Chapter 46: Berserker…? (1)
by Afuhfuihgs
A certain woman held the ‘press’ in disdain.
Those journalists who acted so arrogantly, as if they were justice itself, pissed her off. Their double standards of manipulating information to their liking as a show of power while acting as if they were part of the upper class were also sickening to her. However, that didn’t mean she denied their necessity. This was why she would read the newspaper every single day, so that she could distinguish between which of them should she eradicate and which of them she should spare.
And now, she had decided to spare a certain press agency that she had been contemplating to eradicate for a while now.
[The virtuous and noble knight of the Silver Lion and the lowly mage of the Academy. Will justice prevail?]
It was a remarkable feat for a press agency to write a headline that she became fond of quite a bit. While its content essentially was just a third-rate article filled with flattery towards the royal family, since it portrayed the Silver Lions as those who stood in the side of justice while slandering the opposing side, the mage, endlessly, the woman decided that this particular press agency would survive to see another year.
…Of course, there was no guarantee that this would happen again next year.
“Your uncle is doing something interesting.”
“Uuuu?”
“Hehe, no, no, this mother isn’t referring to those incompetent mongrels who are related to her by blood. Those curs can’t even be considered your uncles. The one this mother is talking about is Lee Han, the only friend that she acknowledged. While royal blood doesn’t run in his veins, he is still a brother that this mother had acknowledged, so you must treat him politely when others aren’t looking. Do you understand that, Arthur?”
“Aaaaaa.”
“Hm? Are you interested in him too? Your eyes are sparkling. Well, that’s only natural. Even this mother is looking forward to seeing what kind of bloody battle her brother will wage.”
“Uuuu?”
“Arthur, keep this in mind. Bloody battles between warriors are a great stimulant to overcome your boredom. Even this mother’s stress would sometimes be relieved after watching one of those. Also, if you find a sinner who’s trying to harm you, try to cut off their head with your own hands. It’s a good method for relieving stress that fits the stature of someone who’s destined to be a king. Even this mother sometimes feels that there are so many mongrels that she wants to tear their necks off…”
“Uuuu?”
Though the woman whispered such words in such an affectionate tone to the child in her arms, those words definitely weren’t suited for the child’s emotional growth. Thankfully, the child wasn’t old enough to understand what the hell she was talking about yet.
Another fortunate thing was, the only butler in the royal family who had the guts to point out her mistakes decided to interfere.
“Morally speaking, those aren’t the right words to say to a child, Princess.”
“It’s you. As always, I can’t sense you being there at all. Can’t you do something about that? Or do you want Arthur to be afraid of you?”
“I believe he’ll grow more fearful of you rather than me in the future, Princess.”
“What did this lady ever do?”
“This lowly servant admired your audacity for playing dumb, Princess.”
“Rude guy.”
The royal princess’ butler, Albert, shook his head as he realized that he just couldn’t stop her from doing what she wanted. He wondered if it would be better ethically to just separate the child from this cruel princess.
“You’ve been out a lot lately.”
“Because you kept ordering me to do something, what else can I do, Princess?”
“You surely love to joke around, huh?”
“That is not a joke, Princess. Investigating those lions of the north is a difficult task even for me, hehe.”
“Hmm.”
The woman—Isis Elaine de Pendragon—furrowed her brows when she heard that. If this was just one of his tricks or jokes, it would be one thing, but seeing the trace of fatigue on his face, it meant that he wasn’t joking at all. Especially considering that he was none other than the strongest Aura User in the world.
“The north, huh? They surely are a troublesome bunch.”
“Rather than trying to disturb a beehive, why don’t you just leave it alone?”
“This lady considered that, but she prefers to burn the beehive since she finds it annoying.”
“…It would be great if you could just tone down that aggressive side of you.”
“This is how this lady has lived her whole life, so just leave her alone.”
If there was something that bothered her, she would always burn it.
Cruel and ruthless, prioritizing efficiency above all else; those things could be said to be the core of Isis’ character.
Nevertheless…
She’s gotten a lot better than before.
Ever since she was born, Isis had been involved in bloody political strife with her own family, so it wasn’t a strange outcome that she grew to be such a cruel person. Being stabbed in the back of the head by her trusted siblings, being chased by assassins, all were something that she had experienced dozens of times. If anything, if she somehow grew into a kind person after experiencing all that, chances were she had some kind of mental illness instead.
