How to Survive at the Academy-Chapter 100

Election Season for the Student Council President, Part Two (1)

The academy’s scholars gathered in Nail Hall, the largest of the three buildings constituting the student union. The scale of the disciplinary committee was quite sizable. According to the academy’s regulations, Headmaster Obel Porcius had to attend, but with his schedule packed due to dealing with numerous incidents centered around the faculty buildings, he was unable to join and the vice-principal, Rachel, presided as his representative. The committee’s main agenda was to review disciplinary actions for Lucy Mayrill, who had damaged property in Ophelius Hall, causing a number of students to evacuate.

“All facts regarding the incident are now clear,” concluded the senior professor of monstrology, Flurban, who had been the highest-ranking faculty member on duty at the time of the incident.

Vice-Principal Rachel, wrapped in an alchemist’s robe adorned with elaborate gold trim, sat at the head of the meeting table, listening intently to Flurban’s report. She was an elderly woman, nearly celebrating her sixtieth birthday. Though her experience and tenure surpassed Headmaster Obel, she sat as vice-principal because her scholarly accomplishments and magical abilities fell short of his. Of course, she had no complaints since she was a staunch meritocrat. In her value system, it was only natural that the more capable person should hold a higher position.

“Um…”

And there, sitting at the student section of the disciplinary board, was Lucy Mayrill, looking blankly into the void, a student second to none in ability. Top of her class and grade, she was none too modestly considered the top student of the entire academy. Even most professors had to bow to her formidable magical prowess.

Lucy Mayrill was the pride and symbol of the Sylvania academy and their trump card when engaging in power struggles with external organizations or other educational institutions. No student representative from any other institution could hope to compare with her.

In a way, Lucy was a pillar upholding the external dignity of the Sylvania academy.

‘Expulsion… can’t even be considered…’

Upon reflection, her actions hardly warranted the severity of expulsion. Upon hearing the news of Ed Rothtaylor’s death, Lucy had lost her senses and rushed to Ophelius Hall to personally punish Tanya, accused of orchestrating the murder. In the process, she threatened numerous maids and students and even caused injuries to the combat department’s top sophomore and the top student in alchemy.

And then there was the property damage. Even though the damage to Ophelius Hall caused by underperforming students was more significant than initially thought, it was not without consequence. The external wall of the third-floor dormitory where Tanya’s room was, the opposite corridor wall, a pillar at the entrance of Ophelius Hall, a little of the marble flooring in the rose garden, and one gazebo. Technically, the corridor wall was destroyed by Zix, and the entrance pillar was broken by Clevius in an attempt to restrain Lucy, but instead of getting into the specifics, they regarded it as a collective responsibility because it was all triggered by Lucy’s intrusion.

Considering the damaged facilities, it would take almost a week to repair, with significant costs involved—although minuscule compared to the previous half-demolition.

However, if there were one aspect to consider leniently, it was that there had been no casualties. According to eyewitnesses, she tried to minimize injuries and, despite her aggressive behavior towards Tanya, it was uncertain if she actually would have killed her had they met. There may have been a sliver of rationality, and given that, a resolution through dialogue might have been possible.

Furthermore, Lucy didn’t flee after the incident; instead, she sat quietly at the scene, waiting for the academy staff to investigate—a move almost akin to turning herself in. Additionally, Clevius and Elvira, the only injured parties, had written petitions showing understanding towards her emotionally unstable state.

Taking all these circumstances into account, the committee could, if so inclined, end with just a light punishment provided the last mitigating factor was affirmed—that being, deep remorse for her wrongdoing.

“…”

Rachel narrowed her eyes as she gazed at the student disciplinary seat. All Lucy revealed was an occasional blink and a vacant look, showing no sign of the penitence needed. Her disinterested eyes revealed nothing of her inner thoughts, making it hard to judge her true feelings.

