Chapter 74

The following is the English translation of the provided text:

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This concludes the truth section up to yesterday, but since it became quite long, I've split it into two parts. The second half is for tomorrow.

Lucian felt that choosing the candidates for Yusei's attendants would indeed be difficult.

He could see that the chosen candidates were all outstanding.

Excellent grades, handsome appearance, and impeccable family background. All five of them were always well-groomed, smiling, and politely greeting Yusei.

Yusei also interacted with them smoothly.

However, from Lucian's perspective, he thought, "So what?"

Apart from Patrice, none of them had any distinctive features.

—It felt as if their features had been stripped away in an attempt to present a perfect image to Yusei.

He didn't know how to handle this.

Yusei had even considered making all five of them his attendants for the time being.

However, Patrice was at risk of being dismissed because he was the nephew of Professor Selva, the economics professor.

Due to his uncle angering Yusei.

It was unclear whether it was a good idea to make such a decision for that reason.

But it was true that Professor Selva was strange.

◇◇◇

"A person of unknown origin cannot be allowed to be by Prince Yusei's side."

The boy who had intruded into the music room said this angrily.

"Milos, lower your voice a bit.

It's written that he's a distant relative of the Vione family, adopted by Count Sariel, right?"

The other boy frowned at Milos's voice.

"Halk, your timidity is frustrating. There's no way the sound will leak out of the room. This is the music room, after all.

I don't understand that distant relative.

He's probably a bastard."

Milos Kranz and Halk Orden were cousins.

Both were sons of ducal families and candidates for Yusei's attendants.

"Didn't Count Sariel have a fiancée?"

Halk asked.

"Hmph. You don't know anything.

That fiancée was supposed to be executed, but due to the victim's family's request to make her suffer more, she was sent to Janine Prison."

"Um... It's possible to give birth in prison, right?"

"It's impossible in Janine Prison. I thought it was impossible, but I checked just in case.

I heard from a retired former guard. My butler heard it directly. If someone who was supposed to be executed is sent to prison, even if they are sick, they are not given special treatment.

They are made to do the minimum required labor and cannot relax in solitary confinement. They might be put in solitary confinement for a short time due to illness, but they won't be treated specially.

That's why a noble lady who was sent to Janine's mines, who was supposed to serve a life sentence, only lived for six months.

Pregnant women are treated the same. They are made to do the same amount of work as weak prisoners."

"Wow, really? But if they just have to do the minimum work..."

Halk started to say, but Milos's voice interrupted him.

"That minimum work in Janine is quite labor-intensive.

Also, Janine Prison has many habitual violent offenders, and when incidents occur, they are afraid of retaliation, so they don't give enough testimony, and all cases remain unsolved.

It's a notorious harsh place. So, it's impossible to give birth in such a place."

"...That's a pretty intense place."

Halk couldn't help but be taken aback.

"Right.

So, a bastard who was supposed to be a distant relative of the Vione family couldn't be found. According to my investigation.

When I tried to investigate further, I found information that the bloodline had moved abroad."

"Anything is possible. It must be a bastard that can't be made public."

Halk's voice was filled with exasperation.

"...Well, that's one way to think about it."

Milos mumbled.

"Can't you think of anything else?"

"No... Yeah, you're right."

"What's wrong, Milos? Speak clearly."

Halk's voice was tinged with frustration.

"I don't know.

It felt like it was being hidden."

Milos's voice lacked confidence for the first time.

"Huh? You're not going to say something crazy like he's the grandson of the emperor of a neighboring country, are you?"

Halk's voice cracked involuntarily.

"There are many possibilities.

That's why I don't know."

Milos shook his head.

"Probably, he's the child of a prostitute.

But he's the adopted son of the prince, so they're hiding it."

"Go ahead and say what you want.

I'm starting to want to quit."

"You're giving up."

Halk's voice also sounded resigned.

◇◇

After Lucian extracted information from the magic herbs placed in the music room and accurately transcribed it, he handed it over to Yusei.

It contained the conversation between the attendant candidates Milos and Halk.

◇◇◇

Lucian returned to the Vione family home for the first time that weekend. He had not returned for a long time because he had thought it would be better not to return until the bullying issue was resolved.

He had planned to return when he could talk about school with a smile when his parents asked, "How is school?"

It might not have reached that point yet, but somehow, it didn't matter anymore. Besides, Lucian had come to understand something. He had also reported to Yusei.

Probably, one influential student was causing him a lot of trouble. He had a good idea who it was.

Jes delivered him to the Vione family on horseback and said, "I'll come to pick you up when you return." "It's a guard duty," Jes said cheerfully. Was it really? But riding Jes's beloved horse felt so good that he decided to ask for it.

"How is school?"

While eating lunch, his father said what Lucian had expected. He couldn't help but smile a little that his prediction had come true.

Lucian talked about everything that had happened at the academy. He told them everything.

After finishing, he drank some soup to moisten his throat. It was delicious. The soup at the academy's cafeteria was quite good, but it couldn't compare to the soup at home.

Suddenly, he noticed that his father and Heine were silent and looked up to see them speaking at the same time.

"Is it a suggestion?"

"It seems like a suggestion."

"Eh? A suggestion?"

Lucian tilted his head.

"There is a skill called suggestion. It's a type of mind control magic. It seems that one of the people involved is using it."

Sariel explained slowly, his tone controlled.

