I Became the Academy’s Weakest Strategist

“Griff Rommel, the third son of Viscount Griff. No particular issues.”
“…”
I was being dragged to the faculty office, having all my details laid bare before Professor Anderze.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I squirmed, causing Professor Anderze’s eyes to narrow slightly.
No one would doubt he was a knight – he was extremely sensitive about such things.

“Hmph…”
After reviewing the paper containing my personal information, Professor Anderze glanced at me and let out a small sigh.
He seemed deeply disappointed that I had skipped his class twice before.
He had even given up his advanced class position to teach the failed students with good intentions, only for one of those students to repeatedly play truant like a runaway ninja. No wonder he was disheartened.
But why sigh in front of the person like that?
If you look at a weak pufferfish like me with those eyes, I’ll drop dead instantly.

“…Griff Rommel.”
“Yes.”
Crossing his legs clad in suit pants, Professor Anderze casually called my name.
If I answered wrongly here, would he swing the sword at his waist and lop off my head?

“Have you been getting by alright lately?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking if you’ve been getting by alright.”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, this professor was aware of my family situation.
Being the dedicated failed class professor, he must have noted it during the individual counseling sessions at the start of the semester.
Back then, when he had asked, “Is your family situation alright?”, I had replied, “I don’t know.” Since then, he had been keeping special watch over me.

Ah, was this like…
A non-commissioned officer in the military overseeing a troubled, at-risk soldier?
If I were to get into any incidents, it would undoubtedly negatively impact the entire failed class, so Professor Anderze seemed to be trying to rehabilitate me.

“I’ve been getting by.”
“Well, that’s a relief at least. You looked like a rotten codfish when I first saw you.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
A rotten codfish? I had thought my eyes were one of my few good features from living as a commoner.
Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Professor Anderze smiled and continued speaking.

“That aside, congratulations.”
“Pardon?”
“The student council has begun keeping an eye on you.”
“Pardon?”
“Can you only say ‘pardon’? Are you a goldfish or something?”

The student council was watching me? Why?
Had I done something wrong?
Since enrolling at the academy until now, I had skipped classes a few times but never caused any actual incidents.
Could I have drawn someone’s attention somehow?
For a moment, the image of Hans and his swinging double chin came to mind, but he had no connection to the student council.

“If you join the student council, perhaps that rotten mind of yours can be fixed…”
As my expression turned grave, Professor Anderze’s demeanor also became serious.
“You didn’t…”
“No, absolutely not.”
I vehemently shook my head to dispel Professor Anderze’s suspicions.
Then, a certain figure flashed through my mind.
Edinburar Rose.
Recalling the crimson-haired girl gripping a sword, I broke out in a cold sweat.
Right, the Lady Edinburar Rose of the ducal family could have mobilized the student council’s power to track me down.
But I had never even told the senior my name.
How could she have pinpointed and found me so accurately?

“Griff Rommel.”
“Yes.”
“Be careful.”
“…”
“A student council member came looking for me, eyes blazing, demanding all information on your personal details be handed over without omission.”

As I turned away, avoiding Professor Anderze’s gaze with my back to him, he let out a small sigh and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“…I know you’re not the type of student to cause trouble. But incidents can occur regardless of the person involved, whether you like it or not.”
“…”
“Watch yourself.”
“Yes.”

Seeing Professor Anderze’s sincere concern for me, I tightly sealed my lips.
Whether Edinburar Rose or someone of unknown identity,
The most powerful student council at Montegro Academy had begun searching for me.
Whether I had done something wrong or not,
It never ends well for a commoner entangled with high powers.

There is a saying, “The dead hare is cooked and eaten.” (兎死狗烹)
A brief look at the historical records shows it was common for commoners to be exploited by those in power and purged once no longer needed.

“…Thank you for your concern. I’ll return to the classroom now.”
If my life truly became endangered, with a blade at my throat,
‘I will withdraw.’
I was genuinely prepared to withdraw from the academy.

As I bowed to Professor Anderze and tried to leave the faculty office,
“Rommel.”
Professor Anderze’s faint voice came from behind me.
“If anything happens, let me know. The faculty office door is always open.”

Feeling deeply grateful for Professor Anderze’s warm, sincere concern, I responded,
“Thank you.”
Creak.
After expressing my gratitude to Professor Anderze, I hurriedly headed back to the classroom, the unsettling feeling etched deep within me not forgotten.

“You’re back? What did Professor Anderze say?”
“Just the usual stuff.”
“Well, what was this ‘usual stuff’!”
Hey, my head really hurts right now.
So why don’t you go over there, to the side, the far side of the classroom?
No matter how much you pester me, I won’t divulge private conversations.
People who want to interfere in others’ personal lives have issues.
You have issues.

