I Will Live As An Academy Extra Chapter 1-100

I Will Live As An Academy Extra

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Synopsis

I was possessed as a third-rate villain in a novel I once read.

There’s nothing I particularly want to do, so I’m just going to live quietly.

But living as an extra wasn’t easy.

I Will Live As An Academy Extra Chapter 1-100

Volume 1 Prologue

Episode 1 Extra In The Academy (1)

Episode 2 Extra In The Academy (2)

Episode 3 Extra In The Academy (3)

Episode 4 Lana Heytald (1)

Episode 5 Lana Heytald (2)

Episode 6 Lana Heytald (3)

Episode 7 Entrance Exam (1)

Episode 8 Entrance Exam (2)

Episode 9 Entrance Exam (3)

Episode 10 Entrance Exam (4)

Episode 11 Entrance Ceremony (1)

Episode 12 Entrance Ceremony (2)

Episode 13 Part-Time Job (1)

Episode 14 Part-Time Job (2)

Episode 15 Part-Time Job (3)

Episode 16 Brief Daily Life (1)

Episode 17 Brief Daily Life (2)

Episode 18 Outing (1)

Episode 19 Outing (2)

Episode 20 Suppression Operation (1)

Episode 21 Suppression Operation (2)

Episode 22 Suppression Operation (3)

Episode 23 Suppression Operation (4)

Episode 24 Suppression Operation (5)

Episode 25 Hunting Practice (1)

Episode 26 Hunting Practice (2)

Episode 27 Hunting Practice (3)

Episode 28 Hunting Practice (4)

Episode 29 Hunting Practice (5)

Episode 30 Missing (1)

Episode 31 Missing (2)

Episode 32 Corruption (1)

Episode 33 Corruption (2)

Episode 34 Corruption (3)

Episode 35 Corruption (4)

Episode 36 Cleanup (1)

Episode 37 Cleanup (2)

Episode 38 Exam Period (1)

Episode 39 Exam Period (2)

Episode 40 Midterm Exam (1)

Episode 41 Midterm Exam (2)

Episode 42 Midterm Exam (3)

Episode 43 Midterm Exam (4)

Episode 44 Orange’S Forge (1)

Episode 45 Orange’S Forge (2)

Episode 46 Orange’S Forge (3)

Episode 47 Library Occupation Incident (1)

Episode 48 Library Occupation Incident (2)

Episode 49 Library Occupation Incident (3)

Episode 50 Library Occupation Incident (4)

Episode 51 Library Occupation Incident (5)

Episode 52 Library Occupation Incident (6)

Episode 53 Award Ceremony (1)

Episode 54 Award Ceremony (2)

Episode 55 Magic Kingdom (1)

Episode 56 Magic Kingdom (2)

Episode 57 Magic Kingdom (3)

Episode 58 Magic Kingdom (4)

Episode 59 Production Competition (1)

Episode 60 Production Competition (2)

Episode 61 Production Competition (3)

Episode 62 End Of Semester (1)

Episode 63 End Of Semester (2)

Episode 64 End Of Semester (3)

Episode 65 Vacation (1)

Episode 66 Vacation (2)

Episode 67 Vacation (3)

Episode 68 Vacation (4)

Episode 69 Vacation (5)

Episode 70 National Foundation Festival (1)

Episode 71 National Foundation Festival (2)

Episode 72 National Foundation Festival (3)

Episode 73 National Foundation Festival (4)

Episode 74 National Foundation Festival (5)

Episode 75 Imperial Banquet (1)

Episode 76 Imperial Banquet (2)

Episode 77 Imperial Banquet (3)

Episode 78 Imperial Banquet (4)

Episode 79 Imperial Banquet (5)

Episode 80 Preparation

Episode 81 Second Semester (1)

Episode 82 Second Semester (2)

Episode 83 Second Semester (3)

Episode 84 Second Semester (4)

Episode 85 Second Semester (5)

Episode 86 Series Of Incidents (1)

Episode 87 Series Of Incidents (2)

Episode 88 Series Of Incidents (3)

Episode 89 Series Of Incidents (4)

Episode 90 Contact (1)

Episode 91 Contact (2)

Episode 92 Free City (1)

Episode 93 Free City (2)

Episode 94 Free City (3)

Episode 95 Free City (4)

Episode 96 Auction (1)

Episode 97 Auction (2)

Episode 98 Auction (3)

Episode 99 Auction (4)

Volume 1

Prologue

When I regained consciousness, the first thing I felt was the heaviness of my body.

Filled with doubt, I opened my eyes, and an unfamiliar place, different from my last memory, greeted me.

‘Where is this…?’

I raised my head and looked around.

The first thing that caught my eye were three people sitting in the center. They were looking down at me with displeased expressions.

“It’s over.”

A voice came from the side. I turned my head and saw a man wearing glasses.

‘Huh?’

My face was reflected in his glasses. But that face was not mine; it was an unfamiliar face.

“Ah, could it be…”

In that moment, a hypothesis flashed through my mind.

A language of a completely different system, yet understandable. An architectural style with sensibilities different from modern times. And the timing of regaining consciousness in a completely different body. What this meant was one thing.

Me, it seems…

“Shit…”

I’ve possessed someone.

“I will resume the trial!”

***

My mind is blank. I can’t believe this kind of thing is happening to me.

“Ha…”

This situation is so absurd that all I can do is sigh.

Meanwhile, as the old man had shouted, the trial continued.

A student in a school uniform stood in the witness stand. And they talked about the deeds I had committed (?). Each time, the hundreds of spectators behind me exuded murderous intent.

Whenever I made eye contact with a witness, they trembled in fear. Some even cried or fainted….

‘…Shit.’

It was unfair. I had only checked their faces. But what was even more unfair was that I felt sorry because everyone had such innocent faces, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Anyway, as a result, my eyes were fixed with magic, and my body was bound. Fortunately, my mouth was left open, but they were ready to shut it if I said anything nonsensical.

That’s how an hour passed. During that time, I learned one thing.

The owner of this body is a notorious son of a bitch.

First of all, all 20 people who testified were victims. And they weren’t the only victims.

Among the spectators watching the trial behind me, there seemed to be victims who had been harmed by me as well. Estimating the number roughly, it was about 200?

‘In other words, he’s a disgustingly bad bastard.’

With this much evil, he would be called a scoundrel. If I had to guess, he’s probably the son of a noble family with some power.

‘Otherwise, there’s no way he could harass this many people without getting caught.’

Of course, he was caught, so the trial was held.

Anyway.

The scoundrel’s crimes were three:

The crime of inciting students and causing chaos.

The crime of using the family’s reputation to gain personal profit.

The crime of behaving improperly as a student.

Since the latter two ended when I regained consciousness, I don’t know the details.

Still, I had a plan.

Luckily, I got a lot of information about the first crime. I thought I could mix this with information about this world and improvise a defense to get through it somehow.

And now, with only the defense left, everything has become meaningless.

Why?

‘So, what’s this bastard’s name…’

One hour into the possession. I still don’t know the name of this body.

That guy, that demon, that trash, etc. That’s what the victims called me. The three people in front, who seemed to be judges and professors, were the same. It was as if they would never say my name, as if it were a taboo.

‘I need at least a clue to make a guess…’

But shit, I don’t even know the name of the work that this world is based on, so how am I supposed to get out of this situation?

Of course, it’s possible with the names of others. But I don’t know the names of the professors, and there were no named characters among the witnesses.

“Haa…”

In the end, the defense went down the drain. And so the trial ended.

The punishment was handed down.

“Despite the existence of clear evidence, there is no sign of remorse! The right to use the academy is demoted to the lowest level, and as a punishment for the crime, you are sentenced to 2,000 hours of community service!”

As soon as the words were finished, criticism and jeers poured out. The reason was why I wasn’t being expelled.

Thud—

Trash flew and hit my head. Starting with one person, other students followed suit. No one tried to stop them.

The surroundings were filled with trash. The spectators poured out insults and left the courtroom. In that place, I was left alone.

“Haa…”

In this terrible situation, I don’t even know where to start. In the end, they didn’t even tell me the name, so I can’t even figure out who I am.

As I was blankly spacing out for a while, a woman walked towards me.

Her black hair and eyes stood out. In contrast, she had fair skin. A woman with a beautiful face that harmonized with those three features.

The woman stood in front of me. I could see disgust in her smiling eyes.

“I told you yesterday. Admit and accept all your sins.”

A beautiful voice pierced through. It was deeply tinged with disgust.

But I don’t know who she is. I can confidently say that this is our first meeting. But strangely, my body felt unpleasant and uncomfortable. And then it was.

“If only you…”

Suddenly, my body rebelled against my will, and my mouth opened. I lost control in an instant, and it moved on its own.

“If only you hadn’t been there, my plan would have been perfect! If you hadn’t interfered, I would have succeeded…!”

‘I’ spewed out a cry filled with resentment. The woman looked at me with pitiful eyes.

“Don’t blame your incompetence on me. That’s why you’re called a failing student.”

“Ugh-!”

‘I’ lunged at the woman. The woman lightly moved her arm and subdued ‘me’.

“It’s all the result of your own doing. Now it’s just your turn to suffer.”

My eyes met the woman’s. A strange sensation dug into my insides.

“You haven’t changed even now.”

“Don’t look at me with those eyes, Ariel Tianaise…!”

I gritted my teeth and raged, thrashing towards her. She controlled me with even more force.

My body wouldn’t budge. But the important thing wasn’t that.

‘Wait. Ariel Tianaise?’

Based on the name, the information I had obtained so far was integrated and organized. Now I knew what novel this was, and what my name was.

Meanwhile, guards came and grabbed me. Because of my rampage.

“Try to survive without dying, Kyle Arden.”

She gave a short greeting and left. On the other hand, I was dragged away.

“Ariel, Tianaise…”

The fourth princess of the Tyran Empire. And a leading character who is with the protagonist.

My body was still raging, but I smiled as I said her name.

‘Well, then…’

I possessed a novel. And it was a week before the novel started.

And the target of the possession is Kyle Arden, who is called a complete failure.

‘This is an opportunity!’

My fist clenched. Because Kyle Arden is an ex…

Thwack!

But, sadly, I couldn’t continue my thoughts due to the pain that struck the back of my head.

Episode 1 Extra In The Academy (1)

The moment I regained consciousness, I quickly opened my eyes and surveyed my surroundings.

“Where the hell is this again…”

The place I woke up in this time was a room that seemed old and abandoned for a long time.

More than half of the window was broken, and the ceiling and floor were full of holes. There was furniture too, but at least it was in relatively decent shape.

The biggest problem with the room, which looked like it was about to collapse, was the musty smell inside. I frowned at the strong stench.

“To open my eyes to a rotten place like this. I absolutely can’t…”

[“This is absolutely no place for anyone to live. How could your brother possibly…”]

One line suddenly came to mind. It was what the protagonist said when he entered this room.

“So this is…”

The lowest-grade dormitory.

The place where Kyle Arden’s hellish life begins.

“…Shit.”

A curse word slipped out.

From now on, this is where ‘I,’ who became him, not Kyle Arden, will live. Thinking about that made me annoyed. It’s too dirty, even for dirtiness.

“I wish it was just a dream, but…”

I knew better than anyone that this wasn’t a dream. But I’m not stupid enough to deny reality either.

I quickly sorted out my thoughts. The reason I was possessed into the novel, or the curiosity about the being who did it? None of my business.

Kyle Arden the Scoundrel.

This guy is a character in the novel ‘Academy Genius Swordmaster,’ shortened to ‘AcaGenSword.’

Even as a character, he’s not a significant one.

A third-rate villain prepared for the beginning of the novel, an extra who will soon be forgotten. Kyle Arden, or rather, I am just that kind of person.

Even his settings were extra-like. His personality is terrible, and he has no talent. All settings befitting a scoundrel. If there is a setting to covet, it’s that he’s the eldest son of the Arden family, famous for swordsmanship?

Well, even that was just a setting given for fun.

Anyway, to summarize the current situation.

Kyle Arden is on the path to ruin due to a trial. I was possessed at the worst possible timing.

What’s even worse is that this guy dies. Not right away, but a month later, he gets his head chopped off by the protagonist.

“Tsk, I really don’t want to get my head chopped off.”

Just imagining it is terrifying. But it’s not something to make a fuss about.

“Because the solution is simple.”

The cause of death lies with Kyle.

The guy had no talent but was good at feeling inferior. So he tried to kill the protagonist, who was born with talent, and as a result, he died.

It goes without saying that the protagonist is someone who knows how to keep the line. At first, he had no intention of killing, but Kyle’s actions were so heinous that he had no choice but to kill him.

So, if I cut off the cause, it’s a problem that can be easily solved.

Even so, Kyle’s karma doesn’t disappear. If anything, that’s the biggest problem.

“It was brutal.”

I recalled the scene before I fainted. Hundreds of people exuding killing intent towards me. It was an atmosphere where it wouldn’t be strange to kill someone. Things could happen as early as next week.

“Tsk, of all things, it had to be a villain.”

I clicked my tongue briefly. Looking at the situation alone, the role of a villain didn’t feel good.

So, am I upset because of it?

I have no fault, but I’m just possessed at the worst timing, and if you ask if I’m upset that I have to bear the sins of the original owner, I would answer like this.

Not at all upset.

Why?

“Because Kyle Arden is an extra.”

Extra. That’s why I can laugh.

I was tired because of my previous life. It wasn’t a very good life, and I suffered a lot. So I want to rest.

Clearly, the information of this world exists in my head. ‘AcaGenSword’ was popular, and it was a novel that succeeded in webtoons and game adaptations. There’s a lot of known information.

Settings revealed in the webtoon side stories, hidden settings or information unlocked through hidden routes or items. Some readers even compiled those. Of course, I remember them.

But I have no intention of using them.

A life of playing and eating.

A life of becoming a hero.

A life of a powerful person.

I don’t want the lives that others desire and wouldn’t refuse. I want a normal life where I work, marry, and die of old age like others.

So, this body can be considered the optimal environment.

Extras don’t have to bear choices or obligations like the protagonist or main characters, and unless they get forcibly involved, they don’t give room to interfere in their stories. It’s the most suitable body for me, who aims for normalcy.

“So, I need to make a plan.”

For my happy extra life.

The basic policy was quickly decided.

“Is graduating the best option?”

After considering everything, graduating is the only answer.

I’d like to drop out and live in a quiet rural area, but considering I haven’t been expelled, doing as I please is a bit much. On the contrary, it’s highly likely to be rejected.

Still, graduating isn’t entirely meaningless. To live a normal life, I need a job, and there’s nothing better than a diploma from a prestigious academy for that.

Plus, if I have a diploma, the family might give me a position. If that happens, I’ll be closer to my wish.

Well, if I get caught up in an episode, I’ll just avoid it appropriately. I’m confident I can do that.

“Kyle is a second-year student, so 2 years until graduation.”

2 years. I just need to endure that time and graduate.

“I’ll think about the minor things tomorrow. I’m going to, huff…”

I’m done with sorting things out for the most part. I left my body to the bed. My body hasn’t adjusted yet, and using my head made me feel like I was dying, but my mind is at peace.

The back of my head throbbing from being hit by the guard, the dusty bed, and the miscellaneous problems didn’t bother me for now.

“It’s been a while since such peace~”

It’s quiet. That’s what I like.

This dormitory is far from the center of the academy, and no one lives here. Not even the proctor or caretaker is here.

In other words, it’s my own sanctuary.

Of course, the disadvantage is that the facilities are old, and there’s no maid to help with the dormitory work. That means I have to handle all the work in the dormitory, but that didn’t matter.

It’s a life to live as an extra anyway. I could endure such inconveniences.

I checked the wristwatch provided by Tianis Academy. The hour hand was pointing to 5 PM.

“It’s almost dinnertime.”

I suddenly see myself worrying about food. Is it because of my previous life? My adaptability is really fast.

I once thought it was a curse, but now that it’s helpful, my thoughts change. While I was lost in such sentiment.

Knock knock

Someone knocked on the door. I stared blankly at it.

No one ever looks for the lowest-grade dormitory in the academy. That means someone who came here beyond the door is someone related to me.

‘Not good.’

I don’t know who it is, but they probably didn’t come with good intentions.

‘Let’s avoid it for now.’

Knock knock

I held my breath and pretended not to be there. Knowing this guy’s personality, they’ll definitely leave soon.

But I was wrong. Instead of leaving, the door was roughly opened with a bang.

The one who opened the door was a woman in knight attire. When the door opened, the bed was immediately visible, and she made eye contact with me.

“It’s been a while, young master.”

The woman greeted. Her voice seemed to blame me for pretending not to be there.

She came inside before my permission was given. She looked around the room and walked towards me.

‘I think I’ve seen her somewhere.’

I examined her.

Long silver hair and an expressionless face. It was my first meeting, but somehow her face was familiar. I soon knew why.

There was an illustration. Her name was definitely….

“…Ellaime.”

That was the name. She was a popular supporting character, and I remembered her because she was the first illustration target character among the supporting characters.

“…I didn’t expect you to remember the name of a lowly thing.”

I unconsciously called her name, but the reaction that came back wasn’t good.

For a kind person like Ellaime to say such things outright. It’s scoundrel-like if you’re a scoundrel.

I regarded it as Kyle’s karma, and instead, I frowned and asked in an annoyed tone.

“Why are you here?”

“Why do you think, young master?”

“Don’t give me nonsense, just answer!”

“…….”

Ellaime stared at me silently. I glared and urged her to answer.

“The family is in an uproar thanks to you, young master.”

Ellaime explained the current situation.

In fact, the sins Kyle spoke of in the trial were expressed in a euphemistic way. He harassed students, manipulated grades, and tried to distribute illegal drugs like narcotics in the academy. That’s the sin Kyle committed.

The first two were elements that could be overlooked, but narcotics were not. The academy couldn’t just stand by and let it ruin the sacred ground of learning, and the family is working hard to stop it.

“The family has decided that they can’t leave you like this, young master.”

Not only did he tarnish the family’s reputation, but the eldest son was even involved in narcotics. The family said they couldn’t leave me alone.

At those words, I scoffed and said.

“You’ve been leaving me alone until now, and now you’re doing this?”

The Arden family didn’t care about Kyle’s actions, no matter what he did. Even if he caused trouble at the academy, even if any rumors came, they remained silent. He was practically an abandoned child.

“No matter how much, I didn’t know you’d even touch narcotics.”

Ellaime looked at me with a troubled look.

“So. Are you going to drag me back to the family?”

“No. I will be staying by your side for a while to monitor you.”

“You think I’ll accept that!”

I acted even more angry. Kyle often rebelled against the family’s orders, so it wouldn’t be awkward.

Of course, I don’t want surveillance either. A controlled life has many inconveniences.

“The lord of the family gave the order directly, so you don’t have a choice, young master. And you know, right? That you ended up with this much punishment thanks to Ariel Tianis. If it wasn’t for her, you wouldn’t have been enough even if you were executed.”

Hearing that name made me feel a strange nausea. It was as if my body was rejecting the princess’s name. The blood rushed to my head, but I exerted my transcendental mental strength and returned to normal.

“…Young master, are you alright?”

“…What. So, is that the end of the business?”

I treated Ellaime, who must have noticed my reaction, coldly. She took out a letter from her bosom with an expressionless face and handed it over.

“This is a letter from the lord of the family.”

“Father’s letter?”

I received the letter and tore off the seal with the family crest. The letter read: ────

To my son, Kyle.

This is the last time. If a similar incident reaches the family’s ears again, all the rights given to you so far will be revoked, and you will be expelled from the family. So stay quiet.

And as punishment for this incident, you will have to provide for your own living expenses.

────

A letter with a hint of bluntness. It showed the personality of his father, Dekal Arden. But the last sentence was very bothersome.

“What does this mean at the end?”

“It means literally. The financial support sent to you will be cut off as of today. Ah, they decided to pay the tuition, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

At Ellaime’s words, my face began to crumple and rot.

I belatedly rummaged through my pockets, but only dust flew out. I looked through the bag next to me to see if there was any hidden emergency money, but there was none. Where did this bastard spend all his money…?

“Anyway, that’s the end of the delivery. Then, I’ll be going.”

“Wait…!”

“For your information, I have no intention of helping you, so do your best, young master.”

And seeing my expression, Ellaime quickly ended the conversation and left the room.

The sound of footsteps moving away outside could be heard, and all traces disappeared completely. Once again, I was left alone.

“She’s resolute….”

The Ellaime I knew wasn’t like that.

No, more than that.

“What am I going to do now.”

I was penniless and had nothing to eat right away, but there was only one answer I could come up with.

“What else can I do? I have to make money.”

I said, creating mana in my hand. Hmm, it moves well.

Fortunately, there are many ways to make money in the academy. That’s because Tianis Academy is friendly to students.

Was I proud of myself for reaching an ordinary way of thinking? The corners of my lips slightly lifted. I was satisfied with this state and got up from the bed.

Growl~

“Should I solve the meal first?”

Episode 2 Extra In The Academy (2)

Next Monday morning arrived.

“Keueung….”

I stretched, loosening my stiff body.

Checking my wristwatch, it was 6 AM. With a lecture scheduled for 9 AM, I had to wake up at this time considering preparation and travel time.

I roughly dusted off and arranged the bedding. After that, I headed to the communal shower room.

Turning on the water, cold water came out. Unlike other dormitories, even simple magic tools are not installed in the lowest-grade one. Still, it’s not to the point where I can’t wash at all.

After finishing my shower, I returned to my room and put on my uniform. It was slightly wrinkled but didn’t smell.

Lastly, I looked at the broken window and tidied up my disheveled hair and clothes.

“I should get a mirror soon, and while I’m at it, the window and the floor too….”

A tree floor with a hole in the corner of my vision came into view.

“I need to repair it.”

Even this requires money. Since I’m going to the academy from today, I should be able to fix it within two weeks.

I picked up an apple from the desk and took a bite. The crisp, refreshing sound echoed. My mouth was soon filled with sweetness.

“I’m starting to get sick of it.”

Filling my stomach with fruit for six meals on the weekend makes me sick of it. I wanted to eat something with a chewy texture soon.

Still, I have to endure with this for a while. No one will help a rascal with no money or popularity.

Fortunately, these fruits are scattered outside the dormitory, so there’s no need to worry. It’s because it’s in the outskirts where human hands don’t reach. However, the disappointing thing is that there are no rivers or animals around, so there’s nothing to eat but fruit.

After finishing breakfast and leaving the dormitory, Ellaim was waiting at the entrance. As a supervisor, she follows me wherever I go. She even watched me silently from below when I was picking apples.

“……”

“……”

Our eyes met. Neither of us spoke.

Unlike the first day, Ellaim didn’t even say anything first. I could only see her will to focus on the given mission.

“…Sigh.”

A sigh came out at the taciturn companion. I wanted to have a conversation with her since she was a character I liked, but the body of the rascal is preventing it.

But in a way, she also looks pitiful since she came here against her will.

‘…I don’t know when the mission will end.’

Originally, a mission that would be over when I die. But because of me, the mission deadline has disappeared.

‘I should send a letter to my father later.’

Ellaim is talented enough to be the captain of the Knights, who support the Arden family. It’s too much of a waste for her to be consumed by this kind of mission.

After finishing my thoughts, I started moving. I’ll be late if I don’t start moving soon. And Ellaim followed me from behind.

***

After walking for a full two hours, I arrived at the Knight Department building.

“Huk, huk.”

I was exhausted and sat down on a nearby bench to catch my breath. There’s still time to rest, so it’s okay.

As I was doing that for a while, my attention was drawn. Quite a lot, too.

-Hey. Isn’t that ‘him’?

-Yeah, it’s that bastard. Tsk, it’s disgusting from the morning….

-I heard he was kicked out to the lowest-grade dormitory. He’s a mess.

-I knew it would be like that. He’s nothing more than a commoner without the family.

-Shh! What if he hears you! You know his personality!

-Let him hear. There are more than one or two kids who are out to get him.

The voices were small, but they were meant to be heard. Well, those kinds of conversations are very mild.

-When is that bug going to die?

-A human trash who only touches the weak-!

-Because of that demon bastard…!

Many students were openly cursing. Constant jeers and criticisms stabbed at me throughout my break.

I roughly ignored them and checked my watch.

“Shall we go soon.”

I got up from my seat and started walking. But I was out of breath in less than 2 minutes.

“…Damn it.”

I can only sigh at this trashy body.

Kyle Arden is not a pig rascal. Rather, he has a tall height and a moderate physique. But unlike his normal appearance, the inside is rotten. Especially the muscles are in a state that could be mistaken for being left alone for 5 years.

‘Is it rascal-like if it’s rascal-like.’

Well, it would be funnier if the rascal worked out.

“Should I work out a little.”

The road to school that I have to repeat hundreds of times. I can’t leave it like this. I’m good at training, so I can quickly build up my stamina and muscles.

Meanwhile, I kept moving and arrived at the lecture room.

[A-1]

I carefully opened the door. At that moment, my gaze was focused and the back of my neck trembled.

“……”

Enmity surges from everywhere. It was better delivered because it was a narrow space.

But I calmly found an empty seat as if nothing was wrong. Then some students frowned and spat out curses.

Even so, I calmly waited for the lecture. To me, those gazes seemed cute.

Creak.

Then the professor came in. He had a puzzled look on his face at the calm atmosphere, but nodded at me when he saw me.

“I will start the lecture.”

The professor opened the book. Thus, the first class in this world began in an uncomfortable atmosphere.

***

Kyle Arden has many enemies. If there is an enemy who doesn’t like me the most, it can be said to be a student from a noble family.

It’s because Kyle’s personality is so terrible. There’s no way there would be a noble who likes him when he acts arrogantly even to the same nobles.

As a result, in the current completely fallen state, he was easily preyed upon by various noble factions. Especially for them, he was an easy toy to harass.

Just like now.

Thud, thud

Crumbled paper balls fly and hit me. When it hits my head, they giggle and laugh, and when I unfold the paper, there are curses written on it.

‘This is… annoying.’

I already predicted that the students would harass me. But to think they would bother me during the lecture. I couldn’t fully concentrate on the lecture.

I would understand if they were victims. But I can’t help but get annoyed when I see nobles who have nothing to do with me bothering me simply because I’ve become easy.

‘The professor doesn’t seem to want to stop it, and if I let it go like this, the intensity will only get stronger.’

After finishing my thoughts, I secretly drew up mana. I glanced at the professor. He didn’t notice.

I concentrate magic power on my index finger. I quietly moved my finger under the desk.

I draw various shapes inside the circle. I carve letters inside it. A magic circle the size of a palm completed like that.

I recited quietly.

-Faint

Mana pours out in clumps. The manifested magic moves along the floor. With delicate manipulation, the magic touched the soles of the two guys’ feet.

“Uh…!”

“Eueok…!”

The two fell over making strange groans. It was a small sound, so there was no big commotion. Only the students around reacted.

“What all of a sudden.”

“Why are they doing that.”

No one suspected me.

‘It’s quiet now.’

Peace has come since the obstructors disappeared. Kids should be put to sleep after all.

More than that….

‘There’s too little mana.’

It’s a basic level of magic, but all the mana in the dantian was exhausted.

‘I can only sigh. Only sigh.’

This result would not have happened if I had steadily trained the mana technique.

Even if you have good skills, it’s better not to have them if you don’t train them.

‘It would have been enough if I had just eaten one elixir….’

However, the Arden family, who recognized Kyle’s talent early on, did not pour much support into Kyle. Kyle could not eat the elixirs that would have been at least hundreds of them.

So Kyle’s mana is particularly low. Looking at it, it’s not comparable to the noble children, and it’s about the same level as the commoner students.

‘I need to build up mana too.’

I don’t need a lot. It only needs to be at the level necessary for graduation. I can reach the middle-upper ranks in a year at a leisurely pace.

I stopped thinking about it and focused on the lecture.

‘Interesting.’

The knowledge of an unfamiliar world was quite interesting.

***

The lecture went smoothly.

I also received an assignment. It was the first assignment I had ever received throughout my previous life.

I packed my assignment with a slightly excited heart and got up from my seat. Rustle, a piece of paper rolling on the floor gets caught on my foot.

“Kyle Arden.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Clean the lecture room before you leave.”

A heavy voice is laid down. Kyle used to swear at the professor, so the reaction is no different.

“I understand.”

I obeyed willingly. Then everyone looked at me strangely, but soon went their own way.

“Then….”

I was left alone and cleaned up the trash. I didn’t feel sad. I’m just curious about the different treatment.

Cleaning took about 10 minutes. There is a next lecture, but the academy provides a 20-minute break to allow students enough time to move.

The next place is the outdoor sparring arena. Sparring classes are scheduled there.

My body slightly rejects it as I head there. This is because Kyle hated this kind of lecture.

‘Because his talent is exposed in front of others.’

The former owner had no capacity to endure the shame. The life record that could be seen in the game explained that he had skipped almost all of the sparring classes in the first year.

Meanwhile, I arrived at the main gate of the sparring arena. There are still some students left as there is still time. The whispers grew louder at my appearance.

And amidst the commotion, there was someone walking towards this side from the opposite side.

Black hair and black eyes that indicate a specific lineage. Skin as white as jade that contrasts with it.

She, who I remember seeing sometime.

‘Ariel Tianis.’

The person who dropped me into hell and the protagonist of this world.

The moment I recognized her existence, my body flinched for a moment. I controlled it.

The princess in a neat uniform was talking to a classmate and gradually narrowed the distance. Then she discovered me and stopped walking.

“Kyle Arden….”

A smile disappeared and a small voice flowed from her lips. Silence lingers. The students avoided the spot, and only the two of us were left in the hallway.

“It’s been 3 days. Is academy life bearable?”

The 4th princess asks kindly.

The appearance of asking about well-being is not the reality. It is to confirm my situation in words.

You’re done now, so how do you feel.

But even if it implies that meaning, it doesn’t matter. So what.

But I have to answer.

“I’m doing better than the princess’s concern.”

“There must be ‘many’ inconveniences different from your usual life.”

“It’s okay except for the place to sleep. The lowest-grade dormitory is not a place to stay comfortably. It seems it will take time to adapt.”

“The lowest-grade dormitory is a temporary building. It would be uncomfortable for someone who only used good things. Still… you seem to be doing better than I expected.”

“Isn’t this also thanks to the princess’s benevolent grace.”

That’s because the reason I wasn’t expelled was thanks to Princess Ariel. Of course, it’s because she wants me to suffer.

The 4th princess stared at me. She looks displeased.

Immediately after, she slowly walked towards me.

Just a step away. She put her face to my ear and whispered.

“I wonder how long that mask will last. A month? Whatever it is, it’s better to maintain it for a long time. If something like this happens again….”

The princess smiled as if there was no need for further words. It’s a smile that feels really scary.

The students will not know this aspect of the 4th princess. Only me and the people around me would know.

That’s not her true nature. She treats those who she defines as evil without mercy. That’s her way of expressing anger.

“I understand.”

I smiled with a masked face.

“You have to use that talent well to help the family.”

“To think you would give me this much attention. It’s an honor to the family.”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean.”

She frowned as if she felt disgusted and distanced herself. It seemed like the situation was settled.

“By the way, how long are you going to keep your neck so stiff?”

“What do you mean, Princess.”

“Have you forgotten even the basic etiquette now? If you’re holding a grudge about the last incident and ignoring me….”

I was wondering what nonsense she was talking about, but I soon realized what she meant. But I didn’t act.

“I didn’t know that the princess would care about ‘just’ that kind of thing.”

“Just that. To dare to insult the authority of the imperial family…!”

The princess got angry as if she had received a great insult. But I interrupted her because the sight looked so awkward, or funny.

“Princess, why don’t you stop? It’s obvious that you’re acting.”

The emperor’s direct line, and the status of a princess.

A position standing at the pinnacle of the continent.

The princess has tremendous power. However, she does not use the power through her background except for the academy rules.

She doesn’t even have the guards she deserves. She only wears uniforms. She eats in the cafeteria like everyone else, and studies in the library or training grounds, making the same arduous efforts.

She acts as if she’s just a student, not a noble. As if it’s natural.

If you were to determine the model for the right life, the princess would be the one.

Such a person is promoting her origins? It’s a contradiction.

The princess stopped abruptly. She turned her head and stared at me.

“……”

“Above all, ‘When entering Tianis Academy, everyone is equal in the status of a student, regardless of family, country, or status’. Isn’t it?”

The basic premise and rule of Tianis Academy, the sacred place of learning.

Even the emperor of the empire is treated as an ordinary student if he is a student, a principle set by the founding emperor when he established the academy.

Of course, even the princess is just a student here and must act according to the rules.

Then the princess laughed as if she was dumbfounded.

“I don’t think you’re the one to say that. It was none other than you who broke those rules better than anyone else.”

I shrugged at the princess’s growl.

It’s not wrong.

But as time passes, the meaning fades and gradually changes.

It’s the same now.

As much as 400 years since its establishment. Too much time has passed to fully adhere to the rules.

That’s why I’m safely attending the academy.

“In the first place, I’m not the only one doing it, other people are doing it too.”

“So you’re saying that what you’ve done so far is justified…!”

A voice filled with anger. I took a respectful stance and said calmly.

“I’m just advising you not to wear a mask that doesn’t fit, unlike me.”

It’s an action that doesn’t suit her personality.

It’s more appropriate for the princess to come forward publicly, like a trial. Instead of doing these mischievous pranks.

“And there are many people who will slander me even if it’s not the princess. Leave it to them and focus on your studies.”

She is a supporting character with the protagonist.

We are already tied together by a bad relationship, but it’s better not to get involved any further.

So it’s better to keep a distance.

For the princess, and for personal safety.

“……”

The princess’s complexion hardened in an instant. She looked at me with an unbelievable expression. After moving her lips for a while, she opened her mouth.

“Who the hell are you…?”

The princess said that as if she felt a great sense of incongruity. Did I show it too much?

I said with a puzzled face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“But, the rascal I know….”

“You must be tired from focusing on your studies. Shall I tell the professor?”

“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant….”

It was a princess who rarely stuttered. I ignored the reaction and checked my watch.

“It’s time. Then I’ll be going now.”

I quickly settled the situation and hurriedly left the place. The princess said, “Uh, uh,” but in the end, she couldn’t catch me. Various emotions were blooming on the princess’s face as she passed by.

Episode 3 Extra In The Academy (3)

Leaving my spot, I headed not to the training grounds, but to the nearby restroom.

“Ugh-!”

As soon as I reached the toilet, I threw up everything inside me. The vomiting didn’t stop and continued to pour out.

“Haa, haa…”

Unwiped fluid trickled down my mouth. But I didn’t wipe it away, leaning against the wall as I was.

“…Damn body.”

Having controlled it with all my might, all the strength drained from my body. I don’t even have the strength to lift a finger. I spat out a short curse and calmed my breathing.

I wonder why I’m going through this, but I know the reason.

In possession stories, the original owner’s memories are deleted when being possessed. However, even if the mind disappears, the body remembers, and the memories embedded in the body do not disappear in this process.

A good example is the scene where ‘the possessed person is thrown into a new world and quickly adapts.’ Although I am unfamiliar, the body remembers and is adapting.

And the feelings I felt when facing Ariel Trianis are embedded in my body, causing this mess.

But actually, such reactions disappear in a few days. Eventually, the owner of the body is me, so the body adjusts to the current soul.

However, there are exceptions. If negative emotions such as resentment or hatred are mixed in, they do not disappear easily and cause more intense reactions. I am in that state now.

“This can’t be all…”

Besides the princess, I can guess a few people who would cause this reaction. The first person that comes to mind is probably my sister?

Of course, the solution is to release these built-up emotions. Then you can be completely liberated and obtain a complete body.

However, immediate resolution is impossible, so I have to control the reactions that occur whenever I see the object of hatred one by one. Fortunately, my mental strength is strong enough to block them easily.

I cleaned up around me and got up. And the moment I saw the clock hand pointing to 9:06.

“…I’m screwed.”

My mind went blank. I was going to get through it without any problems, but I’m late on the first day.

“Just don’t let my score get deducted…!”

Hoping the professor would be flexible, I hurried to the training grounds.

***

When I arrived, the professor had already finished taking attendance. And nothing caught the professor’s attention more than that.

“You skipped the first class, and now you’re late… you’ve improved a lot.”

The professor’s words give me a headache.

This professor named Mylon is famous for giving generous grades. But this idiot ruined the relationship.

“Attendance score deducted. Stand in the back.”

The price for being late was high. I sighed and stood in line. The professor continued.

“As I said, we will be holding ranking matches starting today. The match opponents are as announced, and next week’s opponents will be determined by today’s results. And the scores will be calculated based on the results of the mid-term and final rankings. Any questions?”

There were no questions because it was the content heard in the first week. Of course, this is the first time I’ve heard it.

“Hmm, what should I do with you…”

The professor’s eyes met mine.

“You don’t have a match opponent, and we can’t decide on one now…”

Professor Mylon was troubled by me.

“Alright, you will have a 1-on-1 match with me, and I will evaluate you directly. Any objections?”

“…No.”

I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Tsk, why did I skip the lecture.

It seemed difficult to refuse, so I accepted it for now. In addition, I heard giggling from the side.

With that, the situation was settled, and the ranking matches proceeded.

“Let’s start the sparring. The first one is…”

At the professor’s call, two people came out, stood apart in the center, and took a stance.

Ting—

As soon as the professor flipped a coin, the two rushed in.

The sparring ended quickly. Then the professor tells each of them their strengths and weaknesses, and the students go through the process of correcting their problems through that.

Martial arts are ultimately something done with the body. Unlike other departments that focus on theory, you must gain experience with your body. Therefore, the Department of Knighthood had many lectures focused on sparring and practical training.

‘Hmm…’

Having nothing to do, I unwittingly fall into watching the sparring.

“Haaat-!”

The sword penetrates sharply. The spear uses the weapon’s advantage to strike and attempt a thrust. Wounds appear, and blood scatters.

Clatter!

The swordsman creates distance to catch his breath. But the spearman did not miss the gap and charged. An attack imbued with mana. With a crack, something breaks.

As it went into the later stages, the combat became quite intense, making the word ‘sparring’ seem out of place. Even if they were seriously injured, the magic installed in the training grounds healed them, so the students participated without hesitation.

The training ground was filled with fervent heat.

As it went to the top-ranked sparring, the students’ concentration also increased.

‘Haaahm~’

Apart from that, I let out a yawn.

My ears hurt from the echoing metallic sounds, and I’m indifferent even when I see the techniques being displayed to the fullest. Even if passion and fighting spirit filled the surroundings, I didn’t feel much stimulation.

‘What’s the point of looking at the kids’ level.’

Considering their age and talent, they are fighting well according to their level.

In particular, the main character who will be called the Sword Empress in the future, Princess Ariel, was the owner of talent worthy of a main character. I was greedy enough to want to nurture her myself.

But still, she’s just a student. The mindset of working hard is commendable, but watching it is just boring for me.

That’s how the sparring of the 1st and 2nd place ended. The first place in the ranking match is Princess Ariel, the top student last year.

And the purpose of the sparring is over.

“Kyle Arden. Come out.”

When he called my name, I stood in the center without saying anything. The professor was on the other side.

The weapon is a practice longsword. The professor also held the same thing.

‘Master, huh…’

For reference, only a master knight can hold a professorship here.

“Are you ready?”

Feeling the weight of the sword, I recalled Arden’s swordsmanship. It’s faint, but my body remembers the swordsmanship, so I think I can follow along somehow.

‘Let’s just do it roughly for now.’

I have to show my bad side first for the sake of points. That way, I’ll get good grades later.

Besides, this is sparring. It’s not a life-or-death battle. I can approach it with a light heart.

“I’m ready.”

“Okay, attack as much as you want.”

Professor Mylon flicked his hand.

I grabbed the sword and kicked off the ground.

***

Clang!

The swords clash. The professor retrieves his sword and continued the attack. The target is Kyle’s stomach. It was a slow movement, but Kyle had no time to react.

“Keuh─!”

His face was full of pain.

Professor Mylon did not stop. Once again, the blunt tip of the sword pierced his stomach. Kyle, groaning, collapsed. He clutched his stomach and leaned his face against the floor.

“Get up. I didn’t hit you hard enough to fall.”

Professor Mylon looked at Kyle with a pathetic look. He didn’t even load mana into the sword, and he was matching Kyle’s level.

But to show such a reaction. It would have been better to rush in full of anger to get a good evaluation.

“……”

Kyle pursed his lips and stood up, using the sword as a support. The students burst into laughter as if his appearance was amusing.

“It’s just like the rumors. Even the last place in the rankings wouldn’t be at that level.”

“I could last longer than that even if I did it.”

“Is he really a bastard?”

Such conversations were exchanged in the laughter. Once it started, it didn’t subside easily. That’s because it wasn’t a scene they could see often.

The sight of him being hit, falling, and collapsing, and the sight of more and more wounds and dirt on his face. It gave a sense of exhilaration to the students who hated him. On top of that, the professor’s scolding added to the tremendous pleasure.

But Princess Ariel couldn’t smile and watch.

Pity? No. The princess was confident that she wouldn’t care when, where, or how Kyle died. That’s why she didn’t expel him and left him at school, hoping that he would disappear buried in his karma.

There was another reason why the princess was glancing at the good-for-nothing.

The blood of the royal family, like a stigma bestowed by God, awakens special abilities when they turn 13.

The ability she gained was [Sensory Transcendence].

It is an ability that enhances and assists special senses such as intuition and sixth sense, including the five senses, to a higher level.

Ariel has gained many abilities based on that. One of them is telepathy.

That’s why she can tell.

Suffering, anger, shame. The emotions that he should have felt were not felt from him.

What is felt is nothingness.

He had no emotions in this sparring.

‘Is that the good-for-nothing…?’

The princess couldn’t believe this situation.

His heart was always filled with darkness. Jealousy, envy, anger, etc. Such emotions gathered together to create darkness.

Didn’t she see it even after the trial? His heart was steeped in anger and inferiority instead of remorse. He was such a person.

But to have such emotions.

‘Nothing’s changed…’

His actions, tone, unique habits, and atmosphere. Everything is unchanged.

But the sense that the princess trusts and relies on the most says. The man in front of her is Kyle, but he is not Kyle.

It was the same with the conversation today. He, who is always wearing a mask of pretense, would never say that about himself.

And what about the yawn he showed because he couldn’t stand the boredom throughout the sparring?

‘I should have read him just once…’

Abilities like telepathy consume a lot of energy, so they cannot be used often. In the first place, reading his mind would only make me feel worse.

The princess was deep in thought, wondering what had happened. And she came to one conclusion.

‘Could the trial have been that shocking?’

The princess does not believe in turning over a new leaf.

That a long-held nature changes for some reason. That’s absurd.

Unless the soul is swapped or there is a big shock that tears apart the brain… the person itself never changes. That was a conviction born from experience.

But, maybe, just maybe, she thought such a thing could happen.

Because she actually saw him faint during the trial.

‘He might have really changed.’

She didn’t know what kind of process and thoughts went on during the weekend, but it was certain that a change of heart had occurred.

Even so.

‘Even if he’s changed, nothing changes.’

The sins he committed do not disappear. And if he really changed, others would notice and be forgiven for his sins.

The princess filled her mana and focused on the sparring. It was a one-sided sparring, but there were many things to learn from the master’s movements. Before long, the sparring ended.

Of course, the loser was Kyle Arden.

And he was not interested in defeat.

***

“Good job.”

“Thank, you…”

I spoke, gasping for breath.

As expected, the limitations of this body are quickly revealed. There were many gaps in between, but the body didn’t keep up, so I couldn’t even counterattack properly….

‘It’s such a pain.’

Still, I showed a bad side, so now all I have to do is show myself improving.

I took a moment to catch my breath and relax my muscles. The healing magic of the training ground helped with recovery.

“It’s time, so that’s all for today’s lecture.”

With the words to see you next week, the professor finished the lecture. The students also cleaned up the weapons they were using and left the training grounds.

The last person to leave was the princess, who stared at me so intently that it was burdensome, and then left.

“Did I talk too much…”

I was trying to create distance, but it seems I attracted more attention than I thought. I should have rambled appropriately. It’s better to avoid her for the time being.

I looked at the empty training grounds and lay down as I was. There are no schedules left for today, so I don’t have to rush like in the morning.

“Is it almost lunchtime…”

The wristwatch pointing towards 12 o’clock. It’s already lunchtime after only two lectures.

“Lunch, what should I eat.”

I brought an apple, but filling the spent energy with fruit is a bit much.

“If only I had silver coins, no, copper coins…”

I think of the menu at the student cafeteria. Among them, the cheapest menu. School food worth 10 copper coins.

Originally, it was a menu that Kyle would not have looked at, but I am desperate even for that.

“Oh well, what can I do. I’ll have to fill up on apples until I earn money.”

I shook off my thoughts and got up. Then I found a figure at the entrance of the training ground. It’s Ellaim.

It would be boring, but she faithfully guarded the place and watched.

I wanted to tease her for no reason, but I didn’t have the friendship to do so, so I held back. Instead, I made a request.

“Ellaim. Do you happen to have any money…”

As soon as I said that, she turned away and moved far away. I guess it won’t work.

Feeling a little disappointed, I took out an apple and munched on it.

Today’s schedule is over, but there are some miscellaneous tasks left.

I went straight to the student center.

Episode 4 Lana Heytald (1)

The Student Union building is the center of Tianis Academy.

All convenience facilities, including the student cafeteria, are concentrated around this place, and the design was also based on this point.

A prime example is the division of land for each department into east, west, south, and north.

The east is for the Department of Knights.

The west is for the Department of Magic.

The south is for the Department of General Studies.

The north is for the Department of Production.

The reason for dividing it this way is because the land given to the academy is so vast and for the convenience of the students.

Anyway, for these reasons, it takes 15 minutes to get to the Student Union building from any department’s grounds.

“This is the Student Union building….”

The 10-story building stretches high before my eyes. I had seen it implemented in webtoons and games, but the feeling of facing it directly was quite different. It feels a bit more magnificent.

“Well… shall we go in?”

I wanted to look around more, but there were many students passing by, befitting the central location. I felt like I was going to get indigestion after eating, so I moved my feet.

As I entered, a refreshing scent greeted me. I smelled the fragrance that calmed my mind and looked for the place I was going.

The administration office on the 5th floor. Seeing that, I climbed the stairs.

The reason I came here is to receive the punishment of community service.

Basically, community service is a punishment given to students when they commit a wrongdoing. However, in this modern era, it is nothing more than a punishment in name only. This is because if you are at the level of receiving community service, you will receive a warning.

3 warnings, and then expulsion.

I had received 3 warnings, so I deserved to be expelled, but thanks to the influence of the Princess and my family, I received community service.

“2,000 hours is a bit rough.”

Even if I work hard on community service for 8 hours a day, it will take 250 days. That’s assuming I do it every weekend from today.

But there’s no way that will go as planned.

Today it ended with morning classes, but usually there are classes in the afternoon as well.

On top of that, I’m struggling with poverty, so I need to find a part-time job. Not only that, but this academy has many events. I have to spend 1/3 of the year on that.

So, the only time I can realistically spend on community service is in the evening. Assuming I do it until midnight….

“6 hours is the maximum, I guess.”

If I do about 10 hours on days when I have time, it’s over 300 days, even if I calculate it roughly.

Well, it’s a meaningless calculation since I’m the one suffering.

In the meantime, I arrived on the 5th floor. This is where they tell me where I’ll be working for the time being.

15 minutes later.

I put on a bracelet-shaped magic tool and moved to the place where I’ll be working this week. Of course, I’m alone without a guide. Not to mention Elheim who is following me.

***

Basically, school facilities exist inside. But Tianis Academy also has several dedicated lands outside.

Among them, one of the branches of magic─ a space for summoners.

Known as, the Land of the Contract.

In that place, various creatures such as beasts, mythical creatures, and spirits gather in abundant mana and live, it is a land that mediates encounters and forms relationships.

And the fact that this land is outside means that you have to leave the academy. In short, I came all the way to the outskirts and suffered again.

“It’s hard, I’m going to die… don’t you think?”

I asked Elheim who hadn’t shed a single drop of sweat, but all I got back was silence.

Feeling awkward for no reason, I looked at the entrance to the Land of the Contract. A two-story log house built at the only entrance. A transparent barrier surrounds it. It is a barrier that prevents intruders from entering.

When I entered the building, I saw an old man. An old man sitting in a rocking chair, stroking his thickly grown beard. He seemed uninterested in the world, staring blankly into the air.

Even if he looks like that, he is the manager here.

“What brings you here?”

At the old man’s question, I took out the paper I received from the administration office.

“I was assigned here for community service.”

“I received such a message. Give it to me.”

I went closer and handed him the paper. The old man who received the paper read the contents written there.

“Name Kyle Arden. 2,000 hours of community service? You must have done something pretty bad.”

The old man crumpled the paper roughly into a drawer and took out a sack and a map.

“There are 500 magic stones inside. Replace them with the magic stones in the place marked on the map.”

“I understand.”

It was a very easy mission in words.

“Oh, I should tell you the precautions.”

The old man spoke in a gentle tone.

First, do not harass the creatures of this land.

If you injure or kill them, I will not be responsible even if you die. He says that if you don’t touch them first, nothing will happen.

Second, don’t slack off.

I heard the explanation, but the bracelet reacts to my actions and the time is deducted. So, he was telling me not to be lazy and to work.

“If you do well, I can give you more time under my authority, so work hard.”

“Thank you for your words.”

I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude.

After that, I took the two items and tried to cross the door to the Land of the Contract. Elheim followed me from behind.

“Where are you following me to?”

“Yes? But I already got all the permission from the academy side….”

“That would be inside. Not outside here.”

“Ah, no, I’m sure it said I could enter any place….”

“I’ve never heard of that. If you really want to go in, get permission and come.”

The old man was firm. No matter what I said or showed him, it didn’t work.

“…….”

Elheim glared at me. She suspects that it’s my fault, but that’s a big misunderstanding. Rather, I’m in an unfair position.

In the first place, that old man belongs to someone I can’t touch.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

“Work hard.”

The old man waved his hand and saw me off. I opened the door while receiving Elheim’s piercing gaze.

The Land of the Contract that I entered like that.

I was impressed by the energy that filled all directions.

“I knew it as a setting, but it’s amazing to see it in person.”

The mana is pure and clear. The purity is so high that you can see the light of mana everywhere. The harmony of the young World Tree and spirit animals in the central lake purifies impurities and creates this phenomenon.

It’s really healing just to look at it.

“This would be a good place to accumulate mana.”

The Land of the Contract is almost never entered by people unless it is for practice or special cases, so you are not disturbed. And since I got rid of Elheim, the best conditions have been met.

“Well, not right now though.”

Now it’s time to do what I’m assigned to do first.

I unfolded the map. The closest place is northwest. I clenched the sack tightly in my hand and moved.

***

“Have some tea.”

The old man handed a cup placed on the table to Elheim.

She looked at the rising steam with a complicated feeling and asked the old man.

“Is it because of money?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Or… is it a threat?”

“Please say something I can understand.”

Elheim was frustrated by the old man’s denial. She couldn’t understand what kind of threat would make him act like that without batting an eye.

“Whatever the young master said, I swear on the name of the Arden family….”

Elheim calmly persuaded the old man. She had to chase after him now. She didn’t know what kind of accident that damn young master would cause at this moment.

But the old man sipped his tea leisurely.

“Hmm~ It’s brewed well this time.”

Satisfied with the successful completion of the tea, the old man put down the cup and said.

“Don’t interpret people’s words arbitrarily. That’s a bad habit.”

Elheim’s cheeks turned slightly red at the admonishing words. She realized that her words and actions were rude as she was obsessed with the compulsion to chase after him. The old man continued.

“I’ve heard rumors even though I’m in this place. That a troublemaker was born in Arden.”

“You know, but…”

“But this old man doesn’t think he’s a rascal.”

“…….”

Elheim was speechless. She couldn’t open her mouth even more because it was a fact she already knew.

Certainly, Kyle had changed in the past few days.

Although his living expenses were cut off, he climbed trees himself to get food, and he didn’t go out somewhere and cause trouble. Even if she ignored him intentionally, it ended with him cursing. He showed a sincere attitude even in today’s class.

But her thoughts, knowing the truth, were different.

“His current appearance is just acting.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“…Because I’ve seen him since I was young.”

Elheim was recognized for her talent and grew up in the Arden family since she was a child. So, she had seen Kyle a lot.

So, she knows him better than anyone else. He used to act like that when he was at a disadvantage. Then, when the opponent became careless, he would return to his original self.

That’s why people who don’t know this only realize it after being deceived later.

“If he’s such a child, it would be beneficial for each other to leave him alone. Why are you trying to chase after him?”

“That’s….”

Elheim hesitated for a moment. Many thoughts went through her mind, but… she answered like this.

“It’s just, it’s my mission.”

The old man nodded at her answer. Elheim’s face brightened as she interpreted it as a sign of permission.

“Don’t get me wrong. This is a separate matter. If you want to go in, get permission formally and come.”

Her face contorted. If she had seen her expression, she would have thought of some damn young master.

“Still, thank you for being this old man’s conversational partner.”

The old man’s lips and beard turned up as he grinned. For some reason, she felt like she was being teased, and her stomach churned.

But she couldn’t get angry at a helpless old man. She decided to comfort herself by saying she had done a good deed.

Still, the anger didn’t subside, so she gulped down the tea. Her esophagus was hot, but it seemed like the anger was cooling down along with the heat.

Only then did her mind calm down, and she thought about the young master who might be causing an accident or working inside.

‘He wasn’t like this when he was young….’

Suddenly, the old days come to mind.

A pure, playful, and diligent child like a younger sibling.

But that child had lost his past self beyond recognition. To the point where she, who had been with him for a long time, had given up on him.

“Haa….”

She wanted to swing her sword all day, but she couldn’t. Because she had a mission given to her.

Elheim was just waiting for the damn young master with a frustrated heart.

***

1 hour has passed.

In the meantime, I replaced a total of 20 magic stones. With this, the outer vicinity is all finished.

“…Let’s rest.”

I leaned my body against a nearby rock. My clothes were covered in dirt, but I didn’t have the energy to worry about that.

To solve this, I sharpened mana into the shape of a needle. I penetrated it between my muscles and stimulated it little by little. It already hurts so much from muscle pain, but adding this makes the pain even worse.

“Wow… I’m going to die.”

Soulless words. But I’m really dying right now. Sometimes, when people are really exhausted, they don’t react to any stimuli.

“It’s a technique I created, but it’s really crap.”

After the stabbing process, the muscles twitch. Even though the process has changed, it’s just as painful.

But I can’t stop either. Fatigue has accumulated to the limit, and if I leave it like this, I’ll definitely have body aches tomorrow. Moreover, the effect is certain, so even more so.

I unfolded the map while focusing on recovery.

“What’s left is the inside.”

The Land of the Contract is a major episode location, so I know the settings well. What this place is like, what is hidden, and who is there.

In particular, from the inside, I can’t work as comfortably as I do now.

The terrain is not friendly, but it’s also because of those things that are shining their eyes beyond the bushes and trees.

“Get out of here!”

When I wave my arm, leaves scatter. But soon they gather again.

“…Those rotten things.”

This land is a land that mediates encounters.

Summoners come here wanting a companion to be with them, but the opposite is also true. Those guys are also looking for a friend to play with or a partner to spend their lives with.

So, when a human appears, aggro is drawn and they gather. And if they think the human is likable, they hang around and show interest.

But I didn’t gather them for that reason.

“Go away if you’re scared!”

I deliberately shout, but it’s no use. It’s clear that they’re scared of me, but they keep gathering.

“Ah, what do you want me to do.”

I can’t understand what animals, mythical creatures, or spirits are thinking. My affinity is low, so I can’t communicate, and basically, I hate those things.

That’s why I’m going crazy with frustration.

“I can’t beat them up and chase them away.”

Actually, it’s not that I can’t do it, but I’m not confident in dealing with the aftermath. Because of the manager earlier.

‘Latral Heitald. How can I touch them when that human is there.’

He is a summoner of the 8th Circle. A skilled person on the verge of transcendence.

Angering such a person? It’s a shortcut to suicide.

“…Sigh.”

I sighed deeply and started moving. But soon, a thought took over my mind.

‘Wait, if Latral is there….’

There are a total of two managers of the Land of the Contract, and they take turns.

But sometimes, Latral takes on the role even when it’s not his turn. That’s when his granddaughter visits.

“It can’t be. It can’t be.”

I buried my uneasy heart and moved again.

And 30 minutes later. I thought.

“Hello!”

I didn’t believe it, but God is dead.

“I’m Lana! Nice to meet you!”

The meeting with the second protagonist of this world has been achieved.

Ah, I’m going crazy.

Episode 5 Lana Heytald (2)

“Hum-hm-hmm~”

Rana hummed a tune as if she were enjoying herself. Each time, the animals around her made noises, matching the rhythm.

It was just an impromptu song, sung without refinement. However, mythical beasts and spirits gathered at the harmonious song and enjoyed it together.

“Stop! A short break!”

She suddenly stopped the performance. At that, several spirits expressed dissatisfaction.

“…Sorry. I’m thirsty….”

She drooped. Then, the surrounding creatures silently glared at the spirits who had reproached her. Their gazes were especially focused on the water spirit who had expressed the most dissatisfaction.

-…!!

The water spirit was flustered and apologized to her, handing over water made of mana.

“Thank you!”

At her brightened smile, the water spirit finally breathed a sigh of relief. The spirit didn’t mean to do this. It was just disappointed that the song had ended.

“Hehe, Ur’s water is always delicious.”

She smiled as if satisfied. The serious atmosphere quickly turned lively at her smile.

At that moment, a bird flew from far away and landed on Rana’s shoulder. The bird rubbed against Rana’s cheek for a moment, recharged its energy, and soon conveyed the news.

“Someone came?!”

Rana’s ears perked up at the welcome news. Since the number of people visiting this place was limited, the arrival of a new visitor attracted great interest.

“What does he look like?”

-Chirp chirp~

“A second-year, blonde, with a fierce-looking face?”

-Chirp!

The bird didn’t seem to like him after finishing the explanation. It didn’t want her to meet such a guy.

“What’s his name? You don’t know….”

It would have been nice if I knew his name.

“What should I do?”

Rana moved her head from side to side.

It’s not good to judge people by their appearance, but if Nene dislikes him that much, there must be a reason. Sometimes, animals’ senses are better than humans’.

It was clear that going near him would only bring a stench.

“But I want to meet him….”

I want to talk to someone my age. That was Rana’s wish.

It’s not that she doesn’t have friends. It’s just that she had a headache from the stench at the academy, so she took refuge here and didn’t have time to talk.

“Okay, let’s go!”

Rana decided. To go meet him.

Everyone around her tried to stop her, but she was planning to leave without hesitation if she thought he was a bad person. Rana soothed the children and started moving.

Moving was easy. Nok, the earth spirit, showed her the way, and Ren, the deer, lent her his back. Occasionally, other children would tell her about his news, so she quickly narrowed the distance.

After about 30 minutes, she was able to arrive near him. Many children were watching him, influenced by her curiosity.

Rana hid in the bushes and watched the man with the children.

“Nene was right.”

His first impression wasn’t good. He had the typical face of a villain, with a poisonous look in his eyes. Now I knew why Nene disliked him.

“But I think I’ve seen him somewhere….”

I don’t have a direct connection with him, but I think I’ve seen that face before. Then Ur, the water spirit, made a mirror with water and showed her what happened a few days ago.

“Ah! He’s the one from the trial!”

Kyle Arden. A student called a devil at the academy.

If so, the result was obvious. There was no need to go near him on purpose.

“Let’s go.”

As she was about to leave, she noticed him working hard.

“But why is he working so hard?”

Replacing magic stones is a very, very~ annoying task. But he was replacing them without complaining, even sweating profusely. He was unexpectedly different from a villain.

“Hmm….”

A conflict arises in her mind. It was a foregone conclusion that there would be no benefit to getting closer. But the scene in front of her was enough to arouse curiosity.

So, with a very small hope, she took a step forward. However, she frowned as she didn’t get far. All she could smell was a terrible stench. It was one of the worst smells in her life.

“I shouldn’t have come….”

Rana was filled with disappointment and was about to leave. But then, her sense of smell caught something in the stench.

A sweet scent with the opposite properties of the previous smell. A smell sweeter than the fruit of the World Tree, which is known to be the sweetest.

She moved her head along the scent. And in that direction was Kyle.

“Huh? This can’t be.”

She sniffed again, but nothing changed. There was a sweetness that couldn’t be hidden, even if he tried.

“Uh… what is it?”

Rana was confused. It was the first time this had happened.

The stench of a bad person.

The fragrance of a good person.

But the essence of both is smell. Even if one person has both smells, they get mixed up and smell neither good nor bad. So, it is absolutely impossible for the two to coexist.

“What’s different about him?”

She looked around, but she couldn’t see anything special. Rather, the children’s disgusted expressions only proved that he was a villain.

Still, she couldn’t stop the curiosity that was welling up.

Rana immediately took action. The fragrance gradually intensified as the distance narrowed. As she approached, the stench decreased, and other good fragrances filled the void.

“Good smell….”

Since entering the academy, she feels peace for the first time from a person. She was feeling the emotion that she could never feel unless she was in the Land of the Contract. Moreover, as time went on, the surroundings became cozy and her tension was relieved.

‘I’m curious.’

Rana thought. I want to know more about Kyle.

“Hello, I’m Rana. Nice to meet you!”

So she decided to approach him first.

***

‘I’m going crazy.’

I rubbed my forehead. I didn’t think it would happen, but it became a reality.

When I lower my gaze, I see a smiling face.

‘Should I punch her?’

My insides are rotting, but someone is smiling brightly, so I feel strangely resentful. No, maybe ‘annoying’ is a better word.

Anyway.

‘Why did she come? There’s no reason for her to come.’

I’m someone she doesn’t even want to look at. This body is a villain and only gives off a rotten smell.

‘In the setting, that’s normal….’

The personality that resides in the body can’t have been erased. If it had, the empress’s incident wouldn’t have happened today.

I worry and worry again. But the answer doesn’t come out.

‘Let’s kick her out first.’

Whatever it is, I don’t welcome the approach of the main characters. The connection with them has the potential to go badly in any way. It’s okay to find the answer later.

I frowned even more on my already crumpled face. And I said, putting a lot of strength into my neck.

“Hey, who are you.”

“Rana Heytherld! That’s my name.”

“Not that….”

I’m speechless from the first conversation. I knew she was like this, but it’s frustrating to face her directly.

“Don’t you know who I am?”

“I know, the delinquent Kyle. I saw you at the trial!”

“…You know that and you still approach me?”

“Why?”

She tilted her head. As if there’s a problem.

“Damn it….”

My heart fluttered for no reason at her innocent eyes. If I continue this conversation, I’ll get caught up in it. But this is an inevitable phenomenon.

A unique ability described in the game as [The Beloved of All Things]. She was born with the blessing to be favored by living things.

Plants and animals are basic. Spirits and mythical beasts, even transcendent dragons, have goodwill. And that power reaches even the gods.

An absolute power that ordinary humans cannot avoid. Even if they have malice, they will have at least a minimum of goodwill.

‘And with that face and voice….’

Cute face and voice, childlike innocence.

When those three are added together, it reaches one emotion.

‘Falling in love.’

Especially animals and spirits are very fond of her. She has all the characteristics they like. The summoned beasts next to her were also drawn to it.

Anyway, I’m not to that extent, but it’s not like I’m not affected at all. That’s why this situation is unfolding.

‘What should I do with her.’

My head throbs. I can’t think of a way to kick her out.

“Does it hurt somewhere?”

She unhesitatingly puts her hand on my forehead. It’s a kind gesture given out of genuine concern. I took that as an opportunity.

Slap!

“Don’t touch me with that dirty hand!”

I slapped her white wrist hard.

“Ugh, it hurts….”

Rana grabbed her reddened wrist and looked like she was about to cry. At the same time, those around her showed hostility and pressured me.

“How dare you, you beast…!”

They scattered mana with murderous intent. Some of the summoned beasts, unable to withstand the momentum, trembled.

Only spirits and mythical beasts endured. And they revealed their hidden power and confronted me.

A situation where a fight could break out at any moment. Neither I nor they easily attacked. I thought a fight would break out like that.

“Hey! Who said you could fight? Stop right now!”

Rana mediates. Still, they couldn’t easily withdraw their strength, as they couldn’t leave me alone for hurting their master.

Thwack! Thwack!

A series of fierce flicks to the forehead flew in. She was very angry.

“Ur! Nok! I told you not to use your powers recklessly!”

The two spirits withdraw their powers. The other summoned beasts quickly changed their attitude at her expression.

She still looked sullen, but she seemed to let it go because of the situation.

“And Kyle!”

When the atmosphere calmed down, she turned to me and suddenly bowed.

“First of all, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you would react so sensitively. So I hope you’ll accept my apology.”

A serious and calm voice. She sincerely apologized. But it’s not the reaction I wanted.

‘This is not what I wanted.’

My mind becomes hazy. My head also throbbed with the oncoming headache.

I deliberately treated her harshly. It was true that Rana Heytherld was a kind person who showed a bright smile and kindness even to people she met for the first time, but she wasn’t a kind fool who would stick to someone who hated her.

I even used violence as a precaution. Because there was no more certain means than that. If I could draw out the result of the summoned beasts attacking with that, it would be perfect.

The reason for doing that? To avoid being related to the main characters.

But why did this situation happen? I know a lot of information, but the reaction deviated from my expectations. Also, there was nothing I could do.

Then there is only one possible option here.

‘If you don’t know, you have to ask.’

It is to ask why she is clinging to me. If it’s her, she’ll answer honestly.

Before that, I decided to accept her apology first.

“…I think I was oversensitive. I’m sorry.”

“I’m glad you accepted my apology!”

She smiled brightly. She seemed happy that I apologized.

“But let me ask you one thing.”

“What are you curious about? I’ll tell you everything as long as it’s not a difficult question!”

“Hoo….”

I took a breath and opened my mouth.

“You said you saw the trial.”

“Yes! I watched it until the end.”

“Then you’ve heard about the things I’ve done.”

“Of course I did! You threatened the professor, manipulated the report card, and secretly created a ghost club….”

She was explaining enthusiastically with her eyes shining, so I stopped her. If I left her alone, she was about to list all my sins.

“Just looking at the trial, what kind of guy do you think I am?”

“A very, very bad guy!”

I nodded at that.

“That’s right, I’m a bad guy.”

“That’s right. Kyle is a bad guy. People said he’s a delinquent who deserves to die.”

“Knowing that, why are you with me? Everyone else is busy cursing and leaving.”

“Because… Kyle is a good person?”

An answer without a moment’s hesitation. I look into her eyes. Her endlessly clear eyes don’t contain a single lie. I awakened my briefly dazed mind and asked her again.

“You said I’m a bad guy.”

“Bad. But good.”

“Do you think that makes sense?”

“Hmm… no? Still, Kyle is bad but good. My nose is telling me that.”

She sniffs her nose. The more she does, the closer she comes, saying she’ll smell it more closely.

“First of all, don’t come closer….”

I push her away as much as possible with my palm. It’s definitely a good thing that a beautiful woman is putting her face in front of me, but my heart is disturbed for that.

‘I’m screwed.’

No, to express it in more detail.

‘I’m fucked. Really fucked.’

I’m fucked.

There was no more perfect word to express the current situation than that.

I don’t know why, but as long as she smelled a fragrance from me, this relationship will never be broken. If we run into each other, she’ll stick by my side, and later she’ll follow me wherever I go.

Annoyance. The price for giving her peace.

And it goes without saying that the target was originally the main character.

I just feel frustrated. It’s impossible for her to be interested in me, and it’s something that shouldn’t happen.

No, before that, it would have been fine if I hadn’t come here, but that’s impossible. Kyle is an extra. His detailed actions, like the main characters, are not determined. This is just bad luck.

‘No. There’s still a chance.’

The main character has not yet entered the school. If she sees him, her thoughts will change.

‘Let’s just hold out for 4 days.’

Friday. When that time comes, it will return to its original state. Instead, I may have to be with her until then.

“Hey.”

“Why, Kyle?”

“I have to work. Go play over there.”

“No!”

…Oh, do as you please then.

Following Ellaim, one more burden has increased.

“Haa….”

It seems that living an ordinary life is very difficult.

Episode 6 Lana Heytald (3)

The next day arrived.

Today’s schedule was as simple as yesterday.

Listen to the morning lecture, have an apple for lunch. If there is an afternoon lecture, listen to it, and when the schedule is over, head to the Land of Contract.

And the Land of Contract, where I arrived.

I settled down in a suitable place. For reference, community service is suspended today.

“Okay, let’s get started.”

From now on, I’m going to accumulate mana in my dantian. I was originally going to take it easy, but I moved up the schedule.

Moving in the morning takes up time and energy, and I can’t muster any strength because lunch was poor. Today, I’m exhausted from listening to the afternoon lecture. If I work in the Land of Contract and return to the dormitory, I’ll definitely crash like yesterday.

I calculated that I would never be able to train with this schedule.

Why not reduce sleeping time?

Aren’t you lacking perseverance?

Don’t spout nonsense without knowing anything.

Lacking perseverance, weak will. You have to say those things while considering the condition. Saying that to this body with weak stamina and muscles is nothing more than telling me to die right away.

Of course, humans are not weak creatures, so they can exert strength if they grit their teeth and make up their minds. However, this body will die from overwork in 2 weeks.

Anyway, let’s put aside the 잡스러운 thoughts.

First of all, morning is the best time to secure training time. So, I need to reduce travel time.

But before it goes as planned, each condition cannot be met. Time is needed for training, and training is needed to secure time.

So, I’m going to use a trick. That is, the trick of mana enhancement.

Physical enhancement through mana.

The enhancing effect of buff magic.

If these two are combined, you can see at least a 2x improvement effect. To do that, I need mana the size of a fist, not this fingernail-sized mana.

“Hoo…”

Start slowly. Give the body, which has stopped mana training for about 3 years, time to adapt.

Inhale and exhale. Mana comes and goes through the slow breath. Instead of settling it in the dantian, I release it to the outside, cleaning the passage while adapting.

About 10 minutes later, preparations were complete.

‘So, what should I do?’

I have two choices.

Continue to use the Arden family’s mana technique that I have already learned. Or use my past life’s internal energy technique.

Of course, the answer is already decided.

‘There’s no need to continue the past relationship.’

I boldly gave up on the latter. It’s not so urgent that I need to use the remnants of my previous life. But using the family’s mana technique seems to have some problems.

‘It’s a bit difficult to use it as it is.’

It’s not that it’s poorly made. I’m not shameless enough to disparage a mana technique created by a Grand Sword Master. However, I just think it would be okay to refine it a little.

So, I decided to make some modifications while keeping the base intact. I’ve already thought about it, so I don’t need to spend extra time.

“Sss, Hoo…”

Mana flows in through breathing. Following the modified mana technique, mana circulates within the body.

However, once I accepted the mana, it went out of control and mana poured in endlessly. This is because of the special environment of the Land of Contract.

A space saturated with mana due to the World Tree. Mana stays without leaving a certain area. Since a new space to fill is created in me, a tremendous amount of mana rushes in.

Even now, I can solve this situation by releasing mana and creating a flow pattern. Of course, I won’t do that, and there’s no problem either. This was the preparation time for that.

I endure the pain as if my blood vessels are about to burst and control the flow. Little by little, I slow down the speed very slowly. If it were an ordinary body, blood would have poured out from every hole, but the body has adapted.

I started the delayed work. The guided mana gathers in the lower abdomen. And it flows into the dantian. If there were impurities, I would have gone through a filtering process, but this place only has 100% pure mana, so it was an unnecessary task.

“Hoo, it’s over…”

The amount of mana has increased by twice as much as before. I slowly opened my eyes with satisfactory results.

Then, a face appears in front of me. She is standing at a distance of less than a hand span.

“Is it over?”

“…Uh, it’s over.”

First, I push her face away. I’m not surprised, but it’s burdensome.

“Ugh, why do you keep pushing me away!”

“Don’t bother me and get away…!”

She stubbornly pushed her face in. I resisted fiercely.

‘Should I really punch her?’

I’ve been seriously considering it lately.

It’s only been two days since I met her, so you might wonder what I’m worried about, but the problem is that she comes close to me all the time.

‘I wouldn’t mind if she did it to other people. But she’s only acting up with me…’

I understand. Because I’m the first safe haven she’s found in her life. Maybe even her family hasn’t seen this side of her.

Still, if you don’t like it, you should know when to stop. She doesn’t know moderation.

‘If it weren’t for watching over me today…’

These delicate tasks will go wrong immediately if someone touches them in the middle.

So, I asked her to prevent anything from approaching me. Most of the creatures in this land follow her words.

Since I’ve received a favor, it’s hard to say anything more than this.

“Anyway, the request is over, so go away.”

“No!”

An answer that makes me wonder if she went through the process of thinking. I sigh.

“…You were with me for 5 hours yesterday.”

“I granted your request, so let me stay by your side as a reward!”

“Aren’t you bored?”

“It’s okay. Watching is fun too!”

“What about the kids?”

“Kyle doesn’t like them, so he’s playing separately for the time being!”

She creates reasons to stay by my side one by one. It’s a short answer, but I’m impressed by her eloquence. Thanks to that, I’m about to go crazy with frustration.

“I won’t bother you today either!”

Her last words leave me with no choice but to allow it.

“…Alright then.”

I reluctantly gave permission and then lost interest.

Immediately afterwards, I headed to a rock nearby. It’s a square stone that I expect the earth spirit made to play with. It’s the right weight and well-balanced, so I brought it for muscle training.

First, I circulate mana through my body to inject vitality. At the same time, I deploy magic. At best, it’s just a muscle strengthening buff. I don’t have enough mana to maintain it for long, so I set the effect to be weak.

Still, I have more power than before. In that state, I put the rock on my shoulder.

“Hoo, good.”

I took a stance and bent and straightened my knees. I repeated that several times.

In fact, this is not a good training method. I need to push myself to the point where my muscles tear, but physical enhancement reduces the intensity applied to the muscles.

Then why not increase the weight? The enhanced body also has its limits, and recklessly increasing the weight is not a good idea.

About 2 hours passed.

“Hoo, hoo…”

Sweat soaks my entire body. My mouth is already full of sweetness. My legs are trembling, probably because I’m slowly reaching my limit.

Thump!

I roughly threw the rock aside and stretched out next to it. I could rest like this, but I have no intention of just ending it. I moved the little mana I had left. This time it’s time to use my talent.

Extras are such ambiguous beings.

They are clearly part of the characters, but considering the frequency of their appearance or the degree to which they are mentioned, it is difficult to see them as being within that category. Sometimes they are only mentioned and end up disappearing.

Because of that characteristic, there are no traces of effort put into extras. At best, only the name and a short description exist. So, I thought there was nothing to expect from this body.

But what do you know, I had a talent that even I, who prides myself on knowing all the settings, didn’t know about.

‘It’s surprising.’

A body that responds to physical actions and changes to an efficient and optimal state. I realized it while climbing trees.

If I had to give it a name, I would call it a growth-type reincarnation.

If I had learned magic or martial arts with this body, I would have reached a high level, and whatever job I used my body for, this body would have reached the top.

This body was that special, unique, and amazing.

‘The reason I have this body is… probably because of my bloodline.’

The Arden family’s bloodline is born with the talent to become a master. But I didn’t have that trait. Because there is an absolute setting of being third-rate.

Still, the fact is that I inherited the bloodline. All the possibilities of the blood are concentrated in the body, resulting in this result.

‘But it’s not necessarily a good talent.’

It would be nice if I excelled in both mind and body like 천무지체, but this body is not. You need that much talent to use it.

Innate body? That only helps you reach a certain level quickly. It is impossible to realize the principles of 무 and raise the level.

That’s why no matter how much I swing a sword with this body, I can’t escape being second-rate. A deformed body that cannot fill the lacking talent with effort, a body that is perfect for martial arts but receives no reward. This was a body with such limitations.

That’s why Kyle is third-rate.

‘Well, I’m the opposite.’

I am confident that I can use this body well. Very much so.

Sword Master? There’s nothing I can’t do.

In the meantime, the work is over. I stopped the mana that was fiercely circulating inside. This will speed up physical growth even more.

“Ugh, it’s over…!”

I was finally freed from the pain. I’m out of mana and have no strength.

‘I’m really doing all sorts of things.’

I laugh. Pouring time and effort into just school. If the past me saw this, he would definitely laugh. But I’m satisfied.

Then, the shade fell over me again. Someone comes into view.

“Good job!”

The owner of the voice is her as expected. I quickly wiped my face away.

“You pushed me again… Kyle is bad!”

“If you don’t like it, go away.”

“No!”

“Sigh…”

At the same time as the sigh, my stomach growls. No wonder I didn’t have the strength to answer. It was because I was hungry. As soon as I realized my hunger, I felt even weaker.

When it comes to solving the meal, there is only one thing to eat.

“I don’t want to eat an apple…”

No, even if I take away the reason that I’m tired of it, I need a balanced diet in terms of nutrition. Especially carbohydrates and protein are essential.

“Huh? Are you hungry? Do you want to eat this?”

Lana handed me food that I don’t know where she took it out from.

“…This is.”

It’s a sandwich. Just a food that has meat and vegetables sandwiched between bread.

But that smell, the smell of meat mixed with sauce and the unique smell of bread was so fascinating.

I lost my mind and snatched it and brought it to my mouth.

Munch munch.

It’s delicious. It’s so delicious. Carbohydrates and meat that I tasted in 5 days were so delicious that tears came out.

“Is it delicious?”

“…Yeah. It’s delicious.”

I said, swallowing the finely crushed sandwich. My tone also softened as I was supplied with proper nutrition. Peace of mind starts from having food, clothing, and shelter.

“What’s with the sandwich?”

“Kyle only eats apples every day, so I brought it.”

“…Where did you hear that from. By the way, stalking is a crime.”

“No! The kids told me!”

She shouts, but she has a track record. Because that’s what she did to the protagonist. Right now, it’s just at the level of summons conveying news, but later on, they will monitor with their eyes.

‘I can’t see that.’

I will cut off the relationship before it gets to that point somehow. Somehow.

Whether I think that or not. She was moving her head from side to side. That means she’s in a very good mood.

“Kyle, Kyle.”

“Why.”

“Should I bring you a sandwich tomorrow too?”

“Then thank… No, pretend you didn’t hear that.”

No matter how hungry I am, how could I try to bite such a dangerous offer. It seems that my judgment has become clouded because I’ve only been eating apples for a while.

“I’ll definitely bring it!”

“Don’t bring it. I’ll throw it away if I see it.”

“Kyle is a nice kid, so you won’t do that, right?”

“I’m not a nice person…!”

I’m going crazy if I talk any more.

It’s about time. I left the spot. Lana followed me closely behind.

Arriving at the entrance like that.

“Have you come.”

“Yes, I came!”

“…Yes.”

Ignoring the voice behind me, I hand the sack to the old man. He glanced inside and said.

“There’s not much reduction. Did you play around?”

“I had something to do, so I rested. I’ll work hard next time.”

“Well, it’s a loss for you. Here.”

The old man took something out of the drawer and handed it over.

“Here’s two days’ worth of pay.”

One silver coin was placed in my hand. I quickly hid it in my inside pocket for fear that someone would steal it.

“Thank you.”

Originally, the money paid is 30 copper coins, but it seems like he gave me more. I expressed my gratitude with gratitude.

For reference, this is legitimate money. Tianis Academy is supposed to pay money if they use students’ labor in any case. Even in the midst of paying for their sins.

“Then goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

“See you tomorrow~!”

I left the Land of Contract, receiving the greetings of the two. Elraim asked with a slightly surprised look.

“What have you done, young master.”

“What.”

“That, never mind…”

“What is it?”

I know why he’s doing that, but I pretended not to know. I was too sleepy to react to everything.

***

“Lana.”

“Yes, grandpa.”

At her grandfather’s call, Lana took her eyes off the door. Her granddaughter had a bright face as usual, but her eyes were drooping.

“Is he a good guy?”

“Yes, he’s good.”

“He’s worse than the 2nd prince. Still?”

“Kyle is nice. More than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

Lana answered in a confident tone. She was smiling as if she had never been like that before. Ratral was very pleased with his granddaughter’s appearance.

His granddaughter has always grown up in pain. Of course, the cause lies in the nose. The ability to judge a person’s character would certainly be a great strength, but it was nothing more than a curse to those who possessed power.

She is used to the smell now and lives a normal life, but it cannot be said that her condition has improved. The fact that she grew up bright without going astray until this age is thanks to her granddaughter’s nature.

But the 망나니 guy solved what even an 8-circle magician couldn’t do. Thanks to that, he saw his granddaughter’s bright smile for the first time in a long time.

“If you say so, then that’s it.”

Ratral sipped his tea. The tea felt more delicious than ever today.

Of course, he wasn’t comfortable. Watching his beloved granddaughter take an interest in an outsider who wasn’t family, especially a man of the same age, wasn’t very pleasant.

Still, as a grandfather, he wanted to do anything for his granddaughter. Even if it makes his heart uncomfortable.

“Then shall I keep assigning you here?”

“No, Kyle will hate it.”

Lana refused firmly.

He is annoyed but still treats her. If Kyle finds out about that, he might hate her. Of course, looking at his appearance so far, the possibility of that happening is very low, but still.

And….

“I’ll just become friends with him.”

She was grateful that her grandfather thought of her, but if she became friends without doing such things, she could keep sticking around.

So, for him.

“What should I make tomorrow?”

She’s going to pack a lunch box for Kyle. Looking at his reaction earlier, it seemed like he would fall for it soon if she put in a few days of effort.

But Lana didn’t know. That method only works on animals.

But maybe… just maybe, he might fall for it. Because he’s that hungry.

Well, no one could guarantee the result.

Episode 7 Entrance Exam (1)

Beep—

My wristwatch beeps softly.

“Has the time already come? Heave-ho.”

I came down from the tree branch, packed my clothes, and headed to the dormitory. It was right next door, so I didn’t have to move far.

On the way, I see Ellaim standing in front of the entrance. She is swinging her sword diligently. Like me, she devoted herself to morning training.

I watched her for a bit, but another alarm rang, so I returned to my room. After quickly getting ready, I ran outside as soon as I came out.

As I run forward like that, someone is already attached to me. It’s Ellaim.

On the first day, she looked like she was wondering what kind of bizarre behavior this rotten young master was going to commit, but now she follows along just fine.

Besides, her face has brightened up recently. Her training routine, which was already ruined because of me, is now being filled with this, making her feel refreshed.

We ran and ran again. We became familiar with the road and moved forward without any obstacles.

We reached the center, passed the magic department building and the student union building, and arrived at the knight department building. It only took an hour to arrive.

“Hoo, we came early again today.”

In just two days, we cut the travel time in half. It’s thanks to enhancing our bodies through mana. Of course, this special body also helped a lot. Especially, my lung capacity has increased, so I can run without stopping.

I sat on a bench, wiped away the sweat, and fell into thought.

‘With this growth rate, I think I can handle her roughly….’

I estimated it would take about two months to reach a state where I could fight for at least an hour. But maybe because she harbored resentment for not being used during that time, her talent is exploding. At this rate of growth, she will reach the target in at least 1-2 weeks. If that happens, it’s about time to start rolling her.

‘Was Ellaim’s level at this time Upper Sword Expert?’

If she’s Upper level, she has the basics and her swordsmanship is ripe, so she is suitable as a sparring partner. Lower intermediate is a little lacking, and masters are all professors, so it’s difficult to ask them.

“…Ellaim.”

“……”

I called her, but there was no answer. She doesn’t even give me a glance and only looks straight ahead. So, I said this to her, openly ignoring her.

“Starting next week, spar with me.”

“…Excuse me?”

A beat late reaction. Only then did she realize what I had said and looked at me.

“…With whom?”

“With me.”

“Young master wielding a sword…. Did you perhaps take some medicine?”

Wow~ You really know how to talk. No matter how much of a record I have, it’s not normal to say it so bluntly.

“Stop talking nonsense and just tell me whether you’ll do it or not.”

“I’ll… think about it.”

With that answer, I headed to the building.

‘She says that, but she’ll accept it.’

She’ll have a complicated mind trying to figure out the meaning or intention, but in the end, she’ll accept this offer. That’s because it’s more beneficial for her to be tied to one place than for me to wander around unnecessarily.

Well, I want to go to the training ground and train alone like everyone else. But I can’t do that.

It’s because of the demotion of the academy usage rights given along with community service.

Tianis Academy has something called usage rights. It’s a unique rule of the academy that differentiates the dormitory to live in or the use of special privileges by department by dividing the grades by skill.

That’s not to say there’s a huge difference. Dormitories are divided into top, upper-middle, and lower, but only the size of the room and the number of managers are different.

And special privileges by department. Tianis Academy has facilities given to each department.

The magic department has a state-of-the-art laboratory.

The crafting department has various crafting items and workshops.

The general department has a library with a vast collection of books.

The knight department has a state-of-the-art training ground open 24 hours a day.

Everyone can use these, but only the usage time differs by grade. Even other departments can use each facility.

But the lowest grade is different.

A dilapidated dormitory on the outskirts, two hours away from the center.

No use of academy facilities except for basic facilities.

The above two are the biggest advantages here, but blocking that means you are not recognized as a student. In other words, get out.

That’s why I train in the dormitory.

But when I swing my sword alone, I can’t train properly. And there are no students to ask for help.

Why?

To put it simply, I’m being bullied. It seems like there was an agreement among the students. To ignore Kyle Arden. Thanks to that, they’re treating me like an invisible man.

As a result, even conversation is impossible. The students are determined to do so, to the point where the only students I’ve talked to in the past 6 days are Princess Ariel and Lana.

‘Haa, how did I only talk to the main characters?’

The princess was like that because of our relationship, but Lana is real….

‘No. I can shake it off now.’

Tomorrow is the long-awaited Friday. It’s the day the protagonist enters the academy and the beginning of the prologue.

‘Let’s just bear it until tomorrow. Just until tomorrow!’

I’m going to live an ordinary life. With that will, I entered the lecture room.

***

The lecture is over. The professor organized the lecture materials and said.

“As you all know, tomorrow is the entrance exam for new students. I don’t know who will participate, but do your best. If you show a bad appearance at an important event….”

The professor lowered his voice and glared at us with shining eyes. The lecture room becomes quiet. Gulp, the sound of someone swallowing their saliva, overwhelmed by the momentum, was heard from everywhere.

“Consider that person to have died this semester.”

After finishing the threat, the professor left the lecture room. But the students didn’t leave. No, they couldn’t leave. And the lecture room, which had been shrouded in silence, quickly became noisy.

“Surely I won’t get caught, right?”

“Since they’re picking half of the 600… if you’re unlucky, maybe.”

“Please! I need to get good grades!”

“The seniors say that every day is hell….”

“Ugh, why did it have to be my second year!”

All kinds of sounds erupt from everywhere. Gloom fills the lecture room.

“Why does only our department have such rules… The crafting and general departments are different!”

“Are we the only ones? The magic department is also there.”

“Their professors are nice….”

“Why are our professors like this?”

Everyone took a deep sigh as if agreeing with the last words and left the lecture room. I chuckled at those figures.

‘It’s just for scaring them, but they’re worrying.’

Those words are aimed at students who don’t do their best during the exam. Of course, there is a punishment if you lose to a new student. But it doesn’t give it unconditionally, it gives points to students who didn’t lose heart and did their best.

‘Well, they wouldn’t know though.’

It’s a fact that you would never know if you didn’t read the novel.

I left the lecture room. The lecture time was long, so it was already lunchtime.

‘Lunch… Even yesterday, lunch was painful, but not today.’

Yes, today is different. Because I’ll finally be filling my stomach with school food instead of apples. I hurried to the student cafeteria.

“There are a lot of people.”

It’s lunchtime, so there are many people in the cafeteria. Not only students but also professors are seen here and there.

I put coins into the ticket vending machine. The menu appears on the screen made of mana. From meals such as soup, noodles, and bread to snacks, desserts, and drinks, various kinds are written. Delicious-looking pictures are also drawn on top of the names, stimulating my appetite.

‘Everything looks delicious, but there’s only one thing I can choose.’

Set number 1. The so-called basic set.

The cheapest menu at only 10 copper coins.

After receiving the ticket, the food came out after 5 minutes. I found a suitable seat and sat down.

“Kuh, looks delicious.”

A set that ends with bread, soup, salad, and bacon.

But it’s such a perfect and touching food for me.

I started a normal meal for the first time in a while.

The bread was chewy, the soup was full of meat and vegetables, and the salad was fresh. The bacon was also cooked just right and was delicious.

“…I’m full.”

After eating everything, my stomach was full. That feeling wasn’t bad and was satisfying.

‘As expected of its reputation.’

The Tianis Academy’s student cafeteria is famous for being cheap, delicious, and generous.

This is because the academy doesn’t spare money for students, and the opinion that they should eat without worrying about their meals is combined.

They said that they already have a lot of worries because of tuition fees, so they can’t force meal expenses on such talented people and reduce the burden.

As an aside, the cost of ingredients and labor is not insignificant, but the academy makes so much money that the setting is justified.

“Well, I want to eat other things too.”

I have 1 silver coin in my possession. No, do I have 90 copper coins left?

I’ll have to eat only the basic set for the time being to save money, so it’s a little disappointing, but it’s okay. I occasionally change the diet to prevent it from getting boring.

‘I should try it when I have some money to spare.’

I set a small goal and left the cafeteria.

My stomach is full, so I’m also feeling drowsy, so I took a walk for a while to digest.

It’s still lunchtime, so there are many people nearby. Some students are sitting and resting on benches, while others are taking a walk like me in the warm spring weather.

It’s definitely a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. But there is a subtle tension for an unknown reason in it.

And then.

Bang-Bang!

They set off fireworks from the student union building into the sky. It shone brightly even in the daytime, and everyone’s attention was focused on that side. I know what these fireworks mean.

“Is it announcement time?”

As soon as I finished speaking, crows scattered hundreds of papers all over the academy from the sky.

‘Was that crow Latral Heitald’s summon?’

While I was having such miscellaneous thoughts, a paper fell in front of me.

Paper full of letters. I picked up one.

───

[List of Participants in the New Student Entrance Exam]

Knight Department (300)

Gordan Tesit

…

…

…

Kyle Arden

…

Toran Goslin

───

My name written in the latter half.

“This doesn’t change.”

I was hoping that the butterfly effect would happen and I would be excluded. Well, stories involving the protagonist can’t change easily.

“Alright, which second-year students are going out this time!”

“Ugh! I got caught!”

“Hahaha, do your best! If you lose, you’ll be a laughingstock for the rest of your life.”

At that time, lamentations, screams, and cheers poured out from all directions.

The sight was terribly chaotic. No, it was more than chaotic, it was a complete mess.

“Damn it, I have no luck at all!”

“God! Why are you giving me this ordeal…!”

“I resent it! Tianis Academy!”

The second-year students are wailing towards the sky. Last year, they were in the position of examinees, so there was no burden, but this time, they had to step forward themselves, so the burden was great.

“The ones who are most likely to survive….”

“Kuh, it’s a shame the princess isn’t here.”

“Let’s go. The odds are up.”

On the other hand, the third-year students are having a field day. They’ve already experienced it, and all that’s left for them is to leisurely watch and giggle.

So why are they all like this?

‘Why else? It’s because of Tianis Academy’s long tradition.’

The new student entrance exam.

It is a deep-rooted exam created with the purpose of promoting friendship and exchange between new students and current students. Therefore, students randomly selected from the Knight and Magic departments participate against new students.

For reference, the new students have already taken the exam at the professor level and have been confirmed to be admitted, so there’s no chance of cheating. That’s why I wonder if I had to call it an entrance exam, but the founding emperor who founded the school called it that, so it has been passed down. Originally, you have to do what the top tells you to do.

Anyway.

‘This is also annoying.’

Losing to new students. There’s nothing as embarrassing as that. Even if the opponent was a genius, they’ll be made fun of until graduation. They’ll say, ‘So, how was it during the entrance exam?’ You’ll also get a barrage of insults from the professors, so the second-year students can’t like it.

Not only that, but there are 600 new students in each department. If you add the two departments, there are a total of 1,200 people. On the other hand, a total of 600 second-year students participate. The number differs by 2 times. If you’re unlucky, you may have to face at least two or more people. Of course, if you’re lucky, it’ll pass without anything happening.

‘Fortunately, the other two departments are different.’

Crafting and General departments. The circumstances of the two departments are different, so they take separate exams. This is because the nature of the departments is different.

Still, the new student entrance exam is one of the few large-scale events of the year.

On this day, all lectures are canceled, and the exam is broadcast throughout the academy, so everyone plays, eats, rests, and bets like the seniors earlier. At the same time, the entrance ceremony is held after the exam, so it’s a day full of vitality.

‘Well, it has nothing to do with me.’

I passed by them and headed to the dormitory.

Tomorrow I will face the protagonist. I’m on the list of participants, so there’s no way to escape this story.

And I’m going to fight the protagonist. That’s the starting point of Kyle’s death. If I harbor malice towards him here, death awaits me.

But that won’t happen. I want to live an ordinary life. Tomorrow, I’ll just lose roughly and then relax and watch the live broadcast comfortably. I’ll get a lot of insults from the professors and they’ll give me a lot of homework, but for me, getting away from the protagonist is the priority.

“I should watch the entrance ceremony while eating popcorn.”

It’s a little disappointing that I can’t watch the entrance exam. The scene where the protagonist teases or competes with the same new students was quite fun.

Still, there are fun scenes left. The entrance ceremony after the entrance exam. At that time, they show a match between the professor and a powerful person invited from the outside. It was a scene that only came out in the novel and was just skipped in the game and webtoon. It’ll be fun to watch that too.

I returned to the dormitory and had a training session.

All of the faculty members are busy today and tomorrow. Latral Heitald is also a professor, so it’s the same. So the Land of Contract volunteer work is suspended until tomorrow.

After the training, I finished taking a bath. I washed the uniform that was soaked in sweat and hung it in a place with good ventilation.

After doing that, it was 7 PM. I had dinner with a student cafeteria lunch box. After finishing the work to relieve fatigue, I had no strength. I lay down on the bed and rested.

My body is tired. But it wasn’t a bad feeling because I felt like I had a fulfilling day.

“This is what life is all about.”

Listening to lectures, exercising, eating, and resting. How nice would it be if every day was like today. It’s a really peaceful and satisfying day.

It would have been perfect if I had a glass of beer here. Unfortunately, I have to go to the capital to drink alcohol, so it’s inevitably troublesome.

“Should I just go to bed now?”

My eyes are gradually closing. It was early to go to bed, but considering tomorrow’s schedule, I thought I could go to bed early.

And just as I was about to turn off the candle, I heard a strange sound.

[A special privilege is granted to you, the possessor]

[We have confirmed that you have not yet encountered the protagonist]

[13:59:57 until the special privilege opens]

Letters appeared in front of my eyes and time slowly passed. And when I saw that, I reacted like this.

“Are you freaking kidding me?”

Episode 8 Entrance Exam (2)

The academy was in a festive mood.

Fireworks and celebratory magic exploded everywhere, announcing the day’s event.

Students bought food from the stalls set up only for today and claimed good spots. They waited for the entrance exam to begin, their faces bright with smiles.

Moreover, the academy was open to outsiders today, and visitors lined up at the entrance from early morning. Among them were people from other countries who had visited the capital for this day.

It was a day everyone looked forward to that much. But there were those who didn’t. The sophomores who had to face the freshmen.

“……Ah.”

“…Eh.”

“Why are you all so down! How can the main characters be like this!”

A professor scolded the students who had lost their minds, but it was no use. The tension surrounding them was not something that would easily disappear.

Even students who were confident in their skills and had outstanding talent couldn’t help but feel intimidated knowing that so many spectators were watching. Of course, there were also students who were full of confidence, and students who had been drooping from the start.

Still, perhaps because a total of 600 people in the same situation had gathered, the students quickly became friendly.

Knights and mages. Even though they had been bitter enemies since ancient times, at this moment, they were friends and colleagues who understood each other.

A friendly atmosphere. But I couldn’t join in.

Only a lonely wind blew around my empty space. At first glance, it seemed as if an invisible boundary had been drawn between them and me.

‘Well, it’s because I’m a scoundrel.’

Kyle Arden’s bullying didn’t discriminate between departments. Of course, there were victims in the magic department as well. So this kind of atmosphere doesn’t alleviate the animosity.

However, there was one person who approached me without being affected by the atmosphere.

“Kyle~!”

She came running, her brown hair flying. It was Lana Heytald.

She even waves her hand, lest I not notice. How kind of her.

She called my name and flaunted her presence, so it was impossible not to attract attention.

‘I told her clearly not to act like she knows me.’

I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Why does my head hurt only when she’s involved…?

‘I was a fool to trust her.’

I’m crazy for forgetting what I’ve been through and believing her so readily.

I sighed deeply and moved away. I burrowed through the students, hiding as much as possible.

“Huh?! Kyle, where are you going!”

She was startled and followed me. For a mage, she’s quick on her feet and has an unnecessarily good sense, so she finds me even when she can’t see me. In the end, I was caught.

“Hi, Kyle!”

“……Yeah.”

My poor life.

As I lamented for a moment, I saw the bird on her head. I made eye contact with the bird named Nene.

We nodded silently. We didn’t understand each other and disliked each other, but we wanted the same thing. The bird Nene took action.

I expected her to listen to her summon’s words. But what do you mean listen?

“Huh? Sorry… I’ll definitely do it next time~!”

Chirp!

To betray me with one cute word… I was a fool to think of a lovestruck creature as an ally.

“Why are you here today.”

“Because I didn’t see you yesterday?”

“Please, just… your face….”

I push away the face that she keeps shoving at me. I always point it out, but she doesn’t seem to want to fix that habit. Still, she complains less now when I push her away.

“Oh, did you eat breakfast?”

“I didn’t. I didn’t have time.”

“Then do you want to eat this?”

She pulled out a sandwich from somewhere again and handed it to me. Looking at the wrapper, it’s from the student cafeteria.

“I will eat well.”

I took the sandwich.

Once, I refused, and that day, her summons were so depressed that they made a fuss with me, so I’ve been accepting it ever since.

The owner and the summons are the same when it comes to bothering others.

Munch munch.

As I was eating the sandwich, I noticed people around me looking at me with astonished eyes. Everyone gathered here couldn’t take their eyes off us.

One is a popular figure in the magic department, loved by men and women, students, professors, and staff alike, and the other is a scoundrel rumored to be a villain in a devil’s mask, despicable and with a nasty personality. It’s a completely mismatched combination.

Perhaps it’s because of the way she takes care of me, or the way I accept it without acting like a scoundrel.

I hated that gaze, so I transformed the nature of my mana and spread it out. Only then did they feel unpleasant and avert their gaze.

As I was finishing the sandwich, some students approached us. It seemed they were worried that I might do something to Lana.

“L, Lana….”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“W, we have to go now….”

Two female students mustered up the courage to arrive in front of us. And then, with fearful eyes, they trembled and tried to take her away. Even though I had fallen into the abyss, that fear remained.

“I want to stay a little longer….”

“But….”

Lana refused, but the two continued to persuade her in frightened voices. When they made eye contact with me in the middle, they were startled and their voices dropped to a mumble. I sighed inwardly and spoke to Lana to help her out.

“Just go. It looks like it’s about to start soon.”

The front row was actually noisy. The number of students was also gradually decreasing.

“Okay! See you later!”

“I won’t see you, so don’t come.”

Lana smiled brightly and was dragged away by the two. I hated that I knew that was her substitute for ‘I don’t want to!’. I seriously considered dropping out quickly and hiding somewhere.

I followed them and lined up. It had only been a moment, but a third of the students had disappeared. That’s how my turn came.

“Just let your mana flow into this.”

The professor hands me a magic stone. Not an ordinary magic stone, but a magic-engraved one. At first glance, it seems to be a short-range teleportation magic within a certain range, with random coordinates, and for one use only.

To use this expensive magic stone just for an event. As befits the best academy on the continent, they have so much money they don’t know what to do with it.

“I hope you show a good performance.”

“I understand.”

That’s what I said, but it wasn’t like he was expecting me to do well. I replied appropriately and poured mana into it. The magic manifests. I feel my body floating. And once I close my eyes and open them.

The forest welcomed me. It wasn’t the Land of Contract, and it definitely felt artificial. Because the professors made it for the exam. They probably had a hard time making it all night.

“Now do I just have to wait.”

[Special Benefit Opening in 00:30:34]

A window that took up a corner of my vision. There are 30 minutes left until I meet the protagonist.

I leaned against a tree and sat down. Looking forward to meeting the protagonist.

But actually….

“Should I just flip everything over?”

I was in a very unpleasant mood right now.

***

Exam waiting room.

The freshmen who were scheduled to be admitted were gathered there. Outside, professors were waiting for the upcoming event.

“It’s an annual event, but I’m really looking forward to this year.”

“I couldn’t agree more. I never thought so many talented people would gather, twice as many as last year. That’s why I can’t quit my professorship.”

The voices of the two department professors were full of excitement. It wasn’t that there weren’t any in previous years, but this year’s class had particularly many students who were fun to teach.

Meanwhile, a magic department professor said with envious eyes.

“The knight department must be happy. The second son of the Arden family entered this year.”

The professor’s eyes turned to someone in the waiting room.

It wasn’t that there weren’t any talented mages in this year’s class, but unfortunately, there was no one to compare to that swordsman. If there was a comparison, they would have to bring in sophomores, juniors, or even graduates.

“Indeed, Veil Arden is a genius. To be an intermediate expert at the age of 15. And his personality is on a different level from anyone else.”

The professor next to him looked uncomfortable at those words. ‘His’ existence is nothing short of a disgrace to the knight department.

“Oh, I heard there’s another one besides Veil. A comparable genius.”

“Evan, that student was impressive. Just as much as Veil.”

Evan Felix.

That student handled the sword incredibly well. Free, fast, and with excellent control. I heard he’s only been holding a sword for less than two months… Perhaps he’s the unprecedented genius people talk about.

Because of this, the knight department professors agonized a lot.

Should they give the top spot to Veil Arden, who had already surpassed the student level? Or should they give the top spot to Evan Felix, who, although his level was lower, possessed infinite potential for growth and handled the sword better than most students when it came to swordsmanship alone?

Because of the difference in age and level between the two, the top spot ultimately went to Veil, but it was only decided by a margin of two votes. The professors thought that if Evan had wielded a sword a little earlier, or if he had a connection to swords, the result would have been the opposite.

“I thought we could win this year….”

“Haha, I’m disappointed that you would say that. Even at last year’s exchange meeting….”

“Alright, alright, let’s stop and get ready. It’s time.”

The professor in charge of everything wrapped up the situation. The exam was about to begin.

The professors led the freshmen to each area.

And at Entrance 7 before the start of the exam.

“I’m Evan Felix. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Veil Arden.”

The protagonist and the supporting character were exchanging greetings.

***

[Special Benefit Opening in 00:03:05]

There were only 3 minutes left.

I got up and checked my condition.

“Nothing wrong. Hmm, should I warm up while I’m at it.”

Since I was going to do it anyway, I stretched for my stiff body and loosened my stiff muscles and joints.

[Special Benefit Opening in 00:01:11]

Only 1 minute left.

I waited, expanding my senses as much as possible. Soon, the protagonist Evan will appear from somewhere over there.

But there was a factor that interfered with me after I finished preparing. A trembling hand.

“Fuck, this is so funny….”

A hollow laugh comes out.

This tension didn’t start in the body. This trembling is caused by none other than the soul of me.

That’s why it was even more frustrating. To be affected by a window like this.

“Isn’t it too late to be affected by something like this?”

I try to brainwash myself in that way. But it didn’t work and the trembling continued.

I would understand if it was because of Kyle Arden’s body. He was a scoundrel who couldn’t stand events, let alone sparring.

“Haa….”

[Special Benefit Opening in 00:00:03]

3 seconds.

[Special Benefit Opening in 00:00:02]

2 seconds.

[Special Benefit Opening in 00:00:01]

1… 0 seconds.

A presence felt from the front.

A student came out through the bushes. I immediately recognized that he was the protagonist. There’s no special reason. Because I’ve seen that face so many times.

At the same time, various letters cluttered my eyes.

[Opening Special Benefits!]

[First Special Benefit: Status Window!]

───

Name: Kyle Arden

Age: 18 years old

Role: Third-rate villain

Description: A third-rate villain scoundrel from the web novel ‘Akacheonma’. A very~ trashy guy.

*Another soul is currently possessing him.

───

There is only information that is embarrassing to be called a status window. The windows continued.

[Second Special Benefit: Opportunity to Change Fate!]

[Complete the quest and change your destiny!]

───

Quest 1: Show everyone that you can beat the protagonist Evan in the entrance exam.

Reward: Acquire some fame.

*If the conditions are not met, this quest will be treated as a failure.

───

[Then have a pleasant possession life!]

There were no more windows after that.

“…Hoo.”

A long sigh comes out with heat.

In fact, the reason why I don’t pay much attention to the phenomenon of possession is simply because it’s annoying. It was too wasteful to spend time and effort on that concern. It was right to say that it wasn’t an area of interest in the first place.

The same goes for worrying about the entity that possessed me. Whether it was the author, God, the action of an unknown force, or whatever, I would have calmly accepted it even if something possessed me. Even if I knew who it was, I wouldn’t have asked why.

But just one thing, the act of trying to control me with a power called a special benefit. I couldn’t tolerate that.

Other possessors would have cheered and used this power without a shred of doubt, but I know the danger and will never use it.

The quest is a power that has the potential to change fate as you please. I couldn’t know in what direction my ending would be led in the name of the quest.

The intention of this quest was obvious. I don’t know why, but the intention is to raise me from an extra-level character.

‘I’m never going to be led around.’

Even though it’s possession, this body is mine, and this is my life. Only I can decide my fate.

Life and death as an extra.

That is my ending that I have decided. It’s not something that you guys who are hiding somewhere and watching decide. So you better give up early if you’re going to try to do something to me.

‘And you’re seriously mistaken.’

If you thought I would just let it go because I was worried about the future, I want to say that you’re really stupid.

It’s my personality to give back as much as I receive. I’m not a nice pushover who puts up with being hurt.

“Nice to meet you, senior. I’m freshman Evan.”

“…Kyle Arden.”

“Oh, there was an Arden family among the freshmen I met earlier.”

“Did you meet my younger brother.”

“Yes, senior. Haha, to meet brothers from a prestigious swordsmanship family. I’m lucky today.”

“How many tokens have you collected?”

“I’ve collected 11.”

“If I get yours, I’ll be guaranteed first place.”

On average, only 0 to 2 tokens are collected in the entrance exam. Because of this, having 5 or more is considered to be in the top or ranking. But 11? This is virtually guaranteed first place. Even in the history of the academy, only a handful of people have had 9 or more.

Swish.

The protagonist Evan drew his sword. He smiled and said.

“Then I will gratefully accept it.”

“If you can.”

This is just a venting of anger. A venting of anger on the guy who tried to control my destiny as he pleased.

So please, I just hope you can last a long time. So that the nasty guy can burst with frustration.

I drew my sword.

Episode 9 Entrance Exam (3)

The best way to ruin someone’s plan is to seem successful and then fail.

It’s the same with this quest.

───

Quest 1: Show everyone that you can beat the protagonist Evan in the entrance exam.

Reward: Acquire a small amount of fame.

*This quest will be marked as a failure if the condition is not met.

───

Show them you can win. But, show ‘everyone.’

If there was only the first condition, I wouldn’t care. But with the condition of ‘everyone,’ the way to screw this quest up becomes really simple. Just don’t satisfy that condition.

‘That everyone probably means the people taking the entrance exam.’

In other words, even if I beat the crap out of the protagonist, I just can’t get caught.

Before facing Evan, I first created the environment.

-Veil of Illusion

Magic manifested from my hand. Unlike its grand name, the magic simply spread and permeated the air. Now, our figures being broadcast will appear blurry.

With this, the quest completion condition is blocked.

If it was just a quest like [Beat Evan] without the latter condition, I would have given up on the idea of venting my anger. A quiet life is much more important than a future that becomes noisy by needlessly beating him up.

Then, a voice came from across the way.

“Is that magic?”

Forgetting about attacking, Evan blankly stared into the air. As befitting a protagonist, he awakened the ability to see mana. He seemed fascinated by the magic blooming from my hand, his eyes filled with excitement.

“It’s my first time hearing about a knight using magic.”

“Curious?”

“Yes, very curious.”

“Beat me and I’ll tell you.”

I deliberately didn’t answer his curiosity. The opportunity for him to awaken magic comes not from me, but while attending the academy. And it’s during the first-year vacation. So, I can’t tell him now.

Evan swallowed hard, trembling with excitement.

“Indeed, you seem different from the people I’ve faced so far, Senior.”

“Chatter chatter, so noisy. Stop talking and attack.”

Our eyes meet. Clear, bright eyes. Unlike mine, which are murky.

“Then… Here I go!”

Evan kicked off the ground with vigor.

And,

Clang!

Sword met sword. Clear sparks flew. The attack didn’t stop there.

The second attack followed. Evan’s sword, slipped out like sliding, grazed the lower body.

‘His speed is fast.’

Taking a step back, I swung my sword horizontally. Evan was startled and ducked. He didn’t seem flustered. He shone his eyes as if he had seized an opportunity.

Evan recovered his sword to his chest. His arm muscles bulged.

Whoosh!

Faster than half a beat, a flash-like stab tore through the wind and rushed in.

Clang!

But, having read the move, I easily deflected the sword. The hand holding the sword flew helplessly through the air.

Evan didn’t stop. He quickly made a judgment and bent his elbow to jab the sword. But this too was read, so his attack was in vain.

I stare into the protagonist’s eyes. He could have composed his breathing and aimed for the next one, but even in this moment of failure, he was full of fighting spirit. I liked that intense will.

‘This is what makes him the protagonist.’

A brief impression. To repay it, I dove into his arms and swung my sword. Evan reacted instantly.

His feet pushed off the ground, and he jumped up. At the same time, he rotates his body. The rotational force and the power of his entire body are concentrated on the sword. And he brought the sword down.

‘This is a bit painful….’

I quickly moved my sword above my head.

Clang!

A tingling sensation spreads from my fingertips. A shock that seems to paralyze my entire body. Even though he hasn’t mastered mana reinforcement, he’s quite strong.

Gritting my teeth and enduring, I briefly swung my sword down. A line that cuts through the torso. But Evan’s sword, descending like flowing water, blocked the attack.

“Haa!”

“Hoo!”

We supply oxygen to each other’s lungs. Strength fills our entire bodies. We swung our swords as if we had made a promise.

Several sword attacks went back and forth. Sharp blades grazed arms, legs, and sides. As the opponent’s wounds increased, so did mine.

Clang!

With that clash as the last, we widened the distance.

“Hoo….”

I caught my breath. Sweat poured down from the intense battle that took place in a short moment.

My head turned to him. He was smiling as if he enjoyed the fight.

“The others would have fallen at this point. You’re stronger than I expected.”

“Have you only faced nobodies?”

“You’re panting a lot for someone who says that, though?”

It’s a sharp remark. I’m still catching my breath, but his breathing has calmed down.

But I also want to make excuses, this body is just now finding its normal range. The reason I’m going to have sword training with Elime from next week is because of that. Even if my strength and stamina have increased, it’s not a body to use for sparring.

‘There’s no need to tell him all that.’

It doesn’t matter if he misunderstands. So, I won’t correct him.

“Which dormitory do you stay in, Kyle-sunbae? Upper? Top?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Why else… I need to hear the answer when the exam is over. How did you use magic?”

Evan was already acting like he had won. The actual situation was also like that.

In this short fight, his innate talent was unleashed and he grew. On the other hand, it was obvious that I was tired. If you were asked to predict the winner after seeing this, everyone would choose Evan.

“You’re arrogant.”

Evan was arrogant. And geniuses are originally arrogant folks.

‘Why can’t you do this easy thing?’

‘It worked when I put in the effort?’

Words that geniuses always say. They package their words in that way and unknowingly put others down.

That’s why ordinary people hate geniuses, and geniuses can’t understand ordinary people. And that difference makes even those with inherently good nature slightly arrogant.

The protagonist Evan is the same. He takes the exam, is viewed with envy and jealousy from those around him, and finally realizes that he is outstanding. It was almost inevitable that his attitude toward those around him would change.

“When did you start holding a sword?”

“It’s been a little over two months now.”

“That’s enough time to be like this. You must see others as bugs.”

“Hey, I don’t think that far. I’m just a little disappointed.”

“Those rotten thoughts will change from now on.”

“Honestly, I don’t have high expectations. Looking at your current appearance, Senior.”

I ignored Evan’s words and took a stance. I also took out the mana I had been saving.

“Then, let me tell you why you have no choice but to lose.”

As soon as I finished speaking, I kicked off the ground and approached in an instant.

At that moment, Evan’s lips slightly curved upward. I could see all the thoughts he was having. I said quietly, as if I already knew that expression.

“First. You have no foundation.”

The protagonist Evan’s strength lies in his freedom, unconstrained by formalities. The environment in which he grew up and his innate talent combined to create such a strength of his own.

But the current Evan is not like that at all. Although it looks free at first glance, it comes off as superficial, imitation. In short, it’s just a haphazard sword that’s embarrassing to call swordsmanship.

At least, to fight on par with me, you need to complete your own swordsmanship that makes the most of your strengths, a sword that perfectly embodies reason. Not this foundationless sword.

A sword that slashes from top to bottom.

“Uh, uh…?”

Evan was at a loss, overwhelmed by the pressure from all directions. Completely overwhelmed, his movements slowed down compared to before. In that state, Evan barely raised his sword to defend.

“Ugh!”

Evan gritted his teeth and endured. A groan escaped, indicating it was quite difficult. That look was both amusing and pitiful.

I didn’t stop and continued the next attack. Evan moved his eyes here and there, predicting the next attack route. His eyes were filled with tension and urgency.

“Second. You have a low understanding.”

Evan is from a farming family, so he has never learned swordsmanship separately. Therefore, there is a limit to the idea of handling a sword by relying on talent for all movements and senses.

Even a genius who starts from the bottom cannot recklessly aspire to a world beyond a certain level. That’s why it’s even easier to deal with. If you don’t give him time to overcome the wall, he’ll have no choice but to struggle in front of it.

“Keuh!”

Evan was thrown far away. All I did was slightly apply the technique he was using. He wore a resentful expression.

“What an unsightly figure. And that’s after only two attacks.”

“…….”

Evan doesn’t answer. I give him some time to catch his breath. Unlike before, when he was full of confidence, his whole body was filled with embarrassment.

“Finally, third.”

This time, I charged with a big motion. He takes a stance. A better stance than before. A genius is indeed a genius.

Looking at that figure, I said as if whispering.

“You lack experience.”

A state in which weaknesses are revealed too well. A situation where he could be seriously injured if attacked. But I didn’t hide it.

“Sunbae-nim. You made a mistake?”

Evan wore a smirk. He thinks this situation is due to my shortcomings. He didn’t realize my intention until I attacked.

Evan swung his sword at a time when it was impossible to avoid.

“No, it’s not a mistake.”

Clang!

Sword met sword. At that moment, I rotated my wrist. The direction of the force is directed outward. Then, I stuck close to him and let go of the sword.

“What is this….”

Evan’s sword went down as the weight suddenly increased. He wasn’t someone who would be defeated just because the weight increased. He took out the sword as it was and launched an attack, drawing the optimal path.

Thwack!

I blocked the rising sword with my shoe. I slammed my leg down with all my might, burying the sword in the ground.

“Huh?”

His upper body was exposed, having lost his sword. A sound of embarrassment burst from Evan’s mouth.

And as the weight, speed, and power concentrated on the end of the fist.

Pow-!!

I embedded a fist filled with mana into his abdomen.

“Keuk!”

Evan clutched his stomach and gasped, his face turning red with pain. It was like looking at a bright red apple. In that, Evan barely opened his mouth.

“Un, unfair….”

The words that came out were truly laughable.

“Unfair? Don’t blame your shortcomings on others.”

Evan is vulnerable to changes during a fight because he has little experience. So, he gets caught by this kind of trick. Well, he probably didn’t know that a swordsman would let go of his sword.

“…….”

A moment of silence. Evan’s mind seemed to be deep in thought. Soon after, Evan’s mouth opened.

“Ha, that’s true too.”

Evan showed a self-deprecating smile, realizing his shortcomings. But that was only for a moment. He filled the empty space in his eyes, where arrogance had been, with passion and desire.

“Sunbae-nim.”

“What.”

“Next time….”

His words trailed off. It seemed like he was squeezing out strength to speak. Inside, there was an undisguised, no, unhidden joy seeping out little by little.

“Once again, fa, ce….”

He couldn’t finish his words and drooled. His eyes had already lost focus.

‘5 seconds is a long time to last.’

He should have fallen right away, but to maintain his sanity for so long. Even though it’s very early on, he shows the qualities of a protagonist.

“Go to sleep now. The exam is over.”

I cast a magic to make him sleep deeply. At least he won’t be groaning in pain while sleeping. I laid the sleeping him down in a suitable place. I also carefully picked up the token that had fallen on the floor while fighting and put it in his pocket.

“Ah, right. I have to give him this too.”

I took out a token from my inside pocket and put it in his pocket.

Entrance exams have prizes limited to freshmen. The academy gives gifts to the three people who collect the most tokens. And with the token I gave him as the last one, Evan will be the first.

I could not give this to make him even more screwed. But if I did that, the story would get twisted. The elixir he gets here is the foundation for growth that will lead to the ending. The difference in prizes between 1st and 2nd place is also big, so it’s really something I shouldn’t do.

More than anything….

‘This is enough. I’m satisfied.’

My anger was relieved just by beating the protagonist. And I didn’t intend to make someone half-crippled just to vent my anger.

Well, I’m not a kid, so would I beat up a weakling to the point of killing them? Especially the protagonist? I’m a guy with a conscience.

In the first place, anything more than this would only highlight my existence.

‘And who else is like me. Even correcting his personality.’

An episode that will unfold in the grade exchange activity. There, Evan corrects his arrogance and becomes a stepping stone for further development. I did that first.

There’s nothing wrong with that. It was just a passing episode for the protagonist’s growth. The opponent was also a supporting character who only appeared briefly in that episode, and wasn’t a big deal. So, there’s nothing that will go wrong if I do it.

“Haaam~ Should I go to sleep now.”

Even if I didn’t show the scene where I defeated Evan, if I showed him awake, he would definitely be suspicious.

“Will 2 hours be enough?”

I checked the clock and it was 11 a.m.

As far as I remember, the entrance ceremony in the afternoon starts at 2 p.m. If I sleep and wake up properly by then, I can watch the entrance ceremony just right.

I appropriately combined sleep magic and alarm magic.

…No, I was going to.

Rustle.

A sound coming from behind. I hurriedly turned my head. As far as I know, there is no one who meets Evan and me and appears.

One person who appears like that.

Same blonde hair as me, same gold eyes as me. His eyes and atmosphere are not like me, but his facial structure is similar to mine. He was wearing a sword around his waist and was wearing the uniform of the Trianis Academy. Through that, I knew that he was a freshman.

I know who this guy is. Better than anyone, so very, very… well. To the point where my body reacts on its own.

“It’s been a while, Kyle-hyung.”

“…It’s been a while.”

Yeah, brother… Why are you coming out from there?

Episode 10 Entrance Exam (4)

Bale Arden.

At 7 years old, he showed outstanding talent in swordsmanship, and at 14, he reached the intermediate level of Sword Expert, a genius among geniuses.

At the same time, he is the second son of the Arden family, who has an incompetent older brother.

‘He’s my brother.’

Bale is 15 years old, but he entered Tianis Academy early, two years earlier than others, with outstanding skills and talent at a young age.

Moreover, unlike his brother, he inherited Arden’s blood deeply and is called the reincarnation of the Sword Emperor, the family’s first patriarch.

Because of that, the relationship between the brothers is not good. Rather, it is more accurate to say that one side unilaterally pushes away. Of course, the subject is Kyle, the older brother.

On the contrary, Bale, the younger brother, respects his older brother. No matter how much his brother insults and scolds him, he always calls him “hyung-nim” (older brother) and uses honorifics.

Even in the novel, after his brother died, he never forgot the anniversary and placed flowers on the tombstone that no one visited. Bale Arden is a character who makes you wonder how they can be so different in personality even though they were born from the same womb.

Well, in the first place, the relationship is bound to be broken because they are brothers born in the same family. From Kyle’s point of view, his younger brother would be the ideal existence he desired. If you expect a normal brotherly relationship here, that’s even stranger.

Because of that, his body’s reaction was unusual. Like a volcano about to erupt, his body was boiling with anger. A more intense reaction than when he faced Princess Ariel. Perhaps it is evidence that he hates and despises his younger brother to that extent.

I suppressed my rampaging body as much as possible. If I didn’t, I couldn’t predict what I would do.

“……”

“……”

Silence flows. Both I and my brother quietly watched each other. After having our first conversation, we were silent for a while.

‘Is this an Arden trait?’

Why are all the people related to Arden so quiet?

Even Elime is quiet, and his father, Decal Arden, is a man of few words. I wonder if my younger brother, Bale, inherited that as well.

Or is it because of me?

In the story, Bale wasn’t someone who spoke little. He just seemed relatively quiet compared to talkative Evan or Lana, but he was just average like others.

‘No matter how I think about it, it seems like it’s because of me.’

Otherwise, there’s no way he’d be silent. Well, I’m silent because I’m acting.

And finally, my brother opened his mouth.

“Hyung-nim….”

“Don’t beat around the bush and just say it. If you’re not going to say anything, get lost.”

I replied coldly to my brother’s words. His voice and even his breathing are unpleasant. My body rejects him almost to the level of a disease.

When he didn’t say anything, I turned my back. I wanted to get away from him as soon as possible.

“Have you picked up the sword again?”

Those words stopped me in my tracks.

I’m not holding a sword right now. I threw Evan far away as well. In other words, that was something that couldn’t be said unless he watched my fight.

“From where did you see it?”

“From the middle… I saw it.”

Damn it.

In the story, Evan and Bale only exchange greetings at the starting point and then scatter. Their directions are completely opposite, so there’s absolutely no chance of them meeting in the exam.

But we met. Moreover, he witnessed what I did. How he ended up here is not important. The biggest problem is that Bale, the main character, saw my sword and magic.

‘It’s okay. Even if this happens, the quest will fail.’

So, I don’t have to worry about that. The only problem is how to deal with my brother’s memories.

Bale is not the type to blab about other people’s secrets. But I can’t just leave it as is.

“Your skills seem to have improved a lot since the last time I saw you.”

“What do you want to say?”

“I just want to congratulate you on your achievements….”

“Shut up, I don’t want to hear that kind of bullshit from you.”

I interrupted him irritably.

Actually, I don’t know how the conversation between the two brothers goes. Kyle was an extra who would disappear soon, and it was a useless act to include scenes of our brothers’ conversation when they should be appealing to the protagonist’s charm.

Still, it was easy to predict his words and actions because he was Kyle, who was occasionally mentioned in my brother’s words. Before that, it was easier to act because of my body’s reaction.

“You were always like that.”

I took a step forward. He clenched his fists tightly as if filled with resentment.

“That look in your eyes, that look of pity as if you care about me!”

“No. I’m worried about you, hyung-nim….”

My brother said as if making an excuse. I didn’t stop and kept moving forward. The distance is getting closer. Bale didn’t avoid my eyes. And just one step away.

“It was fucked up!”

I reached out my arm. In the momentary instant when my hand touched his body, I unleashed magic. Black light blooms. A type of black magic, memory erasure magic. It’s hard to set detailed settings because I’m using it in a hurry, but roughly the memories from 10 minutes ago will disappear.

Thud!

But before it touched him, my wrist was grabbed. As expected, it’s hard against him.

“What are you doing, hyung-nim.”

My brother’s voice sank coldly.

“What are you doing to me now… more than that.”

Bale raised his wrist. I had already withdrawn my strength when it was grabbed, but the unique ominous energy remained.

“This is black magic. Who did you learn this power from?”

“Let go of this!”

Unpleasantness rises as our bodies touch. I spoke roughly without realizing it. But my brother ignored that reaction and shouted.

“Black magic is a power that deviates from the providence that humans should not use! If the Holy Kingdom finds out about this, you will die!”

“So, what does that have to do with you?”

“Hyung-nim!”

Bale shouted loudly at the calm voice. My brother’s face was distorted.

“You’ve already fallen.”

“That’s what you think.”

My brother unleashed mana. The clear energy unique to the Arden Mana Cultivation Method spreads.

“You have to tell me everything. When, where, and from whom you received that power.”

I snorted at those words and said.

“How dare you, you little…?”

“It’s all for you, hyung-nim.”

Shuk!

My brother’s remaining arm disappeared in an instant. The sound of fierce wind was heard. My brother’s hand was surprisingly fast.

But he underestimated me too much. I guess he thought he could subdue me quickly because one hand was already grabbed.

I twisted my brother’s wrist with my grabbed arm. The center axis was slightly distorted, and the other hand missed its target.

“……”

“Did you think you could beat me easily?”

Whoosh!

He reaches out his hand without saying a word. This time, it was a movement filled with clear intent to attack.

However, I tried to lightly deflect the overly linear movement. But the moment our hands touched. Bale’s arm bent like a snake and dug in.

I pulled Bale with the arms that were grabbing each other. The distance between us narrowed in an instant.

Thwack…

A light impact sound struck my abdomen. The power of the fist that couldn’t gain momentum was weak.

My brother’s face hardened. Bale shook off the wrist he was holding. Both arms were free. My arm also became free.

“Hoo….”

One breath. Immediately after, my brother flashed his eyes and rushed at me.

A fist filled with the mystery of stabbing cuts through the wind. I put my hand in the path to let the attack flow.

My brother strikes away the deflected hand. In the meantime, a fist wrapped in mana breaks through. I took one step back. At the same time, I rotated my hand and received the fist as if sucking it in.

Thud!

The fist with reduced power was caught. I pushed in the force as it was. My brother’s joints bent. My brother gave strength to his arm and blocked the technique.

“…I’ll go all out.”

Bale muttered. It seems like he realized that this kind of behavior would not help subdue me, so he is about to start using his full skills.

And we started hitting each other.

‘He’s good at using his fists too.’

I thought while twisting my body. That was my impression of my brother.

The Arden family is called a prestigious swordsmanship family, but there are not only swordsmanship techniques within the family. Techniques for weapons such as spears, swords, and blunt instruments are also passed down. Of course, there are also fist techniques.

The reason for this is that knights don’t necessarily have to use only swords.

There were many people in the world, and there were also people who were talented in weapons other than swords. Those were all excellent martial arts created by the first patriarch.

Another reason is a preparation for any eventuality.

There is no sword, or it breaks. Or it is a trick to dig into the opponent’s weaknesses in a crisis situation. It is learned in preparation for when you don’t know what will happen in life.

You might think, “Why learn other weapons when you should focus on the sword?” but since there are only talented people, they don’t take it very seriously.

My brother made fist techniques his second weapon. His outstanding talent also led fist techniques to the realm of the first class.

The Mani Cultivation Method that harmonizes with any martial art, the fist techniques passed down through the family, and the talent and skill to digest them. Bale’s attack was threatening.

But I didn’t just get hit. Deflecting, blocking, and piercing the gaps. Due to physical limitations, I couldn’t show as much skill as my brother, but those three were enough to cope.

However, it gradually became more difficult as time passed. Unlike the protagonist Evan, my brother is an intermediate-level Expert. The output that can be squeezed out is on a different level. He far surpassed me in terms of mana and physical abilities.

Perhaps realizing that fact, Bale’s attack became even fiercer. My body was gradually pushed back with each blow.

‘If I drag this on, I’ll lose.’

The result of the current situation is drawn automatically. It was necessary to end it soon. I had no intention of dragging this fight out.

I drew a line on the ground with my foot once. My brother took a step back. I dug into that gap.

My brother definitely fights well. His level is intermediate Expert, but his understanding and completion of the techniques are looking beyond that. The reason he is intermediate is because of his growing body. If it weren’t for that, he would have reached the advanced level long ago.

A knight whose level is thought to be impossible to attack at the student level if you only hear about it. That’s my brother. But is everything perfect? That’s not it. Bale is still in the stage of blooming his talent. There was a weakness that he was not aware of.

I pushed my brother while throwing a barrage of blows. Bale moved busily and blocked the attacks without difficulty. That was my scheme. My brother’s one breath ended in the relentless barrage of attacks. And at the moment he took a breath to supply oxygen, I took action.

I climbed up the opponent’s fist and grabbed his forearms with each hand. I firmly fixed them by giving the mana adhesive properties.

Bale reacted immediately. But that reaction was slightly slow. My brother had a habit of losing strength slightly when breathing. That difference was very subtle.

I stretched out my foot and kicked his knee. Bale’s lower body collapsed and his upper body fell. Even my brother, who has a lot of fighting experience, can’t do this or that in this case.

“Gasp!”

I slammed my brother down with all my might.

“Keuk!”

Bale groaned and frowned. He probably felt like his back was shattered. That’s because I increased the strength of the ground with magic.

After subduing my brother, I reached out my hand to his head. It’s to erase his memories.

The black energy rises again from my hand. This time, I set the magic properly so as not to damage the brain. When the preparation was over, I used magic.

But at that moment.

“Huh?”

All the strength in my body drained away. It wasn’t a reaction caused by overworking my body. I was doing enough fatigue and stamina control.

I soon saw the mana of the magic circle escaping into the sky. And feeling the empty dantian, I realized. This is a mana burnout phenomenon.

The magic I used earlier, ‘Veil of Illusion,’ is not a single-use magic but a continuous magic. Therefore, it continues to consume mana. The mana ran out from continuing to maintain it.

‘I forgot about this.’

Was I too engrossed in the fight? Or is it because of Kyle Arden’s body?

‘Ha… shit.’

I hurriedly stopped the mana from escaping, but the set magic doesn’t exert its power because of the lack of mana. Moreover, I’m about to collapse soon.

So, I have to deal with my brother’s memories before that. But I can’t squeeze out non-existent mana, and if I forcibly do that, my life is in danger.

No matter how much things in the world don’t go my way, I wonder what’s so twisted. I just wanted to quietly deal with the main character and rest.

‘A good way….’

I calmly recalled Bale’s information. I didn’t want to use it originally, but I have no choice but to use it as the situation is what it is. If I just leave it alone, I’ll only get tired.

‘That would be good.’

I was gradually reaching my limit and breathed roughly. My brother, who had regained his senses in the meantime, stared at me blankly. And he said quietly.

“Hyung-nim, it’s not too late yet. If you tell everything to father or the family even now….”

“Hey.”

I cut off my brother’s words with a heavy voice. My brother closed his mouth.

“Do you think you know everything about the family?”

I plant a seed of doubt in my brother’s heart.

“You don’t know anything.”

I grab the newly formed doubt so that it can’t leave.

“What kind of person my father is.”

I inflate that doubt little by little like a balloon.

“How rotten the Arden family is.”

I engrave it so that his head is full of it.

Those words, which would be regarded as strange by others, are more effective than anything else to my brother.

A shadow fell on my brother’s face. This means it worked well.

There, I hammered in the last wedge.

“You don’t know the darkness contained within.”

I activate the magic. The memory erasure range is the part where I and the protagonist were watching, excluding this conversation. There is little mana, but it will be applied barely.

“Hyung-nim….”

My brother called me in a sorrowful voice. I answered him coldly.

“Bale Arden. You’re just a fool who doesn’t even know that simple truth.”

Immediately after, black energy seeped into my brother’s head. Bale’s eyes closed and he gradually lost consciousness.

“Ha, it’s over….”

Well, I was also exhausted, so my eyes were gradually closing.

Before long, I lost consciousness like my brother.

Episode 11 Entrance Ceremony (1)

When I regained consciousness, the first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

A pure white ceiling, pure white walls and floor. It wasn’t a familiar place, but I roughly knew where I was.

My gaze turned to the clock on one wall.

“1:40… am I a bit late?”

The surrounding beds were empty. The students who had been in the infirmary must have already left for the entrance ceremony.

But the priest bastard who should be guarding this place is nowhere to be seen. Where did he go, leaving a patient behind? I don’t know where he sold his professional ethics of bestowing grace.

Still, he did treat me. My mana isn’t fully restored, but it’s filled up enough. I circulated my mana to get rid of the remaining fatigue and got up from the bed.

“Will I make it on time?”

I thought I might be cutting it close, so I quickened my pace.

***

Big events like entrance ceremonies are usually held in the auditorium. But our continent’s premier academy holds it in a slightly different location.

“It’s really big.”

A building I’ve seen a few times while going to school. To describe its shape, it’s a modern soccer stadium made in a fantasy style. Of course, the design isn’t the same as the modern one, and the size is enormous, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people.

The area around the building was noisy. Only freshmen, who worked hard in many ways today, 2nd-year students, professors, and invited guests can enter this place. That’s why so many people gathered to see today’s protagonists.

Since I was an entrance exam participant, I was checked without any issues and entered.

-Waaaaa!!

Because I woke up late, the entrance ceremony was already halfway through. Fortunately, the boring president’s speech was over, and the part introducing the top and runner-up students from the two departments was about to end.

I moved to find a secluded spot. Even in the excited atmosphere, I attracted attention when I passed by. At least I wanted to enjoy the entrance ceremony quietly.

As I was looking for a place to sit.

-Chirp!

A bird blocked my path. It’s a bird named Nene.

“Go to your owner.”

-Chirp!

“I don’t know what you’re saying, so just go.”

When I said that, it gestured as if telling me to follow it.

“I’m not going.”

I ignored it. Just in time, I found a suitable spot and sat down there. Then Nene started pecking at my head with its beak.

“Ack! You damn bird!”

I pulled the bird off my head. This damn bird pecked at my hand even after I caught it.

“I’m not going! So go back to your owner. Got it?”

I gave it a bit of a glare to scare it. It’s a bird with some skill, so it didn’t faint. And I threw it into the sky.

“Get lost!”

It made a troubled expression and circled above me. Then, realizing that it couldn’t break my stubbornness, it soon returned to its owner.

“You should have done that from the start.”

I shook off the feathers on my hand and decided to focus on the entrance ceremony.

-Now, we will announce the results of the entrance exam!

The professor in charge of the entrance exam shouted loudly. He was a bit old, but he forgot his dignity as a professor and yelled loud enough to shake the sky with amplification magic.

“Ooooo!!”

“Finally!”

“I’ve been waiting for this!!”

Cheers erupted from everywhere. The atmosphere was even more excited than during the speeches and introductions that had taken place earlier. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that one of the reasons for watching the entrance ceremony was because of this.

-Trianis Academy’s specialty, the 3rd place in the Emblem Collection is…!

A white sphere rises into the sky. It emitted light and moved around according to the professor’s voice.

And then.

-Chloe, the top student of the Magic Department, 1st year! The number of emblems collected is a whopping 8!!

A beam of light shone on her, who was standing at the very front, representing the freshmen of the Magic Department. It was a scene showing that she was the protagonist of this event.

“8? Is that even possible?”

“Last year, 6 was the top score….”

“Wait, if 3rd place is 8, then how many do 1st and 2nd place have?”

The murmuring grew louder. It was because she achieved the impossible number of 8.

Moreover, she was only introduced as 3rd place. So, people were wondering with anticipation, how many did 1st and 2nd place collect?

The called-out Chloe slowly walked onto the stage. The light followed her. It made her stand out even more. And her face was magnified on a screen created by magic.

Flame-like crimson hair, ruby-embedded red eyes. The rare colors alone attracted attention.

Another screen appeared next to the screen. It was a video about how Chloe fought and won in the entrance exam. But there weren’t really any highlights, so I didn’t feel like watching it.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. It’s not because she has similar abilities to Lana.

The thing is, she is….

“Hmm?”

But suddenly, everything went dark before my eyes. My vision darkened in a physical sense. A soft touch was felt covering my face. I immediately recognized the culprit of this prank.

“Sigh… stop it.”

“Not fun…?”

“It is, so sit next to me and watch the entrance ceremony.”

“Okay!”

The hand was removed, and Lana sat in the empty seat next to me. She seemed full of energy, as if the exam wasn’t difficult for her.

“Did you do well on the exam?”

“Yeah! There were a lot of fun kids. I had a hard time making sure they didn’t get hurt.”

“Is that so.”

“Is Kyle okay? He was lying in the infirmary until just now.”

“It’s because of mana exhaustion. He’s fine now.”

“That’s a relief!”

In the meantime, Chloe’s turn was over.

-Next up, 2nd place! Bale Arden, the top student of the Knight Department! The number of emblems collected is a whopping 11!!! The same as the highest number in the academy’s history!

The professor shouted as if the Colosseum was about to collapse, and the cheers grew even louder. The noise was deafening.

“Ugh, my ears hurt….”

Lana seemed to feel the same, as she waved her staff. Magic was used, and the surrounding sounds decreased.

“This year is too noisy. It wasn’t like this last year.”

“Tell me about it.”

To be honest, I don’t remember much about it, but this entrance ceremony is definitely abnormal. As usual, when the protagonist is involved, everything becomes larger in scale.

Bale stood on the stage. His expression and behavior seemed normal, but I could feel that his mind was in turmoil. It seemed to be the effect of what I had said earlier.

Well, to tell the truth, there is no great darkness or secret in the family. At this time, he is not yet the successor, so he doesn’t know the major and minor affairs of the family, and he just dug into his younger brother’s personality, which worked well. Anyway, I had to prevent my information from leaking out, so I lied a little.

“Is that Kyle’s brother?”

Lana asked from the side with curious eyes. It was a curiosity purely about the relationship of being a ‘brother,’ different from the kind of attention she had been giving me.

“Yeah.”

“He looks like Kyle, but he doesn’t at the same time.”

“Well, they are brothers.”

“Is his brother as nice as Kyle?”

“I keep saying I’m not nice. And to answer you, my brother is different from me.”

“Does that mean he’s a bad kid?”

“Haa….”

She’s definitely doing this on purpose. She’s 100% saying that to tease me.

“Go find out later. Whether he’s a bad guy or not.”

“Then Kyle can introduce me when he has time!”

“…….”

Yeah, I was stupid to bring it up.

I decided to ignore her chattering and focus on the entrance ceremony.

‘Hmm?’

Then suddenly, I noticed something strange. I had been looking at my brother all this time, but I didn’t feel any emotions.

The reason isn’t simply because he’s far away. Even seeing Princess Ariel from afar made me nauseous. So, there is only one answer.

‘Did I feel better just by winning against him?’

That deep and dark emotion disappeared after getting beaten a few times. Should I call this trivial or cheap? I can only let out a hollow laugh. As far as I know, the more deeply rooted an emotion is, the harder it is to resolve.

‘No, it could be because he’s my brother.’

Inferiority is ultimately a feeling of being inferior to someone else. If that is resolved, it is just like any other insignificant emotion. Looking back, the body only felt anger and no other emotions.

‘So, is one thing resolved?’

It was already annoying to have to control the other body separately. If this is the case, I don’t think I’ll have to be nervous when I meet my brother.

Bale’s video is playing. A total of 11 videos. The last video was blurry, as if it had been mosaicked. On top of that, the opponent’s face was set to be more prominent, making my brother’s face stand out even more. Furthermore, my face didn’t appear because the point when the exam ended was when I stopped the magic.

Well, thanks to that, the 2nd-year students were a bit dissatisfied.

“Who the hell is the guy who fought the top student?”

“Was there a kid with that kind of skill? He fights better than the princess?”

“Wow… I want to fight him too. Should I ask the freshmen? Who he is.”

The next part was moving on.

The last one is, of course….

-1st place is Evan Felix, the runner-up of the Knight Department! The number of emblems is 12! An academy record!!

I quickly covered my ears. Lana, having anticipated it, followed me and covered her ears.

“Waaaaaaa!!!!”

“A new record…!”

“12…!!”

The sound was so loud that I could only hear the words sporadically. Later on, I couldn’t even hear what they were shouting.

‘Anyway, when the protagonist is involved, the reaction is excessively over the top.’

Just like in novels, reality is no different. If I had known it would be like this, I shouldn’t have come.

Anyway, next, the video came out. This time too, the last video was blurry, and there was no scene of Evan meeting me.

No matter how rich and capable the academy is, it is difficult to show all the students, who number in the thousands. So, the academy’s transmission magic is set to only show where the fights took place. For reference, this magic was created by the founding emperor and has been passed down through generations.

“So who is that guy!”

“Freshmen! Tell us who the guy he fought is!”

“Ugh! Please tell us!”

The Knight Department, which consists mostly of aggressive students, was in chaos. They want to fight me, who beat the top and runner-up students. Of course, I have no intention of fighting them at all.

Soon, the professors said this and that, but the conclusion was that they couldn’t figure out my identity. There are restrictions on the transmission magic, so the academy cannot manipulate it separately.

Of course, my brother and Evan didn’t seem to have any intention of talking about me. I understand Bale, but Evan seems to want to keep me all to himself.

It’s creepy to see that guy smiling slyly.

“Kyle.”

“What.”

Lana whispered in my ear. And said this.

“That, is that Kyle?”

One sentence that hit the nail on the head. To be honest, I was taken aback for a moment. There are plenty of blondes and many similar builds, so there’s no element that would make her recognize me as me, but she has good observation skills, as expected of a mage. Is it because she’s been with me for the past few days?

But I said in a voice that was no different than usual.

“What nonsense are you talking about.”

“Hehe~ I understand. I’ll keep Kyle’s secret.”

Lana smiled brightly. She seemed happy about the secret that had formed between us. I somehow wanted to punch her.

Finally, all the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners were introduced, and it was time to present the prizes.

Trianis Academy is called the best on the continent, so the prizes are not simple. If it were an academy in another country, they would have given a slightly better-performing magic tool, or a slightly rare herb or elixir at best, but this place is different.

