Memoirs of the Returnee-Novel

Before the Festival (3)

It was Wednesday.

The official start of the festival.

The main gate of Endex was wide open, and the streets were filled with stalls and guests, but Elise’s theater team was still rehearsing and practicing.

Eight actors and eighteen staff members gathered together, focusing to the utmost on the script and continuity.

Thanks to the reputation of the attending dignitaries, the actors, and the staff were highly motivated.

“……Let’s take a little break and start again from the beginning.”

As the day’s first practice was ending, Layla brought a towel, clapping her hands.

“Wow Elly~ You sing so well~”

Elise wiped her sweat with the towel. The Duke, who was virtually the second protagonist—Miller, also applauded.

“That’s right. Especially your singing pronunciation has improved a lot. How did that happen?”

“It’s the result of practice.”

A learning efficiency that was surprising even to Elise herself. It was thanks to the too-perfect tone and too-perfect pronunciation of [At Your Service].

Miller said.

“You’ve improved this much in such a short time through practice? Are you a genius? Your pronunciation seems better than Stephanie’s.”

Elise barely suppressed the corners of her mouth that were trying to twitch.

After all, being fickle is the mindset that should be avoided the most in life.

By the way, Stephanie is a famous musical actress.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

She sat down on the sofa for a moment to rest. She immediately plugged earphones into her ears and played [At Your Service]’s La Vercit.

It was not a simple appreciation.

She is not a sentimental person who is fascinated by something. Instead, she is a rational person who analyzes and deconstructs the emotions she feels.

Therefore, while listening to [At Your Service]’s La Vercit, she finds her shortcomings and devises ways to improve them.

She was a little tired of listening to it all day, but the more she got tired of it, the more curious she became.

Who is [At Your Service], after all?

He must be a person overflowing with culture. He might be a professor who is proficient in literature. Or he might be a fallen scholar who guards lost knowledge.

Yes, the fallen scholar is the most persuasive.

It makes sense that he is distributing flyers in Endex since he is short on money and is selling his knowledge without hesitation. It fits the puzzle.

Moreover, look at the emotion and tremor of the tone now ringing in her ears.

What kind of story is held there, and what twists have led to such depth? The more she chews on it, the more curious she becomes……

That thought came to her while reviewing the 4-minute-long La Vercit.

“……Elise. Can we postpone the second practice for about 10 minutes?”

When Elise took out her earphones, the Duke, no, Miller asked.

“Why?”

“I have an urgent call. I’ll be back soon.”

She glanced at Miller. He was holding his smartphone with both hands. Perhaps he got a call from his master.

“Yes. Go ahead.”

Elise said nonchalantly.

…….

Mel Elstrom, the only son of the eldest son of the Elstrom family, had his pride wounded.

And that happened twice.

The first time was at the prestigious Selenacio Literature Academy against Elise.

Mel had never once beaten Elise in the ten years since he entered the academy as a student.

Of course, the gap wasn’t so close as to hurt his pride, and everyone at the academy expected Elise to be the top student, but still.

That was that.

The second time was at the College Board; against who was it?

He still couldn’t remember the name of the bastard who had hit him in the back of the head with a cowardly method. Thanks to him, he suffered the terror of falling to the middle ranks in that assignment.

But the Elstrom family is not a family that just takes it.

An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.

He will repay the grudge, and mercy is at his disposal.

Mel was going to strictly follow that family motto.

─Really, I just have to do as you say?

“Yes. That’s what I’m saying. Don’t you trust me?”

The conspiracy and mockery occurred in the heart of the Elstrom mansion from a smartphone.

─It’s not that I don’t trust you… Libra is coming too.

“Oh, it’s okay, it’s okay~ You just have to be hospitalized. No. What are they going to do? You were hospitalized after an accident.”

Mel’s Elstrom family has a significant influence in the field of culture and arts, especially in theater, musicals, and movies.

The ‘Elstrom Brothers’, ran by his family members, is a major film company that shakes the film industry.

─…So, I just have to get into a traffic accident.

“That’s right~ We’ll take responsibility for your career at Elstrom. You know, right?”

Therefore, there are many ways to gain the favor of a college student dreaming of becoming an actor.

Just insert him into a blockbuster movie that is about to kick off.

─Then really hit me with a car. Make it about 5~6 weeks of hospitalization.

“What? Isn’t that too much?”

─You have to do that much to avoid suspicion.

“Hahaha. Got it.”

The person on the call is Miller, a national university student of Edsilla’s Theater and Film Department.

Mel had captured him, who had an essential role in this Elise’s play.

The role is some Duke or something. He doesn’t know well, but it’s an indispensable role, as important next to the protagonist.

“I’ll definitely hit you. You won’t be suspected at all.”

─…Then I’ll also go to the movie audition. Keep your promise. At least a supporting role. You understand, right?

“A supporting role? Lead. Supporting. We’ll see then.”

─Yeah! Thank you. I have to go now. If I’m late, they’ll suspect.

“Yeah.”

Mel ended the call. He sank his whole body into the massage chair with his smartphone down.

“Hahaha……”

He muttered with a comfortable smile.

“Elise, and… what was that name. Anyway, both of you are screwed.”

I’m standing in the middle of the festival. It’s definitely the Endex campus, but there are many non-students, and they all seem to be dressed up. The festive sound naturally comes out of my mouth, the only one dressed in a doll costume.

“Festival.”

─We’re doing a magic show! Magic show! A pure magic show with no Magic Spell!

─Come see the circus~

─Hotteok for sale~

There are a lot of freshmen, clubs, and organizations. That hotteok guy who gave it to Gerkhen Kal Doon and charged me 2 Ren.

