The Duel – Aftermath
A night had passed since the duel.
Though Claire had left the archive, she didn’t yet have a room prepared in the dormitory.
So, for that night, she stayed in Connie’s room as a special arrangement.
It seemed this ordeal had brought the two much closer, as they chatted cheerfully right up until class began.
Since Claire had barely attended any classes since her enrollment, she decided—of her own volition—to restart from the first year.
Attending lessons alongside new students was no small decision.
It showed just how determined Claire was—not just to resume school life, but to reclaim her own life, which had been trapped for so long.
This time, she would be fine.
After all, she had Connie as a good friend by her side.
Next was Walton’s situation.
To put it simply—he left the academy.
Officially, he withdrew due to “personal reasons.”
But after fainting in front of so many students, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness—
And after wetting himself, sprawled out in disgrace—
For someone as prideful as Walton, this was humiliation beyond compare.
In a way, it probably hurt him even more than being told outright that he had been relying on Claire’s power all along.
However, I expected his expulsion to bring consequences for me as well.
After all, the Gallard Company—my family’s business—and the Mertzalo family were deeply intertwined.
And in terms of status, they held the upper hand.
Humiliating the son of such an important client and driving him out of the academy…
There was no way they would take that lying down.
I anticipated some form of retaliation against our company.
It could even lead to my disownment.
I had already informed Connie and the others about this, but—
"Even so, I will follow you, Young master Lake."
"I feel the same as Connie. I will never leave your side."
"Ever since you saved me from the underground arena, these arms have belonged to you, Master Lake."
Everyone was willing to stand by me.
The Gallard name was undeniably crucial to running a merchant company.
But even if I were cast out of my family and forced to leave the academy, I had confidence that, as long as we were together, we could overcome any hardship—and succeed.
I was prepared for whatever punishment awaited me—
But the result was completely unexpected.
No punishment at all.
I was summoned to the estate, fully expecting a scolding—
Yet, for some reason, I was praised instead.
As I listened, I learned that the Sanctum run by the Mertzalo family had been covering up medical malpractice for years.
They had been prioritizing noble and wealthy patients, among other scandals that had never come to light before.
Despite our long-standing relationship, my father had foreseen the risk of being dragged down with them.
So, he had secretly cut all ties with their hospital.
"I had no idea things had gotten that bad at the academy… I should have told you sooner."
"I understand your reasoning, Father."
One of the most important principles of being a merchant—
Is protecting the information of business partners.
In terms from my past life, it’s like safeguarding personal data.
Some clients don’t want others to know what they’re buying.
For a merchant, a breach of trust in confidentiality can be fatal.
Even if it was his own son, my father couldn’t share client information so easily.
He had simply remained steadfast in his way of doing business.
"The Mertzalo family’s time is running out. But from what you’ve told me, it seems their only daughter, Claire, hasn’t been caught in their corruption yet."
"She is a victim herself. However, as a magic herbalist, she possesses remarkable talent."
"That seems to be the case. Magic herbalists are valuable assets to the nation… And given our long history, I’ll entrust her to you."
"Thank you, Father."
With that, my father officially approved Claire’s inclusion in our business.
I felt a wave of relief—
But as soon as I returned to my dorm room, Lucina handed me a letter.
"A letter has arrived for you."
"A letter? From whom?"
"It appears to be from the academy Headmaster."
"What!?"
A letter from the hHeadmaster?
The Headmaster, who had almost never appeared before the students?
Why now?
The answer had to be inside this letter.
What do you think about this chapter?
