The Academy is Doomed

Chapter 95

The World Tree, which seemed to try to pierce the sky, disappeared beyond the clouds.

Although it wasn’t as mythical as the World Tree itself, the inside of the sufficiently massive tree was filled with Elf-style furniture and decorations.

The furniture looked as though it was made from the tree itself.

Anar’el spoke.

“Actually, the tree itself has a will and turned into furniture and decorations!”

It really was the tree itself.

“Our tree’s name is Moderaus!”

It even had a name.

While explaining, Anar’el was lying down, seemingly trying to show off her swollen back, which had been struck by her mother.

If she didn’t distract herself even a little, tears seemed to fall due to the pain, as Anar’el’s eyelashes were wet with tears.

And if it were any other time, I wouldn’t have entertained such a pointless conversation.

“I see! Moderaus! What a wonderful name!”

Just as I praised, the chair I was sitting on began massaging my shoulders, seemingly pleased.

“Ah, that feels nice.”

The skilled massage technique was slowly melting the accumulated fatigue!

Well, it’s a tree, so how long must it have lived, taking care of Elf shoulders?

“Hmm, by the way, why am I the only one staying here?”

While everyone else quickly left to explore the Elf Kingdom, Amon stayed inside the tree house with Anar’el.

Amon had also wanted to go out and enjoy the sightseeing, but Anar’el’s mother, Arnen’s words, meant he had no choice but to remain here.

“Should I be exiled from the kingdom?”

“I will stay!”

In the end, Amon had no choice but to stay with Anar’el, who was groaning with her back exposed.

Anyway, while Amon was enjoying the treehouse giving him a shoulder massage, Anar’el’s mother, Arnen, entered holding some medicine.

She looked at Amon, enjoying the massage, and spoke with a disapproving voice.

“Point deduction.”

“Yes?”

“How can you leave your partner, the Elf, groaning in pain and ignore it like it’s someone else’s problem? Point deduction.”

Amon was so surprised that he jumped up.

“Partner? What nonsense are you talking about!”

“Huh? Isn’t that so?”

Anar’el also groaned and shouted.

“Mother! We’re ‘not’ like that yet!”

Amon had a fit.

“Don’t put unnecessary qualifiers! It’s not ‘not yet,’ it’s ‘forever!'”

It would be hard to have such intense feelings even if the sky were turned upside down.

Anar’el spoke with dissatisfaction.

“If it’s not, then why are you so angry?”

“I’m not angry…sigh, it’s just that I fear it would be disrespectful, as my level is so much lower than the principal’s. I’m sorry if I gave the wrong impression.”

“Oh my.”

Anar’el laughed, saying ‘Gold paint!’ but Amon said it because he saw Arnen’s sharp gaze.

Indeed, it wouldn’t be right to criticize someone else’s daughter in someone else’s house.

“So, I guess this human isn’t the same as the other one?”

“…Huh?”

“You were with two human males, an older one and a younger one?”

“Th-thats not it.”

“Then…oh my, girl! Even though humans grow fast, a human child is still…”

“Oh my!”

Anar’el suddenly became angry.

“I told you it’s not like that!”

Amon also became furious.

“How dare you speak ill of our precious students, like the principal or that disgrace…”

“What did you say?”

“They’re a disgrace to the principal, of course.”

Amon, barely swallowing ‘disgrace,’ nodded.

Anyway, after hearing the justified anger from both sides, Arnen clicked her tongue and spoke.

“So you left home so proudly because you didn’t want to get married, and now you’re bringing men here. I just had to ask in case.”

“…”

“Anyway, it’s been a while.”

“…Yes, it’s been 40 years.”

40 years of running away!

The sense of time among Elves is truly awe-inspiring.

As Arnen applied medicine to Anar’el’s swollen back, she spoke.

“Since you’re here, you should rest properly.”

“…Yes, mother. But what about father?”

Arnen spoke in a calm voice.

“He returned to the Mother Forest about 10 years ago.”

At those words, Amon clicked his tongue.

“That…in the time you were gone, such sad news came?”

“When will he come back?”

“Huh?”

“He said he’d be back soon, so he should return in a few years.”

“I see.”

“Anyway, it’s fine. The swelling on your back will go down soon.”

“If you’re going to apply medicine, you could have at least slapped me lightly, right?”

