9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 36 - Another World Tavern Owner (1)

By the window where pale winter moonlight streamed in, Erika read and reread the letter the maid had brought her.

An official notice from the school informing her that she had been selected as the graduation representative.

Although she was the top student in the political science department, she wasn’t student council president and hadn’t been particularly active—so why make her the representative?

It was surely because she’d become incredibly famous through this recent kidnapping incident.

How disgusting.

They even wanted her to share her experiences from when she was kidnapped?

Even though it had been a false incident, it had long since become truth in people’s minds. Did they really think this wouldn’t be traumatic for her?

Having the victim revisit those memories in front of thousands of spectators barely a month after being rescued.

This was the worst.

“How annoying…”

She buried her head on the desk.

Tap!

Tap!

An irritating sound came from the window. She glanced over carelessly and nearly let out a scream.

Good heavens, Lucas was sitting on a branch of the massive oak tree that reached up to the fourth floor of the mansion.

With his pale face looking this way and smiling, he looked exactly like a ghost.

“Lucas…!”

She rushed over and opened the window. Lucas tumbled into the room, dripping wet as if he’d been caught in heavy snow. Steam was rising from his entire body.

“What’s this all of a sudden? Why did you come?”

After catching his breath for a moment, Lucas began angrily demanding answers.

“Hey, you call that proper behavior? You never came to see me, so I had to come here myself! Seriously, this is too much even for friends. Your father even came by and gave me money, but how could you not even show your face? You’ve recovered completely too!”

“Shh, keep your voice down.”

Erika put her index finger to her lips.

“You were seriously injured all over—how did you climb that tree? And how did you even get into the mansion?”

“I came through the same side gate as last time, why? And the tree? Anger makes all things possible. I was so angry I forgot about the pain. But why won’t you take my calls? I tried calling through Richard several times, but they kept saying you were still recovering—”

Unable to listen anymore, Erika covered Lucas’s mouth.

“I told you to speak quietly. The maids might be eavesdropping from outside.”

“Why would the maids eavesdrop?”

Lucas immediately lowered his voice.

“Father is…”

Erika couldn’t easily get the words out. It felt embarrassing to talk about her messy family situation, even though it wasn’t exactly news at this point.

“…keeping me under surveillance. I’ve been confined to my room for ten days because of a house arrest order. When I try to go out, the maids come and stop me. I’ve gotten angry and told them I’m fine several times, but it’s no use. A maid probably answered the phone too. I didn’t even know you’d called.”

Lucas crossed his arms.

“I figured as much. Overprotective, isn’t he.”

“No, it’s imprisonment.”

Erika said bluntly. Then she began looking at him with a strange expression.

“Lucas.”

“What?”

At his indifferent response, she called again.

“Lucas.”

“What?!”

“Help me out.”

“With what?”

“Help me escape from this house.”

“…Haah!”

Lucas let out a big sigh.

“Do you think I’m some magic wand that makes gold appear with a wave? How am I supposed to interfere in other people’s family affairs?”

At his irritated tone, Erika glared at him.

“Have you already forgotten how I helped you? If you open a tavern, what’s my share going to be?”

“…”

Looking guilty, Lucas said nothing and plopped down on the floor. He had this strange habit of sitting comfortably on the floor.

“Are you serious? You could live comfortably here forever if you just endure it. Try getting a job at your father’s company—imagine how much information you’d have in your hands. You could sweet-talk your father from the sidelines—”

“I’m serious. I don’t want to stay in this hellish place for even one more day. I was planning to leave after graduation anyway.”

Erika jumped up and threw open her large wardrobe. Pushing aside layers of wrapped dresses, she pulled out a travel bag.

“I’ve already prepared everything. Right here.”

The bag was packed with proper escape gear: identification papers, saved money, books, simple clothes, and so on.

“Since you’re going to open a tavern now, I can go there and help out while doing White Raven Order missions. I’m not asking you to do anything grand. Just lend me your name.”

“…”

Lucas kept sighing deeply, chewing his lips, pressing his scarred arm, fidgeting restlessly.

After a long while, he spoke in a subdued voice.

“Tomorrow’s graduation, right?”

“How did you know?”

“It’s Schufaben’s top university—of course I’d know the graduation schedule. Anyway, let’s meet at the graduation ceremony first.”

“I wasn’t planning to go.”

“Why?”

Erika showed him the official school notice she’d left on her desk. Lucas’s eyes busily read through the text, then he tilted his head this way and that.

“Because of this?”

“They want me to talk about being kidnapped in front of thousands of people.”

She felt her face and voice grow cold.

How could people be so cruel? Why did they make her realize anew that the world had gone mad?

“Well, it’s definitely an insane request. But do you hate giving this speech more than being trapped in your parents’ house?”

“That’s… no.”

“Then accept it. Show them a different side of you. Package yourself like you became a tragic heroine and captivate people. Buy sympathy votes or whatever and make public opinion your ally. While you’re at it, polish my image too.”

“How would that help our work?”

“It would further dilute any connection to the White Raven Order, wouldn’t it? No one would suspect a thing. Even the Supreme Leader… if you just act sincere enough. Cheer up. If something’s already happened, you should think about how to use it to your advantage!”

As always, Lucas’s words were quite persuasive. Even though she thought it was sophistry, she found herself somehow convinced.

It might have been because of his sincere-looking expression and confident tone.

Or maybe because of the warm look in his eyes that he sometimes showed, so different from his usual dangerous atmosphere…

“But why did you ask about the graduation schedule?”

“Because that’s the perfect time to escape. It’s easy to blend in with the crowd too.”

“Good thinking. That fits with my plan too.”