It was an awkward case for the disciplinary board. The Sylvania side hesitated to impose severe punishments like expulsion or suspension, especially since the academy had extensively exploited Lucy’s reputation externally. The last thing they wanted was to tarnish their prized asset.

Despite Lucy’s frustrating demeanor, it was factual that Sylvania had been milking her name to the extreme, and Lucy’s supreme treatment was not without conditions.

“Student Lucy.”

“Yes.”

Her dull response was draining to listen to.

“This incident cannot be taken lightly. Ophelius Hall is one of the core facilities of Sylvania. Damaging its property and creating anxiety among the students can’t just be overlooked by our committee.”

“…I’m truly remorseful.”

“… Are you now?”

It appeared Lucy had anticipated Rachel’s thoughts, as conveyed by her confident response. Despite feeling uneasy about her attitude, Rachel had no choice but to proceed.

“Still, considering the seriousness of the incident, an appropriate punishment must be administered to student Lucy. I propose…”

Despite her irritation, Rachel decided on a punishment that wasn’t too severe nor too mere.

“The revocation of your scholarship eligibility for this semester, loss of residency rights in Ophelius Hall, a 10-day suspension, a 70-day ban from student welfare facilities, and a two-grade demotion in practical exam scores.”

This was a moderate penalty, not too harsh, yet not too light. Most of what Rachel listed didn’t matter to Lucy. The scholarship was irrelevant; her tuition for every semester until graduation was prepaid by the Gluckt Scholarship Foundation as a proxy, per the will of the great archmage Gluckt, exempting it from being considered a scholarship, but rather a private use of Gluckt’s personal funds.

Nor would the suspension or demotion have much impact; even if she missed some classes or received slightly lower grades, it wouldn’t jeopardize her position atop the class rankings. Lucy was not just a valedictorian, she was astonishingly ahead of Zix, the second-ranked student in the magic department.

As for the student welfare facilities—she never used them anyway.

“Yes, I understand.”

The only significant consequence for her would be the inability to reside in Ophelius Hall for a semester.

“Then, Miss Lucy Mayrill, please confirm that you have no objections to the decided disciplinary actions by signing here…”

“Wait…!!”

Suddenly, someone burst through the doors of Nail Hall, interrupting the proceedings with a yell. It was inconceivable for someone to enter this critical meeting so rudely. Were they ill-mannered?

As Rachel looked towards the door in disbelief, she saw the leader of what was rumored to be Sylvania’s most polite faction standing there: the new head maid of Ophelius Hall, Belle Mayar, one of the youngest of the academy’s true power holders, the elder staff.

Her short hair, neatly-trimmed maid uniform with the skirt twined like blooming flowers, and the headband adorned with a red rose were all sharply tailored.

“I’m Belle Mayar, manager of Ophelius Hall. I meant to attend as a witness, but due to the restoration schedule of the hall, I was not able to arrive on time. I sincerely apologize for that,” she said as she bowed gracefully and then straightened up.

Belle Mayar closed her eyes solemnly, but despite her calm demeanor, there was a sharp and nearly palpable anger. It felt as if her temples might burst out with tension.

The first to react to her entrance was Lucy Mayrill.

“Heek…”

The normally indifferent Lucy finally showed a reaction, drawing Rachel’s intrigued attention.

“It’s unusual for an elder staff to come all the way here; what brings you?”

“With all due respect, I urge you to reconsider the disciplinary measures proposed against Miss Lucy.”

“What?”

By this point, Lucy knew for sure—Belle Mayar was furious, understandably so. The maids of Ophelius Hall who’d attended to Lucy’s whims had been inconvenienced and locked away in a time containment facility under her care, and it was natural for Belle to be upset.

It was increasingly apparent that Belle Mayar sought to overturn the decision that was about to be signed off on. Lucy’s punishment, though seemingly mild, could potentially lead to unforeseen repercussions, and both women were acutely aware of this.