Slap!

Anar’el, who was struck again, curled up like a pill bug.

“Well, I’ll go now. Rest well.”

“Ah… Yes.”

After Arnen left, Amon cautiously spoke.

“By the way, when you said your father returned to the Mother Forest…?”

“Huh? Ah, I see how that could be misunderstood in the context of the Imperial language?”

Anar’el laughed and explained.

“The Mother Forest is a place. It’s where the High Elves grow.”

“I see. Hmm, High Elves…”

“Do you know about High Elves?”

“I only know what is widely known.”

They are a race born with tremendous mana and a close affinity with spirits.

That was old information, but I had heard that High Elves are simply the ‘elite’ of Elves.

It may sound odd, but if I had to compare them, they would be the ‘good mutation.’

They aren’t inherited genetically but are chosen by the World Tree, with only one being born per generation.

And the one born through that rare chance would become the ‘king’ who rules over the Elf Kingdom.

“I guess your father is a High Elf.”

“Huh? No, my parents are ordinary Elves. My father is probably away because he’s the king.”

“Really? Isn’t it the High Elf who becomes the king?”

At that moment, Anar’el proudly raised her ears.

“I’m a High Elf!”

“…What?”

“Since I’m young, my father ascended the throne in my place!”

“…Huh?”

“Y-you didn’t know I’m a High Elf?”

When I nodded, Anar’el’s face was filled with shock.

“Why, how did you not know?”

“How would I know unless you told me?”

“No, you should have known just by looking at me!”

“How on earth would I know you’re a High Elf just by looking at you?”

Who would ever think this stiff-eared person was a High Elf?

But Anar’el seemed to feel incredibly wronged.

“Go away! Ask someone else!”

Meanwhile, the group was sightseeing near Moderaus.

“Teacher Marion! Teacher Marion!”

“Huh? Principal?”

Anar’el, who had rushed over with an excited face, pointed at herself and said.

“Marion, you must know!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“You know, that I’m a High Elf!”

Marion’s eyes widened.

“You’re a High Elf?”

“Huh.”

“The one High Elf born per generation…Wait, you’re the principal? Oh my, this is truly surprising.”

Seeing Marion’s genuine surprise, it seemed she really didn’t know.

Anar’el, with a hurt expression, now looked at Sloth.

“Teacher Sloth?”

“You were a High Elf? But why, um. Yes. I see now.”

“……”

Despair appeared on Anar’el’s face.

She didn’t make the foolish mistake of asking Kai and Fiora.

Marion, Sloth, and Amon didn’t know, so there was no way the newcomers would know.

However, contrary to her thoughts, Kai knew.

‘In this atmosphere, it would be hard to admit I knew.’

The Emperor, his father, and the Empress, his mother, frequently spoke about Anar’el, so there was no way Kai didn’t know.

“Se-seems no one knew?”

With her face completely downcast, she trembled with her ears and teeth as she looked at Brestle, who was tossing and turning while unconscious.

“The vice-principal knows though…”

Amon scratched his head.

“You should tell me for me to know. How would I know if you don’t tell me?”

“But if I say it, it’ll sound like I’m boasting about being a high elf.”

“I think this is more like boasting, though…”

Amon, nodding to Marion’s remark, continued.

“By the way, you said ‘you should be able to tell just by looking,’ what exactly should we look at to know?”

Suddenly, Anar’el’s ears started flapping.

What on earth is going on now?

“What do you mean ‘tell’?”

Flap, flap!

“Principal?”

Flap, flap!

“Why aren’t you talking…”

“Ears! Ears!”

“Huh?”

With a sullen expression, Anar’el spoke.

“High elves have ears that move better!”

“…Ah, yes. I see.”

The shocking truth about high elves.

Crossing her arms as though sulking, Anar’el muttered.

“How could you not know this?”

“I don’t know why you think I should know. But now that I think about it…”

Amon glanced at the still unconscious Brestle.

“Brestle’s ears aren’t flapping like that.”

Brestle’s ears had never flapped like pigeon wings.

“See, right? You understand now!”

Seeing her so proud of it, it seemed like moving ears was something to boast about.

‘Sigh, students, don’t grow up to be adults like this…huh?’

Amon looked around.

“But where did the kids go? They were just here a moment ago?”

