Chapter 43
The first meal began after arriving at the summit venue.
It was a course meal starting from appetizers and ending with dessert.
It was a luxurious meal that didn't suit the situation.
The nobles still wanted to maintain their social prestige.
It was a pathetic sight.
Trying to desperately maintain old customs wouldn't bring the past back.
The world had changed.
If they couldn't accept that and continued to follow past behaviors.
Before long, some group here would surely face ruin.
“Senior,”
Said Tania, who was sitting next to him.
“Yes?”
“You look like you're in a bad mood.”
“It is just that the meal feels excessively fancy for something eaten in a crumbling inn.”
“That's true. It was the Moonlight Knights who prepared the meal. They must have abundant supplies.”
He remained silent at her answer.
The situation of the Moonlight Knights wasn't actually plentiful.
Having made their headquarters in a mine, they obtained food solely through hunting and scouting.
Farming or livestock in such barren land was an unthinkable dream.
In that respect, the Starlight Knights were in better shape.
Line Tower, built in the center of the villages, had top-quality soil surrounding it.
“The two of you certainly get along well.”
Adela, who was sitting at the same table, interjected.
Two other people were sitting at this table besides himself and Tania.
One was Adela Grace.
The other was a female student named Serena, whom he hadn't greeted on the terrace earlier.
“I didn't introduce myself properly earlier. I'm Adela Grace. I'm a sixth-year student and a magic apprentice. I'm currently living under the Moonlight Knights.”
“I am Joshua.”
“Is that all?”
“Did I make some mistake?”
“Even if you can skip the trivial details, I thought you should at least mention your family name.”
Adela seemed surprised that he hadn't introduced his last name, Pallarion.
Even if he were a fallen noble.
It was likely strange to her that he didn't hold pride in his family.
“I have no lingering attachments to that name.”
“If you dream of a revival as a noble, wouldn't it be better to start with some sort of foundation?”
“I have no intention of becoming a noble.”
“What, really?”
“From the perspective of survival, status is a low priority. There are many times when being a commoner is better.”
“...I don't really understand.”
Adela pulled her chair forward several spaces as if she were facing a lion at a zoo.
He felt a stinging gaze from somewhere.
Without having time to realize it was coming from the girl next to him.
Adela spoke again.
“Did you really solve a Triple Formula in thirty seconds?”
“Yes.”
“Then, can you solve this too?”
Adela took out a notebook and pen she had hidden in her bosom.
She began to write something diligently.
When about thirty seconds had passed.
Her writing stopped, and she handed him a paper densely filled with a magic formula.
He spoke as he received the paper.
“Is there a reason I should solve this?”
“One more person will believe your absurd heroic tale. I might get called self-important, but getting close to me won't be a loss for you.”
He shrugged his shoulders.
Adela Grace was also a named character.
Building a relationship with her would be helpful in the future.
He turned his gaze downward.
[Clever] began the calculation, and three seconds were enough to derive the value.
It was different from the formula at the research center.
First, it was a Double Formula rather than a Triple Formula.
Another thing was that it wasn't common magic but an elemental type.
She had presented this problem with the intention of testing him in her own way.
“You put in commands to freeze water and then launch it. If it works as intended, it would become an ice arrow.”
Adela’s eyes widened.
She couldn't continue speaking and covered her mouth with her hand.
The silence continued for a long time.
Finally regaining her senses, she let out a hot breath.
“...You were a water attribute?”
“I am not.”
“Then how did you get the right answer? You don't even need to study it if it's not your own attribute.”
For some reason, he felt a sense of deja vu as if he had experienced this situation once before.
“I learned it in passing.”
“That's impossible.”
“See! I was right. Senior is incredibly brilliant.”
Tania interjected, getting excited as if it were her own achievement.
He returned the paper he was holding.
Adela’s hand was trembling as she took the paper back.
“I don't know how to accept this. I feel like my magical values are being shaken.”
She buried her face in her arms as if using them as a pillow.
