My Family in the Novel?

"Adrian Vulter Tellus, I want it to stay in your hands for the time being."

"Huh?"

"Are you crazy?"

"HAHAHA! Although you're quite dull at times, you really do give the best responses," the principal laughed hysterically while holding her stomach. Seriously, this woman never acts her age, even though who knows how old she is exactly; that young face of hers is only the result of her natural genes as a half-elf.

I looked at the staff of Estelle floating in front of me.

Seriously what is this woman thinking? Can't she understand the meaning of giving me this treasure?

Not only would this cause severe political issues in the academy, but it would also drag me into the battle that claims for it.

I was trying to wholeheartedly avoid the events of volume 2 of the novel, knowing that Schwi's plan was exactly the same as it was. But I didn't expect to get dragged in like this.

I regarded her with suspicion until she flashed me a reassuring smile.

"Now, now, Adrian, calm down for a bit and listen to me."

Sighing, I took hold of the staff and eased back into the chair. The principal responded with a gentle smile before delving into the details.

"Don't worry, Adrian. It's not like you're going to own it or anything. As I said, I want you to keep it for the time being. You've probably already heard the rumors circulating around the school about the arrival of the Wandering Sage Heiter, right?"

"…. Occasionally, yes. Sometimes, I do hear students talking about it from time to time"

Which was a lie. In reality, I had already heard the full story from Schwi when we met days ago. I didn't anticipate the sage's arrival at the academy now though; it seemed the story was really progressing faster than the original.

It made me worry about the events unfolding at Kaksan Forest right now. I wonder if Elowyn has already made contact with the demons. I guess I should ask Meralda to investigate over there soon to find out the situation. I'm sure she would like it, as well as she will have the time to visit her brother as well.

"You see some intense political scheming is happening at the academy right now, and I can't exactly tell you that to not get you involved, but let's just say there are powerful people wanting to claim rights on that staff, and whoever wins in buying it could potentially change the overall future of the academy"

"You said you don't want me involved, but you're giving it to me?" I said with raised eyebrows.

"Like I said, only temporarily because of how important it is. Knowing how the potential buyers want to grab hold of it, no matter what, I can't just keep it in some random storage or something. I'm pretty sure it would disappear the moment I do so. You get what I mean, right?"

"I guess so," I replied, understanding her concern. She wanted me to temporarily hold onto the staff to keep it safe from potential thieves sent by one of the potential buyers during the bidding process.

While she could have easily sought my sister's expertise in matters like this, Principal Victoria probably chose not to.

Sister Lilliana shared a close personal relationship with the emperor. Despite being the head of Estelle Academy, renowned as the most prestigious and advanced school on the continent, Principal Victoria opted to lay low.

Her high prestige and status, though impressive, paled in comparison to mine and my sister's positions as the son and daughter of Duke Tellus. Essentially, we held the status of prince and princesses within the empire.

The sudden trust from Principal Victoria left me puzzled.

We weren't particularly close, so why entrust me with something as crucial as the staff of Estelle? Perhaps she believed that, given my status as a Tellus, no one would dare harm me even if they discovered the staff was in my possession.

However, I couldn't shake the feeling that there might be another reason behind her decision.

I scrutinized Principal Victoria, searching for any signs that she might have regained her memories, similar to Aria. However, her demeanor remained consistent with her usual casual and goofy look. There were no apparent indications of any significant changes or recollections.

[Authority: Eyes of the wondering crow: {Passive}]

[Victoria: Getting turned on by your gaze]

'Seriously what a freak'

"Oh, my, why are you staring at me with such intensity? You're making me blush" she said while covering her chest and holding her hand on her cheek. Seriously, this granny really doesn't act her age.

I sighed and accepted her proposal, "Fine, I'll take care of it for the time being, but what's in it for me?"

"How about... a night with me?" she said seductively as she blushed slightly. Getting annoyed by her antics, I tried to smash the staff onto the ground.

"Wait, wait... seriously, kids these days can't take a joke!" she exclaimed. "Here," she flickered something in the air before it landed in my hands.

"A coin?" I held onto the coin and noticed Estelle Academy's symbol on it. "What is this?"

"Merit coins," upon hearing her words, a light suddenly ignited in my eyes. This is a merit coin? It seems simpler than what was described in the novel. I remember reading the part where Tristan gained 5 merit points for successfully slaying Kaksan at Vol 4. So, she's giving one of these to me?

"Looking at your reaction, I guess you know its value in the academy, right?" she inquired.

"Yes," I affirmed. Having read about Tristan's exploits in the novels, I was well aware of the significance of these merit coins. While the coin itself didn't possess any extraordinary attributes, its value within the school was unparalleled. Each coin granted access to the school's treasury, empowering the possessor to choose any one of its treasures, with the number of coins determining the extent of the selection.

The school treasury was a treasure trove of broken items and grimoires containing overpowered skills, making these merit coins highly coveted among the students.

Obtaining one was no easy feat, as they were typically earned by successfully completing nearly impossible missions or by graduating as the top student in one's department—a feat that seemed virtually unattainable for the majority of students.

