‘Thank god.’
Ian sighed softly after confirming the title.
The northern part is larger than expected, and it is difficult to search unless you are a professional.
The North was broader than he had imagined and difficult to search without specialists. The relentless snowfall, unpredictable terrain, and the scarcity of self-sustaining resources made the task even harder.
Ian, Danya, and Lina refrained from participating in the search to avoid becoming a burden. Among the personnel brought by the Third Princess, there were skilled individuals like Karen who could handle the task more effectively.
‘Of course, I thought they’d find her quickly.’
He was relieved that the rescue was faster than expected.
If there hadn’t been news in a few days, he had planned to push himself to return to the North.
He needed to get to the post office quickly to check the details of the telegram.
“Student Ian?”
A cold voice interrupted his thoughts.
It was like the chill of frost.
Looking up, he saw Professor Violet staring down at him. Her gaze was icy.
Those eyes are infinitely cold.
‘Come to think of it, I didn’t inform her when I went to the North.’
Professor Violet was in charge of the Mezai class and had helped him significantly during the Disciplinary Committee.
‘Hmm.’
He realized he had committed many offenses.
The vein on her forehead pulsed with what seemed like genuine anger.
“Yes, Professor.”
“Did you hear what I just said?”
Ian felt a shiver run through his body at her stern tone.
If he admitted his attention was on the Kirtos terminal, he feared he’d be dragged off as a test subject.
“I did hear you…”
“Then, what did I say?”
“Congratulations, Professor, for being selected as the most beautiful professor by the Academy’s students.”
— Snap!
He looked down to see a piece of white chalk embedded halfway into the desk.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down his back.
‘That didn’t work.’
Professor Violet’s expression didn’t change a bit.
It seemed like she was talking about the promotion exam, and it was the right time for such an announcement.
“You were talking about the promotion exam.”
“Anyone with ears could have heard that. I trust that a student like Ian would not neglect his duty by closing his ears and doing something else, especially after all the support from his professor.”
Smile.
She smiled, her expression sharp as a sword.
“I trust Ian, so why don’t you share some details?”
Ian racked his brain for specific details…
“The upcoming promotion exam involves all first-year students in a battle royale… ahem, a point-based survival event. Points can be earned by defeating monsters and other entities. The goal is to survive as long as possible while accumulating the highest points.”
“And the location?”
“… It’s an uninhabited island.”
Professor Violet’s eyebrow twitched slightly, as if doubting he had really been paying attention.
“Continue.”
“Even though it’s a survival event, it’s not a real life-or-death situation.”
“Next.”
“The strength of the protective shield is distributed based on academic rankings. Higher-ranked students have stronger shields, reducing their risk of elimination, while lower-ranked students face a penalty but also have the opportunity to target stronger opponents for a comeback.”
Professor Violet’s sharp eyebrows softened considerably.
Rather, it felt somewhat embarrassing.
“You really were listening?”
“Of course, to the perfect voice of the Academy’s finest professor. Participants will need to form teams strategically.”
“… I hadn’t mentioned that part yet.”
Oops.
“Ahaha… it seemed like a given…”
“Well, bright students often confuse facts with assumptions.”
Swish.
As she turned away, Ian thought he saw a hint of a smile on her lips. Was it his imagination?
“As Student Ian said, you need to form teams. There are no restrictions on faculty or class. You can ally with students from the Aether class for a better chance…”
Her announcement continued coldly, detailing the size and terrain of the island, the journey by large ship, and the parachute drop, but leaving out the most crucial information.
‘… At least I survived.’
He resolved to never daydream in front of Professor Violet again.
◆
After class.
Ian headed straight to the post office.
The [Post Office] was information infrastructure operated by the Empire.
Some might wonder, “Why not just use the network?” But the Kirtos Network was a unique communication magic only available at Lichten Academy.
Its maintenance method was so mysterious that it was considered one of the academy’s three great mysteries, a kind of “Oh, it exists” magic.
Maintaining such a network continent-wide was impossible.
In this world, information is always written on paper and transmitted as ‘telegrams’. Although there are magitech tools that can record audio and video, written text remains the most compact form of communication.
There are three methods of transmitting ‘telegrams’:
Physical Delivery: Much like traditional fantasy settings, this method involves trained birds or couriers. It’s slow and inefficient but cost-effective.
Portal Delivery: This method bundles multiple telegrams together and sends them through portals. It’s fast but expensive.
Mage Transmission: This method uses mages’ sending and receiving magic. It’s extremely expensive and limited to areas with available mages (regions with established communication networks).
Of course, if funds allow, a combination of these methods can be used.
For example, communication might be handled by mages up to a portal station, then transmitted across a long distance via portal, and finally handled by mages again. This method is nearly instantaneous…
“This telegram is for Mr. Ian Blackangers.”
The Third Princess, Asteria, had used this method, so the telegram she sent arrived within thirty minutes—so quickly that it was still warm from the magical transmission.
————
[Sender] Asteria
[Title] We have rescued Asilia. She is in good condition.
[Content]
Ian,
I hope you are well.
I always wonder what I should give you. Every night, I think of you, and I only wish for your safety…
————
“Pfft!”
What is this?
Why did this suddenly turn into a love letter?
————
…Don’t worry.
The first few lines of telegrams traveling through the Empire’s information network are often filled with such frivolous content to avoid interception. Although, since all of my letters are intercepted, it doesn’t matter much.
Anyway, to the point.
We successfully rescued Sasha Asilia, the Snowflake Swordmaster.
Sharon, that kid found it surprisingly quickly.
Both Sharon and Seolhwageomje are currently recuperating.
Sharon found her incredibly quickly. Both Sharon and the Snowflake Swordmaster are currently recuperating. The Snowflake Swordmaster is a bit exhausted but otherwise in surprisingly good condition. Sharon, however, needs a bit more time to recover as she pushed herself quite hard.
As per your request, the royal priest is staying with them to monitor their recovery.
I feel at ease, having repaid part of my debt to you.
By the way, the affairs in the North are more than half resolved. As I mentioned before, a month should be enough.
P.S. When the Snowflake Swordmaster asked about your wellbeing, I told her you were in great spirits. She insisted there is no need for you to visit. She’s quite worried about you, marveling at how you attract women wherever you go. Perhaps you should take on my title.
P.P.S. Normally, I write better letters than this. Please understand that I wrote this in a hurry
————
… What can I say?
…How typical of Princess Asteria.
Her confidence in sharing tips to avoid interception, despite knowing her letters are intercepted, is astounding.
“More importantly, I couldn’t afford such an expensive telegram.”
Ian assumed the princess had a special rate.
Regardless, he was relieved that his master was in better condition than he had feared. He had asked the royal priest to stay behind just in case, and their reassurance meant everything was indeed alright.
But why did the closing lines feel a bit scary? Was it just his imagination?
“Is there something wrong with the telegram?”
The concerned post office clerk inquired, noticing Ian’s expression.
“Oh, no. Thank you.”
“Are you sure? Sometimes telegrams can get damaged, so I just wanted to check. Would you like to send a reply? The cost is covered by the sender, up to five lines.”
“Ah…”
Ian pondered for a moment.
Though relieved about his master’s condition, he was worried about something.
Could his master truly feel at ease in a place where Richard’s presence still lingered?
He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the clerk.
“Could you send this?”
“Of course.”
It was one of the notices he had picked up from the Student Council.
(TLN: Another series from the same author, I Became a War Hero Executed Due to False Accusations, ch.1 here)
