to nature and became an ethereal spirit, but the traces of magic inscribed upon the corpse would remain, even after ages have passed.』

“Obtaining such remains could lead to significant advancements in the art of spirit magic.”

『That’s right… So, where do you think it might be hidden?』

Top-ranking spirits rarely leave corpses. As they generally don’t entertain the concept of death, they often live for what seems like an eternity. It means that the rarity of a high-ranking spirit corpse turns it into a treasure of immense and unprecedented value.

I first thought of places difficult for humans to reach or areas protected by immense sealing spells, but considering the circumstances…

“It must have been buried in the place where Keitin Faelover lived his life.”

Knowing the nature of Sage Sylvania, it was the only logical conclusion.

『Anyway, you’re too quick to catch on.』

And if it truly was where Keitin Faelover lived, then the answer was pretty obvious.

* * *

“I’ve found it.”

Sometimes the most remarkable things are hidden in plain sight.

A large old tree stood at the heart of the Faelover Ranch. As we dug beneath it, driven by magic, a wooden cover, like a lid, emerged.

“Is, is this possible… to think that there was such a thing under the ranch…”

“Wo, wow… I’ve lived here my whole life and never imagined something like this…”

Kadan and Yenika were both astonished side by side, their resemblance as parent and child was evident.

We pulled open the wooden door, and stairs leading underground appeared. There was something built down there.

“People usually don’t dig under the ground without a reason, so I never imagined this could be here.”

I infused magic into the lamp I had brought, lighting it. I watched the flame flicker inside the glass for a moment then turned to Kadan.

“I’ll take a look inside with Yenika for a moment. Please ensure that no one with unnecessary interest comes by.”

“Yes, yes… Understood…”

Holding onto my arm tightly, Yenika followed me as we descended the stairs.

“Be careful not to trip. It’s quite dark.”

“Y-Yeah. Ed, be careful too…”

We carefully made our way down the dimly lit staircase, gripping each other tightly in case one of us stumbled.

Finally, we arrived at a small chamber. It wasn’t very large, roughly big enough for just a few square meters.

There was a statue that seemed to depict a goddess and, in front of it, on a small altar, a plain wooden box was laid.

The box was big enough for a person’s torso.

Swallowing back my saliva, with Yenika holding the lamp, I crouched down to open the wooden box.

Inside, laden with luxurious decorations despite its age, lay a small magic crystal orb resting on a cushion of cotton.

This was typical of a spirit’s remains.

Instead of possessing a corpse like humans, they were usually found in the form of an object imbued with magical power.

Without a doubt, fragments of Tir Kalax’s old memories, sealed by Sage Sylvania, were crammed into this thumb-sized magic crystal.

Whether for scholarly value or monetary worth, it was astronomical.

This tiny orb could be worth more than the entire Sylvania Academy combined.

“The old jest about a treasure buried beneath the very land one has lived on all their life has turned out to be true.”

Yenika said awkwardly.

“It seems so… But I do wonder if I should be the one to take it. It could be considered a hidden treasure of the Faelover family.”

“…”

Yenika stared at the lamp and then gently closed her eyes, smiling contentedly.

“If not you, who else?”

Approaching briskly, she reached into my chest and pulled out a leather pouch she had prepared beforehand.

She placed the crystal orb inside the pouch, tightly fastened it with a rubber band, and slipped it back into my chest.

Patting the spot where the crystal lay, she said.

“Your dad and mom would surely…”

“I should have said this. It’s best if Ed takes it.”

“…”

“We’re going to use it for academic research anyway. Once we get it to the Academy, the members of the society will be giddy with excitement, their mouths agape. They’ll all be looking at Ed with amazement, wondering how on earth he managed to obtain such a thing. The mere thought of it fills my belly with joy.”

With a hand on her hip, Yenika wore a triumphant expression that, despite her intentions, only came off as endearingly cheeky.

Seeing that, I spoke without reservation.

“There’s no need to act so dignified. Your parents aren’t here, after all.”

That comment seemed to hit its mark, as Yenika’s eyes flinched.

She then hung her head low, pressing the top of it against my chest and leaning on me.

“Mm…”

For a while, Yenika simply remained quiet, leaning against me.

In the subterranean chamber where the only light came from the lamp in my hand, she and I hugged each other tightly in the darkness.

* * *

I had almost wrapped up my business in Phulan.

There was a lot to research about Tir Kalax, and I managed to acquire the corpse of a high-ranking spirit, a rare treasure indeed.

