A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 105

An attempted rape case targeting a noble, and no less than the Duke’s Young Lady, is enough to shake the entire Academy to its core.

A professor, who should be teaching students, instead extended his evil influence toward a student, so it’s only natural for the Academy’s honor to plummet.

Adding to that, this incident could potentially entangle international conflicts, making it an inevitably noisy affair.

However, the victim—Grace, to be precise—remained eerily calm. She is currently recuperating in the hospital.

The paralyzing poison Delphoi had concocted was still intact at the scene, making detoxification relatively easy. Not to mention, Sivar’s massage as well.

Since the next day was the weekend, there was no need to miss classes, but a week of recuperation was still unavoidable.

It was fortunate that it ended as an attempt. If she had actually been harmed, Grace would have left the Academy altogether.

“The household asked me to tell you they’re willing to provide anything you need for your treatment.”

“··· ···”

Before Arthur went to see Sivar, he first visited Grace, who was recuperating in the hospital.

Grace, perhaps due to the shock, appeared utterly deflated, her once sharp gaze now significantly softened.

Even if it was just an attempt, it’s natural for a woman to develop trauma after nearly experiencing such a horrifying ordeal.

Arthur was well aware of this and looked at her with a sympathetic gaze. Regardless of the household’s principles, a sibling is still a sibling.

Unlike the head of the household, who only wields the whip without offering a single carrot, Arthur at least had his head screwed on straight.

“······Even in a situation like this, you came, Brother. The head of the household would never come.”

“··· ···”

“I know he’s busy. But······ the disposition of Professor Delphoi isn’t for me; it’s ultimately for the household’s honor, isn’t it?”

Grace let out a bitter laugh and spoke with self-deprecating words. Her face clearly reflected a sense of resignation.

Duke Berche’s Household had personally requested custody of Delphoi for punishment. Even Iruril had cut ties faster than anyone.

But this was for the honor of the Ducal Family, not for Grace. At least, that’s how she felt.

If it weren’t, the head of the household would’ve come himself instead of sending the eldest son. If he truly cared as family, that is.

“······Contrary to what you think, the head of the household isn’t heartless. He’s probably agonizing over this even now.”

“I don’t care. I’ve already lost all affection for him. Besides, if you’re going to inherit the household, I won’t have to see his face anyway. Just tell him to stay locked up there.”

“··· ···”

Arthur didn’t respond to Grace’s venomous words. Or rather, he couldn’t.

He had nothing to say on the matter either. Such was the principle of Duke Berche’s Household.

If you don’t achieve something on your own, don’t expect to receive anything. That was both the principle and the foundation.

The problem was that it was far too harsh. Children are supposed to grow up in the embrace of their parents.

If those parents don’t protect them, the children become unbearably fragile. Just like Grace now.

“······How is Mother doing?”

“I barely managed to stop her from coming.”

Did that answer bring her any comfort? Grace’s venomous expression softened, if only slightly.

Compared to her father, her mother was an exceedingly ordinary person. Strict, yes, but still a mother who showed affection.

However, her health was deteriorating day by day due to a chronic illness. Perhaps because of this, her father’s whipping had grown even harsher.

‘If something were to happen to Mother······’

She couldn’t even imagine what would follow. The only certainty was that the whipping would become even more severe.

Would she be able to endure it then? If another incident like this occurred, would the household step in to help?

She didn’t know. Grace let out a long sigh, her thoughts growing darker by the moment.

“If you want, the household can assign a bodyguard knight to you. Who would you like?”

“······If I want?”

Grace let out a hollow laugh, incredulous. At a time like this, shouldn’t it be mandatory rather than optional?

An incident nearly befell the Duke’s Young Lady, yet they say “if you want”? She responded in a voice tinged with irritation.

“Forget it. Tell them not to bother. Instead, double the financial support.”

“What do you plan to use the money for?”

“That’s my business. Is that a problem?”

“No, it’s not.”

Receiving financial support was far better. At least no one would complain about money.

Even so, she wasn’t satisfied. Grace nodded with a complicated expression, then suddenly remembered something.

Not Delphoi, nor the household, but the knight who had saved her from danger. Just as Arthur was about to stand, she asked urgently.

“What about Mr. Sivar?”

“Who?”

“Mr. Sivar. The one who saved me.”

“Ah, the one who supposedly came from the forest?”

It seemed rumors about Sivar had already reached the Ducal Family. Understandable, given the colorful incidents he’d caused.

Most Academy prodigies gained fame for their looks or origins, but Sivar’s background was impactful in its own way.

Thus, most people regarded him as a wildling from the forest. Arthur was no exception.

“I’ll personally thank that student. I also plan to offer him compensation.”

“Then······”

Grace hesitated briefly, wondering if it was alright to make such a request.

Normally, people would offer appropriate compensation and leave it at that. But with Sivar, compensation was tricky.

