The Duty Of An Academy Student Should Be To Study - Chapter 140

Episode 140

Jasper frowned as he looked at Theo, who appeared quite different from the Theo he had known. 

Theo seemed utterly terrified, and his complexion was as pale as a corpse.

Theo stammered with a trembling voice.

“Jasper… I’m sorry.”

“What?”

The sudden apology only raised more suspicions. Jasper approached Theo, glaring at him.

Theo continued in a disjointed manner, shaking uncontrollably.

“I didn’t mean for things to turn out like this. I didn’t know I’d end up like this. I got greedy… I made a terrible mistake… and because of me, Rose…”

Jasper, in response, snatched Theo’s collar, his hand darting out the moment he heard the name “Rose.” He confronted Theo with a stern voice.

“What happened to Rose?”

“Rose… she’s in danger.”

In that instant, Jasper felt a feverish heat emanating from his forehead, while a chilling sensation washed over his entire body. It was a horrifying feeling, and for a moment, everything around him felt surreal.

Theo looked into Jasper’s eyes with desperation and choked out.

“Jasper… it’s because of me…”

“Enough with the useless talk. Tell me where Rose is.”

This was not the time to worry about a ball. Jasper’s anger at Theo was driven by intense self-blame.

If something happened to Rose because of this…

It seemed like nothing in the world would be forgivable, not even himself.

* * *

Edwin, unable to contain his excitement, gripped his cane and descended the stairs to the underground chamber. 

The prospect of seeing Rose Bell down below filled him with elation. 

In the past few weeks, the journey from the far northern border region to Brittel had been physically and mentally demanding.

Enduring the physical challenges was one thing, but having to stay in the company of Dom Industries’ CEO throughout the journey was the most exhausting part. Traveling with the obnoxious man was a tiresome ordeal, enduring his nagging and lectures.

However, today Edwin had managed to escape the CEO’s watchful eye. The CEO was busy preparing for the retro wave gathering scheduled for the evening.

While the CEO had approved the acquisition of Rose Bell, the decision to keep her in the underground chamber was entirely Edwin’s idea. Acting independently was a rare occurrence for him, and he was as excited as a child with a new toy.

Thud, thud. 

The sound of the cane striking the floor echoed loudly. Edwin eventually stepped into the underground chamber and spotted a petite figure huddled in a corner. 

It was Rose Bell.

Startled, Rose raised her head when she sensed someone approaching. She inquired.

“Who are you?”

Edwin observed Rose in silence for a moment. She was dressed plainly, with disheveled red hair, a delicate and petite frame, and fair, smooth skin. Besides her appearance, she seemed like an ordinary young woman.

‘Is she the one that Jasper Conway is infatuated with?’

Edwin quirked an eyebrow. After all, Jasper must have encountered countless beauties in high society.

He couldn’t help but wonder what had drawn Jasper to this particular woman, who might end up in various troubles due to her newfound attention. What unique charm did she possess that could overshadow all the societal expectations and scrutiny?

The black blindfold covering half of Rose’s face felt suffocating to Edwin. He wanted to see her facial features hidden behind it.

Approaching her cautiously, Edwin swiftly removed Rose’s blindfold without warning. Rose was taken aback and instinctively recoiled.

Edwin, stooping down, gazed down at Rose intently. 

Her large, crimson-colored irises held a mixture of fear and bewilderment.

Edwin, his voice tinged with curiosity, remarked.

“You’re quite lovely.”

“Who are you? Why have you brought me here?” 

Rose asked, her voice steady despite her fear. Edwin, however, remained silent, continuing to gaze at her face for a considerable amount of time.

Though she wasn’t a dazzling beauty, Edwin found her features quite intriguing. He believed that with some effort, she could pass for a noblewoman, thanks to her well-proportioned facial features.

‘Still, she’s rather ordinary than expected.’

He had expected someone exceptionally enticing to have ensnared the attention of a nobleman’s son. Yet, Rose Bell seemed quite distant from that expectation. She appeared rather innocent and meek.

In an attempt to distance herself slightly from Edwin, Rose pressed her body against the wall. Edwin chuckled softly, inexplicably intrigued by her trembling. He felt an urge to torment her for no apparent reason, and his gaze continued to be fixed on Rose.