They identify the freshmen’s shortcomings and give them items necessary for their growth as prizes. It could be a legendary weapon, an elixir that cannot be obtained even with billions of gold, or a magic book with the teachings of a great wizard. Of course, that’s only for 1st place, and 2nd and 3rd place receive items of a lower grade.

Chloe received a magic book from a famous magician.

Bale received a necklace containing 10 types of magic.

And Evan, who is in 1st place.

“Baekhwandan?”

“Ah, the Arden family gave that out?!”

“Wow… for that precious thing to come out as a prize.”

Baekhwandan is an elixir passed down through the family. It has never been released to the world, and it is a legendary elixir that cannot be obtained even with the billions of gold I mentioned. Its effects are to increase mana and help with physical growth.

What’s special about this is that you can just leave it alone after taking it. Then, Baekhwandan will absorb it according to the consumer’s growth.

‘I’m jealous of that.’

According to the game status window, it’s a fraudulent item that increases stats by about 1.5 to 2 times. It’s someone else’s thing, but I was a little greedy.

With that, one of the big events of the entrance ceremony came to an end. The three on the stage also went down. And at the president’s words, one person moved from the invitation seat.

-Nice to meet you. I am Dekal Arden.

A dignified voice. The head of the Arden family, and my father, Dekal Arden. He appeared at the entrance ceremony.

“Kyle’s family seems to be all mysterious.”

“Is that so.”

Well, our family has many mysterious aspects.

Anyway, that’s that.

Now, shall we see the skills of the continent’s strongest swordsman?

Episode 12 Entrance Ceremony (2)

A showdown between professors and guests.

This is the last event of the entrance ceremony.

As the name suggests, this event involves professors and invited guests standing in the center and competing against each other. The opponents change every year, but basically, different professions fight each other.

If the professor is a knight, the guest is a wizard. Something like that.

Since my father is a knight, the opponent will be one of the magic department professors.

Some might ask, is it necessary to do this at the entrance ceremony?

Well, the pretext is to promote students’ growth and improve their skills through a competition between skilled individuals. In reality, it’s an event created simply because people want to watch a fight.

Didn’t they say that the most entertaining spectacle in the world is a fight?

The founding emperor created this event because he loved fighting so much. Of course, only the people of that time knew that it was created to satisfy the emperor. There was no need to publicize that fact.

Whatever the intention, the effect was good. Students diligently devoted themselves to training, dreaming of their future selves while watching their seniors who had walked the path before them.

But there are many young knights and wizards on the continent, so I wonder if it was really necessary to bring in someone of my father’s age. Well, that’s just my personal opinion.

“Is Kyle’s father strong?”

“He is strong. He’s one of the top three knights.”

Most people think that my father and the other two knights have similar skills, but those who know, know. Dekal Ardin is the knight at the pinnacle of the current era. The reason is that, unlike the other two, my father was on the verge of becoming a grandmaster, and he had defeated them in unofficial matches in the past.

“Heung~ So that’s why Kyle is strong?”

“Why are you talking nonsense since a while ago.”

She’s been like that since a while ago. What’s even more absurd is.

“Huh? What~?”

The fact that she acts so brazenly. That’s why I’m a little annoyed. It feels like a weakness has been caught.

Well, it doesn’t matter as long as she doesn’t do anything like blackmailing me with it. It’s not like Lana would do that, and it’s okay as long as she doesn’t do it all the time.

The center of the empty arena. All the freshmen have left and are seated in the seats.

People walk out from both entrances.

On the left is my father, Dekal Ardin, and on the right is Latral Heitald, the representative wizard of the magic department.

“Oh? It’s Grandpa.”

Lana’s eyes lit up at the appearance of her grandfather. The professor who will participate in the event is secretly decided, so even a grandfather who loves his granddaughter wouldn’t reveal the information.

That’s why Lana is reacting like that. On top of that, the opponent is my father. That makes her even more excited.

“Ah, Kyle, you’re seeing Grandpa for the first time, right?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded.

The students don’t know that the manager of the Land of Contracts and the magic department professor are the same person. Because the two figures have different outfits and faces.

She talked about her grandfather. It was just ordinary grandfather bragging.

Then the huge arena was filled with mana. Vast mana that made my whole body tremble. All eyes were focused at once.

Lana also stopped talking and asked me.

“Kyle, who do you think will win?”

“I don’t know. Both of them are strong.”

Both are strong people on the verge of transcendence. No matter how much it is me, I couldn’t predict the victory or defeat. And the two of them are fighting with the purpose of giving teachings rather than winning, so they are only wasting unnecessary energy.

“Kyle. Wanna bet?”

“What kind of bet.”

“Dinner betting on who will win. How about it?”

Hmm, dinner betting….

There’s nothing I can’t do, but it’s just annoying, and I don’t know the outcome of the match. This scene focused on the protagonist’s enlightenment rather than the fight between the father and the professor. Not even a single line came out.

But considering the purpose of this, wouldn’t it probably end in a draw?

‘Should I accept and go back to the dormitory if it’s a draw?’

No matter how I look at it, she seems to be thinking of creating a reason to stay, but I have no intention of going along with it. The protagonist has appeared, so it’s better to avoid it appropriately.

“I’ll bet on my father winning.”

“I’m on Grandpa!”

Since family is involved, she and I have no choice but to choose family.

“Kyle, don’t worry. I won’t pick anything expensive.”

“I don’t know who should be saying that.”

I retorted Lana’s words.

But this also subtly touches my non-existent pride. Of course, she said that because she knows her grandfather’s skills and firmly believes in him, but I felt a little unpleasant that she was talking as if it was obvious that my father would lose.

So I boldly blurted out a word.

“If my father loses, I’ll buy meals for tomorrow too.”

“Kyle, are you saying that seriously?”

“Yeah. Give up if you’re scared.”

Lana’s eyes lit up at my words and shouted.

“I’m seeing this side of Kyle for the first time. I like it! If I lose, I’ll take responsibility for tomorrow’s meals!”

That’s how the betting content was changed.

And at the same time.

Kwaang!!!

The two people collided.

As a side note. I’ll win if I win, there’s absolutely no way I’ll lose.

Well, anyway, it will probably end in a draw.

***

The competition ended, and it was the time when the entrance ceremony was over.

Dekal Ardin, who had given many inspirations and dreams to the students today, walked the hallway of the stadium.

He had a stern expression, but deep down, he was quite happy.

This was his fifth time participating in the entrance ceremony. He was very happy to see the future dreamers grow by looking at his sword for a short time.

Even excluding the benefits that would come to the family as the head of the family through today, that satisfaction and joy were truly of a pure kind.

Dekal Ardin continued walking down the hallway. There were two familiar figures in the distance.

“We greet the head of the family.”

Elaim bowed and showed respect.

“I’m glad you arrived safely, Father.”

It was Veil, worried that his father might have been hurt, although that was unlikely.

“Son. You did well on today’s test. Elaim, you’ve worked hard too.”

“No. I’m still very lacking.”

“I’m just doing my best in the mission I was assigned.”

Dekal Ardin gestured forward, expressing that they should walk. He had a schedule a little later, but he had time to talk with his son and the family’s knight.

“How was the first day of school?”

Dekal asked his son.

In fact, the academy life had already started, even though he hadn’t entered the dormitory. The entrance exam was also a kind of academy activity.

“There’s a joy that I haven’t felt in the family, so I think it will be a fun life.”

Veil gave a faint smile. Was it because the environment was different, or because various people gathered? Meeting other students made his heart flutter.

“I’m glad.”

Dekal was relieved to see his son like that.

Veil was young compared to others, and his talent was also outstanding. And their academy life goes through similar processes. There were many cases of ignoring, looking down on, or harassing with jealousy and envy.

The microcosm of society called school was also a harsh place for geniuses. Dekal Ardin, who graduated from Tianis Academy 28 years ago, knew that fact very well.

That’s why he was proud of his son for adapting well.

“By the way, there were two people who caught my eye.”

“Are you talking about Evan?”

“Yes. If you only look at the talent, it’s similar to your level. I won’t even tell you to be close. But keep them around. The existence of competitors makes each other grow.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Hmm.”

Veil nodded. And continued to speak.

“More than that, who was the last opponent?”

His father’s question. He said two people, but he didn’t know that those words would come out of his father’s mouth.

“…….”

Veil couldn’t open his mouth easily and only moved his lips. However, the memory of the test tormented him and made him close his mouth.

“That child has surpassed your generation. But don’t be discouraged. You are not behind him either. More than that, his physical condition is not good compared to his skills. If you meet him later, suggest that the Ardin family will help him.”

Like the professors and students, his father didn’t seem to know who the opponent was. Veil barely swallowed the gag reflex that would come up and said.

“…Yes.”

Veil then asked Elaim. He had received a separate report by letter, but there was a difference in delivery from the words he heard directly.

“How is Kyle doing?”

“Yes, he is still attending without any problems. He listens to lectures diligently, and recently he has been doing physical training. Yesterday, he even asked me to be his swordsmanship sparring partner.”

“Do you think he’s come to his senses?”

“The young master has always been like that, so I don’t know yet. But….”

“That’s enough. There’s no need for further words. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

The conversation related to the first young master ended at the head of the family’s words.

“Yes, head of the family.”

Elaim answered that way, but there were still things to tell.

For example, about Lana Heitald, a woman who has been close to the young master recently. But she judged that it would be okay to report this later slowly. It was still difficult to judge their relationship.

After that, they talked a little more casually. Mainly about the family. It had been a week since Veil and Elaim left the family for the first time, so they were probably curious about what had happened during that time.

But Veil couldn’t concentrate. No, he couldn’t.

‘You don’t know anything.’

The memory of the entrance exam quietly comes to mind.

‘What kind of person your father is.’

The figure of his older brother with sad eyes.

‘How rotten the Ardin family is.’

His older brother’s distorted face full of anger.

‘You don’t know the darkness contained within.’

A trembling voice, pitying him.

‘Brother….’

It kept overlapping with the situation unfolding before his eyes.

The appearance of the father who didn’t recognize his own child’s face.

The father’s voice that doesn’t give even a small amount of attention to the eldest son.

‘What did you see, brother?’

The father, who he admired as a hero and idol, looked too alien. That face that he had always faced was distorted today.

What aspect of his father did his brother see?

Clearly, his brother’s words were not to be blindly trusted. His mother, the elders, and the family members spared no advice and warnings to be careful of his brother.

But Veil knows. At least his brother doesn’t lie to him. It had been like that from the past. It seemed that it was still the same now.

‘Veil Ardin. You’re just a fool who doesn’t even know that simple truth.’

His brother’s last words come to mind.

‘Maybe so.’

Veil was not the successor. Words were coming out about his brother’s recent actions, but not yet. That’s why he didn’t know anything about the family’s affairs.

It was an excuse if it was an excuse. He was a fool who had been immersed in the sword for 15 years, wielding only the sword without realizing his brother’s suffering.

Veil suppressed the feeling of disgust that was rising deep in his heart and made a decision.

‘I will change it.’

He vowed to change the Ardin family.

For his brother, who had grown up suffering in the family and had even learned black magic, Veil vowed.

‘Please wait a little longer, brother.’

Veil earnestly hoped that his brother would not be kicked out before he stepped in.

***

The result ended in a draw as expected.

It’s a natural result. If they properly exerted their power in this narrow place, all the students would die. They were not people who would do that just to win or lose.

In the end, it turned out that way.

“Too bad. A draw.”

“I trusted Grandpa….”

Lana fell into gloom, and her brown bobbed hair drooped. It seems she really firmly believed that her grandfather would win. The summoned beast Nene patted her and comforted her.

I stayed still and spoke when the gloom subsided.

“I’m leaving now. I’m going to be busy again from tomorrow.”

“You’re coming to volunteer, right?”

“I have to go.”

I’m planning to work hard on the weekends. I have to make up for the time I missed for two days. I have no intention of continuing the volunteer work until next year.

And just as I was about to go to the dormitory.

“Kyle.”

Lana pulled on my sleeve. I said in a persuasive tone.

“I’ll be there for a long time tomorrow, so let me go today. My body is not good because of the exam.”

It’s not to the point of dying, but I want to rest today. I used too much energy on unexpected things.

“I’ll buy you steak at the student restaurant. You’re hungry, right.”

“I’m not going.”

I rejected Lana’s offer. Whatever the intention, a free meal is a welcome fact, but I’m really tired.

Then, Lana whispered quietly.

“Secret menu, Triple S-class steak, are you really not going?”

My body reflexively stopped. Because I know too well what that secret menu is.

Triple S-class steak.

A dish that the cooking master of the student restaurant bakes and makes you drool just by smelling it.

This secret menu can only be ordered by some limited students. Of course, rumors have spread, and ordinary students also know of its existence. They just haven’t seen the real thing.

‘This is unconditionally a profit.’

I know the effect of this too well. If I eat this, I will be overflowing with energy for at least a week. There will be many things to use my strength for in the meantime, so rejecting this would only prove that I’m an idiot.

Because of that, a conflict arose in my heart. But since I was already halfway there, the answer was decided.

“Keueung… Let’s go.”

“Heehee, okay!”

Lana took the lead, and I followed behind her.

‘I’m just going to eat.’

It’s not that I’m falling for the steak temptation and ignoring Lana’s intentions.

Absolutely not, no.

Okay?

Episode 13 Part-Time Job (1)

“See you tomorrow~!”

Lana waved her hand and entered the Magic Department dormitory.

I didn’t intend to escort Lana either. But I was full, and it was in the same direction to the west, so I gladly accepted. Of course, all of this was possible because the steak was delicious.

The time was already evening when the sun had completely set. I felt the cool breeze and walked along the well-maintained path.

The center was quiet, despite it being Friday. There were some students near the student union building, but otherwise, there was no one anywhere else.

Everyone went out to the capital. They are all energetic kids. The capital next door has more to offer than the academy, which has few things to do.

Especially the 2nd graders who had suffered, rushed out as soon as the entrance ceremony was over. For them, today was something to feel as liberated as during the exams.

Well, some might be holed up in the dormitory or training room?

I want to go out and play too, but unlike them, I don’t have the leeway. At least, I need time and money to even think about it.

Still, I liked this quietness in its own way. It was a feeling of a different emotion than dawn. I kept walking towards the dormitory.

But then, a sound shattered my peace of mind.

[Quest Failed!]

A system sound that was not welcome at all.

“It comes out early.”

Originally, a quest should pop up immediately after it is processed as a failure.

But whether it was lazy, or trying to buy time somehow. For whatever reason, I couldn’t look at it with a good eye. I tossed the system window full of stupidity far away.

[The Possessor has achieved a hidden goal]

Another window popping up.

“What is this again….”

I was stunned. The situation was as if it were reading my mind and doing an impromptu patch in response.

“What are you trying to do again.”

At this point, I thought it was elaborate and just left it alone. In the first place, there was nothing I could do from the message that I had achieved something.

[‘Hidden Quest: Defeat the Protagonist!’ has been achieved]

[‘Hidden Quest: Defeat Your Sibling!’ has been achieved]

[‘Top-Grade Mana Stone’ is awarded as a reward]

[‘Toy: Sneezing Powder (Single Use)’ is awarded as a reward]

That was the end of the message. But no rewards appeared.

“Huh?”

Then, both of my pants pockets bulged slightly. I took out the things in my pockets.

“This is a mana stone, and this is… Sneezing Powder, huh.”

In my right hand, a fist-sized mana stone with immense mana.

In my left hand, a pouch filled with soft powder.

They were obviously the rewards.

“What am I supposed to use these for?”

The mana stone is okay because it can be used for various purposes, but this powder described as a toy…

“Now it’s even playing pranks.”

I almost threw it away, but I kept it safe for now. The reason for giving me this kind of garbage means there will be a day to use it someday.

“The hidden quest conditions are… something related to the main characters?”

The sample size is too small to say for sure. What I can infer from the given information is that the targets were the protagonist and the main characters, and that I defeated both of them. If this thought is correct, there will also be quests related to Lana and Princess Ariel.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue briefly. Another thing to be careful about has appeared. I’m so annoyed that I can’t be left alone.

Still, there wasn’t only negativity in what happened today. There were also material benefits like rewards, and most of all….

‘I also figured out the family’s swordsmanship.’

Even though my body remembers the swordsmanship, there is a slight gap because Kyle didn’t learn it properly. I was able to fill in the blanks by watching my father. Thanks to that, I perfectly grasped what Arden swordsmanship pursues.

‘I felt it in the mana cultivation technique, but it’s a well-made skill.’

A fact that can be known because I saw it with my own eyes and acquired it, not just by reading. There is a reason why the first head of the family is praised as a genius of the century.

As I was recalling the swordsmanship in my head, I felt a presence around me.

“I’m back, Young Master.”

“……Okay.”

Ellaime, who had disappeared in the morning, returned.

***

The moment Ellaime faced the Young Master after being dispatched on a mission. She only felt deep disgust.

His personality, tone, and actions were all the same as the ones she remembered last. But at some point, that thought was slowly changing.

When did it start….

Since the morning training started a few days ago?

It hasn’t even been a week since they met, but the Young Master’s actions were completely different from what she had expected.

Clearly, it was true that he would act when it was disadvantageous to him. But it wasn’t to this extent. At best, he would only be careful about his actions.

In addition, she could feel some changes in recent conversations.

“Aren’t you curious about where I went?”

“Why should I be curious about that?”

The blunt reply. This was the same as ever.

“…He must have met his father.”

The muttering that can barely be heard is also unchanged.

“Aren’t you curious about what kind of conversation you had with the Head of the Family?”

“I’m not curious.”

The action of cutting off the words with a sulky expression is also the same.

“What I’m curious about is only the living expenses and when you’re leaving. Other than that, shut up.”

“…Are you saying that sincerely?”

“That’s right!”

The appearance of shouting in an annoyed voice is also the same.

But the intensity was too weak. If the emotion was 100 until now, it’s about 20 to 30 recently. She also felt that it was being deliberately fabricated somewhere. Ellaime, who has watched him since he was young, could feel it better than anyone else.

In fact, these changes have only happened very recently. The timing is from when he visited a place called ‘Land of Contracts’. And from when he met a classmate named ‘Lana Heitald’ there.

“Young Master.”

“…What again.”

“……”

Look at him now. He could ignore her completely, but he’s still acknowledging her. It’s an unimaginable sight from before.

There are still some doubts left, but she thought it was a positive change.

“I don’t know if Young Master knows, but you seem to have become more lenient than before recently.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“I wish I was mistaken too. But since you met someone….”

“Ellaime. Enough.”

“Your personality and actions have changed.”

“Stop talking nonsense and shut up.”

He shouted with a lot of force in his neck.

But no matter how much he did, that voice had no effect on Ellaime. Rather, it made her say more.

“I’m reminded of what you said to Princess Ariel the other day.”

Ellaime took a breath and recalled what happened the other day. And then she said the same words.

“Young Master. Your acting, it’s all obvious.”

The Young Master frowning. That sight made the corners of Ellaime’s mouth rise.

“At least Young Master can’t lie about her.”

That’s why Ellaime said with a little hope.

“I don’t expect you to go back to those young days. If Young Master has truly come to his senses, not acting, I will do my best to help.”

She turned her body, looking at the silent Young Master. She felt like she could know what he was thinking without having to guess.

‘Sorry, but Ellaime.’

Of course, Ellaime’s thought was wrong.

‘Stop imagining weird things….’

The person involved was dying of frustration.

***

The second weekend I’m facing.

I had an important schedule today, so I took care to tidy up my clothes.

The uniform that I would usually wash and dry outside was cleaned with clean magic, and my hair and beard were also neatly cut.

I trimmed my nails neatly, and in case I smelled, I used magic to create perfume and sprayed it on my body. Finally, I went to the finish by looking at my reflection in the broken window.

“Hmm, is this enough?”

A neat, unobtrusive, and clean style. I just followed the other students, but it seems well-dressed.

“Sigh, I hope it goes well.”

I tried my best to the extent that I could, but the result may not be so.

I left the dormitory, wishing for success.

***

As you can see from the cheap school meals, Tianis Academy is kind to students. And that kindness applies to other things as well.

The request board on the 4th floor of the student union building is one of them.

‘Why are there so many from the morning.’

Students filling one floor of the student union building from the weekend. They are gathered like ants.

‘Well, there’s no place like this for them.’

Most of the students are freshmen who entered yesterday. And most of them were commoners.

Overflowing requests, safe jobs, and high rewards.

It will be like a dream for them, who have seen many dangerous, poorly paid, and no jobs in their lives.

This is also one of the policies for students.

They created it for the purpose of supporting students, saying what money would the students who paid huge tuition fees have.

Of course, students who are really in a hurry can also receive living expenses support. At the student support center in the center. But that’s only for really poor students. It is impossible for aristocratic children like me.

On the left is the request board.

On the right is the request window.

I have business at the window, so I headed there.

The requests on both sides are different in nature. The bulletin board is for one-time single requests, and the window is for requests that require students for a long period of time, like part-time jobs.

And I want the latter request. Because it is relatively stable and comfortable.

I waited in line for a while. Then it was my turn.

“……”

The staff’s face is frowning. My misdeeds were famous among them as well. I had already experienced it at the administrative office last time, so there was no big impact.

“I came to see the requests.”

“What are you looking for?”

I said the conditions I wanted.

The period should be as long as possible. The time should also be on weekends as much as possible. Weekdays are okay if that’s not possible. The hourly wage is more than 50 copper coins. I don’t mind if the labor intensity is high.

There were many requests, but the staff searched the request forms.

Requests come not only from the academy but also from the imperial capital, so there will be many requests that meet the conditions.

“There are 10 in total.”

The staff lined up the request forms.

5 requests from the Magic Department.

3 requests from the Production Department.

2 requests from the General Department.

All requests that want simple labor. The time is all on weekends, and the hourly wage is quite high. I like that the location is inside the academy.

If it were a regular student, they would choose one and go for an interview, but not me.

“Please contact all 10.”

Considering the possibility of being rejected, I decided to go to all the interviews.

Then the staff sighed deeply and said quietly.

“Student Kyle.”

“Why are you doing that?”

“I’ll be honest with you. Your chances of passing the interview are close to zero. You know how you’re treated here. The bulletin board over there is more likely to accept you.”

The staff pointed to the other side with her finger.

I was slightly surprised by the staff’s words. She was the first person at the academy to give me advice.

‘There are people like this too.’

Everyone was busy disparaging and ignoring me. There was no one who gave me a proper word like the staff. Even if she had a rotten face and it was from her professional responsibility, I was really grateful.

“It’s okay. And I’ll try that if I fail.”

“Haa….”

The staff made a face as if she couldn’t understand.

But what can I do. That’s my karma.

I have no intention of denying that sin.

“Okay. But be prepared.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

“…Concern, what.”

The staff muttered quietly. And then she did this and that for about 10 minutes and handed me 10 pieces of paper.

“I’ve contacted them all, so just say your name.”

“Thank you.”

I accepted it and left the student union building with a short greeting.

“Should I go south first.”

The closest place in terms of location was the General Department in the south.

That’s how I set out on the interview to earn living expenses.

***

Bang!

The door slammed shut and the wind fluttered. My hair was ruffled because of it.

“Here too….”

I came out of the building after being coldly turned away.

It’s already the 6th time. Not even being able to see the interview.

As soon as the employers saw my face, they were all busy kicking me out. The first one was the only one who saw the interview, but they kicked me out after hearing my name. Maybe they didn’t know my face.

That’s how 7 interviews disappeared into thin air. I’m full of motivation and confident that I can work hard, but I get a little discouraged when I keep failing.

I walked slowly towards the last remaining interview location, the Production Department building.

Arriving at the interview location. I tidied up my disheveled clothes.

“Ehem, aah.”

I also changed my voice to be gentle. Kyle’s voice had a bit of an assertive side to it.

Then Ellaime looked at me with a strange expression. I ignored it.

I finished preparing roughly. I also made up my mind with the determination that this was the last time.

A voice is heard from inside. It seems like there is an interviewee.

After a while, the door opened and a person came out. The student passed by me and was startled.

“Excuse me.”

As the first impression is important, I greeted him. And the sound that is heard.

“Yes~ Next person… Eek!! K, Kyle Arden! The person who said they would have an interview, could it be…!”

The 3rd grader who requested the request at the window was startled when he saw my face. The senior I met for the first time was frightened and nervous for a moment.

“Student Ju-ran… y, you said you wanted to work here…?”

Then he grabbed the student who was about to leave.

“Uh… yes.”

“T, then let’s do well from today.”

“T, Thank you for your help.”

The senior grabbed the student’s hand and shook it wildly. He smiled with a sullen expression.

“Student K…yle Arden? S, sorry. The position was full just now….”

The senior said as if making an excuse. But anyone could see that they quickly picked a student because of my appearance. Even in front of me.

“Hoo….”

It’s better to say honestly that you don’t like it. This was too much. A little annoyance sprang up.

Step by step.

She, who flinched at the sigh, crouched down and trembled at my approach. Ellaime came to stop me.

“It’s not like that.”

I said in a serious voice. Ellaime realized that I had no ill intentions and moved away.

The senior, who was as scared as a mouse facing a cat. I brought my face to the senior’s ear.

“Senior.”

A low voice. She was in a panic and was almost on the verge of crying. I whispered quietly so that only she could hear.

“Be careful. She’s a thief. Hide your precious materials well.”

“Y, yes…?”

I gestured towards the student who had just been selected, looking at the senior who reacted late.

“I definitely warned you. Excuse me.”

I didn’t forget my manners until the end and came out of the room.

“Hoo… It’s really fucked up.”

I let out a curse once and calmed my mind.

If they understood well, nothing difficult would happen, and if they didn’t, well… they would fail. They did something wicked, so they can do this much, right? Isn’t that right?

And it’s not like I’m lying. She caused trouble for the protagonist because of it.

The interview that ended in less than 5 minutes and headed to the next place.

Of course, this time too.

“T-T-T-T-you, you’re going to have a hard time….”

I was rejected by an employer who stuttered so much that I couldn’t understand.

That left only one last one.

“Should I look for it on the bulletin board as the staff said….”

I rested my chin and pondered. The request bulletin board has a different procedure, so there is little or no chance of being rejected.

If I can’t help it, I’ll have to take on an unstable request.

“This is the last one.”

A really old and secluded building even in the Production Department building. The unique smell of alchemy permeated deeply, stimulating the tip of my nose.

When I got used to the smell to some extent, I headed to the workshop where the employer was.

Knock knock

I knock on the door. There was no answer, but I felt a presence and waited for a while.

Squeak, the door slowly opens. The employer who will be interviewing is revealed through the gap.

A short height that reaches around my chest, grayish hair, and empty eyes as if she had attained enlightenment somewhere.

“Uh, excuse me?”

“Hello.”

Even the blunt tone without any emotion.

There was no doubt that she was the one I knew.

“Come in.”

She guided me. She didn’t ask anything else separately. It seems like she knows that I’m an interviewee. I came to my senses and went inside.

“Sit here.”

She points to a chair in one corner. It looked a little dirty, but I sat down without complaint.

“Who are you?”

She looks at Ellaime who followed.

“I’m just a guard.”

“Is that so? You sit there too.”

“Thank you.”

She guided Ellaime.

I blankly watched the scene with a bewildered mind.

It’s not that there was no reason for that.

‘Luina Lindel.’

She is a character who was born as a villain like me.

Not even a trivial existence like a third-rate villain, “So? What’s your name?”

She is the middle boss of ‘Akachenma’.

Episode 14 Part-Time Job (2)

Ruina Lindel.

The eldest daughter of the Lindel family, born in the Falun Magic Kingdom.

Her family has been in the alchemy business for generations. It is not a family with great fame, and the Lindel Trading Company run by the family is more famous.

She, a third-year student in the Department of Production, is not a great figure either. She was just a very common and ordinary student who was not the top or the runner-up but was a bit good at studying and had some talent.

If you ask a third-year student, they would probably say, “Ah, her. I know her,” knowing her to a moderate extent. Her presence is not outstanding either.

In the story, her role is that of a helper. She helped the main character with alchemy when he was in trouble or needed help. In the beginning, she acted too much like a pushover, so readers belittled her, calling her a tool shuttle.

At least until she awakened as a villain threatening the world.

The sight of her transforming into an avatar of destruction and taking over and destroying the academy without any signs or reasons shocked many people.

Such a person, tens of thousands of times higher in class than a third-rate villain, was in front of me.

“So? What’s your name?”

“It’s Kyle Arden.”

“Second year?”

“I’m in the Department of Knights.”

“I see.”

Short, curt words. They feel truly insincere. Everyone feels this way. Even the main character felt that way at first impression.

But her appearance was popular. She doesn’t have sociability or affability, but many readers liked her unique, quirky personality.

So, even an illustration of her was made, but in the end, she was killed by the main character… The readers were extremely angry. As far as I know, about ten thousand people sent her long messages containing 5,700 characters of curse words. Because of that, the site was paralyzed.

“Here.”

She suddenly handed over a stack of papers filled with writing.

“Memorize it. I’ll give you an hour.”

“What is this?”

“Precautions.”

With those words, she went back to her workbench. She didn’t even give me a small glance and immersed herself in her work. The way she silently does her job. That aspect made her charm even more prominent.

“Hmm.”

I also took my eyes off her and read each page.

The content was precautions as she said. But the amount was ridiculously large. The content also required basic knowledge of alchemy to understand, and there were also contents related to her personally.

‘Why is she so strict?’

I muttered a small complaint inside.

But there are many eccentrics in this field originally. In modern times, novelists or cartoonists, and in fantasy, alchemists or blacksmiths. Those who create something have sensitive aspects in certain areas.

She is the same. Especially in alchemy, even a really small mistake can ruin the work, so it required a lot of caution.

Clatter, clatter.

Bubble, bubble.

The sound of something being made. I was memorizing it with that as the background, so I could concentrate better.

After about 50 minutes, I had memorized everything.

“I’m done.”

“Really? That’s fast.”

She stretches out her hand without a word. Noticing the meaning of the action, I handed over the stack of papers. Because of this kind of behavior, she was a frustrating character in the beginning.

Then she immediately started asking questions.

“What do you need when making mass-produced potions?”

“Ingredients, circuits, and bottles to hold the potions.”

She nodded. This was easy because it was basic knowledge.

“What should you be careful of when combining ingredients?”

“You must not move your body, use magic power, or make noise. However, it is okay when combining herbs.”

“Yeah.”

She seemed satisfied with this answer as well.

“At what percentage of mana concentration is the item being produced affected?”

“Potions are affected at 71 percent or higher, and minerals are not affected. Ah, potions vary depending on the combination of ingredients, and you will adjust that on your own, so I don’t have to worry about it.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Then what is the coping method in that situation?”

“Put it in the box that you made. And turn on the mana concentration control device.”

“You memorized it well.”

After that, she continued with 20 more questions. Honestly, it was a bit overwhelming. It makes me wonder if she is hiring a personal assistant instead of a part-timer.

That’s how the test called a question ended.

“Amazing. Even the third-year students couldn’t do it.”

She looked at me as if she was proud, and then she sat facing me.

“When can you start working?”

“I can start right away today.”

“What about the time? Are weekdays okay?”

“I have community service every day, so I can do about 5 hours on weekends in the morning or evening, and 3 hours after 4 p.m. on weekdays.”

“Yeah, good.”

Nodding her head, she handed over a piece of paper. It was an employment contract.

I carefully read the contract. Then I saw something a little strange.

“Senior.”

“Yeah, why.”

“The hourly wage is strange?”

The hourly wage written on the contract was 3 silver coins per hour. It was three times different from the 1 coin written on the request form.

“It’s okay.”

“No, still…”

“Anyway, there’s no one but you.”

“Ah…”

Well, with this kind of test, they wouldn’t be able to pass or would be busy running away. That’s how tough Ruina Lindel’s request is.

Well, I’m welcome if she gives me a lot of money. The more money, the better.

After signing the contract, I asked the employer.

“Shall we start working right away?”

“Yeah. Move that first.”

I lifted the box in the corner and moved it to the designated spot. As I was working like that.

“Are you going to be here too?”

“If you allow it, I would like to stay until the work is finished.”

The employer was talking to Ellaim.

“Then you have to memorize this.”

The employer held out the bundle of precautions. Ellaim made a troubled expression.

“Do I have to know this? I’m just monitoring the young master…”

“No. Then you’ll ruin it. Will you pay for it?”

“If my existence ruins the product, then I will…”

“It’s at least 10 gold.”

Ellaim couldn’t close her mouth after hearing the price. Even though she receives support from her family, gold coins were too expensive. As a commoner, Ellaim knew the weight of money well.

“Th, then I’ll just wait outside.”

“Good idea.”

A flustered Ellaim left the workshop. And waited in front of the door.

‘Serves her right.’

Maybe it was because she made fun of me yesterday, but her pitiful appearance was thrilling.

“Now move that.”

“Yes, Senior.”

Maybe that’s why I was smiling throughout the work.

***

That evening.

After volunteering until 11 p.m., I entrusted my tired body to the bed in the dormitory.

“Ugh! I’m going to die…”

Working for more than 12 hours a day, I feel like I’m going to die. Still, I’m getting more and more used to volunteering, and the part-time job will get better over time.

“By then, my physical condition will be better.”

Of course, what kind of body is this? Wouldn’t I not get tired even if I worked all day by then?

Well, I was taking a rest while thinking about such trivial things.

“More than that…”

Ruina Lindel, whom I met today, comes to mind. It’s because I didn’t know I would meet her here.

Even in the novel, the meeting between the main character and her was just a coincidence. The main character was carrying around a magic tool he found at the academy, and it caught her eye. That was the connection that was created.

The records were not detailed either. At best, there was an explanation that she was stuck in the workshop and a scene where she talked to the main character with sleepy eyes. Other than that, there was no separate explanation. Just like me.

Therefore, it was not strange that I was embarrassed.

“A mid-boss…”

I quietly call her role.

A mid-boss is different in class from the final boss, but their power, ability, and presence are by no means inferior. Personally, I think there is not much difference except for the narrative.

That’s why I’m interested.

It’s not that I feel affection. It’s an interest that started from the same role as a villain. And it was the first time I had faced a villain directly, so it caught my eye even more.

But is it because she’s a villain? I have a strange thought.

“She’ll die someday too.”

The ending of a villain is always the same. Death by the main character. Even if it’s not death, the villain falls into ruin in some way.

Just like I fell, just like I have to die with my neck cut off by the main character’s hand. She also goes through the same thing as a mid-boss.

‘It’s okay…’

Even in the midst of having her heart pierced and spitting out blood from her mouth, she speaks in a nonchalant tone.

‘You did a good job.’

A scene where she smiles with her eyes and strokes the main character’s head for the last time before closing her eyes.

That’s Ruina Lindel’s last.

It was one of the famous scenes in the novel, but it was so well done in the webtoon that the comment section was flooded with tears while cursing. There were so many people who were saddened by her death to that extent.

Because of that, when the game was released, people begged for a route to save her.

But unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Despite tens of thousands of people sending messages to the writer. As a side note, there was also a famous anecdote that they sent a truck to the game company for that reason.

And as a person who has read the novel, her death….

“Two years left until she dies.”

I didn’t feel anything.

Someone might curse at my indifferent reaction, but I can’t help it. She was a villain and a character born to die. Personal feelings are the way to ruin this world.

Well, that’s why I can treat her comfortably. I didn’t need to be as meticulous as the main characters. Maybe she was the least uncomfortable person among the characters I’ve met so far.

“Just, let’s do it moderately.”

That’s not to say that her fate is not pitiful. I have emotions too. So, I decided to be a conversation partner until she leaves.

As a fellow villain, I can do that much, right? Of course, she has to accept it.

“Haaam~”

I’m starting to get sleepy. It’s already been an hour in the meantime. Sometimes it’s not bad to spend time like this.

“Hoo.”

I turned off the candle and closed my eyes. For the part-time job I have tomorrow.

***

The next morning.

After organizing the ingredients that came in today, the first thing I did was assist with alchemy.

“Circuit board.”

“Here it is.”

I put the metal plate with the magic circle engraved on the workbench. She put the ingredients in each place and infused mana. A bottle of potion was quickly completed.

“Gorun Mountain Iron, Intermediate Magic Crystal.”

Short, curt requests. I took out the iron from the box where the metals were stored, and the magic crystal from the box next to it.

“Senior, here you go.”

“Yeah.”

After receiving the two materials, she immediately started refining them.

In fact, even if it’s called assistance, all I do is deliver the ingredients she calls for. Ruina Lindel is as small as her height, and her arms and legs are thin, so she can’t lift heavy objects, so I have to help her.

Of course, the truth is not that.

There’s no way she would have been working alone without anyone helping her until now, and it doesn’t make sense for a mid-boss to be weak. And even an alchemist learns basic magic like telekinesis.

I can see it in her eyes. The annoyance contained in her empty eyes.

Well, even if that’s the reason, I’m in a hired position, so I have to do it without complaining.

I watched the alchemy from a distance. I admired her skills inwardly.

Extracting only specific components, and extracting mana from the magic crystal. Combining the two and creating the desired structure, and covering the shape with the surface of the glass bottle. The series of processes were carried out quickly and smoothly.

‘Should I learn alchemy too?’

If I only had that, I could fix the dormitory quickly. But I soon gave up. I didn’t have talent for alchemy.

And she is called the essence of alchemy, so such skills and abilities are possible.

“It’s over.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

I put the completed product in the storage box.

“Mandrake. The one with the cut roots.”

“I prepared it in advance.”

“How thoughtful.”

She didn’t stop working. I heard that she finishes all the work on the weekends.

“You know?”

“Yes.”

I covered my ears with mana and organized the flow of mana in my body. From now on, I shouldn’t interfere with her work. I stood there blankly next to her.

Time flows.

5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes… Sweat was dripping down, but I could endure this much.

But then, something was seen through the only window in the workshop.

-Chirp!

It was the damn bird I knew very well.

‘Why is that birdbrain here… Ah, no way.’

An uneasy imagination comes to mind. From experience, it always came true.

Knock knock

“Kyle, are you inside?”

The moment I heard a familiar voice,

Whoosh-!!

The mandrake that Ruina Lindel was working on began to spew out mana.

And the door opened.

“K, yle…?”

“Ah…”

I’m doomed.

Episode 15 Part-Time Job (3)

Mandragoras are plants famous for being noisy. If you pull one from the ground, it emits a sound loud enough to burst your eardrums, and listening to it for too long can temporarily drive you insane. In severe cases, you might faint and be bedridden for months.

Therefore, handling mandragoras requires a great deal of caution, as carelessly touching one can cause significant harm.

Of course, Ruina Lindell was not an alchemist who would make such mistakes. She stunned it to prevent it from screaming and performed special treatments to maintain its freshness. All that remained was a few preparation steps before combining the ingredients.

However, there was a precaution to take at this time. Her technique was so delicate that any disturbance was unacceptable. In particular, she couldn’t be affected by sounds, vibrations, or the mana wavelengths of others; otherwise, the ingredients could be damaged or explode.

So, she was shutting up and tightly controlling the mana in her body.

But… the voices of her summons, Nene and Lana, and the sound of the door opening affected the ingredients she was working on.

Fwoosh-!!

The mandragora glows. A precursor to an explosion.

But something else was about to happen first. The mandragora was in a dormant state. But ruining the work scattered the mana that was keeping it asleep. In other words, the thing was about to wake up.

At that moment, the mandragora’s eyes flashed open. And its mouth opened.

Kkwe—

The sound was cut off abruptly as it tried to scream. Ruina Lindell blocked it. The quick and skillful response was reminiscent of a seasoned alchemist.

I exhaled in relief. All that was left was to watch her prevent the explosion.

She continued to squeeze out mana. Magic circles rose around the workbench. But the employer’s complexion wasn’t good.

‘Hmm? What’s wrong?’

I examined her more closely. Her face was slightly red.

Was she feeling embarrassed in this situation? No, from what I could see, that was an expression of being overwhelmed with pain.

‘Damn it!’

Every second was critical. It didn’t take long to make a decision.

“Ellaheim! Take Lana and get out of here!”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Ellaheim grabbed Lana. She was usually all smiles, but she realized the situation was serious and just let herself be dragged away.

Meanwhile, Ruina Lindell clutched her chest and frowned. She seemed to be having trouble breathing after taking a big hit from what just happened.

I quickly racked my brain to prioritize.

‘Mandragora first!’

If I rashly touched her in that state, she might have a seizure. And her body was special. It would be painful, but she would last for a few minutes.

I looked at the mandragora, which was about to explode. It had absorbed more mana due to her magic circle. It had enough power to destroy only the workbench before, but now it could blow away this workshop.

But I couldn’t think of a suitable solution.

Using mana in the same way, using magic circles. Magic and alchemy seemed similar at first glance, but they were clearly on different tracks. What they pursued and their roots were completely different.

That’s why I couldn’t touch the mandragora that had been plastered with alchemy. I was good at handling magic, but I was hopeless at alchemy. It’s because I didn’t have the talent for it. If I touched that thing, I would only amplify the damage.

Then the magic circle on the workbench caught my eye.

“Wait, that… .”

I certainly didn’t know how to handle alchemy. I knew the basics, but I didn’t have the ability to use them.

But a skilled alchemist’s magic circle would make it possible. Because it was already completed alchemy. So, if I poured mana into it and just adjusted it so it wouldn’t go wrong.

“Ugh, seriously!”

Even as I complained, I moved my body.

I placed my hand on the magic circle and poured mana into it. But the magic circle rejected my mana.

“Why is this… ugh damn it.”

I realized my mistake in my haste. I read and implemented Ruina Lindell’s unique mana pattern. I raised my hand again. The magic circle accepted the mana as if it had met its owner without resistance.

Crackle-!

Alchemy was activated. The mana combined with the mandragora’s toxicity was released. The mana that was about to return to nature flowed into the mana stone. But regardless of the smooth process, I was sweating profusely as I controlled the alchemy. If I made even a small mistake, it could deviate from the specified range and affect other areas.

The mandragora regained its original color. But the alchemy wasn’t over yet.

Crackle-!

The mandragora was broken down into cellular units. The divided cells were recombined and returned to their pre-work form. A technique that was difficult to consider simple alchemy. It was a technique on the same level as time reversal magic. It seemed to be used to prevent the material from deteriorating, but it wasn’t efficient to use it just for that.

But from a different perspective, it was evidence that Ruina Lindell was an excellent alchemist. The power to understand and rearrange the structure of the world. That was the essence of alchemy.

The mandragora was restored to its original state in that way.

“Wow… .”

I felt like I had glimpsed a new world. I was shocked as if I had gained enlightenment. Of course, that didn’t mean my alchemy skills improved.

Even now, I couldn’t even interpret it, let alone understand it. My abilities were woefully inadequate to delve into that complex and difficult technique. All I did in this process was handle the alchemy so that it wouldn’t deviate elsewhere.

“Hoo… that was intense.”

I slumped to the floor and wiped the sweat from my forehead. I only came to do a part-time job, but I had to do something like this. I deserve to be paid more.

Well, I’ll complain about that later, and there was still a problem left. I turned my head towards Ruina Lindell, who had collapsed… .

“Are, are you okay?”

“Yeah. My mana got twisted.”

My worries seemed to have been excessive. In the meantime, she had finished recovering. The color of her face had also returned to normal.

She got up. Then, after confirming that there was nothing wrong with the ingredients, she headed for the door. Ellaheim and Lana, who had left, had returned.

Ruina Lindell stood in front of Lana.

“I, um, Senior, I’m sorry… .”

Lana stammered, unlike her usual self, while hesitating. She knew too. How big of a mistake she had made.

“I hate you. Get out of here.”

The employer’s voice was slightly raised.

She didn’t have any emotional changes even when she died. It seemed like she was really angry.

Lana looked at me with tearful eyes. It was a look that wanted help. I shook my head and told her to stay still.

“Don’t ever come here again.”

Bang!

Before Lana could say anything, the door slammed shut. And then the employer, who was standing in front of the door, sighed deeply and said.

“…I’m ruined today.”

She trudged back to the workbench. She looked like she had lost her motivation to work. Unlike her tone, she was surprisingly emotional.

“I’ll help you.”

I stood next to her and helped her clean up. There wasn’t much to clean up. All I had to do was erase the traces of failure.

“That’s enough. Sit over there.”

“Yes.”

After having me sit in a chair, she headed to a white box in the corner of the workshop. And she opened the lid and took something out. It was a cake. A shortcake with strawberries on top. Two plates of it.

“Eat.”

“Thank you for the meal.”

I scooped up a piece of cake with a fork and brought it to my mouth. The sweet and sour taste swirled in my mouth. The dessert I had after a long time was very satisfying.

As I was doing that, I saw the employer eating the cake. The way she was munching on it reminded me of a hamster.

Ruina Lindell liked sweets. She especially liked cake the most, so she always kept it in the refrigerator.

‘Should I ask her to make one for me later.’

I suddenly coveted the refrigerator. It would be convenient to store alcohol or drinks if I had that. It was a special one she made, so its performance would be top-notch.

While I was having random thoughts, I felt a gaze from the front. Ruina Lindell was staring at me intently.

“Why are you doing that?”

She swallowed the food in her mouth in response to my question and asked.

“Why are you in the Department of Knight Studies?”

“Pardon?”

I wondered why she was being like this again. It was too out of the blue. Still, I answered.

“My father is a knight, and my family has been knights for generations… .”

“That’s not what I mean.”

She shook her head. She raised her hand and unfolded a magic circle as if to tell me what she meant. It was the magic circle that I had a hard time handling earlier.

“You can’t use this except for me. It’s an alchemy I made.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. Even the professor gave up.”

She nodded in affirmation.

I knew it was different from ordinary alchemy. It was no wonder she was surprised that I, who was in the Department of Knight Studies, used such an amazing thing.

“Even if you ask me that, I just handled the magic circle, so I don’t have anything to say. I haven’t even learned alchemy in the first place.”

“You haven’t learned it? Is today the first time?”

“Yes. I have the knowledge, but I don’t have the ability to use it.”

“……”

She stared blankly as if she was shocked. And then she suddenly jumped up.

“You’re amazing…!”

She showed a very big emotional change and came over and patted my head.

Even though she stood up, she was the same height as me, who was sitting down. Thanks to that, I faced her face, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.

“Kyle, Ardyn, was it… ?”

“Yes.”

“Want to transfer? I’ll help you. No, I’ll go to the professor and… .”

She was very excited. I thought she was going to do something big, so I quickly stopped her.

“I’m satisfied with my current department. I’ll decline.”

“Ah… .”

Ruina Lindell’s shoulders drooped at the rejection, but she didn’t give up easily.

“Want to be my assistant? I’ll pay you a lot.”

“Unless I have a talent for alchemy, I don’t really want to do it.”

“If you don’t have talent, then all the other alchemists should die.”

“I’m sorry.”

It was definitely an attractive offer, but I refused. As I kept saying, I didn’t have a talent for alchemy. If she were a wizard, I would have accepted it without hesitation.

“It’s a waste of talent… .”

She looked at me with pitiful eyes, and her eyes weren’t giving up either. So I changed the subject.

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Clean that up.”

“I understand.”

I cleaned up without saying a word. Then she quietly came to my side and whispered.

“I’ll give you 10 gold coins, no, 20 gold coins. Let’s do it.”

“I refuse.”

I refused firmly. Nevertheless, she didn’t give up.

“I’ll teach you my alchemy too.”

Her obsession continued until the end of the day.

***

On the way to the Land of Contracts after the part-time job.

“Kyle… .”

“What’s wrong?”

Lana called me in a more gloomy voice than ever before. Her face was very tearful. Thanks to that, people around us were whispering, thinking that I was bullying her.

“What am I going to do now… ?”

“What are you going to do? You shouldn’t go there as your Senior said.”

I answered indifferently.

“Kyle’s bad… Grandpa said that you should help others when they’re having a hard time.”

“Please think about what you did and say that.”

“Th, that’s… .”

Every year at the beginning of the semester, professors warn students. Be careful of your actions in the Department of Production building. Especially, don’t even knock on the 3rd year workshop if possible.

But Lana even knocked and burst open the door. There was no room for excuses. Other Seniors would show similar reactions. No matter how beloved she was, she couldn’t avoid the outpouring of criticism.

“And you too.”

I looked at the bird sitting on Lana. The startled bird covered its head with its wings.

“Nene did it because I told him to… .”

“Don’t cover for him. He’s a summoner who can make that kind of judgment.”

It’s a summoner that understands people well. There’s no way that such a summoner wouldn’t know the precautions near the Department of Production.

-Chirp….

The summoner was very discouraged and apologized. Of course, I don’t know what the words mean.

“Nene said he was wrong. He said he won’t do it again.”

“Sigh… More than that, why did you come?”

“I was going to watch Kyle work… so I came.”

The reason was so like her that it was hard to scold her more. At least she didn’t have any ill intentions. That didn’t mean that her mistake disappeared.

“Let’s go apologize later. She won’t kick us out if it’s a cake from the [Dessert Kingdom] shop.”

“Are you going with me?”

“Yeah. You don’t know what your Senior likes.”

“When? Today? Or tomorrow?”

“Not right now, in about 2 weeks. We can go then.”

She won’t be able to calm down no matter what she does for the time being, but she will allow her to approach in 2 weeks.

“Kyle! Thank you!”

Lana spread her arms wide and ran over. I blocked her as always.

Ellaheim, who was following behind, had a smile on his face, as if he found our 모습 interesting.

‘Ha… .’

I sighed inwardly and thought.

Lana and Ellaheim are both really annoying.

“Sigh… .”

Episode 16 Brief Daily Life (1)

It has been three weeks since I possessed the body of a third-rate villain.

Clang!

The sword I swung with all my might is blocked. I didn’t stop and continued to strike.

Ellaime effortlessly blocked the ceaseless attacks. She didn’t seem tired at all. Rather, she received the attacks without difficulty, as if she had plenty of room to spare with just light movements.

And in the midst of that, she didn’t forget to give advice.

“Young Master, you need to extend your foot further forward.”

“Shut up!”

“There’s too much strength in your wrist. You need to relax to achieve smoother movements.”

“Sh, shut up-!”

I swing my sword as if consumed by anger. I didn’t forget to correct my posture.

Clang!

The attack was blocked again this time. Ellaime wore a pleased expression.

“Well done.”

I ignored the reaction and moved my arms.

The sparring continued for about 30 minutes.

“Let’s stop here for today.”

“Haa, haa. Okay….”

I moved continuously without rest, so my breathing is rough. I sat down on the ground and wiped away sweat.

Ellaime, well… she didn’t shed a single drop of sweat. An Expert high-level body wasn’t exhausted by just this much. The firm muscles hidden behind the armor are more resilient and denser than mine.

“Your skills have improved a lot since yesterday.”

“…Uh.”

“If you continue as you are now, you will be able to achieve good results.”

“……”

I didn’t respond in particular. If I had to explain the reason, it’s because I was too lazy. That’s all.

“Shouldn’t you get ready now?”

“…Okay.”

My wristwatch vibrates. It was almost time to move.

After finishing my bath, I checked my physical condition.

“The effect is better than I thought.”

The swordsmanship sparring I started a week ago was more satisfying than expected. I had just finished sparring, but my physical limit had already increased. The same goes for stamina.

Well, sparring is just… it was a one-sided format where she blocked and I attacked, but that was much better. This sparring was aimed at physical training, not technique.

Thanks to that, I can now fight for up to 30 minutes.

That’s enough for a short impression.

“I should go soon.”

Although the commuting time to school has been reduced to 40 minutes, if I act lazy, I’m sure to be late. I just made an impression on the professors that I was diligently attending classes, and I couldn’t ruin that.

Of course, there were no dramatic changes, and the students watched with suspicious eyes. They were wondering what that hooligan was up to.

But this level of reputation was just right. A state of being distant from others while giving appropriate attention. It’s a good situation to live a quiet life.

Still.

“It would be nice if it could stay like this.”

It wasn’t that there were no points of anxiety.

***

Afternoon after the lecture.

I walked towards the workshop, following the now familiar path.

But the way was a bit noisy.

“Hey, hey, did you hear?”

“About the ghost appearing in the dormitory? I heard….”

“More than 10 kids have already fainted!”

“What the hell are the proctor and professors doing….”

Confused and anxious students. They were freshmen who were just adapting to the academy.

“I hope it gets resolved quickly….”

“I can’t even go to the bathroom at night, it’s killing me.”

Complaints and dissatisfaction are heard everywhere. I know why those guys are doing that.

‘The incident that will happen during this period… was it the ghost commotion?’

The dormitory ghost commotion.

It is an incident where a ghost appears every night in the freshman dormitory and causes students to faint. That’s why it’s not a hot topic among sophomores and juniors.

‘They should just curse the professors more at that time.’

Anyway, the freshmen are suffering a lot because of this.

It makes them tremble with anxiety with sobbing sounds, and suddenly pops out and scares them when their fear is at its peak. Because of that, they can’t even come out into the hallway after 7 p.m.

According to my memory, it is now the third day since the incident occurred. The number of victims is as high as 50.

Of course, it’s not something to take seriously or be fussed about. Because a solver is moving.

Look even now. There’s the main character Evan, who is running around to solve this ghost commotion….

“Senior?”

Why is he coming out here.

“How have you been?”

Evan grabbed my hand and shook it up and down as if he was glad to see me.

“It’s been a while!”

Yeah, it’s been a while. It’s been a whole two weeks since the entrance exam. We’re in the same department, but we haven’t run into each other at all, and we meet like this.

“Hoo… it’s been a while.”

“Are you not feeling well? Your voice doesn’t have as much strength as before.”

Why else, it’s because of you. If it weren’t for you, today would have been peaceful.

More than that, if I turn my gaze slightly, I can see two people I know well.

One is my younger brother Bale Arden, and the other is Chloe, the top student in the Department of Magic, freshman.

“Ah, you know these two, right?”

“…Yeah.”

I know them too well.

Evan, Bale, Chloe.

The three are known as the Trio. They are the main characters who continue their relationship from the entrance ceremony to the ending.

“Brother, it’s been a while.”

Bale greeted me politely and respectfully as always.

“Nice to see you, Senior~”

Chloe waved her hand lightly and greeted me. Her red eyes had a knack for captivating people.

“Senior, who is the person next to you?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“I am Ellaime, a knight of the Arden family. I am friends with the young master. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Tsk.”

Recently, Ellaime has been talking more. I liked her when she was taciturn….

‘No. It’s okay because she originally helps my younger brother and helps the main character.’

It wasn’t just an unnecessary word, but rather a positive situation. It would be nice if Ellaime stayed with those three like this, but it’s still difficult because she has a mission to monitor me.

‘I need to separate them within this semester.’

Before that, I have to get good grades first and show my father that I’m doing well.

Evan and Chloe, who don’t know Ellaime, exchanged greetings. Evan’s eyes lit up as if he was seeing a real knight for the first time, and he asked her about this and that. On the other hand, Chloe didn’t have much interest. But she’s looking at me.

When I made eye contact, she smiled brightly. I glared at her roughly and ignored her. I don’t care about other people, but she’s not allowed.

“Then, Sister, can I call you that?”

“As you wish.”

The protagonist with good sociability has already begun to treat her comfortably.

“Do you also attend the academy, Sister?”

“I’m not a student here because I’m dispatched.”

“Dispatched? Why?”

At that moment, the space was engulfed in silence. The air sank heavily.

“Ask the young master.”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Um? Okay.”

Evan didn’t know about me yet. There is a reason why he hasn’t even though he has faced me directly.

In the story, Evan concentrates on his studies for the first month after entering school. Swordsmanship lectures, mana studies lectures, etc. He doesn’t have time to get involved in other things because he’s cramming those knowledges into his head.

In the meantime, he’s busy solving the incidents happening at the academy. My existence is probably stuck in a corner of his head, but it’s not the top priority.

“Ah, Senior, did you hear about it? Recently, in the freshman dormitory….”

He starts talking without even asking.

“I ran into it yesterday, and Chloe….”

Come to think of it, this is about the time when Lana and the main character meet. That’s today, right now. But she wasn’t seen.

‘She’ll be waiting at the Department of Production building.’

She has been waiting for me at the Department of Production since a week ago, and she accompanies me to the Land of Contract after her part-time job is over. She’s probably waiting eagerly for me to come there.

‘I shouldn’t do this…’

In the dormitory ghost commotion, the two meet for the first time and become friends as a result. Therefore, it must happen.

This is clearly my responsibility. The deviation that occurred because Lana took an interest in me. I have to somehow return it to the original story.

“Do you happen to know anything?”

“Go to the General Studies Library.”

“The library?”

“If you go there, you will be able to get even small information.”

The Tianis Library has not only general books but also magic books or strange books hidden for someone’s mischievous prank. The cause of this ghost commotion is also there.

“That could be the case. Thank you for the advice.”

The conversation ends. The three also prepared to leave. I called out to Evan, who was like that.

“Evan.”

“Do you have anything else to say?”

“Two days later, if you have time, let’s have lunch together.”

“Uh… I’m grateful, but why suddenly?”

“To answer your question last time.”

“You mean that?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll definitely go!”

I added an irresistible offer in case he might not come. It seems to have worked well.

I turned around and moved. I heard a voice from behind.

“I’ll see you next time, Brother.”

“Goodbye, Senior~”

I ignored them and headed to the Department of Production.

‘It will end today at the earliest, tomorrow at the latest.’

He is now listening to Chloe, a magician, and is on his way to find the cause. Since I even gave him a hint, he will solve it soon.

‘All that’s left is Lana…’

It’s a truly unfortunate thing to say, but it was really easy to persuade her.

“I have something to say about going out two days later, so at lunch…”

“I’ll go! I’ll definitely go!”

***

The promised day has arrived.

Fortunately, there was no afternoon lecture, so I headed to the student cafeteria as soon as the lecture ended.

As soon as I arrived, I looked for an empty seat. Usually, the four-person seats were filled without any gaps, but today the sky helped me, and three seats were empty.

I left my luggage to let them know it was my seat and went to the meal ticket vending machine.

‘Evan likes meat, and what did Lana like…’

The main character likes meat the most because he grew up not being able to eat much.

And if I’m right about Lana….

‘She’ll like the same pizza as me.’

She doesn’t really have any preferences, but recently she’s been trying to eat the same thing as me. I’m sure she’ll eat it well.

If she doesn’t like it, I’ll buy her something else.

At that time, I felt a gaze from the side.

“Are you eating too?”

“If you buy it for me, I’ll have set number 5….”

“You choose something expensive too.”

Beep—

Even though she was complaining, she chose it for now.

The menu Ellaime chose was a silver coin. It was quite an expensive food.

‘Come to think of it, I don’t know what she eats to live.’

A sudden question arises. It was Ellaime who always followed me, but I didn’t know what she usually ate. I’ve never seen her eat separately for lunch.

Looking at her condition, she doesn’t seem to be starving, but I hope she eats well. Because she was my favorite character in the first place.

The number appeared, and I moved each food to the seat. Ellaime’s food also came out, and she sat at a two-person seat a little away from me. I was really grateful for that.

After finishing preparing to welcome the two, I waited for Lana and Evan to come.

And after a while, the person who arrived first was.

“I’m here!”

It was Evan, who seemed to have run over after finishing class.

“Let’s talk later and eat.”

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy the meal!”

Evan cut the meat largely and put it in his mouth. He was quite a good eater. Then, after swallowing the meat, he called me.

“Senior.”

“Why.”

“I heard rumors. They say you’re a hooligan?”

This bastard doesn’t have a clue and speaks without hesitation. Thanks to that, the people around me flinched. I pretended not to be interested, but you were listening to everything.

“I heard you committed terrible things, is that true?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I leaned my chin and answered roughly.

“Wow… that’s unexpected.”

He let out an exclamation.

“Then, you see….”

As he said that, he looked around for a moment and approached me and asked in a low voice.

“I heard that you’re the weakest in the academy… is that an act?”

I frowned and replied.

“You don’t need to know.”

At my answer, Evan nodded with an expression that he understood everything.

“This junior will protect the senior’s secret.”

“Stop talking nonsense and stop calling me senior. It makes me sick to hear that from a guy.”

“Then I’ll call you hyung. Kyle Hyung!”

“……”

Yeah, I have to understand. Because the guy in front of me is the protagonist of this world. Special treatment is natural.

While we were chatting like that, Lana appeared.

“Kyle~”

She runs to me as soon as she sees me. But she tilted her head when she saw someone else with me.

“Who is it…?”

“This is Evan Felix. He’s my junior. And this is Lana Heitald from the Department of Magic. She’s my… friend.”

I directly introduced the two who were meeting for the first time.

“Hello….”

“Hello, Senior.”

The two greeted each other. There was no reaction after that.

And an awkwardness flowed in the silent atmosphere.

The two of them just looked at me without saying anything else.

Huh? This isn’t it…?

‘Why are they like this?’

I was embarrassed.

Episode 17 Brief Daily Life (2)

It’s quiet. Too quiet.

Silence settled in this narrow space as if a Silence spell had been cast.

‘Hey, why are they being like this…?’

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment. The reaction was so, no, 180 degrees different from what I expected.

I examine their eyes. They have no interest or curiosity in each other. They glanced at each other occasionally, but they only cared about me.

“You’re meeting for the first time, shouldn’t you be curious about each other….”

I deliberately tried to elicit a reaction somehow, but.

“I’m not. Kyle, I’m not. More than that….”

“I don’t! More than that, I….”

They answered at the same time, then spoke at the same time.

“I’m more curious about what happened last time.”

“I want to talk about going out with Kyle.”

As if they had planned it, they focused only on me.

“Ah….”

I clutched my fading head and thought.

I think it’s ruined.

“First… let’s finish our meal.”

“Yes, Kyle.”

“Okay!”

Shit.

***

Lana had been in a good mood until she came to the student cafeteria.

It was an invitation from Kyle, no less. To have a meal together.

I was so happy when I first heard it. I shouted loudly without realizing it. Later, I felt embarrassed when I returned to the dorm and my face turned red.

Lana rushed to the student cafeteria as soon as her class was over. And she saw the student sitting across from Kyle. He was the runner-up freshman in the Knight Department.

‘I thought we were meeting alone….’

Lana was a little disappointed. Even if the junior was pretty, he could have made time separately. Lana thought Kyle was a little mean today.

Still, she decided to understand Kyle with a generous heart. Buying her a meal like this meant that he liked her enough to take care of her directly.

The junior was a kind child like Kyle. The scent he gave off was fragrant, although not as much as Kyle. Of course, the scent was weaker compared to Kyle.

That was only for a moment.

‘I want to go out with Kyle soon.’

Lana’s thoughts wandered elsewhere. Her biggest interest right now was going out to the capital. It was definitely fun and enjoyable to be with Kyle, but compared to that, this place was nothing but boring.

‘I want to buy a cake for my senior, buy clothes with Kyle, and have a meal….’

When she thought that far, she realized that it was what they commonly called a date. An act that men and women who like each other do, as her classmates said. Lana felt her face getting a little hot.

Lana munched on her pizza and glanced sideways. Kyle’s appearance came into view at a glance. Kyle looked this way as if he sensed her gaze. He was sensitive in this regard.

“What?”

“Ah, it’s nothing….”

She stammered foolishly and turned her head. She glanced down at Ur’s mirror. Fortunately, her face was fine.

Nevertheless, she checked her face whenever she had a chance. Recently, her face flushed when she was with Kyle.

In that way, Evan’s existence gradually faded from Lana’s mind. And Evan was no different.

‘I wonder when he’s going to tell him.’

He put the steak in his mouth. The rich aroma of meat spread softly in his mouth. He almost forgot the purpose of coming here because of the taste, but Evan pulled himself together.

He had learned so much since coming to Tianis Academy. He learned how to handle a sword in the 「Basics of Swordsmanship」lecture, and how to create a mana core in the 「Understanding Mana」lecture. He also gained various knowledge in lectures such as 「Monster Behavior Principles」and 「Herbal Medicine」.

It was an opportunity for Evan’s narrow world to expand further over the past two weeks.

However, there was no information about knights who used magic in those many pieces of knowledge. No, there was the concept of a magic swordsman. But the professors treated magic swordsmen as incomplete, useless, and futile fantasies.

Once you become a master, you can create fire with mana, and once you become a great magician, your body is reconstructed to obtain a body no less than a knight. That alone eliminates the advantages of a magic swordsman.

In addition, professors expressed magic swordsmen like this: [A profession chosen by those with ambiguous talents in magic and martial arts]. The evaluation of magic swordsmen was that low.

This was largely due to the absence of a completed magic swordsman, and the path was too difficult. There were so many people who could not become masters even if they walked the path of a knight for their entire lives, but they had to handle magic as well. It was said that even the first emperor and the first head of the Arden family could not do it.

However, Evan’s thoughts were different. That’s because he met someone who was good at both magic and swordsmanship.

Kyle Arden.

His senior and a troublemaker who had committed terrible deeds at the academy. He didn’t know if the rumors were true because it was before he entered, but when he asked Veil, it was confirmed.

Such a person, who was said to have a terrible personality and no talent and was called a slow learner, was actually the owner of tremendous talent.

Evan still couldn’t forget the memory of the test day.

The brilliant colors of mana that adorned the sky, the subtle principles contained in swordsmanship. Through the knowledge expanded by learning, he realized how great his senior was.

That’s why he ran over as soon as class was over today. It was an opportunity for him to learn a skill that no one else in the world knew. But the conversation didn’t progress after the magic department senior appeared.

‘Still, she’s pretty.’

The magic department senior whom Kyle had personally introduced. She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen in his life. She was as beautiful as the 4th princess, whom he had encountered by chance.

But the impression was only up to there. Evan’s greatest interest was his senior’s power and learning. Of course, he was interested in the opposite sex, but he didn’t want to get close to anyone yet.

‘They’re a handsome and beautiful couple.’

The appearance of the two seniors sitting side by side comes into view.

“Are you going to eat more?”

“Yes! I want to eat.”

“Here.”

Kyle personally cuts the pizza and hands it over.

Lana receives it and eats it.

They are a really good match. It doesn’t seem like that when you listen to the whispers around, but. At least in Evan’s eyes, they were a really good couple.

‘But doesn’t he know?’

As he watched the scene for a while, he felt a subtle atmosphere. Evan read a blind something that was directed in only one direction.

‘So, he has this side too.’

He has no tact and no subtlety. He doesn’t read a woman’s heart and has a junior in front of him. Lana felt pathetic, even though it was their first meeting.

So, Evan decided to help.

There were plenty of reasons to help. Thanks to his advice two days ago, he quickly resolved the ghost commotion. Thanks to that, he made an unexpected discovery and received a gift from the professor. Either way, he was in debt.

Even though Kyle was called a troublemaker, he didn’t seem like that at all to him. His way of speaking and personality were troublemaker-like, but he considered it a slightly unique characteristic of his senior.

Evan glanced at his watch. He had already made a plan. He was disappointed that he couldn’t hear about magic, but there was plenty of time. He could go to the dorm later and ask.

But Evan didn’t know. If someone invited to this place read his inner thoughts, they would probably be furious.

No,

‘Sigh….’

He was already frustrated to death.

***

The meal was coming to an end. And my mentality was shattered.

The two of them didn’t have any conversations during that time. They just looked at me, like they did earlier.

Beep—

The sound comes from across the way. It was the watch alarm he heard every day. Immediately after, Evan’s voice is heard.

“Oops, I’m sorry, senior. It’s already this late. I forgot I had a class next.”

Anyone could tell it was acting. Who wouldn’t notice when he was reading the script so stiffly? Besides, there was still a lot of lunchtime left.

And most of all.

“Hey, what nonsense are you talking about? You don’t have any schedule next.”

All the freshman classes are concentrated in the morning. It’s a consideration from the academy side to give free time in the afternoon. Of course, Evan doesn’t have any classes either.

“Haha, I misspoke. I have an appointment, not a class….”

Evan changed his words and made excuses. Then, he got up from his seat and left in a hurry.

“I’ll be going now! See you next time, Kyle! And Lana….”

He stared at her intently. I had hope for a moment.

“Good luck! You will definitely succeed someday!”

“Okay! Good luck to you too, Evan!”

Words were exchanged with glances without my knowledge, and they exchanged words of blessing among themselves. Expectations turned into despair.

Evan left the student cafeteria like that.

“What did you guys talk about?”

“Eung~ Kyle doesn’t need to know.”

No matter how much I asked, Lana didn’t answer. There was a strange slyness hidden in her smiling face.

“Ha….”

Okay, let’s admit it. This plan failed.

But I won’t give up. I will somehow connect the two of them.

“When are we going out, Kyle?”

“Tomorrow….”

Somehow.

So, I think I’ll have to keep taking them with me until then.

Sigh….

***

The next day.

“Be punctual and make sure to be back before 7 o’clock.”

We showed our outing permits to the guards in front of the academy entrance. The guards gave us a brief warning and then immediately let us out.

There are so many students leaving the academy that it’s like that. Hundreds of people go out every day, so they can’t manage them all one by one.

We walked across the bridge connecting the academy and the capital and talked about this and that.

“Where are we going first?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I’ll buy the cake for senior when we come back….”

It’s just going to be a burden if I carry it around. So, I can buy it later.

“I have something to buy too. I’ll buy it when we come back because there are a lot of things.”

Since I came out anyway, I decided to buy this and that as well. I’ve been living in a smelly and rotten room, so it’s time to fix it.

Just like I thought on the first day, a mirror, magical tools and necessities for living. Other than that, I need a hammer and nails to repair the room. I can make wooden planks with nearby trees. I got permission.

I have enough money because I earned it through part-time jobs and volunteer work.

“Then let’s go buy clothes!”

“That would be nice too.”

When I think about it, I don’t have any clothes except for my uniform. I think it would be nice to have a few casual clothes.

Growl~

A hungry sound is heard loudly from somewhere.

“Are you hungry?”

“Ah, no?”

Her face is red, and she’s good at lying too. It’s past lunchtime, so what was she doing without eating?

“Let’s eat first. I know a place.”

“O, okay!”

I know the information about the capital as well as the academy. It’s often mentioned because it’s right next to it. It’s not a high-end restaurant, but I know a good restaurant for students to eat at.

“What about you, Elraim?”

I ask her, who is following behind. Since she’s a companion, it’s polite to ask. I wish she wouldn’t come at times like this, but she’s stubborn.

“It’s okay. As I said before, please treat me like I don’t exist today.”

“Whatever.”

I ignored Elraim and focused on Lana.

“Let’s go right away.”

“Okay!”

I led Lana to the street where the restaurants were gathered, the street of food.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we ordered food. We talked to Lana until it came out, and then we ate the food that came out soon after. Lana was smiling so brightly, as if she was having a good time.

After finishing our meal, I took her to a famous snack stall and had her eat dessert.

“Was it good?”

“Yes! I’ll buy it for you next time.”

“Do as you please.”

The next destination is the street of art. We headed there. They sold clothes there.

On the way there. There were many people on the street. Mercenaries, merchants, soldiers, and imperial citizens living in the capital. Various people were passing by on the street.

As we passed through the crowded people. A child brushed past him.

“Hmm….”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

I was wary, thinking it was a pickpocket, but it wasn’t. A small note in his hand.

‘…It’s about time.’

Yeah, it’s time for them to approach me.

I hid the paper in my pocket. I didn’t want to worry about it yet.

‘After the work is done.’

It’s not too late to check it then. It’s okay yet.

I put the thought of the note aside until the outing with Lana was over.

Episode 18 Outing (1)

“How about this?”

Lana came out of the fitting room after changing. As soon as I saw the clothes she was wearing, I frowned.

“Wear something else.”

“Doesn’t it suit me?”

“No.”

Dark-colored clothes don’t suit Lana’s bubbly personality and appearance. Still, she insisted on trying it on, so I picked out something that I thought was decent, but it still doesn’t look good.

The employee seemed to think the same, agreeing with my opinion.

“The clothes you wore earlier suit you better, student. Your boyfriend has a good eye.”

“We’re not in that kind of relationship.”

“Oh my, I’m sorry, student.”

“Hehe.”

Lana giggles, looking happy about something.

“Please wrap up what I chose.”

“Alright, student~”

The employee took the three outfits I had picked out and headed into the back room.

Lana didn’t seem to have any intention of buying anything else either. Unlike typical nobles, she’s not wasteful, doesn’t indulge in luxury, and has no vanity. So she only gets what she really needs.

“Here you go~.”

The employee came out with the clothes after wrapping them. Lana paid. Then the employee narrowed her eyes and stared, but I didn’t have the money to buy that too, so I ignored it.

She was paying. At that moment, my gaze went down and I noticed Lana’s shoes.

They weren’t worn out or old, but they were covered in dirt stains. It’s because she comes to the Land of Contracts every day. It would be strange if they didn’t get dirty, going back and forth to that dirt floor every day.

The dormitory maid manages them, but that alone doesn’t get rid of the built-up grime.

‘Was her shoe size 240?’

I looked at the shoes on display. I picked out a similar design to the ones she was wearing now, and in the right size.

“Huh? Kyle, why?”

“Take those off and put these on.”

She was standing there blankly without a word, so I took the initiative to take off her shoes and put the new ones on for her. The size was right, and they suited her better than I thought. Maybe not with casual clothes, but the combination with her school uniform is decent.

“Huhu, good thinking~”

“Enough, just take the money.”

I had no intention of playing along with the fake act of a merchant.

“Let’s go if you’re done.”

“Oh, oh? Uh-huh….”

And so we left the clothing store.

“Thank you, Kyle….”

“Then wear them cleanly. Don’t get them dirty.”

“Yeah, I will.”

The time was already 3 PM. Time flew by quickly, even though we just ate and did a little shopping.

“Let’s stop playing around and go to the Dessert Kingdom.”

Everything there sells out by 4 PM.

“I want to play more….”

“Don’t forget the purpose of coming out today. And we can come out again.”

“Are you going to go out again? With me?”

“I will. Let’s go now. There’s no point in going out if we’re late.”

“Yeah! I understand!”

Listening to her energetic voice, we headed to the Dessert Kingdom.

The rest of the schedule went smoothly.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to buy the cake, but I found out that the recipients of the gift were regular customers, Ruina and Lindel, so I was able to buy the cake along with a delivery request.

We bought daily necessities at a suitable store, and we were able to buy magic tools at a discounted price at a store that Lana knew well.

After that, we headed to Ruina Lindel’s workshop.

“Only this once.”

When the gift and the delivered cake arrived at the same time, she allowed Lana to enter. However, there was a condition that she should not knock on the workshop door.

“Seniors, I’m sorry…!”

One more. There was also a condition not to hug. She said it with a very disgusted look on her face.

The workshop matter was resolved in that way, and I ate dinner with Lana, talked for a while, and then parted ways.

When I arrived at the dormitory, I organized the things I had bought. Then I went outside to cut down a tree, made wooden planks, and returned to the room to start repairs.

I tore up the floor and nailed the planks that were cut to size. After about an hour of hammering, I replaced all the faulty parts.

“The color is strange, but well, this is good enough.”

I didn’t have the time to match the floor color.

Next is the window installation and curtain hanging.

There was no place to buy windows separately, so I bought a sheet of glass.

“Hoo….”

I held the sword and took a stance.

50cm wide, 100cm long. Lengths measured by eye. And I swung the sword a total of four times. A cleanly cut surface. There was no breaking.

I removed the original window and installed the newly assembled window. Fortunately, the size was perfect, so I didn’t have to make it again.

Finally, with the curtains hung, a decent window was created.

“Finally…!”

I was overcome with emotion. It was only now that a room that felt like a room was completed. I had been having a hard time living in this dirty and messy place. Sometimes I even thought that being homeless would be better.

“Let’s just do this much today.”

Small things can be done slowly. In the case of the bed, it was dusty, but it wasn’t unusable.

After throwing away the trash that was messing up the room and cleaning up, I lay down on the bed.

“Yeah, this is it.”

The cozy atmosphere of the room. After repairing this and that, even the smell of the room changed.

But the joy was short-lived. I fell into the immediate problem I was facing.

Rustle, I took out the note I received during the day from my pocket and unfolded it.

[Cuckoo’s Shelter]

Only one sentence written. It probably means the meeting place.

“…Annoying.”

It’s too annoying. I can just ignore it and not meet the other party, but I can’t do that. This is also Kyle Arden’s karma.

I tormented students.

I manipulated grades.

I distributed drugs.

All crimes that I committed.

But isn’t it strange?

The fact that a guy who is a bad student, has no talent, has bad grades, and has third-rate skills committed such crimes. If you think about it even a little, you can easily deduce that I can’t do that alone.

Too weak to bully, and not capable enough to manipulate grades. Drug distribution? Even a son of a great family would have a hard time doing this alone.

“Well, everyone doesn’t seem to care.”

Everyone only focused on the villain’s crimes, and completely ignored the other parts.

Anyway, the reason why those things were possible was thanks to the helpers who were helping me.

The criminal organization Cantia.

They don’t hesitate to commit illegal acts such as murder or robbery for money, and are a criminal group boldly located in the middle of the Imperial Capital.

They are the ones who carry out my orders in the name of requests and help me. They are involved in all my criminal activities.

“What should I do with these guys….”

I fell into contemplation.

I had already expected the appearance of Cantia. According to the novel, Kyle Arden’s revenge time is approaching in two weeks. At this time, the Cantia guys create an environment to kill Evan and play a role in supporting me.

But I have no ill feelings towards Evan, so I won’t do anything. That’s what I decided on the first day of possession.

But does that mean that the relationship with Cantia is cut off just by making up my mind? That’s not it either.

The reason why this criminal organization supports the villain is simple. Because there is a corner to rip off. As the eldest son of a prestigious family and a villain, I was a delicious prey for them.

If you just scratch the bottom a little and occasionally grant a favor, I’m a cash cow that money flows from. These bastards will never give up on such a pushover.

“Should I meet them for now?”

Eventually, I have to make contact once. And I’ve roughly thought about what to do about Cantia.

I manipulated the clock and set the alarm.

“It’ll probably be dawn….”

At that time, Elraim will probably be asleep. I closed my eyes, waiting for dawn.

***

Dawn when everyone was asleep.

I woke up to the alarm.

I acted as carefully as possible. I even manipulated the flow of vibrations with magic. The senses of a high-ranking knight react even to small sounds.

I changed my clothes, left the room, and stood at the dormitory entrance. Elraim’s temporary residence is visible on the left. The lights were off.

I listened carefully to the sounds. A stable and regular breathing sound. It was certain that she was sleeping.

I covered my whole body with Silence magic in case of an emergency. And I ran east, stopping the use of magic when I got some distance away from the dormitory.

I arrived at the center. The student hall was still lit up. A few students who had come out after training were also seen.

Tianis Academy is not strict. You could leave the dormitory even at dawn. Sometimes, like them, there are students who stay in the training ground for several days after getting an overnight pass.

I passed them and headed to the fortress wall. As expected, there was a guard at the entrance. Even though Tianis is free, they don’t allow going out of the capital at dawn. Of course, there is a way to get out.

“It should be around here.”

A grove of trees about 31m away from the cracked fortress wall. The tree that grew right next to it. I groped the tree from its roots. And something soft that was pressed at the chest. I pressed it down.

Then the cracked fortress wall opened without any sound, vibration, or change in mana flow. An entrance just big enough for one person to pass through.

The door would close in 4 seconds, so I ran with all my might.

“Hoo.”

The door closing as soon as I came out. It was a narrow escape. If I had been 0.1 seconds late, I would have been stuck in the wall.

“The emperor is making things like this.”

This is the work of the first emperor. He made it for students who are tired of studying and want to sneak out of the academy.

The first emperor hid a book about this in the library, so a few people know about it. Professors also use it sometimes.

I walked the streets of the capital. The atmosphere of the day and the dawn were clearly different.

If the day was a scene where life and livelihood coexisted, the night had the feeling of a street for adults.

“Uweeek-!”

“Stop drinking, friend.”

The streets were filled with drunks reeking of alcohol.

“Hey kid, won’t you play with this older sister~?”

“I’ll give you a good experience~”

People from the red-light district were luring customers.

“You son of a bitch!”

“Kill him!”

There were also several people who were arguing and fighting.

The aspect of the empire that I couldn’t see during the day. There were quiet streets too, but places with spaces to drink were mostly like this atmosphere.

“Ah, I want some beer.”

I tried to get out quickly, but the appearance of the street tempted me.

A scene of drinking with foam on his lips, and a face immersed in happiness while gulping down chilled beer. I swallowed my saliva involuntarily.

It looked so delicious. If I didn’t have work to do, I would have run there right away. But I couldn’t do that. I shook off the temptation and got out properly.

That’s how I arrived at the meeting place.

[Cuckoo’s Shelter]

A sign with some of the name erased. It’s exactly the same as my memory. The meeting place was so old that it was about to collapse.

‘Well, it’s a bar for disguise.’

Squeak!

I opened the door without hesitation. The hinges were messed up, so a loud noise echoed.

The inside was dark. Only a few candles were illuminating the darkness.

I can see hulks sitting at the tables on both sides. Two muscular pigs who look fierce. It seems like they were placed for me. Of course, with bad intentions.

They put them there to intimidate me by scaring me. The way the villain treats the flattering guys was obvious.

I approached the bartender in the center. The strongest guy among them. Unlike those nobodies, he knows how to handle mana. But he’s only at the Expert level.

“Welcome.”

“Don’t talk nonsense and guide me.”

I acted like an overbearing villain. I put as much of that unique arrogance into it as possible.

“I understand.”

The bartender bowed deeply and pressed something under the table. Then the floor of the bar splits.

“This way.”

Following his guidance, I went inside. The cave was brighter than the outer bar. At least here, night-shining pearls were embedded in the ceiling.

I kept walking. Then I stood in front of a door.

“You can go inside.”

“Tsk, it’s a long way to come.”

I opened the door while complaining for no reason. The inside of the room was splendid. It was a room that made me feel like I was being treated well as soon as I entered.

And a man sitting comfortably on the sofa with alcohol and snacks on the table.

“A ha ha ha!!”

The man burst out laughing.

His name is Bellum.

He is the head of the criminal organization Cantia, and like Ruina Lindel, he is a middle boss.

“Young master. How have you been?”

He’s an evil guy.

Episode 19 Outing (2)

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue once and then sat down on the sofa irritably. My actions were filled with annoyance.

Clink.

A glass filled with ice was placed in front of me. Bellum picked up the bottle and poured a drink.

“Why is our young master acting like this today?”

Bellum was dealing with me with a smiling face. Even when I was being annoying, his expression didn’t change.

“Why are you acting like this? How can you say something like that right now!”

Bang!

I slammed the table. The plates and bottles shook.

“Do you even know what kind of humiliation I’ve suffered because of you guys?! It’s because you do your work like that that I…!”

I tried to pass the responsibility to them, touching their pride. Even so, Bellum didn’t erase his smile and acted nonchalantly.

“We didn’t want to fail either. You know how big of a deal the last one was.”

Bellum tossed the drink into his mouth. But whether the amount wasn’t enough, or he was dissatisfied with my attitude, he poured the bottle down his throat.

“Kheu~”

He made a pleasant noise and then said as if making an excuse.

“And the princess was involved too. No matter how good we are, we can’t go up against the Empire.”

“Then you should have done better!”

“Young master.”

A low voice. The smiling face had disappeared at some point. I flinched, pretending to be scared. It seemed that he would only tolerate it once.

“We also suffered considerable losses. A whole 1 million gold. Please understand this time.”

Whether he liked that sight or not, Bellum returned to normal. And then he proposed as if to soothe me.

“That’s not to say that we weren’t at fault either. This matter is a collaboration between you, young master, and us. We, who carried it out, should have put in more effort.”

“Y-Yeah. You should have made sure the princess didn’t notice…”

“That’s right~.”

Bellum agreed with my words. The distribution route was already opened up by me. The supply and management were their responsibility. In other words, the responsibility for this matter was on them.

“It’s not really a substitute, but as an apology, 5 times.”

Bellum stretched out his fingers wide.

“I’ll do 5 requests for free.”

The way he acted as if he was doing me a favor was really trashy. The profits he made with my information were over 5 million gold. As expected of a criminal group.

“That’s not enough.”

“Our young master is so greedy~”

“Try saying that in front of the princess.”

In the story, Cantia was never mentioned even once until there was a conflict with the protagonist. The reason that was possible was because Kyle did his best to hide it, and because Cantia was a point organization.

In other words, if I just opened my mouth, these guys would fall into the abyss. I knew the location of the hideout and the identity of the boss.

So, I was threatening them to give me more things that would be helpful to me.

“Think about the situation I’m in because of you guys. Do you know how hard it is to act!”

Bellum must know how I’m doing at the academy. There’s no better target to extract money from than a pushover cornered.

“Hmm…”

Bellum fell into thought. No, he pretended to fall into thought.

As the head of an organization, he would have already come to a conclusion, but it was a show of acting. He was saying that he was thinking of me this much.

“Okay. We’re still intact thanks to the young master’s sacrifice.”

Snap!

Bellum snapped his fingers. Then the door opened and the bartender from before placed a pouch on the table.

“It’s 1 thousand gold. We can’t give you much. Take only this much today.”

“Tsk.”

As far as I knew, the base was 5 thousand gold. That’s because Kyle Arden’s spending habits were lavish. To satisfy a degenerate like him, that much had to be given.

And I could slowly see that they were trying to cut ties. It was the same in the novel.

“I’ll be going now.”

I took the pouch of gold and stood up. After all, the purpose of today was just to examine the terrain and Bellum.

“There’s still alcohol, are you just going to leave?”

“I can’t because there’s surveillance.”

“Ah~ That bitch named Elraim? Our young master managed to escape. How about… should I kill her?”

He was just saying things he didn’t mean. He knows what results will come from messing with a family knight. It’s just for show.

“It’s okay. Just shut up and stay quiet until I ask for a request. The family is investigating.”

“Okay, be careful.”

I turned around and left the room with the bartender’s guidance. That’s how I got out of the capital without any problems.

“Hoo…”

I took a breath of fresh air for a moment. The air was stuffy inside the cave. And that Bellum guy… I don’t know if he does drugs, but the smell is no joke.

“Ah, the smell is on me.”

Because of that, the smell of drugs and alcohol was on my clothes. It was a new set of clothes I bought today, no, yesterday, so I was slightly annoyed. This is hard to get rid of even if you wash it…

“Ha…”

I wondered if it was all for nothing. But thanks to coming, I had a definite plan on how to deal with Cantia. For the record, I had been planning to kill them ever since Cantia approached me.

I realized a lot from the last entrance exam. Even if I live quietly, there will be interference in some way.

The status window and quests, and meeting my younger sibling were representative of that. Especially the appearance of my younger sibling was unexpected. There’s no guarantee that such a thing won’t happen again.

That’s why I’m getting involved this time. So I’ll proceed with the episode without any deviation in a thoroughly controlled situation. That’s my plan.

So, I have to make Bellum a puppet. If I can handle that guy, I can create most situations.

“When would be a good time…”

First of all, I’ve gathered quite a bit of information. I found out all about the hideout’s traps, secret passages, and weaknesses, and I also found out about Bellum’s current skills.

When he clashed with the protagonist, Bellum was an assassin who had just reached the Master level. But now he’s just an Expert at the highest level. He’s definitely someone I can fight.

Of course, preparation is necessary. First of all, I urgently need equipment. It’s hard to face Bellum with the academy-supplied basic sword.

“Should I get equipment through a request?”

I’m not planning on taking personal gains from the request. I’ll only keep half of the gold coins I received today for emergencies and secretly donate the rest.

Well, let’s just say the equipment can’t be helped.

While I was turning my head like that, I arrived at the exit. This time, when I pressed the stone 13m away, the door opened. I quickly ran and easily went inside.

I walked and walked through the academy and arrived at the dorm. Fortunately, Elraim was still sleeping.

“Hoo…”

It would be troublesome if she woke up. Very troublesome. If Elraim gets involved, the Cantia cleanup will be a bit complicated.

“Please don’t wake up until it’s all over.”

I whispered softly and returned to my room. And then I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes for the lecture that would be held tomorrow.

***

At the same time, Cantia’s hideout.

“Is it okay to leave him like that?”

A subordinate who had appeared behind Bellum at some point asked.

Gulp, Bellum drank the alcohol in the glass. But his smiling face from before was nowhere to be seen, and his expression was terribly distorted.

“Leave him alone. Nothing good will come of messing with him.”

He’s called the abandoned child of the Arden family, but he’s still family. Killing him for no reason can cause trouble. Right now, it’s best to leave him alone and cater to him.

And we’ve gotten almost everything we can get out of him. Now that brat’s value isn’t even worth 1 gold coin. But the reason why we’re still continuing the relationship is because he knows Cantia’s information.

“More importantly, the work.”

Bellum asked quietly.

“It’s progressing steadily. It looks like it will all be sorted out within 2 months.”

“Shorten it. To one month.”

“If that happens, it will be difficult to recover the funds.”

“It’s better than getting caught.”

We’re still being chased by the Empire right now. If the Arden family is added to that, it will be really dangerous. It was only a matter of time before we got caught.

If Cantia wasn’t a point organization and didn’t act so thoroughly under the surface, they would have been caught a long time ago. So even if it means taking a loss, now is the time to retreat.

“Hoo…”

Bellum blew out cigarette smoke. Thick smoke filled the room.

‘That brat…’

A degenerate brat who doesn’t know his place. A presumptuous brat who acts like a king just because I treat him a little better.

If that guy had just done a little better, this wouldn’t have happened.

I didn’t expect anything in the first place. What did he believe in to start such a big job? So I reduced the scale from what I told him. The degenerate doesn’t know that though.

‘500,000 gold is a cheap price.’

It was really cheap compared to the price of a life.

‘More importantly, I have to deal with him…’

Bellum was lost in thought about Kyle’s disposal.

I’m leaving him to do whatever he wants for now, but I have to deal with him someday. The dangerous factor called Kyle Arden was bound to come back to me as poison someday.

“Has the degenerate done anything wrong?”

“No. He’s quiet, probably because of the rumors that he’s being kicked out of the family.”

“Tch.”

Bellum clicked his tongue.

It would have been easier if he had walked the path of destruction himself. He’s just interfering until the end.

“Contact me immediately if anything happens.”

“Understood.”

“Go.”

The subordinate bowed and disappeared into the ceiling. Bellum continued to turn his head even at that moment.

“If it doesn’t work out.”

There was a way to incite discord. There were a lot of brats who hated that brat. If I used that a little, I could easily kill him.

“Or…”

Bellum fiddled with the throwing star in his arms. If things don’t go as planned, there was also a way to kill him. Of course, that’s the last resort.

He drank the remaining alcohol.

“I just wish that bastard would disappear soon.”

Whatever it is, I just hoped he would disappear before I had to do anything.

***

I steadily prepared to clean up Cantia.

First of all, I changed my wake-up time to 5 am and increased my training time. It was tiring, but my body quickly adapted. Rather, it changed into a more energetic body.

As I repeated physical training every day, the sparring time increased to 40 minutes. The professor also noticed the change and his evaluation gradually improved. This was an unexpected result.

I still did my part-time job and volunteer work at the same time. In the Land of Contract, I did mana training in the morning, which I hadn’t done before. Of course, I didn’t skip the volunteer work. And this work was also getting easier.

After finishing my daily routine like that, I would escape from the academy at dawn. It was to contact Cantia. I visited here about once every two days.

“So, what about what I asked for?”

When Bellum gestured, a sword was placed on the table. I pulled it out of the scabbard and examined the sword.

Bellum looked at me, hiding his thoughts, wondering if I knew how to look at a sword.

‘I know better than you, you bastard.’

I ignored that gaze and examined the sword. I thought he would give me a defective product, but he brought something normal. The center of gravity was well balanced, and he used good steel.

“Are you sure that’s enough? Just one sword?”

“This is enough.”

“If our young master says so.”

One of the free request counts was deducted.

2 days later.

“The requested item?”

“Here.”

Bellum put a ring on the table. It was a magic tool that helped with mana recovery.

“What are you going to do with this?”

“I’m going to beat someone up.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to entrust the request to us, young master?”

“I told you before. The family is investigating. And I can solve it enough.”

“If you say so.”

He got over the prying like that.

And the next day.

“I need poison. Now!”

“Our young master is very angry. I told you to entrust it to us.”

Tak, a pouch filled with poison was placed on the table.

“Be careful. It’s a powerful poison. Of course, it’s colorless and odorless, so you won’t get caught.”

“I will definitely…!”

I snatched the pouch.

‘Preparation complete.’

I immediately left the hideout.

Bellum was grinning when I left, but I was laughing instead. He doesn’t even know that it will all come back to him.

“Now, all I have to do is control my condition.”

I couldn’t sleep because I was leaving every dawn. Did I sleep 3 hours today? There was a limit even if I circulated mana to relieve fatigue.

“Haaam~”

I couldn’t stop yawning. I entered the dorm entrance to quickly go to sleep.

But then.

Sreung—

The sound of drawing a sword. Before I could turn my head, a blade touched my neck.

And a chilling voice was heard.

“Young master.”

“Yeah.”

“Where have you been?”

“……”

When I answered the question with silence, Elraim shouted.

“I asked where you’ve been at this early hour, young master!”

A voice full of murderous intent.

Elraim looked more angry than ever, and

“Answer me!!”

She looked more sad than ever.

Episode 20 Suppression Operation (1)

A deep, dark dawn.

Buzzz—

Ellaime woke up to the vibration coming from the table.

“…….”

She wished it was a mistake, but the screen displayed the time he left the room. Barely 1 minute ago.

Then the young master will come out shortly. Ellaime immediately pretended to sleep.

But even after several minutes, the expected sound did not come. Only the silence of dawn could be heard.

Realizing something was wrong, she expanded her senses to the maximum.

His mana could be felt far away. In a short time, the young master had left the dormitory vicinity. It was thanks to working hard on training for over 3 weeks.

His reputation has been rising day by day due to such actions, but why suddenly….

‘No. It’s not too late to judge after confirming.’

Hasty conclusions are forbidden. She put her judgment on hold for a moment. It could be that he simply went out for a walk.

Ellaime left her dwelling and chased after the young master. No matter how quickly he moved, she could easily catch up to the young master.

Ellaime kept a little distance and watched the young master. Then she felt something was strange. She couldn’t hear any sound from the young master. No sound of walking, no breathing. Nothing could be heard.

‘A magical artifact?’

She came to that conclusion. He probably used a magical artifact containing silence magic.

‘But when…?’

All the young master’s magical artifacts were confiscated on the day of the trial. He had no chance to acquire any since then. The young master had no money, and she was monitoring him thoroughly.

All the magical artifacts he bought in the capital yesterday were for everyday use. He didn’t buy any magical artifacts with that kind of magic.

‘No. This too, later.’

First, it was important to know where the young master was going.

In the meantime, he arrived at the center of the academy. The young master must have turned off the magical artifact, as his presence was easily felt.

The young master admired the surroundings for a moment, then moved east. After that, he reached near the fortress wall.

After checking the guards at the entrance connected to the capital, the young master walked along the fortress wall.

“It should be around here.”

A small murmur. The young master stood in front of a tree installed for the academy’s aesthetics.

The young master, feeling his way up from the bottom, pressed something in the middle. Then the middle of the fortress wall opened.

‘What is that…?’

Before she could question it, the young master ran towards the entrance. Ellaime belatedly followed, but the entrance was already closed.

Ellaime stared at the tree the young master had touched for a moment, then headed for the academy entrance.

“You are doing a great job.”

“Yes. Do you have business in the capital?”

“Yes, it’s urgent.”

At the word urgent, the guard let her through.

“Thank you.”

Ellaime immediately ran. Fortunately, the young master was not far away.

The young master walking through the streets of the Imperial Capital.

Liquor, women, and fighting catch the young master’s eye. But he only glanced at them and passed by. It was a completely un-young-master-like appearance.

Then he stopped in front of a tavern.

“Ah, I’m craving beer.”

The young master watched someone drinking at the tavern. He smacked his lips, even swallowing hard.

‘There’s no way he’d pass by.’

Since entering the academy, he has never stopped drinking. Because of that, he got into fights and was imprisoned in the detention center once every three days. Every time, the Arden family had a hard time bailing him out. More than 50 times, and the bail money alone exceeded 10,000 gold coins.

‘Huh? Is he just going to leave?’

But unlike expected, the young master shook off the alcohol and left the street.

He arrived at a rundown tavern.

‘I knew it,’ Ellaime thought, expanding her senses even further. In order to hear the situation inside. But the sound inside was not heard at all, as if blocked by a wall. No, rather, the flow of mana blocked the sound from escaping.

“Magic?”

As far as she knew, only magic could produce that kind of effect.

Suspicious. Too suspicious.

Magic in a tavern so old and dilapidated? It’s definitely not an ordinary tavern.

“Come to think of it….”

When she left the family, she heard that there were forces helping the young master. Then that place must be the hideout of that force.

Ellaime, who reached that conclusion.

“…….”

Quietly closed her eyes.

‘I was a fool to expect anything.’

Right. That troublemaker was always like that.

He commits acts of betrayal while others are off guard. Kyle Arden has always been like that.

There’s no way that guy, who has only been a troublemaker his entire life, would suddenly change.

‘What on earth did I believe in….’

Ellaime regretted it.

Having had a small possibility for him.

Believing in his change.

Agreeing to help him.

Ellaime resented herself for making the judgment that he had changed just after spending a few weeks together.

‘…Let’s go back.’

She wanted to rush in there right away. She wanted to pour out these raging emotions there.

But she didn’t.

Ellaime returned to her residence and installed various devices in the dormitory. Then she lay down on the bed and waited for the young master.

She feels a presence. It’s definitely the young master. But she didn’t go out to meet him.

Then she heard a voice.

“Please don’t wake up until it’s all over.”

Ellaime, realizing the meaning of those words, thought.

Let’s admit it. That troublemaker is beyond redemption.

After that, Ellaime prepared to deal with the troublemaker. There were family guidelines in preparation for such a case.

Even in the midst of that, she didn’t stop monitoring him. He steadily continued his daily routine, as if he was still trying to deceive her. Every day that passed, he looked somehow determined.

Of course, now that she realized the truth, even that felt like a false appearance.

One dawn, he came wearing a sword at his waist.

Two days later, he came wearing a ring.

Two more days passed, and when all the preparations to take him back to the family were completed.

She discovered a pouch on his waist.

‘Again today….’

This is already the third time he has brought bribes.

She really thought he had gone too far.

‘I won’t be able to see that face anymore….’

Once today passes, he will never come out into the world again. He is scheduled to live locked up in the family for the rest of his life until he dies.

Ellaime steeled her heart. Unnecessary sympathy would only ruin things.

But thinking about him, who would soon disappear.

Her younger brother’s smile from childhood kept coming to mind.

The scene of him calling her ‘sister’ when they were young came to mind.

‘At least I could listen to his excuse….’

She wanted to forget the happy memories of the past and cover them with an ugly final appearance.

In order not to remember him forever.

“Young Master.”

That was the last thing she could do for him, who was like a younger brother.

***

I got caught. And I’m screwed.

That’s what I thought the moment Ellaime appeared.

“Young Master!!”

When there was no answer after a few minutes, Ellaime shouted even louder. The blade slightly pierced his neck, as if to force him to answer.

His neck is burning. A sharply honed sword was enough to cut flesh just by touching it to the neck.

If she pushed it in as it is, my neck would be neatly cut off, and blood would gush out from the cut.

I turned around with the sword to my neck.

Ellaime’s eyes were as angry as her voice, and she looked somewhat sad.

“Since when?”

“From the first day.”

Wow… She knew and endured it until now? Her patience is amazing.

“How did you find out?”

“There is a magical artifact installed that sends an alarm when you leave the room.”

“I didn’t know that.”

Indeed, Ellaime in the early morning was too defenseless. She could sleep soundly believing that there was such a safety device.

“I’m asking how much you’ve seen… You seem to have seen everything.”

Looking at her eyes, it didn’t seem like lying would do any good.

“Ellaime.”

“…Yes, Young Master.”

“What’s going to happen to me now?”

“From today, Young Master will… Live locked up in the family for the rest of your life.”

Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like I’m going to die right away.

‘I can’t help it.’

Now that it has come to this, Ellaime has no choice but to join. I can subdue her, but I didn’t want to waste energy since the execution is tomorrow. And I didn’t want to touch her.

I said quietly.

“If there’s a reason, will you believe me?”

“Do you think I’m stupid enough to fall for it after seeing that?”

“So there’s a reason why I received this….”

“Young Master.”

Ellaime’s voice lowered. Her arms were trembling in anger.

“That’s enough. Don’t disappoint me any further.”

A voice filled with sadness. She looked like she was about to burst into tears.

But for some reason….

My heart aches. My chest feels stuffy. That contemptuous gaze makes me feel miserable.

I liked the character Ellaime, but not to the point of feeling this much emotion.

This is an emotion the body feels. Kyle was afraid of being hated by her.

It was a reaction that would normally be controlled. But strangely, I didn’t want to reject this emotion.

I usually think it’s stupid to follow emotions, but sometimes it’s right to move according to those emotions.

This time, I decided to move as my heart led me.

“…Ellaime.”

I took a step forward. Then Ellaime stopped me.

“Stop…!”

“Sister.”

Flustered. A surprised Ellaime takes a step back. I moved closer as much as she stepped back. I called out again while making eye contact with her.

“Sister. Please believe me just this once.”

“Ugh….”

Ellaime turned her head away for a moment. For some reason, her face was flushed red. I continued.

“All preparations are complete. Tomorrow, everything will be over tomorrow.”

I continue to close the distance. The tip of Ellaime’s sword begins to tremble slightly.

“So, Sister. Please believe me this once. I can tell you everything if you want.”

“Coming now….”

Ellaime, whose arm was lowered powerlessly and small droplets of water formed at the corners of her eyes, said.

“Don’t you think it’s too late to say that now…? Kyle….”

Ellaime’s voice trembled thinly. It pricked my heart.

“I’m sorry….”

But that was all I could say. No, those were the only words that came out.

Apologies. Kyle’s body was feeling that emotion.

Ellaime’s eyes widened. Her pupils shook as if an earthquake had occurred. She moved her lips, but didn’t open them.

I stood still and waited for her disposition. I didn’t take any action or resistance. I just stared at her eyes.

Clang.

A metallic sound in my ear. Ellaime put the sword back into its sheath. Then she turned around as if to hide her broken face.

“…Please go in. Young Master.”

She returned to her usual voice. I answered.

“Okay.”

I staunched the bleeding from the wound on my neck and went inside. On the way, I called Ellaime.

“Ellaime.”

“Yes.”

She stopped walking as she was returning to her residence.

“Good night.”

“Yes.”

Silence fell again in the early morning.

We returned to our rooms.

***

The next day.

Ellaime and I were very awkward.

Of course, we didn’t even exchange a single word originally, but the atmosphere was suffocatingly awkward. Even Evan, who happened to run into Lana, noticed it. But he pretended not to.

That’s how I finished my daily schedule and returned to the dormitory. That time was 11 PM. It will be dawn soon.

Since today was the execution day of the Cantia Suppression, I prepared thoroughly.

I put the ring all the way to the end of my finger so it wouldn’t fall off. I tied the sword to my left waist and the ‘sneeze powder’ and poison pouch I received from the quest to my right waist. I hung the highest-grade magic stone on my sleeve.

After checking my physical condition for the last time, all preparations were complete.

I left the dormitory. Ellaime was already waiting at the entrance.

“Did you wait long?”

“No.”

I checked Ellaime’s attire. She was well equipped like me.

“Young Master.”

“Why.”

“…Have you only been sleeping for 3 hours every day since that day?”

“Yeah. I don’t have time except for dawn.”

Ellaime’s expression changed a little solemnly after hearing the answer. Then she nodded once and said.

“I’ll listen to the details on the way.”

I nodded in response.

After that, Ellaime followed behind me.

‘Hmm, this is something….’

It’s reassuring?

At first, I was worried that the plan would go wrong, but as the day approached, my thoughts changed. The existence of an Expert-level knight was more reliable than I thought.

‘Maybe it’ll end easier.’

It seemed like it would end very easily.

Episode 21 Suppression Operation (2)

The moon shines brightly at dawn.

I, cloaked, and Elaim in armor were very conspicuous. We ignored the attention.

I stood in front of the tree I used every day. And I pressed the button I always pressed.

“We have to run right away.”

“Yes.”

An entrance is created. I ran straight away. Elaim, faster than me, passed through first, followed by me. Immediately after, the door closed.

“What on earth is this.”

“Magic installed by the first emperor. Made for students to escape when they’re frustrated.”

“How does young master know that?”

“It’s in the library. There are a few other people who use it besides me. Some professors use it sometimes too.”

Elaim glanced at the fortress wall for a moment, then looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“If you’re curious if it’s true, look for the 444th book in zone 44 on the 4th floor of the library. Or catch some professors and ask them.”

I decided to tell her everything, so I spoke without hiding anything. Elaim accepted it when I went that far.

We quickly broke through the streets I had been seeing for days. There was no time to care about alcohol.

An alley near the Cantia hideout.

“When you go inside, there will be some big guys. You can just knock them down. But hidden in places….”

I explained the information about the hideout step by step. Because she had to subdue the subordinates waiting at the bar after I entered.

“There will be about 100 people. Oh, be careful of the bartender, and when the job is done, under the bar table….”

When I mentioned the points to be careful about, and the location of the traps, all the explanations were finished.

“Any more questions?”

“…….”

“If not, let’s start. Pounce 5 minutes after I go in.”

Just as I was about to leave the alley, Elaim grabbed me.

“Just one thing, I’ll ask you just one thing.”

I stopped and waited for her to speak.

“…If, if I hadn’t come, what would you have done?”

“I would have stormed in alone. That’s why I was making such a fuss at dawn.”

“Why, why….”

Elaim asked in a slightly trembling voice.

“Why do you go this far alone? You could have told the academy, and you could have asked me or the family for help. But why….”

Well…. If I had to say, it’s ultimately for me. My purpose is to live as an extra, after all.

But if I were to find another reason besides that….

“Why? Because it’s my doing.”

It’s because of guilt.

Of course, this will sound strange. There’s no room for me to feel guilty about Kyle Arden’s sins.

If I hadn’t possessed him, this body would have been completely unrelated, and I wasn’t the one who committed the crime.

However, from the moment I possessed him, this body is mine. So I think I have to bear that sin as well. Possession is originally an act of pushing out and occupying a soul.

The price of living a new life. That’s why I humbly accept it. I think that’s the virtue of a possessor.

Well, I know that my state of mind is strange. I’m a bit unique to begin with.

“This is… too dangerous.”

“I know. It’s stupid to take on a criminal organization alone.”

“If you know that, then why….”

“I told you. Because that’s the sin I committed.”

Kyle Arden’s sins are all related to Cantia. So Cantia is the same as my sin.

“You could die doing that.”

“If that happens, the family will take revenge, won’t they?”

I said with a grin.

Of course. Even if I’m a discarded child, the family will move because of their reputation and pride.

Of course, I have no intention of dying. Why else would I cut down on sleep to prepare?

“Young master… is that all you need? No one will know young master’s sacrifice.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“…….”

Elaim was silent for a while. She just stood there quietly and blankly.

Then she made a determined expression.

“I will definitely protect young master.”

With those words, Elaim tried to storm into the Cantia hideout. Completely recklessly.

“Wait, what are you doing!”

“It’s for young master’s safety.”

“I explained the plan, didn’t I? You just have to do it as I said.”

“If we do that, there’s a possibility that young master will be taken hostage. I’ll go in with you….”

Elaim was headstrong. She didn’t think about giving up. She wanted to follow me in no matter what.

‘Wait, if it’s that….’

Then yesterday’s memory came to mind. I said softly.

“Elaim. Don’t you trust me?”

“Th, that’s not it….”

Elaim stuttered. I looked her straight in the eye.

“Sister.”

“Ugh….”

Her cheeks turned red at that one word. Even redder than yesterday.

“It’s, it’s cowardly. To say that at this timing….”

It seemed to have worked, so I soothed her and said.

“Don’t worry. I got poison from those guys, okay? Even Velum won’t be able to do anything with that.”

I proudly held up my pocket. Elaim blinked and looked at me, then suddenly burst out laughing. It wasn’t ridicule. There was a feeling of longing in her eyes.

“I understand. I’ll trust young master.”

“Oh… okay, thank you.”

I don’t know why her voice brightened, but I just moved on.

“Then I’ll see you later.”

“Yes, young master. I’ll see you a little later.”

I entered with Elaim’s smile.

***

“He’s coming?”

“Yes. He’s passing through the tunnel now.”

“Tch.”

Velum clicked his tongue.

“Damn it….”

Again, he came again.

How many days has it been already. He comes once every two days, so it’s impossible not to be annoyed.

Yes, he’s arrogant, but he’s still a valuable customer, so I can meet him. But the annoying thing is that every time he visits, he asks for something to be obtained.

Even because of that, the young master’s visit was unwelcome.

Of course, from Velum’s point of view, it was welcome that he was using the request given for appeasement in that way. It was difficult to focus on the kid in a situation where there was already a shortage of manpower.

But he has to do it in moderation. He asks for things to be obtained over and over again. It was as if the organization he had built had been reduced to a place for the young master to run errands.

It was obvious that the purpose of today’s visit was also because of the thing he requested yesterday.

Gritting, Velum gnashed his teeth. He wanted to kill that guy right away. But it wasn’t time yet.

Velum sipped his drink and waited for the young master. Before long, the door opened.

He quickly straightened his crumpled face and shouted.

“Our young master. You’ve visited again today!”

He leads the young master to the sofa. The guy’s expression wasn’t good.

It wasn’t Velum’s business to worry about. He said he’d take care of it himself, but he must have been beaten instead. The young master was a cripple who couldn’t even utilize the things in his possession.

“The thing?”

“Of course, it’s ready.”

Velum smiled and snapped his fingers. The door opened and a subordinate brought the item.

10 throwing knives placed on the table and a leather pouch to hold them.

The young master carefully examined all 10 of them. He lifted them up and down, stabbed the expensive sofa, and gripped the handle several times. As if to get used to it.

He doesn’t even have an eye for weapons, but he’s doing such a thing, so I can only laugh. He should have swung a sword once during that time.

Well, I guess it’s useless because he has no talent. It was a widely known fact that the young master had no talent.

“This is good enough.”

The young master nodded as if satisfied. And he started putting the throwing knives in the leather pouch.

“I’ll pack it up nicely for you. Just leave it.”

“No, I have to use it soon.”

With those words, he tied the leather pouch behind his waist.

Well, it’s not Velum’s business how he uses them. He’s trying to commit a crime this dawn.

Rather, Velum welcomed it. A scene where he tries to assassinate someone but fails and disappears. It’s a good picture.

Thud, the young master, who had straightened his clothes, sat on the sofa.

“Give me some alcohol. The most expensive one.”

He insolently orders him to run errands. But Velum accepted it with a smile.

“Our young master, it’s been a while since you’ve had alcohol, right?”

He hadn’t put alcohol to his mouth during that time. He was a guy who liked alcohol so much.

But he’s drinking it this time. Velum filled the glass with alcohol with a happy heart. His intention was for him to get drunk and ruin the job.

The guy put a sip of alcohol in his mouth and started feeling the aroma and taste.

‘A kid who doesn’t even know the taste of alcohol.’

Every action is an eyesore. Nevertheless, he maintained his smile.

He asked the guy who had finished a glass.

“Want more?”

“No. That’s enough. More than that, what’s the name of this alcohol?”

“Morning Dew 30 years old.”

“It’s really a drink that fits the situation.”

I didn’t understand what he was saying, so I ignored it for now.

The young master, feeling tipsy, turned his neck this way and that to loosen it. Then he looked at himself and asked.

“There’s still a request left, right?”

“One. That’s the last one.”

“One, huh….”

The young master seemed to be thinking about something.

“Request. I’ll use it now.”

It was a surprise to Velum. Using the remaining one means that there are no more free requests. In other words, he has to pay the request fee from now on.

‘It’s a good thing for me.’

Velum smiled slyly inside. As he did, he opened his arms wide and asked.

“Tell me, young master. What kind of request do you want? Should I kill the guy you struggled with and couldn’t handle?”

“No, not that.”

The young master shook his head.

After a moment of hesitation, the guy opened his mouth.

“Velum. Let’s fight.”

And Velum was out of his mind for a moment.

***

“What… did you just say?”

“Let’s fight. Velum.”

I calmly said my request.

“Let’s fight? With me?”

“Yeah.”

Only after asking twice did Velum, who had been in a state of panic, come to his senses.

“Young master. I’ll only let you off once. Stop talking nonsense and tell me a proper request.”

Velum’s voice is low. It was intended to intimidate, but it doesn’t work. If I was going to lower my tail at that growling, I would have done it a long time ago.

“I’m trying to get my act together these days….”

I loosened my arm and leg joints.

“I’m trying to study moderately, get grades moderately, and get along with people moderately.”

I circulate the mana in my body. I separate the alcohol from the drink I had earlier. I let it flow to the tip of my index finger and discharge it.

Drip, drip.

Alcohol with a whopping 65% alcohol content. The strong scent of alcohol spreads around.

I continued with a clearer mind.

“But you know what? There are some guys who are getting in the way before that.”

I point at him with my finger.

“Velum, you and your organization.”

I kept talking without stopping.

“Because I’m with trash like you, you’re blocking my path to living properly.”

A blood vessel popped out on Velum’s forehead. His expression was the same, but the area under his forehead darkened a little.

Bang!

At that time, the only entrance to the room was violently opened. It was Velum’s subordinate who came running in a hurry.

“Velum-nim! There’s a crazy bitch outside…!”

Swish! Thwack!

A sound of cutting through the wind.

A sound of something penetrating was heard, and the subordinate’s voice was cut off in the middle.

“As expected, it’s well made.”

I was impressed by the sharpness of the throwing knife. It’s not my specialty, so I can’t handle it well, but the good weapon allows me to exert ability beyond my skill.

“Ah, can you hear that sound?”

The sound coming from the open doorway.

-Aaaaaagh!

-Don’t run away, attack! Attack!!

-How, how can we kill that kind of woman?!

Screams run rampant. Elaim seems to be handling it well.

“It’s Elaim. A knight from the family. She came to help me.”

I turn my head and look at him.

“Maybe 30 minutes? No, 20 minutes. She’ll be here in about that time.”

I offer him one solution.

“And the only way you can live is to subdue me and take me hostage to escape.”

But Velum was silent. It’s really an obvious action.

That’s why I,

Thump!

I put my foot on the table and shouted as I kicked it with all my strength.

“So stop thinking and let’s fight! You son of a bitch!”

Alcohol and snacks covered his face.

Episode 22 Suppression Operation (3)

Alcohol flowed down his forehead, and snacks stuck to his hair fell to the floor.

Even so, Bellum’s expression didn’t change. Rather, he wiped his face with the cloth covering the sofa and opened his mouth.

“Did our young master have any complaints?”

“No, you son of a bitch.”

“Then why on earth?”

“I told you. I’ve come to my senses.”

At that, Bellum made an even more incomprehensible expression.

“We’ve only known each other for a year, but I know young master well. You wouldn’t betray me for such a reason.”

“What’s with the dramatic ‘betrayal’ talk.”

“Tell me honestly. Did you not like the goods? Or the money? If it’s money, here.”

Bellum opened a secret door on the floor and took out a heavy pouch.

“1,000 gold. Is this enough?”

He threw it towards my sofa. I reached out to catch it.

At that moment, a faint wind sound was heard in my ear. The direction was the ceiling.

Whoosh-!!

Something silently cut through the wind from behind.

“To think you’d use such cheap tricks.”

Whoosh!

I sneered and threw a throwing knife at Bellum.

“Kuh, what…!”

Ignoring Bellum’s reaction, I looked up. My eyes met the assassin’s. His eyes widened.

“Here, you moron.”

Clack!

I caught the falling dagger with both palms. I blocked the attack like that, and pulled the guy’s arm down.

“Ugh-!”

The assassin’s neck collided with the sofa backrest. A groan escaped from his mouth. He quickly came to his senses, but it was too late. His neck and head were already in my hands.

“Wa, wait a minute…!”

The assassin desperately reached out. I gave him a piece of advice.

“How can an assassin be flustered? Be careful next time.”

Of course, that next time would be his next life.

Crack!

I snapped his neck as it was. Bellum’s subordinate, who tried to assassinate me, met his end like that.

“Oof.”

I moved the limp body away. I turned my head towards Bellum.

Bellum’s face was distorted like a demon. The mask he wore when dealing with a pushover had long been thrown away.

“How dare you repay my grace like this!!”

“You’re the one who treated others like pushovers, you son of a bitch.”

It was really absurd that he was angry for being backstabbed when he had been eating well all along. The amount that came back to me was at most 1% of the profit.

“And why is the guy who tried to assassinate me so talkative? Criminals all think the same way.”

“This little brat doesn’t even know his place-!!”

“Ugh, take care of your face. It’s so rugged, as if you’re not a criminal.”

I kept spouting words without paying attention to his words.

“You son of a bitch! I’ll kill you!!”

Bingo.

Bellum’s pride was shallow enough to fall for such taunts. His face, stained with anger, was quite a sight to see.

Of course, Bellum is not the type to rush in when angry. Even if his insides are burning, he becomes calm in battle.

Even though he looks like this, Bellum is the head of an organization, a mid-boss. There’s no way his mind wouldn’t work in a fight.

-You scoundrel. You better give up on the idea of dying peacefully.

Bellum disappeared in an instant. Despite the room being as bright as day, not even Bellum’s shadow could be found. Only his voice was heard in the air.

Stealth. Assassin Bellum’s specialty.

A technique that perfectly hides everything about himself regardless of place or time. It’s really useful for assassins operating in the dark, and truly a dreamlike technique.

Even so, I didn’t care. Rather, I said with plenty of余裕.

“Why is a guy who’s about to die so talkative.”

-If you’re trusting the woman outside, you should give up. Do you think that woman can come all the way here?

Really, he’s talented at making people laugh. I almost burst out laughing.

“Oh, of course. Can’t you hear that sound?”

-Sa, save me!!

-Why isn’t that woman getting tired-!!

-Be, Bellum-nim, he, help…!

The screams heard from outside increased in real time. There wasn’t a single instance of it decreasing. She must be dealing with at least 50 people at the same time.

“And Bellum, let me give you a piece of advice.”

Perhaps because of Bellum’s attitude of insulting her, my voice was tinged with sincerity.

“Don’t underestimate ELAIM. Just because she’s young and a woman doesn’t mean you can disregard her.”

In a few months, she’ll be top-tier Expert.

Next year, she’ll be in the realm of Master.

The year after that, she’ll be the commander of the Arden family’s knights.

Born as a commoner, in the Arden family where long-flying geniuses gather, ELAIM is a person who reaches the pinnacle of the Arden family at the age of 24.

If you only consider talent, she’s the best among the supporting characters, and a possessor of talent that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the main characters.

And you’re treating such a kid like she’s insignificant? You of all people?

Even if Bellum becomes a Master, he won’t even reach ELAIM’s toes.

“Well, what would a mere criminal know.”

-You son of a bitch-!!

Two sounds of wind being cut. Darts flew from both directions. They were fired simultaneously so that the location could not be estimated.

But that’s all there is to it.

“At this rate, you won’t even kill a mouse.”

When I waved both arms in the air, the daggers were caught powerlessly.

-Ho, how…!

“If I can’t even catch this, I should quit being a knight.”

Bellum’s stealth is the best, but his dart-throwing skills are just so-so.

If it were Master Bellum, he would have added stealth to the darts to hide the sound and appearance. However, the current Bellum is top-tier Expert. He can only apply stealth to himself.

Therefore, if you have dynamic visual acuity and skill, you can catch him enough.

-This doesn’t make sense!

“Why doesn’t it make sense. More than that, show yourself now!”

I blocked my nose with mana and threw a sneezing powder pouch, splitting it with my sword.

White powder scattered. I spread it throughout the room without exception with wind magic.

-If you think my appearance will be revealed with this….

“Stop talking nonsense. More than that, how is it. Doesn’t your nose itch?”

-What is this… Ha, ha-choo!

A loud sneeze resounded.

The powder is not for revealing appearance. This toy had a better effect than I thought.

───

[Toy: Sneezing Powder (Single Use)]

Description: When the powder is inhaled through the nose, it causes sneezing for 10 minutes (*Note: Once inhaled, the effect lasts until it stops).

───

This toy, which I thought would be useless, was the perfect item to capture Bellum.

Bellum’s stealth is a troublesome technique. It erases the existence itself, so it cannot be found even with detection magic. It is not even caught by the intuition of a Master class.

In the novel, this was caught by spreading binding magic in all directions, and in the game, there is a method to catch Bellum with the legendary item [Space Bind]. Of course, I don’t have that much mana, and I don’t have the item either.

But stealth is a tricky technique. Especially when maintaining it, there are many things to be aware of. So if you give it a suitable stimulus.

“Ha-choo!”

Bellum finally revealed himself. He frowned as if his nose was itchy.

“How is it? Itchy enough to die?”

“Kill, ha-choo! I’ll kill you!”

“You can’t get angry with just this.”

I showed him a poison pouch.

“You know what this is, right?”

“Is that the poison I gave you?”

Then Bellum’s face turned blue and he shouted urgently. He realized what I was trying to do with this.

“Stop it! If you use that, you won’t be able to ignore it either!”

“Ah, don’t worry about me.”

The Arden family’s martial arts are very ‘special’.

I opened the poison pouch.

***

‘Fuck!’

Bellum cursed inwardly. He was frustrated to the point of madness.

The Scoundrel he knew was a weakling with terrible skills.

As such, it should be, it definitely should be…. What the hell is that.

Whoosh!

Bellum threw dozens of darts. Darts that filled the surroundings without any chance to dodge.

Clang!

But the attack was blocked by a shield created in the air. Bellum wasn’t flustered and pressed down hard on his feet.

Swish!

The darts that were fired again pierced through the gaps in the shield.

“Is this all you can do?”

The Scoundrel sneered and swung his sword. He knocked down all the needle-shaped darts that were thinner than hair.

“This time, I’m going.”

The guy kicked the ground. The moment he kicked, a magic circle was created under his feet and wind wrapped around his legs.

‘Fast!’

He approaches him at a terrifying speed. He was slower than himself, but he was at a similar level by adding magic.

But he had no intention of facing that. Bellum pulled up his mana. And he moved at the fastest speed he could and fired darts.

“It won’t work no matter how many times you do it.”

He muttered quietly and knocked them down with throwing knives or blocked them with his sword.

It’s as the Scoundrel said.

Even if they attack from all directions, even if darts are fired from blind spots, even if the devices installed in the room are activated. None of it works.

Besides, magic was also a problem. Even if he consumed a lot of darts to attack, it was easily blocked by the shield, and physical superiority was also caught up by the strengthening magic.

‘How can that bastard use magic…!’

He couldn’t understand his skill in handling swords and throwing knives, but he even used magic in addition. Bellum wondered if that was really the Scoundrel he knew.

First of all, he wasn’t borrowing the power of magical tools. That clear magic circle meant that the subject of the magic was the Scoundrel.

‘Damn it! If only I could use stealth!’

Bellum thought while blocking with darts. If he had stealth, he would have killed him already, even if he used magic.

Currently, Bellum was unable to make use of his specialty. It was because of the inhaled poison.

The poison he gave to the Scoundrel was a poison that combined with the mana in his body and slowly melted the inside.

Every time he tried to use stealth, pain rushed in and he had to stop halfway. The key to this technique was to keep the mana in a static state.

Besides, he kept eating the poison because he was breathing in air during the sneezing process. Thanks to that, the effects of the poison continued to last.

‘But why is that guy!’

Nevertheless, one thing he couldn’t understand.

In the room full of poison, the Scoundrel was breathing normally. Even with a very healthy face.

“How are you so okay!”

Bellum shouted without realizing it. Then he answered in a relaxed voice.

“Ah, this?”

And he sucked in the poison as if to show off.

“You villain will never understand.”

“How dare you make fun of me!”

Bellum finally exploded at the sight of himself being mocked in a situation that wasn’t going his way.

“That’s why you can’t do it.”

That wasn’t to say the Scoundrel would stop. He would tease him more if he teased him.

***

At some point, Bellum’s dart throwing decreased.

“You’re almost out of darts, right?”

“Shut up!”

He shouts without knowing that it proves my words are true.

’10, no, about 9 left.’

Bellum carries a total of 250 darts with him. As a result of counting the number of times he threw darts, that was all that was left.

‘If it were a game, I would have gotten an achievement.’

If you use up all the darts and kill him, you get the achievement 「King of Mockery」. That’s why counting has become a habit.

‘It’s time to end this.’

There are almost no darts left, and he’s exhausted and has no stamina. His complexion is rotting in real time due to the poison. It was visible to the eye that his mana was also running out.

Everything is as intended. It was worth the time.

In fact, I was confident in facing Bellum without preparation. But I didn’t.

Bellum has many weaknesses for a mid-boss. There was no need to walk a difficult path with such an opponent.

If you seal the stealth, the power is halved, and if you eliminate the rest, the power is reduced to 30%, so why walk a difficult path.

By all means, a fight to the death should be fought in an environment that is favorable to you.

“Bellum, you asked me why the poison doesn’t work, right?”

“Shut uuuuuup!!”

He’s been reacting like that since a while ago.

I ignored him and pulled up the mana in my dantian. The mana rotated violently. It was not yet stained with anything and emitted a refreshing energy.

“You can look forward to it.”

Because this is the first Arden martial art I’m using in this world.

Immediately after, the sword was stained purple.

Episode 23 Suppression Operation (4)

Arden’s mana cultivation technique is, so to speak, a blank canvas.

The mana cultivation technique, not yet stained and newly learned, can be said to be pure itself.

What Arden’s martial arts pursued was the expression of the world.

The world he sees, feels, and realizes. He adds his own color or imbues properties on the foundation of martial arts. That is the essence of Arden’s martial arts.

Therefore, the bloodline of Arden, who has mastered the mana cultivation technique, bestows properties that suit each individual.

His father was imbued with the energy of solid earth, his brother with the energy of tranquil wind. In the past, some family heads even imbued the energy of vibrant life.

And I, too, can bestow properties upon mana.

Moreover, the Scoundrel had mastered martial arts, but he had not imbued any color or property.

The very moment he mastered martial arts, it was pure white. Not even a small stain was on it. In other words, I can imbue it with any property I want.

The property I bestowed is poison. Reacting to my will, the mana in my dantian contained the energy of poison.

Of course, it is difficult for a guy who hasn’t even mastered poison techniques to convert mana into poison. But I have a good ingredient.

The body-melting poison that Bellum gave me. That made it possible to change the properties of mana. And that’s why I’m unharmed even after inhaling the poison.

The sword energy was dyed purple. I lightly swung the sword. Everything in its path melted away.

“W, what the hell is that!!”

At that moment, a terrified shout was heard. I kindly answered.

“What else but a weapon to kill you.”

After that, I kicked off the ground.

“Get lost!”

Bellum ran wildly as if in desperation. Perhaps because he is an assassin, his speed is fast.

-Haste.

As I muttered softly, wind wrapped around my legs. My footwork became lighter. I chased after him.

Bellum threw the few remaining hidden weapons.

“Sorry, but it doesn’t work anymore. Ah, it never worked in the first place.”

With a light wave, the hidden weapons melted away. Something between liquid and gas scattered in all directions.

Nevertheless, Bellum did not stop running. When Bellum had exhausted all his hidden weapons, he stopped in one place.

“Is it over now?”

“Khehehe, Khahaha!!”

At my question, Bellum laughed like a madman.

“Scoundrel, you’re finished too!!”

With that shout, he pressed down on the floor and walls simultaneously.

Around Bellum, a barrier that seemed stronger than a shield was created. And a huge magic circle floated on the ceiling.

At first glance, it looks like fire magic.

“Burn to death!!”

As if to prove it, Bellum shouted that. With a very confident voice.

“Hmm, it’s too big?”

“It’s no use begging now! You will burn to death without leaving a trace!”

There are two ways to break a magic spell.

Reverse calculation, or breaking the magic circle.

But reverse calculation is impossible with such little time, and the magic circle is too big to break. At best, the power will only be slightly reduced.

“Then there’s only one way.”

I get into position. I concentrate all my mana into the sword energy. The purple color becomes even darker.

Whirr─!!

With a deafening roar, the magic circle spewed flames. Flames filled the entire room. Even before touching the fire, the powerful heat was burning my skin.

Concentrate, and concentrate again. And the moment the fire engulfs me. I unleashed the family’s swordsmanship.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 2 Variation – Frenzy

A storm of swords raged. A rapid, swift sword that generates wind around it dominates the space.

Dozens of sword energies cut everything the sword touches. Everything in its path melted away. That was the same for fire. The fire that met the poison disappeared without a trace.

Originally, poison and heat are incompatible. But that’s only when the energies are equal. The sword energy with a stronger energy does not disappear in that mere flame.

Still, opposites are opposites, so the sword energy imbued with poison evaporated. Then all I have to do is unleash even denser mana.

The flames gradually receded. Heat remained, but the fire never touched me even once. Except for a certain area, the room was completely melted by the heat.

Bellum, hidden by the flames, would not know this situation at all. If the magic stops and he sees me… I wonder what kind of funny face he will show.

‘That would be worth seeing.’

Approximately 5 minutes. That was the time I used the swordsmanship.

Around that time, the mana of the magic circle, which had been ceaseless, gradually subsided. I cut down the remaining flames and moved forward.

“Khehehe, by now, not even bone fragments would be left. Stupid bastard. Who told him to… .”

“Hello?”

“Eueheok!”

Bellum fell back in surprise. As expected, his face was worth seeing.

“H, how… .”

“Well.”

After a short answer, I raised my sword.

“A, no matter how strong you are, you won’t be able to break this shield!”

Nevertheless, he said that, believing in the magic that protected him.

I snorted and swung my sword.

Crackle—

The shield melted away, emitting smoke along the trajectory. After three more cuts, a square hole appeared in the center.

Bellum shouted urgently.

“Negotiate! Let’s negotiate!”

“You should have said that sooner.”

“Money, I’ll give you money! All my assets…!”

“Fuck off.”

I retorted and took a stance. And thrust it in. A scream burst from Bellum’s mouth.

“Noooo!!!”

“Why not.”

The sword pierces his heart. Bellum’s face contorted in pain. But soon the reaction disappeared. His upper body slumped down. A futile death for a mid-boss.

I said one word to him.

“And what’s with those lines? You’re not even a third-rate villain.”

When the bottom is revealed, it becomes ugly, but Bellum is beyond that. The word mid-boss is wasted on him. No, wasn’t it like that in novels in the end?

“Ah, this is not the time.”

I quickly took out some of the highest-grade magic stones. I engraved necromancy and preservation magic for the corpse on it. I planted it in Bellum’s heart.

If I do this, I can wake him up whenever I want. First, I had to show Ellaim his dead appearance.

Also, the magic stone will replenish the mana for maintaining the magic. I’ll have to come and check the condition from time to time, but this will do for now.

“Ugh, the smell is no joke.”

As soon as I got up, I covered my nose. The smell of burning and poison filled the space. Moreover, the wood was still burning, so the scene in front of me was hazy with smoke. I ventilated the room with wind magic.

A moment later, Ellaim ran in, panting.

“Master!”

Ellaim came covered in blood. Her armor, face, and even her silver hair were stained with blood. I thought I was seeing a ghost.

“Where, where are you hurt…!”

She ignored the scene and smell of the room and ran to me, looking me over. She checked very carefully and thoroughly to see if I had any injuries or serious wounds.

“I, I’m okay… .”

I resisted, but it was no use. Only after checking everything did she let go of me with a sigh of relief.

“Huu, I’m glad you’re safe. More than that, is that him?”

Her gaze turns to Bellum. Her eyes were fierce, and her voice was savage.

“Yeah, he just died.”

Ellaim approaches the corpse. She puts her hand on his neck and checks. Realizing that he was indeed dead, she nodded and said.

“Yes, he’s dead.”

A faint smile bloomed on her face. Although stained with blood, her beauty was still there.

“Thank you for your hard work, Master. I’ll take care of the cleanup, so please go back and rest.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Yes. I’ve already called the guards, so it’s fine.”

“If you say so. Ah, before that.”

-Clean

I used clean magic, setting the range to my whole body. I felt a little sorry to leave her dirty like this.

The blood, sweat, and dust on her body are neatly cleaned. She regains her silver hair, and her skin becomes soft and fluffy.

“This is, magic… .”

“Yeah, it’s magic.”

“But Master is… . Who on earth did you learn from?”

“I’m not going to tell you.”

“…….”

At those words, Ellaim made a sulky face.

“Sis. You’ll keep it a secret, right?”

She was startled again. That reaction she shows every time I say this is quite funny.

“W, well… I’ll keep it for you.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

And it was very effective.

I was about to leave after telling her some simple things, but an important thing came to mind.

I rummaged through the charred remains. As expected, the gold coins had all melted. There was no need to be sad. I headed to the location where Bellum had taken out the gold coins earlier.

“This side is fine.”

Only the lock had melted, and the money inside was intact.

“There should be about 10 million gold coins.”

I asked her to bring it later and left the real hideout.

“I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Ellaim, come safely too.”

“Yes.”

That’s how the Cantia subjugation operation ended.

***

Ellaim looked at the room where almost everything had been burned. The furniture and objects that had been in this place had turned to ashes without leaving a trace.

Nevertheless, the traces of battle remained. The dozens, no, hundreds of cuts in the walls did not disappear due to the fire.

Looking at them, Ellaim could roughly guess how this battle had unfolded.

“Master won unilaterally?”

There were more wounds on the walls caused by hidden weapons than by swords. This means that the assassin lying there was throwing hidden weapons non-stop. And that means he was desperate.

Moreover, Master, whom she had examined, had no wounds, and Bellum only had a stab wound in his heart.

But considering Bellum’s level that Master had told her, it was absurd. The leader of Cantia was a top-tier Expert, while Master had barely reached the lower ranks of Expert.

“How on earth… . And this is.”

Traces of Arden Swordsmanship. Master must have used it.

Form 2 of the 4 forms existing in Arden Swordsmanship. Moreover, it was a technique called ‘Frenzy’ among the countless variations that had been passed down through the family.

“To be so precise and complete.”

Even she had not reached this level. If this was unleashed from Master’s hands, it means that his understanding and mastery of swordsmanship is more outstanding than she thought.

“Magic was the same.”

Clean Magic.

It is a basic magic that even a 1st circle mage can use right away.

But Master has never learned magic. He hasn’t even tried it in the first place.

She is ignorant of magic, but she knows that it takes a lot of time and effort like a knight. Then when did Master learn magic?

Judging from the casting speed, it wasn’t at the level of learning it for a day or two.

‘Sis. You’ll keep it a secret, right?’

At that time, Master’s words came to mind for no reason. Because of that, Ellaim couldn’t continue her worries.

“I have to keep my promise.”

There was no need to find out the secret he wanted to hide right away. She could ask later.

Ellaim left the room and headed to the tavern.

Then she saw a total of 139 corpses.

A river of blood flowed on the floor, and the state of the corpses was unbelievably gruesome.

It was basic to have no arms and legs, and some corpses had their heads cut off or were split in half, with their entrails scattered everywhere.

A scene that even an Imperial knight would have vomited at in disgust.

But Ellaim cleaned up the corpses as if nothing was wrong. She was used to such scenes because she had done various missions in the family.

Of course, she couldn’t stand the smell, so she frowned throughout the cleanup.

“I made it all, didn’t I… .”

Ellaim muttered.

Ellaim was a little shocked by the horrific sight she had created. It was because she didn’t know that she herself would be so merciless.

She never lost her composure in everything she did. She had learned that knights should always be like that. Therefore, she did not waver and dealt with whatever happened.

But today, her emotions exploded because of her single-minded determination to save Master. She threw away her composure and committed a massacre.

“I have to reflect.”

It was a figure too far from her usual self. It also meant that she had lost control of herself.

“Still, I’m glad he wasn’t hurt.”

Ellaim’s heart trembled with anxiety until she saw Master’s unharmed appearance. If she had seen him seriously injured, she would have surely lost her mind.

She knows very well what this feeling means. It’s one of the emotions she felt when she first met him as a child.

“And, he called me Sis… .”

That longed-for and longed-for resonance. It’s been almost 8 years since she heard it.

Ellaim couldn’t stop her cheeks from turning red. Moreover, the way he looked when he called her was exactly the same as Master when he was young.

The way he looks at her with sparkling eyes. To be honest, she was very happy. Because the figure she thought she had lost was still in him.

It still comes to mind. The way he called her Sis, the way he apologized. The emotions at that time were definitely sincere.

“As expected, I have to protect him.”

Ellaim decided. She had to take care of her cute younger brother. By becoming his knight.

Ellaim’s dream was to become Kyle’s knight. It was a thought she had given up on recently because their relationship had become so twisted, but it was a thought she had continued to cherish until he changed.

“I definitely will… .”

A change occurs within Ellaim. Her talent reacts to that will and determination. Her body heats up, and her mana core rotates fiercely.

Ellaim was clearly aware of the changes happening to her now.

It was just a simple opportunity, but an opportunity that was more important than anything else in the world to someone.

“I’ll become Kyle’s knight and protect him.”

That was the decisive reason that allowed Ellaim to move on to the next level.

“Not right now, but definitely later.”

Top-tier Sword Expert.

An awakening 5 months faster than the predetermined future.

The cause was, of course, obvious.

Episode 24 Suppression Operation (5)

On the way back to the dormitory.

Today, I used the escape route of the founding emperor to return to the academy. On the way, I erased the stench permeating my body with Clean magic.

“Ugh, my whole body aches.”

My whole body creaks because I used the family’s swordsmanship. It’s because I moved too much and too intensely for too long. I was fine just before I drew my sword.

“I need to rest.”

Fortunately, tomorrow is the weekend, so there are no lectures. Of course, I have to go to my part-time job and volunteer work, but I can adjust the time appropriately.

“Still, I’m glad it worked out well.”

When I met Elheim, I thought the plan would fail. That’s because there’s no knight as righteous as her.

You can tell just by the fact that she follows me around every day. If I were a woman, she would have followed me to the bathroom.

“But what was between the two of them?”

This is the question that arises.

Judging from the physical reaction and Elheim’s reaction. There is definitely a setting between them that I don’t know about.

Of course, the Arden family is also a major setting of ‘Academy Demonic Master,’ so there are expected settings.

When Veil was 5 years old, 12-year-old Elheim came to the family. Since there were no peers in the family, the two lived like siblings. So Veil calls Elheim “sister” in private. I’m sure he still does.

And probably I was in the middle of it.

Elheim, me, Veil.

The three of us, who are of similar age, must have lived almost like a family.

But that’s all I know.

Elheim is a supporting character who helps the main character.

I’m an extra who dies a month after the start of the novel.

That’s why there was no way that the past events between us would come out.

“It’s hard to ask.”

Judging by the reaction, it seems that we were close enough for me to call her “sister.”

But I don’t know more than that. There is no information released in the webtoon side stories, and there was no information transmission in the form of a diary in the game.

Besides, the relationship itself doesn’t seem very good at the moment. Judging from Elheim’s reaction on the first day of possession, the relationship is already broken.

It’s only recently that I’ve been showing a different side of myself, so that’s why.

“It’s definitely love-related….”

Come to think of it, the physical reaction to Elheim was distinctly different from that of the princess, father, and Veil.

What should I say… there are no feelings?

Unlike others, there was no sign of jealousy, inferiority, envy, or hatred.

Looking back, my actions and tone of voice were very different in front of Elheim than with others. I became a little more relaxed and comfortable in front of her.

“What kind of relationship was it, anyway? Sigh… this is frustrating.”

Is it because there is too little information? I didn’t come to a conclusion and just went around in circles. I couldn’t even make a simple guess.

“Let’s put this aside for now.”

The Elheim issue is not the top priority. Kantia, whom I just dealt with, is the top priority.

“Next week should be quiet.”

The hunting practice period next week. That’s the date Kyle dies at the hands of the protagonist.

But this is a story to become more intimate with Veil, so it’s a largely meaningless episode. So I don’t have to worry about it.

“The two didn’t seem to have a bad relationship.”

They seemed to be getting along during the ghost commotion in the dormitory last time. Maybe it’s because there’s a connection called me. Inadvertently, it was a pretty good effect.

To this extent, it is the same as an extra called me doing more than my existence value.

“I can prepare slowly because Velum and the protagonist will meet in a year.”

The main storyline of ‘Academy Demonic Master’ is divided into three parts.

1st year. Stories of various conflicts and incidents that occur in the academy.

2nd year. Stories that go beyond the academy and become involved in external events.

3rd year. A story that organizes all the foreshadowing and finishes it.

The episode in which the protagonist Evan clashes with the criminal organization Kantia belongs to the 2nd year. So, all I have to do is manage the Velum guy appropriately and make them fight each other.

“The rest… there’s nothing more.”

My thoughts are roughly organized.

“Haaam~ I’m sleepy….”

A yawn comes out and sleepiness rushes in. I rubbed my eyes and washed my face, but it was no use. It seemed like the effect of reducing sleep for a while was rushing in now.

“I have to go quickly….”

But the moment I saw someone in front of me. Sleep disappeared, and my languid body stiffened.

“Hello, senior~”

She waves her hand gently and greets me.

The red hair fluttering in the dawn breeze steals my gaze, and the bewitching red eyes forcibly reduce my concentration.

If my nerves hadn’t been on edge from the battle with Velum, I would have fallen for it.

“Looks like you’re coming back from somewhere.”

“…What’s going on at this hour, Chloe.”

I said her name with a serious face. I had no idea why she was here, at this time, in this place.

Then Chloe showed a different reaction.

She covered her mouth with her hand and said with a slightly surprised expression.

“Oh my. You remember my name?”

“…What nonsense are you talking about.”

“No~ I thought you hated me because you glared at me last time.”

“…….”

Damn it. Did I attract attention because of that?

I never thought that the reaction at that time would lead to this result.

“So. The answer is.”

“Ah, I came out for a walk.”

“Is that so. Then I’ll be going now, go back to the dormitory.”

I turned my body because I wanted to get away from her.

“Hey, senior, don’t be like that, let’s take a walk together~”

Chloe grabbed me, who was trying to leave in a hurry, with her arms crossed.

