Ch.22Magic Presentation (1)

Sherry brought tea to Amelia with a sullen expression. She was rubbing her swollen right cheek.

“A-are you alright?” Hersy asked with an awkward smile.

“Yes. This sort of thing happens often, so please don’t worry about it.”

“…It really is common, huh.”

“More importantly, please feel free to speak comfortably with me.”

“No, I couldn’t possibly do that.”

There’s a difference between a lady’s maid and a regular maid. While maids are commoners, lady’s maids are much higher-caliber personnel.

They adjust their mistress’s schedule, teach etiquette, and help maintain dignity. Their role is essentially that of an attendant.

Since commoners couldn’t handle such important duties, naturally, highly educated nobles took on these positions.

That’s why one couldn’t casually speak down to a lady’s maid, no matter what. Especially one from the Windsor family.

“Ahem.”

Amelia, embarrassed by her somewhat undignified behavior, cleared her throat. Ruide reproached her.

“You should have gone easier on her.”

“…Sorry.”

Ruide poked Sherry’s cheek with his staff.

A blue light swirled around, and the swollen area subsided.

Sherry bowed her head.

“Thank you, Young Master.”

“Sherry, don’t be so harsh with my sister.”

“I’ll try, if the Young Lady follows the rules.”

“That’s amusing, Sherry. Would you like another slap?”

“I don’t shy away from confrontation.”

Amelia and Sherry’s eyes met. It was a battle of nerves, with almost visible sparks flying between them.

‘This reminds me of home.’

Even before coming to the Academy, Sherry and Amelia hadn’t gotten along. Seeing them argue brought back memories of the mansion located at the northern edge.

The cute polar bears visible after going out to the backyard, riding a snowboard downhill.

The snake monster with eighteen heads that he’d loved enough to name Medusa.

While those large creatures were nice, the arctic fox was his favorite.

It looked like a small Samoyed; at first glance, he’d mistaken it for a puppy.

They were all good friends. Was it because he’d lived in a bleak modern society? The nearly untouched northern wilderness offered something new every day.

Above all, he had his infinitely warm older sister and mother. The somewhat aloof but secretly attentive lady’s maids. They were all good people.

Compared to that, the Academy…

“Sigh.”

He could only sigh. At home, he never had reason to frown, but here, he constantly had to worry about things.

“What’s wrong, Ruide? Is something bothering you?”

“I’m thinking of quitting the Academy.”

Ruide’s true feelings slipped out unintentionally.

It was the surest way to avoid getting entangled with the protagonist group.

Plus, it was a peaceful solution. It wouldn’t harm anyone.

“W-what?!”

Hersy jumped up in shock.

Her pupils trembled.

‘I’ve already achieved my goal anyway.’

Ruide’s bored gaze fell on Hersy.

Half the reason he came to the Academy was for Hersy.

When he read the original story, he remembered feeling very sorry for her.

But now it seemed she would avoid the cliché of becoming a villain.

He’d handled things properly, so she should be left alone.

The other half of his reason was concern that the protagonist Justin might die without him…

‘But am I really necessary?’

In “Dellin’s Lake,” Ruide was a character who would appear occasionally to help the protagonist when things got out of hand.

In other words, the value of “Lazy Ruide” lay in his overwhelming power itself. And he believed that could be replaced by “Sword Dancer Amelia.”

Amelia was quite strong. Though not mentioned in the original work, she was more than capable of playing the joker role in upcoming episodes.

‘Should I really just quit?’

He felt momentarily tempted.

“Wait! You’re quitting the Academy?”

“I’m considering it.”

“B-but why?”

Hersy’s eyes grew moist.

“Who is it?”

Amelia also became serious.

“Is someone bullying you? Is it that Justin kid?”

“Is it… because of me? Because I’ve been bothering you?”

“Just tell me. I’ll make them disappear by tomorrow.”

“…”

Ruide blinked as he looked at the two showing excessive reactions.

‘I’ll put it on hold for now.’

Seeing Amelia’s response, he felt she would hold someone responsible if he quit. Probably Justin.

And Hersy wasn’t labeled a villain in the original story for nothing.

He was treated kindly because he was a Windsor, but those of lower status wouldn’t be so fortunate.

It seemed like he should observe a bit longer.

Above all—

‘I shouldn’t pass my responsibilities to someone else.’

After all, he wasn’t really a child.

**

“Slacker.”

Clifford stood with his hands behind his back.

After gazing at the sunlight streaming into his office, he turned around.

He wore what seemed like a victor’s smile.

“What happened?”

Ruide asked, slightly averting his eyes.

“Has anything unusual happened recently?”

“Yes, it has.”

Ruide had asked consciously, wondering if there were incidents he wasn’t aware of, but was surprised when Clifford confirmed there were.

“A major incident where the walls of the Colosseum, which has protected this great Imperial Academy for 300 years, collapsed.”

“…”

Ruide was at a loss for words.

“The repair costs are 120,000 gold. Adding the expenses from the Ancient Plateau that you, you slacker, wasted before, it’s over 500,000 gold.”

Clifford was triumphant.

‘Why does he seem so excited?’

Ruide felt uneasy.

“What’s wrong? Even someone like you… are you afraid of being charged this enormous amount? Hahaha!”

Clifford laughed heartily.

He looked like someone who’d finally had a painful tooth extracted after 30 years.

“I knew you’d come! The Windsor family’s educational principles are famously strict. Especially that ice-cold Duke Windsor wouldn’t let this slide…”

‘That’s not a problem.’

Ruide knew how wealthy his family was.

The Windsor duchy, despite its harsh environment, was land rich in rare minerals.