Tristan gaining five of these coins really irritated me when I was reading the novels.

It seemed unnecessary given his already overpowered status without the boost from the items he took from the academy's treasury. I couldn't understand why he chose a grimoire that enhanced his already insane speed.

Sure, it was useful, but wasn't it a bit overkill? I vividly remember reading the part where he effortlessly cut down dozens of demons with just a single swing of his sword.

His attack speed became so fast that none of the school's top-ranking students could react to him in a fight—well, except for Evadne, I guess? And maybe even Bella? Given that she has a pretty haxed out ability as well.

"That's only the initial payment, Adrian. I'm planning to give you two more once everything is over and the transfer of the staff can be given to the proper owner. So, do we have a deal?"

"Yes," I said as I tucked the coin into my pocket.

"Aren't you a bit too nonchalant with that? That coin is worth more than some of the facilities here in the academy, you know?" She seemed to think it was foolish to keep the coin in my pocket.

"You don't need to worry," I assured her, as the coin is already under the authority of my sister.

"Well then, here." She threw another object at me; this time it was a bracelet, and it was easy to identify.

"A storage bracelet"

"Yes, keep it on at all times. It has a maximum storage of 10 square meters, so storing the staff and a bunch of other items for your needs can be done easily.

"Oh, and that's also part of your reward, okay? Once everything's done, you get to keep it."

"Ok," I said as I stored the staff inside it. A blue mana wrapped around the staff before it disappeared. This complex use of spacial magic was really amazing. I guess there's a reason why the archmage Estelle was also considered one of the best magical engineers in history for inventing this item, huh?

But if she was going to give me a storage device anyway, why give it now? Now the coin is in my sister's domain, but I guess it's safer that way.

'Should I also secretly store the staff there in case the bracelet gets stolen?'

Smiling happily, the principal twirled her finger, and a magic circle wrapped around me. "Remember, keep this a secret, okay, Adrian?"

"Of course," I said and nodded to reassure her. A blue light flashed before the scene in front of me changed once again. I was now back at the halls of Estelle Hall. Looking at my watch, I guessed there was only a few minutes left before my appointment with Euphemia.

'I guess I better hurry'

I gazed at the bracelet on my left hand, carefully hidden beneath my robe and uniform. Only a keen eye would notice it, and the task at hand seemed rather straightforward – keep it concealed until one of the buyers emerged victorious, then return it to the principal. It felt like a win-win situation for me.

Besides, I was already aware of the outcome. Despite the accelerated progression of events, Schwi would inevitably lose the bidding. The relentless pressure from her family would become her undoing as she struggled to reclaim the lost political power within the school.

Desperate attempts to regain control, such as running for student council president, would prove futile. In the end, the weight of it all led her to a tragic decision – stepping into the role of the student council president marked the culmination of her struggles, leading to her tying a rope on her neck, all her efforts wasted just to impress one man.

Reflecting on what happened yesterday, I realized I should also pay a visit to Elena later.

I wanted to ask her about her sudden visit yesterday, especially since she didn't bother explaining when she woke up in the morning.

"I love you, Adrian" she expressed with a touch of sadness.

As she said those words, I couldn't help but notice the somber tone in her voice. I felt the need to understand what was on her mind. While I had the ability to peek into her mental state using my authority, it felt wrong to invade her privacy, especially considering she was already my lover.

…..

"Hmm? This is surprising. You actually came?"

"Well, I did promise, right?" I replied with a smile.

"You promise all the time, and you break it all the time" said Euphemia disappointingly, her words stabbing daggers into my heart.

Well, I guess that's true, but there were valid reasons for my absences.

Besides, it was her who always forcefully asked me to visit her lab and work on some random potion together.

But she really was efficient, huh? I looked at her private lab carefully. I was expecting a mess of a lab with vials rolling around everywhere and potions exploding here and there, but the place was surprisingly clean, and almost everything was labeled. Why couldn't she be this clean in class? Does she deliberately make a mess to spite the teachers?

"Come here," she told me. As I got closer to her, she suddenly grabbed a vial and put it near her table. It was glowing blue for some reason, and although I didn't feel any killing intent from her, I better be ready to get poisoned or something.

"Raise your index finger," she said, and though curious about her sudden request, I did as she told me. Suddenly, before I realized it, she grabbed a large pair of scissors and tried to cut my finger. If I hadn't used my aura in time, my finger would have been cut off.

"What are you doing!?" I exclaimed.

"Wow, your control over your aura is impressive. Even the scissors broke from touching your skin. You really are full of surprises, Adrian." she said as she kept touching my finger looking for any cut.

"Calm down, I was just trying to test something" Euphemia reassured me.

"Test?" I questioned.

Suddenly, she grabbed the blue vial on her table and twirled it in front of me.

"This is a new healing potion of mine. I designed it to mimic a healer's and priest's healing magic, and based on theory, it should be able to heal amputated arms and legs"

'Did this girl just seriously admit to using me as an experimental subject for her unfinished work?'