Chapter 96 : Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Coming out of the closet, he saw that it was already close to 10 p.m., the lights-out time.

Eddie quickened his pace towards the dormitory.

In truth, even if he missed the lights-out time, he could just use invisibility magic to sneak in through a window, and it wouldn't matter if Marcel caught him.

But Eddie didn't want to be that brazen.

To ignore Marcel with a "what are you going to do about it?" attitude just because he no longer needed to be at the Kirhausen estate?

Wouldn't that be too undignified?

Eddie hurried out of the lecture building to arrive before 10 p.m.

But the moment he left the building, he saw a familiar back.

It was Hendricks.

He was walking towards the dormitory, talking to an academy custodian.

Eddie hesitated for a moment.

Should he walk past Hendricks, or take a different path back?

He didn't want to provoke Hendricks any further right now.

He had already scared him with his excessive greed once.

But if he took a different path to avoid being seen by Hendricks, he would likely be past 10 p.m.

In the end, Eddie walked straight towards Hendricks and the custodian.

"Wow- really? I didn't know there was a garden like that on campus."

"Well, the garden isn't large and it's in the most remote part of the campus. You should go see it sometime."

"Yes, I will. Thank you..."

Hendricks, who was talking to the custodian.

He was startled by the approaching presence and turned around.

"......!"

The owner of the presence was none other than the person he absolutely did not want to run into, Eddie.

And to make matters worse, Eddie was striding towards him.

"Wh-why..."

Hendricks stammered, his lower lip trembling.

But Eddie didn't even glance at him.

He simply gave a slight nod to the custodian and walked past them.

As Eddie passed him, Hendricks finally relaxed.

And at the same time, he was puzzled.

'What was that...? Was he just on his way back to the dormitory?'

He couldn't find a single trace of interest in him in Eddie's fleeting expression.

It was as if he had no particular interest in him anymore.

Had his interest waned now that he was famous, a small-fry druid like himself?

If so, that was a huge relief.

Hendricks felt a little relieved and watched Eddie's retreating back.

'Please... I hope he continues to treat me just like he did now......'

"What's wrong, Hendricks?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."

"Really? Then you should hurry back to the dormitory. It's almost lights-out time."

"Yes. Thank you for today."

"I enjoyed the conversation too."

Hendricks bowed to the custodian and returned to the dormitory.

He walked slowly so as not to get too close to Eddie who had gone ahead.

And a short while later.

"......"

The custodian who was watching them bowed his head in the direction Hendricks had gone.

But that bow was not for Hendricks.

It was for the other student who had gone in the same direction a moment earlier.

Eddie let out a sigh as he gauged the presence of Hendricks following from a distance.

This sigh was due to guilt.

He felt sorry for Hendricks.

For reopening his wounds with a rash action.

And.

The fact that even the academy custodian he had opened his heart to and grown close to was a Mercury he had assigned.

But he had no choice if he didn't want to lose him.

* * *

Fortunately, thanks to his haste, Eddie returned to the dormitory before lights-out.

Marcel didn't ask Eddie anything when he returned.

So Eddie didn't offer any explanation either.

The two simply went to sleep without a word.

And Marcel didn't get a wink of sleep that night.

Three days passed like that.

For three days, Eddie faithfully stayed by Marcel's side as his tail.

During lectures, of course, but also during lunch and after-school study sessions.

When Eddie was determined to be a faithful tail, Marcel soon stopped refusing.

He even started giving Eddie chores he wouldn't normally ask him to do.

When they went to the library, he made Eddie carry his share of the books, and while he trained alone in the training hall, he had Eddie summarize the key points of his memorization subjects.

Of course, everyone at the academy thought the sight was strange.

Eddie now had enough influence to make the entire upper echelon of the magical world nervous.

And that influence was not simply born of fame.

Eddie's own immense mana had created his fame.

If he was determined, not only the Kirhausens but even the Imperial family would have to be nervous.

And yet, Marcel treated Eddie as usual, and Eddie accepted it as if nothing was wrong.

Eddie didn't think much of Marcel's attitude.

He knew it was because of his temperament and, at the same time, a strategy he was employing as a Kirhausen.

The more he treated Eddie condescendingly, the quicker the mouths that had been mocking the Kirhausens would shut.

No matter how great Eddie Summerson is, is he still no big deal to the Kirhausens?

That was likely the intention, to make people think that.

And Eddie had no intention of shattering their illusion just yet.

After all, it was he who had come and sat by Marcel's side on the first day of his return.

Whatever his purpose, for now, he intended to continue in his role as a tail.

So Marcel, in response, was trying to restore the family's image, even if only a little.

"So persistent..."

Joy clicked her tongue as she watched their retreating backs.

Marcel, who insisted on acting like the superior, was persistent.

And Eddie, who was still carrying a bundle of Marcel's belongings, was also persistent.

From the day after Eddie's return, Joy had been witnessing him in the library every day.

And each time, he was preparing for Marcel's exams.

