Chapter 15

With a nonchalant expression, Riviera tilted her head and then trudged back towards me.

“Here’s the money.”

She offered the money again. I stared at the money and then opened my mouth.

“Too little.”

“That’s all for today.”

“It’s ridiculously too little for my life.”

I looked straight into her eyes, shadowed by dark circles. It was an emotional yet calculated provocation. At least until Chapter 6, where she achieves her goal, she couldn’t touch me—that was the calculation.

“Hmm.”

Riviera rolled her eyes, pondering for a moment. Then she said,

“No, it seems sufficient.”

Fortunately, she didn’t seem to think it was a bluff. She seemed to think I was picking a fight because she had mentioned the value of life earlier.

“Sufficient?”

“Yes.”

“Well, maybe.”

She tilted her head again.

A look of confusion had been on her face since earlier.

I told her,

“Bring more money.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to raise the value of my life tremendously from now on.”

It was obvious. I’m not the same Max as before. But of course, it would sound like nonsense to others.

“…Is that possible?”

“You’ll see if it’s possible or not.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

Surprisingly, she readily agreed.

I don’t really know what kind of person she is. Meeting her as a boss in the mandatory event of Chapter 7 is all I know. But after a few conversations, I could tell she wasn’t ordinary.

No, I can assert for sure. She’s definitely fourth dimensional. I sensed the smell of a weirdo, no less than a carnivorous high elf.

“Then I’ll go. Do well.”

She turned around without hesitation and walked away. I watched her disappear and then muttered,

“Done. Let’s not worry about it anymore.”

I had already confirmed that it was impossible to recover from the huge blunder Max had made when she started talking about the value of life. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t harm me until she achieved her goal. It’s better not to worry and focus on what needs to be done right now.

Thinking I had finished all my tasks at school, I moved to go to the Turk Fencing Hall…………….

“No, I need to eat.”

I headed to the cafeteria.

“Yawn.”

Lapit yawned in his messy office, which hadn’t been cleaned in who knows how long. Research is fun. Writing papers is also fun. If that’s all I had to do, I would have considered the professorship my calling.

But the thing is,

In the academy, professors must give lectures. I didn’t like that. Lecturing to mostly dumb students was an unbearably boring task. Still, if I could put up with that, being a professor was a pretty decent job.

Ah, there was one more good thing. There are still plenty of secrets to unravel here.

“I’m coming in.”

A voice came from somewhere. Lapit’s gaze turned towards the window. Soon the window quietly opened, and a black shadow swiftly entered the office.

“Always such an undignified visit. Just come through the door.”

Lapit clicked his tongue.

Soon the black shadow took on a human form. A girl with black hair. It was Riviera, who had been with Max until just a moment ago.

“Part of the vigilance.”

She replied in a quiet voice.

“Why worry when I’ve cast a powerful perception reducing spell on you?”

Since her admission, Lapit himself had cast a strong perception reducing spell on her. A sophisticated and powerful spell that naturally diminishes presence. He was very confident in its effect.

But.

“That spell is a mess.”

Riviera frowned slightly.

“What? Are you picking a fight with me now?”

Lapit seemed offended.

But.

“Even a thug saw through it.”

He seemed at a loss for words for a moment. After a while, Lapit scratched his head and spoke again.

“That case needs some research.”

“Trust shattered.”

“Ah, forget it. I sincerely helped, and this is what I hear. Thanks a lot.”

Even as an executive of ‘Red Rain,’ there’s no obligation to help another executive unless it’s a command from the Celestial Master. He had helped Riviera purely because her purpose aligned with his interests.

Anyway, the clear fact was that he had helped.

“Thanks for that.”

“Like giving a disease and then offering the cure.”

Riviera asked him as he shook his head in frustration.

“Did you find it?”

“No, do you think it’s that easy to find?”

“It’s been almost two years.”

“Let me say it again, the mysteries of Lepheria Academy are not something you can take lightly.”

Lapit spoke with the eyes of a scholar burning with a spirit of challenge.

Saint Lepheria Academy.

Boasting a history of over a thousand years, there were not a few ambiguities there.

Lapit named those unresolved ambiguities the mysteries of Lepheria Academy.

‘Considering they’ve been thoroughly hidden since the founding origin.’

Lapit’s eyes shone. The founding origin, known to have been established by all countries cooperating to honor Saint Lepheria, who saved the continent from a terrifying plague.

But that was a cunning lie. In fact, it was Saint Lepheria who took the lead in founding the academy, which was Lepheria Academy.

If he hadn’t accidentally discovered a thousand year old archive buried under the ground due to an earthquake and read the forgotten ancient texts, he would have been completely unaware.

‘There must have been some intention.’

Who is Saint Lepheria? The greatest saint, even called the daughter of God. Her intentions are not something ordinary humans can guess. But one thing was certain.

She was more compassionate than anyone, saddened by the suffering of humans, and devoted her life to helping them overcome their hardships. That’s why Lapit was convinced.

She must have made various arrangements in the academy to prepare for future disasters with her endless wisdom.

‘Maybe the church knows.’

The head of Lepheria Academy has always been a member of the church. Everyone thinks it’s just a traditional custom, but knowing this fact, I can be sure it’s not. It must be related to the arrangements of the saint. Of course, that doesn’t mean every Tom, Dick, and Harry in the church knows about those arrangements.