“Let go.”

“No!”

“Let go.”

I said with strength in my voice. Only then did she release her arm. Nevertheless, she did not stop her playful behavior.

“Just kidding, just kidding. Why are you getting angry? Don’t do that, smile. Come on, smile~”

She smiles as if telling me to follow her. I never did what she wanted.

Instead, I asked her.

“…Why are you doing this to me?”

“Hey, I’m just glad to see you. Don’t do that, let’s walk for a while.”

“…Hoo, I will.”

I said with a deep sigh. It seemed like she would keep doing this if I didn’t.

She and I walked side by side.

It was quiet in the center because it was early weekend morning. The student hall was also turned off, and there were few students out for a walk.

It’s quiet. And the scenery is beautiful. Therefore, it stimulates emotions.

It seems that she is the same way.

“Senior. Isn’t the academy at dawn romantic?”

“Yeah.”

I answered briefly. But she didn’t seem to care. Rather, she touched the flowers in the flower bed and said.

“Tianise is a really good place.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. They take good care of the flowers and trees, so the scenery is good….”

She takes her hand off the flower and looks around.

“The security is good enough to walk around at dawn. I wonder if there is another place like this in the world?”

“If there is, it would be the imperial palace.”

“Haha, that might be true.”

Chloe burst into laughter. A smile spread across her face.

“And there’s more.”

“What is it.”

“The fact that they are kind to the students. It was the first time I saw it. I thought, ‘People can laugh so brightly and treat each other without malice.'”

That’s not wrong.

The atmosphere itself was very friendly as Tianise Academy provided convenience to the students.

There is no other place where you can concentrate on your studies so comfortably. Just looking at the Holy Academy and the Magic Tower, all sorts of schemes are rampant every day. Tianise is the only place full of peace.

“That’s why I like this place.”

“…Then that’s good.”

Chloe stared at me intently. And she asks with a smile.

“Senior, how about you? Do you like this place, Tianise Academy?”

“…….”

A somewhat meaningful remark. I closed my mouth, and Chloe continued.

“I heard it from Veil, and I heard rumors. What kind of person you are, and what kind of things you have done…. I heard everything.”

She takes my hand. I meet her ruby-red eyes. The red light in her eyes dug into me. I tried to shake it off, but I couldn’t.

Chloe comes closer. A sticky and slow seductive movement. It feels like my energy is being drained. She sticks close to my ear like that.

And quietly, she whispers.

“Senior. Don’t you hate Tianise Academy? Don’t you want to destroy this place, this place that tormented you…?”

That voice, the voice that rides in my ear and stabs into my brain.

It stimulates my mind. It shakes my heart. It draws out the darkness hidden deep somewhere in Kyle Arden’s body to the surface.

Anger boils up. Hostility towards the princess, hatred towards the academy emerges. Those that were asleep come out to the outside.

But.

‘Do you think I’ll fall for something like this?’

Unfortunately, my mental strength is not so weak that I would fall for this kind of fascination.

On the other hand, my body didn’t move at all. That’s because her existence itself is specialized in captivating others. If she doesn’t suppress it normally, making others slaves is easy.

Besides, it was not easy to resist after the battle. Fortunately, my mouth opened. I squeezed out all my strength and said.

“I’m sorry… but I like Tianise.”

“Huh? Is that so?”

A slightly surprised expression. Then the power that was forcing my body began to loosen.

“I thought you hated it….”

“You must have heard strange things somewhere.”

“I guess so. I guess I was mistaken.”

Chloe smiled. She seemed to agree at first glance, but it was obvious that she wasn’t.

Before I knew it, I arrived at the end of the center. From here on, it belongs to the outskirts.

“If you’re not going to follow me to my dormitory, go now.”

“That’s right. There’s nothing here from here on, right?”

“The dormitory of the Department of Magic is over there.”

I pointed to the location of the dormitory with my finger.

“I know that too~”

Chloe smiles playfully. I tried to leave in a hurry. However, I stopped walking at the voice coming from behind.

“Ah, by the way, do you know that?”

When I turned around, she was already in front of me. And she reached out her hand, fixed my clothes, and whispered softly.

“You… smell a little.”

“What smell.”

“The smell of blood and the smell of vengeful spirits. Did you happen to kill someone?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Heeung~ I see.”

It was Chloe who made a nasal sound for no reason.

“Okay, that’s it. Now you’ll be okay.”

She tapped the front of her coat as if the work was finished and took a step back.

“Senior. It was nice meeting you. See you later~”

She waved her hand gently like when we met, and then she left in the direction of the dormitory.

“Hoo, I thought I was going to die.”

I let out a sigh of relief. When she disappears, the tension is completely relieved. I almost collapsed on the spot.

Sleepiness rushes in again belatedly. My eyelids were getting heavier.

“Sleep, let’s sleep first.”

At this rate, I’m going to fall asleep on the street.

I’ll think about Chloe later and hurry back to the dormitory.

***

Chloe stopped walking towards the dormitory.

Then she showed her hand. Black energy floats in the palm of her hand. If you listen closely, a terrible sound comes out.

-Kyle Arden! You rascal, I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you!!

A chilling, tearing voice that is terrifying just to hear. It was about to run wild out of control.

“Where are you going as a dead man.”

With a cold voice, Chloe clenched her hand tightly. Then the vengeful spirit screamed.

-Stop it! Please stop…!

A soul wailing in pain. She didn’t stop until it calmed down.

-Please… I was wrong, I was wrong….

She released the power of her hand only after her momentum was fully broken.

Chloe turned her gaze to the source of this soul.

“You should hide these things well~”

It was hovering around her senior. Considering the freshness of the soul, it’s been about 30 minutes since he died. Judging from the reaction, it seems that he died after being harassed quite a bit.

“Anyway, he’s an interesting senior.”

A voice full of interest flowed out, and she released the soul in her hand.

The faint hostility she showed from the first day, the strong mental strength that rejected seduction, and even the smell of blood and the dead. There was no way she wouldn’t be interested.

Above all.

“He smells strongly of a villain.”

The darkness emanating from deep within her body and soul stimulated her.

So she tried to bring out what was asleep.

“His mental strength is too strong.”

It’s too strong.

Even if she deliberately used mind control magic, it would barely work. Even if she did, she would be too wary and would run away before that. Judging from the reaction just now, he was not an easy opponent.

“Haa… I want to have him.”

Nevertheless, she wanted him, Kyle Senior, so badly. She was so greedy that she wanted to keep him by her side for the rest of her life.

“What should I do.”

Black butterflies bloom from her fingertips. Gradually, the number increases, and the whole body changes into butterflies starting with the arm, and her appearance disappears.

When she completely disappeared from the world.

“If I mess with someone close to him, will a gap open up a little~”

Only a small whisper echoed in the air.

Episode 25 Hunting Practice (1)

Weekend morning.

I woke up, basking in the pouring sunlight.

Looking at the position of the high-rising sun, it was already noon.

“I slept for a long time.”

“Yes, you slept for a long time. To sleep until noon. You must have been tired from the early morning work.”

“Huh?”

The familiar voice I heard from the side as I was about to stretch.

“Why are you here?”

Ellaime was sitting quietly on a chair beside the bed.

She was a supervisor, but she respected my privacy to some extent and didn’t come into my room. Of course, it was because she didn’t want to run into me, but she didn’t enter without permission.

“I came to observe the Young Master’s condition.”

“Is that so?”

There was a hint of excuse in her tone. She couldn’t hide the faint desire within at all. Remembering what happened yesterday, I decided to just understand.

“Did you handle the cleanup well?”

“Yes. When I mentioned the family name, they cooperated kindly.”

“I guess so.”

The Arden family is the only founding meritorious subject in the Tyran Empire. Moreover, the first emperor and the first family head were the closest of friends.

As a result, the Arden family’s power within the empire is immense. Almost on par with the imperial family.

Of course, it was thanks to the imperial family giving the Arden family a lot of authority and interests, but even excluding that, the family’s power was enormous.

“It seems like all the arrangements will be finished by the day after tomorrow.”

“You don’t need to report to me. Now that Bellum is dead, Cantia is over.”

And all I needed was Bellum’s corpse. The rest wasn’t of much use. With Bellum, Cantia could be rebuilt at any time.

“If that is the Young Master’s wish, I will do so.”

Ellaime bowed deeply. Then her gaze fell on a large sack placed beside her. A pile of gold coins that I told her to bring yesterday.

“You brought it?”

“Yes. Because you told me to.”

“Hmm….”

I stared blankly at Ellaime.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

She asked with a puzzled expression. I said without lying.

“You seem different somehow.”

What should I say? Her tone and atmosphere had softened. She felt gentler than yesterday. It wasn’t the same sharp reaction as before.

“Did something happen yesterday?”

And her mana state is also different from yesterday….

‘Ah, could it be.’

Uneasy imaginations came and went. Ellaime spoke as if my thoughts were correct.

“I had a small, enlightenment.”

“Really? That’s good. Are you a Supreme-rank now?”

“Yes.”

It was five months faster than in the novel, but I congratulated her.

“I am happy to be able to tell the Young Master this fact first.”

Hearing her say that made my head feel dazed. I couldn’t break this atmosphere.

“I’m also thankful that you told me.”

Hearing my words, she smiled softly and said.

“You have really returned to your former self. This appearance suits you best, Young Master.”

“I don’t think anything has changed….”

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t realize it. This appearance is also worth seeing.”

It seems that my physical reaction to her is showing.

“More than that, Young Master.”

“Yeah. Tell me.”

“The story I told you yesterday….”

“About taking you to the family?”

“Yes. As a result of telling the family about the early morning work, it has been canceled.”

“That’s good.”

“…It’s something I caused, but it’s not something to laugh off.”

Ellaime seemed a little angry at my too calm reaction.

“Well, isn’t it good if it’s resolved well?”

“I’m sorry. For rashly causing trouble….”

“No, it’s also my fault. I did it too secretly.”

If I had known this would happen, I would have taken her a long time ago. That would have been much faster and easier to solve.

“Let’s stop talking about depressing things. I’m okay.”

“But….”

Hearing the voice full of guilt, I said softly.

“Ellaime. I’m okay, you know?”

“Ugh….”

Ellaime blushed again. It’s a fun reaction no matter how many times I see it.

“More than that, aren’t you hungry? We have money now, so shall we go to the capital and eat?”

“I’m fine, but… can I ask where you’re going to use the money?”

“What is it? Are you worried that I’ll use it for something strange?”

“It’s not a small amount.”

It’s a natural worry. 10 million gold coins is not a small amount of money, as she said.

Well, I don’t intend to eat all of it. I’d get sick if I did.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“I understand.”

“You’re giving in quite easily?”

“Because I know very well what happens when I make hasty assumptions.”

I smiled brightly and called her teasingly.

“Shall we go then? Ellaime?”

“…Yes, Young Master. Let’s go.”

Ellaime stood up from the chair with stiff movements. And she didn’t look at me, only straight ahead. I followed her.

Leaving the room, leaving the dormitory.

Ellaime still had her head facing forward. Then she stopped walking for a moment.

“Young Master.”

“What’s wrong?”

A voice calling softly. Her voice was full of shyness.

“If, if only the Young Master is okay with it….”

She paused slightly. Her neck was already red.

“When we’re alone. Like now, could you call me by that name….”

The words she squeezed out were too low. In the end, I couldn’t hear them at all. I wouldn’t have heard if I wasn’t close.

I found her different appearance cute. The supporting character, she wasn’t well portrayed in the novel. Maybe it’s an appearance that only I can see.

I said in a brighter voice than ever before.

“Okay. But how long are you going to keep looking ahead?”

Ellaime turned around then. Her face was so red that I thought of a ripe tomato. In the end, she couldn’t bear the shyness and covered her face with both hands.

“Don’t do that and put your hands down.”

I held out my hand as if to say, put them here instead.

“Ellaime. I’m hungry, you know?”

When I urged her, Ellaime reluctantly lowered her hands. And gently, she placed her hand over mine.

There were many calluses and glorious scars as a knight, but I didn’t care much.

“Then please take good care of me today, Ellaime.”

“Me too, Kyle….”

We walked side by side. And I thought.

The feeling of getting closer to a favorite character, not just through conversation.

‘It’s quite nice to do this too.’

Really, it wasn’t bad.

***

1 month. The time it takes to adapt to the atmosphere and life of a place, no matter how unfamiliar. During this period, the academy conducts special classes.

A joint practice for 1st and 2nd year students. A practice conducted with the two grades paired together.

The content of the practice differs depending on the department. The magic department and the knight department go hunting. This is because they are departments specialized in combat.

And like the entrance exam, the two departments work together. One freshman from the magic department and one sophomore from the knight department. They form teams in this way.

For reference, 3rd year students do not participate. They are the most senior in the academy, but they are now graduating. In a few months, they will go out into the world. Therefore, they are working hard to improve their skills.

Hunting Field.

The name of the place where we are practicing today.

Located outside the academy, many monsters live here. Basically, goblins, orcs, and kobolds. If you go deep inside, there are trolls and ogres.

Of course, it is a place made for practice, so the number of individuals is controlled, thoroughly managed, and weakening magic is applied to the entire field. So it’s not dangerous.

“There are a lot of people….”

About 2,400 people in total. Even if they were scattered across 10 entrances, that’s 240 people. There are too many. It’s all because Trianis is so big. Trianis Academy was bigger than most large cities.

“Kyle~!”

Then a bright and energetic voice was heard. Lana was running from afar. Reaching me, she said in a welcoming voice.

“Hello!”

“You were assigned here too?”

“Yeah! I’m lucky. I was assigned to the same place as Kyle.”

Hunting Field Zone 1 entrance. This is where I am waiting. Lana was assigned here as planned.

“But are you okay?”

“I’m fine, so don’t worry.”

Lana asked in a worried tone.

Doing that in the early hours of Saturday morning, eating lunch with Ellaime in the afternoon, and even working, it was truly hell. The next day, my face was so pale that everyone I met was worried. Even Ruina and Lindel told me to rest. I rested in the dormitory that day.

“If you’re still sick, do you want to try eating this?”

“What is it?”

“Ginseng. My grandfather said it’s good for people who don’t have energy.”

Latral Heitalde is a noble and a high-ranking magician. His family has plenty of medicinal herbs.

You might wonder what ginseng is doing in a fantasy, but ‘Academy Undercover Agent’ is a novel written by a Korean. In the first place, the east side of the continent has an oriental atmosphere.

“Tell him I said thank you.”

I picked up the ginseng and brought it to my mouth. The bitter taste spread throughout my mouth, but I endured it for the sake of my health.

“Ugh, bitter….”

“Here, here’s cola.”

“Thanks.”

I chugged the drink she handed me. Nevertheless, the bitter taste didn’t go away.

“I can’t eat it at all. Kyle eats it well.”

“It’s not a taste that our age group likes. I’m also eating it reluctantly.”

If I had to, I could also eat monster meat. But I have preferences, so I like salty, sweet, and spicy stimulating tastes. If my body was in good condition, I wouldn’t have eaten it. Absolutely not.

“Shall I bring you more next time?”

“I’ll decline.”

I politely refused. It was too hard to eat again. She knew the power of ginseng, so she didn’t force me any further.

In the meantime, someone was coming this way. Of course, it’s the protagonist Evan.

“Oh, hyung-nim! Hello.”

Sigh, that bastard is as noisy as Lana.

“Yeah, I’m doing well too….”

“Lana-sunbae, hello too. Have you been doing well?”

“Yeah! Nice to see you too, Evan-hubae!”

The two were exchanging greetings amicably. But again, there were glances that I couldn’t catch. I don’t know what they’re talking about.

“Did you come here alone?”

“No. I was assigned with Chloe. Veil went to District 6.”

It’s as planned. It’s an episode related to the protagonist, so it’s impossible for it to go wrong.

“I saw it earlier. The Princess is here too, right?”

“Saw her.”

“I saw her too.”

The 2nd year students moved first and checked a long time ago. The princess is in the center of the group over there. The princess is a popular figure in the academy, along with Lana.

The reason why it’s quiet near Lana right now is because of me. After about a month, rumors about me spread among the freshmen.

They’re still ostracizing me, but they’re spreading rumors well. Well, I’m thankful for that. It’s good if freshmen don’t approach me. Except for these guys.

“Sunbae, hello~”

Again, someone I know well is approaching. She comes up to me very nonchalantly, as if she’s forgotten what happened last time.

“Yeah.”

I replied briefly. After that, she saw Lana next to me and approached her with a welcoming expression.

“Lana-unnie, hello too?”

“Hello, Chloe too!”

The two were close because they had the commonality of being the top students in the magic department. But I couldn’t leave Lana as she was. I separated the two, saying that I heard a voice at that moment.

“They’re calling you over there. Evan and you.”

I called Evan and Lana’s names. That meant the two would be practicing together.

“Huh? I’m on a team with the runner-up?”

“Yeah.”

“Kyle. You weren’t like this before, were you?”

“That’s right. They match the skill balance for fairness.”

If the power is skewed, the balance will be tilted and one side will not be able to participate properly in the practice. To prevent that, they divide the rankings by grades and form teams accordingly.

But sometimes this happens. And the saying they say at that time is.

“What can you do? Luck is also a skill.”

It’s the representative saying of the first emperor.

It may be too irresponsible, but his actions proved that luck is also a skill. Therefore, unless it is manipulated, it is generally accepted.

“Go quickly. They’re calling you.”

“Okay. See you later.”

“Hyung-nim, I’ll see you on the field!”

The two disappeared like that. And Chloe next to me had a sly expression on her face.

“Sunbae is so mischievous.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You have to interrupt unnie’s time alone?”

“Shut up….”

“Ah, there, they called sunbae’s name.”

Chloe interrupted me and pointed to the front. As she said, my name flowed out at the end.

I ignored her and moved my steps.

I didn’t hear it, but I roughly know my partner. Next to the extra is the extra. An extra named Dien is attached. This is to allow me to move alone in this episode.

“But why are you following me….”

“Because I’m on a team with sunbae?”

“What do you mean….”

At that moment, I almost arrived and heard the professor’s voice.

“Kyle Arden, Chloe. You’ve come. Stand in slot 17 over there.”

“Yes?”

“You two are a team, so I told you to stand there.”

My mind started to go blank.

“Sunbae. Let’s have a good day today?”

She smiled and grabbed my arm and dragged me away.

Episode 26 Hunting Practice (2)

“Ah, what is this…”

“What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.”

I wore a bitter expression and stepped forward.

I minimized the sound of my footsteps and expanded my sensory perception to grasp the surrounding situation. As I did, I thought.

‘It doesn’t seem like she manipulated it…’

It’s true that her magical skills are outstanding, but she’s not the type to use her power directly for such troublesome things. Rather than doing something so petty, she would orchestrate a situation where we accidentally ran into each other as different teams.

If this wasn’t her intention, it means someone else is the cause…

‘Could it be that bastard beyond the status window…?’

The thought briefly crossed my mind, but I shook my head inwardly. Since the entrance exam, that guy hasn’t bothered me.

And if he were to bother anyone, it would be me, not the main characters. Doing such a thing would be an act of breaking the novel’s framework.

‘Nothing I can do.’

I readily accepted this deviation. I expected this kind of thing to happen from the moment I possessed this body.

The problem is that she’s by my side, but in this case, I could just let it slide. It was almost half-forced, though.

‘First, I should continue with the hunting practice.’

The purpose of the practice is for the senior to give guidance to the junior. So, I have to proceed according to that purpose.

“Chloe, how much do you know about this place?”

“Hmm, let me see… Just that monsters make their home here?”

“You’re the top student, yet you know nothing.”

“Hey, what would a freshman who just entered a month ago know~”

“…That’s not something to say as if you’re proud of it.”

Chloe isn’t interested in classes. It’s the same for any lecture. She diligently attends the lectures, but she doesn’t dedicate time to learning separately.

The reason she can do that is because she has a natural talent for magic and an exceptionally good head. Once she sees something, she memorizes it all, so there’s no need for her to put in the effort like others.

So, in her spare time, she either hangs out with friends or explores the academy.

“Ah! Then you can teach me, senior. Right?”

The only thing she can say is something like that. I was dumbfounded.

“If I teach you, will you have the confidence to concentrate?”

“That depends on you, senior, doesn’t it?”

She tried to cling to me, so I pushed her away.

“Then listen carefully from now on.”

I walked with my sword at the ready, so that I could respond to anything.

“As you can see from the entrance, there are a total of 10 zones in the hunting field.”

These zones aren’t simply divided. The environment and terrain differ by zone.

For example, Zone 6, where Veil went, is a snowy mountain where snow falls. Naturally, the monsters have adapted and changed to that environment.

“Veil must be having a hard time.”

“He is having a hard time. It’s his first time seeing snow.”

The Arden family estate is a warm place all year round, completely unrelated to winter. Because of this, he is not familiar with combat in snowy places. Of course, he’ll be momentarily flustered, but he’ll quickly adapt.

“On the other hand, we’re doing better.”

“Because it’s so warm.”

I nodded.

Zone 1 is a forest. It’s an environment without much difficulty. The temperature and humidity are moderate, and the terrain is flat, making it easy to move around.

Instead, the monsters are stronger than in other zones. If you were to quantify it, it’s about 20-30% stronger. This is because food is abundant and the environment is suitable for growth.

“But aren’t they just goblins or orcs? It seems like they’d die with a single magic spell, poof!”

“That’s true.”

No matter how strong they are, they’re just the same old monsters. Their stamina or strength is only slightly stronger. Unless they’re trolls or ogres, students can easily defeat them alone.

“Still, take it seriously. This class isn’t just a simple practice.”

The intention of this practice is to gain experience so that you can handle any situation.

A monster season exists on the continent.

Due to the appearance of unique upper-tier species, monsters occur in large quantities and gather to attack humans, a kind of war.

This happens suddenly one day, and the location is random, so it’s not the kind of thing you can prepare for or prevent in advance. It’s like a natural disaster.

For that reason, there are agreements for this, and each country provides training. So that they can fight in any environment.

Even the academy can’t avoid that. That’s why the academy makes monster-related lectures mandatory, like this class.

“If you understand, don’t mess around and treat it like a real battle…”

“Ah, senior! There’s a goblin over there.”

Swoosh!

Before I could even finish speaking, my sword had already moved. The sword cut through the goblin’s neck, and blood spurted out.

“I knew.”

I had been constantly on guard, so I was aware of the monster’s approach.

“Wow!”

“What do you mean, wow.”

I could only let out a hollow laugh at her acting surprised.

‘…Why am I on the same team as her? Lana would be better.’

They’re both loud, but if I had to choose one, I’d choose Lana. At least she’s less dangerous than this one.

“You take them down easily, unlike the rumors? A lot of people were saying you wouldn’t be able to take down even one.”

“……”

What kind of answer does she want? I ignored her and moved forward.

“Ah! Senior, wait for me!”

Her voice was loud, as if she was determined to gather monsters.

“Please, lower your voice…!”

“Then will you stop being sulky?”

“I wasn’t sulky in the first place.”

“That’s a relief!”

She absolutely didn’t lower her voice. As if responding to that, I sensed several presences from the opposite side.

“Ha… Look at that. They’re gathering because of you.”

“Hey, senior. Why worry when I’m here?”

Chloe said confidently.

Immediately after, a group of goblins emerged from behind the trees.

“Believe it or not, I’m the top student in the magic department, you know?”

Having said that, Chloe gathered her hands. Blue mana enveloped her two hands. The mana under her control changed color according to her will.

Crackle-!

In an instant, a change in attributes occurred, and the mana took on an electric charge. She then pulled one arm straight back, twisting her upper body in that direction. A single line appeared between her two hands.

She played with the mana, splitting the electric streak. One to two, two to four, four to eight. Finally, one more. A total of nine arrows.

“Okay, senior, watch carefully.”

Chloe took a stance as if shooting an arrow. A magic circle was created in her eyes as she looked at the aiming direction.

And.

“Kieeeek-!”

Pzzzzzzz…!!

Nine streaks of light emitted a loud noise and were fired towards the group.

“Kiek? Kuaeek…!”

The goblin bastards were frightened by the electric arrows flying towards them and backed away. Some realized the power and ran away, but it was already too late.

Two who failed to make a timely decision had their heads pierced, and the three hiding behind the trees had large holes in their bodies as the electric streaks directly penetrated the trees.

The remaining four.

“Kieee…!!”

“Kuaek…!!!”

While running away from the constantly chasing electric arrows, their heads were pierced and they died.

‘Penetration, guidance, power amplification. She granted them all well in that short amount of time.’

There was no mana waste at all, and she granted auxiliary magic according to the target. Her skill is truly impeccable.

“How is it? Do you think you’re going to fall for me?”

“Stop talking nonsense. Besides, you have terrible taste.”

By penetrating the body and brain, organs and brains were flowing out, harming the aesthetics of the forest. In addition, the smell of burning flesh from the electricity made me grimace.

If it were her, she could have killed them more cleanly by only penetrating their hearts.

“Hey, these things can happen when you’re hunting~”

“Yes, that can happen. And this can happen too.”

Numerous presences were felt from all directions. The electric magic had properly drawn aggro. Of course, the goblins’ screams also played a part.

“Oh… This is a bit much, isn’t it?”

“Haa…”

I could only sigh. Chloe has a flaw of being scatterbrained, so these things sometimes happen.

“I’ll make a path, so assist me from the side.”

The west was the direction with fewer monsters and more trees. I kicked off the ground in that direction, swinging my sword.

“Sigh…”

Of course, I couldn’t stop sighing deeply.

***

“Huff, huff…”

I leaned against a tree, gasping for breath. Sweat streamed down my forehead like rain.

“Are you tired?”

My blood vessels bulged at Chloe’s one word.

“Tired? Tiiiiired? Is that what you’re going to say right now?!”

“Hehe, I didn’t know so many would gather. I’m sorry, senior.”

Chloe lowered her head deeply. The reason I became like this is because she did something ridiculous.

At first, I killed the monsters and moved forward without obstruction. The gathered group was all goblins, so they died easily with a single swing of my sword.

But that was only for a moment, and even if I killed them as quietly as possible, they continued to gather from the surroundings due to the screams and wails.

The number was a whopping 140. There were disgustingly many.

After running away for about 10 minutes without being able to rest, Chloe, annoyed by the trouble, said she would wipe them out and threw a fireball with a diameter of 1m.

As a result, she killed more than half of them, but due to the tremendous noise, about twice as many monsters gathered again. Among them, there were several orcs mixed in.

I gritted my teeth and did all sorts of crazy things to somehow kill them all. And as a reward, I was exhausted and collapsed.

“Don’t do that and drink some water.”

“Now’s not the time for that… Hooo, never mind.”

I poured the canteen she handed me over my neck. The ice floating in it, created by magic, made it cool.

“Would you like more water?”

Water bloomed on Chloe’s hand as she asked.

“Sprinkle it on my head.”

As I answered that, it flowed over my head. My feverish body gradually cooled down. The fatigue seemed to fade away as she even dried it with wind.

“Haa, I feel alive now.”

“You’ve worked hard~!”

I glared at her, feeling annoyed for no reason, then blankly looked at the sky. It was a nice day with not a single cloud. This zone doesn’t particularly need environmental control, so the academy’s weather is directly conveyed.

‘I thought today would pass quietly.’

I tried to recall how many days had passed peacefully since I possessed this body.

‘It’s only half.’

Not even half of the days were truly calm and quiet. Almost every day, someone stuck to me.

Lana and Evan are basic, Ruin and Lindel also occasionally ask to join, Elime also had something happen a few days ago.

Above all, Chloe, she’s also a problem. Just looking at today, she’s bothering me.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“That makes me even more curious~”

“Please be quiet and build a wall properly.”

It’s time to rest. I instructed her to build a wall with the monster corpses.

This would prevent monsters from approaching. The smell of blood would sting my nose, but it would also create an effect of inducing fear.

“It’s all done!”

“Sit down and rest. We’ll move again in 10 minutes. Ah, don’t come near me.”

“Tsk, senior is too much.”

Chloe sat down a little further away after I warned her in advance. For some reason, she’s been trying to cling to me since earlier. Considering what happened last time, I’m uneasy about having her near me.

After a while, I felt presences around me.

“It seems the center of the commotion is here…”

“Yo, Your Highness, I see monster corpses over there!”

“Dien? What did I tell you about how to act when going out hunting?”

“Ah. I’m sorry, Your Highness. I was nervous.”

One very familiar female voice, one unfamiliar male voice.

As soon as I heard the woman’s voice, I knew who it was. I had heard it at least once a day, and it was a person with whom I had a bad relationship.

“Are you still staying here?”

A voice that controlled the spread of the sound was heard. I tried not to answer, but.

“Ah! Your Highness. We’re here! You can come over the corpses, or go around to the left a little.”

Chloe intervened, interfering. There was no time to stop her.

“Ah, you were there.”

The 4th Princess, Ariel Tianis, jumped nimbly over the corpse mound. The freshman who followed also crossed over with magic.

“Hello, Your Highness!”

“Hello, Chloe. Please lower your voice.”

“Yes!”

Chloe exchanged greetings with the princess, and.

“Ch, Chloe… Ah, hello….”

“Hmm… I don’t know your name, but hello!”

“M, my name is Dien….”

The extra named Dien, the freshman who should have been on my team originally, stammered a lot as he greeted her.

Soon, gazes poured towards me next to Chloe.

“Kyle Arden….”

“Hi, Hiiik! Could it be the one I know….”

I shook off the dirt, stood up, and took a posture of respect.

“I greet Your Highness.”

“I didn’t expect you to be here.”

Unsurprisingly, the reaction couldn’t be said to be good.

Episode 27 Hunting Practice (3)

A sense of desolation tends to linger around anyone who encounters me. And this was about to happen again without fail, but Chloe stopped it.

“Your Highness. What brings you here?”

“I came because it was noisy. There was a loud noise, and monsters were only moving in this direction, so I thought another team might be in danger.”

The Fourth Princess answered her question directly.

“But did Chloe take care of this?”

“Nope~ Senior almost took care of it all. I just helped.”

She just spouts useless nonsense. I can’t exactly shut her mouth.

“You’re….”

The princess’s gaze turns this way. It wasn’t a welcome reaction for me.

“You weren’t just watching from afar, were you?”

“Eyy~ Would I lie? I was running around trying to fix my mistake earlier, you know? Of course, I got scolded, though.”

“Huh? Scolded…? Chloe, you didn’t experience anything strange, did you? Even if Kyle Arden shows a changed appearance recently, it’s good to be careful.”

The princess asked with a worried tone.

‘She hasn’t completely abandoned her suspicion.’

After the first day of sparring class, and thanks to diligent participation, the princess’s cold, bug-like gaze has mostly disappeared.

I didn’t like being stared at every day, but it was at least better than before. Even so, it seems she hasn’t completely dropped her suspicion because of my past behavior.

“You don’t need to worry. Senior and I are pretty close. Right, Senior?”

“Let go. I keep telling you not to cling.”

I pulled her away.

“Hmm….”

Then Ariel looked at me with an interesting look.

“Anyway, I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Hehe, it’s all thanks to Senior.”

“Kyle Arden, you’ve done a good job, too. You’re leading your junior well.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I answered appropriately to the princess’s compliment.

“More than that….”

Ariel said, examining the monster carcasses.

“The way you killed them is clean. Did you do this?”

“Yes, Senior did it! They die in one hit, you know?”

She’s praising me too much from the side.

“It seems your efforts haven’t been in vain.”

The princess overlaps with many of my classes, so she often runs into me. That’s why she has been watching what kind of efforts I’ve been making. The princess’s admiring eyes were not unreasonable.

“Now that we’ve confirmed it, we’ll be on our way.”

“Eyy, Your Highness, where are you going?”

Chloe grabbed Ariel, who was about to leave.

“Your Highness, let’s go with us.”

“This practice emphasizes cooperation, so it’s possible to join up with other teams, but….”

Princess Ariel glanced at me. She’s reading my mind.

In the practice team, the leader is a second-year. So, how the team moves depends entirely on the leader’s judgment. If I don’t approve, this companionship won’t be allowed.

“Senior. It’s okay, right? It’s fine, right?”

“…You’re not going to listen to me anyway.”

“Eyy, what are you talking about. I respect Senior, you know?”

She’s spouting ridiculous lies.

“Haa… do as you please.”

I had no choice but to say that. Even if I said no, she would follow the princess no matter what.

“Your Highness, please take good care of us today?”

“Okay, Chloe.”

“Dien, too?”

“U, uh, let’s do well….”

There was no one on my side here. For some reason, I started to miss someone.

“Now that we have gathered people, shall we go deeper? What do you think?”

“Let’s do that.”

Two main characters. And me.

Unless the owner of Area 1 appears, we can handle most situations. And that extra, Dien, isn’t bad either.

“Then let’s go!”

“Chloe, you have to be quiet in the forest.”

***

As we went deeper inside, more and more diverse monsters appeared.

“Two orcs on the left.”

“Confirmed.”

I ran towards the charging orcs and drew my sword straight down.

Slash!

Their solid thighs were cut open, and blood splattered. Unable to bear the weight, their upper bodies collapsed. I attempted a stab.

Swoosh!

Cutting through the wind, two stabs rushed into their heads. Holes formed in their heads. The orcs died instantly.

“Good job.”

“Watch the front.”

At that moment, a Red Bear swung its forepaw at the princess. I kicked off the ground and instantly closed the distance.

Thwack!

I blocked the attack by stabbing the attacking paw. In the meantime, an opening was created. Princess Ariel unfolded her swordsmanship. She didn’t use flashy moves, but she split the Red Bear’s body with quick and efficient sword paths.

Finally, she cut off its neck, and its red fur was stained with blood. That’s how the Red Bear died.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Short words were exchanged. It wasn’t a situation where we had enough time to exchange various stories. Wolves as huge as orcs attacked from all sides. The same was true for the princess’s side.

“Chloe, assist.”

“Yes~”

At the same time as her reply, mana formed beneath the wolf’s feet. Then a magic circle appeared, and magic was activated on the wolf. It was an accurate location designation.

Crackle…!

Electricity sparked, and the creatures trembled. A paralysis magic that used the characteristics of electricity. The power was weak, but it was enough to bind their actions.

Crunch, the sword split its head. Brain fluid and blood flowed down the blade. But there wasn’t just one. I turned my gaze to the remaining two bound ones.

At that time.

“B, be careful…!”

A stammering warning voice was heard.

Boom-!!

Immediately after, a fireball directly hit the wolf’s head. An explosion occurred, and the monster’s fur and flesh burned. Because it couldn’t move, it made a whining sound.

I quickly killed the remaining one and split the head of the creature wailing in pain.

“Hoo….”

I exhaled and looked around. The princess’s side had also finished cleaning up.

“Good work.”

“Th, th, thank you very much…!”

I praised him. The timing of casting the magic was appropriate, and he controlled it well enough not to cause damage. Moreover, he also took care of the princess’s side with double casting.

Of course, it was a long way off compared to the top student Chloe, but with that skill, he wouldn’t be ignored anywhere.

“Senior, Senior. What about me?”

I ignored her interruption. But she wasn’t someone who would let it go.

“Ah, Senior. How was I, I’m asking?”

“…You did well.”

I had no choice but to give her the answer she wanted. If I left her alone, she would keep bothering me.

“Everyone did a good job. Dien, Chloe, you did well too. Of course, you too….”

Princess Ariel appropriately praised us and looked around. Numerous monster corpses were scattered everywhere. All of them were the result of what we had created.

“It’s definitely easier to fight with more people.”

“Because there’s someone to watch our backs.”

You might think it’s just two more people, but the difference is quite big. If we work well together, we can exert 2-3 times the power like now.

Especially if there are two mages, the battle becomes easier. Because they have powerful offensive magic and auxiliary magic to help the vanguard.

“That’s right. Two teams are this strong, but if there was just one more team, we might be able to aim for the area’s owner.”

“If they aren’t just mediocre people, that is.”

If they aren’t skilled people like me or the princess, it’s better not to have them. It’s better for these four to catch it.

Then I felt a stinging gaze from the side. The princess was the owner of that gaze. She was slightly displeased.

“Don’t you have any intention of correcting that way of speaking?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You know what I mean. I know that the scoundrel I know is better than anyone else in terms of reading the room, right?”

How could I not know? Kyle’s only advantage is that he’s quick-witted. That’s why this guy was able to live as a scoundrel for so long.

Princess Ariel continued in a calm voice.

“I know that you’ve changed recently. Compared to before… you’ve changed a lot. Running from that distant dormitory every morning and diligently attending class is something I could never have seen in the past.”

“…….”

“But that way of speaking is the problem. That attitude of looking down on others. That’s why your evaluation is still the same. You only show courtesy in front of me or the professors.”

That’s what I’m doing on purpose…. Of course, there was no way the princess would know that.

“The beginning of the path to being forgiven by others starts with treating others with sincerity. It’s not something that can be achieved simply by changing your behavior.”

The princess’s advice continued. Everything she said was correct. It’s just that I won’t do it.

“Of course, I know it’s not easy to change. It’ll be difficult because you’ve lived like that for almost your whole life. But try to make an effort, just like you’ve been doing so far. Surely… you’ll be able to do it.”

“I’ll take it to heart.”

“I hope that only good words will be heard someday.”

The conversation with the princess ended there… or so I thought.

“What’s wrong with Senior? Isn’t that kind of tone charming in its own way?”

“Chloe. It’s not good to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations.”

“Eyy, you’re talking in front of us, how can we not hear you~”

“…You’re right. This is my fault.”

The princess immediately agreed.

“But please be careful next time.”

“Yes~!”

After that, we cleaned up the surroundings for a long time.

If it was just a few, there was no need to clean it up, but the monsters we killed were not few. If we left it like this, it would be a hindrance to other teams.

When we were about halfway done.

Familiar figures were seen in the distance.

“Kyle!”

“Brother, you were here!”

It was Lana and Evan. All the main characters had gathered.

The two were riding on the back of Lana’s summon, Green’s Deer, and coming this way. Ren, the deer, was quite large, so he could carry both of them comfortably.

The two got off the deer in front of us. In the meantime, Ren bent his legs to be considerate of his master.

“It’s been an hour, Kyle!”

“Brother, aren’t you too far away?”

“Please be quiet when you come.”

This combination of the two main characters was the loudest. It’s because they’re both cheerful.

“It’s okay, Silphy is helping.”

Then a spirit that wrapped around the wind appeared above Lana’s head. That’s Silphy, the wind spirit.

“Okay… that’s good then.”

Well, the summons can’t stand seeing Lana get hurt, so they always do their best when it comes to things related to her.

“Ah, hello Princess! Hello Chloe! And… hello Dien!”

“I didn’t know everyone would be gathered like this.”

The three, except for me, greeted the two with delight. The extra, Dien, blushed when he saw Lana call his name. He was like that with Chloe too, so it seems he likes all girls.

“What brings you two here?”

“We followed Brother. We were dropped off far away, so it took us a while to get here.”

“That’s right, we were dropped off too far away.”

The princess took the lead and started the conversation.

“Why Kyle Arden…?”

“We wanted to hunt with Brother. We heard we could cooperate.”

“I just wanted to!”

Princess Ariel looked at me with a strange expression. She probably knew about our relationship to some extent, but the two’s reactions were unusual.

“It seems you were hunting until just now?”

“Yes, we finished 20 minutes ago.”

“Uh… then would it be difficult to move right away?”

“Why is that?”

“Ah, now that there are 6 of us, I was wondering if we could aim for the area owner. I heard they give out prizes if you catch it.”

“That’s right.”

The princess watched our reactions. After confirming that we weren’t tired, she nodded and said.

“It seems like we can move right away if we clean up this place and take a short break. Would you like to help?”

“Of course.”

“We can clean it up quickly.”

The two of them joining forces made cleaning up quick. Especially Lana’s earth spirit was a big help.

“Then let’s go!”

“The area owner is further inside.”

The princess and Evan took the lead.

And next to me….

“Kyle, did you hunt well?”

“Lana unnie. Senior earlier~”

Lana and Chloe clung to me.

Behind me, the extra Dien was seen.

‘Why are you looking at me with those eyes….’

He stared at me with envious eyes.

“Haa….”

Episode 28 Hunting Practice (4)

The 4th Imperial Princess, Ariel Tianis, kept focusing on what was behind her.

“Kyle, aren’t you hungry? I packed sandwiches, would you like some?”

“Ah! Me too, Sister!”

The reason was the sound coming from behind them. Judging by the atmosphere, it was as if they had come for a walk. At least around those three.

“Today it’s chicken sandwiches. How is it, is it good?”

“It’s delicious.”

“It’s delicious, Sister!”

“Hehe.”

The scene of sharing the packed lunch amicably. It’s so natural. Watching them, she momentarily wondered if they were on hunting practice or on a trip.

“Evan and Princess, would you like some too?”

Then she asked her and her junior. Ariel smiled and reached out her hand.

“Thank you.”

“I will enjoy it!”

Ariel didn’t refuse. She had been moving non-stop and was a little hungry as it was close to lunchtime. They had given her emergency rations, but sandwiches were better for supplying calories.

She shared the sandwich with Dien, who was chasing from behind, and returned to her place. Then, she started talking to Kyle Arden again. Right next to him.

“Aren’t you thirsty? I have cola, orange juice, and milk.”

“Why are you carrying so much?”

“I brought everything because Kyle likes it all.”

“Give me milk~!”

“…Just give me cola.”

“Here!”

Princess Ariel kept watching the scene with a strange expression. Seeing that reminded her of a certain relationship.

‘A mother bird and baby birds?’

Yes, that’s the perfect expression.

Lana gives him food, and he eats it. It was just right.

‘A little surprising…’

Princess Ariel had already heard that the two of them often hung out together. Recently, she had even heard eyewitness accounts that they had gone out together.

But this was the first time she had seen them so close together. Especially the scene of them walking so intimately side by side was a bit of a shock to the princess. Lana Heitald, whom the princess knew, was never the type to stick close to others.

The ability to judge the character of others by their scent. It was her ability that even the imperial family, including herself, didn’t know about, except for a few.

That’s why she knows that Lana has grown up in pain. She also knows that she’s having a little trouble at the academy.

She was popular, and many people flocked to her. It couldn’t have been easy to live in the academy, as all sorts of people gathered around her, exuding countless smells.

Even she herself had a hard life until she controlled her ability. How much more would Lana, who had grown up struggling since birth?

So there are several anecdotes related to Lana.

She disappears somewhere every time the lecture ends. She never talks to students she doesn’t like, or doesn’t even go near them. Or she has a duel with a student who keeps sticking to her and gets them expelled.

Other students don’t know the details, but the princess fully understood why Lana did that.

What she could learn from that was that Lana hated villains. And that meant that the character of the academy’s villain, Kyle Arden, had changed.

Otherwise, Lana’s actions didn’t make sense.

‘And…’

A pink aura swirling around Lana. Ariel knew the feelings that meant. In the academy, those kinds of feelings were so common that you could see them everywhere you looked.

“They look good together, don’t they?”

Then she heard a voice that broke Ariel’s reverie.

“Ah, Evan…”

It was her junior, Evan Felix. The princess cast a mana barrier, reminded of what happened earlier.

“Oh, what kind of technique is this?”

“I’ll tell you later. But what do you mean they look good together?”

“Just as I said. Senior Lana and Senior Kyle. Aren’t they a good match?”

“…….”

Honestly, it wasn’t that they didn’t look good together.

They were both handsome and beautiful, and the scene of Lana constantly talking to him and him casually accepting it was reminiscent of a couple.

Of course, they just looked good together, but she didn’t want to allow it. Lana was too precious.

“Senior Kyle doesn’t seem to have much tact. Anyone can tell that Senior Lana likes him. So I gave him some advice, and I hope it works out.”

“I can’t agree with that opinion. Kyle Arden has always been quick-witted. That’s his strength.”

“Huh? Really?”

Evan had a question mark above his head.

“Then is he acting…?”

“That’s also a strength, but at least he’s not acting. He doesn’t hate it even if he finds it annoying.”

“What about Chloe?”

Ariel looked at Chloe, who was sitting on the opposite side.

“Senior, Senior.”

“What.”

“Please pay attention to me too~!”

No, that’s obvious from her tone.

“Unlike Lana, Chloe hates it.”

“Haa… I feel sorry for Chloe. She’s showing so much interest.”

“I know. It’s not easy to do that…”

What charm does that man have that makes them hang around him so much? Ariel was just curious about the reason.

“By the way, Evan. Since when have you been calling that man Senior?”

“It hasn’t been long. About… 2 weeks?”

“May I ask why you call him that?”

“Senior Kyle doesn’t like being called Senior.”

He doesn’t like being called Senior by a man. That’s how Evan explained it.

Ariel was a little taken aback by his attitude of deciding on a title as he pleased.

“Why Senior? There’s nothing to respect about that man.”

There was no need to praise him, and there was also the friendly word ‘hyung’ (older brother). And it would be difficult to keep calling him that unless you respected him.

“Ah, Princess, you fought with Senior Kyle, right?”

“Rather than fighting, I made him pay for his sins.”

“I see, I heard that Senior Kyle is mean.”

Evan was lost in thought for a moment. Ariel felt that even that was amazing, like the others. Evan must have felt something that others didn’t see.

After finishing his thoughts, Evan came closer to Ariel.

“This is a fact that only I know, so I’m telling you because you’re the princess. But you have to keep it a secret, okay?”

“I’m tight-lipped, so you can trust me and tell me.”

Evan narrowed the distance to her ear. And he whispered as quietly as possible.

“Do you know the story that Veil and I are still hiding?”

“The person you fought with?”

“Yes.”

The identity of the person the top student Veil and the runner-up Evan fought with has not yet been revealed. The quickest way to find out was to ask them, but they never opened their mouths.

Why are you talking about that now?

Before she could voice her question, Evan answered.

“Actually… the opponent is Senior Kyle.”

“What?!”

Princess Ariel was startled.

“Ehey, lower your voice. What if other people hear you?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. Are you saying that person is Kyle Arden?”

“That’s right.”

Her mouth dropped open at Evan’s confirmation.

“No way….”

“It’s true. You know how surprised I was later when I heard that Senior Kyle was a slow learner?”

It was really like nonsense. But he didn’t seem to be lying. She tried using mind reading, but it only increased the accuracy of his words.

‘But…’

If this was true, it meant that he had been hiding his skills until now. But that was impossible given his personality. He was a person who liked to show off.

She still remembers. Last summer, the incident where he got a magic sword and swung it around wildly. At that time, he caused trouble in the training ground and it was broken by a senior.

Later, he brought another magic sword and showed it off. At the time, she realized that he liked to brag to others. He wanted to feel the superiority that he was different from others.

He was that kind of person.

“Evan. Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, I swear to the six gods that it’s absolutely true.”

If he brought up the gods, it meant that it was practically a perfect truth.

“Haa….”

Princess Ariel sighed deeply.

She didn’t know how to accept this fact at all. The evaluations had been mixed up, and the very foundation was being distorted.

With a heavy heart, she looked towards the cause of this. He was gesturing towards this side.

When she withdrew her mana, she heard a voice.

“We have arrived near the domain.”

She heard Kyle Arden’s voice.

“Yes, we have.”

Ariel Tianis replied.

***

In the hunting field, there is a boss monster in each area. They are usually called the owner or boss of the area.

They are larger and much stronger than other monsters. The weakening magic effect is also minimized to exert 80% of its original power.

Therefore, it is difficult for students to catch them alone. At least five intermediate-level teams were needed to challenge them.

But we can do it. There are only three teams, but their skills are top-notch. Only the strongest of the year are gathered. Except for one person, of course.

And if you catch these guys during practice, you get rewards.

‘I don’t know what they’ll give, but they’ll give something good.’

In the story, Evan fails to catch the boss. No, it’s not a failure, but rather the end of the practice due to me. It was difficult to proceed with the practice in a situation where a student was attacked.

Evan catches the boss during next year’s practice. The rewards change every year, so I don’t know the rewards for this year, but Evan gets a sword next year.

“According to the information given by the professors, the boss of area 1 is a golem.”

Professors release information in advance because there are students who rush to the boss every year. Although there are safety devices, students could be seriously injured while fighting unknown monsters.

Our area boss is a golem. It is a huge golem the size of four combined orcs.

“The core of the golem is in each arm and leg, head, and heart. And to completely neutralize the golem, you must break the cores in the order of legs, arms, head, and heart.”

That was the boss’s strategy.

I wondered if they were giving too much information, but even if they did, many students were taken to the infirmary.

“However, they didn’t tell us about the attack patterns or methods. We have no choice but to figure it out during the battle. We can probably expect it to attack with its huge body or limbs.”

The golem we will be fighting is an individual focused on force rather than magic. The princess’s guess was accurate.

“Evan and I will take the front. Evan, are you okay?”

“Of course!”

Evan shouted with a confident voice.

“Chloe and Dien, please shoot magic from the rear from time to time. With powerful ones.”

“Yes, yes! Princess…!”

“Okay~”

She said that to the two of them and then looked at Lana.

“Lana, please block the boss’s attacks and prevent it from escaping in the middle. I know you’re the strongest here in terms of firepower, but we need to give the juniors a chance.”

“Yeah, it’s okay.”

Last is me. The princess said to me.

“I would like you to assist me and Evan.”

“Understood.”

I accepted it willingly. Even though it was a newly formed team, the princess assigned roles that suited each person. And I was happy to be the assistant.

The battle formation was roughly decided, and now all that remained was to fight the golem.

“Everyone, let’s do our best.”

With Princess Ariel’s encouragement, we moved forward.

Thump thump!

Immediately after, we encountered the boss golem of area 1.

Episode 29 Hunting Practice (5)

It was 4m long. Befitting its length, its build was enormously large. The ground shook every time it moved its feet.

“Get ready.”

Princess Ariel lowered her voice and commanded. The creature had good hearing.

She arranged us into formation, preparing for the collision with the golem. And immediately after, its head turned toward us.

Thump, thump, thump!

As soon as the golem discovered us, it rushed at us, its red eyes gleaming. It looked clumsy due to its size, but that was not the case at all. It was faster than anyone here.

The golem kicked off the ground and flew towards us. The combination of tremendous speed and immense weight offered tremendous destructive power in itself. Everyone here knew that fact well.

“Evan! Don’t block it, dodge it!”

“Yes!”

Even a well-trained knight couldn’t block that head-on. The two stepped back from its path.

Behind them, Lana stood. She didn’t avoid it and moved her arm. The earth spirit, Nok, responded to its master’s will.

Rumble!

Earth rose instantly. A wall large enough to block the golem was erected. Nok didn’t stop there and increased the wall’s strength with Lana’s mana.

Crash!

The wall and the golem collided. A roar loud enough to shake the atmosphere occurred. The surrounding grass and trees were greatly swayed by the shockwave.

“Attack!”

Lana shouted. The princess and Evan charged towards the golem’s legs.

“Evan, attack the center of the left leg!”

“Yes!”

Two blades imbued with sword energy advanced towards the golem’s legs. But the golem’s disgustingly hard body didn’t allow such attacks to work. At best, a gap of only 5cm deep was created.

Evan, seeing the golem still not moving, tried to swing once more.

“Evan, don’t be impatient. There will be plenty of opportunities.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

He stopped at Princess Ariel’s advice. I spoke to the two who were about to step back.

“Keep attacking. I’ll create an opening.”

I jumped over the golem’s head. The creature showed signs of waking up and moving.

I imbued my sword energy with poison and stabbed its head. Even if it was made of hard metal, it couldn’t withstand the poison with corrosive properties.

Buzz—

Smoke rose, melting the core of its head. The golem paused momentarily.

But the stopped time was only 1 second. The golem immediately restarted and raised its body. Unless the cores are destroyed in order, the cores in other parts regenerate.

Still, that fleeting moment was enough. Its massive body tilted to the left.

“Attack the remaining one too.”

“That would be good.”

Another opening. Enough time to destroy the remaining leg.

“Magic coming~!”

“B, be careful!”

At that moment, the shouts of the two mages were heard.

A magic circle appeared under its right leg, and flames erupted. Unable to withstand the powerful firepower, the metal melted.

The core revealed itself. Sharply honed rock thorns pierced through that gap.

Crack!

The core cracked. Dien’s magic wasn’t powerful enough to turn it into powder.

Still, it was a great help. The three stabbed simultaneously, and the core shattered with a crackling sound.

The golem’s lower body completely collapsed. Without the core, that leg wouldn’t regenerate.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t a creature that could be ignored. Because the legless golem enters phase 2.

The golem’s eyes turned even redder. The metal that made up its body was also dyed red.

Steam leaked from its head. You could tell at a glance that it was angry.

Immediately after.

Thwoom-!

The golem leaped into the air. A jump using only its arms. It disappeared high into the night sky.

A moment later, the golem fell like a shooting star in the night sky. As it came down, it gained momentum and was on fire.

“Dodge it!”

“If you get hit by that, you’ll die instantly!”

An attack that maximizes its strengths. It would show destructive power on a different level than the previous charge.

Of course, even if we were hit by that, we would be bounced out of the area thanks to the protection magic, but that wasn’t what we wanted.

“Chloe, Dien. You two stay far away.”

The golem’s attack target was the four of us. It wouldn’t reach the two of them, but we needed to be careful.

“Okay, Senior~”

“Y-yes!”

After seeing the two hide behind the trees, I looked at the princess.

“You can avoid it, right?”

“Evan and I are fine….”

“Then that’s enough.”

The two with quick mobility would be able to avoid it without difficulty. I was the same, but I was worried about Lana.

Thanks to her summons, she also had decent mobility, but there was a possibility that she would become the target and be relentlessly chased.

Besides, our goal was to kill the golem. If we only ran away, we wouldn’t be able to stop it and would only be defeated.

“Lana. Stay still.”

“Okay, Kyle.”

I stood in front of her and took a stance. I looked at the sky. The golem was falling towards us. It seemed to have set us as its target.

I moved mana throughout my body and gathered it in my arms and sword. I focused all my nerves on the falling light.

My senses heightened. The timing of the golem’s fall, the force that would be transmitted upon impact, was calculated in my head.

Soon, a massive metal lump drew a streak of light and fell.

And at that moment. I moved the sword.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 3 Variation – Tide Skimming

A thin film was created on the blade. A massive impact covered me above that.

Clang!!

A force trying to crush me was transmitted. I controlled my mana and dispersed it into the sword membrane.

The true value of this technique was not just deflecting. The scattered force swirled around the sword and body. I accepted the force up to the limit I could withstand.

The golem put its full weight on me and pressed down even more.

‘Now!’

The timing to add force. I briefly raised the sword against the opponent.

The force that had been coiling was released. The target was the golem. All the force turned its direction towards the creature and returned intact.

A swordsmanship that controls and manages even natural disasters. A mere monster could be easily countered.

A shockwave erupted. The golem, having taken it with its whole body, floated into the air. It was lower than when it jumped, but that was enough.

Lana moved first without me saying anything. Nok and Silphie resided in her hands. The two spirits moved nature according to their master’s will.

The atmosphere above the golem was compressed and pressed down. The strengthened earth rose and pushed it up.

Wind and earth compressed the golem. It struggled in the air, unable to move.

The two knights exchanged glances. They knew what to do now without being told.

Princess Ariel and Evan leaped to the position where the golem was floating and attacked the core. I also cut down the core on the opposite side.

As the central core disappeared, its form collapsed. All that remained was a large torso and head. It was time to enter phase 3.

Whack!

Chloe skipped it forcefully by firing a 1m fireball that she had shown before.

“Senior~ Did I do well?”

Ignoring Chloe’s words, I looked at the golem with only its torso remaining. It was almost over, but a very great danger remained.

The red golem’s body turned black. An enormous mana reaction was felt from within.

“Wait! With that level of reaction…!”

Princess Ariel, who had the most sensitive senses, recognized the danger of that.

Golem’s phase 4 is an explosion. It takes all the surrounding life with it as companions. And the problem with this phase is that although the range is wide, it chases nearby humans.

The only solution is to destroy the core of the heart. But as befitting the final gate, the torso was the hardest of all the golem’s parts.

Evan in his second year barely managed to break it. It’s hard for the current Evan to even attempt it.

Lana and Princess Ariel are also a bit much. If there was anyone, it would be Chloe, but… she would never step forward.

“Lana, release the restraint and drop it to the ground.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s okay.”

The rocks below disappeared, and the wind exploded from above, causing the torso to fall below. I immediately moved the sword.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 1 Variation – Mountain Piercing

A high-speed stab burst forth, and a streak of light arose. The blade of wind residing in the sword cut through everything, and the solid energy of earth planted inside the sword supported it from behind.

And, silence flowed. Not even the sound of a small breeze could be heard, and only the hair that had briefly risen sank down.

When I retrieved the sword, a fist-sized hole had been created near the golem’s heart.

The core itself had vanished. The golem’s color returned to its original state, and the creature, lacking a center for movement, collapsed onto me.

“Be careful, Kyle!”

The wind pulled me. It was Lana’s wind spirit. The spirit showed a displeased expression but acted according to its master’s will.

I was instantly moved near Lana. A lump of metal fell in the location where I had been standing until just now.

“Thanks.”

“Hehe, Kyle protected me too.”

Lana smiled brightly, as if she was very happy.

At that time, an announcement that the boss had been caught in area 1 spread from the sky.

[Ah, a team has caught the area boss in area 1!]

That meant the boss was dead. And it meant that I had finished it off.

“Hyuuuungniiim!”

Evan ran over very excitedly.

I ignored him and sat down as I was. My whole body creaked because of the earlier impact and strain. Then, a soft wind was laid underneath me and enveloped me.

“Good job, Kyle.”

“Good job to you too.”

Then Chloe called me and approached.

“Senior~ You used quite a bit of strength?”

“Yeah.”

“The reaction is too disappointing?”

“Leave me alone, please….”

Next, the extra Dien came and mumbled something, so I roughly answered.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

With the princess as the last, the magic of the bracelet was activated.

The hunting practice ended like that.

***

“Euhahaha! To think that only 3 teams would kill the area boss!”

Professor Mylon laughed loudly. The professor of the Magic Department next to him added.

“To think they would show such cooperation even though they were a newly formed team…. It was amazing.”

No one was hurt, and no one dropped out in the middle. With only three teams. There were more than enough elements to praise just for that.

“Above all… Lana and Kyle Arden’s students were a model of teamwork between knights and mages.”

“To think that rascal’s skills have increased this much. See, you can do it if you try!”

As the person giving the best evaluation among the professors, his words were also full of goodwill. It was completely different from the beginning.

“Ah, this is not the time. They must be tired, so I can’t keep them here.”

The professor quickly ran to bring the reward hunting items.

A box given to each person. But there was no time to check it.

“Check the items later, and the six of you go back now. You can rest today!”

The practice was still in progress. We were the only ones who got out. It was a consideration for us who had worked hard.

“Hyungnim! I’m hungry, so let’s go to the student cafeteria!”

Everyone else seemed to be the same, and they agreed with Evan’s words. A sandwich eaten a while ago wasn’t enough after all.

‘Well, it’s because it’s the time when they’re growing.’

That’s why my stomach was rumbling with hunger too.

“Sure.”

Saying that, we moved to the student cafeteria.

***

Princess Ariel twirled the pasta with her fork and brought it to her mouth. The sour tomato sauce spread throughout her mouth.

‘It’s delicious….’

It was a taste that made her smile automatically.

Ariel thought that this tomato pasta was the most delicious of all the food she had eaten in the imperial palace. It was a simple taste that was not thought of as a princess.

After putting food into her empty stomach and filling it up, she saw the two, no, three, on the left.

Kyle Arden, the two sitting in order of Lana. Evan sitting across from them.

The two were talking to him as if they were anxious.

“Hyungnim. The professor said that you have to eat meat after a battle. Try this.”

“Kyle. Should I give you a bite too?”

“This is enough for me, so you guys eat a lot.”

Looking at him, so many thoughts come to mind. Thoughts about him kept popping up to the point where her head became complicated.

What he is hiding.

Whether his words and actions are true.

And….

‘Just what is that skill….’

What bothered Ariel the most was the swordsmanship he had shown today.

She knew that he had been working hard since the trial. She also saw him improving every week. But, it was never that level of swordsmanship.

Didn’t she see it during the hunt just now? Kyle Arden’s swordsmanship was only second-rate.

Also, the idea of ​​knocking out and attacking the golem is the same. It is a judgment that ordinary students cannot make. How could he attack knowing what the black golem was hiding?

It was not a judgment that even a veteran knight could easily make. His actions were that shocking.

‘Has his soul really changed?’

It is a change that cannot be explained otherwise. His talent was at the bottom even in the academy.

But Ariel shook her head. That was a ridiculous assumption.

Besides, she knew better than anyone what the form of settling another soul in the body was like. Thanks to someone in the imperial family. Kyle Arden was in a completely different state from that case.

‘Haa….’

Ariel sighed inwardly and moved her fork around. The movement seemed to show her disturbed mind.

Until then, she hadn’t thought much about him, but after hearing Evan’s words, her mind was troubled.

“Haa….”

A sigh from within came out unconsciously. Ariel brought the pasta to her mouth with a frustrated heart.

Meanwhile, Chloe.

‘…….’

She put food in her mouth and watched Kyle and Lana.

‘You’re paying too much attention to that side….’

If there was any dissatisfaction, it was dissatisfaction. He answers roughly to her, but answers with a bit of sincerity to her sister.

She knew that the two were close. She had heard rumors that they had been together since before she entered the school.

So she who approached later is rather a nuisance. That’s why she was more annoyed.

‘Does my sister know? The potential that Senior has.’

That smiling sister probably doesn’t know. The qualities that Senior has.

‘What should I do~’

Chloe fiddled with the straw in the cup.

Surely, if she gets rid of her sister, a gap will be created in Kyle Senior. A very big gap at that. As a result of examining Senior’s relationships, there was no one as close as her sister.

There was Ellaime as Senior’s surveillance, but she excluded that side. She checked it briefly before, and the relationship didn’t seem to be very good.

‘There’s almost no time to be apart.’

Her sister and Senior were always together except during class time. There was rarely any time to be alone.

Her class time didn’t match hers, so even though they were in the same department, there was no time to visit. At least, she had to act like a student who listened to the lectures well.

And then she heard her sister’s words.

“Kyle, you don’t have to look for me tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”

“Is something up?”

“Yeah, my grandfather wants me to help him with some work. So I’m busy.”

“Okay.”

Chloe smiled inwardly at the conversation.

‘The timing is… good?’

No one in this place noticed her sinister intentions.

Episode 30 Missing (1)

Two days after the practice.

“It’s already exam time….”

With exams three weeks away, I need to start preparing. I need a good grade to justify getting rid of Elaim.

Is it because Elaim makes me uncomfortable? Not at all.

My relationship with Elaim has grown closer day by day. She comes to see me every morning, and her expressions of emotion have become richer than before.

Yes. To be honest, I like Elaim like that. There’s no way I can’t like her. How can I not like my ideal type acting so cute by my side? Unlike when she was silent and quiet, I’m even enjoying my mornings.

“Breakfast is….”

“Let’s go eat at the student cafeteria, Nuna.”

“Okay…. If Kyle wants that….”

He still doesn’t seem to be used to it, and his face flushes whenever he hears the word Nuna. It’s a sight I never get tired of seeing.

But that’s separate from sending her back to her family. Originally, Elaim was supposed to return after the first semester.

Even if Elaim is a supporting character, the setting must be maintained. That’s how I can prepare for the [Advent of the Black Dragon] episode that will occur in the Arden family’s territory about two and a half years from now. Elaim plays an important role in that episode.

‘I can endure it for about a year and six months.’

She’ll return to her territory after graduation anyway. We’ll have to be apart until then, but if it’s Elaim, she’ll be able to endure it. She wasn’t a weak person.

‘Anyway, I need to start preparing for the exam….’

Practical skills aren’t a big problem. I’ve been doing this for a while, so I’ll get at least a B, even if I don’t do well.

‘No, wait.’

If I’m a little optimistic, I might even aim for an A. Professor Mylon, for one, already thinks highly of me. But I’m worried about the written exam.

I’m not dozing off in class, and I’m memorizing all the content. I submit my assignments on time, and I study when I return to the dormitory.

But that’s not enough for the written exam. I need books from the library. I needed the books containing the knowledge of the continent, located in the area of the general studies department.

The exams are basically based on the lecture content, but Tianis is different. In order to check how much you’ve studied beyond that, they ask questions related to the lecture content from the library books.

However, I can’t use the library because of my access rights. Therefore, I can’t solve the exam questions either.

‘Should I ask Lana….’

She would definitely grant my request. It wouldn’t be a favor per se, but if I asked her to study together, she’d readily accept and run to the library.

‘I should ask her when she comes.’

Lana went to help her grandfather until today. As far as I know, it’s to clean near the World Tree in the Land of Contracts.

There are less than 10 people in Tianis who can access the World Tree. Lana, who is loved by God, was one of them.

‘Why did it have to settle here….’

In fact, I didn’t like the fact that the World Tree, one of the gods of this world, was nearby.

But there’s nothing I can do. Putting a clone here was a contract with the first emperor. I can’t just kick it out because I don’t like it. Besides, in the story, it was an important existence.

“Haa….”

“What’s wrong, Young Master?”

Elaim, who was about to put meat in her mouth, reacted to my sigh. I just brushed it off, saying it was a personal concern.

“No, I’m just worried about the exam.”

“You’ll do well. Haven’t you been working hard?”

“Thanks, Elaim.”

“…It’s nothing.”

She put the meat in her mouth for no reason. Her ears were already showing her embarrassment.

I finished my meal, talking with Elaim about this and that. After that, I finished my class schedule and arrived at Ruina Lindel’s workshop.

Elaim was still waiting outside the workshop, and only I went inside.

“Did you just finish working?”

“Yeah.”

The senior was sitting on a chair, placing a plate on her lap and munching on a cake. She always eats cake first when she’s stressed or when she finishes alchemy work.

“Is there anything to clean up?”

“That.”

She points to a box with her finger. It was the leftovers from making products with alchemy. Metal scraps, useless plant parts, things like that.

I picked up the box, went to the disposal site outside the workshop, roughly dumped the trash, and returned.

“Anything else to do?”

“No, not yet. Oh, right.”

She seemed to have remembered something.

“That box over there. Open it.”

She points to a small box on the finished product display. Inside was a bottle filled with blue liquid.

“Did I request this?”

“Yeah. I made it in my spare time.”

“Thank you.”

I commissioned it with the 10-year-old mana herb I received as a practice reward. The result is this potion. Maybe because I’m a part-timer, she did it for free.

If you look closely, there’s quite a bit of mana in the potion. If I had entrusted it to a mediocre alchemist, I would never have gotten a potion of this quality. It was the alchemy of Ruina Lindel that made this level of perfection possible.

I picked up the shimmering bottle.

“Can I drink it now?”

“Drink it.”

I nodded, turned around, and drank the liquid. A refreshing and exhilarating energy spread down my throat. I used mana breathing to guide the mana to my dantian.

Actually, there’s no need to increase my mana right now. My dantian has enough mana, and even if I absorb processed mana herbs, it wouldn’t even tickle my liver. But since she gave it to me, I should eat it properly.

“Hoo….”

The settling is complete. As expected, my mana didn’t increase much. About 1/20th?

“Are you done?”

“Yes.”

Thankfully, she watched quietly so as not to disturb me.

“The effect?”

“It’s the best, needless to say.”

“Yeah. Because I made it.”

The reason she can say that is because she’s so skilled. Even if her academy grades are low, there’s no comparison when it comes to alchemy. Of course, the reason her grades are low is because she often skips classes.

“Are you getting interested in alchemy?”

“I’ve always been interested.”

Many people treat alchemy as a lower form of magic, but that’s a big misconception. Alchemy is on par with magic, if not superior.

It seems that the stereotype that alchemy is a crafting technique is deeply ingrained in people’s minds. And most of what can be done with alchemy can be achieved with magic.

But if I had a talent for alchemy, I would have definitely learned it. The potential of alchemy is beyond imagination.

“Don’t you want to try making this?”

“Pardon?”

Ruina Lindel pointed to the empty potion bottle.

“I’ll give you the ingredients and help you from the side. How about it?”

“Senior….”

I was really touched by the sight of her stepping up and supporting her young junior… no, wait.

“No matter how much you try to tempt me, it won’t work.”

“…Tch.”

Ruina Lindel turned her gaze away and clicked her tongue.

She had only been making recommendations until recently, but now she’s changed her approach. She realized that the previous method wasn’t working.

She’s trying to gradually familiarize me with alchemy and then have me transfer when my mind changes, but it won’t work.

“Senior. I’ve said this many times, but I have no talent for alchemy.”

“What’s important for an alchemist is a sense for handling alchemy. I can tell you the combination timing and ratio.”

She explained in a gentle, low voice.

“I’ll fill in the shortcomings for you.”

“…Haa.”

I sigh. She seems to want me to learn alchemy no matter what.

“Senior. Do you really want to teach me alchemy that much?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded slightly.

“Why on earth?”

Even if I rejected her for more than a month, she never gave up. There must be a special reason. I’ve never seen her obsess like this even in the novel.

Ruina Lindel kept her mouth shut for a moment before opening it.

“…I need an assistant.”

That’s all she said. It’s not a satisfying answer, so I looked straight at her and asked again.

“Is that really all?”

“…No.”

As expected, she’s hiding her true feelings.

“Tell me honestly. Then I’ll consider it as positively as possible.”

At those words, she finally spoke her true feelings.

“There’s no one… who understands except you.”

“Alchemy?”

“Yeah….”

Now I understand everything. Why she couldn’t let me go.

Tianis is a gathering place for all kinds of people from the continent. Thanks to that, there are at least 5 geniuses per grade. But even so, there’s no one who understands her.

Even the professor who teaches the students gave up on her, so that says it all. No matter how uniquely minded a genius is, they’re lonely if they have no one to share their skills and have conversations with.

But then a student appeared who met the minimum requirements? From then on, she had no choice but to cling to them. It was almost the only person who understood her.

“Hoo… Senior.”

“Yeah….”

“Let’s make three promises.”

I was originally just going to be a conversational partner, but well, I can do a little more than that. She was a villain who would disappear someday.

“First, stop recommending transfer or alchemy after today.”

“Okay.”

“Second, I’ll do my best if you teach me, but don’t force me to do anything related to alchemy. I’m in the Knight Department, not the Production Department.”

“I understand.”

“Third, let’s have alchemy classes three times a week. Just that much.”

“That’s too little….”

She grumbled quietly.

“I came here to help you with your work, Senior. I didn’t come here to take classes.”

“What if I force you?”

“I’ll stop taking commissions and look for another job after that day.”

“…Okay. I’ll concede.”

“Senior, I’m the one making concessions.”

“…Don’t nitpick.”

Ruina Lindel said that, and I couldn’t help but laugh, but I decided to understand.

“When are you going to start learning?”

“Is all the work for today finished?”

“Yeah. There’s none left.”

“Then let’s do it right now.”

If there’s no work, she’ll obviously have to leave right away. It’s better to reduce the number of classes now.

“I’ll teach you from the basics. Bring the bottles and herbs.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As expected, it was my job to bring the ingredients.

Anyway, that’s how Ruina Lindel’s alchemy lecture began.

***

“Agh, this is tough.”

On the way back after finishing my part-time job, I pressed my temples and calmed my headache. Trying to study alchemy, which I have no connection to, is killing me. And actually using it is even more killing me.

“Did something happen?”

“Huh? Oh, the senior said she’d teach me alchemy.”

“Alchemy, following magic….”

Elaim muttered to herself.

I can trust her, so it’s okay to tell her that I’m learning alchemy. Elaim has a heavy mouth like Veil, so she’ll never tell her father.

“That must be difficult. That Ruina Lindel… seems stubborn.”

“Stubborn? Yeah, she’s extremely stubborn.”

You can see her personality just by looking at the workshop’s precautions. Alchemy is her reason for living. That’s why she’s so stubborn when it comes to alchemy.

“But it’s okay. I’ve set some conditions, so she won’t cross the line.”

“I’m glad if Young Master is okay with it.”

As I listened to Elaim’s words and continued forward, I could see the sunset in front of me. It was already evening when I finished my part-time job.

“Should we grab dinner?”

“Haven’t you been using yourself too much today?”

“I have enough money to buy you food.”

My pockets are still full. Unless it’s a gold-coin menu, I can buy her food any number of times.

“If Young Master says so, I’ll gratefully… Young Master, someone’s approaching.”

Elaim stopped talking in the middle and looked to the left.

“Huh?”

I turned the face I had been facing and looked in the same direction.

Two female students. They’re kids I’ve seen somewhere before.

‘When was it….’

As I pondered and recalled, they were the students who took Lana with them during the entrance exam.

I composed my expression and looked at the two.

“What is it?”

“We, we have something to ask….”

Even after so much time has passed, they still have terrified voices.

“Speak quickly.”

When I spoke a little strongly, one trembled, and the other overcame her fear and stepped forward to ask. Of course, her voice didn’t change.

“Wh, what did you do to Lana….”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Do, don’t lie. We know everything…! You hid Lana! Give Lana back, you villain!”

I couldn’t help but put a question mark on my head at that cry.

Episode 31 Missing (2)

I couldn’t understand the intent of those words.

Lana went to help her grandfather until today, and she must have told not only me but also her friends.

So, of course, those two would know too…

I told them the information I knew for now.

“I know Lana is away at the professor’s request. I couldn’t meet her yesterday for that reason either.”

“That’s a lie.”

Lana’s friend glared at me with a resentful expression. Then, Ellaheim interjected.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding. Lana’s dear friends. Young master has not met her since the practical training.”

“Wh, who…”

“I am Ellaheim, dispatched from the Arden family to monitor the young master. Could you perhaps tell me the details?”

Ellaheim said, soothing the other party with a soft voice. It seemed like their guard was lowered because of the word ‘monitor’. At least, she was more suitable for a conversation partner than I was, so I quietly watched.

“La, Lana has disappeared…”

“But she said she had work for two days. Not only me but also the princess and others heard it.”

“I heard that…”

“Then, could you tell me why you say that?”

Lana’s friend hesitated for a moment, glancing at Ellaheim, and then opened her mouth.

“She hasn’t come to class once…”

“When you are busy, that can happen sometimes. I think she got permission since the professor is her grandfather.”

“No. Lana never missed class last year either. She only went there in her spare time.”

I interrupted to end this meaningless conversation.

“It seems faster to see the professor than to come to me.”

“I went and asked the professor. But Professor Latral also said he hadn’t seen Lana.”

But hearing her words, I felt a sense of unease and anxiety.

“The two of us looked for her separately too. But she’s not there. Neither Lana nor Lana’s summoned beast…”

At that moment, my eyes widened.

“Since when has Lana’s summoned beast been missing?”

“No child has been seen since yesterday…”

I gritted my teeth.

Lana has contracts with over a hundred summoned beasts. Most of them are ordinary animals. For example, dogs, cats, and birds.

Since she can’t keep summoned beasts around her usually, Lana tends to release them into the academy, except for a few. That’s why you can see several animals marked with Lana’s symbol around the academy.

But the fact that all the summoned beasts have disappeared… there is only one reason. It’s when the owner is in a life-threatening situation.

And the closest of the two life-threatening situations that Lana faces was only one.

“Go. I’ll look for Lana.”

“I won’t go. Until you hand over Lana…”

At those words, I exuded murderous intent to drive them away. Mana filled with murderous intent pressured them.

“Lana is my friend… I will never, ever let you, a demon, take her away…!”

But they were terrified, but they didn’t back down. It’s a reaction that doesn’t come out unless you really cherish Lana.

I was burning inside at that frustrating sight. I couldn’t waste any more time on them.

-Slip

I had no choice but to put them to sleep with magic and lay them on a bench.

“Young master…”

“I’m sorry, sister. Just, just be quiet for a moment.”

I cut off Ellaheim’s words like that.

And I spread out my senses to the maximum. I drew up mana and used sensing and detection magic. I mixed and combined it with my senses.

My senses expand. The range is only 1km. It’s the radius I can feel to the maximum right now.

‘Where are you.’

Immediately after, I kicked off the ground and moved.

First, I ran towards the Department of Magic. In the novel, this episode took place there.

I arrived at the Department of Magic grounds in 2 minutes. I ran around everywhere and searched thoroughly. I carefully examined each building. I had a headache because small animals and insects were caught in my senses, but I silently continued.

It’s almost impossible to find one person in this vast academy, but there is a clue. All the contracted summoned beasts will be gathered around her now. So, all you have to do is find a place with more than a hundred life signs.

“Damn it…”

There was nothing. The location seems to have changed as the time has changed.

Next is the Department of General Studies. Of course, it wasn’t there either. There were many life signs, but it was a lecture hall where a special lecture was in progress.

Head to another site. And I didn’t feel the desired reaction in the Department of Knights and the Department of Production either.

‘Where the hell are you hiding…!’

Considering her personality, she doesn’t commit acts outside the academy. Even if she does, it’s unconditionally inside the academy.

‘Let’s think.’

I recall the settings. When I committed the act in the Department of Magic, I hid her in a secluded place on the site. But it was right next to the building, so it was a good place to cause great damage.

‘Wait, what if it’s there?’

There is only one place in Tianis that meets all the conditions.

The tall building located between the Department of Magic and the Department of Production that I arrived at like that. It is the stadium used for the entrance ceremony.

I scan the inside with my senses. Feeling numerous life signs. The number is over 100. This must be it.

I picked the locked door and went inside. And I stood in front of the waiting room door in the basement. I swallowed hard and slowly opened the door.

“Young master, that’s…”

“……”

There were several living things inside. Most of them are the ordinary animals I mentioned earlier, and Lana’s special summoned beasts guarding the front of the door.

The four great spirits. Ur, Nok, Silphy, Sally.

Deer Ren with emerald horns.

A bird that leads the summoned beasts in the center, the phoenix Nene, who is now revealing her true form.

And in the center of them, Lana Heitald, whose whole body was stained black and barely showing the shape of a human, was lying down.

“Ah…”

That’s all that came out. I couldn’t think of a word to define these emotions swirling inside me in one word.

I slowly approached Lana. The summoned beasts threaten me. I ignored them and moved forward. Then, the phoenix Nene blocked the way.

“Get out of the way.”

Nene shook her head covered in flames from side to side. It was a desperate attempt to protect her owner, but it was only getting in the way.

“Nene, get out of the way.”

She was startled when I called her name. It’s different from when she was a small bird. But it wasn’t the time to care about that kind of reaction.

“If you want to save your owner, get out of the way!”

Nene stepped aside. Following that, the other summoned beasts also stepped back.

I knelt in front of her and looked at her. Her hair and even the clothes she was wearing were so black that I couldn’t find their original colors.

I reached out my trembling hand and touched her cheek. Darkness invades as soon as my fingers touch it. I didn’t care and continued to stroke her.

“Why. Why now…”

My throat is blocked, and my voice trembles.

At first, I hoped it wasn’t. I just wanted a simple misunderstanding, or a change in the setting so that something different from the novel would happen. That would have been a much better situation than this.

There are two deaths related to Lana. This is one of them, her special episode called ‘Corruption’.

And this episode was originally supposed to take place in the second semester after spending the vacation. This is because the protagonist Evan must learn magic and walk the path of the Master Swordsman at that time.

So, it’s something that shouldn’t have happened now, 6 months earlier than in the story. But it happened.

There’s no need to ask about the cause. It’s none other than me. It’s something that happened because I drew someone’s attention.

If I hadn’t given any room, if I had pushed her away a little more and cut off our relationship, this wouldn’t have happened…

‘I was naive.’

Yes, I was too naive. It’s my fault for trying to get away with it comfortably with that kind of attitude. That crazy idea that I could just ignore it created this situation.

‘I have to save her. Absolutely.’

This is entirely my responsibility. So, I have to take responsibility and return her to her original state.

The current point is still the first semester, and Evan has not walked the path of the Master Swordsman, so he has not even met the minimum conditions. I am the only one who can save her.

But Lana’s condition is beyond bad, it’s the worst.

Lana’s episode ‘Corruption’ has three stages.

Stage 1, sleeping without any changes in the body. It is the stage where the power of corruption spreads through the flesh.

Stage 2, the state where the skin turns black and changes. It is the stage where darkness fills the heart and brain and takes control of Lana.

Stage 3, completely stained as it is now. It is the final stage before the power of corruption controls her.

So, it’s not a good condition at all. In a few hours, Lana will be corrupted, control the summoned beasts, and destroy the academy. At that time, the summoned beasts will also be devoured by the owner’s power and become stronger. The only way to stop Lana is to kill her.

The reason why Evan was able to save Lana in the story was also because it was Corruption Stage 1.

In the game, a bad ending was created in this episode. In Corruption Stage 2, Lana could not be returned to her original state without certain items, and Stage 3 was virtually impossible, and the route where Lana dies becomes certain.

But now it’s reality. It’s not like a game where there are only fixed paths written in code. Even if it’s Stage 3, there is a way to save her.

But if I do that… I have to give up a lot. That’s why this question comes to mind.

Is Lana worth it?

The answer to that question didn’t take long to come.

‘Of course, she is.’

She is the main character. She is the center of this world. She is everything in this world that will lead the novel ‘Academy Genius Master Swordsman’.

That’s why you have an obligation to live a happy life.

You had an obligation to reach the end of the completion and meet the happiness you each wanted, rather than being consumed by this kind of dog death.

I can do anything for that. Even using the information and knowledge of this world, and my power.

I will use those things that I sealed for a normal life without hesitation. Even if my extra life is ruined because of that, I will come forward to save you.

Having made up my mind, I said with a solemn expression.

“Sister, don’t ask anything and help me…”

Ellaheim showed her actions in response to my request.

“Tell me. Young master.”

Ellaheim knelt on one knee. I immediately told her the contents.

“There will be dried red pepper on page 52 of the 3rd book in the 3rd row of the 4th section of area 108 on the 3rd floor of the library. There is a silver evening primrose in the center of the Department of Magic pond, and a red stone in the corner of the first training ground of the Department of Knights. Please bring them to me. And come back to senior’s workshop within an hour.”

“I will obey.”

Ellaheim ran out of the waiting room without any questions. If it’s her, she will definitely bring it within the time.

I looked at the summoned beasts and said.

“You guys take Lana to my dorm. Without being seen by anyone. Can you do it?”

The phoenix Nene nodded as a representative. Soon after, they moved Lana as if they were handling a baby.

“I have to prepare too.”

There are still many materials to save her. What I told Ellaheim were things that could be easily obtained even without specific conditions.

“Wait a little bit. I’ll definitely save you.”

I once again picked up the sword to save someone.

Episode 32 Corruption (1)

The third stage of corruption cannot be reversed normally through ordinary methods.

Because the flesh and the power of corruption are combined, even purification magic cannot easily shake off its power. Even using the divine power of priests leaves some aftereffects.

Memories could be lost, or disabilities could occur. Putting Lana, the main character, in such a state would create a huge hole in the story.

Several preparations are necessary to prevent that from happening.

First, the power of corruption that has taken over the heart must be driven out. It must be made possible for the mana core to operate before starting.

To do that, I ordered Elheim to bring materials specialized in purification. It’s difficult to chase away all corruption with purification magic, but focusing on a very small part of it can temporarily drive it away.

“If it were only the second stage, I could have solved it with my power.”

Up to the second stage, I could eliminate it with my purification magic. I would have used up about half of my life force, but it’s not impossible.

“If only I had noticed it sooner…”

Belated regret. Instead of wasting time on such useless thoughts, I need to move my body.

I left the academy and headed to the capital’s sewer.

The capital, which is more than four times the size of Tianis, also has a tremendously large sewer. It’s so big that people can live in groups inside.

As such, many beggars, vagrants, and criminals hide and live there. And there is a story that was only revealed in the game here.

Bang!

When I broke the cleverly built wall, a laboratory appeared inside.

“Wh, who is it!”

A startled voice is heard from beyond the dust fluttering around. I created wind to clear the dust.

I can see a man wearing a black robe, various monster corpses and test subjects, and experimental equipment. Seeing the scene I came to find, I said.

“Black magician Coron.”

“Damn it! Did the dog of the Holy Kingdom smell it out!”

Coron urgently chanted magic. I waved my hand to erase the guy’s black magic.

“Di, Dispel! And a high level one…!”

While he was flustered, I quickly approached and subdued him in one blow.

“Go ahead and torture me if you want! I will never succumb to you guys!!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t come from the Holy Kingdom.”

“Then why are you doing this…!”

“It’s obvious since you’re a black magician.”

“Damn it!”

Black magicians in this world are quite dangerous beings. This level of action is natural. I said to him, who was spitting out swear words.

“Calm down, Coron. I came to make a deal with you.”

“What deal! I don’t have any deals to make with a rude guy like you!”

“I won’t say much. The Stone of Chaos. Hand it over to me.”

“Ho, how did you know about that…!”

Stone of Chaos. It is a stone imbued with chaos. And it is a necessary item to drive out corruption.

“I don’t know where you heard it from, but that’s my everything!”

“It would be better for your well-being to just give it to me.”

“I can’t give it to you even if you threaten me with death!”

As expected. I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“Is that more precious than your daughter’s location?”

Coron was surprised and widened his eyes. But soon he shouted.

“Don’t lie! My daughter is already dead!”

“No, she’s alive. She’s living in a coastal village in the Eastern Continent.”

“No, Reina was killed by those damn Holy Kingdom guys that day…”

Coron stopped talking halfway. It’s because of the appearance of a girl that appeared in my hand.

“You would know, right? That this child is your daughter.”

“Ah, ah…”

He couldn’t take his eyes off the image of a girl, who looked about 15 years old, carrying fish. At first glance, she even looked somewhat like him.

“How…?”

“You didn’t think the Holy Kingdom couldn’t even seal your magic, did you? Try using magic.”

I released my hand. Coron used magic right away.

However, the symbol engraved on his daughter’s arm only shone briefly, and the desired signal did not come. But that alone was enough to confirm.

“This, this isn’t a dream, is it…? Is this really real?”

“It’s definitely real. You’ll know it’s true as soon as you get close.”

Coron was lost in thought for a moment, then lowered his head and raised it.

“The exact location is…?”

“I’ll tell you if you transfer ownership.”

“…I understand.”

I let Coron go. He made a hand seal in a corner of the laboratory, and a hidden room appeared. He brought the Stone of Chaos from inside.

The reason I did this troublesome thing is because I can’t freely handle this if I take it carelessly. I had to receive the transfer of ownership from the previous owner.

“You have to bleed.”

I cut my finger and bled. Coron used magic to transfer the rights to me. I felt that the stone was subordinated.

“Now, the location…”

“Here it is.”

I handed him a piece of paper with the location written on it.

“Thank you…”

I said a word to him as he was about to leave, abandoning all the achievements of the laboratory.

“Coron, it would be better to give up black magic when you meet your daughter. If you don’t want to be chased by the Holy Kingdom again.”

“Of course I will. In the first place, black magic is the power I learned to take revenge on the Holy Kingdom.”

“Then that’s fine. Go.”

I sent him away. Coron ran without looking back.

“Three left, huh?”

I drank a mana potion lying around in the lab and headed to the next place.

The next ingredient was in the fountain in the center of the capital’s street. This ingredient was easy. I just had to break the baby angel statue and take out the coins inside. And then I ran away right away. The guards chased after me.

The third ingredient was the lucky flower growing in the vacant lot, and the fourth ingredient was the unidentified gray potion sold in the shopping district.

That’s how I collected all the ingredients. I hurried to Ruina Lindel’s workshop. Elheim had already arrived in front of the workshop.

“Did you get them all?”

“Yes, young master.”

She took out three ingredients from her arms and handed them over. Even if they were taken out a little earlier than the timing, there was no problem with the quality.

I knocked on the workshop door. She doesn’t go into the dormitory often.

Creak….

After a while, the door opened. Ruina Lindel came out with sleepy eyes.

“Yawn~. What’s going on.”

“I’m sorry for the late hour. I came because I have a request.”

“Now? I’m sleepy…”

“Senior, please just once.”

I bowed my head.

“Okay. Come in. Except for you.”

Elheim was excluded again this time. She was still not welcome because she couldn’t memorize the precautions. I conveyed my apologies and entered the workshop.

“So? What are you going to make?”

“A purification potion comparable to holy water and a stabilizer that can stabilize the body and mind.”

“It’s hard to make… I don’t have the ingredients either.”

“I have prepared the ingredients.”

I put the ingredients I had brought on the workbench.

“Good ingredients.”

She looked at them with interested eyes. All the things I brought were top-tier alchemical ingredients.

“Okay. I’ll make it for you. But what’s the reward?”

“I’ll give it to you as soon as the work is done.”

This is a formal request. It’s not something that can be passed on just by connections like the potion I ate today.

Besides, Ruina Lindel’s alchemy is expensive. Even though I brought the ingredients, it’s at least over 10,000 gold. The request I entrusted is alchemy that requires that level of skill.

“I don’t need money.”

Ruina Lindel shook her head and refused.

“Then…”

“Increase the lectures to 5 times.”

“…Okay. I’ll do that.”

I don’t have time to consider this and that right now. I can take as many of those lectures as I want to save Lana.

“That’s it…”

Ruina Lindel muttered softly. She was about to turn her body to the workbench with a faint smile on her face.

“But I don’t have a magic stone. I need a top-tier magic stone.”

“Here it is.”

I handed over the magic stone. I still had the one I received from the last hidden quest.

“Wait 30 minutes.”

“Yes.”

Time was tight, but it was time I could wait.

Immediately afterwards, she squeezed mana out of the magic stone and created dozens of magic circles. And she moved her hands busily to handle the ingredients.

Separate the ingredients and energy, and isolate them without damage. Stack them one by one like putting together a puzzle.

The moon and the sun. Representative purification powers combine. The energy of the bloodstone penetrates between them. The energy containing the passion and blood of Tianis students amplifies the power of purification.

A drop of liquid born that way.

“Bottle.”

I put a potion bottle that I had prepared in advance on the workbench. Following her guidance, the liquid was put into the bottle.

The time it took to get there was 15 minutes. She moved on to the next task.

The stabilizer was needed to prevent Lana from having seizures. Currently, Lana’s mind is also submerged in corruption. If I recklessly touch it there, the erosion will proceed faster.

On the other hand, if the mind and body are in a stable state, the erosion stops and the power of corruption does not react. But for that, a normal stabilizer is impossible. I really need a top-tier stabilizer, a stabilizer at the level of time freeze.

Ruina Lindel was able to make it. If she had the ingredients. Her alchemy skills are already top-tier.

“It’s over.”

She handed over the stabilizer.

“Before feeding it, drop a drop of mana.”

“I understand. And thank you.”

“Keep your promise.”

“Of course. Then I’ll see you next time.”

“Yeah, goodbye.”

I received her farewell and left the workshop.

“Are you finished?”

“Yeah. Let’s go to the dormitory.”

We ran faster than ever. It was a speed far exceeding the speed when going to school.

I arrived at the dormitory and entered my room. The summoned beasts were protecting Lana well. Her darkness was darker than before.

“Hoo…”

I calm my breathing. The work from now on required tremendous concentration.

I first opened Lana’s mouth, put in the stabilizer, and dripped mana on top of it.

I took the time for the stabilizer to be delivered throughout her body. After 5 minutes, I dripped mana. Her condition stabilized.

I took out the Stone of Chaos and placed it on her heart. This will absorb the power of corruption driven out of the heart. If there is no space to flow into, that power will be sucked back into her body.

Next, I pour the purification potion into her mouth. I lifted her upper body and raised her chin so that it would enter her stomach. The effect happened quickly.

White light emanated from Lana’s body. But if I leave it like this, the power of purification will spread throughout her body and cause a big problem. That power must only be directed to her heart.

I held Lana’s hand with one hand and placed the other hand on the Stone of Chaos. And I led the power of the potion.

‘As expected, it’s all contaminated…’

Blood vessels, or mana circuits as they say here, were stained with corruption. In this state, purification cannot reach the heart.

I made the power of the potion thin like a thread and dug into the circuit. The power of purification pushed out the corruption without difficulty.

‘Slowly…’

Sweat flows. Even if it looks like a simple task, it’s not an easy task. This is an energy that is difficult to handle even with my prime power.

Still, thanks to the preliminary work, the energy of the potion reached her heart. I have to concentrate more from now on.

The light of purification pushes out the corruption. Heavy, sticky, and powerful. And it keeps tempting me. If I accept this power, it continues to enchant me, saying it will show me a new world.

But I don’t waver at that temptation.

Does it show me sweetness? Is there a world of ecstasy beyond this?

‘Unfortunately, I’m too old to fall for those things.’

And I’ve tasted those things to the point of being fed up with them.

I gather the corruption removed from the heart and send it to the surface of her skin. At the same time, I handle the Stone of Chaos.

Chaos is the power of the beginning. Therefore, it has the property of combining and absorbing any power. The chaos contained here is only at the level of afterimage, but that was enough.

I put the stone containing the power of corruption in my pocket. Someone shouldn’t touch this carelessly.

Next, I moved Lana’s mana core and gradually swept away the darkness that was occupying her whole body. Since the central axis that maintained the corruption had disappeared, it was easier than the previous process.

The darkness in her whole body begins to fade. Lana’s body regains its original color. When the corruption in her head was released, she returned to her usual Lana.

Lana’s face comes into view. Really… she looks like she’s about to open her eyes and rush at me any moment.

“Are you waking up now?”

“No.”

It’s not over yet. This only eliminated the corruption of the flesh. Finally, all the processes are completed only after removing the darkness that is tormenting Lana’s mind.

I put Lana on my back and left the dormitory. Elheim and Lana’s summoned beasts followed behind me.

“Let’s go to the Land of Contract.”

The destination is the Land of Contract.

World Tree. The god who oversees green among the seven gods of this world.

I have to meet that disgusting race. She was the last key that could save Lana.

Episode 33 Corruption (2)

The World Tree, located in the Land of Contract.

Although it was just a small tree, a clone, its existence is the World Tree itself.

Therefore, no one can approach the World Tree recklessly. If it were the Holy Kingdom, elves would have been guarding and protecting the surroundings.

But this is the heart of the Empire. It is not a place where elves can stay. So, the World Tree puts forward a human to protect its clone.

That person is Latral Heitald, a magician who achieved great success as a summoner. To approach the World Tree, his permission is required.

And I knew better than anyone that it wouldn’t go as I wanted.

“Ellaim, Nene.”

I told them the fact in advance. I also told them how to deal with the Archmage.

After that, I opened the door of the log cabin.

An old man sitting in a rocking chair as always. He was looking at the empty air as usual, and hot steam was rising from the tea on the table next to him.

As I stepped in, the caretaker looked up at us.

“What brings you all here? Besides, I’m not open today, so please leave.”

“Is that so.”

I stepped inside without obeying his words. Then the caretaker sighed deeply and said.

“I thought you were reasonable…”

“Isn’t acting arbitrarily what a scoundrel does? I’ve always been like this.”

“Does it have to be like this?”

“I’m sorry, but I have business in the Land of Contract.”

The old man nodded as if he understood well. Then he stood up from the chair, released his mana, and said.

“You don’t think I’m just a caretaker, do you?”

Mana that dominates the space presses in from all directions. My skin tingled. This is even being lenient. If he wanted to, he could have burst my body right away.

Clearly, the mana control of an 8-circle magician is beyond imagination. But that power comes less from mastery and more from the ability to simply control mana.

“Professor Latral wouldn’t think I’m just an ordinary student, would you?”

And I also have some skill in mana control. Furthermore, there were kids helping me.

My mana and the power of my summoned beasts, including Nene, pushed back the old man’s mana. A current was created between him and us due to the mana collision. Perhaps because Rana was on my back, the summoned beasts exerted even more strength.

“…When did you find out?”

The old man, no, Latral, asked with a stiff face. At the same time, he released his disguise. A face completely different from the caretaker’s was revealed. Despite being over 80 years old, his brown hair was still thick, and he looked like a handsome middle-aged man in his 40s without wrinkles.

“Did Rana tell you?”

“I figured it out on my own.”

“Impressive. Even your father only noticed the disguise on his second try.”

Latral exclaimed in admiration. Unless you were a skilled person on par with my father, you wouldn’t notice the professor’s disguise.

“Professor Latral. I would appreciate it if you could open the way.”

“No.”

He refused firmly.

“Can’t you do it for Rana’s sake?”

“I keep telling you, no.”

At that moment, my emotions flared up and I shouted loudly.

“She could die!”

“Who doesn’t know that! But I can’t take Rana, who is consumed by darkness, to that being!!”

“Even if Rana dies…”

Latral closed his eyes and trembled all over. His anguish was conveyed without filtering. And with his eyes open as if he had resigned himself to something, he said softly.

“You’re too young to understand, but that’s the contract with God. An absolute power that must be kept.”

“Is that so…”

No, I knew that fact. Gods are selfish bastards, and they don’t show any flexibility. Even if it’s a contractor’s request, they will never grant it if it’s not beneficial to them, and they are stubborn parrot-like sons of bitches who only repeat the words to follow the contract.

“Stop being stubborn and go back. Leave Rana behind too. I’ll somehow…”

“No.”

I cut off Latral’s words.

“For the record, this is not a request, but a notice.”

And I continued to shout.

“Ellaim! Nene!”

“Yes, young master.”

-Cheep!

At the same time as the answer was heard, Ellaim rushed forward, emitting sword energy, and Nene unleashed her full power.

“You shall not pass this place!”

Latral cast magic. Several small summoning circles floated in front of him. I gathered mana in the gap and quickly approached Latral.

“Professor. Even if I look young, you’ve underestimated me too much.”

I said quietly and swung my sword down.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 4 – Mana Break

The sword of destruction that crushes everything shattered the summoning circles and surrounding mana. Mana fragments torn to pieces. They did not return to nature and lingered near Latral.

Latral, like a veteran magician, immediately created and unfolded another summoning circle. However, mana fragments penetrated the formula and interfered with the use of magic.

“Without summoned beasts, summoners aren’t very threatening, are they.”

“With just this level of trickery…”

“I can’t subdue you, professor, but I can buy time.”

My purpose is only to pass him by.

Meanwhile, Ellaim and the phoenix Nene’s joint attack covered Latral. Since the use of magic was sealed, he would be able to endure with her and the summoned beasts alone.

“Ellaim, I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, young master. I hope you achieve what you desire.”

-Jjeeek!!

I passed Latral and stepped into the Land of Contract.

***

Clang!

Latral struck the sword imbued with sword energy with his staff. At that moment, Ren’s emerald horn shone, and vines grew from under his feet, binding him.

Whirr!

A bird-shaped fire covered him. Latral created a wall with mana to block Nene’s attack. Using mana in a way that required precise and concentrated mana control like magic was difficult, but he could manipulate mana for a moment.

The confident attack passed right through Latral. Not even a small scorch mark appeared on his clothes. No matter what attacks the summoned beasts made, they couldn’t harm him. There was such a gap between Latral and them.

“Stop!”

Then Latral’s voice rang out. A loud shout that forcibly stiffened the body. All the creatures in this place except for him stopped moving.

“Why, why are you doing this?”

Latral couldn’t understand why they were attacking him so much.

Rana’s summoned beasts were children who only followed Rana. Their affection for Rana was so intense and great that they didn’t listen to his words.

Surely that was the case. They were following the orders of a child who wasn’t their master, the scoundrel who always tried to separate them from Rana, of their own free will.

And above all.

“Didn’t you hate that child?”

Latral asked Ellaim.

Even at their first meeting, it was palpable that she hated the scoundrel. But now it was the complete opposite of then. Absolute faith and favor were felt.

“Can’t a person’s mind change at any time?”

“You could die.”

If he wanted, he could end this pointless fight right away. The reason Latral didn’t do that was because it was difficult to control his power.

Kyle’s swordsmanship, which deleted the mana in this area and interfered with the use of mana with its remnants, made even the Archmage embarrassed.

“The young master is risking his life, so there’s no reason why I can’t. And it’s better than someone who doesn’t take any action for their granddaughter.”

Ellaim looked at Latral with contempt. Then he shouted.

“Do you think I want to be like this! Furthermore, this kind of behavior is dangerous for that child too! If you approach God recklessly, you can incur his wrath!”

“Is there anyone living on the continent who doesn’t know that fact? The young master will know too. Nevertheless, he went, risking that danger.”

“You’re impossible to talk to!”

Latral drew mana and materialized it. He had to quickly chase after Kyle Arden. Otherwise, he didn’t know what would happen to him.

“I won’t let you go, no matter what.”

Ellaim’s sword energy erupted powerfully.

-Cheep!

Following her, Rana’s summoned beasts also responded.

Kwaang!

Soon after, another collision occurred.

***

In the center of the Land of Contract, there is a hidden secret place.

That is the space where the World Tree’s clone resides, called ‘The Green Resting Place’.

However, there is an illusion cast around this place. In other words, even if you pass the first gatekeeper, Latral Heitald, the second gatekeeper does not allow access. Without Latral’s token, no matter how hard you try, you can’t get inside.

Nevertheless, it is not a big problem for me. If I move along the designated route, I can escape the illusion and arrive at the resting place.

I took my last step and escaped the illusion range.

“Hoo…”

Then the appearance of the resting place is visible.

A shallow lake in the center and a huge tree in the middle. That’s the World Tree clone. Compared to the main body, it’s too small, but it was still the largest of the trees in the Land of Contract.

The resting place was overflowing with the vitality of life. It’s because of the World Tree’s influence. So, the creatures of the Land of Contract usually gather, but not today.

Splash

I go against the water that rises to my ankles and approach the clone. The World Tree didn’t interfere even when an ominous energy approached. I expected a collision here… but it was different from what I thought.

I reached her. I carefully laid Rana down in front of her, and I also sat down in a meditation posture and said.

“World Tree, I came to make a deal with you.”

Immediately after, the vision flickered and the mind was sucked in.

And a brilliant green space unfolded. An even greater vitality and life force than the resting place was felt.

If you move your senses for a moment, you can feel the comfort of the forest and smell the scent of flowers. The World Tree’s mental world was able to feel reality, unlike the mental world of a mortal.

In the center, a woman stroking flowers and sitting on a stone, the World Tree’s main body, was seen. She was wearing a dress made of leaves and had a crown made of flowers on her green hair.

“Hehehe~”

I approach her humming a song. Still, she didn’t turn her head.

Finally, when I reached the front, the World Tree turned her body and said in a welcoming voice.

“Kyle, long time no see?”

It was an inexplicable sound.

“Have we met before?”

“Ah, that’s right. Kyle was young, so he might not remember me.”

The World Tree plopped down from the stone and stood in front.

“More than that…”

She put her hand on my shoulder and stroked it down my back.

“To think that little kid would grow up so gallantly. Was it 8 years since then? Human growth is fast after all. I wish our children were like this.”

Her touch didn’t know how to stop. Furthermore, her hand started to go down lower and lower. I said with annoyance.

“Stop it. And stop talking like an old woman.”

“Oh my, Kyle. Who did you learn such bad language from? If you do that, you won’t be popular with women, you know?”

“Stop it.”

I snatched the World Tree’s wrist that didn’t stop.

“Okay, okay. I got excited because it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a young man. Or… is it because you have a partner named Rana?”

“…Stop messing around and get to the point.”

I didn’t have time to play with her. It’s about time for Rana to reach her limit.

“Ah, that’s right. Did you say you wanted to make a deal?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of deal?”

“Connect my mind with Rana’s. That’s all I need.”

I’m going to go directly into Rana’s mind and drive out the power of corruption. That’s the most sure way to bring Rana back to normal.

“Isn’t there anything else you want?”

“I don’t need it. You just have to do that for me.”

If it’s the World Tree, it can do even more than that. It’s not a god for nothing. Transcendental beings were fundamentally different from mortals.

“Just connect the mental worlds…”

The World Tree pretended to be thinking. And said.

“No. Why would I?”

As expected, this damn bitch refused.

Episode 34 Corruption (3)

“Kyle, a deal is, you know. It’s an act possible when both parties are on equal footing.”

The World Tree spoke in a tone that taught so that the young mortal could understand well.

“But Kyle is a mortal, and I am a god. Isn’t the difference too great?”

“So. You’re saying you won’t accept? Even with Lana in that state?”

As a god who governs life, the World Tree likes mortals more than other gods. She wasn’t a boomer god like red or orange, and she wasn’t blue or yellow, who had no interest at all.

Moreover, with Lana’s ability, the World Tree was more interested in Lana than any other god. So much so that she even gifted her divine beast, Ren, to Lana as a sign of affection.

“Don’t rush me and keep listening.”

The World Tree continued.

“I’m also sad that Lana is like that. She’s my favorite human. But there are rules in the world of gods, so I can’t just grant that wish. If I exert influence on the world as I please, something bad will happen later.”

What she said was undoubtedly true. There’s the issue of causality, and other gods keep her in check, so she can’t use her power recklessly.

“So, isn’t that why you proposed a deal?”

Nevertheless, there is a way to legally avoid it. That’s the deal.

“That’s right. A deal would be possible. So, what can Kyle give me? The wish you want is certainly light, but it’s not possible with ordinary offerings. Perhaps….”

The World Tree shone her eyes and looked with a subtle gaze. The World Tree didn’t even think of hiding that desire. She scanned his entire body very thoroughly.

“Are you thinking of offering that body? I’m all for it. Haa, having a young man by my side and eating… Oh my, what am I saying. Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

“For a god, you have lewd thoughts.”

“What are you talking about? I’m a woman before I’m a god? Besides, our children are too boring. It would be nice if they had the taste of playing hard to get like humans….”

Well, elves have a lot of purity and rigidity. That personality is probably why they are by the World Tree’s side.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I have no intention of giving you my body.”

“That’s too bad….”

The World Tree clicked her tongue. I have no intention of becoming a slave to that pervert.

I proposed something else. A proposal she could never refuse.

“Instead, one thing. I’ll grant you one favor when you want it.”

“Kyle….”

The World Tree drooped as if disappointed. Her gaze was full of pity.

“Didn’t you understand what I said?”

“No, I understood. But I don’t think it’s the time to argue about this and that with the Holy Kingdom. Isn’t it a mess because of ‘Black’ right now? It wouldn’t be strange if a war broke out….”

“…Where did you hear that?”

The World Tree’s voice sinks heavily. This story is not known even in the Holy Kingdom, and it’s a story that only circulates among the gods. And it’s a very recent one.

I went out even more shamelessly.

“If you want to know, give me something in return.”

“…Never mind. I’m not very curious.”

The World Tree seemed a little sulky, but there was no need to match her mood. I ignored her and said.

“Then will you accept it?”

“It won’t work. And even if you know that fact, how are you going to help?”

The World Tree asked, retaliating for what happened a little while ago, and said painful things.

“The power of your family? You’re not the successor, and you’re a good-for-nothing, so you don’t have any real power. Then, Decal Arden? Of course, that won’t happen. The successive heads of the Arden family have never been interested in the Holy Kingdom.”

Every single word is correct.

In the Empire, you can believe in religion if you want, and you can stop if you want. From the first emperor, who did not revere the gods, that personality has been passed down.

The first head of the Arden family, who was a friend of the first emperor, was the same. Just as the emperor did, the Arden family did not pay much attention to or interfere with the Holy Kingdom or the gods.

“So, even if you put Kyle’s request as a deal item, there’s no room for it to be established. You seem to have used your head, but what can’t be done can’t be done. I’m also tempted by the power of the Arden family, but at least make that proposal after you become the head of the family.”

Become the head of the family and have real power, or have power equivalent to it, and then talk. That’s what that greedy talk was about. I scoffed at the World Tree’s words and said.

“When did I say I’d help with the power of my family? I’m going to grant the favor with my own power.”

And from deep within my soul, I draw up power and embody it with mana.

“Kyle… Huh?”

The World Tree, who was looking at me with a pitiful gaze, suddenly made a foolish sound. She couldn’t take her eyes off my hand.

“That’s, that power is….”

“Isn’t this power enough? No, it’s more than enough.”

The corners of the World Tree’s mouth gradually rise in slow motion. She smiled so much that her face was ruined, as if reaching the sky.

And, she laughed like crazy.

“Ahahahahaha! Kkyahahaha!!! Heukyahaha!!”

Honestly, I thought I was looking at a crazy woman. The World Tree’s unique laughter makes even the elves who serve her suffer. How would I feel, hearing it right in front of me?

“No way, no waaay! That small and cute child has reached completion! And at this young age! Good, Kyle! Right now, let’s proceed with the deal right now!!”

The World Tree was excited and went wild. As much as the World Tree is friendly to all living things, including humans, the opposite is also true, but if you see this, it’s clear you’ll run away.

The World Tree held out her hand. I also reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Kyle Arden. Do you swear that by granting you a favor, you will also grant me my favor?”

“I swear. World Tree, do you also swear to help me until the matter with Lana is over in return for that?”

“Of course, I swear. It’s none other than you.”

Not a simple promise, but a soul oath that puts the soul on the line. If this covenant is broken, the existence that broke it will be erased from the world. This is an absolute power that even gods cannot erase once they have sworn.

A ray of light escaped from my chest. It was connected to the streak that came out of the World Tree. The feeling of souls being shared. But there is no power to read minds. It’s just about confirming each other’s existence and being able to convey words.

Finally, a pattern appeared on the back of my hand. I am the World Tree’s pattern. The World Tree is my pattern. The pattern engraved on my hand was in the form of a tree.

“Oh my, Kyle’s is unique?”

The World Tree, after checking her hand, showed me the back of her hand. On her hand, two strands of lines were drawing a spiral.

“What does this mean?”

“I don’t know either. More than that, hurry up and proceed.”

“I understand. We’re soulmates now, so why are you rushing me so much?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

The World Tree reached out her hand. Lana, who had not been allowed to enter, appeared in the mental world.

Lana still sleeping peacefully. I lay down next to Lana.

“Kyle, shall we start?”

I nodded and closed my eyes.

“Then please take care of Lana….”

Before the World Tree could finish speaking, consciousness sank to the very bottom.

***

A space where nothing but darkness can be seen. What should I call this?

Hell? The abyss? Or simply darkness?

Whatever the name of this space, Lana didn’t care much.

“More than that, I’m bored….”

Lana hugged her knees. This place was too boring. Because there was nothing around.

There was no response from small creatures, I didn’t know how long I’d been here, and I didn’t know the time. For that reason, Lana was frustrated.

“Heeing….”

Lana sweeps the floor with her fingers for no reason. But it’s still the same. There is no change in space, and no sense of the passage of time.

As a summoner who has to summon summons from other places, she is sensitive to space-time, but there is nothing felt here. It’s just empty.

“I miss the kids….”

My heart gets depressed. Nene, Ren, Urr, Nok, Silfi, Sally. I missed the other kids so much too.

I wanted to sing with a smile. I wanted to eat together. I wanted to stare blankly at the sky with the kids. I missed those usual actions so much.

A drop of water floated slightly on Lana’s eyes. It couldn’t be helped that I felt depressed being alone.

“No, I can’t cry.”

But she patted her cheeks and swallowed her depression. It doesn’t matter if there’s no one to watch her ugly appearance, but it wasn’t just her in this place.

-Accept the emotions….

-It’s okay, Lana…. We’ll help you….

The voices that were constantly heard in the air. Those voices kept tormenting her.

They sink her heart below the surface, tempt her, and make her have negative thoughts and feelings. Lana instinctively felt that she should not follow those words.

But that wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Even if I closed my ears, those sounds echoed. At the same time, every time I heard that, I could smell the stench, so Lana was dying.

“Leave me alone!”

I shouted to try to chase them away, but it didn’t work as I thought and they clung to me even more.

“I miss Kyle….”

Suddenly, I missed him so much. I wanted to smell the scent he exuded, not this stench. If not, I couldn’t soothe this gloomy heart.

But in a situation where there are no clues or information, meeting Kyle was close to zero. Besides, since I can’t even remember the last memory… I’m starting to feel anxious that I might be dead right now.

-We’ll help you….

“No, good thoughts. Let’s only have bright and happy thoughts.”

Again, as that voice tried to devour her, Lana kept her mind straight. And Lana recalled the memories she had recently.

The first memory that made me happiest this year was none other than meeting Kyle. It was something that started from simple curiosity, but it’s the most intense memory in my entire life. In terms of happiness, it even far exceeds when I contracted with my first summon, Nene.

In fact, at that time, I only felt curiosity about Kyle. To put it a little badly, it was a selfish heart that was drawn to the scent.

But when did it start? When did that heart gradually change direction and start feeling different emotions?

His training? The scene during the entrance exam? Or the way he cared about me while being annoyed?

“There are too many, so I don’t know….”

There were too many expected things.

Still, I remember the occasion when I realized this feeling. When Kyle suggested going out. After that, I realized that that feeling was not curiosity.

Of course, it was faint at the time. But as time passed and I talked with my friends, I realized that my heart was full of thoughts about Kyle, and it was showing on the outside.

To what extent? To the extent that Kyle’s junior, Evan, who was the first to meet him, felt it right away. That small feeling grew so much before I knew it.

From that day on, Lana admitted it. That she likes Kyle.

Perhaps because of that, I was the happiest in the world when Kyle gave me shoes as a gift. They were ordinary shoes, but Lana took more care of the shoes than before.

Oh, come to think of it, I can’t help but talk about the internship. The way he stood in front of me as if protecting me. My heart still fluttered when I thought of that wide back.

“It makes me miss him even more….”

A sigh comes out involuntarily with a lonely heart. The more I think about Kyle, the more I yearn for him.

-You want to see Kyle? Then I’ll let you meet him….

And whether it’s a side effect, backlash, or compensation for that, the voice came right in front of me. As I loosened up a little, my feet were already submerged in the darkness.

“Really… Are you going to take me to Kyle?”

Lana, who had been silent even when I talked to her, answered this time.

To tell the truth, being here and trying not to fall into negative emotions is now difficult and tiring. I slowly wanted to let go of everything and become comfortable.

-Just trust us. Entrust your body to us….

Darkness rushes in from below. Lana didn’t resist much.

-Yeees… If you do that, we’ll… let you see him….

Her lower body is submerged, and the darkness climbs over her stomach and chest up to her neck. The encroachment of darkness did not stop there, covering her entire head over her chin. In it, Lana whispered softly.

“Hehe, I want to see Kyle soon….”

Just as the darkness completely swallowed Lana.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

A rough hand that I had seen somewhere suddenly popped out. The voice was also very familiar. Lana woke up.

“Kyle? Is it Kyle?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

The darkness that had been surrounding me was lifted, and I saw Kyle’s face that I had been longing for. He said quietly with a scarred face.

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

“It’s been a while for me too.”

How long has it been? Even if I don’t know the passage of time, it must have been quite a while.

A smile bloomed on Lana’s face in an instant.

“How did you get here?”

“How else would I find you, I came to find you.”

“Really? Wasn’t it hard?”

“Well, it was so-so. More than that, Lana.”

At the same time as Kyle’s words, the background that was only darkness began to change. Light bloomed, and a bright and vibrant atmosphere filled the background.

“It’s time to wake up now.”

Kyle, who said that, brought his hand, which was dripping with blood, to his forehead.

“And this is a punishment for trying to give up.”

Thwack!

The flick hit my forehead at the moment.

“Ouch… Huh?”

Lana woke up from a deep sleep and opened her eyes.

Episode 35 Corruption (4)

“Ah… Huh?”

I expected to be overwhelmed by pain, but the anticipated pain was not felt.

Instead, a sweet scent lingered around my nose. And I saw a familiar back.

“K, Kyle…?”

“What’s wrong.”

“Is that really Kyle…?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Lana felt relieved by his usual, seemingly perfunctory reply. Kyle was the only one who treated her like that.

Still, the voice that had been tempting her until just now made her feel slightly uneasy.

“This isn’t a dream, is it?”

“It’s reality, so get a grip.”

Come to think of it, unlike in the darkness, the flow of space and time felt intricately detailed. Then, suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

“But why am I being carried on your back?”

The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was Kyle’s back. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. Still, she felt a little embarrassed and tried to get off his back. But her body wouldn’t budge.

“Huh? I can’t move my body. My arms and neck, too…”

“Stay still. The stabilizer probably messed up your body.”

Ruina Lindel’s stabilizer froze her body. Thus, all organ systems were stopped except for the minimum activity required to maintain life. Fortunately, some time had passed, so she could hear and speak.

“You’ll probably have to stay like that until tomorrow.”

“Like this until tomorrow? I have a lecture to attend…”

“What lecture are you talking about in this situation? Stay still until you’re completely healed.”

“Okay, I understand…”

If Kyle said so, it was so. Kyle’s words had never been wrong.

Growl~!

Then, her stomach rumbled loudly. Her stomach was screaming for food.

“Ugh…”

The sound was so loud that Lana herself was surprised, thinking it was thunder. At the same time, embarrassment washed over her. She didn’t need to look in a mirror to know what her face looked like.

She wanted to hide in a mouse hole right away, but she couldn’t move her neck, so she felt frustrated. Lana had no choice but to face that feeling head-on.

“You’ve been asleep for two days, so you must be hungry. Tell me what you want to eat. I’ll buy it for you.”

“I… I slept that long?”

“Yeah.”

She didn’t realize it because she had no sense of time in the darkness, but to think she had slept for two days. It was a shocking fact for Lana.

No, more than that.

Lana realized through her conversation with Kyle that she couldn’t simply dismiss what happened in the darkness as a dream. So Lana asked.

“Hey Kyle… was that real?”

“It was definitely real. Even though it was in your mind.”

Kyle’s answer was without hesitation.

Ah, so that really happened….

“Was being eaten also real?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you hit me too…?”

“… That’s right. I hit you.”

“I’ve never been hit by my grandfather either…”

Lana complained softly. She had never been hit by anyone, not just her grandfather. Kyle was the first to hit Lana.

“Then you shouldn’t have done anything to get hit. Who told you to give up?”

“I’m sorry…”

“…No, that’s my slip of the tongue. What do you have to be sorry about?”

Kyle apologized quickly. When you think about it, Lana hadn’t done anything wrong. It was all the fault of whoever was trying to corrupt her.

And Lana, by nature, had a personality that was easier to corrupt than others. If you drop a drop of blood into pure water, it spreads throughout. The initial process of dyeing it is difficult, but after that, it’s easy.

In addition, the recognition that the world is not bright and clean played a role. Lana had seen too many people who became comfortable by letting go of something in their hearts. Moreover, Lana was at her limit at the time, so there was no need to mention it.

“Still… thank you. I was really scared. I was afraid that if I disappeared like that, I wouldn’t be able to see my grandfather, friends, and children. And Kyle, you too…”

Lana muttered softly. If it weren’t for him, Lana might have disappeared forever today.

“Is that so.”

Kyle replied to her words.

“Kyle is… always the same.”

“Do you hate that?”

“Hehe, I like it.”

Lana liked Kyle’s answer like that.

Giving snacks, being considerate, and comforting. Other friends treated her like an animal that needed to be protected. The same went for the summoned creatures.

But Kyle was different. Others said he was rude, but Lana felt like he was treating her like a person.

Perhaps because of that thought. Lana also had a strange thought.

What does Kyle think of me?

This is perhaps just a small assumption, or just an expectation, but Lana had a slight feeling that Kyle might have the same feelings as her.

One of the reasons for thinking that way was because of the memories in the darkness. Her clothes were all torn, covered in scars, bleeding profusely, and one of her arms had completely disappeared. It was a serious injury to the point that she wouldn’t be surprised if she died right away.

Even though it was inside the mental world, she felt all the pain. Kyle endured it and saved her. That was not an action that could be done with simple feelings.

So Lana quietly opened her mouth.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

Lana swallowed hard. But she didn’t have the courage to ask right away, so she asked indirectly.

“Hey… Kyle, do you hate me?”

“……”

Kyle closed his mouth for a moment. And soon after, he answered in a different tone than usual.

“…I don’t hate you.”

Lana’s heart was pounding. Since their backs and chests were touching, it was clear that it was being conveyed to Kyle.

“Then…”

Lana calmed her trembling heart and asked again.

“Kyle, do you like me?”

“……”

Again, a moment of silence. Finally, Kyle opened his mouth.

“That’s right…”

The moment she heard those words, Lana’s heart sank. Kyle continued.

“I don’t like you either.”

I don’t like you. That one word tightened Lana’s heart.

I heard that it hurts when your confession is rejected…. My friends were right. It was even more painful because it was the first love I had ever felt.

Then, Kyle’s voice was heard in Lana’s ear.

“At least not now.”

Lana had a blank expression for a moment, then a question mark appeared above her head.

“I like the person named Lana Heytald. It’s just that, as a member of the opposite sex, not yet.”

He continued in a calm voice.

“But if you’re okay with it… I’ll try.”

Lana’s lips went up on their own.

Others would have cursed him for giving her false hope, but Lana didn’t care at all because she could know Kyle’s true feelings.

Besides.

“Hehe, so there’s a chance?”

“Yeah.”

It’s not that there is zero possibility. At least Kyle likes me. All that’s left is to make him look at me as a member of the opposite sex.

Lana entrusted her body to Kyle and whispered to him, who had returned to his usual tone.

“Kyle.”

“Why.”

“I like Kyle. So I’m going to make you like me no matter what.”

“Do as you please.”

“Hehe….”

Lana, who let out a small laugh, had her eyelids gradually lowered.

“You’re trying too hard even though you don’t have any strength. Stop holding on and sleep.”

“Okay…”

I’ve definitely been talking for too long. Lana closed her eyes feeling a sense of stability. And she had a happier dream in her dream than ever before.

***

“Haa…”

I sighed towards the night sky. My mind was a little confused.

“I ended up doing it…”

What on earth was I thinking?

It was a decision I made and made, but when I actually did it, I regretted it late. It was to the extent that I wanted to go to myself 2 minutes ago and stop him from hitting me. But it’s already too late to blame yourself.

I knew very well how Lana felt about me. I’m not a stupid idiot, and she’s showing it openly, so there’s no way she wouldn’t notice.

That fact was also stated in the status window, as if to confirm it.

───

Name: Kyle Arden

Age: 18 years old

Role: Third-rate villain

Description: A third-rate villainous punk from the web novel ‘Arch-Demon’. He’s a very~ trashy guy. Recently, he has shown different actions from the past, and evaluations are changing among some students and professors.

*Another soul is currently possessed.

*Lana Heytald is a person who likes her.

───

Since that sentence is embedded, there is no room for misunderstanding. It appeared since I felt Lana’s change.

In fact, if it had been Lana a week ago, I would not have accepted this confession. I rejected it without giving even a single margin of error.

But the situation was different then and now. I already gave her a reason to fall for someone she liked, and today’s events are entirely my responsibility.

Besides, the atmosphere was like she was about to cry. More than anything… I didn’t hate her as I told Lana. That reason was perhaps the biggest.

Of course, I like all the protagonists of ‘Arch-Demon’, but she was in the top three.

“…I have to accept it, what else can I do.”

Even though I introduced Evan, if the desired situation did not occur, she would have confessed to me someday. What should I say, Lana is a bit single-minded.

There are other reasons as well.

Veil during the entrance exam, change of hunting practice partner. Minor changes in the episode can be tolerated. Those were butterfly effects that started from various changes.

But Lana’s ‘corruption’ episode is different. There was too much time difference, the location was different, and there were no signs.

In the novel, Lana suddenly disappeared one day and there was a commotion, but this is a malicious act aimed at the timing of Lana’s disappearance. I would never have noticed if Lana’s friends hadn’t come.

If I hadn’t found her, Lana would have been subjugated and killed by Professor Tianis tomorrow.

Protagonists deviate from the established story and get hurt. I can never tolerate that. Even if they get hurt, get sick, or die. Everything must happen within the established episode.

Moreover, there is no guarantee that this incident is the end. It can happen to other protagonists at any time.

I felt the need to keep the protagonists in my sight. Lana, who has a death episode left, especially needs it even more.

“The plan is too twisted.”

First of all, I need to revise the initial plan to live as an extra.

“First, I need to raise my grades to within the top 50…”

Originally, I was planning to slowly raise my ranking to 150th, aiming for around 200th place.

But academy events basically require good grades to participate reliably. That’s up to 100th place. To participate stably, you need to be in the top 50.

“I also need to teach Evan magic…”

The main character is interested in magic because of me, but he hasn’t learned it yet. I have to teach him that. That way, he can handle unexpected situations when I’m not around.

“Starting this week, I’ll call him to the dorm…”

[The possessor has achieved a hidden goal]

At that moment, the system window popped up. It’s been a while. Has it been about a month since I last saw it?

“I knew it would come out at this timing.”

[‘Hidden Quest: Save Lana Heytald!’ has been achieved]

The system window continued to appear. I said to some rotten bastard who would be watching this scene. I don’t know the direction, so I just talked into the air.

“If you give me a toy like last time, I’ll overturn everything.”

I growled. It wasn’t useless, but the toy crossed the line. Seriously.

[As a reward, ‘Meteor Summoning Spell’… Ahem.]

The words were cut off in the middle.

“Look at that. I knew you’d do this. Do you see me as a pushover? Should I really flip the plate properly?”

It will take time, but there’s nothing I can’t do.

[…As a reward, ‘Baekhwandan’ will be given!]

“I should have done this sooner.”

Perhaps because the threat worked well, words that satisfied me were output. If it’s a family elixir, I have no complaints. I saved the protagonist, so I have to give this much reward.

I took out the elixir that was created in my pocket and put it in my inside pocket. I’ll have to eat this later when I have time.

In the meantime, I arrived at the lowest-level dormitory. I quickly went into the room, cleaned the room with magic, and laid Lana on the bed.

“Hmm… I need to change the blanket.”

I felt a little uncomfortable using the old and worn-out blanket. I’ll have to buy a clean one tomorrow.

“Haaam~”

I yawned as I put my chin on the desk after spraying perfume to help me sleep. I wanted to sleep comfortably, but we couldn’t sleep together in that narrow place.

“Ah, I hope Ellaim is coming well?”

Thinking about Ellaim, who was late because he was organizing things, and looking at Lana, I fell asleep before I knew it. Later, Ellaim said that he had been sleeping in an uncomfortable position for a long time.

Episode 36 Cleanup (1)

Lana woke up from the pouring sunlight.

Then, an unfamiliar ceiling came into view. Although she didn’t know where it was, she smelled familiar scents from all over the room. This was probably Kyle’s dormitory.

She tried to get up as usual, but her body wouldn’t move. Lana belatedly recalled Kyle’s words.

“Ugh… Kyle?”

She calls him. But the words she wanted to hear did not come.

Did he go somewhere for a while? Just as she thought that, she suddenly heard the sound of the door opening.

Clip-clop

Someone is approaching her. Lana asked the unidentified person. She couldn’t move her neck, so she couldn’t help it.

“Is that Kyle?”

“I’m sorry, but it is not. The young master is currently sleeping at his desk.”

A blunt tone. A voice she has heard often. Lana knows the owner of this voice.

“Hello…?”

There was a slight pause in Lana’s greeting. It was Lana’s specialty to approach people in a friendly manner, but for some reason, it was difficult to do so with Kyle’s guard because of her unique atmosphere.

She greeted him at their first meeting, but she didn’t hear a good greeting. For that reason, even though they had faced each other for a month, they were still awkward.

“I will help you up first.”

“Yes, yes…”

She stutters even when she doesn’t mean to. In fact, this is the first time this person has come so close. It was also virtually the first time they had talked this much.

Ellaim carefully lifted Lana’s upper body and made her sit up.

“Is there anything uncomfortable?”

“No, I’m okay…”

After saying that, Lana couldn’t take her eyes off Ellaim.

She always felt that the guard, Ellaim, was a pretty person. In particular, her long silver hair goes really well with her unique atmosphere.

She once longed for hair like that. Strangely, long hair didn’t suit her, and even if she dyed it, it would return to its original color in a day.

As a result, Lana looked at Ellaim with envious eyes.

“Is there a problem?”

Ellaim noticed the look.

“Ah, it’s not that, it’s just that Kyle…”

“The young master is over there.”

Lana turned her head with difficulty in the direction Ellaim was pointing, and she saw Kyle.

“Hehe…”

As soon as Lana saw Kyle, her face relaxed into a silly expression. She was happy because she could never see him sleeping soundly while leaning on his arm under normal circumstances.

Ellaim, who was watching Lana smiling foolishly, asked quietly.

“Lana… do you like the young master?”

She was a little startled by the question, but soon answered in a shy voice.

“Yes, I like him.”

Lana had no intention of hiding that fact. Now that she had already confessed, what was there to hide?

Ellaim smiled bitterly inside. She knew it, but her affectionate tone was on a different level than before. Something must have happened between her and her grandfather while she was fighting.

“And it’s okay to speak comfortably…”

‘Nim’…. She only heard that word in the family. Even that was too embarrassing, so she asked the servants to call her by her name except when it was official.

“Then I will call you Lana.”

Only then did Lana feel comfortable. Ellaim continued.

“Lana, did you know that?”

Lana tilted her head and looked at Ellaim.

“Lana is the first person the young master has ever cared about so much, and even sacrificed himself for.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Even I, who have grown up with the young master since childhood, am seeing this side of him for the first time.”

Ellaim’s words clearly made Lana happy, but she became fixated on another word.

‘Grown up together?’

The moment she realized what that meant, Lana’s head exploded! If those words were true, this was an opportunity.

“Sister! Please tell me about Kyle!”

Lana knew less about Kyle than she thought. How he grew up, what he liked, what his ideal type was, etc. She really didn’t know anything. And the perfect person to tell her was right in front of her.

Information is power. If she had it, it would be easy to seduce Kyle. Of course, that would only be possible if she used it well, but at least it would be a big help.

Then Ellaim replied.

“For your information, I also like the young master. Is that okay?”

“Ah…”

Lana was speechless at her confession.

Well, if they grew up together, it could happen. She didn’t know how long they had been together since they were little, but at least their relationship would be longer than hers.

But Lana gave an answer that was different from what Ellaim expected.

“O-o-unnie, if it’s you, it’s okay…”

She stuttered and her voice grew smaller and smaller, but Lana gave her permission(?).

Like attracts like. Ellaim Unnie is a kind person like Kyle. Even though their relationship was still awkward, Lana felt that it would be okay if it was her.

Of course, she would have to get to know her as well as Kyle.

“Lana…”

Ellaim looked at Lana and quietly said her name.

Cute. At the same time, she is kind and pure.

That was the impression she got from her brief conversation with her.

Usually, people would feel uncomfortable or jealous when they heard this kind of story. But Lana didn’t show any of those feelings.

That’s why Ellaim smiled softly inside. She understood why Kyle treated her so specially. Lana was an inherently charming child.

Also, she is a child who reminds her of Kyle in his childhood. Except for her gender, her actions are almost identical to Kyle’s back then. That may be why she was more drawn to her.

“Okay. If that’s what Lana thinks, I’ll tell you as much as I know.”

“Thank you, Unnie!!”

If Lana could move her arms, she would have hugged her right away.

***

I woke up with a start at the loud noise. When I opened my eyes, Ellaim and Lana were close together.

“Yawn~ When did you come?”

“I came in as soon as Lana woke up, so it hasn’t been long.”

“Did you sleep well, Kyle?”

“Yeah, I slept well. But when did you two get so close?”

As far as I remember, they didn’t talk much even last week. But when did they become close enough to call each other ‘Unnie’?

“I just became friends with Unnie!”

“Is that so? Be good friends.”

“Yes!”

Well, if they get along, I welcome it. In the novel, the two got along well because they had similar personalities.

I checked the time for a moment. It was just past lunchtime. I came back before the day changed, but I slept for more than 12 hours.

“More importantly, young master. What are you going to do about the lecture?”

“Lecture? I have to skip it. I’m not in a condition to go.”

Using too much power while my body wasn’t fully formed was killing me. Every part of my body was stiff to the point of creaking.

It’s a waste of attendance points, but it’s better than overdoing it and being bedridden for a few days. I’ll be back to normal after resting for a day or two.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m okay. Latral-nim looked after me and was my opponent.”

“Kyle, what are you talking about?”

Lana reacted to those words. I told her without hiding anything.

“The professor interfered with me going to the Land of Contract, so we fought. You know that the professor is the administrator.”

“Ah, no? Grandpa is always busy, so he’s not in the professor’s office…”

In the meantime, Lana lied. It’s commendable that she’s protecting her grandfather’s secret.

“I’ve known since a long time ago, so there’s no need to lie.”

“Oh, since when?”

“Since the day I first saw you at the entrance ceremony.”

“Ugh, then what am I if I was talking so enthusiastically back then…”

Lana hung her head in embarrassment. At the time, Lana was talking enthusiastically about her grandfather.

“Grandpa is super strong. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I didn’t get hurt fighting the World Tree, just the professor. Only my head hurts a little.”

“With the World Tree…”

She thought about something for a while. Then she opened her mouth a little later.

“Kyle. You didn’t make a weird contract with the World Tree, did you? That person is kind, but a little fond of men, so surely…”

Still, she knows the personality well because she often talks to the World Tree.

“I made such a suggestion, but I didn’t accept it. I had no intention of doing so in the first place.”

“Hehe, that’s a relief. But you didn’t make it with strange conditions, did you?”

“There was nothing unfair.”

Since summoning is also a type of contract, she was very interested. She said that contracts should be made carefully, and if you don’t check them thoroughly, you will be harmed.

In fact, if you really think about it, I’m the one who lost a lot. All I asked for was to connect my mind, and what the World Tree asked for was obvious, but incredibly difficult. But at the time, she was the only one who could handle the work safely and reliably.

Lana didn’t ask any more questions. Contracts are strictly in the realm of privacy. You shouldn’t ask about the details recklessly, and you shouldn’t tell them.

I stretched my stiff body and said. As I came to my senses, my empty stomach slowly reacted.

“Let’s eat first. What do you want to eat?”

“I’m okay with anything Kyle buys me!”

“I would like a meat-based meal.”

“Okay.”

After that, I left the dormitory. Ellaim had to take care of Lana, so I had to go alone.

When I came outside, I saw Lana’s summons guarding the entrance to the dormitory. They were very dejected and drooped. For a moment, I thought I was looking at Lana.

I quietly called them.

“What are you guys doing here?”

-Chirp!

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. More than that, Lana is awake, so go inside and see her. Don’t touch her, she’s not feeling well.”

-Cheeeep!!

Then Nene flew away in a hurry. Led by Nene, the other summons also ran away making all sorts of noises. Anyone would think they hadn’t seen each other for years.

“What noisy guys.”

I don’t know how they endured until noon. Well, I guess it makes sense since their owner was on the verge of death.

After walking for a while, I arrived at the center. But as soon as I arrived at the student hall, people around me were whispering. The atmosphere was also somewhat chaotic.

“Hmm…”

I wondered why this was happening, but the thought didn’t last long.

‘It’s because of me.’

Lana is a being loved by all living things. Since she hasn’t been seen since this morning, there must have been a commotion.

In the actual novel, there was a small commotion because she skipped the lecture. Because she was diligent.

In addition, there is a possibility that Lana’s friends she met yesterday spread rumors.

For example… a rumor that I kidnapped or killed Lana spread. Even if it started in the morning, it would have been known throughout the academy in less than half a day.

‘So that’s why they’re glancing at me like that.’

Hundreds of eyes were gathering, which was annoying. Perhaps even more attention than during the trial.

Lana Heitald. Our fresh and lively protagonist is a person with that much influence.

‘Let’s do it later.’

It was right to explain properly, but not now. Food comes first now. And it will disappear quickly when Lana reappears.

I ignored it and moved on. But then. One person blocked my path.

“What brings you here, Your Highness the Princess?”

It was Princess Ariel, who has been showing a lot of interest in me lately. The number of times she glances at me has doubled since the last practice.

“I… I was worried and came to see you because you didn’t come to the lecture today.”

“I had a personal matter and had to skip it without even telling the professor.”

“Is that so…”

The princess stared at me blankly. I faced her without avoiding her. Then she let out a deep sigh.

“Haa… Interrogation isn’t my thing, so I’ll ask you directly. Did you kidnap Lana?”

As expected, the rumor reached the princess’s ears in a short time. Well, I expected it.

Even though she doesn’t use her power through her origins, all sorts of rumors come to her ears. This is because she has a good personality and is a royal family member who is revered by the people of the empire.

“Of course, I know it’s nonsense considering the relationship between you and Lana, but many people are asking me, so I came to check because there are also rumors that you knocked out Lana’s friends to keep them quiet, and that you were running around at night.”

Since she asked, I gave her the answer she wanted. Of course, without mixing in a single lie.

“Lana is safe and is currently resting in my dormitory. She will recover by tomorrow.”

“Did something happen to Lana?”

With that question, a strange sensation approached me. I quickly spread my mana and blocked it.

“Your Highness, I swear on my name that Lana is fine. So you don’t have to worry.”

“…I don’t know how you’ve always noticed my power, both now and in the past.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“That’s okay. You’ve always pretended not to know like this except for that time.”

The princess continued with a stiff face.

“Hoo, I see. I’ll tell the other students.”

“Thank you.”

I bowed and showed my respect.

“By the way, where are you going now?”

“I’m going to buy food. Lana said she was hungry because she hadn’t eaten for two days, no, three days.”

“Is that so? Then give Lana my regards, and buy her something delicious with this.”

The princess suddenly handed me 1 gold coin. Just as I was about to receive it.

“But can I see what this is?”

The princess grabbed my right wrist. I was wearing gloves to hide the pattern and blocked the flow of energy as much as possible, but it seems it didn’t work on the princess, who has excellent senses.

“…I would appreciate it if you let go.”

A deep sense of disgust welled up from deep inside my body at the sudden physical contact, and as anger was about to burst out, I quickly controlled it. My physical reaction to the princess was still the same.

“The imperial family has a duty to protect the people of the empire. Of course, I need to know about the divine power that has formed overnight.”

“Haa…”

There are many eyes watching, so I can’t openly knock out the princess during the day. It’s frustrating.

“I’ll just check for a moment.”

Princess Ariel slowly lowered my glove. The upper part of the pattern was revealed. At that moment, the princess stopped. In that gap, I pulled up my glove and stepped back.

“Is that enough?”

“Was there anything that happened with the World Tree…? Can I ask?”

“It was for Lana.”

I didn’t want to reveal it yet, but now that it’s come to this, I have to tell the princess.

“To go under the gods for her…”

There seemed to be some misunderstanding, but I didn’t correct it. Unlike saints and saintesses who are recognized by the general public, the royal family thinks of them as something similar to slaves of the gods.

Moreover, since this pattern is not much different from a stigmata, they will not think that I made a contract with God, unlike Lana.

“Does Lana know this fact?”

“She knows. And now there’s one more.”

I retorted sarcastically. I never get good words when I’m with the princess.

“…I’m sorry. I never thought something like that would happen.”

“That’s okay. As long as you keep it a secret.”

“Okay. I’ll hide it until you reveal it.”

Princess Ariel stepped back.

“I’ve been too disruptive when you’re busy. I’ll talk to the professor.”

With those words, the princess moved away little by little.

“I’ll say it again, I’m sorry.”

“No. Be careful.”

I bowed and sent the princess away. Since Princess Ariel is also a main character, I had to pay attention to her, but as much as our relationship is what it is, it wasn’t an easy path. Still, I had to resolve the grudge between us someday.

So I went to the capital to buy the necessary supplies and food and returned to the dormitory.

And one person lingering in front of the entrance.

“What brings you here, professor?”

“You…”

It was that man who blocked me yesterday, Lana’s grandfather, Latral Heitald.

“I’m not feeling well, so please go back.”

I coldly kicked him out.

Episode 37 Cleanup (2)

Lana’s grandfather, Latral Heitald, looked haggard overnight. Dark circles were deeply etched under his eyes, and he seemed drained of energy.

“…….”

He didn’t say anything, so I ignored him and walked past.

I usually thought well of him. Just from the way he treated me as the caretaker, I could see that his dignity in his words and actions was different from others, going beyond mere kindness.

But the sight of an 8th-circle mage, a figure who would soon be placed among the transcendent ranks akin to gods, bowing his head was displeasing.

Of course, he was not yet a transcendent and remained a mortal, so he was not at the stage where he could rashly break the contract, but he was a skilled person who could at least attempt it.

Nevertheless, Latral stopped me without a moment’s hesitation. Even after seeing his granddaughter on his back.

“Lana, is she alright….”

I didn’t even want to have a simple conversation, but I stopped for a moment to answer his question. He was entitled to know about his granddaughter’s condition.

“She’s in good enough condition to be running around tomorrow.”

“That’s a relief….”

I don’t know what he did to be so listless. I’m the one who suffered.

Latral was silent for a while. Then, after a long time, he opened his mouth.

“What… should I have done?”

Hearing those words, I was rather taken aback. It wasn’t even worth answering, but I answered him. If left unchecked, his heart could be consumed by darkness.

“Professor, you’ve lived longer than me and your skills are above mine. Shouldn’t you be able to make that kind of judgment?”

The action to take in that situation was very obvious.

Latral spoke in a slightly trembling, self-reproaching voice.

“Are you saying I should have saved Lana even if it meant giving up everything?”

“I don’t expect that much. But you shouldn’t have stopped me.”

I thought that he would be willing to take a loss for his granddaughter and pave the way. So, instead of blindly breaking through, I tried to have a conversation first. Of course, it wasn’t as expected.

I continued in a cold voice.

“Moreover, at least here, you should have done your best as a professor to help your student.”

Leading and caring for students as an educator. That is the oath taken when appointed as a Tianis professor. Latral broke that oath.

A dark shadow fell over his face. Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“…I’m sorry.”

A small word of apology. I retorted sarcastically.

“Apologize to Lana directly.”

Even so, Lana will probably comfort her grandfather. She needs to know how to get angry sometimes, but sometimes I worry about her.

“As a professor who should protect students, I have committed a great sin against you.”

“It’s okay. What’s done is done.”

“No.”

He shook his head.

“This is my fault. I wish I could kneel down right now. If you’re willing to accept it, I want to grant you a wish. Would that be alright?”

Huh? That was quite unexpected.

“I’m not saying this to ask for forgiveness. As a professor, I want to highly commend your courage and sacrifice and give a reward to the student named Kyle Arden.”

At least it wouldn’t be a loss for me. I needed something anyway, so this is good.

“Hmm… How far can you go?”

