Ch.9190. Raid (6)

# 90. Assault (6)

Aelin, still maintaining her calm expression, said to me.

“What’s not bad?”

“Just talking to myself, that’s all.”

“Suddenly mumbling to yourself and acting weird.”

I arrived at the dungeon strategy room with Aelin, who was still speaking in that unpleasant tone. The rest of the party members were waiting for us.

I addressed them, saying, “Let’s begin right away.”

Today, like every other day, we were living in the present to prepare for the future ahead.

***

We conducted our training according to the revised schedule for this week.

This time, I trained with Aelin and Rachel, while she worked with Chris, Briton, and Reina.

After switching team members like this, I noticed something.

‘They’ve definitely gotten used to attacking.’

They showed much more aggressive behavior than before and attempted attacks in creative ways.

It was evident they had spent time thinking, “Would this work?” while facing her overwhelming defensive abilities.

‘And the same goes for us.’

Having experienced my aggressive fighting style many times, they had properly learned how to deal with attacks.

That’s why they could block most of her attacks, which were less aggressive compared to mine, and it was impressive how they created many offensive opportunities through their defensive skills.

In this way, they were learning both offense and defense from two mentors with completely opposite styles.

“Of course, they’re still lacking.”

“Albert, your standards are really high. I was quite satisfied with this level of progress.”

It was true that they had grown incomparably more than other students their age.

Most had completed their second awakening, and everyone had raised their levels to the late 100s.

“By the way, Senior Riel, how is Eve doing?”

“Her? She’s doing fine on her own without me having to teach her much. I thought I’d have to teach her a lot…”

Riel looked dejected because she had nothing to do.

However, it was good news that Eve was growing quickly on her own.

“That’s good to hear.”

“She’s really good at hitting distant targets.”

“Ah… I see.”

“If you’re not interested, could you just say so?”

It was true that I wasn’t interested, but it felt awkward to say it outright.

“Yes, I’m not particularly interested.”

“That’s better, being honest…”

“More importantly, you both know you have to go tomorrow, right?”

Hearing her words, Riel looked surprised and spoke up.

With an excited expression, she said:

“Huh? I can come too?”

“Of course. Did you think you weren’t coming?”

“Not at all. I wanted to come, but I was worried about being a bother… I thought I should know when to join in and when to step back, so I’m glad.”

Tomorrow—yes, tomorrow—was the day we would meet the Emperor and Empress of the Kainis Empire.

The people who would become my father-in-law and mother-in-law.

I was so tense that I couldn’t even joke about “not being nervous,” and when they brought it up, I became even more tense.

As my body and expression stiffened from nervousness, she spoke to me.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Albert nervous.”

“This is the first time I’ve been this nervous…”

“Even after living so long, there are still firsts for you?”

“I’ve lived such a strange life that there are quite a few things I haven’t experienced—more things I haven’t done than things I have.”

Thinking about it again, it was the kind of life that made me wonder, “What have I been doing all this time?”

Of course, that might be why I’m here now, so I don’t particularly regret it.

“Come to think of it, your actual age makes you a complete grandpa, right?”

“Well… yes.”

“I don’t particularly care about that.”

“I thought you’d say that.”

She seemed to genuinely mean what she said, which made me feel a bit relieved.

Riel looked at her with a sly expression as she comforted me and said:

“Love certainly knows no age.”

“…Yes… that’s right.”

“By the way, Senior, aren’t you dating anyone? You seem quite interested in romance.”

Riel pointed at herself in response to my question and asked me back:

“Are you talking about me?”

“Who else is a senior here…”

“I’m not particularly interested in dating.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

It was quite unexpected.

She seemed quite interested in romance, and since she had three husbands in her previous life, I thought she would have been like that from a young age…

But apparently not.

“But why do you ask?”

“Oh… I was just curious.”

Hearing that, Riel looked at me with worried eyes and asked:

“Don’t tell me you’re worried I’ll be a lifelong single like you?”

I wondered what she was worried about… it was such a meaningless concern.

And the “like you” part irritated me a bit.

“Don’t worry about that.”

