Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

7 – 50 Days *Revised*

I pondered deeply.

What to do once I left the family.

The sum in my possession amounted to 50 gold coins.

The Academy tuition for half a year was 30 gold coins, so

it certainly wasn’t a paltry sum—quite the opposite, in fact.

‘About five million won, perhaps…?’

However, almost half of that

would have to be used for living expenses,

and buying a new house with

the remaining gold was simply out of the question.

I had to devise a solution.

If I went out onto the streets in this state,

it was clear I would starve to death before long.

The solution to this was none other than the Academy.

The Academy’s dormitory system.

The Academy dormitories

Dormitories differed greatly depending on one’s station, you see.

The commoner dormitories were, at their core,

exactly as the name suggested: ordinary homes.

The noble dormitories, however,

demanded a steeper price, but in return,

provided services worthy of that steep price.

Endless refills of fine cuisine were standard,

and luxurious furnishings welcomed the inhabitants.

The academy’s various facilities

were also available free of charge.

What’s more, they say personal attendants were even assigned, though

hardly any of the students

actually made use of them.

Those who occupied that dormitory

already had their own retinue

of servants following their every whim.

‘If I were the me of yesteryear, I would, of course,

have chosen the more extravagant lodging…’

But as I was now, I was practically penniless.

Especially since I currently possessed

no means to earn an income.

That left the dormitories primarily used by commoners,

where the accommodations might be a little spartan,

but which cost nothing to reside in.

Perfectly suited for me in my current state, one might say.

From the start, the noble dormitories

felt far too burdensome for me anyhow.

It was for that purpose that I had come to the Headmaster’s office.

To request a transfer of dormitories.

Of course, there were

proper channels to go through, without doubt,

but taking that route would mean

waiting at least several more days.

And that would mean I’d have to

waste more money.

My funds were meager enough already,

and I had no desire to squander them further.

Besides, there was no reason not to move

to a dormitory that provided free room and board,

was there?

“I wish to transfer my dormitory to the standard housing, Headmistress.”

The poker face she’d so diligently maintained

shattered utterly with my single sentence,

and I felt a subtle thrill at the sight.

If nothing else, causing her

expression to waver like that

was no easy feat, truly.

“…Forgive me, quite honestly this

was an utterance I hadn’t foreseen at all.”

She smoothed the furrow

from her brow, restoring it,

and gently placed the

teacup she’d been sipping from,

gazing at me with eyes narrowed.

“A suitable reason is required.

I cannot allow innocent commoner students to be harassed, you understand.”

The very air around us

began to grow heavy with the mana

emanating from her, and my own body was pressed down in response,

I forced my lips to move,

speaking with difficulty amidst the sudden, intensified pressure.

I harbored no intention of harming

this academy, in truth I wished to

coexist within it for a long time. Better to clear up any misunderstandings.

“You misunderstand, Headmistress,

I am not seeking to trouble

the commoner students by intentionally moving there.”

“You expect me to believe that?

Those you’ve tormented, propping yourself up with your family’s name,

would scoff to hear such words.”

I had no retort.

Her statement struck true.

It was indeed a fact that I’d troubled many,

and that I’d brandished the family

name, puffing myself up at every turn, also true…

‘What if I told her I’d left the family…?’

The truth was that

my ability to act as I had within the academy

was undeniably due solely to my family’s influence.

The Reinhardt Dukedom was

Even the Academy found it awkward to antagonize that place.

Just a second son, not even the heir –

no one would willingly stir up trouble there over someone like that.

That’s been the reason they’ve left me alone until now.

But… what if *I* left the family?

The Academy could then readily

impose sanctions on me.

And with that as my condition,

I could simply attend the Academy quietly.

With the condition that I’d withdraw immediately

if I caused trouble again.

“Director, are you aware?

As of today, I’ve left my family.”

“Pfft!”

Whether it was *that* astounding a fact,

she inadvertently spewed the tea she’d just picked up to drink.

Yes, right at me, standing directly in front of her.

“I… I apologize, I was so surprised…”

I casually wiped the tea off my clothes and continued.

“Left the family,

what does that even mean…?”

“Precisely what it sounds like. I’ve left the family.

I’m now nothing more than a commoner.

I believe you, as the Director, understand what this implies.”

It wasn’t a bad proposition for the Director either.

No matter what I did,

she would have the power to stop me.

And the thought that she could eliminate

one of the Academy’s headaches

without being influenced by the family would be consuming her mind.

She seemed to ponder this slowly, before opening her mouth again.

“…This is your last chance, Cadet Jenison.

If you cause trouble just one more time…”

“…If I cause trouble?”

“The Academy will expel you, and furthermore,

if any personal retaliation befalls you afterward,

the Academy will respond with silence.”

