episode_0056

“You’re too suspicious, Oppa. If you can’t even trust us, what are we supposed to do?”

“I’m just— No, if it’s really nothing, then forget it.”

If this place wasn’t reality but an extremely precise and perfectly fabricated space created by magic or a barrier—one so flawless that even healing magic could be deceived—then I had no ability to distinguish it anyway.

Having reached that conclusion, I decided to ask what I needed to know instead.

“What happened to those guys?”

“If they were just worthless thugs trying to intimidate us, don’t worry—we handled them properly.”

“Nothing happened that Eric needs to worry about, so you can relax.”

“Something I need to worry about?”

“They’re not dead, so you don’t have to worry.”

Only after hearing that did I finally ease up. If Christine or Cecilia had lost their temper and killed them, things would’ve gotten messy.

“That’s a relief…”

“Were you worried the Guild Master might intervene? We deliberately held back because we figured that might happen.”

“If you’re that aware, then I should be asking how you handled it. I doubt those bastards would’ve backed down so easily.”

The last thing I remembered was them slamming me to the ground and beating me mercilessly. It was hard to believe they’d just quietly walked away after how violently they’d threatened us.

“Hehe…”

“Just how much force did you use?”

“Not that much.”

“Right, right. We just released a tiny bit of magical energy, and they couldn’t even handle that—passed out on the spot. No violence or cruelty involved, I swear.”

“It’s almost laughable to say this about back-alley thugs, but they fainted way too easily. You’d think they’d need more training.”

Their tones were so flat, as if nothing had happened at all, that I couldn’t even bring myself to doubt them further.

“Really…?”

“Yes! Not that we’re saying we did nothing wrong by releasing our power without permission, but we had no idea they’d be that weak.”

“Anyone with even basic training could’ve withstood it.”

“Basic training?”

“A little above the average civilian’s level. Even I’m not so unreasonable as to hold others to Luciella’s training standards.”

Cecilia backed Christine up with supporting fire.

“Oh?”

If even she said so, then fine. I dropped the subject and changed the topic.

“Then why are you two still here instead of going back?”

“Obviously because we have to take care of you. You got beaten up and passed out, remember?”

“I’m fine now. You’re both busy people, especially you, Cecilia.”

“Huh?”

“Christine lives here, but why are you still hanging around?”

I glanced out the window again. As I’d seen earlier, it was already dark outside. Even if we wanted to leave, all transportation had been cut off. If Cecilia, the young lady of House Rastal, hadn’t returned by this hour, there’d probably be an uproar—even if she teleported back.

“Christine said she had something to discuss about our assignment, but she needed your permission first. It’s something the two of us have to decide together, so we couldn’t just leave while you were unconscious. Don’t worry—we already got our parents’ approval.”

Count Rastal and Duke Grave were close friends. Getting permission must’ve been a breeze.

“My permission? For what?”

“That group assignment you and Noona are working on—I want in.”

“…What?”

——-

The academy was as clear and dull as ever.

“I wanna go home…”

Even if I went back to the mansion, there’d be nothing to do—just killing time meaninglessly. But that’s how school is: the moment you arrive is always the most annoying and unbearable.

“Don’t start saying that already. You need to get used to it.”

“Ugh…”

My right hand was tightly gripped by Christine. Ever since that embarrassing first day, she’d insisted on coming to school with me every day.

“It’s to protect you, so deal with it. Understand?”

“Protect me?”

“Even history books tell you this. Do you know when the most important people are at their most vulnerable? When they’re on their way to do something.”

“Fair point.”

I thought of countless assassination attempts throughout history and conceded. This world was far stricter about workplace safety and security than the one I’d lived in. Christine wasn’t wrong.

“Not to mention, you’re several times weaker than those figures.”

“Hard to deny… But who’d even target someone like me? If anything, you two should be more careful.”

“It’s not that simple.”

Christine told me what she’d learned from the thugs that day. They’d had miniature magical devices embedded in the backs of their necks, followed systematic security protocols, and the devices themselves were incredibly precise.

After hearing all that, I reached one conclusion.

“What do you think, Oppa?”

“You did well. If you’d gotten involved, the Guild Master wouldn’t have been the only problem. Of all people, it had to be her…”

“Right?”

“Yeah. No matter how I look at it, the only one who could move like that right now is Spider.”

Even in the worst back alleys where the dregs of society gathered, people still lived there—and naturally, rules formed. They were incomparably inhumane and brutal compared to normal society, but rules and control existed even there. And the enforcer of those rules was Spider.

Her individual combat ability wasn’t weak, but it was far from strong. Even among the Hero’s party, in pure fighting terms, she’d struggle against Christine, the weakest. But that was precisely why she was cunning—she made sure no one could ever track her down. Her brilliant strategies and overwhelming skill in crafting magical devices made it possible.

By the time we finally caught her, even Luciella was drunk out of her mind. That says it all.

“What are you going to do?”

“Leave her be. Spider’s desperate to gather what little forces she has right now. We can round them all up after Cecilia’s business is done—it won’t be too late.”

“Huh? ‘What little forces’? Why?”

“You said they had miniature devices implanted? Those are Spider’s work, aren’t they?”

Christine nodded.

“How many people do you think end up in the underworld? You think she’d install devices that precise for every single one? Does that sound plausible?”

“Ah.”

Spider’s craftsmanship was a talent that came once in centuries. But precisely because of that, her devices were rarely mass-producible. She’d only dominate the underworld after overcoming that fatal flaw—certainly not now.

“So Spider’s too busy sweet-talking her own members to even think about targeting me. That’s it.”

“Still, you need to be more careful. Even if it’s not Spider, the number of people who’d target you will only grow.”

The academy gates were already in sight. Since we’d arrived unusually early—before any classes had started—the usual swarm of guards that would’ve surrounded Christine the moment she appeared was nowhere to be seen. It was eerily quiet.

“Doesn’t look like anyone’s after you, though.”

“I’m not joking. You need to realize just how important you are for the future. The more you help us grow and change things based on the future you know, the more people will notice something’s off. And if they trace it all back, you’ll be at the center.”

“Important? That’s all stuff you guys already know. I don’t need to step forward—it could’ve happened naturally. And if you’re worried I’ll interfere, don’t be. I won’t this time.”

I’d learned the hard way that trying to do things alone was pointless.

“I’ll just support you from the shadows. So you’re the ones who need to be careful.”

I thought it was a well-reasoned answer, but Christine looked at me like I’d said something absurd.

“So you’re just going to sit back and watch while we do all the work? Don’t lie.”

“Huh?”

“Someone who doesn’t know his place, who’s weak, who can’t change anything on his own—”

“Hey, what’s with the—”

“—and yet, pointlessly kind, always rushing to help, never showing off, just getting played like a fool!”

Christine stopped walking, jabbing a finger at me as she snapped.

“You’re doing it right now. You’re the one who got beaten up, but who did you worry about first? Those worthless trash! And then us? Where do you think you are in all this?”

“I was just assessing the situation from a safe—”

“You weren’t! If even we have to be careful, where do you think is safe for you? Where…?”

She repeated the words under her breath before finally bowing her head.