Chapter 379 - The Evil Leader Becomes Even More Fierce with a High-Class Eyepatch
Even though I had entrusted the church woman with expensive materials, a high-grade talisman wasn't something that could be finished in a single day. Although the talisman I had on hand eased the curse, I still had to live with the severe physical toll in the meantime.
I wasn't sure how much the new talisman would help, but I found myself clinging to the hope like a drowning woman to a straw. If things stayed as they were, the pain and sickness would be too much to bear.
However, the more time passed, the more I felt myself gradually adapting.
Humans are creatures of habit capable of adapting even to harsh environments, and my own ability to adjust quickly was likely a big part of it. While I didn't expect the symptoms to vanish entirely, I was starting to regain some mental breathing room.
"Professor Evilbanshee, I heard you were feeling unwell. You certainly do look a bit pale."
"Does word travel that fast to someone in your position, Principal? Well, I've got a plan to deal with it, so don't worry about me. It won't interfere with my work at the academy."
Starting a new fashion trend with an eyepatch naturally made me stand out even more at the academy. I was already the center of attention, but an eyepatch was undeniably conspicuous. If the Principal had connections to the ducal house, he might not be fully aware of the underworld dealings in Berleeza, but he probably had some grasp of the situation. Given the hidden power struggles and my sudden change, he could probably take an educated guess. He seemed genuinely concerned.
"The improvement of public morals and the success of the Magic Doll Club have already exceeded my expectations. Please, do not push yourself too hard."
"I know. If anything happens, I'll consult you."
I could imagine Badu Lot had ties to many corrupt nobles. Having captured them, there was bound to be a major upheaval in Berleeza's noble society. Nothing had happened publicly yet, but it was only a matter of time. They were likely in the stage of making deals and adjustments to minimize the fallout.
I didn't think the Principal would suffer any losses, but in a situation where you weren't sure who was connected to what, you never knew where the collateral damage might strike. If it came to that, I wanted to be of help to the Principal, since he had treated me well.
After finishing the brief meeting, it was time to instruct the Magic Doll Club.
Though I was getting used to it, my condition was still abysmal. But there were reasons why I couldn't show any weakness.
My pride aside, I didn't think Badu Lot were the only enemies left. The corrupt nobles who used them might strike out in a final act of desperation or revenge, and forces from outside the continent were still active. There was no telling how the scion of the Anastasia Union might move, either.
If I showed weakness, my enemies would be emboldened. I really wanted to take the eyepatch off, but that simply wasn't an option.
If the high-grade talisman improved my condition even slightly, I'd be able to regain some of my personal combat strength. For now, I had to endure. I would avoid combat as much as possible and trick my body into pushing through the malaise. I had to act as normally as I could.
After spending several days pushing through with sheer grit and spirit, the talisman was finally ready.
Whether it was thanks to my stoicism or just plain luck that I'd made it this far without trouble, I didn't know. I was entitled to a bit of luck every now and then.
In any case, the good news was brought by Gradena, who had visited the church every single day regardless of how much of a nuisance she was being.
Taking the initiative, she had them finish the talisman in the shape of an eyepatch from the start. Since there was a fitting involved, I had to go pick it up myself.
"This is Gradena. Yukari, I'm at the gate to pick you up."
"I'm coming."
Thanks to Gradena and the others coming as reinforcements, Valeria and her team could stay glued to the academy. I didn't have to act alone while my combat power was compromised, and we could avoid leaving my little sister's guard thin. Numbers really were important.
After finishing my business at the academy, I immediately headed to the church in the park.
"Please, come to the back room."
Since I visited while it was still light out, there were a few people who looked like believers inside. That alone made the atmosphere feel a bit different from the midnight church.
"First, please check the effect. If anything is wrong, we can make adjustments."
The eyepatch she handed me was more solidly made than I'd imagined. Unlike a typical one made of black leather and string, it looked like a piece of protector gear covering one eye. It felt more like sci-fi equipment than fantasy gear.
Made of ink-colored metal, it was heavy, but that meant I could trust its durability. It would look good with my Kikyou-kai cloak, too. A purple gem was embedded on the inner side of the eye area; this was the talisman that would soothe the curse.
Yeah, this was actually pretty cool. Way better than the makeshift one I was using. I felt like it made me look even more intimidating, though.
The real question was the fit. If it fell off easily, it wouldn't be able to withstand combat, let alone daily life.
Before I could overthink it, I put it over my left eye.
"This is good. It reacts to mana and suctions on. I don't think it'll come off by accident."
It was worth the massive down payment. It exceeded my expectations.
"How's your body? Any easier?"
"I can feel a clear difference. This thing is amazing."
It wasn't just my imagination; my condition was improving. The feeling of having a heavy flu was gone, and most importantly, the stabbing pain in my left eye had been reduced to a mere sense of discomfort. The effect was better than I'd hoped.
I wouldn't call it a full recovery. But since I was getting used to controlling the turbulent mana, I should have regained a good amount of my power.
"...If I push myself, I'm at maybe seventy percent. My mana is still a bit too unstable to use Combat-Form Metamorphosis, though."
"Mana control is the key to that, after all. If your precious mana is being messed with, you won't be able to do it like usual."
"I'll be counting on you if something happens. Not that there are many enemies that require me to go that far."
"If me and Valeria are around, we'll manage. You just stay quiet, Yukari."
Combat-Form Metamorphosis was an ultimate technique that went beyond standard physical enhancement, one of my trump cards. There weren't many situations where I'd need to use it. However, I could easily imagine a yet-unseen enemy having a particularly powerful fighter, and if I had to go up against the elites of the Anastasia Union, things could get difficult.
