The Academy’s Barbarian - Chapter 91: What Happened In The Capital (3)

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The time was well past noon.

The southern district of the capital was bustling with people walking the streets. This was because this was where the largest market in the entire capital was held.

Vendors hawking their wares.

Housewives who came to buy groceries.

To anyone looking, it was just a scene of ordinary everyday life, but Perticia couldn’t take her eyes off of it.

Seeing her looking around the street with a look of wonder, Limer spoke to her softly.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Yes! It’s my first time outside the palace.”

 

Perticia responded with a cheerful smile.

 

As the seventh princess of the empire, Perticia held a noble lineage that would make anyone envious at a glance. However, in reality, she was a hidden princess, known to very few outside the imperial family and a few select nobles.

‘If I were to pinpoint the reason…’

It could be attributed to the peculiar fetish of the current Emperor lying in bed, Martes Plume al Ruben. The competent emperor who planted the empire’s flag in parts of the Eastern Wilderness and the Western Gorge considered himself the noblest blood in the world.

Because of this, he often said that a true mate fitting for him could only be found in legends or mythical beings.

‘At that time, people thought it was a joke.’

According to the court historians, the emperor frequently made such jokes. However, surprisingly, it turned out not to be a joke.

After having six children and making this unique decree, the young emperor gave a peculiar command.

「Find and bring to me a legendary being in all the world, worthy of receiving the seed of the most noble bloodline, someone who would not be a disgrace to stand by my side.」

That was the moment when the emperor’s eccentricities began.

After the order was given, the nobles and princes, including the archdukes, searched the entire continent for those who met the emperor’s conditions and presented them to him.

Of course, it was impossible to find a true legendary being, so most of those who were presented were subhuman races.

Mermaids, elves, fairies, and so on.

The emperor had relationships with all kinds of subhuman races and had a total of five children.

However, four of them died before they even reached adulthood. The reasons were different for each one, but it was likely the work of the empress’s faction.

‘And the only survivor….’

….was Princess Perticia.

In a way, her mother was almost exactly like the legendary being the emperor was looking for.

After all, Princess Perticia’s mother was none other than a spirit.

‘How they are connected, with the vague nature of spirits, remains unclear.’

What was certain was that Perticia was a half-human, half-spirit, possessing both the strengths and traits of both races.

As evidence of this, she could see things that were invisible to normal humans.

For example, spirits and otherworldly beings.

Furthermore, she wasn’t limited to just seeing them; she could converse with them and even borrow their powers.

Meanwhile, around that time.

While Perticia was observing the streets, she suddenly wore a displeased expression. After letting out a small sigh, she muttered, “I’ve always felt, but I think my brother is too overprotective of me.”

“Eh? What do you mean…….”

“Even though there’s Limer, he sent fifteen members of the Royal Guard.”

“………….”

Following Perticia’s words, Limer fell silent.

As Perticia mentioned, there was a Royal Guard detachment following the group.

However, he had never told Perticia about this. But she not only knew about their presence but also accurately counted their numbers—thanks to her special ability.

‘…Spirit magic.’

Communication with the spirits, as mentioned earlier. Thanks to this ability, Perticia’s eyes and ears were far superior to those of others. She could see and hear spirits that were invisible to ordinary people.

‘And there’s one more thing.’

She possessed a special ability.

It was singing; beyond having a talent for singing, Perticia’s songs were infused with a mysterious, otherworldly power — listening to her songs would calm the mind or restore energy with just the melodies.

It was one of the reasons she was so favored by Shartrand, the First Prince and Limer’s master.

“There, Miss Rapidis.”

At that moment, a clear voice interrupted their thoughts.

It was Pertitica. She tugged gently at Limer’s sleeve, pointing towards a direction.

“What’s that?”

A three-story building on a busy street.

On the bulletin board in front, a promotional poster for ‘The Song of Floris’ caught her eye.

It was a recent play that depicted the love between a noblewoman and a barbarian, a trend in the capital. However, Limer provided only the necessary information.

“Oh, it’s a theater.”

