HCV 06

“Academy grades… why are they like this?”

The academy graduation transcript was, quite literally, a disaster.

An impressive record converging around an average of D!

At this level, it wasn’t even fair to say she was lucky to graduate. It was more accurate to assume the professors simply couldn’t stand looking at her anymore and pushed her through.

Kaiyen frowned as he looked over the personal records.

Then he spat out a single line.

“An idiot.”

“W-well, she did rank first in the entrance exam!”

Aron hurriedly pointed out the only shining achievement in Frisia’s record.

But his master remained merciless.

“Shouldn’t it be the opposite for that to matter? It would make sense if she started as an idiot and grew while studying. But this? She only deteriorated over time.”

“Th-then… are you not even going to interview her?”

Was this going to be the end of finally bringing in a successor? Just like that?

“Ha… senior. You must’ve suffered a lot working alone all this time. Don’t worry now—I’m here.”

Until a few seconds ago, Aron had even imagined Frisia, the incoming successor, smiling reassuringly at him.

But while Aron was sending off that imaginary successor in tears—

“No. Either way, she passed the hiring test. I should at least see her face.”

“I’ll bring her immediately!”

Aron shouted in relief.

My hands were shaking uncontrollably.

I pressed them together tightly to stop the tremor.

Right in front of me sat the Duke of Kreutz.

Because of the backlighting, I couldn’t see his face clearly, but his silhouette alone was so sculpted it made me gasp.

And yet the reason my heart was pounding wasn’t excitement—it was fear.

“Why is his silhouette already this terrifying?!”

Just moments ago, I had been granted an interview and brought into the duke’s office.

Luckily, my test results seemed to have been decent.

I was genuinely happy when I was told to come for an interview. I really was. But—

“T-t-t-t…”

“Just resting his chin on his hand and he already has that much presence?!”

He was the very embodiment of a hidden mastermind villain.

Even if I studied right next to him, there was no way I could imitate that.

No. Stop thinking weak thoughts. Remember why I came here.

I had to absorb that charisma no matter what!

“Chick, are you analyzing properly? That posture, the leg angle—he looks like a villain.”

[Invalid data! Even if the benefactor imitates that posture, it will not produce the desired impression due to physical constraints!]

…Right. Long legs are probably essential for that kind of presence. As expected, this chick was brutally logical.

My legs weren’t short, but the duke looked like a runway model.

He crossed his sculpted legs in the opposite direction and spoke.

“Frisia Violet?”

“Yes-yes!”

I answered with maximum tension.

“Last heir of the Violet family… almost became a viscount, but personally handed the family over to your uncle. Grades averaging D.”

Ow. Ouch.

The factual accuracy was too sharp to handle.

“You wrote your career goal at the academy as ‘ideal wife.’ And now you want to become my secretary. Why?”

“Because Your Grace is my role model!”

The answer I had prepared poured out without hesitation.

The young man who had handed me the test paper earlier looked stunned.

The duke frowned slightly.

“…Me?”

“Yes! I truly want to become someone with Your Grace’s admirable character and personality! That is now my new career goal!”

“…My character and personality?”

Cough. Cough!

The young man nearly choked, staring at me in shock.

It was a little embarrassing, but I wasn’t lying.

Even when I once saw the duke mercilessly crushing someone under his boots, I had been terrified—but also strangely impressed.

So that’s how people like him live.

That reckless, unrestrained presence had been impossible to look away from.

“One day, I’ll also trample Felix just like a demon!”

Just imagining it made me feel better. My eyes sparkled.

“Yes! The person I respect most is Your Grace! It would be the greatest honor to work and learn beside you!”

The atmosphere in the office subtly shifted.

Not only the young man, but even the knights standing quietly in the background were now looking at me like I was insane.

As if I had said something completely unacceptable.

Was I being too flattering?

But I meant every word.

“….”

It was the duke who broke the strange silence.

“Hm. I see.”

He covered his mouth with a large hand.

Huh?

Did I imagine it?

The corner of his lips seemed slightly raised behind his fingers.

And the tip of his ear, barely visible through his black hair, looked faintly red…

Just as I narrowed my eyes to look more closely—

The duke spoke again.

“An unusual answer.”

Then his expression returned to its cold, emotionless state.

Must’ve been my imagination.

“Still… fine. I understand. Last question.”

“Yes!”

He asked without hesitation.

“If the ether threshold is zero, what effect does a zero-point fluctuation in mana have?”

“It causes a dimensional separation phenomenon due to mana potential difference, leading to a fundamental restructuring of the magical system.”

“What is the main cause of rune resonance cancellation?”

“Asynchronous collision of heterogeneous mana waves.”

“L·R/V equals?”

“A formula for calculating mana efficiency.”

“Passed.”

I saw Aron’s jaw drop.

Then I exhaled the breath I had been holding.

Once I left the magic tower, my pounding heart finally began to calm.

[Benefactor! That was amazing! You didn’t even need my help!]

The chick started chirping loudly in my head.

[In some parts, your calculations were even faster than mine! Amazing!]

“Haha… it’s nothing.”

I tried to sound composed, but I was secretly proud.

‘All those nights I spent during the academy helping Felix and writing error notes and condensed summaries… maybe they weren’t useless after all.’

This was the first time I had obtained something with my own power.

To be precise, it was the first time I had done something for myself—not for Felix or anyone else.

“Phew.”

I looked at the necklace that allowed me entry into the magic tower and smiled.

After calming down, a question I should have asked earlier came to mind.

“Hey chick. Where exactly did you come from?”

You flew out toward the plaza when the academy’s east building exploded.

[I do not remember anything before I was picked up by the benefactor.]

The chick immediately drooped, nervously glancing at me.

“…Really?”

It called itself a magical AI.

Probably something that had been under research at the academy.

Maybe I should return it?

[Since the benefactor saved me, I now belong to the benefactor! You even gave me my name!]

Sensing my thoughts, it panicked.

Its feathers were trembling strangely. I had a feeling.

It’s lying about not remembering anything.

But it clearly didn’t want to go back.

After thinking for a moment, I said,

“Chick isn’t your name.”

[Huh?!]

“It just looked like a chick, so I called you that temporarily. It feels weird to keep calling you that…”

A memory surfaced of the dog I used to raise when my parents were alive. It had died not long after they passed away.

“Can I call you Pipi?”

[Yes!]

The chick—no, Pipi—fluttered around me excitedly.

[I am now the benefactor’s Pipi!]

It was so happy just from getting a name.

It felt a little like my old dog had come back.

I quickly suppressed the tightening feeling in my chest.

Still, things were off to a good start.

It was late, but it felt like I was finally starting something new.

And then, the next day.

“Ah, young lady! Lady Frisia!”

An unwelcome piece of news greeted me as I woke up late.

“Sir Felix is currently waiting in the reception room!”