Since we could use it, there were bound to be others who used similar magic. It would be the height of arrogance to think we were the only special ones.
"Anyway, this helps a lot. Well, I shouldn't overstay my welcome."
"Please come again. Next time, I shall prepare a letter of introduction to the Exorcist Priest in the Holy City."
She was suspiciously kind. Well, I was sure that letter of introduction wouldn't be free either.
In any case, I didn't want to go to the church's headquarters. No matter how much kindness they showed me, I still found them shady, and it was simply too far and a hassle. I'd rather catch an Exorcist Priest somewhere closer or find a magic tool that could do the job. I wasn't about to let a curse keep jerking me around forever.
I bid farewell to the apostle of the Goddess, who smiled as gently as she had when we first met, and left the church.
With my powered-up eyepatch, I once again became the center of attention at the academy. Except for a few, most students and faculty didn't feel comfortable casually talking to me, so it was nice not having to explain myself every time. Even if they asked, I would just brush it off as a magical reason.
Feeling much better and in a good mood, I headed to the club to provide instruction with renewed energy.
"Alright, five-minute break. Next is a mock battle!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Summer was halfway through. With the Magic Doll tournament gradually approaching, the club members seemed to be firing themselves up.
Once they built up a bit more basic strength, I should have them do another practice match somewhere. Word of our club's strength had already reached other schools, so I was curious to see how they would counter us. You're only a true champion if you can crush those counters, so I had high expectations for them.
Practice, practice, practice. Nothing but practice. There's no end to aiming for the top. The more you do, the more you improve. Even if you don't feel it yourself or if you feel like you've hit a wall, as long as the instruction isn't terrible, practice will always bear fruit.
Everyone has the same amount of time, and any powerhouse school will be putting in a similar amount of practice hours. So how do you make a difference? If you want to win, you have to ensure your practice is even more dense and effective than the other schools. That's the only way to pull ahead, and it's where the instructor's skill truly shows.
I wouldn't deny that luck plays a part in victory, but if you want to reign as an absolute champion, you can't use luck as an excuse. You crush uncertain elements with sheer skill and turn even the worst luck into victory. That's what it means to be a champion.
I didn't think they had enough strength yet to guarantee a complete comeback. They needed more power.
"One minute left for the break! Don't let your guard down until the very end! Give it everything you've got!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
It was good, focused practice, but breaks were also necessary. I should drink some water and rest, too. During these breaks, President Harmyra would usually be peppering me with questions or keeping an eye on each member, but she wasn't here today.
"Phew... By the way, Little Sister, is the President still not back?"
"The briefing was scheduled to end around now, but with travel time, it might take a bit longer."
Apparently, the rules of Magic Doll battles changed slightly for every tournament, so it was a tradition to gather representatives from each school for a briefing. Common rule changes usually involved equipment—length, weight, and material restrictions were constantly being revised, which made things difficult for the equipment used each season. Even if they didn't have to buy new ones, the adjustments and maintenance were quite a burden.
There were also major changes every few years, and if you didn't understand the rules perfectly, you could get disqualified before the battle even began. The briefing where the rules were decided was extremely important. Since there was also a Q&A session, I needed President Harmyra to do her best.
"I wish I could have gone, too. Stingy bunch."
"Confirming the rules is part of the club activity. I suppose the students have to take the lead."
It couldn't be helped. I'd get the rulebook later and study it then. When something changes, it's incredibly important. What people come up with can never cover every single possibility. So, there are always loopholes. If possible, I wanted to find potential loopholes on the spot and get some verbal commitments during the briefing.
Even if something wasn't a problem according to the rulebook, people could still complain if you used a 'sly' move. If you had a verbal commitment, you could use that as a shield to stand your ground. Conversely, if there was anything that seemed disadvantageous for us, I could have pointed out all the problems and forced them to change the rules even further.
No matter how smart the President was, as a student, she probably couldn't go that far. I, on the other hand, could say whatever I wanted without hesitation.
We resumed practice and I spent about two hours focused on instruction. Come to think of it, the President still hadn't returned. Even with rule changes, it seemed too long for a briefing. She wasn't the type of student to slack off, so I was getting a little worried. Worst-case scenarios of her getting caught up in the underworld business related to me flashed through my mind.
I didn't want to believe anyone was stupid enough to lay a hand on a student of a prestigious girls' school now that Badu Lot was out of the picture. Just as I was thinking such unpleasant thoughts, she finally appeared.
"I'm sorry for being late."
It seemed my worries were unfounded. The two of them, including the club member who went with the President, had returned safely. But since it had taken so long, both of them looked exhausted and pale.
"Good work. You look tired, so we can save the details for tomorrow."
It was too late to start practice again now. Besides, if I just read the rulebook, I as the advisor would understand the contents first.
"Professor, could we cut practice short and have a meeting now? the rule changes... they are far too significant."
She looked unusually serious. It didn't seem like this was going to be a pleasant conversation. It must be a situation that required immediate information sharing.
"Fine. Everyone, gather around! Harmyra is going to explain the rule changes."
Major rule changes would have a huge impact on every school. It was a real nuisance to have this happen while we were preparing for the autumn tournament.
"Everyone, we learned some terrible things at today's briefing. First, let me give you the key points."
In front of the gathered club members, the President spoke with an unusually grim expression. The atmosphere was perfect. No matter how outrageous her words might be, it was clear she wasn't joking. In other words, the content was just that mind-blowing. Even I found myself bracing for impact.