Chapter 86

86

In an upscale residential area located in the upper district of the Holy City, very few people knew that Professor Lapit’s house was there.

He rarely engaged in personal interactions outside the academy.

It had been a long time since a visitor came to Lapit’s house.

The problem was that the visitor was unwanted.

“More booze! No, bring it all!”

The reception room, usually impeccably clean and cozy, was in chaos due to a drunkard.

Empty bottles were scattered haphazardly on the floor.

And the drunkard, lying sprawled on the floor as if it were his own home, was shouting for more alcohol.

The identity of this drunkard was Gulshan.

“No more! You uncouth fool! Ugh, this is why you shouldn’t help a black-haired beast. What was I thinking?”

Lapit’s face was full of irritation as he shook his head.

He had saved someone who seemed destined for doom, and this was the thanks he got.

He deeply regretted it.

If he could turn back time, he would leave him alone a hundred times over.

“Alcohol.”

“Why are you causing trouble now?”

Lapit’s voice rose in frustration.

There, the witch Riviera was licking the mouth of an empty bottle.

“Because it’s tasty.”

“Do you want to see me die?”

Lapit’s face was contorted with stress, and he clutched his forehead as if he were about to collapse from frustration.

“That’s not it.”

“Then make that man shut up.”

“Hmm… Got it.”

Riviera turned the bottle she was licking upside down.

She walked over to the sprawled Gulshan and smashed the bottle over his head without hesitation.

Crash!

“Ugh?!”

With a loud noise, the bottle shattered, and Gulshan collapsed like a squid.

He had passed out.

Blood flowed freely from his broken head.

“Good shot.”

Lapit’s face brightened as he gave a thumbs-up, clearly relieved.

“That’s basic.”

And so, the drinking session ended with one person passed out.

Lapit quickly cleaned up the bottles scattered on the floor, as if they were an eyesore.

Riviera casually spoke to Lapit.

“Was there a problem?”

“Oh, there were many. That man made a fool of himself, and I had to mimic corpse-playing necromancers to help him.”

“…What’s the problem, Professor? Just pay back as much as you received. Kill them all.”

Gulshan, seemingly having regained consciousness, interjected.

“Sure, like you could. You struggled against just one person.”

“That’s not true! It was two against one! Two against one, you idiot!”

“Impressive math. Nowadays, even minor characters count as one?”

“No! They weren’t minor! They were annoying! And one of them had a weird bow…!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Ugh, seriously!”

Now it was Gulshan who was getting frustrated with Lapit.

Lapit’s expression showed that his stress was relieved.

But even Lapit knew that Gulshan’s words weren’t entirely exaggerated nonsense.

He had seen everything with his ‘Eagle’s Eye.’

‘Max Celtrine.’

A troublemaker who had never even crossed his mind.

‘When did he grow so much…?’

He had heard rumors.

But he hadn’t paid much attention.

A bug was still a bug.

If it got in his way, he would just kick it aside.

But.

‘It seems he’s grown into a chicken.’

A chicken could peck at a human.

It was different from a bug.

Of course, it was still something that could be grabbed and its neck twisted.

‘No.’

It wasn’t just a chicken.

It was a chicken attached to a ‘phoenix.’

Lapit had seen it clearly.

Throughout the battle, Hiresia had been very concerned about Max.

It was almost like a mother protecting her child… or perhaps, something closer to romantic feelings?

‘What the…’

Even thinking about it himself, it was absurd and somehow irritating.

They were such an ill-matched pair.

Even if Max might become a significant opponent later, the thought was ridiculous.

‘Yeah, that’s not possible.’

Lapit denied it.

She was one of the most sought-after women in the academy. There was no way she would have romantic feelings for someone like Max Celtrine.

Of course not.

Anyway.

‘It’s true they’re close.’

He didn’t know when they became close, but it was clear.

So Max Celtrine wasn’t just a chicken.

He was an annoying chicken.

“Ugh, just thinking about it pisses me off. I should kill that bastard first.”

Gulshan ground his teeth.

He seemed to have a lot of pent-up frustration from that incident.

“Do you have no brains? Why would you provoke an annoying chicken again? Your face is already known. Just get out of the Holy City quietly.”

“Chicken? Who said anything about a chicken?”

“…I mean that guy, not a real chicken. Anyway, I’m telling you clearly, it’s better for you to just leave.”

“I really don’t want to.”

As Gulshan’s reaction irritated Lapit again, Riviera suddenly handed over a black note.

“Here.”

“Huh?”

The atmosphere changed instantly.

It was a black letter.

A note containing orders from the boss of Red Rain, the Celestial Lord.

Gulshan sat up and read the black letter.

And then.

“Tch, I’m leaving.”

He disappeared immediately, his mood deflated.

It wasn’t hard to guess what the order in the black letter was.

It was likely a command to return to the organization’s headquarters immediately.

Only then did Lapit’s expression relax.

‘Even the Celestial Lord can’t tolerate crossing the line.’

Yes, that’s how it should be.