“A theater?”

“It’s an establishment where plays, dances, and concerts are usually performed.”

As soon as she finished, curiosity flashed in Perticia’s eyes, but Limer, who had noticed the change in tone, spoke first.

“No, you can’t.”

“But I haven’t said anything yet?”

“I can’t properly protect the princess in a crowded place like a theater.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not here to watch the play. I just want to take a quick look inside…….”

“I will report this to the lord.”

“……This is hopeless.”

Perticia pouted her lips.

A disgruntled expression for not getting what she wanted. However, not long after, she seemed to relent, wearing a strange expression as if asking when she had become like this.

But before long, she made a curious expression, as if she had forgotten what she had just been arguing about.

“Wow, what’s that place over there?”

She was referring to a large building on a wide lot near the theater; many people were enjoying refreshments at indoor and outdoor tables.

“That’s a cafe. It’s a place where they sell simple food and drinks. However, the quality is not good enough to satisfy the princess.”

“Then let’s have lunch there too…….”

“However, it will not be to your taste.”

“But we still have to eat.”

“That’s okay. I brought a packed lunch.”

Could it be because of the repeated rejections? Perticia’s eyebrows arched. It seems that she was really angry this time.

“There’s also the danger of poisoning…….”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

“When it comes to protecting the princess, it’s better to be overcautious than undercautious.”

“It’s okay, there won’t be any poison.”

“But…….”

“Even if there is, I’ll be able to tell.”

This time, Limer closed her mouth.

It was true. Perticia could tell better than anyone else if there was poison in the food; that’s because the spirits would tell her.

And this ability was also the real reason why she was able to survive the various assassination attempts by the Empress’s forces.

“I won’t be stubborn anymore, so please give in this time. If I don’t go in this time, I don’t know when I’ll be able to see the capital again.”

Perticia’s repeated requests; her eyes sparkled so pleadingly that Limer finally gave in.

“……Sigh, fine.”

“Oh, really?”

“But you’ll have to keep it a secret from the lord.”

“Yes, I promise.”

Perticia smiled brightly; like she was satisfied with getting what she wanted.

* * * * *

Around the same time, Perticia, who had finally gotten permission from Limer, headed for the cafe with a much lighter step…

…at that moment, a large crowd of people poured out of the theater; they were the audience who had just finished watching the play and came out. Among them were Ulan and Ibella.

“Haah, it was really sad.”

Ibella sighed and wiped her reddened eyes. Seeing the clear tear marks, Ulan asked with a puzzled face.

“Was it sad enough to make you cry?”

“Yes. Especially in the last scene, even I cried, and so did everyone else.”

At the answer, Ulan thought about the last scene of the play he had just seen.

It was the scene where the two main characters, who intuitively realized that their love was impossible, sang a song of eternal love and jumped off a cliff together.

“I don’t understand.”

“Huh? In what way?”

“I don’t understand why they jumped off a cliff together at the end. No matter how much I think about it, I don’t understand.”

“It’s because they couldn’t get over the difference in status. The man dies, and the woman is taken away by her family to be forced into a marriage with an unwanted man,” Ibella continued to answer heatedly. “In other words, it’s an expression of their determination to be together, even in death, if they can’t be together in reality.”

“I see.”

Ulan nodded thoughtfully.

However, his face still showed that he didn’t understand. Just as they were about to leave the theater completely, she suddenly spoke up, “Hey, you know.”

“Hmm?”

“If it were you, Ulan, what would you do?”

In the play, the two men and women chose to be together forever in death rather than be separated alive.

So what would Ulan choose?

Ibella waited with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation for the answer, and without missing a beat, Ulan answered, “I would fight.”

“……Huh?”

“I will fight head-on and solve the problem.”

Ulan raised his large fist; as if he was going to break through everything that was blocking his way.

Ibella laughed awkwardly.

“Well, you can do it because you’re strong, but what if you’re not a Master? Would you still fight?”

Ulan’s answer was still unwavering. “Yes,” he said.