“Right below the authority of the president, so I can do most things.”

“Is it possible to restore the academy’s usage rights?”

“There’s no reason why not. It’s impossible to skip several steps, but it’s possible to raise it by one level.”

That’s perfect. I’m satisfied with that much.

“Then please allow me to use the facilities.”

“That’s a very modest wish. With my authority, I could open the academy’s storage and give you anything you want.”

“Do I look like I’m greedy for elixirs or magical tools?”

“Well, probably. It wouldn’t be useful with your skills anyway.”

Still, Latral didn’t seem willing to end it with just that.

“But I can’t end it with just this. Twice. I’ll grant you what you want up to twice.”

“I won’t need it, but I understand for now.”

“And I’ll talk to the professors, so take a break this week.”

“There’s no need for that….”

“No, I heard from the World Tree. You strained yourself when saving Lana.”

Tsk, that old woman just keeps saying unnecessary things. Well, if I can legally skip classes, I welcome it.

“I’ll go in now.”

After the story was roughly over, I went into the dormitory. Latral whispered softly behind me.

“…Please take care of Lana.”

“I will anyway.”

I answered roughly and went inside. Then Lana greeted me.

“Kyle! I’m hungry!”

“That’s why I bought you food.”

The three of us spent the day in the dormitory.

***

My request, which I thought would take at least two days, was fulfilled in one day.

The very next day, I received a call to visit the student center to renew my rights. So, I went straight there and got it renewed.

“That’s unexpected.”

I didn’t expect it to happen this quickly.

Excluding the dormitory, facility usage rights can be renewed at any time during the semester with a professor’s recommendation.

However, I was demoted due to the trial. Even with Latral’s influence, it’s not an easy renewal to allow. He probably put in a lot of effort.

Well, it also means that he has a lot of faith in Latral to allow that. He had been a professor dedicated to the academy for decades. Moreover, he was incorruptible. If it were another professor, I would have been accused of taking money and been rejected.

Now that I can use the department facilities and have time off from classes, I decided to go to the library with Lana for the exam.

“Hehe, Kyle and the library….”

“Are you happy?”

“Yeah, I’m happy!”

Lana smiled brightly on the way to the library.

That being said, the road there was far from peaceful. Just one day. Lana had only disappeared and reappeared, but the academy was noisy and boisterous.

As soon as we arrived at the center, hundreds of students stuck to us. Dozens of students tried to separate Lana and me. The momentum was so strong that I, the summoned beast, and Ellaim joined forces to push back the crowd.

It seems like a strange rumor spread again even after the princess explained. What did they say? That I brainwashed Lana? Something like that was floating around.

Lana tried hard to clear up the misunderstanding. Thanks to that, we were stuck in the department grounds for almost an hour.

“Hoo…. What is this commotion on the way to the library.”

“It’s harder than during the opening ceremony….”

Both Lana and I were very exhausted. It was something I was determined to do, but the scale of the work is larger than I thought.

I advised her.

“Never disappear without saying anything. I can’t stand to see this again.”

“I don’t think this is right either….”

Lana, who likes people, agreed for once. As she said, it’s definitely not a situation to welcome again.

Then Ellaim chimed in.

“Young master, you’re exaggerating. There were far more people when you were in the family.”

“…Was there?”

“Yes, Lana. When you were young, almost all the territory residents rushed to see you during the territory event. Not now, though.”

“Sister, was Kyle like that?”

“Yes, Lana. Back then, the young master’s eyes were not sharp and he was rather cute.”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

I stopped the conversation that was going in a strange direction and moved to the library.

The first time visiting the library since possessing the body. The Tianis Library was vast in size as it housed a huge collection of books.

Roughly 1.5 times the size of the stadium where the entrance ceremony is held. It is the largest building in Tianis Academy.

“Kyle, have you ever been to the library?”

“Probably… not.”

The delinquent is far from studying, so there’s no way he would have been here. Maybe he came once after entering the school? I don’t even know.

“You don’t even know how to enter? Okay, just follow me.”

Lana put her wristwatch on the magic device on the right side of the entrance, as if teaching a child, no, a freshman. And she passed through the mana barrier as it was and entered.

“Like this.”

“Do you think I wouldn’t know that?”

This method is very familiar to me. Tianis had many modern aspects. Just looking at the wristwatch reminds me of a smart watch. This is also a method devised by the founding emperor.

I entered in the same way as Lana. Ellaim just came in without having to do that. She has a separate magic engraved on her.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t know?”

“What do you take me for?”

“A student who doesn’t study and has never been to the library?”

“That’s true, but….”

I couldn’t think of anything to refute.

Anyway, department facilities are used in this way.

Perhaps because the exam was not far away, there were many students in the library. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors were already full, and the 4th floor was about 90% full. We headed to the 5th floor.

“Let’s go there!”

Lana led me. Since it was a library, she also minimized her words and footsteps as much as possible. And the moment she sat in an empty seat.

“Oh? Kyle hyung? Did you come to study?”

Evan and his group popped out next to us. I thought he would appear when I was about to forget him, but it’s good timing.

After roughly greeting them, I said to Evan.

“Evan, come straight to my dormitory after class tomorrow.”

“Yes? I don’t mind, but don’t you have a class then, hyung?”

“I’m taking a break this week, so it’s okay. So, come no matter what.”

“Yes, well.”

Evan didn’t ask any further questions. Sometimes it was convenient to have unlimited trust in someone.

“And Chloe. Can I see you for a moment?”

Next is Chloe. I grabbed her hand and dragged her away.

“Senior, I’m embarrassed if you do this in a place like this~”

“Shut up and follow me. Lana, wait a moment. Ellaim, don’t follow me.”

“Okay!”

“…I understand.”

Ellaim didn’t like it, but she didn’t follow me.

I took Chloe to a quiet place. The arrangement of the bookshelves in the library is well-organized, but surprisingly, it is mixed with a trick that confuses the mind. If you use it well, you can prevent anyone from coming near.

I put up a barrier with mana just in case to block the sound.

“Why did you bring me to such a corner? Is it what I’m thinking?”

Chloe was acting coy. I could only see that as an act to hide the anxiety in her heart. Nothing happened at the academy, and Lana came back safe and sound.

“Oh, senior. It’s scary if you stare like that~”

Chloe reached out and unbuttoned my buttons one by one. Slowly, one by one, with slow movements. I called Chloe in a low voice.

“Chloe. Stop it.”

“Why? Isn’t that why you called me?”

She came close to my ear and whispered. Her breath tickled my ear. She’s openly seducing me. She’s acting nonchalant to the end.

I said to her.

“You don’t have to act nonchalantly about Lana’s incident, so stop it.”

“…….”

Chloe stepped back, pulling her upper body away. Her expression was somewhat sulky. I could also see a hint of anger.

“…How did you know?”

“That’s not important. What’s important is the fact that you tried to kill Lana.”

“Senior… Don’t you know you’ll be hated if you mention a woman’s secret?”

At that, I moved forward as much as she stepped back and got close. A close distance of about a hand span. Facing Chloe, I whispered quietly.

“So, do you hate me now?”

I know what kind of eyes Chloe looks at me with.

Desire. A huge possessiveness that she can’t dare to hide. Chloe wants to have the human named Kyle Arden.

Chloe smiled and grinned at my words. And she began to release the desire she had been hiding until now.

“Do you think I’ll disappear with just one word?”

“I thought so.”

I don’t know why she wants to have me. But one thing is certain: she won’t give up on me no matter what.

“Chloe.”

“Tell me~”

Chloe showed her true colors and unleashed her suppressed abilities. The power to seduce reason spreads around. I kept my mind focused and said.

“This is the first and last warning I’m giving you.”

She did things outside of the set time. She may have failed this time, but it’s obvious that she’ll touch me again someday. Then all I have to do is prevent her from looking in that direction.

“I’ll accept it all, whether you seduce me, brainwash me, or make me fall into hallucinations. If it’s only directed at me, I’ll accept any kind of antics. But don’t touch anyone else.”

I warned her and offered myself as bait.

“Do you want to have me? Then try to win me over with your own power.”

At the same time, I issued a challenge. If you want to make me yours, try to achieve it yourself. Focus only on me and try to take me away.

Then Chloe smiled and asked.

“What if I don’t keep it?”

“Then, I’ll bet everything I have and kill you. Absolutely.”

I glared at her with murderous intent. Chloe didn’t even flinch.

“Senior….”

Instead, joy dwelled in her smile, and longing dwelled in her eyes. The eeriness seemed to excite her.

Chloe reached out again and stroked my cheek, whispering in a voice full of desire.

“You’re making me want you even more. Are you seducing me now? This is troublesome~”

“Stop talking and go study.”

“What are you talking about! You have to go with me~”

She grabbed my arm and tried to lead me, so I made up an excuse that I was going to find a book and dropped her off. She looked disappointed, but she didn’t follow me and went back to her seat.

“Hoo, that’s it.”

I let out a sigh of relief as I watched Chloe walking away.

This roughly solved the problem with the main characters. It will be annoying for me, but the effect will be certain. I could make this kind of sacrifice for the safety of the main characters.

If she was just a character of that importance, I would have excluded her immediately, but I can’t do that. Chloe was just as important as the main character Evan.

After calming myself down, I chose a book and headed to Lana. Chloe was next to Lana, but she wasn’t doing anything special and was reading a book.

I was relieved and sat next to Lana and started studying, like them, by opening a book. Fortunately, that day passed without any problems.

Episode 38 Exam Period (1)

Lana, having recovered to the point where she could move, no longer needed to stay in my dorm. So, she went back to her own dorm.

But for some reason, the next day. And it was early in the morning, Lana came to the dorm carrying something.

“Kyle, good morning!”

Lana greeted me with a bright voice and a bright face. I, who was doing my morning training, stopped my movements and said.

“What’s going on from this early in the morning.”

“I came to see Kyle!”

“…….”

Speechless, I looked at her. I can roughly guess why she came without asking. But that doesn’t mean I have no complaints.

“Um… Lana. First of all, I won’t say anything about you coming to the dorm. But….”

“But?”

I explained calmly to her, who was asking back.

“You came too early. Do you know what time it is now?”

“Uh……”

Lana looked at her wristwatch and shouted.

“It’s 6 o’clock!”

“Yeah, it’s 6 o’clock. And at that time, other people are still asleep. Look at the summons too. Aren’t they all sleepy?”

Nene was curled up and sleeping on my head, and Rendo, the deer who brought us here, also looked sleepy.

“Ah….”

Lana looked blank, as if she hadn’t thought of that. And the problem wasn’t just that.

“What is that thing you’re carrying?”

“A lunch box for Kyle?”

“…What time did you wake up to prepare that?”

“5 o’clock.”

At that, I stared at Lana. It was too much to have made in just one hour.

Then, feeling a little guilty, Lana answered truthfully.

“Actually, 4 o’clock….”

“What time did you go to bed?”

“1 o’clock….”

“So, you only slept for 3 hours?”

Lana silently nodded her head slightly. No wonder her eyes were a little hollow. It must be because she was tired.

‘If I leave her like this, she’ll keep doing this.’

Lana is stubborn, even if it’s not expressed much.

“Lana.”

“Yes, Kyle.”

“I appreciate you doing this for me. It’s not easy to pack a lunch box almost every day, not just today.”

“Hehe, no. I’m doing it because I like to….”

Lana smiled broadly. She seemed happy with my words, but I had to say what I had to say.

“But don’t overdo it. There’s no need to cut back on sleep to prepare.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Yeah, I’m worried about you.”

Lana’s cheeks flushed for a moment. And then she mumbled with her face buried.

“Thank you….”

Instead of answering, I cast a fatigue recovery spell. Only then did her face become brighter.

“Hehe, Kyle is kind.”

“Rather than that, Ellaim is here, so go say hello.”

Just in time, Ellaim returned after finishing her run for physical training. Lana ran to her as soon as she saw Ellaim.

“Ellaim unnie~!”

“Lana. What brings you here this early in the morning?”

“I came to see unnie and Kyle!”

“At this hour?”

I left the two talking for a while and wiped off the sweat with magic. And while I was wondering where to eat the lunch box Lana brought.

“Huh?”

Someone was coming this way from afar. After confirming the face of that someone, I sighed deeply.

“Haa….”

Dark circles that had sunk deeply, eyes that didn’t feel lively, and even a dark complexion. Evan was almost on the verge of death.

“…What’s wrong with you again.”

“Yes? Hyung-nim told me to come….”

“No, what did you do that made your face look like that?”

“Ah, I was so nervous because I was learning magic from hyung-nim that I couldn’t sleep last night….”

“How many hours did you sleep?”

“Uh… I didn’t sleep at all.”

What should I do with this bastard? He should control himself when it’s an important day. I can’t just beat him to death because he’s the main character….

I cast a recovery spell on Evan, just like I did on Lana. His face quickly became lively.

“Oh! Thank you, hyung-nim!”

“Sigh….”

Even if he says that, I can only sigh. I’ll have to correct that rotten mindset later.

While I was thinking about that, Evan approached the two and greeted them.

“Lana sunbae! Nunim! Good morning!”

“Hello! Evan hubae!”

“Nice to meet you.”

Greetings were exchanged as well. Meanwhile, I led the three of them to a suitable seat.

“Evan hubae, you haven’t eaten breakfast either, right? Enjoy your meal.”

“I’ll enjoy it.”

Evan must have been hungry, as he hurriedly took the lunch box and put it in his mouth.

“Kyle, try this. Unnie made it because she said Kyle likes it. If you eat it with this salad….”

“I understand. I’ll eat it one by one slowly.”

“No, it’s more delicious when you eat it together. Here, like this….”

Lana stepped forward and handed it over as if she were feeding me. I couldn’t bring myself to be fed, so I took the fork and put it in my mouth. Then, the reaction immediately exploded in my brain.

“It’s delicious….”

Words that came out unconsciously. At the same time, my body trembled with joy.

It’s said to be Kyle Arden’s favorite food. That seems to be true. The more I chewed, the more my whole body wanted it.

“Unnie! Kyle says it’s delicious!”

“Young master only looked for that when he was young. It won’t be any different now.”

Ignoring the conversation, I kept eating the food in my mouth. And Evan was staring at this scene from the side. Then, after swallowing the food in his mouth, he asked in a slightly serious voice.

“Lana sunbae.”

“Huh? Why?”

“What I’ve felt while watching you yesterday and today… Did you succeed?”

“No? Kyle rejected me.”

At Lana’s words, Evan slowly turned his head towards me. He frowned as if he were looking at a bug. And he opened his mouth.

“Hyung-nim. Are you perhaps impotent?”

“What, you little shit?”

“It doesn’t make sense logically. A person like Lana sunbae confessed first, but unless you’re a madman… Ack! Hyung-nim, ear, ear!!”

“Say it again. What did you say?”

“I was wrong! Ear! Hyung-nim, your ear is falling off, ear!!”

I pulled on Evan’s ear as if I were tearing it off. Evan was in agony from the pain.

But I had no intention of letting go easily. I pulled it for about 5 minutes and then let go as if throwing it away.

“Aheuk, my ear….”

Evan grabbed his red and swollen ear and crawled on the floor. I said one word to Evan.

“Evan. Let’s keep the line, even if it’s something else.”

“Still, hyung-nim…. Lana sunbae mustered up the courage, so you should accept her, right? Honestly, you like sunbae too, right?”

Haa, I don’t know why I’m having this conversation with this guy. Even in front of Lana and Ellaim.

“That’s a matter between Lana and me. Don’t worry about it and do your job well.”

“Hey, how can you do that? You’re my hyung-nim. And I’m giving you a piece of advice, you should accept these things quickly. Actually, in my hometown….”

I glared at Evan, who seemed like he was going to talk for a long time, and said.

“Let’s keep it moderate.”

“Keu, keuheum….”

Only then did Evan shut his mouth. Of course, Lana was smiling brightly next to me, and Ellaim was watching as if it were fun.

“Evan hubae is very kind. He also gave me advice and helped me during the internship.”

“It’s because I feel frustrated when I see the two of you. I can’t help but help when I see you?”

“You’re helping by staying still. Please shut up.”

It was obvious that if I continued like this, only this situation would unfold. So, I made a decision.

“Evan, let’s go when you’ve finished eating everything.”

“Yes? Where to?”

“The bookstore in the library. There’s something I need before I teach you magic.”

“Oh! Then let’s go right away.”

As soon as he heard my words, Evan got up from his seat.

“I want to go too!”

“Wouldn’t it be better to sleep for a while? You must be sleepy.”

“I’m all awake!”

“Then come along.”

“Okay!”

After that, we headed to the bookstore.

***

Tianis Academy students make tremendous efforts to improve their skills. You can immediately feel their passion just by looking around on the way to school or during lectures.

However, at a certain period, that passion fades and an atmosphere of overall weakness comes. That’s when the exam is just around the corner.

Even students with outstanding talents who can fly and run cannot escape the unique pressure that comes from the word exam. Because it’s the day when the results of the efforts made up to this point are determined.

Therefore, the phenomenon occurs in all grades, regardless of grade level.

Someone might ask this. 1st graders are nervous because it’s their first exam after entering school, but why do 2nd and 3rd graders have a reason to be?

Of course, there is a reason to do so.

Tianis’s exams are famous for being so difficult that rumors spread to other academies. Of course, it’s not so difficult that you can’t solve it at all, but it goes beyond the level of a general exam.

So, the 2nd and 3rd graders who know the fear are very nervous. Every day is nerve-wracking until the exam is over.

In addition, some professors identify the student’s strengths and weaknesses and give them problems tailored to them… You have to study to the death.

Therefore, the air in the library and bookstore, where students are crowded at this time, is so heavy that it is suffocating.

However, not all students are living without any spare time. The two next to me are typical examples of such students.

“Kyle. Isn’t this book better for basic magic?”

“That book is also good, of course, but the content is too twisted for Evan to learn.”

“Is that so?”

The bookstore that occupies one side of the first floor of the Tianis Library. There, Lana handed me various books with a face that wasn’t worried about the exam at all.

“Then how about this book?”

I quickly skimmed through the book Lana handed me. It was a pretty good book, so I threw it back. The thrown book landed in the exact location.

“Hye, hyung-nim…. Are you going to buy more here?”

“Don’t worry about money. I’ll pay for it.”

“That’s not the problem… You’ve already gone over 30 books? Won’t your head explode before you even read them all?”

“A person’s head doesn’t explode that easily.”

“Ah….”

Evan, who was letting out a sigh of lamentation. At the same time, he kept receiving the books I was throwing. And as you can feel from his attitude, Evan didn’t seem worried about the exam either.

That’s because the two of them have a natural personality, and they’re basically smart. Lana is the top student, so I’ve said it all. That’s why they have so much leeway.

Maybe that’s why, we, who have a particularly bright atmosphere, are getting a lot of attention. No, some people fill their energy by looking at Lana’s face, but their shoulders droop before long.

Even if you see something happy and joyful, the emotion quickly fades. It’s a common sight during the exam period. We’re just special.

“That’s it. Let’s go.”

“Haa… 40 books. I’m going crazy….”

Evan was looking at the pile of books in front of him with a dejected expression, but I didn’t care. It’s stranger to make a fuss with just this.

After finishing our business, we returned to the dorm. And when we were almost there, I belatedly remembered the supplies needed to teach magic.

“Go ahead first. I’ll be right back.”

“Can’t I go too?”

“It’ll take 10 minutes.”

“Hmm… Okay!”

“Then I’ll be waiting, hyung-nim.”

I was going to leave the two of them because I was really going to be back soon. So, there was no need for a large group to flock together. But Ellaim’s running speed is fast, so there’s no problem.

On the way back after buying the rest of the items. I looked at Ellaim who was following next to me.

The reason was that I was worried because I hadn’t taken care of her since Lana’s incident. Of course, it wasn’t that we had become awkward or that the frequency of our conversations had decreased.

“Can I ask you something?”

“I’ll answer unless it’s a difficult question.”

“Um….”

At the straightforward answer, I paused slightly and asked.

“Are you satisfied with your current state?”

“What state are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about living with Lana like this.”

“To answer that, I don’t think it’s much different from before.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

Ellaim stopped abruptly. And then she looked at my face.

“Are you perhaps worried that I’m jealous?”

“Well… a little?”

Human relationships are so subtle that if you only pay attention to one side, feelings of resentment that didn’t exist will arise. Of course, they got along well in the novel, but because I intervened, I don’t know how things might suddenly change.

“Doryeonim.”

“Yeah, tell me.”

Ellaim called me in a serious voice. I answered her.

“Lana is a good child.”

“I know that too.”

“And she’s even pure.”

“That’s true.”

Kind and pure. These are the representative words that refer to Lana.

“I like Lana like that. It’s like I have another younger sister.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, we get along well. In my opinion, there will be no fights between Lana and me.”

“Really? That’s good.”

Now that she said that, it didn’t seem like the worried things would happen. Her tone also has affection in it, just like when she faces me.

“Then please take good care of Lana.”

“I understand.”

We walked back to the dorm. Then Ellaim called me quietly.

“Still, Doryeonim.”

“Yeah?”

“Sometimes….”

Ellaim didn’t finish her words. It seemed like she was too shy to say it.

“I hope you pay attention to me too….”

A smile spread on my face at Ellaim’s words. Her flushed face was quite a sight to see today as well.

“Would I do that to my noona?”

And her face, which was buried at the word noona, was also fun to see.

Episode 39 Exam Period (2)

“Kyle, brother… my head, my head is going to explode…!”

Evan clutched his head and wailed in agony. It wasn’t physical pain, but mental distress. He was using his brain so much that steam was rising from the heat.

Evan complained, begging for a short break, but it was out of the question.

“Stop complaining and keep solving.”

I ignored Evan’s words and handed him the problems I had created in the meantime.

I was creating problems almost every minute, so for every problem Evan solved, ten more piled up beside him. He fell behind so much that there were 50 untouched sheets of paper.

“When am I ever going to solve all of these?”

“Brother… this, this is too much! It’s been a week of theory! When am I going to be able to use magic!”

Evan voiced his dissatisfaction.

I had called him in a week ago, and instead of teaching him magic, I had only taught him basic knowledge and made him sit at his desk every day solving arithmetic problems, which must have felt like torture.

“I told you it wouldn’t be easy.”

“Still, brother, isn’t learning about gently stimulating a taste of something, huh? To make you feel interested?”

“I did that on the first day.”

I definitely made Evan feel the sensation of handling magic as soon as he came. But it was just a taste, and it seemed to be the limit.

“Are you satisfied with just that one time? Instead of just theory, mix in a little practical experience…”

“Haa…”

I sighed in frustration. I called him softly.

“Evan.”

“Yes, Kyle, brother.”

“What did I tell you magic was on the first day?”

“I said that magic is not a technique that can be used simply by manipulating mana.”

“That’s right.”

The foundation of martial arts started simply. Therefore, martial arts that have inherited that characteristic have simple mana processing and operation stages from the beginning. Almost no complex process is required.

But magic is not like that at all.

Magic is basically a technique that applies the principles of the world to mana and releases it externally. And what connects the two is calculation. You can only use magic by dissolving formulas into mana.

But our protagonist, Evan, is a commoner. His life is far from learning. How much of the academic subject of mathematics has he learned while living in some rural area for 17 years? At best, he would have learned basic mathematics.

In other words, Evan does not have the foundation for using magic.

What’s the point of handling mana if you don’t have the foundation? Even if you release mana from your hand saying you’re using magic, if there is no processing, it’s just palm technique, not magic.

Of course, some genius magicians can read formulas just by looking at them, and they are even capable of modifying them to their own style, but Evan does not have that ability.

Still, Evan may not have had the opportunity to learn, but his head itself is good. It may take him a while to solve problems, but he never gets them wrong.

“I fully understand why you’re being stubborn. But…”

“Stubborn? I’m not a child…”

After glaring at him for a moment, Evan shut his mouth. That guy talks too much.

“Evan. Like martial arts, magic is not something you can easily learn. If you want something, you need that much sacrifice. So listen to me. I’ll tell you everything you’re curious about.”

“Kyle, brother…”

Evan’s eyes twinkled as if he was moved. Of course, that didn’t develop into motivation.

“Still, let’s rest just a little, just a little. Please…!”

Evan begged me with a desperate look. Then Lana intervened.

“That’s right, Kyle. Grandpa said it’s good to do everything in moderation. And the exams are coming up soon. Doesn’t Evan have to study too?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

The midterm exams are already next week. I’m well prepared, so there’s no problem. But Evan is juggling his studies and my lessons, so it must be difficult for him.

Well, he adjusts his condition well and makes progress, but you never know. Evan’s grades, who is the second highest in the class, could suddenly plummet.

“Okay. Let’s stop for today.”

“Uwaaa…! Thank you, Lana, senior!!”

Evan shed tears of joy and ran to Lana.

“Evan, junior, you worked hard.”

Lana patted and comforted Evan.

“Lana, senior… brother’s lessons are too hard! How can a person be so vicious? Even the professor isn’t that bad!”

“That’s because Kyle doesn’t have the ability to teach. Evan, junior, you persevered and worked hard.”

“You’re the only one who understands me, senior!!”

“Say things like that when I’m not around. And did you properly consider your condition? Don’t exaggerate.”

Anyone would think I’ve been running him ragged all day. I keep saying, but I measured Evan’s limits well and gave him problems.

“No. Brother should never teach anyone. This is hell!”

“This punk, where do you think you’re… No, let’s eat.”

We had lunch while having that kind of conversation. Lunch was a new menu at the student cafeteria: a ribs lunch box. Maybe it’s because it’s student cafeteria food. The ribs braised in soy sauce were excellent.

Once my stomach was full, I remembered something I had forgotten. I asked Evan.

“But is the mana circuit work going well?”

“Well, that’s the thing…”

Evan scratched his head. Judging from his reaction, the progress is not good.

“It’s not easy, like you said, brother.”

“Well, I guess so. Did you get a sense of it?”

“I haven’t even gotten a sense of it yet. This is really… it seems like it’s going to work, but it doesn’t. Is there really an optimal path for me?”

“There is, so don’t worry. I’m sure you can find it.”

Magic and martial arts are clearly different forces. Even if you extract mana from the same mana core, the operating method must be different. Of course, you can use it, but the efficiency is bad.

The mana cultivation technique is a technique designed for the use of martial arts. The path through the mana circuit is also optimized for it. But you use this for magic? There is a creaking part somewhere.

In addition, there is also the disadvantage that you cannot use magic and martial arts at the same time. This is because the method of processing mana is different.

You can’t have two operating methods in your body. Rather, it is better to give up efficiency and choose the previous operating method. If you do it wrong, your body may not be able to handle it and your body may explode!

Of course, if you find the optimal path for using magic, as I told Evan, there is no problem. It’s just that the process is difficult.

Even I, who have a deep understanding of mana circuits, cannot easily find it. It is influenced by individual personality, disposition, and habits. You have to find it yourself.

In the novel, Evan also noticed the shortcoming in his second year and went through the process of correcting it. Did it take about three months?

I am telling him in advance so that such worries do not arise. For the future, Evan had to awaken the essence of the magic swordsman faster.

“This work requires more time and effort than anything else. Don’t be too impatient.”

“I know, but… I’m not making any progress.”

“If you don’t forget my advice and work hard, you’ll definitely find it, so don’t worry.”

I said, putting the last rib in my mouth.

“By the way, don’t come from tomorrow until the exams are over. You need to study too.”

“Okay, brother.”

It was necessary to focus on the exam for the time being.

***

Time flew by quickly after I stopped visiting Evan. And so, it was already the day before the exam.

“I’m going to go to bed now.”

“Yes, young master. Good night.”

I returned to my room after receiving Elime’s greeting. The time was 8 PM. As soon as I came to my room, I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes.

I usually go to sleep around the time the day changes, but I didn’t today. The reason is to control my condition. As it is an exam, it was necessary to be in the best condition.

Of course, I don’t intend to keep doing this. Once I figure out how to act during the exam, I will adjust the time.

As I closed my eyes and stayed still, my consciousness faded away after a while.

***

“Umm…”

An uncomfortable place to sleep. Something kept bothering my nerves so much that I kept tossing and turning. Because of that, my consciousness woke up.

I don’t know the reason. If I feel strangely uneasy, maybe Kyle Arden’s body is nervous about the exam.

That’s a likely possibility. I don’t know how the scoundrel acted during the exam, but there would have been no good reaction.

However, I dismissed the thought at the heavy state of my body compared to being nervous.

The next thing that came to mind was sleep paralysis. The only phenomenon in which consciousness is awake and the body is heavy is that.

But that was also strange. Usually, sleep paralysis makes the whole body heavy, but it accurately pressed only the stomach as if something was placed on it.

“Hoo, what the hell…”

I muttered quietly and opened my eyes.

First of all, the time I woke up was dawn when the moon was floating in the sky. And the moonlight filled the room, illuminating the person in front of me.

“……”

The identity was none other than Elime. She was in plain clothes and sitting on my stomach. Fortunately, she was sitting with both legs next to my stomach, so it wasn’t heavy.

“Haa, haa…”

I could hear rough and excited breathing. The heat was so hot that I could see steam like in winter.

Her cheeks were also the same. The red cheeks told me that she was excited.

gulp, the sound of swallowing. Even the sight of saliva passing through her slender neck came into my eyes.

Hwaaa-!

At that moment, the amount of moonlight entering through the window increased. A huge amount of light covered Elime.

The silver hair containing the moonlight shines even more, and the shadows created by the position of the light accentuate her beauty. For a moment, the scene even took away my gaze.

“Kyle…”

At the quiet call, I made eye contact with Elime. With just that, I could recognize her condition.

So-called estrus.

The pheromones emitted from it made me feel lustful, and my heart was pounding like crazy at Elime’s faint scent.

On top of that, the emotions I had for Elime made me feel like I would cover her first right away.

“S-Sorry, Kyle… I didn’t mean to do this, but my body keeps getting hot…”

She was talking as if making excuses, but there was definitely no case where the condition improved. Rather, her eyes became more hazy.

“If only this, if only this gets better, I’ll leave right away…”

Elime lowers her upper body. The hand she had been putting on her stomach gradually rises. Riding on the stomach, riding on the chest, and then wrapping around my neck. It was as if she was hugging me.

“Haa…”

Elime buried her face in my neck and exhaled hot heat. The hot breath, so hot that it smelled sweet, tempted me even more.

“Umm…”

She didn’t end there and rubbed her face wildly. It was as if she was marking her territory.

Then, unable to bear it any longer, she wriggled little by little and came up. She met face to face.

Eyes that had completely lost focus, completely consumed by lust. There was not even a speck of reason to be found.

“Kyle, 1 minute… it’ll only take 1 minute… Please bear with it, okay…?”

Long, drooping silver hair brushes against my skin, and falling drops of sweat stimulate me even more. In the meantime, a sweet voice is engraved in my ears.

There was only one action that would follow. Immediately after, Elime tried to cover me. And I said to that face.

“So, how long are you going to keep doing this prank, Chloe.”

At that moment, Elime’s form turned into smoke and disappeared into the air. At the same time, someone appeared next to the bed as if revealing himself from the fog.

“Senior, good morning~”

That someone was, of course, Chloe, waving her hand with a playful face.

Episode 40 Midterm Exam (1)

“Good morning, Senior~”

I roused myself at the lively voice and met Chloe with an expressionless face. She gave a bright smile at my expression.

“…It would have been a good day if only you weren’t here.”

“Hehe, you sound quite grumpy.”

“……”

“Okay, okay. Don’t get so angry. It hurts my feelings for no reason.”

“Hurts my feelings, my foot. Hide that face and say that.”

Her playful expression lacked any persuasive power.

Chloe gently sat on the edge of the bed. Then, she placed her hand on mine.

“Are you going to do more?”

“How can I do more when I’ve already failed? It doesn’t seem like it would work even if I did.”

“Then leave.”

“Come on, it’s my first time, it’s too bad to leave like this.”

As she said, this was her first attempt to seduce me. Despite the fact that quite some time had passed since she issued the challenge.

“What do you want?”

“Just… a little conversation? Oh, and I want to hear your impressions!”

“Do you think I’ll tell you?”

Then, Chloe pretended to wipe away tears, wiping her eyes with her hand.

“I’m sad when you say that…. Look how hard I tried to match your preferences.”

“…Alright. I’ll praise you for not touching my sister.”

She doesn’t touch those around me. Chloe kept that condition perfectly. Ellaim wasn’t directly controlled, but her image was created with magic.

If Chloe had used Ellaim, I would have gone to kill her immediately.

“Right? So, please grant my wish~”

It was clear that she wasn’t going to leave just like that. I had no choice but to give her what she wanted.

“…First of all, you did your research well.”

Ellaim is the person I’m most likely to fall for. In some ways, she’s a better match than Lana. In that respect, putting her forward was the best choice.

“Hehe, I did do my research diligently.”

Chloe puffed out her chest as if she was proud of something. Then, she looked at me with a sly look and said.

“More than that, I didn’t know the two of you were that close. To think you were childhood friends. If I had known, I should have touched her instead.”

At those words, I glared at Chloe.

“I’m just kidding, kidding. But how did you figure it out? I put so much effort into implementing her personality.”

“Then I’ll tell you it was all in vain. My sister doesn’t have that kind of personality.”

Ellaim would do it herself if she was going to do it, she would never sneak around.

Of course, to be honest, I was a little disappointed.

If it wasn’t an illusion, but a dream reflecting my desires, I would have tried to continue it somehow. Maybe I wouldn’t have wanted to wake up from the dream.

The lust that arose in the middle wasn’t a lie, Ellaim was that attractive. Now, I even feel a sense of regret.

“That was a mistake…. I should have observed more closely.”

Chloe sighed deeply, but her eyes weren’t those of someone who had given up.

“Well, I’ll take this as experience and do better next time. Right, Senior?”

“Do whatever you want.”

Whether she did or not was none of my business.

“Haha, you’re so funny, Senior.”

“Is that so.”

Chloe smiled and got up from her seat.

“I’ll be on my way then. See you after the exam, Senior.”

Chloe said her goodbyes. I said to her.

“Leave if you’re going to leave. And wake me up from this dream before you go.”

“Haa….”

At that moment, Chloe let out a deeper sigh than ever before. Her shoulders drooped, and her face was sullen.

“How did you figure it out?”

“Just a feeling.”

“Do you think that makes sense? You have no idea how much effort I put into creating this space.”

Chloe grumbled at me for no reason, but I didn’t care about her efforts. I ignored her reaction.

Snap!

After that, Chloe snapped her fingers without a word. At that moment, my eyes opened on their own, and the familiar room came into view.

“It’s already morning.”

It was the time when the sun was just rising, and sunlight was coming in through the window. And mana wrote a message in front of me as I admired the morning.

[Senior is mean.]

“Don’t pass your shortcomings on to others, Chloe.”

[Tch.]

I ignored the message and got up to look out the window. Ellaim was training under the cloudless sky.

“I should be going out to play on a day like this….”

Really, it’s a waste to take an exam on such a beautiful day.

***

Dozens of students gathered in the outdoor sparring ground.

They were holding their usual weapons, not training weapons.

Soon after, Professor Mylon appeared. He looked over the students and nodded.

“Hmm, some of you have a good spirit, but most of you are nervous. How are you going to show your true skills like that!”

Professor Mylon’s scolding, not quite a scolding, burst out. The sound was so loud that the ground trembled.

“Alright, follow me. I’ll teach you things that are perfect for relieving tension.”

He started to move his body. The students, knowing their condition, followed the professor.

Of course, the professor didn’t even glance at the princess and a few others, including me. Far from being nervous, we were completely calm. But it was awkward to stand still, so we stretched and loosened up our bodies.

About 30 minutes passed, and the exercise was over. After sweating to some extent, the students’ stiff bodies loosened up and their condition improved.

“I will now begin the sparring.”

And the exam began.

In Professor Mylon’s sparring class, the opponents are determined each week among the 3 people around their rank, and they fight. Thus, each week, the ranking changes organically according to the results, and the sparring partners change each time.

However, such a process eventually causes the ranking to become fixed. So, on the day of the exam, the ranking determination method changes.

That method is [Challenge].

It gives lower-ranked students the right to challenge higher-ranked students. Regardless of rank, if they are higher ranked than themselves, they can challenge the 1st place even if they are the lowest rank. And the challenged student must respond unconditionally.

The number of times is 5. You can continue to challenge until you lose.

Of course, no student does that. First of all, the fact that the rank is higher than their own means that there is a difference in skill, and the physical exhaustion is enormous.

For that reason, there are guys who challenge a rank that they can barely win and pour out all their strength, while others raise their rank by challenging up to 3 or 4 times with thorough analysis.

Well, there are occasionally weirdos who show their strength only during exams for the sake of grades, but there were no such students in the 2nd grade.

‘The lower ranks are boring….’

Compared to two months ago, the overall skill has increased a lot, but it wasn’t an improvement worth admiring. It was only worth watching when they became mid-ranked.

In the process, many rankings rose and fell. Some students got tired of facing 2 to 4 people per slot.

And quite an interesting thing happened. Students ranked 2nd to 10th challenged Ariel Tianis, the top student in the Department of Knighthood’s 2nd grade and ranked 1st.

“Oho, this is unexpected.”

Professor Mylon exclaimed in admiration. The higher the rank, the better they are at grasping their skills, so they don’t do anything that would harm their grades. At best, only the promising 2nd and 3rd place students challenge. Their choice was tantamount to giving up their grades.

Whether this was intentional or just a coincidence, it’s definitely an event worth watching.

The princess, who has to face 9 people in a row, may be struggling, but it’s just fun for the spectators.

“Please take care of me.”

“I’ll learn from you.”

Soon after, the sparring began.

The 10th place student kicked off the ground and swung his sword. The princess’s response was simple. She simply brought her sword down strongly towards the opponent’s sword.

Clang…!

Then, the opponent’s sword vibrated so much that it was visible to the eye, and soon shattered. Metal fragments falling to the floor of the sparring ground. Some parts were reduced to powder, making it difficult to even restore.

The 10th place student’s expression hardened. His eyes were filled with emptiness. The princess said quietly.

“I’m sorry. I can’t spend a long time with you because there are many opponents.”

“Ah, no….”

The 9th place student stepped back, sweating profusely. That’s how the first sparring ended.

The next sparring was similar. Parrying, deflecting, digging into blind spots, or eliminating means of attack. She faced the students with only minimal movements and power.

Originally, Princess Ariel is not the type to end sparring quickly. She spends time sparring in order to encourage the other person’s skill growth. The growth of the people of the Empire was the improvement of national power.

However, she is refraining from doing so today because there are many sparring partners. It ended like that for the first 5 or so. It took longer from 4th place, but the winner was the princess.

And the last remaining 2nd place. He slowly came to the center. A slight sweat flowed on the princess’s forehead. Her breathing was also slightly rough.

“You seem tired. How about taking a break? Princess Ariel.”

“It’s unnecessary concern. Taylor Caust.”

The princess frowned and adjusted her posture.

Taylor Caust. He’s a formidable villain, overshadowed by me. That’s why the princess is reacting so coldly.

Clash!

The two collided immediately. Taylor is also a student with some skill. He is by no means an easy opponent. If he had been born a few years earlier, he could have taken the top spot.

Of course, his talent could never surpass Princess Ariel.

“Keuk!”

Taylor, who was pushed back greatly after several exchanges, ranked 2nd. The princess didn’t stop and moved her arms. A series of quick swords burst out.

A speed that leaves afterimages. Her bloodline ability was well suited for quick swords.

Taylor, unable to withstand the fierce attack, was pushed back more and more. No matter how hard he tried to create an opening and attack, it was impossible. The princess didn’t give him even a moment’s chance.

Clang.

He was cornered against the wall by a fierce sword strike. There was no escape now.

“Huff, huff!”

His breathing became rough, and sweat flowed like rain. Taylor gritted his teeth with the thought that this was the end and thrust his sword into the gap.

But he didn’t know. That the gap was intentionally given by Princess Ariel.

“It’s over.”

The sword he thrust out with a clang was blocked by the princess’s sword, and the tip of that sword touched his Adam’s apple.

“Winner Ariel Tianis!”

“Ah, I can still do it.”

Professor Mylon shook his head.

“Look at yourself. You’re so exhausted that you can barely hold your sword. Above all, the result is as you see it. If you had shown even a counterattack, I would have given you a chance, but….”

“No! In the end, I…!”

“That was her plan. You’ve already lost in a situation where you didn’t read that move. Still, your swordsmanship has improved. Improve your coping skills and continue to improve like this.”

Professor Mylon dismissed Taylor’s protest. His face turned red and purple. Then he stepped back with a thud.

“Next.”

Without being called, I moved to the center. With all the sparring over, I was the only one left.

I make eye contact with Professor Mylon, who is standing on the opposite side. Then, the corners of his mouth rose as if they would reach the sky.

“I’ve been waiting for this day.”

There was a slight excitement in his voice.

“I won’t say much. Tell me what grade you want.”

“If I tell you, will you give it to me as is?”

“Of course not. You have to earn your grade with your skills.”

Why ask if you’re not going to do that. Still, I answered anyway.

“I want an A or higher.”

Professor Mylon smiled with satisfaction and beckoned.

“Come at me. Kyle Arden.”

“Then I’ll go.”

Immediately after, I kicked off the ground.

Episode 41 Midterm Exam (2)

Clang!

The metallic sound reverberates. Sparks fly each time the swords clash, and the wind carrying the swords’ energy swirls around.

After dozens of clashes, the floor is already covered with sword marks. And the range is gradually widening. Nevertheless, the two of them swung their swords without paying attention to the surroundings.

“Get, get further away!”

“Ugh! I’m going to get cut!”

“Back away!”

The students hastily distanced themselves from the ferocious momentum. If they made a mistake, they felt like their bodies would be shredded by the sharpness.

In fact, victims had just occurred. All of them were students who ignored Professor Mylon’s warning and stood still. Their clothes were cut in several places.

That place… is too dangerous a space. Somehow, that perception was etched in the students’ minds.

But at the same time, the students couldn’t take their eyes off the spectacle unfolding before them.

That phenomenon wasn’t because of Sword Master Professor Mylon. It was due to the influence of none other than Kyle Ardeen, the good-for-nothing whom he had spared no praise for before the sparring match.

The extending sword is intensely powerful, and the efficient swordsmanship has no flaws. The color of the sword energy on the sword is even clear.

That alone was enough to capture the students’ attention.

“Was he… always this good at fighting?”

“Last time, he could only last 10 minutes….”

“How many minutes have passed now… Huh? 20 minutes?”

The students, who were blankly watching the sparring match, exchanged such conversations, and soon various doubts and opinions circulated among them. It was too strange.

Just last week, the good-for-nothing was definitely not this skilled. To compare, he was at a similar level to a mid-ranking student. And that’s being generous.

“He’s not… a substitute, is he?”

“If he were a substitute, the professor would have already noticed!”

“Then, with the power of magic tools or magic….”

“That makes even less sense. Do you think it’s easy to deceive a master? To fool the professor, you’d need at least an 8th circle mage. But he’s just standing there.”

“But it’s strange. How his skills improved so much in just a week. And how he’s sparring with the professor for so long. The only one among us who can face the professor is the princess.”

At one student’s words, everyone nodded in agreement. Under the condition that physical abilities are matched equally, the only one who can spar with the professor is the princess.

Currently, the professor is also accommodating the good-for-nothing. But the sparring pattern was flowing similarly to that of the princess.

“Could that rumor be true?”

“Ah, that story from the practical training? Wasn’t that just a groundless rumor?”

Perhaps because of the realistically impossible scene, the students recalled a ridiculous rumor that had been circulating a few weeks ago.

A rumor that Kyle Ardeen played a big role in the team of the top and runner-up students from the 1st and 2nd grades. Moreover, it was a very decisive and exemplary action, and the professors spared no praise.

If that story were true, his swordsmanship, which was so outstanding that it made their own swordsmanship look pathetic, would make sense.

Of course, even if they believed the rumor, they were still suspicious of how he had become stronger. He was an inferior student rumored to be a bastard due to his meager talent.

That’s not a realm that can be achieved through effort alone. Especially in just two months.

Everyone wanted someone to answer this question, but there was no one who could.

Only when they reached unrealistic conversations that he had sold his soul or was hiding his skills, did the students stop talking.

“He’s not going to get a higher score than us, is he?”

“His evaluation method is different, so if he’s unlucky….”

“Looking at the professor’s expression, maybe….”

Professor Mylon’s face was filled with joy. He might almost certainly give him an A or higher.

But that was unfair. It wasn’t like they hadn’t worked hard to the death, but to give such a grade to a good-for-nothing who had become stronger through some suspicious means.

And the professor expressed that he was no longer a good-for-nothing, but that was only for the professor’s sake. Hatred still remained in the students’ hearts.

That’s why they didn’t want to give him a good score.

So, if that happened, they had the thought that they could be a little mean. Even if they couldn’t reverse the professor’s decision, they could harass him.

***

Kaaang!!

A sound that torments the ears is heard, and cracks are engraved on the part where the blades meet. The cracks, which started very small, gradually widened until the center of the sword broke in two and fell to the ground.

“Oh, dear.”

Ironically, that was the only thing the person who broke it said.

I stared blankly at the broken sword. This sword I got from that Vellom guy wasn’t a great sword or one I cherished. I just kept using it because it was decent.

But I broke it during the exam. Not because of my mistake, but because of the professor’s mistake. I was dumbfounded and looked at Professor Mylon.

“Are you trying to kill your student?”

At first, he matched my level well and fought me. But in the second half, he gradually increased the intensity of his power to make me serious, and it came to this. It was because he realized that I had leeway because I had taken the White Return Pill.

“Kuhaha! I’m sorry. I made a mistake because I was too excited.”

He burst into laughter.

‘Mistake my ass. Just looking at it, it was a movement full of desire.’

I cursed inwardly and shook off the dirt on my clothes. In the meantime, the professor approached me and examined the cross-section of the sword.

“Hmm, a high-quality sword. It must hurt to have broken it.”

“Yes, it hurts. But how are you going to compensate me? There’s also the hunting exam the day after tomorrow.”

There’s no problem with the written exam tomorrow, but the practical exam is waiting the next day. It’s okay to take the exam with a basic sword, but I need a good sword to finish it quickly.

“Hahaha! I can lend you a sword, and I’ll compensate you! What are you worried about!”

Professor Mylon patted me on the back. He hit me so hard that my bones felt cold.

He said that he would give me compensation if I came to the professor’s office later, and ended the conversation.

“More than that, you’ve done well to reach this level in such a short period of time. That’s why I like Tianis. Because students who exceed expectations always appear!”

Professor Mylon laughed heartily as if he was very happy. I can understand. It’s human nature to want to help a child who works hard.

“I will end today’s exam here. Dismissed!”

He checked his watch and shouted. With so many people, three hours had already passed, and there were no more sparring matches to be held after my turn.

The students looked dissatisfied, but they took their weapons and left.

‘Hmm, looks like some trouble is going to happen….’

The atmosphere was just like that. Well, I expected some trouble to happen. After all, I showed off too much in the first exam, and my reputation only improved among the professors.

‘I should start working on my reputation….’

I didn’t care about it before, but it’s different now. At least I have to remove the hatred that’s etched in their hearts. That’s the only way to prevent harm from coming to the main characters.

[Kyle, are you in a lot of trouble? You can use my name if you want.]

At that time, the World Tree spoke to me. She sometimes talks to me, but she mainly spouts nonsense. I said with a serious expression.

‘What are you trying to get again.’

[Oh my, aren’t you looking at me too materialistically? I think that much is possible between us. What do you think?]

‘No thanks. I’d rather make a deal with the devil than rely on you.’

[That’s too bad. I really made the offer out of pure goodwill. But it’s okay. Kyle, use my name whenever you feel like it. You don’t have to ask for permission.]

The World Tree said that and disconnected. I clicked my tongue inwardly and thought.

‘You think I’d fall for your obvious intention to increase your divinity?’

Whatever it is, if a mortal promotes a god’s name and raises his reputation, it will soon be converted into faith. And the divinity will shine brighter because of that faith. I can’t stand to see that happen.

I was about to leave the training hall with the broken sword. Then, two telepathic messages were delivered to me.

-This exam is guaranteed to be an A+, so don’t worry about the score. I’m looking forward to the final exam too.

-I enjoyed watching your sparring. It’s only the first day, but please work hard.

They were telepathic messages from Professor Mylon and Princess Ariel. I looked at them in response to their compliments and left the training hall.

There were people waiting for me at the entrance of the training hall.

“Did you do well on the exam, young master?”

“Kyle, welcome! Did you do well on the exam?”

“I did okay. More importantly, you came early.”

“Yeah! Today was the written exam, so I finished it in 20 minutes and came out.”

It’s not for nothing that Lana is at the top of her grade. If she’s the top student, her theory and practical skills are almost the pinnacle of the grade. And in the novel, Lana has never been deprived of her top spot.

“Then you must have been waiting for a long time. Are you hungry?”

“Starving!”

“Well, I guess so.”

She must have been waiting for at least 2 hours. I suggested going to the student cafeteria. They accepted, and we moved.

After that, I went to the professor’s office and received a sword from Professor Mylon. Perhaps because he was a knight, various weapons were scattered around the room.

I chose the sword that fit best in my hand. I didn’t care much about the design or performance. I just use it roughly as long as it’s sharp and strong.

And lastly, this was important. As a sign of apology, I received a [Forge of Orange] voucher from Professor Mylon. There was a spending limit, but he agreed to cover the cost.

Of course, it wasn’t out of pure intention, but as a gift to encourage me to work harder.

‘I should go after the exam is over.’

That’s how the first day of the exam ended.

***

The next day, the day after that, and on the subsequent exam days. I seriously took the exam to get a score in the top 50 as planned.

Tianis Academy has a large number of students, and as a result, there are many students with outstanding talents. Therefore, you could never reach your target score with a normal score.

I managed to solve the written exam, which I was a little worried about, without any problems. Expected score is around A?

Even if I know the information of this world, it’s only superficial knowledge on the surface. I don’t know the answers to the questions, or have in-depth knowledge.

The only reason this was possible was because I went to the library. If I hadn’t used the department facilities, I would have definitely gotten a B or C.

Of course, there’s no need to mention the practical exam. I’m so good at using my body that it’s a problem. Some professors spared no praise like Professor Mylon.

And so, the last day of the exam arrived.

As the exam came to an end, some students were starting to loosen up. No, rather than loosening up, they were going crazy. Their eyes were dazed, their bodies were swaying, and their gait was like that of a zombie.

I regarded this as an opportunity to earn points and focused my mind.

And the last exam ended.

“Ugh…”

I stretched and loosened my stiff body. At the same time, I fully enjoyed the sense of liberation that all the exams were finally over.

It was a feeling I was experiencing for the first time, and strangely, I also felt a sense of satisfaction. It seems like it’s because the act of taking a school exam is my first time. To be honest, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

“Sister, now that the exam is over, let’s go out…”

But I couldn’t finish my words. Because someone approached me.

I composed my expression and greeted the person who approached me.

“What’s the matter, Professor Naella?”

“I came because I have something to say. Is now a good time?”

“Yes, I have plenty of time.”

She took me to her professor’s office so that we could talk quietly. Ellaime waited outside for a while, and the professor slowly closed the door and said.

“I’m sorry to say this, but… can you retake the exam?”

As expected, what was coming has come.

Episode 42 Midterm Exam (3)

I expected them to interfere, but I never thought they would say that. I asked her in a calm voice.

“May I ask why?”

“Haa…”

Professor Naela, who is in charge of monster ecology, sighed deeply. She seemed dumbfounded and somewhat frustrated.

“Do you remember your test score? There’s been a lot of talk about it among the students.”

Test scores are usually released within a day or two. So you can check them quickly without waiting long.

My score in monster ecology was B+. Professor Naela’s grading system is strict, so that score is equivalent to an A+ in other courses.

That grade was the result of my hard work. To try to mess with that is absurd. I responded immediately.

“Professor. I did not cheat on the exam. That score is the result of my efforts.”

“I know, I know it very well. That you worked hard. But the students don’t seem to think so. They keep asking if you committed ‘fraud’.”

“……”

“And according to the rules, professors have no choice but to investigate when inquiries come in.”

“I know that.”

Professor Naela sighed again and continued. Her frustrated and uncomfortable feelings were conveyed without filtering.

“But you know very well that there’s no room for ‘cheating’ at Tianis, right? You know it better because you’re the one who tried it, right?”

She looked at me.

At Tianis Academy, the chance of cheating during an exam is 0.000001%. It’s almost impossible.

The reason it’s possible is thanks to the various magic tools that detect cheating and the professors’ surveillance. No student could succeed in cheating while avoiding the surveillance of master-level experts and top-notch magic tools. Of course, these morons ignored that, it seems.

“Yes, I know that well. But I never…”

“That’s why I told you. I know it well. The professor isn’t stupid and won’t be swayed by such words. Well, some professors might hold a grudge and take this opportunity to cause trouble.”

Well, I have to agree with that.

“It’s a waste of time, and I wanted to just pretend to investigate and move on. But I couldn’t do that after yesterday.”

“What happened?”

“Well, wouldn’t you know it, these stupid bastards did that to all seven of the exams you took?”

“…Haa.”

I massaged my forehead as a headache washed over me. These bastards have really done something ridiculous.

If it were just one or two lectures, I could have gotten over it. Because it would really be out of suspicion. I was going to think of that as karma and move on.

But all seven lectures? This is an act of screwing over the professors more than me.

That’s because it’s an act of disregarding the capabilities of seven professors. They’re saying that the faculty didn’t supervise properly, so that damn fool got such a score.

“Yeah, they’re crazy. The fact that guys who can’t even study did that kind of thing means that we’re…”

Professor Naela seemed very angry. She looked like she would explode if you touched her even a little.

“Especially Professor Mylon, he was so angry. He was going to kill all the guys who inquired and made a fuss. You have no idea how hard we worked to stop him…”

“That must have been difficult.”

“You have no idea.”

I asked her as she sighed again.

“So, the conclusion is a re-examination?”

“That’s right. But you don’t have to worry. The written test will have 10 questions of the same difficulty as the exam, and the practical test will be conducted under the supervision of seven professors and other professors. The entire exam process will be filmed and made public to the arrogant students who inquired.”

At this point, I had no choice but to ask. If there were that many conditions attached, I had to get something out of it too.

“Then what do I get?”

“Basically, there are three things. Of course, assuming you pass the exam without any problems.”

She spread out her fingers. And she folded one and said.

“First, bonus points for all the lectures you take this semester.”

The first condition is pretty good. She folded the next finger.

“Second, we’ll block all the scandals related to your exams that come out in the future.”

“What’s the last one?”

“The third is the punishment of students who have committed malicious acts.”

“Hmm, I don’t think it’s necessary to go that far.”

“No, we need this too. Those arrogant bastards have crossed the line too much. They must be punished.”

She gnashed her teeth. Even professors who like students didn’t seem to be able to just let this one go.

“Is there anything else?”

“There’s talk about opening the warehouse and giving you something. Professor Mylon insisted so strongly. It’s under discussion, but it’s likely to pass.”

That’s good. I needed materials to use for [Orange’s Blacksmith Shop] anyway. I was going to ask Professor Latral, but I can get it there.

“I understand. I’ll take the re-examination.”

“Actually, this isn’t a matter that should have gone this far… Anyway, I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s not like I’m completely without fault.”

“Hmm…”

She suddenly started staring at me intently. And she blurted out.

“You’ve really changed, haven’t you? You’re very different from how you were last year.”

“Yeah, well.”

I answered vaguely.

“More than that, when is the exam?”

“Nothing’s been confirmed, but tomorrow is the most likely. I know it’ll be hard since the exam is over today, but please bear with it until tomorrow. It’s not much of a replacement, but have a meal here and get some rest.”

Professor Naela handed me a business card for a restaurant in the capital. It’s quite famous.

“Eat under my name. You can go with someone else. You can go with the knight outside, or with a kid named Lana, whatever you want. But are you two really dating?”

“…That’s private. But I’ll enjoy the meal.”

“Hmm, I guess it’s real.”

“……”

I decided to just ignore it. Anyway, I finished the conversation and left the professor’s office.

“Did something happen?”

“It’s nothing much, they’re making me take a re-examination. I guess they’re not happy with the score I got.”

“Young master worked so hard…”

Ellaime was angry. She’s the one who witnessed how hard I studied for the exam.

“You don’t have to worry about this. More than that, they gave me this as an apology, okay?”

I fluttered the business card.

“Let’s go eat with Lana. The professor is buying.”

Then Ellaime smiled brightly.

“Lana will be happy. Let’s go, young master.”

She took the lead and led me. And we ate and then returned to the dorm to rest. For the re-examination that will be held tomorrow.

***

Re-examination day.

I stayed in a room prepared separately for a while. Soon, a professor will come to pick me up and take the exam.

Until then, I sat still and waited. The marble-shaped magic tools installed on both sides bothered me a lot, but I decided to bear with it.

Those are magic tools that monitor me to see if I’m doing anything suspicious before entering the exam. My appearance is being transmitted to professors and students.

As I was meditating, two professors opened the door and appeared after a while. They were professors I had never seen before. Judging from the fact that they’re not in my head, it seems like they haven’t even appeared before.

They led me to the prepared exam room. They stayed close to me this time as well so that I couldn’t do anything.

That’s how I arrived at the exam room. Before entering, I was searched. The knight department professor flowed mana to see if there were any magic tools, and the magic department professor detected magic and even used dispel magic.

“Wear this.”

They handed me a bracelet-shaped magic tool. It seems to be a tool that freezes the mana in the body and controls all mana activity.

They’re going to eliminate even the smallest possibility. I could see that intention. I didn’t care, so I accepted it. All it does is take away the strength in my body.

“I understand.”

It’s like they’re treating me like a criminal, but rather, I felt the professors’ goodwill. They’re saying that they’re going to prove my innocence by doing this thoroughly.

Only then was I able to enter the exam room.

Inside the exam room, there was only a desk and a chair. I sat there, and soon a voice came from the air.

-Ah, are you ready? If you’re ready, please raise your right hand.

I raised my hand. Then a pencil and an exam paper were summoned to the desk.

-The exam time is 20 minutes. When you’re done, put the pencil and exam paper on the desk and lower your hand.

There are 10 questions in total, so 2 minutes per question. It’s a little tight, but it’s enough for me. I glanced through it, and as they said, the difficulty level was just right for the exam.

I picked up the pencil and started solving the problems right away.

***

A total of 15 professors were sitting in chairs and watching the exam room.

Then, a professor with a frustrated face propped his chin up and complained.

“Ugh, what a mess. They’re bothering people who are busy with the event that will be held in a few months. They should just give him a failing grade.”

He was a professor randomly selected for this re-examination. He was already tired after the exam, but he didn’t like being drafted for this. In addition, he was busy preparing for the academy event that would be held in a few months.

“Please watch your words. This is a matter of the professors’ prestige!”

“What prestige. It’s all that damn fool’s karma. If that guy’s personality was normal, this wouldn’t have happened!”

He said sarcastically. In the first place, the re-examination occurred because of the damn fool’s fault. If it wasn’t for him, there would be no reason for him to be here.

“Professor Dven. I understand that you don’t like him. I know what that guy did last year. But he’s changed since then. If he hadn’t, we wouldn’t have gone this far.”

Then Professor Mylon intervened. He knew the damn fool’s change better than anyone else because he had even sparred with him directly. That’s why his evaluation had been upgraded a long time ago, starting with the exam.

“Hmph, that’s just temporary. According to rumors, he’s doing that because he doesn’t want to be kicked out of the family. And Professor Mylon, don’t make ridiculous excuses. People don’t change that easily.”

“There are people who haven’t changed.”

Professor Mylon himself was a prime example. He also deviated a lot when he was young. Of course, he shed that tendency after graduation.

“Besides, don’t tell me not to defend him. It’s natural to invest this much in a student with a promising future.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. A damn fool who ran wild for a year is investing because he showed a good side for only 2 months. Professor Mylon, could it be…”

Professor Dven’s eyes lit up. Just as a dangerous remark was about to come out of his mouth. Professor Naela stopped him.

“Professor Dven, please watch your words? I know you two are close, but there are things you shouldn’t say.”

Then Professor Dven closed his mouth. It wasn’t entirely wrong. Of course, he came to his senses later because of Professor Naela’s background. She was the head of a family.

“Ahem, I’m sorry. Professor Mylon.”

“You don’t have to be sorry. And the results will be known when you see that exam paper.”

Meanwhile, Kyle put down his pencil. The exam paper was immediately delivered to the professors, and the examiner began grading. It didn’t take long.

“It’s perfect. I can see some creative answers in the correct answers.”

The mana studies professor showed the paper with all the circles marked. The professors looked at the answers written on the exam paper.

“His understanding of mana is better than I thought?”

“I agree. He’s on par with the top students.”

“Hmm…”

All the professors, regardless of whether they were from the knight or magic department, praised him highly. Due to the nature of their jobs, they were all experts in mana.

Of course, Professor Dven, who had been criticizing the damn fool throughout the conversation, was the same.

“Ugh, I have no choice but to admit this…”

Even he admitted the mana studies exam. The damn fool’s answer was that outstanding. But the exam was not over yet.

1 hour later.

All the written exams were over. The results were either perfect or only 1 or 2 wrong. Of course, there was no cheating. By that point, even the professors who had been thinking negatively about Kyle Arden admitted that he was innocent.

And the students who were watching the live broadcast were spaced out before they knew it.

They watched the process of writing the exam questions right before taking the re-examination, and they saw all the other processes as well. A situation where there was not even 1% chance of fraud. But the damn fool boldly showed the same result as his original score, as if mocking them.

The students finally realized that something was seriously wrong.

“What do we do now…?”

“I don’t know…”

“…I think the professors said they would punish the kids involved in this earlier.”

“Ah…”

Whatever that punishment is, it’s probably the worst kind. But their nightmare wasn’t over yet. The practical exam was waiting for the damn fool.

If he gets a perfect score there too…

A sense of fear settled in the students’ minds, and their faces began to darken. And they thought. They seemed to be screwed anyway.

Episode 43 Midterm Exam (4)

After the written exam, I took a break in the waiting room until the next exam.

I have no idea what the score is, but it will probably be similar to the actual exam. The difficulty level of the questions was similar.

I leaned back comfortably in my chair. Even though the written exam didn’t physically exhaust me, it was mentally draining. The number of questions was small, but taking four exams in a row was too much.

“It’s going to be tough with the practical exam too….”

I sighed as I looked at the ceiling.

Just like the written exam, the practical exam will probably be held in a row. Of course, they will reduce the scale out of consideration for me, but it will still be difficult.

‘I’d rather just hunt for two hours straight.’

That might have been less exhausting. Even when taking one exam, the thought of the next exam lingering in the back of my mind scattered my concentration and continued to torment me mentally.

Of course, this would never happen to me normally, but the pressure unique to exams was something even I couldn’t easily escape. So it troubled me in any way possible.

“I wish I could save my stamina….”

The practical exams I have left are sparring, hunting, and exploration. These three.

Well, hunting will likely be like the last exam, and exploration will probably involve giving me a mission in a suitable field and having me complete it. Sparring goes without saying.

In fact, there’s nothing wrong with taking the exams in a row. But I was too concerned about the stamina that would be consumed here.

Still, I finished the exams, so shouldn’t I go out and play like everyone else? Lana came to see me yesterday asking me to hang out, but I refused because of the retest.

That’s why she was so disappointed. I have to play with her today.

Of course, I will still have a lot of stamina left even after finishing all the retests. That’s thanks to the Baekhwandan I took a few weeks ago.

Baekhwandan is a secret elixir of the family that increases the mana in the dantian and helps the consumer’s growth. Since I took that, my physical condition is at its best. On top of that, my body’s unique talent also played a part.

The strenuous training I do every day is amplified several times over with the talent of my body, and the Baekhwandan helps my growth once again.

But it doesn’t end there. The effects of the Baekhwandan are exerted, and the physical talent supports it from behind. As a result, what would have ended with a single effect causes a 2-3x growth effect.

An unexpected discovery. Kyle Arden’s talent and the combination of Baekhwandan went really well together.

In addition, I achieved great growth through sparring with Professor Mylon. As a result, my current physical level is Expert Intermediate, and I can use up to 4th circle magic.

After all, there is no better way to grow than by fighting.

Of course, if I push myself a bit, I can draw out even more power than this. What I lack is the level of mana and physical skill, not mental elements such as enlightenment.

‘This is a tremendous achievement in a short period of time.’

At the time of possession, this body was so terrible that it was impossible to even recycle it.

‘Still, I have to reach Master by the 3rd grade. When will I ever do that….’

The full-fledged story begins when Evan becomes a 2nd grader. I must make sure that I can use Master-level martial arts and 7th circle magic. Only then can I safely protect the main characters.

‘I’ll think about this slowly.’

I returned to my worries.

‘It’s best to finish quickly after all.’

As my body has grown, the limit that I can draw out has also changed. If I end it all at once without dragging it out, I can save a lot of stamina.

I finished making up my mind and got up. At that moment, the tightly closed door opened and the professor appeared.

“Next exam.”

“Yes.”

Led by the professor, I headed to the sparring arena this time. It seems that the next exam is sparring.

After being body searched like before, the professor handed me a training sword and sent me straight inside before closing the door.

The sparring arena was indoors, and I can see a different door on the opposite side from where I entered.

-This exam is sparring. However, due to controversy over fairness, the retest will be with students, not the professor. You will face 5 randomly selected students, and you will pass if you win against 3 of them.

“Is there a break time?”

-10 minutes will be given.

“Is it possible to proceed without a break?”

-…Yes, it is possible.

“I understand.”

I nodded.

Immediately after, the opposite door opened and the professor and student who would judge the match entered. The student was someone I knew very well.

“To think I’d meet you as my first opponent. You’re unlucky.”

A voice full of arrogance like mine. It was Taylor Caust, the 2nd ranked student in the sparring class.

“Yeah, you’re terribly unlucky.”

I mean you.

And his appearance gave me a clever idea to end this exam even faster.

“Each, take your positions.”

The professor’s voice. We stood at the marked positions. I raised my sword and took a stance, and so did he. The sword is the same training sword as mine.

Just before the sparring began, Taylor opened his mouth.

“I advise you to give up now. Unless you want your skills to be exposed and ridiculed.”

I snorted at that.

“Exposed? Stop talking nonsense to me and worry about yourself. You won’t be able to hold your head up after you lose.”

Then his face was distorted with anger.

“Giving you a chance!”

Taylor spewed out a line like a third-rate villain and was furious. He looked like he would rush at me as soon as the professor gave permission for the sparring. His behavior is really annoying.

I glanced at the professor, and he noticed my gaze and shouted immediately.

“Start!”

As soon as those words were heard, Taylor kicked off the ground.

He emitted a ferocious energy. The sword, swung with all his might as if to vent the anger he had just built up, reached me in an instant. Even though it was a training sword with a dull blade, sword energy formed and it was sharp.

On the other hand, I moved leisurely.

Taylor Caust is one of the top five students in the second grade, excluding the fact that he is ranked 2nd. In other words, the probability of a stronger student appearing is low.

And this was an opportunity to save stamina.

The professors’ announcement of punishment, me passing the written exam without cheating. Because of those two things, the students will be worried.

Maybe they’re watching this sparring with trepidation, praying to God to make the scoundrel lose.

If you instill fear in that situation, their mentality will definitely be shattered, if nothing else.

How?

The method is simple.

The slowly moving sword was already in front of his sword.

“What…!”

A look of bewilderment spread across Taylor’s face. He probably didn’t expect my sword, which moved later than him, to arrive first. I ignored him and moved my sword.

Taylor’s sword flowed along the sword’s blade. His deflected attack was completely thwarted. I grabbed the handle with both hands as it was.

My biceps swelled up in an instant. The results of the past two months of training are concentrated in the sword.

At the same time, I drew up mana. Sword energy is manifested in the sword. A clear light shines brightly, bearing strength.

“This is ridiculous…!”

Taylor hastily retrieved his sword and began to defend. But I didn’t care and slashed the sword horizontally, releasing my power.

Kwaang!

A sound like something colliding was heard, and the obstacle blocking my view disappeared. When I shifted my gaze to the source of the noise, dust was swirling there.

There’s nothing more to see. I immediately retrieved my sword and hung it on my waist. Then I looked at the magic tool broadcasting this scene and said.

“Next.”

Just overwhelm them with overwhelming power, so they don’t even dare to challenge you. Then they will lower their heads on their own.

Behind me, Taylor Caust, who was stuck in the wall, revealed himself.

***

“…….”

Silence flows. Everyone is at a loss for words.

Some were drooling with their mouths wide open, while others were blinking their eyes blankly.

Until just now, it was hard to see them as hopeful people, thinking, Taylor Caust is a jerk, but his skills are solid, there’s no way he’ll lose?

-Next, come out.

As the scoundrel’s voice flowed out, the students flinched. The voice was so calm, as if they were not even a small obstacle, that it made them tremble even more.

The students belatedly came to their senses and returned to reality. And they let out voices of embarrassment at the unbelievable phenomenon that had just occurred.

“What, what is this…?”

“He flew away… Taylor.”

“I know that too! How the hell…!”

But there was no one to answer that question. At least, there was no one in this place who understood what technique the scoundrel used, and what kind of power was being used.

Everyone acknowledged Taylor’s skills. In a situation where no denial could intervene, he should have easily defeated the scoundrel. But he lost. That alone caused the first shock.

Even more shocking was the time the sparring ended. Was it even a minute? Taylor Caust was stuck in the wall without even putting up a decent fight.

“Is that his real skill…?”

Someone said with a trembling voice. The students swallowed hard without realizing it.

Skills that are on a different level than during the actual exam. There was no way he could have grown that much in that short amount of time. That means he was hiding his skills.

On top of that, it was now certain. The scoundrel received an A+ grade with his own power, without the help of magic or equipment.

The reason why he became stronger in such a short period of time was still unknown, but there was no doubt that his skills were real.

Gloom settled in the students’ eyes. Now that this has been proven, all that awaits them is punishment. Some students even started sobbing at what would soon happen to them.

I should apologize now and somehow beg the professor for forgiveness…. But they felt it was too late.

They just wanted to make things difficult for the scoundrel. How did it come to this? And who the hell did they mess with?

Despair filled the entire space.

“Ah, I should have just stayed still….”

“What are we going to do now? We’re going to end up like Taylor….”

“We’re doomed….”

The same was true for those who had to face Kyle Arden.

***

Forfeit 3 times.

After facing Taylor and blowing away the next opponent, the remaining people surrendered before they even started.

Well, the student who entered after Taylor was also very scared, so it was very easy to deal with. I saved that much stamina.

The sparring exam ended like that. As I was getting ready to leave, the professor in charge of judging spoke to me.

“Well done. Your future is promising, as Professor Mylon said.”

That was the end of that one sentence. He left through the opposite door without even giving me a chance to talk to him separately. Even though he speaks like that, it seems like he has a good impression of me.

Still, I scratched my head awkwardly and left the room, heading to the waiting room.

The exams that followed also proceeded smoothly without any hiccups. I passed the hunting and exploration exams without any difficulty.

All seven retests were over.

I received my stored equipment and clothes back and headed to the room where the professors were gathered.

“Hahaha! Welcome!”

“Professor Mylon. I know you’re happy, but lower your voice. My ears are going to explode.”

“Haha! The protagonist of today has arrived, so we have to congratulate him!”

The moment I entered, I heard a lot of noise. While the other professors were quiet, only Professor Mylon was excited.

It’s just a place to finish things up anyway. Wanting to get out of here quickly, I said.

“I would appreciate it if you could keep it short, as I am tired.”

I came out in the morning and took the exams, and I didn’t even have a proper lunch in between, so I don’t have much energy.

“Ah, right. I didn’t think to consider that.”

He immediately got to the point.

“To put it simply, the 15 professors here will announce your innocence as witnesses. Compensation will also be given as Professor Naela conveyed. The opening of the warehouse was approved in the meeting just now. Unanimously, too.”

“I see.”

“You can be happier. The warehouse is only opened to less than 10 people a year.”

I know that well too. The items stored in the warehouse are so precious that they are not easily allowed. The last time it was opened was when giving out entrance exam prizes.

“More than that, what about the punishment?”

“I was just about to talk about that. First of all, suspension is basic, and some of the more malicious guys will be expelled.”

“Isn’t that too harsh a punishment?”

“No.”

Professor Mylon shook his head and pointed to the glass on the wall with his finger. The students could be seen beyond the glass.

“Does that face look like it’s reflecting? Not at all.”

“…….”

At least to my eyes, it didn’t seem like they had time to worry about that. Their faces are dead, as if the world has ended, so how can they be reflecting?

“If I don’t want that, will you still give that punishment?”

As soon as I said that, several professors looked at me with shining eyes.

“Why?”

“It seems like too harsh a punishment to expel someone who didn’t even hurt someone like me.”

“You are a special case,”

“I won’t deny that.”

There are few people in the Empire who can turn down a request from the Arden family. I even had the princess directly involved, so that says it all.

“Besides, I think it will be annoying for me. They can’t even make a peep in front of me right now, but later they will pour out their resentment. Maybe they will vow revenge and try to kill me.”

“We can block that much on our end.”

“There was a case like me, so I can’t trust that.”

“…….”

Then all the professors wore serious expressions. Professor Mylon also closed his mouth.

“So there is no need for expulsion, and I hope you will give them a punishment within a reasonable range.”

No matter how much I defend them, I cannot stop the punishment itself. This is because of the evil deeds they committed. But I can lower the sentence.

“I understand. We will accept your opinion and discuss it with the professors.”

“Yes.”

After that, I said my greetings and left the room. Judging by the reaction, it seems like positive words will be exchanged.

I didn’t move far before I saw the students in the distance. They were walking aimlessly with their heads bowed. Then they met my eyes.

“Ah….”

“Hey, you know…”

There were students who opened their eyes in fear, and there were guys who had never spoken to me before who came to talk to me.

But I ignored them and passed by them. And Lana ran from across the street.

“Kyle~!”

Her presence made my surroundings feel lively, but the students who were still dazed were filled with gloom.

That day, my eventful first exam ended.

Episode 44 Orange’S Forge (1)

The week after exams is usually relatively relaxed.

Some professors cancel classes, saying they worked hard on the exams, and some just lecture for about an hour and end the class.

So, there’s a lot of free time in between. Today, I went to the lecture hall only to find out that class was canceled.

-Chirp!

At that moment, a bird flew down from the sky. It was Lana’s summoned creature, Nene.

The creature hovered in the air for a moment before landing on Elheim’s arm. Then, it handed her a note in its mouth.

Even though I saved its owner, it still discriminates against others.

“What does Lana say?”

“She says class is canceled, so she’s coming right now.”

“Really?”

I was just about to go pick up Lana, so that’s good. Ah, I remembered something I had to do beforehand.

“I have some business at the student center, so I’ll stop by for a bit. Go meet her and come together.”

“Understood.”

We parted ways at the student center.

The reason I came here is none other than to use the academy’s storage.

As I said before, the items stored in the warehouse are precious, so you can’t just open it carelessly. That’s why I only got permission today. Just this morning, in fact.

As I entered the first floor, I noticed more glances than before. The whispering, too. That’s because the retake exam had spread to other departments as well.

Originally, talk about the retake exam was only circulating in the Department of Knight Arts, but thanks to the notice board installed there, it spread even more widely.

The guy who was already infamous in a bad way was now being talked about with support and praise instead of wrongdoing, so there was a lot of interest.

It’s also because of the story about the punishment.

The rumor is going around that I stopped Kyle Arden from being expelled, so he ended up with just a suspension.

Professor Mylon must have been blabbing on his own. Saying that if it weren’t for me, you all would have had to pack your bags and leave Trianis.

‘Well, it’s all intentional, though.’

Thanks to that, the gazes directed at me are complex and subtle, written all over their faces. Did that scoundrel really do that?

In fact, perhaps because of that influence, some students thanked me as they passed by in the last few days.

‘This is how you do reputation management.’

Reputation doesn’t improve just by doing good deeds.

It’s only when you prevent desires or wishes, or things like that, from becoming futile that the evaluation is reversed. In Trianis, that is graduating from the academy.

Of course, my grades might have dropped, but not to the point of being comparable to expulsion. Rather, they should be grateful to me. If I hadn’t stopped it, all the effort and results they had accumulated would have gone down the drain.

Unlike me, who is a noble, Trianis was their whole life.

For the record, I have all A+’s with bonus points.

In the meantime, I arrived at the 1st basement floor. This is where the warehouse begins.

The starting point is nothing special. Just a floor and walls covered in white tiles, and lighting. The entire area is designed as a passageway going downwards.

I walked down the hallway. Then, before long, I saw someone. It was the warehouse manager.

“Hello.”

I gave a light greeting, and he nodded in return.

Next, I handed over my exclusive card key, and he took it and gestured for me to follow him. I followed behind him.

After walking down the white hallway for a while, we finally reached the end. There, there was a staircase leading to the next floor. However, multiple layers of barriers blocked the way.

As it stores valuable items, 10 layers of barriers surround the 9th basement floor. To get through them, you need a card key and the manager’s encrypted mana pattern.

The manager placed the card key and his hand on the barrier, and after a moment, the barrier disappeared. Then, he handed me the key and spread out his fingers.

5 and 2.

“Up to the 5th floor, for 2 hours. Is that right?”

He nodded and gestured for me to go in. The barrier will be recreated in 30 seconds, so I had to enter quickly.

“I’ll see you later.”

I didn’t forget to say goodbye to the end and went down the stairs.

Thump, thump.

The stairs, like the hallway, were empty. Just light shining down from the ceiling. When I see things like this, I think the design is very modern.

I had already decided on my destination, so I went straight down. I skipped the 2nd floor, and also passed the 3rd and 4th floors. The grade of stored items varies by floor, so the lower you go, the rarer they are.

The warehouse has rooms divided by subject. Weapons, armor, materials, elixirs. And even within that, it is subdivided.

I went into the materials room, specifically the room where metals are stored.

“It should be around here…”

The warehouse doesn’t have things scattered around. It’s well organized and stored on shelves. But the metal I’m looking for is a hidden element, so it must be buried in some corner.

Just as my eyes were starting to hurt.

“Found it.”

I was finally able to find the metal in the form of a stone. Even a blacksmith would take one look at it and curse, saying I brought a useless stone.

But this is not something to be treated that way. With a little processing, it can be transformed into a material that is better to use than any other.

Of course, the option of picking a sword from the warehouse would save effort and time rather than doing that, but since I got the [Orange’s Smithy] voucher anyway, it’s better to make it myself.

And although the weapons on the 7th and 8th floors are something, the 5th floor is a bit ambiguous. It’s definitely a top-class weapon, but by my standards, it’s at the level of breaking after a few uses.

I have nothing more to do here. I left the warehouse without looking back.

The manager looked at me suspiciously, wondering if that would really be enough, but I said I was okay and strongly declined his offer to give me another chance.

***

Orange’s Smithy.

If you don’t know anything about ‘Aka-cheonma’, you’ll think it’s strange. Why is there a color attached to the name of the smithy?

It would be better to attach a place name or a specific person’s name, but a color has no impact. Of course, it will be easy to remember.

But in ‘Aka-cheonma’, color is not a simple meaning.

Just as green means the World Tree, orange also has a related god.

The god of blacksmiths. That’s what orange refers to. And orange is the god who created the dwarves, a race with excellent craftsmanship.

Therefore, [Orange’s Smithy], which bears the color of God, can be seen as a directly managed store run by the god of blacksmiths.

Of course, the actual operation is done by dwarves. Dwarves dispatched from the Ustia Holy Kingdom directly handle sales and production.

So, you can trust them more than ordinary blacksmiths. Dwarves have tremendous pride in their work and ability, so they never sell defective products.

Instead, the price is incredibly expensive. The base price is 1,000 gold. Depending on the material and performance, the price increases exponentially. Some weapons can buy an entire castle.

“Orange’s Smithy… a dream place for a knight.”

“Dwarf-made weapons are so famous. And wipe your drool.”

Elheim was drooling. She’s a knight, so she’s very interested in weapons and armor.

“Have you ever been there, sister?”

“No, Lana. Even though the Arden estate has an Orange’s Smithy, it’s difficult to support all the knights in the family. Even if I try to buy it myself, the price is not easy….”

Elheim scratched her cheek.

Even though the Arden family has a lot of money, they can’t afford to supply dwarf-made weapons to all the knights. So, it is only given to knights who are Master or higher.

Of course, she will become a Master next year and get the perfect sword.

“What about Kyle? Have you ever been there?”

“Of course, I haven’t.”

The family gives Orange’s weapons to the direct line of the head of the family. Arden unconditionally reaches Master with his innate bloodline, so he gives it to him in advance to get used to it.

So, Vale also visited Orange’s Smithy when he was young and had a sword made. On the other hand, I’m not. I don’t even get support for elixirs, so what would they give me?

In some ways, it’s a bitter treatment. My first dwarf-made weapon is obtained through a professor, not the family.

“Someday, the young master will be able to receive it from the head of the family.”

“It’s okay, what am I going to do with it now.”

Elheim said words of comfort, knowing that. But I pretended not to care and answered that way.

“It’s okay. Kyle is doing well.”

“Why are you doing this to me too….”

Lana patted my shoulder. She’s been getting close to Elheim, so she’s been doing this more often lately.

“Hehe, do you hate it?”

“…It’s okay.”

I turned my head. When I look at that bright face, the complaints disappear.

In the meantime, we arrived at Orange’s Smithy.

“It’s big….”

“Yes, it’s big….”

It’s a one-story building, but the smithy is wide, almost the size of a neighborhood.

I’ve seen it in the game, but the impression of facing the real thing is different. It has the same magnificence as when I first entered the Land of Contracts.

“I’ll guide you. Follow me!”

Lana led us, so I stayed still. I know the smithy’s structure, but it’s better to leave it to her this time.

She first headed to the sales office next to the smithy. There was a sign that said “Resting,” but she ignored it and went inside.

“Hello!”

Lana scattered her lively voice into the air. Then, someone hurriedly ran out.

A small height that would come up to my chest, strong arms and leg muscles, and a bushy beard. It was a dwarf.

“Who is this? Isn’t it Lana!”

The dwarf greeted her in a rough voice. Then, he said in a resentful voice.

“Why haven’t you come these days…. How long have they all been waiting?”

“Hehe, I was busy with school and exams.”

“Don’t do that, come in quickly, quickly.”

The dwarf led her with his short, thick arm. It was like seeing a grandfather meeting his granddaughter.

That’s because Lana was a regular here, and they liked her because of her abilities. The dwarf’s tenacity worked well with Lana’s characteristics.

Well, because of that, he didn’t even look at us.

“Uncle, I came with my friends….”

“Huh?”

When Lana said that, he finally looked at us.

“Welcome.”

That was the end of it.

Dwarves are generally like that. They treat anything roughly unless it’s someone they recognize. Of course, Lana is a special case, so she was loved at once.

“What business does Lana’s friend have here?”

“He came to make a weapon! Not me, but Kyle here.”

Lana answered instead and grabbed my arm, leading me forward. I followed without resisting.

Then, the dwarf frowned and made a face. He didn’t seem to like Lana’s friendly attitude.

“Lana. What’s your relationship with this guy?”

“He’s a friend. For now.”

“For… now?”

His mouth fell open and his eyes widened. He looked shocked. The dwarf soon trembled.

“How dare… how dare you, you dare to… our innocent Lana…!”

“Uncle! Why are you being so embarrassing!”

Lana quickly covered the dwarf’s mouth. She can put up with a lot, but she can’t listen to this.

“You’re a funny person.”

“I know….”

I sighed inwardly, but Elheim seemed to be enjoying the situation.

Lana somehow calmed the excited dwarf down. Of course, the glare remained the same.

To get to the point, I handed over the metal plaque, which is the [Orange’s Smithy] voucher.

“I came with Professor Mylon’s introduction.”

He roughly snatched the metal plaque and examined it in detail.

“It’s definitely what we issued.”

After confirming, the dwarf put the metal plaque in his arms. Then, he looked at me and said quietly.

“But kid, do you think I’m just going to make it for you just because you have this?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Problem? Of course, there are many.”

Then Lana intervened.

“Uncle, Kyle….”

“Lana, be quiet. Even if it’s the professor’s introduction or your friend, this is our pride. We can’t give ours to just anyone who doesn’t even know how to use a weapon properly.”

He answered in a solemn voice.

“Besides, the knight next to you is from the Arden family. Then this guy must be the famous Scoundrel. Make a weapon for that kind of guy? Ha!”

Lana didn’t know what to do at the dwarf’s words.

“Then what should I do?”

I asked in a polite voice.

“Do you want a weapon? Then prove it. That you are qualified.”

He led us to the inner space.

“Kyle, I’m sorry…. The uncle is usually not like this….”

“It’s not your fault.”

And I know why he’s like that.

“The young master wouldn’t have committed any atrocities against the dwarves….”

“You too, stop it. I’m okay.”

After passing through the entrance, a hot heat covered us. The reason we haven’t felt this until now is because it was blocked by magic.

“I’ve been here several times, but it’s too hot….”

“Yes, it is. With this level of heat….”

“Don’t hold back, protect yourself with mana.”

This is residual heat from the furnace. Nevertheless, it’s incredibly hot. If you’re not a mana user, it’s hard to endure even for a moment.

Besides, another energy is transmitted along with the heat.

‘Hoo, you awful divine power….’

I hurriedly blocked the invasion of divine power.

[Orange’s Smithy] is a sanctuary in itself. It is full of divine power. This becomes denser as you approach the furnace, which is important and sacred to the blacksmiths.

‘I don’t like it, but I have to endure it.’

I don’t like the unique energy of divine power. But for the sake of weapons, I can endure this much.

Of course, the two seemed to be fine with the divine power surrounding them.

Following the dwarf, the dwarves gradually become visible. But they were not hammering iron. They are still young blacksmiths. In other words, they are trainees.

The blacksmiths called Meisters can only be met in the basement.

After moving for a long time while being watched by the dwarves, we arrived in front of a scarecrow.

“Now, break this.”

The dwarf tapped the scarecrow. It was made of solid iron, and a metallic sound rang out.

“I understand.”

I stood in front of the scarecrow and tried to swing my sword. But the dwarf stopped me.

“Who told you to do it with that sword.”

He took the sword and handed me a blunt and crude sword.

“Why, are you dissatisfied? If you don’t want to, go.”

“…No. I will do it.”

I received the sword and took a stance in front of the scarecrow again. And the timing when I was about to swing the sword.

“Oh, hyungnim? What brings you here?”

“Haa….”

As soon as I heard that voice, I lost all my strength.

I don’t know why he appears every time at times like this.

Episode 45 Orange’S Forge (2)

I released my stance and looked at Evan.

“Why are you here?”

“Me? The professor said that an inspector shouldn’t be without a decent weapon, so he gave me a voucher for this place.”

Ah, right. I forgot about that.

Since Evan is the main character, he gets all sorts of things from the people around him. The [Orange Smithy] voucher is one of those cases. He got it by making a pretty impressive impression on the professor.

But the voucher isn’t for a high grade. The smithy’s prices are hefty, so even the professor couldn’t just hand them out recklessly.

“Did you come alone?”

“No, I came with Veil. He said he’s been here before and would show me around. He’s getting his equipment serviced downstairs right now. But what brings you here, Brother?”

“Same reason as you.”

“Whoa! You too, Brother…!”

Evan’s eyes sparkled. Just then, a roar erupted from the side.

“Get out of the way and stop bothering me, you rascal!”

It was a dwarf. Evan then stuck to him with a suave attitude.

“How can you say that when my brother is here? And Gramps, I’m upset that you’re suddenly acting cold when you were so kind earlier.”

“Who are you calling Gramps! I’m still a vibrant 100 years old!”

Dwarves live as long as elves, so 100 years old is young for them.

“By human standards, you’re already a grandpa.”

“Bah! Get lost and stop bothering me!”

He knocked Evan away from the scarecrow.

“I’ll just watch, just watch.”

“Just try bothering me again. I might just break your weapon!”

“…Okay.”

Seeing that scene, Evan must have already passed the test and started making his weapon. After that, Evan approached my group.

“Lana-senpai! Ellaime-nunim! It’s good to see you!”

“Hello, Evan-hubae?”

“It’s been a while.”

Leaving the three of them to exchange greetings, I stood in front of the scarecrow again.

“There was an unexpected disturbance, now try again.”

“Yes.”

With a slightly softened tone, I took my stance again. And slowly, I drew up mana.

The mana flowed calmly. Sword energy formed on the sword, my senses expanded, and the surrounding conditions were transmitted.

The first thing I felt was the condition of the scarecrow. The scarecrow, said to be made of iron, far surpassed the strength of ordinary iron. Judging by its hardness, it seemed to be an alloy of several metals.

Next, I felt the condition of the sword. This sword is by no means a good sword. The blade is completely dull, lacking any sharpness, and the center of gravity is off, making it unable to cut even wood.

It would probably break into pieces after a few swings. Whoever made it, it was terribly crude.

According to my experience and intuition, I can’t cut that scarecrow with this sword. It’ll shatter with just a little force, so how am I supposed to cut it?

Even so, I have to do it. This is a test to see how well I understand the sword.

In fact, this crude sword has a very cleverly crafted part. It’s only 1cm, but if handled well, it can make a scratch on that alloy scarecrow.

Some might ask if it’s unfair. If I fail, shouldn’t I just go back?

But no. The fact that I’m taking this test means that I’ve been recognized to some extent, and they won’t send me back easily.

It’s a surprisingly unknown fact, but dwarves treat their favorite people more curtly. Once you pass the test, they start giving you things like crazy. Evan went through the same process.

I calmed my scattered mind and put a moderate amount of force into my shoulders and arms.

This test is also a process of finding a sword that suits me.

Dwarves are as good at appraising people’s emotions as they are at appraising objects. If you show them mediocre swordsmanship, they’ll make a sword of that level.

I didn’t come to the Orange Smithy to make such a worthless weapon.

Therefore.

‘I put everything into it.’

I focused all my attention on the sword. I gathered all the understanding of the sword that I possessed. And I squeezed out as much power as I could with this wretched body, and swung it.

Whoosh-!

The sword drew a line and came down.

The alloy scarecrow was cleanly split in half.

Crackle—

The sword, unable to withstand the force, turned to dust and disappeared.

“Hoo…”

I lowered my arm and exhaled. Applause erupted from behind.

“Whoa! Brother!”

“Kyle, awesome!”

Those were the first two to react. They were as happy as if it were their own accomplishment.

Ellaime was a little dazed. She had recognized the countless principles contained in the sword. Well, like magic, she didn’t ask about it separately.

I looked at the dwarf.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“Well done. I am Brand.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Brand, who introduced himself, held out his hand, and I grabbed his palm.

“You don’t have any calluses, so they’re soft, but they’re good hands.”

He fiddled with my hand and praised me.

“Thank you.”

He smiled contentedly at my words, let go of my hand, and said.

“Follow me. I’ll show you around. Lana, lead the way so we don’t get lost. We’re going underground.”

“Yes, Mister!”

Brand, who said that, strode forward. His legs were short, but his pace was fast.

“Follow me! The path to the underground is complicated.”

So we moved, following Lana.

The [Orange Smithy]’s furnace is fueled by a special stone called ‘Dragon’s Breath’. The temperature alone is basically thousands of degrees. But if they did that on the surface, everything around them would burn from the heat.

Let alone doing that in the middle of the capital? The dwarf race would soon be kicked out of the empire, not to mention becoming enemies of the empire.

So the furnace is installed deep underground with a special design that controls the flow of heat.

As a result, the path to the bottom is not easy. The smithy’s underground passage was notorious, to the point where even people who had been there several times would always get lost.

Moreover, the heat gets worse as you go underground.

“I just came here earlier, but I feel like I’m going to get cooked.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.”

“That’s because you haven’t been here before, Brother. It’s so hot. I don’t know how you old guys can stand the heat.”

“You guys are just weak!”

Brand roared.

That’s because dwarves are inherently sturdy. It’s no wonder they can drink so much fire liquor and be fine. Drinking 10 containers of that stuff when they’re resting. They really are a crazy race.

“Wait. We can’t just go from here.”

He stopped at a certain point. Then he opened a box stored next to him and handed out rings to each person.

“It’s hot down here. Too hot for you youngsters to handle.”

He explained the situation below and warned them not to take off the rings.

This is a magic tool that radiates cold air around the body to protect it from the heat. It’s the dwarves’ consideration for weak humans.

“So Kyle, don’t take this off. Okay?”

Lana put the ring on my finger herself.

“Don’t worry about me, put yours on first.”

“U-Um…”

She was good at putting it on me, but Lana blushed as soon as she did.

Brand seemed unhappy with the sight and shouted for no reason.

“Okay, stand here!”

Following his instructions, I stood on the platform, and Brand roughly kicked the wall.

Woong-!

The floor vibrated slightly, and the platform began to descend with a floating sensation.

“What is this…”

“Ugh, I still can’t get used to this.”

Ellaime, who was riding an elevator for the first time, was startled, and Evan’s reaction wasn’t great either.

“Huh? Kyle’s fine? This elevator is the only one here, so I was surprised at first.”

“I’m fine. How about you, Lana?”

“I’ve ridden it several times, so I’m okay!”

I thought it was odd that superhumans who could split rocks would be surprised, but elevators are not a well-known technology. Why use them when there’s magic? And the feeling when you go down is a little strange.

The platform went straight down for a long time. Had we moved about 500m? Small gaps formed between the platforms, and orange light leaked out from below.

Soon, the color filled our vision, and a huge furnace spewing flames appeared.

“Welcome to the birthplace of Orange.”

It is said that the blacksmith god was born from that crimson flame. Therefore, orange is also called the god of fire.

Clang, clang!

The sound of metal clashing echoed from everywhere. Dwarves were working around the furnace.

-Hey, you old geezer! Be careful when you move things! You’re interfering with my work!

-Mind your own damn business! Before I cut off your hands!

In addition to the sound of metal, there were also sounds of fighting everywhere. Maybe it’s because they do rough work, but their voices are amazing.

Thud! In the meantime, the platform reached the floor.

“Hey! Stop fighting and see who’s here! Lana’s here!”

At that moment, the work stopped as if on cue. All that could be heard was the sound of air being supplied to the furnace.

Almost all the dwarves looked this way at the same time. At the same time, a voice erupted.

“Lana, you little rascal! I almost forgot your face!”

“You’re too late! It’s been so boring without you!”

Even though they said that, all the dwarves welcomed her. Of course, we… weren’t even noticed.

“Oh my, who is this? Isn’t it our Lana?”

“Hey, you old geezer! There’s no ‘us’ here!”

“You! Are you trying to fight me right now!”

Lana, seeing the fighting scene, asked Brand.

“Mister. Have I been away for too long?”

“That’s part of it, but recently, there have been more requests for equipment, so they’re on edge. More importantly, let’s ignore those guys and go in, Lana.”

“But the greetings…”

“You can do it later. They can’t come anyway because they’re working.”

“Hmm, okay!”

Brand led us to a building next to the furnace.

“Brand, you rascal! Leave Lana alone!”

“Keep working! The iron’s getting cold, you old geezer!”

The desperate shouts coming from behind were naturally ignored. It’s not like they would come running anyway. To them, there’s nothing more embarrassing than failing to complete their work.

Brand slammed the door!

Clang, clang!

The sound of metal could be heard from the inner room, which was separated by a single wall.

“Torca, we have a guest! You’re lucky today. Someone even better than that punk from earlier has come!”

Clang….

The hammering stopped at Brand’s shout. A sonorous voice flowed out.

“Come in.”

The wall was open without a door, so we just went in. When we entered, a rather bizarre sight unfolded.

Various weapons neatly arranged and hung on the wall. Air purifiers installed on the ceiling. The area around the furnace was spotless. Unlike the smithy outside, this place was disgustingly clean.

At the center was a dwarf, unlike any dwarf I had ever seen, with a neatly trimmed beard. Of course, his beard was still full.

“Torca-ajussi, hello!”

“Oh, Lana. It’s been 3 months since I saw you.”

He greeted Lana warmly.

“I don’t know who you are, but I’m glad to see the other kids too. But who is the guest?”

“This guy. He’s the one called the Arden’s Executioner.”

“Executioner… was he the first son of Dekal?”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kyle Arden.”

I gave a short bow.

“Come here.”

When he called, I approached him. Then he began to grope my body here and there.

“Oho.”

The dwarf exclaimed every time he moved his hand. Next, he handed me a sword.

“Swing it in your usual stance.”

I nodded and immediately took a stance and swung it.

Swaek!

The sound of tearing air fluttered in the air. It seemed like it would blow away everything in front of it, but the wind pressure only lingered in the space it cut.

“As expected, he’s not ordinary enough for Brand to praise so highly. A monster even greater than Veil has been born.”

“Right? These two youngsters are worth making things for.”

Brand patted me and Evan on the shoulder. Evan smiled and said, as if he liked the sound of it.

“Haha, Kyle-hyung is amazing.”

“Don’t belittle yourself. You are no less excellent than him. More than that….”

Torca stroked his beard and began to ponder.

“I don’t know what kind of sword I should make for him. He seems to be able to use all the principles as if they were his own, and the depth is endless.”

“It’s the same feeling I had. That’s right, if we made a mediocre weapon, he would definitely break it soon.”

“Unless it’s a holy sword. There are many options. It would be a waste to make a sword specialized in one type. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a sword.”

As expected, it was the observational skill of the first dwarf.

“It’s harder than when I made the holy sword.”

“At least you had a blueprint then.”

After that, the two dwarves discussed for a long time. Then they asked me.

“If you have any desired conditions or shapes, please tell us. You can also talk about the swordsmanship you often use.”

“I don’t care about the shape. It can be a greatsword or a dao. Anything is fine as long as it’s sharp and strong.”

What’s important to me is a sword that can handle my power. I don’t care about the ego or abilities that reside in the sword.

“Hmm, then the most ordinary shape would be good, but.”

“Sharp and strong…. Ordinary materials won’t work. But the rare metals have almost been used up….”

“Ah, I think I can help with the materials.”

I took out the pebble I had been keeping in my pocket. No, it couldn’t be seen as a pebble anymore. The blackened metal absorbed light like a black hole, making me wonder if it really existed in this place.

“What is this…?”

“Hmm…?”

And when the two meisters saw this, a hint of interest arose in their eyes.

Episode 46 Orange’S Forge (3)

“A metal I’ve never seen before.”

“Was there a metal like that in the world?”

The two dwarves snatched the metal and began to examine it closely.

They tried to knead it by channeling mana, put it in the furnace, heated it, and hammered it. When that didn’t work, they sprinkled various chemicals on it. When even that didn’t work, they smelled it or even licked it to taste it.

Nevertheless, they couldn’t figure out what it was. Eventually, they gave up, throwing up their hands and passing it to me.

“The property of absorbing light is in darkstone, but that’s a stone, and what’s more, it breaks with a slight impact.”

“I can’t even figure out the origin. I even doubt if this is real. It’s as if it doesn’t exist at all.”

The two meisters uttered those words.

“Putting the identity aside, we can’t use it as a material in this state. How can we use it when processing itself is impossible?”

“Ah, that’s what I’m here for, do you happen to have any mithril scraps?”

“I have some leftover.”

Thorca narrowed his eyes but brought the mithril.

“Watch closely.”

I placed the mithril scrap on top of the metal lump. And with my fingertip, I drew a thread of mana to touch the core within.

Then it swallowed the scrap and immediately spat it out. The ejected scrap had completely lost its original color and had become smaller in size.

At the same time, the metal lump became slightly larger.

“Huh?”

“What’s happening now…”

“Now, examine it.”

I handed the lump to the bewildered them. The dwarves fiddled with the metal once more.

“The base of the metal has changed. And the characteristics of mithril are imbued.”

“That thing that was mithril has turned into a mixed metal.”

They exclaimed in admiration and exchanged opinions again. Then they brought other metal scraps and said.

“Try it with this.”

I absorbed all the handed metals into the lump. The metal, which had been the size of a fist, had grown to the size of two fists.

“Amazing! It absorbs only the advantages of other metals. Moreover, it grew this much with just scraps. It’s enough as a material!”

Brand shouted in an excited voice. On the other hand, Thorca’s complexion darkened slightly.

“Where on earth did you get this? This is not a product of nature. It must be something artificially created by adding something that violates the laws, a substance that should never exist.”

He said in a serious voice. That was undoubtedly true.

This is a combination of Chaos Stone, which absorbed the power of corruption, and Amplification Iron, so naturally, the origin itself is an ominous power, and treating it as a rare metal is a bit much.

But it’s not a dangerous object. The power of corruption has already been completely purified, blowing away the ominousness far away, leaving only its unique advantages.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you. But I can tell you that it will never be harmful.”

If it weren’t, I wouldn’t have thought of bringing this. I brought it because it’s safe.

“…….”

“What are you worried about, Thorca! With this, you can create the greatest masterpiece of your life!”

“Well, that’s true. If the metal mixing ratio is well controlled, a material comparable to the divine iron used in the production of the Holy Sword will be created. Maybe even if I refuse, the old men outside will rush in.”

He picked up the metal lump and stroked it for a long time. Then he said quietly.

“If this is also fate, then it is fate. I must accept it.”

Thorca nodded in agreement. Unlike their appearance, dwarves believed in fate. In particular, they believed that all encounters with materials had meaning.

“Then the cost is…”

“What cost are you talking about when you’ve even prepared the materials? And the money the professor gives me is enough.”

Brand said that. I was thinking of paying extra, but since it’s the person in charge who said it, I guess it’s okay.

“Thank you.”

“What are you thanking me for? It’s better for you and that kid to owe us a debt like this. Because you’re promising youngsters with a bright future.”

“Huh? Me too?”

“Didn’t you know? Your weapon request is also three times more expensive than the fixed cost.”

“Oh, that money is…”

“You don’t have to pay it back. If we leave it here, it will somehow come back someday.”

His way of thinking was unique. Other dwarves wouldn’t even think of this. There’s a reason why he’s the person in charge here.

Look at him over there. A dwarf who doesn’t even care about our conversation. He’s completely focused on his design. Dwarves are generally like that.

After that, I told them about the metal bonding method and precautions. Even though it looks like a panacea, there is a limit, and infinite absorption is not possible.

“Please take good care of it.”

“It will be completed in about 2 weeks, so you can come back then.”

“That’s fast, as expected of your reputation.”

“Haha! Did you think we’d take months like you humans? We even made the Holy Grail, the pride of the Holy Kingdom, in a month!”

Brand proudly replied, pounding his chest. It’s a scene that shows the pride of the dwarves. And just as I was about to leave.

“Evan, are you here?”

My younger brother, Bale’s, voice was heard. Brand shouted.

“Come in! The repairs have been completed a long time ago, where have you been wandering around!”

“I’m sorry. I got separated from Evan on the way…”

My younger brother quickly came in. And when he saw me.

“My brother and other people were here too. Hello.”

“Say your greetings outside and take this.”

Brand threw the scabbard containing the sword to Bale.

“If you’re done with your business, go now. I’m busy because of your requests! Lana, just say hello and leave too.”

“Yes, mister!”

Then he kicked us out.

“Kyle! I’ll go say hello!”

“Take your time.”

I saw Lana off. As soon as she disappeared, silence fell. In the meantime, Evan opened his mouth.

“Seeing you, my brother and Bale don’t get along very well. Are they really brothers? My sister doesn’t even act like that.”

“The two of them have been like that since before.”

“Really, Sister?”

“Yes.”

“What a bleak brotherly relationship.”

“Please just shut up.”

I intervened because I didn’t know how much more nonsense he would spout.

“Hey, why are you being like that, Brother. More than that, since we’ve gathered like this, how about we eat? I think Lana-sunbae would like it too.”

“Do as you please.”

“Then I’ll go get Lana-sunbae quickly. Sister, come with me!”

“What are you…”

“Master, I’ll be back.”

“Haa…”

And so I was left with Bale. I don’t know what the two of them are thinking.

“It seems like it’s the first time I’ve met my brother since the entrance exam.”

“Well, that’s right.”

Even when I met Bale, it was always with Evan or Chloe, and I didn’t deliberately meet or look for him.

The hatred for my younger brother has been cleared up for a long time, but I was reluctant to approach him. It’s because of the relationship of being a younger brother, not a physical reaction.

To be honest, I don’t know how to treat family. Ellaim has been like family, but in the end, she’s someone else. It’s different from Bale, who is connected by blood.

Family is an unknown area to me. So it’s not comfortable. It’s more difficult because it’s not a relationship with affection like Ellaim.

“Recently, there have been many stories circulating about my brother. Mostly positive content. In particular, the professors and Princess Ariel praised you a lot.”

“…….”

Although there were no meetings in the meantime, it seems like he had a lot of interest. Considering my relationship with Bale, even if my younger brother didn’t look for it separately, various rumors would have reached his ears like the princess.

“Moreover, the evaluation after the re-examination has changed 180 degrees. Especially among the students. And this younger brother is happy about my brother’s change.”

Bale smiled. Although the appearance is different, it was somewhat similar, as if I was looking at myself. My younger brother stared at me quietly before opening his mouth.

“Brother, do you know.”

“What.”

I replied coldly. Even so, Bale was still smiling.

Really, what a kind guy. If I were him, I would have beaten the rude brother to death.

“On the day of the entrance exam. I thought my brother had fallen into the path of darkness. I tried everything to solve it. Even if I had the power of the family, it wasn’t something I could easily get out of.”

Bale took a breath.

“But according to Evan and Ellaim-nuna, that wasn’t the case. They said it was pure magic, not an ominous power.”

“…When did you meet Nuna again.”

As I grumbled quietly, Bale replied with longing eyes.

“It’s the first time I’ve heard that sound in 8 years. I wondered why Nuna has been looking brighter recently, so there was a reason. Nuna has liked Brother since she was young.”

“Stop digressing and get to the point.”

“I understand.”

Bale nodded and said in a calm voice.

“Just as Nuna does, I won’t ask about the source of that power. Brother must have had his own troubles, and there must have been a reason. Unless Brother tells me directly, I won’t ask. Of course, I don’t intend to blab about it either.”

It felt like a strange delusion, but I just ignored it. There was no need to correct it. And there was no way to explain it separately.

After saying that, Bale turned his head towards the furnace and sighed deeply. He looked somewhat frustrated.

“Brother…”

“Why.”

“I received a call from Father a while ago.”

It seems like he contacts Bale often. I never had it once. The same goes for through Ellaim. In the first place, Ellaim didn’t say anything even after the entrance ceremony ended.

“…He said that they decided to strip Brother of his successor status through a family meeting.”

“Is that so.”

It was certainly a shocking story, but I was calm.

The position of head of Arden is not an attractive position. A position where you rule the territory and get caught up in various documents and only work. I don’t need it.

I changed my mindset for the sake of the main character, but I refuse troublesome things. Now that it’s become troublesome in the academy, I’m going to live more comfortably after the story is completed.

So I won’t take a position that will only add discomfort, even if you give it to me.

“It’s not something to take lightly. If you’re not careful, Brother’s rights…”

“What rights? Since when has the position of head been the right of the eldest son.”

“…….”

“The head of Arden has always been decided by the most outstanding child in that generation.”

Regardless of age or gender, the child with the best talent and intelligence was made the head. Standing above others is impossible with ordinary abilities.

Moreover, if that’s the great family of Arden, it’s a natural thing. They couldn’t let the family be ruined by appointing a mediocre guy.

“And you are a child comparable to the first head. You are more suitable than a good-for-nothing like me.”

“…That’s when Brother was a good-for-nothing in the past.”

“No, I’m still a good-for-nothing. I will be like that forever.”

Unless I save the world, I will be followed by the tag of a good-for-nothing. That’s something I can’t help.

“Is that all you need, Brother? If it’s the current Brother, you can overturn the family.”

“That’s all I need. So Bale, don’t worry about me and take care of yourself.”

I ended the conversation with those words. There was no more value in talking.

More than anything, Bale must become the head according to the story. If that doesn’t happen, the story will be completely twisted. I have to prevent that situation.

“…No, I will definitely restore it to its original state.”

“Why don’t you listen to my words…”

At that time, Evan’s voice was heard from afar.

“Brother~! I brought Sunbae.”

And Evan, who saw our turned backs, blurted out.

“Huh? Why does the atmosphere seem more hostile?”

“Stop talking nonsense and let’s go eat. Lana, please guide us.”

“Okay! But did you fight with your brother?”

“I think so, Lana.”

The two of them were not people who couldn’t feel that atmosphere either. So they shifted their gaze elsewhere.

“Let’s go quickly.”

I grabbed Lana and Ellaim’s hands and led them forward.

“K, Kyle…?”

“M, Master, if you suddenly do this…”

I ignored their embarrassment. Because it wasn’t a situation to do that.

“Oh? Brother, let’s go together! Bale, what are you doing. You have to follow us!”

“I understand.”

After that, we left the forge and headed to a nearby restaurant for a late lunch.

Episode 47 Library Occupation Incident (1)

The Tianis Academy Library, with a daily user base of over 5,000.

Something appeared on top of the clock tower installed at its peak with a pop! It was a life form that seemed to have shrunk a human to the size of a mouse.

“Hello? My name is Sasha.”

Sasha waved a hand smaller than a grain of millet.

“Who am I, you ask? You don’t know me?”

Sasha brought both hands to her mouth as if shocked. But she soon took her hands away and said, “Ahem. You might not know me. I’m a very secretive being. So, who am I? I am…”

Sasha covered the area around her mouth with her palm so this secret story wouldn’t leak out, and came closer.

“I am the spirit of this Tianis Library.”

Sasha whispered so in a very small voice.

“Huh? You’re asking if there’s such a spirit? Of course not. I’m an artificially created spirit, unlike those of nature. Created by humans, no less.”

Sasha was an artificial spirit born from the hands of humans!

“Ahem! How do I look now? You don’t have to look into my heart; I know everything. You thought of me as something like a rat. But it’s okay. I’ll understand with my generous heart.”

Sasha placed her hands on her hips, proudly puffed out her chest, and said. Then, she tilted her head and said, “Why was a library spirit made, you ask? You really don’t know anything! Why else, to manage the Tianis Library, of course.”

Sasha jumped off the clock tower. Sasha, floating in the air, moved to the center of the library.

“Do you know how many books are stored here? Over 200 million. More than 5,000 librarians work here, but they’re just humans after all. How could they manage so many books? Thousands of people use it every day.”

The librarians usually had a lot of work to do.

Finding books for students, organizing books, restoring damaged books, and so on. There was too much.

Of course, magic helped, but there were things that couldn’t be handled with magic. Sasha was the being born for those busy librarians!

Sasha was a great being who helped the hardworking librarians!

“Ahem! Doesn’t that sound more impressive? Huh? You’re asking who made such a great me? Of course, the great magician Kiran made me.”

Sasha made a face as if asking the obvious.

“Ah, Kiran is the first emperor of the Tairan Empire. And very, very… damn, has no conscience, and is a stupid idiot who only knows himself!”

Sasha puffed up her cheeks with air and got angry.

“Is it because the work is hard? That’s not it at all. If I didn’t enjoy this job, how could I have stayed here for 400 years? The reason I’m angry is because of the name.”

Sasha hated her name, Sasha.

“I’m an artificial spirit, so I need a name to subordinate my existence to the world. So, I asked that stupid idiot Kiran if he wanted a name. I already had an ego and intellect when I was born from a 10-circle magician.”

And that name was ‘Kelchathus Maximilian’.

“Isn’t that a great name? It’s totally my type, but that idiot said I had such trash naming sense and just gave me the name Sasha, can you believe it?”

Whenever she remembers that scene, she still gets frustrated. She should have received that name no matter what she had to do at the time.

“Enough with the depressing talk, I’ll give you a tour of the library now!”

Sasha flew towards the open space in the center of the library.

“I said there are 200 million books in the library, right? So there are really many different books. Not just limited to the empire, but knowledge from all over the continent is gathered here.”

All knowledge, present and past, is basic. There were theological books related to the Holy Kingdom, lost histories from the Northern Continent where barbarians live, and secret papers published only in the magic towers of the Falun Magic Kingdom.

Besides that, there were also books containing mysteries and magic deep inside, and books designated as forbidden books were sealed somewhere.

“Actually, there are also books that have nothing to do with learning.”

Sasha stood next to a student. The student pulled out a book from the corner. And when he opened the book, poof! It emitted smoke, and the student’s height shrank to the size of a child. Soon after, the book disappeared.

“It’s a book called the Curse of the Dwarf. It forcibly reduces your height. Don’t worry. It’ll come back in 30 minutes.”

With that said, Sasha passed by the student.

“This library is full of Kiran’s jokes. A representative example is that.”

Sasha pointed to a student who was lost and wandering around.

“Kiran played tricks on the space with the special arrangement of mana and bookshelves. So dozens of people wander around the library every day.”

Sasha waved her hand. Then, the confused student was taken outside. Sasha had administrative rights and could control the library’s magic.

“The pranks aren’t over with this. Kiran hides strange things between the books to surprise the students, you know? What was it… something about chance encounters. Anyway!”

As long as the books weren’t damaged, Sasha didn’t care about anything else.

“Next, I’ll show you the users.”

Sasha headed to the second floor. There were freshmen studying hard there.

“They’re fresh kids who haven’t been at Tianis for long. They’re really cute at this time. But things are different from the second grade.”

Sasha pointed to a second-year student with soulless eyes.

“From that time on, they start to go crazy. By the time they’re in their third year, they reach a state of enlightenment. So they’re not cute and just pitiful. But the most pitiful of all are…”

Sasha headed to the zombies gathered on the 7th floor. They were graduate students with hollow eyes, rummaging through books and writing papers.

“Zombies! They are very, very important people who will lead the empire in the future! They just made a slightly wrong choice! Of course, they’re not cute. They just make ‘woo-er’ sounds every day.”

Still, there were many cute children even as time passed. One of them is Kiran’s descendant.

“Ariel is cute. I want to give her a big hug.”

Ariel, sitting elegantly in a one-person chair in the distance, is reading.

Her black hair and black eyes are very similar to Kiran’s. In addition, Ariel was the most special of the imperial family.

“What are you doing there, Sasha?”

“Hello, Ariel?”

Ariel recognized herself. Sasha is a specially made artificial spirit, so even if her sensitivity is high, she is not easily recognized. As expected of Kiran’s bloodline.

“I’m walking around the library!”

“Is that so? Thank you always. I’ll bring you almond cookies made at the Imperial Palace later.”

“Thank you!”

It was Sasha’s favorite snack. Kiran used to make them himself a long time ago. Those are truly missed past times.

“Then see you later.”

“Yes, Sasha. Please take care of me today too.”

“Okay!”

Sasha, away from Ariel, smiled brightly. Her conversation with her was enjoyable. Of course, that feeling started from the fact that she recognized herself.

“Besides Ariel, there’s a suspicious student, but I don’t want to talk to him…”

Of course, there was a student who she suspected was aware of her existence.

A male student reminded her of Kiran’s friend, Kyle Arden. Sasha thought about him.

“That mean-eyed guy. How could such a guy be born under Keilon?”

It’s hard to believe he’s the descendant of that gentle and kind person. He’s completely different.

Ariel was the opposite of the mischievous Kiran, but that was on a different level.

“You know. He’s a complete bad guy. He burned the book he borrowed half a year ago, and it was so hard to tear it up and restore it. His behavior is completely villainous.”

Still, he doesn’t do anything else these days. He somehow found out and occasionally took away the secrets that Kiran had hidden, but at least he didn’t damage the books.

“That’s enough. I don’t want to think about him.”

Even so, Sasha still hated Kyle Arden because he was the guy who ruined the book.

Sasha turned her head. And saw. A student touching some device.

“Huh? Wait a minute! If you touch that…!”

Before Sasha could stop him.

Woooong-!!

The magic installed in the library was activated.

***

Two weeks passed quickly. The feeling that time passed even faster because I was filled with anticipation was not insignificant.

And I even received a separate call from [Orange’s Smithy]. Telling me to come pick up the commissioned item. As soon as I heard that, I ran to the smithy.

“Oh? Brother? Are you on your way to the smithy?”

“Yeah, I got a call that it’s done.”

“Me too. Let’s go together.”

I met Evan on the way. It seems like they were completed at the same time because the days they were commissioned were the same.

Evan’s steps were light the whole way. Of course, so was mine.

Then Evan spoke to me with an excited look.

“A dwarven-made weapon… I’ll probably never have a day like this again in my life, right?”

“Don’t overreact so much. It’s embarrassing.”

“Brother is a noble, so gold coins may not be a big deal, but it’s 3,000 gold, 3,000 gold! It’s money that commoners can’t touch even if they earn it for the rest of their lives!”

Evan grabbed my shoulders and shook me, then suddenly stopped with a serious expression.

“What if… what if I lose it? Or what if someone steals it…”

“It won’t happen, so let go. I have enough countermeasures. More than that, let’s go quickly. I want to see it soon too.”

“R, really? Then I’ll trust Brother…”

I passed Evan as he was and went ahead. He talks too much at important moments.

After moving and moving, we arrived at [Orange’s Smithy]. We entered the sales store.

“I’ve been waiting. We don’t need greetings, do we? Let’s go down right away.”

Brand led us straight to the basement. As he said, greetings were an unnecessary process.

Throughout the descent to the basement, my hands were sweaty due to tension rather than the heat from the furnace. Sweat formed on the back of my neck and forehead.

“It’s quiet today. Where did everyone go?”

Evan asked so. The furnace was still operating, but not a single dwarf was seen doing blacksmithing. It was so quiet that silence had fallen completely.

“They were inspired by the two of your swords and are holed up in their rooms. They seem to have itchy hands after only making commissioned items for a while. Dwarves have to make what they want to make, after all.”

“Were they made that well?”

“Yeah. More than you can imagine. Something was made that far exceeds the original price.”

In the meantime, we entered Thorca’s smithy.

The inside was dirtier than the last visit. The walls were full of soot, and dust and various tools were scattered on the floor.

And in the center, there was a drunkard pouring alcohol straight from the bottle. There were numerous bottles around him, indicating how much he had drunk.

“You’ve come.”

“Stop drinking, you old geezer! You’re old enough, you’ll die if you keep eating like that!”

Brand shouted and snatched the bottle away. Judging by the amount he drank, even a whale would get drunk.

“More importantly, what about the swords.”

“The other guys rushed in, so I hid them. Look under that anvil.”

Brand moved himself instead of Thorca, who was exhausted. He rummaged under the anvil and took out a box from a hidden space.

“Ooh-cha, look. These are the swords you’ll be using from today.”

He slowly opened the lid. Then you can see two swords. Evan stared at it with his soul lost.

“…….”

“Ooooo!!”

One is a sword with pure white color from the handle to the blade. Pure white light flowed gracefully along the edge of the sword.

The other is a sword dyed entirely in black. The ink-colored light flowing along the blade absorbed all light.

A sight like art itself. What’s more surprising is that the shapes of the two swords are perfectly identical. They were exactly the same without even a slight error.

“…May I ask why they are the same?”

I looked at Thorca. This was a form that could never come out of a dwarf’s hands.

Each person has different combat methods, weapon usage methods, and body types, so the weapons that suit them are also different. And dwarves know that and make custom weapons that suit the user. There is a reason why they go through the testing process.

“It wasn’t made that way from the beginning. Unlike you, Evan is still in the walking stage, isn’t he? Evan’s sword, which was originally conceived, was not like this.”

Thorca took a sip of alcohol and continued.

“We dwarves, when we hammer, we can read the destiny and will of the child being born from our hands.”

It’s a known fact. It’s not possible for all dwarves, but only dwarves who have reached a certain level or higher among the meisters can do it.

“Is this the result?”

“That’s right. The wishes of the two children are like that, so I, as a blacksmith, couldn’t refuse. Furthermore, their fates were so surprisingly similar that I couldn’t turn a blind eye.”

Having said that far, I couldn’t ask any more questions. If the dwarf read that and even made a choice, there is a reason. It’s more foolish to argue.

“Still, not everything will be the same, right?”

“They look the same on the outside, but the inside is completely different. So don’t worry.”

At that, I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Fortunately, that side hasn’t changed.

“Um, but you know. It seems like I couldn’t make the same shape with just the prepared materials.”

“Are you saying…?”

“I used a little of your material in the process of making Evan’s sword.”

No wonder the energy I felt was a little stronger. So that’s why.

“I’m sorry for using it without saying anything in advance. As a blacksmith, I was greedy and did something I shouldn’t have done.”

“Yeah, well.”

“Of course, I don’t intend to end it with just words. This is a betrayal of the trust between you and me, who entrusted the materials as a blacksmith. If you are upset by my actions, I am willing to compensate you.”

Um? This is quite unexpected.

Actually, I didn’t think much of what he said. Ah, he just used the materials, that’s all.

Of course, that’s possible because he used it for Evan. If it were someone else, I might have gone wild.

Besides, he had already used it, and if that raised his motivation and allowed him to exert abilities beyond his skill, it would be beneficial to me.

But if one of the first dwarves compensates separately, the story is different.

“How far is possible?”

“I will compensate you as much as possible within the range I can do.”

“Okay, I understand. I don’t need it right now, so I’ll come to ask you later.”

“Okay.”

We finished this story here.

“Black is yours, and white is that guy’s.”

I heard Thorca’s words and picked up the black sword. A heavy sensation flowed into my fingertips. The weight of the sword is heavier than I thought.

“Evan, you pick it up too.”

“Yes, sir!”

Evan immediately picked up the white sword.

“Ugh, it’s heavy.”

“You’ll get used to it over time. More than that, what are their names?”

“Black is Karsa, and white is Raman.”

“Karsa….”

When I called out the name in a low voice, the sword vibrated slightly. As if responding to my words.

“You must want to use it soon. Swing it around appropriately.”

“Yes.”

I stood facing a place where no one was on the route, just in case.

“Hoo….”

I take a breath and relax the strength in my body. The timing when the power of the whole body is completely lost.

Swoosh-!

I swung it down lightly.

Kukwakwang!

And with a loud noise, the wall cracked.

Episode 48 Library Occupation Incident (2)

A large scar etched from the ceiling to the floor. The space where the sword passed was deleted as is. I stared at it with a slightly dazed expression.

No matter how specially designed the furnace is, its temperature cannot be ignored. The residual heat radiating around it melts everything.

That’s why the underground buildings are made of heat-resistant and solid materials. Its strength cannot be easily cut even by a Sword Master.

But this sword, the Black Sword Karsa, did it so easily. I just swung it lightly. That’s possible because of Karsa’s tremendous sharpness.

“You’ve made something ridiculous….”

Admiration comes out on its own. I realized while using it, but its solidity is also at a tremendous level.

Then, Torca took a swig of alcohol and smiled so much that his mustache went up and said.

“Of course. According to your request, I focused all the possibilities contained in the metal on the strength and edge of the sword. It will be able to withstand the Master’s Aura Blade as well.”

“I guess so.”

If I put sword energy into it, it will be able to withstand or cut through almost anything. This is a sword with such strengths. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any weaknesses.

“More than that, it shouldn’t fall into the hands of others. It’s too dangerous. It’s perfect for being devoured by the sword.”

Karsa did not have an ego, nor did it possess any special ability to corrupt its user.

However, the power of the sword was enough to cause addiction. It easily cuts through objects without much effort, so how can one not fall for it. You will probably soon be swayed by the sword.

Moreover, it was easy to be recognized as a demon sword. The ominous black color is enough to be misunderstood. It’s just the appearance, though.

“I can say with certainty that you won’t do that. If that happens, it means I’ve misjudged you.”

“…Well, anyway, I’ll use it well.”

“Become someone who is not ashamed of that child. Evan, you too.”

Torca said to Evan, who was diligently stroking the sword. He has a very lovestruck look.

“Gasp! It’s so beautiful that I lost myself.”

Evan quickly regained his senses and returned to reality.

“Elder Torca, thank you so much for making this weapon! As you said, I will become a proud swordsman for Raman!”

“That’s enough.”

Evan was about to hug him in joy. Then Evan looked at me.

“Hyung, I’m sorry. Precious materials were used because of me….”

“It’s okay. How much would that cost.”

I looked at Torca and demanded an answer. Then he immediately answered.

“I only used 1/10 of the whole thing.”

“See that.”

At that weight, it must have been added only slightly, and only the properties of the metal were mixed in. That much is enough to give to Evan. He is the protagonist of this world.

And thanks to that, Evan got a much better sword than the weapon he would have originally obtained. In a situation where the future is uncertain, I had to give him this much.

Besides, I’m also giving him a separate reward, so there’s no need for Evan to feel indebted.

“Hyung is really….”

I thought he was going to cry and get my clothes dirty, so I quickly turned my head and asked.

“But do you happen to have any metal left?”

“I have some. About 10g.”

“If it’s not impolite, could you give it to me?”

“The owner of the metal is you, so of course.”

Torca readily handed over the metal. I have a separate use for this. I was going to make it if I didn’t have it, but if I have it, I should use this. This, which has finished absorbing the metals, was a really good material.

“Is that all you need? Go now. I haven’t slept for 2 weeks and have been hammering, so I’m sleepy.”

“Tsk, I knew it. Okay, let’s go! If we stay any longer, other guys will flock here!”

We took the scabbard that was in the box with us and left the building. In the distance, a group of dwarves was approaching here due to the commotion just now.

“Hehe, is the work finished.”

“Oh, those swords are Torca’s work.”

“Hmm hmm, if it’s not impolite, can you show me those swords?”

“Just for a moment, just a moment.”

It was very gentlemanly behavior for a dwarf, but he didn’t hide the burning desire contained within at all. No, he couldn’t hide it.

“Tsk, they smelled it and came. Run, you brats! If you get caught, think that you’re not going back!”

Brand shouted, and we ran straight away. And he went ahead and blocked the dwarf group.

“If we have a chance again, let’s see each other again!”

“Yes.”

“Elder Brand, see you again later!”

We got into the elevator as is. When I pressed the hidden button, the platform floated up. Behind us, a desperate cry was heard.

“You bastard! Let us go!”

“Brand! A shame to the dwarves! How can you let that go!”

“Guys, wait! Just a little, just a little more to see! At least the structure…!”

“Where are you trying to chase after!”

He blocked dozens of dwarves alone. As expected of the person in charge, he is also strong. Of course, Brand was crushed on the floor by the sheer numbers. The dwarves caught up with us late, but by that time we were already disappearing into the passage.

“Phew.”

Evan let out a sigh of relief.

“It’s a relief that Elder Brand is so skilled… I almost got caught.”

“Dwarves are extremely stubborn. In some ways, they are the most stubborn race.”

And if we got caught, we would have to spend a day in the underground for sure. But that’s not possible. Because there was an episode waiting for us today, when we received the weapons.

“Ugh, the sunlight is the best.”

Evan stretched his arms up to the sky and enjoyed the sunlight. Since I just came out of the underground, I also accepted the energy of the sun.

“It’s already lunchtime.”

Evan said that after checking his watch.

“Hyung, how about having lunch together? There’s no one else, and there are things I want to ask about magic.”

“Let’s go to the student cafeteria for food, and if you’re really hungry, let’s stop by a street stall on the way.”

“Hmm… If that’s what Hyung wants, let’s do that!”

“But do you have money?”

“I’ve earned quite a bit from recent requests.”

We had such trivial conversations and walked down the street. There was a dumpling stall on the way, so we bought some and ate it. As expected of the center of the continent, even the street stalls were excellent.

That’s how we returned to the academy. But Trianis, which we arrived at, was chaotic.

“I wonder what’s going on?”

“Let’s go to the library. That seems to be the source of the commotion.”

I led Evan to the library. Well, even if I didn’t, it was an unnecessary act because students and professors were running towards it.

As we headed to the library, we were greeted by a large crowd of people. They were surrounding the library.

There were students who visited the library to study, and students who came out of rumors and curiosity. And at the entrance, there were professors who came out to solve this incident. They were blocking the students from approaching and talking.

“Hyung, the library is strange? There’s too much mana contained in the mana barrier.”

“It’s magic. It’s quite powerful. Something seems to have happened to the library.”

Then something grabbed my pants from under my feet. It was a cat. One of Lana’s familiars scattered throughout Trianis.

“Lana must be nearby. Let’s go, Evan.”

“Yes, Hyung!”

We moved following the familiar’s guidance. Then, in the distance, Lana was standing alone.

“Kyle, you’re here! Oh, Evan, hello too?”

“Yeah.”

“Hello. Senior!”

We exchanged greetings.

“More than that, where’s Ellaime?”

“Onee-chan said she had something to contact her family about, so she left for about an hour!”

Recently, Ellaime had been leaving me alone sometimes. Unlike before, she now has great faith in me.

“But what happened to the library?”

“It’s faster to see than to explain. I’ll show you.”

Two spirits floated in Lana’s hand. Ur created a water mirror, and Silphie conveyed the professors’ conversations.

-Is there really no solution?

-Yes, according to the First Emperor’s countermeasures, the only way to undo this magic is to solve it directly from the inside. Until then, the magic will be maintained for 100 years, 1000 years.

-We can’t leave it like that. There are 10,000 people inside. Also, the 4th Princess is there.

-There’s nothing we can do from the outside.

-At least we have to send food to last for a while. Otherwise, the inside will be hell.

-You know that Master-level people can’t enter due to restrictions. If we want to send it, we have to send students, but how many students will enter there? They might die.

-Damn it, if only I could enter, I would have solved it a long time ago. Why is there not a single professor in the library at this timing…!”

After that, the professors continued to share their opinions and come up with measures, but nothing came out. They were just guarding the entrance.

“Oh… Isn’t this a serious situation?”

“It’s beyond serious, it’s the worst situation. We could be massacred.”

“The professors have been like that for 3 hours. They say there’s no way at all.”

“I don’t think there’s no way at all.”

“Yeah, no. Mana holders below a certain level can enter. But once you go in, you can’t get out.”

The First Emperor, who installed this sealing magic, is a figure who stands at the pinnacle of magic. He can easily do that kind of setting.

At this point, one question will arise. Why did he put this magic on the library? But if you think about the materials in the library, it’s obvious.

The library itself has risks. There are many books that will help students, but there are also many books that will harm them. For example, there are forbidden books that sealed the power of darkness or monsters that threatened the world in the past.

The First Emperor planted the same magic as now, thinking about the possibility of it being misused. To prevent it from escaping to the outside at all.

At the same time, he opened a one-way passage and installed a magic device to act as a trap. To prevent intruders. It is said that such things were common in the past.

Anyway, for that reason, the current library is a solid fortress and a trap.

“What about the students who entered?”

“No one.”

Lana shook her head. I nodded at the understandable situation.

Even students who are confident in their skills will be reluctant to enter there. The inside is an unknown space. A place where there is a risk of death.

“Lana, how’s your condition?”

“The best!”

“Evan, how about you.”

“I’m the same. I also want to use my new weapon quickly.”

Both of them had no problems with their condition. I put Lana in the lead and headed to the professors. Her words are more likely to be accepted than mine.

“Student Lana, what’s going on?”

“Professor! Is it okay if the three of us go inside and help?”

She looked at our faces, including Lana.

“With the skills of the three of you, there will be no shortage. Lana and Evan are at the top of their grades, and Professor Mylon is full of praise for that student as well.”

The professor looked at me and said that. Then, after talking with the other professors for a while, he came back to us.

“Professors should be solving these problems… I’m sorry. I’m asking you for a favor.”

“Yes, Professor!”

After that, it was a smooth process.

First, he handed us a subspace bag filled to the limit with food and water in case we had to be trapped for several days.

Next, he gave us a map of the library and a booklet containing precautions and countermeasures when the library magic of the academy is activated.

Finally, he supported us with various items and magic tools to protect us.

“I’m sorry for entrusting this to the students again. But please do your best.”

“Leave it to us!”

Lana replied with great enthusiasm.

We, who had finished preparing, stood in front of the entrance.

Many eyes are on us. Some are looking at Lana with worried eyes, and others are looking with faces that wonder if it’s okay to entrust it to them.

But I wasn’t nervous in that. That’s the same for Lana and Evan.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay, Kyle!”

“Let’s go, Hyung!”

I went forward as the leader. The barrier with a large amount of concentrated mana fluctuated and swallowed us.

The library we entered like that. As I knew, the library was a mess from the lobby on the first floor.

Everything was broken and scattered on the floor, and the lighting magic tools were turned off because the mana stone connection was broken. Thanks to that, we could only see the surroundings when there was occasional light coming in.

In addition, there was a silence that hovered over the library, unlike usual. It’s quiet enough that you wouldn’t think 10,000 people are trapped inside.

“Let’s find people first.”

“Okay. Kyle.”

“I understand.”

We started searching while being as careful as possible about the surroundings. Then, before long, someone approached secretly, taking advantage of the darkness.

A slightly surprised reaction. And a familiar voice flowed out of the darkness.

“Why are the three of you here….”

It was the 4th Princess Ariel Trianis.

Episode 49 Library Occupation Incident (3)

Ariel Tianis reveals herself from the darkness. With her abilities, hiding like an assassin was simple.

“Why are the three of you here…? This isn’t good. First, come with me. It’s dangerous here.”

Immediately after she finished speaking.

Thump! Thump!

A giant footstep can be heard from afar. The golem, activated when magic is triggered, is the source of the sound.

I can’t deal with that guy yet. He’s incredibly strong, and if a fight breaks out, nearby golems will swarm. So, we shouldn’t touch him until he’s weakened.

“Come quickly…!”

The princess shouted urgently, suppressing her voice as much as possible. We followed her.

The library has a central staircase. However, the princess didn’t head that way, but instead climbed to the upper floor using a ladder used to retrieve books.

“Currently, golems are all around, so moving via the stairs is dangerous.”

We nodded and continued to follow her. After that, we moved several times without using corridors or stairs.

Eventually, we arrived at the 3rd-floor lounge. Upon reaching it, the princess pressed some parts of the wall in a specific order. The wall then split open, revealing a hidden space.

We went inside.

“You can talk here. It’s one of the few safe zones.”

The door closed, isolating the space from the outside. The princess spoke in a relieved voice.

However, I didn’t let my guard down and used my senses to scan the space ahead. Fortunately, after confirming that there was nothing, I finally relaxed.

The princess may not know, but this place doesn’t guarantee absolute safety. It randomly spawns golems.

Well, if she came this way, she must have checked, but it’s better to be sure.

“So, why did you come here?”

“I came to resolve this situation.”

The princess sighed at my words.

“I appreciate your heart, but you shouldn’t have. Do you know what the library’s like…? You should have come with a professor, or at least someone else.”

“It seems you don’t know about this place, Princess.”

“What do you mean?”

She tilted her head.

Princess Ariel had read the first emperor’s diary passed down in the imperial palace. So, she knows information about the academy.

However, all she knows is that there’s a spirit managing the library. She doesn’t know that only students can pass through the mana barrier when magic is activated.

“The first emperor set up the barrier. So, even a skilled person like a professor can’t enter this place.”

“That can’t be…”

She opened her mouth in shock. Perhaps she didn’t have the presence of mind to hear it from Sasha. Well, she must have been too busy to care.

Then, Lana said in a bright voice.

“It’s okay, Princess! That’s why we came! We even came prepared like this!”

Lana turned around and showed her bag.

“That’s right. We brought enough food to feed ten thousand people for a month, and most importantly, we brought a solution.”

“Is that… true?”

At Evan’s words, the princess looked at me and asked. She had an expression that told me to answer quickly. I immediately gave her the answer she wanted.

“Yes. So, please guide us quickly.”

“Ah, I understand.”

The princess quickened her pace. After moving for about 10 minutes, we arrived at a hideout where people were gathered.

“Look at Kyle over there. He has stars floating around him.”

“To think there’s a place like this in the library. It’s amazing.”

Evan and Lana exclaimed in admiration at the hideout’s appearance.

This place is a gap in the other side created by the first emperor to protect users. So, it’s very different from a typical spatial rift.

Moreover, this place is safe from external threats. However, all the power is used to maintain the space, so there are no food or convenience facilities prepared at all. Only a few pieces of furniture like chairs exist.

“Oh? The princess is here!”

“Who did she come with? Don’t tell me from outside…”

“Are we able to leave now?”

The voices of the students could be heard. Excluding the staff, there were approximately 5 to 6 thousand people, so even a few speaking filled the space.

They immediately flocked to the princess en masse at our appearance.

“We can leave, right? Right?”

“Please, please say that’s the case…”

“It’s too scary here…”

It’s only been about 3 hours. The students who spent that short time looked terrible.

Their eyes were hollow to the point of being lifeless, and their complexions were pale with fear. The desperate cries pouring out towards us clearly conveyed their fear.

Of course, there’s a reason for being in this state.

The golems deployed after the magic is activated move to eliminate intruders. And that includes the users who were using the library.

Therefore, most of them must have been chased to the point of having their lives threatened by killing machines. If you look at the scene of clothes being torn and blood flowing in the distance, there’s no doubt.

Moreover, they’ve been trapped in an unknown space for hours. It’s clear that their minds have reached their limit.

Therefore, it seemed that if a solution wasn’t presented immediately, they would explode.

“Everyone, calm down…”

The princess said that, but the moment she couldn’t even finish her sentence.

“I’m tired of hearing that now!”

“Let us out of here! Right now!”

“Are you deliberately stalling for time?!”

The students were instantly consumed by anger. The beginning was just a few, but the madness quickly spread to almost everyone.

I expected it. It was like this in the novel too.

“Ah, ah…”

The princess stuttered at the unexpected reaction. Her body trembled, and her breathing became rough.

Royals are taught from a young age that they must protect the imperial people. So, she must have been running around really hard.

Saving people from golems, comforting them, calming those who were in anxiety, and trying to find a way out.

She did her best alone, until her body and mind reached their limit.

But what came back was criticism and insults.

Ariel Tianis is strong-willed, but not perfect. She’s still an 18-year-old student. If it weren’t for the responsibility of being a royal, she would have broken down in this hell like them long ago.

And didn’t you see it earlier? The slightly relieved voice after hearing that something helpful had been brought. It may not be visible, but the princess’s strong mentality has already been eaten away.

I couldn’t watch this pathetic sight any longer.

“Chatter chatter, noisy.”

A voice filled with mana spreads throughout the space. The commotion has decreased a little. Someone rushed at me and shouted.

“Who do you think you are…!”

Thwack! I grab the guy’s mouth and jaw with my hand. I then slammed him to the floor and smashed his head into the ground.

A body trembling in pain. Then, it quickly slumped. Well, he didn’t die.

“Anyone who has something to say, come out now.”

Staring with murderous intent, the students were silent. Only silence flowed.

“Good. It’s quiet now.”

Most of the people here are ordinary students who have nothing to do with force. Suppression is simple.

I showed a very shrunken spirit and spoke in a lowered voice.

“We were dispatched to solve this problem. But you guys are a mess. Hiding in this place like cowards and yelling at the person who ran around more diligently than anyone else.”

“No, that’s not it, we’re…”

“Shut your mouth.”

I pressure the guy who doesn’t know his place and speaks again. Only then did the light of resistance disappear.

“I don’t expect anything from you guys. In the first place, you guys are just baggage.”

The idiots who are panicking and rampaging are no different from enemies, not allies. No, before that, there wasn’t a single student with the courage to help us. If there was, the princess wouldn’t have had to move alone.

“So, don’t interfere. Until this is resolved, just eat the food you receive and hide like you are now.”

The students were silent. I said one more thing to them.

“Keep in mind. Your lives depend on us. Lana, Evan. Please take care of the princess.”

“Okay!”

“Yes, bro!”

The two supported the princess, who was on the verge of collapsing. I moved to a place suitable for sharing opinions. As I moved, the crowd parted.

A voice was heard behind me.

“The princess is so kind. Everyone’s too much.”

“I agree. There are a lot of selfish people in the world who can only think of themselves. We would have been in big trouble if we hadn’t come.”

“Stop talking nonsense and move.”

“Yes, bro!”

I sat the princess on a chair. Lana took out water from her subspace bag and handed it to her. I put up a barrier with mana to block the sound.

“Princess, are you okay?”

“Thank you, Lana. I’m okay now.”

The princess’s complexion returned to normal, and she regained her senses. Then, after hesitating for a moment, she looked at me and said.

“Just now… you went too far. They were just scared. You should have been kinder…”

“Princess, say something that makes sense.”

I laughed at the princess’s words, even after being in this situation. Of course, it’s a very her-like appearance.

“They are just bugs that are of no help in this situation. Rather, they will cause chaos and interfere with us.”

If left alone, that would definitely happen. It’s obvious. In the game, if you don’t solve that, they interfere with everything.

“And are there only students here? No, there are also staff working at the academy. Unless you plan to take care of each and every one of them, watch the timing.”

The library staff calmly maintained their reason and stayed still. Unless you plan to kill all of them, my actions are correct. Moreover, there is no more sure way to suppress mob psychology than violence.

“…….”

The princess was silent for a moment.

“I’m sorry… I was short-sighted.”

“That’s enough. More than that, let’s talk about this situation.”

I spread the materials on the table. Then, I activated magic in my hand, concentrated mana on my feet, and rushed to the nearby table.

Bang! A roar exploded under my feet, and I reached the table next to the second square in an instant. I reached out and grabbed the guy hiding under it. At the same time, magic was manifested.

“Got you. You rat bastard.”

“L-Let go of me!!”

Sasha’s figure was revealed. He can’t even hear the voice unless it’s the princess. So, magic is needed so that everyone can see.

Of course, originally, Sasha should have shown up as soon as the princess returned. But he didn’t come out because of me. So, I had no choice but to use a rough method.

“Wh-What are you going to do to me! You villain!”

“Don’t run wild.”

“So, you could see me after all!”

I trapped Sasha in my hand and returned to my seat. Sitting in the chair and releasing my strength, the guy’s head popped out.

“Sasha? Why were you hiding there? Before that, how did you even…?”

“Is his name Sasha? Cute!”

The princess was surprised, and Lana came closer and observed him.

“It’s a secret. Don’t run away and stay by Lana’s side.”

I warned him like that and handed him over to Lana.

“Hello? My name is Lana Heitald. Nice to meet you!”

“Hehe, nice to meet you too!”

