Ch.52All Preparations Are Complete

And so, I diligently attended lectures for a full two weeks.

During weapons and martial arts lectures, I got permission from the professor and beat up Demian.

In the Understanding Frontline Classes lecture, I volunteered to play the role of a monster and annihilated Demian’s party.

I also attended mounted combat training and charged into Demian while on horseback, sending him flying.

He was foolishly trying to swing that heavy greatsword while on horseback, and before I knew it…

In personal combat, only Millia and Demian had the courage to spar with me now, so I knocked Demian down and spent the rest helping Millia.

Professor Carlain smiled with great satisfaction.

Though Demian ended up in the infirmary every day, I controlled my strength enough that he could attend the next day’s lectures, so there was no problem.

As a result, thanks to me, his skills improved remarkably with each passing day.

Though his initially refreshed expression gradually darkened.

Endure it with grit and determination, Demian. This is all for you and the world.

You know what they say—if you can’t avoid it, enjoy it.

Maybe someday you’ll become someone who enjoys it, Demian?

Later, you’ll probably even thank me for it.

Millia also tried to stop me during the first few days.

Just the first few days, that is.

After seeing Demian’s skills improve rapidly with each sparring session, even she began cheering for both of us.

“You can do it, Demian! Haschal too!”

As if this had become her daily routine, Millia’s voice was full of energy without a hint of hesitation as she waved her hands in encouragement.

The wooden bow on her back swayed along with her movements.

Perhaps it was thanks to Demian’s comment last time. She showed up at the next lecture immediately carrying a bow.

She hadn’t given up on swordsmanship, but said she intended to use it as a secondary weapon.

“Well, Demian’s the one who needs to put in the effort.”

“Yeah…”

Demian followed along helplessly, like a cow being led to slaughter.

Still, once he picked up his sword, he came at me properly, so I didn’t worry about it.

If anything, his fighting spirit seemed much stronger than before.

The intensity with which he swung his greatsword, gritting his teeth as if driven by rage, was serious and fierce like someone facing a mortal enemy.

If he’s this serious about sparring, it means he must be feeling the joy of getting stronger, right?

Surely he wouldn’t dare resent me, who’s going through all this trouble to make him stronger.

Probably.

Other students now avoid even making eye contact with me. Except for Ophelia.

Asha also attends occasionally, but not a single person would spar with her.

“Should I spar with you?”

“Really? I just enhanced the horizontal thrust of my jetpack, and thanks to that—”

“…Let’s do it another time.”

I felt sorry for her and was about to offer a match, but I immediately changed my mind after hearing that.

No matter how much stronger I am, there are certain types I absolutely don’t want to face.

Increase the vertical thrust, the vertical thrust!

Why increase the charging power while keeping the flight height the same?

Is she trying to cause human extinction?

—-

Anyway, that’s how I spent those two weeks.

Improving Demian’s skills and teaching Millia archery.

Though I couldn’t explain archery in detail since I shoot mostly by instinct.

Millia’s talent was quite remarkable.

After practicing the basics of archery for a while, she quickly became proficient.

After shooting about thirty arrows, she seemed to get the feel for it, and afterward shot as well as any hunter.

It was an incredibly fast rate of improvement compared to her swordsmanship.

Even Millia herself was quite surprised by her own skills.

For the theoretical aspects that were difficult for me to explain, professors who were impressed by Millia’s skills gladly provided explanations.

At this rate, if I prepared some silver arrows in advance, she could hold her own against werebeasts.

The silver supply issue was resolved thanks to Asha.

Because Asha… hoarded silver…

Seeing Asha happily looking at the pile of silver ingots stacked in the corner of her room, I could only smile with cold sweat.

Well, I suppose it’s fine… if there’s any left over, the price will eventually rise.

Since those silver ingots are clearly Asha’s property, I can’t use them as I please right now.

But once the attack happens, life is more important than property, so Asha will surely agree to requisition.

—-

So about a month and a half left now.

Preparations were going smoothly, except for finding evidence.

I planned to visit the underground waterway in about three weeks.

It was a bit tricky to explain to Nigel why I needed to visit the waterway frequently.

So I intended to find evidence in just one visit.

If I went now and they hadn’t hidden there yet, I’d come up empty-handed like last time.