Feeling quite frustrated, she stomped her feet under the table.
He left her behind and turned his gaze to the other person sitting there.
She had messy, unkempt blonde hair.
Her scarlet lips were firmly shut, and she had sleepy eyes that looked weighed down by fatigue.
She gave a thin smile.
As if to say 'hello' instead of a greeting.
“Come to think of it, Senior Serena, why haven't you said a single word since earlier?”
Tania asked after realizing that fact late.
Adela, who had been slumped over, sat up abruptly.
“Ah… about that.”
Serena made a gesture.
She seemed to want to tell the reason herself.
She began to write something on a notebook with a pen.
[Sorry, I can't get my voice out.]
Aphasia.
It seemed she had lost her voice once again.
* * *
Rodwell called Joshua and Tania into his room.
Because the room was so cramped.
The two were standing without finding a place to sit.
Rodwell lightly tapped the remaining part of the bed he was sitting on.
“Sit down.”
“No. Regardless of the circumstances, how could I lay my body on the bed that the Captain uses?”
Thump!
Tania declined, but Joshua sat down without any hesitation.
“...Are you a madman?”
Rodwell spat out the words with a shudder.
Breaking the decorum that a noble should naturally keep.
Coarse profanity burst out reflexively.
“It was Sir Rodwell who told me to sit.”
“I asked out of politeness, out of politeness! You certainly act like you have no tact only when it's convenient for you.”
“Then please speak honestly from now on.”
Rodwell shook his head as if he were fed up.
“Did you enjoy your meal?”
“It was so delicious. I don't know when the last time I had such a meal was.”
Tania danced excitedly while pressing her hands against her cheeks.
“Joshua, your reaction is poor.”
“If tonight's meal had been divided into nutrients, it would have lasted three days easily.”
“Are you seriously complaining about a meal someone else prepared for you?”
“I'm just stating the facts.”
“That's a disease, a disease at this point! You truly seem like a human born for this situation.”
Rodwell wiped his face.
Even the conversation he brought up to change the atmosphere.
It felt like everything went in a strange direction when Joshua was involved.
They were truly like cats and dogs.
“Fine. I'll just get to the point. A meeting will start at 9:00. I don't think there will be a chance for you to speak. Even if a chance comes, just gloss over it or don't answer.”
“I'll do that.”
“Joshua, you're going to talk, aren't you?”
Rodwell looked at the boy with a suspicious gaze.
“If the situation calls for it, I will.”
“I'm asking you, please speak within a level that I can cover.”
“Don't worry. I'll stay within the lines.”
“I'm even more scared because you say it like that.”
The group went downstairs.
People were moving busily, finding their respective positions.
Five groups participated in this summit.
Three knighthoods protecting the Academy, one merchant guild, and a vigilante group.
The Magic Society was not included.
It wasn't that the professors hadn't survived.
But the knighthoods and the Society were at odds and refused to cooperate with each other.
Joshua stood behind the seat where Rodwell sat.
The Sunlight Knights were sitting directly in front.
Carius and Leonard sent gazes filled with resentment toward the boy.
“It seems you've earned quite a bit of hatred.”
Rodwell, who was sitting, muttered lowly while covering his mouth.
Joshua shrugged his shoulders.
“We will proceed with the meeting now. I, Derek, the Captain of the Moonlight Knights, will serve as the moderator.”
The meeting began as a man dressed neatly in a blue uniform opened his mouth.
Several agendas emerged as major topics.
Has there been communication with the outside of the Academy?
Has the scale and cause of the monsters been confirmed?
How do we plan to endure the upcoming winter?
Two hours passed.
The meeting maintained the status quo without any progress or results.
It felt like hitting a dead end.
The standing students endured the pain while changing their postures, as if their legs were cramping.
'It looks like finishing this successfully is out of the question.'
He had experienced the summit event several times, but it had never once passed smoothly.
The groups gathered here each had different scales.
To balance the scales, one side had to give up and yield more.