He continued with a serious face, “No matter what, if you run away once, you’ll never be able to escape being a fugitive for the rest of your life.”

These words were passed down from the grasslands, and they were also a realization that Ulan had gained through his past experiences.

After Ulan’s meaningful answer, he turned the question back on Ibella, “What would you do?”

Ibella hesitated for a moment before answering, “Well, I…”

To be honest, up until a moment ago, she had thought the same way as the main characters in the play. But after hearing Ulan’s firm determination, her mind changed a little.

Finally, she confessed her own thoughts, “I think I would fight them to the end.”

The reason was simple.

It was because all she wanted was to be by Ulan’s side. And she also felt like she could break down the walls of reality if she fought alongside Ulan.

“But we don’t have to worry about being in that situation in the first place, because my father, the Count, is very fond of you.”

Ulan was puzzled.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Hehe, nothing.”

She laughed bashfully and a faint blush spread across her cheeks.

Then, as they were turning around…

Grrrr!

…a loud noise came from Ulan’s stomach; it was a shout from his stomach demanding food.

“Ah, are you hungry?” Ibella asked with concern.

“Yes, a little hungry.”

He had been feeling hungry for a while. He had only had a quick sandwich for lunch before the play.

“Why don’t we go eat something then? There’s a place nearby that makes delicious hotcakes and meat pies. I made a reservation.”

“Let’s go quickly.”

Ulan’s eyes sparkled with motivation.

It was the most lively expression he had made since arriving in the capital that day. But their excitement was short-lived; they couldn’t get into the cafe.

“Sorry, but you can’t enter.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Well, with that attire…”

“You might cause inconvenience to other customers.”

The two employees guarding the entrance of the cafe glared at Ulan. Ibella frowned at this.

“There was no mention of this when we made the reservation,” she said.

“Well, we’ve never had a customer who walks around with their upper body naked before,” one of the employees said.

“I apologize again, but could you tell me the name of the person who made the reservation? I think we need to refund the reservation fee.”

The employees’ attitude was adamant, leaving no room for negotiation. Ibella sighed, seemingly half-giving up.

“Haah,” she said. “It’s Istan El Deorg.”

“Oh, I see. Istan… huh?”

The employee who had been silently writing down the name of the reservation holder suddenly had a blank expression on his face. Then, he cautiously asked again.

“May I ask what your relationship is to the person who made the reservation…?”

“I’m his daughter.”

“……!?”

“Please wait a moment!”

The two employees were startled. They hurriedly ran inside the cafe.

A few minutes later, they came running back with a man. The man had a large scar on his left eye.

He immediately bowed his head.

“I apologize for the rudeness of my staff,” he said. “I had given orders to let in any of your family members, regardless of the reason, but it seems that there was a miscommunication.”

“I’m so sorry!”

The employees who had turned Ulan away because of his attire also bowed their heads. More accurately, the man had forcefully pressed their heads down.

“Come in, come in. We’ve already prepared a table for you, as I received a call from His Excellency.”

“Is it okay for me to come in like this, dressed like this?”

“Of course, if you’re a guest of His Excellency, you’re welcome to come in even if you’re naked. Of course, we can’t help you if you get reported and arrested by the guards.”

With that playful answer, he introduced himself as Kiere Rompel, the owner of the cafe.

He went on to say that he owed a debt of gratitude to Count Deorg from their time together on the Southern Front. He also explained that he would not have been able to operate such a successful cafe if it weren’t for the Count.

Kiere led them to the back garden of the cafe.

It was a much larger and more secluded space than the rest of the cafe. It seemed that he had deliberately chosen a quiet place where they could talk freely, away from the noise.

“If there’s anything you need, please let me know. If the menu doesn’t have something you want, I’ll even go to the market and make it for you.”

With polite greetings, Kier left.

When he was completely out of sight, Ibella whispered to herself, a little annoyed.

“He’s so kind, it’s almost overwhelming.”

“That must mean he owes a lot to Count Deorg.”

The Count was a generous man, after all.

Ulan let out a short exclamation of admiration. Ibella, on the other hand, had a slightly subtle expression.