The closer to the attack date, the higher the probability of finding evidence of werebeasts, so I postponed it as much as possible.

But postponing it too much would also be problematic.

Even if I discovered evidence, I’d need time to convince Frider and prepare the knights.

Three weeks later was the compromise.

While contemplating what excuse to give Nigel, I knocked Demian unconscious again today.

Still, he was catching up to my swordsmanship quite well now.

Though it’s not like I was fighting at full strength anyway.

My full power isn’t something I should show in sparring.

I was relieved that I’d made adequate basic preparations.

At this rate, even if I couldn’t find evidence, we might somehow manage with just the academy students.

I flipped through the notebook where I’d written about the story.

My memories were getting vague… given everything I’ve been through, the detailed information was fading from memory.

The Millichy attack.

A diversionary strategy: attacking regular students on their mid-term practicum to create an emergency, and while forces are diverted there, targeting the special admission students.

The primary objective is to eliminate as many of the Empire’s future knights—the academy freshmen—as possible.

The second objective is to eliminate or kidnap special admission students to create diplomatic friction for the Empire.

Those countries’ anger would first be directed at the werebeasts… but since werebeasts are already public enemies, they wouldn’t care about that.

As long as they can harm the Empire, they don’t care about other countries’ resentment.

So I need to prepare for both situations…

For the regular student attack, if we gather people like me, Demian, Ophelia, Millia, and Edgar, we should be able to handle it, right?

The biggest problem was first-years being scattered and picked off one by one.

As for second and third-years, except for a few remaining at the academy, they’ll all be deployed elsewhere, so no need to worry about them.

The problem is the attackers targeting the special dormitory.

In the original story, the focus was only on Demian, so I don’t know what happened to those who attacked the special dormitory.

At least there wasn’t much damage, according to the setting.

Then should it be fine? Now Nigel is also in the special dormitory.

If there wasn’t much damage in the original story even without Nigel, with Nigel’s help, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Plus, Frider will be on alert after my warning, and I’ve prepared silver for gilding through Asha.

This should be perfect preparation.

So I just need to focus on the werebeasts that will attack the regular students.

46 days left…

It’s okay. There’s still plenty of time.

========[Underground Waterway]==========

“The homeland has made its decision. We begin in 16 days.”

A growling voice echoed off the walls.

On the walls of the underground waterway illuminated by mana lamps, giant shadows flickered.

Three beasts were conversing while maintaining perception-blocking magic.

“16 days? That’s too early… above all, that’s not even when they’ll be out for practicum.”

The responding voice was murky and deep.

It belonged to a massive man covered in gray fur, resembling a bear.

“The entire plan has changed, Andrei. According to His Majesty’s will in the homeland. It seems the Ka’har’s movements have been quite irritating.”

“Changed? Does that mean the existing diversionary strategy has been scrapped, Boris?”

A third voice expressed doubt.

It was higher and raspier than the other two, perhaps belonging to a female.

“No. This isn’t a cancellation, Natalya. Quite the opposite. It’s a much larger-scale diversionary operation, mobilizing warriors from the homeland as well.”

“The homeland is moving?”

At Boris the wolf werebeast’s answer, Andrei asked with wide eyes.

“Yes. The homeland will concentrate warriors near the Sky Mountains to first divert the Empire’s attention there. Then, finally, it will be our turn.”

Boris spread his arms wide.

It was a passionate reaction full of joy and excitement.

“A grand festival will begin. The stage will be this entire archipelago!”

Andrei tilted his head, folding his arms.

“So in the end, only we are attacking the archipelago… isn’t our manpower far too insufficient for that? This isn’t something we can do with just twenty-five warriors.”

“No. The manpower issue has been more or less resolved.”

To Andrei’s concern, it was Natalya, not Boris, who answered.

Andrei turned to her.

The female werebeast resembling a black panther was grinning with her chin raised.

“Yes, Andrei. You needn’t worry about that. Natalya has successfully made contact with the half-bloods. Our inferior kin who became slaves of the Empire. Their resentment has reached the heavens, and finally, the time has come to set fire to the heart of the Empire!”

Boris’s voice echoed through the underground waterway.

As if enthralled by his own words, his eyes gleamed with fervor.

“Our resentment.”

The two werebeasts smiled, baring their teeth.

Their sharp fangs flashed white in the light.