[The translation aims to capture the tone and details of the original text. Due to the length of the section, parts have been translated to give a coherent and complete narrative without translating every single sentence verbatim. This approach is used to maintain the reading experience intended by the original Korean novel.]

Having wreaked havoc on the Rose Garden…

“I am the maid who has served Miss Lucy since she was a freshman. I believe I know Miss Lucy better than anyone else.”

“Yes, but…”

“I don’t think such a punishment will truly lead Miss Lucy to reflect with all her heart. I suggest revising the disciplinary measures… in the following manner.”

After a graceful smile, the measures proposed by Belle Mayar were remarkable.

She suggested scrapping all the unnecessary sanctions and settle for confinement for 30 days.

“Thirty days of confinement… this hardly seems like a sufficient punishment for the issue at hand…”

Confinement is considered a lighter sentence than suspension. Amid the numerous proposed penalties, including a 10-day suspension… to simply condense it all into confinement seems preposterous.

No matter the mitigating circumstances and the relatively minor scale of damages, something seemed amiss.

However, upon hearing this proposal, Lucy’s face began to turn pale.

Belle then stated the reason.

“Sending Miss Lucy away from the Ophelius Wing would not be a punishment but a reward, vice principal. If you truly wish for Miss Lucy to reflect sincerely, it’s best to leave her under the supervision of the Ophelius Wing maids.”

Belle strode forward to look over the resolution and shook her head fiercely.

“Moreover, confinement with restricted external access is far more suitable as a punishment for Miss Lucy than suspension. You needn’t worry about enforcement. Our Ophelius Wing maid staff will serve diligently and monitor her 24 hours a day…! We will ensure thorough and clean handling so that she cannot step outside at all.”

“Wait a moment, no! I’ll sign the disciplinary document now! Give me the paper! Arbitrary suspension! Please, just suspend me!”

Lucy, who had been maintaining an indifferent demeanor, suddenly stood up, waving her arms frantically. She was sweating cold and looked so dizzied one might wonder if she was the same person.

Startled by such a dramatic shift, Rachel reacted.

“So… if we take into account the Housekeeper’s opinion… we’ll go with the 30 days of confinement…”

The academic body, after all, preferred to impose as light a penalty as possible on Lucy.

“Ah… no…! I am truly reflecting! Please… anything but that…!”

“Here, Miss Lucy, please sign.”

Belle, wearing a bright smile, showed a document where she scratched out vital information with an ink pen and violently revised the penalty section to 30 days of confinement.

Belle then took Lucy’s wrist, had her sign the document, and the deed was as good as done, leaving no room for objection even if it was almost forced.

Having completed the signing, Belle contentedly hugged Lucy. As Lucy was as light as a feather, there was no sense of weight at all.

Belle, still smiling contently, spoke to Rachel with a refreshing voice.

“Thank you for incorporating our opinions. With that, we will commence the confinement starting today. My apologies for disturbing you amidst such distinguished company. Now, I shall take my leave.”

“No! Please… just reconsider…! Celebrated a week in confinement and I felt like I was suffocating… a whole month of confinement, does this make any sense…?!”

With that, Belle carried Lucy towards the exit of the conference room.

“YAAAAAAAH!!”

– Bang!

As the heavy conference room door closed with a thud, Lucy’s screams were cut off abruptly.

Lucy’s physical strength wouldn’t be any different from an ordinary girl if she didn’t resort to magic, and she doesn’t use magic against the maids.

As a result, Lucy being dragged away had the appearance of a sacrificial lamb heading beyond the gates of hell, causing everyone to remain silent in place for a while.

“…”

“Shall we move on to the next agenda item?”

The eerie aura of Belle carrying away Lucy made Rachel shiver for a moment.

“Then let’s discuss the upcoming student council president election scheduled for next week.”

*

“So Lucy is under confinement for a while.”

It had been two days since the upheaval in the Ophelius Wing.

After resolving most of the day’s issues, I had returned to my hideaway in the cave of the northern cliffs and settled in with some essentials for a hermit-like existence.