However, that didn’t last long.

They soon ordered food, and a huge amount of food arrived shortly after; so much so that the round table wobbled.

“Eat a lot, Ulan.”

“I’ll eat gratefully.”

Now that the food was here, there was no reason to hesitate.

Ulan greedily devoured the dishes laid out before him. It was a meal with no semblance of formality, but Ibella could only stare at Ulan with amusement.

A short while later, when almost all the food was gone..

“Wow, I’m so excited!”

…suddenly, a clear voice was heard from outside.

At the same time, Ulan looked at where the voice came from. It was because it was a voice he remembered.

What he saw next was white hair fluttering in the wind. Ulan’s eyes widened at this.

‘Surely…….’

For a moment, the face of an old companion he had worked with in his past life came to mind. But that was only for a moment, and Ulan shook his head in denial.

‘No, it can’t be.’

After all, she said that she had never been outside the world until the empire collapsed.

While he was thinking about the old memories…

Tap! Tap!

…Ibella’s fingers tapped on the table; as if to break Ulan’s reverie.

“Hey, Ulan?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you listening to me?”

“Huh? What were you saying?”

“Even if we’re in the middle of a meal, isn’t it too much not to listen at all?”

Ibella gave him a sour look.

In response, Ulan bowed his head slightly.

“I apologize. I’ll pay attention this time.”

“No, it’s not something you need to remember separately. I just asked if you have any plans for summer vacation.”

“Summer vacation?”

“Isn’t there a two-week summer vacation scheduled after the final exam at the end of June? Are you going back home with Noah?”

There was no such thing.

The distance to the grasslands alone was quite significant; it took two months just to reach the Imperial capital from the grasslands.

Of course, if it had been Ulan alone, without Noah with her weak stamina, he would have arrived much sooner.

But even so, two weeks was a tight schedule.

That’s why he shook his head.

“No, I’m not going back home.”

“Really? Then why don’t you come to the Count’s estate? It’s only a three-day trip by carriage from the academy.”

“You mean your home?”

“Yes, my father also wants to see you.”

To be precise, he wanted to spar with Ulan. But Ibella, who had finished, waited for Ulan’s answer with a nervous face.

Some time after that.

The long-awaited answer came back.

“Unless there is something special, I will do that.”

“……! Really?”

“Yes.”

Ibella beamed, not expecting such an easy yes.

Later, while eating dessert and chatting in a cheerful atmosphere.

Clack! Clack!

With a brisk pace, a group of guests entered the backyard. Then they sat down in a place quite far from where Ulan was.

As soon as the girl in the center of the group took off her hood, Ulan’s hand, which was about to pick up a hotcake, stopped in the air.

It was the girl with the snow-white hair from earlier.

Her face was so beautiful that anyone, regardless of age or gender, would have to turn around to look at her.

However, the reason why Ulan’s gaze was stolen was not only because her face was beautiful. She was someone he recognized.

“……Perticia?”

Immediately after fixing his gaze on the girl, Ulan muttered the name in his memory with a dazed expression.

The seventh and last to join the party of warriors against the Abyss.

A bard who soothed the weary minds and bodies of the warriors with her singing skills. Almost the only one in the world who could use spirit magic.

‘How did she get here…….’

As he was recalling the memories of his past life.

Suddenly, his eyes met Perticia; blood-red eyes that seemed to draw him in. He stared at her mysterious eyes for a moment.

Suddenly, Ulan felt a warm touch on his cheek.

It was the warmth from Ibella’s palm.

“……I don’t like being ignored.”

Along with the voice that followed.

Ibella pulled Ulan’s face towards her. Then, with a blushing face, she pursed her lips.

“Look at me properly.”

With eyes full of strong jealousy.

Ibella glared at him.

End of Chapter. . . . . . . .Thanks for Reading. . . . . . . . .

 

 

Translator’s Notes:-

Sorry for the late update.

I was on a break for 2-3 days and didn’t translate any chapter because I was burned out. I am feeling refreshed now.

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