That was why she never hesitated to draw blood, and went as far as kicking all of her siblings out of the palace. However, it was undeniable that she had become relatively softer lately. Perhaps it was because nowadays, she had a ‘friend’ that could always lift her mood, so her range of interaction wasn’t limited to those she found unpleasant and insignificant.
Albert glanced at the newspaper that was placed neatly on the table, a rare sight since she’d usually just torn those papers to shred. His eyes landed on a certain article plastered on the front page.
Hehe.
Albert opened his mouth, trying hard to hide his delight.
“I heard the news. As expected of a young man, he’s quite lively, isn’t he?”
“…If it was any other old people who said those words, this lady would agree with them without thinking much, but when it’s you who said that, it’s a different story.”
“Hehe, I’ve gotten old too. More importantly, you won’t interfere on this matter, Princess?”
“Why should this lady do that?”
“Hoo.”
Her nature wouldn’t allow a ‘foreign factor’ like that mage in the headline to run wild. Because that sort of thing could become a variable that might disrupt the mission that she had assigned to the knight. But, even though she was well aware of this fact, she still remained quiet.
“As expected from my butler. You know this lady’s personality well.”
“Then….”
“But, yes indeed, this time, this lady won’t intervene.”
“?”
Since he didn’t expect such an answer at all Albert tilted his head.
He asked himself, ‘Why so?’.
And the answer to that question immediately came out of her mouth.
“If this lady were to come forward, wouldn’t her younger brother lose the chance to raise his reputation?”
“…”
“If he’s able to raise his reputation through this opportunity, it would be beneficial to this lady as well.”
“Hehe, you are really considerate of your younger brother.”
Only then could Albert guess his master’s mind.
“That brat thinks too little of fame. How could he remain ‘unknown’ after all his accomplishments?”
“Hmm.”
“Huh? Why are you looking at this lady like that?”
“Hehe, I just think that our princess still has youth in her.”
“…What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
“Please, treat it as the rambling of an old man.”
Now he understood why she didn’t come forward despite the presence of that foreign factor. She was the one who acknowledged the knight more than anyone else, so she was extremely bothered that everything about him remained obscured to the eyes of the public.
This was why she chose to not interfere with the war game. After all, it was a rare opportunity for his name to be spread.
Like young ladies who’d try to make unknown actors to be known in the theatrical world, hoping that the actor would do well in that world.
To describe it using a specialized term…
The heart of a fan, hahaha. Seems like our princess still has some innocence left.
The revelation pleased Albert.
However…
“Hmm, I don’t know why you’re acting like that.”
“Uuu?”
“But Arthur, you should get ready to go out soon.”
“?”
“This mother promises that it will be fun.”
The feelings that Albert referred to as ‘innocence’ was a great disaster to others.
…Four days later, the news of Crown Princess Isis visiting the Academy echoed through the entire kingdom.
“…Haa.”
A sigh escaped a certain boy’s lips.
He had a somewhat gloomy appearance, and his messy hairstyle on his dull gray hair only added to that even more. On top of that, he had this unpleasant air around him that screamed, ‘Don’t approach me!’. It was no wonder that people refused to even strike up a conversation with him.
But…
“Derrick! Where are you? Derrick!”
“…”
“Ah! There you are!”
“!?!!”
Recently, the boy, or rather, Derrick, was facing a major crisis in his solitary life. Out of nowhere, a girl suddenly popped up and meddled with his life.
The boy was hiding on a leafy tree branch, trying his best to hide his presence, but even that wasn’t enough to avoid the eyes of the intelligent girl whose ponytail suited her perfectly.
“M-Miss Karin. W-Why are you looking for me again?”
“Aren’t we friends? I want to have lunch with you.”
“C-Can’t you just eat with someone else? Y-You have many friends other than me…”
“Hahaha, I don’t. Those people are just my followers.”
“…”
Is that something you’re allowed to say out loud…?
From that, one could tell that her personality was a little lacking.
“My neck’s going to hurt if I keep looking up, so can you come down quickly, Derrick? I packed lunch for you!”
“…S-Sure, b-but… D-Don’t touch my hair again this time, please…”
“Alright! I promise.”
“O-Okay…”
Whoosh.
After that exchange, the boy with bushy hair, Derrick, came down from the tree branch without making any sound. His landing was so perfect that he looked like a flying squirrel landing on the ground after a glide, making the girl’s eyes sparkled in amazement.
As expected, his physical ability is not ordinary.
His movements looked so light and free to the point that the girl thought that not even the cadets from the Swordsmanship Department could imitate him. Back when she first met him, she could already tell that he was extraordinary, but the more she got to know him, the more she discovered his extraordinary side.