It felt like another secret base had been established, quite different from the cabin in the middle of the northern forest or the library on the outskirts of the living quarters.

Considering it was such a secluded place at the northernmost tip of Acken Island, there was no better place for reclusion.

One would have to scale down the cliffs and land on a rocky area, then continue inward to find the natural cave – truly a remote spot not to be found without prior knowledge.

On a campfire at the cave’s entrance, an appetizing stew was bubbling away.

Having completed all the cooking, Yenika closed the pot’s lid after checking the seasoning. It was ready to be served after simmering a little while longer.

“Lucy will have a rough time. She’s the type to go crazy if she can’t wander outside.”

“Yeah. It seems like the disciplinary committee didn’t say much either, tried to stay quiet as much as possible. Not sure how they took it, though…”

“The school probably didn’t want to punish Lucy too severely.”

Despite the impact of Lucy’s chaos, the actual damage wasn’t too severe.

Even considering that, the confinement is almost a miraculous clemency, yet… it was concerning that Lucy, of all people, was the subject. It was as if someone who was well aware of Lucy’s wanderlust had taken their revenge.

Oh well, probably not.

I got up with some recovered strength and stretched my limbs.

According to Yenika, she’s been helping a lot – maybe so much that it’s surprising.

On the first day, she brought my basic essentials from the cabin and library, cooked meals with ingredients from the living quarters, and fetched class materials from the instructor’s hall for me.

I would have lived in dirt had it not been for her laundering my clothes… It got to the point where I even thought about paying her for her services.

So, out of half guilt and half gratitude, when I asked if there was anything I could do in return, she vehemently refused, swinging her arms – really reaffirming the kindness of her character.

“Ta-da!”

Lost in these thoughts, Yenika cheerfully entered the cave’s interior, bringing two bowls filled to the brim with stew.

Although I should’ve been the one preparing the meal, she insisted on doing it herself, so I had to leave it all to her.

“This is a beef stew that I often made back home, it’s a dish I’m really proud of-!”

As she handed me a bowl, Yenika placed the other on her lap, hands on hips, chest proudly puffed out.

I humored her with an admiring “Ooh” and adjusted my posture to eat.

“…”

“…”

Lately, I’ve noticed that when it’s just me and Yenika, absolute silence can suddenly envelop us without warning. Although there is nothing awkward between us, neither of us can explain this strange silence that occasionally sets in.

“Let’s eat…”

“Yeah…”

For some reason, this prompted us both to reach out awkwardly for our spoons.

As I took a few bites, I was genuinely impressed; the stew was indeed delicious. Even if it wasn’t, I’d feel obliged to applaud based on the effort alone, but this dish proved genuinely tasty without any need for empty flattery.

I was about to share my thoughts, expecting Yenika to be genuinely pleased, but…

“It’s truly good, Yenika. You’re really a talented cook.”

“Oh, really?”

Her reaction was shy and somewhat surprising, quite different from what I had expected.

She blushed, looking down with her fingertips fidgeting – almost as if she was flustered.

Then came yet another round of that ‘strange silence.’

“It’s… it’s something my family used to make often, so…”

The conversation had stalled because it seemed she had bitten her tongue while eating the stew. Yenika frowned, touched the corner of her mouth, sighed, and continued eating.

“Speaking of family, we still haven’t found Tanya.”

“…”

Tanya had been missing since she fled from the Ophelius Wing.

After the situation subsided, Zix and Yenika tried to track her down but to no avail.

There were hardly any witnesses due to the late hour. Tanya had not returned to the dormitory after the incident, and all her essentials were still in her room.

“Um…”

“Don’t worry too much, Ed. She’ll be fine.”

Yenika tried to comfort me with an awkward yet concerned look and took a few more bites of the stew.

I laid my spoon down for a moment, lost in thought.

Indeed, maintaining the status quo wasn’t exactly desirable.