Chapter 177

At times like this, my sunfish-like body felt cursed.

‘This is not the time to panic. You expected this. Stay calm, Cornelia Libertas.’

Ren immediately drew his sword and deflected the incoming arrow.

“Ria, are you okay?”

“It just grazed me, I’m fine. If it’s Lawrence’s doing it’s definitely poison-tipped arrows, so deal with them quickly and let’s go home. Olgard should be there.”

Because of the temple corruption scandal, Lawrence absolutely couldn’t touch him now. After the Pope clashed with the Emperor, everyone was watching with keen eyes. In addition, secret guards had been placed around Olgard, so a rash attack would be difficult. Still, since our side openly traveled with elite guards, I honestly hadn’t expected an ambush like this.

“Ria, no matter what happens, do not step out of the carriage. Understood?”

I nodded with a determined expression. Instead of hesitating and fretting, it was better to get out quickly and take care of at least one attacker. He was called a mad dog, and I had seen that side of him at the temple before, so I trusted him more than I worried.

“Lawrence, you’re not even worth killing.”

Crown Prince’s fall - Raven Emperor’s ascension - Lawrence executed.

Having planned such a route, I was newly aware that execution was a punishment close to mercy. He publicly declared he wanted to kill Ren and me; he should never be allowed a peaceful death.

“Ria, are you okay?”

Ren, having dealt with the attackers in an instant, climbed back into the carriage. There was some blood on his clothes but, fortunately, he didn’t appear wounded. The carriage began to move again.

“I’m fine. How about you?”

“I’m fine. Wait, you’re bleeding a lot!”

He took a handkerchief from his chest and wrapped my forearm. Blood quickly soaked into it, turning it damp and red. He pulled the arrow stuck beside me, inspected its tip, and furrowed his brow deeply.

“Hurry!”

“Yes!”

Ren pressed the handkerchief hard against the wound to staunch the bleeding. His stern face showed clearly that he was very displeased with the situation.

“Lawrence… you should give up the idea that death is the end.”

I placed my hand over his, which was wrapped around my arm.

His crimes would be committed again. It could no longer be brushed off as merely the Crown Prince’s misconduct like last time. Did he realize his ultimate shield had been shattered? He needed to know that a year of seclusion hadn’t reset everything.

“I’ll give back what was given to me.”

Fortunately, the wound on my arm healed instantly with Olgard’s holy power. However, the poison he used seemed powerful and rare. Although the wound closed, it left a small scar and I had bled more than expected, suffering from anemia for about a week as an aftereffect.

The ambush also caused an awkward problem.

“Ria, we need to assign secret guards to you as well.”

“…”

This was troublesome. I often went out on side work for Those Who Can’t Resign. Though I usually had guards, I would have them wait nearby by order and sneak off for an hour or two to counsel clients. I had commissioned Aidan for an artifact with invisibility magic to hide myself perfectly. But this was different.

‘Secret guards follow your every move.’

Usually people welcome being protected, but I wasn’t comfortable with it. I couldn’t refuse when my life was at stake, and closing Those Who Can’t Resign felt wrong—honestly it was a valuable source of information.

Besides… if I shut it down without warning, what about clients with reservations or those mid-consultation? They’d be hurt or feel betrayed.

‘I don’t want to reveal things like that…’

So I came up with a plan: buy a bunch of travel scrolls to go from my room to Those Who Can’t Resign.

I considered engraving a teleportation rune between my room and the Those Who Can’t Resign shop, but it was a high-level spell and would require revealing the secret to Aidan. I wanted to preserve the anonymity of Those Who Can’t Resign as much as possible.

Only after devising a solution could I accept Ren’s proposal.

“Chancellor, we’ve arrived.”

As I recalled past actions, the carriage reached our destination.

Today was the day to visit the academy that Marcella, Julie, and Rio attended. Actually, ‘visit’ was the wrong word—‘pick them up’ was more accurate. Today was graduation, so classes ended early. I had never gone to see them after sending them to the academy, but I had time off and decided to surprise them.

‘When I was little, if Mom came to pick me up or visit the school, I would get inexplicably excited. If she came with an umbrella when it was raining, it just felt wonderful for no reason.’