Though, the one thing that she noticed more than that side of him was…
Swish-!
“Y-You said you wouldn’t do this again!”
“A woman’s heart is as fickle as the wind.”
“!!”
The moment he came down, the girl immediately approached him and pushed his bangs that completely covered his eyes. With that, his beautiful golden eyes were revealed for her to see. They were in stark contrast with his dull gray hair, pronouncing its beauty that could even overwhelm the beauty of women’s.
What beautiful eyes…
The more she looked at his eyes, the more she was drawn in. Moreover, the boy also had something extraordinary that he’d show from time to time. With those two things, it was inevitable that he caught the girl’s eyes, and she also thought it was worth it getting rid of her boring followers for the boy.
“Are you sure you won’t cut your hair, Derrick? I’ll introduce you to a barber I know.”
“I-I’m sure… E-Even if I cut it, it’ll grow back anyway… J-Just letting it loose is enough…”
“Then, what about tying it up with a string?”
“But why…?”
“…”
…However, sometimes, she did find this rather dark personality of his was extremely annoying.
That was why the girl, Karin Alencia de Guinevere, puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.
S-She’s so burdensome…
That was Derrick’s honest feelings about the girl. He couldn’t help but feel that way. After all, in his previous life, he had never dealt with women before. In his eyes, they were like wild beasts; he just couldn’t get used to them no matter how much he tried.
They were like lions or bears for him, the apex predators.
His body would stiffen like a herbivore when those apex predators hovered around him. He’d start sweating and trying to find a new place to hide.
But that feeling only persisted for a moment. Even though she kept trying to cling to him, there was something else that occupied his mind.
I’m sure that the cadets who went to train with that person will be returning today…
The culprits who caused a stir at the Academy; the foolish warriors who willingly agreed to play a War Game with mages. To this day, a lot of people still hurl all kinds of criticisms and accusations at the cadets of the Swordsmanship Department.
After all, they were the foolish bunch who agreed to play a War Game with mages.
It doesn’t seem that foolish though…
However, Derrick didn’t think it was the case at all.
As long as the [conditions] were met, there were cases where warriors could win against mages in War Games.
If they get their hands on the hidden piece, that will increase their chance to win.
The problem here was, he was the only one in this world who knew about the hidden piece’s existence. That was why he was curious.
Just who is Lee Han Totle, really…?
Is he someone who was involved in the game like me? Or at least someone who knew the original work?
Derrick made that guess, though he still wasn’t sure if that instructor was someone who knew the game or the original work.
Either way, with this, I’ll be able to confirm it.
One of the hidden measures to defeat mages; a proof of having acquired the hidden piece.
[Mage Hunter’s Musket], he probably has gotten his hands on it already.
The hidden piece, Mage Hunter’s Musket. A musket developed by an alchemist who devoted their entire life to eradicate mages. It had a longer barrel and stronger firepower than regular muskets. Not only that, it was also a lot more durable and magic resistant.
If someone were to get their hands on the blueprint of that musket, and were given time to develop and handle it, they could form a whole mage suppressor brigade.
I would definitely raise the cadets that way if it was me.
This was also the only route for those lower-class cadets to fight and win against mages in such a short time of training. That was why Derrick expected those lower-class cadets of the Swordsmanship Department to have obtained the ‘Rare-Grade [Sniper] Class’ by the time they returned.
There was no doubt in his mind that if the instructor knew the game or the original work like him, he would undoubtedly train the cadets in that direction. After all, all the classes that the lower-class cadets could obtain normally weren’t very good.
Anyway, if those cadets return with muskets on their backs, that means the instructor is in the same situation as me!
Derrick was especially hopeful, because this outcome meant that he’d gain a ‘comrade’ who’d make his solitary life no longer solitary.
As the boy’s eyes secretly glowed with a small sense of anticipation…
“Huh? It’s the swordsmanship instructor! They are finally back!”
“W-Where?”
“Over there.”
“Ah, finally… Huh?”
…What is that?
Since it was lunchtime, all the cadets who were hanging around the garden near the main gate unexpectedly welcomed the return of the swordsmanship instructor and the cadets.
However, the atmosphere that hung in the air during that moment was–
“…?”
–Awkwardness, as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have.
Meanwhile, Derrick…
I-I’m sure that [Berserker] isn’t among the classes you could choose for those cadets…
They marched, wearing the skin of a bear.
Derrick couldn’t help but blinked his eyes as he stared at the eighteen berserk—no, cadets.
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