“Phew~ That’s a relief… I’ll go ahead first. Come to the front of the girls’ dormitory by 12 tomorrow. And since it’s late, head back soon.”

“Okay, got it.”

After telling me that, Riel left the library with light, brisk steps.

About 30 minutes after Riel disappeared from the library, she closed the book about demons and demon lords she had been reading and stood up.

“Let’s go now. It’s gotten quite late.”

“I can stay longer if you want? Don’t you have more things you want to look up?”

She seemed to be trying to leave early because I was waiting for her.

“I’ve found answers to everything I was curious about. Besides, we have an important day tomorrow, so let’s go rest now.”

“If that’s the case… let’s go.”

We needed to manage our condition for tomorrow’s important event.

So as she suggested, we needed to return to the dormitory and rest.

Just as we confirmed that no one was left in the library and stepped outside to turn off the lights and lock the door—

A familiar chill enveloped me, and she felt it too, immediately activating [Ruthless Cold].

‘Finally here.’

This person—no, this succubus—really made us wait a long time.

“It’s been a while, Lilith.”

“Now you’re even coming inside buildings?”

As we spoke to the empty air, the source of that chilling sensation soon revealed herself before us.

But this time, she wasn’t alone.

“That person…”

“Don’t tell me you know her too?”

Looking at the person next to Lilith who asked that question, I said:

“No… it’s my first time seeing this person… no, this succubus.”

In truth, it wasn’t my first time seeing her; she was quite a familiar demon to me.

That succubus’s name was Lu.

I remembered seeing her often as she was Lilith’s closest aide.

“Really? That’s unexpected.”

“More importantly, did you come today to answer the proposal I mentioned last time?”

Of course, there was no other reason for her to return, but I asked anyway.

“That’s part of it.”

“Part of it…?”

Her answer made my assumption seem foolish.

‘Then what else is there?… No way…’

The worst possible scenario flashed through my mind, and I focused on Lilith’s lips as they began to move.

“But today, I didn’t come exactly for that reason.”

“Then… why?”

That tiny, candle-like feeling of unease was growing larger and larger.

And it accelerated with each word Lilith spoke.

“From your expressions, it seems you already know.”

“…”

“That face tells me you do know.”

The growing unease had already enveloped my entire body, and Lilith’s next words confirmed my worst fears.

Lilith looked at us, full of anxiety, with an expression of excitement and joy as she said:

“That’s right, today’s the day. Soon, our country’s forces will invade this country.”

“Did you… come to tell us this?”

“More precisely, I came to make a bet with you about it.”

In this situation, the word “bet.”

Despite bringing up such a thing, Lilith’s expression was quite serious.

“A bet?”

“Yes, a bet. Doesn’t it sound fun?”

“You look very serious for someone suggesting something like that.”

Hearing my words, Lilith asked me again in a calm voice:

“So, are you in?”

“I need to know what it is first before deciding.”

“True enough. It’s a very simple bet.”

Lilith continued with a sinister smile:

“By now, it should have started…”

Just as Lilith said this, the speakers installed throughout the academy activated.

And from those speakers came Gloria’s urgent voice:

-Attention all students! We have received reports that the army of the Babylon Kingdom has crossed our borders and is invading Edelin, the city closest to the border. Please remain in your dormitories and do not go outside.-

As the announcement ended, Lilith spoke:

“Right now, most of your forces have probably headed there, including the Emperor. But our target isn’t that city called Edelin.”

“Don’t tell me… the palace again?”

“Correct~! Thanks to you, our assassination of the Empress failed last time, and our damn king is a bit angry about that.”

It was a bold strategy worthy of Bael.

Using Lilith, a master of stealth, to set up a portal, first throwing out bait to attract attention, and then using that portal to strike the palace… a strategy.

Of course, I said “bait,” but their forces would be strong.

“Despite how much you dislike Bael, you still opened the portal as ordered, I see.”

“That was for this bet.”

“What? Surely you’re not asking us to stop them?”

Lilith smiled at me with a smile as wicked as a devil’s and said:

“That’s right. If you can stop those forces, I’ll gladly become your ally.”