Saint, You Should Quit Smoking

After finishing my meal and being guided around the Academy facilities by Rinet.
On a sunny morning, I was creating documents in my room.
The purpose of these files was simple: information on the “Academy Special Class” members and strategies needed for the task of ensuring everyone’s graduation.
What my pen was currently writing about was the first person I met among the three, Rinet Michaela. The Saint.
“A smoking habit. And a desolate room.”
After completing my writing, I put down my pen and quietly murmured.
Those two things must be related. Though there was no clear evidence, my intuition told me it was correct.
And I tended to trust my intuition quite a bit.
“To learn more, I need to get closer.”
In the end, to ensure their successful graduation, I needed to form more intimate relationships.
If I couldn’t open Rinet’s heart and hear her circumstances, I wouldn’t be able to remove her troublemaker label.
Just as I was finishing my thoughts and relaxing my body, knock knock- I heard a knocking sound at the door.
“Your Highness. May I come in.”
“What business do you have?”
“I’ve come to maintain cleanliness so that Your Highness’s noble body doesn’t suffer harm.”
“Enter.”
As soon as my permission was given, the door opened smoothly without making any sound.
Click-clack- The sound of shoes indicated that the visitor was a woman.
When I shifted my gaze to check the visitor, I saw a beautifully adorned maid uniform. The visitor bowed to me and introduced herself clearly.
“Pleased to meet you, Your Highness. I am the head maid of Bardishe Academy.”
Head maid, is it.
I could easily guess why the head maid herself had come.
Since there were no personal attendants in my imperial dormitory, someone had to clean the room, and ordinary maids wouldn’t dare enter a prince’s room.
The head maid herself had to come.
“I see. You’ve come on behalf of the other maids.”
“Yes. And the headmaster also asked me to relay a message to you, Prince.”
“Speak.”
With my permission, the head maid recited the message in a clear voice.
“It’s about the graduation requirements for the ‘Academy Special Class.’ The headmaster called it an achievement system.”
“Specifically?”
“Various evaluation activities conducted inside or outside the Academy. The essence is to perform them and achieve more outstanding accomplishments than other students.”
In simple terms, it meant they would verify capabilities through methods different from the usual academic evaluations of attending lectures and taking exams.
Whether inside or outside the Academy, compete with others and stand superior. That must be the core.
I nodded and spoke to the head maid. She continued to bow towards me, showing respect.
“I understand. Did he say anything else?”
“One more thing. He said he’s appointing you as the class representative of the Special Class.”
“Hmm.”
I frowned upon hearing those words.
The implication of being appointed as class representative also meant being given responsibility.
The intention must be for me to properly control the other three so they don’t cause any more major problems and to make them participate in evaluation activities.
One way or another, it was a situation where responsibility was continuously placed on my shoulders, but.
I wasn’t particularly concerned.
After all, I was accustomed to a life of fulfilling duties.
However, that doesn’t mean I have a masochistic hobby of enjoying difficult situations, so I decided to probe the head maid for more information.
“Head maid. Do you know the current status of the other members of the Special Class?”
The head maid straightened her posture and answered my question.
“Yes. As I need to inform you of the minimum notifications from the Academy, I am somewhat aware.”
“Then tell me where the Sage and the Sword Star are mainly seen.”
Recalling the conversation between the headmaster and the saint from the previous day, those two were hard to spot. It meant their residences were unclear.
The head maid bowed her head to me again and answered.
“From what my humble abilities have discovered, the Sage is residing at ‘Bardishe Bar’.”
“And the Sword Star?”
“I regret to inform you that the Sword Star’s whereabouts are unclear. She is said to be found throughout the Academy.”
I organized my thoughts after hearing her words.
I couldn’t understand why the Sage would reside in a bar, but if she was always staying there, it would be convenient for proceeding with my tasks.
It was a bit difficult to judge the Sword Star. It meant her residence wasn’t fixed, so how was she living?
But there was no reason to think more about the Sword Star. Since I had obtained information about the Sage first, I would handle her first.
Considering the characteristics of the place where I would meet the Sage, it wouldn’t be good for rumors to spread if I appeared disheveled. I tidied my clothes and left a message for the head maid.
“Alright. I’ll be leaving now, so please take care of the room’s cleanliness.”
“Yes. Leave it to me.”

Late night.
The time when Academy students are either doing assignments or training.
However, there are also students who pursue personal pleasures rather than diligence.
“Bardishe Bar,” where I was standing in front of, was a pub that such students frequently visited.