They just hadn’t met during that time, but it works well as expected. Even if it’s an artificially created life, it’s still a living thing after all.

“Now that we’re ready, let’s get started.”

I pointed to the first chapter of the booklet.

“According to the professors and this guide, the first priority is to stop the operation of the golems and the trap magic. The device is said to be in the secret space on the 2nd basement floor.”

“That’s not easy. The basement stores valuable materials, so the number of golems is overwhelmingly large. Access is impossible unless it’s Sasha.”

“That’s if they’re caught by those guys.”

I handed the magic tool that makes the wearer transparent to the princess.

“The princess will be able to do it sufficiently.”

This is perfect for the princess more than anyone else. Because of her ability to expand and develop her senses. Moreover, if you give her a certain potion, it will increase the success rate.

“Next, we need a stone to open the door to the clock tower. The three of us will take care of this.”

There are gatekeepers, but everyone is skilled, so there’s no problem.

“After opening the door, it’s said that you can initialize the clock tower by touching its core, but since Sasha is here…”

“The clock tower is no good! It’s dangerous there now!”

Sasha shouted at that moment. He had a serious expression on his face.

“What are you talking about?”

“In the first place, the reason why Kiran’s magic was activated is because the sealed lich was released. He knows that the clock tower is the center and is guarding it.”

“So, you can’t handle it?”

“Yeah. If I could use the management device, why would I be here? I would have immediately released the magic and freed it. It’s all because that lich stole my authority. Of course, he didn’t receive the authority either, and if I touch the core, it will return to normal, but the process is too dangerous!”

“What is his skill level?”

“8th Circle!”

The three were surprised to hear Sasha’s words.

“8th Circle is the same level as grandpa…”

“Lana, it’s not just a simple 8th Circle. If it’s a lich who has lived for hundreds of years, he’ll be close to the 9th Circle.”

“Can… can we kill him?”

Their reaction was natural. No matter how talented they are, they are experts, not masters. They can’t kill an undead in a distant realm.

Of course, there are more than enough ways to solve this.

“Don’t worry about it and just assist us.”

“What did you hear me say! Everyone’s going to die, you stupid villain!”

“You don’t know anything either. You stupid artificial spirit.”

I got up from my seat and pressed the 3rd table from the corner underneath. Then, the center of the table opened, and an old key came out.

“The first emperor hid many lucky encounters in the library. You should know that, right?”

“That’s right! If you use that…!”

Sasha clapped! He had an expression that he finally remembered.

What a stupid spirit. Even in the novel, he told me this late, so the library raid was delayed.

“You’re smarter than you look?”

I ignored Sasha’s words and put the key on the table.

“Certainly, it’s difficult to deal with the lich with just us. But it’s not like there’s no way. This is that way. Of course, it might be scary, but I hope you trust me and follow me.”

I looked at Lana and Evan and said. Then, the two answered without hesitation.

“I’ll trust you because it’s Kyle’s words!”

“It’s what you say, bro, so of course!”

I then stared silently at the princess. Then, I sighed deeply and said.

“I don’t have the confidence to win, and it’s too dangerous, so I want to dissuade you no matter what… I understand. I’ll trust you.”

After hearing the princess’s answer, I picked up the key again.

“Then let’s move.”

Originally, the ‘Library Siege Incident’ would have lasted a week. I plan to end it in two days.

Episode 50 Library Occupation Incident (4)

I walked down the hallway of the library. Not alone, but with Princess Ariel.

I wondered why the personnel allocation was like this, but this combination was the most suitable for exploring the opportunity. I know the location of the opportunity, and the Princess is excellent at sensing the surroundings.

And over there, Lana had to be left behind due to food distribution. It’s impossible to divide food for ten thousand people with just three people. Of course, someone will help, but Lana alone can handle the portion for 500 people.

At that moment, Princess Ariel sent a signal. I showed an acknowledgment sign, erased my presence, and hid.

Thump! Thump!

Immediately after, a golem appeared. A speed type with a slender physique. Its abilities are focused only on speed. Its sensing ability isn’t very good either.

After the golem disappeared from sight, the Princess sent a signal after a while. Only then did I release my stealth.

“No one will be coming near here for the time being.”

Her saying that means there’s no danger. I felt relieved and took out a bunch of books from the bookshelf.

After repeating that several times, one shelf was completely empty.

“Is there really something here? I don’t feel anything.”

“Was that person someone ordinary? Of course, you can’t sense it.”

Even the Princess, who is naturally gifted with senses, can’t figure out the magic of the 10th Circle. Well, it would be different if she becomes a master.

I concentrated mana at the tip of my finger and precisely tapped specific locations in order. The tapped points connected, emitting light, and the wall transformed into mana and evaporated. After waiting for a moment, a small safe was visible inside the bookshelf.

Without hesitation, I inserted the key into the safe’s hole and turned it.

Click—

It was stiff because it hadn’t been used for a long time, but it opened right away with a little force. And visible was a faded cup.

“This is, the Holy Grail…?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

This is the main item needed to attack the Lich. The divine power contained here will weaken the undead’s power.

Of course, it’s different from the one in the Holy Kingdom. This is a replica made by Kiran Tiranis, following the original. It’s also disposable, so it disappears after one use.

“Haa, Kiran-nim. How could you hide something like this in the library…”

The Princess held her forehead due to the oncoming headache.

She doesn’t know that this is a imitation, but the Holy Grail itself is a treasure of the Holy Kingdom. The contained power is also real. Perhaps if the believers knew this fact, they would swarm the academy like bees.

“It’s an item that will disappear after one use anyway. Don’t worry about it.”

“How can I not worry? It’s the Holy Grail, no less. And Sasha didn’t tell me, and it wasn’t written in my ancestor’s diary, so how…”

“Well, rather than such trivial things, you should just think that this will be of great help to us.”

“The Holy Grail is not a trivial matter at all… Hooo, okay. I’ll have to let it go. What’s important right now is resolving this situation.”

“You’ve thought well.”

The Princess had an uncomfortable feeling, but since the situation was what it was, she just let it go.

After that, we set out to find the opportunity.

Kiran Tiranis is playful and acts lightly, but he’s by no means a stupid person. He prepared items to prevent those things that would threaten the world, just in case.

The Holy Grail is one of them, and there are also items of the same class or that work well on specific beings. If we have that, we can bring the 8th Circle Lich down to just barely touching the master level.

We wandered around the library for about 7 hours. It wasn’t easy.

Some opportunities had keys that had to be acquired in advance, like the Holy Grail. 8 out of 10 were like that. Thanks to that, we went around from the 1st floor to the 7th floor.

On top of that, it was even harder because of the golems and traps spread throughout the library.

Once, even though we secured safety and moved, a trap was activated and we almost died, but we overcame the crisis by using our wit.

The library’s traps are notorious even in the game. But maybe it’s because of the diverse and ingenious trap designs. It stimulated the desire to challenge of countless gamers. So, all sorts of strategies exist. Even though my style was ruined, I got through it with that.

“Is this the end?”

The Princess asked. A voice that didn’t feel any vitality at all. She hasn’t eaten, so it’s understandable that she’s tired.

“Yes, we’ve collected all the items needed to attack the Lich.”

A smile bloomed on Princess Ariel’s face. She must be really tired. But I cruelly kicked away the Princess’s brightened heart.

“Now we’re going to find other opportunities.”

“……Yes?”

After a long silence, the Princess opened her mouth. She had momentarily escaped reality at my words, and even though she had just returned, she couldn’t come to her senses.

“Tha, that’s a lie, right? According to your words, this is enough…”

“What are you saying, Princess. The opponent is a Lich. This alone is not enough.”

The Princess, who was clearly flustered, met my eyes, and I answered in a calm voice. Confirming that my words were sincere, she said in a trembling voice.

“No, it’s not. It’s just, it’s just a lie to tease me. Right? Right? Kyle Arden, no, Kyle…!”

“Let’s go. There’s no time.”

I ignored the Princess’s desperate cries and moved forward. She followed while continuing to talk to me. Of course, I ignored her.

Well, in fact, it’s not lacking at all. As the Princess said, it’s more than enough.

It’s not that I have bad intentions towards the Princess and am doing this. She seemed to be quite distressed by this journey. She had been running around for almost half a day without rest, so it was understandable.

But there’s a reason.

‘The Library Siege’ is not a simple episode. It was prepared for checking weapon performance and growth through opportunity.

There’s not much to explain about weapons. Originally, if you get a new weapon, there’s a scene where you use it.

The important thing is the latter, growth. This episode was prepared for that.

There are really many opportunities in the library. The number is as many as 1,000!

Martial arts books, magic books, elixirs, abilities called mysteries, contract circles for contracts with special beings, treasure maps, etc. There are really diverse things.

It’s not only used for the main character Evan. Lana and Princess Ariel, who are together, also benefit from the opportunity.

This is because the growth of the two is the slowest in the setting. We had to reduce the growth gap even like this.

So, you might think that you just have to collect all 1,000, but that’s impossible.

As I said before, the first emperor is not stupid. He put a limit on acquiring opportunities to prevent monopolization.

Two per person. After that, the name is written in the library system and they can’t take any more.

Ah, the 10 I got are different. Each opportunity is classified and set up to be used in specific situations. For example, the case where the monster’s seal has been released like now is a typical example.

And the opportunities are prepared to give chances not only to the main characters but to all students.

It’s his consideration for students who can’t move on to the next level because their talent, environment, and background don’t support them, for those who have the will but can only work hard in the library due to the three reasons above.

In fact, there is an official setting that in the distant future, a mage without talent was chosen by a magic tome and became a transcendent.

Anyway, I will find and give the opportunities that suit the protagonist and the two main characters. I remember all thousand opportunities. Of course, I’ll get something different from the original story, but this is the best choice.

‘And I have to take care of mine too.’

I can’t miss this opportunity. I need to grow quickly, so I need to take care of it.

Another 2 hours passed after that.

I took out the last opportunity with my hand covered with a thin film made from Lana’s hair. One of the library system hacks. If you use it a few times, the system learns and blocks it.

“It’s over. Let’s go back now.”

“Really, really is it over…?”

Perhaps it was because she had been moving for a long 9 hours. The Princess had lost her mind in a deathly state.

As before, you can never see the Princess in such a relaxed state. It’s a precious scene that can only be seen in extreme situations.

“Yes.”

“Haa… that’s a relief.”

She sighed and walked wearily. The way back was easy because we had gone back and forth dozens of times.

That’s how we returned to the hideout.

“Kyle! You’re too late!”

“Hyung-nim, aren’t you hungry?”

The two greeted me happily.

“Tsk! You’re a bad guy for leaving all the hard work to us!”

Well, I ignored Sasha’s words.

***

The time after returning to the hideout was simple.

We filled our empty stomachs, distributed the brought opportunities to each other, and spent time making those opportunities our own.

As we did that, it was already 12 o’clock. It was the time when the day ended.

Around that time, the 10,000 people had fallen asleep, and the main characters who had worked hard today also closed their eyes. Everyone tossed and turned because it was an unfamiliar space, but they soon fell asleep.

But I didn’t fall asleep and took out one of the opportunities I had taken.

The essence of the shadow spirit. It’s a stone containing the spirit’s characteristics. I’m going to make a potion needed to attack the library with this.

I put up a barrier around me to block the noise from escaping.

“The environment isn’t ideal, but it can’t be helped.”

It’s difficult to wish for a perfect place like Ruina Rindell’s workshop in this situation. If you don’t have it, you do it without it.

I unfolded the alchemy I learned from her. Although I didn’t have a talent for alchemy, I could use it to the point of being able to use it because I learned it.

Extract the ingredients, separate the harmful properties, and process them.

“Haa, it’s tough…”

It’s easy to say, but the process is hard. Moreover, the speed is slow.

If it were Ruina Rindell, she would have finished it in less than 5 minutes. It took me an hour. And the finished product is too crude.

Impurities are visible here and there, and it only exerts 30% of the desired effect. It’s really a level of completion that makes me sigh even after looking at it again and again.

But it’s not to the point where it can’t be used. The duration has been shortened, but it would be more than enough for the Princess.

I was about to make something needed for attacking the Lich this time.

“Woong, Kyle…”

Lana, who was frowning and had sleepy eyes, came to me.

“What’s wrong.”

“My nose hurts so much that I can’t sleep…”

It seems that her nose was being bothered by the various people mixed in one space. Moreover, I was near her before going to bed, but that doesn’t seem to be enough.

“If it’s hard, come and sleep next to me.”

“Haam, okay…”

Lana yawned and walked over to me. Only then did Lana have a peaceful face.

“I like Kyle’s smell the most. I want to smell it all the time…”

“Don’t say weird things and sleep.”

“Okay, Kyle too quickly…”

Lana’s eyes slowly closed as she hugged the summoned beast. She must have been quite sleepy, as she couldn’t even finish her words and soon fell asleep soundly.

After that, I worked as carefully as possible so that she wouldn’t wake up.

And at that time.

“What are you making at this late hour?”

I dropped the item in my hand at the Princess’s sudden voice. I quickly grabbed what I had dropped and turned my head.

“…Princess, why are you awake at this early hour.”

“I woke up for a moment to check. Someone might be in anxiety.”

That’s a really funny thing to say. The person who needs to conserve their energy for tomorrow’s attack is doing this.

“Please go to sleep quickly. There will be many things to do during the day.”

“What about you, shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“……”

I was speechless when the Princess said that.

“Can I sit next to you for a moment?”

“…Please do.”

As I said that, I used alchemy. The Princess didn’t ask about alchemy and turned her eyes to Lana, who was sleeping next to her.

“She was tossing and turning a lot earlier. She sleeps well next to you.”

“There are various people gathered together. She told me that she barely endured it because Evan was there.”

“…Lana is a pitiful but kind child. I ask you to take good care of her in the future.”

“I’ll do that anyway.”

There was no conversation for a long time after that. I entered the finishing work.

After finishing the work like that. The Princess was still silent. So I asked.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“……”

I was about to tell her to go to bed because she was silent.

“I was… grateful during the day.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. I was so focused on the students that I didn’t think about other people at all. My judgment seems to have been clouded. They are also imperial citizens who are serving the academy…”

The Princess stared at the empty air for a while. Stars fell from afar, further illuminating the other side of the world.

“I’ve only told this to my father, but… I don’t want the imperial citizens to suffer. I want them to live happily while growing up and living in the empire. That’s why I’m doing this much.”

It’s a truly Princess-like thing to say. That’s why she can ascend to the throne. But at the same time, it was too dangerous of a thought.

“But Princess. That’s a wish that can never be fulfilled.”

“I know. I also know it’s a futile ideal.”

“It’s not that level.”

The Princess’s ideals can lead to self-sacrifice. That’s why it’s even more dangerous.

Moreover, the Princess is also uneasy because there is only one case where she dies directly, like Lana. There is a possibility that she will give up her life when that happens.

“Princess. There is a priority in the world. Sometimes one person’s life is more important than a hundred people’s lives.”

“That’s wrong. How can a hundred people’s lives…”

“Then, Princess, if you had to kill the Emperor or your family for the happiness of all the people, could you kill them?”

“That’s…”

Ariel closed her mouth. I continued.

“I know that my assumption is absurdly extreme. I’m not saying that the ideal is wrong either. But Princess. No matter who comes, even if the first Emperor comes, the Princess’s wish cannot be perfect. Moreover, happiness through sacrifice does not last long.”

I know it well because I’ve seen it, but that state is easily broken even by a small gap.

“Of course, perfection is impossible, but you can get close to it. So don’t waste your energy on useless things and go to bed. It’s time for you to sleep now.”

She stared at me with a blank expression and opened her mouth.

“…Okay. I’ll go now. So you too…”

“I’ll sleep too.”

“……”

The Princess left for her seat. I also finished the production, so I tidied up the surroundings and lay down.

‘I hope her thoughts have changed even a little…’

She needs to be aware. How precious the Princess herself is. Her life as the main character, Ariel Tiranis, is much more precious than the 10,000 people here.

Those people can be replaced as much as possible, but no one can replace the main character Ariel Tiranis.

While thinking that, I fell asleep before I knew it, and the next day came.

Episode 51 Library Occupation Incident (5)

I conducted the final briefing before starting the attack.

I first looked at the Princess.

“Your Highness, your role is the most important in this attack.”

In order to normalize the library, the Princess had to stop the golems and trap operating devices. Only then could the fight with the gatekeeper proceed smoothly.

If she didn’t, Lana, Evan, and I would have to deal with the golems and traps while fighting the gatekeeper.

Moreover, there was another reason.

“30 minutes. If Your Highness can’t stop them within that time, we’re in danger.”

The Lich is struggling to seize the library system from the clock tower. He’s focusing all his strength on that, so even though he noticed the arrival of the three of us, he didn’t react much.

But what if he saw a full-scale movement to interfere with him?

The Lich would step in, even if it delayed his system takeover. Not directly, but indirectly. And that’s the moment he heads to the basement with the defense system.

Therefore, he will try to stop the Princess, who is aiming to take down the defense system, at all costs. He will seize hundreds of golems and target the Princess, and obstruct every path she takes with traps. In that case, the Princess could be seriously injured or die.

Of course, we won’t let that happen.

The top priority command for the golems is to eliminate intruders. Even if other commands are added later, they will not be carried out until the preceding command is fulfilled. An 8th circle mage can’t beat a 10th circle’s magic.

That’s why Lana, Evan, and I will step up and attract attention. If the three of us run wild, we might even draw out the defense forces from the basement.

If Princess Ariel can shut down the system in the meantime, the plan is perfect. After that, we can deal with the gatekeeper and attack the clock tower.

However, we can’t hold out for long. The precarious time limit is 30 minutes. We can’t last longer than that. The library siege is a race against time.

“Our lives depend on Your Highness.”

“The responsibility is heavy….”

The Princess’s complexion darkened slightly. And for good reason, if she fails, not only us but also the 10,000 people standing blankly behind us might as well be dead.

“I believe in you, Princess! So have confidence!”

“I also believe that Your Highness can do it!”

Lana and Evan were probably trembling with pressure, but they offered words of encouragement. So I chimed in too.

“Well, I also think you’ll succeed.”

With all preparations complete, the chances of the Princess failing are close to zero. Unless she deliberately aims to fail, she will definitely succeed. And what I just said was to give her a suitable amount of tension.

“Next, Evan will take the 2nd floor, Lana the 4th floor, and I will take the 6th and 7th floors. And Your Highness can come up and support us as soon as you’re done.”

Once that’s done and the clock tower is opened, it’s almost over. We just need to kill the Lich and restore the library to its original state.

However, there was nothing to talk about regarding the Lich attack. Even if his abilities are limited by various chances, his magic utilization remains the same. The only way to attack him is by facing him directly.

Immediately after, we scattered to our respective locations.

“Ah, can you hear me?”

I said into the communication magic tool plugged into my ear.

-I hear you well!

-Me too, Brother!

-Yes, I hear you well.

The voices are clear, as if they were right next to me. The communication was fine.

“Then, we will now begin the library siege.”

At the same moment I said that, I swung my sword.

Kwaang!

***

-Kwaang!

-Thud!

-You bastards! It’s here!

The three’s voices rang in my ear. Hearing that, Ariel hid tightly.

The place where she was located was between the stairs connecting the 1st floor and the basement. Soon, the ground rumbled and dozens of golems appeared. In addition, the 1st floor golems also moved towards the upper floors.

At their appearance, Ariel infused more mana and activated the magic tool.

And 10 minutes later. After confirming that there was no movement of the golems, Ariel drank the potion she had received in advance.

‘I have to finish it within 10 minutes.’

Originally, the remaining time was 20 minutes, but Ariel thought that was only the case if they held out until the very limit. Everyone is skilled, but she didn’t think they could block hundreds of golems alone.

So, she had to stop the defense system within 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, the potion’s energy spread throughout her body. Her heartbeat slowed down as much as a lion’s, and her whole body became one with the darkness.

9 minutes left. Ariel kicked off the ground.

The 1st basement floor was almost empty due to the earlier incident. At most, only 10 were wandering the hallway.

Few. That’s why Ariel broke through the 1st basement floor faster than ever. Perhaps because the power of the magic tool and potion were combined, she was able to reach the next floor quickly.

Basement floor 2.

There, 3 times more golems than on the ground were roaming around. The scene, densely filling the hallway, bookshelves, and even the ceiling, showed no small gap.

But she has to do it. She has to break through those and reach the secret room.

Even now, the three on the ground were running so hard that their panting could be heard through the communication magic tool. If she hesitated even for a moment here, someone could be seriously injured.

But it’s not easy. Half of the golems on the 2nd basement floor are detection types.

No matter how much she hides her body and merges with the energy of nature, she can’t pass without being detected. Because that’s a golem that the ancestor made.

‘There isn’t no way.’

Ariel closed her eyes briefly and opened them. Then, the branches of time visible in her vision. The golems’ movement paths to move forward, their reactions when she moves, etc., all began to be seen.

This is the precognition developed from [Sensory Transcendence]. She can see the future 2 seconds ahead.

Of course, it overworks the brain and consumes an enormous amount of energy and mana, so she can’t use it for long. 10 seconds is the limit. Already, her head was hot and a nosebleed was dripping.

-Princess, happiness through sacrifice doesn’t last long.

At that time, the man’s words came to mind. It was a word that kept lingering in her mind and tormenting her.

Well, when you think about it, it’s not wrong. If she dies, someone will be sad, and that will cause another misfortune.

‘But now is the time to sacrifice.’

What he wanted to say was clear. Never make absolute sacrifices. Don’t go so far as to abandon yourself. That’s what he’s talking about.

But now she had to sacrifice. Because the lives of the three were in her hands.

Ariel gritted her teeth, endured the pain, and moved her feet.

‘0.1 seconds later, step back. 3 are approaching at the same time, the space to hide is….’

She diligently read the future and moved forward. When blood was flowing from her eyes.

‘I’ve arrived….’

Barely enduring her rising breath, she slowly opened the door to the secret room. Then, a magic device based on a huge magic stone was visible. It was glowing red.

“Hoo, did they say to touch this?”

The door closed and the Princess took a breath and fiddled with her watch. And with her index finger, she gently wiped the blood on her cheek. She put her index finger in the hole on the left side of the device and her watch on the right side.

[The student ID information and blood genetic information match. Shutting down the defense system.]

Such a sound was heard from the magic stone. And Ariel was slightly impressed.

“Our ancestor is amazing. To create something like this alone.”

No matter how much she looked at the object in front of her, she couldn’t understand it. Of course, not only her, but also the magicians of the current era would not understand.

“Ah, this is not the time for this.”

Ariel brought her hand to the communicator.

“Ah, can you hear me? The magic will stop soon.”

-Understood. Princess!

-Yes, ma’am!

The two answered briefly and were silent. It seemed that they were having a hard time.

Immediately after, his low voice was heard.

-It sounds like you overdid it.

“No. I didn’t.”

-Tsk, such an obvious lie. Recover with a potion and come up slowly. I’ll finish it before then.

“No, I….”

Click.

Before the Princess could say anything, the connection with him was cut off. In this case, her voice would not be transmitted until he reconnected.

“That’s not what I intended….”

The Princess felt a little frustrated.

***

“Lana, Evan. Summon the gatekeeper right now.”

-Pardon? Brother, the golems haven’t disappeared yet?

“Someone overdid it, so there’s no time for that.”

Originally, I was planning to have them gain experience by fighting the gatekeeper. It went a little wrong.

-Kyle! I summoned him.

-Ah, I just did it too.

At the same time, I summoned the 7th floor gatekeeper. And I led him down to the 6th floor. Of course, many golems followed.

“The golems and traps will disappear in 3 minutes. Prepare in advance as I tell you, and detonate the moment the obstacles disappear.”

So, I’m thinking of teaching you a little quickly. This problem arose because the attack was carried out urgently, but there’s no choice.

“Evan, it’s simple for you. Fill the sword with mana as much as possible and stab it in.”

I gave Evan the swordsmanship book and the ability [Mana Absorption] among the mysteries as a chance.

Currently, Evan has almost no shortcomings compared to a commoner who came to the city from the countryside. His mana control and swordsmanship are top-notch.

However, he lacks mana. This is because the creation of the mana core is slow, unlike other students. Even if he filled it quite a bit with elixirs, it’s not enough.

So I gave him this ability. [Mana Absorption] allowed him to handle the mana of nature as if it were his own. Of course, the amount varies depending on proficiency.

The swordsmanship will fill his shortcomings. The Lich attack needed a strong blow.

“Lana, you turn into a cat….”

-Cashy!

“Yes, make an opening with Cashy and kill him at once. But is the other one sleeping?”

-Yes! Leo sleeps a lot because he’s young.

Well, that side will take time.

Lana signed contracts with two summons as a chance. One is a black cat called Cashy, and the other is a young dragon Leo who has just hatched from an egg.

Cashy is a cat called a Dream Cat, an existence that goes between dreams and reality. She has the ability to change the reality that happened to her master into a dream. If there is enough mana, she can even avoid death.

“Then finish it quickly and come to me with the Princess.”

-I’ll be there soon!

-Understood!

I cut off the connection on the communicator. After running around like that for about 1 minute, I stopped in place.

‘Time remaining is 10 seconds.’

9, 8, 7….

Counting the numbers in my head, I took a stance and slammed mana into the sword. Influenced by Karsa’s dark color, the sword energy was dyed black.

Originally, it’s easiest to fight one at a time, but it’s not impossible to kill them at the same time.

And the last 1 second.

The timing when the golems and two gatekeepers attacked. I stretched out Karsa.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 1 Variation – Dragon Burst At the same time as using the technique, the golems turned into smoke and evaporated. The defense system stopped.

But I had already used the technique. The dragon-shaped sword energy went forward.

Kukwakwang!

The dragon’s head devoured the gatekeeper in front. The place where the dragon passed was empty. The upper and lower body completely disappeared and only parts of the body were lying on the floor.

“Hoo….”

After confirming the gatekeeper’s death, I exhaled. And I looked at Karsa. Even though I used it quite roughly, the blade was clean.

“The sword is good after all.”

If it were an ordinary sword, it wouldn’t have produced this kind of power. Satisfied with the first battle, I put Karsa in its sheath. Somehow, Karsa seemed to be thrilled with joy.

Kooong!

Suddenly, the floor vibrated. I immediately realized where this reverberation came from and brought my hand to my ear.

-Kyle, I dealt with the gatekeeper!

-I’m done too. Wow~ Lana is amazing.

It seems they’ve solved it over there too.

“Where is the Princess?”

-Ah, she just arrived on my side.

“Then get the stone and come to the 7th floor.”

I vaguely skipped the answer, grabbed the stone, and waited on the 7th floor stairs.

After a while, the three appeared.

“Kyle~! Did you wait long?”

“I just arrived too. More than that, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Cashy helped me.”

“Just in case…. Here, this is a mana potion.”

“Thank you!”

Cashy’s ability consumes a lot of mana. Moreover, since it’s a newly signed contract, mana consumption is even more extreme.

“Evan, how about you?”

“Oh, of course I’m fine. Thanks to the ability you gave me, Brother, I’m already full. It feels a little tight in my body, but there’s no problem.”

Well, I’m glad if that’s the case. More than that….

“You look terrible.”

The area around Princess Ariel’s face was full of bloodstains that she hadn’t had time to wipe off. It looks like she used her precognition, but it’s better not to use that ability. The efficiency is not good.

“The Lich….”

“I can do it. I’m not that tired.”

The Princess said firmly. Still, I made her eat a restorative before entering. There were many such potions among the items given by the professors.

“Stay focused. Keep your position accurately.”

Seeing her nodding with a determined expression, I put the four stones in each place. Then, the clock tower door slowly opened to the sides.

Koogoong!

And the scene that appeared.

“Lich bastard! Just give up! You can never steal Kiran’s magic, you scum!”

It was Sasha kicking the Lich’s head. She’s really doing her part properly.

I said to the three behind me.

“Then we will now begin the Lich attack.”

Episode 52 Library Occupation Incident (6)

The four of us scattered in all directions at once. And each of us set up the given opportunity.

Naturally, the Lich reacted to our movements. The guy stopped casting magic and turned around.

“You worm-like bastards. You made it all the way here.”

The rattling jawbones emitted the undead’s spirit. It wasn’t a pretty sight in many ways.

“Look at me, not them! You stupid Lich!”

Then Sasha frantically tapped the Lich’s head, who had taken his eyes off us. The guy was whining, and seemed angry at Sasha’s actions, who kept buzzing around and bothering him.

However, the Lich did not kill Sasha. No, it’s right to say he couldn’t.

Kiran Trianis was very affectionate and cherished the life born from his own hands. So, he implanted magic so that if anyone killed Sasha, the opponent would also die.

So, he stays still even when she provokes him like that. Of course, he can do other things besides killing.

“Once I take the magic of this place, I will definitely imprison you in the bottomless abyss…!”

The Lich cast magic to isolate Sasha. Sasha was startled and moved away from the Lich. And she shouted in a desperate voice.

“Euaaak! You villain, activate it quickly!”

“I already did.”

The moment the Lich’s magic reached Sasha. The power of the activated artifact spread throughout the clock tower. And the magic that came into contact with the power disappeared like dust.

“Heh, you’re in big trouble now! You shouldn’t have been a dead man… Euaaak!”

Sasha, who had been very proud when the magic was neutralized, was full of confidence, but then she dodged the magic that came rushing in again. Of course, the magic didn’t extend far and disappeared.

“Go hide now. Don’t interfere.”

“Okay!”

Sasha answered and disappeared with a Ppoing! The guy’s role is up to here. All that’s left is to restore the library system to normal.

“…….”

As the magic evaporated, the Lich stopped in his place and muttered, starting to analyze.

“Rather than magic nullification, is it an artifact that turns magic above a certain level into nothing…?”

Then, he cast various magics over his bony hands. Some of the magic used disappeared into the air.

“Use of 7th circle or higher is restricted. But, with a tool like this, you can’t…”

I cut off the Lich’s words.

“As expected of an undead, you have no brain. Your thinking is only at that level. Or has your mind rotted because you’ve been asleep for so long?”

“How dare you, a lowly mortal, in front of whom…”

“Ha!”

Mortal. That one word the Lich spat out was too absurd.

“You should speak correctly. The Lich is a mortal who abandoned his body because he couldn’t reach transcendence. And how long are you going to ignore me.”

At that moment, a magic circle rose from the floor where the Lich was floating.

Chwaaruruk-!!

Dozens of strands of chains were created and bound the Lich. The strong chains made it impossible for the Lich to move.

“Hmph, do you think I would be caught by a binding spell.”

The Lich snorted and snapped his fingers. But the desired phenomenon did not occur.

“…….”

“I bet you’re wondering why you can’t teleport from inside?”

The barrier surrounding the library prevents spatial movement between the outside and inside. Naturally, magic like teleportation is also blocked.

However, spatial movement is possible inside the library. Just like Sasha did.

But just now, I activated an artifact that freezes space at the same time as binding him. That’s why teleportation is blocked.

“You inoooom!! I will kill you in the most painful way possible!!”

The Lich was furious. Even if magic was blocked, the realm was still there, and the atmosphere trembled. My skin shrank from the pressure.

“You don’t think this is the end, do you.”

After saying that, I took out the hidden Holy Grail.

“That’s the Holy Grail…! You think I’ll let you use that!”

As soon as the Lich saw the Holy Grail, he hastily cast magic. Dozens of magic circles were created in the air.

But I held the Holy Grail with both hands without any response and drew out its power. The Lich’s magic rushed in fiercely.

Hwoong-!

The sound of cutting through the air. It was the sound of Evan swinging his sword, who had already come in front of me.

“Brother! Just trust me!”

Then he moved his sword non-stop. Each time, the magic that approached nearby was smashed.

Evan’s sword, Raman, has the property of purification like its pure white appearance.

And the Lich is an existence that accepted negativity and became undead. Mana is stained with darkness, and so is magic.

That’s why the magic disappears so easily.

“Evan, that’s enough. Fall back.”

“Yes!”

The divine power flowing out from the cup. Even if it was a replica, the amount of divine power flowing was enormous.

Soon it overflowed from the cup and filled the clock tower.

“Keu, keueuk-!”

The Lich groaned in pain. Divine power is poison to the undead. The guy’s energy was greatly reduced.

In the meantime, Lana and the Princess finished installing the opportunity. The power of magic tools and artifacts wraps around the whole body from the floor.

Finally, the preparations for hunting the Lich are over. I pulled Karsa out of its scabbard and drew up mana.

“Lich, your miscalculation was that you were too arrogant.”

And I kicked off the ground and rushed forward.

***

“Damn it! Why is this body being taken down by these brats…!”

The Lich spat out a voice full of anger. He was frustrated with the current situation.

The reason was none other than that arrogant brat.

“Evan, your reaction is slow. Sharpen your senses more.”

“Princess. It’s better to induce and eliminate multiple magics rather than recklessly avoiding them.”

“Lana, you don’t have to attack from a safe space. Pierce through the gaps.”

While constantly giving advice, he didn’t stop keeping an eye on himself. He occasionally threw sword strikes to hinder himself, and avoided or deflected magic without falling for any tricks.

It was as if he was looking down on the battlefield. What kind of mind must he have to be capable of that? It is an impossible realm unless you divide your mind into more than two.

Moreover, I felt a veteran skill that didn’t seem like a young age. The depth was far above himself, who had lived as a Lich for over 100 years.

No, it was even higher than Kiran Trianis and Kailon Arden in their 20s, who sealed himself in the past.

What kind of life do you have to live to reach that state?

300 years? 500 years? Perhaps simple time may not be able to achieve it.

That’s why the emotions he felt during the sealing poured out from deep within the Lich’s heart.

Fear. Fear that he had never experienced before becoming a Lich, even after becoming a Lich, wrapped around his entire body.

“…This is impossible.”

The Lich muttered.

He was an 8th circle wizard even before he abandoned his body. He only abandoned his body because he felt the limitations in the given time, but the foundation itself was a genius among geniuses.

That he, who had lived for more than 200 years in human and Lich lives combined, was feeling this kind of emotion from a human who hadn’t even lived 1/10 of his life, was absurd.

“I didn’t abandon my body to be killed by you guys! I will definitely, definitely reach the end of magic…!!”

The Lich shouted loudly, unleashing mana and seizing the space. Even if his abilities were limited, the enlightenment he had reached in the 8th circle was still there.

Hundreds of magic circles floating in the sky like embroidered patterns. The various magics were a beautiful sight in themselves, and the power they possessed was also strong.

And Kyle, who saw the Lich’s enraged appearance, said.

“That’s ridiculous. You’re giving up on life because you don’t have the talent.”

“Even if my life is over, I will take you with me!!!”

Kyle ignored the Lich’s reaction. He called out to the three who were widely spread out.

“Evan. Stop spacing out and come here. Lana and Princess, come this way too.”

In fact, Kyle could have destroyed those magics if he had a mind to. Just like when he faced Latral Heitald.

4th form of Arden Swordsmanship. He could use the technique called [Mana Destruction], which is called an ultimate or secret technique.

That was a technique created to deal with wizards. But it was not appropriate to use it now.

[Mana Destruction] destroys things made of mana. And that includes the power of artifacts. He couldn’t give the guy a foothold for a comeback.

Besides, this is a good opportunity to grow the three’s experience. There is no skill growth as certain as practical experience.

“I don’t have time, so I’ll keep it simple. The Princess and I will stand at the front and break through the magic, and Evan will finish it off. Lana will support with cash. Any questions?”

At Kyle’s question, the three moved their heads to indicate that they had none.

“Then let’s start right away.”

The four, who had created a formation, rushed towards the Lich.

Just in time, the Lich’s magic exploded. Hundreds of lights rained down on the four.

Kyle skillfully moved here and there, cutting down the magic. On the other hand, Ariel did not. As time went on, she showed a slightly struggling expression.

It was definitely enough until just now. Soon, Ariel figured out the reason.

‘The number… is too many.’

The amount of magic that had been poured out so far was twice as much. Perhaps it gathered as much as they were protecting the two behind them and rushing forward, unlike when they were facing it with four people.

This is not enough for her abilities. But she has to do it. Just like before.

The Princess released the power she had been suppressing. Then her black eyes turned dark red.

The Eyes of Reversal. It is the opportunity she obtained from the library.

The ability is to reflect the power, such as force or magic, directed at oneself. However, it had to be captured in sight.

‘I didn’t want to use it, but…’

It was still unstable because she had just learned it. So she didn’t want to use it. But now is not the time to do that.

Fortunately, the power dormant in her blood helped her use the eyes.

She can feel the flow around her. Magic rushes into her expanded senses. At that moment, Ariel moved.

She cuts through the magic with her sword, and deflects attacks that she cannot cope with with her eyes. However, she does not stop there, and even adjusts the direction of reflection to repel the following magic.

Her eyes were throbbing, but the Princess became more relaxed.

Of course, the Lich would not just leave it at that. The Lich recovered mana and created new magic.

The moment Ariel deflected the magic and her body stopped to continue the next movement. Magic poured in from all directions through that gap.

“I can’t avoid this…”

Then Cash touched Ariel’s body.

Kwaaaang!!

The Lich’s magic exploded. The space where Ariel was was completely crushed.

A power that could never be endured unless you were a master. The Lich thought that the brat had died.

But that wasn’t the case. Next to the space where the magic was compressed, a blurry figure of Ariel, who they thought had died, began to appear.

Immediately, magic was fired, but it passed through, and then she was realized in reality. The same thing happened no matter how many times she repeated it. Disappearing from reality and reappearing.

It is truly like it is there and not there, a fantasy that disappears in an instant like a dream. That is the ability of Dream Cat, Cash, who can travel between dreams and reality.

“Evan, give him a good hit.”

Kyle’s calm voice was heard.

The last magic had disappeared due to his attack just now. Moreover, the Lich’s mana was showing its bottom. Now is the perfect opportunity to kill the Lich.

“Yes, brother!”

Evan tightly gripped Raman, who had condensed mana while being protected. The pure white sword energy affected by the color of the sword shone brightly. On top of that, he added the power of purification to kill the Lich for sure.

An attack prepared for the Lich. Evan swung his sword down.

Seogeok-!!

The slash containing enormous mana split the Lich in half. Compared to the twin swords, Karsa, its sharpness was inferior. Raman’s sword energy was enough to bisect the Lich.

However, the Lich did not die immediately. As expected of an undead, evil energy flowed out through the split gap and regenerated, but the power of purification blocked it.

“I can’t die like this…!”

The Lich screamed and created magic. Evan’s attack inflicted tremendous pain, as much as divine power.

Kyle was not going to leave it at that.

“The finishing is sloppy. When you kill a Lich, you have to cut off not only the existence but also the connection of mana.”

Otherwise, you don’t know what kind of tricks he will use.

Hwoong-!

Kyle’s sword cut off the Lich’s neck. The sharpness of Karsa easily cut the string of mana. Then the magic stopped manifesting, and the bones that made up the body fell down.

“That’s not to say you didn’t do well. You did well, in fact.”

This much growth in just one day is enough. All that’s left is time to refine it.

“I don’t know what to do with myself when my brother says that…”

“Stop talking nonsense and bring Sasha.”

Kyle, who skipped over the tiresome exclamations that he poured out every time, said that. Everyone is exhausted. There was no need to drag out the time.

After that, the cleanup was simple. Sasha, who had been waiting outside, returned to the clock tower.

“Leave it to me! It won’t take a second!”

Sasha confidently answered and touched the core of the clock tower. The library system, which had been disconnected from Sasha, was reconnected. The authority was returned.

Sasha quickly restored the messed up library to normal.

Now all that’s left is to get out…

“Huh? Where did Kyle go?”

“That’s right. He was by my side until just now.”

Kyle Arden disappeared from the clock tower.

Episode 53 Award Ceremony (1)

Somewhere deep in the library basement.

Even in the farthest corner of that place, a secret spot no one would ever find, a tiny space that could barely fit a single box. Around that small space, 10 layers of magic were superimposed, encircling it.

Their purpose was to protect from the outside. The magic included a shield to block enemy attacks, illusion, distortion, and assimilation magic to prevent drawing attention, and the erasure of magical traces.

Therefore, anyone without exceptional senses or knowledge of the location would not be able to find it.

And from within it, a sound could be heard.

-Kkeueueuk… How long has it been since I was released from the seal, and I’m in this state…!

The voice flowed from the life vessel containing the lich’s soul. The voice filled with pain was also full of anger.

But he soon swallowed his anger and quietly muttered.

-Once my body is regenerated, I will tear you bastards to pieces and kill you. I will kill you in the most humiliating and painful way.

Nevertheless, hatred and malice seeped out little by little.

-Especially those descendants of Kiran and Kylon. As punishment for interfering with me, I will imprison you in the bottomless abyss for a thousand years, until even your souls wither away….

“Oh, really? Then I can’t leave you alone, can I?”

Having listened to the lich’s nonsense until now, I opened my mouth.

-Wh-What! How did you get here!

“How did I get here? I came just fine on my own.”

-Impossible! Even that Kiran guy would need at least an hour with this magic…!

“That’s none of your business.”

No longer wanting to talk to the lich, I grabbed the life vessel with my hand.

Poohwaak-!!

Then, a black aura burst out and rushed at me. Black magic.

-Did you think I wouldn’t prepare anything in the life vessel!!

The lich chuckled. He seemed pleased with the sight of me rotting and dying soon.

Darkness penetrates the body. The power of the curse moved to dye my entire body black. In response, I infused magic into Karsa and swung it.

Swish—

The sound of something being cut. The aura covering my body scattered and struck the life vessel.

-A dispelling spell in this short amount of time!

The lich was astonished. I said one word to him.

“Do you think I’ve only dealt with one or two guys like you? Your intentions are so obvious.”

Usually, liches don’t do anything to the life vessel, but sometimes, clever ones do such dirty tricks.

-Impossible! My magic shouldn’t be eliminated by a brat who’s not even 20 years old! And how can a swordsman use magic…!

“Well, you’re about to disappear anyway, so you don’t need to be curious.”

I didn’t bother explaining to him. And curse magic is easy once you know how to deal with it. Simply surrounding yourself with divine energy reduces the curse.

I grabbed the life vessel again. The lich’s soul groaned in pain.

-Kueuk…! Wait! Let’s make a deal, a deal! If you release me like this, I will definitely repay you. If you want, I can even make a mana oath…!

“I don’t need it. And don’t worry. At least your soul won’t disappear. Only your ego will disappear, becoming a mana supply source.”

-That’s the worst! Just kill me!!

Even though he has degenerated into a monster and looks like this, his soul’s rank is 8th circle. If used well, it will create an excellent tool.

“It’s okay. You’re sacrificing yourself for the sake of this world.”

If it’s used for Lana, the main character, it will be a great help. Well, it’s also for Ellaime.

“At least, even if not a god, there will definitely be someone who will be pleased with your contribution.”

I manipulated the energy surrounding the life vessel with soothing words.

-Save me, save me! I didn’t become a lich just to disappear like this…!

“How pathetic. Anyway, farewell.”

Squeeze!

The lich’s voice gradually diminished, and after a while, his ego completely disappeared. The life vessel is now no different from a mana stone.

Thump. I collapsed to the ground.

“Ugh, this is really something I can’t do.”

Dealing with hundreds of golems and gatekeepers, and even the boss of this episode, is incredibly difficult. On top of that, chasing the lich completely depleted my stamina and mana.

I had braced myself for this level of hardship from the moment I decided to get involved in the episode in earnest. Still, what you expect and what you actually do are different things. It’s really hard.

“Ah… Hurry up and come.”

With my body feeling stiff, I lay down on the floor. I came without telling the three of them, but Sasha will find me soon.

Look. The library’s mana is vibrating. This means it’s being reorganized.

A moment later.

A distortion of space occurred directly in front of me. And the figures of the three and Sasha appeared.

“Kyle, I was worried because you disappeared!”

“Brother, we’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“You villain! I was already busy!”

I waved my hand happily. Lana and Evan ran to me.

Then, the princess said, looking at the object in my hand.

“Did you disappear to find the life vessel?”

“Yes.”

“I was going to ask Sasha to find it anyway. It’s a relief.”

Meanwhile, Lana, who had approached, put her hand on my forehead.

“It’s hot, your whole body is burning….”

Lana said that as she took her hand off my forehead and checked my condition.

“Why did you push yourself alone? We could have gone together….”

Lana scolded me slightly. Her face and voice were tearful.

“Lana, don’t cry. I’ll be fine if I rest for a few days.”

This is because a part of the curse penetrated me earlier. It wasn’t a lot, so I’ll be fine if I rest.

And what do you mean go together? Everyone looks terrible.

Besides, unlike the novel, I had to use the life vessel. So I came alone.

“More importantly, the barrier.”

“It’s over. Sasha said it will be released soon.”

“That’s a relief.”

I was relieved to hear that. So now I can get some sleep. My eyes were gradually closing.

As expected, the curse of an 8th circle magician is quite powerful, even if it was only a small part. But I had no choice. To dispel the curse, I had to interpret it, and the fastest way to interpret it was to accept it into my body.

“Then, Princess. I’ll leave the cleanup to you.”

“Okay.”

Next to the princess, Evan looks tearful like Lana.

“Brother….”

“Why are you acting up again…. Haa, never mind….”

I stopped talking halfway through, feeling like it would only hurt my mouth.

From the beginning, I didn’t have the strength to say more, and now I’ve really reached my limit. I closed my eyes and entrusted my body to the pouring sleep.

***

‘Unfamiliar… or not a ceiling.’

When I regained consciousness and opened my eyes, a familiar white ceiling came into view.

Judging from the smell and the soft feeling on my back, it’s definitely the infirmary.

Rustle rustle

Other than that, there is the sound of something being carved from the side.

Just as I was about to raise my body to check the other person. Someone pushed my back to make it easier to get up. Only then did I see the other person.

“Ellaime?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Why are you here?”

“I don’t know how to answer if you ask me something so obvious.”

I had forgotten that I had been together with her every day, having been apart from her for two days.

“But am I alone here?”

There were several beds in the infirmary besides me. Judging from the traces of use, it seems like they were used until just now.

“The others have gone to have lunch.”

“All three of them?”

“Yes.”

Ellaime said that and picked up an apple placed next to her and continued to peel it. The sound I heard earlier must have been that.

Rustle rustle

Against the background of the sound of peeling apples that was heard again in my ears, I looked at the sky visible through the window. It’s a refreshing feeling to see the sky after a long time.

“Master, here you are.”

“Ah, yeah.”

Then Ellaime handed me the apple. As expected of a knight, she peels it well. And at the moment I was about to receive the fork.

Thud.

The fork fell to the ground before I could even grab it. Of course, it’s not like I don’t have the reflexes to catch it, so I caught it right away. After that, I stared blankly at Ellaime.

“…Ellaime?”

“Yes, Master.”

She answers with an expressionless face. I brought the apple to my mouth and asked.

“Is something wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.”

“Hmm, but why…. Ah, I still have it in my mouth.”

Even with my words, she took the fork and handed me the apple. I signaled that it was in my mouth, but Ellaime ignored me and roughly shoved the apple into my mouth.

And Ellaime’s action didn’t end with just one. The next apple came to my mouth in succession before I could even chew.

“Wait a minute….”

I could still speak because there was space left in my mouth, but my mouth was full thanks to the third piece. I quickly tried to carve the apple with my teeth, but the next apple reached my eyes.

“Ah….”

“Yes, Master, here is the apple you like.”

I shook my head vigorously from side to side to prevent her from putting it in again, but it was no use. The next piece entered my mouth.

In the end, my mouth was full of apples. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be about to put in the next piece.

That’s how I was able to open my mouth after chewing the apple and swallowing it down my throat. I asked carefully.

“Are… you angry?”

“I am not.”

“I think you are?”

Ellaime glared at me. Hmm, I think I said something unnecessary.

“First of all, I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

“Do you know what you did wrong?”

“Going without saying anything and getting hurt?”

That was the only reason Ellaime would be angry. And when I said that, she looked at me with a look mixed with frustration and said.

“…Did you do that knowing that?”

“Sorry, Sister.”

She didn’t react to the word sister. She must be really angry.

“Master.”

“Yeah.”

“I won’t say anything about helping someone. But… I hope you don’t get hurt. Someone is greatly worried about you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Sister.”

“Haa….”

Ellaime’s anguish was conveyed in that deep sigh. I thought I couldn’t let the heavy atmosphere continue, so I quickly changed the subject.

“But when did everyone leave?”

“They left an hour ago, so maybe by now….”

Then, the door to the infirmary burst open and the three who had been with me in the library’s capture returned.

“Oh? Kyle’s awake!”

Lana’s cheerful voice. She was wearing a patient gown like me, and she ran to me as soon as she saw me.

“Kyle, are you okay? Does anything hurt? You don’t seem to have a fever. Ah, instead of doing this, I should call the priest….”

“I’m fine, so don’t make a fuss.”

Even if I said that to reassure her, she didn’t seem very trustworthy, so she brought a priest after all.

“Hmm, the curse is all gone. I thought it would take at least three days even if I purified it, but as expected of that person’s….”

The priest glanced at the back of my hand. It seems he saw it in the process of healing. I’m wearing gloves now.

“Then is he okay now?”

“Yes. All that’s left is to focus on recovering your stamina like you all. Of course, it seems like you’ll recover after today, probably because of your unique constitution.”

The priest, who had finished the check, left and said.

“May the blessings of the God of Light always be with you.”

“Thank you! Priest Mister!”

Lana bowed her head and gave her thanks, as if she was so happy. And then she came back to me and said, sticking close to me.

“I’m glad, Kyle. Your body is okay.”

“I heard that too. And I didn’t get hurt enough to make a fuss….”

“Hey, it’s because you didn’t see Brother’s face. How dark Brother’s complexion was just before he fainted. I thought you were dead, you know?”

Evan interjected and said.

“…It wasn’t that bad.”

“No, it was really a dead face. Right, Sister?”

“That’s right. I also mistook Master for being dead when I saw him.”

“…….”

No, it definitely shouldn’t have been that level. Rather, it was more than me…. Never mind. The important thing is not this story.

“More importantly, how many hours have passed?”

“It’s been about a day since we escaped the library.”

“I slept quite a long time.”

I didn’t know I would sleep that much from just a curse. I thought I would wake up in half a day.

“That’s right, what about the cleanup….”

“I’ll explain that.”

The princess took over and said.

“First of all, thanks to you completely dealing with the lich, no other victims were harmed. The people who were trapped also escaped safely.”

Princess Ariel explained that way.

“What happened to the artifacts? Where did the life vessel go?”

“Sasha has recovered all the artifacts. Sasha said that she can’t take them unless they are obtained normally.”

I nodded.

The reason why I was able to use the lucky encounters without restriction was because the sealed monster was released. When the capture is over, the library system automatically recovers them.

Of course, I know the location, so you might think I can find them again, but that’s impossible. The location and method of acquisition change.

In this respect, the founding emperor was thorough.

“I didn’t talk about this separately with the professors. Sasha told me to hide the fact about the lucky encounters. Of course, Lana told your supervisor… I guess this much is okay. Besides, according to Sasha, she knew about the existence of the lucky encounters.”

She knew because she had received Ellaime’s help when saving Lana.

“The professors have taken the life vessel for examination. They said they will return it if they determine that there is no particular danger.”

“I see.”

Hmm, that’s a relief. I’m glad that an unfortunate event of them taking it as is didn’t happen.

“Anyway, it’s been well organized.”

“That’s right. And we owe you a lot. Kyle, we probably wouldn’t have been able to resolve this in two days if it weren’t for you. We might have been hurt even more.”

“That’s right! It must have been really hard!”

“If it wasn’t for Brother, we might still be struggling.”

Lana and Evan agreed with the princess’s opinion.

But that’s understandable. A lich is not something that students can handle at their level. It’s not for nothing that the library episode took a week in the novel.

Even in the novel, there were convenient elements mixed in, so it ended at that level. In the game, if you’re not properly prepared, a bad ending awaits where everyone, including the protagonist, dies.

‘Well, it’s not bad to be praised.’

Seeing that I sometimes think like this, I guess I like this place quite a bit.

“Let’s stop talking about the cleanup and I’ll tell you what I heard from the professors.”

“Is there more?”

“Of course there is. Tianis Academy has clear rewards and punishments for students. Besides, we can’t easily pass over a situation where a large number of casualties almost occurred.”

“What is the reward you will give us?”

“That’s….”

Grumble~!!

Then my stomach rumbled and echoed throughout the infirmary. I ate an apple, but it seems like the energy consumed by the curse hasn’t been replenished.

“Kyle, are you hungry? I don’t have a sandwich with me right now….”

“…….”

I’m too embarrassed to speak. It’s not like I’m the type to blush at this little bit of hunger, but it’s embarrassing for it to come out in the middle of a serious conversation.

“Th-The staff can bring you a meal if you tell them.”

“Princess, instead of doing that, how about we all go out together? I saw they had desserts earlier.”

“I’m fine with it….”

“Kyle, let’s go!”

“Master, I will help you.”

Lana and Ellaime grabbed my arms and raised me up.

“Brother, get up quickly. The food here is better than the cafeteria!”

Well, yeah. The academy pays more attention to this special room.

“…Okay, let’s go.”

I tried to hide my emotions and moved following the guidance. And I ate a meal in the specially prepared restaurant.

‘That bastard….’

Evan played a prank in the middle, which was a little annoying, but I held back and moved on.

For reference, the food was really delicious.

Episode 54 Award Ceremony (2)

3 days after the library incident. We were still staying in the infirmary.

In fact, as a result of focusing on recovery with extremely gracious treatment, my physical condition was normal, but they didn’t let me out easily because I was a major contributor to solving this incident. So, I’m just hanging around here eating the food they give me.

Anyway, nothing special has happened in the meantime.

Just a few people visiting the infirmary while I was resting?

The professors came to ask questions a few times, and Veil and Chloe also visited once a day after hearing the news. Besides, there were a few others who came to visit the other three.

And in the process, I heard several stories.

One of them was about the library incident. Trianis Academy was launching a massive library construction project as a result of this incident.

That’s because this incident almost caused numerous casualties. If we hadn’t resolved it, it would have been considered the worst day in the academy’s history.

Of course, that discussion was immediately rejected by Sasha, the spirit of the library.

“Do you think Kiran is a fool like you guys?”

“But Sasha-nim. For the safety of the students…”

“Ugh! In the first place, this incident is just a coincidence! It will never happen unless God intervenes! And are you ignoring Kiran’s magic right now?!”

“Ah, no, it’s not that…”

Apparently, the academy professors who strongly advocated the transfer of forbidden books were flustered like that.

Sasha is the familiar of the first emperor and has been with the academy for 400 years. No one could ignore her words.

Well, this is another story. But Sasha’s words are not wrong. This incident was really a coincidence of coincidences.

In terms of probability, it’s like a monkey writing and completing a world masterpiece novel. It’s not for nothing that the seal hasn’t been broken for 400 years.

Besides, I heard that the library was in chaos when Sasha appeared this time.

First of all, Sasha’s appearance is as cute as a fairy. So, she is receiving a lot of love from the students.

In addition, she also has a background, so professors visit the library every day and continue to ask her a barrage of questions.

Because of that, she comes here complaining that she’s annoyed to death. Of course, today too.

“Heeing… It’s nice to receive attention, but there are too many people. If I had known it would be like this, I would have just stayed hidden.”

Sasha could show her appearance whenever she wanted. Just like other spirits do.

“It’s okay, Sasha. It’s just because you’re not used to it yet. It’ll get better in a few days.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I had a hard time when I was young, but now I’m perfectly fine.”

“Lana is the only one who understands me! I like you the most after Kiran!”

Then she glanced at me.

“What are you looking at?”

“You should fix that glare! When you’re with Lana, it looks like you’re bullying her! I don’t know how someone like you was born under Kailon… Sigh.”

“You shouldn’t judge people by their appearance. You stupid spirit.”

I thought I should scold her, so I tried to snatch her. Then I wondered what I was doing and just let her go.

“Never mind… What am I going to do fighting with a kid like you.”

“Ugh! I’m much older than you!”

“Then you’re just an old spirit who’s eaten your age.”

“Eiiik…! I hate you!”

While spending time like that.

Knock knock.

A knock was heard and the door opened. A tailor with a monocle came in.

“Lady Lana. I will guide you.”

“Yes! See you later, Kyle!”

“Okay. I’ll be there soon too.”

I saw Lana off as she left the room. Sasha, who was following her, turned around for a moment and then.

“Meeerooong~!”

She teased me once and then left. She’s only old in age, but what she does is no different from a child.

I was left alone in the infirmary. I had nothing to do, so I stood on the balcony and looked outside for a while.

A cool breeze flows through my body, and moderate sunlight is transmitted through the clouds. A peaceful day if it’s peaceful.

On the other hand, it wasn’t like that at all down there. It was as bustling as a festival. Because of the award ceremony that will be held in a few hours.

Lana just went to get a dress for that.

Of course, we wear school uniforms, but they were not in a condition to wear out due to the battle with the lich. So, the academy decided to make a new one for us.

A little later, the door opened again.

“Master Kyle. I will guide you.”

I nodded and followed the tailor.

The process of getting the clothes fitted didn’t take long. If you just take the measurements, the rest is solved by magic. It didn’t take even an hour to complete.

“Are there any uncomfortable points?”

“No. It fits perfectly.”

The tailor bowed deeply. And then he guided me to the place where the group was. There were many other things to prepare besides this.

***

The stadium is rarely used unless it’s a big event like the entrance ceremony. Counting the number of times it is used in a year, it is at most 2-3 times.

However, today, the stadium was opened exceptionally for the award ceremony to be held today. Naturally, a large number of spectators flocked to it.

The sound could be heard even to us waiting in the waiting room.

“…Annoying.”

And I was a little annoyed by this situation. To think that I would have to prepare for 3 hours after getting my school uniform fitted. It would be more strange if I wasn’t annoyed.

“Don’t be too like that. It means that they value this matter that much.”

Then the princess intervened and said. I, who was propping up my chin and swallowing boredom, immediately retorted.

“That doesn’t mean you have to make such a fuss.”

The novel also had an award ceremony. But when I actually experienced it, it was more annoying than I thought. If I had known it would be like this, I should have said let’s end it quietly.

“The medal we will receive at this award ceremony is a whopping 1st class. It’s a really rare event in the academy’s history, so it’s natural.”

Medal.

It is a symbol given when a student makes a significant contribution to the academy. And 1st class is the highest medal among the 3 medals.

The medal is not simply given as a meaning of praise. There are separate benefits.

To explain briefly, the 1st class medal is.

[Academy facilities are free].

[30-50% discount on affiliated facilities].

[Warp gate 15 times a year ticket].

You can enjoy these benefits roughly. For life, too.

‘Well, I don’t need it.’

They weren’t particularly useful to me. No, is the free restaurant and warp gate okay?

Anyway, as the princess said, medals are extremely rare. The last time a medal was given was 10 years ago. That was a 3rd class medal.

“Kyle, don’t you want to receive a medal? My grandfather said it’s a very honorable thing.”

“That’s not it. It’s just that the receiving process is too noisy.”

But I can’t cancel it now. Because all the preparations have been made.

While Lana and I were talking, the waiting room door opened and an employee came in. It was time to go out.

We moved following the employee’s guidance. The entrance just before going to the center of the stadium.

“Do it as you rehearsed earlier.”

I, who was standing at the front, nodded. And I went out to the stadium with vigor.

***

“Huh? They’re coming out!”

A student pointed at the entrance and said. Then everyone’s attention was focused there.

A student coming out at the head. A male student that no one in the academy doesn’t know, Kyle Arden. The other three followed him.

As soon as the protagonists of the award ceremony appeared, magic unfolded and welcomed them.

Flower petals fell and fluttered in the sky, and red carpets were laid every time they moved forward on the ground. The light, which seemed to be there and not there, made them stand out even more.

“Wow….”

“You can only see things like that at the entrance ceremony….”

The students were momentarily mesmerized by the sight. The award ceremony was much more splendid than usual events.

The four eventually arrived at the stage that was placed alone in the center. On top of it, the president and professors representing each department stood solemnly.

“But why is that guy at the very front?”

“That’s right. Shouldn’t the princess be standing in a place like this?”

Then suddenly, the students had a question. Usually, the person with the highest status is put forward in a place like this.

Of course, there is a possibility that the princess yielded due to her personality, but at least it wasn’t that guy. It would be better if Lana and Evan, who are standing behind, were there instead.

“Come to think of it, according to the fairy’s words, he made the biggest contribution in this matter.”

“Wasn’t that fairy just joking?”

Here, the fairy refers to Sasha.

“The kids who were trapped said that he threatened them? And in terms of skills, isn’t that guy a little lacking? Looking at the grades alone, the three of them are at the top of their grade. There are rumors that he got the medal by luck by getting involved.”

“According to the fairy, that’s not the case either. Rather, they were bullying the princess, and he helped her.”

“I don’t know what’s true. The professors and kids don’t say anything….”

Whether it was a gag order or something, what happened inside the library was not circulating. At best, this story was only found out through the fairy’s mouth.

But at the same time, I had this thought.

If that’s true, it won’t just end with a medal.

Hwaaaak!!

Then the stage side shone brightly. Four medals rose above the president’s hand.

It was by no means a splendid shape, but the simple and luxurious design itself was a work of art.

The president moved mana and gave each medal, saying.

“We highly commend the spirit of sacrificing oneself for the sake of Trianis Academy and award the 1st class medal!”

A medal shining on the school uniform. The president continued to say.

“Your names will be engraved in Trianis Academy and will be known to future generations forever.”

Cheers and applause erupted, and the stadium shook. At the same time, envious gazes and voices flowed out little by little.

“I’m jealous…. Don’t they give tuition exemptions and subsidies if you have that?”

“Everyone except Evan is a noble, so how about we can’t receive it instead?”

“Say something that makes sense.”

That wasn’t the only thing the recipients would receive. They were also given academy warehouse access tickets and prize money.

It looked like the award ceremony would end like that. Students who judged that there was nothing more to see were about to leave.

But there was an outcry that caught them.

“Lastly, Kyle Arden.”

The moment the president called his name, the students who had turned their backs stopped for a moment and turned their heads. The president stood in front of the rascal.

“We will additionally give you an award of reducing 1,000 hours of community service.”

At that moment, all the students in the stadium were so surprised that they couldn’t close their mouths.

***

Reduction of 1,000 hours of community service?

As soon as I heard those words, I was a little dazed. Even I am like this, so what about the other students.

Naturally, they were so shocked that their mouths were wide open. The noisy stadium was instantly enveloped in silence.

There was also the fact that his words were unconventional. But the fact that he is giving me an additional award means that my contribution to this incident was the greatest, and that I have done something so great that it pardons some of my sins.

There was no student here who did not understand the meaning.

“I can’t say in detail at this place, but he played a decisive role in this incident. Likewise, he also showed a sacrificial appearance, and a student who witnessed the price of sacrifice is also here.”

Honestly, I didn’t know they would give me an award like this. Moreover, it was really okay, and it was the most meaningful award among all the awards I had received until just now. That’s because community service was slowly grabbing my ankle.

As a result of dedicating myself to volunteer work every day without missing a day, excluding the situations that had to be excluded, I have filled about 600 hours.

Still, there are 1,400 hours left. If I expect a busier future after the vacation, I won’t have time to focus on community service.

If they reduce 1,000 hours here, it will be a big help in the future. A very, very big help.

“So, Kyle Arden.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t forget your current appearance and work hard.”

I said while receiving the attention of the president, professors, and students.

“I will continue to work hard in the future.”

The long and long award ceremony finally ended.

***

And the next day.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to pick you up. Let’s go.”

Employer Ruina Lindel came to visit.

Episode 55 Magic Kingdom (1)

Episode 55 Magic Kingdom (1)

Weekend after the awards ceremony.

As usual, I finished my morning training. But instead of moving hastily, I sat under a shaded tree with Ellaim, cooling off from the sweat.

“You seem relaxed today.”

“Well, I don’t have to move like before.”

My volunteer work was cut in half. That alone made my life leisurely overnight.

It’s because of the volunteer work I’ve done so far. All that’s left is 400 hours. I can fill that up by the end of the vacation if I do 5 hours a day.

At first, I only sighed wondering when I would finish it all, but somehow I managed to fill it up this far.

“You’ve worked hard. This is also because you, young master, have been diligent.”

Well, that’s true. It’s not easy to put in 8 hours of volunteer work every day.

In the meantime, I spend time on training, lectures, and part-time jobs. I only sleep for 4-6 hours. Even Ellaim, a knight, assessed my daily routine as murderous.

Well, things will get better from today. With the free time I have, I can spend more time sleeping or training.

“Thanks. You’re the only one for me, sis.”

“I, I just stated the facts….”

Ellaim stutters as if embarrassed. Where did the image she showed in the infirmary go? She’s so consistent. So I asked.

“Sis, shouldn’t you be used to it by now? How long are you going to be like this?”

“I’m not used to it yet….”

“You’re not going to be like that even after you graduate and return to your family, are you?”

“I’ll try. Give me a little more time….”

She’s usually a very rigid knight, but when we’re alone, she can’t hide her emotions properly. Seeing this, I think my sister really likes me.

While I was chatting with Ellaim. I saw Lana in the distance, riding on the back of her summoned beast early in the morning.

It’s not easy to come this early in the morning. She’s really diligent.

As soon as Lana arrived, we got up from our seats and headed to the bench we made a while ago. There wasn’t even a simple rest area around the lowest-grade dorm, so we made one.

Gardens or parks in the center were impossible due to management issues, but this much was easy.

“I made tuna sandwiches today!”

“Tuna? It couldn’t have been easy to get.”

“Grandpa gave it to me to share with my friends!”

Is it because of the debt in his heart? That Mr. Latral occasionally sent food through Lana like this.

“I’ll enjoy it.”

“Lana, thank you for the food.”

We were hungry after training, so we grabbed the sandwiches and put them in our mouths. The sandwich with fresh tuna mixed in sauce was delicious.

My financial situation has become more abundant lately, so I didn’t necessarily need to eat Lana’s lunchbox, but Lana’s cooking skills were excellent. It’s a skill honed while taming summoned beasts.

So I’m still relying on her.

While munching on food, Lana asked.

“Kyle. Do you have anything to do today?”

“I don’t know….”

I couldn’t answer Lana’s question right away.

There was plenty to do.

I could go to work, train at the training ground, take time to make the opportunity I got earlier my own, or make magical tools for Lana and Ellaim.

But I’m not drawn to it. I just want to rest as is? I didn’t want to exert myself.

To be honest, I was still lazy because of the time I spent in the infirmary, and I wanted to give myself, who had suffered so far, a little time to rest.

“I don’t have anything in particular, so I’ll probably be in the dorm.”

“Then can I sleep here for the weekend?”

“What’s wrong?”

“My nose hurts too much. I think it’s because I was in a place with so many people for 3 days.”

Indeed, two days were spent in the library and one day in the stadium. There was some free time in between, but she met tens of thousands of people all at once within a week, so her nose must hurt.

In fact, Lana can endure it well for about a day, but she suffers if it goes beyond that.

“You’re suffering because of that too.”

“It’s okay because I have Kyle and big sis. There are many nice kids in the first grade.”

Lana smiled.

“I don’t mind… but the permission.”

“I took care of it! The head instructor allowed it because I went home every weekend last year due to things like this.”

“Then wouldn’t your home be more comfortable than here?”

“Hehe, Kyle is here.”

Lana smiled broadly. Well, if that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do.

“This dorm is dirty and there’s no space, so sleep with Ellaim.”

No matter what, I couldn’t let her sleep in the dorm. The bed space is narrow and the other rooms were dirty. Besides, Ellaim’s temporary lodging was much larger than my room.

“It’s okay. I can stay here. And I like big sis too!”

She hugged Ellaim, who was sitting next to her. Ellaim accepted Lana’s actions and said.

“Lana, let’s get along for two days.”

“Yes, big sis!”

While leaving those two, who were like sisters, to their own devices, I was wondering what to do now. In the distance, I saw a figure.

“Who is it?”

“She’s short….”

“It seems to be a woman.”

The unidentified woman changed her position quickly and soon came into a recognizable range.

“Oh? It’s Senior Ruina!”

“That’s right. She’s the young master’s employer.”

“…Why is she here.”

A sudden surge of anxiety.

There was no reason for her to come to me. I told her that I would go in the morning or evening on weekends.

But her coming this morning, and even coming in person, meant that something urgent had happened. And it’s related to alchemy.

I asked her, who was approaching with her gray hair fluttering.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to pick you up. Let’s go.”

She suddenly grabs my hand and leads me without explanation. Of course, I wouldn’t be pulled along.

“Why…?”

Ruina Lindell looked at me with a puzzled expression. It was a face that said, why aren’t you following me?

“You should at least give me an explanation.”

“Ah….”

Her mouth opened slightly.

“I forgot.”

“So what’s the reason?”

Ruina Lindell let go of my hand and said.

“You are an employee who has received my request.”

“That’s right.”

“I’m your employer.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then you have to help me, your employer. Right?”

“That was the content of the contract.”

She nodded at my words.

Provide labor. That was the contract between me and Ruina Lindell.

And labor can be used in various places. It’s not just applied to cleaning the workshop.

Well, I actually have enough money, but I still need a source of steady income, so I’m still doing a part-time job.

“Then let’s go.”

“So where to?”

“To get ingredients. We’re going to Falun.”

Then Lana interjected in a very excited tone.

“The Magic Kingdom? Can I come along too?”

Her eyes sparkled.

The Falun Magic Kingdom is called the paradise of wizards. It was no wonder Lana reacted like that.

“No.”

However, Ruina Lindell cut her off.

“We’re going to work. There’s no time to play.”

“I won’t be a bother! I’ll stick right by your side….”

“I don’t like it. You’re a nuisance. If you secretly follow me, I’ll ban you from entering the workshop.”

“Heeing, Senior….”

She used a strong tactic to seal off even the possibility of her following. Lana clung to her and pleaded, but it didn’t work.

Lana glanced at me with a tearful face and asked for help. But if Ruina Lindell came out like that, there was no way I could help. I shook my head.

“And you can’t either.”

“Are you talking about me too?”

“Yeah. You don’t know alchemy.”

Ruina Lindell even kept Ellaim away. It seems like she’s going to get some important ingredients.

“Let’s go now. We won’t be able to get them if we’re late.”

“More importantly, when are you coming back?”

“As early as lunch, or at the latest, evening.”

Hearing that, I said to the two of them.

“I’ll be back soon. Please take care of Lana.”

“Have a safe trip, young master.”

“I want to go with you too….”

I soothed Lana appropriately. I should take her once during vacation.

“Let’s go.”

At the urging of my employer, I hurried after her.

***

The Falun Magic Kingdom is located in the southeast, centered on the Empire.

The distance is quite far, so it would take at least two months even if you traveled by carriage. But there was a way to get to another country in less than a minute.

The warp gates installed in each capital. That’s it.

Of course, the price of the warp gate is not cheap.

Due to the advantage of being convenient, the base fare is ridiculously expensive, and the price increases exponentially in proportion to the distance.

It’s an amount that commoners can’t use even if they save money all their lives. Even nobles from small and weak families who don’t have money can’t easily use it.

Anyway, there is one warp gate installed in each capital. Of course, there is one in the Imperial capital as well.

So, on the way to the capital.

“By the way, Senior.”

“Yeah.”

“Why are we going all the way to the Magic Kingdom? You can get most of the ingredients in the Empire.”

It’s not for nothing that the Tyran Empire is called the center of the continent. Tens of thousands of people come and go every day, and caravans also visit. As a result, human and material resources are concentrated there.

If you’re in a hurry, it will cost a lot of money, but there are almost no items that you can’t get in the Empire. Even more so if it’s the capital.

“There aren’t any. They’re all sold out because of the competition.”

Ah, that’s right. I forgot about this.

The Production Department holds a production competition every few months.

The purpose of the competition is to improve students’ skills. No matter how much you learn the theory in lectures, you can achieve greater growth by thinking and doing it yourself.

That’s not the only purpose.

Production costs a lot of money for materials and supplies. Even if you receive a scholarship or have departmental privileges, it’s not enough for students.

Of course, there are students who make money by selling the products they make, but there are limits.

So they hold a competition. They want them to show off their skills directly and attract sponsors. If they do, students don’t have to worry about money, and sponsors form relationships with future talent.

In addition, the prizes are so great that the Production Department rushes in like dogs. Top students don’t spare money for the sake of winning. Ruina Lindell is trying to get that.

“But if it’s Senior, can’t you make a reservation?”

“…I overslept and missed it. The other party gave them a premium.”

“That’s too bad.”

Come to think of it, I remembered that Ruina Lindell entrusted a request to Evan around this time. It appeared briefly in the novel, so I had forgotten about it. Above all, Evan did not go to the Magic Kingdom.

Maybe this incident happened because of me. Evan was ignorant of alchemy, but I was the only one who understood her alchemy.

Maybe she’ll make something much more amazing than in the novel. Of course, I don’t know what she made.

“Seeing you go this far, the prize must be big.”

“Yeah, it’s big. So I want to have it.”

It was still a monotonous voice without undulation, but there was a slight excitement in it.

In the meantime, we arrived at the warp gate.

There weren’t so many people that it was crowded, but about 300 people were waiting.

The users were mainly nobles. Other than that, there were adventurers, merchants, and wizards. There were really many. Sometimes, priests from the Holy Kingdom can be seen.

“There are a lot of people.”

“Because it’s the weekend.”

As she said, there were a lot of people because it was the weekend. On weekdays, it’s about 1/10 of this at best.

There were many people waiting, but the warp gate was easy to operate, so there was no need to wait long. After waiting for about 30 minutes, it was our turn.

“Thank you again for using our service, Ruina Lindell.”

“Yeah.”

The employee bowed to her appearance. As if familiar with this, the employee immediately moved on to the next topic.

“Is your destination this time also the Falun Kingdom?”

“Yeah. But not the capital, the magic tower.”

“Okay. Is the person next to you with you?”

“That’s right. Here you go.”

She took out a heavy bag of gold coins from the subspace of her custom-made uniform and handed it over.

“I got a medal, so I can pay for my own.”

“I’m taking you. And I have a lot of money.”

Ruina Lindell said that and cut me off. After confirming the amount, the employee guided us inside.

“After using the warp gate, you may experience motion sickness or dizziness. Please keep that in mind.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

The employee looked at the magician next to him after hearing the answer. He put his hand on the bead and moved the mana.

Whoo-oong-!!

The magic circle engraved under my feet reacted, and mana wrapped around my body. At the same time, I felt like my body was floating.

And as soon as I closed and opened my eyes.

“Welcome to the Falun Magic Kingdom.”

The changed environment and another employee greeted us.

Episode 56 Magic Kingdom (2)

Episode 56. Magic Kingdom (2)

The Falun Magic Kingdom is geographically not a good place to live.

To the west lies the Great Desert, and to the east stretches the vast sea.

An environment where not even a speck of resources emerges. Food production is also inadequate.

Of course, there is the sea, but the sea bordering Falun consists only of cliffs, making it unsuitable for fishing or human habitation.

Despite such harsh conditions, the reason why the Falun Kingdom is called one of the three great powers.

It is because it was built on a ley line, land where mana flows.

Therefore, in terms of land size alone, it is less than one-tenth the size of the Holy Kingdom and the Empire, but it was able to stand alongside the other two great powers.

“The air is nice.”

“Yeah, it’s good.”

The scent that brushes past the nose upon exiting the warp gate. It is the fragrance of fresh mana. That’s because the Magic Tower is built in the place most affected by the ley line.

We exited the building. Then, towering towers came into view. Each of those shining brilliantly even in the daytime is a Magic Tower.

‘If counted by floors, it was about 100 floors.’

In this world, the only buildings built this high are the Magic Towers. That’s why they are a specialty of the Magic Kingdom.

Besides that, there were shops and restaurants lined up near the Magic Tower, and students wearing robes with the Magic Tower emblem were seen.

The Magic Tower serves as a research institute for exploring magic, and at the same time, as an educational institution like Tianis Academy.

“Are we going straight to the Magic Tower?”

“Yeah. Follow me.”

Nodding her head, she strode forward. Even though her stride is narrow, her pace is faster than that of a decent knight. That is possible because of the magic enchanted on her shoes.

We quickly arrived at the Magic Tower. As we reached the front door, the tightly closed door automatically split open.

The Magic Tower we entered was splendid. From the floor to the ceiling, to every single decoration. Having properly received the blessing of the ley line, magic is added from the basic design.

A sight that a typical academy could never imitate. The daily mana consumption alone would amount to several hundred magic stones. Of course, Tianis is no less than that.

We passed by numerous students and headed to the desk in the lobby. Before the employee could open their mouth, she spoke.

“I came to buy a magic stone mine access ticket.”

“What is the purpose of use?”

“To make mana essence.”

“There is mana essence produced at the Magic Tower. How about that?”

“No.”

“Understood.”

Mana essence. It is a stone containing only pure mana, with impurities removed from the magic stone.

As the employee said, there is essence made at the Magic Tower, but in terms of completeness, the product she makes is of a much higher grade.

“Before purchasing the mine access ticket, we will proceed with identity verification. Would you please show us something to prove your identity?”

“Here.”

She handed over the Lindel family crest. And then, looking at me, she said.

“You too, give it.”

“Ah, yes.”

Following that, I took off Tianis’ student ID, which is also a wristwatch, and handed it over. Like Ruina Lindel, there is a family crest, but there is no need to do that. The watch alone is enough.

After completing the verification, the employee handed over the crest and the watch and said.

“Ruina of the Lindel family. Kyle Arden of Tianis Academy. I will guide you.”

I let out a hollow laugh at the employee’s subtle discrimination.

‘The family name is right there. They’re emphasizing it on purpose.’

I know why they’re doing that.

The Magic Tower poured their everything into magic. The curriculum also focuses solely on magic, making it specialized, and the facilities are also specialized for magic.

Therefore, the Magic Tower has great pride in their magic and students.

But unfortunately.

A student from Tianis Academy, which has several times the land area, teaches all subjects, and whose facilities are no less inferior to theirs, is visiting the Magic Tower.

Even though the difference in magical skill between the two places has been comparable for the past hundred years. The Magic Tower is in a situation where they are going crazy.

Well, for that reason, the Magic Tower harbors a sense of inferiority towards Tianis. Of course, this is a story limited to us. It does not apply to the Holy Academy, which uses divine power.

‘Keep doing that. I don’t care.’

The hollow laugh only came out because it was cute.

The employee’s guidance stopped in front of the elevator. It is not the orange forge’s one, and only space teleportation magic is engraved, and the form is only similarly followed.

“If you stop on the 6th floor, go to room 34.”

“Okay.”

The employee pressed the 6th floor button and politely bowed.

I felt a floating sensation like a warp gate, and the elevator immediately arrived on the 6th floor.

“Room 34… This is it.”

Crossing through densely connected rooms, we reached our destination. I opened the door for her.

A small room of about 10 pyeong. At the end, a man was seen sitting at a desk near the window, looking at documents. Judging by the uniform of the Magic Tower, he is a student, to be exact.

He didn’t greet the customer right away, but only looked up after we had all entered. And when he saw her face behind me.

“Who is this? Isn’t it Ruina Lindel!”

A voice with not even a speck of courtesy was heard. Judging from the content of his words, he seems to have a connection with her.

“Senior, do you know him?”

“Yeah, an entrance classmate from the Magic Tower.”

Well, since there is a setting that she attended the Magic Tower in the past, there would be classmates. The Magic Tower admits students at the same time, and then divides them by choosing a school of thought.

“More than that, what brings our classmate here? Oh, don’t do that and sit down.”

He pointed to the chair while holding out his hand. It was quite annoying, but I sat down for now.

“Wow~ How many years has it been? About 3 years?”

Sitting in the chair, he began to speak like that. But the expressionless she frowned slightly and said.

“I’m busy. The message has been conveyed. Guide us quickly.”

“Don’t say such disappointing things. There are many people who miss you, especially since you ran away to Tianis Academy.”

“……”

“How is it after going there? Has your skill improved a lot?”

Ruina Lindel’s face, which was already expressionless, became even more expressionless. The other party ignored her reaction and continued to speak.

“Surely you haven’t failed to pass the 5th circle, have you? Look at me. I’ve already become a 6th circle and even got an office.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Haha, that personality is still the same. But is this the attendant? Judging by the uniform and the sword, he doesn’t seem to be an assistant.”

The next target was moved to me. But then Ruina Lindel intervened.

“Don’t mess with my junior. He’s not someone you can mess with.”

She seemed angry, and her voice was slightly raised.

“You just have to guide us. You stupid Petus.”

Bang!

The magician called Petus slammed his fist on the desk. His face was horribly distorted.

“Don’t ignore me, Ruina! I’m no longer the magician who was hidden by you back then!”

The enraged magician glared at her with killing intent.

“Even if you came as a guest, you are just a mere assistant magician! You are not someone who can treat me like that! So I’m going to kill you…”

Bang!

Another shocking sound rang out.

“Ugh, ugh…”

The 6th circle magician was groaning with his face buried in the desk. I said to the guy who couldn’t get up.

“The level of the Magic Tower has fallen as much as it has. Hey, is a customer who came to spend money a joke? You can’t even treat them well, and you’re threatening them?”

“A mere knight dares to attack a magician of the Magic Tower…!”

Petus unleashed mana. As expected of a 6th circle, the amount of mana is considerable. But I used Karsaro to poke the guy’s hand to scatter his concentration.

“Aaaagh!”

“Now you’re really trying to kill me. That’s why you hear that you’re being pushed back by Tianis. And you’re crying just because your hand was pierced.”

How much does that hurt? I guess you’d faint if I cut off your hand.

“It’s a serious crime to attack a magician in the Magic Tower! If you don’t want to be imprisoned…!”

“That’s when the customer is just an ordinary person.”

The Arden family is a VIP customer of the Magic Tower. They buy goods worth as much as tens of millions, or at least millions of gold, every month.

On the other hand, he is just a 6th circle magician. It’s obvious who the Magic Tower will choose. Moreover, since the Lindel family, famous for magic tools, is involved, the result is obvious.

“Th, that…”

The anger disappeared in an instant, and his face turned pale.

“If you understand, guide us. Don’t waste our time.”

“Y, yes…”

The guy who had completely lost his will to fight. I painfully pulled out the sword and let him go.

“Ugh…!”

Pain was irrelevant.

After that, the guy left, saying he would go and get treatment for a while.

“You’re being annoying. I’m busy to death.”

I turned my head at the gazes pouring out from the side. Ruina Lindel was staring intently.

After looking with her still lifeless eyes, she got up from her chair. And then, she tiptoed and reached out her hand.

“You did well. Good job.”

She stroked my head and praised me. Because she is short, her fingertips barely reached even when she tiptoed.

“If I hadn’t done it, senior would have done it.”

“Yeah. Petus is stupid. He only knows his realm.”

There is no way she, who invented her own alchemy, would lose to a 6th circle. If she had stepped in, he would have been badly beaten. As she said, that magician was too stupid.

I sat in the chair and waited for the guy. He said he got an office, so there was a tea set and tea, so I made tea with it and drank it.

It was worth eating because it was a high-end product. Of course, Ruina Lindel didn’t drink it. She hates bitter things the most in the world.

After a while, Petus appeared, and we headed to the magic stone mine.

***

The magic stone mine is a mine that was born under the influence of the abundant mana of the ley line.

Therefore, the purity of the magic stones produced on the continent is also high. The reserves are also much higher than in other regions, accounting for 70% of the continent’s magic stone production.

But because the reserves are so large, other countries secretly sneak in and mine magic stones.

So the Falun Kingdom came up with a clever plan. That’s the mine access ticket.

They allowed people to mine magic stones if they paid a certain amount. Of course, master-level skilled people are excluded. The kingdom’s losses are enormous at that level.

Clang! Clang!

Anyway, for that reason, I am mining magic stones.

There was not much of a difficult process. If I wrapped mana around my body and dug a little with a pickaxe, magic stones came out.

Every time a magic stone came out, I gave it to her, who was making mana essence. Since essence was created every time I handed it over, she just watched me quietly.

“But senior.”

“Yeah.”

“In this case, shouldn’t we have brought Lana and Elahim?”

The environment was not as obstructive to her as I thought. Or they could have been shown around the kingdom or the Magic Tower.

“……”

She was silent.

“Senior?”

When I asked as if urging her, she finally opened her mouth.

“She’s nice. But she’s rude. She talks too much. She annoys me every time.”

Well, that could be the case.

Their first meeting can be considered the worst, but it worked out well later. That doesn’t mean there aren’t problems.

First of all, Lana was too attached. Every time we met, she tried to hug me, and she chattered, bringing up this and that. And Ruina Lindel hated that.

Of course, she warned her several times, but it didn’t happen very often. After a day or two, she returned to her original state.

But there is a reason for everything.

Lana likes animals very much, and Ruina Lindel has a strong animalistic nature. Therefore, in Lana’s case, her usual appearance comes out when she is next to her. This is a habit that has been around for a long time, so no matter how much she controls it, her actions unconsciously pop out.

So I understand Lana.

“Then what about Elahim?”

“…No.”

For a moment, I thought I had misheard.

“No?”

“Yeah, no.”

“Then why?”

“…Just because.”

“Excuse me?”

“…Just mine magic stones.”

After that, she was silent. She even turned her head completely and focused on making essence.

‘It’s not easy to read the inner thoughts of this person.’

She is such a moody person that her emotions change quickly. In addition, the conversation itself is short, so it is difficult to read emotions from her words. The only thing I could find out was that she was dissatisfied?

After about an hour, the production of mana essence was almost finished. She said she was going to make an essence the size of her head, so it will be over soon.

“But senior. What is the prize that you’re making something so big?”

Even if you use simple magic with mana inside that, the power of 8th circle magic comes out. She seems to be planning to make a really amazing thing and come in first.

“…They’re giving away an artifact from the mythical era.”

“Mythical era? Is that coming out as a prize?”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t have any inherent abilities. It’s just a shell.”

“Even if it’s just a shell, isn’t it the best material?”

“That’s right. That’s why I need it.”

The mythical era refers to the era 10,000 years ago. Roughly an era when humans were not as abundant as they are now, but instead gods were rampant.

Well, it’s not an important story in ‘Aka Cheonma’. It’s just to the extent that there is such a setting.

But things from the mythical era are different. It is a time when all sorts of gods were rampant, so it may contain divine power. Of course, it’s just a shell, but it’s far superior to materials from this era.

“Senior, maybe…”

“Are you interested?”

“Yes. I’m interested.”

“No. I need it too. But… if you participate as an assistant, I’ll give you some.”

“Ugh…”

There was a slight conflict in my mind.

Maybe I will never get an object from the mythical era except for this time.

In fact, there are also mythical era objects in the academy’s warehouse, but it is almost impossible to obtain them. There is no way to obtain them even in the episodes. Even if it’s just a shell.

“I will assist you diligently.”

“Okay.”

Ruina Lindel made a slightly excited voice.

“The competition is on Wednesday, so.”

But it was then.

Kwaaaang!!

The magic stone mine vibrated.

“Looks like…”

Something seems to have happened.

Episode 57 Magic Kingdom (3)

“Damn it…!!”

Petus stomped on the ground. He couldn’t control the rising anger.

Why?

Because of the humiliating incident he had suffered just a few hours ago.

Petus was a magician with a truly promising future within the Magic Tower. Among magicians under the age of 20, it was extremely rare in the Magic Tower’s history to have a genius who had already reached the 6th Circle.

Of course, it was possible thanks to the help of his family, but just being on the verge of becoming a master certified his outstanding talent.

Yet, he was insulted by a mere knight, even a student from Tianis. Petus could not accept that fact.

“You rotten bastard….”

Kyle Ardeen.

The rumors about him were famous even in the Magic Tower. No, it was widely known throughout the Falun Kingdom how terrible he was.

Despite being born into the great Ardeen family, his talent was terrible, and his temperament was extremely cruel. A being ignored not only by the Empire but also by the entire continent. That was Kyle Ardeen.

But, he, a 6th Circle magician, was defeated by such a guy. Petus’s right hand still throbbed when he thought back to that moment.

“It must be magic tools or help from magic. There’s no way otherwise….”

Or maybe Ruina Lindel. That damn bitch might have helped. Her alchemy skills were outstanding. Even though alchemy was only a supporting magic, the alchemy she performed was on a different level.

Petus gritted his teeth.

He didn’t like Ruina even back in the Magic Tower days. She was always arrogant and prevented him from standing out.

So, he couldn’t just leave her alone. Of course, the rotten bastard as well.

Petus turned his gaze. He saw the two of them mining magic stones and making mana essence in the corner of his vision. Their chattering was truly an eyesore.

He moved far away from them. After creating enough distance so they couldn’t find him, he drew up mana and used magic. He intended to play a trick on them.

If he could, he wanted to make them half-crippled. But he couldn’t.

The Ardeen and Lindel families. Both are prestigious families. If he carelessly provoked them, there was a possibility that an investigation team would be dispatched.

And it would be revealed that he was the one who did it. After that day, Petus could be expelled from the Magic Tower or even killed.

“I can’t let that happen.”

How did he get to this position? He couldn’t throw away everything he had achieved because of a moment of anger.

The magic, Stone Rain, was already completed. It was a magic that dropped stones from the sky.

This magic was perfect for use in a mine full of stones. Moreover, since mine collapses had recently occurred from time to time, no evidence would remain.

Petus was about to use magic. But at that moment.

“What is this….”

The mana scattered, and the magic failed.

At the same time, he felt a chill on his neck. He realized it was a blade through the sensation of touch.

“Wh, who are you…!”

Petus, stiff with fear, shouted at the unknown person.

“You, you’re a magician.”

A murderous voice. He could vaguely sense hatred within it.

“Ye, yes, I’m a magician. I don’t know who you are, but it’s best not to do anything foolish. Otherwise, the Magic Tower….”

“So, you’re a magician. Magician, magician….”

The unidentified man repeated the word “magician.” The way he seemed fixated on it instilled fear in Petus.

However, Petus was a 6th Circle magician. He secretly tried to draw up mana. But then, the man opened his mouth.

“Magicians are a sinful race. They only harm this world, they are beings that should not exist. So… they must disappear from this world!!”

“Could it be you…!”

At that moment, a certain incident flashed through Petus’s mind.

The magician disappearance case.

Starting a month ago, magicians belonging to the Magic Tower had been disappearing. The Magic Tower launched an investigation, and the one who was narrowed down as the culprit in the process was….

“Magician Killer! You were hiding here!”

Petus immediately squeezed out mana. But this time too, the magic failed and scattered into the air.

“What the hell are you doing….”

But Petus’s words were not continued.

Puhwak!

Blood spurted out. His neck was clearly cut, and a large amount of blood gushed out.

“Kk, kkeueuk….”

Petus grabbed his neck. The magician killer looked at him and said.

“Magician, repay your sins with death.”

He turned his body and activated the magic scroll installed on the wall. And three seconds after he left.

Kwaaaang!!

The mine exploded.

***

Kukung!

The vibration is transmitted all the way here. Even if the epicenter is far away, the damage will reach here soon.

‘But did such a thing happen in the Magic Tower at this time….’

I don’t know the details. In the novel, the Magic Tower is mentioned or explained when Evan becomes a second-year student. Moreover, the Magic Kingdom didn’t have many episodes involved.

Well, let’s put aside these miscellaneous thoughts and focus on what needs to be done right now.

“It looks like we need to get out of here.”

“It’s okay. I’ve made all the essence.”

At my senior’s words, I threw down the pickaxe and received the Karsa that had been entrusted to me.

Kwagaang!!

In the meantime, the vibration became even more severe. Due to the nature of the mine, once a collapse starts, its speed is very fast.

“I’ll clear the way. Follow me closely.”

“Okay.”

If it were a normal-sized essence, it could be put in the subspace. However, Ruina Lindel’s essence contained too much mana to be put in.

I ran towards the exit. I remember the way.

I was going well, but then a stone fell from the ceiling.

Seogeok-!

I cut it down without hesitation. Karsa easily split the stone.

The path to the exit was quite far. It’s because she came in deep to find good quality magic stones.

So, it took time to get out. Of course, the longer we stayed, the more the mine changed from moment to moment.

Kugugung!

The vibration became even more severe. The floor became unstable and the gaps widened further. But there’s no problem. Neither I nor Ruina Lindel have the physical ability to fall into such a hole.

As we moved forward like that, I stopped at an obstacle blocking our progress.

“Senior, the tunnel is blocked?”

Whether the aftermath of the collapse had reached the front, the ceiling collapsed and a pile of rocks blocked the way. After spreading mana slightly, I found that it was blocked quite far.

“Can’t get out?”

“I can get out, but it will take time.”

The rocks blocking the way are not a big problem. I can break through by appropriately combining magic and swordsmanship. However, due to the unstable mine situation, movement is not fast.

“How long will it take?”

“About 2 hours?”

“It takes a long time….”

She expressed dissatisfaction. Then, she handed me the mana essence and stood in front of the rock debris. And then she activated alchemy.

Pajik-!

The pile of rocks disintegrated in an instant. The rock formation that had stretched for about 300m was transformed into molecules.

Of course, it seemed like the collapse would resume in the process, but Ruina Lindel calmly dealt with it.

She filled the hole with the decomposed rocks and reinforced each side with mana using the magic stones mixed in.

A newly renovated tunnel. It was not only clean, but also boasted solidity, so at least this area would not collapse for the time being.

“Follow me.”

“Yes.”

Ruina Lindel continued to use and adjust alchemy as she moved forward. I didn’t have anything to help with, so I just followed behind.

As we were going forward like that, a hand popped out from the rock debris being cleared away.

A hand wrapped in bandages, that looked somewhat familiar. I immediately recognized the owner.

“Isn’t that the guy from earlier?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

6th Circle magician, Petus. The guy who should have been next to me while using the mine was buried here.

I grabbed him as he was and pulled him out.

“Hmm, is he about to die?”

Traces of blood were visible between his dirt-covered body. It almost soaked his whole body. The area where the blood was flowing was the neck, and the amount that flowed out was enough to kill him instantly.

Looking at the healed wounds, he had taken some measures, but his heart was beating as if he could die at any moment.

“What should we do?”

“Can you save him?”

“It’s not difficult.”

As long as he’s not dead, recovery is easy. People don’t die as easily as you think.

“Then do it. He’s a fellow member, even if he’s stupid.”

“Yes, well.”

At her words, I cast a moderate healing spell. Then, his complexion quickly improved. But I have no intention of leaving him like that.

“Hey, hey, wake up.”

I slapped his cheeks to wake him up.

“Ugh, eueuk….”

“Get up without wasting time!”

“Ugh-!!”

He woke up immediately when I shocked him with electricity.

“Wh, where am I….”

Slap! I slapped him on the cheek. Only then did his eyes return to reality.

“We don’t have time, okay? Let’s move the story along quickly. Huh?”

“Ah, I understand.”

“Instead of answering, explain why you’re here and what the hell happened.”

“…Th, that’s.”

As he was wasting time, I raised my hand to threaten him, and he quickly opened his mouth. And after the explanation.

“So, there’s a guy called the Magician Killer here?”

“Th, that’s right. He stabbed me and disappeared. He caused this explosion too….”

“How are you alive?”

“Barely with a rapid regeneration magic tool….”

“That’s enough. I don’t need any more than that.”

More than that….

Magician Killer. A magician who only kills magicians.

I remember him because he appeared as Evan’s enemy. He doesn’t have a big role, but he appears as a stepping stone for growth.

It seems he was staying in the Falun Kingdom around this time. Well, if that’s his setting, it’s natural for him to be here.

“Senior, what should we do? It seems like that guy is still around.”

According to my intuition, he wouldn’t have left the vicinity of this mine. No, there’s no way that madman would miss this opportunity. Because it’s a golden opportunity to kill the magicians spread out in the mine.

“Can you handle him?”

“It’s not easy, but it’s not that difficult either.”

His special abilities are definitely tricky, but it’s not like I can’t beat him at all. Besides, he’s not even a master-level expert.

“Can I leave it to you?”

“Of course.”

Come to think of it, I remember that guy had a good artifact.

“Can I take the loot?”

“Yeah, I don’t need it.”

She readily agreed.

“And in a way, I got caught up in a troublesome situation thanks to my senior, so how about one more request?”

“…No.”

Tsk, I knew it wouldn’t work.

“But….”

Ruina Lindel paused for a moment.

“I’ll do it. Only this time.”

“Thank you.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s keep going out now.”

My senior used alchemy again and continued forward. I carried Petus on my shoulder and followed behind. It was annoying, but I had no choice but to take him because he was lacking blood.

The tunnel was getting closer to the exit. The light from the outside was gradually becoming visible.

But we couldn’t run. Because there were corpses lying around the exit.

“Hi, hiik…! All of those are….”

“You shut up.”

I threw the noisy Petus guy far away.

I examined the state of the corpses. First of all, they are all magicians. The blood is warm, so they haven’t been dead for long. About 10 minutes?

“Senior, can you block the exit?”

“Okay.”

She used alchemy. The wide-open entrance was blocked. Thanks to that, the light inside the tunnel decreased, but it wasn’t a big problem.

“Why don’t you come out now?”

I stared at one spot. I had found the guy with my sense of Ki a long time ago.

Then, the Magician Killer emerged from the darkness.

Episode 58 Magic Kingdom (4)

Episode 58. The Magic Kingdom (4)

The opponent wore a black robe. Thanks to that, I couldn’t see what he looked like. Furthermore, the exit was blocked, reducing the light, so I couldn’t even make an educated guess.

However, I could feel his gaze in the darkness. I felt that he was watching me intently. Then, a voice filled with curiosity and interest flowed from within the robe.

“Hmm, this is a first. There are traces of learning magic, but it’s hard to see you as a mage….”

He mumbled and pondered. His contemplation didn’t last long.

“If you hand over the mage behind you, I’ll let you go.”

I let out a hollow laugh at his words.

“You’re quite the liar for a murderer.”

“Mages are a race that shouldn’t exist in this world. You’re too young to understand, but…”

“I’m sorry, but.”

I cut him off.

“I’m past the age of being called a kid. And I don’t care about your garbage ideology.”

With those words, I kicked off the ground and charged. He sighed.

“Foolish. To not understand the grand purpose.”

Then, magic began to activate around him.

Whoosh-!!

In an instant, a strong wind blew and engulfed me. Then, the condensed mana scattered into the natural world. Sword energy, enhanced body, everything returned to its ordinary state.

“You understand your condition, right? If you give up now, I’ll let you go.”

That offer was made, but I didn’t even pretend to listen.

Mage Killer. His appearance isn’t flashy, but he’s quite a dangerous guy.

Of course, if you hear the title, he seems dangerous only to mages, but that’s not the case at all. His magic is dangerous to all mana users.

[Mana Collapse]. The magic he invented to kill the hateful mages. And the reason why it has killed so many mages so far.

The effect of the magic is simple. It breaks down the mana of the opponent who comes into contact with the caster’s mana wavelength. If you are hit by the magic, you cannot manipulate mana at all, just like my current state.

On the other hand, the caster is not affected by the magic and can use mana or magic as he pleases. Therefore, you are bound to be at a disadvantage when facing him.

But that’s only if the opponent is just an average skilled person.

I intentionally controlled my heartbeat to accelerate the blood flow. Thump, thump. A violently beating heart. Oxygen is supplied throughout my body, invigorating me.

In the meantime, I reached the Mage Killer. He pulled out a dagger from his waist and took a defensive stance. But there was a hint of carelessness in it. It’s understandable since an invincible-like magic has been activated. So, I deliberately took the hit.

I moved my muscles. Pure power emanating from all over my body. I let that power, gushing out from my muscles, flow into Karsa. And I swung it.

Thwack-!!

A cleanly severed shoulder. Karsa’s sharpness and the body’s pure power easily cut through the strengthened body.

An arm and part of a shoulder flying through the air. Blood spurted from the cut surface.

“Kuh-!”

The Mage Killer was visibly flustered. He quickly created distance.

Instead of chasing, I grabbed the arm in the air and threw it back.

The Mage Killer has excellent recovery abilities with his ability called Mysticism. He would be able to reattach the fallen arm sufficiently.

Look at that. The cut surface is already starting to heal. And his complexion is improving in real time, as if he’s creating blood right away.

“Senior, please get rid of that.”

“…Disgusting.”

Even while slightly frowning, she granted my request. After passing through Ruina Lindel’s hands, his arm was decomposed to the point where it was impossible to find its original form.

“How…”

He was looking at me with an incredulous expression.

“Why? What’s so strange?”

“…Even a knight is no different from an ordinary human if he can’t use mana. How the hell…”

It’s no wonder he’s reacting like that.

A knight’s superhuman strength comes from mana. Without mana, as he said, a knight is just a slightly stronger human.

The same goes for swordsmanship. Swordsmanship without mana does not produce even half of its original power.

“How indeed. It’s all muscle power.”

It’s true that a knight is nothing special without mana, but he still has a trained body.

“…There are limits to human training. Without mana, humans can’t even break a rock.”

“That’s true.”

I affirmed his words. There is a limit to what can be done with physical abilities alone.

But what you’re mistaken about is that there are plenty of techniques to increase the output of the body even without mana. It’s just that they are inefficient and take a long time to learn.

Moreover, I have Karsa. It would be strange if I couldn’t cut him.

Of course, I have no intention of telling him this.

“Well, you don’t need to know the details. Let’s stop the small talk.”

In an instant, my thighs swelled. I unleashed the power of my muscles under my feet. Certainly, the running speed was slow without mana enhancement.

He avoided me, being as wary as possible because of what happened.

But it’s useless. Even if he is faster, there is a way to chase him. Besides, it’s a narrow space with no room to escape, so I can definitely catch up.

I narrowed the distance and swung Karsa.

At that moment, mana dwelled in the Mage Killer’s dagger. He is also included in the category of magic swordsman in a broad sense. He could use sword energy to some extent. Of course, the same goes for martial arts.

The dagger rushed in fiercely. A sharp blow. I urgently corrected the trajectory of the sword. It puts a lot of strain on my muscles, but there was no choice now.

Clang!

The dagger was blocked. Karsa isn’t pierced by such sword energy.

With the sword and dagger still in contact, I moved my wrist. The dagger flowing downward.

The guy who predicted the result of this quickly tried to retrieve his sword. But it didn’t go as he intended. At least my understanding of swordsmanship is much higher.

And that was an opportunity.

Power concentrated in my right arm. The pure human power gathered. Once again, I swung the delivered power.

A situation where he couldn’t escape. The opponent urgently shouted.

“Iron Skin!”

With the incantation, his skin hardened.

Thwack-!

But a somewhat weak sound. The sensation I felt wasn’t very good.

‘As expected, it’s impossible to cut him in half.’

The double enhancement through mana and magic was difficult to cut even with Karsa in its normal state. But that doesn’t mean there were only meaningless results.

“Kuhuk…”

A long, diagonal wound on his chest. He was cut to the point where the bone was visible. He created distance. I didn’t deliberately follow.

“To exert this much power without using mana…”

He was breathing roughly. But soon the wound healed and his breathing stabilized as he quickly recovered.

“However, it was shallow. As expected, without mana, humans are…”

I cut him off.

“Yeah, it was shallow. But that’s enough.”

I bent down and picked up the necklace that had fallen on the ground and showed it to him.

“What is this?”

“Why is that there…!”

He was startled.

[Mana Collapse] magic has such a big advantage, but it’s not like it has no weaknesses at all.

That weakness is that the magic range is only 1m. So, if you’re not within range, he’s nothing special.

But this artifact eliminated that weakness. The power of [Magic Amplification] increased the magic range.

The artifact perfectly compensated for the shortcomings of the magic, increasing the maximum range to 500m when used.

But that came into my hands. In other words, the power that had been forcing me was reduced.

I pulled mana from my dantian. The difference between having mana and not having mana was definitely significant.

Thwack!

I kicked off the ground and charged. Then, the Mage Killer spewed out mana and spread out the magic as much as possible. The limit, which I thought was 1m, increased to 2m.

“As long as you use mana, you can’t shake off my magic!!”

“That’s when I can’t use mana.”

Arden Swordsmanship had several techniques created to deal with mages, such as [Mana Break].

I wrapped Karsa in sword energy and swung it.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 2 Variation – Magic Split Sword energy containing anti-magic power stretched out. The magic disappeared as soon as it touched the sword.

Even if his magic decomposes mana, it is still magic in the end. It cannot overcome the nature of anti-magic.

“This can’t be… I haven’t eliminated all the mages in the world yet…”

He backed away at my unhindered approach. But that didn’t last long. I reached him.

“I can’t say anything nice, so just, goodbye.”

I said my last words and raised Karsa.

“I’m not yet…”

Before he could finish his words, his head and body were separated. No matter how much ability he had, recovery was impossible if his neck was cut off.

I shook off the blood on Karsa and returned to Ruina Lindel.

“It’s over.”

“You finished quickly.”

“It wasn’t a difficult opponent anyway.”

From the beginning, my victory was a foregone conclusion in a situation where I had the upper hand with information. The battle time was not long either.

“Spoils of war. Did you take it?”

“Yes, this.”

“Let me see.”

I readily handed over the artifact. She examined it from every angle.

“It’s well made. But don’t use it. You’ll be tainted by madness.”

She warned me as she said that.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Use it as material.”

That was something I already knew.

This artifact caused madness in exchange for having an amplification effect. Unlike magical tools, there are many artifacts that cause side effects as a price for power.

“Shall we get out of here now?”

“Yeah. Dust is flying.”

Ruina Lindel blocked the dirt and dust with mana. Those were created by my battle.

I headed towards Petus, who I had thrown earlier. Then, I poked him with my foot and said.

“Hey, wake up. How long are you going to pretend to be unconscious?”

Twitch!

“You can’t even act. Then I’ll just assume you’re dead and bury you in the ground, okay?”

“I, I’m awake!”

Only then did Petus open his eyes. He even flailed his arms, letting me know that he wasn’t dead. The more I looked at him, the less he seemed like a 6-circle mage.

“Guide us. You have to do at least that much since you were protected.”

“B, but I’m a patient…”

“Really? Should I really make you a patient?”

“N, no, I’ll guide you…”

Then, he took the lead and started walking.

“Eek! A corpse…!”

Petus was startled when he saw the corpse along the way. How pathetic.

Hasn’t a 6-circle mage ever killed a person? I even doubt whether he has any practical experience.

Well, he wasn’t trustworthy, but if this guy was in front, we could get out quickly. People would be gathering outside soon.

***

Petus’s affiliation with the Magic Tower and his status as a 6-circle mage played a big role.

The investigation was skipped, and we weren’t caught up in situation explanations or troublesome matters. No, before that, Petus stepped up, so they only asked us a few questions and sent us away.

“Even if you seem useless, there are times when you can be helpful?”

“It’s just because the opponent was a Mage Killer! And I’m older. So, please show more respect…”

“Respect can go freeze to death. I’m already being very lenient. Show me what happens if I don’t show respect?”

“A, no, never mind…”

He always does this, even though he’ll immediately back down. This type of person will try to climb on top of you at the slightest opportunity.

Well, I’ll ignore that guy, but more than that.

“Still, it’s a bit of a shame. We solved the problem, but we’re just moving on like this.”

“The Magic Tower is full of old fogeys. They won’t give us anything anyway.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. They’ll nitpick.”

It’s not for nothing that the Magic Tower is said to be stagnant. First of all, its closed-off personality played a role, and there were many old people above who were just giving themselves airs and graces, so generational change did not occur well.

As she said, even if we went to the Magic Tower all meekly and said that we had solved the case, instead of hearing good things, we would be imprisoned for investigation.

“But Senior, did you get all the materials?”

“There are still 4 left.”

“In the Falun Kingdom?”

“Yeah.”

After all, we didn’t just come to get the Essence of Mana.

Falun is a gathering place for many magical materials because of its alias, the Magic Kingdom, and the Magic Tower. At some point, there were materials that could only be obtained here. I remember that it was probably that time now.

“Then it’s going to cost a lot of money?”

We spent 1,000 gold just on the mine use rights. It would cost more than that, not less.

“It’s okay. I have a lot of money.”

The pouch of gold coins she took out was still heavy.

“Well, Senior is rich.”

“You have a lot too. From the prize money you received.”

“I’m not rich compared to Senior.”

After talking about such things for a while, I brought up the topic.

“But Senior, don’t you feel a little wronged?”

“About what?”

“We solved the problem, but there’s no reward.”

“It’s okay.”

“You can’t just let it go like that.”

I looked at Petus, who was following behind with shining eyes.

“From ancient times, it has been said that people who have received a favor must also know how to repay it.”

She tilted her head as if asking what I was talking about, but Petus, sensing the unease, slowly stepped back and said.

“I’ve finished my work, so I’ll be going now…”

“Where are you going? If I saved your life, you have to repay that much.”

I grabbed the nape of his neck.

“S, surely, I’m grateful for the help. But you didn’t save my life. I healed myself…”

“Really?”

“A, no, I’ll do it… Please let me repay you…!”

When I glared at him slightly and kindly persuaded him, Petus allowed it.

“Let’s go, Senior.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Petus.”

“No, I…”

After that, we went around the Magic Tower and the kingdom’s capital to purchase the materials we would use for the competition. I also bought some gifts for Lana and Ellaime while I was at it.

Of course, all the expenses were paid by Petus.

“Ah, my money…”

His eyes lost the will to live from the moment it exceeded 4,000 gold.

Still, you might ask if we spent too much since the other party is still a student, but considering the Magic Tower and the mine work, it was actually a cheap deal.

And this guy is also a noble, so he can afford that much. Of course, his family will be greatly broken, but still.

“If you’ve bought everything, shall we go now?”

“I have no business here.”

Having finished our work, we headed to the warp gate. She paid for this cost as well.

“Don’t ever come again! You devilish guys!”

Petus’s voice filled with resentment was heard behind us as we left. It seemed to have been quite painful.

Having returned to the academy in that way, I put the items down in the workshop and chatted with her appropriately before returning to the dormitory.

“Kyle, you’re back early?”

“Welcome, Master.”

The two greeted me happily. I showed them the food I bought in the Falun Kingdom and said.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

We had lunch under the blue sky of the afternoon. After that, we gave each other the gifts we brought and spent time chatting appropriately.

That day passed in such a way.

***

A few days later.

The Production Department held a production competition.

Episode 59 Production Competition (1)

Episode 59 Production Competition (1)

The Department of Production’s competition is conducted by dividing students by grade level. This is for fairness.

It was obvious that the skills of 2nd year students were superior to those of newly enrolled 1st year students, and the skills of 3rd year students, who were in their graduating year, were incomparable to those of 2nd year students.

Thus, the 1st year students finished their competition on Monday, and the 2nd year students finished on Tuesday.

And on Wednesday, it was the 3rd year students of the Department of Production’s turn.

“Heave-ho.”

I lifted the box. These are all boxes containing materials to be used during the competition. Preservation magic is installed to prevent damage to the materials.

“Senior, I’ve packed everything.”

“Without missing anything?”

“Yes, I packed everything without missing anything. What about you, Senior?”

“I’m all set.”

“Then let’s go.”

The competition starts at 10 o’clock. It was only 8 o’clock, so there was still a long time before the start, but it was better to go early and prepare.

We left the workshop and headed to the venue where the competition was being held.

Then, Ruina Lindel’s backpack suddenly caught my eye. A bag packed to the brim with alchemy tools. It looked precarious, as if it would burst soon, probably because she had crammed them in haphazardly.

“But Senior, didn’t you bring too much?”

“No. I need them all.”

Ruina Lindel shook her head. Well, if she said so, then it must be so. My alchemy skills still couldn’t even reach her toes.

“Still, it must be heavy. Shall I help you?”

“It’s okay. I did it last year too.”

She said that and refused help.

‘It’s okay if you’re okay… .’

But what is this? It’s a sight that’s hard to leave alone.

Ruina Lindel is really small. Her arms and legs are thin, and her height barely reaches my chest. She doesn’t look like she’ll be an adult next year.

So, seeing her carrying a bag that seems to be twice her size with that small body… I feel sorry for her? No, it looks like I’m bullying her.

Of course, I’m also carrying a box so heavy that I can’t see in front of me, but still, the appearance is equally bad. No matter how hard I try to shake it off, that thought doesn’t go away easily.

In the end, I felt a little uncomfortable until I arrived at the competition venue.

***

Upon arriving at the competition venue, we were assigned a room by an employee.

There’s nothing much to do here. You just sit quietly and wait until you are guided to the competition venue.

The reason for doing this is for the smooth progress of the competition and the safety of the participants.

Since that time was also boring, I looked at Ruina Lindel, who was sitting quietly. She was eating a cake, either to replenish her energy before the competition or just because she wanted to eat it.

In my opinion, it’s definitely the latter. I asked her, who was moving her mouth busily.

“Senior. Is there anything I should be careful about during the competition?”

She swallowed the dessert in her mouth and answered my question.

“No. Just do as you usually do.”

“Are you sure that’s all I need to do?”

I asked again.

It was my first time learning alchemy and coming to a competition. I’m a little nervous, even though it’s just a competition.

“Don’t worry. It’s okay to make mistakes.”

“Then I’ll trust only Senior.”

She nodded. Then she stared at me for a moment and said.

“Do you want to eat cake?”

“I’d be grateful if you gave me some.”

I readily accepted the cake she handed me.

Is it because I’m nervous? Strangely, the cake goes down well. It’s an unexpected sight. My life has always been far from tension. I was slightly impressed as it was a rather fresh experience.

As I was munching on the cake with her, an employee came in a little later.

“Please prepare.”

“I understand. Senior.”

I called her.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Carrying the box I had put down, and with me and her carrying our bags again, we left the waiting room. We followed the employee down the hallway.

Unlike other events, the production competition is held indoors. This is because production is affected by even small factors such as dust. Therefore, the competition is held in a building with large-scale purification magic.

Arriving at the competition venue, I thought it was indeed a competition held by Tianis.

First of all, on the 1st floor where the competition was held. There were production tables prepared to suit the students’ specialities. It was a state-of-the-art workshop at a glance.

In addition, the competition prize was visible behind the seats where the judges were far away. A faded bracelet that stretched out the highest in the middle. I immediately realized that it was the 1st prize for this competition.

What about the 2nd floor?

Thousands of spectators are sending their gazes towards the 1st floor. Nobles and merchants are the main ones. Occasionally, there were people wearing robes and people who just came to watch.

There were also familiar faces. It was Brand, the manager of the [Orange Forge] branch in the imperial capital. It seems he came to see this competition.

Then, at the end of my gaze, I see two familiar figures. It was Lana and Ellaime. They came to see me because I told them that I would participate in the competition.

When our eyes met, Lana waved her hand and shouted something, but I couldn’t hear it well. The sound was mixed because the distance was far and there were many people. I waved my hand as if I roughly understood.

And as I moved again, I felt a strange pressure all over my body.

The fighting spirit to win at all costs, the momentum to show everything. The passion and desire of as many as 300 students were gathered and pouring out.

Thud, I put the box down on the workbench that I had already arrived at and said.

“Everyone’s concentration is amazing.”

At my words, the senior looked at me blankly and opened her mouth.

“Are you nervous?”

“Do I look nervous?”

“Yeah.”

The senior nodded slightly. I tried not to show it, but it seems like it came out after all.

“It’s strange if you’re not nervous in this atmosphere.”

Is it because I don’t have a career in this profession? Their desires, seen up close, are more intense than I thought. The fact that I am participating there also played a part.

“Why are you nervous?”

Then I heard Ruina Lindel’s voice. I met her face.

“You’re better than them. So, don’t get swept away. You’re my proud junior.”

“……”

At her words, I looked around the competition venue for a moment.

In fact, when I think about it, there was no reason to be intimidated at all. It wasn’t like I was directly participating in this competition, and I was only participating as Ruina Lindel’s assistant.

My heart is gradually calming down. I expressed my gratitude to her.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah.”

The senior, who answered that, started taking out the tools she had brought from her bag. I also organized the box.

I opened the lid so that the preservation magic wouldn’t be damaged, and arranged the materials in order of use.

The competition announces the production theme in advance. So, she told me the order and method of the production she would make.

“This is what Senior will use, and this is what I will… .”

I had to use alchemy to help her during the production, so I divided the materials she would use and the materials I would use.

By the time I was roughly finished organizing, Ruina Lindel had also organized all the tools she would use for production on the workbench. She even separated what I would use separately.

And a little later. The competition started.

“Please take care of me.”

“I look forward to working with you too.”

We moved our bodies.

***

“Who do you think will win this time?”

“Well… 1st and 2nd year students are still growing, so it’s impossible to predict, but 3rd year students are almost in the final stages.”

“You never know. A lot of time has passed since last year’s competition. Maybe there are students who have grown during that time.”

A year has passed since last year’s competition. That period is enough time to achieve growth. That’s why they were looking at the 1st floor with excited eyes.

Clang! Clang!

Boil, boil

Tap tap tap!

The sound of hammering, the sound of boiling liquid, the sound of tapping something, etc. Various sounds are heard.

Each and every sound calms the mind of making a production. There were also those who visited this place just for investment, but most of them were people related to the production industry.

“Mr. Brand, who do you think will win?”

Then a noble asked the dwarf Brand. But he answered with a sullen expression.

“What kind of evaluation can I give to the skills of those brats? They’re all the same.”

It was a very rude remark, but the noble was not offended. No, everyone gathered in this place was silent.

That’s because Brand only spat out curses when he saw incompetent guys. Or he would only criticize them and then leave the competition venue because he couldn’t overcome his anger.

That’s what he did at the 1st year competition, and he watched the 2nd year competition to the end. However, he left after spitting out a lot of curses.

The fact that he was staying here now, which had just started, meant that it was worth seeing.

“More than that… I don’t know why that guy is here.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“That guy over there. I’m talking about that rascal.”

Brand stretched out his short arm and pointed to a student.

“Hmm, you mean Kyle Arden.”

“Yes. Isn’t that guy a knight?”

“That’s right.”

The noble gestured to the back. Then, a servant handed him a bundle of papers containing the identities of the participants. He looked at the 10th page and said.

“He participated as an assistant to Ruina Lindel, that student.”

In fact, Kyle was diligently assisting Ruina Lindel next to her.

“However, it’s strange as Mr. Brand said. He’s in the Department of Knighthood, and he didn’t do a double major separately.”

“He seems to have a deep understanding of alchemy for a student in the Department of Knighthood.”

“If my eyes are not deceiving me, that’s not the skill to entrust an assistant to.”

The people around him added a word each. They couldn’t believe the current scene.

“Here’s a stabilizer.”

“Thank you.”

He handed her the necessary tools at the exact time according to her actions.

“I’ll inject it in 3 seconds.”

“Okay.”

He was waiting in anticipation of the next step and put the material in at the right timing.

“Senior, I made a small mistake and there are impurities… .”

“It’s okay.”

He even processed the material using alchemy himself and handed it to her.

His movements were quick, and his alchemy was better than most alchemists. He was doing more than 5 people’s worth alone.

Moreover, he seemed to be using the same alchemy as Ruina Lindel.

“I understand that knights are quick to act… .”

“There’s no mention that he learned alchemy.”

“There’s a rumor that he’s been working in her workshop for a few months, but that skill in that short amount of time… .”

“You never know.”

Then Brand interjected.

“Isn’t the Arden family an ordinary bloodline? He may have a talent for alchemy.”

Hearing Brand’s words, they were lost in thought.

The Arden family’s bloodline did not necessarily only have a talent for swords. Sometimes, they showed talent in other areas as well as swords. So, it’s not entirely impossible.

“That being said, if that’s his true skill, then a tremendous monster has been born.”

“That’s right. With Ruina Lindel and his combination, they might even win this competition.”

“I’m looking forward to the judging.”

The spectators nodded in agreement. All the students brought excellent materials and did their best to show their skills, but there was no team that shone as brightly as the two of them.

Aside from them, the judges also seemed to be paying close attention.

***

After a long battle(?) that lasted more than 3 hours, the bell rang and the competition ended.

Now all that’s left is the judging.

A total of 20 judges got up from their seats and moved towards the students.

“Why did you use this method?”

“The heat was too weak and the center was ruined.”

“You only made it look good on the outside. The inside is completely rotten.”

The judges criticized harshly. The competition is also a type of practice. It’s a natural thing.

Of course, it wasn’t just criticism.

“You made it well. Keep working hard like this.”

“It’s a little disappointing. It would have been perfect if you had refined this part a little more.”

They praised the students with high levels of completion.

In fact, even when I looked at it, their productions were excellent. It seems like they couldn’t show their true skills because of nervousness.

After about 30 minutes like that. It was our turn.

The number of participants in this competition was only 300, which was half of the 3rd year students, but there were still many people, so the judges finally arrived.

And the judges who saw the finished productions on our workbench.

“Hmm… .”

“This is… .”

“Hehe… .”

They couldn’t close their mouths and only let out exclamations at Ruina Lindel’s production.

Episode 60 Production Competition (2)

60th Episode Production Contest (2)

“Huhu, how should I evaluate this….”

“There’s nothing to evaluate here. Look at the essence of mana here. This amount of mana would have been quite large. She compressed it to 5cm.”

“And how about the organic combination of each formula? Even a current alchemist would have difficulty creating this in a short time, but a student-level person made it.”

“There’s also nothing to say about the design. It’s a work of art in itself.”

The judges all praised Ruina Lindel’s creation in unison. They didn’t stop there. They examined the finished product meticulously as if dissecting it.

“Oh, Coltan’s technique is slightly added.”

“To be able to abbreviate his alchemy and engrave it like this. Moreover, past techniques are also visible. She interpreted it in her own way while not touching the core.”

“As expected of the Lindel family. The power of a family accumulated over a long period doesn’t go anywhere.”

After examining it to some extent, the judge then poured out various questions.

No matter how well a student made something, they were busy giving only a little praise and heading to the next participant. This is because there were many students gathered at the venue.

However, the fact that they were staying in front of her even after the confirmation was over meant that the completeness of the creation was that outstanding.

“Can you tell me what material you used to stabilize this circuit?”

“I used deep-sea stone, petals of purification, and vampire blood.”

“Why the last ingredient?”

“I’m trying to induce instability to seek structural stability.”

“Indeed… there was a research result that vampire’s peculiarity can draw out such an effect if used properly.”

Some judges nodded as if they understood. Honestly, I, who was listening from the side, didn’t understand what they were saying.

After that, Ruina Lindel answered the judge’s questions without hesitation. I watched the scene blankly for a while. It’s because that appearance was cool.

The appearance full of vitality in her eyes and sincere passion is a type of purity beyond desire. Such an appearance could not be easily found in any field.

That’s why I’m more and more drawn to it. Because it overlapped with Ruina Lindel, who was expressed in novels, webtoons, and games. And because it reminded me of myself at that time.

‘It’s a pity….’

That’s why it was even more regrettable. That such a person dies.

In general, that kind of person somehow lives happily and well. I know it well because I’ve personally seen a few.

“Thank you for creating a work that will remain in my memory for a lifetime, Ruina student.”

“Unless there’s a big upset, it seems like 1st place is confirmed.”

“Professor Kanan? You shouldn’t say things like that carelessly.”

“What’s wrong with that? It seems like most people besides us are feeling the same way.”

In fact, even students far away were approaching and watching her work. Their eyes were shaking as if a major earthquake had occurred. Various other sounds were also heard.

“Is that the work she made?”

“Wow… she came out determined this time.”

“The kids who know Ruina’s skills know it well. It’s not unreasonable for something like that to come out.”

“What about the other guys? They also prepared with determination.”

“What can we do? 1st place is gone.”

Only a small number of people whispered, but everything that was said could be heard.

Just as things were about to be wrapped up, one judge asked Ruina Lindel.

“Lastly, Ruina student. What is your relationship with that student?”

The judge pointed at me with his finger.

Then she turned her head and stared at me blankly for a moment. After looking back at the judge, she hesitated for a moment and slowly opened her mouth.

“He’s my junior who uniquely understands alchemy and… my disciple.”

“I see. Sorry for asking even these things.”

The judge who asked the question smiled faintly. The remaining judges also headed to other students with somewhat smiling faces.

And I felt a gaze from the side. It was my senior’s gaze.

I met her eyes and asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing.”

“Were you dissatisfied with the evaluation? I think 1st place is confirmed when I see it.”

“That’s not it.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded and turned her body to start organizing the tools on the workbench.

“I’ll help you.”

“…Organize the boxes instead of this.”

“Okay.”

I organized the leftover by-products and boxes. A strange atmosphere lingered somewhere, but I continued.

After moving my body like that for a while, I heard my senior’s voice.

“…You know.”

“Is there anything you want me to get?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Then why are you doing that?”

I asked her as she shook her head.

“Are you… okay?”

“What is it? Ah, are you talking about the disciple thing?”

“Yeah.”

I thought something else was bothering her, but it wasn’t a big deal.

“What’s wrong with that? It’s not really wrong.”

When you think about it, I’m learning directly under my senior, so the relationship between teacher and disciple is right. And it doesn’t matter if she says or thinks that we are master and disciple at her own discretion.

I just hadn’t defined this relationship specifically until now, but I was thinking of myself as half a disciple.

When I said that, she carefully opened her mouth.

“You, you hate alchemy.”

…Where did this misunderstanding come from again? I corrected her thoughts.

“I never hated alchemy. Not even once.”

“…You refused.”

“That doesn’t mean I hate it. I just refused because I really don’t have the talent. Of course, it’s also because my senior stubbornly stuck to me.”

“Was it annoying…?”

“Yes, very much. To be honest, I couldn’t help but get upset when you did that for over a month.”

If it was a normal person, they would have fallen off in less than a week. I endured it because it was me.

At that moment, I felt my clothes being pulled from behind. It was my senior who grabbed it.

“…I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

At that word, I turned around. Then the hand that was holding my clothes slid off.

I stared straight into my senior’s eyes. Her eyes were shaking as if she was frightened.

“Why are you apologizing like that? Are you afraid I’m going to stop learning alchemy?”

“…Yeah.”

She nodded, trembling slightly. I said to her as if to soothe her.

“Senior, do you see me as someone who would get angry about that?”

“…No.”

She shook her head and continued.

“You’re kind. You listen to all my stubbornness. You don’t get angry either.”

The evaluation was quite good.

“You’re still like that. You’re considerate of me. So… thank you. You’re my one and only junior and disciple in this world.”

A small smile spread across her face. It’s a rare phenomenon when you think of her usual appearance, which doesn’t show emotional changes on her face. Of course, so is speaking at length.

I didn’t dislike these words.

“That’s enough.”

Yeah, that’s enough. It’s enough if you’re receiving the favors I give you well.

“More than that, should we take a break if you’ve finished organizing?”

“Yeah.”

Anyway, there’s quite a bit of time left until the results are announced. But my mouth felt stuffy just resting. It’s because I worked without rest.

“There’s a snack bar over there, should I buy some drinks?”

“Yeah. Chocolate milk.”

“Okay.”

I got up from my seat and headed to the snack bar.

***

As I was sitting on a chair and sucking on a drink, I heard a sound from the front.

“It seems like they’re announcing the results.”

“Yeah.”

Soon after, an amplified sound echoed throughout the venue. Since they had already taken up time with the contest time, they announced the results right away.

“3rd place is Lecan Orgus!”

A student with a face that looked like it had faced the storms of time from workbench number 113 went forward. Seeing his bulging muscles, no less than a knight, he looked like a blacksmith.

“2nd place is Tissil Redian!”

This time, a female student who looked like an alchemist slowly walked out. She was placed behind us and glared at us a little as she passed by.

And finally.

“1st place is Ruina Lindel!”

My senior was called. I nudged her shoulder and said.

“Senior, go and do well.”

“Okay.”

She jumped off the chair as if jumping and headed to the podium. As she moved, all eyes were focused on her.

Envy, jealousy. Those emotions mainly gathered on her.

Not to mention 1st place, the prize, and the attention of sponsors, they would have glimpsed Ruina Lindel’s tremendous talent. It was not unreasonable to have such feelings.

But she didn’t even give those things a glance and went forward.

Confidently. And confidently.

Tak!

She went up on the podium with the number 1 written on it. In the process, an unfortunate incident occurred where the podium was high and she barely climbed up with the help of those around her, but it was overlooked.

And just as there were various congratulatory speeches and they were about to give the award.

“Judge, I object to the contest results.”

Someone raised their hand and raised an objection to the judge. It wasn’t just that one person. When he stepped forward, other students also stepped forward. It was about 40 people.

Then, a person who seemed to be the representative of the judges came forward.

“Why can’t you accept the results? Is there a problem with this ranking?”

“That’s not it.”

The senior who raised her hand first stepped forward as the representative.

“There is no problem with the ranking. I recognize the works of Lecan, Tissil, and Ruina. It’s not unreasonable to evaluate them as the best in this contest.”

No objections came out. It seemed that most people agreed with that statement.

“However, there is a problem with Ruina’s assistant.”

“According to the contest rules, his participation is not a problem. Moreover, student Alex also hired an assistant and participated in the contest together.”

In fact, many people hired assistants and participated in the contest. About half of them did.

“But he is in the Department of Knighthood.”

He said that in a calm tone. However, the judge answered as if it were not a big deal.

“What problem does that cause? The rules state that any Tianis student can participate as an assistant.”

“Judge, no, Professor Philia! Don’t you know that’s not what I’m saying?”

He shouted at the judge with a slightly excited expression.

“He used alchemy. Despite being in the Department of Knighthood, he used the same alchemy as Ruina. If nothing else, that alone is worth investigating.”

“Is it just because of that?”

“Professor, it’s not just that. For over two years, no one has been able to imitate her alchemy. They haven’t even tried. And a student who has nothing to do with alchemy used that kind of technique?”

He argued. Maybe Ruina Lindel made a plan to make me stand out.

Since a large number of spectators gathered at the production contest, it wasn’t uncommon for such things to happen. There weren’t many opportunities to catch the eye of influential people.

And Ruina senior, who heard those words, intervened.

“Don’t, don’t insult my disciple. The reason you can’t use my stuff is because you don’t have the talent. He’s different from you.”

She was angry as if she was insulted by my work. I could tell how great her anger was from the mana that was fluctuating throughout her body.

“Haa….”

The judge who was watching the situation sighed deeply. And then she opened her mouth quietly.

“I expected this situation. But it’s a more violent reaction than I expected. After all, there seems to be only one way to solve this.”

She spoke with mana.

“Student Kyle Arden. Please come forward.”

Hearing those words, I went out to the podium. Gazes poured out like my senior, but I ignored them.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Huu, it’s not something to make things this big…. What student Kyle has to do is simple. Please show us how you use her alchemy directly.”

“Is that all I have to do?”

“Yes. Then everyone will agree and it will be over.”

“Okay.”

That’s how an impromptu alchemy demonstration was held.

Well, it’s annoying, but this much effort is natural for the sake of the 1st place prize. I expected a similar thing to happen anyway.

The materials are placed in front of me. My senior was far away under the supervision of the judge. This is to rule out the possibility of helping.

“Then let’s start.”

I unfolded the magic circle with both hands. Just that alone made the surroundings exclaim. I ignored it and moved the mana.

I also learned while learning, but senior’s alchemy was fundamentally different from other alchemy.

While other alchemy recognizes materials as one entity, decomposes and assembles them, senior’s alchemy doesn’t end there, but isolates each cell or molecule and recognizes them as individual entities.

That’s why the completeness is more outstanding than others. And that’s not a type that’s possible with an ordinary brain. You had to have at least a great magician-level brain.

At the same time, the process was precise and fast. This side is a stage that requires the sense I mentioned before, not calculation, so it’s not easy for an average alchemist to follow.

The combination method and alchemy timing are the same. The things I memorized have Ruina Lindel’s unique sense in them.

Compress the magic stone with the right hand, rearrange the mana, and place it according to the reduced magic stone.

Engrave the formula inside the prepared magic stone with the left hand, unfold another magic circle with the opposite hand that is playing, and start working again.

While my hands were busy moving, I lowered my voice and said to the professor standing next to me.

“More than that, Professor. Thank you. If you had left it alone, something would have definitely happened.”

“It’s not good to talk while working.”

“I’m not a student in the Department of Production, and I don’t necessarily have to listen. Anyway, senior taught me alchemy, and senior said it’s okay as long as the person involved is okay.”

“…The student is the same as the teacher. The things they do are the same.”

She sighed in frustration.

“Well, as parents and children do, teachers and disciples resemble each other. More than that… it’s over.”

The mana is withdrawn and a ring-shaped magic tool is placed on the table.

It took only 5 minutes to make the magic tool.

“That’s right…. Even the talent is very similar.”

I smiled at her words.

Episode 61 Production Competition (3)

Episode 61 Production Contest (3)

“Would this be enough to prove it?”

I held out the completed magic tool.

The judges immediately reacted.

“It’s perfectly… identical.”

“Indeed. From the way he handles it to his habits, he’s just like Ruina.”

“Haha, it seems he’s her disciple for a reason. There’s no need to see any more.”

As much praise as I received from my senior poured out. I could also hear the judges whispering.

“Tsk, it would be perfect if we could bring him to the Production Department.”

“Ruina will be graduating next year, so it would definitely be good to have him. It’s like another student as outstanding as her has appeared.”

“Is there any way to lure him over?”

“Well, would he even come to our department? Even if we tried to take him, their professors would definitely stop us. They were bragging so much at the last meeting….”

“There’s no need to transfer departments. There’s a double major.”

“Don’t say ridiculous things. Why would he do a double major if there’s no benefit?”

“I think it would be possible if we gave him benefits like a scholarship.”

“Haha, it would be faster to make Ruina a professor and have him take her lectures. He’s Ardyn.”

Well, that’s roughly the kind of conversation that was going on. They tried to keep their voices down as much as possible, but I could hear everything.

For the record, I have no intention of going. I’ll be busy after vacation, so where would I find the time to spend in another department? No way. I’m satisfied with things as they are.

I looked straight ahead. The seniors who had been voicing their doubts until just now couldn’t close their mouths in shock.

Then the professor next to me asked.

“How long has he been learning alchemy from her?”

“About three months.”

“To have this level of skill in such a short period, he really is a genius.”

“I’m still far behind my senior. It’s too crude in terms of completion. And the word genius doesn’t suit me either.”

It doesn’t meet my standards by a long shot. At best, it’s mass-produced level.

Besides, the reason I was able to reach this level is entirely because of the alchemy knowledge I already had. That’s why I reached this point in such a short time. It would be more appropriate to call my senior and the other two geniuses.

When I said that, various sounds erupted from the front.

“Tsk tsk, you conscienceless bastard!”

“Argh! If you were my junior, I would have hit you!”

“I heard you’ve changed a bit, but your personality is exactly the same!”

Not shouts filled with malice, but pure frustration. I said in a calm tone.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Stop joking around. More importantly, Alex. Is there anything more you want to say?”

She looked around at the students who had raised objections besides him. They all had nothing to say and hung their heads.

“…No.”

Alex, too. He closed his mouth and couldn’t continue speaking.

“Then let’s wrap up the awards ceremony.”

She wrapped up the situation.

It had ended in the middle of giving out awards, so the rest was really simple. We stood on the podium again in order of rank, received the awards, and exchanged a few words.

Of course, perhaps because of the performance I showed, more eyes were on me than on the main characters of the competition. I might receive a lot of sponsorship letters soon.

‘Should I be happy about this, or not?’

If it were the past when I didn’t have enough living expenses, I would have welcomed it, but not now. I have enough money, and even if I received a lot of donations, I wouldn’t have anywhere to spend it.

Still, it’s better than nothing. The more money, the better.

‘I’ll think about this later.’

I can deal with it when the time comes.

“This concludes the Production Contest.”

In the meantime, the awards ceremony was finished, and the contest ended. Applause poured out, and the gazes gradually scattered as the contest was wrapped up.

“Senior, come down.”

I, who was behind the podium, reached out my hand to her. The first-place spot was as high as her height.

“Thank you.”

She held the artifact from the Mythical Era tightly in one hand, and grabbed my hand with the other to come down. Being short seemed really inconvenient at times like this.

I asked her, who jumped down.

“Can we go now?”

“Yeah. It’s all over.”

It seems like there’s no after-party or anything.

We returned to the workshop and packed up our belongings. As we did, the participants spoke to us as they left.

“Ruina, that was some alchemy you showed.”

“I lost this time, but I’ll win next time! Just you wait!”

“Hey hey, someone stop him. Those muscleheads are always overflowing with passion.”

“See you next time!”

“Yeah. Goodbye.”

They exchanged pleasantries and left one by one. Of course, they spoke to me as well as my senior.

“You have to transfer to the Production Department. I’ll teach you a thing or two as your senior.”

“I’ll fix that rude behavior of yours, so make sure to come. Got it?!”

I liked their passionate and ungrudging attitude, so I said one thing.

“Surely you don’t think I’d lose. And aren’t you being too harsh on a student who just started learning alchemy when you’ll be graduating in a few months?”

I provoked them in that way. Then everyone went crazy and jumped up and down.

“Tsk tsk, you sly bastard!”

“Aaaargh! You’re cheeky! So cheeky!”

“Don’t mess with my disciple. Just go.”

My senior stepped in and fended them off. With her stepping in, no one else spoke to me. Instead, they grumbled as they left.

“Just you wait. I’ll show you the bitterness of society.”

“In a few years, that attitude of yours won’t last long.”

Hmm, they’re seriously mistaken. I have no intention of becoming an alchemist as a profession, though. Judging by their reactions, they were half considering me an alchemist.

“They’re good kids. Don’t get angry.”

“I know. Their words are like that, but they don’t have any malice.”

So, the things they’re thinking won’t happen.

Just as we were about to leave the competition venue. This time, the judges, no, the faculty members approached.

“Kyle. Have you considered transferring? Or even a double major…!”

“We’ll give you scholarships, lectures, and exemptions from assignments. You just have to come take the exams.”

“We’ll provide as much convenience as possible. Please consider it positively.”

They were wooing me very aggressively. Am I that tempting?

Of course, my senior stepped in again this time.

“Don’t mess with my disciple. Professors.”

My senior stood in front of me and blocked their approach.

Nevertheless, the professors didn’t give in.

“But Ruina. You know that Kyle has too much talent to be kept in the Department of Magic Engineering.”

“That’s right. We can’t let his talent rot. That would be a loss in itself.”

“Even though we don’t have suitable students to send to this year’s Academy Exchange, he would be a great help if he were there.”

The professors tried to persuade me and my senior with various reasons.

“No.”

My senior, who drew a firm line, pushed them away with her small height. Eventually, they stepped back after she went that far.

Well, they hadn’t given up.

“Whenever you want, if you have any thoughts, come to the Production Department and ask any professor.”

They shouted enthusiastically until they were far away.

I looked at my senior who had sent the professors back. Her shoulders were drooping.

“Are you okay?”

“…No.”

She seemed to be in a bad mood from what just happened.

“The professors are bad. I found him first. I taught him alchemy too. But they’re trying to take him away.”

“Do you dislike that?”

“Yeah. You’re my disciple. I’m your teacher. So, don’t go. I’ll teach you everything.”

A gloomy voice. Her emotions are changing a lot today.

I soothed her and said.

“I’m not going. As you said, I’m your disciple.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. More than anything, I don’t have time. I have a lot of things to do.”

Besides, to graduate from the academy, I have to take the graduation exam. In other words, if I did a double major, I would have to pass two exams. It’s too much of a hassle.

“I see. Kneel down.”

“Like this?”

I did as she asked. Then my senior reached out her hand to my head.

“You did well today. I’m proud of you. Just keep doing this.”

As always, she patted my head to show her praise. I’m used to this now.

“I understand, Senior.”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

We headed to the workshop. We talked about various things as we went.

“Artifact. How much do you need?”

“About 10%? That’s enough.”

“I can give you more.”

“I’m going to make an accessory, so I only need a little bit.”

It’s to cover the outside of the accessory, so I don’t need a lot. She’ll probably understand what I mean right away if I explain it to her.

“But will it be possible to commission it right away?”

“No. I’m busy for the time being. I have something to do.”

“Will it take long?”

“It’ll take two weeks to a month.”

“Hmm….”

I fell into thought for a moment.

A month later is the final exam. If I start production then, the deadline will be a little tight.

‘It would be better to finish it before the final exam if possible.’

The tool I’m trying to make needs to be processed separately after it’s completed. About a week?

Considering the schedule, it should be completed around the time I take the final exam. That way, I can give it to her on time.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

So, even though I don’t know what she’s making, I asked if there’s anything I can help with. Then my senior seemed to hesitate for a moment before opening her mouth.

“If you have the knowledge, you can help.”

“Really? Then can I help you?”

If that’s the case, there’s even less of a problem. I have enough knowledge about alchemy.

“Then….”

As if it were difficult to say, my senior hesitated for a moment. But she didn’t take long and said it straight away.

“Do you know about the Philosopher’s Stone?”

“……”

The moment I heard those words, the excitement I had felt until now sank down.

‘…So, this is it.’

I realized why she was so passionate about the Production Contest. And I immediately recalled what episode this would lead to.

But I didn’t show it and spoke as usual.

“Senior. The Philosopher’s Stone is a substance that humans can’t create. There’s a reason it’s called a legendary substance.”

“No. It has been created before.”

“Yes, it has been created. But that’s only happened twice.”

Once in the Mythical Era, and once again during the founding of the Tyran Empire.

It has only appeared twice in the history of the continent.

The former is uncertain, but the latter is certain. After all, the first emperor confirmed it himself.

As a result, 400 years ago, the alchemists who treated the Philosopher’s Stone as a virtual substance changed their perception after hearing the first emperor’s answer.

Due to that, countless alchemists devoted themselves to research on the Philosopher’s Stone, but the results were all failures.

Therefore, it is currently regarded as a legendary substance that exists but cannot be created.

“So, give up. In the first place, there aren’t even any related documents, so how are you going to make it? There’s no related information in the Tianis Library either.”

The Philosopher’s Stone is too dangerous of an object, so the first emperor didn’t even hide it in the library.

“No, there is. At our house….”

“Senior, if that’s true, all the alchemists and magicians will chase after you. And is it okay for you to tell me that?”

But my senior nodded as if it were nothing.