“Very well.”

For me, it was hardly

an unfavorable offer.

No more acting like a damn brute, not now.

I rose to my feet then,

offering her my most dazzling smile.

She didn’t take it well,

her expression souring immediately.

“…Then I shall take that as agreement.”

The negotiation concluded thus, and

just before I exited the director’s office,

I paused, not turning around, and

posed a question to her.

“Director. What is the minimum attendance requirement for the academy…?”

“..?? One must attend 140 days out of 190

to complete courses and graduate, but…”

“Thank you.”

“..I will have the number of your assigned room

sent to you directly.”

Having concluded that negotiation, if it could be called one,

I encountered a woman on my way back.

Crimson eyes, a trait unique to the Imperial bloodline.

Hair of a vibrant scarlet,

shimmering like a blazing flame.

Despite wearing the same uniform as the other students,

her attire seemed somehow…different.

Dark earrings, a stark contrast against her

pale skin, caught my eye.

“You…”

A woman admired by all,

worshipped by the masses.

The Empire’s sole princess,

Princess Kiana, stood before me.

“It has been a while, Your Highness.”

“Your face is one

I wished not to see, though.”

Having delivered that brusque reply,

she glanced once at the place I had emerged from, then,

“Did you enter the director’s office and bribe her to prevent your expulsion? How filthy and vile of you.”

She was building up a misunderstanding,

uncontrollable and all her own.

I almost tried to

correct her assumption, but…

Soon enough, I began to wonder if it were even necessary.

‘Those sorts never listen to anyone, anyway… so what.’

Besides, my reputation at the Academy

was already shattered to pieces,

so I figured there was no need to say anything,

and I kept my silence.

“…May I pass?”

“…Yes, well, go ahead. Though I’m not sure

how long you’ll be able to keep coming here like that.”

With those words, the Princess

slightly shifted, making way,

and I, taken aback, glanced at her before averting my gaze.

Her stare, fixed on me,

was just so piercing.

As if she weren’t extending a favor by

clearing the path, but rather

implying she was moving aside first,

because she didn’t want to touch something filthy.

It was just your run of the mill, battle of wills.

A battle where I was not going to yield.

‘…Fine, I’ll yield.

She’s just a little tyke, after all.’

I deliberately ignored her gaze as I brushed past,

and at the same moment, I felt

the Princess’s eyes on me grow even sharper,

but I disregarded all of it completely,

bolted out of the Academy,

collected all my belongings from my old dormitory,

and headed straight

toward the general dormitory.

Because that’s where I would live from now on.

The general dormitory, which I had approached with anticipation,

was, contrary to my expectations,

remarkably run-down.

Likely neglected, due to no one having

entered it for a long time.

And since no one was coming in,

there was no need to clean it either.

‘It’s certainly spacious… but filthy,

“Furniture… Just the one bed, huh?”

The floor was wood, the ceiling formed of stone bricks, stained here and there with moss.

“Well, with a bit of cleaning, it could be habitable…”

Wide it was, and laborious the cleaning would be,

but that meant all the more space for the furniture I created.

Having experienced the 21st century,

crafting convenient furniture was hardly a challenge.

*Fssst*

Right, best to start with the cleaning then…?

*

Cleaning, completed.

Needlessly vast it was, a proper

labor of exhaustion, but somehow, I managed.

Body plastered with sweat and dust, I hurried to wash it off,

and then set about making

a few pieces of furniture.

For undeniably, the room felt too barren as it was.

Creating them was simple enough.

Knowing the structure and principles,

I could conjure anything with Creation Magic,

and my mana reserves were nothing to

scoff at, certainly large enough to

make furniture with ease.

“So, the question is… what now?”

Though I hadn’t spoken much about it,

my course was already half-decided.

“Whatever you do… I hope you

reach the summit…”

Reaching the summit,

succeeding spectacularly.

Of course, for me, with nothing

at all right now, it was an overwhelming goal,

but the present me had roughly 50 days of spare time,

and that time was more than

enough to remake my body and

my spirit.

Of course, my body wasn’t fully grown,

making it impossible to be as I once was,

but even so… I’d be able to crush

all the other kids my age.

“..This godforsaken talent of mine…

Guess I should make good use of it, eh?”

If it were anything else, maybe not,

but alchemy…that was worth a try.

Not like before,

now alchemy had most of its knowledge laid out in books,

and with Creation Magic at my disposal,

the limitations of materials ceased to exist.

In a way, it could even be said that

this was the most suitable profession for me now.

Because the ‘me’ of now wasn’t the ‘me’ of then.

“The dream of every alchemist… the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone, or an intelligent being, preferably human…”

And so, for a time, I holed myself up

inside that small room.

For about 50 days.