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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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Chapter 176 – Summer Vacation at the Duke’s Manor (7)
Kirrin trudged down the hallway, lost in thought.
So that’s how it is.
I was the only fool.
The only one stupid enough to agonize over something impossible, to dream of a future that was never going to happen.
It was never even an option in the first place.
If this was how things were going to turn out, should I have just been bold and asked Dian first?
Would it have been different if I had claimed my place before anyone else?
But Dian had already said he had no interest in marriage.
So, in the end, no matter how things played out, it was never going to be me.
Maybe my whole life was just never meant to be about gaining or achieving anything.
I was born the youngest in my clan’s forest.
Because my mother was human, I was a half-blood, and my natural Dark Elf assassin abilities were weak.
So my father never had much faith in me.
He always said I was useless.
Then, when the human alliance defeated the Demon King—after my father betrayed him—he finally saw a use for me.
Even though the Emperor had granted us his favor, the world still harbored resentment toward Dark Elves.
So my father decided to send me ahead as a vanguard, a bridge between our people and human society.
He enrolled me in a public academy, ordering me to study, graduate, and secure a position in the imperial capital or another key institution.
By sheer luck, I graduated at the top of my class, and thanks to my father’s relentless lobbying, I was appointed Headmistress of the Special Mission Academy.
But that was all.
Caught between the pressure of living up to my father’s expectations and the Second Princess’s constant attempts to oust me, I struggled every day.
If I got expelled from the academy, my father wouldn’t forgive me—so I had to work hard.
But if I worked too hard and made a mistake, the Second Princess would use it as an excuse to have me removed.
And then my father wouldn’t forgive me either.
A vicious cycle, an inescapable loop.
In the end, the only choice was to hide.
To do nothing.
The Emperor’s protection meant I wouldn’t be expelled for no reason, so I decided to keep my head down.
Of course, at some point, the Second Princess would claim the academy had declined in quality and make her move.
But I’d deal with that when it happened.
Because my father was far scarier than her.
Even if I returned to the forest, the mother who once embraced me warmly was no longer there.
That was how the Special Mission Academy fell into its current state.
I had never made a single decision of my own.
Not being born a half-blood. Not going to a public academy. Not becoming Headmistress.
Everything had been orchestrated by my father.
From the beginning of my life to this very moment, he was the one pulling the strings.
So why did I ever think I could get close to Dian, or marry him, or anything like that?
Stopping in front of her room, Kirrin reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, folded note.
The one her older clanmates had given her to pass to Dian during the competition.
She read it over, then shook her head and shoved it back into her pocket.
…There’s no way I can do something like this.
# # # # #
That evening, everyone gathered for a barbecue party.
But this wasn’t just any barbecue—it was a grand feast, steeped in the prestige and dignity of a high noble house.
The entire garden had been opened up for the event, with elegantly arranged tables and chairs set across the sprawling lawn and lavish terrace.
The warm glow of lanterns lit up the summer night, while delicate fairy lights strung between the trees twinkled like starlight, adding to the romantic atmosphere.
At the heart of it all stood a massive barbecue grill.
Thick cuts of meat sizzled atop the grates, releasing a mouthwatering aroma that spread throughout the garden.
Enormous slabs of beef, lamb, and a variety of seafood grilled to perfection, creating a spectacle as much as a feast.
A selection of fresh salads, vegetable dishes, and an array of sauces and garnishes were meticulously prepared to complement the main course.
And to top it all off, an endless supply of fine wine and champagne flowed freely.
One side of the garden housed a special dessert table.
It was adorned with elegantly crafted cakes, sweet fruit tarts, and refreshing treats like ice cream.
Off in another corner, a string quartet played a soft, melodic tune, elevating the party’s luxurious ambiance.
It was an utterly breathtaking scene.
For a simple gathering meant to entertain a dozen or so academy guests, the scale of the event was ridiculously extravagant.
It was a stark reminder of just how immense the Duke’s wealth was.
Even though their political power had waned somewhat after the war, a Duke was still a Duke.
Alongside the academy members, several guests from the Duke’s circle were also in attendance.
They were retainers of the Duke’s household, as well as various business partners—though I wasn’t sure of their exact affiliations.
At first, I assumed they had no connection to the Special Mission Academy.
But as it turned out, they had all come to see Kaiden.
Unlike me, Kaiden was a figure known across the entire empire—a renowned mage from the Demon King Slaying Special Force.