“Yeah. You’ll protect me, right.”

“Senior… You might get backstabbed.”

“Not you.”

“…Haa.”

Really, all I could do was sigh.

The source of that trust is clearly from the image I’ve shown so far, but I wish she wouldn’t do that. What if I betray her along the way?

“I’m telling you this as advice. The Philosopher’s Stone is a substance that can threaten the world. Are you still going to make it?”

“It’s my lifelong wish. I definitely want to make it.”

Yeah, no matter what I say, she’ll somehow create the Philosopher’s Stone. That’s her destiny.

And this isn’t about making the Philosopher’s Stone right away. She’ll complete it in two years. This is probably the basic stage.

“I understand. I’ll help you. But please keep in mind that I only have knowledge, I don’t know how to make it.”

“It’s okay.”

She smiled faintly as if she were happy. I sighed inwardly again and opened my mouth.

“Then I’ll be going. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, goodbye.”

In the meantime, we arrived at the workshop and finished organizing. I left the workshop.

“Tsk, I’m going to be busy again.”

***

The room Kyle left.

Ruina Lindell stared at the door her disciple had left through for a long time. And after a long time, she opened her mouth.

“He’s an amazing kid.”

At the same time, he’s an admirable child.

How did such a talented and cute child become her disciple?

Ruina Lindell was so happy and amazed by that fact.

Perhaps it was a bond given by the gods?

“I hope he stays my disciple forever.”

The first wish she’s had in her life after alchemy.

She wanted him to continue learning under her, researching alchemy, and being her assistant. Ruina Lindell wanted that.

Then her heart rate gradually increased.

“What is it?”

Ruina tilted her head at the strange phenomenon.

Ruina’s mind was always full of alchemy. That’s why she didn’t know what this phenomenon meant.

It wasn’t a bad feeling. The fast but regular beating gave her a sense of stability.

Ruina sat in a chair, closed her eyes, and focused on the rhythm. It was an addictive beat that she wanted to keep listening to. Her mind gradually sank below the surface of the water.

But then.

Woo-oong—

Vibration felt from the subspace pocket.

Ruina came to her senses and took out the secret communication device. There was only one person who would contact her through this device.

-Did you get the item?

That voice she didn’t want to hear. But Ruina answered her father’s question because she knew what the consequences would be if she was late.

“I got it, Father.”

-Finally, finally you’ve obtained the item that will be the foundation for it. But why didn’t you contact me right away?

“Organizing… Ugh…!”

Ruina grabbed her heart at the sudden pain. Black energy flowed out of her heart and enveloped her entire body.

-I didn’t want that kind of answer. You damn bitch…!

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Father….”

As the soul-tearing pain rushed in, she crawled on the ground.

The intense pain was so severe. Veins popped out all over her body, and she scratched the ground so hard that her fingernails came off.

Even though this situation was clearly being conveyed, the man didn’t stop. The pain subsided only after she vomited blood a few times.

-From today, report everything about the Philosopher’s Stone immediately.

“Yes, yes….”

A cold word that didn’t seem like a father-daughter relationship. Nevertheless, Ruina couldn’t let go of the communication device and could only send an answer saying she understood.

-To think that such a stupid bitch was born. More than that.

“Yes, Father….”

-For the sake of the family’s long-cherished wish, be sure to complete the Philosopher’s Stone. If you fail, you may be offered as a sacrifice to that person. Keep that in mind. Your worth.

“I will definitely complete it. I will….”

-Tsk.

The man clicked his tongue and the communication was cut off. At the same time, the black energy that had been consuming her was sucked back into her heart.

“……”

Ruina getting up from the floor. She looked at the mirror placed in the corner of the workshop.

Her face had returned to being expressionless.

The lively eyes were also empty.

And, even her heart that had been pounding until just now.

“It’s not beating….”

It had sunk coldly, like her emotionless tone.

Episode 62 End Of Semester (1)

Episode 62 End of Semester (1)

The academy’s time was coming to an end. And my morning, which should have been leisurely, was a little busy.

“Young master. They’ve arrived again today.”

“Again?”

I rubbed my temples. Her voice brought on another headache.

“There are fewer today. Only 10 have arrived.”

10? That’s less than usual. On average, 30 letters poured in every two or three days.

“Who are the senders?”

“Unfortunately, it’s only people who are sending for the first time.”

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue and received the bundle of letters. I flipped through them one by one, checking. As she said, they were all from people sending for the first time.

Of course, there were some big names mixed in, so I could roughly tell which affiliations they belonged to.

Mainly nobles, adventurers, and people related to guilds. Sometimes, letters from professors also arrive. Even though we’re in the same academy.

The beginning of this was, of course, due to the crafting competition. Onlookers who confirmed my skills are sending letters to form connections with me.

The contents also vary. Suggestions such as, let’s sign a contract, I want to commission you, do you have any thoughts on transferring affiliations, let’s meet if you have time, etc. were written in the letters.

It seems strange that they’re doing this much knowing what kind of guy I am, but Senior Ruina said it’s a common occurrence in this field.

The crafting industry is a place where meritocracy is deeply rooted. So, even if the personality is bad, even if the crafter is eccentric, if their skills are good, they’ll get commissions.

It was true. What’s most important to customers is someone who can make their equipment with a high degree of perfection.

Of course, that’s why I’m the only one suffering.

“When am I going to write these 10?”

While complaining like that, I picked up luxurious stationery and a pen. And after tearing open the letter seals, I checked the contents and wrote accordingly.

“Ugh, this is annoying….”

While expressing my frustration, my hands move busily. It’s something I’ve repeated several times, so I’m used to it now.

But it’s still annoying. This has been going on over hundreds of times, so my patience is gradually running out.

But I can’t just write back carelessly. All of these people have power in some way. Thinking about the future, it’s better to keep making connections.

As I was writing letters, a cup was placed next to me. It was ice water.

“Take your time, young master.”

“Thanks, Noona.”

I put down the pen and drank some water.

It’s getting hotter as it’s almost summer. Because of that, the academy had high temperatures from the morning. So, if I concentrate even a little, I’m soon sweating from the heat.

“Still, it’s a relief that there are fewer today.”

“I know, right. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about staying up all night.”

Ugh, I get angry again when I think about the first day.

The day the letter rush started was really chaotic.

Carrier pigeons and delivery people kept coming and going, and since there wasn’t a proper mailbox, over 100 letters piled up near my room and window….

Because of that, I exploded the first time trying to figure out the situation, and exploded the second time staying up until dawn writing letters.

In the meantime, the cost of stationery alone was in gold coins. I couldn’t use trash paper since the senders were who they were. I had plenty of money so I wasn’t worried, but I couldn’t help but get annoyed at spending money on useless things.

Even in a situation where I was busy studying for the final exams, my strong mentality was shattered. Of course, that was only in the first week, and I’ve recovered now that the letters have decreased.

“Sigh… how long will they keep coming?”

“Judging by the frequency, I think they’ll stop soon.”

“I think so too, but….”

Hmm, I should probably stop showing alchemy in front of others. I don’t have any intention of going into that field anyway, and it’s not my most outstanding talent.

Besides, I only participated in the crafting competition because I was interested in the materials. Unless there’s an award that I’m greedy for later, there won’t be a need to use alchemy.

Well, I can’t help the rumors that have already spread.

The crafting department 3rd years confirmed it with their own eyes, and from their mouths it spread to the 1st and 2nd years. And then it spread to other departments, to the point where there’s no one who doesn’t know.

Other than being harassed by the professors from the knight and crafting departments because of that, there aren’t many annoying things at the academy.

“Phew, I’m done.”

In the meantime, I finished writing everything.

After sealing them, I put them in my inside pocket. I’m planning to stop by the student center later to send them.

In other dorms, they take care of these miscellaneous tasks, but I’m in the lowest-grade dorm. There are still many inconveniences since I have to do it myself.

But I have no intention of giving up this place. The fact that there are no people is a big advantage in itself.

I tidied myself up and left the dorm, running towards the knight department grounds. I arrived at the lecture room.

“Have a good day today, young master.”

“Yeah.”

I entered the lecture room, receiving Elime’s small encouragement.

Since the crafting competition, time has flowed and flowed, and before I knew it, the exams were right around the corner. Next week is the final exam.

How long has it been since the midterm exams that it’s already exams again? Sometimes it feels like time really flies by quickly.

‘Once it’s over, it’s vacation.’

If it’s vacation, then various episodes await. The 2nd semester is the path for Evan to go to the 2nd year, so various incidents are intertwined.

Most of the episodes in the 2nd year can be seen as connected from here.

Of course, it’s a bit doubtful whether they’ll happen as is. There’s a possibility that the episodes will be twisted because I’m here. It’s so complicatedly intertwined from here.

Just the World Tree problem alone….

Anyway, so I have to get good grades as planned.

“I will start the lecture.”

At the professor’s words, I sat down in my seat, and soon the lecture began.

***

The lecture ended. According to the professor, the difficulty of the exam will be similar to the last one. Then there’s no problem.

“Where’s Lana?”

“She said she’ll be late because she’s finishing up an assignment, and that she’ll be here soon if you wait at the cafeteria.”

“Is that so?”

If it’s an assignment, there’s no helping it.

I told Lana’s summon to tell her and moved to the cafeteria.

The overall atmosphere of the student cafeteria I arrived at had changed. It’s because they made various changes as they entered summer.

The background was also changed to be refreshing, and the menu was changed to match the summer. The cafe that you can see over there, which was installed as a summer limited-time thing, is also part of the change.

I headed straight to the cafe.

“What are you going to drink?”

“I’ll have a cream soda.”

After hearing Elime’s words, I ordered an iced coffee and a cream soda. I paid and the menu I ordered came out in no time.

We sat down in a suitable place and drank our drinks. The cold coffee went down my throat, cooling down my body heat.

‘Trianis is good in this regard.’

This kind of thing is impossible at other academies. What school installs a cafe for students? And even so that they can spend the hot summer coolly.

Of course, magic exists so ice can be easily made, but it’s difficult to even have the facilities for that.

So, this cafe is quite a specialty of Trianis. Every summer, as many people gather as in the library.

For reference, they also sell shaved ice. And shaved ice made with milk. The main character Evan really likes that.

Look at that. The guy who appeared like a ghost to eat shaved ice.

“Shaved ice, please!”

Evan, who ran straight to the cafe and shouted that, was covered in sweat. After receiving the menu, he found us.

“Hyung and Noona? Hello!”

Evan naturally joined us. And then he started devouring the shaved ice.

“Eat slowly, eat slowly. No one’s going to take it away from you.”

Even so, Evan wasn’t going to stop. He only stopped doing that after his teeth were cold and his head hurt.

“Ugh, it’s cold….”

“…Why are you being so foolish.”

It’s a scene that makes me sigh. Sometimes he does stupid things. Even Elime’s thoughts, although not revealed on her face, were all visible.

“And why are you sweating so much?”

It was definitely summer, but it wasn’t weather to be sweating profusely.

“That’s, well….”

Evan came closer and whispered in my ear.

“I finally, used magic…!”

“Oh, is that so.”

I thought something huge had happened.

“Hyung, aren’t you being too indifferent?”

“Then should I congratulate you?”

“That’s what I mean.”

Saying that, Evan nonchalantly moved on.

“So you were sweating because of that?”

“That’s right. I was so excited that I used it recklessly, so my mana ran out.”

If it wasn’t for the mystery he gained during the library incident, he would have been passed out in the training grounds.

“So how much can you use?”

“I just learned it, so I can only use Magic Arrow.”

One 1st circle magic is quite fast. Even a wizard who has just entered magic takes time to handle multiple magics. It was worth studying in advance.

The fact that he learned magic is one thing.

“Then Evan. Starting today, stop learning from me, and double major in the magic department next semester.”

“Yes? I haven’t learned everything yet….”

“No, you don’t need to learn for the time being.”

I explained it well to Evan.

First of all, the fact that he used magic means that he found the most optimal mana circuit for himself. It may not be perfect, but he has met the minimum conditions.

So from now on, all he has to do is increase the level of magic. Along with martial arts. But even if he continues to learn under me, I can’t promise the growth of his level.

What I can do is limited after all, and like martial arts, practical experience is of great help to the growth of magic. It’s much better to grow through competition with kids of similar level.

And as I just said, now that he can use magic, there’s nothing I can do to help him here.

The level of the magic swordsman is also divided into stages. For now, he has to reach the level of skillfully handling magic and martial arts to give the next teaching.

“Hmm… it’s not because you’re too lazy, is it?”

“…What do you think of me to say that?”

“Hey, I’ve been rolling under Hyung for several months. I thought you were just being lazy.”

Sigh, I shouldn’t have said anything.

“Anyway, the answer is only training and practice right now, right?”

“Yeah. So keep trying while preparing for the exams.”

“I understand, Hyung. And thank you. Ah…!”

Evan suddenly looked surprised and looked behind me.

“What is it?”

“I’ll be going now. Then have a good time.”

There was no answer that came back, and he got up from his seat and left quickly with a greeting.

Immediately after, an arm popped out with a familiar presence and covered me.

“Kyle! I’m here!”

“It’s going to be hot, so sit next to me….”

Whack!

At that moment, something biting my head. It was a force that would have pierced my skull if it wasn’t for mana.

“Leo! You can’t do that!”

Just as Lana, who was surprised, was trying to desperately pull him away. I moved first and grabbed him.

“You lizard bastard….”

I glared at Lana’s summon that I contracted during the last library incident. The black scales all over his body were quite impressive, but his actions were not.

[Let go of me, human! She’s the only one who can touch me!]

A voice transmitted in my head. As expected of the progenitor of magic, he can use message magic even though he’s a hatchling.

“I knew it, a race that’s only full of pride.”

Whether it goes anywhere or not, he’s like this even though he’s young.

This guy had been sleeping ever since the library incident, and woke up a week ago.

He was also a useful guy in the story, so I went to see him. Then he bit and raged as soon as he saw me. The reason is just that he doesn’t like me.

So this happens every time we meet. I wish he would stay in the land of contract, but he always tries to stick by Lana’s side, so there’s no day he stops.

Nene, who pecked at my head, seems more like an angel in comparison.

I handed the thrashing guy over to Lana.

“I’m sorry, Kyle. Leo’s young so he doesn’t listen well.”

“He’ll get better when he gets older, right.”

Or he’ll go to the brink of death.

Generally, dragons get their minds fixed when that happens. Of course, I’m not going to do it. That’s just the future that awaits him.

“Sit and wait.”

“Okay!”

After ordering her favorite drink, I brought it and had an everyday conversation.

“Kyle, do you think you’ll do well on this exam?”

“I’ve been studying every day and it’ll come out well. How about you?”

“Huh? Hehe, I’m doing well too. It’s less difficult than in the 1st year. Maybe I’ll be at the top again?”

Well, she’s never missed being at the top until graduation.

“But Kyle. What are you doing after the semester ends? Are you going… home?”

Lana asked carefully.

“I don’t know. I think I’ll be here.”

To be honest, I don’t want to go back to the family until graduation. It’s just going to be uncomfortable anyway.

And what should I say. When I think about home, my body instinctively rejects it. It seems to be because of the remaining memories of Kyle Arden.

Besides, the dorms are for 1 year, so I can use them during vacation too. At least I have a place to sleep. So there’s no need to go to an uncomfortable place.

Elime reacted when I said that.

“Young master? Are you really going to be here? Still, the family is better than here….”

“I have things to do so I’m staying.”

I made an excuse for now. There was no need to let them know that I didn’t want to go home.

“Then… are you free on the festival day?”

Now that I think about it, there was the founding festival.

I think she’s saying let’s hang out then, but I don’t mind. My volunteer work is slowly coming to an end and I had a lot of time.

“I have time. Lana, if you’re okay with it, we can hang out then.”

“Yeah! I’ll be looking forward to it. Ah, how about you come with us too, Unnie?”

“I’ll contact you if my schedule is open.”

Elime said that, but unfortunately she can’t participate. It’s because I’m going to send her back to the family. I can’t let a talent like her rot in a place like this.

I’m sad that Noona is leaving too, but I have to endure it for the future.

After that, we talked, and we left our seats at Lana’s words that she had an afternoon lecture.

The next place I headed to was Senior Ruina’s workshop.

Episode 63 End Of Semester (2)

Episode 63: End of Semester (2)

I arrived at the senior’s workshop.

Knock knock

After knocking once and waiting for a moment, I spoke to the other side.

“Senior, I’m coming in.”

I didn’t do this before, but I’m being careful since starting the Philosopher’s Stone research.

The workshop I entered was dark without a single light. The windows were tightly blocked, so there was no gap for light to enter.

Thanks to that, I couldn’t see anything in my field of vision, but fortunately, the mana flowing from the floor slightly illuminated the darkness.

I looked at the magic circles that filled the floor. Each and every one was a high-level, large and small magic circle connected by lines and figures to form a huge magic circle.

The senior’s workshop underwent a major construction for this. Unnecessary furniture was taken out, the material of the walls was completely changed, and safety devices were planted everywhere.

It cost quite a lot. I think it cost about 10 million gold?

As a result, I can’t help but be careful. I tried not to step on the lines and approached the senior in the center. She was squatting down and modifying the core formula.

Tap tap, I touched her shoulder, and she turned her head.

“You came?”

“Yes. But did you stay up all night again?”

“Yeah.”

Her eyes, as she nodded, had large shadows underneath.

“If you overdo it, you’ll make mistakes later.”

“It’s okay. I’ll get better if I sleep for a day.”

That’s not wrong. The senior’s body is unique, so even most wounds heal quickly. So, nothing will happen if she doesn’t get a little sleep.

Even so, physical fatigue and mental fatigue are clearly different. I know she’s working hard for the Philosopher’s Stone research, but she needs to rest when she needs to.

“Anyway, don’t stay up all night today and be sure to get some sleep.”

I gave her a warning. Once, I left her alone, and she didn’t sleep for four days in a row. Her obsession and madness for the Philosopher’s Stone was that great.

Still, she understood and nodded.

“Okay. I’m almost done anyway.”

“Let me take a look for a moment.”

I picked her up, who was squatting, and put her next to me. She’s probably been in this state for almost 12 hours, so her body is stiff.

After that, I checked the magic circle. The magic circle I checked today was very different from before.

“You’ve completely changed the core itself?”

“I changed it because of safety.”

Some time ago, a phenomenon occurred in which the surrounding temperature increased during the activation of some magic circles. But overall, it’s not a big problem.

“That’s within the margin of error, so it’s okay to leave it alone. As I said before, the process of making the Philosopher’s Stone cannot be perfect.”

At least according to my knowledge, the Philosopher’s Stone is often born by luck.

“No. It has to be perfect.”

The senior said firmly.

Well, she’s the one who’s executing it, not me, so there’s nothing much I can say. I was just an assistant to help her.

“I see a few places to modify.”

I pointed to the magic circle and circuit. If you activate alchemy in this state, mana collision will occur and cause a runaway.

“Okay. I’m going to do it now. Wake me up.”

“Yes.”

I planted mana in her body to stimulate her stiff body. Then, she twitched and her body began to move. I reached out and woke her up.

Looking at that figure for almost a month, I also get this thought. I wonder how they would have dealt with it in the novel.

There would have been no one to help. It’s amazing that she completed the Philosopher’s Stone in this state.

“Senior. I don’t expect you to exercise, but move around once every hour. Would you be like this even if I wasn’t here?”

“…Don’t nag.”

“You shouldn’t ignore your disciple’s advice like that.”

“…You’re petty.”

She grumbled like that when I eliminated the loopholes.

After the relationship between master and disciple became established, emotional changes became more noticeable, limited to me. And if she could agree, she tried to fix it.

“I’ll take care of this side. Senior, please take care of that side.”

“Okay.”

She and I took our positions and started modifying the circuit and magic circle. Of course, it wasn’t easy. Even if it looks like a simple process, if you modify one place, problems occur in other places.

We shared our opinions on that again.

“Wouldn’t it be better to accelerate here?”

“It becomes unstable. It’s better to eliminate it.”

Delete unnecessary parts.

“It looks better to abbreviate here.”

“Yeah. It doesn’t seem to be a problem.”

Add parts to supplement.

As time passed, we finished. We examined the huge magic circle.

“It’s generally cleaner.”

“It’s not messy.”

When she first established the theory and started drawing based on the data she had, the magic circle was really dirty. I even wondered if alchemy could be used with this.

That’s because the data is old. When it was converted to the current one, countless errors and interpretations occurred.

So, we applied my and the senior’s alchemy knowledge and fixed them one by one.

That process took about 2 weeks. Even the basic stage of Philosopher’s Stone production is not easy.

Still, after several weeks of effort, the best magic circle was born.

“Shall we activate it?”

“The materials are over there.”

I brought practice materials and put them on the magic circle. We couldn’t recklessly use the core materials in a situation where we didn’t even know if it would succeed.

She stood in the center, and I stood next to her in the auxiliary magic circle.

“Shall we?”

“I’m ready, so do it anytime.”

The senior nodded.

She immediately unfolded the magic circle on her hand. She faced it with the magic circle in the center.

Woong—

The two magic circles resonate. Immediately after, they completely combined with each other.

Click!

The senior turned her hand as it was. Then, the safety device was released and alchemy was activated.

The central formation erupted with mana. I immediately started controlling the mana with all my might. The senior is in charge of alchemy, and I am in charge of mana.

Sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly. Mana flowing through the circuit according to control. The mana flow, operation order, and mana amount were set for each part, so there should be no mistakes.

The exact amount of mana was filled without deficiency. I quietly called the senior.

“It’s done.”

“Okay.”

With her answer, alchemy was activated.

Magic circles of different sizes emitted light. They were integrated along the circuit, separated, and exerted their respective effects.

The target is, of course, the materials. More than 100 magic circles were prepared just to handle the materials.

The materials rise according to the senior’s guidance. Once again, the magic circle emitted light and was wrapped in a mana sphere. At that moment, the mana laid in the circuit was sucked into the sphere.

“Focus.”

I came to my senses at the quiet voice. I filled the circuit with mana as much as it had escaped. The senior handled alchemy again.

The material decomposes. The separated substances revolved around the sphere. And once again, they move according to her will.

It’s an amazing sight. The senior was handling dozens of materials alone.

Moreover, it’s a more advanced alchemy than before. Her skill already exceeded the Archmage. Perhaps she gained enlightenment from this research.

“Hoo….”

After the recreation was over, she let out a short breath. But this is not the end.

“Mana, pour it in.”

A short word. I gathered all the mana spreading in the workshop and circuit and poured it into her.

Hoo Woong-!!

The wind swirls in the massive mana. But the senior and I ignored it and focused only on alchemy.

As the mana gathered, the scattered materials became a single line and gathered to her hand. At the same time, a huge amount of mana was sucked in.

A black sphere created like that. Wrapped in a barrier that induces isolation from the outside, the inside was not visible.

Of course, the situation inside was clearly visible to me, who was participating in this process.

Some materials begin to be reassembled, and some materials disappear as they become food for other materials.

Creation and destruction. It was repeated countless times inside the sphere.

Perhaps due to the aftermath, the size of the sphere gradually increased. It continued to increase in size as if a bomb was exploding.

Then the sphere stopped expanding at the size of a head.

Koong….

It emitted a small vibration.

Koong….

Once again.

The senior and I waited in case we could deal with it at any time. It had exploded at this stage last time.

But after 5 minutes, and after 10 minutes, the feared event did not occur. Rather, the expected reaction occurred.

The black sphere is compressed. The black light also faded and became a transparent color. After that, it was completely compressed and a transparent marble was born.

“Senior, this….”

“It’s done…! I completed it!”

Before I could say anything, the senior jumped up and down. Anyone could tell that she was happy, her voice became louder, and a smile bloomed on her face.

I blankly watched the scene.

Has she ever shown such a ‘sincere’ smile? No, before that, have I ever seen a human expression on her face?

If I were to answer that question, I would definitely say no.

In novels, webtoons, and games. She may have shown small changes, but she never showed true emotions.

Frankly, it’s a bit shocking.

The Philosopher’s Stone production was due to her father’s orders. Even so, she smiled brightly as if she had everything in the world.

“Senior. Are you happy?”

I quietly called her.

“Yeah! The Philosopher’s Stone is, my everything…!”

She replied with eyes that were so full of life that they sparkled, just like at the production competition.

“Then I’m glad.”

It was still only the basic stage, but her smile didn’t stop. But perhaps because of that. Because of that, the hand holding the marble was strained.

Crack-!

Then a sound of something breaking. The senior spread her hand. In her hand was a marble that had been shattered beyond recognition.

“Ah….”

“It’s broken.”

“Yeah, it’s broken.”

The truly absurd situation is… no, it wasn’t. It’s a natural result since I used practice materials.

The tone returned to normal as the result of the hard work was broken in less than a minute. Of course, her will is full.

“You’re going to make it right away, right?”

“Yeah. The materials are in the next room.”

Now that she had confirmed the success, there was no reason to delay. She brought the precious materials and placed them in each position.

A little later, she activated alchemy again.

“How is it? Is it well done?”

“It’s perfect.”

I received the marble from the senior and examined it.

First of all, the marble did not break easily like the one made with practice materials. It was fine even when I swung it with Karsa wrapped in sword energy. It didn’t even get a scratch.

In the first place, the Philosopher’s Stone is called a perfect substance. It’s the basis of that, so it’s perhaps a natural result. At first glance, the structure is perfect.

“Does that mean the basics are over?”

The senior nodded and opened her mouth.

“Now we have to wait. Until the next stage.”

The method of making the Philosopher’s Stone according to the senior’s data is unique.

The production method, which is divided into a total of 10 stages, has a time to reach the next process for each stage. Now, in the first stage, you have to wait 3 months to enter the second stage.

So, as the senior said, you have to have patience.

Well, it is said that there is no fixed format for making the Philosopher’s Stone, but this side is quite unique and amazing.

The senior, who carefully stored the marble in the safe, came to me. And she grabbed my hand.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I finished quickly.”

I answered her gratitude appropriately.

“You would have finished it soon even if it wasn’t me. You said it would be over in 4 weeks at the latest.”

2 weeks to 1 month. That was the period set by the senior. But she shook her head.

“No. It would have taken longer without you. There were too many variables.”

Hmm, come to think of it, when I started working, I spent almost all night in the workshop with the senior, racking my brains. Perhaps it really would have taken longer.

“So, you did even better.”

After letting go of my hand, she stretched her heels and reached out to my head this time. I reflexively bent my knees slightly.

“You’re admirable. Meeting you is the luck of a lifetime.”

“Is that so.”

“Yeah.”

The senior was slightly shy and bowed her head. A little later, the senior, who had returned to normal, asked.

“So? What’s the request?”

I hadn’t forgotten. But I didn’t know she would turn in that direction right away.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“It’s okay. I’m not going to make it right away. I’ll just listen to the contents.”

“If that’s the case….”

I took out the materials from the modified school uniform subspace pocket like the senior.

The metal used to make Karsa, Lich’s Life Vessel, the Magician Killer’s Artifact, the Mythic Era Artifact.

These four are the main ingredients for now. In addition, there are also sub-materials that I obtained by wandering around here and there.

The senior tilted her head as she looked at it.

“Are you going to destroy the city?”

“Why are you saying such a gruesome thing?”

“It’s not a bomb material, is it?”

“It’s not.”

How on earth do you come up with a bomb from this combination?

I finally took out and unfolded a drawing containing the approximate form and explanation of the product I wanted to make.

“This is what I want to make.”

She moved her eyes here and there and looked at the drawing. And she said one word.

“It’s too much. You can reduce the materials. The desired completeness will come out.”

“I know that too.”

“Then? Why?”

“I have my own thoughts. In my opinion, this is the best.”

“Okay. I’ll make it as it is.”

She took the materials and drawings.

“I’m in your care.”

“Yeah. Leave it to me.”

Her enthusiastic appearance was truly reliable.

Episode 64 End Of Semester (3)

Episode 64 End of Semester (3)

The monster, snorting, charged. Its massive body and rough movements created an immense phenomenon in themselves.

Dust clouds scattered, obscuring the view, and the earth shook to the point where it felt like an earthquake.

I drew up mana to steady myself, and coated my sword with sword energy.

The distance grew closer and closer. Just as its body filled my entire field of vision, I lowered myself as much as possible and dug into the monster’s legs. Then, I swung my sword horizontally in a wide arc.

Shluk-!

The sound of flesh tearing. The sharpness, layered with sword energy and Karsa, easily cleaved through the leg as thick as a log.

The monster, having lost its mobility due to the severed leg, toppled forward.

“Kweeekk!!”

The monster thrashed about in agony. I unleashed a series of sword strikes to inflict shock.

Each time, wounds appeared on its hide, and after a short while, the flesh that had absorbed the impact trembled slightly.

A sign that a special ability was about to activate. It was a stage where everyone was flustered and unable to respond properly.

For one, it was difficult to notice, and even if they knew, they couldn’t succeed in the attack without exceptional observation skills.

But the weakness was visible to my eyes. The right flank. The only area where the frequency was different from all the other parts.

As soon as I confirmed that, I retrieved my sword and reforged the sword energy anew. I unleashed Karsa.

The sword moved forward like a javelin. Without resistance, the tip of the blade cut through the flesh, and blood gushed out with a whoosh.

“Kkuuikk….”

Moreover, it had penetrated the lungs and heart. The monster couldn’t even let out a proper groan and collapsed onto the ground.

“Kyle Ardeen! Hunting time: 1 minute 59 seconds!”

The professor’s voice echoed from the sky.

As if indicating the end of the exam, the monster’s form in front of me disappeared with a whoosh. The background surrounding me also changed to gray walls.

All of that realism was an illusion. This was also a room prepared for the exam. This lecture was a course designed to have us fight against a variety of monsters.

I left the testing area. Immediately, numerous gazes focused on me.

“Wow… he records a time in the 1-minute range, even if it’s just by 1 second.”

“Looks like I’m screwed for getting a good grade on this exam too….”

“I heard he did well on the other exams too. Tsk, he should take it easy.”

Admiration and lamentations poured out from everywhere. However, there was no longer any sign of suspicion like before.

The reason for that was, of course, the library incident and the crafting competition. Since I had shown them something, the atmosphere had changed to one of grudging acceptance.

Of course, there were still people who harbored unpleasant thoughts. A prime example was Taylor Kaust, who had been crushed by me during the retake exam.

He occasionally glared at me, as if the humiliation he had suffered then still lingered.

“To give a brief lecture, there’s not much difference between your hunting methods and his. The reason for this difference is due to his superior observation and judgment.”

The professor began to explain. After speaking for about 5 minutes, the professor announced the end of the exam.

“The exam is now over. Tomorrow is the last exam, so get plenty of rest and do your best.”

He did not spare words of encouragement as he dismissed us.

As the professor said, the final exams would be over tomorrow. It was no wonder that an excited mood was forming. After all, we had worked hard for four months without rest.

I exited the building.

The sun shone brightly. It was a heat that made my skin feel like it was burning up. The temperature control magic enchanted on my uniform did not block out the sunlight.

“Should I go to the cafeteria?”

Perhaps that was why I was thirsty. I headed to the student cafeteria.

For the record, Elheim and Lana were not there. My sister had left for her monthly regular report, and Lana was taking an exam.

“One iced coffee, please.”

As always, I ordered a coffee, sat down at an empty seat, and sipped it.

‘Once the grades come out this weekend, I’ll write a letter to my father, and when the magic tool entrusted to my senior is completed, I’ll do the enchantment work….’

At the same time, I spent my time thinking about my schedule for this week.

With the first semester coming to an end, the days were somewhat relaxed.

The vacation, which included the large event of the National Foundation Festival, was considered the most leisurely episode in “Akatenma.”

No dangerous incidents occurred like this semester, and everything flowed smoothly and gently.

Of course, that was just a rest for the next semester. As I mentioned before, I’ll be busy again in the second semester.

Just as I had finished my coffee.

“Guess who~?”

Familiar hands gently covered my eyes. It was Lana’s voice and tone. The energy signature and mana patterns also matched.

But at that moment, my intuition warned me. I did not ignore it.

I replied in a low voice.

“Chloe, don’t. If you have any conscience, don’t imitate Lana.”

The hands came off at my growl. And Chloe, perfectly shaped like Lana, sat across from me.

She rested her chin on her clasped hands, sent me a seductive look, and slowly opened her mouth.

“Kyle. Do you hate me?”

“Release it.”

I said briefly.

Seeing her act like that with Lana’s bright and pure face made me want to throw up.

Moreover, since she was showing a completely different appearance from Lana’s usual self, gazes were pouring in from the surroundings. Impersonating her in the Academy was toxic in itself.

In fact, there is a setting in “Akatenma” that someone was severely punished for imitating Lana with magic. So, it’s best not to imitate the character of Lana Heitald.

Chloe pouted her lips.

“I thought it would work if I used my sister’s appearance….”

After complaining, she released the magic. Her trademark red hair and red eyes revealed themselves.

Only after seeing Chloe did everyone nod in agreement and simultaneously avert their gazes.

“Don’t do that if you don’t want to die in the Academy.”

“Oh my? Are you worried about me?”

“It’s not worry, it’s advice.”

“Hehe~ You’re kind in strange ways, Senior.”

I ignored her humming and drank my coffee. And the moment I sipped the coffee through the straw.

Hwaaa-!

The world inverted.

The student cafeteria that I had just seen was gone, and a dark and dim space took its place.

A place I had seen before. Sticky darkness clung from below.

But I did not resist it and accepted it. My whole body was dyed, and various sounds filled my head.

Time passed. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes….

Even so, I remained still as if nothing was wrong. Then, I slowly opened my mouth.

“Keep trying for a hundred days. Do you think this will work?”

As soon as I said those words, the world inverted again. The summer atmosphere of the student cafeteria came into view. And Chloe was also visible.

This time, she had a sulky face.

“Senior~”

“What is it.”

“Shouldn’t you at least show a sign that it’s working, even if it’s just for the sake of your cute junior’s efforts?”

It was truly a sound that only brought laughter.

“I told you, try your best. You can’t blame me if it doesn’t work.”

“It doesn’t work at all. The one just now was at a level that would work even on a Master, you know?”

I ignored her as if to say, what do you want me to do? Then, Chloe asked with a curious expression.

“What on earth are you, Senior?”

“Why are you asking when you already know? Just a common thug.”

“Aww~ that’s all in the past.”

Yeah, it’s in the past. The reputation itself is changing within the Academy.

“Besides, how can someone who withstands that be normal? If you’re normal, Senior, is everyone in this world a fool?”

“Then you must be weak.”

I said, putting down my cup.

“Wow! You’re the only one who would treat the top student of the department like that, Senior!”

Chloe clapped her hands as if she was surprised. And then, she seemed to be pondering something.

“Senior.”

“What is it again.”

That voice calling out quietly was now tiresome. They usually leave after failing. She’s persistent today.

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

Chloe continued.

“Your solid mind is so strange that it doesn’t make sense.”

“What’s your point?”

“Don’t be so prickly. I’m just saying, your mind is abnormally strong.”

“Is that so.”

I replied nonchalantly. But Chloe opened her mouth as if it were no big deal.

“But you know~. No matter how much you’re born with it, you can’t be this strong, right? Especially, it’s hard to be born with the kind where intrusion itself is impossible like you, Senior.”

Chloe continued with a beaming face.

“Besides, strong mental fortitude starts from a firm ego. And to make this possible, the darkness in your heart must be completely gone. But another interesting thing is that to reach that level, you need at least….”

She paused for a moment and then said.

“You need to reach the realm of transcendence, right?”

“How do you know that?”

“Hehe~ let’s just say it’s a woman’s secret.”

At that moment, Chloe’s hand came and rested on mine. Her unique eye smile also poured out on me.

“So, you know. I’ve really, really thought about it for a long time, and this is the conclusion I’ve come to. Senior, by any chance….”

The aura of seduction was in her voice. She continued.

“Are you a reincarnator?”

That word popped out of her mouth.

In fact, the word reincarnation doesn’t not exist in “Akatenma”. If it is a world where the cycle of life and death occurs correctly, reincarnation can happen at any time.

In fact, it has happened several times in this world. Of course, only a very few powerful people know that fact. In the current era, there are at most 4 people limited to humans?

Well, if you include other races and go back to the past, it increases even more.

“No matter how much I thought about it, that’s the only thing that came to mind. Considering your skills and actions that are different from the rumors. Is the timing after the trial?”

A smile spread on my face for no reason. Of course, it was a smile that came from disbelief.

“Ah! You’re smiling now, right? You’re admitting it!”

Chloe’s voice was excited, as if she thought her guess was correct. I scoffed and said.

“What are you admitting?”

“Aww~ do you think I’d just do this with that alone? Your heart rate just increased saaallightly, very slightly. Isn’t it strange that you, who are unfazed by my seduction, are reacting to just the word reincarnation?”

Was that why she grabbed my hand? I quickly pulled my hand away.

“Look, even now. Isn’t it because you have a guilty conscience that you’re acting like this?”

“…….”

“Senior, if I may give you a piece of advice, it’s best to live according to your true nature. Villains should live like villains, and good people should live like good people. If you wear clothes that don’t fit, you’ll eventually get into trouble~?”

Chloe smiled brightly.

It’s not wrong. If you can handle the consequences, it’s best to live according to your true nature.

Of course, Chloe’s words were none of my concern.

“So….”

“But Chloe.”

“Yes?”

Even though I intentionally interrupted her, she didn’t seem to mind. Rather, she looked at me with a beaming smile.

I said to that face.

“What will change if I do that?”

“Huh?”

“I agree with you too. It’s best for people to live according to their true nature. But if I reveal my true self, if I have a secret, what kind of change will occur in the relationship between you and me?”

Would she fall for me if I showed my true self? No, I can say with certainty that she won’t. It might even drive Chloe further away.

So, Chloe’s words are close to a checkmate.

“I know!”

“Huh?”

But Chloe didn’t despair, and instead gave an unexpected answer.

“I know. I can’t have you for life if I go on like this. I don’t know what kind of villain you were, so it’ll be even harder.”

So she knows. I thought she didn’t know.

“So! I’ve decided to change my approach.”

“To what.”

“What else? I’m using the direct approach instead of shortcuts. There’s also a saying that in love….”

“Stop the nonsense. That will never happen until I die.”

“You never know~. You might give up on your sister and choose me.”

Chloe gave a bright eye smile. And then, she came closer to me and clung to me as if she was hugging me.

“So, Senior. Let’s go on a date!”

“No.”

I cut her off without a moment’s hesitation.

“That’s too much. How can you reject the proposal of a junior who has worked up the courage?”

Chloe wiped her eyes with her hands as if she was sad. But it’s no use.

“You really look down on me. You didn’t think I’d accept it so easily after what you’ve done so far, did you?”

“I can make a fresh start with this, you know. It’s okay, there are plenty of methods.”

At that moment, an ominous premonition flashed through my mind.

“…Don’t tell me it’s what I’m thinking?”

“Hmm~ I wonder? It could be right, or it could be wrong?”

“…….”

I thought I’d get some rest for the first time in a while….

Then, Chloe laughed when she saw my face.

“You have a cute side too, Senior? Don’t worry~. I won’t interfere with your date with your sister. Instead!”

“…Speak.”

“You know too, right, Senior? That there’s an imperial banquet after the National Foundation Festival.”

The National Foundation Festival, which lasts for 5 days. On the last day, the imperial family hosts a banquet.

The number of invitees is diverse. Nobles and commoners are invited regardless. Of course, only those with influence in the empire.

That’s why adventurers, merchants, and guild officials gather. And the Academy students are also invited.

“I know. They invite the top 5 students from each grade and department.”

“That’s a relief! Then you know what I’m going to ask you, right?”

“You’re saying you want me to escort you.”

“That’s right!”

Originally, even if students are invited, they are not obligated to participate in the imperial banquet. There is a grand reason called self-development.

So, you can withdraw at any time if you want.

“What are you going to do there.”

“Just… I want to see the imperial palace. If I was born as an imperial citizen, I have to do that much.”

“Yeah right.”

“Aww, don’t be so sarcastic. I’m really going with pure intentions.”

Well, she did participate in the novel, but nothing happened.

At most, she’ll play a little prank. A prank at the level of teasing a little. Well, it’s a secret, but it’s not a secret that the imperial palace was in an uproar because of that.

“Thank you, Senior!”

I stopped her from trying to hug me.

“You accept your sister’s, but not mine. That’s too much!”

“Stop talking nonsense and go. Go prepare for the exam.”

“Okay~. I’ve already achieved my goal for today anyway.”

Chloe, who gave up right away, said that and left.

“Senior! See you at the banquet!”

I didn’t bother to respond to that greeting.

“What a troublesome girl.”

I said while taking a sip of coffee.

She was definitely annoying and I disliked Chloe, but I couldn’t hate her. But if I keep carrying this feeling, it’ll only make me feel worse.

“Let’s go see Lana.”

I sucked in the rest of the coffee and got up from my seat.

***

Two days later.

The last exam was over, and the next day. All the grades were announced.

Episode 65 Vacation (1)

Episode 65. Vacation (1)

Weekend. But not just any weekend, but the weekend after the semester ended.

The first day of vacation was chaotic and noisy with various things to do. The reason, of course, was the announcement of grades.

So, each department’s site where final grades were posted was crowded with people from the morning. With the entire grade gathering in one place, there was barely any room to step.

The notice boards for the 2nd and 3rd grades were relatively less crowded. It’s not like the 1st graders, who are at a time when they’re very interested in grades.

Of course, there were fewer people than in the 1st grade, but the reaction when they checked their grades was much more serious than that of the freshmen.

“Ugh! I’m ruined!”

“Sigh, I’m screwed for getting a scholarship. Do I have to work all vacation…?”

“Wow… 598th place.”

Screams and lamentations were rampant everywhere. Sometimes, soulless words were heard.

It’s a natural thing. Tianis Academy is, after all, a school. Not everyone can get good grades.

I stood at a distance and checked my grades. Ella, who was standing next to me, said.

“The Princess is in first place.”

“I know.”

Of course, Ariel Tianis was in first place for the 2nd grade. Her abilities are well-suited for any task, so it would be strange if she didn’t reach the top.

As I moved my gaze down, I stopped immediately. That’s because my name was right below the Princess.

Valedictorian. I was 2nd in the 2nd grade.

‘Hmm… I didn’t expect it to come out this well.’

The practical exam must be perfect, but I didn’t do well enough on the written exam to get everything right. Besides, there are plenty of students who are good at studying.

After thinking about it for a bit, the answer came quickly.

‘It’s because of the bonus points.’

Then it makes sense.

The scores are not that different from me to 5th place. With the addition of bonus points, my rank jumped significantly.

I was expecting around 10th place. The score came out better than expected. With this, I had nothing to worry about in terms of grades, at least.

Of course, because of that, the justification for refusing to attend the banquet disappeared.

“Congratulations, Young Master.”

“Thank yo—”

“Kyle, Brother!”

At the same time as Ella congratulated me, a familiar voice was heard. Sadly, it was a man’s voice.

I turned my head to look at the owner of the voice.

“…What’s going on from the morning.”

“What are you talking about? Of course, I came to say hello because I saw you, Brother. Did you come to check your score?”

“Yes, I came because I was curious.”

“Ah, I see. Hello, Sister!”

“It’s been a while.”

It had been a while since we hadn’t met because of the exams.

“Ah, do you know? I missed it by a single point this semester….”

“Missed it by a single point?”

“To be the valedictorian. Khee, I thought I could beat Vale and take the top spot, but it’s so disappointing, you know?”

“…Keep that kind of information to yourself. Don’t say it.”

“I’m really sad about it. I should have played my trump card on the last exam…. More than that, how did you do, Brother?”

“Take a look.”

I pointed to the notice board with my head.

“Oh, you’re the valedictorian with me? I knew you would be like this, Brother. Here, Brother!”

“……”

Evan said that and held out both hands for a high five. I stared blankly at it.

“You’re so heartless when I see you like this.”

“Shut up.”

I stopped the useless chatter there and asked Evan a question.

“What are you going to do during vacation?”

“Me? First of all, I think I’ll stop by home. It’s been a while since I’ve been home. After that, I’ll come back to the academy to train, participate in the festival, and train again… That’s about it?”

He seems to be spending it as planned.

“Then don’t get ripped off on the way and go safely. Keep training your magic.”

“Thank you for your words. Ah, I have an appointment, so I’ll be going now.”

“Go.”

After sending Evan away, I left the department. And on the way, Ella spoke to me.

“Now that the semester is over, everyone seems to be going home.”

“I know. Everyone’s going home.”

In fact, many people were leaving the academy after checking their grades from the morning.

Look at it now. The student hall is bursting with people, and there’s a long line to the entrance. They’ve been stressed for the past 4 months, so they want to leave this hellish place as soon as possible.

“Lana left right after the exam, and the Little Young Master said he’s going back tomorrow. Your disciple seems to be leaving within a week.”

“What disciple.”

If you want to be strict, the disciple position is right, but I don’t think it’s that kind of relationship.

“Young Master.”

“Yeah, why?”

“Everyone is returning to their hometowns. But are you really not thinking of returning?”

“I told you. I have things to do. More than anything, I’m satisfied with now.”

“……”

She was silent for a moment.

Anyway, that’s that.

Now is the beginning of the full-fledged vacation. So I had to bring up the postponed story, but… I couldn’t bring myself to say it easily.

I was reluctant to tell my sister this, and it hurt to let her go. So I decided to test the waters a bit.

“Ella. What about you?”

“What are you talking about?”

My sister’s eyes turn to me. A gaze full of kindness that has changed a long time ago. She doesn’t hate the act of calling her name and seems to welcome it.

That stimulates my heart again. Nevertheless, I brought up the words. Sadly, it was time to get out of that relationship and slowly break away.

“I’m talking about the dispatch life. It’s already been 4 months.”

It’s been a short but long time. When I stayed like that, my sister scratched her cheek.

“Actually, it’s more comfortable than when I was in the family. Because I just have to stick by your side, Young Master.”

“Because it doesn’t require a lot of ability.”

“That’s right. In vulgar terms, I even think, ‘Is it okay to get away with this so easily?'”

Even if she says that, she doesn’t seem to be comfortable.

I always feel it, but she’s really sincere. She wouldn’t have had a day off like this in the family with missions and training.

I think that’s why I liked her more.

“It’s okay. My sister always works hard. Think of it as a rest period now.”

“Yes.”

She nodded. I asked the next question.

“Is there anything uncomfortable?”

“Not really. The accommodation prepared by the academy is clean, and they provide various conveniences. The mission funds are more than enough for me to use alone.”

She seemed satisfied with her life. But it won’t be 100% satisfactory.

“Isn’t it hard to train?”

“I can’t say the environment is good. Because I don’t have as much time as I did in the family.”

I knew it. How can she have time when she’s chasing after me every day.

I spar with her every morning and evening, but that’s not enough. So, after the sparring, she made an unsatisfactory expression.

Of course, I’m not satisfied with sparring alone, but at least I had class time. But she has nothing. She just waited until I was done.

As we kept walking, we arrived near the lowest-grade dormitory. I asked quietly.

“Sister. Don’t you miss home?”

At my question, my sister answered with a nostalgic face.

“I can’t say I don’t miss it. Because I haven’t seen my family and the people of the territory, and my parents for a long time.”

“That’s how it is when you get away from home.”

Originally, the familiar place is the most comfortable. Homesickness doesn’t come for nothing.

“But why are you asking that?”

“Well….”

But when I tried to say it, the words were stuck in my throat. My heart is heavy with sadness in my voice if I relax.

So I….

“Just, I was curious.”

In the end, I couldn’t say it and lied.

And that evening.

“…How should I write it?”

Dear Father? Hmm, I don’t think so.

Then, Respected Father? No, this is a little bit….

My father was not on good terms with me as much as my brother, so I had difficulty writing a letter.

I repeated writing and erasing the first sentence several times. I decided not to do anything useless.

Thus, I.

[Father]

I started writing a letter with the simplest word.

Still hiding this fact from Ella.

***

The next day.

I received a call that the commissioned item was completed. It was something I had been looking forward to, so I immediately ran to the workshop.

“Hoo….”

Arrived at the senior’s workshop. I took a deep breath and calmed my mind. And the moment I was about to knock on the door.

The door burst open, and the senior, who was emitting a slightly triumphant air, greeted me.

“I’ve been waiting. Come in.”

I sensed it from that appearance. The commissioned item was completed beyond imagination. Otherwise, the senior would not be so confident.

“Is the perfection very high?”

“Yeah. It’s my masterpiece.”

To be called a masterpiece. Even in the novel, she rarely said this.

“Can I check it quickly?”

“It’s here.”

The senior ran to the workbench and brought the box.

An ordinary wooden box. However, the magic circles and engravings engraved in various places were protecting the stored items from the outside.

“Open it.”

“Then….”

I received the box handed by the senior and opened it slowly. And after checking the contents inside, I couldn’t close my mouth.

“Senior, this is….”

“I made it well, right?”

“Yes. You made it really well….”

The placement of the materials, the mana conductivity of the magic tools, and the combination ratio of each substance. The senior put everything I asked for and completed the magic tool. There was not a single flaw, and the finishing was perfect.

If you look closely, there were some slight differences, but there was nothing to be concerned about. Rather, the senior had upgraded it in a better direction. As a result, it produced a better effect.

In the meantime, the design is also excellent. It is not too excessive or luxurious, and it is a practical form as an accessory.

I couldn’t help but admire it.

“Do you know that sometimes you don’t seem like a human?”

The senior suddenly startled like a cat. She said in a very small voice.

“I, I’m human….”

Ah, that’s right. I realized my mistake late. I said to her with a face that said, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Of course you’re human. I mean, your alchemy skills don’t seem human. Where does it look like a skill that a human can do?”

“U, uh. Alchemy, good at it.”

“Oh, my. You’re taking it too seriously, so I can’t even joke.”

Then the senior protested.

“No. Good at jokes.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded slightly. I said to her.

“Then would you like to try?”

“……”

The senior was silent for a while, and after a long time, she opened her mouth.

“…I don’t like it. I won’t do it.”

“See that. Senior, it’s better to just admit it than to be stubborn at times like this.”

“…You’re talking a lot today. Be quiet.”

She turned her head as if she was sulking. I looked at her and said.

“Don’t be sulky. It’s because it’s made too well.”

When I said that, she moved her neck slightly to look at me.

“…Really?”

“Yes. To be honest, I didn’t know it would be made with this level of perfection.”

An object beyond imagination was born. So, as the person who commissioned it, I couldn’t help but feel good.

Besides, it’s a magic tool that’s really well made to the point of being comparable to Karsa, and it’s hard to see this level of object even now.

“But why is there one more?”

As I was looking at the commissioned item, a question arose.

The accessories I commissioned were three. Bracelet, earrings, and ring. But there was a small hairpin next to it.

Of course, this also had all my requirements, so it was the same as the other accessories, but… It wasn’t a very necessary item.

“Materials left over.”

“To the point where you couldn’t handle it?”

“I told you. It was too much.”

I thought I had designed it on a scale that was just right. I guess it couldn’t be done.

Well, it’s difficult to put everything in this small size. The senior shook her head, so this seems to be the limit. Even after looking at it for a moment, there’s no room to put it in.

“There were no blueprints either. Wasn’t it difficult?”

“I grasped the structure. So, making it is easy.”

“I guess so.”

I agreed with the senior’s words.

The important thing is the structure inside, not the design on the outside. The form is for the convenience of use.

“Did I, make it unnecessarily…?”

At that time, the senior asked in an uneasy voice. I quickly corrected the misunderstanding.

“No. You did a good job. There was no place to use the materials even if they were left over.”

After all, you can’t even make a simple weapon with this weight. It’s much better to use it this way. At least you can put a magic engraving on it.

The problem is who to give this to….

“More than that, senior. Aren’t you going anywhere during vacation?”

“I’m not going. I’m going to be here.”

“Because of the Philosopher’s Stone?”

“Yeah.”

Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to be leaving the academy during vacation. Then I’m grateful.

“Then can I use the workshop for the next few days?”

“Do you have anything to do?”

“Yes. I have to put magic engravings on the accessories.”

It’s something that can be done when I go back to the dormitory, but it’s more comfortable and safer to have a quiet and clean workshop.

“It doesn’t matter. Will it be done soon?”

“I think it will take about a week at the longest.”

If I had enough mana, I could handle it in one day. But I don’t have enough mana, so it takes that long at the least.

“It’s okay. Nothing to do.”

She said she has refused requests for the time being for a break and for the Philosopher’s Stone. So she has nothing to do.

“Then would you like to watch my work?”

I suggested to the senior.

Her living radius is really simple. Workshop, dormitory, lecture room. That’s it. Even then, she spends more than half of her time in the workshop.

Is there a separate place to go? That’s not it either.

She’s not an active person, and she only stays in the area she’s decided on. She doesn’t go out to the point of ordering food or cake.

Make such a person go out? The result is obvious.

“Is it okay?”

“It’s obvious that it doesn’t matter.”

The senior was sensitive, but I wasn’t. My concentration doesn’t scatter easily enough to talk to me during work.

“Then I’ll watch.”

“Go ahead.”

I took a seat at the senior’s workbench. The senior pulled up a chair and sat next to me.

So I did the magic engraving work, and the senior watched my work.

After that, on the way back to the dormitory after finishing work, I sent a letter to the territory.

Episode 66 Vacation (2)

Episode 66 Vacation (2)

1 a.m.

A time when everyone in the territory, including those inside the family, would be asleep.

Decal Arden’s office was still lit. Despite the late hour, he was sitting at his desk, handling work.

Rustle, rustle.

The pen tip scratched across the paper, making a sound. The quiet office was filled with that sound.

A short while later. Decal Arden, having finished all his work, put down his pen. With this, the tasks that needed quick processing were done.

Decal leaned back comfortably in his chair. Then, he gently pressed his temples to stimulate them.

After handling a week’s worth of work at once, a headache came. Even for someone progressing to the stage of transcendence in body and mind, the stress from office work was unavoidable.

Slurp.

As his condition didn’t improve, he drank the cold coffee. The recently invented non-melting ice kept the temperature cold and didn’t spoil the taste of the coffee.

After about a 10-minute break, Decal moved to handle the remaining work. He looked at the pile of papers stacked in a corner of his desk.

“At least this side is less of a nuisance.”

As the head of the Arden family, second only to the Emperor in power, he received hundreds of letters a day. This pile consisted of letters deemed not urgent or unimportant.

And among them was a letter from his son.

[Kyle Arden]

Decal stared silently at the letter from his son. The sent date was 5 days ago. Not too long.

“Hmm….”

His expression didn’t change. The complete opposite of his reaction to his second son, Bale.

The reason being, Kyle’s letters always contained some kind of request. After the last warning, things seemed quiet recently… contrary to Elraim’s report, something seemed to have happened.

He broke the seal and unfolded the letter. And slowly read the contents.

────

Father.

A lot of time has passed since that incident. During that time, I had time to reflect on myself, and I understood how terrible my actions were at the academy, and I have done a lot of reflecting.

As you said, I’ve actually been keeping quiet. I believe you know about this from Elraim.

Also, I concentrated on my studies and got decent grades. I have enclosed a report card to prove it.

────

Decal took out another piece of paper from behind the letter. The design had changed a lot from the past, but it was definitely Tianis’s report card.

According to what was written there, Kyle had taken second place this semester.

Tianis Academy, where even mediocre talent has difficulty getting into the top 100. Anyone who saw it would have been happy.

But Decal Arden wasn’t. He simply turned his head and read the letter again.

────

However, while focusing on my studies over the past few days, there are some inconveniences.

Because of this, I can’t spend personal time, and I feel like I’m trapped in prison, so I can’t concentrate on lectures. So, I would like you to withdraw Elraim.

I would be grateful if you would think deeply about this and make a decision, considering your son’s desire for a smooth academy life. I think I’ve shown you the results.

────

After reading the last sentence, Decal put down the letter. And he expressed his impression of the letter.

“He’s used his head a bit.”

He used his head. That was Decal Arden’s impression.

There were no fancy words, nor was it filled with unnecessary words. It was as if he knew that he hated unnecessary words, and only wrote what was necessary.

If he had written and sent the letter as usual, Decal would have only read the last sentence and crumpled it up and thrown it in the trash. That alone showed how much he had racked his brains.

“Hmm….”

Decal Arden stared at the letter and the report card for a long time. He just stared at them blankly. Because Decal’s emotions were not easily revealed on his face, there was no way to know what he was thinking.

Just as he finished thinking and was about to put down the letter.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door. At the same time, a voice was heard.

“Lord.”

“Come in.”

Knowing who it was, Decal immediately granted permission to enter.

Then a knight entered, his head and armor covered in blood. He looked like he had just finished a battle.

Thus, a strong scent of blood and the dark energy unique to those killed spread throughout the room. However, Decal didn’t care at all and asked the person.

“Did you handle everything?”

“We have taken care of them all without leaving a single one alive. We are currently in the process of cleaning up.”

“Did you find the base?”

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t find it because the demons were too thorough. It seems it will take more time.”

Starting two months ago, residents had been disappearing from the outskirts of Arden territory. The cause was none other than black magicians and demons who had made contracts with them.

To solve this, Decal dispatched two knight orders. However, the black magician was cunning, and the demons were treacherous. It was expected, but it was not easy to eradicate them at once.

Of course, even if the immediate threat disappeared, he had no intention of withdrawing the knight orders. Those guys were stubbornly persistent. They would be crouching now, but they would cause trouble again.

“First, call back the personnel currently dispatched, and have them replaced by the knight order on standby.”

“Understood.”

“It may be difficult, but please put in a little more effort.”

“Not at all.”

Decal Arden nodded at the knight commander’s brief salute.

After that, Decal listened to the knight commander’s report.

Condolence money to be given to the deceased residents, the cost of repairing damage caused in the process of killing them, etc. There were quite a few problems to be dealt with in this incident.

He had just finished work, but it felt like more work had been added. Decal felt a little tired. He pressed his temples again, but there was no sign of improvement.

Seeing this, Knight Commander Raul Teros said to him with a worried tone.

“Decal, you should rest now. Do you know how many days you’ve stayed up all night?”

“Well… it’s not like I haven’t slept at all. I slept for 2 hours each time.”

At those words, Raul sighed deeply.

“Hoo, even if you’re a master, if you repeat that for a few weeks, your body and mind will be ruined. You have to sleep at least 4 hours.”

If he were a master, he could endure it for a week. If he used mana cultivation, his mind would be clear.

But Decal had been repeating that for a whole month. Even with a superhuman body, he was still human, and mana cultivation had its limits.

Therefore, he needed to sleep at least 4 hours.

“I advise you to go in now.”

It could have been felt as an order, but now it was a private occasion after work, and it was advice as a friend he had known since childhood.

Besides, Decal didn’t pay much attention to Raul’s words. He thoroughly distinguished between public and private matters.

“I was going to go in anyway. I’ve finished all the work.”

But when he was about to leave the office, his feet wouldn’t move. He stared silently at the letter he was still holding.

Raul also saw the letter in his friend’s hand. There was only one case where he kept looking at a letter.

“Is it a letter from Bale?”

“No.”

At Decal’s immediate answer, Raul thought of the next case. There had been a time when his letter arrived 5 days ago and it had been noisy.

Raul said in a low voice.

“Then it’s that guy.”

In the Arden family, there was only one person who meant that guy.

“What kind of trouble did he cause this time?”

“Take a look.”

Decal handed over the letter and the report card. Raul frowned when he saw it.

“What do you think?”

“What do I think? Isn’t it obvious that he’s trying to get the surveillance removed?”

The words were polite and plausible, but the inner meaning was not at all. The more he read, the less sign of repentance he saw.

“No wonder Elraim reported that he was doing well. He was planning this all along.”

There was a reason why he didn’t cause trouble. It was all for this.

“And this report card. Where’s the proof that it wasn’t fabricated?”

Raul put down the report card with a thud.

The fact that he threatened the professor had been known. He couldn’t be sure that he hadn’t done such a thing this time as well.

“I don’t think so. I gave separate instructions to Elraim.”

Decal had told Elraim in advance to watch out for any irregularities in the exam. Also, to watch the grading process.

The academy side accepted it, and Elraim faithfully carried out the instructions. Therefore, she watched all the exams.

And the report on this came right after the exam was over.

“You can certainly trust Elraim.”

Raul nodded.

Elraim was a knight who could be trusted more than anyone else. At least she was not someone who would betray for personal gain.

That doesn’t mean the grades weren’t fabricated. With that guy’s head, he could create gaps as much as he wanted. If nothing else, that guy was good at tricking people.

“Besides, the rumors I’ve been hearing lately are not good.”

He received an academy medal. He won a competition. Absurd rumors kept pouring in. But no one in the family believed the rumors.

Kyle Arden saved someone? He showed an amazing performance in the competition?

It would be more credible to say that the founding emperor had come back to life. It was that unrealistic.

“That’s right.”

Every day, various stories came to his ears, but Decal also didn’t believe them. Kyle didn’t have that kind of ability. To put it a little harshly, Kyle was a person who was worse than the family’s apprentice knights.

To the point where he didn’t suit the Arden family.

So he didn’t even bother to check separately. There was no reason to allocate personnel there, and it would only be a waste of money.

“Tsk, I should have kicked him out back then.”

Raul clicked his tongue.

He was already busy. But he was paying attention to this trivial matter. It was a waste of time.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m thinking of granting it if possible.”

If he rejected the request, he didn’t know what kind of trouble it would develop into. So it was better to maintain the current situation where he was quietly staying.

Besides, he couldn’t keep Elraim, who had become a top-tier expert, there forever. He was slowly thinking of bringing her back to the family.

“I wouldn’t recommend it unless Bale or Elraim asked. But you’re the decision maker, so do as you wish.”

Raul thought.

Whether it was an elder or anyone in the family. If they heard this story, they would have shouted absolute opposition. They might even say that he should be brought back to the family immediately.

Even so, the decision was the sole authority of the head of the family. Anything more would be infringing on the authority of the head of the family.

Decal and Raul’s private meeting was concluded in that way.

“Then I’ll go in now.”

“Get some rest.”

After exchanging greetings, Raul left the office.

As he left, Decal Arden went to the window and stared blankly at the night sky at dawn.

He just looked and looked again. And he murmured quietly.

“I should… contact them soon.”

Decal Arden’s face, saying that, was hidden in the moonlight, so his expression could not be seen.

Episode 67 Vacation (3)

Episode 67. Vacation (3)

Zhiiiing—

First, I drew a circle, the most basic shape of a magic circle, with mana. I fixed it in the air, about the size of me.

Next, I carefully started writing the magic circle with mana squeezed from my fingertips.

In the center, I inscribed the formula and runic words that would be the core, and on the outside, I engraved magic to assist it.

As carefully as possible. And calmly. There must be no mistakes. Unlike ordinary magic circles, ‘creating’ a new magic circle required a lot of attention.

No matter how complete the magic circle exists in my head, if a mistake creeps in during the implementation process, it is just an incomplete and failed magic.

After 2 hours, the writing process was finished when I added the soul synchronization formula. I wiped the sweat flowing from my forehead and exhaled.

“Hoo, it’s tough….”

I’m confident in writing magic circles. But since my past and specs are different, it’s damn hard.

Still, the writing speed is getting faster day by day. Kyle Arden’s talent reacted to this act and changed to the optimal state.

I always feel that this body’s talent is really fraudulent. It fills the lacking aspects of actions. If other people experience this sense of growth, they will be envious.

Of course, they must have that much talent.

Anyway, the heated blood vessels from writing the magic circle quickly cooled down. The grown blood vessels were unperturbed even by considerable mana operation.

“Good job.”

“Ah, Senior.”

Then, the senior spoke to me from the side. She was putting a cake on her lap and munching. She consistently reminded me of a hamster.

“Are you done?”

“The early stages are over.”

“Really? Here.”

The senior handed me a potion with shimmering blue mana.

“Thank you.”

I took the bottle and immediately chugged it down.

As expected of the senior’s special potion, the effect is good. As soon as the liquid touched my stomach, it filled my empty dantian.

“It’s still effective.”

“Yeah. Because I made it. Here, this too.”

The senior handed me a large piece of cake with a fork.

“I’ll enjoy it.”

There was no need to give it to me with the fork she was eating with, but since she was being sincere, I accepted it.

The chocolate cake was delicious. Especially, the unique stickiness of chocolate was gone, which made it even better. As expected, expensive and famous places live up to their name.

Now that I’ve filled up my mana and sugar, I moved on to the next process.

However, since this stage does not require much concentration, I started talking to the senior. Because it’s the stage of engraving the completed magic circle.

“Senior.”

“Yeah.”

“Is it fun just watching?”

It’s not easy to just watch, but the senior sat still and watched well.

“It’s fun. Your magic is unique.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’ve never seen a formula like that before.”

Certainly, the environment in which I learned magic is different, so the details are different.

“But aren’t you curious? If it were someone else, they would have asked all sorts of questions.”

“You’re a knight, but you use magic. You’re also good at alchemy. It’s not surprising.”

Well, how many knights are talented in alchemy and use magic? It’s easy to be versatile to a certain level, but it’s difficult to raise it to a professional level.

“Still, two things. I’m curious.”

“What are you curious about? I’ll tell you everything I can.”

I was bored because there was no conversation for the past 5 days. Now that the conversation has started, I decided to continue it.

“How far can you use magic?”

“If you’re talking about the level, it’s not that high yet. Only 5 circles?”

“Still? Only?”

The senior tilted her head.

“5 circles is high. You know?”

“I know.”

In Trianis, geniuses from all over the continent gather and quickly reach a certain level. However, from the next level, they diverge due to differences in talent.

The boundary is Upper Expert for knights and 5 circles for wizards.

So, from that point on, the ratio is extremely low, and it’s hard to see even among 3rd graders. At most, about 50 people right now? Of course, the number varies from generation to generation. There were times when there were as many as 200 people.

At my answer, she stared blankly at me and opened her mouth.

“I heard a rumor. That you were a poor student last year.”

“That’s right. I was.”

“Then… did you hide your strength?”

The senior asked carefully. I said immediately.

“Do you think so?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t make sense. A person’s talent doesn’t change, no matter what you do.”

“Generally, that’s true.”

“……”

The senior was silent for a moment.

“…You didn’t do anything dangerous, did you?”

“For example?”

“…Black magic.”

She muttered in a barely audible voice.

“Do you think I learned black magic?”

“The only way to raise your level quickly is that.”

The senior’s expression hardened as if she was almost convinced. I knew where that anxiety came from, so I reassured her.

“Don’t worry. That’s definitely not it.”

“Really…?”

“Surely you trust your disciple, don’t you?”

“No, I trust you.”

A faint smile appeared on the senior’s face. She’s still weak to the word disciple.

“But… why do you go to the academy?”

“The academy?”

“Yeah. You’re good at swordsmanship. Your magic is also top-notch. You’re as good as I am at alchemy. Do you need to go?”

“Well, I guess so.”

The senior’s question was natural. If you’re that skilled, there’s not much to learn at the academy.

But I asked back.

“Then why do you keep going, Senior? You don’t need to go either.”

“I have to complete the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“Isn’t it easier to research that outside?”

“……”

The senior was silent for a moment.

“There’s a reason… but I can’t tell you. Even to my disciple, I can’t tell you.”

I felt a little bitter at the senior’s words. But I didn’t show it outwardly.

“Eucha, it’s done.”

In the meantime, I finished engraving the magic on the hairpin.

“Here, take this.”

“Huh?”

I handed it to the senior. After all, she was the only one to give it to.

It would be a bit much to give it to the princess, and I didn’t like giving it to Chloe.

Lana and Ellaime already have something to give, and a hairpin didn’t suit men like Evan or Vail.

So I decided to give it to the senior, who worked hard to make the magic tool.

“What are you doing? Take it.”

“Are you giving it to me?”

“Yes. I’m giving it to you because you worked hard making the requested item.”

“I only did as much as I received. I can’t accept it.”

The senior refuses the gift. I persuaded her.

“In this case, it’s polite to just say thank you and accept it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. So take it quickly.”

“Thank, you….”

She slowly reached out and took the hairpin. And then she tried to wear it on her head right away.

“Senior. You’ve never worn accessories, have you?”

“No.”

“Give it to me.”

I helped her directly with the hairpin that was attached strangely. While doing so, I continued the conversation from earlier.

“Senior.”

“Yeah.”

“People all have unspeakable circumstances. Don’t you have any secrets from me?”

“I do. A lot.”

“See? I’m the same as you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But Senior….”

“Yeah.”

I said, looking at her who was meeting my eyes.

“If you have a hard time, tell me. I’ll help you as much as I can.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I said that and let go. I could see the hairpin firmly fixed on her head.

“It suits you well.”

The senior looked at herself in the mirror for a long time and then nodded.

“Yeah, it suits me well. I’ll keep using it.”

Is it because her natural features are outstanding? She’s shining just by wearing a hairpin. People need to dress up.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

“Bye.”

I finished my work. I left the workshop. The senior saw me off behind me.

And I, who met Ellaime, who was waiting outside the door.

No, we.

“Ah, Ellaime….”

“Yes, Master….”

A more uncomfortable atmosphere flowed than ever before.

The cause was naturally because of me, and it was also because I felt guilty after sending a letter to the family.

So until now, when there was no reply from my father… it was hard to treat my sister comfortably.

***

Ellaime felt that the Master’s behavior had been strange recently.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. Do you know how hard it is to complete 1,000 hours of volunteer work? It would be impossible for an ordinary student to do this while focusing on academics.”

The conversation between the Master and Lana’s grandfather.

As you can see from the conversation, the Master completed all the social service hours for the crime he committed at the academy today.

“Here’s the certificate. If you submit this to the student hall, you will be officially forgiven for your sins.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m the one to be thankful for. Thanks to you, I was able to handle a troublesome task quickly.”

No matter how much of a professor he was, managing the Land of Contracts was not an easy task. Thanks to him working hard, he solved the troublesome problem.

Ellaime also knew that fact. That’s because Lana’s grandfather showed her the Master working, saying he wasn’t bored.

“You won’t be coming here anymore. Neither you nor Lana.”

“I’ll visit often.”

The two always stick together, so if the Master doesn’t come here, there was a high possibility that Lana wouldn’t come either.

“I’d appreciate it if you did. By the way, I received a gift a while ago….”

Lana’s grandfather took something out of the subspace and handed it to the Master. They were elixirs good for the body, including herbs.

“You didn’t have to give me this much….”

“Hehe, it’s just leftovers. So don’t feel burdened and take it.”

“Well, I’ll take it gratefully for now.”

The Master reluctantly received them.

It would normally be a scene to be happy about, but the Master didn’t. There were piles of medicine he hadn’t eaten yet in the dormitory.

So he sometimes asked her for her opinion on how to dispose of them.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Good bye. Lana said she’ll be coming in two days, so be aware.”

“I understand.”

Ellaime left the Land of Contracts following Kyle. And Ellaime offered words of celebration in commemoration of the chains that bound him being released.

“Master, you’re finally free. Congratulations.”

“Ah, yeah. Thank you….”

A somewhat awkward reaction. The confident attitude he had just now was nowhere to be found. So Ellaime was suspicious of Kyle.

Until a few days ago, Kyle and her relationship wasn’t like this. When they were alone, they maintained the relationship of sister and brother.

But recently, that relationship was breaking down. No matter how much she thought about it, the cause was in Kyle rather than herself.

What should I say? It felt like seeing a dog who had done something wrong?

Ellaime kept having that thought.

‘Why the hell? Did he do something behind my back?’

But even if she worried and worried, the answer didn’t come out.

Ellaime was so frustrated with this phenomenon that had been going on for over 5 days that she even asked Kyle directly.

“Master.”

“Yeah.”

“Is something wrong?”

“There’s a little personal matter…. Don’t worry about it.”

He brushed it off like that.

That made her even more frustrated, but there was nothing she could do. Unless Kyle told her directly, there was nothing she could do.

‘I wish he would rely on me….’

Kyle tended to try to solve things alone too much. That was the case in the past, and it was the same now.

It was extremely rare for Kyle to rely on her. The only time he relied on her was when he saved Lana.

She has the confidence to accept her younger brother’s whining more as a sister. Since he doesn’t, she felt a little upset.

‘Haa….’

Since she couldn’t outwardly show her upset feelings, she sighed inwardly.

“Then I’ll be back.”

“Come back safely.”

Kyle left for the student hall. Ellaime waited on the first floor.

A moment later.

Wuoong—

The family’s exclusive communication tool that Ellaime had rang. There was only one person who would contact her through this.

“Yes, Head of the family.”

Episode 68 Vacation (4)

Episode 68. Vacation (4)

“Hoo, it’s finally ending.”

The paperwork regarding community service was quick. From the start, there wasn’t much community service-related work at the academy, so it might have ended even faster.

Returning the bracelet I wore for monitoring and confirmation made me feel even lighter.

The staff member looked a bit weary seeing the bracelet with 0 hours recorded. Even though it was reduced, 1,000 hours of community service is not an amount a person can handle.

Especially in less than half a year. Latral knew that, so he said those words.

“Take care.”

With a much lighter body, I said my goodbyes and left the floor. Then, I was going to head to the first floor where Elheim was.

But there was no need. I ran into Elheim on the way down.

She, whom I had met again in less than 10 minutes, wore an expression as if she had been betrayed. Judging from her reaction, she seems to have been contacted by the family.

“…Young Master.”

“Shall we move to a different place first?”

At my words, she reluctantly nodded her head.

***

If there was a quiet place, it was only the lowest-grade dormitory.

Step, step.

My sister and I moved with slow steps. However, we didn’t say anything until we got near the dormitory.

Then, finally, my sister spoke first.

“Was that why… you asked that question back then?”

A voice filled with hurt feelings flowed out. My heart ached just from that. But I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.

“Yeah. That was the reason.”

“…Why? Do you hate me? Or am I uncomfortable?”

At her question, I lifted my head and looked at the sky. It was summer, but it was a clear day without a single cloud. Perfect weather to go out and play.

It should rain. It’s too unsuitable for talking about depressing things.

“Sister, your level is top-tier Expert right now, right?”

“That’s right…”

“Then, do you know that being a top-tier Expert at 22 years old means you have an incredibly outstanding talent?”

“I know. The family has emphasized it every time. How unreasonably talented I am.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Excluding talents that are immeasurable like Arden, my sister’s talent is among the top of the top. At least, there aren’t many people in this world who can compare to her talent.

Moreover, she was the one who reached Grand Master at the age of 30 in the world after the ending.

That’s why I felt it was such a waste of time to be wasting her on this kind of mission. Because that time will eat away at her talent.

I quietly continued speaking.

“Am I uncomfortable with my sister? No, not at all. Why would I hate my sister?”

“Then why did you say those things to the Lord…?”

“That’s a lie. Did you really think I wrote those words sincerely?”

“……”

Elheim was silent for a moment. Her judgment seems to have been clouded because her emotions were heightened. To not even see through a lie.

“Still, why did you hide it…? You could have discussed it with me beforehand.”

“If I had, you would have been angry like you are now.”

“Angry…!”

Her voice suddenly rose.

“I’m not angry…”

Then, startled, her voice crawled to the ground.

“I think it’s true?”

“…No. I’m just upset that you handled things arbitrarily, Kyle.”

She tries to make excuses like that, but her true feelings have all been revealed.

I faced her. And I said in a calm voice.

“I’m just sad. Three months is a long time, and it’s a time when you should be blossoming your talent. But you’re wasting it here.”

“…Is that all? That you’re trying to send me away?”

“No one would say your talent is ‘just.’ I’m even envious of it.”

“…Sorry. That was a slip of the tongue.”

Elheim apologized quickly.

“You said it before, sister. That you don’t have enough time.”

“That’s, right.”

“And didn’t you realize a lot while watching my swordsmanship?”

My sister directly witnessed my swordsmanship. Especially the swordsmanship shown at Lana’s fall and the smithy can be said to be my everything.

“A lot. But I don’t have time to organize it.”

“See?”

If she’s saying that much, it means she really doesn’t have time to focus on herself. And if she continues to be left like this, it will eventually act as poison.

It’s really important to melt down and digest the enlightenment into your own. She’s probably itching to do it right now.

“So sister. Go back to the territory now.”

“But… then I won’t be able to see you.”

After pausing for a moment, she slowly opened her lips.

“You wouldn’t know. How painful it was when you turned into a madman. You only cursed when I talked to you, and you hit me when I got even a little closer. Telling me not to come near you, a child of a commoner.”

Hearing her words, my insides were tormented. To do that to someone you like. Really, Kyle Arden is a crazy bastard.

“But look at now. I’m talking to you normally. Just like in those days.”

She swallowed hard enough for her movement to be visible.

“I’m happy with now, being together every day. Are you telling me to go back to the territory with that? No, I can’t do that. How can I give up the happiness I’ve found?”

“Sister.”

I called her. But she ignored my words and continued speaking.

“Kyle, it took a whopping 8 years. It took 8 years to get to this state. I waited a lot. I sacrificed a lot. So I also…”

“Sister. Calm down.”

“Sorry…”

After shouting that and grabbing my arm, she finally came to her senses and apologized.

‘Hoo…’

I sighed slightly inwardly. As expected, as the relationship is what it is, a situation that could be easily resolved didn’t happen.

In the end, I had no choice but to bring up this word.

“Then sister. Is this job more precious than the sword?”

“Th, at…”

She avoided my gaze. Her expression was barely visible, hidden by her silver hair. But that alone was as good as a predetermined answer.

I moved slightly to the side and asked again.

“Being with me and wielding the sword. Which one do you like more?”

“I, I…”

Elheim stuttered. She couldn’t answer easily even after time passed. Then, after a long time, she opened her mouth.

“I like the sword, more…”

“I knew it. My sister has always been sincere about the sword.”

I don’t know what her past self was like, but I know well that she loves the sword more than anyone else, at least. And Elheim also admitted that.

“That’s right. So I swung my sword even when others were sleeping. Even cutting back on sleep. But…”

But she added.

“I’ll be by your side.”

“Sister?”

“I’ve been watching all along. Kyle, your actions are too dangerous. Eventually, a day will come when you get seriously hurt. So as your sister, I have to protect you. We’re not connected by blood, but you’re my brother.”

“Do you really think that? That I’m going to get hurt?”

“Your swordsmanship may be outstanding, but you’re only a mid-level Expert. A weak knight who can’t even beat me.”

A voice full of conviction. She seemed to really believe she could beat me.

So I suggested.

“Then shall we confirm it?”

“What?”

“Let’s fight, sister.”

Knights are supposed to talk with swords.

***

There was no need to prepare a separate place. There were plenty of empty spaces near the lowest-grade dormitory.

We stood at a moderate distance. Then, I checked Karsa’s condition and took a stance.

“Aren’t you going to prepare?”

I had finished preparing, but she had a reluctant expression and only had her hand on the scabbard at her waist.

“…99 losses out of 99 matches. It’s a record from when you were young, but it’s your record.”

“Really? I lost a lot. But that was when I was young. It’s different now than it was then.”

“No, it’s the same. So give up. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Sister. You’re talking a lot today. Since when did knights fight with words?”

At those words, her expression turned cold. The upset face from earlier was nowhere to be found.

Elheim said in a low voice.

“There’s a limit to how much I can let my brother off. And if you did that as an act of provocation, I’ll say you succeeded.”

Swish, she slowly drew her sword from its scabbard. At the same time, a sharp aura poured out from her center.

It pressures me from all sides. My whole body tingles and trembles. The appearance of a knight that had been hidden all along. I was slightly impressed.

I straightened my posture and asked.

“It’s the first time I’m going all out with my sister… Shall I go first?”

“I’ll concede the first move.”

“If sister says so… I understand.”

She took a stance like me and spoke. I accepted it.

At the same time as the words ended, I drew mana from my dantian. I strengthened my whole body with mana and even covered Karsa with sword energy.

And similarly, she also timed her mana draw. I kicked off the ground.

Kwaang!

Immediately after, we collided in the middle of the empty lot.

***

Whoosh-!

Elheim slashed her sword. The fiercely extended sword stretched out as if to cut Kyle in half.

Kyle didn’t panic. The sword energy that had changed its nature by circulating the Mana Cultivation Technique wrapped around Karsa.

Kwaang!

The impact as if facing tons of rocks struck the sword. But the sword imbued with solidity didn’t collapse from that impact.

Moreover, Kyle counterattacked at the moment of the collision. He controlled the flow of mana and returned part of the impact to the opponent.

Elheim’s arm, which was slightly trembling due to the resulting paralysis. But there’s nothing to worry about. She had trained enough to prepare for this.

Elheim moved mana to quickly normalize her trembling arm.

“Everyone else would be flustered and not know what to do. As expected of my sister.”

“It’s just a grapple. I don’t know where you learned it, but it won’t work.”

“Well, that’s true.”

But Elheim didn’t ignore that technique. The mana operation and subtle principles contained within could not be treated as a grapple.

Elheim gripped her sword even tighter. She expected that she wouldn’t be able to subdue him easily, but it seemed even more difficult.

Even so, there are no elements of defeat. The physical gap between Kyle and herself was still there. Not only that, but she was ‘growing.’

The enlightenment that she hadn’t had time to organize. The things that had been sleeping deeply appeared as actions as she clashed swords.

The simplified movements gave her even faster speed, and the more skillful use of power showed even fiercer and more intense power.

A phenomenon that is only possible because she is a genius.

And seeing that, Kyle let out admiration.

“As expected, my sister is amazing.”

She probably didn’t realize it, but part of the materialized sword energy meant that she was on the verge of the Master realm.

How long has it been since she became a top-tier Expert before she broke out of her shell again? Geniuses are really ridiculous beings.

But that’s why Kyle thought that he should send Elheim away. She was too good to be here.

Of course, she has to return to the territory even if she doesn’t do this. But I wanted to send her back after ‘persuading’ her a little, rather than forcing her. That would make me feel more comfortable.

Kyle, who had widened the distance from Elheim, said.

“Sister, shall I show you something interesting?”

“…I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but give up. Look at yourself. You’re exhausted.”

Elheim looked at Kyle. His whole body was soaked in sweat. The outcome of the battle was as good as determined.

At those words, Kyle scoffed.

“That’s something you’ll only know if you try until the end.”

Mana gathered on Kyle’s sword. Sword energy was created. But that wasn’t the end.

He squeezed out all the mana in his dantian and focused it on the sword. The sword energy swelled in size.

“What are you…”

Elheim felt an unusual energy. But she couldn’t say anything. Because a clearly materialized Sword Domain was visible on Kyle’s sword.

“Aura Blade?”

At that moment, she forgot that she was in the middle of a battle and her mind went blank.

Aura Blade is the exclusive property of a Master. It’s not a technique that an Expert knight can use.

But Kyle used it as if it were natural. He did something that was logically impossible.

Even though she had seen Kyle’s inexplicable appearance, this went beyond that level.

“Sister, be careful.”

The voice of her brother that she heard then.

Elheim swallowed hard and gave strength to her loosened hand to grip the sword.

“I won’t hurt you.”

Saying that, Kyle slashed the sword from top to bottom.

Kwakwakwang!!

The world shook.

***

The ground shakes, and the wind blows. But not a single speck of dust rises. The place where the sword had passed was cleanly empty, as if it had erased the world.

And at the end of the scar carved into the world, my sister was standing right in front of it.

Of course, her condition wasn’t good. Her hair was disheveled, and she was barely holding onto only the handle of the sword she had been holding. The range was also close, so if the Sword Domain had extended any further, she would have surely died.

“Haa, haa…”

Well, I wasn’t doing well either.

I didn’t have any strength in my whole body, and I was only gasping for breath. Every time, I felt the pain of cutting nerves raw.

Cough, blood that had flowed back from my stomach gushed out of my nose and mouth. As expected, creating a Sword Domain with an incomplete body caused a great backlash.

It was all I could do to barely stand on the ground, using Karsa as a cane.

“Are, are you okay?!”

My sister hurriedly ran over and supported me, forgetting her own messy appearance.

“With this… am I stronger than sister?”

“Now’s the time to say that! First, to bed…!”

My sister shouted and picked me up, carrying me on her back due to the nonsense I was spouting without understanding the situation. And then took me to the dormitory.

I buried my face in her back and said what I had to say.

“Sister.”

“…Yeah.”

“Am I still weak and dangerous even after this?”

“……”

She didn’t say anything. But I didn’t stop.

“I know how to do a lot of other things besides this. I can even use magic up to the 5th circle. I can also use alchemy well enough to be praised. But…”

“……”

“I only used swordsmanship in this battle. Do you know what this means?”

“…That it wasn’t your full strength.”

“That’s right. I did my best with swordsmanship, but if I had used that as well, it would have ended faster.”

She stopped in her spot.

“Sister. I’m not someone who needs to be protected. Rather, if things continue like this, you’ll have to protect me. Is it okay if it comes to that?”

“No… I don’t want that.”

At those words, I persuaded her gradually, as if soothing her.

“It’s only a year and a half. Until I return to the family.”

“……”

“You endured for 8 years. Can’t you wait just a little longer?”

She was still silent, but I could clearly see what kind of emotional changes were happening. After a while, she opened her mouth.

“Will you really, come back?”

“Where else would I go if I didn’t go?”

“Then can I trust you and wait? In your current state?”

“Of course.”

“Haa…”

She let out a long sigh towards the sky. Her chest looked stuffy. But then she seemed to have composed herself and said.

“Okay. I’ll humor your stubbornness. But, this is the last time.”

“When have I ever been stubborn?”

“You were a lot when you were young. And you still are now.”

Her words seemed angry, but her face didn’t show it at all. She had a happy expression.

Still, she didn’t seem to have any intention of forgiving me this time, as she threw the patient me onto the bed as if flinging me.

“Ugh, it hurts…”

“You deserve it.”

Well, it was my fault this time anyway, so I couldn’t complain.

“So? How long will you be gone?”

“The Lord said to come as soon as I’m done organizing. It’ll probably take about 2-3 days.”

Hmm, that’s not much time left.

“Haa, I have to pack my luggage too…”

“Shall I help you?”

“It’s okay. You rest, Kyle.”

She left the room somewhat neurotically. It seemed like I shouldn’t touch her today.

“Now, it’s just me…”

I leaned back on the bed and thought. When she leaves, I’ll have to live in this wide dormitory alone.

It’s true, I’ve grown attached, so thinking about her actually leaving makes my heart flutter.

But what can I do? People who have to go have to go. It’s not like she’s leaving right away, so I have to treat her well for the remaining time.

“Tomorrow, I’ll go out to the capital…”

Then, suddenly, an idea popped into my head.

“Ah, I have to give her the earrings.”

When should I give her this?

Episode 69 Vacation (5)

Episode 69 Vacation (5)

The afternoon of the day Eylim leaves.

I waited at the warp gate with Lana, who had returned to the academy yesterday.

“Kyle….”

I hear Lana’s gloomy voice from beside me.

The gloominess was so severe that it was contagious. Her summoned beasts, influenced by her, drooped along with her.

“What’s wrong?”

But I replied as usual.

“Sister, can’t you not go? Kyle, you can stop her, right?”

“No.”

“Kyle… do you like that Eylim is leaving?”

“It’s not that, but there are unavoidable circumstances. So don’t be too sad.”

“Heeing….”

Even when I try to soothe her, Lana still looks tearful.

That’s because she heard the news that Eylim was returning so suddenly. So, since hearing the news that a sister-like figure was leaving as soon as she returned, she’s been in this state.

Moreover, since they’re together often and for a long time, it seems she’s more attached than in the novel, and the degree of emotion is severe.

But there’s no way to postpone the scheduled plan. Eylim had finished all the preparations, and the accommodation she had been staying in until now had also been demolished.

In the meantime, Eylim, who had sent her luggage to the territory, returned.

“Young master. It’s over.”

“Did the items arrive safely?”

“I heard they received everything without missing anything.”

“Now we have to go, right?”

“Yes.”

The words were nonchalant, but when I thought about her leaving, my heart felt strange. Even though we’ve talked a lot during that time.

“Sister! Please, can’t you go next year?”

Then Lana hugged Eylim and held on.

At Lana’s appearance, Eylim smiled and said, as if comforting her younger sibling.

“I’m sorry, Lana. I have to go back because it’s a family order. I’m a knight of the Arden family.”

“There’s still so much I haven’t asked. And I was looking forward to the festival with you….”

“I’m also sad that I can’t be with you. But you can always send letters if you have any questions.”

“Sister….”

Tears welled up in Lana’s eyes. I thought it would be difficult to separate them if we continued like this, so I separated them in advance.

“Stop it and go now. You’ll be late.”

“I want to stay a little longer, but it’s my turn. I don’t know when I’ll see you again after today, but I hope you’re doing well, young master.”

“Don’t worry about me and go and do well.”

“I understand. Ah, lastly, Lana.”

At Eylim’s call, Lana looked at her.

“What is it, sister….”

“It’s not like we’ll never see each other again from today. There are plenty of ways to meet. For example… visiting the territory with the young master. So don’t cry.”

“I’ll definitely, definitely do that….”

Eylim wiped away the tears of Lana, who said that.

Next, before Eylim stepped on the warp gate platform. I grabbed her.

“Take this.”

“Yes? What is this….”

“A farewell gift? It’s a small earring, so it won’t get in the way during training or combat.”

She stared at the earring I handed her. And then she received it and put it on her ear, and as soon as she put it on, the engraved magic was activated.

The engraved magic is mostly magic that a knight needs.

“It’s a good magic tool.”

She smiled as if she felt the power of the auxiliary magic that wrapped around her body. I responded to that smile as well.

“Because I made it.”

“Thank you, I will use it well.”

Of course, other magic is hidden, but there was no need to announce it. If it’s used, it means it’s a really dangerous situation. Well, it’s a magic tool I gave in preparation for that.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“Goodbye.”

“Sister! I’ll definitely go!”

I waved my hand towards Eylim, who bowed. Soon after, the magic was activated, and her figure disappeared.

“She really left….”

As Eylim completely left, Lana looked at the warp gate with a dejected voice.

“Yeah, she left.”

“Aren’t you sad, Kyle? Someone as precious as family has left.”

“It’s only a little over a year apart. I don’t need to be sad because I’ll be able to see her someday. Like she said, I can go to the territory.”

“Sometimes you seem cold, Kyle. I’m so sad.”

Lana wiped away the remaining tears. I said a word to that.

“What’s cold about it? I can meet her right away if I take the warp gate.”

This isn’t the Middle Ages where you travel by carriage, this world has magic. It doesn’t take months to get to the territory.

Of course, the warp gate is the exclusive property of the rich, though.

“Then are you going to meet sister? When?”

“I don’t have any plans yet.”

Even if I say this, I’ll meet her after graduation when I have to return to the territory. I can go before that, but I have no intention of doing so.

“I wish I could see her before the semester starts.”

“I understand, so let’s go now.”

“Okay!”

We came out of the warp gate building. There wasn’t really anything else scheduled, so we slowly walked through the capital streets.

“But what was that thing you gave to sister earlier?”

“It’s a gift. A small gift.”

“I’m jealous….”

Lana smacked her lips and glanced at me.

“There’s one for you too, so don’t do that. Here.”

I took out a bracelet from my inner pocket and handed it to Lana. Then her face brightened.

“Thank you!”

Lana immediately put the bracelet on her wrist. This time, the engraved magic is activated right away.

“Wow….”

Lana exclaimed.

That’s because this one is mainly engraved with abilities necessary for a magician. It’s no surprise that such a reaction comes out.

If you only consider performance, it demonstrates abilities beyond an artifact.

“I made it with a lot of effort, so use it well.”

“I’ll never lose it!”

“There’s a recovery magic, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Recovery magic too?! Isn’t that difficult?”

“It’s not difficult, it’s just annoying.”

That magic takes up a lot of space for engraving, and the method is also difficult. So I don’t use it much. I’d rather do other engravings.

“You’re the only one who would do this for me, Kyle!”

“I know, so let’s not do this outside.”

I stopped Lana from trying to hug me. Even if I like her, this kind of behavior is burdensome.

“Then can I do it inside? When no one is watching?”

“…Where on earth did you learn to talk like that.”

A tone that’s awkward and doesn’t suit her. Lana answered my question right away.

“I saw it in a book called ‘101 things to say to make a man fall in love’.”

“Don’t tell me… is that the book you found in the library?”

“Yes. I found it there.”

Tsk, that rotten first emperor. It’s just a book with only the words he likes written in it, what method is that. I couldn’t let Lana be influenced by that kind of book.

“Lana, you’re attractive even without that. Rather, your usual appearance is better. So forget the words you read in the book.”

In fact, if you read that book in the game, your charm stat is unconditionally halved. It’s that serious and cursed book.

“Ummm… I understand! I’ll do that because Kyle doesn’t like it.”

“I guarantee that everyone will hate it, not just me.”

“Is it that weird?”

“Weird.”

“The book said it would definitely work….”

Lana tilted her head and seemed to recall the contents of the book. I said to prevent Lana from being further influenced by the book.

“Ask your friends instead. That will be more helpful.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

There’s no stranger scene than getting advice from someone you like, but it’s better than Lana going down a strange path.

Then Lana opened her mouth as if suddenly reminded of something.

“Oh right! What time are we meeting tomorrow?”

I realized the meaning of those words.

“Are you trying to play from the first day?”

“It’s a festival! There are so many things to play with!”

Lana’s eyes sparkled.

Well, there are really a lot of things to play with during the founding festival period.

Drama troupes and merchant groups come, and artists such as bards and painters spread across the continent gather. In addition, famous restaurants from other countries come directly to the capital and open stalls, so there is plenty to eat.

Above all, the biggest thing to play with at the founding festival is the amusement park that the imperial family opens exclusively for the festival.

Amusement parks in a world where magic exists are much larger and more mysterious than modern ones, so they are called the empire’s specialty. The theme changes every year, so 10 times the usual number of people visit the capital just to see it.

So you can’t enjoy everything no matter what you do for 5 days.

“Well, even so, will your stamina be okay?”

“Kyle, even if I’m a magician, I’m a Tianis student. I have that much stamina.”

“Then your nose.”

“My nose… is okay because I have Kyle! The scent has recently become stronger, so it covers up most bad smells. I must have done a lot of good deeds.”

“I haven’t done anything like that.”

“No! I’ve seen so much!”

Lana listed the things I’ve solved so far, but that was only for my sake. Not even a little bit of goodwill is mixed in.

“Stop that and eat this.”

“Ice cream!”

It’s the day before the festival, so stalls are already lined up and doing business. One of them is an ice cream shop. It’s hot, so I bought one.

“Hehe, will there be more open tomorrow?”

“Probably.”

That doesn’t mean all the stalls are doing business. There are plenty of places preparing for tomorrow when people will gather.

“So what time are we meeting tomorrow.”

“Isn’t that what I asked?”

“You have plenty of time, so you don’t have to adjust to me. I’ll go out at the time you want.”

It’s vacation, and the volunteer work is over, so I have plenty of time. I have so much that I can sleep in until lunchtime.

“Ummm… should we meet at lunch? Isn’t it better when there are a lot of people and it’s lively?”

“If you like it, let’s do that.”

“Then at that time at the entrance….”

After deciding on the meeting time, the schedule was simple.

We walked through the capital streets and had an early dinner. And again, we talked for a while and returned to the academy.

When I returned to the dormitory like that.

“It’s quiet….”

The dormitory was so quiet that loneliness enveloped my whole body.

It’s so quiet with just one person missing. One person’s absence was bigger than I thought.

But this silence is something I chose. It’s something I have to endure myself.

After finishing my evening training, I went to bed with that loneliness as my companion.

***

The next day.

I couldn’t wear a school uniform to a festival I had been looking forward to. So I threw away the clothes that didn’t suit me far away and wore casual clothes.

Lastly, I also brought clothes to wear because it seemed like I would be out until late at night.

When I left the dormitory and headed to the center of the academy, I saw several students dressed up like me. No, more than 99% are wearing casual clothes instead of school uniforms and heading to the entrance. They are going to enjoy the festival.

There were students gathering with friends, and there were children moving in pairs of men and women. Of course, the same goes for couples. As the day goes by, an excited atmosphere hovered between them.

I was no different from them, so I moved my steps to the entrance where Lana was waiting.

And as I headed there, I could hear several conversations.

“There are so many people. It’ll be hard to play during the day?”

“Is it that bad? Ha… I thought I’d play a little.”

“Ah, I saw Lana at the entrance earlier? She was pretty…. It was the first time I knew she could change so brightly just by wearing casual clothes.”

“Was she alone?”

“Yeah, she was alone, but it looks like she’s waiting for someone. It’s probably that guy….”

“…Why does she like a guy like that.”

The jealous gazes of the students who passed through the entrance gathered.

In fact, I didn’t express it well. I often received this. Was Lana an ordinary person? It’s strange if I didn’t receive it.

But because it was a familiar reaction, I ignored it and passed by.

In the meantime, I arrived at the academy entrance, and “Kyle!”

Lana waved her hand and greeted me. And as soon as I saw her, I blinked slightly.

‘She’s pretty….’

As I said before, Lana doesn’t spend a lot of money on dressing up. But today, she came out fully dressed up. Not to mention the clothes, she even came with light makeup, so it looks like she really came with determination.

Thanks to that, as I heard while passing by, just by existing, a bright and vibrant energy was emitted around her.

“Did you wait long?”

“No? I just came too.”

Her cheeks were flushed red, but no matter how I looked at it, it seemed like she had been waiting for quite a while. It looks like she couldn’t sleep somewhere.

I have no intention of pointing that out. Instead, I moved the mana and remotely activated the magic engraved on the bracelet. Then the magic blew away her fatigue, and her expression brightened.

“Thank you….”

“What’s this. Let’s go if you’re okay.”

“Okay!”

After that, we left the academy to enjoy the festival.

Episode 70 National Foundation Festival (1)

Episode 70 Founding Festival (1)

The capital city seen after leaving the academy was quite a sight.

Various stalls lined up from the entrance, merchants tempting people with sights and smells, and curious customers dropping by. The scene itself exuded a festive atmosphere.

Of course, this is just the outskirts of the capital, so there isn’t much to see. To really have fun, you have to go to the capital’s streets.

Still, it wasn’t like the stalls weren’t attracting customers. They caught the eyes of students who had just come out to enjoy the festival.

Especially since they were filled with items that students would like. For example, things related to entertainment or love. It’s a time when they’re very interested in that sort of thing, so they would glance or check them out once in a while.

I didn’t pay any attention to that. Unless it’s a future told by a real astrologer, saint, or saintess, those things generally don’t work well.

Well, the students know that too, but some still buy things. That’s how desperate they are.

However, unexpectedly, Lana didn’t give those things much attention.

“Aren’t you interested in that kind of thing?”

“Huh?”

Only then did Lana turn her head towards the stalls. But she only looked for a moment before turning back to me and asking, “Kyle, do you like fortune-telling?”

“It’s not that I like it, I was just asking.”

“That’s surprising. I didn’t know you believed in that kind of thing.”

“It’s not like that….”

Whether I said that or not, Lana smiled brightly.

“Then, do you want to try it? It’s okay if you want to, Kyle. But my grandfather told me not to believe in fortune-telling if possible. He tried it once a long time ago and got scolded badly.”

“Well, it’s not like I….”

I didn’t know Latral had such a past. Well, if you take away the fact that he’s Lana’s grandfather, he’s just an extra anyway.

“Hehe, then that’s a relief. My grandfather said fortune-telling is a waste of money. He said it’s better to buy something delicious to eat.”

Lana smiled brightly, as if she was amused by my denial. Well, I asked just in case, but if you’re not interested, it doesn’t matter.

“Let’s get out of here first.”

It was the way to the capital’s streets, so there were a lot of people. On top of that, there were students stopped in front of the stalls, making it difficult to pass, so people were packed even closer together.

“Where are we going?”

“I think it would be good to go to the fountain first.”

“I know a shortcut there!”

Lana instantly grabbed my hand and led me. If it were someone else, I would have shaken off their hand, but I followed her guidance.

However, moving wasn’t easy. As I said, the road itself was almost blocked by students. We kept bumping into people even with just a little movement.

Still, we managed to get out and arrived at an alleyway.

“Is this the shortcut?”

“It’s the fastest way to the fountain!”

The alley in front of us had a unique gloominess, but I didn’t feel any ominousness.

More than anything.

“It looks familiar. You must come here often?”

The path was twisted and complicated, but Lana’s steps were unimpeded. It was like she was taking a walk.

“Yeah! There’s a place I sponsor nearby. I’ve come a few times, so I know it well.”

Well, Lana is a noble. She can definitely afford to sponsor. Lana is more than capable of that.

While chatting, we reached the end of the alley, and the fountain was visible in the distance.

“We’re here! There are so many people because of the festival!”

“I know, right. There’s no room to step.”

The area around the fountain, which was 100m in diameter, was already crowded with people who had come to enjoy the festival. Just the people in front of us numbered over 500. It’s only the first day of the festival, but it’s a daunting sight.

“Don’t wander off and stay close.”

“I’ll stay close! But don’t worry. As I said yesterday, you hide most smells.”

There’s no need to bring that up, but… anyway.

“Hmm, where should we go first… Food? Or something to do?”

I pointed to the food street and the activity street. Lana looked at me and asked.

“Kyle, have you eaten?”

“Not yet.”

I thought I might eat snacks in between, so I deliberately didn’t eat.

“Hehe, I haven’t eaten either.”

“Then you must be hungry.”

“I am hungry. So… ta-da! I knew this would happen, so I brought this!”

Lana took out an old ticket. It wasn’t an ordinary ticket, and I could feel magical energy from the letters. And I was a little surprised when I saw the letters written on the paper.

“The Underwater Table? The one I know?”

“That’s right!”

Lana nodded in affirmation.

[The Underwater Table] is the most famous restaurant in the Empire. Its history alone is a whopping 400 years. It’s a place that has been with the history of the Tairan Empire.

However, a restaurant can’t be maintained with tradition alone. The taste of the food is as excellent as its history. It’s even praised as having a ‘heavenly taste.’

Because of its fame, people gather not only from inside the Empire but also from other countries. Because of this, it’s difficult to get a reservation.

“How did you get it? It’s famous for not giving out tickets.”

[The Underwater Table] doesn’t give out tickets separately. It’s always fully booked, and there are many visitors.

Of course, it’s not like they don’t give them out at all, but it’s difficult for us, who are still students, to get one.

“I took it from my grandfather’s drawer!”

“That’s stealing….”

“Shhh! If we’re quiet, no one will know…!”

Lana covered my mouth with both hands. I didn’t stop.

“Still, you shouldn’t take other people’s things….”

“Shhh! Don’t say it!”

As I continued to speak, she covered my mouth even more. I stayed still at her strong reaction. Only after seeing my true form did Lana take her hand away. Then she came closer and whispered.

“I didn’t steal this. My grandfather received it a long time ago, but he gave it to me to use.”

“Are you sure it’s okay to use?”

“My grandfather has eaten there a lot, so he doesn’t want to eat there anymore. So I can use it as I please.”

Lana puffed out her chest proudly and shouted. If she says that much, it must be okay.

“But Lana.”

“Yeah? Why?”

“Maybe you shouldn’t say that so loudly….”

Numerous gazes and attention were directed this way. Most of the people who heard Lana’s shout were glancing at us or whispering.

“Ah!”

Lana seemed to realize her mistake and quickly hid the ticket, startled. But that didn’t make things better.

“First, let’s run!”

I activated magic, grabbed Lana’s hand, and ran. And Lana, who was running alongside me, made a slightly tearful voice.

“Ugh, I made a mistake…. My grandfather told me to be careful.”

“Anyone can make mistakes. Just be careful next time.”

Even if I said that, the situation wasn’t good. I could feel several people chasing us in the crowded crowd. From ordinary citizens to adventurers and thieves like pickpockets. It was very diverse. The number was over 100.

As I said earlier, [The Underwater Table] is filled with customers every day without any empty seats. Not to mention on festival days. At this time, getting a reservation is as difficult as picking stars in the sky. So there are incidents where people give extra money to get a seat.

But someone has the right to use it anytime? At least on the festival day, its value is indescribable. That’s why we’ve become targets like this.

However, it wasn’t like there was no way to escape this situation at all.

“Lana, follow in my footsteps from behind. Can you do that?”

“Yeah, I can do it.”

I let go of Lana’s hand. And I put mana into my feet and took a step.

First, I spread the energy of the earth with the first footprint to create a foundation, and the second step is to put magic on top of it.

The third and fourth are the same. I unfold, combine, and merge them one by one. Sometimes mana, sometimes magic, sometimes the principles of nothingness. I build towards completion step by step, like building a tower.

All to shake off those thieves. Fortunately, Lana followed well.

After walking like that for a while, I took the last step and stopped. The formation was complete. Lana also stopped following me.

“Is it over?”

“Yeah. They won’t chase us anymore.”

They’ll wander around in the illusion for about 10 minutes before being sucked into a dream. Then they’ll be caught by the guards and rot in jail for a few days. Obstructing traffic during this period is a major crime.

“That’s a relief. I thought I was going to die from the smell….”

“Was it hard?”

“Yeah. There were too many bad people.”

I feel sorry for Lana, who has to live with that ability for the rest of her life.

Anyway.

We arrived at the food street and headed to [The Underwater Table]. We didn’t have to move for long. The restaurant was big and located near the beginning of the street. And we reached the restaurant.

“Is it because it’s a famous restaurant?”

“There are so many people, Kyle.”

A line that started from the restaurant entrance. It’s over 300m long.

The result of trying to eat there at least once makes me laugh. They won’t be able to eat no matter how long they wait. Maybe 100 people will get to eat?

But unlike them, we didn’t need to do that.

“Let’s go, Kyle.”

“Okay.”

Lana and I passed the waiting line and headed to the entrance. And as we were about to enter, a waiter came out.

“Thank you for visiting The Underwater Table. If you tell me the name you made the reservation under, I will guide you.”

“I didn’t make a reservation, but I have this.”

Lana took out the ticket and handed it to the waiter. Then sweat started to drip from his forehead.

“Could you wait a moment?”

His words were calm, but his actions were not at all. The waiter hurriedly ran inside. After a while, he returned with someone who appeared to be the manager. It was a middle-aged man.

“Welcome. I am William Herschel, the manager of The Underwater Table. Is it just the two of you?”

“Yes!”

“Please come in. I will guide you.”

He bowed deeply and led us. The waiting line whispered at our appearance, but we ignored them.

The interior of the restaurant was as unique as its reputation.

The floor and ceiling were reminiscent of the sea, and the tableware, candles, and small decorations seemed to be made by processing things from the sea.

It was truly a scene that made you feel the atmosphere of the sea. I hadn’t even eaten yet, but my eyes were already delighted.

“Wow… Kyle, look at that. Fish are floating around.”

“I know, but there’s no water.”

In addition, numerous fish were floating in the air. It wasn’t that they had installed an aquarium, but rather they had filled the restaurant with the energy of the sea and made them float.

“Hehe, is this your first time visiting our restaurant?”

“Yes! It’s our first time!”

“I see.”

Then he smiled.

“This is an honor. To think I would serve all three generations of the Heitald and Arden families.”

“Oh, I didn’t say my name….”

“There’s no need to be surprised. I gave that ticket to Latral-nim 30 years ago. And I’ve met Lana-nim’s father, so I just assumed she was his granddaughter.”

I knew the ticket was old for some reason. So that was the reason.

“And I think you know who the Arden is without me saying it.”

“Yes.”

We were guided to the VIP room on the 6th floor. It was the only room I saw that was empty while coming up.

“Is this room the only one that’s empty?”

“This is a private room for those who have a ticket. Even the imperial family cannot use this room without a ticket.”

He kindly answered Lana’s question. After that, he even pulled out our chairs and treated us kindly.

“Since it’s your first visit, I’d like to serve you a dish that I’ve selected at my discretion, would that be okay?”

“Yes, that’s fine!”

“Please do.”

“If there are any seafood or ingredients you can’t eat, I will reflect that.”

“I eat everything well!”

“I’m not picky either.”

Before preparing the food, he asked us various questions. William, who had finished his work, left and said.

“This room has the best view in our restaurant. You can look around until the food is ready, or you can do something else. The soundproofing is excellent, so no sound will leak out.”

I realized what he meant.

“Don’t make strange noises.”

“Hehe, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m just saying it’s safe to talk comfortably.”

He smiled like a grandfather and left the room. It was an obvious thing to say, but I let it go because his intentions seemed pure. I don’t know why the adults are so interested, unlike the students, but I wish they would just do it moderately.

Well, Lana didn’t seem interested in his words. She had been running to the balcony because he said the view was good. I also got up from my seat and headed to Lana’s side.

“Kyle. Look at the capital. It’s as pretty as the starlight at night.”

“Yeah. It’s pretty.”

The imperial capital wasn’t built simply. It was designed and built like the 6 divided streets. So magic is laid throughout the capital. You can see this well from the sky.

“Don’t stand, sit down and watch. It’s more comfortable.”

I operated the magic tool installed on the balcony. Then a chair made of mana was created. A table was also created so we could lean on it.

We sat side by side and looked outside.

“It’s a good breeze.”

“Yeah, it makes my body feel relaxed.”

The gentle breeze blows away the summer heat and cools the body. I had been moving my body anyway, so it was relaxing as Lana said.

“I want to sleep like this.”

“You can’t sleep.”

“Hehe, is it because I’m with Kyle?”

Lana smiled brightly.

We were silent for a while after that. It wasn’t that there was awkwardness. It’s just that I like this situation.

The scenery of the restaurant, the heat of the festival, and the tranquility felt within it. The three combine to give stability to the mind and body. Maybe Lana is quiet because she doesn’t want to break this atmosphere either.

After sitting there for a long time without any conversation, Lana opened her mouth.

“I wish Elheim unnie was here too.”

She sighed softly as if she missed Elheim, who had left yesterday.

“Lana. Do you like Elheim?”

“Yeah, I like her a lot!”

Lana smiled brightly just thinking about Elheim.

“Kyle wouldn’t know. How lonely it is to grow up as an only child. So I always wanted to have siblings. And I feel like Elheim unnie is like that. Like we grew up together.”

Hearing those words, I wondered if I should have sent her. But I can’t weaken my heart.

“Still, you can monopolize her like this. Just you.”

“Monopoly is good. How happy is it to have someone you like with you.”

Lana turned her head and smiled brightly. Then she looked forward again.

“You know, Kyle. People often misunderstand? They think I’m just a pure child. But that’s not true at all. I know everything there is to know. I know about the things you hide from me because you care about me. And Kyle….”

“Tell me.”

I said to Lana, who was hesitating. She opened her mouth right away.

“I know that you fought with unnie. I know that Chloe likes Kyle. I know that the princess and Luina sunbae are also interested in Kyle.”

“Is that so.”

“Yeah.”

Lana nodded in affirmation.

I actually thought she would have figured it out. In the novel, Lana monitored Evan as a summon. She may not be at that level right now, but she must be checking to some extent.

“But can you monopolize me there? Just me and unnie is already two. Of course, I won’t fight with unnie over Kyle, but I can’t guarantee that other people won’t.”

“I guess not….”

“I don’t guess, I guarantee it will be.”

Lana’s tone was certain. I didn’t bother to say anything else.

“But what can I do. The person Kyle Arden is that charming. And Kyle.”

This time, Lana got off the chair and grabbed my head with her hands to face me directly.

“I’m not a greedy woman. It’s okay if you have other women besides unnie and me. That’s the way of nature in the first place. I understand enough.”

Lana’s eyes were shining brighter than ever.

“So you don’t have to say things like that to be considerate of me. I’m not jealous. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m going to let you be taken by someone else. I’m going to make Kyle like me the most, no matter what.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen. There’s Elheim.”

“Oh, I can’t help it with unnie. We’ve spent a different amount of time together….”

Lana pouted her lips at the irresistible words. Her appearance was so cute that I gave her a faint smile.

“Just kidding, just kidding.”

“Kyle is sometimes mischievous…. Huh?”

Then Lana looked at the room and was surprised.

“Kyle, the food is here! Let’s eat.”

“I didn’t know it would come out without saying anything.”

I thought they would come and explain the food since they were treating us like VIPs, but it was unexpected.

We left the balcony and headed to the table. On top of it was a small note along with the dishes.

The contents were an explanation about the food, and at the very bottom of the explanation….

「I thought it would ruin the atmosphere, so I sent it without saying anything. I hope you have a pleasant meal.」

Those words were written. Judging from Lana’s reaction, it seems like it was only written on my paper.

“Kyle, they said they’ll send someone when we’re done eating.”

Why are the adults so interested in the kids’ romance? It was like that at the academy too, but I wish they would just do it moderately.

Anyway, that’s that.

“It’s delicious….”

“It’s delicious!”

The food at [The Underwater Table] was so delicious that it reminded me of heavenly flavors.

Episode 71 National Foundation Festival (2)

Episode 71 Founding Festival (2)

“Ugh, I’m so full….”

Lana rested her chin on her hand, wearing a look of utter exhaustion. Her face was visibly turning pale in real-time, probably due to indigestion.

Of course, I wasn’t much different.

“They should have given us a reasonable amount….”

I was sweating profusely because my stomach was so full. Even with my increased appetite due to improved muscles and stamina, I felt like my stomach was about to burst.

Knock knock

Just then, there was a knock on the door and a voice from outside. It was the manager’s voice, the first I’d heard in two hours since we were shown to our room.

-May I come in?

“…Yes, come in.”

As I answered, William carefully opened the door and entered.

“Did you enjoy the food?”

“Yes… except that I’m too full.”

“……”

I stared at him silently.

“Haha, I’m sorry. I suppose I got greedy wanting you to try a variety of dishes.”

“No, it was still delicious.”

Yeah, as Lana said, it was ridiculously delicious.

Normally, when you eat food, the initial satisfaction decreases as you become full. But [The Underwater Table] kept that feeling of delight going.

Plus, the course menu served the food little by little, which was tantalizing. So, even as I was getting full, the food kept going into my mouth. It was like an addictive drug.

“I’m glad you were satisfied. Then, I will prepare the last dish.”

We were surprised by those words. Lana’s face turned completely ashen.

“Um, Mr. William? I don’t think we can eat anymore because we’re too full. Right, Kyle?”

“We’ll have to decline.”

We’d already eaten 30 dishes including dessert. And since we hadn’t taken a break in between, there was really no room left.

“It’s only called a dish; it’s not what you’re thinking. So, you don’t have to worry.”

With that, he left the room. We couldn’t even stop him.

“Ky, Kyle, what should we do? Should we run away now…?”

Lana asked in a frantic voice.

Honestly, I’m also worried. If I eat any more than this, my stomach might actually burst physically.

“Still, it’s not polite to leave without saying anything, so let’s tell him when he comes back.”

Lana nodded at my words and collapsed onto the table.

“I ate too much to move….”

“Will you be able to have fun today?”

“I don’t know. But maybe I’ll be okay after I digest it?”

I guess we should rest for a while before going to the amusement park. Or maybe just stay here.

I rested along with Lana, trying to soothe my overheated stomach. Then, Lana smiled faintly and looked at me.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Is Kyle copying me?”

“I’m not copying you.”

I just did it because this position looked comfortable.

“Hmph~ Is that so.”

“……”

I turned my gaze away from Lana, who was smiling playfully, and looked outside. And then, I heard a sound through the window.

Phew-oong─!!

A streak of light soaring high into the sky and illuminating it. The fire endlessly rose into the sky above the capital, drawing attention.

Puh-wuhng─!!

Fireworks bursting with a great light. It emitted a light bigger than the sun, announcing its presence. After releasing the fireworks, it stayed in the air and gradually took shape into something. It was a symbol representing the imperial family.

And what this meant was one thing.

“Looks like the amusement park opened. It’s late this time.”

“Late? When did it open last year?”

“It opened as soon as it turned 6 o’clock.”

“It opened early.”

“Yeah. But Grandpa said the opening time was different every year. I guess it’s because they have to build it in one day.”

Come to think of it, there was a setting that the amusement park was built the day before to give a sense of mystery and anticipation. I guess that’s why.

We continued to watch the fireworks adorning the sky. The fireworks announcing the opening of the amusement park last for 30 minutes.

“These fireworks are prettier than last year…. Is it because we’re seeing them up close?”

“That probably has something to do with it.”

[The Underwater Table] is said to be on the 6th floor, but in terms of height, it’s over 10 floors. The closer the distance, the different the feeling.

“But it’s still beautiful, right.”

Well, even excluding that, it’s a spectacle. The combination of magic and gunpowder was more beautiful than I thought. It’s an idea I’ve never thought of. There’s a reason why the founding emperor was so great.

As I was admiring the sky in silence once again, Lana called out to me softly.

“Kyle.”

“What is it?”

“I hope I can see this next year too.”

“There’s no reason why not. Just the two of us?”

“It doesn’t have to be just the two of us. Like I said before, I don’t get jealous. But I’d like Elraim unnie to be there too.”

“I’ll try.”

Of course, it’s going to be difficult considering the events that will happen next year.

“But shouldn’t we go to the amusement park soon? If we’re late, we’ll have to wait a long time.”

“It doesn’t matter to us. We have the medal.”

“That’s right. I forgot.”

The medal I received at the awards ceremony has some minor benefits, such as amusement park priority passes. If we use it, we can enter right away without waiting.

-The dish is ready.

The voice came at a good time. The manager opened the door and came in. He was holding a plate in his hand. The manager, William, carefully placed it in front of us.

On the plate was a teardrop shape maintaining its form on top of a flat spoon. The teardrop was not transparent but had a blue color reminiscent of the sea.

“Is it jelly?”

“It’s not jelly. Nor is it water.”

“Ugh….”

“Hmm….”

We groaned.

If it’s not jelly, then what is it? I thought about it, but no answer came to mind. But I didn’t move my hands.

Then the manager said.

“I know very well what state you two are in. But I hope you trust me and eat it. I’m sure you’ll be satisfied.”

He smiled gently.

Was it because of his confident voice? Lana picked up the spoon.

“Lana?”

“It’ll be okay, Kyle. Mr. William is a kind person.”

“You don’t even look good….”

But before I could finish my sentence, Lana put the teardrop in her mouth and swallowed it. She frowned while swallowing, but soon brightened up.

No. Rather, her eyes shone with a serene expression.

“Wow…. Kyle, eat it quickly! You’ll definitely be surprised!”

At her urging, I ate the last dish that came out. Then, a reaction occurred immediately.

The mana reacted as soon as the teardrop touched my stomach. Then, the food inside melted and was absorbed into my body. Perhaps it was due to the nutrients of the food spreading throughout my body, but my strength overflowed.

“What is this….”

“Amazing, isn’t it!”

“Yeah….”

It was like eating an elixir. It was that effective. Maybe the 30 dishes were preparation for this.

“It’s a dish passed down through generations at our restaurant. The effects vary depending on who eats it, but it causes significant growth.”

“Amazing. To make something like this with food….”

“Haha, thank you for the compliment.”

After exchanging some stories like that, the meal came to an end.

Now that we had eaten and had plenty of energy, there was no reason to stay in the restaurant any longer. We left the restaurant. The manager escorted us to the very end. And he handed us something as we were leaving.

“This is….”

“It’s a ticket. However, it’s set up so you can’t use it right away, but you can use it from 5 years later.”

“Why are you giving it to me?”

Then, he came closer to me. And he said in a small voice that only I could hear.

“If I give you this, I think I can serve the fourth generation of the Heytald and Arden families. If that happens, I’ll be able to break my ancestors’ records.”

“……”

The manager laughed, happy about something.

“I hope you’ll accept it without any burden.”

I accepted the ticket without saying a word and hid it securely in my inside pocket.

“Let’s go, Lana.”

“Okay! Mr. William. I’ll come again if I get the chance!”

“Haha, I hope you have a fun festival.”

He waved his hand and saw us off. I quickly led Lana out of the restaurant.

“Kyle, what did you talk about?”

“Couldn’t you hear?”

“No. Mr. William blocked it with mana so I couldn’t hear.”

“Then you don’t need to know.”

Fortunately, Lana didn’t ask any further.

“But why is your face red?”

“I don’t know.”

Sometimes I wish Lana would be quiet.

***

The amusement park is located at the end of the Street of Amusement. And since it’s on the opposite side of the Street of Food where the restaurant is located, it’s quite a distance.

It took about an hour of walking for Lana and me to arrive at the amusement park.

“I expected it, but it’s amazing. Everyone must be looking forward to it.”

“Yeah. But I’m worried that there might be an accident.”

“It’s okay, Kyle. The guards are blocking them well.”

“That’s a relief then.”

There was nothing but people everywhere. There were about 100 times more people than the fountain we passed on the way.

“Let’s go in first.”

“Yeah! I want to see what this year’s theme is quickly.”

The amusement park is blocked by a barrier with refraction magic, so you can’t tell what the theme is.

Lana grabbed my hand and moved with excited steps.

Entry was easy. When I showed the medal, they let us in right away. This is because it’s somewhat related to the imperial family, and all the employees working now are connected to the imperial family.

We passed through the mana barrier. For a moment, I felt like my body was being sucked in.

Usually, the land used for amusement parks is half the size of the academy, but if you were to build this in the capital, troublesome things would happen. So, they appropriately mix space magic to move visitors.

Anyway, after moving, a wall blocked us. It was an old wall made of red bricks.

“Huh? What is it?”

“Did we move to the wrong place?”

I was lost in thought for a moment, but I stopped thinking at the magic power emanating from the wall. And then, letters appeared on the wall.

“It says to enter the correct pattern?”

At those words, a scene came to my mind. If it’s an old wall and a pattern, there’s only one thing.

“Wait a minute.”

I immediately took action. It could be different from that scene, so I touched the wall and poured in mana. I could feel that some of the bricks were empty of mana, and one was filled with it.

First, I pressed the brick filled with mana, and then I pressed the bricks in the order they were empty of mana. Then, the bricks began to move one by one.

The bricks receded to the left on our left and to the right on our right, centered around us. After a while, an entrance large enough for two people to pass through was created.

In front of the entrance thus created, a sign and an alleyway could be seen.

[Welcome to Wizard’s Street!]

“Wizard’s Street? Is this year’s theme related to wizards?”

“I guess so.”

“Hehe, I’m looking forward to it. Did they decorate it like the Magic Kingdom?”

“Maybe not that….”

Judging by the atmosphere, it’s definitely not that. I’m 100% sure it’s what I know.

“Let’s go quickly!”

“Go slowly.”

I stopped Lana, who was running hastily, and moved as well.

After walking through the short alley and turning onto the only path, the scenery of the street came into view.

“Wow….”

Lana exclaimed at the street scene, which was similar to but different from the capital.

‘Is this okay….’

I was worried about the street scene that I had seen in a movie. That’s because this is totally Harry….

‘No. It’s a different world from here, so I can ignore it.’

I tried to ignore it as much as possible. There’s no one here to complain about copyright.

But not everything was the same. The atmosphere was a bit similar, but the details were different.

Moreover, this is a world where magic exists. It cannot be compared to the world created by imagination.

“Kyle, why are you spacing out? Ah, Kyle was surprised too!”

Just then, Lana shook her hand in front of my eyes to wake me up.

“I was a little surprised. It’s very different from what I expected.”

“Me too! I think I know why the opening was late.”

Lana grinned at the street, which had an unfamiliar and mysterious atmosphere.

“Where should we go first? Maylin’s Magic Tool Shop? Magic Toy Store? I didn’t know those two would be here. Ah, there’s a costume rental shop over there too.”

Lana looked around, examining the shops one by one. Every one of them was a famous shop from the outside.

I suggested to Lana, who couldn’t make a choice.

“How about changing clothes first? It’ll be hard to play in these clothes.”

Most of the users were wearing clothes that looked like wizards. Judging by the comfortable movements, they weren’t just wearing them for decoration.

“Hmmm… I think that’s a good idea!”

We headed to the costume rental shop.

There was no troublesome process of changing clothes. As befitting Wizard’s Street, changing costumes was instantaneous with magic.

As we came out wearing the costumes, a familiar voice came to our ears.

“Oh, hyungnim! I see you here!”

It was Evan, the main character of ‘Arcane Demon’.

Episode 72 National Foundation Festival (3)

Episode 72 Founding Festival (3)

“It’s been a while!”

“Yeah.”

It’s been almost two weeks since the semester ended, so it has been a while. I wasn’t thrilled. It was a day I’d finally come out to enjoy. When I’m with Evan, I never know what kind of incident I’ll get caught up in. That’s the protagonist’s fate and curse.

“When did you get back?”

“I arrived today. Oh, hello, Lana-sunbae!”

Belatedly discovering Lana, Evan greeted her as well.

“Hello, Evan-hubae? What brings you here? Are you here to play?”

“Yes. I arrived about two hours ago, and I heard the amusement park was open, so I rushed right over.”

As if to prove he’d arrived earlier, Evan was wearing wizard robes like us.

“You got here earlier than us. But who’s behind you?”

A child was closely attached to Evan’s back. It was a girl who looked like she was in elementary school. The child was peeking out with only her head showing, looking this way.

“Ah, this one? She’s my younger sister. Ria, say hello. These are my sunbaes.”

The child, introduced as Ria, carefully came forward, bowed, and greeted us.

“Hello….”

After a short greeting, the child hid behind her brother again. I thought she glared at me during the greeting, but it must have been my imagination.

“So cute…!”

Lana’s eyes lit up at the action, and she rushed over in one stride, hugging and stroking the child.

“Evan-hubae, why didn’t you say so sooner! If you had such a cute younger sister, you should have told me!”

“Haha, I didn’t have the chance to say it.”

“Your name is Ria? I’m Lana Heytale. Nice to meet you!”

Lana stayed close to Ria and had no intention of letting go. Showing this much reaction at the first meeting meant she liked her very much.

“Ugh, let me go….”

On the other hand, Evan’s younger sister, Ria, was struggling. She tried to get out in every way she could, but it was useless. It’s her first meeting, so she’s still very shy.

Stare.

I felt the gaze again.

‘Hmm, I think she glared again…’

I could have dismissed the first time as a misunderstanding, but if it happens continuously, it’s a different story. I don’t know why, but it seems like that child dislikes me.

“Let’s move our spot first.”

The spot wasn’t suitable for a conversation.

***

“Here are your ordered beers.”

Arriving at a street pub, we immediately ordered drinks, and soon an employee, with both hands full of beer glasses, put them down on our table.

Of course, it wasn’t real alcohol, just an imitation. The taste was similar to ginger ale.

“It feels like I’m drinking real beer!”

Lana, with foam all over her mouth, exclaimed. The carbonation and the texture of the foam were the same as beer, so the feeling itself wasn’t much different.

“What. Have you ever had alcohol before?”

“My grandfather gave me some a few times….”

“Why are you acting like you’ve committed a crime? You can try it.”

Adulthood is designated at 20 years old, but the Empire isn’t that strict. Around our age, they let us drink alcohol. Besides, 400 years ago, 15 years old was adulthood.

“Hehe, right? Ah, have you ever had it, Kyle?”

“I have.”

I haven’t eaten it since possessing this body, but at least Kyle before the possession would have.

Come to think of it, I craved alcohol and cigarettes in the early days of possession…. I don’t even think about it these days. Is it because my body has changed?

Anyway.

“So. Why did you come to the capital with your sister?”

“Ria said she wanted to see the capital. I thought it would be okay to bring her since we can use the warp gate.”

“Evan-hubae is kind. Taking care of his younger sister.”

“Haha, there aren’t many opportunities like this. There’s not much to do in our town.”

The place where Evan lives was the most rural of rural areas.

“More than that, were you two on a date?”

“Yes, we were on a date.”

“Oh… then am I interrupting?”

“If you knew, you shouldn’t have talked to us.”

As I replied bluntly, Ria glared at me. It was quite a cute reaction.

“Hyungnim, I’m sorry. I was so clueless….”

“I’m just kidding. Can’t I even joke around?”

The protagonist gets dejected with just that one thing. I need to fix that mentality of his.

“I’m glad. Ah, but shouldn’t we split up when we’re playing?”

It was when Evan said those words. Ria, who was sitting close by, slightly tugged on Evan’s sleeve.

“Oppa. I want to play with that unni.”

“Huh? That’s, uh….”

“You want to play with me?! Ria is so cute…!”

Evan seemed troubled, and Lana was about to hug her right away. And the two of them looked at me.

“Why are you looking at me?”

“Because we need hyungnim’s permission?”

“Kyle! I want to play with Ria!”

“Hmm….”

Pretending to contemplate, I turned my gaze. My eyes met Ria’s. I thought she was going to have a staring contest with me for a moment, but she huffed and turned her head.

‘Cute.’

Is it because she’s a child? Her actions and speech are cute because they’re fitting for her age.

“If Lana wants to, that’s fine.”

“Thank you!”

At my permission, the child breathed a sigh of relief as if she was relieved. I don’t know why she dislikes me, but I’ll slowly get to know her.

***

“Eek! I’ve overspent…!”

Evan tore at his hair. In Evan’s hands were shopping bags full of stuff. But it didn’t end there, he also carried toys and magical tools on his body.

“I, I didn’t plan to buy this much…! Hyungnim, what should I do?!”

“What else can you do but take it as it is. You used it, so refunds are impossible.”

The wizard’s street had numerous shops related to magic. And Evan, who was very interested in magic, couldn’t turn away. This was the result.

“That’s not what I mean! This is just the beginning, what about other places!”

“Are you a kid….”

I could only sigh inwardly.

“No, hyungnim! How can I pass this by…!”

As he said that, he headed to another store this time. I dragged him away.

“Evan-hubae would have been in big trouble if you came last year. Last year, they sold a strange golem.”

“A golem? What kind of thing did they sell…”

“Enough.”

I cut off their conversation because he was turning his attention to strange things. At that time, Ria, who was watching her brother, said.

“Oppa, I’m going to tell mom everything. That you spent money on useless things.”

“No, Ria…!”

In the meantime, we arrived at the next place. This time it was a train station where a train was parked.

“Wow… Ria, look at this. It’s a train.”

“I know, oppa.”

The siblings couldn’t take their eyes off the train. It’s because it’s hard to see trains unless you’re in a big city. Due to management and safety issues, trains only operated in major cities.

“I didn’t know they’d install a train. Is that why it took so long?”

“That could be it. More than that, let’s get on first.”

Soon, we heard an announcement that the train was about to depart. We could admire it inside.

We entered the inside of the train. The inside was quite worth seeing. Like in the novel, the rooms were divided, allowing four people to enter. Fortunately, there were four of us, so it was just right.

As soon as we sat down, the train started moving.

“Ooh….”

“Wow….”

The siblings’ reactions were the same. Their eyes were fixed on the changing scenery outside the running train. No matter what I called them, there was no response, and Evan was even drooling.

“Hehe, they act exactly alike. Is it because they’re siblings?”

“Family members resemble each other.”

“But Kyle and Bale aren’t like that. And they don’t get along.”

“Not getting along can’t be helped. There aren’t many cases where siblings, whether they’re brothers, sisters, or siblings, get along well.”

Those siblings are just unique. Of course, there’s a reason for that.

“Still, it’s nice to have a sibling, isn’t it? I think I’d be happy every day if I had one.”

“……”

It seemed like Lana had a lot of fantasies about this. If she experienced it, she wouldn’t be able to.

At that time, an old woman came along the aisle pulling a cart.

“Would you like to buy some candy?”

“One of each kind, please.”

As I handed over the gold coin, the old woman filled a basket with candy and handed it over. After that, the old woman left with a benevolent expression to the next room.

Looking at the basket of candy I received, I called Ria.

“Kid.”

That word was quite effective. Ria reacted immediately to the word “kid” and looked this way.

“I’m not a kid….”

“If I don’t call a kid a kid, then what should I call you?”

“I have a name, Ria.”

“So you’re telling me to call you by your name?”

“……”

“Never mind, take this.”

I gave the basket to the child as it was. Then she looked at me as if to say, “What do you want me to do with this?”

“Eat it.”

“……”

“That’s why I gave it to you.”

Ria made a sulky face for a moment.

“Thank you.”

But soon, she bowed her head and gave her thanks, and began to eat the candy.

“Ria, can’t you give one to unni too?”

“Ah, just one for me too!”

The three were munching on candy. Feeling conscious that only I wasn’t eating it, Ria gave me a candy too.

“I’ll enjoy it.”

I also put the candy in my mouth and munched on it.

About 10 minutes later, we arrived at the next station. We got off at a station with an open view. There was a sign kindly installed at the station, telling us which direction to go.

We passed through the forest and crossed the bridge. And we arrived at the castle, which is the main background of this theme. To be exact, it’s a school.

The castle was made with feeling. The antique atmosphere and appearance were well expressed. I was also impressed with the inside of the castle.

“Ooh….”

“Are there only geniuses in the imperial family? How did they think of making something like this?”

“Oppa, the painting is moving.”

The original characteristics were very well preserved. Especially the moving stairs and paintings, not to mention the ghosts floating around everywhere. Of course, everything was implemented with magic.

We looked at the guidebook we received at the castle entrance.

“There are many places to look around. If we look around the basement and hidden rooms, all our time will be gone today, right? Not to mention if we include the experiences.”

“Should we come tomorrow too?”

“There seem to be places we can skip. I think we just need to go to the main places.”

As the center of the theme, most of what came out in that novel was implemented.

But is it because of that? There were many visitors staying in the castle.

“Evan, take good care of your sister.”

“Yes, sir!”

I gave Evan a warning in case. These kinds of places are good for losing children.

After that, Lana stayed close to me, and Evan stayed close to his sister as we moved. I was the guide. I knew roughly where it was fun because I had read the original.

We rode brooms and wandered around the castle, and we also bought high-quality herbs that were being sold. Other than that, we had a match against other visitors on a giant chessboard.

There was also an experience for mana users once. I also tried a giant snake hunting experience.

“It’s fun! It’s more fun than last year!”

“Ugh, I shouldn’t spend more money….”

Lana’s eyes lit up, as if she liked all the experiences, and urged us to look around the castle more. Evan bought more items that were being sold after completing that experience.

“Um, where to next….”

I looked at the guidebook and searched for the next experience. And then I felt a sense of emptiness.

“Lana, Evan.”

“Huh? Why, Kyle?”

“What’s wrong?”

I looked around for a moment. But I couldn’t see the child next to us.

“Where did Ria go?”

“Huh?”

“Ah….”

“Ah, damn it….”

Me, Lana, and Evan too. We were so focused on playing that we lost Ria.

Episode 73 National Foundation Festival (4)

Episode 73 Founding Festival (4)

“This fucking… I told you to take good care of your little sister.”

I spat out the cold words. Evan was startled by my low, subdued voice.

“Th, that’s right, Brother… I just spaced out for a second… Ack-! Brother, brother, time out! I got hit in the bone, the bone!!”

He grimaced in pain, but I didn’t stop. Of course, it wasn’t entirely my fault, but it’s mostly this bastard’s fault for being too busy having fun to take care of the kid.

People around us glanced our way, but I ignored them. Then, Lana, who was next to me, stopped me and said.

“Kyle. Shouldn’t we find Lia first?”

“Th, that’s right, Brother…. I’m one thing, but Lia is still a child, so….”

“And you knowing that, you do this?”

“Ugh-!”

I punched him once because he was so infuriating.

“Hoo….”

First, I pondered about what to do.

“Lana, does the amusement park have a lost child center or employees who help find lost children?”

“Yeah, they do. The amusement park is so big that many children get lost every year.”

“Then, please contact them. Evan and I will go look for her ourselves.”

“Okay.”

Lana left right away.

“And you….”

“What can I do?”

When I glared at him a bit fiercely, Evan straightened up.

Before setting out to find Lia, I plucked out a strand of Evan’s hair. It’s to use magic. If there is genetic information, the tracking magic is more effective…. But after recalling Lia’s settings, I threw it away.

“If you were going to throw it away, Brother, why did you even pull it out….”

“Give me your hand.”

“Yes.”

It’s been a while, but since he held her hand, there should be skin tissue remaining. I fiddled with Evan’s hand, searching for Lia’s skin.

“Brother….”

“What.”

“Well, I don’t know what you’re doing, but could you please let go? It’s a bit of an eyesore, two men doing this….”

“I feel like shit too, so just stay still. If you want to find Lia.”

With Lia as a hostage, Evan finally shut his mouth. As I said, I don’t feel good either, but I have no choice if I want to find the child. Really, I have no choice.

After examining the other side, I was able to find Lia’s tissue. I immediately used tracking magic.

However, the light of tracking couldn’t go straight toward the target. It split into several strands, the location wasn’t specified, and the direction changed every moment, then suddenly stopped midway.

The reason for this phenomenon is due to the hundreds of magic spells laid in the castle. Other magic interfered, so it couldn’t function properly. In particular, space-related magic was a big hindrance.

However, I couldn’t chase and check all these strands. I refined the magic as much as possible and reduced it to two strands.

“The light will be cut off. Don’t panic and look around.”

Evan nodded. Before he left, I said.

“And Evan.”

“Yes, Brother.”

“You and I need to talk separately later.”

“Uh… you sound scary when you say that….”

Feeling the anger in my low voice, Evan was sweating profusely. At that, I smiled and said.

“If you find her later than me, you’re dead.”

“I will definitely come back first!”

Evan hurriedly ran after the light. As soon as he disappeared from sight, I also followed the light.

***

Sniffle, I try to stop the runny nose. But it’s no use. The snot that burst out a while ago didn’t know how to stop.

The same goes for tears. They flowed down so much that the corners of my eyes turned red, but no matter how much time passed, they didn’t stop.

My sleeves were already soaked, so there was no way to wipe them. Lia was just crouching and crying somewhere in the castle.

Of course, Lia also wanted to get out of here and find her brother. But it wasn’t easy.

The reason she got separated from the group was because she was swept away by the crowd. And she was pushed and reached this unknown place. It was just between letting go of her brother’s hand. She was afraid that the same thing would happen again, so it was difficult to recklessly set out to find him.

Besides, the amusement park was too unfamiliar a place for Lia. When she first arrived in the empire, she couldn’t focus because she kept looking around so much. The amusement park was no different.

In addition, there were many unfamiliar people in the amusement park.

Especially nobles. Like her brother’s group, they were commoners, but they were dangerous people of a different status, in front of whom she always had to be careful.

So, she didn’t have the courage to go outside. The 12-year-old country girl was still physically and mentally lacking for that.

After crying for a while, Lia hugged her legs and waited quietly. Maybe her brother or someone else would come to find her. By now, they would have realized that she had disappeared.

“Huh…?”

At that moment, a shining sphere flowed in through the window. It was enough to arouse the child’s curiosity. Lia wondered what it was and approached it.

“Ah….”

However, the light disappeared before it touched her hand.

“Hic….”

She burst into tears again. As soon as the curiosity that had arisen disappeared, the remaining emotions filled the void.

Why she was in this situation. Lia hugged her legs even tighter and buried her face, because it was so unfair. Tears flowed down her knees.

It was then.

“What are you doing here, kid.”

She slightly raised her head at the very rude tone.

Then, she saw a man with fierce eyes. Even though she didn’t know his face, Lia, who lived in the countryside, had heard the name of the noble, the rascal Kyle Arden.

“What. Did you cry?”

“…I didn’t cry.”

She hurriedly tried to wipe her eyes, but her sleeves were still wet.

“You cried. How far apart were you that you’re crying?”

“…I told you I didn’t cry.”

Lia was upset and answered bluntly. Lia was startled inside.

According to rumors, Kyle Arden was a rascal who beat even children like dogs. Of course, her brother said he was a good person, but she didn’t know what he would be like when they were alone.

Lia trembled and closed her eyes tightly. It was to prepare for the possible pain. However, no matter how much time passed, what she had expected didn’t happen.

Lia carefully opened her eyes. In front of her was a hand as big as her brother’s.

“Aren’t you going?”

Lia hesitated for a moment.

“Everyone is waiting. Let’s go quickly.”

Only then did Lia grab Kyle’s hand. But was it because she had been sitting for a long time? She lost her strength while getting up.

“Tsk tsk, move a little.”

Her body floating in the air. Before she knew it, Lia was on Kyle’s back.

“I, I can move on my own….”

“Stay still. This is faster.”

Kyle, who crushed her opinion, walked as he was. Lia gave up and stayed still, feeling that he would ignore whatever she said.

In the meantime, the light she saw earlier approached Lia.

“It’s finally here. Damn amusement park. Why did you make it so complicated?”

Kyle, who muttered that, transformed the tracking magic that arrived late into message magic and delivered it.

“What… is that?”

“Magic.”

Kyle, who answered briefly, walked again. Lia grumbled inwardly and pouted her lips for no reason.

Then, she heard a voice from the front.

“But hey kid.”

“My name is Lia….”

“Yeah, kid.”

Lia shut her mouth tightly.

Kyle Arden was completely self-centered. She had a name, Lia Felix, but he called her whatever he wanted.

It was the same when he gave her candy earlier. How could he suddenly hand her a basket full of candy and tell her to eat it? Of course, it was delicious, but….

“Let me ask you one thing. Why do you hate me so much?”

“Pardon…?”

What kind of absurd question is this. Lia thought that.

“You glared at me when we first met, in the train, and while playing. With a hateful face. Don’t say you didn’t do it.”

“…….”

She thought she was watching secretly….

More than that, what would happen to her if this was discovered? People who punish those who insult nobles, calling it blasphemy, still existed now as they did in the past.

Lia asked in a trembling voice.

“I, I’m sorry. Please don’t hit me…. Or just the face….”

“Don’t talk nonsense and answer the question.”

At the tone that seemed absurd, Lia carefully opened her mouth.

“Brother… only talks about Kyle Arden-nim….”

“What. Just because of that?”

It’s not just a little. Since returning from the academy, her brother has been talking about him every day, saying, “Brother is this and that.”

That’s not the end. Once, he promised to play with her, but he skipped it. Later, she heard that he was so focused on training that he forgot.

He wasn’t like this before entering the academy. After going there, her brother changed too much.

The cause is obviously this person in front of her. Because of this person, who was her brother’s senior and like a mentor, she lost the brother she knew. So, she couldn’t help but hate him.

“Kyle Arden-nim probably doesn’t know. You don’t know how hard it is to listen to it every day….”

“It’s not that I don’t know that…. And what’s with the honorifics. Call me comfortably.”