“Huh? Ah, I think they went that way.”

Now that he thought about it, he could hear kids’ voices from that direction.

“Principal, what’s over there?”

“Huh? Ah, there’s a stable over there.”

“A stable? A horse stable?”

At those words, Anar’el put her finger to her lips.

“Shh! Shh. They don’t like it when you call it a horse stable.”

“Uh? Who doesn’t like it?”

“The unicorns.”

“U-unicorns? The mythical unicorns?”

Anar’el nodded.

“Yes, a few unicorns are staying at the stable behind our house.”

“A few… are they considered sentient beings?”

“Ugh, they actually are sentient beings, you know?”

“Stable or horse stable, it’s the same thing, but when you say stable, it really makes them seem less sentient, doesn’t it? It makes them look pretty unsentient.”

“They think the stable sounds more sophisticated.”

Claiming that it sounds sophisticated made them suddenly feel much more sentient.

Anyway, Amon headed towards the unicorn stable at the back.

“Kids, what are you doing over there?”

“Wow! Wow wow!”

Boris and Raymond were playing, riding the unicorns with sparkling eyes, while Chloe and Ami were horrified by the unicorns’ chewing of their hair.

Seeing this scene, Amon spoke with a grim face.

“Is it okay to ride them like that?”

“Of course! Unicorns like pure-hearted people and children.”

“That’s just like in the legends.”

However, while the unicorns, who were supposed to have the ability to see the truth, were hiding their power, they were desperately avoiding the dragon, Rustianel.

“They’re avoiding me so blatantly, it’s making me uncomfortable.”

-Hee, heehee!

“I got it, I got it.”

-Heeheehee…

Wow, it’s like I’m communicating with a unicorn.

At that moment, a unicorn approached, pawing at the ground.

“Oh, Unicorn. It’s been a while.”

-Heeheehee.

“Yes, I’ve been doing well. How about your son?”

-Hee! Hee! Heehee!

“Ah, really?”

It seemed Anar’el could communicate with them.

Watching with awe, the unicorn, called Unicorn, approached and started chewing Amon’s hair.

“…What is this? I never heard of a unicorn doing this.”

“It’s not well known, but it’s a sign of affection! The unicorn likes you, Amon!”

Amon closed his eyes slightly.

It was like his private life was being exposed sneakily.

When he opened his eyes again, Anar’el was also having her hair chewed.

“Hahaha! It tickles.”

“Hah.”

It was an odd sense of kinship, and Amon was also amazed at Anar’el, who was still innocent despite being 269 years old.

“Are the students really here?”

“Senior Marion!”

Amon hastily blocked Marion.

The unicorn would surely kick or poke the old Marion with its horn!

“You can’t come!”

“Huh? Why?”

At that moment, the unicorn raised its front legs and started crying, then charged toward Marion.

‘Oh no!’

Just as Amon hurriedly tried to stop the unicorn.

“Hehehe! Ticklish!”

Amon covered his mouth as he saw Marion being chewed on by the unicorn.

It seemed like tears were about to burst out.

“Hehehe! Huh? Amon, why are you trying to make me cry?”

“No! I didn’t see anything!”

“Huh? Really? But what’s going on with this unicorn?”

“I don’t know!”

“That’s the unicorn’s way of showing affection…”

“Principal! Please be quiet!”

Marion, whose hair was being chewed and almost pulled out, was being dragged around!

At that moment, Sloth and Fiora sneakily approached.

“What’s going on? What happened?”

“Senior Sloth! Don’t come! You’re a troublemaker, you can do whatever you want.”

Amon, who was kicked by Fiora’s foot and rolling on the ground, lifted his head with difficulty, only to see Sloth and Fiora screaming as their hair was chewed by the unicorn.

Amon couldn’t stop sighing at this scene.

Chew, chew-

Brestle, who was being dragged by Sloth, was now having her hair chewed by one of the unicorns that had approached.

‘…Is it really okay for our academy to be like this?’

Everyone on the academy staff was of an age where they could have families, so how did it end up like this?

At that moment, Kai appeared.

“Ah! You guys are here…”

-Heeheeheehee!

“Kraaaack!”

Kai was kicked by a unicorn that charged at him like lightning, and Amon’s face hardened.

‘Kai, you…’

Amon’s fondness for Kai had fallen straight through the floor.