As a prince, I wasn’t pleased to show myself going to a bar to other students, but as it was necessary, I didn’t mind much.
I quietly opened the door and entered.
Ding-a-ling- Ding-a-ling-
Dim lighting and hazy light sources. Students seated at each table were either shouting excitedly or burying their heads, already drunk.
However, the person I was looking for was nowhere to be seen.
At the sound of the bell that rang as the door opened, students who were still sober glanced in my direction.
Eyes that were initially indifferent soon turned questioning.
Brilliant golden hair and jewel-like blue eyes. A man with the characteristics of the imperial family who inherited the blood of the Golden Dragon had entered.
Feeling the gazes pouring onto me, I slowly moved towards the counter.
-Look at that, is that person perhaps…
-Yes. It’s a member of the imperial family, isn’t it?
-But why is he here?
-Come to think of it, there was a rumor that he transferred to the Academy. I thought it was just a baseless rumor.
-Hmm. Is it okay for such a distinguished person to mingle with us lowly ones?
The eyes that initially held surprise gradually filled with gloomy desires.
The reverence for the imperial family had turned into a base emotion wanting to touch the dignity of me, who had fallen to the Academy that pursues equality.
The same psychology was glimpsed in the students’ gazes, whether they were nobles or commoners.
They only contained vulgar expectations of being equal to me, the highest status in the Empire, or perhaps even standing above me.
Ignoring such gazes, I walked to the counter and sat down. In front was a woman who appeared to be the owner of the place, looking at me.
“Would you like to order?”
“Do you have non-alcoholic drinks?”
“Of course we do.”
“Then I’ll have a Golden Medalist, please.”
“Understood.”
As I paid and she was about to prepare the drink, I spoke to her.
“Also, owner.”
“Yes. Please speak.”
“Have you seen a woman like this?”
What I handed over as I extended my hand was a portrait. Depicted in the image, implemented with magic, was a young woman.
Jet-black hair and eyes that held the night sky. She was the Sage, said to be the greatest genius produced by the Pitch-Black Tower.
The owner, who was quietly staring at the portrait, answered with a curious smile.
“Hmm. I wonder. She’s a person who’s difficult to see.”
“Difficult to see?”
I frowned at those words. It was an answer that contradicted the information I had received from the head maid.
“I was told she resides at Bardishe Bar.”
“I can’t tell you the details. I need to consider her position too. However…”
The owner smiled broadly. Then, leaning towards me, she whispered.
“I can tell you this much. She’s ‘not easily visible’.”
After that, she pulled back and went back to preparing the drink. It seemed like I wouldn’t be able to hear any more from her.
Resting my chin on my hand, I turned over the information I had heard from her in my mind.
‘Not easily visible,’ huh.
I turned my body to survey the entire bar.
It was exactly as I had quickly scanned when entering the bar. The students’ figures were still captured in my vision, and the description of the person I was looking for was nowhere to be seen.
My eyebrows slightly narrowed as I faced the puzzle.
However, the answer to the problem appeared from an unexpected place.
“Master, I want to order too.”
A sticky, seductive female tone. It was extraordinarily unusual for a typical Academy student.
When I turned my head towards the source of the voice, I saw a woman with a hood pulled over her head. Though I didn’t show it outwardly, I was considerably surprised inside.
The unusual tone of her speech was one reason, but more importantly, I hadn’t been aware of her presence.
The owner, hearing her words, came back and asked. Even with both of them in my sight, the woman was less noticeable compared to the owner.
“What would you like?”
“Long Island Iced Tea.”
“Order received.”
The owner, now truly engaged in drink preparation.
Even straining my optic nerves, the woman’s presence was hazy like fog.
Though her exact features weren’t visible due to the hood she was wearing, I could hear my intuition whispering to me.
My body slightly leaned towards the woman. Just as I was about to speak to her.
Thwack!
An axe swept past right next to my face and stuck into the counter.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Lord Loran!”
A man’s voice resonating loudly. Rough and barbaric emotions fell from it.
The man leaned his face towards me.
“What a surprise to meet you here! I thought Your Highness would be cooped up in the imperial palace for life!”
I also slowly turned my head to see the man who had addressed me.
A man wearing a thick fur coat. Between the fur, muscles protruded on the arms and legs that were occasionally visible.
My mind extracted a memory from the past upon seeing the man.
He was someone I had briefly encountered in the social circles of the imperial palace before. There was no need to recall his name specifically. It was enough to just remember that he was from the North.