The girl currently pestering me like a chick was named Espara Rui.
Silver hair, shimmering silver eyes reminiscent of liquid mercury.
A petite, cat-like face and figure.
Wearing an oversized wizard’s hat bigger than her head, she scampered around the classroom.
She was so small that even the uniform tailored to standard sizes was too large for her.
Just look at those rolled-up sleeves – if it were the original size, the sleeves would be flapping about.

“It really was nothing.”
“Huhu! You underestimate mages too much.”
Pointing her staff at my head, Rui began chanting some bizarre magical incantation.
With the staff in one hand and that wizard’s hat proclaiming ‘I’m a mage!’ to anyone who saw her, having her try to read my mind was quite dangerous.
But I had no worries.
Just think about it – this was the failed class.
And Rui was attending classes in this failed class.
Doesn’t that tell you enough about her caliber?

“Huhu! I have discerned your thoughts through spirit magic!”
With her arms akimbo, Rui looked down on me with a mocking expression.
“And what were my thoughts?”
“Uh, well…”
Unable to give any actual answer to my question, Rui could only fidget her fingers.
Bop.
Finding her annoying, I firmly pressed down on her witch’s hat, causing Rui to flail her arms about in a panic.
“H-Hey, let go of this!”
“Just stay quiet for a bit.”
“I’ll be quiet, so please let go…! I can’t see anything!”

Fearing she might actually start crying if I kept teasing her, I hurriedly released Rui’s witch’s hat.
“…You really are mischievous.”
Now freed, Rui wiped away a few tears, but my gaze was solely focused on the lectern.
In truth, I currently lacked the capacity to focus on anyone else right now.
The words I had just heard from Professor Anderze were reverberating incessantly in my mind.
Unable to reach any conclusions no matter how much I pondered, I let out a brief sigh.

“Is something really going on…? Confide your troubles in the great mage Rui.”
“The ‘great mage’?”
“Eek…!”
Well, at least that helped lighten my mood a bit.
“Where are you going?”
“Thought I’d visit the library for a bit.”
“Rui will come too!”
“Do as you wish.”

Everyone has a place of refuge.
When suffering emotional wounds or having a tough day, people seek out a place to heal and lean on.
For me, those places were the dorms and the library.
Quietly reading a book while basking in the sunlight at the library brought peace of mind.

“But why the library? It’s so boring there…”
“You don’t like reading books? I heard great mages love books.”
“Eek, actually Rui really loves books.”
Look at that.
An instant reversal.
“In fact, what I said earlier was a lie. Rui absolutely adores books.”
“Oh, I see.”
“I’m serious!”
As I responded indifferently to Rui’s words, she puffed out her cheeks and let out a shrill cry.

The reason I was bringing the noisy Rui along?
It was simple – for my own safety.
While Rui’s family were rural nobles, their location by a port allowed them to amass great wealth through continuous trade.
The eldest daughter of the Espara family, who had grown immensely rich through trade with other cities and nations.

“Look at this! Lord Rommel! I just bought this new staff…”
“…”
You just bought a new staff? Truly remarkable.
So will you be quiet now? I feel like my ears are bleeding.
Waving around a staff embedded with a blue gem, Rui showed it off proudly.
Rui was extremely wealthy.
Extremely, extremely wealthy.
Upon closer inspection, Rui was decked out in expensive magical paraphernalia from head to toe.
Just the staff she was flaunting beside me far exceeded my annual living expenses.

The wealthy are enviable.
Damn capitalism.

“In the upcoming Inter-Class Tournament, the great mage Rui will showcase her magic! Lord Rommel, don’t worry too much! The great mage Rui will defeat them all!”
“I see, truly impressive.”
Giving only perfunctory responses to Rui’s constant chatter, we soon arrived at the library entrance.
I pointed to the ‘Silence’ sign posted on the door.
“Let’s keep quiet here.”
“Understood!”

While one would only need to be mindful of others at a regular library, Montegro Academy’s library was different.
To begin with, the librarian was a quite capable mage, and most people inside the library were renowned prodigies.
There was even a chance professors could be reading books inside, so silence was absolutely essential.
Rui seemed aware of this, nodding at my words before quietly entering the library.

Saying she wanted to look around inside, Rui scampered off in another direction, while I casually pulled a random book from the shelves, took a seat, and opened it.
As I glanced around from my seat, a very familiar figure entered my field of view.
A golden ponytail tied back, distinct eyes visible behind transparent glasses.
And a neatly worn uniform.
Smirk.
The lady who had introduced herself as Edinburar Rose was smiling at me with her chin raised.
Then, her lips slowly parted, wordlessly mouthing something.
“Wel.come?”

‘…Should I flee?’
I genuinely felt a threat to my life.
Save me.