But Ruide decided to play along with Clifford’s mood.

“Yes. I was severely scolded.”

“Uwahahahaha!”

Clifford laughed uproariously.

‘What’s wrong with this old man?’

Anyway, since he seemed to be in a good mood, things might go smoothly.

“I have one favor to ask.”

“A favor? What could someone like you, who has everything in the world, possibly want from me?”

“If you grant it, I’ll give you 500,000 gold.”

Flinch.

Clifford’s body trembled.

“…Including what you did in the Ancient Forest?”

Ruide nodded.

“Since I was responsible for that too.”

“Ahem, ahem, ahem.”

Clifford coughed several times, covering his mouth.

He gestured toward the reception sofa and sat down, crossing his legs. Ruide sat across from him.

“What’s this favor?”

“‘Rak’s Orb.’ Could you transfer it to me?”

“What?”

Clifford spoke as if he couldn’t believe his ears.

“You want me to hand over that treasure for just 500,000 gold? No, the 500,000 gold is what you should be paying anyway, so it’s practically free.”

The exaggerated 500,000 gold had somehow transformed into money that was rightfully owed.

Ruide decided not to dwell on it.

“You’ve researched it for almost 90 years with no results. I know the research was discontinued about 20 years ago. Isn’t it just a burden now?”

“Well, well. How did you know about that?”

Rak’s Orb was a lifeforce left behind by Rak, a lich who researched immortality 100 years ago.

He had caused tremendous harm to the world in his pursuit of immortality, and the knights dispatched by the Imperial Academy at that time kept the orb as a reward for defeating Rak.

“Listen, boy. That’s a testament to the Imperial Academy’s great achievement in the past. Even without research results, do you know what an honor it is?”

Clifford conveniently omitted the fact that the annual tourism revenue from “Rak’s Orb” amounted to 100,000 gold.

Of course, Ruide was aware of this fact.

‘That’s the problem.’

The major accident about to happen was because Rak’s Orb was publicly exposed.

Despite all sorts of magical devices and being enclosed in a transparent glass container, some shadowy figure would disable the magic.

The lich, quietly waiting for a chance to strike back inside Rak’s Orb, would awaken and possess “Nia Ryan.”

Chaos would ensue, and many people would die. Afterward, the lich would search for a place to make his lair, targeting “Dellin’s Lake” as it had the highest concentration of magical power.

Yes, he voluntarily returned to his tomb. Lazy Ruide had subdued the intruder in one fell swoop. That’s how the incident was resolved…

But Ruide didn’t know exactly when this would happen.

Well, there wasn’t a calendar in the novel.

And since he spent most of his days sleeping, there was a high chance he’d be fighting while half-asleep.

He was already stressed just thinking about it. He decided to destroy the orb as soon as possible.

“You want such a prestigious Academy relic for free? Tsk, tsk, they say the rich are the greediest.”

He couldn’t give up the annual 100,000 gold for just 500,000 gold.

At this point, Ruide pulled out his trump card.

“If you give me that, I’ll transfer the copyright of my magic seminar to the Academy.”

“W-what did you say?”

Clifford’s eyes widened.

But they soon turned hostile.

“Why would you give that away, you fool!”

‘I really can’t figure out his personality.’

Ruide was bewildered.

“Do I look like such a scoundrel that I would steal your achievements?”

“I meant the copyright to the video recording of my magic seminar.”

Clifford quietly asked.

“…You’re going to record it?”

Ruide nodded.

“If you give me Rak’s Orb.”

Clifford cleared his throat.

“Well, that changes things.”

Video copyright refers to the right to sell crystal balls that record a special magician’s lecture.

For a renowned magician’s lecture, depending on the content, it could fetch hundreds of thousands of gold, or at least tens of thousands.

Currently, Ruide was at the center of the hottest topic in the magic society.

A seminar explaining the great magic that destroyed the Colosseum.

No magician could resist this. It would start at a minimum of 1 million gold.

“Ahem…”

An offer impossible to refuse.

But even a stone bridge should be tested before crossing.

“What do you plan to do with it? Surely you’re not interested in immortality?”

“I just want to research it. Simple curiosity.”

“Wouldn’t that research be a waste of time?”

Clifford probed subtly.

“The world’s greatest magicians researched for 90 years and found nothing. There’s nothing inside. The magical power of the lifeforce dispersed into the air when Rak died, leaving just an ordinary orb. Yet you’d pay such a hefty price for it?”

“I haven’t researched it myself.”

It was an extremely arrogant statement.

But it was also convincing.

“Hmm, your intentions seem suspicious, but alright. If research is your goal, I’ll give it to you.”

Ruide’s expression brightened.

“However, I absolutely don’t trust a lazy person like you. Hold the magic seminar first.”

In other words, if he wanted to receive it quickly, he should hold the seminar soon.

Ruide nodded.

While he didn’t know the exact date, there was still plenty of time before the lich incident would occur.

**

Right after Ruide left, Fenicia approached.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean, what happened?”

“It’s strange. You’ve always treasured Rak’s Orb, saying it’s the only thing that properly earns its keep among all these worthless people. Yet you agreed to give it away without much protest.”

“Hmm? When did I say I’d give it to him?”

Clifford put his hands behind his back and smiled slyly.

“I said I’d ‘lend’ it to him. Heh, heheheheh!”

Saying he would give it for research purposes meant it would only apply while Ruide attended the Academy.

Since they hadn’t written a formal contract, Ruide couldn’t claim ownership.

“I finally got him good. Hahaha!”

Fenicia muttered “Good grief…” while holding her forehead.

The sight of her father laughing triumphantly after tricking a 12-year-old…

It was simply too much to bear.