“Was that what you came to deliver?”

“Yeah, I got it earlier.”

“…Next time, show it sooner.”

“Sorry, I forgot.”

“…”

Yeah, she was always like that.

Expectations were too high.

“I’m leaving too.”

Whoosh.

Riviera disappeared like the wind.

Now, Lapit was left with only the messy reception room.

“…”

Alone, he cleaned the reception room with a look of utter grievance.

* * *

My ears were itching.

Is someone talking about me?

There were too many suspects to guess who it might be.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Captain!”

As soon as I entered the classroom, Allen approached me.

He seemed genuinely worried.

Well, Allen had been there when it all happened.

Though he hadn’t seen the real hell.

If he knew what had happened with Gulshan, he would have been shocked out of his mind.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, thanks to the amazing seniors and juniors who were there, I managed to stay safe.”

Allen said, relieved.

Considering the members who were there, it would have been more surprising if he hadn’t been safe.

“So.”

“Huh?”

“Did you meet the target we set?”

At least ten monsters.

That was the goal we had discussed before the monster hunt.

“Ah… I exceeded it. I think I got about fifteen.”

“Ho, really?”

“Yeah.”

I was surprised.

I thought he wouldn’t make it since things went south earlier than expected.

But he actually exceeded the target.

‘This guy.’

It seemed he wasn’t just an extra.

I hadn’t heard of extras growing this much.

Of course, I was an exception since I had possessed this body.

‘Did I find a useful guy?’

In a common class full of insignificant extras, this was like finding a radish in a field of stones.

A radish is quite useful.

And tasty.

“Actually, I was able to get more because they kept resurrecting…”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Oh? Didn’t you hear?”

“Tell me.”

“Well…”

Allen explained what had happened where he was.

The resurrected orcs.

Not just one, but all of them there.

‘Interesting.’

My eyes lit up as I listened.

It was obviously the work of a necromancer.

But I knew.

It wasn’t time for necromancers to appear in the story yet.

In the game, the first appearance of a necromancer was during the ‘Tragedy of the Blood Moon,’ the event where Max got involved and died.

So, the one who appeared there wasn’t a necromancer.

Then who?

‘Come to think of it, there was an accomplice…’

The one who saved Gulshan from danger.

That person used a strange technique that created thick smoke.

It felt distinctly different from magic.

It must have been that person.

That person must have used necromancy.

‘Another person to be wary of.’

I stored that information in my memory.

You never know when even small pieces of information might come in handy later.

“But, Captain…”

Allen suddenly scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.

Huh?

What’s up with him now?

“So… what kind of relationship do you have with Senior Hiresia?”

Oh, that topic.

“What kind of relationship? A good one.”

“I… I see.”

Allen looked like he was about to die of jealousy.

Now that I think about it, he had the same expression when I said I was going to have dinner with Regina.

Today, he had an added expression of ‘Why is the world like this…’

“Captain.”

“Huh?”

What’s up with him suddenly?

“Please teach me about dating too…”

“…”

I felt a solemn sympathy.

It’s one thing to be envied by other guys, but this kind of emotion makes even me feel solemn.

I patted Allen ‘s shoulder comfortingly.

“Hang in there, Allen . There are plenty of women in the world.”

“…”

Tears welled up.

Why is he crying when I’m trying to comfort him?

This won’t do.

Time to use my secret weapon.

“Hey, I’ll introduce you to someone I know when I get the chance.”

The invincible phrase ‘when I get the chance.’

Promises with ‘when I get the chance’ rarely come true.

But the person hearing it can’t think that way.

Just like Allen now.

His face brightened instantly, and his eyes sparkled as if he had never been sad.

Is he bipolar?

“Thank you so much. I knew I could count on you, Captain.”

…Should I just get rid of this guy?

No, he’s at least as useful as a radish.

“Alright, now go.”

With that, I wrapped up the situation.

I had no idea that an unexpected visitor would come to the Holy City that day.

* * *

A black carriage was traveling down the road.

Even though the road was wide open, the carriage maintained a moderate speed.

From that alone, one could infer something about the owner’s personality.

“We’ll arrive in 30 minutes, Miss.”

A woman dressed in a black-and-white maid outfit said.

In the back seat of the carriage sat a young woman.

She looked strikingly similar to Max Celtrine.

And for a good reason.

The young woman was Max Celtrine’s younger sister, Liss Celtrine.

“I see.”

Liss nodded slightly.

She seemed to have a lot on her mind.

She looked troubled.

“Are you sure you don’t want to send a message in advance?”

The maid who had spoken earlier asked.

She was Sana, Liss’s closest maid.

She was both competent and loyal.

“No. It would be meaningless. If I did, he would prepare in advance.”

“Understood, Miss.”

Liss was heading to the Holy City.

To see her brother, Max Celtrine.

She couldn’t bear it any longer without seeing him in person.

How could she not be, with the incomprehensible reports she kept receiving?

“First… let’s visit the swordsmanship hall where my brother used to go.”