The chance to meet someone like him, even just in passing, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Sure enough, Kaiden was immediately surrounded by eager guests, bombarded with endless questions.
But, as always, he responded with his signature smile, smoothly sidestepping each inquiry with vague, noncommittal answers.
“Dian, by the way…”
The Duke, seated beside me, poured himself a drink and turned to me.
“What do you think of Knightley?”
“…Knightley?”
I hesitated under the weight of the Duchess’s sharp gaze from across the table.
“She’s doing well. She’s never once lost her position as top of the class.”
“Oh, I see. But other than that?”
“…Other than that?”
What else was there to say?
Aside from her academic excellence, she had no real qualities worth mentioning.
She looked down on anyone who wasn’t her equal—hence why she only had two friends.
“There you have it.”
The Duke glanced at his wife before continuing.
“Knightley comes of age next year, doesn’t she?”
“Technically, at the end of this year.”
“Ah, right, right. And you, Dian, you’re…”
At that, the Duchess let out a knowing chuckle.
“A perfect age gap, wouldn’t you say?”
“Exactly. No issues at all.”
I had somewhat expected this topic to come up earlier, back when we went hunting.
Since it had finally surfaced, I decided to confront it head-on.
“…Duke, what exactly are you trying to say? Surely, you’re not suggesting that I marry Knightley?”
The Duke and Duchess exchanged glances but said nothing.
“…Oh-hohohoho!”
Eventually, the Duchess laughed, waving a hand dismissively.
“Well, you see, Professor Dian, no parent can win against their child.”
I stayed silent, waiting to hear the rest of her explanation.
“Knightley has been engaged since childhood. To some marquis’s son—though she’s never even seen his face.”
“I don’t know the full details, but I am aware that she ran away to the academy to avoid it.”
“Precisely. Unlike other noble children, she refuses to accept her fate. She came to the academy and has stubbornly refused to leave ever since.”
The Duchess covered her mouth with a polite chuckle.
“It’s quite the troublesome situation. It could even be seen as a disgrace to our family. But then, a few days ago, we received a letter from Knightley.”
“…And what did it say?”
“She offered to return home—if we allowed her to change her fiancé.”
“And the person she asked to marry was… me?”
“Oh-hohohohohoho…”
"I’ve heard everything. Professor Dian did something very significant during the war, right? So, from my standpoint, if Knightley does something like that, I’d actually be grateful."
"That's right! Dian, that guy! Let me tell you just how great he was!"
The Duke started enthusiastically recounting the situation at the time.
Hindrasta, who had been lying in ambush, preparing to cause trouble on the retreat path of the noble army, was spotted by our intelligence. Linus and I rushed toward the noble army’s camp, where we first met Duke Toulouse.
At that time, Duke Toulouse was one of the commanders, and at first, he thought we were part of a plot by the imperial palace to intentionally lead the noble army to ruin.
However, after persistent persuasion from Linus and me, we slightly twisted the retreat path, and in the meantime, the two of us entered the valley where Hindrasta was hiding.
There, like kids playing hide-and-seek, we beat up the excited Hindrasta and chased him away, rescuing the noble army.
Thinking back, it’s strange that Hindrasta is sitting right next to me at the table, tearing into meat. What are the odds?
Anyway, I do need to make my position clear.
These things have to be settled decisively; if I show a lukewarm reaction, things might get troublesome.
"However, I must say, I’ve never even thought about marriage, and especially not with Knightley, who was one of my students…."
"Father!!!"
At that moment, someone let out a loud scream from the main gate and rushed toward us.
I turned around to see a man in the uniform of an Imperial Army officer coming toward us.
Who is that?
"That’s my second son, Dian."
Knightley’s second older brother? But why is a noble’s son wearing the uniform of the Imperial Army?
"Welcome! You’ve arrived just in time!"
The Duke stood up with open arms, but the second son passed him by and stopped in front of me.
"Is this the person father mentioned? The one who drove out Hindrasta? Wait a moment…."
The second son carefully examined my face and asked cautiously.
"Have you ever participated in the Battle of Bueno Goji…?"
"I have been there."
"Then, that… the one who was thrown to the mountain peak by a catapult…?"
"Oh, yes…."
"Unbelievable!"
The second son kneeled.
"To meet the hero of the Battle of Bueno Goji here!"
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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