emperor chapter 25

Chapter 13 – Studying

“I’m so exhausted. Do they think I’m some kind of angel?”

“That patient again? I thought he’d stopped coming for a while, but he’s back as usual.”

“You know those days when everything goes wrong? A perfectly good picture frame falls off the wall, the milk you thought was fine has gone sour… I had a bad feeling this morning, and I was right.”

Two clerics in mid-level robes sat on the breakroom sofa, talking. Smoking was prohibited in the breakroom, but as if they didn’t care, the room was thick with the smoke they’d produced.

“Hey. You there.”

“Me?”

“Is there anyone else here? Come over here.”

One of the clerics beckoned with a flick of his finger. It was the mid-level cleric who had complained about his bad luck. I should have come just a little later. If only the book I needed wasn’t in the breakroom…!

I hesitated, but there was no other choice. Book in hand, I stood before the mid-level cleric.

“So you’re the new apprentice. What’s your name?”

“Minette.”

“Hmm.”

“Stop it, Sebek. I know you’re annoyed, but don’t take it out on her.”

“I never knew asking someone’s name was considered harassment.”

“Don’t play dumb. You always start by learning their name before you… you know.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Oh, Minette. Don’t just stand there, have a seat. As an apprentice, you’re not busy, are you?”

Why the sudden friendliness…?

I seemed to have gotten myself into a tricky situation, but there was nothing I could do. At Sebek’s invitation, I hesitantly perched on the edge of the sofa, far from the mid-level clerics.

Seeing my deer-in-the-headlights expression, Sebek chuckled.

“Anyone would think I was about to eat you alive.”

“He’s right, so be careful, apprentice.”

“Arima! Whose side are you on?”

“Definitely not yours, Sebek.”

Cough, cough.

I tried to hold back, but the thickening cigarette smoke made me cough involuntarily. Tears welled up in my eyes as a result.

“Oh, sorry, sorry. I’ll put it out. You too, Arima.”

“Tch. So inconsiderate. I just lit this. I’m leaving, so do whatever you want.”

Arima walked out. Now I understood why no one else came into the breakroom. Sebek and I were the only ones left.

It’s difficult to deal with characters who don’t appear in the novel because I can’t understand their intentions…

“He even cleared the room for us. He’s a good guy, even if he’s a bit grumpy.”

“May I leave now? I have things to do.”

“Things to do? As an apprentice, it can’t be anything important. You have study materials, so I assume you have an exam soon. Studying? If you want, this senior cleric could help you.”

“Thank you for the offer, but someone has already offered to help me.”

“Who?” Sebek’s expression hardened. He looked about my age, maybe a little older. I had a pretty good idea why he was acting this way.

“‘Who’ is a ‘she.’ She’s my senior.”

“Is that so? I was wondering. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions. I’m free this weekend, so if you’re not busy… Oh, damn it.”

A vibration came from Sebek’s pocket. Not a cell phone… but a calling device used in this world. It was magically linked, so when pressed, it signaled the other person. Someone was calling Sebek.

Cursing under his breath, Sebek stood up. His persistent demeanor vanished, and he hurried out of the breakroom without a word.

“Must be busy, being a mid-level cleric.”

The few high-level clerics were only given important tasks, so they were actually less busy. Low-level clerics were still considered inexperienced, lacking the track record for more demanding work.

Apprentices had to pass an exam to become low-level clerics. The book I held contained past exam questions.

Before anyone else came in, I grabbed my book and hurried out.

***

I was trying my best not to think about Lowell. Perhaps that was why I was throwing myself into Caro’s work.

The cleric apprentice exam consisted of a written test and a practical test.

It boasted a 99% pass rate, essentially a formality, but that 1% who failed definitely existed.

I shuddered to imagine Raphaerd’s reaction if I failed the exam and returned home after only a month, after all the trouble he’d gone to.

So, I was diligently preparing, but…

“Huh? Isn’t that too easy for Minette, the top graduate?”

I couldn’t even study openly for fear of raising suspicion! Why did Raphaerd have to forge my identity in such a strange way? Was he doing this on purpose to make things difficult for me?

Of course, Raphaerd wouldn’t know my circumstances, so he must have based his assumptions on the real Miniel. He probably thought he was doing me a favor, but it put me in a very awkward position.