Episode 83 – Before the Break (2)

Before the Break (2)

The next day.

In the fencing training room of Endex.

“Today, as I mentioned before, we will evaluate three Sword Forms.”

Professor Jeoly of Swordsmanship spoke to the seniors.

“The number of attempts is unlimited. You can try as much as you want for three hours. I’ve invited teaching assistants to help you with your practice.”

There were many people around him. This time, they were teaching assistants, not college students.

“As I mentioned last week, three Sword Forms are very important. So, today is no different from a mid-term check before the first quarter exam, I’m giving you as much practice time as possible.”

For me, who had missed last week’s class, it was a rather aggressive progression.

“Come to the evaluation room after you’ve practiced enough. Is there anyone who wants to do it right away?”

Jeoly asked, pointing to the evaluation room. First, Gerkhen Kal Doon, and then Soliette raised their hands.

“I’ll do it.”

“Yes. So, come in. Starting with Mr. Gerkhen Kal Doon.”

Gerkhen Kal Doon went into the evaluation room with Jeoly. Soliette also went ahead and stood in front of the closed door.

─Elise. Are you going ahead?

Kain, who was watching, asked Elise.

─What about you guys?

─We’re going to warm up a bit. There’s also Gala senior over there. We’re going to spar a bit.

For reference, Gala is a quite famous knight. A man who often appears in entertainment shows. Was it Jeon Cham Cham? Or Jeon Jeon Shi. He came with his manager.

─You guys go. I’ll go right away.

─Oh. Hey, Asher. Let’s go.

─Okay.

Kain and Asher seemed to be planning to practice with the knight named Gala, and Elise took the next spot after Soliette.

I naturally stood behind Elise.

“……What about you.”

Elise sighed as if she was fed up with me.

“I’m going to take the test right away too. Why.”

“…….”

She had a face that seemed to pity the world, but she didn’t say anything else.

Just then, the door opened.

“Good job. Go upstairs and rest.”

“Thank you.”

It was Gerkhen Kal Doon who had finished his evaluation in the meantime.

“Next person, come in.”

“Yes.”

It was Soliette’s turn, and her evaluation ended in just two minutes.

“Next, Ms. Elise.”

Elise, who was next, came out almost three minutes later.

“……What can you do? I heard you missed last week.”

Perhaps she got a perfect score, Elise was smirking and meddling.

“Wipe your feet and wait. I’ll be there soon.”

“Sigh.”

She went upstairs with a grumble.

I opened the door to the evaluation room. I raised my voice even though they didn’t call me.

“I’m here. Shion Ascal.”

“……Shion Ascal?”

Professor Jeoly on the other side looked at me with doubtful eyes. I held the Ascal sword with confidence.

“Yes. I’m Shion Ascal.”

______________________________________________________________________

“Your basics are really… outstanding. It seems like you’ve been practicing for years.”

I showcased three Sword Forms—Eclipse, Linked Form, and Five-Flower Form—in the evaluation room and received high praise from Jeoly.

“Shion Ascal, you’ve scored full marks. Go upstairs and rest.”

“Yes.”

I left the evaluation room and went upstairs. Naturally, the only ones on the second floor were Gerkhen Kal Doon, Elise, and Soliette.

Soliette was leaning against the second-floor railing, pretending not to know anything, Gerkhen Kal Doon was reading some book, and surprisingly, Elise was waving at me.

“Did you give up on the evaluation? Come here.”

Why is she like that? Is she planning an assassination or something?

“You look suspicious.”

“……Stop talking nonsense.”

I sat down on the sofa next to her. Soliette glanced over at us.

Elise handed me a paper filled with numbers.

“What’s this?”

“It’s the cost for the stage play. Read it and discuss if you have any issues.”

Stage costs, lighting costs, staff hiring costs, etc… There are quite a lot of costs, and I don’t quite understand them.

“There are a lot of numbers. Is there a three-line summary?”

“……The budget for the stage play has exceeded, and an additional cost of 20,000 Ren has occurred.”

“Oh, I can’t handle this. You deal with it.”

I hastily threw the paper away.

“What did you do to incur additional costs? Just lay down and rest.”

I laid down on the sofa.

“Sigh…….”

Elise sighed as if she was frustrated, and I turned my head and was surprised. Soliette was right behind the sofa where I was sitting. She was definitely standing by the railing just a moment ago.

Elise picked up the paper with telekinesis and said,

“We have 2,300 seats, so we can cover it with ticket sales.”

“What? Is it an opera house? Is there such a facility inside Endex?”

What kind of high school festival has 2,300 seats?

The theater I went to before had a capacity of 4,000 seats.

“You know the Palette Theater, right? They often host musicals and classical performances there, didn’t you know?”

“I haven’t been there. But can we fill all 2,300 seats?”

At that, Elise chuckled. The wrinkles around her eyes wriggled as if they found it amusing.

“The rumor is spreading quite a bit.”

“What rumor…… Ah, is it that my script is too good?”

Elise did not respond to that. There was no non-verbal agreement either.

“It’s not common for a 6-star prospect to do a play.”

Instead, she put herself forward.

“Oh, is that so? Anyway, if we fill all that- Huh.”

I was about to speak when I was startled. Soliette was right next to the sofa. Where did she learn to teleport? Why does she get closer every time I look?

“There are a total of 70 invitation tickets. There are only 30 VIP seats. You probably don’t have anyone to invite- Oh my.”