Once word of such a treasure’s discovery spread, it would certainly cause a stir in the scholarly community.

There would be many offers for research collaboration, and no doubt others would want to purchase it, especially since I’d heard rumors that a merchant named Slog from Elte Commerce has recently been collecting magic-accumulating items. He would likely be very interested in the corpse of Tir Kalax, though I had no intention of selling it.

By tomorrow morning, it would be time to leave Phulan.

Yenika’s hometown, Toren village.

It’s a place with stories from a distant past, where remnants of a supreme-ranking wind spirit’s wounds still linger.

As if these stories mean nothing, the village remains as peaceful as ever.

Since I plan to head back early tomorrow morning, I should start packing. Tonight, the village plans to hold a farewell gathering in the square with drinks and food. To be honest, it feels a bit overwhelming for me.

Perhaps because of Yenika, the entire Toren village seemed very friendly towards me, a stranger. Though I had only stayed for a few days, I found myself growing attached to the place.

Excluding that, it really is a wonderful village.

Clean air, fresh water, cool breezes, peaceful scenery, and it’s easy to see why Yenika grew up as a girl straight out of a fairy tale. After all, she spent her childhood in a place straight out of a storybook.

Nonetheless, when it’s time to leave, one must leave.

“Ed. Before we head to our lodging, do you mind if we stop somewhere else?”

On the way back to our lodging after finishing our affair, Yenika pulled on my arm.

It wasn’t typical of Yenika, so I nodded in agreement. With a joyous expression, she then led me along a trail up the mountainside.

Though the walk uphill along the ridge took me by surprise, I decided to follow where Yenika led.

“I had this wish in my life that I really wanted to show you.”

“… What is it?”

Yenika grinned, turned to face me, and began to explain slowly.

“Since I was young, I’ve always thought the view of the mountain ranges from Phulan was so beautiful that I never got tired of it. I promised myself that if I had someone special, someone very dear to me, I would definitely show them this scenery.”

Yenika grabbed my arm and pulled me to the other side of the fence.

“But when I was young, the people I knew were just from my hometown, right? So I never really needed to show this view to anybody since everyone already knew about its beauty.”

“Well, that makes sense.”

“So, I’m really happy that Ed came to Phulan. Come this way, you can see it best from here.”

Then, with the sun setting and the backdrop of fading light, she turned to face me.

Her hair, tinged red by the sunset, fluttered in the highland winds before she forced a smile.

“I might have been somewhat intimidated, but I absolutely don’t regret it. I don’t know what direction my life will take, but I will never regret meeting Ed, no matter what. It’s different from Tir Kalax, you know.”

“…”

“Meeting Ed was the greatest fortune of my life. So, I really wanted to show you this.”

Following the trail lined with fences, we see sheep and cattle grazing here and there.

Farms, fields, houses, a large lake, snow-capped mountain peaks, birds riding the wind, and pretty pansies lining the path. And the girl. Though the sunset made it hard to see clearly, she was probably grinning from ear to ear.

“The truth is, it doesn’t have much to boast about, it’s just a countryside you can find anywhere… But it’s where I’ve lived. To me, it’s like my own life.”

Even though the scene felt somewhat nostalgic,

For reasons I can’t quite explain, I moved closer to Yenika and kissed her.

Caught by surprise, she trembled for a moment but then closed her eyes and leaned into me.

Afterward, we sat side by side on the ridge and gazed at the scenery for a while.

As I wrapped an arm around Yenika’s shoulder, a strange sense of well-being arose. She probably felt the same.

“Yeah, it’s a beautiful place.”

“Hehe, I’m so glad.”

Despite mixed feelings, one must live their own life. Yenika Faelover had always done just that.

The world isn’t a fairy tale with only carefree happiness; you can’t live soaked in sheer bliss.

That’s why we lean on each other’s shoulders at times.

“Yenika.”

“Yes?”

“… You don’t have to worry too much about unnecessary things. I promise you, we will be quite happy.”

Though there’s no such irresponsibly perfect ending as “they lived happily ever after” in the real world,

even with complex hearts, we decide to live as happily as we can.

That is because we are human creatures.

“Hehe, I’m so happy.”

That’s not too bad, is it?

With that message to the wind spirit of old, I quietly lifted my head and looked out at Phulan’s landscape.

The pansies swayed in the wind, nodding their heads.

Yenika called them windflowers.