I responded calmly.
“Yes, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”
“I’ve been well! In this Academy where equality is the law!”
There was a hidden barb in his words.
His behavior towards me from earlier, planting the axe, saying I was cooped up in the palace, declaring that equality is the law.
I inwardly sighed.
‘Does he desire such a sense of superiority?’
It seemed he thought of me as a naive prince who had entered the Academy without knowing anything.
I felt a bit of displeasure, but without revealing it, I continued the conversation nonchalantly.
“I see. So, what’s the matter?”
“Ah! It’s nothing major. In this Academy, combat skills are essential. But looking at you, I’m worried!”
“Worried, are you?”
“Yes! Your Highness doesn’t even handle basic magic, and can’t even display a single sword technique! I’m very concerned!”
Hahaha- laughed the Northerner.
He was smiling as if he had just made a joke, but who wouldn’t recognize that smile as mockery?
Following his sneering, students inside the bar also began to snicker with derision.
-What? The prince can’t handle basic magic? Is that even possible?
-Plus, they say he can’t even draw a sword path?
-What kind of prince is that? Pfft.
Eyes that had found prey. Their pupils were filled with malice, discovering a weakness and intending to exploit it.
Seeing that sight, I inwardly sighed again.
‘What should I do?’
There was no significant reason for my reluctance to react.
As a member of the highest class who had willingly entered the Academy, which erases status differences, this was something I had naturally anticipated. The fact that I couldn’t bring attendants proved this.
It wouldn’t be difficult to correct the delusion of students who believed they had become equal and were now running wild.
But for the successful graduation of the Special Class members, it was better for me, as the class representative, to not cause problems first.
In total consideration, not taking action was slightly more beneficial. That was all.
If they wanted to step on me, I could let them. That might be the better judgment, but.
‘If I’m going to do it, I must do it thoroughly.’
Being halfheartedly pressed would be less effective. If I were to crush them, I should crush them so they can never rise again.
Therefore, I continued the conversation without changing my expression.
“Ah. Should I teach you? After all, I’m your senior here! For example, in the North, we say that as long as you’re still standing, it’s not a defeat-”
“I see. Thank you for your concern.”
I cut his words sharply and turned my head back to the front.
The Northerner, perhaps surprised by my reaction, tried to say something but.
He closed his mouth, knowing that if he spoke further, he couldn’t even pretend it was a word of kindness.
The bar fell silent. When only the soft murmurs of students at the back could be heard.
“Your order is ready.”
The owner, who had been preparing the drink without paying any attention to our conversation, approached. There was only one glass on the tray.
At that moment, unexpectedly, before the owner could hand the drink to the customer, the Northerner snatched it.
Gulp, gulp. After drinking the alcohol without hesitation, he loudly exclaimed again.
“Haha! This is like a drink for children. What does it matter if the alcohol content is high when it’s this sweet!”
Silence.
Even with this behavior, which was clearly trying to provoke me, I didn’t particularly open my mouth.
Because that drink wasn’t mine.
“Hey.”
The air around the counter rapidly turns as cold as midwinter.
With just one word. That murmur had such a freezing frost that.
Goosebumps could be seen rising on the Northerner’s skin.
The woman with the faint presence. The one I had tried to speak to looks at the Northerner.
“That was my drink.”
Though the interior of the hood wasn’t visible at all, it was clear she was expressing hostility. No, perhaps it was killing intent.
The Northerner was startled when suddenly addressed. He probably didn’t even recognize that a woman was beside him.
However, as if hiding his surprise, he shouted even louder.
“Ha! I didn’t even know you were there. What do you want me to do? If you have a complaint, take off that gloomy hood and speak!”
And again, silence.
The man’s words ended, but the woman showed no reaction.
She remained silent for a while. After an excruciatingly quiet time had passed.
Having finished some judgment, she quietly began to raise her hand.
At that moment.
“Northerner.”
I stood up from my seat.
“You’re crossing the line.”
I adjust my attire, placing my hand on my brooch. I had to tidy it in advance, as my clothes would soon be disheveled.
It was regrettable that I had to take action in the end, but in a way, it was also for the best. It wasn’t as if I wasn’t displeased.
“You said that as long as you’re still standing, it’s not a defeat, right?”
The Northerner turned his head towards me. To him, who was now showing his teeth brightly as if the bait had finally been taken.
In a calm voice. Yet firmly. I quietly declared.
“Let’s try it once. I want to see.”
If you can, that is.