Giving him money seemed pointless, and repaying him with food felt morally wrong.

“Could you ask Mr. Sivar if he’d be willing to serve as my bodyguard?”

“What? A bodyguard?”

“Yes. Mr. Sivar is unique, so I thought of combining the role of bodyguard with compensation.”

Her idea was to combine the two—bodyguard and compensation. Buying him cake for a month should suffice.

Of course, for Arthur, who didn’t know Sivar well, the suggestion was utterly baffling. He asked in a voice full of disbelief.

“······I don’t understand what you’re thinking. A bodyguard, out of nowhere?”

“Can’t I?”

“I’ll propose it, but······ are you sure about this?”

The question carried multiple implications. Understandably so, as Grace had nearly been harmed by someone she trusted.

Moreover, from Arthur’s perspective, Sivar was an unpredictable time bomb. His primal instincts alone made that clear.

“Yes. At the very least, Mr. Sivar isn’t that kind of person. He’s far kinder than that trash Delphoi.”

“If that’s the case······ I’ll bring it up. Honestly, I doubt the household will care much.”

“At least it’s more useful than money.”

Grace sharply criticized Duke Berche’s Household. Arthur had no rebuttal to offer on that point.

Eventually, Arthur left with some parting words to take care of herself. Grace was left alone in the hospital room.

Since it was a private room, silence and stillness filled the air. She slowly lay down on the bed, feeling an inexplicable emptiness.

‘Fairy tales······ are truly terrifying.’

In fairy tales, princesses are often driven into perilous situations, only to be rescued by knights.

She hadn’t realized it back then, but now that she had become a princess herself, the psychological shock was overwhelming.

It allowed her to clearly distinguish between fairy tales and reality.

Knights may exist, but fairy tales do not. That’s what Grace thought.

“Ha······ Huh?”

Lost in her complicated emotions, Grace sighed before something caught her eye. It was none other than her school uniform.

Delphoi had torn the shirt underneath, but the uniform itself remained intact.

‘Come to think of it, inside there······’

Grace sat up and reached for her uniform, specifically the skirt.

As she rummaged through the pocket, she found exactly what she expected—a grape-flavored candy Sivar had given her.

She stared blankly at the candy before, as if entranced, she began unwrapping it.

“Munch.”

The purple candy soon entered her mouth, and before long, the grape aroma filled it entirely.

She wasn’t particularly fond of grape flavor, but she didn’t dislike it either. Besides, she had a sweet tooth.

With a dazed mind, she absentmindedly sucked on the candy. As it began to melt, its flavor spread throughout her mouth.

-Eat it when you’re struggling.

Sivar’s voice echoed in her mind like a hallucination. Even with his expressionless face, she could tell he was worried.

That worry had taken root, and before long, he had appeared like a knight. Without Sivar, she would undoubtedly have been defiled.

Drip-

Overcome with emotion, a single tear rolled down Grace’s cheek.

At the same time, she recalled all the help Sivar had given her. Simple kindnesses exchanged for nothing more than a cake.

Genuine goodwill was hard to come by at the Academy. But Sivar had extended pure, unadulterated kindness to her in many ways.

“Ugh······”

She clenched her teeth, but she couldn’t stop the sobs from bursting out.

Sivar’s absence felt especially large. Thinking back, she had always been the recipient of his kindness.

Due to her position as the Duke’s Young Lady and her fierce appearance, others found it difficult to approach her. But Sivar had approached her with his characteristic blank expression.

All he had asked for was a piece of cake. Though calling it a request was a stretch—it was practically unpaid labor.

It was pure goodwill, nothing more. She even felt a pang of guilt, as if she had deceived him.

‘Truly a kind person······’

Grace wiped away the tears that flowed endlessly. How could someone be so virtuous despite lacking proper education?

On the contrary, those within civilization were committing vile acts. She didn’t need to look far; Delphoi was proof of that.

‘And yet······ I tried to use Mr. Sivar······’

She had tried to coax him, drawn by his immense strength. But once she understood his character, all she felt was guilt.

She wanted to repay him somehow, but she had no idea where to start. The support of her household was entirely unnecessary.

What could possibly bring Sivar joy? Food was the closest thing, but it was far from enough.

Knock, knock, knock-

Just as Grace was sinking further into despair, someone knocked on the hospital room door.

At this, she hurriedly wiped away her tears. Judging by the knock, it wasn’t Arthur but someone else.

She couldn’t let anyone see her in such a pitiful state. While she couldn’t erase the tear stains, it was better than being caught sobbing.

“······Who is it?”

Though her voice trembled, there was nothing she could do about it. Grace asked in a subdued tone, her spirit visibly diminished.

[Ah. Miss Grace. It’s me, Lee Yeonju.]

The visitor was Lee Yeonju. Normally, visits from non-staff members would have been difficult.

However, Lee Yeonju was one of the people Grace had personally requested to see. They had grown close after spending so much time together.