Anyway, there will be little happening on the first day. Elise will be in the theater almost all day for practice.

“……So this is why I became a solicitor.”

I’m voluntarily soliciting.

The theater flyers I got from Elise are already posted all over Endex, and now I’ve put on a bear costume.

“Ah ah. Ah ah.”

After clearing my throat, I was about to spit out the words, ‘We have a play at the Palette Theater on Friday. Come buy tickets.’

“Friday at the Pale-”

─Ah ah! Ah ah! Everyone! How much do you know about Magic Space swordsmanship?!

The echo of a loudspeaker swallowed my voice.

─Is there anyone here who can make me move even a single step?

It was a rather annoying voice.

From the tone to the way of speaking, it was rather annoying.

─The challenge fee is 10 Ren. If you can make me move even a single step, I’ll give you ten times that!

It was the rather annoying Asher.

─Ah yes. I am Asher. The official disciple of Granden Mirror Swordsmanship Academy and the former president of the ‘Sword Sword Sword’ club…… Ah, a photo? Of course!

Seemingly promoting his old club, Asher is gathering passersby.

─Any challengers? Challengers? If you can make me move even a single step here, I’ll give you ten times the amount!

Asher said, shaking his wooden sword.

For reference, that guy is an elite 5-star prospect who inherited from the Granden Mirror Swordsmanship Academy. He can’t match Gerkhen Kal Doon or Soliette, but he’s strong enough to beat most college students.

“Can I try?!”

─Yes, yes. Come on.

There were a few enthusiastic civilian challengers. They swung their wooden swords at Asher, but Asher easily blocked them.

─During the festival season, please visit the ‘Sword Sword Sword’ club at Melon Hall. You can experience swordsmanship and buy souvenirs; if you’re lucky, you can see me, Asher.

With one hand, he casually blocks the wooden swords swung by the challengers, and with the other hand, he promotes through the loudspeaker.

It was annoying for no reason.

Should I try it too? I’m already in disguise.

I approached him.

“Thank you for your hard work. Oh~ This time, it’s a cute bear.”

Just as one challenger stepped down, Asher pointed at me.

The spectators chuckled. I handed 10 Ren to an Endex junior who looked like a club member.

“Oh~ The bear is challenging. Here. Take this. You should be a little nervous.”

Asher, grinning, threw me a wooden sword.

“Come on. Do your best.”

I loosened up my body with the wooden sword in hand.

If I were to lightly estimate the odds, it would be hard to win if he turns on his Magic Body.

Suppose he doesn’t turn on his Magic Body, of course. In that case, I can crush him with my combat experience and athletic ability.

Right now, Asher was barehanded.

“Why are you so scared? Go ahead, do your worst.”

Asher spread his arms wide.

I took a step forward and swung my wooden sword. Whoosh… as slowly as possible. In slow motion, like an ordinary person who had never learned swordsmanship.

“Ha ha.”

Watching my tortoise-like swordplay, Asher laughed, and I seized that moment to strike hard and fast.

“!”

Asher hastily raised his wooden sword. But it was too late. The sudden change in speed of my strike knocked his sword away, and naturally, his feet left the ground.

I reached out my hand. Give me 100 Ren.

“Ah… um. You’re pretty good. Ha, ha. Ha ha. Ha.”

Asher laughed. There was a smile on his face, but the corners of his mouth were trembling. He must have been pretty pissed off.

“Alright. You made me take a step back, so 100 Ren. But let’s do this. If you win again in a rematch, I’ll give you ten times that.”

Asher took out ten 100-Ren bills and handed them to his junior.

“The rules are the same. Just make me take a step back. Then, you can take 1,000 Ren.”

Is he thinking of activating Magic Body?

I scanned him from top to bottom. There was no sign of magic.

Well, he does have some pride, after all.

As I nodded, Asher twisted his lips.

“Alright. The duel is on. But this time, I won’t let my guard down. You seem to have learned some tricks.”

Whether you let your guard down or not, I have many ways.

If the first was to break your guard with a changing sword, this time, the Severing Sword breaks the norm.

I placed my wooden sword at my waist.

“Oh~ Have you been watching dramas or something? Sword drawing techniques, they’re all illusions. Besides, you don’t even have a scabbard; what kind of sword drawing technique?”

As Asher said, Unsheathing is just a ‘technique to draw the sword quickly.’

But what makes Soliette’s Severing Sword different?

Simple.

It’s because magic ignites at the moment the sword is drawn.

However, even here, the Severing Sword defies common sense.

The ignition of magic in the Severing Sword is embedded in the act of ‘Unsheathing’ itself.

Since the explosive power of magic is entirely embedded in the ‘action,’ the Severing Sword releases the sword at a speed no formula can be calculated….

I gripped the handle of the wooden sword. I thrust the sword as it was. Asher also raised his sword without letting his guard down, but a blast occurred the moment the blades touched.

Kwaaaaak──!

“Huuk-!”

A suffocating sound was expelled. He screamed and flew, whirling into the air, burying himself in the park’s flower bed.

“Uh, uh….”

The eyes of the passersby were focused on him, who was planted like grass.

I reached out my hand to Asher’s junior. He hastily handed over 1,000 Ren. I roughly stuffed it into the doll mask.

“Now it’s a bit refreshing.”

The hand holding the wooden sword feels nice and firm. The impact is outstanding. It could be because the opponent is Asher.

“I’m hungry. I need to eat something.”

But just one Unsheathing left me completely empty. It’s the worst fuel efficiency, but what can you do?

Now that I’ve made some easy money let’s quit soliciting and enjoy the festival.