Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Exposed Power

Once Cortina and Kabby got rid of the fleas and rubbed the herbs that bugs hate on their bodies, they got out of the bath. Afterward, once we all had dinner together, we had a little meeting.

It wasn’t about Lyell’s punishment, though. That had already been done.

“There is something I have to discuss with you, Nicole.”

“With me?”

“Well, not exactly ‘with you’ but you aren’t unrelated to it.”

It turned out that what Lyell and Maria wanted to discuss was about Michelle.

“As expected, it was impossible to hide her destructive power completely. The topic has already reached the neighboring towns.”

“At this rate, it will spread throughout the continent within a month.”

“That sounds… Bad, doesn’t it?”

“Quite bad. Is what I would say, but influential nobles from Raum have already made a move.”

“Influential… You mean like Marquis Yowi?”

“That person knows about prudence, so we don’t have to worry about that. The problem is the other Marquis.”

“Lichtenberg, was it?”

It was the Marquis that assigned the chivalric order to protect the noble district and planned to abandon the common folk. According to the rumors, he had been doing quite malicious things for a long time.

So that Marquis was trying to get hold of Michelle, huh?

“But she only managed that because of Whitey’s support magic…”

“By Whitey, you mean the girl proclaiming herself to be a god? She has been targeted too of course.”

“So this is what it means to be indiscriminate. Just how shameless is he?”

Cortina, who had received the most harm from him, had spit out those words. Even the peace-loving Maria didn’t try to diffuse the situation this time.

“She certainly had magic support, but the fact that she brought out those results is considered more important. Most likely, they will start scrambling for her in the near future.”

“I… Wouldn’t like that.”

“Even if you say that… Besides, the timing isn’t very good. She is going to graduate from the Support Academy next year, right? There’s not much time left anymore.”

“She has Maxwell and Cortina’s backing now, so they shouldn’t try to get in touch with them formally, but once she graduates and becomes free, I can only imagine the worst outcome.”

“The worst outcome… You mean the invitation rush?”

“Abduction, confinement, brainwashing. You have to consider all that.”

“What!?”

Unlike the Magic Academy, the Support Academy didn’t have a senior year. I planned to enter my senior year at the Magic Academy, but the time where Michelle had to become independent as an Adventurer was drawing near.

It was September now, so she would graduate in half a year.

“If possible, she could leave this kingdom right after she graduates. Random nobles aside, a Marquis might be too much to handle.”

“If that happens, Nicole has to part with her.”

“Even if we have Cloud guard her… The anxiety still remains, huh? That kid is still too inexperienced and ignorant of the ways of the world.”

Maria was worried about me having to part with her, while Cortina was concerned about Cloud’s lack of ability. Their fear was only natural.

With this incident, Michelle had become the target of attention of the influential people of this kingdom. Even if Maxwell and Lyell were his backers, once she becomes free, anyone would be able to make an official contract with her.

The Six Heroes naturally held enough influence to defend against it, but if they did it, it would be interfering with her freedom as an individual Adventurer.

It wouldn’t be desirable for the Guild to leave such a precedent.

Nevertheless, it was possible to force their will on them. But that would be violating the independence of Adventurers. It held a possibility of making enemies with the very principles of the Adventurer’s Guild.

That said, the Guild people weren’t idiots either. They would most likely not try to carry through with such extreme reasoning, but it can become the trigger that would spread such rumors.

And if the Six Heroes, who were being watched by influential people, were to show such a weakness… It could possibly become an opening to take advantage of in some way.

“Smells like trouble…”

“Letina has her father Marquis Yowi, but I don’t think they would try anything unreasonable, but it’s better to consider the worst-case scenario regarding Michelle.”

“Nicole, you also need to resolve yourself to part with her, or otherwise, to leave Raum when that time comes.”

“…Got it.”

I responded with a meek expression and headed to bed.

At night, I erased my footsteps and left the room. I wasn’t doing anything shady this time around, so I didn’t erase my presence. There were things I just wanted to ponder about for a bit.

Naturally, with my presence left unconcealed, Lyell and Cortina who were experienced warriors were bound to notice me. I could sense that Cortina was secretly following me from behind.

I headed to the inn’s courtyard, sat on the garden stone and looked up at the sky.

Should I progress into the higher year, or should I leave the kingdom with Michelle? I would be forced to make a choice in half a year. When I thought about that, I just couldn’t fall asleep.

“What to do…”

“Are you worried?”

Cortina stopped hiding and came to sit next to me. Since I was already aware of her presence, I didn’t act surprised.

“Yeah. As expected.”

“Your dream was to progress into the higher year, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

“But you’re still worried, right?”

“Yeah.”

Wait, think about it again, me.

Why was I trying to enter the higher year?

That was… To learn Polymorph spell. But I had already succeeded in that in a way. I could substitute it for as long as the supply of scrolls kept coming from Aste.

“I see… There was no need to even think about it.”

“Did you find your answer?”

“I can aim for my goal wherever I am, but I can only go on adventures with Michelle if we are together.”

“So you are planning to leave the city once you graduate from the elementary grade?”

“Yes, but I’ll come to visit from time to time of course. After all, your home has already become my home too, Cortina.”

“Hearing that makes me honestly happy.”

Cortina gently hugged me and patted my head at my words.

“You can come back anytime you want no matter what time it is, you hear? You can even choose to stay. You are Maria’s daughter, which makes you my daughter too. If it’s for you, I don’t mind turning the Guild into my enemy.”

“It’s okay. If I am to become a genuine Adventurer, it’s already a good time to leave the city. And Michelle’s will comes first.”

“I see. We haven’t asked whether she would leave or not. Dear me, I went and decided everything ahead of time.”

Cortina poked her tongue playfully.

However, I was convinced of it. Michelle would most likely leave the city.

In that city, there were not just us but her parents too. She would hate to do something that would cause trouble to them.

“Let’s return already. Dad and others might be getting worried already.”

“Oh, so you knew that Lyell had noticed you too.”

“I am the eyes of my party. I can sense that much.”

“Your intuition has always been good, Nicole.”

She said that while clapping her hands lightly, and then we returned back to our room.