“Really? Now, tell me. How exactly do you want me to help? You want me to lend you my name?”

Erika calmly explained the method she’d thought of. Soon Lucas was clutching his stomach and laughing until he nearly fell over.

“Hahaha! You really want to become a tragic heroine! That’s so unlike you!”

“Be quiet.”

She smacked his back, but Lucas was laughing almost to the point of tears.

After finally stopping his laughter, he wiped his tears and whispered.

“Perfect for buying time. I don’t know your father’s personality that well, but could he really go around gossiping about family disgrace to the whole neighborhood? He’ll definitely come looking for me, but I can just brazen my way out of it.”

“Are you really okay with this? What if rumors spread?”

“You’d take more of a hit if it got out, wouldn’t you? I don’t mind. Actually, it might be better if it does get out. Once we’re the talk of the town with this ridiculous image, who would think we’re rebels?”

“So you’ll help me?”

“Yeah. Mrs. Schmidt probably won’t have the heart to kick you out either. But you’ll have to sleep in the living room for a while. Can a rich young lady handle that?”

“I’ve slept in caves before…”

When she glared at Lucas, he pretended not to notice and pulled out a notebook and pen.

“Alright, let’s write your speech and letter. Let’s try to put on the best performance possible.”

***

Lüdelheim Comprehensive University attracts the nation’s most outstanding talents, and these graduates become the backbone of Schufaben’s political and business world.

So the entire country’s attention was naturally focused on the graduation ceremony. Even before the final semester ended, students were being flooded with job offers.

‘That child must have received offers from somewhere too. Maybe a professor even offered to take her as a research student. But since she won’t tell me anything, I have no way of knowing.’

Emmett Brightner sat in the front row of the packed auditorium, applauding with a pleased expression.

Though he’d been unable to attend school events since Erika entered middle school due to his business taking off, he always made sure to attend the entrance and graduation ceremonies.

Not only were they important moments for his child, but they were also networking opportunities to meet other parents.

This time too, parents from not just the political science department but other departments had gathered around him, chatting and exchanging business cards.

Everyone was eager to strike up a conversation, bringing up the widely reported kidnapping incident.

“My son only ever caused me worry, but he’s finally managed to scrape into the Supreme Leader’s department. Your daughter was valedictorian and has an excellent reputation, so I’m sure many places were seeking her out. I’m envious. What will she be doing after graduation?”

A major hospital director asked with subtle bragging. Though Emmett felt irritated inside, he maintained a gentle smile on the surface.

“Well, I told her she could do whatever she wanted. I plan to support whatever path my daughter chooses.”

Just then, the emcee on the platform spoke with a magically amplified voice.

“Next, we’ll have a speech from graduation representative Miss Erika Brightner. Distinguished guests, please welcome her with warm applause.”

When Erika appeared wearing her gown and graduation cap, gasps arose from the crowd.

Taking after Emmett with her clear skin, straight nose, and tall stature, and after her mother with her smooth black hair and sharp, intelligent black eyes, she always made a deep impression.

Moreover, her healthy and confident appearance despite having gone through such a terrible ordeal moved even those who had been worried about her.

Standing at the podium with perfect posture, Erika calmly surveyed the auditorium before speaking.

“You’ve probably heard my name at least once…”

As her clear voice began the speech, everyone quietly listened.

Emmett’s chest swelled with pride.

Though she’d been a troublesome daughter who always went astray, she’d grown up so spiritedly to become a lady he could proudly present anywhere.

Realizing this, he felt so moved that tears nearly came to his eyes.

When he’d issued the house arrest order out of concern for his daughter’s health and the public attention, Erika had looked resentful, but today she was giving a magnificent speech without showing any of that!

He’d thought that after that terrible recent incident, his daughter would have learned something from it.

If he could just find Erika a man she’d like and even see grandchildren, their tangled father-daughter relationship would naturally resolve, and they could return to those childhood days when she used to say daddy was the best.

Emmett Brightner never truly understood his daughter until the very end.

***

The speech was magnificent.

As a victim of the kidnapping incident, she detailed the parts people would be curious about. She vividly described the despair and fear, the joy when she was rescued, moving the audience to tears.

She praised how Supreme Leader’s concern and attention had quickly gotten her police assistance, and expressed gratitude to those who had worried about and helped her.

It was such a brilliant speech that even students who disliked her were moved.

When Erika finished her speech and bowed her head, enthusiastic applause erupted.

After she exited.

When all the ceremonies ended and it was time for families to gather and take photos, Erika was nowhere to be seen.

While Emmett was looking around, the emcee approached him.

“President Brightner? Your daughter asked me to give you this.”

He handed over a thin envelope.

Perhaps it contained an apology for everything up until now. Since his daughter wasn’t good at expressing her feelings, she might have used writing instead of words.

However, the neat handwriting spectacularly betrayed Emmett’s expectations.

“Father, I am leaving home today. I have found someone to love. I cannot forget the face of the one who saved me recently, and it haunts my thoughts. I will repay all the money I owe you someday. Well then, goodbye.”

“Erikaaaaaa!”

Even though he roared, Erika had already disappeared.

***

“Did it end well?”

This was the streetcar station in front of the university.

Since the graduation ceremony wasn’t over yet, I’d been sitting on a bench in front of the empty station when I saw Erika running over and raised my hand.

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Erika’s slightly flushed cheeks quickly calmed as she nodded.

“You escaped well. Congratulations on graduating.”

I held out a bouquet of roses.

Since it was winter, they were magically grown and expensive, but this level of expense wasn’t a burden anymore.

Erika smiled slightly and accepted the bouquet.

“Well then, shall we go? My new boarding house tenant.”