‘I wonder if Jasper Conway grew tired of dealing with elegant noble ladies and found his interest piqued by someone like her.’

He felt that he might have a vague idea of why Jasper was attracted to her. Edwin sat down on the floor, fully, and locked eyes with Rose.

“Rose Bell, right?” 

Rose clenched her lips.

“No need to be so frightened. The way we brought you here might have been a bit rough, but you should have just followed silently. Why resist… We had to use the sedative.”

“Who are you?” 

“Call me Edwin.”

He replied with a friendly smile, shrugging his shoulders. 

“I didn’t bring you here to harm you. We need your help. A few days ago, there was an accident during the shipment of explosives. I think there was an error in the mana calculation formula or something.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“I have a headache myself, so I don’t understand it. Something about a formula you came up with. But you need to help us to prevent any further accidents.”

“You bring me here like this… to work on research?” 

Rose asked incredulously.

“But according to Theo Lixton, you’re the only one who can solve the problem.”

At the mention of Theo’s name, Rose’s expression visibly stiffened, and a faint smile crept onto Edwin’s lips. He enjoyed seeing Rose shocked. 

Lately, seeing other people happy had been making him feel bitter.

“Ah, that guy betrayed you, didn’t he? You didn’t know?”

Confusion flickered in Rose’s eyes.

“He wanted to steal your genius. It didn’t work out in the end.”

Rummaging through his pockets, Edwin produced a document that contained Theo’s explosive formula. 

“Find what went wrong here as soon as possible.”

Rose quickly skimmed through the document and then looked back at Edwin.

“…What if I refuse?”

“You’re mistaken if you think you have the right to refuse. Do you want to remain trapped here?” 

“Are you offering to let me go if I agree to participate in your research?”

Edwin fixated his gaze on Rose’s trembling lower lip. Despite her fearful expression, her words were delivered with a hint of defiance.

‘She’s quite resilient.’

Contrary to her fragile appearance, Rose appeared determined. She managed to stay calm in an alarming situation where most people might panic.

Edwin dropped the document on Rose’s lap and explained.

“No, you will stay here for a while.”

“In this underground chamber?”

Edwin casually nodded.

“You think I’d just release you right away? Be patient.”

After today’s gathering of the retro wave, a newspaper article about the Emperor’s hidden nephew would spread, and public opinion would stir. 

Edwin planned to reveal himself to the public after waiting for a few days for the situation to stabilize. Until then, he needed to minimize unnecessary commotion. If Rose attempted to escape, it would be troublesome.

‘Of course, I have no intention of releasing you forever. The location for your confinement will just change from the underground chamber to somewhere else.’

Edwin initially planned to dispose of Rose once the explosives development was completed. However, he had a change of heart. She seemed to have various uses, and it might be beneficial to keep her hidden for a while.

Rose, after biting her lip for a while, spoke in a weary voice, which was a contrast to her previous reaction.

“I understand, but please release my hands. My arms hurt too much. If you bring me some extra paper and a pen, I can review the research material.”

Edwin raised his upper body to look at Rose’s back. Her wrists appeared sore from the tight straps. Rose gazed back at Edwin and pleaded again.

“Please…”

“Fine.”

Edwin replied after brief consideration. 

Regardless of whether he released her hands or not, there was no way for Rose to escape from this underground chamber. With several guards stationed here, it was nearly impossible for Rose to break free on her own. 

She seemed too fragile to take on even a single young man.

Edwin forced Rose to her feet and firmly held her shoulders. He spoke in a patronizing tone as if addressing a pet. 

“Stay still. Don’t do anything foolish.”

Rose’s face reddened with humiliation at the condescending tone Edwin used, treating her as if she were a pet. 

Edwin gently laughed, then pulled out a dagger and cut the leather strap binding Rose’s wrist. Her skin turned red from the tight restraints.

“They’ve tied it a bit too tightly. It must have hurt.”

Edwin commented, lightly touching the red skin that was revealed when the leather strap came off. Rose, startled, recoiled from his touch. 

Edwin chuckled.

“Don’t be so frightened. Did I strike you? Relax, we’ll both get tired if you keep being anxious.”

Rose remained silent, avoiding Edwin’s gaze.