Not only was he meticulously summarizing the key points of the memorization subjects in his notebook,

but he was also writing out expected answers for the essay questions,

and even searching the library for reference materials for the exams.

All of it must have been ordered by Marcel.

But what was with that guy for doing all that just because he was told to?

Of course, she knew very well that Eddie's faithful portrayal of a tail's role was part of a strategy.

He had said that for the time being, the strategy was 'preparation and inducement'.

But still, it was strange.

No matter how much he lowered himself, to play the role of a tail so perfectly.

Even though his status had completely changed compared to before, Eddie's strategy was not swayed by it at all.

If it were her, she would have wavered at least once.

'I should also do my own thing and calmly wait for the right time.'

With that resolution, Joy looked down at her own summary notebook.

But.

"Huh...?"

Something was strange.

The notebook, which should have been closed flat, was slightly bulging in the middle.

Something was stuck inside.

When Joy hurriedly opened the notebook, a note revealed itself.

'When did something like this get stuck in my notebook?'

A notebook that she was sure she hadn't put anything in until she left the library.

She hadn't walked with or run into anyone on her way here.

Then this was magic.

And it was the work of someone capable of precise and stealthy implementation.

One person naturally came to Joy's mind.

'He really has a knack for surprising people.'

After confirming that no one was around, Joy unfolded the note.

The content of the note was three concise sentences.

[Do your best on the midterms as you have been. After the exams, I will be leaving the Kirhausen family. Don't be too surprised if I can't leave quietly.]

But the content contained in each of those three sentences was quite heavy.

The last sentence, in particular, made Joy's brow furrow.

'Don't be surprised if I can't leave quietly. Does that mean the Kirhausens are going to try something?'

Joy stared in the direction Eddie had disappeared, her heart filled with worry.

Along with her worry, a slight anxiety arose, and she took a few steps in the direction she was staring.

But she soon composed herself.

She had just resolved not to be shaken, she couldn't break it right away.

She turned her steps towards the dormitory without hesitation.

He was the one who had survived being taken by the Beast King.

This time, too, if she trusted and waited, he would take care of it himself.

'So, as Eddie said, let's just focus on doing well on the midterms.'

* * *

Eddie and Marcel returned to the dormitory.

Eddie placed the belongings he had been carrying and the organized materials on Marcel's desk.

Among the pile of things he had been carrying, not a single one was his own.

In fact, this was a natural sight.

It was the role of a tail to help the young master with his exams in every way possible.

But.

"......"

Marcel's expression grew darker as he looked at the numerous books and materials on his desk.

Today, too, Eddie had perfectly prepared his exam materials as instructed.

Now, after he went to the training hall, Eddie would sit at his desk and study for the exams in his place.

'And then he'll write down the wrong answers on the actual exam.'

Eddie had never once tried to cut corners or show any sign of dislike.

Even though he must know that he was deliberately being treated more condescendingly for the sake of the family's prestige,

and that he was being given more work.

Having finished explaining the materials he had organized, Eddie looked at Marcel.

His eyes asked if there was anything else he wanted him to do.

Meeting those eyes, Marcel felt a surge of suppressed emotions welling up inside him.

Why is he complying?

Why is he continuing to play the role of a tail?!

Why did you say those things back then, and now you don't ask me anything!

"......"

Just imagining himself asking Eddie these questions made Marcel feel a little relieved.

But it seemed his relief was a little too much.

And Eddie's expression slowly began to change.

"Hah!"

Marcel finally realized.

That the questions he had just roared at Eddie were not in his imagination.

Realizing the reality, Marcel's eyes trembled uncontrollably.

His body froze the moment he grasped the situation, and it was already too late to compose his surprised expression.

It was the moment when the effort he had put in for five whole days, gritting his teeth, went up in smoke.

Seeing the frozen Marcel, Eddie tried his best not to show his surprise.

Meanwhile.

'I knew he was going to blow up soon, but I didn't think he'd explode like this.'

This was the first time he had seen Marcel so agitated, so Eddie was just as surprised as the person himself.

But whatever the case, this was a very good thing.

He had wanted Marcel to blow up before he summoned Palamedes, and the timing was absolutely perfect.

Eddie looked at Marcel, who was now beginning to turn pale, and opened his mouth.

"I understand what the first two questions mean... but I'll need a little explanation for the last question to be able to answer it."

"......"

"'After saying those things back then' must be referring to what happened at the Valcon Ruins, right?"

"......"

"That even if I were to leave the family, the Kirhausens wouldn't cast me out, and that it has something to do with your mana, Young Master."

"......!"

Marcel flinched in surprise.

Then he quickly turned his head away.

It was because he had belatedly realized that he had been staring at Eddie with a surprised face all this time.

Hiding his expression now was meaningless.

But continuing to face Eddie with this face was something Marcel's pride would not allow.

Still-

'Still, it seems he has no intention of leaving.'

Even while trembling with shame, Marcel continued to stand before him.

It meant he had no intention of postponing the conversation any longer.

From Eddie's perspective, he was nothing but grateful.

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