She was like a sort of comfort object. Grace quietly gave her permission while sucking on the candy in her mouth.

“Come in.”

[Excuse me for a moment.]

Creak-

With permission granted, Lee Yeonju carefully opened the door and stepped inside. As soon as she entered, her eyes met Grace’s.

The tear stains were still evident. Her eyes were moist, as if she had been crying just moments ago.

Lee Yeonju felt a pang of sympathy but didn’t show it outwardly. Expressing it might only deepen Grace’s wounds.

“Here are the books you asked for, Miss Grace.”

“Thank you······”

She didn’t even say she was fine. Now wasn’t the time for that.

Grace accepted the books from Lee Yeonju. They weren’t novels but fairy tale books.

It had been some time since she had revealed her preferences to Lee Yeonju. Spending so much time together had naturally led to the disclosure.

She could never reveal such things to others, but with Lee Yeonju, who felt like a comfort object, it was possible.

“······Huh? What’s this?”

Grace noticed a book she had never seen before. Even the title seemed unusual.

“Fool Ongeon and Princess Pyeongha······? Is this an Eastern book?”

“Well······ technically, it’s a fairy tale from my region. Would you like to read it?”

Lee Yeonju made a subtle correction as she recommended it. Grace opened the book without much thought.

It was her first time reading an Eastern fairy tale. When she was younger, the East had so many issues that trade was difficult.

Moreover, Eastern fairy tales translated into the common language were rare. She was curious about what an Eastern fairy tale would feel like.

“··· ···”

Grace became deeply engrossed in the fairy tale Lee Yeonju had recommended. The plot was truly refreshing.

The story was about a man called Fool Ongeon who grew through his relationship with Princess Pyeongha. Interestingly, both the man and the woman had their own “flaws.”

Ongeon was so problematic that he was called a fool, while Princess Pyeongha was incredibly stubborn.

However, thanks to Princess Pyeongha’s devoted efforts, Ongeon became a general and achieved great feats.

Although the story ended tragically with Ongeon’s death, Grace didn’t mind.

“Miss Yeonju.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Was Ongeon······ truly a fool?”

At Grace’s question, Lee Yeonju paused to think. The fairy tale was quite famous.

Because of that, interpretations varied, but one thing was clear: Ongeon wasn’t truly a fool.

He was simply overly kind, not mentally deficient.

If he had truly been deficient, he wouldn’t have been able to become a general. Even scholars acknowledged this point.

“No. He simply hadn’t received an education. In fact, his talent was likely exceptional. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have become a general.”

“··· ···”

At those words, Grace thought of someone. It was none other than Sivar, who had caused various eccentric acts during the midterm exam.

Growing up in the wilderness didn’t mean he was stupid—far from it. If anything, stupidity would have made survival impossible.

The same applied to Ongeon. His simplicity stemmed from a lack of education, but his inherent talent was that of a general.

Of course, this was only possible thanks to Princess Pyeongha’s devotion.

“······I see.”

Grace’s face, which had been lost in thought, gradually brightened. The candy in her mouth was almost completely dissolved.

“That’s what it was!”

“Pardon?”

Grace suddenly exclaimed as if she had realized something. Her previously dejected expression vanished without a trace.

She then grabbed Lee Yeonju’s shoulders tightly. Given Lee Yeonju’s petite frame, it felt as though she might be overwhelmed.

“Knights! They weren’t perfect from the start! No, nothing in this world is perfect from the beginning!”

“Uh, yes?”

“Perfection isn’t something that exists from the outset—it’s something that’s made! Ongeon is the same! He became a general thanks to the princess’s devotion!”

“???”

Lee Yeonju’s face grew increasingly confused. She couldn’t make sense of Grace’s train of thought.

All this over a single fairy tale—she had no idea why Grace was reacting this way.

Regardless, Grace lifted her head with an expression of pure joy.

She then stretched her arms upward and exclaimed in a voice filled with delight.

“Fairy tales! They don’t just come to you!”

The little child inside her heart whispered.

“I’ll create a fairy tale myself! With these hands!”

There was nothing left to block her path. Only moving forward remained.

Lee Yeonju stared blankly at Grace. Her face still showed she didn’t understand.

Meanwhile, Grace slowly calmed her excitement. By then, the candy had completely dissolved.

But the sweetness it left behind lingered vividly.

“First, there’s one thing I need to do.”

“······What is that?”

“Marriage.”

“······Pardon?”

Upon hearing this, Lee Yeonju froze.

“I’ll marry Mr. Sivar. And through my devotion, I’ll help him grow into a knight.”

“··· ···”

“Then, the fairy tale I’ve always dreamed of will be complete. What do you think? Isn’t it absolutely perfect?”

Her face was one of ‘chaos.’

*****

Meanwhile, at the same time.

[Faith Increases!]

“?”

Sivar, who had been conversing with Arthur, suddenly received unexpected support.