“Well, mom said to nobles….”

“You call Lana ‘sister,’ but are you discriminating now?”

“No, that’s… I understand. Brother….”

Lia behind his back felt like the corners of Kyle Brother’s lips were slightly raised.

“Kid.”

“Yes….”

“Let me give you some advice, you have no choice but to carry that problem. That’s how geniuses are. That idiot would have been similar to how he is now even if it wasn’t me, you know?”

His interest in Kyle Arden was the biggest, but if it wasn’t him, he would have talked about Veyl or someone else. Evan was the type of person who would do that.

“Don’t insult my brother….”

“I can’t believe you’re taking your brother’s side because he’s family.”

He seemed speechless, but there were no other words after that. Lia stared blankly at his back.

Meanwhile, they arrived at the meeting place. Lana and Evan, who had returned after receiving Kyle’s call, were already there.

As soon as Evan saw his sister, he ran straight to her.

“Lia, I’m sorry! I was distracted and…!”

“It’s okay, Brother.”

She was resentful when she first got separated from her brother, but when he hugged her with a sorry face, that feeling disappeared.

Unless this happens again next time. Lia decided to forgive him.

“Evan, you and I need to talk for a moment.”

“Uh… Brother? Can we do it later….”

“Don’t talk back and follow me.”

Kyle dragged Evan away. And Lana took his place.

“I’m sorry, Lia. Your older brother and sister were too into the amusement park and didn’t pay attention to you. Are you hurt anywhere? Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, Sister.”

Lana hugged Lia tightly. She had been alone for almost an hour, but she was so admirable for saying that.

At that time, Lia saw her brother kneeling far away and Kyle scolding her brother.

“Sister.”

“Is there something you want to ask?”

“Is that Kyle… Brother really a rascal?”

“Hehe, is Kyle very different from the rumors?”

“Yes.”

It was a question that kept coming up. His words and actions were definitely the same as the rumors, but his inside was completely different. What they commonly call consideration was contained inside. You can tell just by looking at how he treats his group and herself.

“But it’s true that Kyle was a rascal. He even went to trial earlier this year. I saw it too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Lana nodded.

“But Kyle is nice. He’s also kind, he always cares, and he’s changed a lot. Of course, as you can see, there are some aspects where his actions aren’t.”

-Wait, wait, wait… Brother! Enough, ack! I understand, so…!

Lia agreed to the sight of her brother getting hit. He definitely didn’t have any mercy when he hit him. At that moment, Lia saw Lana’s strange eyes toward Kyle.

“Sister, do you like Kyle… Brother?”

“Yeah, I like him.”

It was an answer that seemed to be given almost immediately. For some reason, Lia thought the two of them seemed unusual.

“Ah, did Lia start to like Kyle too? Then it’s a bit troubling. By imperial law, it’s with someone under 13 years old….”

“I, I have someone I like separately…!”

Lia, who was momentarily embarrassed, answered with a face that was red.

“Then that’s a relief. I don’t know what will happen this time if Kyle commits a crime again.”

Lana smiled and answered.

Anyway.

When she heard the name of the rascal from her brother’s mouth, Lia had all sorts of thoughts.

She was worried that her brother had been tainted by the rascal, that he was being bullied, or that there were other troubles.

But according to Lana, the current Kyle Brother seemed to be a good person. Enough to trust and leave her brother to him.

-Brother, save me!!!

-Be quiet. Other people are looking.

Of course, it would be better to let him get hit to come to his senses right now.

***

The commotion at the amusement park ended in that way.

“I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, the lunch I ate is already gone.”

“Then shall we go eat something?”

“Brother, I want a hamburger.”

Perhaps because they had been playing and running around for a long time, the four of them said in unison. They were so hungry that their stomachs growled at the same time. So, Kyle and Evan went to buy something simple to eat.

“We’ll be right back.”

“Lia, I’ll buy you something delicious!”

Of course, it might have been better to leave the siblings alone, but Evan’s credibility had been shattered a long time ago because of what had just happened.

Lana and Lia sat down at a suitable place and waited for them.

But then. A man approached, saying strange things.

“Oh, hello. I came to deliver good news.”

Episode 74 National Foundation Festival (5)

Episode 74 Founding Day Festival (5)

Evan, with both hands full of packaged food, said.

“Is this enough?”

“It’s just to fill our stomachs simply, so this is enough.”

Of course, the standard for ‘enough’ is different from ordinary people, but I bought only as much as we could eat. Both Nana and Evan are students, so they eat a lot. Lana too.

‘Well, it might be different for Lia, who is still a child.’

We headed to where Iman and the others were. It wasn’t far, so it didn’t take long.

We saw the two of them sitting about halfway down a long table in the distance. Lana was holding Lia tightly in her arms so she wouldn’t go anywhere.

“Sister, you’re here.”

“Kyle! Evan, welcome! Come on in!”

“Welcome.”

The two greeted us. I put the food down on the table. And the moment I started unpacking it.

“Huh?”

I frowned.

“It smells rotten….”

The smells were mixed, but that smell was definitely there.

“Smell? Uh… I don’t smell anything?”

“Yeah. I only smell Kyle.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The three of them tilted their heads at my words.

“It’s not what you guys are thinking.”

It’s just a figurative expression. It’s not the simple kind that comes from rotting flesh.

So, to be exact, this is.

‘Divine power.’

It’s the smell of that damn energy.

It had been mixed with the smell of the castle and scattered for a long time, but I can’t erase that unique feeling. Especially for me, who is sensitive to divine power, I can feel it more easily.

And this means that a god has stayed nearby.

“Lana. Did anyone approach you?”

“Yeah, there was. Saying strange things.”

“What did that guy say?”

“What did he say…?”

Lana seemed to be thinking for a moment, but fortunately, she answered quickly.

“Ah! He said he came to deliver good news.”

“After that.”

“Uh… I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“Yeah. I think he said something after that, but I don’t remember.”

Lana shook her head from side to side, trying to remember, and then said with a look of giving up. I immediately examined Lana’s body. After confirming that there was nothing wrong, I let out a sigh of relief.

“Hoo….”

There were no traces of memory manipulation or suggestion. Her body and mind were fine.

Of course, I might not have noticed it, but I know everything about that area, so there’s no possibility that I’m wrong or missed something.

The divine power around us is weak, so it’s certain. Even a god needs a lot of power to manipulate a higher life form.

“You, little one.”

“My sister hid me in her arms because of the suspicious person, so I couldn’t hear anything.”

Lia said that she was being held to protect herself. I checked just in case, but there was nothing wrong with Lia either.

“Lana. What did the guy’s face or appearance look like?”

“An uncle? Or was it a grandfather? Hmm… I think it was a woman….”

It seems difficult to expect anything from Lana. Then Lia said.

“I remember the outfit. I saw it for a moment through the gap.”

“What clothes were they wearing?”

“I only saw it briefly, so I’m not sure, but… they were wearing strange and ridiculous clothes.”

Strange and ridiculous….

I think of the settings of the gods that exist in ‘Aka Tenma’.

‘Blue and orange don’t leave their bases, so exclude them….’

Red, white, and green do move, but they don’t come to the human world often.

Then there’s only one left.

‘Is it yellow?’

Unlike the name as a god, that guy meets the conditions.

In particular, his bizarre fashion and his free-spiritedness in wandering around the human world are sentences that describe him.

Maybe he came to the amusement park this time to play. Given his setting of hating to stay still, there’s a high possibility.

However, the question is why he approached Lana….

As I said when I met the World Tree in the past, yellow is not interested in humans. To be exact, he is only interested in divinity and fun things. He ignores everything else.

So, yellow doesn’t directly talk to humans. Moreover, now is not the time for Lana to receive yellow’s attention. He’ll start to get a little interested around next year.

‘Hmm… can I ignore him for now?’

After thinking for a moment, I came to that conclusion.

Yellow doesn’t harm humans because of his characteristics. I don’t know why her memory is like that, but it’s okay as long as she doesn’t do anything weird.

And yellow does so many bizarre things that even other gods say he’s strange. This is a well-known fact.

“Let’s eat. The two of you are fine.”

I loosened my serious expression and said to the three of them. Because I was in a serious mood, they couldn’t even touch the food they had packed.

The four of us, including me, began to eat.

The characteristic of amusement park food is that it’s expensive and doesn’t taste good. But this place, run by the Imperial Family, was not like that. It tasted better than the dishes at ordinary restaurants.

As I was eating for a while, Lia’s appearance caught my eye. She was holding a burger the size of her face with her small hands and eating it.

Her small mouth barely bit into the burger. Her hands and around her mouth were covered in sauce and meat juice.

“Tsk, tsk, eat cleanly.”

I cast a Clean magic spell. It’s okay to do it after she’s done eating, but I did it because I thought she might drop the burger because her hands were slippery.

“…Thank you.”

Lia bowed her head and expressed her gratitude. I smiled inwardly. And when I saw Evan next to her, I frowned.

“Take care of your sister. Don’t just eat by yourself.”

I threw a bread at him. Evan easily caught it.

“Brother!”

“What.”

“It’s a rule in our house to eat alone during meal times. It’s to develop independence. I told Lia….”

“That’s at home, this is outside.”

I throw another bread. This time, it definitely hit him in the face.

“They say you shouldn’t bother a dog when it’s eating….”

Then, I heard a giggling sound right next to me. It was Lana who was laughing because she found this scene funny.

“Kyle cares a lot about Lia, like before?”

Lana seemed to find it strange that I kept taking care of Lia.

“The little one is still a kid.”

“Is that really the reason?”

“Would there be any other reason? If you’re thinking anything strange, I’ll tell you right now that it’s definitely not.”

The reason I take care of a supporting character who isn’t even the main character is because Lia is a 12-year-old child. If she were 14 or 15 years old, I would have told Evan to take care of her himself.

“Kyle seems to like kids.”

“Because they’re kids.”

The fact that they’re kids is enough reason to cherish and protect them.

“Heung~ It’s been a while since I’ve seen Kyle’s different side.”

It’s not that it’s different, it’s just that there’s been no reason to show it.

“Ah, Kyle, then….”

“What is it.”

“I told you I sponsor a place during the day. It’s an orphanage, would you like to go with me?”

“I don’t mind, but we decided to play all day at the festival.”

“I was going to go once. The kids should enjoy the festival too.”

“If you want to, Lana, that’s fine.”

I said that and secretly breathed a sigh of relief inside.

To be honest, I didn’t have the confidence to play for 4 days straight. I can put up with it for about two days, but any longer than that and even I would be exhausted. It’s easier not to sleep.

“Evan, would you like to go with Lia too?”

“Yes? Is it okay for us to go when it’s just the two of you?”

“There’s plenty of time to play with Kyle. And it’s better to have more people at the festival.”

As Lana said, it’s good to have people in places like orphanages in many ways.

“Then, please excuse us for a moment.”

After that, we finished touring the castle. After going around to other places, it was already evening. We watched the fireworks display that was launched from the castle for the last time and then we parted ways.

***

The next day.

“Ugh… Kyle, help me.”

“What did you buy so much of?”

Lana, who I met separately because she had something to do, was buried in a mountain of gift boxes.

“I bought them to give to the kids at the orphanage, so it turned out like this….”

“You should have ordered a delivery.”

I carefully moved the boxes and took Lana out. Unlike yesterday, she was wearing comfortable clothes today, but she was still pretty.

“Hehe, it’s more fun to receive them directly on days like this.”

“Well, that’s true….”

Or you could have just ordered a summoned beast to do it. Lana said that she felt sorry for calling them because she had let them go to enjoy the festival.

“Brother arrived early.”

Just in time, the siblings arrived. Today, Lia was also holding her brother’s hand tightly.

“You come and listen too. Don’t let go of Lia’s hand.”

“Haha, this is enough with one hand.”

Evan, who has a good sense, easily lifted the box.

Now that the group has gathered, we headed to the orphanage.

The orphanage was near the alley we walked through yesterday, so we didn’t have to move for long. After walking for about 20 minutes, we arrived at the orphanage.

“Here it is!”

“It’s well-maintained.”

Orphanages are usually always strapped for cash, so the facilities are old, but this place was fine. Not to mention the doors and bricks, even the small flower bed was well decorated.

“As expected, the capital is big, so the orphanage is also big.”

“Brother. I think it’s bigger than our house.”

“Hehe, they recently did an expansion construction. It used to be half this size.”

“It’s still big….”

Let’s stop chatting and go inside. There was an open space in front of the building that seemed to be the living space, and children were playing there.

“Ah! It’s Lana!”

As soon as the children found Lana, they rushed over and surrounded her. Lana treated the children familiarly.

“Kids, I brought gifts, okay? Can you let go of me?”

As expected, kids are kids. Their eyes sparkled at the word gifts and their interests changed. They’re so simple.

As they turned their eyes to the box for a while, a person who seemed to be the director appeared.

“Thank you for always taking care of us like this, Lana.”

“I’m doing it because I like it. And please speak comfortably.”

“I can’t do that to my benefactor. If it weren’t for Lana, me and the children would be on the streets.”

No matter how much of an empire it is, it can’t take care of everyone, and it can’t be safe from all crimes. Just looking at the ticket incident yesterday, big and small crimes always happen.

After that, we also greeted the director. And Evan and Lia quickly became friends with the orphanage children.

“Those bastards are taking Lia…!”

“Aaaaah, run away!!”

Well, it seems like they’re having fun over there. Of course, just like those siblings, children came to me too. It took a while because of my fierce eyes, but they eventually came to me and asked.

“What’s your name, hyung?”

I, who was watching with my chin resting on my hand, answered the question.

“Kyle Arden.”

“Hic-!”

The child was surprised and hiccuped. That one person wasn’t the end and it spread to the people around him.

The number of fearful gazes gradually increased, and some stepped back or lowered their heads. The director also turned his head this way with uneasy eyes.

My reputation has only improved a little at the academy. My reputation outside is still a thug.

Anyway, I didn’t come here to do this, so I gathered mana in my palm. And I called out to the children gathered in front of me in a low voice.

“Kids.”

I called out softly, but the result wasn’t good. They trembled, thinking I was going to scold them like Lia did yesterday.

“I’ll show you something fun.”

I cast a magic spell before this phenomenon continued any longer. Then, colorful lights spread out in the air and transformed into large and small animal shapes.

“Wow….”

“Wow!”

As if they had ever done that, the children’s eyes sparkled. They forgot about the thug in front of them and fell into the magic I cast.

♪♪♪~

As appropriate music was played and time passed, the children’s fear of me disappeared.

“C, can you show me something else?”

“I’ll show you.”

I admired the courage to speak first and cast a splendid magic spell this time. The atmosphere of the somewhat bleak orphanage changed as much as that of a festival.

As I was playing with the children, I stepped back after a while. As expected, I couldn’t keep up with their activity level because they were kids.

Then, Lana came to my side.

“Are you having fun?”

“Well, it’s just bearable.”

“I was worried because no one approached you at first. I’m glad.”

“I can’t help it because my eyes are like this.”

“I think it’s pretty good?”

“You’re the only one who would say that.”

No one else would ever say that.

We sat side by side for a while and watched them play. Then Lana opened her mouth in a low voice.

“You know. I have a feeling that Kyle would be really good to a baby if he had one.”

“Is that so.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I guess so.”

Even if I don’t know anything else, I’ll treat my children several times better than I treat these children now. That’s just my expectation.

“But why are you saying that?”

“Heung~”

Lana smiled bashfully and said.

“Just because?”

I could tell what the meaning behind that smile was even if she didn’t say it. If you look at it sometimes, Lana has a sly side to her.

But… maybe other people don’t know about this side of Lana. Except for me.

Episode 75 Imperial Banquet (1)

Episode 75: Imperial Banquet (1)

The festival, which I enjoyed day by day, had already reached its 4th day. In other words, only one day remained until the end of the festival.

That means today is the day before the banquet hosted by the Imperial Family. So Lana and I came to get our clothes fitted for tomorrow.

I found it a bit of a hassle.

“Lana. I don’t think we need to go this far…”

“No! It would be rude to wear just anything.”

Lana, who would normally agree with my thoughts, was adamant this time. But she wasn’t without further things to say.

“Doesn’t the Imperial Family lend clothes? I think that’s enough.”

Some students can’t afford to buy clothes, so the Imperial Family lends them out. Since the Imperial Family makes them, their quality and design are excellent.

“Kyle, the Imperial Banquet is a place where various people from the Empire gather. Among them are many who criticize even the smallest flaws.”

“That’s not wrong, but…”

There are many good people around me, but you shouldn’t judge the whole by a few. There are plenty of corrupt and evil people in the Empire as well.

Lana continued.

“And Kyle’s father might come too. Because it’s an Imperial Banquet.”

“That could be true.”

The Arden family cannot be absent from national events.

But in fact, my father is not attending this banquet. Currently, the family’s territory is busy with the black magician incident, so he doesn’t have the time.

The same goes for my younger brother, Bale. He’s helping with family matters, so he’s skipping this banquet.

“Of course, it’s not that the Imperial attire is poorly made, but wouldn’t the one you chose yourself be more sincere?”

Lana looked at me with sparkling eyes. I let out a short sigh inwardly.

I wouldn’t mind spending a lot of money on equipment, but spending a lot on mere clothes didn’t appeal to me, but I had no confidence in winning against those eyes.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Okay!”

I was led by Lana’s hand and arrived at a clothing store. It wasn’t as big as the famous stores on the street.

“Where is this?”

“It’s my grandfather’s regular store. The skills are good, so I sometimes come to get clothes made too.”

Indeed, the exterior of the store, with its sign with no name and its old door, showed that it had been in business here for a long time.

Squeak…

Lana opened the door and went inside.

The inside of the store was no different from the outside. The traces of time remained intact in the store. And as we entered, an old gentleman appeared from the inner space.

He saw us and bowed deeply.

“Mr. Calligan! We’ve come to get clothes made.”

At Lana’s words, he moved his hands instead of opening his mouth. It was sign language.

“Yes! We both came to get them made.”

Calligan gestured for us to come inside. We followed him.

The inner workshop was quite surprising. Unlike the outside, the tools and room used for making clothes were the latest, but within it, the aura of an old craftsman was palpable.

Then Lana’s voice awakened me.

“Kyle. He’s asking if you have any preferred colors or designs.”

“I hope both aren’t too flashy.”

I briefly said what I wanted and didn’t make any other requests. If it’s someone of this caliber, he will make the best clothes on his own.

After that, he took our measurements and said in sign language that it would take about 3 hours. Lana and I spent some time nearby.

When we returned to the workshop, we saw a completed suit and a dress that was in the final stages.

“Kyle! Hurry up and put it on.”

Lana urged me as soon as Calligan gave his permission. I headed to the fitting room with an expectant look.

“It suits you well!”

Lana exclaimed as I came out wearing it. And she said it with sparkling eyes.

I looked in the mirror to check my appearance. The combination of colors and design suits me well. I don’t know the trends of the Empire, but there will be no complaints about my clothes at the banquet.

Meanwhile, Lana’s dress was also completed. It was a light-colored dress. And the dress she changed into really suited Lana.

I gave Calligan a thumbs up for making this. He replied with a smile. We finished our business and left the store.

The streets were still lively and also a mess. Because tomorrow is the end of the festival.

In particular, there is no denying that it is more of a mess due to the drinking party that took place at the fountain yesterday. Now, in the afternoon, the streets were full of drunk people.

And, of course, we also participated in the drinking party. This was a time when all kinds of alcohol from the continent gathered, so it was worth trying.

For reference, the alcohol was delicious, and the things that usually happen when you drink alcohol didn’t happen. We drank not to become insensible, but to enjoy ourselves. At most, we drank about 2-3 glasses.

Anyway, let’s stop talking about this.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow. The Princess will come too, right?”

“She will. Because she’s royalty.”

Ariel Trianis participates in the banquet as royalty, not as a student.

“But will you be okay? Other royals are coming too.”

“Hmm…”

Lana had a serious expression on her face. She seemed to be thinking deeply.

Ariel Trianis, and the other royals, are kind in nature. Because they inherited the blood of the first Emperor, Kiran Trianis.

However, it is not always the case that only people with good nature are born. Throughout the history of the Imperial Family, evil people have been born every time.

One of them was the 2nd Prince, an individual who is called a rogue alongside me.

“I hate seeing that person…”

Lana seemed to hate even thinking about it, and she became depressed.

“But I really want to participate in the banquet with Kyle…”

However, her desire to participate in the banquet with me seemed greater than her dislike of meeting the person. I grabbed Lana’s trembling hand.

“I’ll try to block him from approaching as much as possible. Then he’ll give up after a while.”

“Then it will be annoying for Kyle. That person is very persistent. It was like that last year too.”

“It’s okay, it’s nothing.”

Compared to the pain she would receive, this was nothing. And there was an archenemy who would stop the 2nd Prince even if it wasn’t me.

“I’m sorry. It’s all because of me…”

“I’m okay, so don’t worry about it. More than that, Lana.”

“Yes?”

“You won’t be able to go with me to the Imperial Palace tomorrow.”

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s someone I promised to go with first. If it’s difficult to go alone, enter with Evan.”

Evan said he would also participate in the banquet. He would take good care of Lana.

Of course, I also want to go with Lana. But Chloe hadn’t shown her face once during the festival period as promised.

A promise is a contract based on trust. It cannot be ignored. So this time it’s my turn to keep the promise.

Lana met my eyes.

“Is it Chloe?”

“…That’s right, it’s Chloe. How did you know?”

“It all shows in Kyle’s eyes when he thinks about Chloe.”

“Is that so.”

This is an instinctive part, so it seems it can’t be hidden even if I try not to show it.

“Anyway, I understand. I’ll go with Evan as Kyle says.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Rather, I’m grateful. Because you’ve been with me throughout the festival.”

Lana smiled with a sincere smile.

After that, we strolled through the streets and found a decent restaurant. Since it was the time when the sun was setting, I said to Lana.

“Shall we eat and go in?”

“Okay!”

After finishing our meal, we returned to the academy. And the next day came.

***

A night with twinkling stars. A carriage with the Imperial Family’s symbol had just arrived at the student center.

The door of the first carriage opened and a servant of the Imperial Palace got out. He bowed deeply to the student standing in front of him, and the student got into the carriage familiarly.

The next carriage went through a similar process. Most of the students rode alone, but some rode together.

This is probably because they are less nervous when they are together. Of course, the former were 2nd and 3rd graders, and the latter were 1st graders.

After repeating that several times, Lana and Evan getting into the carriage could be seen. As I advised yesterday, Lana was with Evan.

“But why isn’t she coming…”

All the invited students were waiting in advance. But Chloe hadn’t arrived yet.

“Should I just go alone…”

“Don’t tell me you’re abandoning me?”

At that moment, a voice came from behind. It was Chloe. I let out a deep sigh inwardly.

“Then you should have come early. What are you doing being late when you don’t do anything usually.”

“Women naturally take a long time~”

I turned around and faced Chloe.

She was wearing a dress as red as blood. Her naturally flowing red hair amplified her charm even more, and her red eyes shone crimson black in the darkness of the night.

Just standing still was enough to attract attention. As soon as Chloe appeared, everyone looked this way. But I said nonchalantly.

“Are you planning to start a war in the Imperial Palace?”

“Why do you say such things? I wore this to look good to Senior~”

“I highly doubt that.”

Chloe is someone whose influence leaks out even when she suppresses her abilities normally. But if she dresses up here, she causes chaos with her very existence.

“Really~. Why would I seduce other people? My only interest is in Senior.”

Chloe says it as if it’s a misunderstanding… I don’t know. I just stopped thinking.

In the meantime, it was our turn for Chloe and me to get into the carriage. I got into the carriage first and held out my hand to Chloe.

“Oh my, I thought you would ignore me.”

“I’m not a scoundrel who doesn’t keep his promises.”

Chloe smiled and took my hand. I pulled her up at the timing when she stepped and climbed into the carriage.

After confirming that we had boarded and were seated, the carriage headed towards the Imperial Palace. The carriage moved smoothly without any jolting.

However, the problem is….

“Why are you sitting next to me? There’s plenty of room, so sit over there.”

Despite the spacious space on the opposite side, Chloe sat right next to me.

“We don’t necessarily have to sit facing each other. If we’re like this, I can be closer to Senior.”

No matter what I said, Chloe didn’t move away. In the end, I gave up trying to persuade her.

“By the way, Senior. Did you know that?”

“Know what?”

Then Chloe turned her body and climbed onto my lap.

“They say the Imperial carriage has the best soundproofing in the world.”

“So what. Are you going to try to seduce me with that body?”

“Eyy~ I promised not to use that method. And I’m not an easy woman. I’ll give my first time to someone I like.”

At that, I snorted and said.

“Then what is this?”

“This is a strategy to make Senior fall for me.”

“If you tell me everything, who’s going to fall for it?”

“You never know~”

Chloe said that and didn’t come down from on top of me for a long time. I said one word.

“When are you going to come down?”

“Me? I’m going to stay like this until we arrive.”

“It’s heavy, so come down.”

“I’m using weight reduction magic, so it can’t be heavy.”

“Damn it….”

It was difficult to argue any further because there was a promise I had made. If I had known this would happen, I should have just let her interfere during the festival.

After being like that for a while in a facing form, the carriage passed through the Imperial Palace gates.

“Hmm~ I think this is enough.”

Chloe coming down from above. My legs weren’t numb, but Chloe’s scent was on my clothes.

“What was the reason for doing this anyway?”

“It was just a simple skinship. I wanted to get closer to Senior. They say that intimacy is formed when you’re close together.”

“……”

I was speechless. Of course, the method is different from before, but it seems that her personality hasn’t changed.

Knock knock

At that moment, someone knocked on the carriage door. I quickly straightened my clothes, and after a while, the door opened.

“There will be a security check before entering the banquet hall.”

An Imperial Knight was standing in front. It was a natural process since royalty would be attending the banquet.

However, Chloe didn’t seem to want to receive it easily. She instantly cast mind control magic. The knight’s eyes became glazed.

“We’ve been checked. You understand, Knight?”

“Yes… Security check completed….”

The Imperial Knight turned around and left. A headache came over me at the sight.

“What are you doing in the Imperial Palace?”

“Because it’s annoying. There’s no need to receive it, right?”

“Haa…”

I exhaled a sigh.

“Still, it’s a dangerous thing to do.”

“Eyy, it’s not like I killed someone, so why are you being so serious? And no one cares even if that kind of person disappears~”

“……Okay, just don’t do that again.”

“If Senior says so… I understand!”

I don’t know how long this promise will last, but at least she won’t do the same thing in the Imperial Palace now.

I got off first and held out my hand to Chloe again this time. And I moved with the guidance of the servant.

“Welcome to the Imperial Palace.”

The entrance to the banquet hall. Servants and maids lined up and greeted us. And Chloe, who had been holding my arm, said.

“Wow~ Since it’s the Imperial Palace, the banquet hall is amazing too.”

“…Yeah.”

I replied briefly and entered the banquet hall with Chloe.

Episode 76 Imperial Banquet (2)

Episode 76 Imperial Banquet (2)

The flickering lights on the ceiling. The splendid interior. The banquet hall was beautiful.

Below, the banquet hall was filled with people. Though they seemed to be enjoying the banquet at first glance, their attention was focused on the entrance where the students were entering.

Tianis Academy is a place where the continent’s geniuses gather. And the students attending the banquet are all in the top ranks of their respective grades.

In other words, they are figures who will make a name for themselves in the future in one way or another. So, they couldn’t help but be interested. Some seemed eager to approach them right away.

The reason they gathered the students from the student hall and brought them here was for this purpose. If they entered separately, they would have all the attention stolen by other participants.

However, after Chloe and I appeared, the banquet hall was momentarily silent. The atmosphere quickly returned to normal, but the gazes that had gathered did not easily disperse.

It didn’t stop even when we moved to a suitable spot.

“Senior, you’re very popular, aren’t you?”

“What part of this looks like I’m popular.”

I answered nonchalantly.

-I can’t believe that person came to the banquet. What a surprise.

-He’s said to be the vice-chairman. And I heard he’s been active in the academy recently….

-Come to think of it, both Dekal and Veil are absent.

-Haha, that’s a shame.

Just listening to the conversation, you can tell they’re being careful, and even when I’m mentioned, they quickly move on to other topics.

It’s all to avoid upsetting me. Even if rumors of the changed delinquent have spread in social circles or other gatherings, that’s just hearsay. They’re being cautious because they don’t know what the truth is.

“And can you even compare? You’re being talked about even more than me.”

Even I have a hard time dealing with Chloe. How much more would others? Already, more than half of the conversation topics were about her.

“Well~ I don’t need the attention of those kinds of people.”

Chloe’s eyes held boredom. That gaze only shone when she looked at me.

I ignored Chloe’s state, whatever it was. Instead, I picked up a glass and took a sip, looking around the banquet hall.

As expected of a place where various classes of the empire gather, there are many famous figures to be seen.

For example, the seemingly shabby old man was the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild, and the wild-looking woman over there is a famous adventurer.

‘Evan’s enemy is here too.’

I could also see some figures who would be in an antagonistic relationship with the protagonist in the future.

Besides them, there were nobles gathered in factions, talking, and others actively engaging in exchanges, using this opportunity to their advantage. Of course, there were also people who were alone.

Still, as expected, Evan, the protagonist, was receiving attention from those three. People kept talking to him as he came this way.

His ability to reach the position of vice-chairman despite being born a commoner, his talent on par with Veil, and his cute appearance for a man (though I hate to describe him that way as a man) were enough to attract attention from both men and women.

Anyway, Evan arrived on our side with Lana.

“Hello, hyung-nim.”

“Hi, Kyle!”

“You came.”

The two greeted me first.

“Oh, Chloe, long time no see.”

“Hi, Evan~”

“Chloe, what about me!”

“Of course, I’m happy to see you too, unnie!”

They also greeted Chloe. And Lana hugged Chloe as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. I might not like it, but the two were still on good terms.

“But why do you look like that?”

“Oh, don’t even mention it….”

Evan sighed and whispered as he came closer.

“Everyone’s bothering me so much. There are even people who keep clinging even when I refuse…. I would have been in big trouble if it weren’t for Lana-sunbae.”

“Get used to it. It’ll be like that next year too.”

“Ugh, that’s a bit….”

Evan made a disgusted expression. If Evan, who likes to talk, is acting like that, he must have suffered a lot in a short time.

“Should I just purposely do badly on the exam? Ah, but I can’t give up this food….”

Evan said that as he put the prepared food in his mouth.

“Stop talking nonsense. More than that….”

I told Evan this and that. Roughly, it was information that would be good to know. There are many famous figures here, so building connections would be helpful later.

It was when I had finished talking about that.

─The Second Prince, Reian Tianis, is entering!!

An amplified voice echoed throughout the banquet hall. At that moment, everyone’s gaze turned to the entrance, and soon a loud laughter filled the banquet hall.

“Eheheh! I’m the number one at this banquet!”

A voice that didn’t convey the dignity of royalty. Despite being at an official event, the Second Prince was not careful about his actions and words.

“Oh! Who is this! Lady Irene!”

While the Second Prince was briefly distracted, I spoke.

“Evan, go somewhere else.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

Without saying anything, Evan left.

“Sunbae, sunbae. What about me?”

“……You also go away for a bit.”

It was clear that if she was there, things would get bigger, so I sent her far away.

“Lana, you know what to do, right?”

“Yeah. I’ll stay close to you.”

Lana leaned close to my side. She frowned slightly, as if she could smell the Second Prince’s stench even from here. There was no way to help her with magic, so there was nothing I could do.

Reian Tianis didn’t come straight this way. Being a prince, he at least pretended to know the representative figures.

After finishing his business, he.

“Lana! You were here!”

Ignoring the greetings of others, he went straight here. And just as he was about to talk to Lana, I intervened.

“I greet the Prince.”

The Second Prince paused for a moment. No matter how much of a delinquent he was, he couldn’t ignore me, the eldest son of Arden. That was the relationship between the Imperial Family and Arden.

“Kyle Arden! I didn’t expect to meet you here. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

“The honor is mine, Your Highness.”

“You always know how to make others happy. By the way, I’ve heard the recent rumors about you. As expected, Arden is Arden.”

“I’ve only made an effort.”

“The result of that effort is also thanks to you not giving up and working hard.”

The Second Prince, Reian Tianis, smiled with a friendly face. But that smile didn’t last long.

“More than that, won’t you join me? I have something to talk about with Lana.”

A suggestion given in a friendly tone. I wasn’t stupid enough not to understand the hidden meaning. It meant to hurry up and get lost if the greetings were over.

Of course, I didn’t back down.

“I apologize, but Lana’s condition is not good. I hope you will be considerate as she is currently ill.”

“If she’s sick, she should rest. I’ll tell the servant, so leave Lana to me and be on your way.”

As Lana said, the Second Prince was persistent.

“Kyle….”

A small voice that only I could hear. I could feel Lana trembling on my back.

If things continued like this, the Second Prince would surely linger around Lana. I needed a way to get rid of him somehow.

“Your Highness. I clearly said that Lana is ill.”

I threw away the affable tone and spoke in a low voice. He also sensed the changed atmosphere. But he was also a delinquent. He wasn’t the type to lower his tail and run away.

“That’s why I’m saying I’ll take care of her.”

“I’m saying that there’s no need for that right now.”

At that moment, the atmosphere turned grim. The air in the banquet hall sank low. Then the Second Prince, Reian Tianis, spoke with an incomprehensible expression.

“The you I know was famous for not taking care of others. What is Lana to you that you would go this far?”

“She’s someone I like. Is that enough?”

The banquet participants who were watching this situation looked with interest or gasped in surprise. I ignored such reactions and continued.

“Reian Tianis. I’ll say it one last time. Don’t come near Lana and get lost.”

Anyway, I’m a delinquent with a history of fighting with Ariel Tianis. My reputation is already at rock bottom. So, even if I insult royalty here, there’s no way it can get any worse.

Besides, the Imperial Family can never punish Arden for insulting royalty.

“Are you talking to me…!”

Just as the Second Prince, whose pride was hurt, was about to shout at me.

“Reian!”

A familiar voice was heard in my ear. The owner of that voice was the Fourth Princess, Ariel Tianis. She appeared before us, I don’t know when she arrived.

“Brother, when did you arrive?”

The Second Prince, who was about to unleash his anger, looked at the Fourth Princess with a smiling face and asked.

However, Ariel ignored his words. Instead, she answered with a voice filled with a thick layer of disgust, just like she had poured out on me at our first meeting.

“I clearly warned you. Don’t flirt with the students. No words, no attention, no gazes. Don’t do anything at the banquet.”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding, brother. I’m just….”

“Reian Tianis!”

An opponent who was clearly above her in age and rank. But Ariel didn’t care about such things and was more angry than she had been with me.

“Don’t lie in front of me. It’s disgusting.”

Ariel glared fiercely at the Second Prince. Only then did Reian lower his tail.

“…It seems like today is not a good day, so I’ll be on my way.”

Just like his entrance, he quickly left the scene. And as he left, the princess let out a sigh towards the floor and then raised her head.

“Lana. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Thank you, Princess.”

“Hoo, I should have come sooner. I was late preparing. I’m sorry.”

The princess apologized to Lana once again.

Still, thanks to her coming, things didn’t get any worse. If it had gone all the way, it could have turned into a fight.

“And you too….”

However, the princess couldn’t continue her words. Arden and the Imperial Family were in conflict, and on top of that, there was an argument between the Imperial Family members… Everyone in the banquet hall was only looking at this side.

“You should go back now. It seems like you came in a hurry.”

Judging from the appearance, the princess seemed to have rushed here without even greeting anyone.

“Okay. I’ll come back later….”

“I understand.”

I bowed deeply. Lana also waved her hand next to me.

“Goodbye, Princess~!”

“I’ll come again, Lana.”

The situation was resolved with the appearance of the Fourth Princess, and as she left, the gazes moved away a bit. And Lana said.

“Kyle, thank you….”

“It’s nothing. The princess did more than me.”

Lana shook her head.

“No. It’s thanks to Kyle blocking him before that. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have been able to hold out until the princess came.”

“I understand, so let’s move our seats first.”

Because of what I said earlier, people around were carefully observing this side. Like the princess, it was a bit burdensome.

I took Lana and moved to a secluded place on the upper floor. Evan and Chloe, who had been far away, followed after us.

“Hyung-nim! I saw your cool side!”

And that’s what he said when he came.

“Shut up.”

“Haha, I thought you were impotent at one time, but it wasn’t true. Hyung-nim is also a man after all… Ack!!”

As I slammed my fist down, he rolled on the floor. Chloe next to me was looking at me with a strange expression.

“Why are you looking at me with those eyes.”

“Hmm… I’m just curious?”

“…….”

After that, we stayed on the second floor and then came down to the banquet hall. In the process, we also saw other Imperial Family members, and the elderly Emperor also briefly showed his face and left.

Then, thinking that the other students could do the socializing to their heart’s content, I was spending time on the balcony. At that time, a servant came to me and carefully spoke.

“Reian Tianis-nim wants to see you.”

“Lead the way.”

If he called me to vent his anger, I wouldn’t avoid it.

Let’s see what kind of words he’ll spew.

Episode 77 Imperial Banquet (3)

Episode 77. Imperial Banquet (3)

The banquet that started at night continues until dawn. As such, some participants were bound to get tired. Therefore, there were rooms in the banquet hall for taking a rest.

Following the attendant’s guidance, I arrived at the room. I said irritably.

“What are you doing? Open it.”

“…The Imperial Prince is inside. Please, watch your words and actions…”

“I’ll behave myself, so just open it.”

I said, growling. The attendant opened the door with a reluctant expression.

In fact, the aide is not at fault. They are just trained that way and act accordingly.

If we were to discuss fault, it lies in the aide’s misfortune. If they were lucky, they wouldn’t have met me, the scoundrel, and the Second Imperial Prince.

Squeak─

The door slowly opens. A luxurious room comes into view. I stepped inside.

In the center of the room, the person who invited me is visible. The Second Imperial Prince, Rayan Tianis. He was sitting in an arrogant posture.

“……”

However, I frowned instead of approaching him. The reason was that the Second Imperial Prince was sitting on a person, not a chair.

The subject was a woman, and at first glance, it seemed to be the person called Lady Irene earlier. She was motionless, and the light in her eyes was empty; she was completely subdued.

‘You dirty bastard.’

I cursed briefly in my mind and sat on the sofa on the opposite side. A chair for me was prepared.

“Why did you call me?”

I asked with annoyance.

However, the Second Imperial Prince calmly drank the wine in his hand. His actions were leisurely. He looked as if he had forgotten what had happened between us earlier.

After finishing a glass, he put it down and opened his mouth.

“Your personality has changed since I last saw you. We used to get along so well.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I didn’t continue the conversation any further.

I don’t know what kind of relationship the two scoundrels have. At this point, Kyle Arden is forgotten. Unless it comes from Veil’s mouth, there is little mention of him, so there is little information.

Well, since we were both scoundrels, there must have been some connection.

“The way you act when you’re annoyed is still the same. Well, that personality wouldn’t change easily.”

However, one thing is certain: the Second Imperial Prince knows me well.

“…Get to the point.”

I urged him to speak because I felt like I would throw up if I talked to him any longer. He didn’t drag out the time and replied immediately.

“To put it bluntly, hand over Lana to me.”

“……”

I glared at him with a blank face. But the Second Imperial Prince said as if it were nothing.

“I’ve had my eye on her for a while. I’ve been looking for an opportunity recently, but… you’ve gotten in the way, which is troublesome. Not to mention what happened at the banquet hall.”

Rayan Tianis wore a troubled expression.

In the Tyran Empire, the Imperial Family and the Arden family are not just any relationship. As I said before, the two have been together since the birth of the Empire.

Therefore, the close relationship between the two families is a symbol of the Empire. But if bad rumors spread between them, it would be troublesome. It would convey an unstable situation to foreign countries. That would be the same even for us, who are called scoundrels.

“Of course, I’ll compensate you for it. Tell me what you want. If it’s money, I’ll open my vault and give it to you, and if it’s a woman, I can make her your slave like this one. Anyone.”

The Second Imperial Prince said, tapping her cheek underneath him. With his abilities, it is certainly possible.

[Soul Manipulation]. That is the ability that Rayan Tianis awakened as an Imperial. That ability allows him to manipulate souls as the name suggests.

He can suppress souls and make them slaves like now, extract souls from bodies, and possess extracted souls into other bodies. He can do almost everything related to souls.

That’s why the Second Imperial Prince can say that with such confidence. Because making someone his slave is really easy.

But I didn’t need any other woman, and I didn’t care about the situation above.

“I refuse. Rayan Tianis.”

“What?”

The Second Imperial Prince’s face twisted. He probably didn’t expect me to refuse.

I continued in a cold, subdued voice.

“I told you before. Don’t approach Lana, and get away from her.”

His smile disappeared from his face at my words. But I ignored him and quietly gathered mana.

“But you ignored my warning. That’s an act of looking down on me. And… I hate that.”

At the same time, I released mana. The mana in my dantian is not much, but it was enough to fill this room.

“Imperial Prince, it’s dangerous…!”

“Where do you think you are…!”

A situation that threatens the life of a royal. The two Imperial Knights standing behind him reacted.

But they couldn’t draw their swords from their scabbards. I was suppressing them with mana.

The Imperial Knights are at least top-tier experts. My mana control was so subtle, quick, and powerful that they couldn’t even notice it.

I left the suppressed knights alone. Instead, I roughly pushed away the table that was blocking us.

Finally, the distance narrowed. I gave him a mocking smile as a gift and kicked the Second Imperial Prince in the solar plexus.

“Keuk-!”

The Second Imperial Prince groaned and fell backward, crashing into the wall.

His appearance was pathetic. He must have lived his life with his own arrogance, just like a scoundrel. But he’s being treated like this by the same kind of scoundrel.

I approach as much as we’ve distanced ourselves. And just as I reached the front.

Thud! I deflected the strange sensation approaching me with mana.

“You should use things like this when others are off guard, not in the open.”

“Damn it…!”

The Second Imperial Prince shouted when the soul suppression failed. I pressed his stomach with my foot so that he couldn’t do anything else. Then, I approached his ear and whispered with murderous intent.

“Rayan Tianis. This is my last warning. Don’t approach Lana. Don’t even have any interest in her. She’s too good for someone like you. If you break this promise….”

“Kkeuek-!”

I pressed down on his stomach even harder. He groaned in pain from the twisting of his internal organs.

“From that day on, it’s war. Even if my father and the Emperor step in, I will kill you without fail. Do you understand?”

I didn’t bother to get an answer. I knew very well that he wouldn’t repent even if I did. The Second Imperial Prince was that kind of guy.

“If you understand, return that person to her original state.”

I pointed to Lady Irene, who was rolling on the floor. The Second Imperial Prince gritted his teeth in anger and released her.

“Wh-where am I…”

I picked her up and took her out as she was trying to figure out the situation. And behind me, he said coldly.

“Don’t forget what I said.”

I returned to the banquet hall. On the way, I entrusted her to someone I could trust.

***

The room was a mess. The previously perfect appearance was nowhere to be found.

In the center, Rayan was stuck in the wall, motionless. His face was shadowed, and he slowly raised his head. Then he muttered to himself.

“Kyle Arden. He has changed a lot….”

He had noticed it for a long time from his words and actions, but he had already changed a lot from the way he knew him.

The scoundrel that Rayan knew always made enemies around him and was someone who had no intention of taking care of others or becoming close to them. It was only natural since he distrusted and hated people.

On the one hand, it was amazing.

Lana Heytalde. To personally step forward and take care of her. Even while confronting him. It was something he couldn’t have imagined in the past.

On the other hand, anger welled up. Lana rarely participated in social events, so there was no chance to meet her. So today was an opportunity….

However, there was no need to express this anger outwardly. It was enough to do it later.

“Tsk, she doesn’t even know how nicely I’ve been treating her.”

Rayan clicked his tongue.

He was confident that he could bring Kyle Arden under his control at any time. That idiot had many flaws and was very easy to manipulate as he pleased.

Nevertheless, the reason he left him alone was because he liked him. There was no nutritional value, but the conversation with him was fun. He was one of the few pleasures in this boring world.

But it was time to end that now. He was arrogant and even threatened him. He had no intention of putting up with it anymore.

He was not comparable to the top-tier Veil Arden, but he was still an Arden’s bloodline. He was enough to be a collection.

Of course, he was concerned about the fact that he deflected the force and power he had just shown, but… he soon came to the conclusion that it was because of the Arden’s blood. The Arden family was as special as the Imperial Family.

“Imperial Prince! Are you alright!”

“Even now…!”

At that time, the Imperial Knights who had been restrained rushed in.

“You useless bastards.”

Rayan spat out curses. Their existence had already lost its meaning since they failed to subdue the opponent.

He gestured in the air. Then, souls were extracted from the two knights.

“Kkeueok-!”

“Yo-Your Highness…!”

The two knights groaned in pain as their entire bodies were being torn apart. The process of extracting souls raw was that painful.

Finally, after the work was done, Rayan gathered the two souls into one hand. And he fused the souls together with the power contained in the blood.

“This should work.”

He may have failed just now, but this will definitely work.

“Hehehe.”

Rayan Tianis chuckled softly and left the room towards the banquet hall.

***

The banquet hall was back to its former state.

It was already bustling with exchanges, but the banquet hall, where even the Imperial Family showed their faces, was in full bloom.

The Imperial Family is the center of the Empire. It was only natural that exchanges and conversations became more active around them. And within that, the story of me and Lana was still floating around.

-I knew his behavior was softer than before. There was a reason.

-It’s a joyous occasion. The Arden and Heytalde families, together.

-Looking at the relationship between the two, it doesn’t seem bad, so prepare in advance….

-Lord Latral. If you know anything….

Just listening to it makes me sigh. I wish they would talk about that when I’m not around, but once it spreads, it doesn’t calm down easily.

Especially around Latral, it was noisy with this topic. Heytalde is also a famous family, so that’s why. Fortunately, Latral didn’t say anything useless.

I headed to where my group was as quickly as possible.

When I say group, Evan was busy eating, and Chloe had left to see the Imperial Palace for a while, so it was almost just Lana alone. Of course, Ariel Tianis was with her because of what happened earlier.

“Kyle! You’re late!”

“I was only gone for 20 minutes.”

I exchanged a few words with Lana and turned my gaze to the Imperial Princess. Before I could open my mouth, she spoke.

“Did anything happen while you were gone?”

“No, thankfully nothing happened.”

I had said I was going to the bathroom. She was worried about what the Second Imperial Prince might have done in the meantime.

“That’s a relief then. Well, you wouldn’t be defeated by Rayan anyway.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s just me talking to myself.”

We talked for a while.

“By the way, some people have left.”

“Not everyone likes these kinds of events. After my father left, they stayed for a while to keep their places and then left.”

The people she’s referring to here are the Imperial Family.

As I was listening to Ariel’s family story for a moment. The Second Imperial Prince returned to the banquet hall. I didn’t expect him to come back.

“I clearly told you not to come….”

She was filled with anger as soon as she saw the Second Imperial Prince. And then she said to us.

“I’ll make sure Rayan doesn’t come this way.”

“Thank you, Imperial Princess.”

Lana hugged Ariel tightly and expressed her gratitude. She lowered her head as if she was embarrassed.

“Lana, in places like this….”

I changed the subject because I felt like she would only pay attention to the Second Imperial Prince if we continued like this.

“By the way, the First Imperial Prince is busy.”

“Everyone likes Kashan oppa. And he likes these kinds of events too.”

As if to prove it, Kashan Tianis was surrounded by people. There were so many that there seemed to be no room to set foot. His popularity is completely different from the Second Imperial Prince, who has few people by his side.

“Should I introduce you later?”

“It’s alright.”

“Kyle, it would be good to meet him. He’s a kind person.”

As Lana said, and as I could feel from the Imperial Princess’s conversation, the First Imperial Prince is a good person. He is full of compassion and has a strong sense of justice. That’s why he is called the person closest to the next Emperor.

But I didn’t care much, so I moved on.

“Hyungnim. Would you like to eat this?”

Then, Evan, who had approached at some point, offered a dish. The type of food had changed over time, and it was a dish that was good to eat as a late-night snack.

I thought it would be good to eat with alcohol, so I received a glass and was about to eat it with the dish.

“Hmm?”

My arm didn’t move as I willed it to.

Episode 78 Imperial Banquet (4)

Episode 78. The Imperial Banquet (4)

My right arm stopped with the glass in hand. No matter how much I signaled, my arm wouldn’t budge.

I tried to force mana into my arm, but it was blocked at the shoulder and lingered around that area.

“Kyle, what’s wrong?”

“Brother, what’s wrong?”

Lana and Evan, who were right next to me, reacted. But I didn’t have time to respond to their words.

I immediately focused mana into my eyes to examine my suppressed arm. Then I saw something black. It was completely consuming my arm.

“…….”

I know what this is. It was my first time seeing it in person, but this was a Chimera Soul created by Rayan Tianis.

Souls themselves contain tremendous power and potential. And a Chimera Soul is created by fusing two or more souls together. Therefore, it can be used in various ways.

You can exert physical force with the energy contained in the soul, and use it as a price for contracts or sacrifices. Moreover, it can 압박 and subdue other people’s souls without much difficulty.

Of course, if the target’s spiritual power is stronger than the Chimera Soul, it is not easy to take away. That’s why I’m resisting without being immediately taken over.

But my right arm has already been eaten by the Second Prince. I can’t move it as I wish.

‘I didn’t expect to be caught like this….’

He properly snatched the soul by taking advantage of my carelessness. Well, it’s not like I couldn’t solve it if I had time, but the reason he’s doing this at this timing was obvious.

Clang!!

My right arm threw the glass to the ground. The sound of glass breaking echoed through the banquet hall. In an instant, all eyes were focused on me.

“What’s going on?”

Princess Ariel, who was nearby, approached. The princess’s eyes widened when she saw my arm. Her senses were quick to notice this change.

“Rayan!!”

The princess was greatly enraged. Her voice was so loud that the entire banquet hall echoed.

The princess approached with unwavering steps and shouted at the Second Prince.

“Stop it right now!”

It wasn’t like the Second Prince would stop just because she said that. He pretended not to know.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, little sister.”

“You can’t fool my eyes! Rayan Tianis, stop what you’re doing to him!”

“You’re unusually eager to devour me today.”

The Second Prince calmly drank his wine. Unable to bear it any longer, Princess Ariel made a slightly extreme choice.

Swish─!

She drew the sword of the knight standing next to her. And then she pointed the sword at Rayan Tianis.

“Stop if you don’t want to die. You’re making a mistake. What you’re doing right now is….”

“You’re the one making a mistake. Don’t you know that fighting between royals is forbidden?”

Princess Ariel bit her lip. She bit it so hard that blood flowed.

As you can feel from Princess Ariel’s hateful attitude, he is a villain comparable to me. But she cannot execute her own brother.

As the Second Prince said, fighting between royals is forbidden. Not only directly, but also indirectly.

In short, even if you know the sins of your family, there is no way to punish them. And if you break this, you can be sentenced to death in severe cases.

At that time, another royal family member who remained in the banquet hall, First Prince Kashan Tianis, came to stop the fight.

“Ariel. Calm down for now.”

“Kashan, brother! This isn’t the time to calm down…!”

Princess Ariel shouted as if frustrated. Nevertheless, the First Prince’s attitude did not change. He was busy calming the situation.

There is a separate reason why the First Prince is doing that.

Royals do not reveal their abilities. Not even to family members.

However, she is grasping the abilities of her family through [Transcendence of Senses]. That’s why the First Prince is acting like that.

The banquet hall instantly became a mess. The excessive fighting between royals, my sudden actions. The place created for celebration and exchange fell into chaos.

In the meantime, my other arm was also eaten. It’s because the power to block the invasion was reduced as I struggled to drive out the Chimera Soul.

“Uh… Brother, are you okay?”

Evan was bewildered by my arms moving on their own. He wasn’t at a level to grasp this power yet.

At that time, I met eyes with Rayan Tianis, who was watching this situation. He smiled at me. I also gave him a smile in return.

“Kyle, help… Ugh!”

At the same time, my arm covered Lana. Two hands choking her neck.

“Kyle… It hurts….”

“Brother! What are you doing right now!!”

Lana frowned in pain, and Evan was startled and tried his best to stop me. But it was not enough to stop me.

The strength of the grip is getting stronger. I said to Lana in a calm tone.

“Lana, do you trust me?”

At that question, Lana smiled brightly even in pain.

“Yeah, I trust you.”

“Okay, that’s enough.”

The moment I finished speaking.

[Detecting danger to the wearer and companion.]

A mechanical sound was heard in my brain. He continued to speak.

[Checking status….]

[Confirming that the current wearer is in an unstable state.]

[Judging that the current situation matches Manual No. 10.]

[Activating ‘Skill: Automatic Response’.]

At the same time as the voice, the ring shines. And the magic contained within was activated.

[Unique Magic: Point Regression]

The regression point is when I first arrived at the banquet hall. The body time is turned back to that saved point.

The disguised alcohol and food are emptied, and the body’s moisture returns. The mana in the dantian, which had not yet been filled, was also returned to its original state, and power overflowed. Accordingly, the Chimera Soul that had been consuming my arm also disappears.

This is a return of my origin. No matter how good the ability is, it cannot stay attached.

I looked at my arm moving as I willed and let go. Lana breathed a rough sigh.

“Cough, cough! Kyle… Is it over…?”

“Yes, it’s over. Lana, I’m sorry.”

“Hehe, it’s okay….”

I stroked her head as a sign of apology. Lana smiled shyly.

At that time, Evan, who was watching this scene, said.

“Brother, what was that just now….”

“Wait a minute.”

I left Evan, who was asking questions, for a while. It’s because I heard a mechanical sound in my head.

[Acquired a B-grade incomplete soul during the coping process. What would you like to do?]

I muttered quietly at the ring’s question.

“Return it to the maximum extent possible.”

[Confirming the wearer’s request.]

The ring responds. According to the set manual, the ring transformed the absorbed soul into magic.

The magic that was born in that way is.

[Casting ‘Magic: Internal Explosion’.]

It was directed at Rayan Tianis, the culprit of this incident.

“Keuheok! Cough…!”

As soon as the magic was activated, he vomited blood. Of course, it wasn’t an instant death. With a B-grade soul, only a part of his stomach would have exploded.

Still, it was fatal to attack the internal organs. Blood that looked like a fatal amount was spewed through his mouth.

“Kyaaak-!”

“The prince is hurt! Someone, the prince…!”

The banquet hall instantly became chaotic. This is because the current situation was the same as an assassination attempt.

Immediately, all the passages in the banquet hall were closed. And a knight rushed in, and a priest stuck next to the Second Prince.

I sent a telepathic message to him, who was unable to come to his senses.

-I told you not to touch me.

The Second Prince, who received the telepathic message, glared. He tried to shout something. But instead of words, blood spurted out as he was being treated.

Afterwards, everyone in the banquet hall was dragged away as suspects in the assassination attempt on the Second Prince, Rayan Tianis.

***

“Where is this….”

I am currently walking somewhere in the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace was not easy to enter even in the game, so I didn’t know the way well.

Ah, I just got out of the investigation. I was also the first to be cleared of suspicion. The judgment was made that I could not kill the prince.

To explain the detailed reasons, the fact that I am from the Arden family was a big reason, and traces of magic were detected from the Second Prince.

Of course, the fully recovered Second Prince shouted that I was the culprit. But his claim was not accepted due to Princess Ariel’s ardent defense that I was the victim.

Anyway, thanks to that, I’m alone after leaving the investigation room.

“First, let’s take a look around.”

There’s not much opportunity to come to the Imperial Palace, so I decided to keep walking.

Still, should I say it’s the home of the continent’s top family? The corridors of the Imperial Palace were unique.

Not to mention the works of art, gold and jewels are decorated everywhere. The floor and curtain materials are also top-notch.

It’s really a scene where money has been poured in. Perhaps other palaces will not be able to follow even half of this. Ah, maybe the Holy Kingdom could.

After walking for a while, a portrait hanging on the wall caught my eye.

“I can’t believe I’d see it here.”

He’s really… what the hell does he look like?

I muttered my impressions of the portrait inwardly. The reason I cursed was because the person depicted was very famous.

[Kiran Tianis]

The person in the portrait was the first emperor who founded the Tyran Empire.

“……”

I kept staring at his shitty face. For some reason, looking at that face made me nostalgic. That’s because Kiran Tianis, no….

“He’s a fascinating face, isn’t he? Our ancestor.”

At that time, a familiar voice was heard next to me. It was Princess Ariel. It seems she heard I came out and came to check.

“Yes, well….”

“Actually, it’s okay to think it’s strange. I was surprised when I first saw it too. You can’t find a face like our ancestor’s anywhere on the continent.”

Princess Ariel continued to speak.

“It’s amazing. That you don’t resemble such a unique face. Even if you look at the portrait of Ruan, the child of the first emperor, there is no resemblance at all. Is it just this black hair that’s similar?”

The princess stroked her long hair. The black light was shimmering.

“So I’m sometimes curious. Where did our ancestor come from?”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. Because no one in the Imperial Family has been able to find out. The only clue is that he came from a place called Korea in the east…. Does the Arden family have any words about this?”

“I don’t know.”

The princess didn’t ask any more questions. But she seemed very interested in the birth of her ancestor.

Anyway, the topic of conversation quickly changed.

“The three will be out soon. I’ve told them that Lana was injured, so she’ll come even earlier.”

“How is Lana’s condition?”

“The priest says there’s nothing wrong. Except for the marks on her neck from being strangled.”

“…….”

The princess comforted me as she looked at me, who was speechless.

“Don’t worry too much. It was only because you were being controlled. Lana will understand enough too.”

“…That’s not it. More than that, what happened to that guy?”

“Rayan is….”

At my question, the princess made a sullen expression.

“I can’t punish him separately. Because there’s no evidence.”

“I see.”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to punish him too, but… it was impossible because there are fixed laws in the Imperial Family.”

“It’s okay.”

I already took revenge with my own hands anyway.

We were silent for a while. Then Ariel opened her mouth first.

“Did you do that to Rayan…?”

“…….”

“I’m not pressing you. I’m just asking because I’m curious.”

At those words, I nodded slightly.

“I thought so. I’ll keep this to myself.”

“Thank you.”

“No, it’s okay. Then I’ll be on my way. I have to help another student.”

“Please be careful.”

I bowed briefly and sent her away.

I face the portrait again. And I said the impressions I couldn’t bring out because the princess was there.

“Kiran Tianis….”

No, Choi Jung-soo. A fellow countryman who came from the same hometown.

To you, a transmigrator who came to a fantasy world from the modern world.

To you, the savior who saved the world and achieved peace.

To you, who suffered from all sorts of worries and pain in the process.

“I pay my respects.”

No matter what anyone says, you deserve to be respected.

That was the best courtesy I could give to the ‘former’ protagonist who completed the story of one world before the world called ‘Akacheonma’ was born.

Episode 79 Imperial Banquet (5)

Episode 79. Imperial Banquet (5)

I still didn’t leave the portrait and admired it. It’s because it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a Korean face.

Isn’t it nice to meet someone from your hometown in a foreign country? It’s the same thing.

Of course, only the country is the same, and the world itself is different, so there is no particular connection.

“Kyle, my investigation is over!”

At that time, Lana, who had finished the investigation, appeared. As Princess Ariel said, it didn’t take long.

“Welcome. Was there anything unusual in the investigation room?”

“No. Everyone treated me kindly.”

“That’s a relief.”

The princess must have said something, and Latral, her grandfather, must have been watching, so they couldn’t investigate aggressively.

Instead, they might have made things a little difficult for the banquet participants? Anyway, it ended in an attempt, but a member of the imperial family was seriously injured.

“Huh? Kyle, were you looking at the first emperor?”

“Yeah.”

“You’ve been looking at it since before I came. You seem very interested in the emperor.”

“I can’t help but be. His face is unique.”

“The first emperor is special.”

Lana nodded and agreed with my opinion.

The eastern end of the continent clearly has a strong oriental atmosphere, but not to the face. All races on the continent had the appearance of what is commonly referred to as Western.

“It’s the same with the amusement park. How could he have thought of that? I read in a book a while ago that the continent’s standard of living and culture improved a lot thanks to the emperor. Not to mention magic. There will never be another genius like the emperor in this world.”

Lana fervently praised the first emperor.

But to tell the truth, that’s not the case at all. The first emperor just wanted to reproduce modern civilization in fantasy.

Stimulating drinks like cola, amusement parks that will be new even after hundreds of years, and wristwatches used at Tianis Academy. It all came from his desire.

Therefore, it is unreasonable to say that the first emperor was a genius. It’s just implementing what already existed.

Of course, magic also developed dramatically in the process. The first emperor’s magic was a completely new kind of magic.

Still, I didn’t want to break Lana’s fantasy, so I didn’t say it out loud.

“But Kyle. Do you know what?”

“What is it?”

Lana is getting closer. She was close to my ear. And whispered in a very small voice.

“I’m only telling you this because it’s Kyle… The first emperor is actually alive. I went to the imperial palace when I was young, and I met him then.”

At her words, I lowered my head deeply. Then I moved Lana away a little.

“Hmm… First of all, thank you for trusting me and telling me. But Lana.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Didn’t you hear anything? For example, don’t tell anyone, or something like that.”

“Ah!”

Lana realized her mistake and quickly covered her mouth. She had a difficult face.

“K, Kyle, what should I do…? The emperor said it was a secret. Could he be listening…?!”

“Well, I guess it’ll be okay for now.”

Even if you say it, nothing terrible will happen. The reason it’s a secret is because he doesn’t want his descendants to find out. In the first place, a magician who has reached transcendence cannot die.

“Ugh, I made another mistake.”

But Lana, who doesn’t know that, fell into self-loathing. It’s because she made two mistakes in a week. I patted Lana.

“It’s okay, so don’t worry too much.”

“I feel like I keep making mistakes when I’m next to Kyle…”

“It’s nothing.”

Lana just said it out of goodwill. Because I’m interested in the first emperor.

“Brother, you were here!”

Evan appears at that moment. His timing is usually terrible, but today he’s surprisingly on time.

“Did you get the investigation well?”

“Of course I did.”

“Welcome, Evan hoobae!”

“Lana sunbae finished early?”

When Evan came, Lana returned to normal. She didn’t want to show her ugly side in front of her juniors.

“More than that, I was nervous about the investigation, but it wasn’t a big deal?”

“What did you imagine?”

“You know that image. Tying you to a chair and knights threatening you.”

“That’s probably the Holy Kingdom.”

“Is that so?”

Unlike what the commoner Evan thinks, the Empire treats suspects and criminals in a gentlemanly manner. Of course, the Holy Kingdom, which serves God, is different.

At that time, Evan’s gaze turned to the portrait.

“But who is this person?”

“The first emperor.”

“Yes? Is this the first emperor?”

Evan stares at the portrait. Then he made a sound as if he was thinking hard about something.

“Hmm… um, definitely…”

“Why are you doing that?”

“Ah, I think I’ve seen that face somewhere.”

“Where did you see it?”

“Hmm… here in the Imperial Palace? I think I saw it. The person who passed by after leaving the investigation room looked like that…”

It seems that he is paying attention to the current protagonist because he is the former protagonist. If not, he rarely approaches people except in the case of Lana.

“You must have seen it wrong.”

“I guess so? Because a person from 400 years ago can’t be alive.”

Evan shrugged and didn’t wonder anymore.

Of course, Lana looked like she wanted to tell, but I gestured not to say anything. Fortunately, she understood well.

The emperor will face each other when the time comes. There was no need to inform him now.

While we were talking for a while. A knight came.

“I heard that the students’ investigation was almost over, so they came to pick you up.”

“Then I have to go.”

There is no reason to stay in the Imperial Palace any longer. And later, I’ll be going in and out of the Imperial Palace until I get tired of it.

More than that… there was one thing bothering me.

It’s not something else.

“But where did Chloe go?”

“Uh… well? I don’t think I saw her in the investigation room?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen her too!”

“Haa…”

What is she doing again somewhere?

***

Meanwhile, at the same time.

Clang!!

The sound of glass breaking was heard in the imperial family’s exclusive recovery room. The sound wasn’t the end of it.

“Damn it!! Because of that bastard…!”

Reian Tianis, possessed by anger, threw whatever he could get his hands on.

“Prince Reian, what’s wrong…”

A servant who was waiting in the room after hearing the commotion tried to enter the room.

“I’ll take care of Reian, so you can go now.”

“Ah, Prince Kashan.”

The first prince, who had arrived to check on his brother’s condition, stopped them. He knew his brother’s personality well. If he went in now, he would be seriously injured.

Kashan, who entered, scolded his younger brother for the state of the room with debris scattered around.

“How dare you make such a mess of the room. What are you doing?”

Even if he said that, Reian just glared at his brother.

‘Hoo…’

Kashan sighed inwardly. That personality hasn’t changed since then. Still, as a brother, he couldn’t leave his brother alone.

“What is the reason for doing this?”

“Reason? I told you that the rascal tried to kill me! But is it okay to just send him away?!”

Kashan sighed once again at his younger brother’s absurd claim.

“He is Arden. A family that is no different from our brothers. No matter what you say, you can’t touch him. Father won’t allow it either.”

The Arden family is an inviolable area for the imperial family. Touching them is denying the foundation of the empire. Without Arden, the empire of today would not exist.

“Above all, there is no evidence that he harmed you.”

“I am the evidence! I’m the evidence that I almost died because of that bastard!!”

Reian shouted loudly. But Kashan couldn’t take his brother’s side. He put strength into his voice and said.

“Stop it, Reian.”

“……”

Reian stops talking only after the oppressive feeling that surrounds his whole body.

“Even if I love you as a family, there are things you shouldn’t do. You’re about to cross that line.”

Kashan continued.

“I know enough about how you treat others, even if it’s not as much as Ariel. You’re greatly mistaken if you think I don’t know you.”

Ariel was able to perfectly grasp what kind of person Reian was with her ability. But Kashan was no different. At least he knew what kind of personality his younger brother had.

“Furthermore, Ariel is sharpening her knives. Whatever it is, forget about today’s events and stop it.”

Kashan had just come from stopping Ariel. She was trying to find a way to punish Reian somehow.

The two often fought in the past, but at the point of pointing a sword at each other, the two became an irreversible relationship. As the first, he had to prevent them from going any further.

Kashan Tianis, having finished speaking, left the room. As he left, he gave his brother a word of advice.

“I heard he’s a rascal, but he’s different from what I saw. Why don’t you try to emulate him a little?”

Kyle Arden was very different from the rumors. His words and actions were those of a rascal, but there was kindness in them. Kashan wished his younger brother would be even half like him.

“I’ll be on my way now.”

The first prince left the room.

“……”

The second prince looked at the door where his brother had left. He stared at the door for a long time, then distorted his face.

“This guy and that guy…”

He gnashed his teeth. The words he said as advice were too absurd and he was angry. He wanted to take away his soul and make him a slave right away.

But it wasn’t time yet. He had to wait until the day of revelation.

“Just wait. When that time comes, I…”

Reian quietly calmed his anger and lay down on the bed. His stomach still hurt even after being regenerated.

Meanwhile, someone was watching that scene.

Red hair and red eyes. A woman with features that can be recognized at once, Chloe. She had been watching everything that happened in the hospital room from earlier.

However, Chloe’s expression was not good. She maintained a sullen face for a long time, then said one word.

“…Shall I kill him?”

A murderous voice. Chloe’s red eyes shine brightly.

She was angrier than ever. Because that kind of guy touched her sunbae.

She had been trying to get her sunbae for months. And her sunbae is someone who doesn’t work even if she pours everything into it.

“I haven’t even done it yet…”

But that guy did it. He put her sunbae on his palm even for a moment.

That’s why she’s even more angry. To have her precious first time taken away. How long had she been looking forward to that time.

“Just a toy.”

Touching a sunbae who is worth tens of thousands of times more, with a worthless human being who doesn’t even know he’s a plaything.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t just let it go. She wanted to tear him apart and kill him right away. But she couldn’t kill him because he had a use.

Instead, she could give him some punishment.

Chloe put her hands together. Then, a sticky black energy flowed out. The power that created a bizarre, primal fear and drove the existence crazy was overflowing with evil.

She activated magic through that power full of fear and destruction. At that moment, the magic flowed to Reian, crossing space.

“Hello, sister.”

A youthful voice was heard.

Chloe immediately stopped what she was doing and turned her head. There was a black-haired child next to her.

‘A member of the imperial family?’

No, more than that. When did he approach?

Chloe, who was guarding her surroundings, wondered about the child who had approached without a sound.

‘No. He’s a member of the imperial family, so maybe…’

The power of the imperial family was a power that Chloe herself had to be wary of. He looked about 13 years old, so he must have awakened his blood. He may have gained the ability to deceive his senses.

Even so, she couldn’t just leave the child who saw the scene alone. Chloe asked, scattering her seductive power.

“Little boy. Did you see what I did?”

“Ah, no…?”

The child stutters. Chloe laughed inwardly. He’s obviously lying like a child.

She used magic. Then the child’s eyes lost their vitality. Chloe ordered the child.

“Go back to your room. Okay?”

“Y-yes…”

The child turns around and walks away slowly. Chloe, seeing that, said.

“I should go back to my sunbae too~”

Although the power was weak, the magic was used, and she lost interest. She soon used magic and disappeared from the imperial palace.

That’s where Chloe left.

The child who received the order stopped in his place. And he stared at the space where she had disappeared.

“That was close.”

The child let out a sigh of relief and released his disguise.

The growing height and size, the changing skeleton and appearance, changed his appearance.

He, who had returned to his original form, brushed his black hair back and said in a thicker voice.

“Our kids almost died. I can’t believe such a dangerous woman came in. I don’t know if this is okay.”

The man, Kiran Tianis, was worried about his descendants and continued to observe the place where Chloe had left. Then he frowned slightly and muttered lowly.

“More than that, a god from outside…”

Kiran, who realized the source of the power, fell into deep thought. But it didn’t last long. No matter how much he reached transcendence, those beings were not the kind that could be handled.

“Tsk, there’s nothing I can do. I have to leave it to the two of them.”

Kiran’s two eyes were looking at different targets.

-Hyung! There’s a hot dog stand over there? Do you want to eat and go?

His left eye was directed at Evan Felix, the center of destiny.

-Eat a lot yourself.

The other one is similar to him….

“I don’t know if they can solve it. No, maybe one side will definitely…”

He held back his words and soon disappeared from the world.

Episode 80 Preparation

Preparing for Episode 80

I left the imperial palace, and it was already 4 o’clock.

The banquet usually ends at 2 o’clock. But I stayed until this hour because of the investigation.

And on the way back to the dormitory.

“Ugh, it’s 4 o’clock, so… Haaam… I’m getting sleepy.”

“It’s been too long. I’m sleepy too….”

Lana rubbed her eyes as sleepiness washed over her, and Evan yawned.

They look so sleepy. I refused to take them by carriage on purpose. If I had known this would happen, I should have sent them separately.

“How about taking a carriage now?”

“No. I want to go with Kyle.”

“I’m okay too. The streets are nice at dawn, but this is better.”

They refused my offer. Still, I couldn’t go all the way to the dormitory with them, so I told them in advance.

“I have something else to do, so I can only go as far as the entrance.”

“Yes? At this hour? What business do you have to do so late?”

“It’s personal.”

There was something I had to prepare in advance for the future. It’s just bad timing that it’s right after the festival. The work finished earlier than expected.

Then Evan looked at me and said.

“Hyung-nim, I think you live too busy sometimes. Even if you have work, you can do it leisurely. It’s vacation anyway.”

Then Lana opened her mouth for me.

“Evan hoobae. It’s Kyle. He must have a reason we don’t know.”

“I’m just sad. Look at the streets. Everyone is playing like that, but it’s sad that you’re going to work.”

The festival was over, but the streets were still full of people. Even though more than half of the stores and stalls were closing, people were laughing, chatting, and drinking.

But their circumstances were different from mine.

“Don’t worry about it and take care of your own business. You haven’t even reached 4-circle yet, and you’re talking too much.”

“Using magic skills is cheating….”

Evan looked betrayed. I continued in a soothing tone.

“I mean, take care of your own future first. Not mine.”

“That applies to hyung-nim, not me….”

“Are you talking back?”

“Hyung-nim. That’s a very old-fashioned thing to say… Ack!”

I smacked Evan on the head for talking back. He covered his head in pain.

Of course, I don’t disagree with that opinion. But this is an unavoidable investment. At least until I graduate, until Evan graduates, I have to help him.

In the meantime, we arrived at the academy entrance. I said to them.

“Go in.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow, Kyle….”

“Then I’ll be going. Don’t come in too late.”

“Don’t worry and go.”

I sent Lana and Evan away like that.

I returned to the capital once again and headed to the alleyway. And I quietly opened my mouth.

“Come out.”

Then a man appeared from the darkness. He knelt on one knee in front of me.

“Is the cleanup finished?”

“Yes. I have completed the integration of forces as you commanded.”

“What about the aftermath?”

“It’s clean without any problems.”

“Good job.”

I looked at the man in front of me.

His face is pale, and he exudes the smell of death from his whole body. I gave him strength before, but it seems he used a lot of strength while carrying out the orders.

“Was the last one troublesome?”

“The resistance was not easy.”

“Okay, get up.”

Bellum stood up from his spot according to the order. I stabbed my hand into his heart as it was. My hand pierced through the flesh without any difficulty.

“There’s almost nothing left.”

Only 10% of the mana in the magic stone embedded in his heart remained. I replenished the mana again.

Then the magic circle engraved on the magic stone converted the mana into vitality. Energy circulated throughout his body, and the color returned to his face. The smell of death also disappeared.

“Thank you.”

“Keep up the good work. If you want to live until you die of old age.”

“Yes.”

Bellum answered immediately.

‘Well, he wouldn’t want to lose the life he gained again.’

He died during the Cantia subjugation. And I used some of the magic stones I received as a quest to revive him as an undead.

However, instead of eliminating reason and intelligence like a zombie, I made him an undead with autonomy like a human. That’s more convenient for giving orders or handling him.

Instead, I put a restriction on him so that he couldn’t betray me. He can only continue to live if he receives mana replenishment like now. Only with my mana.

“Lead the way.”

“Understood.”

I nodded. Bellum led me to the new hideout.

***

The base where Bellum settled was a building in the slums. I looked around.

‘He’s a criminal, so he’s good at picking a place.’

The location is deep, so there is little chance of being caught, and there is a sewer underneath, making it easy to move and escape. Even if this place is raided, there is little threat of being caught.

I entered the building. Then I saw people cleaning up the base. They took out their weapons when they saw a stranger, but put them away when they saw Bellum.

“Bellum-nim, who is that person….”

“He’s the boss. Ignore him and do what you were doing.”

The flustered subordinates lowered their gazes at Bellum’s words.

Of course, they weren’t completely uninterested. They glanced at me several times, and whispers were occasionally heard.

-I definitely thought Bellum-nim was the boss….

-I’ve never seen that face around here. He looks young too.

-Let’s ignore it. We might die if we get caught listening to this. Bellum-nim alone is so cruel….

I roughly heard such things. For reference, I’m disguised, so they don’t know I’m Kyle Arden.

“The discipline of your subordinates is not good.”

“If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll take care of it.”

“No, it’s okay.”

It’s better for an organization to have moderate freedom. If it’s too rigid, that can cause problems. Of course, if it becomes more lax than this, I’ll have to deal with it.

In the meantime, we arrived at the top floor. I opened the door and entered the room. A room that looked like an office came into view.

I sat on the soft chair and picked up the document on the desk. It was a compilation of organizational information. I know the method well because I was the former boss.

I roughly scanned the contents and saw the general situation.

“There are a lot of people, but there’s a lack of funds? And there’s no proper business means.”

“Many organizations have sprung up since Cantia disappeared. Because of that, disputes occur frequently, so there was no force with enough funds.”

Well, the capital is a delicious prey. Now that the organization that dominated the place has disappeared, they can’t help but be greedy.

In addition, since forces are springing up like mushrooms, fights would inevitably break out. In the process, it would have been difficult for the guards to get involved and increase their size.

To solve this, I took out a bag of gold coins from the subspace. It’s the money I had left over from robbing Cantia in the past. More than half of it is still left.

“Use this as funds, and remember what I’m going to tell you from now on and use it.”

In the game, ‘Academy’s Heavenly Demon’ has means to earn money prepared for the player’s consideration. There are easy ways to make money over several months, and there are dangerous ways to make money in a short period. Of course, the opposite is also true.

I combined them to create a route that could extract the most money. There are many places to use it, so I have to earn at least 100 million units.

After giving the information, I talked about the organization’s operation this time. It’s just words to be used and thrown away, but it’s better to set up a proper system for it to run properly.

“It should work if you run it like that.”

“Understood.”

“And lastly….”

I told him the reason why I became the leader of a troublesome organization.

“Invitation to the Free City Auction House. Be sure to prepare it.”

“Which one are you referring to….”

“Both.”

Bellum was sweating profusely when I said that. And he cautiously opened his mouth.

“The back one is not easy to obtain. Even when my organization was intact, an invitation was never given.”

“I know. But if you do as I tell you, you’ll at least get a foot in the door.”

The reason why Bellum couldn’t get an invitation was because he lacked money and fame. If you have enough money or you’ve made a name for yourself, they’ll send an invitation to anyone.

“Let’s stop talking about this….”

I got up from my chair. My work here is done. It’s Bellum’s turn to take care of the rest.

‘Well, if I leave him alone, he’ll grow up well on his own.’

And the time would come when I would return.

“Don’t come out. I’ll be busy for a while.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

He’s busy enough just solving the homework I gave him right away. I didn’t want to waste time with greetings. Because that’s directly linked to my loss.

Immediately after, I quietly left the hideout.

***

The sun was rising as I left the building.

I’ve seen the sunrise at the academy a lot, so I wasn’t very impressed. Still, it was the first time I had seen the sight in the capital, so I stared blankly.

After a while, I moved to return to the dormitory. And the moment I came out of the alley.

“Sunbae~!”

Chloe, who had disappeared from the imperial palace, pounced on me. I didn’t expect her to show up here, so I fell over as it was. I was pinned under her.

“…What are you doing here?”

“I was waiting for sunbae!”

“How did you know the location… Haa, never mind.”

It’ll only give me a headache if I ask. I pushed Chloe above me and got up. But she clung to me again.

“But what are you coming back from? Maybe….”

She started with a sly smile and continued.

“Were you doing something bad?”

“…It’s not like that.”

“Eyyy~ It smells like you were doing something bad?”

“I said it’s not.”

I came out of the alley and walked down the street. Chloe hurriedly ran after me at a fast pace.

“How can you leave a woman alone? What if I die from a scary uncle~”

“They’ll be the ones who die, not you.”

She’s telling lies that even a three-year-old wouldn’t believe.

“I mean, that’s what I mean.”

Chloe always naturally brushed it off, no matter what I answered.

“But aren’t I admirable? I waited for sunbae so late.”

“You must have been doing something weird again. Why are you causing trouble when you promised not to do that at the imperial palace?”

“Huh? How did you know I caused trouble at the imperial palace?”

“It’s obvious what you’d do.”

She was just brushed over in the novel. I don’t know what touched Chloe’s nerves, but she must have done something pretty big.

“But I only punished that guy who bothered sunbae. He’ll probably be haunted by nightmares for months?”

“What?”

“I went and punished that guy. Aren’t you happy?”

“…Reihan, that bastard?”

“Yes!”

Chloe answered brightly.

Reihan Tianis is one of the characters I hate the most. Especially today, he made Lana suffer, so that evaluation hit rock bottom.

But to think that Chloe gave him a punch….

Oh, that’s….

“Good job.”

“Yes?”

“I said good job.”

I couldn’t help but praise her. I don’t know about anything else, but this deserved praise.

“Wait, wait, waaaait…!”

Chloe shouted that and hurriedly backed away. And after muttering to herself, she came back to me and asked.

“Sunbae, are you on drugs?”

“What nonsense are you talking about.”

“No…? I don’t smell any drugs, and your tone is your usual tone….”

Sniff, after smelling me, Chloe put her hand on my forehead this time.

“You don’t have a fever, and there’s no trace of mental manipulation….”

“Tell me why you’re doing this.”

But Chloe ignored my words and asked again.

“Sunbae, do you perhaps like me?”

“…It’s not like that, I’m fine, so stop it.”

I couldn’t figure out why she was doing this. Then Chloe said.

“No, it’s strange. Sunbae is praising me.”

“Is there a law that says I can’t? I can give compliments too.”

“It’s not something sunbae, who never says anything good, should say. You’re the one who always taunts me~”

“……”

I couldn’t exactly deny it. I never saw her in a good light, so my words always came out harshly.

Then Chloe gasped as if she had realized something.

“Then, are you saying that what you said just now was sincere?”

“…Yeah.”

“Wow!”

Chloe smiled brightly as if she was very happy. And then she clung to me with a friendly voice.

“Sunbae~”

“What?”

“Can’t you do that again for me?”

“……”

“Sunbae’s compliments make me feel so good. I guess it’s because you’re the object I want to have.”

I suddenly felt bad at that sound.

“I don’t want to.”

“Please do it one more time. Huh?”

“I said I don’t want to.”

I started walking fast again. When she still clung to me, I ran this time. Of course, it was useless.

“Sunbae, just one more time!”

Tsk, I shouldn’t have said anything, what is this fuss.

And Chloe’s request didn’t end until evening.

Episode 81 Second Semester (1)

Episode 81 Semester 2 (1)

“Ugh! Vacation is almost over.”n

Lana stretched her arms up to the sky and said. A smile bloomed on her face, as if the coolness from the action felt good.

“Yeah… time has already passed. But I didn’t really do anything big.”n “Yeah. But there’s nothing we can do. We’re sophomores.”n “That’s true.”n

Just then, Evan, who heard our conversation, stopped his magic training and asked.

“Vacation is over? There are still more than 2 weeks left?”n “That’s based on the freshmen, it’s different for sophomores and above.”n Freshmen have a 2-month break in the middle of the semester, but sophomores have one month less than that. The reason is because of the event. In the first semester alone, it started 2 weeks earlier for the entrance exam.

So it is no different for the second semester. This time too, it starts 2 weeks early.

“Then I won’t be able to see you two for a while?”n

“It’s not that we can’t see each other at all, but it won’t be possible like it is now.”n Since we have to take lectures again, the time we meet will be reduced. Then Evan said in a dissatisfied tone.

“I thought it would be nice to rest more, but it’s not.”n “You’re the only one who thinks that way.”n

He’s the main character, so his way of thinking is unique. Other people would have liked it.

“Still, Evan, junior. There is a way to meet Kyle.”n

“Yes? What is it?”n

At that time, Lana participated in the conversation. Evan immediately asked back out of curiosity.

“First of all, I’ll explain it in case Evan, junior, doesn’t know. Every year, the continent holds something called an exchange meeting.”n “An exchange meeting?”n

“Yeah. It’s a gathering where all the academies on the continent gather. In the past, it was created under the leadership of Tianis Academy so that students could meet each other and improve their skills.”n “Oh, all the academies are gathering….”

Evan let out a small exclamation. Lana continued.

“We will hold an exchange meeting again this time. Participating students are freshmen and sophomores.”n “So I’m going too. But where is the exchange meeting held?”n “Last year it was held in Tianis, so this time it will be held in the Theocracy of Eustia.”n “Theocracy? Where the six gods live?”n

“Yeah. There’s an academy there too.”n

Following Tianis and the Magic Tower, the Theocracy’s Holy Academy is called one of the three major academies on the continent. As Lana said, this exchange meeting will be held in the Theocracy.

“But what does this have to do with meeting Hyung-nim?”n “Ah, the exchange meeting mainly involves collaborative classes, right? To prepare for that, freshmen are allowed to take sophomore classes. Together for 2 weeks.”n In other words, this is also an academy event as a participation class.

It is to increase cooperation in preparation for the exchange meeting that Lana mentioned earlier, and it also contains the meaning of showing off the skills they have cultivated so far with their seniors.

“Tianis is different as expected.”n

Evan was once again impressed by the academy system. I gave Evan a piece of advice.

“So it’s better to apply quickly. The application period isn’t long.”n “Application? I thought I was participating unconditionally?”n “Only those who want to listen will listen. Each student has different circumstances.”n Tianis respected students and respected choices. Therefore, except for some, it does not have any compulsion.

“Until when is the application date? Where is the application location?”n Evan asked us in a hurry.

“You can apply at the student center. The application deadline is….”n “It’s until tomorrow?”n

“Phew, fortunately there’s plenty of time.”n

Evan let out a sigh of relief.

“Don’t slack off and apply quickly. You’re going to take magic department lectures, aren’t you?”n “Of course I have to listen.”n

Currently, Evan has permission to double major. He will also take magic department lectures from the second semester. So there was no way this guy would pass on the sophomore lectures.

“But the professors won’t oppose again, will they?”n

“I wonder. Maybe they will?”n

“Ugh, I don’t want that….”n

Evan was sick of it. The reason was that he was harassed by the professors. The cause was, of course, the double major.

In short, there was a mess when the vice-chief of the Knight Department said he would learn magic. So after applying for a double major, they came to Evan every day.

Of course, the double major was approved with the enthusiastic support of the magic department professors, but if he applied for the participation class, the same thing would happen again.

Anyway, Evan, who was famous even before that, became an even bigger topic in the academy because of this.

“But if you take magic department lectures, I’ll see you too?”n “I guess so. If you see me, don’t just watch, deal with me.”n “Yes!”n

Did he feel like it was a devil’s conversation? Evan was sweating profusely.

“Haha… Lana sunbae, Hyung-nim. You’ll be moderate, right?”n “Depends on what you do.”n

“Huh? I wonder?”n

“…….”n

After that, Evan ran to the student center as if he were running away.

***

Time passed quickly, and the second semester began.

Tianis, which entered the new semester, was quite a spectacle. Not only the 2nd and 3rd graders with sunken eyes, but also the professors heading to the lecture hall walked slowly.

It looks like they are having a hard time because it is the morning after the vacation. They were people too.

“Ugh, I’m going to die….”n

“I can’t get used to morning lectures….”n

When I arrived at the training hall, I heard the listless voices of the sophomores. In addition, they said while looking at the freshmen in the same space.

“There are people who apply for participation classes.”n “I wanted to rest, so I didn’t do it.”n

“You’re not the only one who thought that way. Most people here probably didn’t apply?”n Then he approaches the freshmen and starts talking. This is because they have to take lectures together for the next 2 weeks.

However, the freshmen couldn’t join the conversation well. They looked nervous and seemed troubled by the excessive attention.

Of course, there were also freshmen who actively mixed in with the conversation. Evan is a prime example. He had excellent sociability.

In addition, because he was the vice-chief, the sophomores brought up various topics and continued the conversation.

“But is it true that you use magic?”n

“There’s a lot of talk about that these days. The professors are only talking about that.”n “I heard rumors that he learned it on his own? I also heard that he is in the 3rd circle.”n Evan, whose lips were curled up at such a question, said.

“Hehe, sunbaenims. Do you think I would tell a lie that would be so obvious? Or should I show you?”n He said that and showed his magic. Hwareureuk, a rising flame. It was the 3rd circle representative magic, Fireball.

“It’s real….”n

“Swordsmanship and magic, the world is so unfair….”n

Then one sophomore asked as if he didn’t understand.

“But isn’t it better to just focus on swordsmanship? I don’t know why you’re learning magic.”n “That’s magic slander….”n

“No, no, not slander. It’s just that it doesn’t make sense, junior. Why is a guy as talented as Bale learning magic? Swordsmanship alone is enough.”n The perception of the magic swordsman is still the same. It is Evan’s role to change that.

“Well, I learned it because it was interesting. And it’s not like there are no advantages.”n “What is it?”n

“Hehe, I’ll show you later. Oh? Hyung-nim!”n

At that time, Evan found me. Then the attention was focused on me.

“Wow~ It’s new to meet in the same lecture hall like this.”n “You’re talking nonsense when you meet me every day.”n And following Evan’s words, my classmates, who were hard to call friends, cautiously spoke to me.

“Ah, hi Kyle….”n

“I, I haven’t seen you since vacation…?”n

It was the first greeting they had ever received. They stuttered, but there was a feeling of welcome mixed in, not fear.

‘It’s changed a lot.’

Now they greet me directly. It’s a scene I couldn’t have imagined in the past. Perhaps it means that the evaluation has improved.

I gave them an answer as a reward.

“Yeah, nice to see you.”n

Even though it was a simple word, they were surprised and their eyes widened. I guess they didn’t know I would answer the greeting. I said to my classmate, who was embarrassed and didn’t know what to do.

“Take Evan with you.”n

“Oh, okay, take him….”n

“Goodbye….”n

We’re going to be in the same space, so why are you greeting me? Even Princess Ariel, who was talking to others, gave me a look.

I took Evan away and moved away from the group for a while. The professor hadn’t arrived yet.

“Hyung-nim, the atmosphere is softer than I thought? They used to just glare at me.”n “It’s changed a lot since then.”n

I prevented him from dropping out. I saved him from danger at the library. It’s not a good deed, but I only hear good things.

His behavior has also changed. He doesn’t do bad things and goes to the academy normally like everyone else.

Such good images piled up to produce the current result. At least in the eyes of the students, I was no longer the villain who used to be a troublemaker in the past.

Of course, this is only limited to the academy.

“After all, it’s important to have a good normal image.”n “Stop talking nonsense and don’t be so proud. It’s a bad habit.”n “Yes? Did you think what I just said was boasting?”n

“Yes.”n

If that’s not boasting, what is it?

“Oh… I’m sorry to say this. I showed you the magic because I was worried something would happen. The professors are like that, and if I don’t show them with my eyes, they keep bothering me.”n “…You’re also developing.”n

“I don’t know what kind of person I am in Hyung-nim’s head, but I’m still smart enough to be the vice-chief of the department.”n “Then why didn’t you use it better sooner?”n

“If you say that, I’ll be sad… Oh? Bale, over here!”n At that moment, Evan’s gaze turned back and he waved his hand. When I turned around, I saw Bale. My brother headed straight this way.

“Long time no see? Why didn’t you show up even once during vacation?”n “There was work in the territory. I wanted to come too, but I couldn’t help it because I was busy.”n Bale briefly told Evan the news, and this time he bowed to me as if he were paying respects.

“Long time no see, Hyung-nim. Have you been well?”n

“Yeah.”n

Respect for his older brother is still the same. No, I should just say he’s stubborn. My brother was very similar to my father, so there was that side to him.

More than that….

‘His aura has changed.’

How should I put it. Sharpness fills his entire body. I can faintly smell blood too.

‘Maybe it’s because he’s been killing black mages.’

At this time, the territory was focusing on suppressing black mages. Bale would have participated in that too.

Evan seemed to have sensed Bale’s change too.

“But Bale. You’re different somehow?”n

“Hmm… I’ll tell you later. This isn’t the place to talk about it.”n Bale says while composing himself. But it didn’t subside easily.

“Still, it’s nice to be together like this. There were hardly any cases where the three of us got together. Isn’t that right, Hyung-nim?”n Evan said, putting his arms around my brother’s and my shoulders.

“What’s so good about three guys being together? It’s just disgusting.”n “Oh, there’s a word called friendship. Where are we ordinary?”n “Go screw yourself.”n

“Hyung-nim, your words are too harsh.”n

I ignored Bale’s words and lowered my raised arm. My stomach started churning because I was with guys.

“How long are you going to chatter!”n

At that time, the professor’s voice was heard. It’s Professor Mylon’s. We stopped talking and moved in front of him. As soon as we gathered, he immediately brought up the story.

“The sophomores probably don’t need any words. First of all, freshmen in the Knight Department. Nice to meet you. My name is Mylon. I am also the professor who will be guiding you next year.”n He said roughly formal words. It wasn’t his style to speak for a long time, so it was short.

“I’ll be seeing you next year, so let’s skip the introduction and explain how the lecture will proceed.”n He operated the magic tool installed in the training hall and displayed a list of names.

“There are many freshmen who applied for the participation class this year. There are twice as many as last year. And I usually give practical lectures. In this state, the lecture will be disrupted. So this time, I’m thinking of proceeding with the lecture differently from usual.”n Then a map appeared next to the list.

“Survival. The class you will take in my lecture. You just need to survive in the prepared place for one day in pairs. Cooperation will definitely be greatly enhanced in preparation for the exchange meeting.”n Professor Mylon explained with an devilish smile. Then one student raised his hand.

“Professor Mylon. We also have other lectures….”n

“Don’t worry about that. I consulted with other professors in advance. And after this lecture, there will be no lectures for me for 2 weeks. Sophomores can come from the 3rd week according to the original schedule.”n The students seemed excited at his words. It’s because it means that if they endure only today, there will be no lectures for the remaining time.

“Then the team is….”n

Professor Mylon used a magic tool to randomly determine the team.

For reference, who I teamed up with….

“Hyung-nim, please take care of me.”n

“…Okay.”n

I became a team with my younger brother, Bale. Unfortunately.

After that, we were moved to a designated place, just like during the past hunting practice.

And the survival that started. There we.

“Didn’t I tell you that he’s suspicious!”n

“What do you know? Shut up and follow me!”n

Not long after the survival began, we argued like crazy.

Episode 82 Second Semester (2)

Episode 82, 2nd Semester (2)

My brother and I were transported to what appeared to be a jungle. Immediately, the jungle’s characteristic humidity enveloped my entire body.

“Tch, what an environment.”

I clicked my tongue. I’m okay with hot and cold, but I don’t like humid environments. The dampness made my body feel heavy.

“I’ve heard about it, but Tianis can even create places like this.”

Unlike me, my brother looked around with a fascinated expression. He couldn’t have seen such a sight in Arden Estate, where the seasons don’t change 365 days a year.

But I urged my brother.

“Stop sightseeing and check for monsters.”

“Yes, Brother.”

Bale followed without saying anything.

After confirming that there were no living creatures around, we settled down in a suitable place. Then I spoke first.

“I think securing drinking water is the top priority. What do you think?”

“I agree. We have to survive here for more than 12 hours.”

We have to stay in this jungle until midnight. The current time is 10 a.m. We have to endure for about 14 hours. If the survival time was only 2-3 hours, we could endure it, but anything longer than that requires water and food.

Moreover, there is a mission given to each team while surviving. We need energy to succeed in that.

That’s why I’m cooperating with Bale. Two is better than one.

Of course, if I used magic, securing water would be easy, but unfortunately, it was still difficult to reveal that I could use magic. The professor would have been watching this situation.

“A sword is enough as a tool, and we won’t need a campsite.”

Professor Mylon didn’t give us the tools we needed for survival. He meant for the teams to cooperate and solve the situation directly.

We didn’t need a campsite either. We’re not going to sleep overnight, so we can just make one out of leaves when it rains.

However, Bale didn’t seem to think so.

“I was taught that in survival situations, you must create a base after securing drinking water and food.”

“Who said such nonsense?”

“The Monster Studies professor said it. He said it was the code of conduct during a monster season.”

“…Haa.”

I let out a deep sigh. Then Bale reacted and said.

“It’s actually quite a helpful policy. A black magician appeared in the estate this vacation, and I went out to subjugate him with the Knights…”

“Bale.”

I cut off Bale’s long-winded words.

“The situation is different now.”

Bale’s words are definitely accurate. Aside from that time, it’s a ‘rule of thumb’ that must be followed in a life-or-death situation.

But we’re different. We’re not staying for days, and there’s no need to be methodical.

Above all, this class isn’t about survival first. It’s to foster teamwork. There’s a reason why he gave us a mission.

After hearing my thoughts, Bale pondered for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“I will follow your lead, Brother.”

Even so, he looked somewhat reluctant. It seems like our views are different. Bale and I had completely different action styles and personalities.

‘But it’ll be okay.’

It feels like things are going wrong from the start, but a fight won’t break out. Bale is a brother who knows how to respect his older brother.

***

After searching for water for an hour.

We finally found a small spring after a long struggle.

“The spring is very small…”

“Why didn’t they make it bigger?”

But it wasn’t big. It was only 5 cm in diameter, so it was hard to even call it a spring.

No matter how I looked at it, it seemed to have been deliberately made small. The survival environment could be extremely harsh depending on the situation.

“Let’s get some water first.”

Bale nodded, and I took out a wooden water bottle. I made it by cutting down a tree on the way.

It took quite a while to fill the water, as we made a total of three per person. It took about 30 minutes per bottle.

During that time, I looked around and searched for food. But I couldn’t see any edible plants.

Even digging in the ground yielded no results. Judging by the fact that there are no rivers or monsters, it seems like there’s nothing to eat around here.

I’m already starting to get hungry because it’s almost lunchtime… At this rate, there will be a setback in the plan. My mission was easy, but my brother’s was difficult.

I kept looking around just in case. And on the way back to the spring, Bale spoke to me.

“Brother. Why didn’t you come back to the family during vacation?”

“……Don’t ask.”

I nipped that question in the bud early on. Just thinking about home made my stomach churn. But my brother didn’t stop.

“If you had come, you could have definitely changed the evaluation of the family and the estate’s people. As I said earlier, a black magician appeared in the estate…”

The meaning of those words was one thing. If I had returned to the estate and dealt with the black magician, I could have changed my hooligan image. And the end result is obvious.

“I told you. I’m not interested in the position of head of the family.”

“I don’t know why you refuse, Brother.”

“Don’t try to understand, and don’t be curious.”

You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.

“……”

My brother was silent for a moment at my cutting remark. But he didn’t stop the conversation.

“Do you know? The day our sister came back to the family, she secretly cried.”

“…Did she cry a lot?”

“I don’t know. She pretended not to as soon as I came.”

I thought she was okay, but it seems like she wasn’t at all.

“Brother. How about coming back next vacation for the sake of our sister?”

Bale used our sister as bait to lure me. But I had no intention of doing so, and our sister would be fine. I said quietly to my brother.

“But, Brother. Why are you interfering between me and our sister? I’ll take care of it myself. Do you like our sister?”

“…As family, I like Elaim, but she’s not my type as a woman.”

“Then mind your own business.”

“I can’t do that as your brother.”

He’s so talkative.

I felt it at the Blacksmith of Orange, but Bale talks a lot and is very interested in me. Especially when we’re alone, he seems anxious.

Well, maybe it’s to make up for what he’s been missing. Like our sister, my brother probably couldn’t talk to me because of my hooliganism.

In the meantime, we arrived near the spring. And a figure lingering in front of it. I threatened them with sword energy.

Kugwagwang-!

A huge line was drawn on the ground with a roar.

“What if you hurt the opponent?”

I scoffed at those words.

“They deserve to be hurt. They’re trying to steal our water.”

Including the bottles that were still being filled, it took a total of 3 hours to fill the water with difficulty. They’re going to steal that? They deserve to die.

My gaze turned to the thieves. Like us, they were a team of 1st and 2nd year students mixed together. In their hands, they had 4 bottles full of water.

“Ahaha, there seems to be a misunderstanding. We were just going to drink some water…”

“Put it down.”

“O-Okay…”

At the murderous voice, the two put down the water bottles. I walked closer and snatched the bottles away. Thankfully, the amount hadn’t decreased.

But the two thieves couldn’t take their eyes off the water bottles.

“Do you want to drink it?”

Nod, nod, the two showed violent movements. Judging by their appearance, it seemed like they hadn’t had any water for quite some time.

“Okay. Let’s barter. Tell me what you have. It would be nice if you had something to eat.”

At those words, Bale chimed in.

“How about information rather than food? Judging by the footprints, it looks like they came from the opposite direction.”

“There’s no need to exchange information for important resources, and what’s important right now is food. And please don’t interrupt when I’m talking.”

“But Brother, it’s true that food is important, but if we have information…”

A slight difference of opinion. At our conversation, the two in front of us shouted urgently.

“We’ll give you information, food, anything! Please give us some water!”

“We haven’t had a sip of water for 4 hours…? Just a little water first…”

“Okay. Drink.”

At their deathly expressions, I handed them two bottles of water. The two quickly received the water bottles and chugged them down. Only then did they make a face as if they were going to live.

“Now, tell me what you have.”

Then they started taking out various things from their leather pouches. Most of them were things that people could eat, like meat.

“How did you get food? There wasn’t any on our side.”

“We came from the west over there, and there are animals and monsters everywhere over there. You can see them even if you go just ten steps.”

No wonder there were no living creatures. It seems like they divided the environment extremely. I dug up more information.

“Was there a ruin there?”

“Hmm… I saw something similar to a ruin. But it had nothing to do with our mission, and we were desperate for water, so we ignored it.”

“Tell me the location.”

The classmate told me the location of the ruin right away. It was his first time here too, so he only told me the general characteristics.

“Have you seen Evan or the Princess?”

“Unfortunately, I haven’t met them. Among the teams I’ve met, there were some who said they saw them…”

“That’s enough.”

I got all the information I needed by confirming the location. I said to Bale.

“Let’s go west. It seems like the goal is there.”

“Alright.”

We parted ways with the team we met for the first time.

***

We arrived in the west of the jungle. Then monsters immediately caught our eye, and they ran towards us when they saw us.

“Prepare for battle. It’s a monster.”

“Yes, Brother.”

There was no time to look around. We decided to take care of the monsters first. I drew my sword and said.

“Is this the first time I’ve fought with you…”

“It’s the first time. Whether it’s during hunting practice or anything else, there hasn’t been a chance for me to meet with you, Brother.”

The atmosphere of holding a sword together felt a little unfamiliar. I thought that today might be the first time. It was probably also the first time my brother had fought a monster.

In the meantime, the monster cried out and ran towards us. A total of five monsters. My brother and I exchanged glances.

The timing when the monster charged. We simultaneously swung our swords.

Clang!

But for some reason, all I could hear was the sound of metal.

I looked to the side after seeing the blocked sword. Similarly, my brother was also looking at me. And at the same time, we opened our mouths.

“What are you doing?”

“Brother, what are you doing right now?”

We looked at each other as if we were dumbfounded.

Episode 83 Second Semester (3)

Episode 83, Semester 2 (3)

“Why are you attacking this guy? You should be fighting that one.”

I pointed to a different target with my eyes. Then my brother said.

“What are you talking about? Weren’t you going to take care of that one, brother?”

“What the hell are you saying?”

I clearly sent the right signal with my eyes. That I would handle this one. But Veil is just spouting nonsense.

A brief opening was created like that. The monster attacked us. Its forepaws and mouth rushed right in front of us.

“Don’t make a mistake this time. I’m the one in front.”

“…Understood.”

But we leisurely finished our conversation and moved our swords. My brother and I were more skilled than those guys to be defeated by them.

Swish-!

A clean strike split the monster. Blood spurted from the cut surface.

Veil also pierced the monster’s forehead, finishing the target for good. As expected of someone with the greatest talent on the continent, his skills are outstanding.

We killed all the monsters in less than 2 minutes. The vicinity began to be filled with the smell of blood.

Was it because of that? Smelling the scent, monsters began to appear one by one. There was no time to exchange words of congratulations.

I send a signal again with my eyes. My brother nodded, as if he understood well.

And the timing to throw ourselves. My brother ran in a different direction from the instructions I sent.

Gritting, my teeth grind. I don’t know why he’s acting like this since the battle started. I can understand him offering a different opinion on my actions, but this wasn’t it.

But the situation wasn’t favorable for continuing to think. Because twice as many monsters as before were rushing in.

I gradually cleared out the monsters. The monsters’ blood scent and cries became aggro, so the number didn’t decrease, but it wasn’t difficult.

Nevertheless, it was inevitable to be pushed back by numbers. I retreated little by little. Then I bumped into someone. It was my brother’s back.

“Brother, I think there’s a boss.”

“I think so too.”

Monsters surrounding us from all sides. You can see the intention to eliminate the escape route. Ordinary monsters don’t have this kind of thinking ability, so it’s certain that there’s a controlling one nearby.

Thump!

At that time, a huge footstep sound is heard. My brother and I simultaneously turned our gaze in the direction the sound came from.

“It’s an ogre.”

“It seems the professor has great faith in us. To prepare even monsters like that.”

The ogre was well over 5m tall. Usually, that’s about adult size.

“Have you ever fought one before?”

“I’ve fought the black wizard guys’ ones.”

“That’s enough.”

Whether it’s an ogre resurrected by necromancy or a normal ogre, there’s not much difference. It’s just a difference in what kind of power they use. The fighting method is the same.

“First, we clear out the surroundings. It’s not too late to fight the ogre after that.”

“Yes, brother.”

My brother nodded. Immediately, we kicked off the ground and swung our swords.

First, we need to break through the encirclement. My brother and I tenaciously dug into one place. As we launched an offensive with determination, the guys surrounding us could no longer hold out.

“Hoo, this is the first time I’ve had a battle like this at the academy.”

When the number of monsters noticeably decreased, my brother stopped in his place and exhaled.

“What are you struggling with? The black wizards must have been worse than this.”

“That’s because I was with the Knights then.”

“Such exaggeration.”

No matter how much of a genius he is, I guess the difference in physical strength that comes from age can’t be helped. Veil was only 15 years old.

The situation where the monsters have been roughly cleared up. Now, all that’s left is the ogre.

We faced the guy. He was sitting on a tree stump, looking down at us arrogantly. In his hand, he held a club made of jungle wood.

Whoong-!

Immediately after, the ogre swung his club.

Crack!!

The club heads towards us, destroying the tree. The tree was too weak in the face of the ogre’s strength.

Listening to that destructive sound, I made eye contact with my brother. We exchanged words silently in a short moment. And when the attack came right up to us.

I jumped into the air to draw the ogre’s attention. If I do this, a clear gap will be created, giving Veil time to attack.

At that moment, to prepare for what comes next, I was drawing mana from my dantian. Through my vision, I saw my brother staying in the air with me.

The ogre did not miss that amazing timing. He changed the attack trajectory in the middle and struck us.

Kwaang!!

A thunderous noise and pain that breaks the bones of my entire body rush in. I urgently protected my body with mana, but my body was embedded in a tree.

“…Shit.”

I spat out a short curse and got out of the tree hole. Veil also came down from the tree right next to me. I looked at my brother.

“…What’s the problem? That’s already the third mistake.”

“…Why are you being like this, brother? I clearly did as you told me to.”

“You did as I told you, but why are you doing the same thing….”

Yeah. At first, I can think of it as a simple difference in tendencies. My brother and I have different experiences and values. There’s no way our fighting styles wouldn’t be different.

But as this situation has been repeated several times, of course, the probability is close to zero, but this thought came to my mind.

“Brother, are you rebelling?”

“……”

When I said that, my brother’s face hardened slightly, and he answered my question.

“…Aren’t you trying to trick me, brother?”

“This situation? Am I crazy?”

I’m serious in front of monsters, if nothing else. Saying such a thing is nothing short of an insult to me.

In the meantime, the ogre reached us. He was sent to a fairly distant place, so he just arrived. I said to Veil.

“Brother.”

“Yes, brother.”

“Let’s do well.”

“…How about you worry about me more than me?”

“You son of a bitch….”

Immediately after, we rushed towards the ogre again.

***

Koong!

The ogre’s huge body fell over, making a heavy noise. He fell and didn’t move anymore.

Poosh!

When I pulled out Karsa, which I had stabbed, blood gushed out like a fountain from that spot. I put up a barrier of mana to prevent the blood from splattering.

After that, I got down from the ogre. My brother was waiting below.

“……”

“……”

But neither my brother nor I said anything. Even though the battle was over, not even a word of congratulations was exchanged.

In that state, we checked our swords and body condition. After finishing the check, we moved on to achieve the mission.

And on the way to the ruins. I said quietly to my brother.

“Brother.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s not be a team again after today. Unless someone else joins.”

“…I think so too.”

“Okay.”

I nodded at my brother’s agreement and moved my feet.

‘Really…’

I’ve never met someone so out of sync in my life.

***

In fact, it is extremely rare for people to not match each other’s actions. Even if you just read the other person’s thoughts and atmosphere and sympathize appropriately, you can assist without difficulty.

This is even more true among skilled people.

Knights and mages are, after all, people who fight. No matter how strong their individualistic tendencies are, or even if they are meeting for the first time and matching up, they get along reasonably well unless they deliberately sabotage each other.

What’s more, my brother is a genius, and I don’t even need to mention myself. But what kind of curse did our brothers receive that we were completely out of sync?

“Hey… are you going to keep getting in the way like that?”

“…I’m doing well. You’re the only one who’s going astray.”

Again, words are exchanged during the battle. The reason is because of the successive mismatches.

Whether small or large, something always happened at least once. The subjects were both me and my brother. My brother interfered with me, or vice versa.

Because of that, the relationship between our brothers was breaking down in real time. Just looking at my brother’s tone, you can see that he’s annoyed. There was not even a speck of respect for his older brother that he usually had.

“Ugh, why did I have to be on a team with you…”

I muttered that out of frustration. But my brother didn’t back down and said.

“I wouldn’t have done it if I knew it would be like this with you, brother.”

“That’s what I want to say.”

Of course, it was a new discovery.

Who would have known? That the brothers of the family called the best in the world would be so out of sync. If it were a third party, they would have laughed.

But while this appearance is fresh to others, we, the people involved, are frustrated. Originally, it was said that from afar it is a comedy, and from up close it is a tragedy.

Anyway, after walking and walking for a long time, we reached the ruins I mentioned earlier. As befitting a building in the jungle, vines and tree roots were covering the ruins in various places.

“That looks like the entrance.”

The ruins were buried diagonally in the ground. Therefore, the entrance also led to the ground.

I combined the oil obtained from the trees and monsters to make a torch.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes.”

Illuminating the way, we go down to the basement. My mission is to bring back a certain item from the ruins. It wasn’t very difficult.

Fortunately, there were no living things inside. Instead, mazes and traps replaced them. And perhaps because of what happened while coming here, we kept arguing.

“Brother, please go slowly. Weren’t you almost caught in a trap just now?”

“It wasn’t that I was almost caught, I did it on purpose. I was trying to figure it out and get rid of it.”

“…Don’t lie. Anyone could see that you were caught in a trap.”

Ppa Jjik, a blood vessel popped out on my forehead at my brother’s point. It wouldn’t have had much of an impact if it had been earlier, but I was annoyed for no reason.

“What do you know about this place? Do you know better than me?”

“…I certainly don’t know how to deal with traps and mazes. But at least, I don’t think you know very well, brother.”

…Why is he so hateful today?

I ignored my brother’s words and continued on. Every time, Veil stopped my actions.

After breaking through the ruins in that way, we reached the end of the ruins before we knew it. There, we saw an old box. This is probably the item for the mission.

I spread mana to check if there were any other traps and then tried to open the box.

“Brother, wait a moment.”

“What is it again.”

“It feels suspicious for some reason. I don’t think you should touch it carelessly.”

“Eat shit.”

“Brother!”

Of course, I ignored my brother’s cry and slowly opened the box. Inside, there was a marble.

No, it’s closer to a mana stone than a marble. And it’s a fairly high concentration mana stone. At least high-grade or higher.

I picked it up and put it in my arms. Then the ruins began to shake. Veil shouted loudly.

“Didn’t I tell you it was suspicious!”

“What do you know. Shut up and follow me!”

Leading my brother, I move to escape. Judging from the intensity of the vibration, it wouldn’t be strange if it collapsed right away. Stones were also falling from the ceiling.

Fortunately, I remembered the way, so it wasn’t difficult to go back. Moreover, both my brother and I have excellent senses, so we quickly shook off any dangerous situation.

After going through more dog-like suffering, we escaped from the ruins.

“Hoo…”

“Haa….”

We are breathing heavily because we ran with all our might. We calmed our breathing. And when we became more stable, my brother said.

“Brother, why are you so reckless? I told you it was strange.”

“I had to open it anyway for the mission. And it’s okay as long as I didn’t get hurt.”

“I’m telling you to be a little more careful.”

Veil struck a pose. But I laughed at him.

“Then why weren’t you born earlier than me? Then I would have listened to you.”

At those provocative words, my brother gritted his teeth. He seemed angry.

Veil’s words and actions seem mature, but inside he is just a child. He is only 15 years old, an immature stage formally.

As if proving that, Veil tilted his upper body. He wasn’t facing me like before.

Rustle, at that moment, someone came out brushing through the bushes.

“Brother, you were here! I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

It was Evan. Of course, he wasn’t alone.

“The princess is here with you too.”

“Because I’m on a team with Evan.”

As set, Evan was on a team with Princess Ariel. And the only reason they came to find us was to achieve the mission.

“Veil, get ready.”

I called my brother. I couldn’t handle the two of them alone. But the words I heard were different from what I expected.

“I don’t want to.”

…Haa, this bastard’s sulking.

Episode 84 Second Semester (4)

Episode 84, Semester 2 (4)

“I refuse.”

For a moment, I doubted my ears.

“What did you just say?”

“I said I refuse.”

I subtly turned my head to check Veil. I couldn’t find any trace of his usual mature demeanor, and his face was sulky.

“Hey, are you sulking because of what I said earlier?”

“…No, I’m not.”

“A guy getting all upset over something like that…”

“I said, I’m not!”

What do you mean, you’re not? If you weren’t upset, there’s no way you would have interrupted me and shouted like that.

But there was no way my inner thoughts could reach my brother. Saying anything would only make the situation worse.

Just then, Evan and Princess Ariel, who had seen us arguing, spoke.

“Princess, it looks like the two of them are fighting?”

“Veil is a student who almost never gets angry…”

“It’s obvious that the older brother is at fault. This is the first time I’ve seen Veil like this.”

“…….”

I was speechless at their words. To be honest, I didn’t think I was completely blameless. I had spoken a bit harshly.

But that doesn’t mean my brother is without fault. That little punk has been interfering with me at every turn. I’m only human, so it’s not like I don’t get angry.

While I was confronting my brother like that, the two of them whispered again.

“Veil doesn’t seem like he’ll fight, so should we just hit the older brother? We just need Kyle hyung’s insignia anyway.”

“Even so, fighting 2 against 1 is…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s all karmic retribution. How much does he verbally torment people normally? Just look at Veil. The older brother must have provoked it.”

Look at that guy, spouting nonsense just because he got an opportunity. I wanted to punch him right then and there.

“Let’s take care of it quickly before Veil changes his mind.”

“Hmm….”

Princess Ariel hesitated, seemingly reluctant. But soon, she came to a conclusion.

“It would be better to do that. We can’t stay like this until nightfall.”

The princess drew her sword. As she said, we couldn’t confront each other in this state until evening. The jungle got dark quickly.

“Hehehe, hyung, look forward to it. All the grievances I’ve received…”

Evan also drew his sword from its scabbard. The pure white sword, Raman, shone brightly.

“Veil.”

“…….”

I called out to Veil. But there was no response.

“Hey.”

At those words, Veil plopped down on the spot. His head was facing the floor, and he wasn’t even paying attention.

“Are you really going to keep acting like this…”

I couldn’t continue my sentence. That’s because the princess and Evan charged at me simultaneously. I quickly drew my sword and took a defensive stance.

Clang!!

It collided with the princess’s sword. The metallic sound, enough to hurt my ears, struck my ears. But the attack didn’t end there.

Evan, who had dug into the lower body, swung his sword. White mana, influenced by the sword, flashed.

‘Damn brother.’

I cursed inwardly and hastily pulled mana from my dantian. I forced the violently flowing mana into my joints and muscles.

A body with enhanced elasticity and softness. I moved my body, making the most of that property.

Pulling the princess’s sword inward to control the direction of the attack, I twisted it once more to make it difficult to deal with, and then let it flow downward.

At the same time, I added strength by imbuing it with mana. The overlapping force slammed down on Evan’s sword, which was unfolding swordsmanship.

Kwaang!

The successively stacked swords were embedded in the ground. But they weren’t the kind of people to be flustered by that.

“Evan!”

“Yes, Princess!”

The princess called out to Evan, and Evan answered her. They seemed to have decided how to act without exchanging any intentions separately.

Ariel put down her sword, reached out her arm, and grabbed me. My arm was firmly grabbed. Then, I was dragged towards the princess. I braced myself as much as possible by putting strength in my legs so as not to fall over.

At that moment, Evan tried to pull out his sword and swing it. I didn’t stay still either. I let go of the sword I was holding and moved my legs.

Slightly stepping on the hilt to point the blade upwards, I tapped the handle with my mana-filled foot. Karsa, which accelerated in an instant, cut through the wind and advanced violently.

“Ugh-!”

The mana concentrated at the tip of the sword struck down Raman, and in that state, it tried to penetrate Evan’s torso. Evan made a strange noise and quickly pulled back his body.

A simple but effective attack. While Evan retreated for a moment, I shook off the princess, kicked off the ground, and grabbed the sword flying in the air.

After one round of offense and defense like that, I faced the two of them again.

“Did you see that he’s not being pushed back even though it’s 2 against 1? Wow… what kind of person is he?”

“It’s amazing, but it’s not like there are no gaps at all. There’s plenty of chance of winning.”

“…Would it be okay to go easy on him a little?”

The joint attack of the top student of the second grade and the runner-up of the first grade is not something that even I can ignore. Of course, my pure swordsmanship skills might be higher, but it’s not like their skills are lacking.

Even now, it’s only to this extent because it’s the first collision. As the battle continues, a losing scenario is clearly drawn. The princess’s senses were outstanding, and Evan was the possessor of a talent that could bloom at any time.

“Hyung is saying weak things too. This is something I’ll see after living a long time.”

“What do you mean, living a long time? You’re only 17 years old.”

He’s even more cocky today. I’ll have to discipline him soon…

I glanced sideways at my brother. Veil was a little further away from where he was earlier. He was still turned away, not paying any attention.

You’d think he’d look at least once at his brother being pushed back. I wonder why the Arden bloodline is so stubborn.

But if we continue like this, the result is obvious. I tried to appease my brother, but this time, I couldn’t even utter a word.

Whoosh!

“You shouldn’t be looking away when facing an enemy, hyung!”

Immense heat felt from the front. When I turned my gaze back to the front, Evan’s magic was being fired towards me.

Not huge, but powerful enough to burn a person to a crisp. Evan’s magical skills are at a stage where he can do his part as a mage. As expected of the protagonist.

“Alright! Let’s go even harder!”

He shouted that and created a few more fireballs and threw them. After that, Princess Ariel charged, and Evan also ran while unfolding auxiliary magic.

‘This… is going to be tough.’

Magic fired without even a moment’s gap. It didn’t give me any space or time to dodge.

Even if I defended against it, the princess’s attack would follow, and even if I endured that attack, Evan would pounce.

‘And the two of them will launch a joint attack.’

The course of the battle is automatically drawn in my head. Even for me, who reads dozens of moves ahead, it’s difficult to deal with.

It’s the same even if I run dozens of simulations. I couldn’t be sure of victory with an incomplete body.

Well, if I do well, I might be able to aim for a draw, but the probability of success is around 10%. And that’s only if things go well.

I had to make a decision.

Whether to lose to Evan as it is, or to have my brother participate in this battle. The answer was already decided. My competitive spirit didn’t allow me to admit defeat.

So, I needed to buy time before acting. I stepped back and dodged the magic. Then, Princess Ariel chased closely, but she couldn’t stop me from defending with all my might.

In that state, I said to my brother.

“Brother, is it okay if hyung gets pushed back and loses like this?”

Veil glanced over at me for the first time. My brother replied in a gloomy voice full of resentment.

“Do as you please. Anyway, hyung doesn’t even listen to what I say.”

“…….”

No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t seem like I could get him to help by persuading him normally.

But it hurts to dress it up with all sorts of words and say it without emotion. Mentally, we couldn’t be called family, but we were blood relatives with a perfect connection. Veil was my brother, no matter what anyone said.

So, I decided to lose this sibling fight out of family affection.

“I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“I’m sorry. For speaking carelessly.”

At that moment, Evan shouted from the front.

“Princess! We have to stop hyung from opening his mouth!”

“I know!”

The princess pressured me even more fiercely. The sword unfolded from her hand. It was the swordsmanship she had acquired during the library incident last time. In a short time, the princess had made it her own.

I didn’t stay still either. I infused more mana into Karsa and at the same time, I created threads of mana at the tips of my fingers.

Mana threads scattered around. I twitched my fingers to manipulate the threads.

Threads wrapped around the princess’s body. Wrapping around her arms, legs, and neck, they were firmly fixed.

But Princess Ariel didn’t even bat an eye and dealt with it skillfully. She moved her sword with a flick of her wrist and removed the threads.

Grab!

I pulled the thread before it was too late. The princess was dragged in the direction I pulled. She almost fell over for a moment, but quickly regained her balance.

“Hyung, you know what? Magic doesn’t necessarily have to explode!”

In the meantime, Evan had arrived behind the magic he had fired. He wrapped his sword in sword energy with mana of the same wavelength as the magic. And he swung it with all his might.

Kwaang!!

Accelerating magic. The speed of the fireball, which was twice as fast, made me that much more desperate.

Defeat was certain as it was. I took the risk of taking a little damage and unfolded Arden’s swordsmanship. Eliminating the magic was the top priority.

But.

“Ugh, that ungrateful bastard…!”

“Haha, hyung, is that a compliment?”

Evan repeated the same thing and was trying to kill me. The fireball, which was four times faster than before, was right in front of me.

It was too slow to use swordsmanship, and the princess was still there. There was no choice but to use a shield to block the magic.

Arden Swordsmanship, Form 2, Variation – Magic Split

A streak of light struck down from above. The place it passed through erased all the heterogeneities in its path and disappeared.

“Huh?”

Evan made a foolish sound. He was bewildered when the magic disappeared. And I saw a familiar figure in front of me. It was my brother, Veil.

“You came?”

“…Yes, I came.”

My brother reached out his hand to me and said.

“I’ll accept hyung’s apology this time… but please don’t do that next time. It’s not like I don’t get hurt by hyung’s words.”

I chuckled as if I was dumbfounded at my brother’s words, grabbed his hand, and stood up.

“But it’s not like you’re without fault either.”

“…Then why don’t you deal with them alone?”

Veil turned his body. I stopped my brother.

“Okay, okay. I won’t say things like that. And I apologized first, too.”

Veil stopped his actions and faced Evan.

“I’ll deal with Evan.”

“Let’s not interfere with each other this time.”

“…I agree with that.”

Just because we made up doesn’t mean our teamwork improved. At least when we fought, we had to fight separately.

After that, we fought with the opponent we had each decided on. In the middle, the princess realized our weaknesses and tried to switch the situation to a team battle, but we somehow created a 1-on-1 and continued the battle.

And after a while.

“This doesn’t make sense! What kind of opportunity was this!!”

“Hoo, it’s not easy dealing with Arden.”

Princess Ariel and Evan, who were dripping with sweat and exhausted, slumped to the ground. The victory belonged to our brothers.

Episode 85 Second Semester (5)

Episode 85, Semester 2 (5)

The jungle night came quickly. In the blink of an eye, darkness greeted us as we took a break after the battle.

The sun had set at just before 5 PM. Tionis Academy really does take care of every little detail.

Surrounded by darkness, we couldn’t move any further, so we settled down around the area.

Crackle—

A bonfire blazed. The heat from the fire warmed the surroundings amidst the cold night air.

The four of us sat next to it, skewering meat on skewers to grill. We were hungry after the battle. While the meat was cooking, we chatted for a while.

“Evan, I was impressed with your fight today. It’s amazing that you’ve reached that level in less than half a year, and the combination of magic and martial arts was amazing.”

Evan didn’t just deflect the magic with his sword. He mixed in the essence of swordsmanship when he swung it.

A technique I hadn’t even taught him yet. He figured it out on his own. Evan’s growth and application skills are beyond imagination.

“I worked hard to try and beat you, hyung. But…”

Evan didn’t seem happy at all, despite the Princess’s praise. He looked at the ground with a slightly darkened voice and shivered.

“How can I lose! How much did I scheme and train for this day!”

He suddenly exploded and vented his frustration. He looked like he was about to cry from how upset he was. Seeing Evan like that, the Princess said.

“Evan, don’t be too discouraged. You only lost because your opponent was Arden.”

“Still, Princess. If it weren’t for the veil, our victory would have been certain. And how can you just get rid of magic so easily?”

The Princess spoke once more at Evan’s words.

“The Arden family was our ancestor’s only rival. It’s not unreasonable for them to have such techniques.”

“The more I see them, the weirder the family is. Not to mention hyung, Veil is two years younger than me, but…”

I held up a moderately cooked meat skewer at his sigh and said a word.

“Then you have to try harder. Why are you blaming the family?”

With those words, I took a bite of the skewer. It wasn’t salted, but it was seasoned just right, and the taste was decent.

“There’s enough for everyone, so eat.”

At my confirmation, the three of them picked up the skewers in front of them and munched on them. Their faces bloomed with smiles, as if it tasted good, just like I did.

“Oh, this is delicious?”

“To think it would taste this good just by lightly grilling it…”

“Hyung, it’s delicious.”

The three of them exclaimed in admiration at my skills. Even freshly obtained raw meat could taste good if prepared well. I’ve camped out so much, after all.

Anyway, we continued the conversation while filling our stomachs.

“It’s not like I haven’t been putting in the effort. To be honest, I’d say I’m one of the hardest workers in the first year.”

“That’s true.”

Because it was a time full of passion, Evan devoted more than 12 hours a day to training during the vacation. I don’t think even my younger sibling is as dedicated as he is.

Then my younger sibling joined the conversation.

“It’s true that our family is born with talent, but it’s not like we don’t put in effort. If you want to beat hyung, you have to work harder.”

“That bastard didn’t even acknowledge his brother earlier, but now he’s taking his side. So, it’s family after all?”

In that way, the two of them started arguing slightly. Being guys, they sometimes showed themselves fighting in the novel.

“This is fun. They’re fighting over one person.”

“…I don’t find it fun at all.”

“That’s probably because you’re the person involved.”

“……”

I stopped the two of them from arguing at Princess Ariel’s nonsense. And after a brief lull, Evan went off for a while, saying he would organize his enlightenment from today’s battle. The Princess couldn’t leave her teammate alone, so she followed.

That left only me and my younger sibling.

“……”

“……”

My younger sibling and I were silent for a moment. Then, after a long time, Veil spoke first.

“Hyung. I’m sorry for earlier. I was too upset…”

“It’s okay. It’s nothing. We can fight sometimes as we live.”

Even my older sister, we’ve argued countless times. It’s inevitable that it will happen if we live together.

Above all, my younger sibling is still young. I can easily let it go with the feeling of indulging in their childishness.

The fire’s intensity weakened. I put more wood in.

Veil’s face can be seen beyond the fire. A look of deep thought. Without needing to speak first, my younger sibling opened their mouth.

“Hyung. Can I ask you just one question?”

“What is it? Ah, I won’t answer if it’s a weird question.”

“Lastly, I won’t ask anymore after this time.”

Too earnest of a voice. Tsk, I clicked my tongue inwardly and decided to indulge them just this once.

“Say it.”

“……”

My younger sibling hesitated to speak. But soon, they opened their mouth.

“Why… don’t you want to become the head of the family?”

“Do I really have to explain that with words?”

“But… the position of the head of Arden is something that anyone would want. You’re the only one who would refuse it, saying you don’t want it.”

Hmm, it seems they really want to hear the truth…

They’ve asked so repeatedly, I should give them a proper answer at this point. Not a vague answer like last time.

“Younger sibling.”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to hear the truth?”

“I definitely want to hear it.”

My younger sibling’s eyes shone brightly as they faced me. Veil was more focused on me than ever. I immediately told them what they wanted to hear.

“First of all… it’s annoying.”

“Huh? What does that mean…”

“It’s literally annoying. Something like becoming the head of the family.”

To others, the position of the head of Arden is definitely a coveted one.

The power is comparable to the emperor of the empire, the wealth is among the top five on the continent, and the martial prowess is obviously beyond question.

Giving that to me, how many people would refuse it, as Veil said.

Of course, some people say it’s better to just accept it, but they’re saying that because they don’t know. Managing people under you is in itself a troublesome and difficult task.

You want me to do that again? Absolutely not. How can I do that headache-inducing thing. I’d rather die.

“Hyung…”

“Should I tell you another reason?”

At the following words, Veil closed their mouth and listened attentively. I felt emotions boiling up from within my body and continued speaking.

“I hate Arden. Why didn’t I come back during vacation? Because I hated it. I hated stepping on the land of the territory. Do you know why I lied to my older sister and sent her alone? Because I hated it. I hated everything about Arden.”

Apart from the annoyance, my body rejects it. Kyle Arden’s body rejects the word Arden.

There’s no need to think long and hard about the reason.

Just looking at how I’m treated in the family makes it obvious. Knowing that, there’s no need to deliberately make myself suffer, right?

“Of course, I’ll have to go back after graduation. But, I won’t stay long.”

I’ll probably leave within half a year at best. Probably taking my older sister with me.

Veil’s face hardened upon hearing my words. But soon, they opened their mouth and said.

“If… you change the territory’s perception of you, will you not leave?”

“What?”

“I asked if you would stay if I worked hard to change the family.”

“Hmm…”

I scratched my cheek and thought for a moment. The answer came surprisingly quickly.

“I might consider it?”

If it’s not about handing over the position of head of the family, I’m willing to stay in the family. I need a way to make a living after graduation.

Well, with my abilities, I can live well no matter what I do in the first place.

“……”

My younger sibling, having heard the answer, fell into thought again. Immediately afterwards, they said with a determined face.

“I will make you come back no matter what. No matter what it takes.”

“Do your best.”

I gave words of encouragement to my younger sibling who was making a vow.

Ordinary effort won’t be enough. The resentment contained in this body is extraordinary, you see.

After that, Evan and the Princess returned, and the conversation between siblings came to an end.

***

Two weeks passed quickly, and it was the last day of the participation class.

Inside the classroom. Like the previous survival, the classroom was filled with both first and second year students. And the lecture had just ended.

“Today is the end of meeting with the first years. It was a short time, but it was fun. I hope to see you again next year. Of course, if you have any questions from the two weeks of lectures, you can come find me.”

The joint lecture is over. From next week, the first years will be taking my lectures, and the second years will also move according to the original schedule.

“Oh, one last announcement.”

The professor stopped on the way to leave and turned back to say.

“As some students may know, we were originally planning to hold an exchange meeting in two months. But unfortunately, this year’s exchange meeting has been canceled due to internal problems in the Holy Kingdom.”

Then one student asked.

“Is there no possibility of holding it at another academy?”

“The possibility is low. Since it gathers from all over the continent, the only academies that can accommodate that many people are Tionis, the Magic Tower, and the Holy Kingdom, and even Tionis can’t prepare in two months.”

“Ah…”

The students expressed their disappointment. The opportunity to see other academies had disappeared.

Especially the second years felt that way the most. They couldn’t participate in the exchange meeting when they became third years.

After that, the professor left the classroom, and I also came out to meet Lana. Of course, Evan was with me as well.

“Kyle, did you hear? This exchange meeting has been canceled.”

“I was just coming from hearing about it too.”

“I was looking forward to the Holy Kingdom…”

“That’s what I’m saying. I was quite looking forward to it too.”

“I guess there will be a day when we can go someday.”

Like the other students, Lana and Evan were also disappointed.

“But I wonder why it was canceled?”

“I asked, but the professors said they don’t know either. Is there a reason they can’t say? It seems like something big must have happened if it was canceled altogether…”

Evan speculated in that way.

“It’s probably because it’s where the gods live.”

Originally, the world where the gods live is much more chaotic than that of humans. It’s not exactly a beautiful place compared to human fantasies.

‘Still… it seems to be proceeding as planned.’

The cancellation of the exchange meeting is a planned event. It wasn’t revealed outwardly, but a big incident happened internally, so that’s why.

‘Judging from the fact that the World Tree hasn’t contacted me, they must be having busy days.’

I kept ignoring it, but the World Tree contacted me from time to time. However, judging from the fact that it’s been infrequent recently, they must be busy with the ‘Black’ matter.

Still, the exchange meeting won’t just pass by. The Holy Kingdom was the biggest turning point in ‘Academy Heavenly Demon,’ and the place where the main episode takes place.

‘More than that, I wonder when I’ll be contacted…’

I looked at the back of my hand, which was covered with gloves. If my guess is correct, the World Tree will contact me about the elves.

‘Well, I guess I’ll just have to wait.’

Until then, I just had to prepare well and wait.

***

Meanwhile, at the same time.

In front of a statue of a woman, a woman was kneeling and clasping her hands together.

She did that for a long time, then suddenly opened her eyes wide. The light blue color, like the sky, was quite impressive.

The woman’s expression was not good. A dissatisfied face. Afterwards, she jumped up and shouted at the words she heard in her head.

“Why! Why can’t I! You said you would let me play this time!!”

The woman shouted at the statue of the goddess. She was moving so intensely that her white hair, which flowed down to her waist, was fluttering around.

The statue of the goddess in front of her was a sculpture that embodied the god she served. However, irreverently, the woman did not stop.

“I’m tired of working now! Do you know how many weeks I’ve been working overtime?! It’s already been over three months!”

[But child… you know there’s no time for that.]

The God of Light said to the woman in a soothing tone. But it was no use.

“I don’t want to! I’m tired of dealing with the people of the Holy Kingdom too. They always call me Saintess, Saintess, and only look for me! And on top of that, the exchange meeting to meet people from other countries is canceled! I… I might run away from home like this?”

[Haa…]

The God of Light sighed at the Saintess’s rant. It seems like she’s really at her limit if she’s saying that much.

I didn’t want to use this method if possible…

[What do you want. Estella?]

“Ehehe, as expected, the God of Light understands me well.”

At the god’s words, Estella smiled brightly as if she had never done that before.

“You know I only want one thing. You know, right?”

[Haa…]

Once again, a sigh was transmitted into the Saintess’s head. But the Saintess didn’t bat an eye. Rather, she looked at the goddess statue as if urging her to hurry.

[How many bottles will be enough?]

“Twenty bottles!”

At those words, the God of Light thought.

Where did her past self go, that she has fallen so much. I should have stopped Joo Hwang back then. Estella has become like this because of that damn drunkard.

Whooong—

Divine power swirled in front of Estella. That power moved ‘something’ that was stored in a certain place.

A collaboration between Joo Hwang and Green, a liquor that the two of them brewed together. A total of twenty of them were delivered in front of her.

“It’s alcohol!”

Estella ran to the bottles. She opened the caps in an instant at a speed exceeding the speed of sound.

“Haaa…”

Estella melted at the fragrant smell. The impression didn’t last long.

“Oh God of Life and Earth, always give us our daily alcohol, no, food…”

[How about cutting down on alcohol a little?]

Then the God of Light intervened in Estella’s prayer.

“How can I throw away something that was born from the hands of the World Tree. And people will be punished if they throw away what people eat.”

[……]

The god’s silence was conveyed, but the Saintess ignored it and brought the bottle to her mouth.

The scent and taste filled her mouth. Estella, who fully enjoyed it, swallowed it as is. Then, emotion welled up from the depths of her heart, and exclamation came out on its own.

“Kyaa~ This is life!”

[…How did Estella end up like this.]

Is it really okay to leave her like this…? The God of Light fell into deep thought at the sight of the Saintess serving the god.

Episode 86 Series Of Incidents (1)

Episode 86: A Series of Incidents (1)

Recently, Evan had been spending busy days. Half of it was due to lectures.

Evan, who had to take lectures in both the Department of Magic and the Department of Knights, spent an average of more than 5 hours a day in the lecture hall. Sometimes he would start at 9 o’clock and stay until 6 o’clock.

But does that time bother him? That’s not true either. Even now, half a year after entering the academy, a day at Trianis was still new.

Competing with classmates to train swordsmanship under the professor of the Department of Knights, and exploring and learning magic in the new learning environment of the Department of Magic.

Every experience at the academy was enjoyable for Evan every day.

Then what about the other half? It was due to the incidents happening at the academy, no doubt.

“There have been a lot of strange things happening lately.”

“I think so too. Incidents have been happening too often recently.”

“The professors say they are solving it, but I don’t know why it doesn’t seem to end. And problems keep popping up one after another….”

Bale nodded in agreement, and Evan shook his head.

Once, a mass hallucination incident occurred in a specific building in the Department of General Studies, and another time, a maze was created in the dormitory, causing people to get lost and trapped. And this time, even a student went missing.

All of these were incidents that occurred within the last three weeks. And Evan, along with Bale, was investigating the case separately. The missing student was their classmate.

“It seems like he disappeared around here….”

The two arrived at the place where the missing classmate was last seen. However, no matter how much they looked around, there was nothing special. It was just an ordinary academy interior.

Evan knelt down on one knee. He then took out a doll from his school uniform pocket. It was a doll that the missing classmate always carried around.

Evan drew up mana. He cast a tracking spell using the doll as a medium with the mana that moved according to his will. His brother said that the more closely connected the item is to the target, the greater the effect the magic will have.

Then, footprints began to appear on the floor. The footprints, which were created one by one, gradually moved towards one place.

“Let’s follow them.”

The two hurried their steps before the traces disappeared.

After moving for a while, Evan and Bale were blocked by a wall. It was a dead end with a gloomy atmosphere.

Even in the academy, not all paths were open, and there were places with a dark atmosphere. Just looking at the Department of Production, there were plenty of such places due to its nature.

“Hmm… it’s cut off here.”

No more traces followed. The footprints disappeared about 2m away from the wall.

Evan, who was looking around, asked Bale.

“Do you feel anything?”

“Wait a moment.”

Bale said that and slowly drew up mana and expanded his senses. The techniques passed down in his family also included techniques related to searching.

After a while, Bale sensed something underground.

“There is a space beyond the wall.”

“Isn’t it just a building?”

“No. I feel something… ominous.”

Very faint, but the energy leaked out little by little. An evil that he had felt before. Bale immediately recognized what it was.

“It’s black magic.”

No matter how much he tried to hide it, he couldn’t hide its characteristics. Bale immediately cut the wall with his sword. Then, the space beyond was revealed. Inside was a small, bizarre statue.

“The source of the black magic is that. But….”

“There’s nothing there.”

There is no connecting path, no hidden space. There is only a statue imbued with black magic in a narrow space.

“What should we do now….”

Evan hesitated for a moment, leaving the statue behind. If Chloe were here, she could have given a suitable answer, but she was not present.

He didn’t want to just hand it over because he didn’t think he would get any information if he went to the professor like this.

“In times like this….”

Then there is only one answer.

“Let’s go to my brother!”

It was to find his all-around brother.

***

Evan’s second semester of his freshman year is the time when the episode begins to unfold in earnest. So recently, Evan has been moving busily according to the story.

“Kyle, Trianis seems to be in disarray these days. I don’t see Evan much either.”

As Lana said, she had relatively few opportunities to meet Evan recently.

“It’s noisy overall. Evan must be like that because he’s involved in the incident.”

As befitting the protagonist, Evan was somehow involved in each episode. So, he is moving on his own and working hard to solve it.

“Should we help? He’s our junior.”

“You don’t have to worry too much. I’m helping him in my own way.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded and affirmed. Even if we don’t meet often, he asks me for advice.

‘And unconditionally helping is not good.’

Evan is currently in the stage of growing as a protagonist. If I interfere too much, Evan’s character will collapse. Even if I help, I have to keep the appropriate level.

Woo-woong—

At that time, the summoning magic tool vibrated. It’s the sound of Senior Ruina Lindel calling me.

“My senior is calling me… Do you want to go together?”

“Senior Ruina?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll go!”

Lana raised her hand and welcomed the idea.

Once the destination was decided, I got up from my seat. Lana did the same. And the moment I was about to head to Ruina Lindel’s workshop.

“Brother~!”

Evan was running towards me from afar, calling me. The way he was coming seemed urgent. Of course, I know the reason.

Evan arrived in front of me. His younger sibling was next to him. After briefly greeting the two, Evan immediately got to the point.

“While I was looking for the missing friends, Bale and I found this. Do you know what it is?”

Evan took out a statue from his arms. As soon as he took it out, a strong smell of black magic wafted out.

“Ugh, the smell….”

Lana quickly covered her nose. Seeing Lana’s appearance, I quickly put a barrier on the statue and received it.

“You knew that black magic was imbued in this when you brought it, right?”

“Yes. But I didn’t know what it was for, so I brought it to you, brother.”

Originally, he would have gone to Chloe, but it seemed he brought it to me because he judged that I knew more about magic.

I examined the statue in detail. The effect of this was not explained in detail in the novel, so I needed to find out.

After a while, I roughly finished checking.

“First of all, do you know that this is made from a living human?”

At first glance, it looks like a bizarre wooden statue, but inside it is completely human. A person’s skin, organs, soul, everything is contained within it.

That’s why Lana covered her nose.

“Uh… a living human?”

“How could they do such a thing….”

The two who heard the explanation could not close their mouths in shock. I continued.

“This is a statue made by turning a human into a statue and imbuing it with three black magic spells.”

One is a magic that attracts specific people.

Two is a magic that teleports the attracted humans to a specific location.

Three is a magic that sacrifices the statue and the teleported person.

“Kyle, isn’t that bad?”

“It’s bad. It’s terribly bad. If we don’t find them quickly, I don’t know how bad the situation will get, and I don’t know when and how they will be used for black magic as a sacrifice.”

As I remember, about 50 more people go missing and are used to summon demons.

“Wait a minute. The fact that something related to black magic is here means that there is a black magician hiding in Trianis….”

“That’s what it means.”

“Could it be too late? I was going to ask for advice and then tell the professor….”

“At least the fact that a series of incidents have occurred means that they are about to take action. And in the near future. In my opinion, there is a high possibility that it will happen as early as today, or at the latest tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”

“This can’t be….”

Evan was devastated. He seemed to be thinking that his friend might die due to a momentary decision. I hit Evan on the head.

Paak!!

“Ouch! That hurts!”

“Why are you so heartbroken about something that hasn’t even happened yet? And don’t be frustrated without even trying anything. There are plenty of ways.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

The key to this episode was Ruina Lindel, she was. This incident can be resolved smoothly with the help of the alchemist senior.

‘Come to think of it, you haven’t met, so I should meet you soon.’

Evan’s actions are almost centered around me. Because of that, he has never met Ruina Lindel, who he should have met a long time ago.