"Does it... make the magic power look dark and murky?"

Lucian's voice trembled.

"Dark?

If it's dark magic, it's usually described as a bluish gray. Did the magic herbs say that?"

"Yes... They said they rarely see such ominous-colored magic.

I thought it was negative emotions."

"But it seems to be a suggestion. Dark magic is often described as gray. Perhaps it looks black to the magic herbs.

Also, the royal academy should have measures to prevent dark magic. It might be a different kind of mind control."

Heine said, thinking aloud.

"Is it really a suggestion?"

"It's strange. It's not something a student would do, knowing they could be suspended. Also, there's no clear connection between the students who were caught. I think it's definitely some kind of suggestion."

Heine answered, and Sariel nodded.

"It's not a simple case. It's a bigger problem.

If you reported it to Prince Yusei, the palace should be investigating the real culprit."

"Right..."

Lucian felt tears well up without realizing it. He felt relieved, knowing it would be over soon.

His father gently hugged his shoulder.

In the afternoon, he spent time in the garden. The air in the garden was refreshing, and Lucian felt completely healed.

Coot, who looked just like Jito, was patrolling the garden.

"Coot doesn't kick."

Lucian said, and Heine smiled wryly.

"He doesn't seem to like chasing as much as Jito."

"Wait, was that an invitation to chase?"

Lucian turned around involuntarily.

"Probably... All the people who were kicked by the guards had long, strong legs."

Lucian felt a bit deflated. His legs were probably average for his age.

When he entered the chicken coop, Jito, who was in retirement, was lounging on his special bed.

Lucian hugged Jito.

"Live a long life, Jito. You're my first best friend."

Jito cooed and pecked Lucian's head.

◇◇

When the weekend break ended and he returned to the palace in the evening, he was called to the king's office.

Odine and Yusei were there, and the court mage, Master Luca Michelle, was also present.

"Lucian's case has been roughly understood. There was mind control involved."

King Sirius stated matter-of-factly, but his expression seemed a bit grim.

Lucian and the others waited silently for him to continue.

Lucian wasn't particularly surprised because he had heard from his father and Heine.

Yusei and the others had slight frowns but were not shocked.

"The 'suggestion' used by the culprit seems to be a unique form of healing."

Sirius said, and Luca nodded.

"Healing?"

Odine muttered, almost involuntarily.

Lucian also opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words.

"Yes. The culprit had the ability to heal. They could use 'Healing of the Heart.'

But what they actually used was a twisted version of 'Healing of the Heart.'"

Luca clarified.

"So it's 'Healing'?"

Yusei asked, sounding disbelieving.

Luca answered him.

"The mind can also get tired.

For example, imagine working under a boss who constantly blames you for their mistakes or unfairly insults you.

In such an environment, even if your body isn't tired, your mind can become exhausted.

If you continue in such a state every day, your mind will eventually cry out.

There is a form of healing that can provide relief to the mind.

It can make you feel calm and alleviate mental fatigue.

However, even without using healing magic, mental fatigue can be relieved by resting.

You can even relieve it by dreaming."

When Luca said this, Lucian's eyes widened at the unexpected word, "dream?"

"Yes, dreams," Luca smiled.

"You tend to dream more when you're tired.

In the example I gave, if you vent your frustrations to your boss in your dream, your pent-up feelings can be released and you'll feel better."

Luca laughed mischievously.

It made sense somehow. It seemed plausible.

"Or, if you're extremely angry, you might yell at your annoying boss in your dream.

In Lucian's case, the 'Healing of the Heart' technique was used."

"…It seemed to amplify the jealousy towards Lucian rather than heal it."

Yusei responded, sounding displeased.

"Right.

It seems more like amplification than healing.

But in that moment, it was healing for them.

The suggestion was to 'vent your jealousy towards Lucian, who is treated specially by the crown prince, by bullying him.'

It provided an outlet for their frustrations.

And then, the jealousy towards Lucian, who was popular with girls."

"Eh?"

Lucian was confused by the unfamiliar words, but Luca continued.

"In the case of Professor Danis Selva, it was a bit different.

He always felt stressed about teaching popular elective courses.

Many students wanted to take his classes, but he had to turn some of them away. So, he was always mentally exhausted during that period.

One day, while resting in his office, a student came in. It was a student who often visited.

The student was also a candidate for the prince's attendants and was known to him more than other students.

The student spoke to the dazed Professor Selva.

He knew that Professor Selva had once said, 'It's a pity to turn away students who can't take the course.'

When the mind is exhausted, there is a vulnerability. The power can be used.

So, he used it. More thoroughly than before.

Previously, he would use it if he happened to come into contact with a target, but with Professor Selva, he targeted him.

He twisted Professor Selva's pain of having to turn away students.

He twisted it to the point where he made Professor Selva cut off a student who was marked as 'first choice' and wanted to be the prince's attendant. Professor Selva was happy that his nephew Patrice was a candidate for the prince's attendants.

He made Professor Selva do something he was careful not to do, something he thought he shouldn't do.

He gave him a twisted healing, suggesting that he could be relieved by abandoning responsibility.

For a serious and diligent teacher who was careful and meticulous in his work, it was not true healing.

Additionally, he made Professor Selva kick out a rival for the attendant position."

Lucian knew that the student was one of the attendant candidates.

"Probably, it was Halk."

I will post the next part tomorrow at 8 PM.