A situation no one wanted.
It couldn't be explained by selfishness alone.
Since the survival of the group was at stake, they contemplated and reviewed carefully many times.
But it was always the same repetitive cycle.
The meeting rushed toward the end without making a single decision.
“Today is the first day. It means we don't have to decide everything right away. How about we talk about something off-topic for a moment to refresh the atmosphere?”
“I agree.”
“I also agree.”
“That would be better.”
Derek checked the reactions around him and spoke.
“Regarding the names of those monsters, I don't think we should call them by the vague expression 'monsters' forever. Dragons or trolls are also monsters, but they have names, don't they? We need a different name.”
“If it's a matter of naming, how about we leave it to the young people rather than us?”
“That's a good idea, Guild Master Martel. Is there anyone who would like to show an opinion regarding this?”
The students, who had been standing without saying a word until then, had their eyes sparkle.
They began to discuss with the comrades next to them.
Tania also approached Joshua’s side at some point.
“If you speak well here, wouldn't your name be listed in a journal later?”
“Perhaps.”
“Do you have a name in mind, Senior?”
“I do.”
“Then I'll just stay still and watch.”
Tania smiled brightly and returned to her seat.
“Anyone, feel free to speak your thoughts.”
With Derek’s words, various names were mentioned.
Corpse Dolls, Creatures, The Dead.
While no word had been chosen yet.
The turn came to Joshua.
“What about you?”
Derek asked while looking at the boy.
“I am Joshua.”
“Ahh.”
Derek nodded as if he remembered.
“What do you think?”
“I suggest the name 'Zombie'.”
“Zombie huh. That's an unfamiliar word. Is it alright if I ask for the origin of that word?”
“Old shamans performed rituals with the purpose of making dead humans into puppets, and it is said that the resulting successful humans were called that way.”
“That's an interesting anecdote. Then, do you see this situation as a plot by such shamans?”
“Well, I wouldn't go that far.”
Derek smiled as if he were satisfied.
While everyone else focused only on the name and failed to add an explanation for it.
Only the boy in front of him was different.
Afterward, voting began, and with two out of five votes, the name of the monster was decided as Zombie.
It was Rodwell and Derek.
The other leaders each cast their votes for their own subordinates.
“The expression Zombie will only be used among the five groups here at most, but I hope we can make an effort so that they can be called that way.”
It wasn't a major agenda.
But it was the first time something bore fruit within this summit.
Derek continued to proceed with the summit.
“Let's discuss the three agendas mentioned earlier gradually, and first, let's go over the agenda that has already passed again.”
“An agenda that has passed?”
Rodwell asked with a suspicious voice.
“Ah, my apologies, Sir Rodwell. Actually, there was a small meeting before you arrived. It was proposed by Sir Carius. It passed unanimously. Even if you had cast a dissenting vote, it would have been difficult to stop it.”
“...I feel extremely unpleasant about this.”
“Haha, please understand generously. In exchange, I'll make sure to give you at least a small privilege at the next meeting.”
“Sigh. First, what exactly are the contents of that passed agenda?”
“Take a look at this.”
Derek handed a pre-written sheet to Rodwell.
While Rodwell was reading it.
Crack! The armrest of the chair was shattered into pieces by his physical strength.
When he opened his clenched hand, wooden fragments fell in a heap toward the floor.
Everyone there looked surprised.
With the exception of only Joshua.
“S-Sir Rodwell?”
“What happens if I cannot recognize these contents?”
“If that's the case, the relationship with the four of us might go sour. Along with the reputation of the Starlight Knights.”
Carius, who had proposed the agenda, wore a triumphant expression.
He had paid back exactly the words that were in the hall a moment ago.
However, Rodwell didn't feel any emotion toward him.
After confirming the contents of this agenda.
An emotion that felt like it was piercing deep into his bones.
The identity that fear pointed to was Joshua.
After swallowing his dry saliva once, he slowly turned his head.
As expected.
The boy was smiling.