It’s something that can never happen again, but I wanted to give my siblings that small feeling I used to have, even if it wasn’t grand.

“Wow, the scale is enormous.”

It was on a scale far beyond the elementary, middle, and high schools I attended. Only a university might compare, but even then… it was incomparable.

An open garden spread out with tall spires rising behind it, beautiful like a castle you’d see in a European travel brochure, yet overwhelmingly imposing. I didn’t even know where to start looking.

‘First, should I go to the faculty office and ask if there’s a map of the academy?’

I’m not very good at finding my way, so I started to worry a bit about getting lost in this large school.

“We should look for at least a campus map.”

“I’ll go check.”

The guard Ren had assigned disappeared into the school. A moment later, he emerged not with a map but with a person in tow.

“Ah, Chancellor, well…”

Seeing the guard’s clearly embarrassed expression, I sensed it was already too late.

“Chancellor, if you were coming, we would have appreciated notice! It’s truly an honor! I am the headmistress of Serafina Academy.”

“You’re Cornelia Libertas. Your brother and siblings attend the academy, and you came secretly to pick them up. I’d like to look around quietly, if that’s all right.”

Fortunately, she wasn’t unreasonable.

“Of course. Coincidentally today is graduation and the lower years finish early, so you should be able to look around more comfortably than usual. I’ll personally guide you.”

“It seems too much to ask the busy headmistress to guide us personally. I’d appreciate it if you could assign one person to accompany us.”

“That’s all right. Since it’s graduation, I’m free as well. Let’s go.”

“…”

Cancelled. She wasn’t having it.

I gave up and accepted the headmistress’s guidance, slowly touring the academy. The school was truly beautiful enough to warrant a personal introduction by the headmistress. Making friends and joining clubs here would be a lot of fun. I had left early hoping to see classes in session, and it seemed I had made the right choice.

“Minister of Finance Nathan Hacot was my senior. He often spoke of the Chancellor whenever we met, so I’ve long wanted to see you.”

“What kind of stories?”

“Stories of exceptional competence. The Minister of Finance said the Chancellor is a genius when it comes to handling affairs. To be frank, he rated you higher than the Duke of Ariadne.”

‘It’s because I’ve lived like a K-office worker into my mid-thirties.’

He glanced around to see if anyone might overhear, then pretended to whisper. I smiled softly.

“I’m glad he’s so highly impressed.”

“If there’s an opportunity later, may we invite you for a special lecture? I know you’re busy, but the academy students are very interested in you these days. Especially among the girls, you’re as popular as a famous opera singer.”

“Eek? What?”

Taken aback by the unexpected compliment, I staggered for a moment and a guard steadied me quickly.

“You’re the youngest Chancellor and a female one at that. Having shattered the glass ceiling so boldly, it’s not just students who are interested. Recently, there’s even talk that you’ve found love.”

I felt inexplicably embarrassed.

“It’s not all good stories. Don’t heap on the praise.”

There had been tabloid articles branding me a corrupt Chancellor not long ago. The headmistress chuckled as she spoke.

“As headmistress I shouldn’t say, but that point seems to have amplified students’ curiosity.”

“Curiosity?”

“Rumors follow famous people, as they say. These articles might actually be proof that the Chancellor is the most talked-about person in the Empire right now. Of course, I heard it from my senior, so I know those rumors aren’t true.”

“I’m not sure it’s something to be pleased about.”

“Time is the best medicine. This is the fencing practice hall. Classes ended early today so there shouldn’t be any students. Follow me this way for the private practice hall. Only students who reserved in advance can use it.”

The private practice hall was sectioned off more closedly to ensure privacy. I happened to see a pair of male students engrossed in practice. In truth, one was almost relentlessly beating the other. His hair was a striking red.

Was that Marcella? It seemed so. Now that I thought about it, I’d never seen his friend before. If they practiced together that much they must be close… curiosity piqued, I turned my gaze to the sparring partner.

‘Wait…’

This familiar build…

Violet-tinged gray hair, tall stature, and a flawlessly structured, muscular frame and lines.

Even from afar I couldn’t not recognize him. After all, I clung to him several times a day.

‘Why is Ren here?’