An extra 1 or so is one thing. The connection with the intermediate boss must happen.

“Lana, please contact the professors before going to the senior.”

“Okay!”

Lana immediately summoned a summon and contacted the professors of the Department of Knights and the Department of Magic.

Immediately afterwards, we headed to the senior’s workshop.

***

In front of Ruina Lindel’s workshop in the Department of Production.

I warned Evan and his younger sibling, who were visiting this place for the first time.

“You guys are seeing the senior for the first time, so don’t say anything and just wait.”

“Yeah, Senior Ruina is a sensitive person. You might get kicked out if you make a careless noise.”

Lana said, continuing my words. She knows very well because she is the person who experienced it once.

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

After listening to the two, I knocked on the door.

“I’m here.”

“Come in.”

Even today, her voice is devoid of emotion. I opened the door to the workshop. The senior was sitting in a chair, nibbling on a cake.

The senior, who swallowed the food in her mouth after I came in, said.

“You’re late. I called you earlier.”

“Someone was coming with me.”

“Senior Ruina~ I’m here!”

The moment Lana saw her senior, she ran and hugged her in her arms.

“Ugh….”

Whether it was because she was embarrassed or because she was annoyed, she moved backwards with the chair. Judging from the complaining voice that followed, the latter was clear.

“…Why did you bring her?”

“There was something to do.”

“I wanted to see my senior, didn’t you want to see me, Senior Ruina?”

“Jooom, get off….”

She pushed Lana away with all her might. But it was useless due to the difference in physique.

“…I hate her.”

Even as she said that, she didn’t push her away any further. She had gotten used to it after repeating it several times.

She stayed still like that, then her gaze turned behind me.

“Who are those two?”

“This is my younger sibling, and this guy is a junior.”

I introduced Evan and his younger sibling. Then she got up from her chair and looked at Bale first.

“I am Bale Arden.”

“…You look alike. Except for the eyes.”

The senior, who ignored the greeting, gave a short assessment and headed to the next target.

“Hello! I’m Evan Felix!”

“You are…….”

The senior paused for a moment. But she quickly gave an evaluation of Evan.

“…I feel bad.”

Jijijik-!

As she said that, she instantly used alchemy to bind Evan.

“Uh… Senior?”

I couldn’t help but be genuinely embarrassed by my senior’s actions.

Episode 87 Series Of Incidents (2)

Episode 87: A Series of Incidents (2)

Barely a minute after meeting, the senior used alchemy to bind Evan in an instant.

“H, hyung-nim?!”

The guy was bound without being able to do anything. At that moment, the senior’s magic circle shone even brighter. The material that had been covering only his lower body spread to his upper body, leaving only his head.

“S, save me! Hyung-nim’s senior is trying to kill me…!”

Evan urgently called me. Evan couldn’t respond because the alchemy blocked his mana flow.

I briefly examined Evan’s condition. Fortunately, it wasn’t to the point of death. It was just binding him, literally.

“Senior?”

“Why.”

“Did that guy do something wrong?”

“Just, I feel bad.”

“Hmm….”

I pondered and approached Evan. Then, I wrapped my hand in mana and thrust it into his waist. My hand easily penetrated the material made of alchemy.

When I pulled my arm out, a sculpture came out with it. I showed it to the senior and said, “Is it because of this?”

“Get rid of that filthy thing.”

She grimaced and quickly moved away. She hid behind Lana and only slightly peeked out her face to look at us.

‘This is as expected….’

It’s the exact same reaction as described in the novel. Ruina Lindel hated black magic to a level of abhorrence. But she didn’t directly touch it like this when black magic approached.

“So, this is the problem….”

I put my hand into his waist on the opposite side. Then I heard Evan’s voice.

“Hyung-nim… could you get me out of here first….”

The guy looked at me with pitiful eyes. I ignored him and replied, “Don’t make a fuss and stay still.”

“What did I do wrong to deserve this….”

This time, I showed Evan’s sword, Raman.

“What about this?”

“…Why, are you keep bothering me?”

The senior was even more disgusted and covered her face.

As expected, she hates it because it’s a sword containing the power of purification. Nevertheless, there is no element to avoid. If it had been like that in the novel, the two of them would never have been close.

“What exactly makes you feel bad?”

When I asked that, the senior answered immediately.

“Strangely, you two look alike. In a vague way. That’s why I don’t like it.”

“That’s a strange reason.”

Evan, who heard this conversation, looked at me with aggrieved eyes. Even I, who usually harass Evan, had to agree with that thought. I don’t know where he resembles me.

Well, thinking that the senior might feel different, I said to Evan.

“It seems like you can’t get along with the senior.”

“Don’t say that, just get me out of here! Being inside here, the feeling, the feeling…!”

At Evan’s desperate cry, I asked the senior.

“Can you please let him out now?”

“Okay.”

The senior nodded and immediately released the alchemy. Freed, Evan’s posture collapsed. And he slowly opened his mouth.

“I knew there were many unique people in the 3rd grade, but this is too much….”

His hands were trembling, so I guess he was quite shocked. I left Evan, who was recovering his spirit, alone for a while.

“But where did you get that?”

The senior pointed to the sculpture I was holding.

“They said they found it in Tianis. That guy who fell over there and my brother.”

“It was hidden inside the wall.”

My brother added. And the senior who heard that said, “A black magician, are you saying there is one? Here?”

“Considering the recent events and this sculpture, it must be.”

“…….”

A chilling atmosphere lingered on the senior’s face. There was no change in expression, but the atmosphere of the workshop cooled down to the point of freezing. But it didn’t last long, and she returned to normal and asked me.

“Do you need help?”

“You don’t have to step up directly. Instead, with this sculpture….”

I said what I wanted. She listened to the explanation and nodded.

“It’s not difficult. It’ll be over soon.”

The senior confidently answered and immediately started working. As she said, the sculpture adjustment was over quickly. She finished the work by manipulating it with alchemy for about 5 minutes.

“It’s done.”

“Thank you. Should I buy you something next time?”

“Apple pie.”

“I’ll buy it when I’m done with work.”

“Okay.”

I finished my work in the workshop and moved my body.

“Senior Ruina! I’ll come again with a cake!”

“…Don’t come.”

Lana noticed my movement and greeted the senior in a friendly (?) way.

“Wow… so that’s what alchemy is like.”

“I’ve never seen that level before either.”

“Stop spacing out and let’s go.”

I took care of the two who couldn’t get out of the alchemy the senior had deployed.

And before leaving. The senior grabbed me and said.

“Never, spare them.”

“Black magicians?”

“Yes. They shouldn’t be alive.”

“Yes, I’ll take care of them completely.”

Faint anger was felt in her eyes. It was a rare sight, so I answered that way. Because I knew why she hated black magic so much.

After that, the four of us, including me, left the workshop.

***

The black magician of ‘Akacheonma’ is one of the main villains and is treated as evil on the continent.

It was a natural story, as they spread plagues and curses throughout the world, and only destruction and chaos remained in the places they passed.

The devil’s hand of those guys is now starting to reach the academy.

Of course, black magicians are insidious and cunning, so they don’t show themselves well to the world. Even if they do something, they hide themselves as much as possible so that they are not noticed.

Nevertheless, the fact that those guys have started to act so openly means that they are confident.

“This is the last one.”

I said as I took out another sculpture from the ground. There are no more tracked signals, so this is the end of the buried sculptures.

“Lana, what about the professors?”

“The professors found them all too!”

“How many?”

“15!”

Evan and my brother reacted to Lana’s words.

“They’re really crazy. We found more than 8, and if you add 15 more to that….”

“As expected, black magicians are beings that shouldn’t exist.”

I listened to the two’s conversation and held the sculpture I just found in my left hand and the sculpture the senior had adjusted in my right hand. Then I infused mana into my right hand.

Pazizik-!

Then, the alchemy contained inside is activated and spreads to the opposite sculpture. The appearance is newly changed, and the engraved magic is rearranged.

The sculpture, which was synchronized with the senior’s and moved away from its original appearance. With this, all preparations are complete.

I handed it to Evan and said.

“The communication tools are all working, right?”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

“No problem.”

“I’m fine too!”

I listened to the three’s answers and continued to explain.

“When the magic is activated, you will be moved to another place. I don’t know if you’ll fall in the same place, but it’s unlikely.”

The black magician guys don’t gather sacrifices in one place, but divide the area separately. This is in case they get caught like now. So, even if you move through the sculpture, there is a high possibility that you will be far away.

It was separated in the novel, so it won’t be different in reality.

“Don’t panic and figure out the situation first. Don’t even think about moving even if you see students.”

I give them a warning in case, but they won’t act recklessly. Lana, Evan, and Veil were not people who would lose their reason and fight recklessly.

I took out the sculpture from my chest after seeing the three nodding.

“Then let’s start.”

Immediately after, we activated the magic of the sculpture.

***

Inside a prison full of rat noises and bloodstains on the walls.

“Hic….”

“Wh, where is this….”

“I want to go back….”

There, the students were trembling with fear and sobbing.

The students were from various departments, and some of them were 3rd graders. But no one was taking proper action.

That’s because the result of what happened to those who took action was right next to them.

Those who became idiots, their eyes empty, rolling on the floor. That was the end of the students who moved to escape from prison, a sight that was hard to see as alive even if they were alive.

Not to mention the unfamiliar and fear-inducing space. The psychological pressure stemming from it completely limited the students’ actions.

In addition, the curse magic spreading in the space also played a role. The magic imprisoned them so that they couldn’t even attempt to escape.

Powerlessness. That emotion begins to bloom among the students. It was hard to see them as those who thought they could do anything, those who were full of confidence in their talent.

And then.

Squeak─

The iron door opened and a man wearing a black robe entered. The students trembled as he entered.

Blood was dripping from his sleeves, and the evil energy of black magic was radiating, but it was because the students had not returned since being dragged away by that man.

The man looked around the prison. He scanned the students’ faces, shining his eyes as if he were selecting them. Then a female student caught his eye.

“Come out.”

The moment she was pointed out, the female student’s complexion turned blue.

“Come out when I tell you nicely. If you don’t want to end up like the guy who was dragged away earlier.”

Despite the man’s warning, the female student did not move. A situation where death was obviously waiting for her. She couldn’t follow him.

Of course, this resistance was meaningless, but at least she could live a little longer. No matter how much she was possessed by fear, her desire for life was even greater.

“Tsk, annoying.”

The man clicked his tongue and caused black magic. Two skeletons walking out from behind him. The necromancer man used summons to drag out the female student.

“Save, save me! Help me, guys…!”

She screamed and reached out to her colleagues. Some tried to help unconsciously, but the man’s voice interfered.

“It would be better to stay still if you don’t want to end up like those guys in the corner.”

The students shuddered and stepped back at the chilling voice. Death was death, but they didn’t want to die mentally before that. Because that wasn’t living even if they were alive.

“I don’t want to…! I don’t want to die! I haven’t, umph!!”

The man blocked the female student’s mouth with mana due to the deafening noise. He wanted to kill her, but the freshness of the sacrifice was important for the ritual to be successful.

The man closed the prison door so that the sacrifice could not escape. And the moment he locked the door with magic.

A chilling energy swept through his back, and his neck tickled.

He tilted his head in doubt. Then his neck turned more than he thought, and suddenly his head fell down. In the man’s eyes, he saw the figure of the person standing behind him.

“Who are you….”

In response to the man’s words, the opponent leisurely raised his sword over his shoulder and said.

“Trash is talking too.”

He was thinking about what the hell he was talking about for a moment.

Thud

At the same time as his head touched the ground, his vision went dark and the man’s consciousness was cut off.

It was a futile death for someone called the enemy of the continent. Kyle Arden said, looking at the head rolling on the ground.

“Anyway, those black magician guys. You have to acknowledge that they say useless things.”

Then he lifted his foot and slammed his head down with all his might.

Kwajik!

Episode 88 Series Of Incidents (3)

Episode 88: The Succession of Events (3)

Crack!

As the head bursts, blood and brain fluid splatter. I had set up a barrier with mana beforehand, so my shoes weren’t dirtied.

Rustle—

As the magic caster died, the summoned creature turned to dust and disappeared. And the female student who had been held by the skeleton fell to the ground.

“Eek!”

She let out a cute scream. She didn’t look like the person who had been crying her eyes out until just now. Still, she seemed out of it, probably because of the lingering fear, so I held out my hand.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh, uh…?”

“Are you okay?”

“Uh, I’m okay… I think….”

With those words, she grabbed my hand. She seemed to have regained her composure somewhat at the sound of my voice. After assessing the situation, the female student said with a slightly hesitant air.

“Um, did you… come to save me…?”

“That’s right.”

“Um, thank you for saving me….”

“It’s nothing much.”

It was an extra’s expression of gratitude — I didn’t know her name or department, and the only thing I knew was that she was also a sophomore — but it didn’t feel bad.

“Is this the only prison with people in it around here?”

“I don’t know… I’ve been locked up the whole time. Sorry….”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

There were only small bars on the iron door, so it’s understandable that she wouldn’t know the surrounding situation. Judging by her condition, she was probably terrified the entire time.

I stood in front of the door to save the student imprisoned in the cell.

“Ah, I’ll get the key. That black magician must have it….”

“Don’t need it.”

I answered briefly and swung my sword twice. Even without mana, the thick iron door split into three pieces.

“You don’t need it….”

I left her to be surprised by the easily divided iron door and examined the inside of the prison.

Cursed magic was swirling inside, and there were about 14 students who had given up on life and were waiting for death. Among them were a few whose minds had been destroyed.

I strode inside.

“You can’t go inside! The curse…!”

“It’s okay.”

Again, I answered briefly and unleashed Arden’s swordsmanship.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 2, Variation – Magic Cleaving

With a single downward slash, all the magic floating in the room disappears. I knew a few swordsmanship techniques to eliminate magic, but Arden’s technique was among the top ten.

“My body feels lighter…. Huh?”

“The, the curse is gone! It’s not just me, right? Everyone, check!”

“The curse really is…! But who is that….”

The students regained their senses as their physical condition improved. Only then did they belatedly discover me. I said to them.

“I’ve come to save you.”

Those words brought tears to the students’ eyes. Soon, perhaps because they realized they were alive, they burst into tears.

“Hnghng…!”

“We’re alive! We’re alive!”

The students hugged each other and cried. I didn’t want to disturb the atmosphere, but there was no need to waste time. They could do it outside.

“Stop and get ready to leave. The black magician will soon notice the anomaly and come.”

I took out a sculpture from my pocket and placed it on the floor.

“Ca-Can we get out?”

“Finally, out of this hell…!”

“Wait! That sculpture is….”

Some of them, who remembered how they got here, were startled as soon as they saw the sculpture.

“There’s nothing to worry about, so infuse it with mana.”

“But….”

“Then stay here.”

I left the hesitant third-year student and passed the opportunity to another student.

“Do I just need to put in mana…?”

“Yes.”

The first-year student, who had been looking around hesitantly, soon poured mana into the sculpture. Then, the sculpture’s teleportation magic was activated, and the first-year student disappeared. They had been transported to the surface.

Originally, the sculpture’s magic could only move in one direction, but Senior Ruina rearranged the magic to allow movement in both directions.

Of course, it wasn’t that I couldn’t do it myself, but I was short on time, so I entrusted it to my senior. That was faster.

And seeing the student who had disappeared, the remaining people rushed out, competing with each other. The third-year student who had hesitated earlier also lined up.

“Where does this go?”

“It goes to Trianis. There will be no one there, so go find a professor. There must be chaos.”

“Yes….”

With those words, they put in mana and were immediately teleported.

“But… what about them?”

The female student I had rescued first asked. At the end of her finger were three students who had become idiots.

“There’s a way.”

I approached the three of them, wrapped my hands in mana, and grabbed their heads.

At first glance, they seemed to have broken minds, but that wasn’t the case at all. Demons with bizarre tastes cherish human screams as delicacies. So, the black magicians would never turn sacrifices into cripples.

Right now, their minds were sealed by black magic. If I just eliminated the magic, they would return to their original state.

I drew in the mana I was holding in my mind. Black mana followed and was absorbed into my hand. Then, the pupils of the three regained focus.

“Wh-Where am I….”

“Ugh, my head….”

“I definitely….”

“Hear the story outside.”

I forcibly moved the mana of the three. The sculpture reacted to it and teleported the three. In that way, most of the people went outside.

“You should go now too.”

“Uh, yeah, I have to go….”

She hesitated as if she was about to touch the sculpture, and then said to me.

“Do you… remember me?”

“No idea. Don’t remember.”

“I see….”

I might remember extras who appear briefly. I don’t remember anyone else.

“I, I stood as a witness during that trial….”

“So what? Should I apologize?”

“Ah. No, that’s not what I meant….”

She quickly waved her hands and continued.

“You’re not going together, are you…?”

“I don’t know if there are any people left.”

“Oh, so… work hard. Good luck, Kyle….”

With those words, the female student activated the magic and escaped the prison. I watched her disappear and thought.

“We must have had a connection.”

And a bad one at that. Judging by her reaction, it wasn’t a bad one.

“Then now….”

I brought my hand to my ear and activated the communication device.

“Ahem, can you hear me?”

-I hear you, Kyle.

-Loud and clear.

-Bro, it’s too dark here, though?

The communication status was good. I conveyed the information I had just obtained.

“There must be a prison on your side as well. There don’t seem to be any guards, and they occasionally come to pick up students. So, keep a close eye on the situation and kill the black magicians or rescue the students. Your skills should be enough.”

Only I, who knows the settings, knows that there are no people here who are skilled enough to kill the protagonist and supporting characters. There are only a lot of them.

“And there will be students whose minds have collapsed in the prison. You can solve it with your respective abilities.”

Lana has summoned creatures, and Bale has Arden’s swordsmanship. Evan also has magic, so it’s not impossible.

“I’ll go deeper first, so don’t overdo it.”

-Okay. I’ll move on now.

-See you in a bit, bro.

After that, the two of them hung up. And Lana said.

-Kyle. Don’t get hurt, okay? Got it?

“You’re the one who shouldn’t get hurt. Your nose must hurt too.”

This place, swarming with black magicians, is like hell for Lana. I can clearly imagine what kind of expression she has on her face right now.

-Okay. I’ll try not to get hurt. Then, see you later.

“Okay.”

Lana’s communication was also cut off. I picked up the sculpture, buried the corpse in the ground, and picked up my sword again.

“Shall I go take care of the rest of the trash?”

Not all black magicians are evil, but at least the black magicians of the ‘Akacheonma’ were definitely evil that threatened the world.

“Is it over there?”

The ominous energy felt at the end of the passage. I exuded the black magic I had just absorbed and moved my steps.

***

“Why isn’t the next sacrifice arriving!”

The black magician, who was conducting the ritual at the altar, shouted.

“They’ll be arriving soon.”

“It’s been over 10 minutes! Time is important for this ritual!”

Among the demons, there were some with picky personalities. If the order of the ritual or the specific sacrifices were not prepared, they wouldn’t even show interest. The demon they were summoning this time was like that.

The sacrifices had to be 15-19 years old, and their blood and flesh had to be offered at certain intervals. That time was about 20 minutes. In other words, all their efforts could soon be in vain.

Moreover, by now, the professors of Trianis would have noticed the changes in the academy. So, they had to finish summoning the demon quickly and leave.

“Hurry, hurry and check!”

At his roar, a black magician disappeared towards the prison. And less than a minute later.

“D-Dezian-nim!”

The black magician who had just left returned with an urgent voice. He interpreted that as meaning the sacrifice had arrived, and he shouted loudly.

“Hurry! This ritual must succeed!”

“Th-That’s not… Keueok!”

At that moment, a blade popped out above his neck. It was a black blade, as black as the black magician’s mana. Dezian immediately realized that someone had invaded the altar.

“Who is it!”

Squelch-!

The opponent pulled out the sword without a word. Blood spurted from the pierced hole.

“Kill him!”

Dezian immediately ordered. It was clear from that act that they were hostile. The magic cast by his subordinates attacked the opponent.

Kaboom!!!

Dozens of spells were concentrated in one place, and a huge explosion occurred, with fire and smoke rising.

Dezian judged that even a master wouldn’t have any bones left with that firepower, and he ordered his subordinate.

“Quickly clean up and bring the sacrifice!”

“Yes!”

Time was running out. The black magicians moved quickly.

First, clean up the messed up passage….

Swish—

The sound of flesh being torn reverberated in the joint where the altar was installed. That gruesome noise didn’t end with just that one.

“Th-There’s someone!”

“Argh!”

One after another, the subordinates groaned and fell. The sound of bones breaking with a crack was also heard, and blood and flesh flew through the air each time the sword moved.

Soon, the altar was entirely stained with the blood of the black magicians. That was what had happened in just 2 minutes, and almost all the black magicians had died.

However, Dezian didn’t panic and just watched the scene silently. Then he spotted a figure in the darkness. He immediately drew up mana and cast black magic.

Curse Field.

Darkness swirled from the ground. Filled with murderous intent and malice, it cursed the creatures in the area. At the same time, the darkness that had absorbed the corpses and blood doubled the effect of the magic.

“Show yourself!”

With his roar, the enemy’s form appeared. The owner of a ferocious impression, with blonde hair and gold eyes. Dezian knew who the opponent was.

“I thought it would be a professor from Trianis, but I didn’t expect the executioner of Arden to come. Unexpected. I’ve been hearing rumors lately that the executioner has changed….”

The executioner had no reply. Dezian mocked at that sight.

“You can’t speak, can you. Because there are over 20 curses wrapped around your body.”

With dozens of curses dwelling in him, it would surely be painful even if only the wind brushed past him. He wouldn’t even have the strength to open his mouth.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t answer. No matter what anyone says, you’ll have to pay the price for interfering with the ritual.”

Dezian led the executioner, whom he had completely subdued, to the altar. Mana moved according to his will, and he muttered quietly.

“Arden’s blood will be pleasing. It’s the blood of a family that has been tormenting demons since the past.”

Even if he’s an executioner, he’s still an Arden. Time was slightly delayed, but this would make the summoning successful.

And just as he was about to put the executioner on the stone, which was painted with formulas and magic circles, on the altar.

“But what can you do. Looks like I won’t be able to summon a demon.”

A voice that shouldn’t have been heard was heard. Dezian hurriedly turned his head. The executioner, who had been tightly bound by the darkness, had already come down to the ground, and after absorbing the curses into his mouth through his breath, he was handling the power of the curses as if it had been his all along.

“Th-That can’t be….”

Dezian took a step back, filled with fear that enveloped his whole body.

It wasn’t that impossible to use other people’s magic as if it were your own. Understanding of magic, matching the mana waves, and the power to handle them. If that was enough, you could take away their power and use it as much as you wanted.

But that was only possible if it was magic of the same system. An ordinary magician can never handle black magic. Not even a 7-circle archmage.

In other words, this means.

“You learned black magic…!”

But Dezian couldn’t finish his words. A sword that had been transformed into a sword aura and had become as huge as a greatsword was already approaching him.

Crack!!

A huge mass crushed Dezian, and he died on the spot.

“Idiot.”

***

“Idiot.”

He’s a magician, so he’s lost in thought even in that situation.

“Well, even black magicians have a desire to explore.”

Magicians and black magicians started similarly at the root. It’s just that the branches diverged in opposite directions.

“Hmm….”

I looked around the altar, where the situation had been cleaned up. Thanks to the black magician who had just died, there was only one corpse. There was nothing to clean up separately.

“Is that the only thing I can take from here….”

Above the stone used to offer sacrifices. There is a bloodstone containing the blood of the students. But I don’t like it because it’s stained with the blood of students.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue, crushed the bloodstone, and prayed for the souls of the dead students. It was definitely a good material, but there was no reason to use the things of those who had been sacrificed.

“Then is everything cleaned up?”

Judging that there was no need to stay here any longer, I took out the sculpture and tried to return to the academy.

But then.

-Is that you. The one who interfered with my summoning.

A grave voice filled the inside of the altar.

Episode 89 Series Of Incidents (4)

Episode 89: The Series of Incidents (4)

A voice spreading in the air. I could easily guess who the owner of this voice was.

“I didn’t expect a devil to appear.”

The meaning of this episode is to confirm the emergence of a black magician, the enemy of the continent, and the existence of a devil.

So, there’s no way a devil would show up. It’s only natural since I dealt with the black magician before the summoning ritual was even completed.

At that time, I heard the devil’s voice after my words.

-Hooh, so you knew and still interfered. As expected of the Arden bloodline.

“…….”

Behaving arrogantly from the start, befitting a race that stands alongside dragons in ‘Akacheonma.’ But I ignored such reactions and sent a signal to the communication device, saying.

“Is everyone okay?”

The answers came right away.

-The professors arrived, so we’re about to leave now.

-I just finished and am about to escape, bro.

-I’m already out!

Fortunately, it seemed the three of them resolved things without issues, just like in the novel.

‘Then this anomaly only happened to me….’

Something that shouldn’t have happened in the first place, and didn’t happen to the protagonist and supporting characters. If so, there was only one cause.

‘It means it’s related to me.’

There’s a high possibility the devil rushed out of its own volition. For hundreds of years, Arden has been the group that strives the most to punish devils, second only to the Holy Kingdom.

Of course, even if that’s not the case, there could be other reasons I don’t know about.

“How long are you going to ignore me?”

The devil’s voice, heard from nearby. It seemed the embodiment of the flesh was complete. I turned my head in the direction of the voice.

Horns stretching high on both sides of the forehead, wings on the back, skin as black as darkness. Just what you’d expect a devil to look like. Also, judging from the muscular body, the combat style is the type to step up directly rather than use magic.

I gauged its energy, figuring out its level.

“Not a Baron… Barely reached Count, huh.”

“…You know well, as expected of Arden. Then you must also know you can’t survive?”

“Can’t survive my ass.”

I let out a hollow laugh. To talk like that with just the level of a Count, not even a Duke.

The hierarchy of devils is basically divided into five.

Duke, Marquis, Count, Baron, and Baronet. Classified like nobility, and strength varies depending on the position.

Of course, above the five, there are Demon Kings and Grand Dukes, but that’s beside the point.

Anyway.

Count is in the middle. In human terms, about Master level.

However, you can’t put them on the same line even if they’re Master level. Because there’s a clear gap between humans and devils due to race.

So, even a Count position is not a level to ignore if it’s a human. But I didn’t care about its strength.

Because.

‘A stroke of luck has come to me, how can I dislike it.’

The devil’s flesh and soul are themselves a panacea. So the appearance of a devil is nothing short of a stroke of luck.

‘I needed to level up my stats anyway.’

So I was thinking of getting a decent panacea at the free city’s auction house. But a panacea just happened to appear at a good timing. I must kill it and make it mine.

I grinned and looked at the devil.

“Wh, what is it….”

Perhaps it sensed the ominousness, it uttered a flustered voice, unlike a devil. I ignored it and slowly walked towards it.

For the record, devils are quite edible despite their looks and wickedness. Well, I don’t know about this world.

***

Crunch!!

The devil’s leg, gripped in my hand, twisted strangely, and the bones and muscles were crushed.

“Kkeuaaak-!!”

The devil screamed in pain. I didn’t stop, pulled the arm and ripped off the leg, and at the same time swung my sword.

Kwaang!

A part of the altar shattered with a roar. Debris scattered around. The devil, who was just there, disappeared.

I raised my head from the spot. The devil was hanging from the ceiling.

“Now you’re running away?”

“Heo-heok! Heo-heok!”

The devil was panting, blood dripping from its leg. Where did the fiercely attacking figure go? The red eyes also lost their light, and the overall energy had weakened a lot.

Then the devil stuttered and shouted.

“Th, this doesn’t make sense! How can a human…!”

I let out a hollow laugh again.

“Since when couldn’t humans beat devils? My father alone wipes you guys out.”

Dekal Arden can sufficiently kill even Dukes. It might be a little difficult starting from Grand Dukes.

“Stop wasting time and come down. Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t.”

I unleashed strength from my feet and leaped. Reaching in front of the devil in an instant. I imbued Karsha with energy and swung it greatly. A huge, black trajectory headed towards it.

“That’s what doesn’t make sense! How can a human use demonic energy!”

“Ah, that’s what you meant?”

I thought you were talking nonsense because you were losing. But I didn’t answer and moved my sword and body.

The devil didn’t stay still either. The guy, covered in demonic energy, threw a fist to resist. A puffed-up mass of demonic energy stretched out.

Kwaga gagag-!!

Demonic energy and demonic energy collide. Black light swirls and emits a roar. The two energies, with different densities and not mixing, swirled around.

The confrontation continued for a moment. The devil moved first.

The guy is recovering the surrounding demonic energy into its body. The demonic energy headed to the wings on its back, infused with energy, and inflated its body.

“Die!”

Spikes created with demonic energy rushed in with the shout. The attack, showing the will to pierce for sure, was fired from all directions without gaps.

There’s no space to avoid. Direct breakthrough is also difficult. The demonic energy absorbed from it is also running out.

A crisis if it is a crisis. If I get hit by that, my whole body will be pierced, and I will surely die instantly.

But I didn’t panic. It’s not that there’s no way. If that were the case, I would have died to it a long time ago, and I wouldn’t have fought equally with the Count-level devil who is a master.

And above all.

‘I can’t lose to a devil.’

To die to a race born only with desire and malice. Wouldn’t that be too unsightly?

I gathered the demonic energy wasted in the fighting process. I made it into armor form and blocked the vital areas.

A further strengthened body. Of course, it could have been used for attack, but this was the most appropriate right now.

Shuuk!!

The spikes that had arrived covered me.

Puhwak!

The spikes easily penetrated the flesh. The sensation of piercing muscles and internal organs is felt without filtering, and blood flows out from the pierced spot.

“Keuek, damn it hurts….”

My face contorted in pain, and I spat out curses. That doesn’t mean I’m staying still. The moment they intruded, the spikes were already wrapped in my mana.

“You won’t be able to absorb this! Just die!”

A shout that seemed like a desperate struggle. Certainly, these spikes are focused on mass and shape implementation rather than the characteristics of demonic energy. And that meant one thing.

“But what about it. It’s not demonic energy?”

“Even if you don’t know how a human handles demonic energy, you won’t be able to this time!”

I snorted at that.

“Really, look at how you think.”

Well, it’s quicker to show than to tell.

I moved the mana. Then the devil’s power is drawn to the pure mana. Demonic energy has a strong property of staining other energies, so no matter what the devil did, it could not escape that characteristic.

Demonic energy invades the body. Pain as if the whole body would explode rushes in like a flood. Demonic energy was not an energy that ordinary humans could handle.

I didn’t lose my mind and guided it to the dantian. Kyle Arden’s body, which had already adapted and optimized, accepted the demonic energy without difficulty.

Immediately, I started processing demonic energy using the mind technique.

First. Exclude as much malice contained within as possible.

Second. Take the violent energy full of darkness.

Third. Synchronize my mana and demonic energy.

In less than a minute. The energy filled the dantian. Nevertheless, a huge amount of energy remained and surged between the blood vessels, soon reaching the point of bursting out of the body.

Once again, the senses expand, and power overflows. I feel an omnipotence that seems like I can do anything.

But it’s not a state to maintain for long. This method is like forcibly holding on.

At that time, the devil, seeing the figure of accepting and handling the demonic energy so easily, was horrified in shock.

“What, what is your identity! This is something only a Grand Duke, no, a Demon King can do!”

I replied simply.

“What else. A human.”

At the same time, I concentrated all the energy on Karsha and swung it. The black sword that drew towards the waist cut the devil in half as it was.

Thud!

Two objects falling to the ground. The upper and lower body of the devil.

Tak, I also came down to the ground and approached the separated devil. It seemed I had no strength to fight because I had consumed all the demonic energy.

“I, I can’t die like this…. How did I get out into the world! I can’t die in vain…!”

Originally, when summoning a devil, humans prepare the body, and summon it in the form of possessing a part of the soul inside. This is for safety.

But now, the main body has descended. All the flesh and soul of the demon world were brought. In other words, if I die in this state, it is a perfect death.

The devil, not intending to die easily, said urgently.

“Te, tell me what you want. Even unreasonable requests, I will tell the Grand Duke and he will surely…!”

“Ah, there is something I want.”

At that moment, the devil’s expression brightened. But unfortunately, I had no intention of rewarding that hope.

“What I want is your flesh and soul. So there are no wishes.”

Immediately, I stretched out my arms and placed my hands on the lower and upper body. And used compression magic to slowly reduce the volume.

“Save me! If you just save me, even as a slave…!”

“I don’t accept devils as subordinates because of my personality.”

“Save me, save me!”

“Geez, you talk too much.”

Still, it’s almost done. The lower body, which was lighter and finished first, was stored in the subspace after using freezing and preservation magic.

What’s left is the upper body, which is large in volume. I looked at the shrinking devil and said.

“Don’t worry. I will use your body and soul well.”

A lightless void. I don’t know how my appearance looked inside, but the devil screamed in a voice filled with fear.

“A, a devil! A real devil is here…!”

“Don’t say such a thing that’ll cause big trouble. Who’s the devil.”

“Aaa, aaaak! …….”

The voice cut off at some point. When all the heads were compressed, the devil could no longer scream. Likewise, I used magic and put it in the subspace.

“Huu, finally it’s over.”

I wiped away the sweat and sat on the ground. After doing that for a while. The communicator rang.

-Kyle? Why aren’t you coming out? Are you okay?

At Lana’s voice, I answered right away.

“I’m going soon. There’s something to clean up.”

-Really? Okay. Everyone is waiting, so come out quickly.

“I’ll be out soon.”

I cut off the communication and took out the statue. It seemed things would get twisted if I stayed any longer.

And just as I was about to activate the magic.

“Huh? That’s….”

A dark red jewel was visible in the altar debris. I recalled the information from the novel, and soon realized what it was.

“A Black Magic Stone…”

An item also known as the essence of black magic. It amplifies the effects of black magic several times and also acts as mana.

“This is unexpected.”

An unexpected appearance, just like the devil encounter. It seems that the black magician I killed last had it.

“Should I take this too.”

Carrying the Black Magic Stone, I activated the statue. My luck is pretty good today.

Afterwards, I moved to Tianis and reunited with the group.

***

Inside the void where the battle just took place. The altar could no longer even be used.

Step step

Then after a while. Someone appeared at the altar from the darkness.

“It was successful.”

-Are you sure he took it?

“Yes, I am sure.”

Although he was not in this place from the beginning, he clearly saw Kyle Arden taking the Black Magic Stone.

-Then that’s enough. Return now.

“I understand.”

The man activated the magic of the magical tool at that order. He felt his body floating and said.

“Kyle Arden.”

An angry voice echoed in the air, and the clothes were slightly visible through the light created by mana.

“You’re done for too now.”

It was a school uniform, indicating that he was a student of Tianis.

Episode 90 Contact (1)

Episode 90: Contact (1)

I returned to Trianis and headed straight to the student center. I received word that [they] were there.

The student center I arrived at was crowded with students. It seemed the cause of this incident had spread.

“To think a black magician would cause trouble in Trianis…”

“I saw the corpses of the kids who were sacrificed earlier. It was gruesome.”

“I feel so bad for them…”

Words mixed with worry and pity were exchanged. Someone was shedding tears over the death of a friend, and someone was comforting a grieving student.

Therefore, the overall atmosphere wasn’t good either. It was perhaps at a much more serious level than during the library incident.

Of course, I also felt sorry for them. But the world is such that not everyone can be happy, and not everyone can be saved. Even the protagonist, Evan, can’t do that.

I passed through them and went inside. They recognized my appearance, or perhaps they had heard the story, and easily cleared the way for me.

The student center, which I entered, was not as crowded with students as usual.

Instead, the students who were victims of this incident filled the space. Professors and priests were by their sides, taking care of the students.

And in the distance, I saw the group. The three of them were talking to the professors. Among them was Latral Heitald.

“Ah, it’s Kyle. Grandfather, Kyle will explain in detail.”

Lana, who recognized me first, said that. I bowed my head to him.

“It’s been a while.”

“It has been a while.”

If it were the usual him, he would have greeted me with a smiling face, but the situation wasn’t good. We exchanged brief greetings and got to the point.

“I’ve heard the story. I heard you were a great help in this incident.”

“No, Evan and his sister deserve the credit for discovering the statue.”

“Of course, that is also commendable, but thanks to your quick response, there were fewer casualties. If you had found the professor first, there would have been more students sacrificed.”

“If you put it that way, the person who helped deserves more credit.”

The reason we were able to end this episode so quickly was thanks to the senior’s alchemy.

“Was it Ruina Lindel? I heard about her from Lana. Let’s talk about her later, can you tell me what happened on your side?”

It was understandable that he was curious since I was alone. I organized my thoughts and answered.

Of course, I didn’t mention the devil, and I also strengthened the barrier of the subspace containing the black magic stone and the devil. I couldn’t let this be taken away.

“Overall, it’s not much different from the other places.”

“Even if you investigate, you probably won’t get much information.”

“I guess so… Those cunning bastards, they prepared quite thoroughly.”

He gritted his teeth in anger. The other professors next to him were the same.

The student corpses over there alone totaled 40. Even that was because the ritual stopped midway, leaving the bodies behind. Not a single strand of hair remained of the students sacrificed as offerings.

“It must have been a big shock, it would be greedy to keep you any longer. Go home today. Let’s talk about other things later.”

Latral, considerate of our hardship, sent us out of the student center. We left the place like that. As soon as we came out, Evan sighed deeply and said.

“Haa, how can they be so wicked even though they are human beings.”

“You shouldn’t treat black magicians as the same humans. They are guys who sold their souls for power.”

Evan and his sister had such a conversation. Both of their voices lacked strength.

“Kyle, I feel like I’m going to throw up…”

Lana was no different. She seemed nauseated by the ugliness and cruelty of humans she saw there. I quietly patted Lana on the back.

Of course, I can offer words of comfort and advice to the three, but sometimes there are times when they have to overcome it alone.

By doing so, their minds become stronger, and they grow internally as protagonists and supporting characters.

Well, Lana must have been too shocked by today’s events, so she came to my dormitory and slept there.

***

The next day.

I left Lana, who was still sound asleep, and went outside. After that, I found a place far away from the dormitory and cast a barrier.

I activated it to the fullest, using the power of the ring to prevent Lana, professors, or other students from noticing.

My mana flowed quietly, creating a space isolated from the world.

My magic level is still low, so it wasn’t a perfect separation, but there was no possibility of what was happening inside leaking out.

I took out the devil I brought yesterday from the subspace.

The cube-shaped thing occasionally twitched and emitted demonic energy. It was compressed, but still alive.

Devils basically have strong vitality and excellent regeneration abilities. If I hadn’t blocked it with magic, it would have been resurrected long ago.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now.”

There was no need to worry unless I was going to keep maintaining this state. The devil will soon disappear from the world.

I placed the cube in front of me and spread magic circles with both hands. A hemisphere was created on the cube. Equations, shapes, and runic letters filled it.

Next, mana drew lines centering on me and created another magic circle. But that wasn’t the end.

Ruina senior’s alchemy. I added a little bit of it.

Of course, I’ve done it many times, so magic is enough, but alchemy helps at certain stages.

The combination of magic and alchemy. I was nervous because it was the first time I was trying this process. Nevertheless, I endured the trembling and continued the work for a successful result.

Shooooook-!!

As soon as I injected my will, the inside of the hemisphere swirled with mana. The inside, which was like a fog, was not clearly visible from the outside. This was because it was filled with more than 100% mana in terms of concentration.

There were no problems. This was the original process.

I moved the mana while receiving the information coming in through the line connected to the cube into my head.

Fzzzt-!

Alchemy first separates the devil’s soul, body, and demonic energy contained in the cube. Next, magic intervenes between them.

The origin of the devil lies in desire and evil. This is contained in all the substances that make up the devil, and especially in the soul.

Therefore, if you absorb the devil unconditionally, various side effects occur. Of course, you can do it, but it takes a long time and you can’t fully accept all the power.

Desire and evil. I extracted what is called malignancy from the three elements. And I gathered it into one and took it out of the hemisphere.

“I still can’t get used to this…”

The black bead that looked like space was being deleted. The pure form of evil was not a sight I could watch for long, no matter how hard I tried.

Perhaps if others saw it, they would go crazy or collapse on the spot. I quickly started a fire and burned the evil.

Kkyaaaaaak-!

It sounds like a tearing scream is heard in the middle, but it is just a simple illusion.

I looked at the devil’s crystal remaining inside the hemisphere. Everything of the devil that removed evil. If the last one was pure evil, this one is the devil’s pure power.

“Hoo…”

After taking a breath, I immediately put it in my mouth.

“Kuek!!”

As soon as it passed through my throat, extreme pain washed over me. At the same time, blood spurted out of the seven holes.

This is because it is a process of subjugating and uniting the things of other beings under me, not combining two substances like a chimera.

But there was nothing to worry about at all. I had Kyle Arden’s talent and the senior’s alchemy, and above all, it was easier than rebirth.

I injected my will.

Pajijijik-!!!

The alchemy of the magic circle laid on the floor covered my whole body. Some of the skin stirred and the pain inflicted on the body doubled. I pulled myself together and manipulated the alchemy.

Decomposing crystal. I dispersed it into thousands of pieces throughout the dismembered body. As the cohesion weakened, the repulsion also weakened.

Now is the chance!

I raised the power of my soul and mana. I used the mana from the ring to make up for the mana that was insufficient for the work so far.

I melted the crystal into my body. Not just a simple combination, but thoroughly suppressing it and showing who is on top.

“Hoo, hoo…”

Weakened resistance. The pain decreased and the breathing became even.

At the same time, a sense of elation enveloped my whole body. The dantian was about twice as big as before, and strength overflowed from my body.

I withdrew all the mana and created magic with my left hand, and extended and retracted my fist with my right hand. It was a simple movement, but it was not difficult to grasp the level.

“Expert highest level, 6 circles…”

Magic has only risen by one level, and martial arts has exceeded two levels.

I could be happy about the latter, but not really. That’s because just yesterday, I was about to move on to the advanced level.

So it was hard to see it as a meaningful result.

“Tsk, I thought I would be able to become a master.”

If it was a devil, I thought I would reach master, if not rebirth. As I said before, devils were a race comparable to dragons.

“After all, is it impossible to grow only the body?”

Usually, levels grow with enlightenment. However, I am in a state where there is no stage to move forward mentally. The gap caused by that difference is what produced this result.

“The only consolation is this body…”

The reason I was able to reach this level was also thanks to Kyle Arden’s talent. If I didn’t have this power, the growth would have been much slower.

That doesn’t mean there’s no way. I can think of about three things.

“Fight until I die, absorb the Archduke, or take the Elixir.”

If I satisfy one of the three, I will definitely be able to reach master. But I shook my head inwardly because all of them were unrealistic.

First, there was no one to fight against, and second, to summon the Archduke, I had to sacrifice one country.

Then what about the Elixir?

“That’s something the World Tree wouldn’t give even if it died.”

The Elixir is made by processing the natural energy and the sacred power of the World Tree. There was no way they would give it to me.

“The only answer is time…”

By experiencing the episode of ‘Akacheonma’, constant training can make me grow.

It’s just that it takes a long time, which is the problem.

“Well, good fortune doesn’t come easily.”

If I’m not the protagonist, and if anyone and everyone gets good fortune, would that be good fortune?

I stopped the magic. Now that I’m done, there’s no need to stay any longer.

As I was about to move to the dormitory like that.

[Kyle, can you hear me?]

After several months, I received a call from the World Tree.

Episode 91 Contact (2)

Episode 91 Contact (2)

“I wish we had never contacted each other.”

I knew I would be contacted in the near future, if not immediately. Of course, I don’t welcome it.

[You’ve become cold in the meantime. That’s why they say you should contact each other occasionally. Out of sight, out of mind….]

“Stop with the small talk and get to the point.”

I cut him off and urged him to get to the point. The longer I talked to the God, the worse I felt.

[I wanted to talk a little longer…. I guess we can talk anytime, right?]

Immediately after, the World Tree explained the reason.

[I recently sent some of my children out. I have something to ask of them.]

“You must be busy because of ‘Black’ anyway.”

The reason why the World Tree hadn’t contacted me recently and why the exchange meeting was canceled was because of that.

[…Where does that information come from? Even within the Holy Kingdom, only a very few people know about it.]

“You’ll have to pay the price if you want to know.”

[What are we to each other? You can tell me a little bit, right?]

“What are we? A thorough business relationship.”

A relationship formed by nothing more or less than a transaction. That’s all.

[Where did that cute and adorable child go? Are you upset about this?]

The World Tree said, burying her disappointment. But I never fall for it. The god is a being whose inner thoughts are insidious.

“So what do you want to say?”

[My children were kidnapped. Fortunately, most of them returned safely. Except for one child. Currently, I can barely contact her.]

“Where is she?”

[She’s being held in the free city of the Great Desert.]

After hearing those words, I checked today’s date.

“I need to save her quickly. There are only two weeks left until the auction starts.”

It’s hard to find her once she’s sold. So I have to save her before the auction ends.

[If it’s Kyle, you can do it easily, right?]

“Yeah, I can rescue her without difficulty. But you know….”

I slowly started to speak.

“This is a ‘favor’, right?”

[…….]

The World Tree was silent for a moment.

[Do you have to be so calculating, Kyle?]

“You need to get your words straight. Who acted calculating first?”

If the World Tree had helped me unconditionally during the corruption incident, I would have been willing to help without asking for anything in return. Green is a god who is friendly to humans.

[…It’s too precious of an opportunity to use for something like this.]

“Then give up on the elf.”

The World Tree was silent, but I could hear her agonizing even from here. She can never abandon the life that was born from her hands.

‘Well, let’s stop playing around here.’

It’s certainly good to erase the opportunity for a favor, but there was no need to get rid of it right away.

I could guess what favor the World Tree would ask later, and it was a much better choice to make her indebted to me on this occasion.

I might be able to get an elixir if I do well.

“Or we can do this. Let’s make a deal like last time. In exchange for saving the elf, you agree to listen to my request later.”

[It’s not a very appealing offer.]

“Then don’t do it. I don’t care either way.”

No matter what choice the World Tree made, I had nothing to lose. Well, it’s more beneficial for me to choose the latter if possible.

She seemed to be contemplating for a moment before making a decision.

[Okay, let’s do it as a deal. However, I will hold you responsible if she gets hurt or anything.]

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll send her back in perfect condition.”

At that moment, the pattern on the back of my hand glowed. The contents of the oath were updated. This gave each other one more chance to ask for a favor.

“Then I’ll contact you when I rescue her.”

[I’ll let the child know in advance.]

“Okay.”

Immediately after, I ended the conversation and thought as I moved.

“It’s fast, but it’ll be okay.”

Originally, the [Elf Rescue] episode takes place a week later. However, it happened earlier than that, and I can fully anticipate the reason.

It’s because I have a relationship with the World Tree.

In the original novel, the [Corruption] episode of Lana awaits after the black magician’s attack episode. And there, Evan saves Lana, and the World Tree, who had been watching Evan, contacts him through Lana.

But I got in between and skipped the whole process. So the request is directed at me.

Well, I can tolerate this much deviation. It was something I had predicted since I got involved.

In the meantime, I returned to the dormitory. Lana was already awake and playing with her summon in the bench.

“Kyle, good morning!”

“Good morning. More than that, you should have called me when you woke up.”

“I was quiet because you looked busy. I did a good job, right?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at those words.

“Ah, you must be hungry. Shall we go to the student cafeteria? Or should I make it for you?”

“Let’s eat later and go somewhere together.”

“Where?”

“To see Professor Latral.”

There were a few things to prepare before leaving for the Free City.

***

“I was about to call you anyway, so it’s a good thing you came.”

Latral greeted us happily. But contrary to his tone, his complexion was not good.

“Grandpa, didn’t you sleep?”

“With the situation as it is, I haven’t had time to sleep. Lana, did you sleep well?”

“I slept well at Kyle’s dormitory.”

At his granddaughter’s words, he glanced at me.

“Yeah, nothing happened?”

“I slept well thanks to Kyle!”

This time, he laughed heartily at those words.

“How about moving your dormitory on this occasion? It would be better to be with someone you’re comfortable with.”

“Uh, uhm? I like being with Kyle, but….”

Lana, rarely flustered, glanced at me. I quickly cut off the conversation between the grandfather and granddaughter.

“More than that, what is the reason you are looking for us.”

“Hehe, you’re making a fuss even though I’m helping you. You openly advertised it at the banquet. The matter has already spread widely beyond professors and students to the staff. So living together….”

“Please stop before you move to the dormitory.”

“…….”

Latral closed his mouth at my dismissal. If I go to the department dormitory, men and women are separated, so I can’t be with her like now.

“Ahem, the reason I called you is about yesterday’s incident. When I investigated the place you moved to….”

“You saw it.”

“I saw it. The traces of the devil.”

He looked at my eyes for a moment.

“It was consideration. The reason you didn’t say it on the spot.”

“There’s no need to add confusion to confusion.”

“I’m grateful for that. If I had revealed that fact as you said, the situation would have become more complicated.”

Latral nodded as if he understood.

“What was the rank?”

“It was a count. There’s no need to investigate the reason for his appearance. He came out purely to kill me.”

“Arden has a deep connection with demons.”

He moved on without me having to explain anything.

Latral Heitald is a person who has witnessed and grasped my skills to some extent. He has kept the secret well so far, so it doesn’t matter much if I reveal it about demons.

After asking a few more simple questions, Latral said.

“But what brings you here? Even before I called you.”

“I came because I have a favor to ask.”

The two rewards that Latral had promised to grant after saving Lana in the past. I came to use them.

“It’s been several months. You’re coming early.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“That’s what the rumors say. So, what is the favor?”

“That’s….”

“Kyle wants to participate in the Free City auction!”

Lana intervened and said at that time.

“I can give you an invitation to the Free City auction. I wasn’t planning on participating this year anyway.”

“I already have an invitation.”

“You managed to get it. Then you’re asking for time? That’s no problem. I decided to take a two-week break for investigation and recovery from yesterday’s incident.”

It is a known fact. Trianis will be closed for two weeks due to the black magician.

“It’s not that, I’d like you to get me a train ticket. In a special seat.”

“Personally, I think it’s a weak request, but….”

“The value of a reward is different for each person.”

“That’s true.”

Someone may think this wish is a waste, but I don’t. It is more precious than anything else to me, who knows the information in this novel.

“Is Lana going too?”

“Yes. Ah, my junior is going with me, so please get him a ticket too.”

“Okay.”

Then Lana said in surprise.

“I’m going too?”

“Then weren’t you thinking of going?”

“Of course I’m going! But Evan’s junior too?”

“He’s a helpful guy.”

Not only that, Evan was absolutely necessary in some way.

“How long do you have to prepare?”

“I’m planning to leave tomorrow or the day after.”

“Okay. I’ll book three special seats.”

“Thank you.”

After having a brief conversation, we left the room.

“Shall we go eat now?”

“I have more people to meet, so later.”

“Ugh, I’m hungry….”

I coaxed Lana and headed to the next place. The person I’m meeting this time is Senior Ruina.

***

The senior I met in a day was still holed up in the workshop making commissioned goods today.

Of course, she stopped working when we arrived, but with a blank face at Lana’s company, she looked at me and pointed at Lana with her finger.

“Why did you come again….”

“Hehe, I came to see Senior Ruina!”

Lana immediately ran to her senior. The surprised senior quickly took refuge behind me.

“…Don’t come. I warned you. If you come….”

At that time, Lana took out a packaged box hidden behind her back.

A box with the [Dessert Kingdom] brand in fancy packaging. The contents are of course her favorite cake.

However, it’s not just any cake. This is a very, very special dessert.

The senior, whose staple food is cake, noticed it.

“That’s, special chocolate cake….”

“That’s right!”

This was the special dessert sold by [Dessert Kingdom] once a month, with no set sales time.

“How did you get it?”

“I was lucky! They were selling it when I just went.”

Lana slowly unwrapped the package and took out the cake.

It’s an ordinary cake on the outside. But the smell wasn’t. A scent that was too fragrant to be called chocolate spread around.

I could hear the sound of swallowing saliva. Senior Ruina couldn’t take her eyes off the cake.

“Iyat!”

Lana moved the cake stand. Her senior’s eyes followed it.

She moves it once more. This time, the motion is large. Her senior moved her neck as she followed.

“Don’t play with food….”

“Hehe.”

Lana smiled brightly, as if the reaction was fun. After that, she cut the cake, showed the cross section, and said.

“Don’t you want to eat it? I’ll give you everything if you come next to me!”

Lana tempts her senior with a cake, as if luring a wild animal with food. She brought the layers of cream, cake, and chocolate closer.

Senior Ruina closed her eyes tightly so as not to give in to the temptation, but at some point, she opened her eyes wide and swallowed saliva while looking straight at the cake.

“Really, are you going to give me everything?”

“Yes! I bought it for my senior!”

“Okay, uh….”

In the end, the senior gave in to the cake. She sat down in front of Lana herself and soon munched on the cake.

“It’s delicious…!”

“Hehe, it’s soft.”

Lana stroked Senior Ruina, who was exclaiming, and filled her desires.

In some ways, I was dumbfounded by the scene.

“Why, Kyle?”

“Just funny.”

Lana said, realizing the meaning of the words.

“People like Senior Ruina are very wary, so you have to approach them slowly like this. Otherwise, it’s easy to be hated.”

I just smiled silently. Looking back, I think I fell for that method a little bit too.

Whether we were having such a conversation or not, the senior was focused on the cake. For a while, we watched Senior Ruina munch on the cake.

Finally, after eating the whole piece, the senior opened her mouth.

“So, why did you come?”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it.”

Still in Lana’s arms, I took out a dark red jewel from the subspace and showed it to her. The energy of black magic overflowed around her.

“Ugh… don’t bring that dirty thing to my workshop.”

With a disgusted face, the senior said clearly. I hid it behind me, fearing that she would break it if I showed it more.

“What are you going to do with that….”

“I was going to ask you to make a magic tool. I’m going to the auction house in the Free City….”

“Auction house?”

At that moment, the senior’s eyes lit up and she showed interest in the auction house.

“Are you going there…?”

“Yes. I have something to do.”

“I want to go too. Let’s go together.”

The senior suddenly grabbed my sleeve and said so. I didn’t expect her to say she was going.

“Uh… do you want to go?”

“Yes. I’ve never been to an auction house.”

The senior, who is always in the workshop, doesn’t go out often.

But she’s going to a distant city? That’s something that can’t happen to her.

In the first place, she didn’t accompany us in this episode in the novel.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s okay.”

The senior nodded as if there was no problem. I pondered for a moment at those words, and soon came to a conclusion.

‘Hmm, I think it’ll be okay.’

It would be a great help to take an alchemist like her with me.

“Then Senior Ruina is going with us too?”

At Lana’s words, the senior stared blankly at me. Although it wasn’t expressed in her expression, she looked shocked.

Senior Ruina, who returned to reality, asked slowly.

“……Is she going too?”

“Yes. And my junior is going with me too. That guy you saw last time.”

Her face changes expressionlessly at my answer. Annoyance and dislike are written all over her face.

Then she looked at Lana and me alternately.

“Let’s leave these two and go with me.”

She said something that made people feel uncomfortable.

Episode 92 Free City (1)

Episode 92, Free City (1)

“If we go together, I’ll buy you auction items. I have a lot of money.”

I became more troubled by the following words and scratched my cheek, saying.

“I don’t think that’ll be easy.”

“Why…?”

My senior asked back as if not understanding. I explained the reason.

“I’m going to participate in the auction, but I also have important business to take care of.”

“Very, important?”

“Yes. So, it’s difficult to go with just the two of us.”

Hearing that, my senior seemed a bit dejected. Of course, it wasn’t outwardly noticeable, but the atmosphere was gloomy.

Somehow, my senior seemed to be expecting something like the previous Magic Kingdom incident.

‘But the timing isn’t good.’

Back then, it didn’t matter if we moved slowly, but unfortunately, it’s not the case now. I’m going to be really busy on the day of the auction.

Then, Lana hugged my senior and said.

“Ruina, please understand just this once. The reason Kyle is going is because of the World Tree’s request.”

“World Tree? The green god?”

“Yes. An elf was kidnapped. They’re staying in the Free City now. Kyle is going to rescue them.”

Lana calmly explained as if soothing a child. Fortunately, my senior seemed to understand the words well. My senior, who returned to normal, said.

“Okay. I understand.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

Lana hugged her even tighter. Then, she frowned with a dissatisfied expression.

“…It’s suffocating. Let go.”

“Don’t say that. Here, I also have the apple pie I mentioned last time!”

Lana showed the pie she took out at some point. My senior was instantly captivated. And Lana put the apple pie in my senior’s mouth.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yeah….”

My senior nodded and mumbled.

It was like seeing someone trained with food. It’s a sight that makes me worry if it’s okay to do that. Still, I liked seeing the two of them like that, so I left them alone.

“Anyway, you’re going too, right, Senior?”

“Yeah. I’m going.”

“Then I’ll book the train tickets.”

If I tell Latral, he’ll add an extra seat. He’s capable enough to do that.

“I’m not someone who doesn’t have money. I have a lot of money.”

“Please think of it as a substitute for the commission fee.”

The reason I came to see my senior is to have some of the dark magic stone made into a magical tool.

“What are you going to make?”

I answered the question.

“Bombs. Really big bombs, too.”

I needed a bomb with insanely powerful firepower, not just a physically large bomb.

“Bombs. Okay, I’ll make them for you.”

Having said that, my senior looked at the dark magic stone disgustingly and accepted it. To be exact, she wrapped it with alchemy so that it wouldn’t touch her skin.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Okay.”

I said I’d depart tomorrow or the day after and left the workshop. As soon as I came out, Lana said.

“Are we going to eat now?”

“I’ll meet Professor Latral one more time.”

I should at least tell him so he can book the train tickets.

Then Lana shouted.

“I’ll talk to Grandpa!”

“Then can you do that for me?”

To be honest, I was a bit annoyed. I just went to the capital to buy a cake for Ruina.

“I’ll do that. So, let’s go eat. I’m hungry.”

Lana, who spewed words like a machine gun, grabbed my hand and pulled me.

Growl—

Lana’s stomach rumbled in the middle, but she urged me, regardless.

“Kyle, let’s go quickly. I told you I’m hungry?”

I chuckled inwardly at Lana’s nagging, which I was perhaps experiencing for the first time. It seemed like she was really at her limit.

“Okay. Let’s go. More importantly, what do you want to eat?”

“I like anything Kyle likes!”

After that, we headed to the student cafeteria.

***

Two days later.

After hearing that the train tickets were ready the day before, I met Bellum before meeting the party.

“The invitation?”

“It’s prepared.”

He handed over two invitations with the Free City’s crest drawn on them.

The colors are white and black, respectively. They represent the front and back of the auction house.

“The money?”

“Here it is.”

Bellum handed over a bundle of checks. If you exchange this check for money in the Free City, you can use it right away.

“There’s a little less money, but it’ll be okay, right?”

It’s only 80% of the target amount, but it’s enough money to use at the auction house.

Then Bellum bowed.

“I’m sorry. Things got twisted along the way.”

“Whatever.”

From the beginning, I didn’t think things would go according to plan. It was another problem to act on the information as it was told.

After finishing my business with Bellum, I headed to the train station.

The station, which I arrived at quickly, was also crowded with people, and Lana and the party could be seen in the distance.

“Brother! Over here!”

“Kyle, you’re late! The train leaves in 30 minutes!”

Contrary to the lively two, Ruina was just standing there blankly.

Well, maybe it’s because Evan is next to her, she didn’t seem to be in a good mood. So, she put Lana in the center and stayed as far away as possible.

“I’m sorry I’m late. Let’s talk about it once we get on.”

Saying that, I led the party. I handed the train ticket to the staff and was guided.

“Wow, it can’t even be compared to the trains in the amusement park….”

Evan exclaimed as he arrived at the assigned room. He was so excited that he was busy staring blankly.

“Look around later and sit down now.”

“Ah, yes!”

But it’s not unreasonable for Evan to be surprised.

This train that travels all over the continent is large, unlike ordinary trains. Think of it as a three-story bus connected.

The reason is because there are many users, but the biggest reason is because they often stay on the train for several days.

As it moves between cities, the time it takes is not short. Therefore, sleeping space is prepared.

“To be able to sleep in this good place for a week…. This isn’t a dream, is it?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Evan, who finished organizing his luggage, shed tears of emotion.

The train divides the rooms by grades, and the size of the space and service are different. The special class we are using is a grade above the first class, and you can think of it as a suite room level of a hotel or higher.

Anyway, we’ll continue to use this room until we arrive in the Free City.

“If you’re all done, let’s go meet Lana and Senior.”

“Yes!”

I share a room with Evan, and Lana shares a room with Senior Ruina.

So, we decided to meet at the restaurant after we finished organizing our things. The continental train had its own operating restaurant.

Leaving the room and heading to the restaurant, the two were already seated.

“Ruina, how about this salad? It’s the most famous here.”

“I don’t like it. It’s not sweet.”

“They say it’s not good for people to be too picky.”

“…It’s my business.”

Lana and Senior were choosing the menu. It seems that there was a slight difference of opinion in the process.

That’s because Senior doesn’t eat rice, vegetables, or meat at all, and only eats desserts.

“It’s Kyle!”

“Get him away from me….”

Lana immediately discovered me, and Senior asked me for that favor as soon as she saw me.

I sat across from Evan and said.

“It might be okay to eat other foods sometimes. Since we’re on the train.”

“…Are you going to do this to your master…?”

Senior had a bewildered expression on her face at her disciple’s betrayal. I guess she didn’t expect to hear such words.

Then Evan chuckled next to her. Senior didn’t seem to like the sight.

“Why are you laughing.”

“Yes? Did I?”

Evan pretended not to know, asking what he had done at the cold question.

It was a matter that ordinary people would just pass over, but Senior Ruina was a person far from that kind.

“You’re lying, too. I feel bad.”

Saying that, she instantly deployed a magic circle. The power of alchemy shackled Evan.

But I couldn’t let her do that inside the train unless it was outside. I stopped Senior by deploying alchemy in the same way.

This time, she had an expression full of betrayal.

“Why are you stopping me again…?”

“Senior. It’s polite to be quiet on the train.”

“He touched me first.”

That was true, but I couldn’t make a fuss.

“I’ll scold him separately later.”

“…Be sure to scold him.”

“Yes.”

The moment I nodded, my eyes met Lana’s. We exchanged words with our eyes. And Lana acted first.

“Ruina, would you like a strawberry parfait? It’s the most famous here.”

“Chocolate too.”

“Okay!”

While Lana was attracting Senior’s attention. I put up a barrier with mana and looked at Evan.

“Evan. You understand. Just be careful with your words and actions.”

“Yes, Brother.”

Senior doesn’t hate others that much, as seen in the way she accepts Lana even though she doesn’t like it.

Nevertheless, the reason she is especially aggressive towards Evan is simply because she hates him, as seen in their first meeting. I don’t know why.

After that short happening passed, we moved to the cafe after finishing our meal.

The cafe, which only first-class passengers and above could use, was as excellent in interior and atmosphere as the restaurant.

Including me, Evan and Lana ordered drinks appropriately, and Senior naturally ordered a cake again this time. Anyone would think she was crazy about desserts.

“I never thought I would enjoy such luxury in my life.”

Evan admired while taking a break. It’s understandable. Unless you have a lot of money, it’s difficult for a commoner to ride first class or higher.

“Enjoy it for a week. It’ll be busy when we arrive.”

It takes 7 days to get from the Empire to the Free City of the Great Desert.

“Ah, you said you were going because of work, right? I think you said you were going to rescue an elf?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s a burden, but thank you anyway. It’s because of you, Brother, that I get to ride something like this.”

“Then do better when we get there.”

Evan nodded his head up and down, saying he understood. Then he took a sip of his drink and asked.

“But why are we going by train? There’s a warp gate.”

“You can’t teleport in the Great Desert.”

Whether it was because there was a huge dragon vein right next to it, or because of other factors, teleportation was impossible throughout the Great Desert.

I don’t know the reason either. It wasn’t covered in detail in the novel.

“Ah~ So that’s why there were so many people.”

“Because it’s the only way to get to the Free City.”

Fortunately, you can enter the Great Desert if you pass through it directly. It is also possible to travel on foot or by vehicle.

That’s why the train station was so crowded. To visit the Free City during this auction season.

“Idiot. You didn’t even know that.”

Senior intervened at that time.

“I’m sorry. I came from the countryside.”

Evan naturally passed over the words.

As for me, I hope that the two of them get along well, even if they’re not close, but since Senior is acting like that first, I can’t do anything about it.

“Anyway, think of it as resting while you’re on the train.”

“Yes, Brother.”

At least nothing will happen while we are on the train.

After that, we wandered around the inside appropriately and looked at the scenery. Then, we went back to our rooms when it was time to sleep.

***

That night.

Ruina Lindell lay in bed and observed the stars in the night sky flowing in through the glass ceiling.

If I had to find a reason, it’s because it’s an unfamiliar place. After entering Tianis, she had rarely slept outside the workshop. At most, maybe once a year.

She wasn’t particularly nervous, but she couldn’t fall asleep. Ruina only slept 2-3 hours a day at most.

But if she were to start making something, there were no suitable materials and the space was not adequate. Above all, it seemed like her junior who was sleeping next to her would wake up if she did.

That’s a no-no. She was annoying enough during the day.

It was better to just stare blankly at the stars like now. Still, the night sky was as worth seeing as her disciple.

At that time, she suddenly became thirsty. Ruina got out of bed and took out water from the refrigerator and drank it.

She returned to her bed. A voice was heard in Ruina’s ear.

“Ruina, are you asleep?”

As soon as Ruina heard that voice, she suddenly wanted to go back to the workshop.

Episode 93 Free City (2)

Episode 93. Free City (2)

“…I’m not sleeping.”

Clearly, it was a deliberately timed question.

Ruina answered because she knew exactly how she would react if she didn’t.

“You’re really not sleeping?”

“Yeah. But I’m going to sleep now. You go to sleep too.”

With those words, she ended the conversation. Before it got any more annoying, Ruina closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

But then, she heard a rustling sound from next to her.

By the time Ruina reacted to the sound and turned her body.

“Hehe, Ruina-sunbae.”

Lana had already burrowed into her bed. Judging by the speed of her movements, it seemed like she’d done it more than once or twice.

Unexpectedly, she didn’t feel unpleasant. Lana’s body temperature was warm, and her scent was fragrant.

That was a separate matter from being bothered. The only one allowed to bother her was her disciple, Kyle.

“I’m going to sleep. Go away.”

So she tried to kick her out, but it didn’t work. Lana clung to her even more and said.

“Can’t I talk to sunbae for just a little bit?”

“Ugh….”

Ruina was flustered by the sparkling eyes directed at her. She couldn’t get used to that no matter how many times she saw it.

She felt a strange and eerie feeling, making her feel like she should comply.

So, Ruina found herself accepting it every time, even though she was annoyed. Just like she had been doing until now.

“Speak quickly. I’m sleepy.”

In the end, Ruina had no choice but to accept it this time as well.

“Thank you!”

Lana hugged her even tighter at Ruina’s permission. Short Ruina fit perfectly into Lana’s arms.

“Suffocating….”

“Is it very stuffy?”

“Yeah.”

At her sunbae’s affirmation, Lana loosened her grip slightly. She had only hugged her lightly, but sunbae seemed suffocated.

Thus, the two lay facing each other in one bed. Lana started the conversation with a light topic.

“Is this your first trip, sunbae?”

“It’s my first time.”

If sleeping outside while moving around counts as a trip, then it was her first time. Ruina always returned within a day even when she moved somewhere.

“Then, how is your first trip? Is it fun?”

“Yeah. It’s fun.”

Ruina’s top priority was always alchemy, but it wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy this unfamiliar experience. Rather, there was an undeniably fun aspect to it because it was unfamiliar.

It was especially more joyful because it was a trip with her disciple.

All the processes of moving together, eating, and talking.

“Really, it’s fun.”

It was too enjoyable. To the point where an unaware smile appeared on her face.

So, unlike the last time in the Magic Kingdom, she wanted to go on a trip alone with him, without anyone else interfering.

If that were the case, then surely….

“It would have been more fun if I only went with my disciple.”

Yes, it would definitely be much more fun than now. Because he was none other than her favorite junior and disciple.

Lana, who heard that muttering from right in front of her, asked quietly.

“Ruina-sunbae… do you dislike me?”

At that question, Ruina tilted her head with a question mark above it. She couldn’t understand why she was saying that.

Except for being annoying, the child in front of her was definitely a good person. She was as considerate of her as her disciple Kyle.

Dislike such a junior? That was impossible.

“I like you. After my disciple.”

“I like sunbae too!”

At those words, Lana smiled brightly and hugged Ruina once again. Suffocation covered her once more, but she just stayed still at the sight of her liking it.

“Then, sunbae.”

“Yeah.”

“What about Evan-hoobae?”

At the word Evan, Ruina frowned deeply.

“I hate him. Don’t mention him.”

“What points do you dislike about him?”

“I told you before. That he looks alike.”

“Kyle and Evan-hoobae don’t have any similarities at all though?”

“Just, he looks alike….”

Face, personality, atmosphere. Like Lana said, there were no similarities. But he definitely resembled him somewhere.

Ruina didn’t know what to call it either. But there was definitely something that felt like they were the same kind between her disciple and that guy who vaguely resembled him.

And that wasn’t the only reason she hated him.

“I hate him even more because he’s always with him.”

Ruina was holed up in her workshop, but she at least knew who her disciple was with and how he was doing. And the people he was with were the hoobae in front of her and that guy.

“Then, do you hate me too since I’m with them?”

“Yeah. I hate it. Because the time I can meet him decreases.”

She couldn’t like it because the time she could meet her disciple decreased.

Of course, Ruina liked Lana as long as she wasn’t taking away her time. However, she could never like that guy who was a combination of what she hated and what she hated.

“Even so, Ruina-sunbae.”

“Why.”

“Wouldn’t it be okay to get along with Evan-hoobae, even if it’s hard to be close?”

“I hate it.”

Ruina answered immediately. Get along with that guy who makes her feel bad just by looking at him? She would hate that to death.

“Even if it’s Kyle’s request?”

“…He, said that?”

“Yes! There will be various troubles when we go to the Free City, so we can’t keep fighting even then, right? So Kyle asked me to talk to you well.”

At those words, Ruina pondered for a moment, and the conclusion came quickly.

“Okay. I’ll try….”

Actually, she didn’t like it, but she was willing to listen to her disciple’s request. Because he had been very considerate of her until now.

Besides, it seemed like Lana wanted that too, so she accepted it.

Lana was the hoobae she liked next to Kyle. She couldn’t help but listen to the requests of the two she liked.

Of course, if it was someone other than Lana, she would have refused without any hesitation unless her disciple came.

After that, Lana and Ruina chatted inside one bed.

Nod, nod

From some point on, Ruina’s eyes started to close occasionally.

“Are you sleepy?”

“Yeah… sleepy.”

Was it because it was a comfortable place to sleep? Or was it because her heart was at peace? Unlike usual, her body was asking for sleep.

Lana, hearing her sunbae’s words, quietly summoned a spirit. The dream spirit, summoned from the spirit realm, carefully sat on top of Ruina’s head, who would soon fall asleep.

At the same time, Lana sang a lullaby so that it wouldn’t be unpleasant to her ears. As a pleasant voice was heard in her ear, Ruina’s consciousness gradually sank.

And just before her sunbae completely fell asleep.

“Good night, Ruina-sunbae.”

“Yeah….”

Lana whispered quietly, and Ruina closed her eyes in Lana’s arms.

Ruina, who had fallen into a dream like that. Lana watched that figure and expressed her sentiments.

“Cute.”

Her actions, her way of speaking. There wasn’t a single uncute aspect about anything. Even her sleeping face was cute.

How could such a lifeform exist in this world? Her sunbae in her arms was so cute that she could call her the best in the world.

“It’s okay to hug her a little more, right?”

Saying that, Lana carefully hugged Ruina-sunbae.

“Haa, sunbae….”

A rough breathing sound flowed out with joy. To exaggerate a little, if she let go of her mind, she felt like she would lose her reason and hug her tightly.

Actually, Lana’s feelings towards her sunbae weren’t this much just a moment ago. She usually thought she was cute, but she didn’t have any affection for her.

If there was a turning point, it was because she heard Ruina-sunbae’s thoughts just now.

The reason why she talked to her sunbae in the first place was because Kyle had asked her to. Like they talked about earlier, Ruina-sunbae and Evan-hoobae couldn’t be said to have a good relationship.

So she talked to her in order to connect to that topic. She was really able to see an unexpected side of her.

Lana usually thought that Ruina-sunbae was a blunt person.

That was because her sunbae didn’t express her emotions well, and even if she did, she expressed them simply as disliking or liking.

But that wasn’t the case. Ruina-sunbae felt her emotions properly, but she just didn’t know what those emotions were exactly.

It was the same just now.

That the heart of wanting to be alone with Kyle was possessiveness.

That wanting Kyle to not be with others was jealousy.

That the heart of liking Kyle was love.

Ruina-sunbae didn’t realize it at all. As a result, it only ended up being dislike or like towards people.

So she was even cuter and purer.

People tell her that she’s pure, but that’s wrong. Lana knew everything that was going on, and she knew well how dirty, turbid, and rotten the world was.

So the word pure was a word that suited Ruina-sunbae, not her.

“To think that someone like this will be an adult next year.”

If she were to define her sunbae in one word, it would be a child. Even a child whose body has only gotten bigger.

To that extent, Ruina-sunbae had a spirit that was too young to be called an adult.

What would happen if this person knew what her emotions were?

Even such a curiosity arises.

Would she be flustered?

Would she be embarrassed?

Or would she be obsessed with love?

Whatever it was, she thought it would be quite fun to see that side of her. Because whatever side it was, it would definitely be cute.

Of course, she had no intention of simply handing over sunbae to Kyle. Like she had vowed in front of Kyle, she would definitely win his love first.

“Haaam~ sleepy….”

The drowsiness that was slowly coming. Lana was going to close her eyes soon too. But even before she fell asleep.

“Hehe, it’s soft.”

Lastly, she stroked her sunbae’s hair. Her sunbae’s hair had a strange addictiveness to it.

And Lana, who had fully charged her positive energy.

“Ruina-sunbae. Have a good dream.”

She whispered once again while anticipating and waiting for the day they would be together someday.

***

Thanks to Lana speaking well, the train journey proceeded without much trouble. And after a long journey, they arrived at the Free City.

“Haa, it was long. Really.”

Having only seen a desert full of sand, she was not without a sense of joy when she saw the appearance of the city.

She had been waiting for this moment so much. It seemed like the party felt the same way.

“Ugh! Finally, land!”

“Uuu, it was hard.”

“Boring….”

No matter how expensive the room they stayed in was, that was only for the first 2~3 days. Even if the body was comfortable, the mind was never completely sound. Days confined in one place make the mind weary.

We came out of the train station and moved to the city. Then, buildings with various colors and unique designs, rather than dull colors like sand, welcomed us.

“Hyungnim. I was worried because it’s a city built in the desert, but it’s built as well as the imperial capital?”

Evan expressed such sentiments. It was because the Free City looked quite decent for a city built in the desert.

The sandstorm didn’t rage, so there were no damaged buildings either. It wasn’t too hot, and the sun was shining moderately, so people were walking around the streets without any problems.

“It’s because of that barrier over there.”

The reason why the city could be maintained so decently was thanks to the mana barrier that surrounded the city. It was blocking all the harmful environments of the desert.

“Ooh, that must cost quite a bit of money?”

“It costs about 20 top-grade magic stones a day.”

“Uh… how much is that?”

“Since a top-grade magic stone is 1,000 gold coins each. It costs about 20,000 gold coins in total!”

“Wow, that’s really throwing money around. Can this small city handle that amount?”

Well, Evan, who was a commoner, might feel that way, but if you think about the benefits from that, there’s no problem at all.

At that time, Ruina-sunbae cut in.

“The Free City is the fourth richest in the continent. Why are you worrying?”

“Is it that much?”

“Look at that casino over there. Does it look like they don’t have money.”

The Free City is also famous for auctions, but I can say for sure that casinos are more famous. It’s because it’s the largest facility on the continent, occupying half of the city’s size.

Therefore, the Free City is called the city of pleasure. Just looking around, there are a lot of things related to pleasure.

Desert and gambling. She had expected it to some extent, but the motif was Las Vegas.

“Idiot. You don’t even know that.”

“Ehey, he might not know. Hyungnim’s sunbae is too much.”

“…Don’t call me that.”

A fight broke out between the two at Evan’s nickname. Her sunbae had warned him several times, but Evan sometimes said things like that.

Still, this was much better. Because it ends with just an argument.

“Anyway, be careful with your wallets. You’ll get robbed clean if you’re not careful.”

It’s called the Free City, but it’s close to being a lawless zone. So you have to be careful of pickpockets and thieves. Besides that, there are a lot of thugs.

Of course, there is a mayor, and there are soldiers, but they focus more on the casino than on the city’s security. For now, it’s the place that earns the most money in the city.

“But where are we going?”

“I was thinking of getting a room first….”

We have to stay until the auction opens, so we need a place to stay for the time being.

But there won’t be any rooms left during the auction period. Even if there are, the price will be ridiculously expensive.

If I had known this would happen, I should have asked Latral to book a hotel too. This is a troublesome situation.

Or someone who will help us….

“No escort knights, and to think that they’d come with just the kids.”

“Two girls and two boys. And they’re all good-looking, so it would be good to sell them as slaves.”

“Attack!”

At that moment, a group of about ten people blocked our way.

“Here they come.”

The guys who will get us out of this situation.

Episode 94 Free City (3)

Episode 94: Free City (3)

It took 30 minutes to deal with the criminals who tried to kidnap us and their organization.

We arrived in front of a hotel.

“Is it here?”

“Yes!!”

The boss of the organization we just turned over answered in a booming voice. I glanced inside from the entrance.

Splendid decorations and a golden feast. It’s a hotel that looks quite expensive at a glance.

I put my arm around the man’s shoulder and said.

“It looks expensive… Did you bring me to the right place?”

“You will definitely be satisfied!”

His bulging muscles trembled in tension. He was terrified of getting beaten like before.

“Don’t be so nervous. Everyone’s staring at us.”

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

“Okay.”

Even though it’s a lawless zone full of all sorts of crimes, ordinary citizens still live there, and it’s a city with many visitors. So if you show a scene like this on the street, you’ll attract attention.

I led the group inside. And since this hotel was the only place in the city with rooms left, I hurried to check in.

Fortunately, we had enough rooms for the four of us. Of course, two people per room, like on the train.

“That will be 280,000 gold in total. How would you like to pay?”

40,000 gold per night… It’s damn expensive after all.

Of course, it was the combined price of two rooms, but it was still expensive.

At the employee’s words, I looked at the boss standing next to me. He was just standing there blankly, so I said a word.

“What are you doing? You have to pay quickly.”

For reference, all hotels in the Free City are prepaid.

Because with the characteristics of having a casino, they never knew when the guests would run out of money, and also because there were many criminal organizations spread throughout the city, guests would suddenly disappear.

Then the boss was flustered.

“Me, are you talking about me…?”

“Or should I do it?”

“Ah, no…”

When I glared at him slightly, he paid the hotel fee himself.

‘This is why criminals are good.’

Criminals are called non-recyclable garbage, but it’s not like they’re not helpful at all. It’s easy to pass something on to these gangster bastards, just like now.

The method is simple. In their world, power is everything, so if you press them down with enough force, they’ll grovel.

Then isn’t there a possibility of retaliation? That’s because you don’t know these guys.

The place commonly called the underworld is a place where all sorts of infighting takes place. If you show a gap, they’ll pounce on you right away.

In that situation, if they attack me to kill me? They’re more likely to die.

Well, I’ve completely killed any thought of that from the start, so there’s no possibility.

I received the key from the employee and said.

“Go on. Tell your guys about us. If you mess with us again… you know, right?”

“I will definitely deliver the message!”

He said that and hurried away from my side.

Then Evan exclaimed in admiration.

“Your skill at ripping people off is amazing, hyung.”

“Then watch and learn.”

“Haha, I don’t think I have the personality for that.”

We had a trivial conversation, unpacked our luggage in the room, and gathered again in the lobby.

“But Kyle. What are you going to do now?”

At Lana’s question, I put up a barrier around us and answered.

“Actually, we don’t need to do anything separately until the auction. We can just rest and have fun like on the train.”

“Is that okay? Wasn’t it an important matter?”

“It is important. But we can’t just sneak into the auction house.”

The security of the place where the auction items are stored is famous for being good, so it’s not easy to break in. They thoroughly block access from the start so that you can’t even try.

Of course, there’s no problem. I know exactly how the auction will proceed, and I’ve already made a plan. I have all the information related to the auction.

“So you just need to work hard on the auction day. That will be the busiest time.”

“Okay!”

Lana answered cheerfully.

“Then what should we do for the remaining week? It looks like there’s a lot to enjoy.”

Evan asked. Even if it wasn’t for the casino and auction, the Free City had many things to enjoy for tourists. Right outside the city was a desert, and there were also several ruins.

Then Ruina said.

“I want to go to the casino.”

“Would you like to look around there?”

“Yes. I want to see the machines.”

Ruina showed interest in machines like slot machines in the casino.

The gambling machines in the Free City used magic engineering. Magic engineering was a technology that was not well used on the continent, so it was perhaps natural for an alchemist to be interested in it.

Even if that wasn’t the case, I was planning to go to the casino as soon as I came to the Free City. Because I have something to do there.

“Is it okay to go when I’m not even an adult yet?”

“It’s legal in the Free City, so it’s okay.”

They even sell slaves at the auction, so why wouldn’t they be able to enter a casino. Most illegal things are legal here. It’s not for nothing that the word “free” is attached.

Of course, they are preventing heinous acts that will be condemned on the continent, and they are also responsible for the consequences themselves. The Free City is a normal place in strange ways.

“Oh, then of course we have to go.”

“I want to go too!”

“Then let’s fill our stomachs first and go.”

With our next destination decided, we finished our meal and headed to the casino.

***

The Free City’s casino, [Letan], was extravagant from the way there.

The signboard decorated with gold and jewels as a base sparkled with light, and magic embroidered the streets from the ground to the sky, arousing curiosity.

And at the end of the road.

The casino, which can be said to be the height of splendor, with casinos and hotels stacked on top of each other, resembling a castle, was visible in the distance.

“Wow… I saw it briefly earlier, but it’s even more spectacular when you see it up close.”

“I’ve never seen anything like this before…”

Lana and Evan’s open mouths didn’t close for a long time. If you see that scene where they poured money, you can’t help but admire it.

On the other hand, I wasn’t very impressed. Because I’ve seen the scene many times in the game.

Well, Ruina didn’t seem interested either. Unless it was the design of a magic tool, she wasn’t the type to focus on appearances.

Perhaps she was frustrated with walking slowly while looking around the streets, Ruina grabbed my sleeve and said.

“It’s boring. Let’s go quickly.”

“Should we?”

“Yes.”

In fact, there are more things to see inside the casino. So there was no need to look around outside.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes, hyung.”

“Okay, Kyle!”

That’s how we entered the casino. The staff greeted us grandly, and the casino’s scenery came into view.

Machines and tables installed on both sides around the central path. And countless guests filling the seats.

They were enjoying gambling to the fullest, and hope and despair went back and forth with a moment’s choice, and they shouted with joy and screamed.

It was truly a scene dyed with madness. As a result, the casino was full of heat, but it was never a normal atmosphere.

‘Well, that’s normal when you get addicted to gambling.’

The thrill of the result that is divided depending on what decision you make at every moment was more addictive than drugs.

But considering that this is the first stage… there is still room for rehabilitation.

“Enjoy this moderately. It doesn’t matter if you lose it all.”

I handed the exchanged chips to the group.

In terms of money, it’s about 100,000 gold.

If you look at it normally, it’s a huge amount for a student, but I have so much money that even if I give it to the three of them, my wallet is fine.

However, the three of them stood there blankly even after receiving the chips and didn’t scatter. And then they said.

“Hyung, this is our first time in a place like this, so please tell us a little bit.”

“I don’t know much either. I’ve never played a game in my life.”

“Teach me.”

Ah. That’s right.

I belatedly realized that these three had nothing to do with gambling.

Evan came from the countryside, so he wouldn’t know how to do it, and Lana wouldn’t even know the rules.

Lastly, Ruina was obvious without saying anything.

“Then should I teach Ruina first?”

“Yes.”

Ruina was more interested in the machines that performed the gambling than the gambling itself, so I guided her first.

“This is called a slot machine. You know what it is, right?”

“I know. I’ve heard of it.”

“That’s a relief. The way to do it is to put in a chip and press this next to it…”

I pressed the button while looking at the picture on the screen.

Click! Click! Click!

A total of three times in a row. The slots stop and the same pictures line up in a row.

It seems like I pressed it randomly, but to superhumans like us, it looks like it stopped.

Babbabam!!!

The slot machine made a congratulatory sound and spewed chips down below. A box was filled with chips.

“That’s how you do it.”

“Can I disassemble it?”

“Um… please refrain from that. And you probably can’t.”

“…Okay.”

After that, Ruina started playing the game and observed the machine. Her interest was completely gone from me.

‘I’m a little worried… but she won’t do anything strange.’

For now, I had no choice but to trust Ruina.

Next is Evan.

“What game do you want to play?”

“I want to play a card game.”

“Then Baccarat would be good.”

Evan is not familiar with gambling. So that would be better than poker, where he doesn’t know the rules or the combinations.

I headed to the table where the round had just ended. And I sat Evan down and taught him the simple rules and how to play.

When I helped him a little from the side, he won money in the first round. After that, I gave him advice a few times and Evan seemed to be getting used to it.

“Thank you. I think I can do it alone now.”

“Good luck.”

“I’ll definitely win a lot and pay you back!”

“Okay.”

I smiled inwardly at his enthusiastic words and left his side.

That’s a newbie’s mistake. He mistakes what he won with help as his own skill. He’ll probably lose from now on.

Then Lana, who noticed my smile, said.

“Kyle, is it okay to do that? It looks like he’s going to lose everything?”

“I told you it doesn’t matter if he loses. And that’s how you learn.”

Well, he’ll lose everything if he doesn’t learn anything.

“Lana, what game do you want to play?”

“Um…”

Lana fell into thought. But it didn’t last long and she answered quickly.

“I’ll just watch by Kyle’s side. Gambling doesn’t seem to suit me.”

“If it doesn’t suit you, there’s nothing I can do.”

Games are only fun if you play with someone who has the right personality. If you force it, it’s just painful.

“Then where do I…”

I walked slowly and looked at the tables that were playing the game. Then I found a round where a lot of money was going back and forth. The game was poker.

There was only one seat left, and the round had just ended. I sat there.

“A young friend has come.”

“Hey. Do you have enough money?”

“Why don’t you just leave before you get your underwear taken away?”

At those words, I raised my chips and said.

“I came to have fun. I’ll learn a thing or two.”

Someone was sipping a glass of alcohol, and someone was chuckling and laughing. But I didn’t show it and received the cards.

‘Now, where should I start ripping off some money?’

It’s time to return to being a gambler after a long time.

Episode 95 Free City (4)

Episode 95: Free City (4)

“Hey there, young friend. Could you at least return the clothes…?”

“Ahem, it’s a bit difficult to go around like this…”

“I’ll definitely compensate you somehow…”

The three men in their underwear. They pleaded with me in earnest voices.

I, having put all the chips I won gambling into the black case, replied to them.

“Why are you being so pathetic? You’re the ones who bet your clothes. And you don’t look like you’re short on money, so go out and buy some.”

Considering the money that changed hands in the game, the three of them were definitely not poor. Rather, they were people with a lot of money in one way or another.

So, even if they left the casino, they would have money to buy clothes.

“Just this once, please…!”

“Please have mercy…!”

“Please, just the pants…!”

The three of them even knelt down and begged me.

The sight was funny, but on the other hand, it wasn’t a pleasant scene.

The spectacle of three men in their underwear making pitiful expressions is more disgusting than one might think.

Well, I don’t intend to torment them for long. Above all, I’m not so heartless as to not return their clothes, even if I can’t give back the money I won.

“Alright. I’ll give you back your clothes since you have your dignity to consider. But go home for today. Got it?”

“We will, we certainly will!”

“I won’t even look at the casino for the time being!”

“Thank you! If we have the chance later, I’ll definitely repay you!”

The three of them took the clothes I handed over and hurried away.

I also gathered my money bags and got up. If I had one bag at first, it had increased to two by the end of the game.

I only exchanged half of the original 80 million for chips, but it doubled, so it’s almost like I copied money. Of course, it’s not completely full.

“Kyle, are you rich now? You have so much money!”

“I’m not rich, but I probably have enough to be in the top five in this stage.”

The first stage focuses on simple enjoyment, so enormous amounts of money don’t change hands. Nevertheless, it’s true that I’ve earned a lot of money.

But I have no intention of stopping. I intend to sweep up all the money here.

Game opponents?

Whether it’s customers or the casino, I don’t care. I intend to get my hands on all the chips in this space.

‘That’s how they take the bait.’

You can never gain attention by gambling normally. You have to cause that much damage.

“Lana, let’s go somewhere else.”

“Okay! Oh, but are you okay? Grandpa said that if you get excited because you won once, you can suddenly lose everything.”

“Don’t worry.”

I’m confident that I can overcome it even if the casino deliberately designs something.

Why is there a saying? The hand is faster than the eye. There were plenty of transcendents who attacked me with gambling and ended up falling out.

On top of that, my luck is unbelievably good, so I win even without using any skills.

In other words, no one can beat me at gambling in this casino.

After that, I took Lana around and visited all the tables in the casino.

I didn’t discriminate between types. I participated in all the card games, and I also used roulette and slot machines, which are greatly affected by luck.

In particular, Letan has slot machines that are 100m long and have a total of 500 slots. The payout varies depending on the matched picture.

The highest payout is 100,000 times. It’s not right now, but I’ll use it once. Because that will bring me closer to my goal.

But have I won too much money in a short time…?

“People are avoiding Kyle.”

“I know. This is troublesome.”

Everyone avoided their seats when I sat at a table. It seems my rumors have already spread.

I overheard that a gambler who destroys his opponents has appeared.

“That seems right. Kyle didn’t show any mercy.”

“If you say that, it sounds like I did something wrong.”

“Isn’t that a little true?”

“Well, it’s not entirely wrong.”

I already have 10 bags. If I exchange these chips, it will be about 500 million gold.

‘I should be getting contacted soon….’

Visitors will avoid me and leave the casino, and the casino will suffer enormous losses. So it’s about time for them to contact me.

‘Should I look around for now?’

I think I’ll get a call if I wait for a while.

“Shall we go to the bar and drink some juice?”

“Okay! I was thirsty!”

I took Lana to the bar. I don’t want to drink alcohol in this situation, so I ordered a non-alcoholic drink. Lana chose the same thing.

As Lana and I were chatting, the slot machine area became noisy in the distance.

“What’s going on?”

“Shall we go?”

“Yeah!”

At Lana’s nod, we headed towards the commotion. And what I saw there was.

“Thank you! I’ll contact you if there are any problems!”

“The money. You know?”

“Yes! I will send it accurately without fail on the 10th of every month!”

“Okay.”

It was senior Ruina and a casino employee who was attending to her with utmost sincerity. Judging from the uniform and badge, he is a high-ranking manager.

The two quickly finished their conversation, and the senior soon discovered me and approached me.

“What were you doing?”

“Contract.”

The senior, who answered briefly, pointed to the slot machine area. Various machines were disassembled and scattered there. Casino employees were collecting the remains.

“Don’t tell me, did you do it?”

“It was so crude that I took it apart.”

I can roughly picture the situation.

The senior, whose standards were far from those of the slot machine’s completeness, disassembled it and reassembled it in her own way.

The manager must have rushed over when he saw that, but it was too late, and he must have confirmed the machine that was newly created by the senior.

And the current situation is that he signed a contract because of the high level of completion. In the process, the senior would have collected royalties.

“Something like that is like you, senior.”

“What?”

She tilted her head. She didn’t seem to understand what I meant.

“It’s a compliment. It means you’re always sincere about alchemy.”

“Yeah, alchemy is my everything.”

The senior nodded with a somewhat triumphant face. Seeing that, Lana lifted the senior up.

“Senior Ruina is a genius!”

“I’m a genius. So… ugh, let me…”

Senior Ruina struggling in the air.

“Hehe, senior is cute.”

“Let me gooo…!”

Lana didn’t let go easily, as if that appearance was even cuter.

Besides, the senior was 20cm shorter than Lana, so no matter how much she resisted, it was useless. Lana finally put the senior down after I intervened.

At that time, Evan walked over from afar as if they had made an appointment. Judging from the way he was walking and his dejected face.

“Did you lose?”

“Yes, brother…. I lost everything….”

Evan couldn’t lift his face out of self-loathing. He had spoken confidently, but the result was destruction. It was a natural appearance.

“It seems that junior Evan doesn’t have a talent for gambling unlike Kyle.”

“Yes? How much did you earn, brother….”

“About 500 million in gold? I earned it.”

“Gasp!”

He looked in surprise at the money bag floating behind me, and then turned his gaze to his own shabby pocket.

“Wow….”

And he let out a transcendent voice.

“It’s normal when you do it for the first time. Don’t be too discouraged.”

“But isn’t this difference too much….”

Evan is generally lucky because he is the main character, but in the case of gambling, he was unlucky to the point of being the worst. So, from the world’s point of view, that result is inevitable.

“He’s like an idiot.”

“Senior, it’s rude to say that to his face.”

“It’s true.”

I had nothing to say to that. There was a bit of an idiot side to him.

“But Kyle. What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going to try that.”

At Lana’s question, I pointed to the giant slot machine I mentioned earlier.

The exact name of that is Despair Generator. It’s named that because it only presents despair to the challenger. And it’s extremely vicious to match.

To explain roughly, the slots rotate at an incredible speed, and the speed gradually increases as you go back. This is difficult to match even with a swordmaster’s dynamic visual acuity.

“Don’t do that. It’s well made.”

If the senior steps up to stop me, that’s all I need to know.

However, I had a countermeasure, and I was confident that I would never lose. I moved to the slot machine.

But then, a casino employee blocked me and said.

“Mr. Kyle Arden. We will escort you to the next stage.”

“You’re quite late? I thought you’d come sooner.”

“It seems you know our casino well.”

“Letan is the most famous casino on the continent.”

At that, the employee smiled, but it was clear that his stomach was churning. The losses to the casino must be enormous.

“What would you like to do with your companions?”

“They’re coming with me.”

“Then all four of you. We will escort you.”

He said that and led us.

In Letan, there are two places to gamble. That is, there are two stages.

The first is the place where we were playing until just now, a space that anyone can use.

And the second is.

“Welcome to the second stage.”

The so-called VIP stage. A space where you can only enter with the casino’s permission.

“I didn’t know there was a place like this underground.”

“It’s three times bigger than the ground!”

“I want to see that.”

The party couldn’t take their eyes off the VIP stage as soon as they arrived. As its name suggests, the scale of the casino was unusual, and the types of gambling were also twice as many.

That’s because this is a stage where only customers who spend a certain amount of money at the casino or who have money are invited. Of course, it couldn’t be as ordinary as the upper floor.

“There are a lot of people. How many are there?”

“There are about 2,000 people because there is an auction soon.”

“Damn, that’s a lot.”

There are many customers because the timing is right.

‘But it’s still small compared to the ground.’

The upper side is in units of 100,000, so this place is heaven compared to that.

“But is it okay to bring me here? You must have lost a lot.”

“We have only brought you here for a more enjoyable and comfortable gaming environment.”

“You’re good with words.”

The minimum betting amount in the casino’s basement is 1 million gold. In other words, there is a high possibility that you will lose all the money you won if you make a wrong move here.

“Anyway, don’t regret it.”

“Yes?”

Ignoring the employee who was making a question with his face, I moved towards the gambling table.

***

Bang!

The man slammed the table. Excited, his face was red with anger, and he soon shouted in an agitated voice.

“500 million on no pair?! There’s a limit to bluffing!”

At that shout, I chuckled and retorted.

“Why are you making a fuss when you’re the one who fell for it? Anyone would think I used a trick.”

“You son of a bitch…!”

The man couldn’t hold back his anger and rushed at me. But I stood still. There was someone to stop him.

“You can’t do this here.”

“Let go! Do you know who I am?! Let go…!”

The man shouted angrily. He was soon dragged away by the employee.

After that, another money bag was piled up behind me. As a result, I had a huge amount of money of 2.5 billion. This amount of money is about half a year’s worth of taxes for a small territory.

‘As expected, the money that comes and goes is different, so the amount that accumulates is different.’

I multiplied the money that I had struggled to earn for almost 3 hours by several times in just 1 hour. That’s why you need a lot of basic funds to gamble.

Of course, this is possible because there are many rich people in this place. Perhaps, if you look at the accumulated wealth alone, it’s enough to make any average territory go away. There were more rich people in the world than I thought.

“Next.”

I said provocatively, looking at the empty seat across from me.

There were many people gathered around me. Most of them were people who came to watch, but the VIP stage had more gambling-crazed people than the ground, so there were plenty of people who volunteered to compete.

“Hmm?”

At that time, a man sat in the empty seat.

A man with ordinary features. His aura is also very ordinary. He just looks like a rich customer.

But intuition warns me. I can’t look at him carelessly.

I slowly looked at him according to that sense. And a gaze that stopped at his hand.

‘A professional gambler….’

He seemed to have hidden it well, but the unique traces of calluses could not be hidden. I asked him, who was sitting in the seat.

“Do you have money?”

“I have enough, so don’t worry.”

At the same time as he said that, the employee began to stack money bags behind me and the man. A total of 50 cases. Exactly the same amount as me.

This made it clear that the professional gambler was a hired person. And that means the casino is burdened by me.

“Then let’s have some fun.”

Immediately after, I shuffled the cards.

***

It’s chilling. A dagger flies and pierces my heart.

The atmosphere of the casino cooled down to the point where a scene from a movie came to mind.

The reason is because of the gambling game that is still going on. The spectators couldn’t take their eyes off the table.

“Raise.”

“Call.”

When I added the betting amount, the opponent accepted it.

After that, the opponent holding the deck of cards deals the cards. Seeing that, I clicked my tongue and said.

“Tsk, this round is ruined too.”

I threw the cards on the table as they were.

“You’re unlucky. You’re losing in a row.”

“That’s what I’m saying. It’s like someone is manipulating it, and the cards are not good.”

“Are you perhaps suspecting me?”

I just smiled at that question.

The opponent was truly cunning.

He gives me cards that seem like I’m going to win, but he never lets me win. Sometimes he makes me win by a big difference to eliminate suspicion of manipulation.

‘Even in the meantime, his skills are good.’

The ability to freely handle and arrange cards without looking at them. At that level, he’s so outstanding that he can be called the hand of God.

Perhaps even a master level would have a hard time noticing it unless they sensed it with mana.

For reference, the use of mana is blocked in the casino. The divine power of the God of Contracts and Order, the God of Yellow, is spread throughout the casino.

‘Well, that’s enough exploration.’

The chips I’ve lost to him so far are a third of what I had.

I had roughly grasped his skills, personality, and habits, so there was no need to waste any more time.

My turn ended, and it was the opponent’s dealer’s turn.

“Let’s slowly raise the basic stake.”

“Good idea.”

The basic betting amount became money equivalent to 100 million in gold. It’s time to gamble here.

Chips piled up on the side. The guy must be expecting what I’m going to do.

But he wouldn’t know that it wasn’t just a riot to invalidate the game.

The moment he gave me the last card and tried to put the cards on his side. I reached out and shouted.

“Stop! Are you cheating?”

At that moment, I quickly replaced the card I had hidden in my hand with the opponent’s card, grabbed the deck of cards as it was, and put it in the deck.

The series of processes was so natural and secretive that the opponent didn’t even realize that he had been replaced.

“What are you doing!”

“Did you think I was a moron who wouldn’t notice your tricks?”

“What are you talking about! Do you have evidence?”

“Evidence? Of course I have evidence. You would have given me one pair.”

I turned over the card I just received and opened the rest. A pair of cards with the same number appeared.

“And you would have given yourself one pair too. Just enough to barely beat me.”

I turned over the cards and made them visible to all the spectators. And I took away the card I was holding.

“I’m guessing, this card is either a J or a Q. Shall we check it?”

This time, I opened the card for everyone to see. The spectators buzzed when they saw the number on the card.

“It’s really a Q.”

“Then that guy cheated….”

They glared at my opponent at the fact that all the games they had been playing until now were frauds.

“Ah, no, why is that….”

He was flustered. Because the card that shouldn’t have been there in the first place existed in his hand.

At that time, a casino employee rushed over. It was a person who looked like a manager.

“What’s going on!”

“Hey, doesn’t Letan manage its customers? How can a swindler like that be wandering around the VIP stage?”

“W, well, that’s….”

The employee glanced at the man and sweated profusely.

“This place is going downhill too. How can I enjoy the game properly like this?”

“W, we’re sorry! We’ll take action right away!”

With the situation like this, the casino couldn’t defend the hired man. This was an issue related to trust.

Moreover, as the customers’ uproar grew, the employee hurriedly called another employee and dragged the man away.

“I’m really sorry, Mr. Kyle Arden. Please….”

The employee stayed by my side and apologized. But whether he did or not, I was busy collecting money.

“Umm, that money is….”

“What. It’s my money that the swindler earned by cheating. It’s okay to take it, right?”

“…Yes, of course.”

He closed his eyes tightly and then opened them, giving a fairly satisfactory answer.

After collecting the chips and heading straight to the bar to quench my throat, which had become stuffy from the noise.

“Kyle, are you really rich now?”

“Well…. Still, this money is enough to barely put me in the ranks of the rich, right?”

There are so many rich people on the continent.

“Wow, brother…. I saw you again today. I can’t believe you’d make money like that.”

“I was just lucky. Ah, don’t copy me.”

“How can I copy that….”

In fact, the reason this worked was because the opponent’s habits were clearly revealed as a professional gambler.

“I want to eat a chocolate shake.”

“If the senior wants to eat it, I have to buy it for her.”

Is it because I made money after all? I feel good for no reason.

“What do you want to drink. Choose. I’ll buy it.”

“Oh, I….”

“I want the non-alcoholic drink I drank earlier!”

“That drink.”

A voice that cut in between us at that time. It’s the voice of an old man with a slightly cracked tone.

I could immediately tell who he was. Because he was the person I wanted to attract attention to by doing this.

“May I buy you a drink?”

It was Barto Benett, the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild.

Episode 96 Auction (1)

Episode 96 Auction (1)

Golden Merchant Guild.

A place regarded as a legend among merchants, having risen to become the best merchant guild on the continent in just 50 years.

There were many large merchant guilds with long histories on the continent, and it was only natural that it became famous after surpassing them all to become number one in half a century.

And Barto Bennet.

He was the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild, and the name of the person who appeared before us.

At the appearance of a stranger, the group, except for me, looked at him with wary eyes. It was because Barto Bennet’s face was not well known.

I answered his question.

“I will gladly have some if you buy it for me.”

Barto Bennet gave a signal, and the bartender, understanding his intention, prepared the drink.

“Kyle, do you know him? Sniff sniff, I feel like I’ve smelled him before….”

At that moment, Lana approached with a worried look and whispered in my ear.

“I don’t know him personally, but he’s a good person. I’ll go talk to him for a bit.”

“Okay! I understand!”

I headed to Barto Bennet’s side.

“How do you know who I am and accept this so readily, approaching without fear?”

“Who else would you be? The owner of the Golden Merchant Guild, of course.”

“Tsk tsk, you’re the only one who would crack such a joke to a scruffy old man like me.”

“If anyone else did, the staff would have kicked them out a long time ago.”

The casino staff seemed uninterested in him while paying close attention.

“And the details are lacking. What commoner neatly grooms their hair and nails?”

Besides, Barto Bennet seemed like a commoner at first glance, but upon closer inspection, he was anything but. Except for his clothes, he exuded elegance.

He picked up the glass placed in front of him and drank. He didn’t like alcohol, so it was a non-alcoholic drink. After swallowing the liquid, he continued.

“People judge others by their appearance first.”

“While some people do that, others don’t care about their attire. Like me.”

Then Barto Bennet chuckled.

“I can’t figure you out at all. Are you a split personality or something?”

“It’s not like I’ve been living as a ruffian. This level of acting is easy.”

“No wonder they say ‘love, love.’ The story from the banquet hall is still a hot topic.”

“Is it fun to tease someone young enough to be your grandson?”

“It is fun. Especially if it’s the kid who caused this commotion by dragging me out.”

At his words, I smiled silently.

The reason I recklessly spent money at the casino was to call him out. Letan was as good as Barto Bennet’s.

“What’s the reason you sought out this old man?”

“You’re agreeing quite readily? The losses must be enormous.”

“The price can be discussed later.”

Just how much is he going to ask for?

‘As expected of a merchant. It’s not easy to deal with him.’

Well, even so, calling out the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild to this extent is a bargain.

“The reason I came to the Free City is to participate in the auction.”

“Do you have an invitation?”

I subtly showed the two invitations in my inner pocket.

“You managed to get the back one. It’s not easy to get even with connections.”

“I put in some effort.”

“Did you come to the casino to raise funds as well?”

“That’s also one of the purposes.”

The front and back. To get the items I wanted from those two auctions, I needed a lot of money. A lot.

“Anyway, what I want to say is… I want you to help me with this auction.”

I moved closer and lowered my voice as much as possible. There weren’t many people around, but just in case.

“Help you at the auction. What exactly?”

“Firstly, there are many items I want to obtain at the auction. But I want to minimize unnecessary expenses. I would like you to intervene appropriately and stop them at that time.”

The Golden Merchant Guild’s name carries weight anywhere on the continent. So if he intervenes during the auction, participants will be wary and back down on their own.

Of course, it won’t work for everyone, but it will at least greatly help in saving costs.

After hearing my words, he seemed to contemplate for a moment but didn’t immediately come to a conclusion.

“If there’s a first, that means there’s also a second, right?”

“Of course.”

I continued.

“The second is. You’ve probably already heard about it. What race is coming out at the back auction.”

“…Did the rumors spread that far?”

“It would be stranger if they didn’t.”

An elf is going up for auction, no less.

The story has probably already reached the ears of wealthy people all over the continent.

“The second is to help with the purchase of the elf? Unfortunately, that’s impossible. As you said, the rumors have spread far and wide, and the competition is fierce. Even I would have a hard time stopping the overheating.”

Elves are a race famous for their innate beauty. That’s why there are so many people who want to get their hands on them at any cost. So much so that they committed the act of hunting elves 400 years ago.

They are probably still lobbying the Free City or related parties immensely.

“Unfortunately, that’s not it. Do you think I’m crazy? To buy an elf?”

Buying a woman born under God with money? You might as well kill me.

“Then what is it?”

“It’s nothing much… I’m thinking of causing some terrorism at the back auction.”

I said in a calm voice. Then Barto Bennet looked at me with an absurd expression and said.

“…I thought you were just a ruffian, but you’re completely insane.”

“Hey, why do you say such things.”

“Then you’re saying that’s not the case? If you think you’re normal, go see a priest or something.”

He treated my words as nonsense and sipped his glass. He meant he would pretend he didn’t hear me and I should leave.

“You don’t have to directly help us. My group and I will carry out the plan. The guild will probably not be involved with us.”

A simple task of moving the guards and auction item placement slightly. Unless we leave evidence, there is absolutely no chance of getting caught.

Even so, he didn’t listen. I didn’t stop.

“I’ll give you half of the money I won today, though not all of it.”

“It’s a big misconception if you think you can win me over with that money. Compared to my wealth, 2.5 billion gold is just pocket change.”

Barto Bennet refused. I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“Then how about I arrange a meeting with the Eustia Holy Kingdom?”

“…….”

Only then did he look at me.

The Eustia Holy Kingdom may seem open at first glance, but it is quite closed off in some ways. Thus, there are no cases of individuals or groups trading, unless it is between countries.

“You have a backer.”

“Surely a student wouldn’t commit terrorism in their right mind.”

“Judging from the conversation….”

He glanced at me and didn’t continue. He realized from the fact that I came to save the elf who asked me to come.

“Tsk tsk, really… A person even greater than the current head of the family has been born.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Then would it be a compliment or an insult?”

He had a brighter expression than before, and we exchanged words as we had been doing.

And after a while.

“Then I’ll see you on the day of the auction.”

“Go in peace.”

I left the casino, receiving his send-off.

***

A week passed quickly.

Playing, resting, and visiting historical sites. As I spent time like that, the day of the auction arrived.

The auction in the Free City starts at exactly 6 PM. So I moved according to the time.

Arriving at the auction house, I handed the white invitation to the staff. A total of 4 people could accompany one invitation, so we entered without any issues.

Moreover, the invitation that Velum prepared was a VIP invitation. We were guided to VIP seats.

Seats with a clear view of the auction stage below. I examined the auction house.

Participants filling the first floor, people who looked like nobles or the rich, laughing and chatting. The auction stage was covered by a huge red curtain, revealing nothing. Judging by the occasional breeze, it was still being prepared.

Next was the VIP seating on the same 2nd floor. Far away, I could see the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild, Barto Bennet. I made a short greeting when our eyes met.

In fact, there was no reason to be wary here, so I just looked at the auction catalog. Flipping through each page and examining the list, I expressed my thoughts inwardly.

‘There’s a lot of useless stuff.’

There were items that had no value to me, like pottery or relics. There were also useful auction items such as artifacts, magical tools, and elixirs.

‘I want to sweep them all away if I could.’

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a budget that was that generous, so I gave up. I need to save money appropriately at the front auction.

“Ruina-senpai. Is there anything you want to buy?”

“Yeah. This.”

I heard Lana’s and Senpai’s voices next to me. They were also looking at the catalog like me.

“And this, this, and this too.”

She flipped through the book, picking out items she wanted to bid on. Then, feeling my gaze, she turned her head.

“Can I buy them?”

“You can buy them, but I don’t have any money to buy them for you.”

“I have a lot of money. You don’t need to buy them for me.”

I already knew that.

‘Well, it should be okay.’

Senpai was earning money through a contract at the casino in the first place. So there won’t be any problems.

I sipped the prepared drink and looked at Evan this time. He didn’t seem very interested in the auction.

“Aren’t you buying anything?”

“Eii, what would I buy. It just looks expensive.”

“Should I buy you something?”

“You don’t have to go that far. I’m okay. I’ll just watch.”

Indeed, the base price of auction items is 100,000 gold units. That money is still a story from another world for a commoner like Evan.

-I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who attended our auction….

At that time, the auctioneer’s voice echoed on the stage, the curtain on the stage rose, and the light dimmed. The noise in the hall gradually subsided.

-The first auction item for all of you who have traveled through the desert and come to this remote place, bringing peace and safety to our city!

At that moment, the bottom of the stage opened, and the item rose.

-This is an artifact created 200 years ago by an anonymous alchemist! The starting bid is 300,000 gold, and the increment is 50,000 gold coins!

And the auction began.

-Ah~ Number 112! Suddenly 600,000 gold coins! Calls for twice the starting price!

The auctioneer called out our seat number.

I turned my head, and I saw Senpai entering the bid price for the magic tool.

“I told you. I have a lot of money.”

She looked at me with sparkling eyes and a triumphant face.

Episode 97 Auction (2)

Episode 97 Auction (2)

-Number 112, 1.2 million! Is there anyone higher?

All auction participants were silent at the auctioneer’s question. It was because my senior bid 2.5 times the starting price.

If it’s crazy, it’s a crazy sight. Who would slam down more than double the price like that?

Usually, they would gradually raise the price and stop at a reasonable price. No matter how precious an item is, it has a limit to its value.

But Senior Ruina was far from common sense, and she sincerely thought that the price she called was the value of the item.

-Yin-Yang Grass, won by number 112 for 1.2 million!

The auctioneer shouted loudly. With this, 14 out of the 30 auctions held have come into our possession.

Thanks to that, as time passed, the number of people who couldn’t fully enjoy the auction and glared at us continued to increase.

“Um… does your senior not know the word ‘auction’?”

At that time, Evan said a word to the senior due to the pressure of the pouring gaze. Then, the senior glared with a blank face.

“I know. You take it if you bid the highest. And don’t call me that.”

After answering that, the senior focused on the auction again. This time, she called 1.5 times the starting price.

“Hyung-nim… her sense of money is strange….”

“Don’t try to understand.”

The senior earns hundreds of millions in revenue a year from alchemy alone. It was natural for her spending habits to be strange, and it was difficult for the commoner Evan to understand her actions.

Anyway, there was no one to stop the senior’s dominance in the auction.

The senior only won bids related to alchemy and materials, while the nobles focused on works of art, and knights and magicians, including adventurers, focused on items to increase their power.

Of course, there was not no competition at all. There were various people in the auction house, and there were many auction items they commonly wanted.

Therefore, there were as few as 5 and as many as 10 competitors. They seemed to really want to get the auction item in their hands, so they persistently clung to it and competed.

-Number 112, 500,000 gold! Followed by number 256, 550,000, number 672, 600,000!

As soon as the senior signaled the start, they immediately followed little by little and raised the price. But Senior Ruina was not one to stand still with such tricks.

“Annoying.”

Click—

The senior entered a number into the auction magic tool with an annoyed face.

-Unbelievable! Number 112, 1 million gold!!!

The auctioneer shouted as if leaving the stage.

“……”

“……”

Silence flowed through the auction house at that moment.

An amount equivalent to 4 times the starting price of the auction. No matter how rare this auction item was, it wasn’t worth that much. So it was natural for silence to linger.

Of course, the same goes for me. I wouldn’t mind 3 times the starting price. But 4 times was a bit of an overreach.

I asked in a worried tone.

“Isn’t that too high?”

“Yeah. But it’s annoying.”

“Then there’s nothing I can do.”

I decided that it would be better to spend even more money to resolve it than to raise the money little by little and endure the annoyance, so what can I say?

It’s the senior’s money, so it’s not my place to interfere. Well, she might listen to me, her disciple, but I didn’t bother to step in.

-Number 112! Won for 1 million gold!

Immediately after, the auctioneer’s shout was heard. Senior Ruina said with a proud expression.

“I bought everything.”

“Is there anything else you want to buy?”

“Yeah. I don’t need anything else.”

The senior turned her gaze away from the auction catalog. Then she called an employee and ordered a cake.

“This, one whole.”

“Not a slice… did you say ‘one whole’?”

“Yeah. Whole.”

“Ah, I understand.”

The employee left the room in a hurry at her order. I guess the word “whole” was shocking.

I looked at the senior. She must have had a satisfying auction, but she doesn’t seem to be in a good mood. It seems that she is stressed from the continuous auctions.

As I said before, she doesn’t go out much, so it’s understandable. She spent more than half of the past week at the hotel.

“How about taking a break? There’s a sofa over there.”

“Yeah. I will….”

The senior with tired eyes headed straight for the sofa. Lana followed her and said.

“Senior Ruina. Shall I give you a lap pillow?”

“Yeah….”

“Here you go!”

Lana immediately offered her thigh, and the senior put her head on it. Lana smiled brightly as if she liked it.

“Hehe.”

The atmosphere is good over there, so I turned my attention to the auction.

The items I want are concentrated in the middle and later stages of the auction. With the last one, the early part of the auction is over. So now it’s my turn.

“How much are you going to buy, Hyung-nim?”

Evan asked. I recalled the list in the catalog and replied.

“About… 30?”

“……These guys are crazy too.”

Evan turned his head away, making an effort to deal with the sight of people living in a different world.

“Why are you surprised? You have to spend when you need to. If you come to the Free City, you have to buy that much.”

The Free City auction is held once a year. So you have to buy it when you visit.

And I’m buying some for you, the main character. Anyway, you have no sense.

If you’re like that in the second half, I’ll remodel your mindset then.

“Shall we focus on the auction now?”

At that moment, I made eye contact with Barto Benett sitting in the VIP room. Now it’s his turn to help for a smooth auction.

I participated in the auction, holding the auction magic tool in my hand.

***

-With customer number 112 taking the last auction item, the Blessing Barrier Statue, we will conclude this year’s auction. We would like to express our gratitude to the distinguished guests who visited the Free City….

The auction is over. The auctioneer gave an announcement and then gave subsequent guidance.

There wasn’t anything particularly special about the announcement. It was about paying as much as the winning bid and taking the auction item.

I bought all the auction items I wanted. The combination of the senior’s early dominance and Barto Benett’s help allowed me to get what I wanted without much difficulty.

I got up from my seat.

“Lana, let’s go. Senior, please get up too.”

I slowly shook the senior who had fallen asleep.

“Sleepy….”

“Our work isn’t over yet. Can you hold on a little longer?”

“Yeah, I understand….”

At my request, the senior got up with sleepy eyes. And Lana stretched and said.

“Ugh… 4 hours is too long!”

“It can’t be helped because it’s the Free City. Please bear with me as there’s only a little more to do.”

“Okay, Kyle!”

Then Evan asked.

“But Hyung-nim. Isn’t the auction over now? Hyung-nim said that the auction….”

“Be quiet, be quiet.”

I quickly covered Evan’s mouth. Anyway, this guy is a problem because he talks unnecessarily.

“I’ll explain later, so follow me for now.”

First, I moved to receive the winning auction items.

The process wasn’t that long. I checked the auction items won on the first floor and paid the price. After that, they asked if I would take the auction items right away or have them delivered.

I asked them to send it to the hotel where I was staying. The same goes for the senior’s. And I handed a black invitation to the employee who had just received the money.

Then, the employee bowed deeply and said.

“Please wait in the lobby for a moment and we will guide you.”

I nodded and waited as the employee said.

After a while, another employee approached.

“I’ll guide you.”

Following him, we headed underground.

After passing through several rooms, passing through dozens of locks and security devices, and passing through a dark and gloomy hallway, we were able to reach a certain room.

It was a room separated from others like the VIP room I had just stayed in, covered in splendor and luxury.

All sorts of things were prepared inside, and one side of the wall was made of glass, so I could see at a glance the auction stage that was different from what I had seen before.

“Please call us if you need anything.”

The employee finished his greetings and left the room.

“Hoo, we finally got here.”

“Hyung-nim, is it okay to talk now?”

“Yeah.”

This is a private room. Unlike the VIP room earlier, it is thoroughly soundproofed, so there is no chance that what is said here will leak out.

“What is this place?”

“It’s called the back side. An illegal auction is taking place.”

The Free City auction is divided into two types.

One is the front side we just did.

It is a place where auction items that do not come into contact with the law are auctioned. Therefore, the prices are reasonable and there are many auction participants.

The other is this place, the auction called the back side.

Only people directly invited by the auction house can participate. If the front side is a legal auction, the back side is the opposite, auctioning illegal items.

Drugs, mass slaughter magic or tools, trained monsters, slaves, etc.

Roughly, those things are sold on the back side.

“Then this place….”

“Yeah, an elf is captured.”

Slaves are mainly humans, but sometimes other races are sold as slaves.

Of course, most of the other races stay in the Holy Kingdom, so they are not sold as slaves, but sometimes they are captured by humans like now.

Anyway, the elf will be staying in the auction item waiting room.

“Then shouldn’t we go save her quickly?”

“Calm down. Is it that easy?”

As illegal activities are committed, the auction house’s preparations are not easy. In particular, auction items are thoroughly managed.

‘Of course, it’s not like I didn’t prepare anything.’

As we traded last time, Barto Benett must have prepared this and that. Like the casino, he has a certain stake in the auction house.

“So move as I said before.”

“I understand.”

“Okay, Kyle!”

“……”

The senior was silent. She was dozing off.

“Senior. Senior?”

“Ugh, huh…?”

“Can you do well?”

“Yeah… I can do it.”

“Wipe the sleep out of your eyes before you speak.”

I wet my hands with water using magic and wiped the senior’s face.

“Are you fully awake?”

“Yeah, I’m awake.”

Fortunately, the senior quickly came to her senses.

Immediately after.

-Distinguished guests. We will begin the auction.

Quietly and lowly. The auctioneer’s voice was heard.

Flash—

Only the lights on the auction platform are turned on. In order to prevent unnecessary information from leaking out, they did not reveal their appearance darkly.

-The first auction item.

A steel cage comes out from the side of the stage to the center of the platform. Inside, young children were trembling in fear.

-Boys and girls, each seven, suitable for use as test subjects or slaves. Both body and mind are pure and flawless. The starting bid is 5 million gold. The call price is 100,000 gold.

At that moment, the auction amount soared in an instant and rose.

“Then let’s get ready.”

The beginning of the auction. It’s time to move.

Immediately after, I left the room.

“Hoo, you son of a bitches.”

With anger boiling deep inside my heart.

Episode 98 Auction (3)

Episode 98 Auction (3)

As I left the room, an employee who had been waiting outside asked.

“Is there anything uncomfortable?”

“Well, I want to be alone, but the auction is too bright. Do you have a private room?”

“Of course, we do. However, you will not be able to participate in the auction if you go to a private room. Is that okay?”

“I don’t care, just guide me.”

“Understood.”

The employee bowed and guided me.

As expected of the dark side doing illegal auctions, the security in the hallway is no joke.

Guards were stationed every 100m to prepare for any possible situation, and various magic spells caught my eye.

“We have arrived. Please call if you need anything.”

The employee said, opening the door. The private room was not much different from the room I was in with the group. It was just more focused on rest.

“You can go now.”

“Yes.”

He carefully closed the door and left.

Step, step.

The employee’s presence fades away. But I could feel the energy of a guard nearby.

‘Well, there’s no problem.’

The guard’s skill is only around Expert mid-to-highest. They have no ability to recognize what I’m about to do.

Of course, there will be a Master-level person waiting somewhere, but even if they realize it late, the situation will have escalated to a point where it cannot be resolved.

I took out a bomb made by modifying a part of the Black Mana Stone from my chest. And then, with a sigh, I took out the original Black Mana Stone as well.

“I didn’t originally plan to use this… .”

In fact, the bomb alone was enough for this plan.

I knew the structure of the underground auction house, and Barto Bennett is helping me. So, if I just cause enough of a stir, I can rescue the elf and escape without much trouble.

But seeing the children who were put up for auction, I couldn’t just let it go. I could see clearly what kind of life would unfold if I left them alone.

Of course, the children are extremely low in importance. Less than extras. Just that level of role.

But I couldn’t just leave them alone. Even if I can’t save everyone in the world, I could lend a hand to the pitiful people in front of me.

“…I’m not used to doing villainous things.”

It would be okay to show a bit of a terrorist-like side, right?

Immediately after, I drew out the power of the Black Mana Stone. A jet-black light crawled out. I wrapped it around my whole body.

The clothes I was wearing were dyed black, and a black cloak was created on my back. A pure white mask was placed on my face.

I couldn’t show my true self because I was going to appear in front of people from now on.

Preparation complete. I attached the bomb to my belt and held the Black Mana Stone in one hand.

“Shall we go cause some trouble?”

Black magic – Lich Summon

Let’s start lightly.

***

The auction proceeds.

Auction participants called out amounts from a minimum of a million to a maximum of a hundred million, and countless items were handed over to them.

Among them, the largest number were humans. Men, women, and people of all ages were being sold off.

Evan, who was watching the scene, said quietly.

“Did you see Hyung-nim’s face earlier?”

“Yeah, I saw it.”

“That’s the first time I’ve seen Hyung-nim so angry.”

His face was clearly the same as usual, but the atmosphere was so angry that he seemed ready to destroy the auction house at any moment.

The killing intent was so intense. I was trembling.

“Kyle likes children, after all.”

“Well, he does.”

If you think about how he treated Lia during the festival or the scene at the orphanage, Hyung-nim liked children.

“He wouldn’t do anything weird, would he?”

“Who knows?”

Lana couldn’t give a definite answer to her junior’s words.

Of course, Kyle will do his best in the task he’s been given. But, based on his personality, she had a feeling that things wouldn’t go according to plan.

“I hope nothing goes wrong… .”

Evan was also disgusted and angry at this auction. He wanted to round up everyone gathered here and throw them in jail right away.

But he understood what should be prioritized. The most important thing to consider was rescuing the elf.

But he’s worried about how Hyung-nim will act. Even Hyung-nim, who seems like he can do anything, sometimes pops up with strange things.

“Idiot. Don’t worry about your disciple, just take care of yourself.”

“Hyung-nim’s senior. How important is this job? If Hyung-nim makes a mistake… .”

“He doesn’t make mistakes.”

“Just believing that so blindly… .”

KWAANG!!!

At that moment, an explosion filled the auction house. It was Kyle’s signal.

“Lana-sunbae.”

“Yeah.”

Lana nodded and immediately received the signal from her summoned creature. She had used her summoned creature to explore the inside of the auction house in advance.

“Hurry and get on my back.”

“…I don’t want to.”

“You have no choice. Or are you going to run?”

“No… .”

Ruina had no choice but to get on Evan’s back.

Time was important for this plan. She didn’t know how the situation would change rapidly if they were delayed even a little.

As they waited for the second signal, something emerged from the darkness of the auction house.

“Oh, that’s… .”

“It’s a lich… .”

A figure she had seen somewhere before. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it was similar to the lich she had seen at the library.

“Hyung-nim didn’t do that, did he?”

“It’s possible. With a Black Mana Stone.”

Ruina knew that with the Black Mana Stone, which is called the essence of black magic, summoning a lich was easy.

“Hyung-nim, how are you going to handle the aftermath… .”

Evan rubbed his forehead with an incoming headache.

Even so, a lich was crossing the line. What if he gets caught doing that? Of course, Hyung-nim would get away with it somehow… .

Anyway, Evan, who thought the plan was a little twisted, immediately prepared to kick down the door and leave.

KWAH-AH-AH-AHNG!!!

A roar five times louder than before is heard. It was the alarm sound announcing the start of the operation.

But Evan and Lana couldn’t move right away. Because a figure appeared after the lich.

His face was clearly covered with a mask and his clothes were dyed black, but they could tell who he was from his figure.

“Ah, I don’t know. Whatever will be, will be.”

Evan stopped thinking. It seemed like his head would only hurt more if he did.

“Lana-sunbae. Let’s go.”

“Ah, uh-huh… .”

That was the same for Lana, who liked Kyle.

After that, the three ran towards the waiting room where the elf was being held.

***

Before the auction starts, slaves take a bath and undergo quality inspection in the waiting room.

They can’t show a flawed appearance when they’re about to meet their master. So, they check them for about 10 minutes with a magical tool.

The most anticipated item of this auction, the elf Elena, was also staying in the waiting room.

Empty inside.

All the guards had left somewhere, and Elena was left alone.

She didn’t know why. But after watching for a moment, she considered this an opportunity and took action.

Click—

She fiddled with the handcuffs.

“Ugh-”

But Elena soon frowned. A pain that felt like needles pricking her nerves swept through her body.

Nevertheless, she endured the pain and tried. She tried to remove her hands by dislocating her joints, or break them by hitting them against the wall.

But it was impossible with her body restricted by magic. It was hard to see her as the leader of the knights who protect the World Tree.

“If only I could use divine power, or even mana… .”

Elena muttered, grinding her teeth.

She didn’t even need divine power. She could escape this situation if she just summoned a spirit with mana.

But due to the magical tool, her physical abilities had become so weak that she couldn’t even kill a goblin, and she was blocked from using divine power and mana.

A situation that was so precarious that escape was impossible.

The only comfort was that the connection with her mother, the World Tree, was intact. If even that had been cut off, she would have surely gone crazy.

[Elena?]

“Yes, Mother.”

At that moment, she heard her mother’s words. She immediately knelt on one knee.

[How is your body?]

“Fortunately, there is nothing wrong.”

Perhaps because she was a valuable auction item. Elena was treated with the utmost care, unlike other slaves.

When she says utmost care, it only means that she was allowed to live a little more like a human. It wasn’t like she was being treated with extreme preciousness.

[I’m relieved and sorry. I made you do something unnecessary.]

“It’s not. I’m the one who is sorry for getting caught.”

The reason Elena came to the Great Desert was to recover a certain item. She was caught in the process due to her own shortcomings.

[I just got a message. They have started moving to save you.]

“…Is that so.”

She had a slightly lukewarm expression. Because her mother had to step in directly because of her mistake.

[Don’t blame yourself too much. It hurts my heart when you do that, Elena.]

Elena smiled slightly at those words. As expected, the only one who cares about them is her mother.

[Oh, I’ll tell you in advance, the personality of the child who’s going to save you isn’t going to be good.]

“You mean Kyle Ardeen… .”

The irreverent human who made a contract with her mother, not one who came into her arms.

“Why such a human… .”

Elena, who protects the side of the World Tree, had also heard the name of the rascal. And she roughly figured out what kind of person he was.

That’s why Elena couldn’t understand why she entrusted the job to the rascal.

[Don’t be like that too much. He’s a cute child in his own way.]

“I understand.”

Elena didn’t express any more complaints. The words of their mother, the World Tree, were absolute to them, the elves.

[Let’s cut off the connection now. He must be busy too.]

“Then I’ll see you when I get back.”

[Come back without getting hurt.]

“Yes.”

After that, Elena’s connection with the World Tree was cut off.

At that moment.

KWAANG!!!

An explosion was heard inside the waiting room.

Elena realized that this was a kind of signal.

If they were going to make an escape plan, they should have made it quietly. It was like advertising to everyone that they had come to save her.

But what could she do? Elena herself was too weak right now. Right now, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and wait for someone else’s help.

KWAH-AH-AH-AHNG!!!

Another explosion follows.

There were no guards. Elena just waited silently.

As time passed.

Crack!

Someone broke down the door and came in. Elena’s head turned towards the door.

‘That human is Kyle Arde… Huh?’

She felt a sense of bewilderment at the appearance of the person who entered. The Ardeen family was born with blonde hair and golden eyes, and Kyle Ardeen was known to have sharp eyes.

But the human in front of her had navy blue hair, and his face was quite… .

“Hello! My name is Evan Felix. Hyung-nim is drawing attention, so I came to save you.”

With those words, he swung his sword and cut the bars. Likewise, he easily split the handcuffs in half with a single strike.

“Let’s go. We don’t have much time.”

Elena carefully reached out her hand at his outstretched hand.

“Yes, y-yes… .”

When she took his hand, for some reason Elena felt heat rising to her face.

‘She’s pretty… .’

It was no different for Evan.

Episode 99 Auction (4)

Episode 99 Auction (4)

The situation of rescuing the elf who was the subject of the structure. Evan said as he left the room.

“Please follow carefully. My brother took care of the guards separately, but magic is laid all around.”

As expected of a place where auction items are waiting, the preparation was also considerable. And Elena, hearing a strange word, asked.

“The ‘brother’ you’re talking about… are you referring to Kyle Arden?”

“Ah, I’m so used to this title that I made a mistake. Yes, that’s right.”

“…I see.”

Still, does he have the ability for my mother to ask for a favor? It was an unexpected side different from the nickname of a scoundrel.

“Anyway, stick close and follow me. If you’re next to me, you won’t get caught by the magic.”

Evan was using magic to disrupt the mana wavelengths. At least if you were next to him, there was no need to worry about being discovered.

“I understand.”

Elena nodded and stuck behind Evan.

‘It’s hard to move yet.’

Now free, she could use mana and divine power, so those threats weren’t a big problem.

However, she had lost a lot of muscle after being released after several weeks, and her physical condition was awkward, so it would take time to adjust.

Of course, as the captain of the Knights, she could step up immediately if she wanted to, but she decided to receive help until the end, since she had already received it.

‘Yes, this is unavoidable.’

She forced herself to hide the truth and followed Evan. For some reason, Elena felt his shoulders, which she was following behind, seemed broad.

After leaving the slave waiting room, Evan soon met up with the group.

“Evan, my junior! Did you bring her?”

“Yes. Ah, these are my seniors who came to help.”

Evan briefly introduced the two. One was someone Elena knew well.

Lana Heitald.

A human that her mother, the World Tree, liked as much as her own child, an elf.

Elena had occasionally seen her mother talking to her.

Unfortunately, she didn’t know the other human. However, the energy was so heterogeneous that it made her think that he was not human.

However, in the current situation of escape, she wasn’t planning on dragging it out for long.

“Nice to meet you both. My name is Elena.”

“Nice to meet you!”

“……”

Lana greeted her in a friendly manner, and Ruina hid behind Lana and stared silently.

Anyway, the greetings were briefly concluded.

“Let’s hurry and leave. It’s a long way to the place where we agreed to meet with my brother.”

His brother said that if a problem occurred at the back auction house, all guests would be evacuated through a secret passage.

However, they had an elf with them. He said they couldn’t use that method. So he prepared another escape route, and there was a place to meet after rescuing the elf.

The four moved to the meeting place. Fortunately, there were no major problems with the move.

Kwa kwa kwang!!

The biggest reason was that they were attracting all the aggro over there. Thanks to that, no one approached this side.

In addition, Lana looked around with summons to find the optimal escape route, and Ruina used alchemy to create confusion in the passage in preparation for possible pursuers.

That’s not to say they didn’t encounter the enemy. They ran into guards on their way to the auction house.

“As my brother said, it’s impossible not to get caught at all.”

Evan said, knocking down the guard. Elena was slightly impressed by the sight.

‘To have that level of swordsmanship at such a young age….’

Clean and concise trajectory, and power distribution that stuns the opponent without killing them.

As a knight walking the path of the sword, Elena could immediately tell how outstanding Evan’s talent was.

She was already glancing at him constantly. Seeing his sword made her look even more.

If there was time, she wanted to share swords with him directly and give him guidance.

Furthermore, if you look at the way he helps without being a hindrance to the two, his capabilities as a leader were also excellent.

However, Elena’s thoughts didn’t last long.

“Elf! The elf has escaped!!”

That’s when she heard the guard’s shout. The unique appearance of the elf could not be completely hidden by the cloak.

“I will help you from now on.”

Elena said, picking up the sword lying on the ground.

Now that the escape has been revealed, the number of guards has tripled. It’s true that the three of them have excellent teamwork, but it was difficult for the three of them to handle it alone.

There’s no problem. She had adapted to her physical condition to some extent.

Elena immediately called on the spirits. The spirit of the wind responded to the call of her friend. The sylph, who revealed herself, clung to her immediately.

“Sorry for calling you after a long time. First of all, can you help me?”

-!!!

The spirit expressed affirmation and wrapped itself around her friend’s sword and body.

Her movements became much lighter. Elena lightly swung her sword at the enemy.

Ka ga ga gak!!!

Dozens of blades of wind cut through the surroundings. Each one was a sharp blade that tore apart everything in front of it.

“A, avoid it!!”

“Keu-ack!”

The opponent retreated late, but it was already too late. It was difficult for an expert to withstand the technique unfolded by the unification of spirit and swordsmanship.

“Kkeueuk….”

“Sa, save me….”

The guards who had fallen to the floor. They couldn’t come to their senses from the pain that was coming. At the same time, the floor was stained with blood.

“Oh, what kind of technique is that?”

Elena blushed slightly and replied to the pure question mixed with admiration.

“It’s called spirit swordsmanship. It’s a technique passed down through the Knights, a combination of spiritism and swordsmanship.”

At that time, another guard rushed in.

Evan gathered mana as he looked at them. He thought that he could follow Elena’s swordsmanship to some extent, even if it was just a little bit.

Create sword energy and mix it with Wind Cutter, one of the wind magic spells, on top of it.

Hwi-i-ing—

The wind rippled slightly.

It couldn’t be said that it was completely the same, but it was a form of following Elena’s sword in his own way.

It flickered for a moment and then stabilized. Evan moved his arm after confirming that.

Kagak!!

The blade of wind emitted a fierce sound and cut down the enemy.

However, the power was weak and the range was short, but that alone was enough to take Elena’s breath away.

“Did you, did you copy that…?”

“Yes, it didn’t seem difficult to imitate. But it’s my first time using it, so the power is different.”

“No, that’s….”

“Yes?”

“It’s nothing….”

Elena couldn’t continue her words.

Replacing spiritism with magic, combining magic and swordsmanship, and following it as if it were natural.

‘How can he have such talent….’

Even for her, who had lived for nearly 100 years, it was just surprising.

“Um, by any chance….”

“Please speak.”

“Could you show me that technique one more time later?”

“I will show you. Definitely.”

Elena answered in a voice filled with longing. She couldn’t refuse the puppy-like eyes that were shining brightly.

And Lana, who saw that scene, said to Ruina.

“Ruina, my senior. I think spring has come~”

“It’s autumn now.”

“Hehe, it’s okay if you don’t know what it means.”

“Huh?”

Ruina tilted her head at Lana’s words.

The situation was settled for the time being, and the four ran again. Then, a being that denies death appeared in front of them.

“Why the undead…!”

Elena was startled and stepped forward at the appearance of hundreds of skeletons. They were accompanied by someone, and upon closer inspection, they were the slaves who were put up for auction.

Evan stopped Elena when he saw it and reassured her.

“It’s okay. My brother is using them.”

“The undead?”

“Yes. So don’t worry. Ah, my brother says to follow him.”

At that time, letters were generated in front of the four. It was a message to move with the skeletons.

With Evan in the lead, the four moved in that direction. And Elena followed behind and thought.

‘Just what is Kyle Arden….’

What kind of human is he that he uses powers related to ‘black’?

‘Mother, are you really okay?’

On the one hand, Elena was worried about the choice of her mother, the World Tree.

***

The auction house was a mess.

The VIP room was completely destroyed by the bomb, and flames that had not yet gone out flickered among the debris.

And above it, the skilled people and guards hired by the auction house were surrounding me from all sides.

“Who ordered you to do this!”

One of the three master-level people in this place asked.

However, I didn’t answer and showed it with actions.

“Arise.”

When I chanted the starting words with mana, the ground began to shake.

The fragmented bone pieces are reconnected and reassembled to find their original shape.

That’s not the end. The advantage of a necromancer is that they can procure materials locally. If there are souls and corpses in that place, you can create as many undead as you want.

Corpses created by battle were reborn as undead, and the numerous vengeful spirits and corpses that had been sleeping in this land also shook to show themselves to the world, scattering resentment.

“Attack!!”

That’s when I heard the shout.

The fatal weakness of summoning magic is the timing during the summoning. They didn’t miss that gap.

Dozens of sword energies are heading towards me, and magic that is fired without a gap oppresses me.

However, it’s just an expert’s attack. I blocked the weapons with a shield and neutralized the magic by spreading Dispel widely into the area.

“Always doing the same obvious tricks.”

Combat patterns that have been repeated several times in repeated collisions. The intention is to deplete my mana as much as possible through attrition warfare.

However, the mana of the Black Stone was not infinite, but it was not something that would run out through those few times. It’s still fine even if this process occurs more than five times.

‘Hmm?’

At that moment, a signal flowed into my head. It was the content that the summon had met Evan.

‘I should go back soon.’

It seems the elf has been rescued, so there was no reason to stay here any longer. I sent a rough message and then drew on the power of the Black Stone.

“Are you going to let him get away with that!!”

“Tie him up!”

Thinking that I was going to explode something big, two masters rushed in, emitting sword energy.

Kwaga gak!!

Colorful magic unfolds around me. The magic of the archmages, linked without any gaps to escape, tried to bind me.

But.

“How dare you, you bugs, touch your master!!”

In the meantime, the regenerated Lich shouted and revealed itself.

Both are 7-circle and evenly matched. The Lich’s magic could not overwhelm the opponent, but it was enough to keep the archmage in check.

That short amount of time. The price for not blocking the magic was great. The undead were summoned and filled the auction house.

“Tsk, troublesome guy.”

“It’s the 6th large-scale summoning. He must have no mana left.”

The two masters cut down the undead and approached me.

I wasn’t just standing still either. I combined black mana and corpses to create a shape. And I cast a spell.

Summon-Death Knight

Then, a summoned black-shaped knight. A summon to protect the necromancer, who is weak in close combat.

“Go.”

Clang, the Death Knight took a step at the command. Soon, the guy who had adapted ran towards the enemy.

But he won’t last long.

The two masters will defeat the Death Knight with a joint attack, and if one master joins the Lich, the balance will be broken and he will collapse soon.

Will he last about 10 minutes at best?

That’s the limit unless I step in myself. It’s still too much for three masters, even if it’s just one. The fact that I’ve endured this far is thanks to deception.

‘So I have to prepare before that.’

I give orders to the undead. The summons, strengthened with the Black Stone, easily knocked down the guards and advanced to each position.

Immediately after finishing the preparations.

Kwajik!

The sound of the Death Knight being crushed was heard.

“M, master….”

Before long, the Lich screamed and called out to me.

At that moment, the mana given to the undead was almost exhausted, and one by one, their shapes collapsed. A situation where there are no summons to protect me. The three approached to subdue me.

I smiled and said at the sight of those guys.

“It’s 3, 2, 1, you bastards.”

Unfolding magic under my feet. Mana spread out like a spider web, creating a huge magic circle.

“This is…!”

Magic that doesn’t seem to be anything special when you look at each one. But the power that is created by it is undoubtedly outstanding.

The 7-circle mage, who realized this, hurriedly used Dispel.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t just get cut off when you do that.”

It’s mixed with the mysteries of martial arts, so it can’t be solved with just magic. You have to reverse calculate it to solve it.

Kwaaang!!

Immediately after, the last of the bombs that my senior modified exploded first, signaling the start.

Kwaaaang!!

Then, each bomb spread out like a chain reaction, destroying everything with a huge flame.

And before the explosion covered me.

Black Magic-Location Swap

I used the magic to swap places with the summons over there and said.

“See you again if I have time.”

One of the masters frowned and shouted at the teasing tone.

“You son of a bitch…!!”

“If you have time to talk, cut off your mana!”

“Try hard.”

The moment I finished speaking, my vision flashed. And the group was in front of my eyes.

“Kyle!”

“Brother!”

Lana and Evan greeted me as if they had been waiting for a long time….

Kwaaaaaang!!

“What the hell did you do?!”

“You’re not going to destroy this place, are you?!”

“Uh…….”

They spat out those words as soon as they met me at the loud noise that could be heard from this far away.

What is it? Did I do something wrong?