I’ve already investigated, but even the highest ranking cardinals were completely unaware of the fact.

That means…

‘It must be a very secretly passed down secret.’

The Pope.

And the Chancellor.

These two are certain, and then…

No, it might just be the two of them.

It’s not easy to maintain such extreme secrets with more than three people.

“What are you thinking?”

Riviera’s words snapped Lapit out of his reverie.

“Ah, sorry, once I get lost in thought, it tends to go on endlessly.”

Lapit continued.

“Anyway, about that mystery.”

The saint gathered dangerous forbidden texts that brought much blood to the world with corrupted power and concealed them in the academy’s secret archive. That’s what the ancient text said.

These forbidden texts would be talking about something like black magic. For example, like Riviera’s blood magic or his own spells, powers that could turn one into a demon if consumed by them, very dangerous and powerful forces that could drench the world in blood. In their complete form.

That’s why Riviera was searching for the secret archive. To truly complete her blood magic.

“It seems like there will be no results if it continues like this.”

It’s certain that it’s in the academy. That’s why she and I divided the work and searched inside the academy whenever we had a chance. But at this point, I have to admit. It can’t be found by ordinary means.

“No results?”

“Yeah. It might be buried in a subspace.’

“Subspace?”

“Yeah. That would be absolutely safe,

“Professor could find it, right?”

Professor.

That was his nickname in the organization.

Why?

Just because he’s a professor.

For a similar reason, Riviera was called a witch in the organization.

“That’s an overestimation. How could a professor find what a witch couldn’t.”

“Disappointment”

“I didn’t say it was impossible.”

“So what now?”

“Well. I’ll have to look for a way.”

“……Yeah, sure. Do as you please.”

“I’m going.”

As if shooing away an annoying visitor, Lapit waved his hand dismissively.

But then her steps stopped again.

“What again?”

“Come to think of it, there was something strange.”

“What’s that?”

“The thug has changed.’

“……I think you’re the strange one.”

As if saying she was talking nonsense again, Lapit paid no attention.

“I’m going.”

“Go, then go.”

Swoosh.

And so, Riviera turned back into a black shadow and disappeared.

The cafeteria.

It was lunchtime, so the cafeteria was bustling with a lot of people. I also stood in line and waited my turn. While doing so, I got lost in thought.

‘Today, I’ll just go normally.’

There was enough time to practice both swordsmanship and archery in the morning classes.

But from tomorrow, regular classes meant there wasn’t enough time.

‘I’ll have to do both, even if it means cutting down on time.’

That was my choice.

For now, it’s the basics.

I knew that doing a little bit every day without interruption was better for growth than alternating. A free schedule would be possible once I reached a certain level. While planning, my turn came before I knew it.

I picked up a tray and approached the food table. It was buffet style, so I just had to choose and fill up on the food I wanted. I casually thought about a ballenced nutritional ballence and filled my plate. Meat and dairy, vegetables and fruits.

Looks delicious.

Saliva naturally flowed.

But maybe because it was the busiest time, most of the tables were full. I spotted an almost empty table that caught my eye as I looked for a vacant seat. Thinking it was my lucky day, I headed straight for that table. It was just as I was about to sit down.

“Hmm?”

I felt a sharp, hostile gaze stabbing at me from the front. Another consequence of Max’s actions? I clicked my tongue and looked forward.

And.

Don’t sit. Go away. Don’t sit. Go away. Don’t sit. Go away. Don’t sit. Go away. Don’t sit. Go away. Don’t sit. Go away.

I was at a loss for words when I saw the twin tailed girl whose face blatantly showed what she was saying. Wow… there really are people who can express themselves so vividly with just their faces. Ah, it’s in the game.

But anyway.

It’s a familiar face.

‘Blessing of Baguette’ Amy.

It’s a ridiculous nickname, but looking at her, I understand. A tray piled up like a mountain with only baguettes.

………No wonder people nickname her Baguette instead of Baggy.

But one shouldn’t judge her by that silly nickname alone. She may be a gem when it comes to healing, but she’s an unbelievably topnotch cleric when it comes to blessings. Technically, she’s supposed to be.

Currently, she’s a third year student in the Royal Class and an executive of the student council, And also the closest confidant of the student council president. Wait a minute.

If this girl is here…

I had the intuition that something troublesome was about to happen and tried to go somewhere else.

Right. That’s right. Hurry up and go. Hurry up.

Amy’s expression brightened.

But,

“Aren’t you going to sit?”

A cold hand stopped my shoulder.

My gaze involuntarily turned to the owner of the hand.

Over 1.80m tall. A beauty, but with a coldness on her face. An unforgettable face. Because she was one of the key figures

‘Knight of the Snow Wind’ Regina Erenbert.

One of the world’s greatest knights and the president of Lepheria Academy’s student council.

And

‘She was Max’s fiancée.’

Though she would soon break off the engagement due to his rascal like behavior. It probably wasn’t far off. I remember it was before the protagonist became a second year student. That means they’re still engaged. I thought I would have to meet her soon. But not now. I’m not ready for anything.

But.

…………No matter what, I can’t avoid this.

I sat down for now.

Thinking endlessly about what to say in my head.