Elise shrugged her shoulders. It was because Soliette, who had teleported close enough to touch, was there.

“When did you get here?”

“Continue your conversation.”

Soliette silently picked up her smartphone. She was probably surfing the community.

“……Hmm. Anyway, you don’t have anyone to invite to the VIP seats, do you? So let me take care of it-”

“Hey.”

I cut her off.

“Does the ticket price go up if a lot of VIPs come? No, we haven’t set the ticket price yet, right?”

“35 Ren. It’s a price that can avoid a deficit if we sell out.”

“So, what if we raise it a bit and there’s a surplus? Do you give me the surplus? I wrote the script.”

“……Wow.”

Elise opened her mouth wide. She took a couple of breaths without saying anything, looking as if she was amazed. She looked like a monkey coveting a banana.

“If there’s a profit from the festival, it’s all donated, right?”

“Oh, that’s fine too. But let me donate it to where I want.”

“……You only have such thoughts in your head. Do as you please. But if there’s a deficit, you have to handle it alone.”

What does she mean by deficit? Does she think I’m going to launder money and swallow it?

……Honestly, it’s not a bad method, but there’s a real place to donate.

Orphanage.

Libra’s Orphanage, which moved to the countryside.

I don’t know what the facilities there are like, but they probably can’t live as comfortably as before.

“Besides, do you have any VIPs to invite? To influence the ticket price, they should have some name value.”

“I do. You’ll be surprised if they come.”

“……I’d be surprised even if a bum is sitting in the VIP seat.”

If you look closely, he’s a bum, but externally, he’s a neat guy.

His name value is unnecessarily high enough to influence the ticket price.

“Excuse me.”

Suddenly, Soliette interrupted.

“Can I also get a ticket?”

“……Huh?”

Elise and I turned to Soliette at the same time. It was that unexpected. Soliette is interested in the play?

“There’s a lot of talk on the internet.”

Ah. This is also because of the community.

The Magic High Festival, which only happens once a year, is a subject of interest in the community.

“I can give you one, but……”

“Is the invitation ticket free by any chance?”

Soliette asked about the cost first. Elise nodded in surprise.

“……Yes. It’s an invitation, so it’s free.”

“I will gratefully accept it.”

That’s when it happened.

“By any chance. Can I also get one?”

Gerkhen Kal Doon, who seemed to be focusing on his book until now, subtly raised his hand.

Elise chuckled.

“Sure. You come too.”

______________________________________________________________________

After the swordsmanship lecture ended.

I was standing in a public telephone booth in Endex Park. I searched for a contact on my smartphone and called somewhere.

Drrrr- Drrrr-

“Hoo……”

─Hello.

“Oh.”

The call was quickly connected. I wasn’t even ready yet.

I coughed ten times before speaking.

“Ah. Yes. Is this… Arbil Orphanage?”

─Yes.

Arbil Orphanage. The new name for the now-defunct Orphanage, which becomes Arbil when you read Libra backward.

I asked quietly.

“……How are things? Are they okay?

─Pardon?

“No, I mean, I’m just wondering if the kids are getting three meals a day.”

─……Excuse me?

This guy keeps asking me to repeat myself.

“No, you don’t understand. I’m asking if the kids, like, Bell Berry, are they getting three meals a day?”

─Ah~ Bell, Berry? Yes. They’re doing well. Things are so-so. They’re getting three meals a day, even if they can’t have snacks, but the facilities like the playground are quite run-down.

“Well…… then. Are you accepting donations now?”

I shifted my position as I spoke. My back and the nape of my neck were strangely itchy.

─Donations?

“Yes. Donations.”

I scratched my collarbone and held up my smartphone.

─Yes. We do accept them now.

For the record, they didn’t accept any donations during the old Libra Orphanage days. Because of Libra’s pride.

“Then just send me the account number.”

─Ah~ Yes. 391-2031-1234 Arbil……

I wrote down the number he gave me.

“I’ll donate a suitable amount. Don’t get your hopes up too high.”

I’m not sure how much the surplus from the play will be, but it should be enough to build a new playground for the kids.

─Yes.

“I’m hanging up.”

─……

There was no response. Maybe he was telling me to hang up myself.

Just as I was about to hang up the receiver.

─I heard you’re working hard.

“……Yes?”

At that moment, my body stiffened. I felt as if something had frozen.

─You can do it.

I tilted my head slightly. I didn’t quite understand, so I just asked outright.

“Are they doing well?”

─Of course~ Berry is now the leader of the Orphanage. She controls the kids so well with her smartphone. Sometimes the teachers even have to ask Berry for help.

“Hmm. I see.”

I let out a hollow laugh. It wasn’t exactly given to her for control purposes.

“Well. That’s a relief. They’re doing well.”

I hung up the phone without waiting for a response.

For a moment, I leaned against the booth. I stared blankly at the ceiling and muttered to myself.

“How can she tell just by my voice.”

I deliberately called from a public phone, just in case. Of course, it’s been about 7 years with this Vanessa teacher……

“Ah, what the hell.”

I can tell just by her voice too.

That’s ridiculous.

I chuckled softly. I walked out of the booth and sat on a bench.

Now I’m thinking about preparing a letter.

If I want to make a surplus by selling the tickets at a high price, I have to invite that person.

A flattering letter is nothing now.

However, just sending a single letter might not be enough, so I’ll have to draw a portrait with a pencil as well.